Archive for the ‘Recherche Studio’ Category

The daddy in this set of images is my little brother in-law and his gorgeous Australian family. They make the trek here to Colorado every couple years, each time with a new mesmerizing kiddo in tow. Tristan is our precocious and extremely active three year old nephew. Boy was he a trick to get in focus this time around. Typical of this age but whoa! Kayden is only 10 months – a pensive chilled out little sweetheart. Jay says he is a mini Yoda. Bit of a momma’s boy, but who can blame him?? I was ecstatic to get the shots of them sitting on the porch looking right at me. Trick: I told Tristan he could sprint off the steps as soon as I counted to 100 as fast as I could. Kayden was also mildly interested in the trick but quickly became bored. But at least I managed to keep his attention for about 30 seconds. I missed them the minute they walked out the door. Saving our pennies for a trip to the Outback.

My poor little website has been hacked once AGAIN and it is has taken weeks to clear all the contaminated code. Not really sure how that works but I am indebted to my husband and good friend, Jonathan Finger, for spending HOURS on this. So frustrating. That being said, I am going to back-post a few of my favorite December shoots and allow those posts to let the photos do all the talking. I’m ready to wrap 2011 and move on into the new year fresh as a daisy.

“Come, follow, follow me–
You, fairy elves that be,
Which circle on the green–
Come, follow Mab, your queen!
Hand in hand let’s dance around,
For this place is fairy ground.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Upon a mushroom’s head
Our tablecloth we spread;
A grain of rye or wheat
Is manchet, which we eat;
Pearly drops of dew we drink,
In acorn cups, fil’d to the brink.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The grasshopper, gnat, and fly,
Serve us for our minstrelsy;
Grace said, we dance a while,
And so the time beguile;
And if the moon doth hide her head,
The glow-worm lights us home to bed.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

On tops of dewy grass
So nimbly do we pass,
The young and tender stalk
Ne’er bends when we do walk;
Yet in the morning may be seen
Where we the night before have been.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
-Anonymous

“Woke up this morning on the farm, on the blurry edge of the world, mist rising off the fields, the embryo of a new day breaking open, pink and lavender spreading like a hopeful rumor in the east. A glowing crescent was clinging to the edge of the still-high moon like a spooning lover . . . There is still more than enough beauty in one morning alone on earth to break a heart wide open.”

–Linford, Over The Rhine

I was just so so so happy to see Siobhan’s name appear on my caller id. She is just the most wonderfully kind and gracious girl and to hear that they had a new little boy in their family just made my day. What would make me even more happy? The opportunity to photograph him! Colin’s big brother, Tanner, is on the move and not at all interested in staying still for long. But we managed to sneak a few images of him in between Colin’s newborn portraits. I contented myself that we got fabulous images of him a year ago when he was not yet so mobile!! 

I love to see people’s creative work spaces. Have you ever picked up a copy of “Where Women Create” published by Stampington & Company’s Somerset Studio? It is fascinating and inspiring. My physical surroundings have always been crucial for my creativity, focus and ability to get things done. My parents used to accuse me of procrastinating when I insisted on cleaning and organizing my whole room before I could do my homework. Not much has changed all these years later. Jay’s office is in a constant state of disarray (at least from my perspective) but that doesn’t seem to bother him a bit. That’s not my story. Anyhoo… as I was reading “Where Women Create” today, I wondered if people might be curious about MY creative work space. So, here are a few images of the Recherché Photography studio- the place where I work, email, edit, upload, download, backup, burn DVDs, blog, shoot, do viewing sessions for my clients, pay bills, balance the books for Jay’s business and my own, do wedding consultations, chat with clients and the photographers I mentor, etc, etc, etc.

See those random cream hangers on the wall? When I need to, I clamp a backdrop to a big telescoping curtain rod. It’s all rather makeshift around here!

This is the bay window where I create all my backlit overexposed gritty portraits. Tricky lighting, probably not ever exposed right, but I love the effect when I get it “right” – meaning the way I like it. I’ve given up on trying or wishing I knew what I was doing like a “real” photographer. I just shoot the way I shoot and hope my clients are as happy as I am with the images. 

Here’s a little “behind the scenes” shot of one of my desk drawers. I’m still so old-fashioned and love paper. I order these lined Post-it pads in bulk. On the left is shimmery card stock letter-pressed by the prolifically creative Alli Bozeman.
Jay Mountjoy with the IO Group has Recherché all rigged up with an impressively powerful computer with a mirrored-raided backup system. But I still keep DVDs of all my files. Just in case, you know. No more negatives though! 

I print labels for all my backup DVDs. I just feels cleaner and more cohesive.
This is one of the zillions of pieces that came from my good friend, Rebecca’s store, Good Use. She closed her store with baby #2 but still does loads of refinishing! In this gorgeous little wardrobe are all the Recherché sample Finished Albums and drawers full of photo equipment. In case you haven’t been over, here is the entrance to our home and to my studio. It’s a far cry from what it looked like before we renovated!

And a bit of the backyard. I am in heaven now that I can spend time gardening and shooting all my spring/summer/fall studio portraits in my garden studio!

Wishing your space was a little more organized and/or inspiring? Two suggestions: Jennifer Hofmann’s Inspired Home Office Spa Days- one of my favorite things EVER. And I do consulting for de-cluttering, organization and beautifying! Let me know if you want a little creative support!

About two months ago Jay and I made the big decision to simplify and consolidate. We decided to pull our house off the market and move my studio home. Easier said than done (of course) but I’m so happy and relieved and exhausted to report that the transition has indeed been made! And here are a few photos to share of the process!

Step 1: rip out carpet and put in hardwood floors + French doors

Step 2: move out of 836 Main Street. whoa. these are just all the empty boxes. ugh.

While Jay went on a well-earned cruise with his brothers, I had multiple moving sales and moved out. Again, ugh.
 

A few weeks later we had the gallery and viewing screen hung and everything set up.

Doesn’t the bench look TINY in here! That gives some perspective to how big this room is!

I’ll be shooting A LOT in this window. And there is a sky light in here as well so LOTS of gorgeous natural light for all my portrait work!

My little corner office!
 

Front door!

We got the BEST compliment of all time recently. A little girl from Scotland came with her family for a photo shoot and when she walked out the back door she caught her breath and exclaimed, “ooooh- it’s like chocolate land!!” My heart just filled right up. The back yard is indeed magical. I hope to share it with you soon! Come in for a portrait session or just a glass of wine!

Here’s the skinny everyone: I was in Philadelphia when Jay called and pitched the idea. “What do you think about taking the house off the market for a few years, having a baby and moving Recherché back into our home?” DONE.

I adore my studio on Main Street in old-town Louisville. You all know I do. But I opened it as a reprieve from a renovation project gone wild. I need sanity- which comes in the shape of beauty + order. So I opened a studio. We weren’t sure when the house would sell or where we would go when it did. Ideas on the table were Europe, Vancouver, Evergreen, Philadelphia… But the idea of settling down in Louisville, Colorado just sounded perfect to me. I’ve always loved working out of my home. My business is based on relationships. So it feels right to me to invite my clients into my home, just as they do for me. I love to work on my garden while I’m on the phone. I love to be cooking while I’m chatting with the wedding coordinator about this weekend’s event. Running back and forth between two locations takes time that I could be spending going for walks, blogging or just dreaming up new ideas.

So, we’ve ripped out the carpet, will soon start installing the hardwood floor and framing in the big white French doors that will soon welcome you into the new Recherché studio! Stay tuned! We’ll have a big fun open house in early June and a BIG VINTAGE RECHERCHE SALE! Yup, streamlining is the name of the game so furniture, glassware, pretty odds & ends, vintage frames, photography magazines & books, office supplies, vintage tins… Recherché will be shaved from a 3-bedroom house to one room (again!) And, I’ll be selling lots from my home as well. I’ll post the sale date as soon as I can get it scheduled, but towards end of June! In the meantime, I’ll be blogging the progress of the studio-to-be!

And if you want to see the puppies I’m considering adopting, add me as a Facebook friend! (even if you don’t know me yet, just invite me!)

OK, here’s where we are now:

I know, you’re thinking, “WHAT?!? That’s the future home of Recherché?” Admittedly this is a potentially daunting project, but as a passionate/obsessive organizer I revel in the challenge. Many many years ago, my dear friend Mark Adams said, “Reg, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re like a gas. You can expand or shrink to fill whatever space you are in.” I will of course be relying heavily on my organizational coach, Jennifer Hofmann, with Inspired Home Office, who I cannot rave about enough. And I will be relying on everyone else to scoop up all my treasures that will not make their way into this space!

We worked around the clock for months to get ready for this event! Hanging signs, landscaping, letter pressed invitations, and the list goes on and on. I felt like I was planning another wedding! Luckily I had a ton of help and was working with my favorite people in the wedding industry! And now the studio is officially launched and I can get on with the business of shooting!

Have I mentioned that my husband is my hero? He has just returned from almost 3 weeks in Europe with his brothers and here he is working away to help with a few of the last projects. Welcome back, Jay!!