Until we meet again...in India!

First off, I wanted to say THANK YOU for all the nice comments on the blog in regards to traveling to India for the orphan project. And to those who sent emails, I also appreciate your enthusiasm and support as well. I have to confess, I didn't think it was that big of a deal except to me. I greatly appreciate the kind words but please note I am not a saint and don't want you to think I am one. Far from it actually. I am a normal person that has time and a ticket, and just doing something tiny to help out in the world. You are all capable of doing the same exact thing. :)

I leave tomorrow morning and other than the long plane ride there and waiting in line at customs, I cannot wait to see a new place and meet new faces, especially the little ones. The closest I've been to India was having traveled all over the middle east and that was fascinating enough. I can only imagine what else awaits in this land of beauty.

My friends and I met up one night this week to see each other. I am SO thankful for the women in my life who have no idea how important they are to me. I will be thinking of you. And for the ones I didn't get to see that evening, I missed you too.

I will try to do a travel journal with some point and shoot pictures on my blog from India. I will leave the artsy fartsy stuff for when I come back and will be blogging on India until Christmas. LOL

Leave me comments when I'm gone and let me know you were on here. xoxo

Kelly

Meet Kelly. We photographed yesterday at a mansion.

She is going to have her own TV show air soon and wanted to do some images for her website and marketing type materials. She's very personable and pretty, kind of a tossup between Jennifer Aniston and Heather Locklear. I processed all images differently, and then did some studio lighting some natural light.

...and her hubby Mike below too! Beautiful couple.

Why women need catalogs!

I'm laughing so hard, tears are rolling down my face.

My MIL forwarded this short video and it's the funniest thing I've gotten in a while.
You must see!

Few more women pictures

These were all taken within the last month either at a function i was involved in or while I was out with them. All very sweet ladies.


My cousin Lana




My friend Jennie who modeled this vintage wedding dress at a fashion show





My friend Renee at someone's home




Marina from a fashion show

Passport to India

I wanted to do something worthwhile this summer since business slowly dies down in the portraits arena of photography in Phoenix and my next wedding isn't until the end of August.

I have a free ticket to go anywhere I want international, thank you to air miles. Since I would be going alone, I wanted to do something meaningful and worthwhile of my time.

So, 2 weeks ago I called a volunteer company that I did a little research on browsing thru the Internet. I fell in love with a Women's Empowerment Project in India. A tiny excerpt from their posting said "The women's support project in India aims to help destitute women's groups (comprised of both young girls and adult women) – helping them rebuild their self esteem in hopes of leading a productive life with their heads held high."
This I can do, I thought to myself and inside my heart I knew they'd help me learn a little more about myself as well. I also would be writing proposals for funding and teaching English.

I spoke to their company office in the US (Dallas) about doing a beauty photoshoot similar in concept to the battered womens' shelter project i did recently and I was told to proceed with flying colors. This would be great for their self esteem and not to mention how amazing their beauty would be captured in the images. So for the last few days, I've been on a high. If you know me, you know I love to photograph the Indian culture and then add the fact that I would get to go to their country? Wow.

I got my ticket for one month departing on the 28th of this month, visa stamp and even the required shots and medicine. Mike has been supportive with the idea and is excited for me.


Now: Are you ready for this? I found out a few hours ago that the Womens Project will no longer be available in Delhi where I'm flying in!!! WHAT?! The rep in India emailed me and said if I really wanted to do a Womens Project I'd have to fly into Bangalore, which by the way is on the opposite end of the country and my ticket is set for Delhi. No can do.
I'm irritated beyond belief. I already have a ticket and I leave in less than 2 weeks. Why wasn't this communicated to their Dallas office I've been dealing with? Talk about bad communication!

This is the kicker: they need me in a young girls orphanage home. Orphanage?? Me, Ruby that has no children. I don't know how I feel about this. I know I said I wanted to do something meaningful, but I wasn't referring to this type of work.

I certainly don't want to sound like a jerk. It's actually quite the opposite and I'm going to let you into my personal life: I've been feeling quite maternal lately and my dear sweet husband isn't on the same page with the issue at this time.
So with that being said, me working inside an orphanage is NOT a good idea. Get my drift? And going for one month is enough time to create some type of attachment to a little rugrat. Do you really think it's going to be easy for me to leave young orphans at the end? I can tell you right now, I'm going to struggle. I spoke to a couple of close people and I think I've calmed down now.

So wish me luck because I know I'll come back with some great pictures of little people and share some sweet stories too.

I will try to do a weekly travel journal on this blog from Delhi if I can get to an internet cafe which I was told abound in India.

And to end this long post; one thing that made me even more nervous than the word Orphanage on the reps email: 'bring mosquito net during this monsoon season in India.'

This is going to be a wild adventure for an american girl.

Ceara

This pretty face is Ceara.
We are doing her pictures in two phases; a casual session and an upcoming evening wear session. Just wanted to share a few of the casuals.

She is as sweet as she is beautiful.

Jack and Brady

Sneak peak...

I saw these precious boys a few years ago and then again just a few days ago. I couldn't get over how much they've grown. The older brother, Jack, has these piercing blue eyes and a personality that melts your heart.

The little one, Brady, is adorable and a funny little thing! I couldn't help but giggle whenever he walked away grabbing his...ahem... jewels.

Boys will be boys.

Joyce and Ann

Joyce and Ann are sisters. These are also my friends that I met in 1987 when we were living in Illinois. I can say we've been friends for 20 years. Scary. Makes me feel old.

I was at a bus stop in my new neighborhood (moved there the day before) and ready for my first day of 8th grade. They lived 2 houses down on the same block. I introduced myself to Joyce (in the blue shirt below) and she thought I was a dork in my bobbed hair cut. I teased her later in life and had to remind her that her mullet haircut just wasn't cool either. KIDS are mean! Over the years, we've remained best friends and have been thru everything together. She moved out to Arizona 7 years ago :)

Ann is like honey type of sweet. Sweetest thing, just love that girl and I always look forward to her flying out to Phoenix to visit. I could talk to her for hours.

They did these pictures for their mother's surprise 50th birthday this upcoming weekend in Illinois. WE mounted a wall portrait of the one color picture together.

Think she will cry when she sees her beautiful daughters.

Me and My Mother

I just felt like getting sidetracked a little today and forget about proofing my work, I want to write about my mother. She deserves a little attention.

See, we rarely take pictures together. It's pretty sad actually considering I carry my camera around like it's part of my body.

We took this picture on Mother's Day and I just love it.

My father passed away almost 20 years ago and mom has raised us on her own. 4 of us. She never dated after that (let me tell you I'm not making any promises if Mike decides to venture off into the light before i do)....and I am grateful for her love and devotion to us. She sacrificed many things to make sure we came out 'right' as she says. Although I'd like to think I turned out perfect due to her upbringing, I do have a few glitches. ;)

She hates when I text her. She wants me to call instead so she can hear my voice. So on days I don't really feel like being on the phone, I still text her....and she violates the text code etiquette and calls back.

My mom is insanely hyper and talkative. If I have her come over on any given morning, I'm awake as soon as she walks into that door. Sometimes I have to tell her "MOM!!! My energy is bothered by your hyper energy!" and she just laughs and keeps talking as if I didn't just make a point.

But then when she's not around, I miss her.

And if I need anything, at any time, she's there with open arms.

Did I mention this lady can cook? She'll cook for 10 people when only 2 are coming over.

I love my mom.