Just to say that “I love South Louisiana” really doesn’t give credence to the fullness of my love for this sacred place.   The people of the region are some of the most unique, hilarious, down to earth and warm people you will ever meet;  the culture is full of fun, good food, sassiness, and history;  and the landscape, well its as stunning and unique as the culture that lives in it.  Gorgeous swamps, large live oak trees, and lush green & flowers adorn this subtropical place full of southern charm and mystique.  The week of June 14th- 20th I was down photographing in New Orleans so I thought I’d drive even further south to Venice to see the damage from BP’s oil spill for myself.

It was an hour and half drive that felt like I was driving to the end of the world.   Arriving in Venice was a bit odd because one would never know that the largest oil spill in history was STILL taking place in the region.  There were a few cues that all wasn’t well because there were so many helicopters, of various sizes, flying overhead– yet I still couldn’t believe that one of the most horrific environmental tragedies of all time was happening in this small town!  I was getting quite frustrated so I decided to pull over to get a cool drink, and this is when I hit the jackpot.  It was here that I met the self-proclaimed, “King of Venice”.  The King and I hit it off instantly, and he then began to give me the ins and outs of the oil spill’s effect on the town.   This small town, who not until the 1920’s did they actually have roads, was being affected more deeply than it seemed. (Note: the townspeople got around before roads via perots, which are small boats traditionally used by Cajuns.) He said that it wasn’t only the fishermen who were loosing their livelihoods in the region, but many of the subcontractors of BP as well.  On Day 63,  he was nearly $100,000 in debt, due to BP’s lack of payment.  He also told me that BP and the government had armed guards at the marinas so to block media and the public from seeing the oil covered boats that would come in from offshore.  He said BP had managed to keep the oil from arriving on shore by putting large sandbags on on the barrier islands, which is good, but it’s also why there was no sign of oil and why there were so many helicopters everywhere.   He could tell that I was disappointed by BP hiding their mess and not actually cleaning it up, so he told me that if I wanted to see the most devasting and yet hopeful aspect of the damage to go to Fort Jackson to see the sanctuary for oil drowning pelicans.  He told me not to get my hopes up too high about getting in since it was a high security spot, but away I went anyway.

The Brown Pelican is the state bird of Louisiana.  Though I was born & raised + went to college in Louisiana, I have never seen a pelican, not even when I did an airboat tour of the swamps before I headed out West.  Needless to say, I had no idea of what I was about to experience at the sanctuary.  When I arrived at the sanctuary I saw that there were lots of reporters at the entrance.  It appeared that I had just “happened” to arrive at the sanctuary at the exact time that they were letting the media in.  Lucky for me I had my camera with my big lens on, so I looked official and was almost able to pass as media.  Before the tour started, one of the volunteers stopped me and asked me to get a media pass before entry.  This of course made me a bit nervous since I was, in fact, not media.  Lucky for me the guy in the office went to my college in Lafayette (though we didn’t know each other) and when he found out I was a native, he gave me a wink and then a media pass; I totally love the loyalty of Louisianaians to fellow natives.

For the next half hour I was taken on a guided tour along with the media, like ABC, BBC, and other publications from around the globe, as I heard stories of volunteers working diligently to clean the extremely large oil soaked birds and learned of the drama of bureaucracy and funding.  The most telling aspect of the tour itself was found in the eyes of the pelicans who seemed so very sad and confused. Oh the irony in that the pelican is a symbol of Louisiana–beautiful, humble and exotic, and it was now in a life threatening situation because of exploitation by large corporations.  (Don’t get me started on International politics in Louisiana!)  Ok,…(breathe),  I’ll now stop talking and let my photos tell you more about my experience. I believe that they’ll do a much better job than my words ever could.

Above: A sample of the vibrant green of South Louisiana’s Gulf Coast.

I guess BP didn’t get the polite suggestion of Plaquemine parish to keep it clean!

Large and small helicopters were flying all over Venice with long ropes carrying sandbags offshore.

In the words of Flight of the Conchords, “think about, think, think, think about it.”

“Safety first!?, oooh! the sign was ripped, I didn’t know,” says BP.

Their new habitat.

Volunteers from around the globe working long hours to save the birds.

The remedy: Dawn dish soap.

I was amazed at how large the birds are!

For the birds who actually make it, they are put in a temporary holding pool outside of the compound until they can be shipped out to Texas.

Oil: Days of old?

Dats right!

Though I am not with the media, I did in fact get some press from my trip to South’s Louisiana’s southernmost coast.  Denver’s CBS 4 did a live interview with me in early July about my experience and featured some of the images I captured on their 6 o’clock news report.  Click on the image below to view the 2 minute interview.

Though I am very glad the oil spill has now been capped, South Louisiana’s environmental troubles are far from over.  Of the pelicans who actually survive, there are an estimated 250 birds cleaned and released every 8 days, many now have their home in Texas.  What does the say about Louisiana’s state bird? Hmmmm… And what does the future hold for Louisiana’s extremely fragile and damaged Gulf coast? Well that question is one that will take many, many years to find the answer to.

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I have found a gem located in the heart of Denver; The Botanic Gardens. I moved to the Cheeseman Park area about 9 months ago and the Gardens just happen to be in my front yard.  With the close proximity I decided to get a membership, expecting to go every now and then.  Hmmm every now and then turned out to be, every other day; I’m utterly in love with the place!  I have suppers there as often as I can with friends, clients, and definitely by myself.  It feels to me like a large sanctuary; fresh aromas everywhere, thousands of varieties of plants to be utterly “wowed” by, and not to mention the Henry Moore exhibit that is housed in the Gardens this year.  Having a membership has definitely made my summer and has possibly changed my life… (memberships start at $45 for unlimited entry for 1 person) plus it’s where I saw a LIVE fairy flying around.  I am seriously not kidding– I saw it in the rose garden in August of 2007.

Yes, it is indeed a magical place…

Last Tuesday I got together with a few of my girlfriends at the Gardens to celebrate our Dear friend Rachael Brink’s engagement.  It was such a lovely setting as we sat under trees filled with twinkling white lights and ate yummy treats.  Take a peek at how cool the Gardens are– a piece of paradise in Downtonwn.  I hope you’ll get out and visit it at least one; you’ll be very glad you did!

Above photo by the Awesome Stacey Banks.

Congratulations Again Rachael!

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I am constantly amazed at the sheer beauty of a woman’s form.  From my perspective, the best way to capture that elegance is to let natural light fall as it will across her curves, her face, her hair;

Boudoir never needs to be overdone because a woman’s beauty always radiates through.

Last month I had the chance to do a Boudoir sesh with Theresa at the Roosevelt Hotel, an incredibly classy hotel that is part of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel Collection, based in New Orleans’ French Quarter.   There was vivid, warm light in the late afternoon at the hotel, so the sheers in the room really created beautiful ambient light that was the perfect accessory to bring out Theresa’s elegant natural beauty.   I believe we captured some exceptionally stunning shots, with a heavy French feel.  Take a look at a few of my favorite shots from the sesh below; I’d love to know your thoughts.

Theresa, you are an exceptionally beautiful woman on the inside and out.  Thank you for trusting me with your beauty; I believe we created photos that really capture the timeless and stunning beauty that you possess in such abundance.

Blessings to you,

j~

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Pomegranate Place is a non-profit housed in a 3-story Victorian located in Capitol Hill.  Pom Place was created to provide a space for women to come as they are + to connect and create with other women who are doing the same.  In late Spring I met with Vaun Swanson, the Founder and Executive Director of Pomegranate Place, to brain storm about ways to create awareness about the Org and how to raise funds.  A bit after we were talking it hit me– a fashion show/brunch!  With my connections in photography and modeling, I offered to recruit designers and models for the first fundraiser for Pom Place.  My tea with Vaun was lovely as I was overflowing with ideas about how our fashion show could be about expanding our perceptions about beauty and creating a space where women can talk openly about their definitions of beauty.  Since a label can never adequately define a woman, we voted to name the event, “Beyond Labels”.

I invited professional model and friend Veronica Stapleton to co-coordinate the fashion show with me while graphic designers Astrid Koch of Astrid Designs and Janae Aasen of White Couch, came up with the branding and design of the brunch and show.  Professional chef, Leah Thompson, stepped up to oversee all the food preparation and service, and Meredith Bishop, an Accenture Executive, coordinated all the volunteers.  There were 4 Designers featured at the Beyond Labels Fashion Show:  Designer Lauri Moore featuring her hand made skirts and vests shown on models Michanda, Colby, & Tina, Designer Jessica Deugan featuring Pom Chic clothing and accessories from area Thrift stores on models Meredith, ZZ, & Melissa,  Designer Carol Mier featuring her unique line of clothing on models Melissa, Aja, & Linda, and Designer, Artist & Writer Jennifer Levine featured her poetry through body paint paired with exotic hairstyles by Linda on models Lori, Veronica, & Rachael.  In all, over 50 women contributed to the event, raising over $4000.

It was such a delightful Saturday morning.  Amazing food, lovely music + a live auction in the warm ambiance and open environment of Pom Place made this event a smash hit.  Check out a few of the images from the show provided by photographers Lynn Townsend of Illumine Photography and Amy Wright of Amy K. Wright Photography + an image or two provided by Designer, Artist and Writer Jennifer Levine.

Model and Artist Colby Creed doing her hair and make-up before the show.

Pomegranate Place is located at 750 Clarkson St. in Denver.

Professional Models Lori Auguste Sullivan (above) and Rachael Brink (below) got up early on that Saturday morning to have their faces and bodies covered in paint by Artist and Designer Jennifer Levine!

The Little Girl below opened the Show by throwing out pieces of paper from her flower basket as she walked through each floor of the 3 Story Victorian. Each piece of paper contained inspiring & beautiful adjectives that created a path that was our runway for the show.

Left to Right: Graphic Designers and Co-Coordinators for the Beyond Labels Brunch Janae Aasen and Astrid Koch.

Instead of a traditional fashion show, we decided to have an Informal Fashion show where models followed the intention path through the many rooms of the 3 story Victorian.   Each room was hosted by a group.  At the end of the show, the women in the rooms were able to talk openly with the models and designers about their perceptions of beauty.  Conversations were inspiring and emotional.

Professional Model and Co-Coordinator of the first Beyond Labels Fashion Show, Ms. Veronica Stapleton.  Veronica plans to save the world through modeling.

Left to Right:  Model Michanda Lindsay, Professional Model Tina Ryan, Designer Laurie Moore, and Model and Artist Colby Creed.

From Left to Right:  Actress ZZ Moor, Designer Jessica Deugan, Professional Model Meredith Karre, and Actress Melissa Scher.

From Left to Right:  Designer Carol Mier, Model Melissa Fox, Model and Stylist Linda, Model for Carol Mier, and Professional Model Aja Duniven.

And the Finale!  From Left to Right:  Stylist Linda, Professional Model and Co-Coordinator of the show Veronica Stapleton, Professional Model Lori Auguste Sullivan, Founder and Executive Driector of Pomegranate Place Vaun Swanson, Professional Model Rachael Brink and Designer, Artist, and Writer Jennifer Levine.

Pomegranate Place is a wonderful place to relax, get connected and to create.  You can sign up for their newsletter featuring inspiring messages and women by clicking here.

Many thanks to all the woman who contributed their time and talent to the Event.  It was a great success!

We hope to see you next year!

oxo

j~

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Last Fall I had the great privilege of flying to Northern Uganda to spend 9 days with the Women and Children of Women’s Global Empowerment Fund’s microfinance program. It was literally the most inspiring and empowering trip of my life (to date.)  On the day of my arrival in Gulu in late September, I went to the main school yard in the village and photographed over 300 women in the program performing songs, dances, and monologues about the importance of education, community and more.  The days following this event I spent conducting one on one interviews with 3 women in the program and visiting the local markets and community centers to experience life in post-conflict Gulu.  I was and still am so thoroughly in awe of the passion and beauty of these people.  Though they’ve experienced great sadness and loss due to the horrific atrocities performed by the Lord’s Resistance Army in the region, I left my travels inspired and empowered.

In April of this year, I shared my experience in Gulu through my Exhibit at the University of Denver’s Women’s College titled, “ExtraOrdinary Beauty”.  I partnered with Artist Jessica Deugan to create mixed medium pieces to display the photographs from my trip.  The Exhibit was to give visitors a unique sensory experience that allowed them to experience the beauty, power and humility of the Northern Ugandan.   My photos were fixed to worn teal colored wood that shared a bit of my journaling from my travels.  Jessica and I also created a path of light,  lit by candles in glass votives, to light the way as guests learned the stories of the women and children of the region.   The Event had wonderful press in the Denver Post as well as a live interview on the local talk show, “Colorado & Company“, + there was a wonderful turn out at the opening of the Exhibit with over a 100 people in attendance.   Check out my interview on “Colorado and Company” below, + I’ve included a few of the stories and photos that appeared in the Exhibit.  Also check out photos by Nathan Jenkins of the creation of the Exhibit; thank you again Nathan!

Enjoy!

Click on the image below to view my Interview on Colorado & Co.

Click here to view the embedded video.

A taste of the imagery and message of the Exhibit.

The Creation of the Exhibit. Photos by Nathan Jenkins.

In closing,

here are a few words about my work from Founder and Executive Director of Women’s Global Empowerment Fund, Karen Sugar.

Many thanks to Artist Jessica Deugan,  Donna Crafton of PrimaDonna PR, The Chambers Center at the University of Denver, Women’s Global Empowerment Fund, Nathan Jenkins, and for all the loyal fans and supporters of my work and vision.  I am so very blessed by you each!

Much love and Many thanks, j~

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In late May I spent the afternoon with the Banks Women to do a family portrait session.  Once at their house, Stacey showed me their last family portrait session; she was about 8.  Needless to say a lot has changed since that family sesh, though it still remains that Stacey, Ginny, and Diane are beautiful as ever.  I was able to photograph the women in their backyard in Littleton (yes, this is really their backyard) at sunset to capture some really beautiful and intimate moments together.  Afterwards we went inside to photograph the men and pets and to eat hamburgers– ’twas a lovely day indeed.  Check out a few of my favorite shots from our sesh.

This is the fence that Stacey and Ginny’s Father built before he passed.

Thank you Diane, Stacey, and Ginny for such a wonderful sesh– you three are gorgeous on the inside and out and I really enjoyed spending time with y’all. xoxo j~

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On April 24th, Chris and Christy got hitched in Centennial Colorado where wonderful family and friend surrounded this couple who delight in each other so very much.  It is quite a sight to see two people so very much in love!   The love they share is so warm and apparent, and not to mention Christy’s wonderful smile can light up any room, especially the room where they held their ceremony… Christy began cracking up with laughter because she was so excited to marry Chris!

They are absolutely made for each other.

Chris and Christy, thank you so much for inviting me to share in your wedding day.  You two are so genuine and loving and I hope that you love your photos for many years to come!

All the best,

j~

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Early last month I flew back into Denver to photograph the Schulze sisters who had just won a photo sesh with me to be a Model for a Day.  We met up in late afternoon on an extremely vivid summer’s day in South Denver.  With the vivid green grass, slow moving streams, and cotton blowing through the air, it was the perfect setting to create a “secret garden” session.  The girls did such a great job and were so comfortable in front of the camera, and of course with each other!  Take a look at a few of my favorite shots from our day.

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Last month I headed up to Longmont to spend about an hour or so capturing some very candid moments of Erika and Scott with their 3.5 (one on the way) children.  It was such a beautiful day– sunny, cool, and vivid green all around as the boys played Fort and attacked their Dad, and Olive, the youngest and only girl (at this point), walked around being the extremely cute little girl that she is.  We only did a few posed shots of the Fam mainly because it’s just not the family’s style to be put in a box; they’re all pretty strong willed and free spirited…:),  a good combo if you ask me.

Many thanks to y’all for a great Saturday afternoon sesh;  it was such a pleasure.

Enjoy!

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I love photography because it is the only artistic medium that allows us to capture a moment as it is occurring.  Though there is great beauty in other art forms, none are as transcendent and reflective of the spirit of a person, place or thing.  In the Fall of 2008 I had the great privilege of photographing Mr. and Mrs. Goetsch at the Reservoir in Parker, CO.  The Goetsch’s were happily married for many years and built a beautiful life together in South Dakota where they raised their 3 children, one of which is my friend Shad Goetsch.  Mr. Goetsch was diagnosed with cancer of the liver earlier that year and so our photo sesh was to capture a few of his last moments on earth with his wife.  Though they knew their time together was short, they spent their time rejoicing in the many beautiful moments they had left together and had already shared over the years.

Mr. Goetsch passed away last year, but his beautiful legacy still remains.  It is my honor to share with you a few moments with Mr. and Mrs. Geotsch in early Fall of 2008.

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