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the spice hunter.

i may have been a spice hunter in another life.  i certainly can see myself traveling to uncharted islands commissioned by a king or queen to return with exotic smells and tastes.  i would befriend the local peoples and learn their cultures and ways of harvesting.  on my return home, my country would greet me with fanfare and wealth.   my newly charted courses would lead the way for future spice hunters who would mention my name with reverense.  today, i follow in the path of my former life…

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by driving to penzey’s in cleveland.  it’s cheaper than chartering a ship.

peace - jodi

film.

now that i have a working command of my new gear, i thought it would be fun to play with some old gear.  i dusted off my old film body and exposed a roll this weekend.  if the prints look decent, i’m thinking of doing a black and white series of my seniors this year.  funny how the old becomes new again.

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it’s also funny that i still look at the back of the camera after i push the shutter button!!!  even after 36 exposures, there was still no lcd screen!

peace -jodi

freezer foul…fowl, rather.

sunday morning’s bright sunshine instilled in me hope, a promise of beauty to come and the desire to clean out my freezers. yes, i said freezers - we have 3.   that’s good and that’s bad.  good because we can freeze the bounty of our garden and shop in bulk to save money.  bad because pretty soon you forget what’s inside.  at the bottom.  forgotten and waiting…

i discovered 8 packages of of various chicken parts weighing in at nearly 18 pounds.  

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i guess we’ll have some chicken this week.

peace - jodi

the friday friday…

newsworthy nodules of nothingness.  wait!?  can something be newsworthy and nothingness at the same time?  hmmm…  i say yes.  so let’s see what was in charge this week…

  1. 6 music- i don’t understand bbc radio, but as best i can tell this is one of several channels.  very alternative and very forward thinking.  therefore, it’s getting sacked, as the brits would say.  give it a listen before it goes away.
  2. golf - or lack thereof.  due to the craptastic weather in the south this winter, my ridiculously-good-looking husband and i will not be making our annual trek to south carolina for really bad golf.  bummed is a mild way to put it.  oh well, that gives me more golf balls to loose in ohio later this year!  
  3. dried apricots - my new food addiction.
  4. shorter days - according to some scientists, the recent earthquake in chile has caused the earth’s axis to shift resulting in a loss of 1.26 MILLIONTHS of a second.  how the heck do they know this?!  can i use this as an excuse when i’m running late?
  5. thom yorke for tony juniper of the green party  - he preformed a solo concert for his pal who is running for parliament.  during the show, he broke out some new songs.  3 to be exact.  this is my favorite of the group. it’s brilliant.  lyrics are here.

i hope your weekend isn’t haunted. back atcha monday!!

peace - jodi

recipe share.

this soup recipe is like the little black dress in your closet.  unless you are a guy.  then you don’t have a little black dress in your closet.  well, maybe you do, but we don’t have to know about that.   did i have a point here??  oh yeah.  the little black dress soup recipe!  you can dress it up in any way you want.  it’s my go-to soup recipe when my ridiculously-good-looking husband has bronchitis, or i don’t have much in the fridge, or i’m just to lazy to make something else.  usually it’s that last one.  i suppose i should call it the little black bean soup black dress recipe but that’s really confusing.  let’s just get on with it…

dig into your frig and see what kind of veggies you have:  onions, celery, carrots and some kind of pepper work  great but don’t fret if you are missing one or even two,  the recipe will work.

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you will also need some beans and a large can of diced/crushed tomatoes.

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first you chop

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chop

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chop

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and chop.

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really it doesnt’ matter how much you chop.  a little of everything will make a little soup.  in my house, i make nothing in little size.  i have teenage boys.  the food consumption in my home is like the laundry pile:  enormous.  heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy pot.

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then add your veggie mix.  season with salt and pepper.

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let the veggies saute for about 10 minutes or until they soften and start to smell good.  then add whatever spices make you sing:  cumin, cajun seasoning, marjoram, thyme, or pepper flakes.  it all about the flavors you want on any particular day.  saute this mxiture until you start to smell the spices, about 3 to 5 minutes.

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then add the can of tomatoes and a can of water.  you could substitute chicken or beef broth for the water, but i was being frugal and also wanted to keep this veggie as we had consumed strip steaks the night before.

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let the base simmer for about an hour or until it looks like this:

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then add the beans.  i don’t drain mine.  one, it’s quicker, and two, it’s quicker.  but feel free to drain them if you don’t like the bean liquid.  see how accommodating this recipe is??

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here’s the beautiful part, this soup is good just as is.  it’s flavorful, low-fat and spicy enough to cure your husband’s bronchitis.  but (and “every body’s got a big butt”.  name that movie!!), you can add lots o’stuff at this point:  corn, shredded chicken, sauteed sausage, kielbasa, ditalini, etc…  you can also change the kind of beans you use:  kidneys, cannellini, navy, etc…  you can add all kinds of different veggies to the original saute:  potatoes, sweet potatoes (”po-ta-toes. boil ‘em, mash ‘em, stick ‘em in a stew”  name that movie!!), cabbage, parsnips, etc…  the possibilities are endless.  then you can garnish the soup with avacado, cheese, sour cream, crackers, sliced radishes, etc…  let your taste buds be your guide.

black bean soup.  it’s the new black dress.

peace - jodi

some new things…

at the gallery!  i spent a bit of time at the gallery yesterday sprucing things up.  although i still need to hang a canvas grouping and get a couple more prints, it’s just about ready for the new season!!  here’s a quick peek:

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once everything is in it’s right place, i’ll be providing a more in-depth review!!  please give me a call, and i’ll give you the 23.6 second tour!!

peace -jodi

senior rewind!

it’s been a while since i did a rewind so i thought it would be good to go back and look at some green grass and a gorgeous senior!

erica!!  you may recognize erica from the cover of the senior experience booklet.  it is one of my favorite shots from last year.  erica is soo outgoing and soo not afraid to pose for the camera.  her willingness to “work it” resulted in some fabulous captures.  she was extremely relaxed and always ready to try something new.

i love the composition of this shot!!

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the colors are gorgeous - like erica!!

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two of my favs from the day. 

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the more you can forget about the camera and go with the flow, the more natural and genuine your images will be.  just ask erica!!

peace - jodi

the end is near.

the end of winter that is!  oh how i long for the first buds on the trees and the eruption of the daffodils.  as we wait for the vernal equinox, i thought it would be helpful to give you a quick update on what’s happening at picture this.

over the next couple of weeks i will be finalizing graduation cards and announcements. if you are a client from 2009 and have not received your letter regarding placing orders, please contact me immediately.  they are going fast!  i have a few tweaks left to make to the gallery and will be sharing them with you here on the blog.  scheduling for sessions is underway.  (a note:  i only have one spot left during spring break.)  and while i wait for warmer days and sunnier skies, i continue to design albums and collages for one-of-a kind ways to display your portraits.  and since no post is complete with out a photo, here is the lovely, lovely emily…

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happy march, everyone!!

the friday five…

uber-units of unctuousness.  what the heck did i just say?  i think it makes sense.  really, nothing makes sense anymore…it’s just one winter weather adivsory after a freakin’ other!!!  but no worries.  because…

  1. this is the last weekend of february!!!! - can i get a woo hoo??  spring is only 3 weeks away.  seeing as how i am a glass half-full kinda gal, this horrid winter has not only made me stronger but has given me an even greater love of march!  bye-bye, february!  don’t let the door hit ‘cha!!
  2. shooting seniors - so i can’t really complain too much, because in spite of the craptastic weather, i got to shoot, albeit quickly, two absolutely beautiful young women this week.  hi abby and emily!!  geez o’weez am i ready to get back behind the camera already.   thank you ladies for reminding me my why i. love. my. job. 
  3. post-processing - i have a confession:  i like to edit photographs.  not as much as i like taking them, but editing is pretty stinking cool, in my book.  as a photographer i believe that part of your style comes from the way you process an image.  two words: ansel adams.   anyway, i have been enjoying prepping abby and emily’s images for their galleries.  here are 2 processing before/after examples:untitled-1-copyuntitled-23
  4. 10 people you would like to meet - i found this post on another photographer’s blog, and it made for some thought provoking moments.  if you could meet and hang out with any 10 people (dead or alive), who would they be?  you can see my list on his site.  i would love to see yours.
  5. spinning plates - well of course thom made my list.  i actually contemplated just naming thom 10 times, but then i thought that would be kinda creepy.   “but i’m a creep, i’m a…”  never mind.  this is a politically charged song and leaves no question as to radiohead’s stance on war.  politics aside, i find the piano mesmerizing and bone chilling.  if you would like to read the lyrics you can find them here

 

 

i hope your weekend isn’t too bone chilling.  i’ll see you in MARRRRCH!!!

peace - jodi

what to wear??

i’ve been focusing so much this week on makeup that i thought it would be a good idea to switch gears and also think about what you should wear for your senior portraits.  what to wear is the most frequently asked question i get from my potential senior clients.  my answer is always this:  first, be true to yourself.  if you are a jeans and hoodie guy/gal, please make sure we get some images of you in…jeans and a hoodie!!  if you love fashion and love to try new styles and looks…let’s try some new styles and looks.  if you  love the 80’s (and really, who doesn’t love the 80’s??)…let’s go retro!!  but within being true to yourself, there are some guidelines for putting together killer outfits for your senior portriats.  my 2-go-2 rules are:  layers and color.  think bold color and multi-layered.  here are some outfits that ’splain what i mean…

outfit #1=great color, jeans and funky jewelry.  i know mom and dad (and grandparents especially) don’t want to see you in jeans.  (that’s totally cool.  bring a beautiful sweater or coat and tie and we will get great shots in those, too).  but jeans are timeless.  james dean, anyone??  they never go out of style and photograph beautifully.  a jean skirt is even better for you gals!!  pair jeans with bold tops, layer with scarves and clunky jewelry and you have 3 to 4 looks within one outfit.  do NOT forget about shoes.  match them to your outfit or go un-matchy to get them to stand out.

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outfit#2=frilly with down to earth.  this collection focuses on dresses but works equally well for guys if you pair a button down and tie with a jean jacket.  think opposite styles and you have an eclectic look that sooo sizzles.

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finally outfit #3=layers, jeans and chucks.  of course chucks.  like jeans, they never go out of style.  at least in my book they don’t.  the beauty of layers is that you get lots of different looks without having to make a whole wardrobe change!! 

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don’t think you have to spend a million to look like a million.  some of  these styles came from abercrombie, but also delia and kohl’s.  the idea is to think color, wow and you! 

peace - jodi