le faire chic

Riverside Rock 'n' Roll.

2010-10-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

With the Manhattan skyline towering behind us and the threat of rain looming in the form of fluffy, grey clouds over our heads, me and my beau, Benny, soaked in the tunes of Jenny Lewis and the legendary band, Pavement.
Neither of us had been to the Williamsburg Waterfront concert venue before, but it was a SWELL spot to gaze over at NYC on a muggy pre-autumnal evening, while listening to great music. :)
We got to the show early enough to squeeze up front and center {for prime Jenny-spotting pleasure ;)} ... I lugged my massive, hefty L-series lens with slight hesitation, considering the pain it causes my shoulders and back, buuut, as you can see, the minor pain proved entirely worthwhile. :D

Jenny was adorable as-could-be, belting alongside her beau, Johnny!! It was my very first time seeing her perform live, so i was UBER excited. I'm still *hoping* she does a reunion tour with Rilo Kiley one of these days. ;)

PAVEMENT jammin'!! I was really there for Jenny ... ;) incidentally, after purchasing our tickets, i found out Benny was thrilled to see the guys! {SCORE}

How cute is my man? ~.^ <3

Good night, Manhattan! ... and, over the Williamsburg Bridge we went back into the city, while slurping Van Leeuwen ginger ice cream in the backseat of a gypsy cab. :)

xo

Carrie + Luke Pt.II {knot is tied!}

2010-07-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

On a sweltering, yet, beautifulll day in Brown County, Indiana, Carrie and Luke tied the biggest, arguably, most serious knot that could be tied. ;)

You may remember these two fellow-Franklin College-ite friends of mine from our engagement shoot last summer, where we giggled and shot around the heart of downtown Indy.

Carrie and her twin sister, Amanda, were too sweet and adorable to shoot - especially together! The flower girls and ring bearer were also sort-of too-presh-for-words. :)

This wedding was an extra treat because I got to drive again- after 10 months of pure walking and subway travels in NYC! ... driving fast through the fields of Brown County was a blast {i've missed driving on sprawling highways - sans traffic, mind you ;)}. thankfully, i didn't get pulled over, driving my dear bro's car, heh ...

I wish the {once giggly} couple alllll of the very best, and am mega-super honoured to have been a part of their loverly wedding ... CONGRATS, Carrie and Luke!!!

... now. mayhaps next time it won't be quite as long 'til my next bloggity ... :P
happy july!!

xo
la

how cute are these two {newly vowed Haworths}?

sassafrass young flower gal ...

and then ... {i was exactly the same at age, heh}

someone said something really funny ...

then someone ruined the mood ... by taking some posed pics ... ;)

flower girls a-runnin'! :)

this was truly a Franklin College wedding reunion - almost the entire wedding party and many of the guests were old FC friends or staff!

Carrie's beautious bouquet ...

Brit + Lucas = love 'n' marriage.

2010-04-21T22:50:00.000-07:00

Just the other day, i finalllly finished editing the most recent of my wedding pictors {WHEW!}. Brittney and Lucas, who's engagement you got a peak of back in july aaand family pics back in the summer of '08, had me back to Indy to shoot their March matrimonial affair.

It was a beautiful, albeit chilly, March evening. The bridal party scooted about in Chucks, which was a perfect touch for the couple - especially the artsy groom. Lucas was the most emotional, of the couple - shaking before the ceremony {AW} - SO sweet.

loved seeing and being included in the stages of your relationship, guys. :)
CONGRATS 'n' CHEERS to the happy couple {and Evan}!!!

xoLa

THE DRESS - pre-bride.

Brit's flower girl KNEW how to fix that train! :)

Word UP, Ev. ;)

Bride + maids of honour cuteness.

putting the finishing touches on Evan {he's gotten SO BIG since i first shot Brit, Evan and Lucas 2 years ago!!}.

zee ceremonial bridal Chucks, heh.

for walking down the aisle, just right. mama 'n' son Chucks. :)

the magic moment. newly wedded bliss {do you see the heart betwixt their faces? heh}.

the men of the bridal party were quite distinguished.

dresses also make very lovely shawls for when it gets chilly. how resourceful. ;)

my very first London Fashion Week {in NYC}.

2010-03-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

last week i got an invite from a member of the British Fashion Council to check out the London Fashion Week designer showroom in the lofts at the Soho Grand Hotel {me = PSYCHED!! ^.^}.
this was my first-ever fashion showroom event of this caliper, and my, was i enamored and inspired by the intriguing fashions on display by the UK's finest in fashion!

tragically, my trusty Canon 5D {aka: my baby} could not make the journey with me ::smacks self on hand:: but thankfully, I had my new Blackberry in tow to share the showroom with you, at the very least.
it was suuuch a pleasure to meet and chat with all the designers, while soaking in their talent {drooling over every rack of clothing+accessories!}.

Maria Frencesca Pepe = creations so hott, you'll wanna sink your teeth into 'em {and then go out dancing}.
you'll have a set to spare with this necklace. :P
she also has a variety of buckles, tops and jewelry with similarly funky chompers.

rings that equal as a weapon >> BONUS!!

one of my favs of her clothing ... she also has leather overalls that stop at the thigh, aaand a metal chain jumper! ~.^

Holly Fulton. A glamorous/retro whimsy awaits you. :)
i looove the way she blends a retro vibe with modern shapes.
her sketches and purses are simply adorable!

want it all! how presh are those phone hoop earrings on the right?!

Craig Lawrence = sexy fringe 'n' formal wear.
This fellow can make a full-length gown, made from fine pieces of fine gold knit material in about a day! now, that's talent.
Lady GaGa wore one of these little beauties ... I covet his thigh highs!

Fannie Schiavoni and her lovely armor like pieces. So feminine, yet powerful {they almost make me wanna hop on a steed and go jousting}.

the adorable Swedish designer, herself. :)

my personal FAV. if i had this, i believe i would wear it daily. ;)

Atalanta Weller
faaab pumps. j'adore the party in the back. ;)

yes, those tall space age structures on the far right corner are in fact another of her heels. whew, mama!

Michael Lewis's shoes make me go ga-ga {not Lady}. so glam 'n' creative!

the fur is actually a cuff that fits over the shoe -- LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

chess, anyone? heh.

Todd Lynn does the most beautiful, unique work with fur + knits. i want to drape myself in it allll {particularly this piece}. ;D

some other incredibly rad-tastic designers i met {that i, sadly, was unable to photograph} were the darling, daring Hannah Marshall {amazing sculptured, sexy, futuristic creations}; aaand, Christopher Raeburn, who utilizes vintage fabrics to reconstruct stylish, functional outerwear.

be sure to check out these talented, stylish Brits -- and let me know your favorite!

can't wait to sneak into the next showroom ... ;)

xoLa

Springy St. Patties {my very 1st in NYC}.

2010-03-18T08:06:00.000-07:00

This time a year ago, I would have neverrr imagined I'd be spending my St. Patties living in New York City!! Here I am, though. ;D

I spent this St. Patricks holiday roaming Midtown, Union Square and Greenwich Village interviewing and photographing random New Yorkers for my new internship at TimeOut New York {hollaaa!!}. My new pal and fellow TONY intern, Stephen, and I scouted the streets on one of the most gloriously gorgeously springy days thus far of 2010 -- whatta splendid way to spend it!
The question of the day was whether you were stressed or happy - pretty basic, ha.
Most of the people we spoke to were really calm and happy, due to the newfound warmth and sunshine, but we got quite a few interesting stories associated with the given joy or grief, and met lots of cool folks from all over {ah, i love using the word 'folks', don't you? ha}.

Below are some of my favs, as far as style and overall great vibe -- be sure to check 'em out at http://newyork.timeout.com/ or in the mag itself in the coming weeks. Also keep a lookout for my photo credit. ;) ;)

Cheers!

xoLa

this little gal and her proud papa were anything but stressin'. :)

shaaaades of grey.

this rockin' rouge-lipped ginger chick and fellow painter is thrilled to have a brand new painting studio/apartment to call her very own {someday i shall, too ;)}.

the residential Union Square dancer.

these cuties had some fab shoesies!

so chill, sooo stylin'.

now, that's a sharp dressed man!

apparently, this fella was the "emaciated smoker" in Lady in the Water ... :)

Presenting ... Salon Ciel, Feb. '10 NYC

2010-03-04T12:14:00.000-08:00

If you know me at all then you know I am just as in love with art as I am photography.
Since I've gotten to NYC, I've been dyinnng to get involved in the art scene here, as I was in my dear, sweet Indianapolis. ^.^

Thankfully, I happened to stumble upon the cool 'n' quaint indie Salon Ciel via a Craigs List ad, looking for an art event photographer {too perfect, eh? hehe}.
Not only is the art the Salon presents rad, but so are the folks pulling the strings!
I was fortunate enough to shoot my very first {of their monthly} galleries at the end of February, at one of their gallery locales in Chelsea.
The artist represented this month was Sarah Small, a verrrry innovative, hippie-like chick, who combines photography, nudes, live models and singing to create her artwork coined "Delirium Constructions."
Around 10 individuals performed with her that evening, as there were also a variety of her photographs on display. Quite a quirky variety of characters, it was - performers roaming and dancing 'round the gallery in nothing but their birthday suits and maybe some body paint. Some would call it riske, indeed, but the vision behind it all is very beautiful and everyone involved extremely positive.

Here's to my very first NYC art show! More to come from the Salon in March. Stay tuned. :)
xo

a kiss between a pair of married performers {she is adorably pregnant!}.

art imitating art.
that woman is too cute!

a view from atop the Salon penthouse {gorgeous view!!}.

a couple o' fellow art lovers i befriended.

another magical view from the penthouse {Dave, the penthouse owner and Ciel co-founder, has a fantastic variety of cacti and tribal art pieces on that lovely terrace!}.

and, it wouldn't be a party without cake, eh? ;)

Stylish Little Birdies.

2010-02-11T00:06:00.000-08:00

Little birds flutter.
Little birds hop.
LITTLEbirds craft and sew; didn't you know?

They certainly do, and I got to experience and partake in the LITTLEbird DIY crafting extravaganza this past Sunday. The event, held at a rustic, trendy little jeans store called Earnest Sewn in Meatpacking, was quite the hit; especially for trendy little gals around the town.

Around 15 or so fashionistas ranging from age 14 thru late twenties played with sequins, bows, needle, fringe, and thread for hours; making their own haute custom t-shirts and hair accessories. The gals of LITTLEbird, Zooey and Ruthie, hosted the event in order to teach their colossally cool crafting ways to other aspiring, crafty fashion lovers. LITTLEbird provided the crafting materials and the participants were set free to create to their hearts content. And, boy, did these little ladies craft it up! The girls worked intensely on their glam frocks, almost like a mini Project Runway, but more giggly. As the chickees passed around glue guns and i snapped away, we all munched on some delicious mini sandwiches {mMmmm, smoked salmon!} with tea and scones. A sweet little crafting tea party, it was! I even attempted my very own headband and shirt {which I will have to finish on my own time, er}, althrough sewing is probably the least of my talents. :P

By the end of the afternoon, each of the girls had made some impressive tops; one was even Lady Gaga inspired. We insisted each girl do a mini runway show for us, modeling their piece {i'd say you could market any of them!}. Quite the talented group had turned out that day!

LITTLEbird will continue to soar and sew all around the city, so keep your eyes pealed. ;)
Now, to get crackin' on finishing my makeshift couture tee ...

xoLa

The ladies of LITTLEbird sell these darling wittle "Make Its," full of various materials to get aspiring crafters started on their creative ventures.

A twirl and a flutter! Work it, little bird.

Honestly, the talent is bursting out them seams!

LITTLEbird extraordinaires, Ruthie 'n' Zooey. So fab.

the "Lady Gaga" tee is to the right {see above}.

a loverly finished product.

Busy, busy LITTLE beees. SO talented, and so young! They must teach me their ways ...

Zooey with her cute Chanel patch = craftastic. :)

SoOoo Hungry in Soho.

2010-02-06T18:30:00.000-08:00

Dining in NYC is a like a jungle expedition: lush, continuous, spectacular, and well, dangerous {for your wallet}.
Ok, honestly - what do I know about jungle expeditions, really? ;)

Annnywhom. Over the past 6 months {whoa, already!!} that I've been exploring Manhattan, I've fallen in love with stuffing my face {with food, ahem} more than ever - as dangerous as it is for the wallet and waistline, ahaa.
There are endless scrumptious opportunities lurking all 'round, like a giant tarantula in the trees of the Amazon - just not quite as alluring.

The funny thing to me about NYC dining is that, while you can go to some of the most eclectic, chic restaurants in the world; you'll find yourself with overwhelming new cravings for simple things like falafel or mac 'n' cheese {two things I never craved as much as I have until living in NYC}.

So in the past week I've had the distinct joy of experiencing my very first NYC Restaurant Week, which, if you've not heard of it, is a week in which most of the city restaurants offer a Prix Fixe menu at a super deal. Somehow, the restaurants I've visited during this blessed week have only been of the Spanish persuasion in my 'hood of Soho {I do adore my guacamole!}.

My first Spanish Soho-ian meal was with my dear pal, Anthony, at a cute little spot on Grand Street and West Broadway called Papatzul. The decor in Papatzul is superbly charming and so is the guac. Anthony partook in some sangria, which he quite liked - and, I'm certain I would have, too, from munching his leftover sangria-soaked fruit. My avocado-stuffed sandwich was delish ... I'll just have to try the sangria next time. ;)

Playful Papatzul.

My beloved Anthony.

We took turns shooting each other in between bites. :P

From boar to banana bread pudding, Dos Caminos, {my 2nd Soho-ian Spanish Restaurant Week stop} was also a delight. My friends, Chanel and Charles, met me there for brunch in the chill bar/restaurant. While we weren't head over heals with everything we ordered, the three of us couldn't get enough of the guaca, and the desserts were a total hit all around.

Charles and I = shivering 'n' stuffed!

You know I went for the chocolate dessert. ;)

Zee plantain + calamari salad was definitely an appetizing appetizer!

The boar appetizer was Ms. Chanel's, and {I will try many a thing} no, I did not venture to trying that one - eck.

Charles, looking pensive in between platters. :)

All verrry yummy dips! We kind of filled up on these before the appetizers arrived, ha.
As I type this bloggity, I'm readying myself for breakfast pancakes after an overnight shift at the Soho Grand ... the jungle is about to get sticky {syrup! syrup! syrup!}.
I heart NY. I heart eating. Here's to NY Restaurant Week!

xo

The Sweet Ones: LES Vintage + Holiday Cheer.

2009-12-19T09:01:00.000-08:00

I've been aching to find some truly great, charming {even somewhat affordable} vintage stores ever since I moved out to NYC ... thanks to some thrifty, stylish pals I've discovered a few {one of my favs being Brooklyn's About Glamour}.

Just the other evening, however, I fell in love with a practically brand-spankin'-new vintage store in the Lower East Side. This gem of a vs {vintage store} that stole my heart is called The Sweet Ones, and is owned by my fabulous new pal, Alyssa.

Ever since I befriended Alyssa, I've been dying to check out her store. I finally stopped on by the other night, during Alyssa's store holiday party. Camera in tow, I went GA-GA {literally - not Lady} over the treasure trove of gorgeous, glam 'n' retro-modern items tucked within The Sweet Ones confines. From Betsy to Chanel, fur coats to Burberry trenches - this place has an outstanding range of fashion finds.

Not only were the clothing, decor and accessories delectable, but there were adorable, sickeningly sweet mini cupcakes {which you KNOW i live for}, a working retro hot chocolate machine ::sigh:: and champagne galore. ^.^

I could mange on this type of spread everyday ... :P

Stuffed with an inordinate amount of mini cupcakes {the Peanut Butter& Jelly being my fav of the evening}, I mingled and made my list of "items to save up for" ... namely, a girly, chic Burberry trench {as noted above} and a romantic-thoroughly modern cropped jacket {don't you steal themm first!! ::shakes fist::} ...

I foresee greatness for The Sweet Ones ... not to mention, I shall be starting a blog for the store soon {so stay tuned}.

Happy hollydays and, if you're ever vintaging in the LES, don't forget to stop by for some Sweet Ones shopping! :)

xoLa & The Sweet Ones

did i mention i adore the decor of the store?? this quote makes me chuckle. :) i should paint+chalk up my bedroom walls ...

Chanel 'n' cupcakes - I'll take it!

::siiigh::

the black and white frilly dress is SO Eliza Doolittle at the races ... hehe.

little black jacket, i covet theeee ...

vintage + cupcakes = some level of divinity. ;)

frills. enough said.

fellow fashion vs mongers ... :)

"item to save up for" no. 1 >> Burberry dream trench!!

"item to save up for" nuero deux >> romantical cropped jacket ::SIGH::

<3 retro Chanel jeans and that quote - the end word being "GONE."

The Sweet Ones queen, Alyssa {can i please have that couch??}.

Sara's September {Wedding} Soiree.

2009-11-24T17:01:00.000-08:00

On a loverly September evening, I had the distinct pleasure of capturing my dear, beloved first college roommie's {Sara's} wedding. If you recall, I shared Sara and Richie's engagement shoot earlier in the summer. She's one of my closest friends to have gotten married, so it was an extra honor to be her photog. :)
This blog has been a lonnng time coming - I do apologize for that - sara and richie!!

That evening, the weather was ideal: clear and crisp - but not too chilly to be warmed by a sweater or a glass of wine {or two ;)}.
After growing up and going through so many ups and downs with Sara together, it was wonderful to see her marry a man she is so obviously, mutually happy and in love with {i hate ending with a preposition, heh}.

My 3 favorite things about this wedding were:
1. the candy bar {which you will get to see here!}
2. the impromptu college reunion i had there
3. the fact that it gave me a reason to fly back to indy - i SO miss you all out there!!!!

This is my most recent wedding, but i'm really hoping to schedule some in/around NYC ::crosses fingers:: ... In the meanwhile, enjoy the snaps, and i pinky promise to be a much better blogger!

XO and cheers from NYC!

Bless the candy bar ...

Sweetest wittle flower girl - she loved the camera, which i loved!

Sara and her cuz+maid of honor, Ashley.

I'm so loving that shade of purple these days! The bridesmaids were all darling!

i'm baaack {erin & dan's wedding}.

2009-09-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

boy, have i been a LAZY bloggerphotog.
it's been over a month since my last post, and MY has life been a mass of iiiinteresting and somewhat chaotic change since august 8th.
you've probably been heartsick with my lacking correspondence, and for that i am everso sorry.
;)

since my last post i've moved to Manhattan, learned to navigate the subways, contracted pink eye, met loads of adorable models, been OVERWHELMED, homesick, ecstatic, found+disposed of mice in my apartment, been to and from Indianapolis TWICE, saw Jessica Biel and PINK {and random other starst} around the city, had my camera+flash break annnnd shot 2 weddings {and that's just the Cliffs notes} ... WHEW.

i had some much needed time to do some photo editing, so now i have some brand-spankin' new wedding photos to share with you! {YAY}

erin and dan are an extremely sweet couple that i met via CraigsList back last winter. they got hitched a couple of weeks ago on a bipolar soggy-ish + sunny-ish day in September at Fort Benjamin Harrison. the couple only had 60 guests, but dan went ahead and rented out an entire inn for their wedding festivities {which the rain halted for just in time!}.

it may have been a more intimate group of guestes - but they certainly were not lacking in the hootzpah! the men and kiddies ripped up the dance floor like non other - perhaps it had to do with the custom bottled wine on every table {for the fellas, at least ;)}.

thank you, erin and dan, for the pleasure of shooting your engagement and wedding - i wish you all the very best!!!

enjoy the pictorial, and i promise more blogs to come soon {photos from the city - FINALLY}.

xoxo

you know i can't resist cute shoesies. ;)

not only was it an open bar, but every dinner table had 2 specially brewed bottles of wine, made by the groom's parents ... suffice it to say, everyone was having a grand ole time.

a rowdy group, indeed. dan insisted we do a modern day rendition of his parents's VERY serious old school wedding portraits - so cute.

arguably my favorite of the day ...

these were mocha ... and there were also carrot cake ... undoubtedly some of the most scrumptious wedding "cake" i've ever had, ever!

and i was in food photography heaven ... :)

Love in the Afternoon.

2009-08-08T20:32:00.000-07:00

Sara and i met under sheer luck and happenstance {aka: college dorm pot-luck}. ;)
My first-ever roomie and i met the summer prior to my freshman year of college, and the two of us became fast best buds. It couldn't have been a better fit.
Now she's found the man of her dreams, Richard/Richie - i'm fairly certain she told me stories about him our first week together at Franklin College {i'm pretty sure it was all good things?? harhar}.

Although i'm moving out to New York City this Friday {woot, woot!!!!} i will be making my way back to Indianapolis the third week of September to shoot their wedding. i may be a teensy bit homesick by mid-September anywho, so seeing them get hitched and being part of their wedding will be icing on the {wedding}cake {cheesey, iknow! ha}.

We had a gorgeous day for this engagement shoot - not too sweltering for an August day {yesss}!
I am SO, SO, SOOO THRILLED for my very first roomie and her fella. I had a blast with them - being all silly and romantic on this afternoon.
Cheers, you two!

My next post will most likely be from my new apt. in NYC, so stay tuned for more fashionista-y posts. ;D

xoxo

Lynds 'n' Will {tie that knot}

2009-07-31T08:33:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was a bride's weather nightmare - chilly storms galore. Fortunately for Lyndsey {bride}, all that nasty, dreariness cleared itself out by the time I met her to shoot her evening wedding! {i'm fairly certain we all did a collective ::WHEW:: at seeing the light of the sun ;).

Lyndsey looked like a modern day Cinderella, in her pretty, poufy white gown and tiara. Groom William shed a few tears seeing her walk down the aisle {Lynds had to wipe a drop from his nose during the ceremony - sweet, heh}.

Many a mini tux was scampering about that evening, as she and her older sister, Brittany {who you may notice from a post from last summer} have 3 cute little boys between the two of them. Lyndsey's youngest son isn't exactly scampering at all yet, so his "tux" was actually a baby christening suit {awwww}.

I am SO glad the gloomy, wet day transformed into a gorgeous summer night for Cinderella and her prince, William {no, not the one from the UK - harhar}. The rustic outdoorsy shots we got would have been a tad more difficult had a storm been involved. ;)

Cheers to the new Mr. and Mrs. Glaze!

Baby tuxes = too presh.

Mama love before the ceremony. :)

Hey there, Cinderella!

pretty sisters! i'm shooting brittany's wedding in spring of 2010. :)

This is what wedded bliss looks like. ;)

Another wedding photog in the making??

the kids definitely got DOWN that night.

Another fav of mine of the bride. I always find dark hair and blue eyes so beautifully striking!

xoxo
la

Stunning Sistas.

2009-07-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

It was Jenna {eldest sis} and Taylor's {youngest sis} very first trip to Fountain Square on the day we got together for our shoot. So, as i am in that area quite often, it was my distinct pleasure to show them around a bit!

None of us had met in person before, but the look and vibe of that quaint, gritty place really worked well with the girls! {yay!}
The sisters not only had sweet personalities, but had faaaabuloussss style {3 outfit changes, woo!}, sooo suffice it to say, they were a photog's dream {now, don't let that get to your heads, ladies - ha :) }.
Each time they came out {of their mama's Jeep - aka: the changing room} i'd have a whole new string of compliments on their choice of attire and accessories. Although, my personal favorite stylish item was Taylor's vintage spoon necklace - who couldn't love such a quirky, dainty thing?!

I am SO glad Jenna discovered me and that I had the opportunity to meet and snap these cute chicks!

And THANKS to the girls for putting up with all my ideas and the hot, hot heat of the day!
Enjoy our little shoot in zee Square. :)

xoxo

These two black and whites are some of my top favies from the day. :)

their mom and grandmother - who tagged along - semi-jokingly asked for some photos where "they look like they love each other." heh. :p

silly - checking each other's teeth - between shots.

For more of these hott little mamas, check out my Facebook album soon-to-come on my Lauren Ashley Photography + Design page with more from this shoot!

Carrie + Luke: aka The Gigglers

2009-07-14T21:55:00.000-07:00

Don't ask Carrie and Luke to be serious - at least not while posing for a picture {unless you want them to bust out in laughter}.
I could tell Carrie and Luke would be a fun, adorable pair to shoot, but i've never had a couple be quite so giggly when asked to do a "serious" shot. After a few times, i figured it out, and was able to use that to my advantage to get some extra goofy grins. :P
Me: Do a more serious pose - no smiles for this one.
Them: PFFT!! {hahahaha}

Here's a bit of an example - except there wasn't a serious from the get go but the reaction is perfect.

I even tried using different verbage in place of "serious" - for instance, pensive, thoughtful, that type of thing ... those words brought on the same response, if not more laughter!

I did get a few good "pensive" {my personal fav} shots, so i give them props for pulling it together ... by the wedding they'll be pros, eh? :)

"Serious" or not, they make a verrrry cute couple and are great fun to hang with on a hot summer day!

{they totally look like giddy Indianapolis tourists to me here - little do they know Indy is in fact Naptown, ha}

Cheers to Carrie and Luke! {they're wedding is this coming June 2010 :) }

xoxo

one of the few "serious" shots. ;) we pretended to be staying at the Conrad for these, mwhaha ...

almost my favorite of the day {outside of Oceanaire, drooling at the thought of a $40 seafood meal}.

my personal fav of the day {love sneaky kisses}.

Mad Hat{ter}.

2009-07-12T19:11:00.000-07:00

Sooo, as some of you may know, i am uprooting myself to NYC about a month from now - persuing my dream of fashion photography and etc... well, one of my favorite photographers is The Sartorialist, Scott Schuman. i've decided that i am going to do my own spin on candid fashion photos once i am in the BIG CITY.
Whilst perusing Mass Ave with my camera last week, i happened upon this adorably fashionable woman with a GREAT hat in a Starbucks. i felt an itsy bitsy bit stalker-ish - watching her, then walking over with my massive camera, buuut i figured, what's the worst that could happen??

Turns out she was VERY flattered and surprised! then, she came to sit with me and we chatted and made friends!
Here is my very 1st sartorialist-ism ... be prepared for more {hereafter august 15th ... ;) }.

turns out she is a featured painter in the new Indpls airport! :)
check her out - she is one talented woman!
www.urushi-artist.com

love, marriage & 4th o' July {rain}

2009-07-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

although it was independence day for the rest of America, lovebirds, jeremy + holly GLADLY gave theirs up on this holiday. ;)
the couple is adorable and the day went without a hitch, except for the blasted weather ::shakes fist toward the sky::.
is it just me or does it ALWAYS seem to rain in Indianapolis on the 4th of July?? :P

annnnywhom.
there are quite a few brides that would go bridezilla-psycho-mad over the downpour of rain we received that day, holly didn't let the unfortunate weather get her down in the least {which was refreshing}!

we made due with the overabundance of unwanted rain drops by doing "budoir" pics and other little tricks, which was an interesting challenge. this wedding was the perfect example of making lemons into lemonade.
there may not have been any fireworks blazing the sky that evening, but i definitely saw some between the new mr. and mrs. huffman {i have to be cheeeeesey sometimes, eh? ha}.

here's to hoping for a sunny 4th next year! ;)

xoxo
la

evvvvveryone wanted a piece of holly!

my fav of holly and her mama.

flower girl was so not camera friendly - everyone was cheering this on anyway {and we are all going to hell}.

the kiddies were all adorable, of course - especially when not bawling! ;)

can you tell jeremy's a bit of a goofball??

CONGRATULATIONS, YOU TWO!

DePriests in Da House!

2009-06-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

that's right, i'm starting this off uber cheesey.
got a problem with it? :)

i did a much anticipated shoot out with the DePriest kids in the sweltering June sun the day before last.
{not the old western type of shoot, mind you ;) }

now, i enjoy roasting in the sun as much as the next person, so i was a smidge worried that the kids wouldn't feel like working it for me so much.
to my delight, their mom, Recina, had them hydrated and ready to give ME ideas for poses! LOVE camera friendly chillen'.

we galavanted around the park - they showed me their tricks on the monkey bars, and climbed to the top of the rope tower thingy like it was Mt. Kilimanjaro. the boys even found a dead fish to run around, waving it about like a prize {EW, right? ha, boys}.

there were a few grumpy moments - but with little H2o and bugs zooming about, it was more than understandable. mama recina was super helpful in bribing their cooperation through McDonalds drinks {SWEET TEA!} post shoot. :)

Westin {eldest to youngestest}, Peyton, Kaley 'n' Mason - THANKS for running around with me and the ducks in the park, and for being such graaaand models!!

xoxo
la

i love mason's expression and the little shadow in front of him. :)

the strapping, young men.

and we found duckies to chase.

EXPERT goofy faces.

mason's turn to climb to the pinnacle!

who doesn't like to chill inside a slide??

Christi + Bobby: The Wedding

2009-06-21T10:52:00.000-07:00

Barely 48 hours after my trek back from NYC, i made another trek - this time it was down south. Entirely opposite in pretty much every way possible, this trek took me a 2.5 hour drive to Madison/Hanover-land, Indiana.
I had made this trek almost a year ago {already, whew!} for Christi and Bobby's engagement session {you may or may not recall that lonnng ago, heh}. ;)

This time, i came back to this beau-ti-ful, charming town to shoot their nuptials!
I had really been looking forward to shooting this wedding because of how exceptionally adorable this place is. :)

Personally, i don't have the guts to have an outdoor wedding myself, but Christi + Bobby had quite a gorgeous afternoon for their day - for which is was suuuper relieved!!

The couple couldn't be sweeter, as was their wedding party!
I snapped a TON of pictors that day, but here are some highlights ... i may have to post more a bit later, just for kicks.

Happy, happy Fathers Day + verrrry 1st day of SUMMER!!!

xoxo
la

My ole college pal + Tri-Delta sista, Amanda, is just adorable. :)

A little bit o' romance ...

Possibly my favourite guy group shot, ever.

Who doesn't love some silly kiddie pics? hehe.

Christi can come off as very timid when you first meet her, so this exaggerated face just gave me a chuckle.

Behind the happy couple you can spot Kentucky. ;)

New York, I <3 U.

2009-06-14T22:46:00.000-07:00

Or, shall i say, I <3 these two new New Yorkers ... :)
Last week I visited the fine {hectic, crazy, glamorous, cutthroat, chic, etc.} city of New York and stayed with my friends/models Kimberly and Kevin - both of whom you've most definitely spotted here in my humble bloggy!

I did more in those few NYC days than I ever really expected ... WHEW, was it a BLAST {and a tad intimadating}.

I did not bring my beloved camera for fear of looking like a tourist while actually being one {and of thieves, of course!}. During my trip, however, I made the decision to pursue my lonnnng time dream of being a fashion/commercial photographer and move to the BIG C I T Y!
NYC here i commmme {in August} !!!!

I also found some roomies during the trip - my intensely attractive K-squared friends pictured below. ;)
In honour of my roomies-2-b, I decided to post these pics I realized I never posted before ...

Grab a GIANT soft pretzel and enjoy!
These kids will be famous some day, ya know.

xoxo

P.S. for those of you who i've signed contractuals with for post-August events, fear not - I will still be there with bells on. :)

favourite of the group = i saved the best for last. ;)

Up then You're Down.

2009-06-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

You've seen my super chic, superfly model friend, Stephanie Kendall many a-time here - most recently strutting her stuff, all glammed UP on a runway in Indianapolis.

About a month ago i gave you a glimpse of her beau's shoot with me {featuring Diablo} and, as promised before, finally have a few of her shots. :)

It's funny to me because this post is OH-SO different from my last - can you tell i like to mix it up?

Steph is a grand-tastic model because she has RANGE - previous posts i've done with her have gone from somber to sexy, saintly to silly ... I'm not quite sure how to describe this shoot, but the first word that pops to mind is VAMPY - as a compliment, of course! ;)
I'd call this a boudoir shoot and she brought IT, as usual - wee!

Happy 1st day of June! There's more where these came from, so stay tuned {they won't disappoint}.

xo

lauren

Don't be blue {in the next she's purple}.

She has a lovely profile, eh?

THIS is why i deemed her VAMPY in this excerpt ... still a knockout, whatever look or character she takes on.

UP! {she's random - in a GREAT way - hence the title of this bloggy post}

DOWN.

Pop art Steph.

Pre-senting Preemie {Ben}!

2009-05-23T02:09:00.000-07:00

At a little over 5 lbs, Ben Allen came as an early arrival the day after Mothers Day {great timing, eh?}.
I was thrilled and honored when his parents, my friends Craig and Kelli, asked me to do their family portraits and birth announcements featuring their newest family member!

Luckily for C+ K, Ben is a handful merely in the physical sense thus far. :)
Big bro, Brady {age 3}, seems timidly excited about his new little bro {SO CUTE}.

Ben didn't seem to enjoy playing model - he wailed for most of our visit, sadly. Or, maybe it was just the sheer terror of being taken from his warm, cozy blanket wrap to lie nude 'n' chilly in front of a stranger?? {I know I probably wouldn't enjoy the experience!}

I've been friends with C + K for years, most of them being sans kiddies, so it's been really fun and exciting to see their family forming. It'll be so cool to see Ben grow!

xoxo
la

Daddy 'n' Ben.

Proud mama!

A peaceful moment in between nude shots ... PRECIOUS!

I loved using my macro lens on his tootsies! :)

Big bro, Brady, attempting to comfort his new bro.

One of my personal FAVS.

Hot Wheels.

2009-05-17T22:47:00.000-07:00

Vroom, VRRROOOOMMMM!!

these hot wheels make that noise without even running, they're so cool. :)

i know auto-related photos aren't my usual fair, HOWEVER, i spent last saturday as a volunteer photographer for the annual Indy On Wheels car show at my church, Westlake Community Church of God. i figured i might as well show off the lovely vehicles and give my church a little plug, eh?
plus, i DO quite enjoy posh, classic cars. ;)

stay tuned for some stunning shots of my pal, Stephanie - from past blogs here.

cheers!

xoxo
la

who knew the innards of a car could be so pretty? ;)

this little cutie's ride that day was a wittle red wagon!

my fav - the car + the colour. :)

wicked coolness {tied for fav}.

a gal you may recognize {i couldn't get over how adorable those fakie trays + food are!}.

notice anything slightly, erm, pervy dangling from this vehicle ... ??

hello, there. :)

Gabrielle's Field Frolick.

2009-05-09T21:04:00.000-07:00

On a lovely May evening just this past week, I met up with my pal and fellow blogger fashionista Gabrielle.

My fab friend needed some photographs of herself for her blog, you see.
She originally wanted to be in a corn field, as suggested by the subhead of her blog. Alas, May just isn't the time to find corn fields for frolicking! ::tear::

Fortunately, i had some pretty grassy clearings in mind already. :)

Gabrielle and i skipped and trudged our way through weeds and marshland to the get these pics - and boy do i enjoy them! She just couldn't be cuter, eh?

By the time we were through, the two of us had VERY wet, muddy feet, and quite a few mosquito bites. Ooh, the price of outdoorsy photography!

Enjoy, and happy mothers day, of course!

xoxo

Hello, beautiful! Check out Gabrielle and her style secrets at http://hauteintheheartland.blogspot.com/

How can you not frolick through marshland without chuckling? ;)

All tuckered out from her field jaunt.

On the cutting edge of beauty and fashion - rocking the tree branch head piece couture ... :P

Goofy + sophisticated = just the way i like her! :)

Elvis & Cigars.

2009-05-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

I'm all shook UP! Uh huh, uhuhuhuh ...

Is what i imagine Diablo belting {in a sort of New Yorker accent} - because i can't recall what in the world he was saying as i shot him last week, strutting around his bedroom. Elvis incarnate, indeed.
As soon as he jumped in front of the camera he became an entirely different being - it was quite a little show!
Don't even ask about Mr. Monkey. :)

I shot my pal, "D," as his girlfriend {my dear model friend} Stephanie refers to him, in between taking shots of her.
They're such a unique and talented couple of models!
If you ever visit the Broadripple Arts Center or the Art Institute of Indianapolis, you're sure to see some sketches and/or paintings of them both.
I always have a blast spending time with them and shooting them, of course. ;)

Stay tuned for Steph's turn in front of the camera from that evening!

Cheers and remember to keep off my blue suede shoes!

xoxo
la

Animation at its finest. Makes me chuckle - aloud. :)

Forgettaboutit!

Hey, there, honey pie!

Light 'em up?

Giving Monkey some cig tips. ;)

One of my FAVS from this shoot. :D

Fringe 'N' Fashion

2009-04-28T18:00:00.000-07:00

A new friend of mine from Indyhub was sweet enough to get me in on the Spring into Spring event/fashion show held at the Fringe building downtown a few days ago. While us fashion hungry attendees enjoyed the show we also got to mange on some DELISH sushi from 45 Degrees whilst sipping wine+beer thanks to the Mass Ave Wine Shoppe {YUM-MY}.

The fashion show was a blend of eclectic clothing, jewelry and other accessories from some of the newer stores to call Mass Ave home.
I especially enjoyed the fact that there was some male model eye candy, ha!

Sushi, drinks and fashion = one fabulous April evening! ;)

My GORGEOUS model friend, Stephanie {who you may recognize from my former bloggies :)} was one of the models! An added bonus+surprise that night! Her makeup was PHENOMENAL.

All of the models here are dancers - GO FIGURE. ;)

The cute chick in pink was my fav! She was super spunky - always throwing her hands up and doing a little spin on the runway.

Check out a little more about the shindig here!

xoxo
la

Tea Time in Toyland!

2009-04-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

Once again I bring to you a few more of my favourite snaps from my SUPERBLY sacrine tea time pic-a-nic shoot with my sweet 'n' stylin' Erica T.

We actually had two mini "sets" for this blanketed shoot: one side, which you've already seen, featured pastel decor and Eastertime sweets ... the second side {featured now} has darker hues and rich, chocolatey cakes ... I truly can't decide which decide which section i loved more! Both sides were surely delish! Erica and I were sure to split the sweets between us once we were all done here, ha. :)

We had a ton of fun playing with the cakes and stuffed animals! Hopefully they enjoyed it as well ...

Don't get a toothache from all the sweet, precious decadence!

xoxo

Tea parties certainly are not dweebie. :)

Cheers for tea - hip, hip - HOORAY!

Eat, Mr. Giraffe!

** Note: No animals were harmed in the making of this photo story ... ;)

Lady in Red.

2009-04-15T20:08:00.000-07:00

Recently I attended this cool Indianapolis 3-day photography conference at the Omni Severin in downtown Indy called OSP Indy.

I discovered it through a photog friend of mine. It was VERY cool and informative for young photogs like myself!
It was a fantastic way to network and learn about photography do's and don'ts, trends, business tips, and the like.
I met loads of rad fellow photogs from across the MidWest - not just the Naptown. I was quite surprised at just how many folks from out of state attended this event, which was cool!

One of the most fun things {out of the many fun things ;)} we did was a retro fashion shoot with a few of our fellow photogs there. If you follow my blog in any way you know I go GA-GA for annnnything RETRO+VINTAGE, sooo I was THRILLED, to say the least, when I got to follow around Brandi Brown like paparazzi for a couple of hours. ;)

It was a breezy afternoon but we all had a blast shooting this hottie!

Snaps to photographer KC Ferrell for sponsoring the event. :)

Enjoy!

xoxo

Brandi channeling Ms. Mary Tyler Moore, heh.

Brandi and the City!

Lady needs a little primp.

I would simply looovvvve a pair of kicks like these!!

Now THIS is pure Brandi Brown!

Who wouldn't want a big, fat smooch from this hott mama?? :)

Room with a view ...

Getting cozy ...

Happy, happy Easter!

2009-04-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

Blessings to you all!

Love.
xoxo

la + erica t.

don't stuff yourselves too much with candy. :)

Peeps, Roses & Red Heads - Oh, My!

2009-04-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

As promised, a continuation of my springtime pic-a-nic shoot with my darling, Erica T. :)
I certainly hope you're not tired of her! hehe.

I can't recall if I mentioned this in my last post, but I got to use my maco lens here - which I LOVE but hardly use, to my chagrin (whoa, I think I just used a college word there!). So, I had a ton of fun getting these close ups on Erica and some of the pretty wittle things we brought along on that dreamy spring day.

I'm also happy because the macro helps display her makeup {which yours truly did, hehe} - she can totally pull off the pretty pale purple, don'tchya think?

I tried doing the whole baby doll/geisha lips look: dark red in the center of her lips - pale face - dots of blush per cheek, to give her a dolly/Alice in Wonderland look. Alas, it didn't look too hot once it was done, so we kept it a bit more simple. Come to think of it, the sparkly candy is just enough sugary overload for this shoot anyhow. :)

Enjoy the Peep massacre, just in time for Easter! ;)

xoxo
la

You, bite the head off of that sweet, innocent, fluffy Peep, girl!

Yeah, Reeses Peanut Butter eggies!! An Easter holiday snack MUST. ;)

The macro REALLY showed off with the creamy, lusciousness of that cake ... Mmm!

One of my favs.

a springtime pic-a-nic

2009-04-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

springtime kind of flew on in around indy - at least on certain days lately - on THIS day in particular!
thank the heavens it did on this lovely end-of-march afternoon because i've been DYING to do a shoot {without freezinnng my bum off! ;) }.

my GAWGEOUS model pal, erica t. and i planned a shoot this day, crossing our fingers for dreamlike weather like this and brainstormed a picnic-ish sort of alice in wonderland-esque scene ... once the theme was decided i prayed for great weather, and ran around my house, rumbling around for kitschy, cute, picnic materials {ha}.
stuffed animal picnic partners were a must, and fortunately we could both supply those - dorky, eh? :)

then, i hopped over to the market {yes, market} for some pretty, scrumptious sweets for erica and i to play with in the shots - YUM. i must say, we had a GRAND ole time chowing down on reese peanut butter eggs, fresh multi-coloured peeps, iced cookie and gooey cakes! ::smacks lips at the memory::

i took some shots in other locales, so stop by again soon to check out those darlings! ... McDonald's and jumping are involved ... ;)

enjoy the sweetness, just in time for Easter!

xoxo

here, erica t. is imagining she's a snooty heiress ::laughing snootily::. :)

i picked up this cutie cake simply because i adored its polka dots!

raspberry-chocolate cake joy on her face. :)

this cookie was ridiculously DELISH!

2 Random {things}

2009-03-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

good morning and happy saturday, folks. :)
so, i know i don't usually share blogs on things other than my shoots but i couldn't resist, i say! ...

{a little shameless plugging}
this is my current pride and joy ... it's been a MAJOR work in progress for the past year and a half, but i FINALLY got the time and motivation+inspiration to finish her! ^_^
i now have her on ETSY - in case you're a collector of fine art. ;)
it's actually a likeness of Anna Paquin from a fashion mag - she's SO gorgeous and demure!
i'm hoping to have enough time to create enough more pieces to sell my paintings and photography on a semi-regular basis ... we'll see! ::crosses fingers::

annnnd! for my 2nd random Saturday tidbit, i just HAD to share this LOVELY gown ...

this site is A-MAZING for finding vintage dresses - whether it be for party or a wedding+bridal!! they're all incredibly pretty and retro - i DIE every second i'm perusing the site, hehe.
it gives me something to save for, AND photo shoot inspiration! a double whammy!

okie dokes - that's all outta me for today!
wish i could wear that little number out to the birthday party i'm out to tonight! ;)

xoxo
la

chillin' with the Clark clan.

2009-03-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

i visited my pals, the Clarks, the other weekend and got the chance to snap some family pics. i hardly get to use my macro lens and this was a pretty perfect opportunity so i was especially excited - not to mention, i got to meet Charlie and Christina's new baby girl, Mazzy {below}. ^_^

i love these guys!
the kids {little charlie + emmie} are in love with the camera and FULL of energy. it was SO fun goofing around with them while they rolled around on the floor.
mazzy wasn't quite as in happy to see my camera around as her older bro and sis, but i'm sure she'll warm to it in no time. ;)
i also must mention how AMAZING Christina looks after barely a month since giving birth to sweet wittle mazzy!!

enjoy the silliness and family love!

xoxo

i didn't try to scare her, i swear it!

drooley girl!

a teen heartbreaker in the making ...

i'm feelin' the LOVE. :)

little charlie and emmie = some of the CUTEST kiddies i know.

who on earth doesn't LOVE baby feets?

one of my FAVS. ^_^

it was just a teensiest bit hard to get the kids to sit still for these, ha.

fe + ricky: city shinanigins

2009-03-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

happy st. patties day, laddies and lassies!

i have a special treat {or pot o' gold} for you on this bonnie day. :)

my beautiful buds, fe and ricky - who i've featured here in the past from their wedding day photos.
we did another shoot in their wedding attire after their wedding, back in the summertime, for some more stylish shots.
i've been meaning to properly edit and post these FOREVER, and now i've finally had the chance! WOOT!

they're not exactly irish-y photos but there's plenty o' green in them! ;) ;)

ENJOY!
and THANKS AGAIN TO FE + RICKY for their fan-tastic modeling!!

xoxo

SUCH a gawgeous bride!!

romance in da streets ... random passerby would gleefully congratulate them - it had been a couple months since their actual wedding so it was amusing. :)

alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314192839472843730" />
she's got him in the palm of her hand. ;)

LOVE that they're goofballs. ^_^

dancin' in the streets!

FIN.

K squared {in the city}

2009-03-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

i posted a shoot with kevin and kimberly a little while back after we shot downtown {ie: the nicky blaine's shoot post}. but there were ample more shots that i loved, so i'm doing yet another post with these two brilliant ballet dancers. :)

i just adore shooting ballet dancers because they not only have beautiful bodies but they have endless artistic poses. they never cease to 'WOW' me.
unfortunately, the lighting was really bad here so i couldn't get quite the effect i wanted, especially with the dancing shots - just too blurry. these two are so dynamic and steamy in front of a camera, it's just a blast shooting them!

enjoy the steaminess of the K squared duo!
xoxo

i'm in love with this one ... SO Eternity by Calvin Klein. :P

now, how incredible is this?!

these {see above and below} are two of my favs from this shoot - crack me up! kev looks particularly clark kent-ish here. {hot :) }

a wee bit angsty, but i love it, ha.

Vera, in Indy?!?

2009-03-03T12:43:00.000-08:00

why yes - Vera Wang was in Indy, well in fashion spirit rather than in the flesh, but it was fabulous nonetheless. ;)

cute, but kinda pregger-ish, no?

love.

i was able to catch the bridal gown fashion show at the swanky Conrad Hotel thanks to my fab fellow fashionista friend, gabrielle poshaldo.
there were amazing hors d'oeuvres, wedding cake vendors (my personal fav ;)), and gowns (of course!).
i don't know if i found my future gown but if i had to pick from this group it would be ...

THIS little number. ;)

BEST cake vendor EVER - this little wonder was filled w/ ganache!! ... i only wish i could recall the company! she's in noblesville ...

my 2nd fav.

ok, tied for 2nd. :)

prettily etherial.

beautiful detail.

a tad too sheet-esque for moi.

work it, work it.

Eee! SO cute!

AWE-SOME train.

ginormous flower = ms. bradshaw = J'ADORE. ;)

personally, this was my favourite model.

yummy Conrad eats ...

whew! this was a long-un! all in the name of designer bridal, dahling. ;)
cheers!

xoxo

all spun out.

2009-02-26T19:44:00.000-08:00

revving up for a little spinsy ...

blurring images on purpose is one of my favorite little experimental things to do, as i get better with low light, etc. {which is tough! :) }
whilst shooting at Gusto pizzaria the other week, i had Erica do some spinning to see what we could capture.
i quite like the end result ... let me know whatchya think, kids!

tired of erica yet? :P

thanks for stopping by!

xoxo

FAV of this little set, haha.

i love how free she looks here. :)

one of my favs!

a little somethin' extra

2009-02-24T15:19:00.000-08:00

i've been meaning to do this for a WHILE now, but i FINALLY made some time to create myself a more personal little top section of my bloggy here. :)

i'm partial to it, but i always love creative feedback!

here's to the the final frigid week of february!

cheers!

xoxo

In the Pizza Joint {with Erica T.}

2009-02-20T17:15:00.000-08:00

i'm not obsessed.
i just have Erica-a-plenty o' photos!! harhar. :)
ok. i know
i'm a big dork, but how can i not share pics of my loverly pal, Erica, eh?

here, we have her in a blessed pizza joint up in the beloved fountain square .
unfortunately, this evening we had quite a tough time finding an establishment that would let us shoot within its quarters - even for 5 minutes!!
you see, it's winter (still, YUCK) and i couldn't have my dear model freeze to death - especially in such CUTE duds. ;)
fortunately for us, Gusto was a funky-awesome place to shoot {and next time, we'll actually find time to manger there - we swear it!}.
THANK YOU, GUSTO !!!!
{MAN, their food looks DELISH!!! the artwork displayed there isn't too shabby, either ;) }

until next time ... ENJOY!

xoxo

this is her 'i'm hungry - let's pause for pizza' face. :P

work it - work it.

under the RED light = my fav of this set. :)

On Top of The World {with Erica}

2009-02-16T20:13:00.000-08:00

I met this gawgeous little red head on facebook recently, via my dear model pal {that you know so well} kimberly page. when she first friend requested me, I hesitated because I just plum didn't know her! well, after keeping her request on hold a week or so, I noticed her profile pictures change from one darling photo to the next. I finally added her and we started chatting about fashion, photos, etc. We soon realized we had way too much in common NOT to get together to shoot and befriend one another in person!
:)

Last week, we met up in Indianapolis for a fresh 'n' vibrant shoot of high fashion porportions ... let's just say I took a baZILLION pictors, and shall be editing them for the next week straight, at least!

We put our wardrobes and funky style together - I got the chance to play makeup artist once again, which I simply ADORE!! hehe. i was channeling these looks a la sephora . Looks like this really get me EXCITED ... I know it's not quite socially acceptable to go out looking like this, but I'm going to try some of these looks out on future shoots and on myself for future glam-tastic nights, for sure!

let me know whatchya think, and enjoy Erica's le faire chic debut!
stay tuned, for you will definitely see more of me + Erica here soon. :)

xo

love this pose! she is a superb vogue-r, fo sho! ;)

one of my favs!

the pretty in pink shoot

2009-02-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

hello ladies and gentlemen,

allow me to introduce you to my good friend, stephanie {yes, from previous bloggies :) }, as her alter ego - which i'll call "Gigi," in my silly bubble gum pink wig.

this shoot was a blast - all of them are with her, but this particular look is SO fun and outrageous!! i got some makeup inspiration from Interview magazine and did her eyes - she brought the wicked cool attire.

i actually did this shoot for my VERY DL TRES IMPORTANT project {the "big" thing i've been mentioning recently}. you see, i had to do it as an application project for the miami ad school {portfolio school in Florida}. the theme happens to be shooting a subject from the perspective of a small dog - LOVE the quirkiness!! so i thought, why not take a goofy theme and vamp it up as a completely outlandish shoot? plus, i was psyched for a reason to toss in my good ole Taco Bell doggy - that still says "I think I'm in love" after all these years!! :)
steph is totally channeling daryl hannah in Blade Runner {LOVE, hehe}.

thanks, "Gigi"/Steph!!! ;)

enjoy and please do leave comments!

xoxo

la

close second to most FAV.

this may be my favourite. ;)

an October wedding in Plainfield

2009-01-27T17:25:00.000-08:00

Just keep spinning, just keep spinning, just keep spinning, SPINNNING. {i think the wittle flower girls were my favourite part of this pretty autumnal wedding :) }

I haven't featured any weddings in a while, but just finished editing this one, so i thought i'd share it with you.
It was quite the lovely affair - held at the Plainfield Christian Church, it couldn't have been a more perfect {or HOT!!} day for a wedding!
The wedding party was huge and a riot, and The Happy Couple were beau-ti-ful!
I had extra fun shooting this one because I was assisting my dear, fabulous photog friend, Sarah K. Whitfield, this time around {and was able to focus on more of the details of the day}.

After the ceremony, we were off to Indy for their reception at the Rathskeller, for pretzels and dancing {too bad i lost those pics in a memory card accident - poo!}.

Anywho! I look forward to shooting my next wedding - in the meantime, enjoy!

xoxo
la

A sweet and picture perfect bride.

What a HANDSOME little fella! He was suuuper bashful, at first!

A {flower}girl must always tote along her favourite My Little Pony AND sport her most STYLIN' shades during matrimonial affairs. ;)

Looking GAWGEOUS, dahling.

kev + kimberly: blur crazy in indy

2009-01-18T19:02:00.000-08:00

my darling, kimberly {who you've so recently seen in that precious pink rose dress} and her good friend, kevin, met up with me to do a shoot in indy this past week. they're both a blast to work with - they're also both ballet dancers from Butler!

kevin's an old pro with photo shoots and hopes to embark on tres chic underwear photography modeling in nyc {pretty hot}.
at first, we had a bit of a tough time on a locale for our shoot, but after a little drive through downtown indy, we found a great bar that agreed to let us shoot away {yesss!}. suffice it to say, the lighting was VERY low low LOW, but i discovered a RAD low lighting method while playing around with my flash. these two learned how to work with the flash tactics fast, and we had a riot figuring out new poses. :)
we had SO many good ones that this may just be my biggest post yet!

enjoy these hot kids, and let me know whatchya think!

xo

Stylish Stephanie: On the Table Session

2009-01-11T19:04:00.000-08:00

Ooh, how i love my stephanie!! {as I'm sure you know by now, if you've checked out my blog at all lately :) }
this is more from our recent fashion session.
she amazes me with her ability to transform herself from a dramatic, damsel in period costume to a sexy, mysterious mademoiselle.
for this little shoot, we snuck into a small, deserted library and took down some wall art, mwhahaha {no harm, of course}.
i just can't get enough of her sense of style and movement in front of the camera. {and otherwise!}.

enjoy her steamier side! ;)

xoxo

P.S. this is her REAL hair-do in this shoot - LOVE it!!

the start of our photographic flip book. :)

a FAV of mine!

stunner.

The Little Rose Dress Shoot with Kimberly

2009-01-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

my cutie pie friend, kimberly page/kristen is a beeeeau-ti-ful ballerina + model. i've done runway and ballet photos of her, but when she told me about this gorgeously rustic place in indy, and her new rosie dress, i KNEW i had to have her in front of my camera AGAIN! :)

we snuck our way over the fence of this stunning spot in a public park she found, and i went ga-ga, snapping shots of her in that adorable {TEENY} dress!
we had a blast on this dreary, winter afternoon.

enjoy the sneak peak, and let me know whatchya think!

xoxo

la

Stylish Stephanie: Take II

2009-01-01T19:04:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR, ALL!!

i felt it appropriate to ring in the new year with part deux of my Stephanie Shoot with the circa 1900 look, but with a twist of modern art funk delicious. :)
have i mentioned i LOVE her posing skillz??

can't get enough!!

anywho - enjoy and please indulge me in this 2009 with some comment-os. ;)

xoxo

Merry Christmas! {with Melly 'n' Pups!}

2008-12-24T19:11:00.000-08:00

my good gal pal, melissa, recently had me do a photo shoot - not just any shoot - a Christmas shoot with her dogs, Gracie and Mattie {hope i spelled their names right ;) }.
to be honest, it was a bit difficult getting the dogs to cooperate enough to get decent shots {of them looking at the camera, sitting still, and the like}. in the end, i'm really happy with what we got and had a great time!
those girls are a wild bunch and a ton of fun!

anywho - happy Christmas, joyeaux Noel, feliz Navidad!!!

xoxo

la

love mel's expression here.

wrangling two decently sized pups for a photo shoot is quite the task. ;)

Oh, nooo!! Don't eat them, honey!!!! :P

LOVE the ones we got on the floor! :)

what pretty gals!

Bombastic Ballet Shoot: The Street Chic

2008-12-20T08:15:00.000-08:00

my model friend kimberly page is also a ballerina.
i've always wanted to be a ballerina {and a figure skater}. but, since i am a photographer, i've also always wanted to do a ballerina shoot. ALWAYS. tee-hee.
i saw her in the Butler Univ. rendition of The Nutcracker a few weeks ago - which was GRANDtacular, by the by - and thought to myself, 'Lauren, you should ask Kimberly to wrangle together her ballet pals to do a shoot.'
so, that's just what we did a few days ago.
BOY, was it a BLAST.
i took over 500 shots in just a couple of short hours!!! :)
these kids are MEGA TALENTED and FUN.
i will SURELY be posting more from this - so be sure to check back for those!

xoxo
la

the boys. like a Gap ad. :P

one of my favourite poses. ^_^

Kimberly's a gift being "unwrapped." ha.

it AMAZES me how comfortable they are with each other's bodies. they're extremely good at knowing how one another will react to a certain lift or pose, and at knowing how good they each look doing any certain thing.

playing on Photoshop. :)

SASSY.

stylish stephanie: Fashion Circa 1900

2008-12-13T12:15:00.000-08:00

i had been absolutely DYING to do a shoot, PARTICULARLY a fashion shoot, for some time now.
fortunately, my gawgeous pal and model, stephanie, was available and game for a shoot!
like i said, i'm working on something BIG {a secret for now} and this shoot is going towards that certain project. :)
i needed to shoot a model in a costume from any era {like my featured shoot last week with kris}. considering costumes aren't just a regular ole thing to have around on hand, other than during the grand month of October, the fact that she is a full-time model and has adorable, valid costumes made this perfect AND much fun!!

we took several themed shots that day - so don't be surprised if you see a lot more of steph on my bloggy. ;)
THANKS again, lovely!! {and to my super mom, who acted as my set assistant that afternoon}

please let me know what ya think!

xo
lala

c'est tres belle!

you're not welcome inside this little cabin ...

pretty smile!

LOVE her intense eyes here! work it, work it! :)

kris: man on the street

2008-12-05T20:08:00.000-08:00

i'm working on something BIG ... but i can't tell you, YET.
this shoot is part of IT ... about a week ago i put a request up on facebook and myspace for ANYONE with a era-specific costume piece to give me a holler so i could shoot him/her. welp, my pal kris was the first to offer something (a WWII pilot helmet) so a few days ago we hit the mean, bitter FRIGID streets of indianapolis.
i wanted to do a shoot in the mall, but a policeman on one of those silly Segway deals told us we weren't allowed ::shakes fist::. instead, we froze downtown, taking great relief in a bar and borders along the way.

fun tidbit: kris is also a photog - for NUVO Newsweekly and other rad freelance work.
i am EVERSOOO grateful to kris-stoff for taking a step on the opposite side of the lens to chill (literally!) and do some quirky, random shots!! :)

enjoy and discuss!

xo

QUITE the patriot.

pilot with a softer side (i made him do this, of course).

the coachmen let kris take the reigns - woo!

not frosty!!

wwII pilot, space ship - eh, eh?

lauren+steven: can't get enough

2008-11-22T08:08:00.001-08:00

as the title states - i simply adored the photos i took with my couple of last week's bloggy, so i'm featuring them again this week. i'm not lazy, i swear it! too many silly, stupendous photo opps. ;)
i actually JUST got finished editing all of the pics from this SO i'm feeling pretty relieved and accomplished!
enjoy browsing through the jumble of some of my final favs!
and, in case i don't post again before Thanksgiving - HAVA HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!!!

xoxo - lala

@ the wedding rehearsal: daddy 'n' daughter. {this is one of the bride's favs of the evening :) }

a jump to the end of lauren+steven's actual vows. :)

the bride's cuz {aka: my 10-year-old pal that day - she was too cool!}

messiest bride+groom cake cutting i've seen - YET. it was a riot to watch! :P

QUITE a bouquet toss as well! these gals were fun!

i'm sure glad this tiny dancer let me shoot her! hehe.

fam friend, sherrie, bidding the happy couple farewell {she is adorable!}. i shot her son, jason's, wedding {see jason+tabitha wedding photos} just a couple months before. :)

one of my favs - EVER.
you may also recognize this luxurious vehicle from my previous wedding of jason+tabitha. ;)

CONGRATS, KIDS!!!

lauren + steven = a backyard wedding!

2008-11-12T20:25:00.001-08:00

i'm horrible.
i've meant to post sooner buuut, yeah ... no spectacular excuses. sorry!! :)
so, lauren and steven are my most recent wedding that i am currently editing still. i had a BLAST with them and the party! everyone was really down home, friendly and laid back. the weather was gorgeous and the wedding was held in a quaintly gorgeous backyard (where at least 4 weddings have been held previously - i think).

i'm DYING to do a new shoot ... CALL ME (see my web site www.laisallyouneed.com) and schedule a shoot with meee!! i may just cut ya a thanksgiving deal ... ;)

enjoy and please do post comments, kids!
xoxo

how cute are these? :)

the bride and groom's wittle girl! she was VERY rambunctious!

this is my FAVOURITE of these two!!! lauren's little grin is perrrfect - she totally reminds me of christina ricci and i love that!

this is one of my favourites. EVER. ;)

mother + daughter. :)

we were all STARVING, waiting for the wedding to begin ... Pringles were also meant to keep the flower girl distracted (aka: good) while walking down the aisle (great). heh.

the bridesmaids were so fun and adorable. :)

Happy 1st birthday + Halloween-y!! ...

2008-11-02T17:28:00.000-08:00

to my buddy, Jackson - that is. :)

let me just say that i've been dying to shoot this little guy ever since i met him (my friend shannon's 1st kiddie). i would say you can definitely categorize this 1-year-old dude as a baby heart throb.
if you couldn't tell, he is curious george and his daddy, the man in the yellow hat - ALMOST makes me want a little babe of my own! ;P

please post comments and enjoy!

xo

i think jackson wants to be the star here. :P

FAVOURITE. ^_^

jenn & geoff {get hitched!!} 9.14.08

2008-10-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

i loooved shooting jen 'n' geoff's nuptuals. :)
first off, their wedding was beatles themed - and evvveryone who knows me well knows the beatles are my favvvvvourite band ever.
secondly, it was a windy day at an old mansion (the Benton House) in a historical part of Indianapolis (Irvington) ...
they served cake and sweet wine - my kind of stuff, indeed!
they are so fun and SO IN LOVE (and that is ALL YOU NEED).

enjoy and, as always, please do post comments!

xo