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Sunday, November 8, 2009
my sweet blonde sister, heather, asked if i'd come do photos of her group of 20 friends before homecoming.  i love making situations fun and lively that are normally boring and awkward, so i said a big yes.

little did i know, that my normal tricks at an engagement session wouldn't work in this context.  "kay.... get SUPER CLOSE!" they'd say- "AWK-WARDDDD".  or i'd wonder if i could ask them to hold hands.  have they HELD hands before? are they even dating?  if they ARE dating.... will their mom care if i ask them to hold hands, since she is taking photos right over my shoulder? and that was the other issue.  twenty moms and dads, all with their point and shoots, wondering out loud why i'd place them with the sun behind them.  "aren't they supposed to be FACING the sun?" one asked. 

at any rate.... i think we made it about 5% less lame than it could have been.... so i'd say it was a success.  rad homecoming photos for my sister's rad friends.  here are a few.

one fun thing that they did was make their own corsages and boutonnieres.  i was wowed.  it was hilarious.  my sister went with cory, who was MY friend from high school's brother! so great!
and who drives a VW van to homecoming? i want to go re-do my high school dance experience. 
i was so not creative.

love you heath :)
shan

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Marilyn Paul says:

I just left a message on your wall and now I can already look at the pictures. GREAT PICTURES! I can't imagine what it would be like to be completely blind. I've had to think about that lately - I couldn't see PICTURES....I love pictures. love ya, GR MA

(11.08.09 @ 03:34 PM)
marilyn paul says:

Hi Shannon - if you get more than one of these, well - anyway, I just asked on your WALL to see some pictures you took last night. Here they are on your other place already! Amazing. I'm excited to come down for Ryan's opening. Hope I can see your home and have a visit. love ya gr ma

(11.08.09 @ 03:40 PM)
marilyn paul says:

I just left a message on your wall and now I can already look at the pictures. GREAT PICTURES! I can't imagine what it would be like to be completely blind. I've had to think about that lately - I couldn't see PICTURES....I love pictures. love ya, GR MA

(11.08.09 @ 03:43 PM)
Katie Neal Photo says:

I LOVE THESE! So fun! I wanna redo my high school experience too!! I was so lame and cookie cutter! :(

(11.08.09 @ 03:52 PM)
Julie Hibbard says:

I think you are the best photographer ever. Seriously.
I think I may need you to take some photographs...soon.

(11.08.09 @ 07:17 PM)
Carson Leith says:

wonderful photos - full of life!

(11.09.09 @ 01:14 PM)
ashley says:

i wish i was that cool when i was in highschool.

(11.10.09 @ 01:05 PM)
MaeMae says:

coolest homecoming pictures anyone could ever take.

(11.10.09 @ 04:49 PM)
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Monday, October 5, 2009
i met jessica at the yoga studio that we both work at. 
yes, i work at a yoga studio! 4 hours per week.  it's a fun, non-photo thing that i do.  i love it.
so, jessica and i crossed paths a few times and i was completely intrigued by her.
i wanted to know her.
so i asked her to dinner,
and i got to see her bright, deep self.
she is a life coach,
she hikes,
knows how to ask great questions,
knows how to just be.

we did a photo session around south pasadena where we both live,
she loves the area by the library and coffee shop,
so we explored and played.
jessica is a beautiful soul----
enjoy------------------------------!
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>>> her fuchsia just pops!
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as i was hopping in the car after we were done i saw this sprout and loved it.
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jessica- thank you. :)
------------------ shannon
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M. Flynn says:

Spectacular! Gorgeous capture & spirit!! Robust color totally appropriate for this individual; visible here as I am privileged to experience knowing her over time--Poignantly beautiful & bursting with awesome intelligence! I love the breezy shots and the one with the super-smile!

(10.05.09 @ 09:19 PM)
Jason Leith says:

the last picture of the sprout gets me good, shan

(10.06.09 @ 12:07 AM)
Marilyn Paul says:

What a lovely friend, what a interesting job, what amazing colors. Wish I was there to sit and talk. Hope to be down there nearer Christmas. We're in a HOUSE now. Interesting. Not as easy to adjust after being in an RV for so long - too much space to deal with.

(10.06.09 @ 11:21 AM)
marilyn paul says:

Me again, That first picture of your friend by the tree with the roots on top of the ground is NUTS....beautiful....amazing - love the whole thing!

(10.06.09 @ 11:23 AM)
marilyn paul says:

I put messages in these boxes and mostly they don't go to you. What is the Url that it asks for???

(10.06.09 @ 11:25 AM)
blaire says:

you and your friend-first-dates.

(10.07.09 @ 12:35 PM)
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Tuesday, September 8, 2009
i went to visit rosanna's mom last week to make her a website.
to start us off right, go check it out and then come back to read and look.
>>> janaijian.com!
her mom welds mermaids and godesses from huge ocean buoys,
yes, she welds. 
she, is, a, welder.

she needed a new website, so i went up to their home in arroyo grande to photograph her art, photograph her MAKING her art, and to create a website using a rad template from the company who made MY blog----  into the darkroom.  start to finish, we completed the site in a weekend.  we even created her logo, and dreamed up the branding.  it was like heaven for me.  i love doing that kind of thing, especially for people i know and love.

now i need to tell you....
yes, her welding is her art....
but jan seriously makes all parts of her world an opportunity to create.
her meals are art, down to the dishes
she designed her house (yes, the floorplan)
and did custom painting on the ceiling of the living room,
bought everything down to the tiles off of ebay from spain and france,
and has given me the gift of some new favorite authors from her eclectic book collection.

i am going to show you these photos in kind of a random sequence,
a melding of all of her worlds:::  cooking, art, her dog sophie, the house, the shop....
so here you go :) enjoy.


her website is SO her......
i loved doing this!
jan, congrats.
you deserve this,
....... you really do shine.

love to you-------------
----- shannon
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Ro says:

love it
love you
love mom
love sophie....
thanks for helping her so much & letting her work shine that much more

(09.08.09 @ 06:20 PM)
kristen Lim says:

wow! she is rad and her work is amazing!! good job Shannon, the website looks great!

(09.08.09 @ 07:13 PM)
Julie Hibbard says:

I so want you to take my picture...but for what?
one of these days!!!!!

(09.08.09 @ 09:36 PM)
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Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Becky Card has been a bridesmaid in three of the weddings I've photographed.  She's a VIP in my books, and I was so excited when her family had me come do some photos of them at their house to replace the one of them above the piano where they're all teensy.

Judy, the one in green, is an anthropology major, and noticed that my way of photographing is similar to her way of doing studies of people groups----- i both observe and participate.

The Cards just let me hang out with them for the evening, everything from making pigs in a blanket to discussing dance lessons. 

here they are------------------------------------------------



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MaeMae says:

the one of the girl on the table is GENIUS.

(08.26.09 @ 12:05 AM)
Cafe Pasadena says:

I really like your 2nd pic, SL. Were you at a shoe store?!

(08.26.09 @ 03:26 PM)
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