Bindi....my favourite girl ♥♥♥

My first ever model shoot. Discovering I have a lot to learn!

This was an entirely new experience for me. After nearly four years of stranger photography, I was surprised to realize that I have never captured a stranger portrait during a social event to which I’ve been invited. I suppose the main reason is that I usually leave my camera at home. I prefer to be free to enjoy social gatherings without the burden of tending my gear. However, for this event I thought it might be prudent to bring my camera along ‘just in case’. A coworker (of Indian descent) invited me to a celebration of his daughter’s graduation from med school. Although I was not sure what to expect, I suspected that this might be a traditional Indian gathering. It was. I have never had much direct exposure to Indian culture, but I am a person who loves to experience the new and unfamiliar.

Once I arrived I saw that the event was rich with potential stranger candidates. I was particularly attracted to the women because of their beautiful and colorful saris and jewelry. However, I suddenly found myself very hesitant and nervous about requesting a portrait. Recalling past comments I’ve read within the 100 Strangers Group forums, I thought it might be considered a cultural faux pas to make such a portrait request to an Indian woman. Adding to my angst was that the party was being held in a windowless back room in which the lighting was awful. I could only find one source of natural light in the entire place, and that was a through a small window in an exit door located at the end of a long narrow hallway away from the main party room. My challenge was to convince any potential model to accompany me to this remote spot. So I sat there essentially frozen in place thinking that my chances for getting a portrait might be waning.

Then I saw Ripa. I knew her eyes alone would make for a tremendous portrait, but her entire look was all I could have wished for. She was the shining star in the room, and for me she was an absolute ‘must have’ stranger model. My desire to get the shot now exceeded any apprehensions that might have previously been holding me back. That said, approaching her still involved one major daunting obstacle…she was continually holding her youngest child in her arms. I certainly wasn’t about to ask a young mother to drop off and leave her child, so I resigned myself to waiting and hoping for the right opportunity to present itself. In the mean time I focused on enjoying the food and the company that the festivities offered…occasionally making a quick scan of the room hoping to get lucky. After several ‘no-gos’, I finally noticed her standing by herself. Even more amazing, she was stationed right at the front of the hallway that led to my predetermined portrait location. I sensed this opportunity was going to be extremely fleeting, so I immediately rushed across the room to introduce myself.

Ripa was entirely enchanting, and she agreed to pose for me only if I would share the picture with her (my pleasure). She was also empathetic about my request to head to the other end of the hallway to get better light (she had recently experienced lighting challenges when trying to photograph her own children). Once we got to our spot, I instantly saw that the light on her face was exquisite. I would have liked to include more of her sari in the picture, but space was limited. The first couple of shots Ripa offered me a lovely smile. I felt fortunate to have captured these images, but I wanted more. I suggested the two of us take a deep relaxation breath together, and then I asked her to give me a straight face look. Bingo.

The funniest thing about this experience is that I always figured photographing a stranger at a social event would be relatively easy compared to stopping someone on the street. As it turned out, the circumstances of this event resulted in me feeling more anxiety than any street portrait I’ve done in quite some time. However, the one commonality between this shot and every other stranger portrait is that the doubts and nervousness I feel leading up to the encounter are far outweighed by the satisfaction realized by the finished result.

Check out the rest of the stranger street portraits in my project at Paco's 100 Strangers Project and find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page.

Now I can get back to work.....and you can just see the knitting I need to sew up on the far left!

I think I am going to get projects finished this week!

White is the ash which is called as vibhoothi

Yellow is sandal that is to denote strength

Red is kumkum where girls keep in the top of the head denote that they are married

It is so dark and damp and grey and wet here today that I have to use the flash, even though I am standing at the door!

But I just had to post a photo of Bindi, If you squint you might be able to see the outline of the apple tree behind her. :)

She is wearing a knitted jacket by Lynn.

if you want one for yourself, go to www.hennalounge.com/bazaar.html and click on "sparkly things". :)

Me like an indian gurl u.u

#livemusic

#music #studio

to the Moon and back!"

Coming soon to Thimble (Aug 20th)!

I'm a big fan of pastels and outer space so this dress is 100% my aesthetic! This dress is perfect to wear with your mommy, older sister, and/or little sister! Stay tuned for the adult "I love you" dress coming to a blog post soon!

Thanks so much to TRU for sponsoring me and this post! I'm honored to be a TRU blogger!

- Event -

Thimble-a kid's event

(Aug 20th-September 5th)

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Woodland%20Hills/128/126/35

- Featured Outfit -

★ TRU- "To the moon" dress (Luna)

&

★ TRU- "And back" dress (Stella)

Fits Toddleedoo fitted, Bad Seed Bebe fitted, and Tweenster (flat and chest option for tweenster)

TRU Clothing and poses

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Angels%20Land/25/87/3001

- Body (Stella & Luna)-

★ Shape: Babyfaces Kianna (Modified)

★ Body: ToddleeDoo - Baby (v.4.1.0 FITTED)

★ Skin: Babyfaces- Simone 400

★ Head: TD Alice (v.1.0.9)

★ Facial Expression: *TD* Bento Mesh Head #Alice - Animation HUD (v.1.0.5)

- Additional Items -

★ Shoes: .:BABYLUSH:. "Hannah" Fitted Sandals White

marketplace.secondlife.com/p/BABYLUSH-Hannah-Fitted-Sanda...

★ Nails:

Stella - [IK01] ToddleeDoo Nails Applier Pastels Matte (purple)

marketplace.secondlife.com/p/IK01-ToddleeDoo-Nails-Applie...

Luna - CrazyNails HUD (ToddleeDoo)

★ Stickers: Izzie's - Face Stickers (Stars)

marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Izzies-Face-Stickers-TD-Omeg...

★ Moon Bindi: {Sakura} Moon Bindi

marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sakura-Moon-Bindi-BOX/11600209

★ Hair:

Luna- Sintiklia- Delu

Stella- Sintiklia- Deka

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sintiklia/127/46/22

★ (Stella) Hair base: BABY Faces. - Hairbase 03 (Black)

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Stormy%20End/48/64/1998

- Photography -

★ Environment: Fairy Blue Paulina

★ Pose: Marisol - my best twin

marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Marisol-my-best-twin/17104279

★ Cloud: * AR * - Cloud Cushion (1K+1G)

marketplace.secondlife.com/p/AR-Family-Room-Heavenly-Care...

★ Stars: {ENT} Moon and Stars

marketplace.secondlife.com/p/ENT-Moon-and-Stars/15856402

★ Lights: FOXCITY. Projector Lights (VIP Gift 3-19)-

FOXCITY. VIP Basic Projector

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/FOXCITY/180/69/21

- Me -

★ Second Life: my.secondlife.com/amandalynne

★ Flickr: www.flickr.com/people/182834663@N06/

★ Facebook: www.facebook.com/stella.solei.79

#overyou #complicated #itunes #soundcloud

Kinky Monthly Event - May 25th 2016

I love these. I woudn't ever want to pierce my bellybutton, but I love decorating it.

www.hennalounge.com/bazaar.html and click on "sparkly things" if you want some!

My first ever model shoot. Discovering I have a lot to learn!

Bindi: "I'm not sure how to 'cast off' this French knitting."

(Re-cycling day - from a much warmer time of year!)

My first ever model shoot. Discovering I have a lot to learn!

The Mamiya is roughly the same size as the beagle.

Mamiya RB67

Mamiya 65mm f/4

Kodak Tri-X 400

Trying a new lens today. Bindi is wearing a gorgeous little dress from Rosi.

Trying a little something new

My first ever model shoot. Discovering I have a lot to learn!

@thisisbindi

I will mention the "elephant in the room".

In real life Bindi's nose and body are now so yellowed that I don't like to share photos of her.

I really dislike this resin colour change that has happened to her.

But it doesn't mean I don't like Bindi anymore, it just means I won't be sharing many photos of her in the future.

Bindi is still my companion doll and she is still the doll that sits beside me. She is just growing old with me. I have wrinkles. a wider waist and age spots and she is turning yellow *sigh*

Such is life

*******

And yes......autumn is in the air here and we are wearing knitwear again in the morning and evening.

My first ever model shoot. Discovering I have a lot to learn!

#music #studio

// Katmandú :: Nepal //

_*_

#singer #songwriter

Bindi manages to look great in the wind......and it was windy on the beach here.

These photos were taken at Dinas Dinlle beach in North Wales.

Sometimes it's good to have impossibly tiny fingers. Made another set of eyelashes today.

Bindi loves to chase the ball in the garden and bring it back.