sigh. martin and i brainstorm, what’s the best way to go about this little venture i was now referring to under my breath as the boise weekend from you know where (i’m so bold). we talk to our clients, and are able to push back sessions until 2pm the next day. martin and i would make an early 6am departure from provo. all would be well.

but then.

then it turned out a lot better than well. not only did martin and i get to spend some much needed quiet time together (girls were left home with grandparents) on the drive, we also got to meet trish and justin. then we got to spend the entire afternoon with them. trish and justing were so easy going and lovable, it was more like hanging out with friends than work. martin and i pushed ourselves creatively. we drove to a middle of nowhere type location (my favorite sort!) per justin’s brilliant suggestion. and we got some of the loveliest photos we’ve taken.

so even though we turned right back around for a quick drive back home to our babies, logging in 12 hours of driving in one day total. martin and i arrived home feeling refreshed. that’s what having wonderful clients can do for you. thanks trish and justin, let’s do this again real soon (as in april for your wedding).

the secret studio opening party is almost upon us.  all our friends in the area will be getting their secret invitations – you know, the ones plastered on facebook and our blog.  my only regret is that i wish more strangers would come.  i wish they would read the blog and decide to come of their own volition.  (you know, they could come to one east center street ste. 207, friday @ 8pm).  then they could be our new friends.  or better yet, since it is a secret party, our old friends could disguise themselves as strangers and we could have two friendships where there was once one.  insert a picture of garth brooks next to one of chris gaines.

tonight when i took the scouts to the wildlife museum, one of the museum educators held out a snake to me (in case i wanted to pet it).  i did not.  he did this as he explained how this snake regularly eats rattlesnakes.  he also told this group of impressionable 15 scouts that if you happen upon a rattlesnake it will probably not bite you at first, since biting is a last resort.  the creature is a head and a tail!  it can do nothing but bite you!  this i did not say.  instead i thought of what a fun party game it would be to have a rattlesnake wandering around the studio.  then if anyone looks nervous just say, “don’t worry, biting is a last resort.”

you bring the disguises. i’ll bring the snake.

love, marty

i also wanted to make a more obvious announcement (again) that yan needs stylin babies!!!! as in riiiiiigggghhhhttt now. indeed, i need cute and chubby kidlets between ages 6-18 months to begin shooting TOMORROW AFTERNOON. yes, you read that right. my wonderful client just asked me to bump this project to mega urgent, and so it is! we also need babies on Wednesday. we will be shooting in a variety of locations (probably only one per rockstar baby however), and we are especially looking for interested parties who have modern and fun interiors we could possibly shoot in. Mom’s, we could even use you in some of these shots (like maybe your feet wearing some bright and lovely shoes), sounds fun right?

baby’s mommies will be responsible for wardrobe, and we are seeking bright colors, layers, hats and accessories (oh come on accessories for babies isn’t that ridiculous of a notion). Willingness to sign a model release is definitely a MUST.

so if this doesn’t apply to you, go tell everyone you know! and if this does apply to you email me right this very second (photography.yan@gmail.com) with a photo of your precious babe, their age, and whether or not you have an available interior. responses will be sent out tonight.

ahhh, what would i do without you guys?

And speaking of babies, i’m off to a doctor’s appointment right now to check on our little guy. last week, we found out this creature is indeed a little male (hip hip hooray!), but we also found out that things are a little shaky in his crib down there. so wish uncle marty and i luck, and hopefully i’ll  have more details to share soon.

its always the same. i have this fantastic blog post envisioned, then i go to edit, then i find…tooo many pictures i like. too much to choose from, too hard, can’t do it….and then i proceed to self destruct. eventually, i somehow whip myself back into shape to get SOMETHING up on the blog—

but this post. it aint just a little something. its kinda major big. let me just say that during this shoot, i did a whole lot of “ahhhhing,” at romantic cuteness and laughing at pure hilarity. tears may have even come to my eyes, but again, that would be because of the hilarity part. you can laugh and cry too by visiting alison’s amazing blog here.

*****ALSO, MORE DETAILS ON THIS SOON, BUT I AM IN MAJOR NEED OF SOME SERIOUSLY CUTE BABIES AROUND 6-12 MONTHS FOR A COMMERCIAL SHOOT. MUST BE WILLING TO SIGN MODEL RELEASE. PLEASE EMAIL ME IF INTERESTED.

it had been a month since my last allergy shot.  and today i finally got back on track.  i remember when i went to see the allergist and they poked my back with extracts from every plant that’s poisonous to my body.  and of course the skin on my back swelled into dozens of bumps and it was all i could do to not turn the lamp into a back scratcher.  the nurse came back in, looked at my back and decided she would try to wipe away as much extract as she could.  “exceptionally allergic,” the doctor said as he turned his face to laugh to himself.

the needle really hurt going into my left arm today.  i think he stuck it into the muscle and thought he was just getting skin – i don’t fault him; it’s hard not to hit my triceps – they’re so big.  well, at least it was big today because he essentially stuffed more poison into my muscle and my arm swelled like i was hiding a grapefruit up my sleeve – some of us are sneakier than others.

the thought of needles reminded me of the first time i assisted a dentist…while he surgically removed a tooth growing out of the patient’s palate.  i started to sweat and shake uncontrollably and of course the dentist noticed because the suction tube in my hands was rattling around in the patient’s mouth.  i was dismissed.

in other news, those pics of the studio and the album ARE coming.  “and the world will know that this ain’t no game” (i wonder if christian bale ever sings santa fe to himself).

love you,

marty

i took some time to meditate today.  i went to the serenest place i know and felt at peace.  we all need time for something like that.  and surprisingly it’s not unlike the feeling you get from doing some hard physical labor.  today i was hammering and sawing and lifting, working on the studio – it felt good.  somehow renewing.  and now that i’m writing all this about renewal and serenity, it makes me think of that time we walked through the high cattails frozen in the lake.  perfectly serene.

looking forward to the engagement sessions this weekend.  i’m sure the yan fans are too.

love,

marty

each mentoring session with me includes a real live, full length shoot. and those shoots have been more fun than disneyland, i promise. here’s  a small sample:

see what i mean? blows mickey and minnie right out of the water.

scootin a little closer….

a little sun, a lotta happiness

long story, but this picture makes me want to cry…

photographing real life.

…..sigh. i couldn’t be happier. i can’t wait to share the full posts with you soon!

i laughed the other day when you left the breakfast table.  i grabbed the milk and found the lid resting on top, but not screwed on.  don’t worry i won’t tell the yan fans about your one flaw – not being able to put lids back on things.

when we woke up this morning and i saw all the new snow i felt a moment of childlike happiness.  new snow makes me think of purity, cleanliness, fun, and ironically warmth and coziness.

i’m glad you had such a good time with our mentor session friends.  you’re not just a great photographer, you’re an awesome teacher.  hey, stop looking over my shoulder so i can finish this post.

the studio looks great.  we’ll have to post some pictures soon.  oh and have you noticed it smells like fresh bread in the mornings?   ahh, the perks of being above a restaurant.  i’ll let the yan fans know they can start booking mini studio sessions!  i’ll bet they all go for the good-smelling morning sessions.

well, the snow is starting to melt and i should be on my way.  i’ll write you again on thursday.

love,

marty