Army Values and More

Just so everyone understands this post. I am a soldier in the army and have been for almost 7 years. Currently, I am a Staff Sergeant or SSG on Active Duty until January 27th at Ft. Meade Maryland.

As it stands I am the Asst. Platoon Sergeant and acting Platoon Sergeant for 117 soldiers, amount fluctuates every week. Anywho, I just wanted to create this blog in appreciation for the confidence my soldiers have in me.

After a combined couple hour talk with the company Commander and Cadre about some mis-communication that was sent out from the Chain of Command our platoon was going to get reprimanded for the mis-communication, but the PSG and myself took one for the team by taking the punishment so our soldiers could be relieved for the 4th of July weekend. Although, we were in the right and our Chain of Command was not. Now that being said some of our soldiers will be staying back to do the punishment with us by their choice.

Even when you know you are in the right and being scolded and your soldiers back you up to take the punishment with you tho you just fought for them to not have to is LEADERSHIP, LOYALTY, DUTY, HONOR and RESPECT in more ways than one! Thank you to those that support us!

Taking one for the team never felt so rewarding until I knew how much I was appreciated as a leader.

Now THAT is what taking care of eachother is all about.

Ryan Martinez

Had a shoot with Ryan. He is starting a new music project, which you can follow and check out at www.myspce.com/rmartinezmusic . This shoot was really funny because this guy can dance. He knows practically every Michael Jackson move you could possibly know and started busting out some moves during the shoot. He has You Tube videos of it as well on his myspace. It is so worth a look, he is good!

This shoot I used just a single 580 EX II speedlight to my upper left and I moved around him. We shot this at Arctic Studios in Minneapolis, MN. Arctic Studios is a recording studio so if anyone is interested for more information on them please let me know!!

Hope you Enjoy.

Lights Out Dancing

WOW!! These guys are a HOOT!!!! I absolutely loved this photo-shoot. I was unsure of how it was going to turn out not knowing these boys before, but it was absolutely the best experience and photo-shoot I had ever had.

To begin, it was a full production...I gave haircuts to those in need of them and later styled each persons hair. They were so polite and incredibly funny. The image with the colored pants resembles what the boys wear to most their shows colored, jeans and black tops. The lollipop image was my idea that was originally planned to be outside, however, we were having so much fun indoors we decided to improvise and mold the lollipop idea to fit inside.

During the shoot I had speed lights from above and behind the models to create the shadows and I also used a very large umbrella as a fill from behind and above me. This shoot was taken in my dining room with a white backdrop.

During the middle of the shoot we ordered pizza and now I will never forget those boys and I love hanging out with them to this day! You should REALLY check out their music at www.myspace.com/lightsoutdancing . They are good at what they do!!

All American Rejects Tour with Siny Toy Guns

ALL AMERICAN REJECTS

SHINY TOY GUNS

April 13, 2009. I had a live performance shoot compliments of Kyle. Thanks Kyle if you are reading this and Amanda for getting me hooked up with Kyle. You both ROCK!!

Anyhew, my friend Danyel, Amanda and Myself went to the All American Rejects tour show at the Myth in Maplewood, MN. Not going to lie I was pretty pumped to be on the guest list and to be able to go in front of the barricades to take pictures of Shiny Toy Guns and the All American Reject. (For those that don't know Amandas friend Kyle is the Guitar Tech for Shiny Toy Guns and got me in to take pictures for th bands.) Once the show was finished we went and hung out in the band bus until we decided where we were going to eat. We ended up eating at TGIF after quite an adventure of listening to false google directions, lol. It was just Kyle (Guitar Tech from STG), Sisely (Wonderful girl from STG), Dani, Amanda and Myself. Kyle ended up ordering food for the other guys.

There were so many wonderful band stories and tour stories. Apparently the Bus Drivers are more mischeivous than the bands, haha. Would have never guessed. But Sis and Kyle did mention Bus Drivers getting flashed by girls and stuff....but we wont go there.

Sis and Kyle were two of the nicest people I have ever met that have been in or with a bigger band. They weren't cocky or snobby at all. In fact a few made comments about this creeper girl that was drunk at the show and later was running around near the busses and we assumed Tyson (from AAR) was taking her off her feet. BTW he totally works his sex appeal at his shows. Near the end he was jamming drum sticks down his pants and rubbing his sweaty balls all over them and throwing them into the crowd. I don't care for that much, but obviously the fans did. LOL!

After dinner we went back to the bus but left shortly after due to a long drive of our own and sure enough I lost my keys. Well, not totally, they fell in a whole in my purse, which made it very difficult to find. But I had awesome friends that were patient while I looked so I didnt get jumped by this creepy car filled with guys just chilling in the front of an empty building with their lights glaring forward. CREEPY.

Oh when I was up front near the pit a bunch of girls asked me about my hair because they thought it was super cute and the next thing I know I am handing out a ton of Business cards....good thing I brought extra.

Self Portrait

Not gunna lie, I try and stay away from self portraits because they are not the easiest thing in the world. Props to those people that do amazing things when they do them! It takes skillz! Anyway, I really needed a pic of me for my website and so I tried to make a self portrait and I took 167 pictures including test shots before I chose these 3. I would try and explain how I did the lighting but I switched it up like 6 times. However, I can say that I just used 2 580 EX II Speedlights.

Fortune Cookie Fails Me

FORTUNE COOKIE FAILS ME

I just had to share this moment with everyone! Cuz when I was a kid fortune cookies were really fortunes....now they kind of tell you what to do. It's so sad and mine just pretty much happened to call me fat the other day! :/

All The Right Moves

Oh man I have been waiting a long time to put these pics up! We took these pics in earlier February, if I remember correctly. They had recently gotten a new band member and needed new photos and I mentioned this concept to them and they dug it. It totally goes with their fun and quirky personalities and music.

This shoot took a long time. I actually walked in circles a billion times around these guys to get the yarn around. I made myself dizzy, haha.

I photographed the group image on a white background and all of the individuals on a blue background and later changed the hue to green in a couple. During the individual photos there was one person on each side of the member I was photographing, holding the yarn just below shoulder level. This made it much easier in post.

Their band name is All The Right Moves. Feel free to check them out at www.myspace.com/alltherightmoves