I Have Moved!!!

Not literally, but the new and improved blog has moved to here:
http://www.arunab.com/blog/

Gifts at the Front Door (Besides 3 Feet of Snow)

Look what came in the mail the other day. My new business cards and my new 50mm lens. I combined the 2 to make a fine picture below. Yeay for crossing things off lists. Look for the new website, pricing guide AND SPECIAL RATES for sessions in the next couple of weeks!

PS: on a side note I would like spring to come earlier this year. thank you.

Caribbean - Part 2 Sunsets

Here are some sunsets, sunshine pictures from our trip. The colors were INSANE. When we were in Anguilla on East Shoal Bay it stormed for about 10mins right before sunset, it was BEAUTIFUL with amazing clouds in the sky. I don't think these capture the layers upon layers of colors. But once I pulled them up on my computer the pictures were really close to getting that feeling of awe. OH! and there was a rainbow the span of the island too!

Caribbean!! - Part 1

So warm, so blue, so lovely. We got in late Thursday night and were greeted with ice in the Jetway. So sad to be back, but it's wonderful to look at some favorite photos and reminisce..ahhh...sigh.

Monkey Business

My first attempts at REALLY understanding my flash and to control it manually. I didn't have anyone around..so I used my little wooden monkey. I did this is a dark hallway and started shooting away while changing various setting. Bouncing the flash off different walls. I added a little vintage post-processing.

This test is with one flash....next time I am going to test it out with using some workshop lamps from Home Depot! Cheap way to learn basics of lighting. I wish the monkey's smile was all the same darkness...it looks like I got too much light on one area in the second picture. I guess I should have compensated by bouncing the light from the right instead.

Beautiful Mother

This is Julie, she is such a beautiful soon-to-be mom. Her belly isn't showing too much at the moment so we are going to try again in a couple of months. It was such a fun shoot to not just shoot her anticipation, but to shoot fun stuff surrounding the new baby. here are some favorites!

Education

These days are getting me down, grey and colorless. My mom gave me lovely tall plant yesterday, it's made my little office area much more cheery. I am hoping that I won't kill it, I can actually see the water level on this thing so I know if it gets too low...I must water immediately.

Anyway my goal this year is to go to 2 workshops on technique. One down! I registered for one today with the lovely support of my lovely husband. Buying a house, building a new business, and paying taxes at the same time is stressful. So thankyou to Mr.B for supporting my dream. I hope I can do the same for you soon.

So in June I will be attending The Secret Workshop yeay for me and yeay for learning more about lighting.

Also on a side note. I am looking for a red headed female model, any takers? If you know of anyone who is a lovely soul and would like to take some pictures and is red headed in the Detroit area I would love their information or have them contact me:
arunaorama@gmail.com, danka!

My Addiction / Inspiration

Since realizing that this creative outlet is oozing out of me(meaning I want to do this so badly I can hardly contain myself)..I have had an addiction. An addiction to learning and being inspired by other photographers. Today I thought I would just list blogs that I visit everyday. There are sooo many wonderful photographers out there that capture moments beautifully and I want to do the same for people, being able to capture things precious to them and freeze that moment,that preciousness; forever. Melodramatic perhaps...but definitely on point.

Here is where I would professionally love to be someday:

Laura Novak
Jennifer Skog
Anne Ruthmann
Jessica Claire
Michelle Moore
Jonathan Canlas
Sheye Rosemeyer

Martin Luther King Day with Tiki Barber

I had the great opportunity (thanks hubby) to take some photos of Tiki Barber speaking at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business MLK day address. Tiki is such an inspiring athlete and person. I found myself stopping and listening to him speak instead of taking pictures. He is joining efforts with Stephen Ross to develop affordable housing throughout the nation. You can find out more information about this amazing effort here.
You can also find out more about his recent book
Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond.

Also yeay for the Giants (Tiki's Old team) and little Eli Manning...I'm not a huge football follower, Mr.B is so I do end up watching alot of games. Usually I'm the one rooting for either the Seahawks or the underdog....once I proclaim an allegiance my competitiveness comes out. Ever since I found out that there were 2 Mannings in the NFL and not just the great Payton I've had a soft spot for his underdog brother. I'm soooo happy that they are going to the Super Bowl.

Okay back on topic here are some of pics from the day.

Weekend Fun

here is some fun quick weekend pics that I thought were cute.

Actionable Items

So today instead of following my usual ritual of going to 15 sites of photographers I admire I went to 5 and then started working on a Business Plan. I love photography. Is wedding photography what I want to do? I love the emotion, experience, pure joy that comes from the day. But I want the control of being artistic as well, and weddings don't allow for time to do that to the fullest potential I want. Is that a trade-off I want. Either way I will see where this road leads me, I have to. I probably don't have enough experience to know what I am talking about BUT I won't find out until I try. So in the next month or so there will be some change happening on this site: a new website, rates, calenders...you know legitimate business things :) to actual start trying what I have been dreamign about. Exciting, yes...but nerve racking as well, I feel like I can do this... I feel like it will be a good thing... but I'm such a perfectionist I want it to be just right. The images, the client experience, the albums, the website, the work-life balance. I have to take it one step at a time so this morning I start with my Plan of Action 2008.

This picture reminds me of how I am feeling right at this moment...it's me hiking in Peru during our honeymoon. It had rained off and on during the hike that day and we were approaching our campsite for the night. And the clouds were clearing but it looked really ominous, but beautiful. That's how my stomach feels before I start do something I'm not completely sure or in control of. Kinda churning...almost about to clear, but I need to take the next steps before the churning nervousness moves out and is replaced by excitement.

(photo taken by mr.b)

Nipa & Alex Winter Wedding

This second-shooting experience was much better than the first. Crystal Toole was awesome and let me have a lot of creative freedom to just practice and try interesting shots. Nipa and Alex were so kind and are a wonderful couple, I was smiling throughout their whole ceremony, you can tell they will have a marriage filled with joy. Here are some of my favorite images from the wedding.