Out of Office-Austin Trip Announced

Hello all! This is just a quick update to let you know I will be out of the office for the next week, I'm heading to Georgia to work with some of my wonderful Georgia clients. I'll be back in the office on Monday, March 30th.

Also, I will be shooting in Austin, TX the weekend of April 25th so if you are in Austin and would like to book a session just send me an e-mail to avery@photographybyavery.com and we'll set something up! I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend and I'll share some photo's from Georgia when I return!

What's in a name?

My family sort of has this thing about nicknames. It's like we can't bear to call someone by their actual name. My brother Josh is the only one who seems to have escaped without a silly nickname, I'm still not sure how he managed that one, but his children are definitely not immune. This little cutie pie is his daughter, my niece, Ella. Ella has many names that people call her, none of which are Ella. I call her Monkey (and about 1 out of every 5 times I call her that she will actually make a monkey sound for me). My brother and his wife call her "weedil" (pronounced weed-ul... long story). My dar-dar (she's my grandmother, another long story) calls her "Etta", and my parents call her "Etta Chop". I feel her pain though, to this day I'm still called "Babbot" "Mippy" and "Abbot". Don't ask.... I really don't quite know why. Anyway I was so lucky to have this little monkey all to myself for about 4 days. She came to stay with me last week and we did all sorts of fun aunt/niece stuff, and of course I bought her some new clothes and we had our own little model shoot! She's a natural. :) I just love her so much my heart could seriously burst. Oh she told me a good joke.... what do you call a snail on a ship? .........A snailer!! (when she would tell the joke she would then say "get it?!?!? get it?!?!") I miss her already. :)

Oh I have to explain about the dog... that is Gilver. She named him that, and she carries him with her everywhere. They are pretty much inseparable. So I figured, Gilver can be in the pictures, why not?? Besides I want to always remember her at this age, and if Gilver is important to my monkey...well then Gilver is important to me. :)

Is that regret I see in your eyes?

I thought Gordy conquered his addiction, I really did. I boasted to all my friends and family that he had not eaten anything of mine since my black leather Vera Wang purse (shudder). See, Gordy had.... ok I guess he's back on the wagon so HAS a problem. He likes to eat things that he should not eat, and he has this uncanny ability to know what particular items would really get to me. It's like he's testing me to see if I will kick him out to wander the street alone. He has eaten several purses, five, count them FIVE pairs of gap leather flats (I loved them, I bought them in every color...he ate them in every color) two bibles (awful... I know, I've told him he needs to reconcile that one with God), a couple pairs of sandals, a couple of towels, a watch, and well the list really goes on and on...but he was CLEAN, he was off the junk! And then I returned from one of my trips to find that Gordy had done something he had never done before.... eaten a Government issued document, my passport. What in the world would possess a dog to eat a passport??? There is no sense in it! I think he really was mad about me leaving to he is trying to keep me from doing it again. Well I'm going to China in May, so now I'm in a frenzy to get a new one. Here is a photo the culprit, I'm keeping this in case I decide to press charges... for evidence you know. If you could see his eyes I can promise you that you would not see regret there... he doesn't care even a little bit. In fact he looks a little smug doesn't he? Like "what? you got somethin to say?!" He's probably downstairs right now plotting how to eat the leather sofa...

muse

I've never really thought about the notion of having a "muse" but I suppose in a way every person I photograph becomes my muse, I am inspired by their smile, the way they lower their chin when they are feeling shy, the way they throw their head back when they laugh, the shape of their face, I just see all of these small things in people that make them special and those little things inspire me.

Now, if I was forced to choose a muse, just one, well Ben here would be at the top of that list for sure. The camera truly loves him, well that's an understatement actually, the camera is like crazy head over heels for him or something. Ben is an artist...in many ways... he sings (his first love, and he has an incredible voice), he writes inspiring songs, he plays the guitar, he paints (beautiful beautiful pieces) oh and he can dance better than anyone I've probably ever met. Honestly, if he wasn't so nice I would probably hate him just a little. :)

But that's the best thing about him, he's truly a kind person, shooting him felt less like work and more like hanging out with an old friend. We did some sight seeing, ate some coney dogs, and even sat in the car discussing if we should pull a little B&E at an abandoned building so we could explore it. (B&E is Breaking and Entering for those of you who don't watch cops:) But don't worry, we decided against breaking the law....this time. :)