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 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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Last month I had the privilege of working with Corinne Domahidy and Megan Weber of Domahidy and Weber, LLC based in LoDo of Denver.  Domahidy and Weber supports early and mid-stage nonprofits and social entrepreneurs as advocates and strategic partners, providing comprehensive legal, business and consulting services.  As a compliment to their brand, DW hired me to capture photos that displayed the approachability of both Corinne and Megan, as well as communicate their commitment to excellence and service.   Here are a few shots from our sesh in early April.

Corinne and Megan, it was a pleasure to work with you both.  I hope that DW thrives even as it helps other business and organizations do the same.

All the best to you both!

j~

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I first discovered Emma in October of 2008 when Obama was in Denver giving a speech on his campaign to be elected as President.  There was a sea of people downtown at the Capitol trying to hear what Obama had to say.  I was making my way through the masses as my eye came across Emma who was amidst the crowd with her parents and younger brother in Civic Center park.  I couldn’t believe how stunning this little girl was!  She had all the makings of a future top model.  I went up to her parents and told them how beautiful that I thought Emma was.  Shortly after we got together for a sesh before I sent her along to my modeling agency, Donna Baldwin.  Emma has done really well so far in her career as a model and will have a long and bright future in the profession if she chooses.  It was a pleasure to photograph this gem of a young girl.  Take a peek at a few of my favorite shots.

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I had the chance to do some portraits with the dazzling ZZ during our sesh with Biko.  The large, high V shaped couches at the Hyatt Downtown were the perfect setting to compliment her sassy, classy style.  Here are a few of my favorite ZZ moments.

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I had a layover in San Francisco on my way back from Canada this past weekend, so I got a chance to spend a few days with the lovely Molly Riddle in the Castro of San Francisco.   Since meeting her last summer through mutual friends, I’ve wanted the chance to photograph her beautiful long auburn locks that give her a Fiona Apple meets Julia Roberts beauty.  This trip I was lucky enough to have an hour of her time at the beach at sunset (two of my favorite things in life) to capture her stunning beauty.  Our sesh’s theme was to have her dressed as if she were a rockstar who has wondered onto the beach after a long night out.  Reflective, powerful, and intimate, here are a few of my favorite shots from our sesh.

Molly once again, it’s a pleasure to know such a compassionate and intuitive rockstar like yourself.  Looking forward to more surprise visits and good conversations.  Thank you once again for your hospitality!

oxox

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On May 2, 2010 I had the great privilege of being invited to “stalk” couple Lincoln and Lindsey during their proposal in the Botanic Gardens.  I arrived in my unseen position just as Lincoln got down on bended knee to ask Lindsey to spend life together.  Joy flooded over me as I watched and felt so very honored to share in their sacred moment.  For the next half hour I got to play P.I. as I hid in bushes and trees and climbed fences that overlooked the open space where they were– all unknown to Lindsey.  There were a few times that I thought she spotted me, but I was clever enough to pretend that I was just there photographing the birds.   I couldn’t hear much of what they were saying, but one time I did hear Lindsey say, “it’s so big.”

Well done Linc.

Take a look at a few of my favorite moments.

Lincoln and Lindsey, it was my pleasure to share in your moment.  You both are so full of sincerity and love; many blessings on y’all’s journey together!

oxo

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I’ve waited a long time to get some QT with Jeff.   I met Jeff briefly in Mazatlan last summer;  He and his fiancee Josh were literally flying out as I had flown in.  Though our meeting was brief, I did get to see their plans for their new living room, which seemed utterly fabulous,… of course.

Jeff was in Denver for 2 weeks in early February because he plays the lead male role,  “Warner Huntington III,” in Legally Blonde. (Uh, yes ~ he is kind of a big deal.)  Before his visit, I knew that Jeff was hilarious and highly lovable, yet I had no idea how compassionate, loyal, and wise that he is.  Getting to spend time with him, learning how he views the world, and how he’s passionate about living in his truth and giving others the same freedom, was utterly inspiring.  I was sad when he left.  But alas! I’ll be photographing his wedding later this Fall in Vermont.  A most glorious event that will be.

While in Denver, we had a brief sesh to update his headshots.  Yes, it’s true, among his long list of accolades, he’s also one gorgeous hunk of man. (Runs in the family.)

Thanks Jeff for being you!  I look forward to sharing in your wedding this Fall.  Big love! xoxo

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I had the great privilege of meeting Mr. Pete Martinez at Unleaded Software’s Ski Lodge party last January.   He appeared to me to be very genuine and sincere as he engaged with the crowd who seemed to flock to him with a sense of excitement.  While there, he mentioned to me that he’d like to have some portraits taken of him and his faithful companions of 15 years, Sadie and Princess.  11 months passed with multiple e-mails and phone calls scheduling and rescheduling our photo session.  Finally at the end of November we were able to connect at Red Rocks in Morrison.

Many thanks to you all once again for such a lovely session!  I hope to work with you and your family again in the future!  Have a wonderful holiday! Jenn.

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This is the one, the only Jennifer Levine.

An artist who is currently exhibiting at the Denver Performing Arts Center next week, she is also working on completing her first novel.  A Dallas Texas native, Jenn has southern charm combined with an unwaivering passion to pursue and share her gifts.  This quote reminds me of Jenn, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, and live the life you’ve imagined.”  Thank you Jenn for your open hearted pursuit of life- you are both inspiring and inspired. Many blessings to you on your journey!  Sincerely, j-

She’s Unstoppable.

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