Halloween 2016

The things you will do for your homework assignments. This past Halloween I decided to dress up as a voodoo priestess for my Photography class. We had an assignment to dress up so we could take pictures of each other. So I decided to raid my closet along with buy a few other items to bring my outfit together. I also decided to go to the nail salon and have my hands and toes painted for the occasion.

Trying something a lil bit different

Back on the 10th, I decided to do something that I had not done since high school. Get some color in my hair. Now for some people they might think what is the big deal. So what? Well for me it's pretty big since I'm usually somewhat conservative when it comes to my hair at least where color is concerned. Where my hair in a big afro? No big deal. Add color.....now you might be asking for too much. So I thought it would be great to do something different to usher in the new year. Hopefully to shake up some older habits of mine. Anything to get my mind off Dumb Trump being our new Commander in Chief. I still can't wrap my mind around that one...

Stain Colored Thoughts: Final Project and Thoughts on my Artifical Photography class

So unofficially I have wrapped up my class for this semester. We still have a few more class days but for the most part we are done shooting. I turned my final project in last Wednesday which consisted of 8 photographs in particular categories. A minimum 5 pictures had to be color and a minimum 2 had to be black and white. Four pictures required studio flash. So we had to use our imagination and techniques that we learned in class and also had the option of using Photoshop. I know for myself Photoshop is definitely an Achilles heel so I tried my best to get my lighting right the first time and not have to depend on making huge changes in Photoshop.

Thanksgiving 2016

What comes with the tide of a Trump Presidency?

I wrote this earlier on Facebook today:

Yesterday evening I purposely did not watch the election results. I wanted to be able to go to sleep and not have my nerves fry. I woke up a little bit after 1am and thought maybe I just might have a peek into the results. 

Vintage Market Days of St. Louis area-FALL EVENT 2016

This past Saturday I went to the Fall Saint Louis vintage market in Chesterfield. As usual it was well attended and the event has definitely grown since earlier this year. If I recall they are normally held twice a year. I was able to find some pretty sweet gems and found some more interesting vendors in my travels.

Follow your dreams

Last night I decided to go out and study for an upcoming test I have tomorrow in my photography class. Nervous as hell doesn't even begin to cut it. So After studying I decided to go to Texas Roadhouse in Kirkwood, MO. So as usual on a Saturday night the place is jammed packed which is why I grabbed a seat at the bar. Faster service. So as I'm relaxing in my seat, waiting on my food to arrive and taking in a few of the football games that are playing. A lady sits to the right of me and we proceed to strike up a conversation.

Stain Colored Thoughts: The Battle Isn't Yours

On September 2nd I did event photography for a play that was held at the JCPenney Conference Center on University of MO - STL campus. The director of the play is Joice Valentine. She is also one of the subjects of my photography project ShowYouSTL.

Stain Colored Thoughts: Artifical Light Photography

Edward Crim showing us the ropes during a Creative Studio session - Aug 9th, 2016

So if you have read my previous posts you know I enjoyed the hell out of my Digital Photography/Photoshop class and was geared up to take a film version of the class this fall. I mean I found out the book I had ordered for the film class was literally the same version, I mean about 95% the same. I compared the digital and films books and just couldn't believe my luck. I thankfully have saved ALL the quizzes and tests that I took from the summer course and have all my notes in a folder. So back in May I rented my Digital Photography books from CampusBookRentals.com. I loved their service and used them again for my fall Film class.

Stain Colored Thoughts: Digital Camera Course - Afterthoughts

Hard work = an A grade

Originally written August 3rd,

Well I kicked butt in my final, received a 49/50. Overall I had a blast in the class and the teacher was absolutely wonderful. Even though I feel as though I only learned about Camera Raw in regards to Photoshop while everyone else learned way more than me. I'm not going to let it deter me. I will try to learn more about it and some other graphic software as well. I'm waiting on my final grade but I know I have an A+. I had so much extra credit in the class I didn't want to take anything for granted. I enjoyed the assignments given and even did extra on a few of them. I really enjoyed this class because it was a Hybrid class. Part internet and the other part being in the classroom. We used state of the art equipment from Macs to a printing room that had some of the biggest printers I had ever seen.

Stain Colored Thoughts: Digital Camera Course - Last Class (Extra Credit)

Far out

So for extra credit we have the option of doing a Panoramic photo. So I decided to give it a shot. I originally wanted to get a shot of Alton, IL river scene but unfortunately I didn't do the pictures correctly. So this afternoon I decided to go out to Lafayette Park and get some pictures of the beautiful bridge and pond. I took to versions of it. Far out and close. The far out shot was better but the close up shot......yea.....I had some fun with that one. I'll let you go through it to see what I  tried to fix.....LOL

Now I just need to take the final by this Sunday. Crossing my fingers.

Stain Colored Thoughts: Digital Camera Course - Last Week Impressions

This last week of classes has definitely been a challenge.  I had homework assignments for HDR photographs and Composition photographs. The software I used for the HDR photos is called Photomatix. Love it! I also had to finalize my portfolio, take two quizzes ahead of schedule to give myself more time to take the final on Saturday. Overall I've really enjoyed this class and feel I've learned a lot about my camera. Photoshop.......still a work in progress.

Stain Colored Thoughts: Digital Camera Course - 7th Week Impressions

Wide Shot

So I know I've been behind on posting my assignments. One week I had to do a Landscape assignment. Take 3 pictures of the same item but in 3 different ways. Wide, Close-up and Abstract. I went to a few places to take pictures but my pics of this barn out in Faust Park are my favorites.

Stain Colored Thoughts: Digital Camera Course - Fifth Week impressions

During 4th week of class our assignment was a freebie. So we were able to take pictures of something that we were interested in taking pictures of.  I was asked to take pictures at a boutique for a product debut for some lovely ladies. So I decided to use my favorite shot for the event as my assignment.

Stain Colored Thoughts: Digital Camera Course - Third Week impressions

The class put some of their photos up on the wall

So this class has definitely been one hell of a ride. So much information being crammed into 8 weeks, but I'm taking it all in stride. I'm not only learning about cameras but also about Photoshop. Holy crap. I'm feeling more comfortable with my camera but it still poses some challenges. Photoshop should just be called "asdflkajdsflkjadlfkhdfkjlkfjafk;jk" because sometimes I feel it makes my head spin and my eyes hurt with learning all it can do. I do enjoy the photography challenges that my teacher has thrown our way. I'm trying to learn not to over think assignments. Sometimes I will look at Pinterest or Google certain photos for inspiration.

Stain Colored Thoughts: First Photography Gig

Stain Colored Thoughts: Digital camera course - first impressions this week

I haven't used one of these in DECADES!!!!

Well this past week I completed my first week of a digital photography course that I started at a college campus. The class is a tad bit long (about 3 hours per class) but I knew that going into the course especially with it being Summer time. Yet I was excited and have been doing my readings. The classroom is quite nice and I'm having to familiarize myself with Mac computers all over again. I think the last Apple computer I owned was back when I was in elementary school and even then it was with a floppy disk, color image writer printer, and a green dot matrix screen. I think it was the Apple IIc.  Well this computer I'm messing with now is definitely leaps and bounds ahead of that. Yet I will say I'm not really feeling the keyboard. I would happy trade it out for an ergonomic keyboard.

Don't mistake Instant Gratification for Long term Happiness

Don't mistake Instant Gratification for Long term Happiness.....this saying popped in my head this morning. I'm not sure why today, but it did. One of my biggest challenges in my life is being happy with myself. I always find some type of fault and then harp on it. Yet what I've come to realize is that if I don't like something about myself, I have to be the one who has to change it. Unfortunately there isn't some easy DIY instructional manual that I can rely on to fix the issues that I have with myself.

First Time Experiences: Wax on Wax off, Brazilian style

Yesterday I did something I thought I would never do. I had a Brazilian Wax done. Now I'm SLOWLY starting to get back into the swing of things when it comes to self grooming. I resumed getting regular fancy manicures and pedicures and trying to keep my eyebrows arched the way I like them.

#ShowYouSTL Backstory - Monica Tyson - Author, Activist, Cosmetologist, Consultant

This past Tuesday I was able to meet up with Monica who is not only a talented and amazing woman, but also my cousin. We met up in the Central West End to take pictures and I must say I had a blast because not only is she beautiful, she had the model poses down packed. With no direction from me. LOL

#ShowYouSTL BackStory - Chris - Kaiserrific

I first recalled meeting Chris aka Kaiserrific back at the December 2014 Hustle and Flow poetry session when I was vending my shea butter products for the event. Yet while waiting last night at Legacy Cafe & Books for the Poetry event Verbzzz After Work, theme: Black Love to start I was able to talk with Chris and he surprised me by saying he recalled me from BlackPlanet and the Yahoo 360 groups. For those too young to remember, think our version of Facebook that used to be seriously popping back in the day. Yet since then BlackPlanet is still around but looks like an abandoned class room with dust that has heavily covered the area with no disturbance in a LONG time and Yahoo 360 is no longer in existence. Soooo yea now we have Facebook.

#SHOWYOUSTL Backstory - Jennifer - Razor's Edge Hair Studio

Jen and I go way back to the days of CLUB 24 that was name we used for the old 24 Hour Fitness that used to be inside of Northwest Plaza in the Saint Ann area. That was the gym where I was happy to see all my girls and guy friends and you looked forward to going to the gym. Cassandra would be teaching a kick ass step routine, Bob would be whooping our behinds on cycling, catch Katrina doing a Zumba class, or drop in with one of Amanda's Turbo Kick classes. Yep those were the days.

#ShowYouSTL Backstory - Tiffany - Tiffany-Paige Events & Faith Tees

This morning I made my way to Doughnuts Delights off of Dunn Road in Florrisant to meet up with the first of two interviews I was doing for the day in regards to my #ShowYouSTL project. As I was parking I received a message from Tiffany informing me that she was inside and I responded back that I would be in just shortly.

#ShowYouSTL Backstory - Terry - Old Ways Soap

I first had the pleasure of meeting Terry at my job. She is a mentor to one of my students and she informed me that she makes soaps. From time to time she has brought me bars as gifts and I've also been a repeat customer. Her soaps are some of my favorites that I like to keep stocked at home. Since she has found out that I do Whipped Body Butters she keeps me in the loop of any vendor markets that come up.

#SHOWYOUSTL - BACKSTORY - TASHA - BELLE BUTTERS

I first had the pleasure of meeting Tasha on the same evening that I met up with Yashica to take pictures at the Desserts & Discussion: War on Love event back on Jan 23rd. Her cousin who was the Mistress of Ceremonies for the event introduced us. We weren't really able to talk that much because things were still being setup up for the event but I did contact ask if she was willing to be a part of my project and she said yes.

#ShowYouSTL Backstory - Yashica - J.J. Sing Catering

I had the pleasure of first meeting Yashica at an event last July being held at the Urb Arts center. The event was showcasing small business entrepreneurs and Yashica was actually station right behind me. She was setting up her table. I knew she had something special when people were coming through specifically to find her and that was before she was able to get her table finally arranged the way she wanted it.

So I looked behind me and saw that she had desserts in a jar. Now I'm super picky when it comes to food, especially my desserts. My mother is the queen when it comes to food so I was a bit hesitant at first to really look at what she had to offer. But after seeing so many people come through and rave about her sweets I finally had to see what the fan fare was about.

#ShowYouSTL Backstory - KUUMBA UJAMAA AROMATHERAPY AND FAMILY AFFAIR CATERING

Two weeks after my meeting with Michelle, I was able to meet up with my friend Majic (his nickname) who I have known for quite some time. I was introduced to him by a close friend of mine and we both began taking some masseuse lessons at his old location off of the Riverview Blvd circle. He has since relocated to Cool Valley and his new location which looks absolutely beautiful.

When you walk into the area which is located on the 2nd floor above a barber shop, you are instantly greeted with a spacious kitchen area with a high table off to the right accompanied with two stools. Off to the right is a relaxation room to further relax from your massage as well as two separate massage rooms and also a bathroom with tub and shower area to prepare yourself for your massage. Further down a hallway is a living room area complete with a small bar and extended couches enough for a small gathering. Perfect for some girlfriends to get together and have a relaxing spa day.

#ShowYouSTL Backstory - Aroused by Art

Back in October 2015 I had the pleasure of meeting an amazing artist by the name of Michelle. She is well known for her beautiful paintings and her unique style of photography. I contacted her via Facebook and asked if she would be interested in being a part of my photography project, ShowYouSTL. She was kind enough to accept my request and I met up with her within two weeks. I went to her loft downtown and she happen to drive by while I was waiting on the sidewalk to enter her loft. So I hopped in her car and she parked in the garage.

#ShowYouSTL BackStory- WaxZenSilk Scarves

Scarves from WaxZenSilk

Yesterday I hung out with a former coworker, Jen who has a small business making scarves. The name of her business is Wax Zen Silk Scarf Creations. The style in which she makes her scarves is called batiking. This process uses wax  to make designs with  instruments called tjanting tools which come in different sizes and various styles. She makes her wax designs on blank white silk scarves which are then followed by whichever colors she uses to stain the scarves. Trust me it's not as easy as it sounds especially since I was able to see the process first hand last night. In my opinion it is definitely a tedious process but Jen is such a pro that she can do a scarf within two hours.

No New Resolutions

 So yea, I'm late in saying HAPPY NEW YEAR and all that other pizzazz. A few days before New Years Eve I was wondering to myself what resolutions was I going to make. I then decided I wasn't going to do any because I just seem to disappoint myself every damn year. Do I have goals? Yea I have them but I'm not going to get too crazy with them and drill them into my head. That has been my mistake in the past. Thinking about them over and over again until I was so stressed out when I would fail at them and then feel like a nuclear bomb just went off in my face. Then that would just give me another thing to be depressed about. So I'm going to just try to bring more order to my life and try to give myself a schedule to throughout the week to check in with myself on the things that I want to do.