hot mama! - Part 2

Archive: ‘hot mama!’

Girls with Gumption…. and other fine qualities.

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

I don’t care what YOU think… I will always be grateful for Facebook and the new and old friendships it has brought my way! This is the second high school classmate I’ve done a session with (and hope there will be more!) This is Sarah (in the green), her mom, Sally and her best friend, Hannah. Sarah and I had the same photography teacher… and Hannah, who went to a different school married Brian, who also was in our photo class. Albuquerque is a small world.

On my drive to the session I recalled different things about Sarah… how she always had great clothes, she lived in this neat little part of town that I loved, she taught me how to do sultry 60′s eyeliner, and she was (and is) a charismatic gal.

Just for fun I thought I’d share what she wrote in my year book at the end of our freshman year:

“Monique, Isn’t this great! No more Allred! We can’t go to our “favorite” class anymore! I’m glad I know you ’cause you’re a really sweet and beautiful person!….p.s. guys aren’t worth it!”

Now, how can you not add Sarah on facebook?! Sarah, Sally, and Hannah, Thank you for being so fun, beautiful and easy going today (in spite of the chilliness). Have a beautiful Christmas!

Albuquerque Old Town

Tags: albuquerque, new mexico, Old Town
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A New Journey ~ Albuquerque Photographer

Sunday, October 31st, 2010

Life brings us constant change. Some of it we would sooooo rather do without! I have to remind myself that even change that seems oppositional can be the beginning of transformation. During those times, I try to remember this quote:

“Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it.”
— Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love)

Ms. N is on a journey of transformation.

note about this session: I really love doing sessions like these. Nikki came to me wanting to craft her photo session around an idea that represented the journey she was on. She also wanted it as documentation to share with her daughters later in their lives. As I brainstormed and drew out my ideas for her session I thought about the Hot Mama Sessions I had done with Dana and Tamaya, Mrs. L and Jess. What was it these women were seeking? It is completely doable to get a great headshot during a regular family session… but what they sought was to have some time to themselves, away from their daily grind, dressed up a bit, in front of my camera so they could reconnect with that girl inside….

If you find that you need that too, to remind you of your importance in this big grand world, or maybe you have a new journey you are on, or maybe you just want some Hot Mama pictures of yourself, just give me a ring and we can talk about what might be the perfect concept for you. ♥

Posted in hot mama! | 11 Comments »

The Day I Shot a Catalog Spread With a Hot Model in the Desert

Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

Ok. ok. So I’m fibbing about the catalog shoot. But my model was hot!!! This is my long term pal, Mrs. L. Doesn’t she remind you of a model you might see in a Gap ad?! I’ve always thought so! I think her whole family would look naturally at ease in a new Autumn Gap line! (no kidding, W!)

Mrs. L and my sister are great friends. They happened to spy a wonderfully rusted out truck, asked the owner if they could bring a photographer back the next day, called me up, lured me with cola. But I would only do it on the condition Mrs. L would be my test model! I sooo scored! (Great model, awesome truck, delicious cola!)