Update...LIFE - Fun Barenaked Ladies ??? WHOA!

Sooo....as in usual fashion when I get swamped blogging is the first thing I let drop. It really should not be that way but it seams to go. I would much rather let the cleaning stop and have a maid...hint hint hubby anniversary coming B hint maid good choice...good good...but seriously...

I was swamped in May in the best of ways . I was lucky enough to second shoot 3 weddings with 2 amazing photographers. First was Gail Buhler of Encore Portraits . She had two fabulous weddings with the nicest couples. Both were in churches and I was so pleased I pulled it off. Not because I don't like churches I was just REALLY worried about my light skills because almost everything I have done thus far has been with natural lighting. But I think I did it! I was please and it really did give me a boost.

The third I did was with the amaizing Julia Vandeover who has also become a dear friend. We took both our families to Telluride for this wedding and Julia has some pics posted here CLICK HERE. I will be doing my own blog post on this soon now that I know Julia had a chance to get her's up. Here is one of my favorite pics...I totally cropped it ;)


So May was swamped and I conciously took the initative to TAKE JUNE OFF! I knew July was going to be insane with One Light and 3 or so more weddings not to mention the few portrait sessions...so I said NO to myself on anything. In usual fashion and the serendipity I am discovering is my life...my body made sure I lived up to that promise. I got SHINGLES! Yeah I didn't think that could happen to someone who is well...how do I say this nicely...my age? I mean really I know I am aging but I am still in my 30's thank you very much. So yeah that was a wake up call as the doctor said, "Most likely stress" - But but but!!! This time I was not feeling stressed! So anyways I really took the first part of this month off! I still will be working on my website (my #1 goal for this month!) and a new blog that is really incompassing all that I do.

See on the blog front... I have thought do I post about this or that? Saying to myself, "Well it is not business related should I?" I have come to the conclusion that YES I WILL!!! So expect WAY more posts. Expect fun...and a couple of little different things. My goal for the rest of the summer is NOT LET THE BLOG SLIDE. Okay now I am accountable.

Today I want to share what the family did last Saturday. You know B and I (and lil' R really) are way into music. I would say it is a MAJORITY of our lives. When we go on vacation we go see music. When we visit friends we figure out if there is a concert there for us to see or work into the visit. Many of our friends are either those we met at concerts or actually band member or what not. We don't play instruments (much to my mom's dismay after 6 years of piano) but we love music and really ahve different viewpoints on it as well. For instance I LOVE Lyrics and really cannot get into a show that is all instrumental, but B could not tell you what the words are to most of his favorite songs (he will deny this and say to me, "What are your talking about I know such and such....") but anyways. Last Saturday we went and saw an "In Store" this is where the band plays their music to a small group in usual a record store but Saturday it was done at Barnes and Noble in Boulder. The band was Barenaked Ladies. They have a new kids CD out called Snacktime. Well this instore was probably THE BEST ORGANIZED EVENT EVER. The band asked for this to be about the kids and it REALLY WAS! We got there early with wristbands (priority entry and seating) and B got a spot up front on the floor with R. I came in later with MIL (note less than 3 min later) and we got seats in the back (maybe 6 rows back). I went up and ate breakfast with B and R up front. There were kids there. Of course I had my camera ;) . Towards the start of the "first act" which was Gymboree guy and gal singing songs with the kids and blowing bubbles. They announced all adults to the back unless you are with your young child and all kids up front. They even asked the adults sitting in the first two rows of seats to give up their seats for the children! HOW AWESOME IS THAT? B left and found another place to watch and I stayed on the floor in the back row with R on my lap. The kids danced and played with the bubbles and then sat in awe as the BNL played a awesome 30 minute set. Here are a few pics:





Here are a couple with R playing before. Yeah he had NO fun! ;) I love that the girl in the background has a shirt on that says cute. Totally! Yeah I planned that ;) heeehe




So it was a great family day. I saw music and captured a few pics of my favorite thing...pure fun!

Talk to you guys soon!

peace and joy love in friendship.

StacyZ

p.s. Also in the other craziness that is my life. I said take June off and the day job said, "You are going to London!" So yeah...9 days in London starting on Sunday. WHOA!

Tea Leaf Green at the Fox in Boulder, CO

Saturday B and I went to see Tea Leaf Green. HOLY COW these guys ROCKED my face off! Freaking loved them. I have not seen them in 6 years and they just got this new bassist about 3 months ago. He was SO FREAKING KICK A$$! You could tell he was having just the most fun. So without further ado here is one picture from the night. More to come we just have all been sick here for about 2 weeks now...totally blows.

I pulled this one straight out of the camera. I just ran a noise reduction on it and then made it a jpg - Honestly I don't think I even needed the noise, but alas it is just one of the standards I do on all the concerts. Debating if I should change that piece of workflow and make some more artsy ones. Time time...did father clock get my order of needing 12 more hours in a day? I love the emmotion and interaction here along with the light hitting Josh's face. I chimped this one and just gave myself a high five. I LOVE this pic!

I also have some cool pics with a TON of smoke as well. Usually I hate smoke but I liked it in the ones I will show. Makes for a bitch to focus but...well I'll just show ya ;)

Jenna and Tea Leaf - I will be emailing you some soon along with my MySpace link to see all the pics.

Also if anyone wants to friend me in MySpace I am stacyZphotography - Come say hello! I just made an account a few weeks ago to put the concert photos so working on that as well!

Jackie Greene Concert Pics...again.

DH & I went to the Jackie Greene Concert on Sunday. I shot Jackie here at the Fox theater in Boulder back in August/September (click here to see). This past weekend he was at the Bluebird Theatre down in I only got the first 3 songs and they had either red or blue lights going the whole time, but I got a few. I think I keep learning when it comes to this..All pics done with the 85 1.2 or 200 2.8. I think the perfect gear for a concert would be 24 1.4 50 1.2 and 135 2.0 - ahhh that is also my perfect bag lol!!


or same pic in color

















Well I have family pics to post as well. Thanks Julia! Lets just say in the ILCA* one must take pics of their new clothes to fully understand their cuteness or not as in my case...

*I Look Cute Adventure - me trying to get out of the mommy trap and buy cute clothes.

Jackie Greene - First Concert Pics

Well this was not my first concert, but this was my first time taking ol' Sassy with me. I have seen Jackie maybe a few dozen times. He is from Sacramento, now living in SF, where we lived before moving out here to Boulder. I remember we were engaged and B went to go see Jackie at the Blue Note and B came home and said you have to check this kid out. He played the tape that he pulled (*see note below for explanation), and I was sold. We soon went to every show we could make. Well Jackie came out to Boulder here last Friday and again he did not disappoint. He has been compared to early Bob Dylan sound with his bluesy sound. He played just three instruments in this show, but I have seen him travel to every piece in the band.

One thing I am notorious for is actually falling to sleep at concerts, movies, well anything past my bedtime, but on Friday I was having so much fun that I was still awake an hour after we got home. I was just thankful lil' R slept until after 9am on Saturday!

Here are a few of my pics that I took. Like I said, this is the first time taking the camera. I had the 5D, a.k.a. Sassy, and my 50mm 1.4 open almost all night. There was a shallow DOF (depth of field) issue with some shots where I wanted the whole band, but I was able to change the aperture and really slow the shutter and balance my shoulders on a rail so I got what I was hoping for. But enough DTT (dorky technical talk) on to pics!



























There are a few hundred more on my site (still on the test server but comment if you would like the link) under client with the password "Jackie".

Oh here is one more. We talked to Jackie a bit after the show and on leaving B said oh get the marquee, yes he is so smart sometimes, as I was doing that Jackie was outside and we got a pic together.



Okay it was two...and no I have no idea why I am holding my arm that way...maybe old habit from bad posing at the jr. high dance?

*note on B taping: B tapes shows where it is allowed from the band and venue. We have had some of our friends talk about how this is illegal, for B it is not illegal, but sanctioned by the band/artist/venue. He has never sold one of his CD's ever, but gives them away...I know expensive hobby. He loves music and feels a need to share. In fact if you want the Jackie Greene show just email me. I will have him burn a copy. Sorry I felt I needed to say that so everyone did not think we were doing something shady :)

Other side notes on life: My MIL was here for a week and we had R's 2nd birthday. I will be backdating some great posts highlighting the past two weeks. Just a bit nuts around here. But nothing I would ever change.

Love Life! Peace & Joy!

- stacyZ