Talk about pinup

We all have our circles of people, right?

Your work circle, your neighbor circle, your kids' moms circle, your community circle, and then your friend circle. Sometimes people overlap in circles. You find someone whose a fellow mom, living in your neighborhood, and oh they work at the same place that you did. And you share the same humor. Like a lot of the same humor. This gal is especially one of those friends that you keep in your circle of people.

And when she gets in a session, she hits it out of the park. Legit, threw down the gauntlet when she let me stylize her in all the ways with all my crazy ideas. I can't even begin to talk about product with her.

Trust is allowing me to see vision for your session. My friends honor me with the trust that I will make them some fantastic pinups.

XOXO,

Kerry

Oh my goodness, I am terrible at BLOGGING

I mean, I haven't blogged in like.... erg.... a YEAR.

I spend more of my time updating Instagram and Facebook... because honestly, it's just easier from my phone. And let's be honest, 2020 WAS A WASH.

So let me fill you in since my last blog. I had a couple of sessions in early 2020 that I honestly never got around to posting here. I thought 2020 was going to be MY year.

And I decided to buy this awesome space for my studio (and future life plans), closing on it right before COVID. And then COVID decided to change our entire lives.

I won't lie, being married to someone on the frontlines in 2020 (who is actually important to an entire hospital structure in this community) was very, very heavy. It meant that we as a family lived our lives very differently- so much more in quarantine to protect others and ourselves, especially when every day my spouse was directly in it with COVID. Everyday was a different amount of emotions and my coping method is to rechannel heavy energy into making something beautiful. Looking back on the year, it's been a year where I took all of my funky ideas and tried to get them out there. It was a year I could perfect my editing. I spent it figuring out what direction I wanted to take my business, but also what needed to be made in the studio. It was a year of envisioning costumes, props, and my artwork. It was a year of getting life a little more organized, painted, and ready for future sessions. (There was so much painting, I left sets of paint clothes at the studio- and they might still be there.) It's been a year since I closed on that space that would house the clothes, furniture, art projects, and props for pinup. It's been a year of non-stop making, cleaning, painting, and creating spaces and scenes. It's been a year and I will be ready when it's time to open to the entire public.

Last year, I did a handful of outdoor family sessions for friends and one pinup in the summer all dependent on numbers in our community and the direct input of my healthcare spouse. As of March 2021, I am only accepting healthcare that have been fully vaccinated. In a way, it is my little thank you to open to my people in my former life. When vaccines are rolled out to the entire public (including me), I will plan to open fully. Until then, enjoy the fact that I have amazing friends in healthcare. They are pretty darn fantastic...

So that's the year in a nutshell.

Can I present my amazing friend, Kara?! I have known her as a co-worker, as a neighbor, and a friend. She's one hot mama and wife, but she's also one amazing caregiver with the heart of gold. And she honored me by being in my studio a couple days before her birthday. For International Women's Day. I mean, perfect, AM I RIGHT?!

Seriously, I have been so lucky to know some legitimately BEAUTIFUL gals, inside and out.  I hope to highlight some of my current work and throw in some oldies that I never posted. Stay tuned. And Les Elvgren, eat your heart out.

XOXO,

Kerry

Beautiful friend at a beautiful place

If you have been following Instagram, it's been a swoonfest of gals. I am a little late at the blog. 

And January might have been the month to knock everything out before the official unveiling of the website. 

When I had this concept of "vintage women in pinup style" in mind, it has been really difficult for me to explain it. I am pretty articulate with words, but this was a hard concept to get heads around. One of my earlier posts (see New Orleans) helped with showing my goals of how I wanted to take pictures. Despite all of these sessions, it's still hard to explain and much easier to show the pictures. And when I was needing to get my own headshots done with a silly fun idea (because sometimes you have to be there to experience not just direct it all), I knew there was one person I would want behind the camera just to capture my goals. And of course, that same person was also up for the same kind of fun.

Did I tell you I have beautiful friends? Well, this one. This one captures beauty from behind but also exudes it when she is in front of the camera. She doesn't like to be in front of the camera, but my goodness, she is such a stunner. This gal has been my easy coffee date after she started working with me more than a decade ago. She was an actual partner in crime as my cohort in oncology social work at one of the hospitals. She and I had babies the same. She quit the gig to pursue photography full time and if you don't know her, you should hire her for all your maternity, babies, family, and kids sessions. She's been one of my go-tos for bouncing off life. But she is one to also encourage and when I told her about my silly ideas... talk about building a friend up and helping shape up the business model. She's also my go-to when I say, "let's go location scouting!" and you end up cold calling and emailing random places that you want information on. She's the one that will end up giggling at you while you are dancing in a coffee shop. Or maybe you end up laying on random cement in front of her because it's hilarious and it looks good. You can't ask much more from a gal like her. I am so lucky to have her. Find you a gal like her. Real, effortless, build you up when you aren't sure how to make heads or tails, and will get in front of a camera for you because you asked.

A duplicate, but I love it in color just as much as black and white. 

Just a few other pics of Monarch Prime. It definitely is in one of the most beautiful places in Omaha for sure. I have been dying to eat there and when we went with friends the day after this shoot, it did not disappoint. In fact, this might be an anniversary place or a very nice date night place for beautiful cuts of meat and gorgeous drinks that were on point for us. My husband might be a bit particular about his old fashioneds and let's just say, that it is exactly how he makes them at home, which there are few and far between of places that make them as delicious as he does. The ambience, the decor (down to the restrooms), and the staff doodle books were all beautiful touches... But the FOOD. We ended up with the last piece of a bison ribeye that had been aged in house. There may have been uncouth behavior as the request to leave the dish to allow for our sides to use up the sauce from the ribeye. One side dish in particular stuck out for me, their beet salad was presented so beautifully but also tasted divine. Thank you, Monarch Prime staff. 

 

Stay tuned for the next place with my girl Amanda.

xoxo,

Kerry

Screamers...

While we were in Lincoln last week on a misty snowy day, my friend wanted to hit up a friend's new restaurant. Life, man. It's hard for us to sometimes make it when we have little ones running around to make it out of town. Might have been a perfect seize-the-moment day.

This is how that conversation went.

Friend: "Do you think we can stop by a friend's restaurant? I haven't been able to see it yet."

Me: "Sure! Let's look it up and see if it's close."

Friend: "Downtown. There's a stage and singing staff."

Me: "Is it something we might want to take pictures at? That sounds like fun!"

And then friend texts friend and THIS. THIS IS THE MAGIC THAT COMES FROM RANDOM CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS. (Yes, that was all caps for a reason... Because see below)

Check this amazing restaurant out if you happen to be in Lincoln. The staff are incredibly talented! What a fun, unique place! Love that we had some fun with this session.

(Anyone else watching Marvelous Mrs. Maisel? This totally gave me that vibe... Spotlights, fun clothes, and that early 60s vibe)

XOXO, Kerry

Pink Robes at the Graduate Hotel Lincoln

Part two...

Oh man, PART-FREAKING-TWO.

I mean, in my previous post I talked about the staff at the Graduate hotel in Lincoln. We were walking around taking pictures in amazing vintage clothes brought you by LaDama Vintage (Lauren runs this private boutique) in Omaha. And I bust out two of my new favorite robes. Because what doesn't scream vintage starlet more than PINK ROBES??? One is an ombre pink peach and the other is Barbie pink. And I have these pink heels that I can't even begin to tell you (if you love shoes, you would get it... and one of these days, I will just photograph these shoes, side note for those that care).

Between the WOMEN'S BATHROOM to the BRIDAL SUITE at www.graduatehotels.com ... I hope I can find someone who wants to do a shoot here again. Because this might have been the most fun ever for a creative... And yes, I realize my friend looks like Marilyn Monroe so that brings about a vibe that is hard to duplicate... But really, this was kind of the best in a photographer's mindset... enough talking, more pictures, AM I RIGHT?

(Did you know the suites have an old school arcade machine and a SMEG fridge???) 

 

All the modeling does make one wish for another cup of coffee... 

Cheers to this friend, who gets my silly and was ready to get memed. Those will be coming, but currently, this is an overload of all the things. 

And I am almost certain you have fallen in love with her. I know, she's kind of a starlet. (She doesn't act like this in real life, not even a smidge, so there's that part that makes her even more adorable... because seriously, my tribe of people are the farthest from the glam dram as possible... but goodness, you make them up and put them in clothes that exude a whole different look and the vibe... oh yeaaaaaa).

XOXO, Kerry