Time is precious, people. Don’t waste it. Have a beautiful day.
Sawhorse
Swingtime!
Ok, not the music, but there was a swing involved! It was my 15th anniversary yesterday, and my husband and I decided to celebrate with our second shoot with Mari, in a pretty fantastic studio space (Locket Space is SoDo Seattle). Beautiful big windows, great light, and nifty set options, including this swing.
Mari, of course, is a joy to shoot. Even watching her warm up is impressive! I glanced over, and there she was on her back, kicking her legs all the way to the floor behind her shoulder. Plenty more to come!
Closing Up Shop
I’ve made a rather drastic, and scary decision. I’m going to close my etsy print shop on June 1st. Why? It’s been trapping me creatively. It takes up too much time, with not enough return. I want to grow as an artist, and if I’m thinking about what images would sell best, or how I should crop/edit to suit others, I can’t do that. Sometimes big changes are necessary, and while this is nerve wracking, I also feel free. Free to pursue my own passions, and use my photography to help others. Let’s get messy, beautiful, real, dreamy, angry, and make some art!
I’m not saying I won’t offer prints ever again, but when I do, it will be art from the heart, and on a site of my own design, and far more selective. Stay tuned.
I will, however, keep shooting and sharing with you here! I’ve added a 25% off coupon code on etsy for the remaining time open, so if you’d like a print, now is the time to grab one using CLOSE25 at checkout. Get it while it’s hot…
Thank you, as always, for listening.
Why I Do This!
I just received the most beautiful testimonial from Heather…it perfectly sums up why I do what I do. I’ve been photographing her for years and it’s been an amazing journey growing together. Thank you, Heather! Check it out below…
Testimonial:
Dearest Liz,
Thank you from the deepest part of my spirit for:
Letting me be who I am, and also whoever or whatever I felt like being depending on the day without fear or judgement…
Teaching me that beauty is found in the most unexpected ways, and so I learned to try things I never would have chosen myself…
Sparking a sense of adventure in me in spite of anxiety because I knew it would turn out amazing no matter what crazy places or poses or props we used…
Showing me that I don’t need the elaborate trappings of costumes and makeup to be beautiful, but letting me happily play with them anyway…
Seeing the beauty in my changing body, and encouraging me to embrace those changes instead of hiding them…
Helping me break away from a past of body-shaming and bullying…
Giving me a safe place to explore finding my own beauty with love and respect but also humor…
Letting me see through your lens the beauty I could not or would not see with my own eyes…
Showing me that my own body is a work of art…
Giving me tangible proof that I am strong, sexual, and beautiful…and giving me permission to be proud of it and to share it…
All of those things I learned modeling for you, and I am forever grateful. I wish that anyone who struggles with issues of shame or self-image, and also anyone who makes hateful comments about your work could read this and understand the healing that can take place by working with someone like you. No matter what we all look like on the outside, we all hurt deeply on the inside when we do not love ourselves, and I don’t think I would have come so far on that without your help. I was absolutely terrified that first shoot, but by the end I just felt so comfortable. I don’t think for one minute that would have happened with just any photographer. It is a special gift that you have, to be able to see the beauty in people, and capture it on film while making a safe space for them to express it, and then helping them to see and BELIEVE that beauty is there.
Love Always,
Heather
Loving the Rain
I must say, it was a bit of a gamble moving to Seattle. I was (yes, was) one of those people heavily affected by winter weather back east, and I wasn’t sure how I’d handle the rainy reputation of the Pacific Northwest. Good news! I’ve learned to love moments in the rain. I’m not going to lie and say I love it all the time…but, I’ve learned to appreciate moments. I love the way the gray sky makes colors seem brighter. I love the way the raindrops feel on my skin. I love the sound it makes on the tent when camping. Overall, I feel more peace in winter than I ever have before.
Here’s Mari, stretching in her rain boots! Carkeek park.
Limited Edition Print
I’m only printing 10 of these…ever! They will be printed on absolutely gorgeous 16×20 metallic finish paper…this deluxe quality archival paper has a subtle shimmer to it that brings out the colors and depth in the image.
This image feature Ballerina Brittany Cavaco in the Meatpacking district of New York City. Each one will be signed by myself, and numbered.
Get yours here! Limited Edition Print
