ANTIQUE STREET FAIRE
Kristin and I went to the Torrance Antique Street Faire yesterday. The plan was to spend the day perusing vintage items for inspiration and props for photo shoots, but I also had my eye out for some interesting old cameras to add to my collection. It was a success! I came home with a couple “new” old cameras.
- Kodak Brownie-Hawkeye Flash Model
- Nikon N2000
- Minolta 16-Ps in beautiful condition
I got a pretty good deal on these but I was told the Nikon was in working condition, and when I got home I realized it wasn’t. The batteries had exploded inside of the camera and the mirror was out of place, BUT with a little TLC, I got it back into working condition.
My favorite is the Brownie-Hawkeye (1950s):
Here’s the Nikon N2000 (1985-86):
Engagement: Nick + Cherise
Destination photo shoots are always fun. A little tricky, but fun. Luckily, I was already going on vacation with Nick and Cherise to Lake Powell, so once we were finished wakeboarding and waterskiing, we had a photoshoot for their Save the Dates. 
A big thank you to Nick and Cherise for being good sports even in 95+ degree weather! You guys are the best!
Proposal: Nick + Cherise
Witnessing a proposal is extremely exciting and emotional. I had the pleasure of capturing it on “film” for Nick and Cherise, who got engaged under the Manhattan Beach pier on July 16, 2011.
I have to admit, I was probably just as nervous as Nick right before the proposal. I definitely didn’t want to be seen, but I also wanted to be sure to capture the moment perfectly. Of course, I was camped out on the pier hiding behind a bush about 100 yards away from Nick, while he stood under the pier on his blanket surrounded by beautiful lilies. Using a 300mm zoom, I was able to capture the actual moment without interfering, and then we reshot some close-ups after the fact.
We had a blast and I cried like a baby when she said yes! The volleyball players and beach-loungers cheered them on as well. It was definitely a moment to remember!
new look for ATP
Today is a very exciting day for me, I put in my last order for my new marketing materials.
And now, I am happy to unveil my new business cards and postcards….
Front of card
Back of card
Postcard
I cannot wait for them to come in the mail! I’m absolutely loving the new look. Thanks to Reuben Cainer for the classy new business card design!
Music: These ladies are KING
I had the absolute pleasure of shooting some promo photos for LA based trio KING. If you haven’t heard of them yet, get ready. They’re blowing up FAST. I wouldn’t be surprised if Prince moved their phone numbers into his speed dial — (they’re basically BFFs).
KING consists of the ever-soulful Paris and Amber Strother and Anita Bias. These ladies are insanely talented. I met Paris when I started my freshman year at Berklee College of Music and was instantly mesmerized by her ability to sit at a piano and make it truly sing. Combined with the “smooth as butter” vocal stylings of Amber and Anita, you won’t be able to get enough.
Check out their latest feature on okayplayer’s First Look:
http://www.okayplayer.com/interviews/first-look-exclusive-king-interview.html
goodbye to a furry friend…
I just received word from my cousin that her canine buddy Zach passed away yesterday after 13 playful years together. I had the pleasure of spending time with Zach about a month ago, when I visited my cousin in Long Island. He really was a special little guy.
Here’s lookin’ at you Zachie:
Post 4th Post
I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July. Mine was very festive: fried chicken, spiked Arnold Palmers and fireworks. Fourth of July in California feels very different than the Connecticut version I’m used to, but I had a wonderful day. The silhouettes of the palm trees as the fireworks lit up the sky made my heart fill with happiness. You can’t find that in Connecticut. It was a beautiful scene. I was standing in the middle of the turn lane on a busy street that I use every day, and it just felt so peaceful and beautiful in that moment. It was perfect.
awkward encounters
I realized that since I’ve moved here, my number of awkward encounters on a regular basis have severely dropped. One might think that to be a good thing, but I, in fact, feel the opposite.
When I was in college, a small group of my closest friends would meet up every week and share our best “Awkward Story of the Week.” These stories guaranteed a side ache from laughing so hard, so I’ve always maintained the belief that an awkward story is a wonderful story. The best kind, really.
My best friend Andrea still calls to update me on her awkward encounters which happen, I’m sure, more often than she would like. But I genuinely enjoy hearing those stories.
I blame this current dry spell of awkward stories on the fact that I don’t use public transportation here in L.A. Public transportation, though unpleasant at times, has given me some creative gems to work with.
In case you were hoping for a taste of awkwardness, here’s a post of mine from 2009. I may regret sharing this, but it still gives me a good chuckle.
This post is dedicated to Andrea.
MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2009
Yoga Pose: Backward Bootlegs
I had my first yoga class today. We didn’t actually do any poses or stretching so I won’t be reporting any accidental farts during Downward Dog, though I’m sure I’ll have a similar story by the end of the semester.
Today was all about the outfit.
I bought new yoga pants for yoga class. I figured if I wanted to be good at yoga, I’d have to start by looking the part. I used the girl on the cover of the Gaiam yoga dvds as inspiration.
I planned my outfit the night before. Laid it out on my dresser. I was ready. But of course, I snoozed a little too long, showered a little too long, and took a little too long to dry my hair, so I was running late. I threw on my clothes, jumped in the car and tried to brace myself for what to expect on my first day of yoga. I am not known for my flexibility.
I got to class about 2 minutes late, but my instructor welcomed me with a smile and had me take a seat on the gym floor. To my relief, there would be no physical activity today, just ground rules and reading over the syllabus.
I sat on the floor with my new pants, old sweatshirt and new sneakers (snazzy New Balances from my trip to San Francisco). Occasionally, I extended my legs, admiring my new pant/shoe combo, in attempt to stretch my hamstrings. I figured there’s no better time than now to start easing into the World of Flexibility.
I looked around the room at my classmates. More than half were wearing jeans and Uggs. What were they thinking? It’s a yoga class! Where were their yoga pants?
After sizing up the competition, I decided that at first glance, I fit in pretty well. I might just get by without serious embarrassment. But I shouldn’t jinx myself.
After class, I went to the bathroom. In the squatting position, hovering over the toilet seat, I looked down and noticed that the Champion tag on my new yoga pants was in the front. I was wearing my new yoga pants BACKWARDS. All morning. All class!
I did notice that the flared area seemed a bit fitting to my shins, but I thought “hey, they’re yoga pants, that’s what they’re supposed to do.”
I’m pretty sure my face turned red with embarrassment. Luckily, no one was in the stall to see. Or in the bathroom for what was to come.
I let out a chuckle and started to weigh my options. I could just pull them back up and hope no one noticed. Or I could switch them around. But that would require balancing in my shoes so that my feet didn’t touch the bathroom floor.
I decided not to risk wearing the pants backwards on the trek to my car, since I’m pretty sure “I’m wearing my pants backwards” would be written all over my face. So I slipped my feet out of my New Balances and balanced into my new pants. Tag to the back. The way they were meant to be worn.
I would wear my yoga pants backwards on my first day of class. And blog about it later.
What’s your best awkward story?
Photo: jupiterimages
Welcome!
Hey everyone,
I’ve had a WordPress account for some time now, but it’s taken me a while to finally put some stuff up on it. I have a serious problem with opening a million accounts and then being overwhelmed by all of the maintenance they require. I’m an accountaholic. Maybe I should get a social media sponsor… Any takers?
Anyway, the thing that finally pushed me to update my WordPress is the AWESOME layout that WordPress uses for iPad viewing. It’s sick! If you have an iPad, check out this site on your iPad IMMEDIATELY.
Eventually, I’d like to make www.alyssatumino.com’s main page offer to go into my site or my blog, this way iPad/iPhone users can still view my content. But for now, I’m working with what I have.
I have a few exciting shoots coming up. I’ll be traveling to Lake Powell at the end of July, so I’m looking forward to taking some nice photos of the canyons. We’re going hiking to Antelope Canyon at the beginning of the trip and I am PSYCHED. I just hope I can keep up while carrying my 30lb photo bag. Guess I should pack light, huh? (That has always been a problem for me…)
Anywhooo, I’ll try to update this thing religiously, even when I don’t have anything too exciting going on. Consistency is key, right? Something like that…
Here’s a photo of my friend Hector Elizondo:
