It’s so funny. The thing you resist becomes the thing you most wanted. When I was asked to be the photographer at Vintage Day I didn’t want to do it because I didn’t want to be the event photographer. My strength and gift lies in the creating and crafting, rather than the tricks and challenges of event work. Hats off to those who do events successfully. When I spoke to Willow, the event planner, she assured me I could fit the role as photographer any way I wished. She just needed to say that there was a photographer on site. This changed everything for me.

Another funny thing. As in, hmmm…funny. When I began my personal projects with the Storybook line I did it because I had a passion to create and that was the channel I chose. In creating those portraits with the Vintage feel, my marketing friend, Karen, put two and two together and suggested we look for clients where they lived. In this case a vintage event.

When you are on your path magical things happen right before your eyes unfolding like a map before you. Everything is easy and fun and delightful. This is what happened at Vintage Day. Karen and I reserved the suite thinking I might do portraits in the room, but even better was the Photographer’s Reception where I was able to chat with my new friends, share stories and ideas and receive advice and support. It was a beautiful building of friendships and collaboration. Two of my favorite things in life! Rather than doing portraits on site, we had fun concepting ideas with our new friends for their portraits when we returned home. I feel such gratitude for the warmth and kindness of the new friends we made.

So why Vintage?

When we were having our party I was telling stories about my personal projects and realized that some of my vintage samples went back a long way. Even ten years or more. I scanned my life and realized my wedding ring is vintage, my home is from the 50’s but I’m working to make it look like an older era. My grandparents both lived in old houses that I loved to explore and get nostalgic over. I even offer a product called Art Prints that are reminiscent of the sepia paper prints our parents had (or we had) as children. It should really come as no surprise to me that I would want to create and photograph in a Vintage style but the puzzle pieces I was so familiar with had never been joined together with my love of creative photography.

So why Vintage?

It’s the story. Every image I showed at the party had an amazing story attached to it. When a photograph has a story it becomes imbedded with meaning and emotion. It becomes way more than a photograph, a piece of paper. It is a memory maker. Many memories are forgotten until prompted with a photograph. Even better is when the portrait is taken with the story in mind.

Lucky me, Ginger Pauley was in town headlining the show with the Hoosier Daddys for Vintage Day and she agreed to go along with my requests. Like “will you sit on the bar?” and “now will you lay down (on the bar underneath the glasses)?” 🙂 As Ginger said afterwards “I just know I’m going to be glad I did this!” Well at 11pm after a long day and an amazing performance, Ginger was the ultimate good sport professional!

Why vintage? This is why. This was an amazing experience, creative, unique, collaborative and really fun. I had too much adrenaline to go to sleep afterwards. I’d say that’s a good sign on my path.

Many many thanks to Karen Frank, marketing guru, who used every kind of psychology (including reverse) to get me there. Thank you to Willow Polson from The Groveland Hotel for working hard to put on such a fun event. Also thank you to my new friends at The Art Deco Society of California, of which I am now a member! You were delightful. Lastly, I feel the fates have truly been at work in guiding Jim Griesemer and Sheryl Burt Ruzek into our path. Their knowledge of Vintage events and dances coupled with their grace, charm and friendship opened the door to a future of possibilities.