Head Shot!

So a week or so ago, I had a photo shoot with talented (and all-around great person) Taryn Hecker, out at her studio in Athol, Idaho. (Yes, that is a true name of a town.) It was a freebie, because I'd been a food judge at a blogger gathering months ago - bloggers with Huckleberries Online unite! - but I didn't want to take photos at the time because - well, I just felt blechy. Anemic, and just a blob. But over the past few months, and all my working out and everything...

Well. It came time to cash in on my prize.

Her website, btw, is www.pricelessnotpricey.com.

This was such an interesting process. The only time I've done a photo shoot was back when I lived in Japan, and an amateur photographer friend of mine from Chile wanted to take a bunch of pictures, so we went to the local zoo and took some. I was about 23 at the time. So young! They did turn out well, and people said I should do some modeling (easy job to get in Japan, with my blonde hair) but I moved on and back to the States, but kept the photos. Every so often I look at them and think my gosh, was I ever that young?

So fast forward to Taryn's studio. I was a little nervous, but she put me completely at ease. She was such a good sport about all the outfits I had brought! She changed backdrops twice because she thought the black backdrop would look better with one of my outfits... then recommended that we head outside for some photos in the park. So, just amazing. And then - two hours later! - she explained how she would go through the photos and make adjustments, and then put them on line for me AND send me a disk, and I said "Oh my gosh, Taryn, I'm going to pay you for this." Really. She was just too good to not pay. And so professional. She never once flinched from treating me like a paying client. I'm impressed.

Okay. So here are some of the photos. Also, I'm going to try (emphasis on "try") to set up a slideshow off to the right at some point, which will also have a link to her business. In case anyone's looking for a great photographer.

Did I mention her website was www.pricelessnotpricey.com?

These are some of Taryn's favorites - and she's the expert, so I'm going with what she said - oh, she gave me all photos in both color and black and white. Here are two of her favorites in color:




















And here are two of her favorites in black and white:




















And then here are two of my favorites (one color, one not):





















And then here are two that I get a lot of compliments on:




















So. There it is. My photo shoot. I think it turned out pretty well. Thanks, Taryn!