awesomnia

It's almost 4am as I write this.  I haven't slept yet tonight, despite my best efforts, and as dawn approaches, it's looking less likely that I will.  I've had insomnia for years, and a few times a week, I get to watch the sun rise through the wheat fields to the east.  I'm not worried about anything, I'm not trying to keep track of mental to-do lists, and I haven't had nightmares.  I'm just...awake.  Like, really, fully awake.To say I'm a night owl is a serious understatement.  I can't remember the last time I fell asleep before 1:30 or so, and many nights, it's more like 2:30 or 3.  At least once a week, I'm awake to see the sunrise.  Well-meaning friends have given me all sorts of remedies over the years: "Take some Tylenol PM!" (that will knock me out, but I'll feel groggy for days) "Drink some tea!" (Yep) "Read a book!" (Yep) "Take some melatonin!" (Doesn't work) "Eye mask / earplugs / yoga / cigarettes / white noise machine!".  Still awake.

Here's the thing, though.  I'll let you in on a little secret: I kind of like it.  I'm not sure my insomnia needs curing.  Strangely, I am my most alert, energetic, and productive between about 9 pm -3 am.  I focus better, bust out album designs and blog posts in half the time, and have intense spurts of creativity.  I like the rich, deep colors, the quiet.  To make things weirder, whenever I have a long streak of not sleeping, I'll find out later that my little sister has been awake those same nights, too - even when she's thousands of miles away.  We joke that it's the full moon keeping us up.

To me, some music just sounds like it belongs to the night.  Here are a few of my late-night favorites:

When I'm Small by Phantogram [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28tZ-S1LFok&w=640&h=360]

Stars by The Xx [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mHAuOibP-k&w=640&h=360]

Bloodstream by Stateless [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CBY9OU1I9Q&w=640&h=360] So now if you're awake for no reason, you have some excellent music to listen to.

Sidenote: At 4am, I got really excited, thinking I had invented the word "awesomnia".  Turns out I didn't, but it's still a sweet word.

announcing senior cinema videos!

You guys, I am SO excited to announce Senior Cinema Videos!  Using the same camera that filmed the intro sequence for SNL and a season finale of House, we'll film the footage for your Senior Cinema Video at the same time as we shoot your session.  The resulting song-length video would be great to send to your family in place of or in addition to your printed graduation announcements,  share online, or to play at your graduation party after the slideshow with all your embarrassing baby photos :)Because I'll need to bring some extra equipment if we're going to film video footage, please let me know in advance if you're interested.  We'll get your video session booked, and plan some extra time the day of your shoot to make sure we have plenty of time to get both the video and the stills that we need.  We can also record some fun audio - a quote, a poem, or a note to your parents, if you want.

This isn't your standard slideshow or interview video - these are more like music videos, or a lookbook video.  These are so much fun for me to put together, and so much fun to film!  Check out Clöe and Becca's Senior Cinema Videos below!

[vimeo 37341288 w=400 h=300]

Cloe from Cedar House Cinema on Vimeo.

[vimeo 36920650 w=400 h=300]

Becca from Cedar House Cinema on Vimeo.

new orleans

A few more from New Orleans...

Anonymous woman in the red dress... I love you.

My partner in crime, Amanda from Bel Momento Photography:

We totally crashed a wedding!  Well, for a few minutes... haha.

New Orleans, I love you!

frida (longmont portrait photography)

Frida Kahlo has always sort of been a hero of mine - she was a quirky, colorful, strong person who didn't let the traditions of her era, or a lifetime of painful medical problems, stop her from being herself, loudly and proudly.  She maintained an aggressive, strong sense of self until the end... when she was very sick, she had a major art gallery event.  Her doctor told her that under no circumstances was she allowed to leave her bed.  She got around this problem by having her entire bed, with herself still tucked in, delivered to the art gallery in time for her opening.Her sense of style was incredible and immediately recognizable.  I've been wanting to do a Frida shoot for a long time, and I finally found my perfect Frida in Hailey, a sweet, gorgeous senior from Nederland.  I only jabbed her scalp with about a million bobby pins before we got the look down - I think she pulls off Frida perfectly!

Hailey - you were SO amazing!  Thanks for such an amazing shoot! :)

aviva (new orleans portrait photographer)

I was in New Orleans this last week for Imaging USA, and I got a chance to hang out with Aviva, a tanner, double-dutch champion, and long-lost friend from college, who just so happens to be the most incredible warrior princess ever.  I've always loved Aviva's style, and it was amazing to wander around a city this cool with a person this cool and take pictures.

I'm in love with the colors on this building:

We found an old carriage covered in rusted tin pieces and turquoise fabric and awesome little things.  She told me it's some kind of art installation, and when it's open, the inside of the carriage is filled with dioramas.  Even though it was closed, it was one of the coolest things to randomly run into on the street - it made me think of the Headless Horseman and gypsies.  I think I was probably making some sort of little girl squealing noises when I saw this :)

Aviva - thanks for being so gloriously awesome.  So glad we got to hang out!