When I was younger and just starting out in my dating career, I used to bring flowers on first dates not realizing the potential awkwardness that lay ahead. Typical responses: "Oh... thanks..." ... The eye pop and the awkward, "Uh, thanks. Where should I put them?" ... and my personal favorite, immediate sneezing. " 'Are there Bells of Ireland in that arrangement?' 'Yeah, I know you're Irish and thought that you might... you know... think that was cute?' 'I'm wildly allergic.'" At the soon to be ripe old age of 37 I've learned a few thing things, I now bring a camera.
The crew and I thought we'd keep this edition short and sweet. Whether you've been part of the family for years, or new to KARJAKA our narrative has always been to bring out the ineffable of our clients in our imagery and direction. This online zine/magazine, or whatever you want to call it, has had a mission to not only show off our iconic studio work, but also give a voice to our clients on a larger scale, through readership, design/layout reposting, and highlighting their own business/lives and best practices to help build your empire.
SAY AGAIN? "Do you wanna direct a music video?" Eight days before leaving for my second trip to LA this year, Caleigh proposed a question that would have seemed absurd, let along impossible, to be carried out in 8+ days thereabout. "Uhhhh, giddy up! Wait, what?" I had directed small product commercials for years, and had talked about getting into music videos, but timing amongst everything else never seemed to be in my favor. Enter The Bird's Eye.
Forget forcing the issue, let's go absurd for a moment. Dare to try with us as we use other senses to explore life outside of preordained ways of being. Rather than getting wrapped up on what has to happen, or being consumed by how something should look in an image or experience, let's let go of control, just for a moment if you will and explore the unknown.
“Go to school, graduate, get a job, work your way up, and maybe one day you’ll start your own business”… these seemed like the most logical and viable steps to take through life. Up until 2020, everything was going to plan; I had good job offers lined up for once I graduated from Parsons School of Design. I felt confident I was on the right path, to one day, having gained enough experience and some courage, to potentially start my own brand.
With the amount of Vitamin D I’ve consumed in the past year, I should have gotten stock for it. Prevention, pain relief, these are the basics tenets of any product out on the market. Not getting enough Sun? Go for a walk. Can’t go out due to pandemic? 1000mg of Vitamin D, stat. Art is my vitamin/drug of choice. I’m a pusher of picturesque portrait pleasure.
We tend to be addicted to phones and technology. During the lockdown, when you cannot socialize in an ordinary way, the news, social media, and your phone become your means of communication with the outside world. I see much danger and risk in that. Smartphones are meant to be addictive, and that can become what you are holding on to mentally. When you are able to cut those, then you are left with yourself...
Arrogance is underrated. Period. It takes something to make your way out to New York, let alone be an artist out here. I'm in love with New York. I've dreamt of New York since I was a teen, even though Chicago will always be home. I've always had confidence border lining arrogance, or so I've been told. This city kind of pushes you over that line, and for good reason. You are a speck in a sea of voices within a small sliver of an island of the world that is called, Manhattan.
This is the time of year when we all attempt to clean up our acts, create new habits and lose those extra holiday pounds. As a health coach this tends to be a pretty busy time of year for me but 2021 is feeling a bit different. While there are still people looking to lose that extra holiday weight, there is also the fun new addition of pandemic weight (thank you 2020!), and for the first time there seems to be a bit more intention behind it.
I am by no means a "newborn photographer", however I have photographed my fair share of toddlers, tots and tykes. A portrait is a portrait regardless of age, and what lights me up is capturing that innocence. Coming up on a year of Covid, I'm receiving an influx of calls for holiday gifts of maternity and soon to be newborn shoots in the New Year.
