Dog Days of Summer!

If you know me, you know my love for dogs. Our rescue, Giselle, is pretty much our child. (I promise we don't push her in a stroller.) So, whenever I am with a family or on a job and there is a dog nearby, I cannot resist taking a moment to capture the canine members of the family.

Stay tuned for new Pet Portrait Packages. Meanwhile, take a glance at some of the new friends I've made.....

And, of course, Giselle......

Going Gluten-Free with Alta Mantsch

I was introduced to Alta last year when we both participated in the Fall Gift Market at Jacob's Reward Farm. I was first drawn to her blog by her food photography - she does a pretty great job! I don't have gluten-free needs, personally, and let's face it - I'm not much of a cook. Her blog Tasty Eats at Home, however, continues to captivate my interest and inspires me to try new foods. (This is saying a lot, you have no idea....)

She invited me into her kitchen, where I got to photograph her family dinner preparation, and pick her brain about the birth of a food blog. Read it in her own words, below. -JJP

AM: I have been blogging since July 2008. I decided I wanted to start keeping track of all of my recipes, and share them with family and friends, so I started my own blog! Little did I know what it would become. In June 2009, I went gluten-free because of some worsening health issues, and that's when I really started to gain a niche for my blog and my writing. I knew there were people out there that struggled with how to start a gluten-free diet, what to eat, how to cook, etc. and I wanted to share my experiences, cooking and recipes, and let people know that having to eat gluten-free doesn't mean living a life of deprivation. In fact, quite the opposite. Since I went gluten-free (and later on, dairy-free), my world has been opened to so many more culinary options than I ever thought possible.

fresh yellow zucchini dressing

JJP: How has your blog changed the way you approach cooking and eating?
AM: Immensely! It's funny how you tend to go the extra mile in the kitchen, even when you might not feel like it, because it's "for the blog". It's a living thing, it seems. It must be fed! But beyond that, I started to really challenge myself to try new cuisines, techniques, and recipes as I started to connect with other bloggers. My eyes were opened to a whole world of possibility, and I wanted to experience as much as I could. If I pulled off something pretty spectacular, I was eager to share! This intensified when I went gluten-free. I was determined to satisfy those cravings for certain long-lost food favorites - pizza, rolls, bread, cake, etc. without sacrificing taste.

The first time I successfully baked something gluten-free from scratch, I felt like I was in that scene in the movie Cast Away - where Tom Hanks screams "I have made fire!" (only mine was "I have made banana bread!") It's kind of a crazy high, if that makes sense.

JJP: What has been the most challenging part of living gluten-free?
AM: Most of the time, living gluten-free is easy for me. Most everything we eat is naturally gluten-free - lots of fresh vegetables, meats, eggs, nuts, rice, potatoes, etc. I don't like to eat a lot of processed foods - gluten-free or otherwise. They're full of preservatives, refined sugars, refined starches - things your body doesn't need. And processed gluten-free food is really expensive. So I opt to go the easy route and eat naturally gluten-free, healthy foods. The difficult part comes when I try to eat out at restaurants. I have a handful of restaurants that I trust, but even then, I have to explain my food restrictions and stress the importance of ensuring my meal is safe.



JJP: How has your blog connected you with others?
AM:My blog has connected me with a whole community! There are a lot of food bloggers out there, and you might be surprised, but there are also a LOT of gluten-free food bloggers! It's an incredible support system to say the least. These connections are key to what keeps my blog going. Of course, connecting with others has it's tangible perks too - I've talked with others enough to get the "guts" to start my own book (coming soon), and as a result of my blogging, I am speaking at the upcoming Gluten-Free Expo here in Dallas in October. But truly, it's the personal relationships/connections that I've made that are the golden nuggets and what makes blogging so fulfilling.

I couldn't agree more! It was wonderful getting to connect with a local food blogger. Many thanks to Alta Mantsch! Know someone in the Dallas area who should be featured in the PhotoBlog Spotlight? Drop me a line!

Need photographs for your own blog, website or business? I can help! -JJP

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Dinner:
Garden salad with mixed baby greens, carrots, radishes, orange bell pepper, tomatoes, and cucumbers, topped with a fresh yellow zucchini dressing (zucchini, tomato, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and cumin, blended until smooth) and roasted turkey breast. With a sprinkling of hemp seeds. The radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini were all local finds at the Chestnut Square Farmer's Market in McKinney.

Dessert:
Fudgy chocolate brownies with a peanut butter swirl

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Getting Portrait-Ready with Melody Jurick!

Have you ever had a portrait taken only to get them back and see that you had a super shiny face? Or that your eyes look tiny? Most people don't realize that what you see in the mirror is not the same as what the camera sees. I enlisted an expert to get some advice on polishing up your portrait-ready look.

Melody Jurick is an independent consultant with Arbonne International. I love love love their products and have been using their cosmetics and skincare line.

Melody believes the most common mistake made when applying make-up for portraits comes down to eye colors. "People only use one or two colors of eye shadows. For best results, you want to create shading of colors. The rule is four colors."

My sister, Traci, agreed to be our model for the day. Thanks, Traci!

She has two items that she wouldn't do without when getting ready for her close-up. "The first is the Fabulous 10 Precision Brush Set for your tools. The second is the greatest product - Mattifying Powder. Translucent oil-absorbing powder that takes away unwanted shine while reducing the appearance of redness. For a perfect, matte finish, dust on lightly over or under moisturizer or make-up. This is great for both men and women."


Everyone wants to look their best in a portrait, but don't realize just how much you can do with make-up. Melody says that "you need to create dimension and contrast by using bronzer, cream concealer, and brow color is the icing on the cake." Take some time to play with color and learn how to use your brushes. If you are booking an important portrait session, like bridal portraits or senior portraits - enlist in the help of a professional like Melody. They can show you how to let the camera capture you at your best!

Many thanks to Melody Jurick for sharing her brilliant ideas and masterful techniques with us. I highly recommend both Melody and Arbonne!

Plant the Town Pink!

Saturday, June 4, 2011 was the North Haven Gardens Plant the Town Pink event. There was food, wine, music, shopping, and raffle prizes all in the name of raising money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. I was there selling matted prints, including floral studies photographed at North Haven Gardens. Everyone had a great time despite the heat, and I met a lot of really wonderful new people. Thanks to my friends that stopped by to say hello and for supporting a great cause! Thanks also to my friend Virginia, the talent behind Mostly Cupcakes, for participating in this event with me!

Click here to view a small sample of the prints I had for sale that night. Please "Like" my page while you are there and stay updated on future events and news.

Check out photos from the event below...