FAMILY PORTRAITS
When I’m feeling alone or troubled I reach to my family. And when I feel ungrounded, sometimes all I need is to visit with them. I may not visit them often enough, and I know that much is very true, but when I do, I find myself cherishing the time we have. I even wonder, “why ever don’t I come by more often? This feels great.” The feeling of family; it’s taken for granted and we all do it. Especially this day in age. But there is one thing I have learned, “Family is where our roots lie.” It’s what lives are built on.
Family is a strong word and an important one at that. What Is “Family”? What does the word “family” mean for you? Whom does it include? Do you see your pet as a part of your family? For me, having family is to feel complacent. It’s a feeling of security. To have someone whom you can rely on and whom you can confide in. It also means to have respect for each other and responsibility. By responsibility, I mean to take care of each other and be there for each other. And with the best intentions, to not hold back or steer wrong.
There once was a time that I did not think I was going to make it past 25. I did not think I’d ever find a husband, bare a child, or even gain a family of my very own. For me, my family is something very important in my life because they are people I know will never fail me and whom I will never fail. And yes, my pets are members of my family.
Tomorrow is never guaranteed. No one lives forever. So what is a better way to instill their memory than to suspend them in time? Why not invest in a family portrait? With that said, when was your last family portrait? Do you even have one? Life is full of great moments. A family portrait is not only something that can be displayed for decades but it’s also something can be displayed proudly.
Of course, when your like 75 and showing all the grand kids pictures of yourself, you’re gonna want them to see the best version of the younger you so I’m going to also provide you with a few tips on how to make sure you look SPECTACULAR in your family portraits.
1. Plan Wardrobe Choices with Your Family
You don’t want to dress in uniform but you also don’t want to stick out like a soar thumb. Decide on wearing clothing styles/patterns that haven’t changed much over the years. You know how fashion and time works. What is absolutely awesome to wear now might not be so awesome later on down the road. Avoid the dated and trendy for a much safer approach.
2. Wear Colors That Flatter Your Skin Tone
Choose a color that looks best with your skin tone. A helpful hint, gem colors look good on every body.
If you’re not sure which gem color works best for you, here are a few tips to help you decide. Look at your veins. If they appear more blue than green, you have a cool skin tone. However, if they look more green than blue, you have a warm skin tone.
Just keep in mind, warm with warm and cool with cool. Warm skin tones are best flattered with brown, tan, red, orange, gold and taupe. Cool skin tones look great with cool colors like charcoal grey, blue, purple and white. If you still feel a bit undecided just ask your friends and family what colors look best on you. Most people can choose the appropriate hues instinctively.
3. Wear Underwear That Keeps Your Outerwear Looking Great
Rest assure that the undershirt you are wearing beneath your best suit may in fact have a dramatic effect on your overall appearance. Yes, everything may look in place with the initial tuck-in but all that twisting, turning and bending is sure to have your undershirt wiggling its way back out. Baggy undershirts that won’t stay tucked in can add up to 15 pounds to your appearance, and that’s not counting what the camera adds.
Look for the best undershirts that fit properly and move with you. Your shirt will look neater, and because you’re outfit makes you feel all GQ you’ll feel more confident, your facial expression and smile may be more relaxed. Also choose outerwear that fits well on your frame. A common fashion mistake is to wear loose-fitting or overly-tight clothes. Don’t be afraid of tailoring your clothes for that perfect fit.
4. Dress Rehearsal
It’s your portrait; your style, but no matter how casual or how formal you are planning your portrait to be; just make sure that everyone is on the same page. To avoid last-minute confusion and bickering, plan a dress rehearsal the night before your appointment. No-one wants to feel like the odd man out.
5. Don’t Skimp on Sleep
Studies have shown that sleep deprivation significantly affects facial appearance. Be sure that you get plenty of sleep as you can before the day of your session. We may live in an era that is infatuated with zombie apocalypses and vampire folklore but the red-eyed undead look never works well in portraits… unless your going for a Halloween theme.
It’s Your Portrait; You Call the Shots
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Sports & Fitness
PUSH-UP VARIATIONS
Push-ups. A simple body-weight activity that targets and intensifies work on the upper body and core. An exercise that strengthens your triceps, biceps, pectorals, deltoids, abdominals, obliques, quadriceps and erector spinae.
A while back I developed a new love for push-ups. Yes, that’s right, push-ups. Prior to discovering this new love of mine I couldn’t even do one single push-up and I’m being completely serious. I actually learned how to do a real push-up by doing Sean T’s Insanity workout. I figured, well, if I’m going to be doing push-ups now would be the perfect time to implement the full body version. I learned that starting out, it’s not about the quantity of push-ups that you can do. It’s about the form. If you don’t have the correct form you will not only cheat your results but you will look completely silly performing. So I made up a challenge for myself. Every day I’d challenge my number. If I did 16 today than tomorrow I’d do 17. Eventually I pushed myself even further. I’d time myself and count how many regular push-ups I could do, correctly, within 3 minutes. My highest count now is 97. Pretty impressive huh! I know, I’m quite proud of myself. When working out, I always try to incorporate at least 3 different push-up variations. I’m not so advanced that I can do a one armed push-up or anything but these 3 variations are my go-to.
- Regular Push-up: Start off in a plank position. Hands should be placed directly under the shoulders with feet together, if not slightly apart. While lowering your body down keep your elbows tucked close to your rib cage. If you can’t do regular push-ups, here’s a helpful tip to make things easier. Place your hands, only slightly wider than your shoulders and angle them inward. Now part your feet wide. This is not technically correct but it will help get you there for the time being.
- Jack Push-up: Start off in a plank position and go down into a push up while bringing your legs out at the same time; kind of like a jumping jack. When you come back up, bring your legs back in and reset to plank.
- Oblique Knee Push-up: The hardest but my absolute favorite and I got it from Sean T. Your hands should be placed directly under or slightly wider than the shoulders. While lowering the body, drive your knee up and out towards your tricep. On your way back up extend the leg back into the plank position.
Remember: Perfect form is key! Keep your head aligned with your spine. Your pelvis should be tucked in slightly; mindful not to sink down too low or raise up too high. Now have at it… and try challenging yourself!
If you are looking to challenge yourself and you’re 100% serious, I would like to open up a “Before & After Package” for you. If you’re about to enter into a lifestyle change or challenge and this is something that may interest you, please contact me for more details.
Pin-up Tales: Skin Care
PRESERVE & PROTECT
A professional camera and lighting setup has an amazing way of showing the true condition of your skin. Pay special attention to your skin. Do you see any signs of aging starting to creep in? Is it dry?
The foundation to any skin care regime is having a good cleanser and a good moisturizer. Avoiding a moisturizer all together to evade having oily skin only results in your skin producing more oils to make up for that dryness. Use a quality moisturizer and start about a week before your photo shoot. If you have oily skin, take a few oil-blotting wipes to the studio to prevent a glaring forehead shine from ruining your picture.
Here are some products that I currently use and recommend.
Pets
HEALTHY PET, HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Is Your Health Reflecting Onto Your Pets?
So I came across this article in Health magazine and it talks about how your pets share the same lifestyle as you. Not that we’ve really actually stopped to think about it in detail and duration but the fact remains whether our lifestyle choices are healthy or not, our furry loved ones are affected.
According to Health Magazine, our pets illness can be a reflection of our own health, especially when it comes to lifestyle choices. And in most cases we can correct the problem in both owner and pet by just paying attention to the details.
3 common animal symptoms:
Is He/She Anxious?
A study from the University of Lincoln in England and the University of Sao Paulo found that domestic dogs actually do have the ability to combine facial and vocal cues to perceive human emotions, which make them attune to your mood. Likewise, specific phobias can carry over to your dogs, noted by Stanley Coren, PhD, author of How to Speak Dog: Mastering the Art of Dog-Human Communication.
A Change In Grooming Habits?
If your pet has been licking and scratching more than usual it could be signs of allergies. Visit your local vet to help find the culprit. To help minimize the amount of pollen, among other allergens:
- Wipe off (with a wet wipe) the bottom of your pets paws and face when y’all get home after outside time.
- Shower and change your clothes.
- Bathe your pet regularly.
- Vacuum and clean your pets bedding.
Is He/She Looking A Bit On The Heavy Side?
Its been said that from 2009 to 2015, obesity has risen in dogs as well by 10 percent. A healthier lifestyle for you means a healthier lifestyle for your furry little buddy. So if you won’t do it for yourself, will you at least do it for your fur baby?
Events
PLANNING EXCELLENCE
I used to be an event contact and coordinator. My experience wasn’t too much more than a year but I did learn quite a bit and I loved it. When planning an event, whether it be for business or pleasure there are certain steps that should be followed to allow yourself to plan in a budget friendly manner and above all, in a stress free zone.
PLAN OF ACTION
- Set A Budget – This is the overall amount that sets the bar to the maximum limit you (or your client) can spend. Keep it noted that you do not have to reach this max, it’s just a cap-off.
- Decide On A Budgeting Tool – Whether it be an excel spreadsheet or an online budgeting software, either one is a perfect candidate to keep you on track.
- Setup Budget Items – Create categories. For example: Food would be listed as a category in one row and in the next row, Rentals.
- Sub-categorize and Track Budget Items – Add items such as Cakes, Champagne, Tables, Chairs, Entertainment, etc. Next to each item add the quantity, then next to that the item detail, and then the amount quoted. You can even add an additional column for notes (who you talked to, phone numbers, etc).
- Map It Out – Draw out your own blueprint of the event area and mark where everything should go so you can be prepared ahead of time. WAM, BAM, THANK YOU MA’AM!
- Setup A Timeline – If there are multiple event or activities going down at your event have an idea of when everything should take place. What time will it start? Approximately how long will it take? What time should the next activity begin? Having an estimated timeline is better than playing the guessing game. Plus, you don’t risk your guests boredom by losing track of time.
*Note: Ask vendors for quotes beforehand if you don’t have any idea for costs. It’s always a good idea to get estimates from multiple vendors before committing.
*2nd Note: Apply a 5-15% overage expense to your budget. Always be ready for the unexpected.
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What overall experience do you have?
Are you licensed?
What special training/experience do you have for this kind of work?
What does your estimate include?
We do flat rate pricing.
We will have an expiration date for estimate due to fluctuations in price on some materials.
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Who will perform the work?
What will you guarantee/warranty?
May I see a work in progress?
Have you ever torn apart a computer or device to see how it works? Just curious.
Well there wasn’t many computers around when I was a kid but I did take apart a lot of electronics even made tattoo machines out of Walkman parts I was taught this by some of my not so good friends.
EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT
September 1 – 5 Labor Day Festivities (ALL WEEKEND LONG)
September 9 Amazing Houston Comic Con 2016
September 10 The Yoga Expo
September 17 SHRP Food Truck Festival
September 23-25 Southwest International Boat Show
September 24-25 Houston’s very 1st Open Air Music Festival
September 29 Houston Art Fair 2016
September 30 2016 Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions
FUN HOLIDAYS
Sep 2
Sep 5 |
International Bacon Day
Labor Day |
Observance
Federal Holiday |
Sep 9 | California Admission Day | Local observance |
Sep 10 | Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Day | Observance |
Sep 11 | Patriot Day | Observance |
Sep 11
Sep 12 |
National Grandparents Day
Chocolate Milkshake Day |
Observance |
Sep 16 | Constitution Day and Citizenship Day observed | Observance |
Sep 16 | National POW/MIA Recognition Day | Observance |
Sep 17 | Constitution Day and Citizenship Day | Observance |
Sep 18 | Air Force Birthday
National Women’s Friendship Day |
Observance
3rd Sunday in Sep |
Sep 21
|
Miniature Golf Day
|
Observance
|
Sep 22 | 1st Day of Fall
September equinox Emancipation Day |
Season
Local observance |
Sep 23 | Native Americans’ Day | Local observance |
Sep 25 | Gold Star Mother’s Day | Observance |
GET SHORTY!
Thanks so much for stopping by. Please like and share with all of your friends. If you have any questions or suggestions, I’m all ears!
With much respect and appreciation,
AJ Chavez
Owner/Photographer
Email: aj@shortysshots.com