monthly colour inspiration: rose, gold, and cream

A small collection of photos taken this month inspired by things I love: rococo style , pink gold jewellery, colours blurring into one another, lens flare, soft daylight, muted dusk light, silhouettes, halo effects

5 days, 5 shoots

Whew, I'm exhausted! On top of working full-time, I've been doing all kinds of photography jobs, from church calendar photos to fancy receptions. It's great stuff, and this is exactly what I want to be doing, but I'm just sleepy.

excuse the dust

Hello folks! As you can see, I'm under construction. Things will be cleaned up shortly.

block it like it's hot

I'm not sure when it started, but over time, I've been losing my ability to write. This blog has become, primarily, a photo blog. I'm happy about this, because I'm shooting all the time, playing around on Photoshop, taking night classes to improve my craft and learn about entrepreneurship, and I love sharing my work here. Everything I've been pouring my energies into has been connected in some way to photography.

So that's great, right? I'm starting to see a return on all this time and passion I've invested. The photo stuff (minus the stolen camera) is really flourishing.

But my ambition creates a hydra that constantly stands in the way of confidence. Every time I chop off a head by accomplishing something, 3 other heads pop up, screaming, "but you suck at this area of your life, and you need to be really good at it — focus on this!"

Right now all the heads are screaming the same thing: "you suck at writing!"

As you can see here, I'm not exaggerating. But I want so much to be better, to write well, to hold a candle to the writers I admire. As always, I read voraciously, hoping to absorb some of their eloquence, but I just get... stuck.

I thought our skills were supposed to sharpen as we aged, enhanced by time and effort. My writing abilities are growing duller by the day. The only way I figure I can reverse this is to start, um, writing again, even if does mean subjecting you to some low-calibre stuff.

So, I suppose this is a disclaimer of sorts. I'm blocking the block by pretending I can write, and tricking myself into having the confidence to try.

obsessions/distractions

For the past 2 weeks, I've been obsessed with checking things off to-do lists. I've got a few more big tasks to tackle before I let myself get back to the fun stuff (including blogging).

I'll be back soon with:

- photos
- new beauty product reviews
- before and after photos chronicling my decorating and organizing efforts

springtime special

I've got some good news and some bad news:

The bad news is that, sadly, one of my cameras was pick-pocketed from me two weeks ago at Montreal's Nuit Blanche.

The good news is that I'm turning this unfortunate event into something very positive. I'm hosting a marathon weekend of photo sessions at very special prices to raise money to replace my equipment.

Springtime Special

SATURDAY APRIL 10th - Studio Portraits

I'll be working indoors this first day, using the blank canvas of a white wall and warm natural light to capture you at your best.

SUNDAY APRIL 11th - Location Portraits

Let's go outside and jump in the puddles, breathe in the spring air, and explore the corners of this gorgeous city. These portraits will be taken in the ever-charming Plateau Mont Royal.

Other dates upon request (special prices in effect until April 30th).

Prices
1/2 hour
5 best photos, fully-retouched
8 x 10 print of your favourite photo
$50

Full hour
12 best photos, fully-retouched
8 x 10 print of your favourite photo
$100

Full Makeup Application
$25

Basic Makeup Touch-up
Complimentary

Email me at info@dallascurow.com to book your photo session. The days are already starting to fill up, so book soon if you're interested!

To my lovely Toronto folks - I'm coming to town from late May-early June and will be announcing the exact dates for Toronto photo specials soon.

dallas curow photography - new bio

I've got a brand new bio, compliments of the incredible Laura Roberts.

Photographer Dallas Curow loves meeting new people, so it's only natural that one of her specialities involves shooting inspired portraits. Whether she's committing Canadian musicians' quirky personalities to film, or helping an ordinary woman feel like a glamour queen, Curow knows that great photography is all about reflecting her subjects' unique sparks.

This, of course, takes a bit of planning. Ideas will often bounce between the artist and her subject, and back again, ping-ponging over favourite colours, photos, obsessions, passions and the wildest of ideas. Creative inspiration flows easily between Dallas and her clients, and she loves creating full packages that will encompass each person's true essence. This collaborative approach allows Curow's clients to fully participate in the creation of their shoot's rules and realities, resulting in uniquely personal head-shots, portraits, and group photos.

In addition to her studio-driven portraits, Curow is also drawn to editorial and event photography, stalking intimate moments and capturing personal revelations in the wild. If a photo could truly distill a thousand words into a single image, you'd find one of Dallas Curow's photos in your frame. Tall tales are told with each click of her camera's shutter, and whether you've just met or have had the pleasure of becoming old friends, you'll find she's an adept storyteller with a keen eye for human drama as well as happy endings.

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In other news, one of my cameras was recently stolen. I'm planning to do marathon photo session days in both Montreal and Toronto to help raise funds to replace it. If you're interested in portraits at a discounted rate, stay tuned for details.

formspring.me

Open for business http://formspring.me/dallasllama

Have you guys tried Formspring yet? It's loads of fun.