Lucie Wicker Photography

Imaging USA 2012 in New Orleans

2012-01-24T16:45:00.001-05:00

Aside from exploring Bourbon Street, I was in New Orleans to attend Imaging USA, the annual conference of the Professional Photographers Association. I saw a bunch of speakers including Kevin Kubota, Jerry Ghionis, Jim Garner, Julieanne Kost, Jack Davis, Joey L., and Prem Mukarjee to name a few. All worth checking out if you get a chance to hear them speak. From portraiture posing to Lightroom tips, they covered a lot of ground in their presentations.

There was also a huge (HUGE) expo going on where we spent several hours on Tuesday. Equipment, album vendors, backdrops, software, you name it- it was there. Here are a few booths I really liked-

I loved these customizable flash drives and boxes from Pexagon and Rice Studio Supply. Their eco-friendly packaging is so appealing.

Of course I had to stop by the Moo booth. I just ordered some promo postcards from them and they are gorgeous.

Millers had the most impressive-looking booth, my 50mm lens is not doing it justice here. Above and beyond!

I do like a good backdrop. My travel buddy Julie, of Julie Sterling Photography, posed for me.

And then there were the parties. A great way to end the day- food, music, booze. I took this photo because the DJ put on a Sir Mix-a-Lot video and "Baby's Got Back" in mixed company is hilarious.

Night Photos from Bourbon Street, New Orleans

2012-01-22T11:18:00.009-05:00

Can you see Seth in the background holding our hurricanes?

Whew! I just returned from almost a week in New Orleans feeling refreshed, recharged, and inspired. When we got in around nine and headed straight to Bourbon Street. It was overwhelming after a long day of travel and I could see how it would get old fast but I loved all of the energy and craziness block after block. Oh and being able to walk down the street with an alcoholic drink. So foreign!

No age discrimination on Bourbon St

Yes please.

Beads!

A biscuit from Popeyes at the end of the night. Yes, it was that good.

More photos coming soon...

New Orleans and Imaging USA

2012-01-13T09:00:00.001-05:00

I'm off! I'm heading to my very first photography conference and expo, Imaging USA, which is taking place in New Orleans. I've never been to NOLA and I've given myself some extra time outside of the conference to explore as much as possible. I'll be returning with plenty of photos I'm sure so stay tuned!

Product Photography: Pansy Maiden Bags

2012-01-11T14:35:00.008-05:00

Last fall when my friend Laura Collins of Pansy Maiden asked me to do a photo shoot with her handmade bags, I immediately said yes. Laura's bags are not only handmade, they are also cruelty-free meaning she only works with materials that do not come from animals (no leather, wool, or silk). The materials she does use are organic and abide by Fair Trade regulations (you can read all about it here). Not to mention they are also just really cool, durable, and good-looking!

For our shoot, we went deep into the woods of the Arnold Arboretum. With the sun out and the temps a cool 80, the shooting conditions were ideal. Our models, Stephanie and Melody, were patient as well as gorgeous, and Laura made a good assistant too!

In addition to using the photos for her website, Laura put together a "look book" which really blew me away. She also commissioned local illustrator Elise of Argyle Whale to create some adorable woodland creature illustrations to add to a few of the photos, so cute!

I love what we created during this shoot, thanks to Laura and of course her awesome crew!

More details from the shoot:
Hair/Makeup: Molly Smith of Molly Makeup and Hair
Stylist: Virginia Johnson of Gather Here
Models: Stephanie Bain, Melody Martinez

Birthday Beagle

2012-01-08T10:33:00.003-05:00

Today is my silly little dog's sixth birthday. I gave him a little scrambled egg as a present but he still felt the need to steal a biscuit off the counter when I left the room. I guess he thought he deserved more. We're going to go on a long walk now to burn off breakfast.

Happy Birthday Apollo!

First Night 2012 with Spontaneous Celebrations

2012-01-04T11:39:00.011-05:00

I'm not a huge fan of New Years Eve since, being a Boston city dweller, it's always freezing cold, uber expensive, and damn near impossible to find cabs. Our tradition the last few years has been to go to Mamma Maria (across the street from our apt!), have dinner, and hang out with the staff until midnight. Not a bad tradition but this year I added to it- I went to the First Night parade up Boylston Street to the Common.

I was there taking photos of the Spontaneous Celebrations crew who were in the parade decked out, playing drums, dancing, and some even on stilts. The group has been participating in the parade since 1998 and they put on quite a show. I traveled with them taking photos all along the way, and it was a blast!

Happy 2012!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

Our holiday card this year.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy the rest of 2011!

Feast of the Seven Fishes

2011-12-21T22:24:00.000-05:00

One of my friends decided that this year we should try making a Feast of the Seven Fishes, an Italian Christmas tradition. Since cooking, eating, and drinking are some of our favorite activities, it was not hard to convince the rest of us that this was a good idea. We each picked a few dishes to try and attempt, and I brought my camera to document the evening-

Making fresh fettuccine (with a Kitchenaid mixer)

Waiting patiently to be cooked.

Appetizers

Using one mussel to eat the other.

Smelts!

Fritto Misto

Wrapping the stuffed branzino

Seasoning the Whole Roasted Branzino with Fennel and Onions

Baccala (salted cod) with Polenta

We were all working somewhat outside of our comfort zones, working with techniques and ingredients that were new for us. Overall, we deemed the evening a success and already decided we would try it again next year!

I linked the dishes in the photos to some of the recipes we found online, here are a few more-

Jump Shrimp Marsala House-wife Style (Gamberoni Casalinga Siciliana)
Sauteed Broccoli Rabe
Chocolate Espresso Balsamic Fudge

AIDS Action Committee 2011 Annual Report

2011-12-09T11:59:00.004-05:00

My last project at school was working with AIDS Action Committee, which I mentioned here. I was assigned to document the donation process at the four locations of their Boomerangs stores. Last week, I did the event photography for a cocktail reception they had at Eastern Bank for World AIDS Day and I picked up a copy of their 2011 annual report. Right in the middle is a spread about Boomerangs which included my photos (and a credit!). You can check it out online here.

Seeing them in print was pretty thrilling, and I'm proud that my images could be used to support such a worthy cause!

Fine Arts & Crafts Holiday Fair

2011-12-05T20:12:00.004-05:00

I promised in my last post I'd share the details of my next show when I had them and here they are! I will be at the Footlight Club on Saturday, December 17, along with 35 other artisans (the show is Sat & Sun but I'll just be there on Sat)-

7A Eliot Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02113
Saturday, Dec 17
11am to 5pm

Boston Holiday Fairs 2011

2011-11-30T10:58:00.007-05:00

I love all of the holiday fairs that take place this time of year in the Boston area. I'm participating in two this season but I have friends participating in a bunch of them so I wanted to list them here in case you were interested-

Artists Crossing in Downtown Crossing
(They are having a holiday party there tomorrow night from 4-8pm)

West Elm Etsy Event tomorrow night 6-9pm in the Fenway
Mudflat Holiday Shows
Craftland
RISD Alumni Holiday Show, Saturday 12/3

Boston Handmade at the JP Holiday Fair, Saturday 12/3, 11-5pm in Jamaica Plain
(I'll be at this one! The other one is at UFORGE Gallery on 12/17 although I don't have all the details for that one yet.)

Boston Handmade at the Bazaar Bizarre, Sunday 12/4, 12-6pm in the South End

Happy shopping!

Engagement Shoot: Sarah and Alex

2011-11-21T22:19:00.010-05:00

Last week I did an engagement shoot with Sarah and Alex in Boston's Public Garden (yes, this is November and they didn't even need coats!). I noticed pretty early in the shoot that they weren't into the overly cutesy photos (not a prob for me!) and they definitely are a couple that makes each other laugh. A lot. So we went with that.

We also took a stroll through Beacon Hill-

And then back to the Boston Common for a few more shots before the sun set-

Thanks and congrats again, Alex & Sarah!

Night Photography in Boston

2011-11-18T12:00:00.001-05:00

Last week my friend Amy and I went out in Boston do a little night photography. With the sun setting so early these days we were able to start at 4:30! We were psyched with the shots we were getting and it was so unseasonably warm that we wound up going out twice-

From my friend's balcony on the 31st floor-

I couldn't resist jumping in a few too-

New Products in the Shop

2011-11-15T12:45:00.009-05:00

I have been pretty busy in the past week restocking my Etsy shop in time for the holiday shopping season. I have some new designs that I'm pretty psyched about that I wanted to share here-

New card designs

New coasters!

(I'm still offering my Fenway Park set too)

New pocket notebooks

I will be participating with Boston Handmade at the JP Holiday Fair on December 3; all of these new items will be for sale (along with a few others). Come by and see them in person!

Seussical at the Footlight Club

2011-11-11T10:20:00.012-05:00

Last weekend I shot the production stills for the Footlight Club's current show, Seussical. With the colorful sets and costumes and the enthusiastic cast, it was a joy to photograph! I was impressed with the entire cast especially the kids, they were very professional but clearly having fun with it too.

Interested in catching the show? You should be! Here are the show times for Seussical:

November 12, 13 & 19
2:00pm

November 12, 18 & 19
8:00pm

The Footlight Club
7A Eliot Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Yoga Shoot with Keely on the Greenway

2011-10-26T17:51:00.014-04:00

I recently did a fitness shoot on the Rose Kennedy Greenway with Keely who practices Ashtanga yoga. Keely has been practicing Ashtanga for over two years and her flexibility and form is really impressive! We had a lot of fun traipsing the Greenway, finding pretty little spots for her to show of her range of poses for the camera:

And ones of my favs of the day:

Thanks again Keely! To see more images from the shoot, click here. I've also recently updated my website to include photos from my fitness shoots and more information about them. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Words of Wisdom for Creative Professionals

2011-10-22T14:02:00.001-04:00

I love Ira Glass, the mastermind behind This American Life. When I asked a teacher at school a few months ago for advice on how to succeed in a photography career, he played this video. It stuck with me and I've watched it several times since then. The main point he makes is that when you start out, what you're doing will not be as good as how it is your mind but that doesn't matter- keep at it and it will get there at some point. "The most important possible thing you could do is do a lot of work. Do a huge volume of work... the work you're making will be as good as your ambitions." ~Ira Glass

Fitness Photo Shoot with Laura Stevenson Pilates

2011-10-17T13:45:00.011-04:00

Last week I did a shoot with Laura of Laura Stevenson Pilates at a park in Charlestown. We had a cloudy day which provided some nice even lighting and cool dramatic backgrounds. Laura has been doing Pilates for years and was able to hold some crazy hard poses long enough for me to get the shots I needed (which was greatly appreciated). I guessed early on that she had a background in ballet; the way she carried herself and her graceful movements made her a fantastic model!

And my favorite of the day:

For more information about Laura, visit her website and Facebook fan page. If you or anyone you know would like to schedule a fitness photo session with me, please send me an email or fill out the form on my contact page.

A Little Bit of Wedded Bliss

2011-10-05T22:47:00.008-04:00

This summer, I assisted my friend Julie of Julie Sterling Photography as second shooter at two weddings. Both were special in their own ways (one involved a last minute venue AND caterer cancellation, you can read all about that here) and working with Julie was delightful since she is nice, talented, hardworking, and our styles seem to compliment each other. Here are a few of mine from the two days-

Want to see more? Check out Julie's blog!

Boomerangs and AIDS Action Committee

2011-10-02T21:03:00.003-04:00

As I mentioned before in this post, for my final school project I was paired up with the AIDS Action Committee to complete a photo project for them. I was asked to document the process of donating to Boomerangs, their resale retail store where all the proceeds go to AAC (they get 20% of their funding from the sales!). The idea was to highlight the impact a donation has to their organization and why they are so important.

I visited each of their four locations and followed their truck that picks up furniture donations all over the city. Working with the Boomerangs and AAC employees was a fantastic experience, everyone was so friendly and helpful.

I took over a thousand but here is a slideshow of the 20 images I presented to the photo department:

You can also see some on the Boomerangs website!

More Dogs

2011-09-30T16:05:00.004-04:00

Last week my brother and I took Apollo and Koko, his friend's dog he was dog-sitting for, to the Arboretum. Once again, I was reminded that just because pitbulls are sometimes trained to be aggressive, without that kind of training they can be really sweet dogs! Koko was extremely friendly and playful, she and Apollo hit it off right away as you can see from the photo below. She is deaf so my brother used hand signals she'd learned to give her commands. Amazing!

Fetch!

Apollo Appearance

2011-09-11T19:48:00.005-04:00

I just realized that Apollo hasn't shown up on the blog in a while. Here are a few photos from a mini shoot we had while waiting to start a walk in the Arboretum this weekend. He was getting impatient but was willing to pose for a few shots-

Splashion!

2011-09-08T14:20:00.004-04:00

Image courtesy of DSI's website

I'm sooo excited for this! In celebration of Boston's upcoming Fashion Week, Digital Silver Imaging will be having an exhibit called "Splashion," featuring water-themed fashion photography. Their website says-

"Splashion is a visual celebration of fashion editorials spanning the past 60 years that combine water and fashion, featuring images shot by esteemed veteran shooters next to the work of today’s fashion photographers."

Digital Silver Imaging is located at 4 Clarendon St, Boston, MA, 02116. The opening is September 29 from 6 to 8pm. I'll see you there!

Practicum: AIDS Action Committee

2011-08-31T14:26:00.005-04:00

The final project we are assigned at CDIA is one the school is very proud of- they pair each student up with a non-profit (which they call "practicum"). The student works with the non-profit for three weeks to complete an assignment for them, anything from photographing an event to building a website. This provides the student with professional experience and the non-profit with free creative work.

For my practicum, I was paired up with the AIDS Action Committee. I had actually done some volunteer work for them back in high school so I was familiar with their organization and its one I definitely support. The project I will be working on is highlighting the donation process with Boomerangs, their resale retail stores where all proceeds go to AIDS Action. I will be hanging out in their four locations, going out on donation pick-ups, visiting their sorting facility, etc.

The project is right up my alley (I love documenting processes, like my work with Silverbrook Farm), the people I've met are really nice and enthusiastic, and I think it's going to be a cool three weeks!

Andrea & Noah's Wedding in Atlanta, GA

2011-08-24T11:00:00.001-04:00

Yes, that rainbow was real!

Last fall, Andrea asked me if I'd be the photographer for her wedding to Noah in June 2011. I knew Andy from my Nantucket days when she would visit our mutual friend, Mairi, who was also living out there at the time. I thought for her to ask me was a big leap of faith on her part, I hadn't even started my program at CDIA yet, but I happily accepted and flew down to Atlanta at the end of June to document their special day-

I love this shot of the patio outside of their reception; it's so simple and festive-

At the end, the guests sent the couple off through a tunnel of sparklers. I had never seen this done before, it was so cool-Thanks again to Andy and Noah for letting me be a part of your day!

The Details
Location: Decatur, GA
Caterer and Event Planner: Miller-Arnau Designs
Flowers: Chandler Park Flowers
Hair/Make-up: Amy Spaulding at Douglas & Co.
DJ: DJ Grizzly (aka John Gowen)
Church: Church of the Epiphany
Reception: The Solarium

Sustaining Silverbrook Farm

2011-08-17T19:33:00.006-04:00

Sustaining Silverbrook Farm from Lucie Wicker on Vimeo.

For the past few weeks, we worked on multimedia projects for a class called Storybuilding. We each had a pick a subject, conduct an interview, make photos to support the interview and layout a story/video using Final Cut Pro. For my subject, I chose Silverbrook Farm where I get my CSA.

In the past few years, I have become more interested in the concept of buying local- from food to products and services. I have become more aware of the overall health and well-being benefits of eating local food, recently converting to vegetarianism partly for this reason. As a small business owner, I also believe in the importance of shopping locally for goods and services. I have been fortunate to live in neighborhoods that make efforts to support local businesses and are therefore unique and desirable places to live.

Silverbrook Farm embodies the concept of buying local. In an effort to improve their agricultural community, they have formed partnerships with other farms in their area by including them in many of their business endeavors. They are extremely conscious of environmental impact and are committed to growing organically, without pesticides. They participate in a CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, program which provides city-dwelling members with fresh produce delivered weekly. This allows members to eat locally, reduce their carbon footing, and have the awareness of how their food is being produced.

I really enjoyed my time at Silverbrook snapping photos, getting to know the staff, and hanging out in Dartmouth. I'm also looking forward to making more movies like this; combining my interest in photography and my old passion of filmmaking is a win-win! Check out my vimeo page here (if you're on there, add me as a contact, I'd love to see your work too!).

Pilates Photo Shoot with Jennifer Phelan at Castle Island

2011-08-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

Last month I did a gorgeous evening shoot with Pilates powerhouse Jenn Phelan at Castle Island in South Boston. The look we were going for was two-fold; we wanted to showcase Jenn's impressive athletic moves and physique, and also her new workout style she had been working on with Keely Witkowski of B. Fetching. I brought my photog buddy, Joe Chartier, and we shot to our hearts content for several hours until the light went away!

Here are the more fashion-y photos:

And now the athletic shots:

We had so much fun it was ridiculous. The weather was perfect and the sky made for an incredible backdrop. Thanks again to Jenn and her crew, I had a blast!

Need a promotional portrait for your website or blog?
Contact me (lucie@luciewickerphotography.com) for more info.

Tips on How to Twitter

2011-08-09T08:52:00.013-04:00

And yes, I'm using "twitter" as a verb. Maybe I should've said "tweet." Oh well.

My classmate recently wanted to try out Twitter but found it confusing. I shared some tips with her and I figured I would do it here on the blog too. A good way to start your life in the Twittervese, other than tweeting fairly often, is to also start following people, groups, and organizations who interest you. It's easy to find them, anyone who tweets will make that clear on their blog or website (although I would check their feed first, if they haven't tweeted in months, don't bother). I also look at who people I follow, who they follow (does that make sense?...). So you can see mine-

http://twitter.com/#!/Knight27/following/people

And there might be people who you might want to follow too. Then they might follow you! Yay for followers!

Once you've found people to follow, just keep at it with the content. In by Grace Bonney (Design Sponge) she talks about the rule of thirds for social media- 1/3 should be personal stuff, 1/3 should be blog updates, and 1/3 should be resource sharing. I think that is a great rule of thumb for tweeting.

See? It's easy! Tweet away.

Nantucket Fishing

2011-08-08T08:49:00.007-04:00

This weekend Seth and I visited his sister's family on Nantucket. His brother-in-law just bought a sweet fishing boat which he was more than happy to take us out on. The insane, roller-coaster waves (thank goodness for Dramamine) tossed us around but it was so nice to be out on the water. As much as I love boating, I don't think I've ever been out fishing so this was a new experience! Seth's sister was fishing for bonito and blue fish for a tournament and she managed to snag two-

Fish on!

A small bonito. Don't worry, he was returned to the sea after being measured!

Boston Handmade Photo Booth

2011-08-04T11:47:00.011-04:00

So much to post, so little time. This week I am hard at work on a multimedia project involving Silverbrook Farm in Dartmouth, MA. I went down there at the beginning of the week and hung out at the farm taking photos of everything- veggies, the daily activities, Chloe the dog, etc. I will be posting the photos and the story of the farm, which is fascinating, in a series over the next few weeks. While I edit them and work on the final product, here are some photos from the Boston Handmade photo booth that Julie Sterling Williams, Franco Cardaropoli, and I did last Saturday!

People really utilized the props, as you can see

Dave wished we had a cigar. A chalk crayon will do.

That's Laura of Pansy Maiden and her "serious" husband, Eric.

It's hard to tell but this dog is actually tolerating the princess tiara on her head.

Click here to see all the images from the day. Want to hire us and the photo booth for an event? Just let me know!

Boston Handmade Marketplace 2011

2011-07-28T14:48:00.005-04:00

This Saturday July 30 (raindate Sunday, July 31) is the 4th Annual Boston Handmade Marketplace in Union Square, Somerville. In addition to the usual awesome vendors, my CDIA school friends, Julie Sterling Williams and Franco Cardaropoli, and I will be operating our very own photo booth! We'll be bringing all sort of crazy props and costumes for people to pose with (think hats and feather boas) and the images will be put online for viewing and/or purchase. So fun!

Here is more info about the show from the event website:

"More than 25 exhibitors will be showing and selling handmade jewelry, clothing, accessories, housewares, art, photography, paper goods, ceramics and more along with hands-on craft demonstratons from independent artists and craftspeople along with the The Common Cod Fiber Guild and the Stitch House of Dorchester.

See photos from past Boston Handmade events click HERE to see photos from the 2010 Marketplace and for the 2008 and 2009 Somerville Marketplace events: CLICK HERE."

See You There!

Puppy in the Garden

2011-07-24T17:36:00.012-04:00

This weekend I checked out my friend's garden (really a mini-farm) and also got to meet Akira, this adorable 4-month-old lab/husky mix. She was both chill and playful which is rare in a puppy! She was also nice enough to let me take a few photos of her-

Fierce!

We also witnessed a first time potato harvest-

Wedding Photography II

2011-07-23T09:27:00.012-04:00

I was all set to head out on a dog walk this morning when I looked out the window to what appeared to be a monsoon. Dog will have to wait, so I figured I'd post some new photos instead! Last week we were doing engagements sessions and we were lucky enough to start the day off at the Boston Pu blic Library in Copley Square which was a gorgeous place to shoot!

We even managed to make a dingy alley a romantic setting-

Ok the rain seems to have stopped so I'd better take out the poor dog. Have a great weekend!

A Fine Frenzy at Fairmont Battery Wharf, Boston

2011-07-21T14:45:00.020-04:00

Last night, the hotel Fairmont Battery Wharf held a free outdoor concert featuring the delightful Allison Sudol of A Fine Frenzy. I heard her song "Happier" on Pandora a while ago and was instantly smitten so I was psyched when I heard she'd be performing in my 'hood. My friend, Mairi, and I managed to get pretty close to the stage and I brought my 70-200mm lens so I was able to get a few decent shots-

He totally caught me! Awesome!

Thank you A Fine Frenzy and Fairmont for an awesome concert, we had a great time :)

Wedding Photography I

2011-07-16T23:07:00.008-04:00

We had a whirlwind wedding week for Wedding Photography I with Lara Woolfson of the Studio Nouveau. Despite some crazy heat we managed to get some sweet shots of the beautiful brides (one model, one CDIA employee/recent bride, and Laura's business partner, Kate)-

Our sweet little flower girl is my classmate, Kim's, daughter. She was an angel!

CSA from Silverbrook Farm

2011-07-12T12:19:00.006-04:00

I belong to a CSA that comes from Silverbrook Farm in Darmouth, MA. What is a CSA you ask? CSA stands for Community Sustained Agriculture and consists of a group of consumers who agree to purchase products from a local farm, or a “share” of the farm, and each week they pick up their share of produce either directly from the farm or at a pick-up spot in their area, like a farmers market or store. This helps farms sell their product and consumers to eat locally. Everyone wins.

I pick-up my CSA share at Government Center; it's like Christmas once a week and Scott (above) is the CSA Santa, bringing me delicious veggies and fruit, often things I've never tried (like kohlrabi) which is part of the fun. Yesterday I picked up a mountain of fresh produce and Scott let me take some photos-

What's your favorite farm stand or CSA in your area?

A Visit to Sharpe Hill

2011-07-03T18:25:00.011-04:00

Today we made a trip out to Connecticut to visit Sharpe Hill, a vineyard in the northeast corner of the state. Who knew CT had vineyards? Not me! It was a completely picturesque setting; we had a nice wine tasting outside and then lunch inside (which was good since it did eventually start to rain). Such good wine and food! When we were leaving, the rain let up just enough for me to get some photos-

~*What a lovely spot to enjoy some wine*~

Fashion Photography & Working with Models

2011-06-16T17:05:00.010-04:00

Once again I was surprised by how much I enjoyed a photography genre I never had too much interest in before- fashion! In fashion photography, it is about so much more than the clothes- it's about a look, an attitude, a feeling conveyed through the image. It's not easy but it is fun! We had a blast working with the models this week (our first time with professionals) as well as the make-up and hair artists. There is such a difference working with people who are used to being in front of a camera and just know how to move, how to look, and just how to work with you.

Hanging out with gorgeous people all day, I could get used to that! Here are the ladies:

And now the guys:

Details of a Beach House

2011-06-15T16:31:00.009-04:00

Last weekend I was invited to my friend's beach house in Marshfield, MA. I love visiting because the house is usually bustling with people going to or coming from the beach, grilling food, and hanging out. On this cold, drizzly weekend, there were only 4 of us there which was also nice- quiet and cozy. I took some time to capture the details of the house that sometimes get overlooked when the crowd is there:

I also grabbed a few quiet moments with my friends (ok fine, they refused to pose and left me no choice!):

Fashion Photography: Inspiration

2011-06-14T18:56:00.005-04:00

Last week we started a two week class in fashion photography and working with models. We had three days in the studio shooting, and now we are editing (like crazy!). Photos to come soon; until then, here are two of my favorite fashion photos, both by the masterful Richard Avedon:

Photo Shoot at Black Sheep Knitting

2011-06-10T12:50:00.005-04:00

Last week in location portraiture, one of our assignments was to go to a local business and take a nice "executive" portrait of the owner in their store. One of our awesome classmates, Terry, contacted several shops in her hometown of Needham so we headed there, and I got to shoot the adorable Black Sheep Knitting. What a local gem! As a photographer, it was fun to take photos in such a colorful, inviting space. As a knitter, it was fun to be surrounded by such beautiful yarn! The women we worked with, Nancy and Randi, were fantastic and so nice about letting us take over their store without lighting equipment for a few hours-

I didn't have a chance to make any purchases that day but I will definitely be back. Black Sheep Knitting is located at 1500 Highland Ave, Needham, MA 02492.

Collaborating with Graphic Designers

2011-06-07T08:32:00.012-04:00

When we were in our Product and Still Life class, we got to work with the graphic design students on a poster project. They worked as our art directors, telling us their concepts, what they need for the photos, etc. I worked with three of the designers, one being Tara Lindberg who needed photos of records and a record player for her "Record Store Day" poster concept. Turns out records are harder to shoot than we thought! We got it though, and I thought her final poster looked pretty awesome-

And the final!

(Click on it to make it bigger)

Location Portraiture I

2011-06-01T13:53:00.008-04:00

Last week we had our first location portraiture class (taught by the infamous Barb Peacock). We worked with models and went to some cool locations to shoot (like the Commander's Mansion in Watertown). I loved it and learned a ton; here are some photos from the two days we were shooting-

(ok- not technically a location portrait but whatever, I liked it!)

Speedlights

2011-05-21T18:56:00.005-04:00

Last week my class was all about speedlights (or external flashes). While many people thought it was weird we could spend a whole week learning about them, I (and probably my classmate) actually thought we could use two or three! We'll be working with them in the next two modules so hopefully it will become second nature soon. As it turns out, they are actually pretty complicated! But they can also do some pretty cool things, like light painting, and also portraiture which we did a lot more of-

Lovely Jess

Painting with Light

Amy, woman of mystery...

I'm in the Boston Globe!

2011-05-19T08:35:00.006-04:00

Well, I was in it, and the Sunday Globe no less! This past Sunday, my photos accompanied an article about a company, Sleepafloat, who rents out houseboats in Charlestown. I had taken the photos for the company and when the Globe asked them for photos for the article, they contacted me. Sweet! Unfortunately, the photos did not make it to the online version of the article (boo!) so I just took some pics of the paper itself. So dig through your recycling bins for the May 15 issue and give page M7 a look!

Steampunk City

2011-05-13T22:59:00.004-04:00

Last weekend was the Steampunk City event in Waltham, what a scene! I was there volunteering at CDIA, taking portraits of steampunkers all decked out for the event. All proceeds went to the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation. From a photo student standpoint it was well worth the effort- at the end of the day we had a big group come in, dressed to the nines, children included. Love it! They were kind enough to let me share their portrait here-

Portraits, Portraits... and More Portraits

2011-05-12T15:47:00.001-04:00

We just finished another whirlwind week of portraiture! Most of my classmates had people they knew come in to sit for us- from kids, to babies, dogs, musicians, etc- and it got crazy at times but we all ended up with work we were excited about. We had to do one male headshot and one female, then the rest was whatever we liked.

Joe's headshot

Kim's headshot

Beautiful Raquel

Jon the Drummer

Claes the Composer (obviously Photoshopped!)

Portraiture

2011-05-05T18:08:00.008-04:00

What a fun week we had! Most of our time was spent in the studio managing lighting, positioning our volunteer models/classmates, and just trying get it all to come together in photos. It was a blast and a half; next week we're doing even more!

Terry

Franco

Terry and Amy!

Amy

We had to light a group shot for one of our deliverables. Can you guess what mine was inspired by?

Hooray It Is May

2011-05-02T20:28:00.001-04:00

I know, I know, I've been a bad blogger lately. I've been really busy at school but I'll post some photos showing what we're up to tomorrow, I promise! Until then, here are some photos of Apollo frolicking in the arbs last Sunday. As you can see, the weather was pretty close to perfect. Happy Spring!

Yes, he takes the T home.

West Medford Open Studios

2011-04-20T22:11:00.003-04:00

This weekend some of my Boston Handmade buddies are going to be showing/selling their lovely work during the West Medford Open Studios. It's taking place Saturday April 30 and Sunday May 1 from 12-5pm each day and they will be altogether at 56 Bower Street in Medford.

Participating BHers include:

Allison of Fraske Designs
Sharon of Stray Notions
Karen of City by the Sea Ceramics
Lynne of Cozy Cottage Creations

Please go to wmos.org for more information and for a list of other participating artists. Good luck, ladies!

Robert Frank, "The Americans"

2011-04-19T17:30:00.000-04:00

I've started collecting photography books and one of the top ones on my list to buy was Robert Frank's "The Americans." After getting a Guggenheim grant in 1955, the Swiss-born photographer set off across the country, capturing American life at its best, its worst, and just as it is. When he finished in 1956, he met Jack Kerouac who agreed to write the intro to the book. If you find yourself with a copy, you MUST read the intro first! Trust me, it sets the perfect tone.

Here is a small sample of some of my favorite Frank images:

What photographers inspire you?

Photoshop 3

2011-04-15T08:00:00.001-04:00

We survived yet another week of Photoshop, thanks to our extremely patient teacher, Phil (aka Photoshop Phil). This week we were working on Smart Objects, Smart Filters, Vanishing Points, HDRs, Panoramas, Action Scripts, and Blending, to name a few. Gah! Here are the deliverables I wound up with:

PRC Student Exhibition Reception Tonight

2011-04-14T08:35:00.006-04:00

It's here! Tonight is the reception for the Photographic Resource Center's 2011 student exhibition. My photo (taken on Georges Island in Boston Harbor) will be there reppin' CDIA along with seven other CDIA students. We won't be alone though; students from photography programs all over New England will be exhibiting as well.

Here's a sneak preview of my photo-

My classmate, Raquel, also has a piece in the show-

The reception is open to the public and will be from 6-9pm tonight. The show will be up until May 8th if you're interested in visiting! Details below:

Photographic Resource Center
832 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215
Website
Hours: Monday: Closed
Tuesday thru Friday: 10am-5pm
Saturday-Sunday: 12-5pm

More Product/Still Life Photos

2011-04-11T08:14:00.009-04:00

Last week we were doing product & still life photography again but this time we were working with the graphic design class on poster projects they were creating. Each student presented their concepts to us and we worked in groups of two to try to fulfill their photo needs.

I worked on three projects (they're going to be posters when the designers are done with them). I'm looking forward to seeing the final results!

Yes, these are little action figures from the movie Alien.

UForge Gallery, Jamaica Plain

2011-04-05T19:32:00.005-04:00

Big news- there is a brand new art gallery in Jamaica Plain! It's called UForge Gallery and it was created by Rob Festa (who also created JP to Me, an annual group show I've participated in for the past two years), and painter Brian Crete. Here is their mission statement for the gallery:

UFORGE Gallery’s mission is to foster creativity by facilitating diverse and affordable project assignment based, non-juried (open door) art exhibitions; to provide a venue to exhibit these works; to cultivate both a collaborative and inclusive arts community at large through educational workshops and special events.

Sounds good, right? The grand opening is this Saturday, April 9th, from 6:00 to 8:00pm and the show theme will be Art Deco as well as JP to Me (which I will have a piece in again). I'll be there with bells on and I hope you will be too!

For more info on UForge, check out the links below:

Website
Facebook
Grand Opening Invitation on Facebook
Location: 767 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, MA, 02130

Product & Still Life Photography

2011-04-01T21:35:00.009-04:00

It's Friday! Who needs a martini? Probably most of the people in my class after being in the studio all week learning product lighting! Who would've thought it'd be so complicated? Well, it was, but I think we all got some cool shots out of it.

More to come next week...

Happy Sunday

2011-03-27T19:51:00.005-04:00

Last night, Jamaica Pond, midnight, 32 degrees (but worth it!).

Rainy Cape Ann

2011-03-22T09:19:00.007-04:00

Here are more pictures from our Gloucester adventure last week. One of the things about shooting in the rain is that while you may be wet/cold/miserable, you can also get some super dramatic, moody shots (which makes it all worth it).

Zero New Washington Street Dog Park

2011-03-21T09:13:00.010-04:00

It was 70 degrees on Friday so Apollo and I decided to check out a new dog park we've been hearing about in Somerville. He had a blast; all the dog walkers were bringing their "clients," and there seemed to be no less than 14 or 15 dogs there the whole time. There was a ton of room to run, balls to chase, things to climb on, tunnels to run through, etc. Another bonus is that there is plenty of free parking, but it was only a 5 minute walk from the Sullivan Square T stop too.

Making friends

Weeeeeee!

Aaaaand spent.

On the Street

2011-03-20T18:56:00.013-04:00

After weeks of learning technical photography, this past week our class started to really focus on composition and concept. We were given a list of ways to explore these ideas and spent much of our class time outside trying to capture them. I've always been intimidated by street photography but the techniques we learned definitely helped. It was challenging but addictive!

Ok so this last one (my classmate, Rachael, and my dog) is just silly, I love it.

Also, I'm working on revamping my website and I included all of my street photos in a portfolio called "On the Street;" check it out and let me know what you think- www.luciewickerphotography.com

Shooting in the Rain

2011-03-17T10:18:00.003-04:00

Yesterday my class headed up to Gloucester and Rockport to take photos of Cape Ann's lovely natural landscape. Unfortunately, it poured rain the whole morning/early afternoon but we were troopers and went out in it anyway. This is what a bunch of soggy photographers looks like:

Birds of Sarasota (and St. Pete)

2011-03-12T21:45:00.011-05:00

A cormorant

When I bought a used telephoto lens recently, I did it mainly because it was being sold at a good price and I'm in the process of building up my lens collection. I didn't really know what I'd use it for, my first thought being, "what am I going to take photos of with this, birds?!"

Well, yes, as it turns out. This past week I've been in Florida with my mom and we took an awesome eco boat tour out of Mote Marine. We got to see a lot of animals including some pretty impressive birds. I've never been a huge bird person but with this lens and these rare (to me) creatures, I might be hooked-

Great Egret

Roseate Spoonbill (check out their pink eyes!)

White Pelicans (and cormorants)

We also went to St. Petersburg, home to these birds-

Pelican

Great Blue Heron

The great blue heron was hanging out on the sea wall with some fisherman; he didn't seem to mind being close to humans at all. The white pelicans are the "original snow birds," they come down from Canada. The roseate spoonbills are the only truly pink birds found in nature (flamingos don't count since they turn pink because of their diet!). See? There's more to a Florida vaca then just laying out in the sun... although I did enjoy that too... :)

Longboat Key

2011-03-10T22:48:00.004-05:00

This is where I am... how much do I not want to leave tomorrow?

In the Studio: The Bag Shot

2011-03-06T20:29:00.004-05:00

One of the "deliverables" I had in my Intro to Light class this week was called the Bag Shot. The idea was that we were supposed to set up a scene where someone has dropped a bag, all of the stuff has fallen out and, using props and lighting, tell something about the person who dropped it and the circumstances (night/day, indoors/outdoors, etc). Everyone in my class took the concept and ran; one person did a beach scene, one did a forest scene, they were all really elaborate!

I decided my scene was set in India in the early morning on a hot day and the bag dropped was a grocery bag, right at the poor person's front step (they almost made it home...). There is an Indian grocery store next to the school so I went there for the food, and I printed some rupees to be falling out of a little purse I bought in India (the slippers are from India too). For the ground I used brown kraft paper and hay brought in by my classmate, Kim, who has pet rabbits. We used a gold gel to create a warm look and a cucoloris for the shadowing. It may look like a big mess but it is actually a really styled one!

In the Studio

2011-03-04T10:28:00.006-05:00

This week was the very first time we were in the studio (for Studio Lighting 1). It was a lot of work but also so much fun. Our teacher, Sharon, really encouraged us to play around with all the different ways light can be manipulated and as a result, we learned so much about shades, reflection, diffusion, gels, etc. We started with portraits and on day two we moved on to shoes:

Seals of Georges Island

2011-03-03T21:00:00.000-05:00

So when I got off the boat at Georges Island last weekend, a park ranger gave us a little talk about the activities that were happening, things to check out, etc. and one thing that she mentioned was that some seals had been spotted on one side of the island that morning. I thought for sure they'd be gone by the time I got over there but I was wrong! Luckily, I had my 70-200mm lens with me so I set my camera on a rock (no tripod) and hung out by myself (only a few other people came over!) and happily snapped away for the better part of an hour. The photos I got were still far away but with some cropping I was able to see the seals up close, including their sweet faces-

Tell me that last one is not waving!

Georges Island

2011-03-02T17:50:00.008-05:00

Last weekend I braved the 33 degree temp outside (lots of layers is the key) and went on a special winter cruise to Georges Island in Boston Harbor. It had snowed a bit the day before and the sun was out which made for excellent shooting conditions.

Georges Island home to Fort Warren which takes up most of the 39 acres. The fort dates back to 1833 and was first used as a training camp and then to house Confederate soldier prisoners during the Civil War.

I had such a great time taking photos of not only the natural landscape but also the inside and outside of the fort (such great texture!). Here are a few shots:

The ferries will start going to Georges regularly in May and I'm already looking forward to another visit. For a complete schedule of future winter cruises, visit Boston's Best Cruises.

Wrapping up Photoshop I

2011-02-28T20:56:00.004-05:00

Here is the 2nd image I completed during Photoshop I last week. To do it, I put my camera on a table, set the 10-second timer, and took a bunch of shots of myself in various positions all over my roof. I then layered the images and used "masks" to get all of the Lucies in one photo together. Freaky, huh?

Photoshop: Week 1

2011-02-23T10:55:00.006-05:00

This week we are in Photoshop I. I was starting to think I was over Photoshop, favoring Lightroom, but the more we learn and play around, the more I remember how much fun it can be. Here is the progression of an image I was working on yesterday:

Out of the camera, made black & white in Lightroom. Pretty dark, huh?

With Lightroom edits. Getting lighter but still kind of flat...

with Photoshop AND Lightroom edits

It might be hard to see the changes with the images so small but they are there, I promise you. It could still use some work but after staring at it all day in a dark room, I'm ready to walk away for a little while!

Bless this Mess

2011-02-20T18:17:00.004-05:00

I got my desk cleaned out today! With the sun coming in it looked so pretty that I took a photo to remember it by (it doesn't generally stay like this for long).

Here's a breakdown of what all this stuff is-

1. A print I bought a few years ago from my friend Jaye of thirteenth story. This and the framed prints next to it are awaiting a more prominent home on a wall, post-renovation.

2. A photo I took of Apollo and his beagle cousin, Abby. Framed in a square Ikea frame.

3. A framed photo my parents bought for me by Thomas Durand. I love his monkey series.

4. A small bulletin board I made with yet another Ikea frame and some cork board.

5. A jade Buddha statue that was my grandmother's. He inspired my "zen" windowsill.

6. A mini square print I picked up from BH member, Eliza, of Art Asana.

7. A cactus Seth bought for me last spring which I've managed to not kill.

8. A print by Sepia Lepus in a square Blick frame.

9. A sweet print my mom found of the 1975 Red Sox. I framed it for Seth and it, like the left windowsill prints, is waiting for wall spot. The back is even signed by some of the players so I used a "floating" frame.

10. My desk (for now), a vintage Haywood-Wakefield that Seth restored a while ago. It has sliding leaves and he thinks it might be from the 40s.

11. My portable and backup hard drives. The one next to the computer is 500GB from OWC.

12. My trusty Mac Book Pro.

13. My knitting! The blanket is now SO CLOSE to being finished, I will update soon.

Printing

2011-02-17T09:27:00.007-05:00

This week in school we spent a whole week (well, 4 days) concentrating on printing. This was a great class for me; I've been printing for a while but did not know so many of the factors that go into making a perfect print, especially when using Lightroom, the editing/workflow program we've been using. We are also using matte paper which is a lot harder than what I'm used to. Here are some of the photos I was working with:

That last one was fun but particularly challenging. I learned a lot!

My ABCs

2011-02-08T13:13:00.004-05:00

This is the first project we completed (at the CDIA)- 26 different photos representing each letter of the alphabet. We then printed them on 13x19" matte paper and made a sweet poster. Fuuun!

Apollo the Cheesehead

2011-02-06T21:24:00.003-05:00

Apollo decided to help my dad route for Green Bay in the Superbowl today. GO PACKERS!

Photos from My Workshop at the BCAE

2011-02-05T15:22:00.010-05:00

Last Monday I taught a workshop at the BCAE and I wanted to post some photos from the evening. We had two hours which was enough time to make some magnets, ornaments, cards, and even start some coasters-

I had such a good time, I hope everyone else did too. Thanks to the Boston Center for Adult Education and of course my lovely, creative students!

Oscar Season: The Animated Shorts

2011-01-28T14:31:00.007-05:00

Yay! It's Oscar season once again! A lot of interesting choices this year if you ask me... some odd balls, some more predictable ones (so... pretty much like every year...). Last year I scoured the internet for any of the shorts (animated or live action) that might be out on the web and I found quite a few. I did another search this year for the animated ones and could not find as many full versions but they all had trailers on their websites. Check them out-

Day & Night (on Vimeo.) official website here

The Gruffalo

The Lost Thing

Let's Pollute

Madagascar, carnet de voyage

I thought Madagascar looked particularly interesting (it's website too!).
What do you think of the nominees?

BCAE Class THIS Monday!

2011-01-28T10:54:00.003-05:00

The workshop I'm teaching at the Boston Center for Adult Education will be this Monday, Jan 31, at 6:00pm and there are still some slots open! Sooo... I think you should sign up, it's going to be a lot of fun! Just a relaxing evening of photos, glue, paper, all those good things. Here's a detailed description:

What good are your photos if nobody ever sees them? Learn how to turn your favorites into treasured heirlooms or gifts for your loved ones! We’ll show you how easy it can be to transform your photographs into unique, thoughtful items for all occasions: ornaments, coasters, note cards, and more. You’ll learn how to work with different types of printing papers, adhesives, and sealants to create a variety of craft items. All materials will be provided.

Monday, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Tuition: $40.00 BCAE Member Cost: $35.00 Materials Cost: $10.00

Interested? Sign up here! Got questions? Contact me!

What's New in the Bag

2011-01-19T17:11:00.007-05:00

As you may know, I am about to start school on Monday. I had orientation today where we went over our supply list. Whew! It was not a short (or cheap) list but I am so psyched about the things I will be acquiring/using over the course of the next nine months. Here are some of the basics:

The camera (obviously!). Luckily my Canon 5D Mark II fit the school's standards (as well as one of the lenses I have for it- the 24-105mm f/4).

2-3 Memory cards. Smaller storage is advised- if you use only one card for an assignment and then something happens to the card, you're screwed! So it's always good to use several.
Portable hard drive. We were told that these will definitely eventually fail and to expect that. While they are working, they are pretty essential so I ordered this OWC Mercury On-the-Go Portable FW800&400 (500gb).

Next on the list- a Speedlight 580EXII, a tripod and ball head (probably a Manfrotto), and all kinds of software/upgrades. I'll keep you posted!

What's in your camera bag?

More Snow

2011-01-14T16:16:00.004-05:00

We got yet another heavy snowfall this week (this one was very heavy/wet) so today when I was out in Cambridge, I took some photos. I love how in a storm when the wind is strong, it blows the snow right onto the side of buildings where it will stick for a few days afterwards:

First Baptist Church Cambridge, Central Square

Inman Square, Cambridge, MA

Quiet Time

2011-01-07T11:34:00.006-05:00

Wow, things have been pretty quiet over here! You'd think with my time off I'd be busy working away over here, right? Wrong! I've been doing a lot of things that need to be done but nothing necessarily creative-

*cleaned/sorted/organized 90% of my office. I can see my desk again! How wonderful! Doing a huge clean out right at the very beginning of the year was so helpful, I'm really going to try to keep it up!
*read all of the magazines I've been accumulating and tossing aside since September (PDN, Cooks Illustrated, Real Simple, Food & Wine, to name a few).
*catching up on some of my favorite blogs. Quietly finding inspiration...
*worked (a lot) on the blanket I've been toiling away at since JUNE (remember that one?). It's coming along but each round takes about an hour so it is slow going. I'm on the last of 7 charts then on to the edging (eek!). *more fun stuff: going out to lunch and catching up with friends. Taking advantage of post-Xmas sales. Trying to do more yoga more regularly. Making lists. Ooo and I got a massage yesterday at Balanced Health. It was awesome.

I start school on January 24 so I know this downtime will be over before I know it. So far I have been appreciating every (quiet/peaceful/relaxing) minute. I hope 2011 is treating you just as well!

Snow Beagle 2010

2010-12-28T18:14:00.008-05:00

As you may have heard, Boston got a beatdown this week, snow-wise. It started on Sunday and pummelled us straight through Monday afternoon. The result was over a foot of the white stuff on the ground and today Apollo and I decided to venture out into it.

I made him sit next to a wall to show how high the drift was. Almost to his head!

Action shot. We invented a game where I throw a snow ball, and he chases and demolishes it. As you can see, he was very good at it.

Taking a breather.

Just another December in the northeast. Hope you're staying warm wherever you are!

Merry Christmas...

2010-12-25T07:00:00.004-05:00

Happy Saturday

2010-12-18T10:52:00.005-05:00

My dad bought Apollo a monkey that laughs and flips over when its motion sensor goes off. The dog's reaction to the monkey (curiosity, fear, barking) we decided was worth capturing on video. I used the HD video recorder on my camera and wound up with this footage. Enjoy.

Engagement Shoot: Peter & Jennifer

2010-12-13T10:30:00.001-05:00

Right after Thanksgiving on a beautiful but blustery day, I had an engagement shoot with Peter and Jennifer. I was really looking forward to this shoot because they chose a part of East Boston I'd never been to before and had wanted to explore. We started at the Hyatt Hotel and then went down to Piers Park. These locations offered some great water backdrops as well as views of the Boston skyline-

They were such a relaxed, happy couple and a pleasure to work with! Despite the cold and wind, I had a really good time on this shoot and I hope they did too. Thanks again and congrats, Jennifer and Peter!

A New Leaf

2010-12-08T14:28:00.006-05:00

"Autumn Leaves"

Big changes are underway over here at Lucie Wicker Photography... as some of you know, for the past almost 5 years, I have had a full-time job in customer service at a financial magazine. When I got the job, my first "real" job out of college, I knew that it would not provide any creative opportunities. I started my photography business since I realized early on that I desperately needed a creative outlet of some kind while working for the magazine. Doing photography part-time worked for a while but recently I decided that the time had come to "take the leap" as they say and devote myself to my art full-time.

Scary, right? The first step I decided to take in this venture is to apply to the Center for Digita l Imaging Arts at Boston University. They offer a nine month certificate program in professional photography that, as my mom put it, has "me" written all over it so I applied and was accepted into the next session which starts in January.

Why go back to school you ask? I still believe I have a lot to learn in photography and also the business of being a photographer. This program seems to offer a great deal in getting working photographers not only out into the world, but truly successful in their professional goals. Networking opportunities, equipment rentals, learning from other pros, all of these factors played into my decision. I see it as not only a learning opportunity but an investment in my career.

Whew! That felt good to get out there. I've been bottling all of this up since the end of the summer and I'm excited now to share the news. Keep your fingers crossed for me and I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

Picked up at BazBiz

2010-12-07T13:50:00.003-05:00

Sunday was a pretty hectic day at Bazaar Bizarre but I managed to find time at the end to snag a few little gifties (for myself, ahem) from some of my BH friends:

A helpful way to figure out how to get protein from non-meat sources (something I've been trying to do more of lately), courtesy of White Sparrow Bindery.

I needed a small mirror and card case so I had to go with these two colorful items from Stitchy McYarnpants. Pancake mix! (it says that on the back. So cute).

This is Art Asana's artistic take on a "root chakra" symbol. Her original piece caught my eye at the BH store and I loved this smaller print she created. I already know how I'm going to mount/frame it.

Thanks for these great little things, ladies!
Looking at them makes me happy.

Shows, Shows, and more Shows

2010-12-02T10:22:00.008-05:00

I love this time of year! My full-blown Xmas celebrations are usually delayed until mid-December due to holiday shows and this year is no different. I've lined up one show I've done for the past three years with Boston Handmade but everything else will be new, different, and therefore exciting! Here's the list:

JP Holiday Fair
December 4
11am to 5pm
6 Eliot St
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Bazaar Bizarre
December 5
12 to 7pm
BCA Cyclorama
539 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02118

Design Nearby
December 10
6 to 11pm
pinkcomma
46 Waltham St, Courtyard 1
Boston, MA 02118

JP Holiday Art Fair
December 11
10am to 5pm
The Footlight Club
7a Eliot Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

I hope to see you at one, two, or all four of these events :)

I'm Teaching a Class!

2010-11-30T11:02:00.007-05:00

Wow, the holiday last week really caught up to me, I'm sorry I've been so MIA on the blog but I'm back with lots to say. So yes, as the title of this post suggests, I'm teaching a class! Boston Handmade was approached by the Boston Center for Adult Education about doing a workshop series with them and of course we said yes. I will be teaching a little two hour workshop called "Beyond the Album: Crafting with Photos," on January 31 from 6 to 8pm.

Here is more info:

Looking for something different to do with your photos? Turn your favorite images into treasured heirlooms or gifts for your loved ones! With the goal of creating unique, thoughtful items for all occasions, we will use photographs to create ornaments, coasters, note cards, and more. We will learn how to work with different kinds of printing papers, adhesives, and sealants to create a variety of crafts with your photographs. All materials will be supplied.

Monday, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm; 1 session
Tuition: $40.00 Member Cost: $35.00 Materials Cost: $10.00

How cool is that?! So definitely sign-up, it will be fun. I promise!

Boston Handmade Gallery at Downtown Crossing

2010-11-18T11:21:00.008-05:00

It's with great pleasure that I announce the return of the Boston Handmade Downtown Holiday Gallery! For the past two holiday seasons, Boston Handmade, has had a shop in Downtown Crossing and we recently learned the space will be available to us again this year. So exciting.

Working in the gallery was so much fun for me; I loved spending time with other artisans and also connecting with shoppers who love buying handmade. This year we have a bunch of cool new exhibitors, you can find a list of them here.

The store will be opening the day after Thanksgiving, November 26, and will be open Wed-Sun, 11am to 7pm until Christmas Eve. I will be there on the 26th and several other dates in the next few weeks so you should definitely stop by and say hello. Oh yes and buy stuff too!

Boston Handmade Downtown Holiday Gallery
505 Washington Street
Boston (Downtown Crossing), MA
02111
Directions
Twitter Search/Updates: #bhgallery

November 26 to December 24, 2010
Wednesday through Sunday
11am to 7pm

More from the West

2010-11-15T14:01:00.008-05:00

Here are a few more photo gems from my recent trip to California. First we found the Pacific-

Craftopia is this Sunday

2010-11-12T09:44:00.004-05:00

Yay! My first holiday craft show of the season is this Sunday in beautiful Pawtucket, RI. This is a new one but they've got a great line up of vendors including some of my show circuit buddies-

Joy in my Studio
Hijacked Ceramics & Decor
Shara Porter
Stonehouse Studio
Sepialepus

I'll be there with a whole slew of calendars, prints, mini framed prints, cards, and hopefully ornaments too (if I can find that damn staple gun!). See you in Rhode Island.

Craftopia
10am to 5pm
Sunday, Nov 14th
Hope Artiste Village
1005 Main Street
Pawtucket, RI
$1 admission
FREE parking!

Back from the West!

2010-11-11T12:47:00.011-05:00

Wow, I have been a pretty bad blogger lately! With good reason though- I just got back from a week in California. We did a few days in San Luis Obispo for my cousin's wedding, then drove down to LA to stay with more cousins. It was a blast! I don't think any of us were ready to leave but we missed the dog too much so we had to come back.

Here are some shots I got of the wedding which was on a beautiful ranch in SLO:

It started out a little stormy but then the clouds parted...

...just in time for the bride to walk down the rose petal aisle.

Lovely!

Handmade napkin rings and blankets on each chair in case the guests got chilly.

Mason jars of white sangria and the place settings.

So many little details... it was a perfect combination of rustic yet elegant. Loved it!

More pics from CA to follow.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T07:00:00.000-04:00

Beagle + Woodstock doll attached to collar = instant Snoopy costume

How I Celebrate Halloween

2010-10-27T11:03:00.006-04:00

By participating in the last Sowa Open Market of the season! This one is the Market of the Living Dead and it is highly entertaining so you should stop by and check it out. This is the promo they're using for it (which is reminding me how much I loved rocking the blue hair):

FrEaKy. I can't wait for Sunday, see you then!

A Visit to the Edward Gorey House

2010-10-26T19:31:00.000-04:00

Finally! I have been dying to go to the Edward Gorey House in Yarmouthport ever since I found out it existed. It was every bit as informative, bizarre-o, and inspiring as I hoped it would be. We took the guided tour which I highly recommend; our docent pointed out lots of Gorey facts and tidbits we would've missed on our own. Like maybe-

G is for George smothered under a rug (The Gashlycrumb Tinies)

A serpent stone path (created by Gorey himself) and a statue of the Doubtful Guest

And finally the graves of each of the 26 tinies, made by Gorey's friends. So morbidly delightful.

Overall, it was a creeptastic, fascinating visit; I learned a lot about Gorey and what inspired his unique body of work. I wish I could time travel back to the mid-nineties and hang around Yarmouthport just to possibly bump into him.

Next time you're on the Cape, you should pay the house and all of Gorey's meticulous collections a visit. I will definitely be going back!

Cape Escape

2010-10-25T18:57:00.000-04:00

This past weekend my cousin, Ellen, and I decided we needed a quiet little getaway so we headed to the Cape. I booked us at a sweet B&B in Brewster (The Old Manse) that turned out to be as quaint, pretty, quiet, relaxing, etc, as we'd hoped it would be:We fell in love with the place immediately and made ourselves at home (by falling asleep on the couch in the common room 10 minutes after arriving). For dinner we headed to a place that had come highly recommended, the Brewster Fish House. It did not disappoint! The service, the cozy atmosphere, the fresh food... I'd go back in a heartbeat. I didn't get any pictures of the scallops and risotto we ordered but here is a delicious cocktail shot:We went to bed swearing we'd never eat again... until the morning because, oh right, we were staying at a bed & breakfast. And one known for it's amazing breakfasts! Fresh squeezed orange juice, Belgian waffles, and Vermont maple sausage. Yes, please.
We drove around making several retail stops including the Brewster General Store and also Yummy Goods, the sweet gift shop in West Barnstable run by Melissa who also has a cool blog and is friends with some of the artists/crafters I know in Boston:We also made a much anticipated, special trip to the Edward Gorey House. More on that tomorrow!

Ahhhh Cape Cod.

Happy Weekend

2010-10-22T14:08:00.004-04:00

Apollo on Pete's Hill in the Arnold Arboretum

My cousin and I are heading down to the Cape this weekend for just a quick, much-needed, one night getaway. We'll be visiting the Edward Gorey House in Yarmouthport, somewhere I've been dying to go ever since I found out it existed. Full report and photos next week, I promise.

Have a great weekend!

One Knitting Project Down

2010-10-20T10:14:00.005-04:00

This past Saturday I finally finished the Rococo shawl I've been working on since June. It was a really satisfying finish and I'm so happy with the results:

I emailed Elena, who designed the pattern, to ask where she got the shawl pin in her photos and she actually wound up selling me one directly which was really nice of her! To see more about this pattern, check out her Etsy shop and Ravelry page.

I'm still working on my Girasole too! I'm on one of the final charts in the pattern and the rows are so huge now, it takes about an hour for me to finish just one. It's still a really enjoyable knit though, I'm plowing through. I also started following the designer, Jared Flood's, blog which inspires me with every post. :)

Happy Autumn

2010-10-17T21:22:00.004-04:00

Fall has arrived in Boston! Proof below:

Couples Portrait Session: Jennie & Rachael

2010-10-12T20:57:00.001-04:00

For her birthday, Rachael decided to buy Jennie a couples photo session and I am so happy she chose the one I offer. These ladies were not only totally cute models but also so excited and enthusiastic about the session (yay! minimal camera shyness!) which was awesome. Throw in beautiful weather and an adorable dog and the photos just started taking themselves. Here are a few shots we took in the Arnold Arboretum (Peter's Hill):

As a bonus (for me, really), we went back to their house to scoop up their awesome Shiba Inu puppy, Sydney, and then headed to Franklin Park to get some shots with her. As you can tell, Sydney was more than ready for her close-up:

Thanks again to Rachael and Jennie (and Sydney) for an amazing portrait session!

Sunny at Sowa on 10/10/10

2010-10-11T11:29:00.004-04:00

The show yesterday at Sowa went off virtually without a hitch. 14 of us from Boston Handmade were there and ready to show off our goods, plus we had the most perfect weather you can possibly get! I left it up to others to take pictures and fortunately a bunch of people did, including Chris (who created/runs Sowa) who took this nice shot of me and Arthur (he has more pics from the show here). Thanks to everyone who came out to visit us and show their support!

As great a day as it was, it totally wiped me out. Catching up on sleep tonight; tomorrow I will post pics from the awesome couples portrait shoot I did on Saturday.

I hope those lucky enough to have today off are enjoying the holiday!