SNEAK PEEK of my 1st Engagement Shoot!

I now pronounce you.... Mr. & Mrs. Huckleberry!

Okay... not yet! But here is the celebration pics of their engagement! Are you ready for the mega cuteness that will come when you scroll down? Well, are you!?! :)

I was so happy to be a part of this beautiful engagement session yesterday. It was a perfect day for a photo shoot and this couple certainly brought their A-Game in the LOVE department. I thought I'd tease you with an Official Sneak PEEK!

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SCROLL to the BOTTOM

And another goodie...

Stay tuned for more!!!

And as always, leave some love! - Shannon

Boom, BAM, Shabang! Firework time!

So here comes the moment where I slap my hand and internally berate myself for my lack of attention to this blog page. For all my excuses, only half of them seem to be valid. For those that are not I take full responsibility for them! :)

Don't worry I love writing though so I don't think this blog should be an exception now...

Tonight I got the privilege of hanging out with the lovely Miss Natalie, whom I have previously mentioned in other blogs. Tonight I was able to take pics of her since she will be graduating this coming Friday from Paul Mitchell Beauty School. Go girl!

-- Pics to come very soon! --

After our photo shoot the sun was at the end of its setting and she told me of a church nearby that was putting off fireworks so we quickly hopped in her car and scooted our way to the event. Just in time we arrived and no more than 5 minutes later they began shooting off fireworks. (I assure you our timing was completely not our own doing but it worked out lovely!)

Here are some shots of the display... Something about fireworks makes me smile like a kid and my heart prances around in the frame of my chest to remind me that little girl still lives inside!

I'll be posting more from this night later so make sure to check out my Facebook for more pictures from tonight!!  

Be safe this 4th of July and remember to stand for what's right even when the world can be an ugly place-- that, my friends, is what patriotism is about and that's what makes a good citizen!

Don't forget to subscribe to this blog so you get updates as they come and "LIKE" my page on Facebook! :)
<3 Shannon

The Power of ONE

A lot has changed but my passion is the same. Looking back it has been a minute since I've sat down to really write. Life is busy, busy sometimes and we do so much "living" that we forget to stop and reflect. So now is that time! So... changes, you ask? Since I know that my current list of followers is longer than Santa's (hehe). Eventuallllly!

Anyways, I have an awesome business partner for a possible upcoming adventure. I can't give too many clues yet but let's just say that a great phrase for this upcoming opportunity would be "Shake & Snap." More on that to come... but that is, of course, to keep my fans always guessing! LOL

I'm really excited for the new chapters that are to coming and the awesome opportunities to market Psotta Photography. Speaking of which, recently I was sitting outside at the patio at Panera Bread doing some much needed business planning and I saw a group of about 4 teenagers sitting on the bench nearby chatting and goofing off as teenagers do-- heck, who am I kidding, I'm practically still like that!? So naturally I asked them where most people get their senior pics done. In overall agreement, they replied with a local well-known photography company in the area. This particular company, and for purposes of me possibly getting sued we'll call them ABC Photo, I have personally researched and have found that their prices are completely outrageous and the general population would not necessarily want and/or be able to pay for it... and to make it worse, I honestly feel people are paying for the name of "ABC Photo" and not quality because most of their photos were cookie-cuttered and very posed. So knowing this already because of my research, I asked them why they do you think people go there. Their response this time wasn't so predictable... in fact, one I realllllllly never thought of!!

Are you ready? No really.... are you????
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 "Because we don't know of any other place to go."


Which led me to 2 different internal reactions:
1.) OMG, REALLY!? THAT'S ALL IT WILL TAKE IS EXPOSURE???
2.) I'M GOING TO CHANGE THAT ASAP!


So... from there I have begun an adventure with small beginnings but the possibility of a huge yield. I am embracing opportunities to network through random small talk with ANYone in public places. Yes, I am only one person, so what the heck could I possibly do by sharing my business card with one person. Well, I think there is power in ONE. What is it that tells us internally that ONE isn't good enough to make changes-- whether it's business changes, personal changes, or changes in the world around us?

Believe it or not, my business is NOT all about ME! :) Jesus is to be glorified through it all... Truth is, maybe I could get people the type of photography they WANT that displays who they truly are and not some cheesy pose that the senior before and the senior after will be doing AND do it a price where seniors are not told by their parents that they either pick one of these: 1. to get a yearbook, 2. to get a class ring, or 3. to get their senior pictures taken. Okay, maybe you're the fortunately family who didn't HAVE to make that hard choice but why put people in that corner? I'm not saying that people shouldn't have to pay for a GOOD photographer either. But they deserve to get the pics they pay for and if ABC Photo is mass producing cheesy poses, then maybe my exposure is just want this town needs!!!!! I'm on a tangent now but... hey, it's been awhile and you deserve more than the usual blog, right? I think... and that's the point of this blog! People deserve more...

Love you my amigas(gos), Shannon xoxo

Fashion, Fun, & Fabulosity (yes, it's a word!!)

WOW-o-wow! Ouchie wa wa! Tonight was one HOT photoshoot!!! Talk about dripping with hotness... my camera ate these girls up! ;)

My friend, Natalie Vaughn, is currently attending Paul Mitchell's Beauty School and she is entering the Pro Beauty's NAHA (National American Hairstyling Awards) so I was one of her models and the photographer for her other two models.

It was a blast! On my way to Natalie's friend's house I snapped this...

I loveth this. Rustic beauty.

Anyways, on to the REAL & AUTHENTIC beauties... 

Hope you enjoy the artistry in this wonderful hair styling and makeup.

The lovely, Miss Shalynn and her wonderfully perfected "Smolder."

And the beautiful Faith, with her subtle sweetness!

Here are some in artsy renditions :)

This screams, HOT! :) So I'm pretty sure me and Natalie will be partnering with each other to do something fantastic so I'm pretty sure you should be on the LOOK OUT!

I'll give you a few hints to tantalize your mind:

• Pretty hairs
• Pretty faces
• Pretty pics
• Pretty YOU
• Pretty soon!

<3 ya'll,

Shannon

Oh, and here was one of my pics of the night...

Surely a sight to see...

WARNING: The following pictures you are about to see cannot hardly encompass the beauty my eyes feasted on tonight, but let it serve at least as a substitute version.



Let me back up a little bit by explaining that tonight I went to the Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis, IN for Indiana Bible College's choir concert. It was mind-blowingly amazing! The musical gifting these beautiful people have are off the chart astonishing!! The worship was genuine, passionate and LOVE practically oozed from the stage!

This was their info booklet about the school...

I could truly revel in enamoring you with delicious adjectives to describe the beauty of tonight but I think sometimes pictures do more justice than words can try paint.

So, without further ado and with utmost anticipation... enjoy!

This is my friend, Erin Yancy, who invited me to come and her singing was easily in the "jaw-drop" category of music ecstasy. LOL! She played guitar and her and the choir even sang one of her songs. My gosh, it was phenomenal...

Okay, so I have to say a little word on this pic... I love it! I love how the end of the guitar poked through as a shadow from the spotlight. Whoot!!

And last but not least, a candid pic of me and Erin, taken by Erin's friend. :) Love this girl!!!

Peacockeries & Other Shenanigans

This really cool thing happened to me while I went on a photography adventure today...

See me, yup, that's me! ;)

This season for me has been where I am utterly in love with peacocks... don't ask why, I couldn't tell you! <3 But I started taking pictures in this neighborhood today because it was perfectly angled near a hill and right where the sun was setting and as I turned around to leave and saw the development had this sign...

Which to you may not have any meaning but for me it just gave me one of the precious moment of reassurance that I am right where I need to be in this space in time.

So I hopped back into the car and started driving down country roads. I didn't know where I would end up but all I knew was that the sun was setting and I wanted to capture her in her raw and sheer beauty.

I'll be happy to be the first to announce that, as usual, she didn't disappoint... living, loving, glowing in her setting.

 

I love nature. It's the best art form existing today. Something about this tree too! Barren, isolated, in the cold but still the sun shines on it like all the rest. My Father loves you no matter how cold you may have become at the ways of life. What a glorious reminder on display.

Funny alert: While I was walking, I got asked twice by passing cars if I was okay or if I needed a ride. I think it was funny. I guess I would have stopped too. I went to a bridge for a pic of a river but there was no place to park there so I had to walk. I'm sure I looked like a crazy girl! Haha

Here is how far away I was from my car! Oh, to give you a hint, see that black speck to the right of the telephone phone. Yup, that's it! haha

Also, this pic was from a couple days ago and I want you to know that I froze my buttocks off. ;) My hair even froze in the 4 minutes or so that I was outside. Tisk, tisk to me for even going out in winter with wet hair!! This is my first pic on the self-timer that I "discovered" (sad, but true) on my camera. Let me know what you think... Also, I am loving this collage art.

xoxo,

Me

Through Rose-Colored Lenses

So tonight I was wondering... what is it about down town (anywhere) that I love so much? I'll have to say I'm not quite the shopping fashionista diva-like girl who you'll find with five different bags in her hand, one featuring shirtless men from Americrombie & Fitch. Sooo not me AT ALL. I'm more the thrifty, Goodwill girl who literally thrives off asking the question, "How much do you think I got this for?!"

So I've been editing some more of the pictures from Sunday's adventure in downtown Indy and it just excites me. I love the playfulness and creativity downtown life offers the world. It doesn't even have to be live entertainment. It is just something you feel in the air. Like the place where people go to let their hair down and seize the moment. The activity. The hustle and bustle. Oh, and gosh it's so fun to people watch. (Guilty.)

I love the arts and even though some may be quick to assume that this is not art but rather vandalization, I view it as an ever-evolving canvas for creativity to take place. And I'm pretty sure some of the communities I've seen this type of "art" in welcome the evolution! Am I implying, by any means, that you go ruckusing  through your garage to find an old spray can so you can shake, shake, shake, and go "buck wild" with? Well, no! But I think you get what story I'm trying to paint for you. <pun intended>

Let me show you what I mean... Here is the corridor where these first two pictures where taken. Love the urban-ness. Oh, and wave hello to Natalie, all.

Which leads me to another thought... Maybe "vandalization" is just a rebellious art form in a community where it may not have been embraced much to begin with! With that in mind, I am still not PRO-breaking the law. I do love it's sporadic spirit about it though. Okay, so you may think the picture above is ugly. It may not be something YOU would put in your home, or anywhere else for that matter, but maybe THAT'S the point. It's not the norm. Either way, my camera didn't seem to mind capturing it and neither did I! To me, each artist/person left their mark. It's their "I was here, once." And even if their name doesn't appear on the wall as it would on a canvas, I think it is really pretty neat.

Another reason why I love downtown is for its sparkle. Something about it pizazzes to me! I love going at night where there are pretty lights. It provokes stillness and serenity at times and others it screams LIVELINESS. I love LIGHTS. :)

This pic was taken by my friend Natalie but pretty much shows what I mean... This one is so alive and certainly patriotic.

This next one was taken by me of The Canal. And to me this one is so soft and quiet, reflective.

To end it all, I think the moral of the story is that beauty really IS in the eye of the beholder. What you think is weird, ugly, etc can always have its own beauty just waiting to be captured from eyes who think it's beautiful.

From one who wants to see the world with more beauty daily,

Shannon <3

A journey begins with just one step.... so I'm LEAPing

Hello loves! So I thunk and I thunk and I thunk some more about blogging and then thought, 'What am I waiting for? I love to write and I love photography so what's stopping me.' Call it the over-analytical person in me that wants to post on FB to see how many people think I should blog before I take the dive. Well, look at me with my big girl pants on making life decisions without the use of social media resources! *insert applause here* ;)

Okay, so I am not 100% sure where this blog's journey will wander but I'm asking you if you'll wander with me? I will be posting perspectives through my lens and I'm hoping that this will be a beautiful reminder to me that I'm not a photographer just because I want to have a business and make beaucoup bucks... I'm a photographer because there is some sort of artistic itch I have that screams, "SCRATCH ME, dangit!" So I'm <ahem> scratching, if you will... if I become famous all glory to Him, but in the meanwhile I pray that, if anything, it inspires you to live life beyond the mediocre, sensible, fruitless and encourages you to step (or leap) into the zany, passionate, wild & crazy loveliness that life CAN be!

More where that came from... in the mean time let me show you what I've been up to, dolls & gents (if you be)!

*For all you crazy kids, this is moi taking a picture of moi. Isn't that vain? haha*

I got my beautiful Canon camera a couple months ago and, if I may use some non-English language, I'm GaGa over it. If I see it, it must be photographed. I'm pretty sure they should have addiction classes for that. I wouldn't go, but they should have them. Just sayin'. :)

So last night my friend, Natalie, and I went down town to do some adventurous galavanting. I would say we were a success: a random photoshoot developed and I'm oh-so-gloriously excited about that, maybe even a hint of proud! Btw: if you see me use smiley faces, that's just one thing you may have to get used to in my blogging. I'd apologize for my e-happiness but that is silly; would you apologize? I think NOT.

Okay, to start we went to Fountain Square in Indy, which my camera LOVED eating up. Here's why:

Random Pink Roosters

 

Shabby Chic Artsy Shops

People who unintentionally dress the same.... 

this I found utterly hilarious! Oh and this is where we ate too,  at the Red Lion Grog House. Sorry it was blurry, it was a drive-by shooting... (Take that for what it's worth!) ;)

Also, FYI we tried the Scotch Eggs for an appetizer which is a hard-boiled egg surrounded by seasoned sausage deep-fried in a light breaded served with a chili aioli sauce. Not my thing, if I may say so.

And finally... Urbanesque-ness

*new word* stuff like this!

So off we went on our photography, fun-filled adventure... 

This was at the start of our night. Love the sparkle in her eyes! And the signage in the background couldn't be more accurate...

 

Silly silly girls with our self-photo shoots. Now off to the more model-y-ish stuff! POW SHABAM!

And last but not least, one of the finer and last shots of the night.... I caught this eerie moon shot last night and thought it was too cool to not post. Somethings in nature you can't plan or expect, you just have to be camera ready for it. (Thank goodness, camera ready I was!)

*Downtown Indy on 1/8/12*

Tata for now,

Shannon