Behind the Lens || 2 Hearts, 1 Kitchen

I'm a big believer in supporting small businesses, especially so when they're owned by fabulous friends with a penchant for good food.  So when my friend of 20+ years, Nikki, and her husband Matt hired me to shoot new promotional material for their catering company 2 Hearts, 1 Kitchen, I was all in.

A little back history on Nikki and I...We met back in 1993 when both of our families were having a house built in the same cul-de-sac on the outskirts of Tucson.  Being just a few months apart, we became instant friends and have stayed friends despite multiple moves between us.  My little brother was a big fan of her house when he was a wee tot since her parents spoiled him with cookies so if he went missing, we knew we would find him at their house.  Or sometimes he'd just wander back on his own wearing just his diaper, bottle in one hand and cookies in the other!  Her house was also where we spent a lot of time watching Steel Magnolias, baking in her easy bake oven, and throwing down on her mom's no-bake chocolate cookies--the best!  Who knew that these early years would be a peek into her future.

I made my way back to Arizona to attend the U of A and Nikki ventured onto culinary school in Scottsdale where she met her now husband, Matt.  Together they've traveled the world, working in various restaurants and eventually settled back in Tucson where they created a catering company and cafe (x2) of their own. They're so passionate about food, they even catered their own wedding, including the cake!  Wonder foodies, for sure! Nikki and Matt have created two tasty cake creations for our family so far, one for my niece's baby shower and another for her 3rd birthday.  And of course I've trusted them with creating something wonderful for my wedding cake and shortly after for my little sister's wedding (that may be news to them, we should talk!).

Back to the job.  I spent a morning in their kitchen as they whipped up one delicious dish after another, all perfectly plated and smelling amazing.  The goal was to create clean, appetizing images to be used on their website and promotional materials to promote their ever growing business.  Last month, Tucson Bride and Groom featured their business on their blog which included some of the images I shot--check it out.  Keep scrolling for some great behind the scenes peeks at our setup and our audience!

The Thompsons' beloved pug, Lola, was an excellent assistant!

The setup was simple: white foam core panels, FANTASTIC natural light, and simple cutting surfaces.

Behind the scenes collage courtesy of Nikki. Ricky Ricardo and Lola even made cameos!

Thank you, Nikki and Matt, for thinking of me for the job.  I hope we have more opportunities to work together in the future.  Can't wait to see what amazing work you create for my wedding!

If you need a reliable, experienced, personable caterer for an upcoming event, big or small, or you are in need of some sweet pastry creations, I urge you to contact Nikki and Matt. 

If you're looking for a photographer to help you with your small business, I'm always happy to arrange a consult!

 

 

*All images featured in this post are mine unless noted otherwise. Graphic design work is credited to Nikki and Matt's designer.

Behind The Lens || Baby Fever

It seems that this year is the year of pregnant friends everywhere I turn.  I swear each time I check Facebook, someone new is expecting and that's not an exaggeration!  While I don't plan on jumping on this boat anytime soon (despite persistent, non-subtle nudging from my future mother-in-law!), I have a serious case of baby fever.  Lucky for me, I can just borrow a friend's little nugget and give him/her back once I've had my fix!  Is it me or do you wish you could bottle up that new baby smell?!

A couple of friends recently gave birth within a few weeks of each other and I was beyond excited to offer my services to provide newborn photos for them to cherish as their little girls are growing quickly.

Shannon and I go back a few years from when she worked for me back in my camera retail days.  She is one of the kindest, most thoughtful and funny people I have ever met; you can't help but gravitate toward her.  A couple years after the close of our store, I went on to shoot her engagement photos and later her wedding so naturally, it was a no brainer to see it all come full circle to her firstborn!  The great thing about working with a friend is the level of comfort you experience that you probably wouldn't get from allowing a stranger into your home to capture such a precious time.  Not the case here!  Baby Abby was a perfectly behaved model and absolutely adorable.  

One of my favorites!

Sleeping Beauty

Megan and I go back almost a couple decades!  We know each other from way back when my dad was stationed in Tucson and she and her family had just relocated from New York.  She comes from a family of four kids (all girls!) who happen to all match up pretty closely in age to me and my siblings.  Coincidentally, a few years ago I also shot her wedding!  Megan's husband is in the Air Force and was deployed just a couple weeks before she gave birth to itty bitty Mallory.  She came back to Tucson to be with family while her husband is deployed and we figured he may want some special keepsakes from these early weeks he is missing so we incorporated a special tribute to her daddy.   

Little lady knows how to accessorize!

Proud to be an Air Force brat!

You want a baby now, right?!  If you're looking for someone to capture your special memories, leave me a comment; I'd love to work with you!

Behind The Lens || "Practical French" e-cookbook

One of my biggest regrets is not making enough use of my photography skills, afterall I do have a BFA in Photography!  I'm not fortunate enough (yet!) to make my living from pursuing my creative efforts full time, but I thoroughly enjoy picking up a few shoots a year to supplement my income and keep my eyes sharp.  My latest production was for an electronic cookbook, Practical French with Nathalie, available here.

A little background about this collaboration: Nathalie has a daughter, Gabriella, and my parents are Gabriella's god parents.  My dad worked with both Nathalie and her husband Mathias years back and my mom took care of Gabriella from the time she was just a few months old until she was about three.  Being far from their native home countries (Nathalie is French (that's obvious, right?!) and Mathias is German) we became a sort of extended family to them here in the states.

When Nathalie said she wanted to pen a French cookbook, I was excited that she thought of me to shoot it.  I assisted with a handful of shoots like this with Amy Haskell, however this was my first solo endeavor for a cookbook.  I should mention that it was Nathalie who introduced me to Amy, a family friend who shot her wedding, and who I went on to assist for during college and a short time after.  Nathalie and Mathias had already shot many of the dishes but needed someone to tackle the last few as well as the cover and website bio shots.  Extra bonus that I got to sample the food as I shot; perks of the job!  The images here are final edits that made the cut.  Sorry, though, you'll have to buy the cookbook to see all the amazing recipes!  Bon apetit!