OBA...FWA...WTF?!

A short while back I attended the Photoshop Show here in Boston and worked the booth for my dear friend Paul from Lens Pro to Go, during our vendor cocktail hour I had the pleasure of meeting Lew and Bob from Artistic Photo Canvas. We had a great conversation that ended up with me loving not only the boutique owners but also what the company stands for. I believe in singing the praises of vendors who take care of their clients and build their business on integrity versus popularity or cutting corners so I thought I would share :)
Here are a few of the things I learned and why I've chosen to make them a part of the family of products I offer.
1. Most Canvas companies use these crazy things called OBA's and FWA's....
yeah WTF?!
haha... they are whitening agents added to most canvas material making them cheaper to purchase wholesale as well as brighter/whiter whites upon printing. But what is not often told to the consumer, is that the agents (like bleach on clothing) yellow your whites over time. Think of it as using pesticides on your veggies... it makes things cheaper for mass consumption but not the same health or quality as organically grown veggies. I feel this is important to consider when choosing products that are designed to archive memories (or put in your bodies for that matter) ;)
2. The sealant "chemicals" used by APC are non-toxic water based which means their employees do not have to wear masks at risk of breathing toxic fumes. It also means it is better on the environment, folks!
3. They have excellent customer service and are just plain awesome.

And what good is telling you about all this fabulous stuff without showing you a picture?!

I ftp'd the file to them and had my canvas in hand within a week. This sucker is huge too... (4 ft wide) It was the inspiration for the entire room and printed so beautifully.

Thanks Lew, Bob, & APC Crew :)

Chebeague Island | The way life should be

Today is the first day in nearly three weeks where I haven't had guests. First my bro came out... then my parents... then the day my bro left, my BFF and her BF came from Santa Barbara. Its been a whirlwind of playing tour guide to a myriad of west coasters. (all of which I am trying to convince to move out here because it's just... well.... awesome)

Anyway, now onto the funness of the weekend... I trekked on up to Chebeague Island to play with some fabulous friends. There is something truly magical about that island... (something like the LOST plot). 5 miles long and 2 miles wide... all time stops, no one wears seat belts or owns a car newer than 1985, and you wake up to crows cawing or wild turkeys gobbling in your front yard... a 15 minute boat ride from the Maine land yet you feel miles away. The Maine state motto is: " The way life should be". There is so much in that statement that they got right. Life should be slower, savored, and filled with country music (if you've driven through Maine for any length of time you know that there are 5 times as many country stations as anything else).

Between BBQing, polish horseshoes, bonfires, the boys going scalloping and complaining that the water was so cold they lost "inches", checking each other for ticks, acoustic serenades on the porch and late night star gazing on the dock, life was truly perfect. There is something so romantic about nature and savoring creation.

LIfe truly is good.

Now for pictures!

You have to park at a remote lot off the 295 in Maine and shuttle to Cousins Island to catch a ferry to Chebeague Island.

I actually have a wedding here on Chebeague Island next year... I am stoked!

The crew got there before me because I was shooting a wedding on Saturday but the first thing I noticed about the cabin was its collection of beer cozy's. I was highly entertained and I didn't even get them ALL.

B scarfing down the most amazing Macaroni n Cheese I've ever tasted.... don't worry, I got the recipe!

trying to figure out why this shot loads so small... but whatever.. That's Kara :)

There seems to be a recurring "beer theme" in these photos. haha! I guess that's the Maine way of life?

We went down to the docks to jump... but the water was FREEZING so I pulled the "photographer card" and peer pressured the boys to jump in instead. ;) B and Folds

My fav shot of the weekend...

Sunset from the porch. I thought the colors looked better through my sunglasses so I gave the camera a little "rose colored filter"

I only wish I had shots of the amazing star-show to share... I also got to experience a part of the island that had phosphorescence bioluminescence. (Microscopic organisms that emit sparkling luminescence in short flashes when you run your hand through the water) Its like something out of a Harry Potter story or something... waving your wand and sparks of light flash forward. Photographing that proved to be practically impossible...

A HUGE thank you to the Emery Family for allowing a crew of twenty-something y/o crazies to inhabit your place for the weekend!!

My Morning Caffeine.

I am hands down a sunrise girl...

Of course sunsets radiate their own beauty, but a sunRISE truly captures my heart. There is something inside me that jumps at the opportunity to greet the majesty of the day. Nothing energizes me more...it's my morning caffeine and my daily crescendo.

I shot these a while back up in New Hampshire......
Have I mentioned lately how much I love New England? ;)

Boudoir | KT

One of the fun things I get to do with my brides are boudoir sessions. I have shot quite a few lately but due to the 'surprise' factor, I've had to keep them off the blog but this session I can share a few of the PG ones :)

It's sessions like these that make me fall more and more in love with people. When a woman sheds everything and exposes her vulnerability to be captured...documented...encapsulated... it's such a beautiful thing. When I was 18 and a freshman in college, I thought I was going to be a graphic designer and took a figure drawing class as a part of my art requirement. Leading a fairly sheltered life growing up, I remember being embarrassed feeling like a public display of nudity (translate: vulnerability) was unacceptable but through that semester I learned to embrace, celebrate, and find the beauty in the vulnerability and what an amazing creation the human form is. Ever since then I have been fascinated by the beauty of the human body. I believe every woman should experience a session like this at least once in their life.

Anyway, Miss KT came up to beautiful Marblehead and we shot a few at the apartment before heading to the woods... That's right, we hiked a few trails into the woods for some "fun fun"... At one point I saw a dog walker coming down the trail and grabbed a sheet frantically tossing it across the marsh. The passer-by was quite confused and threw a few wry glances at a naked woman standing in the woods wrapped in a sheet. haha.