Look Book Photo Shoot

In May I completed my 6th year in the shop (yippeeee!!).  I've been wanting to put together a Look Book -- pairing up my jewels along with some great clothing.   It's been a long time since I actually did a photo shoot (other than Etsy listings).  The last one was in Downtown LA in mid-2008....

I love DTLA!!  All the graffitti walls and murals.  I love it.

It's amazing to think how much my life has changed in just a few years.  I've gone from living downtown in one of the biggest cities in the world, to living in a super small beach town in Central America.  In that last round of pictures, I never would have imagined that I'd be where I am now with the shop and all the great opportunities that have come along with it.  

I started thinking about what I'd like to photograph and how.  Over the past 3 or so years, my jewelry line has kinda' morphed into two distinct looks and lines.  I have the big chunky pieces that were what started my jewelry line.

But in addition to that, I've been working with a lot of sheet metal, creating cuffs, and geometric necklaces, earrings and rings.  Lots of layering and mixing metals.  

I decided that the first (of more to come) photos would be of the sheet metal jewelry because for the past few months, that's been where I've felt most inspired.  Plus, it seems to reflect more of the style that I'm wearing these days.

I hit up my friend Hollie, a beautiful graphic and clothing designer who visits Costa Rica with enough frequency that it's difficult not to consider her a part time resident.  I ran a few ideas by her and asked if she might be interested in being my model on her next trip here.  I don't even know that she heard what I wanted to do - I'm pretty sure all she heard was "come to Costa Rica" and lickey-split she was booking her ticket.  Don't gotta' twist her arm to come here!!

She showed up with two suitcases full of great clothing that went p-e-r-f-e-c-t with what I wanted to photograph.  God I love that girl!  It was awesome to see the clothing come together with the jewelry exactly how I had envisioned.  I couldn't have picked a better wardrobe even if I had gone out and purchased it myself.

We got super duper lucky because she ended up house sitting for a friend who was nice enough to allow us to use his space for the pics.  Lots of white walls and natural light.  Also an awesome Keith Herring mural that the talented Ms. Hollie painted on one of her prior trips.  ((sigh))....this girl.  

We rang up our friend Emily who arrived with her usual spunky attitude and the show began.  Total we took about 500 pictures over the next 3.5 hours. 

The ladies worked it, we laughed, goofed off and the on-site doggie guard, Rai, flirted and supervised.  I think he liked seeing all the half naked ladies running around.  Boys!!!    

After reviewing the pics and now slowly going through them and editing, I gotta' say, they turned out better than I ever could have hoped for.  These chicas did a great job!  I'm slowly going through them, posting them on Etsy, Instagram and Facebook.

But here's a peek at a few of my faves....

Ms. Emily

Ms. Hollie looking like a doll.

I mean really Rai!!

I'll be continuing to post over the coming weeks.  Also, in August Hollie will be back again (like I said -- frequent visitor!) and we hope to do another round - beach front.