Julie Blair Photography

Fall Is In The Air

2011-10-11T21:06:00.000-07:00

I am not sure where the time goes. I have been lax in posting but it has been a hot summer and I suppose I did hibernate a bit....but change is in the air.....

There comes a time when things come to an end. Like the seasons. Summer gives way to fall; the air cools, the sun sets earlier, the trees display brilliant colors, pumpkins are carved in anticipation of Halloween and sweaters replace tank tops.

My time in Scottsdale is coming to a close. I have truly had some amazing times while living here. I have met the most incredible, giving and caring people who have become wonderful friends. I have experienced the world of the Arabian horse and the kind people who promote this breed. I enjoyed attending the Arabian farms open houses in the winter, the Scottsdale Arabian Horse show in February and I even had the pleasure of photographing many arabian horses and their owners. I photographed models and desert views. I also experienced & photographed new equine disciplines like cow sorting, mounted shooting, reining and a mini horse breed show. I photographed at polo games, horse races and even a rodeo! I got to ride on trails and see the beauty of the desert from horseback.

And then there is the heat. Oh yes, it gets blazing hot in the desert. So, I experienced that too. The heat, the scorpions, the snakes and the bugs. And while those things are unpleasant, I also got to experience the monsoons. I loved the monsoons. The wind, the lightening, the thunder, the gusting winds and then the rains would come....the blessed rain. And then I would smell the wonderful spicy smell of the mesquite trees when they get wet. I will miss that smell.

So many wonderful memories. I will cherish my new found friends here. I am sure our paths will cross again. For now, the time has come to make a change and embrace a new future, new experiences, new friends. And new stories to tell through photography!

Here are a few pics from my most recent shoots:

Thanks for visiting my blog. I will have a lot more to share this fall/winter so stay tuned!

~Jules

Heading Into Summer...

2011-06-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I have not posted much lately. I guess it is because I feel like no one really reads this blog. I am out here in blog land and there are so many great blogs to read....and I am not sure anyone stops by. And frankly, time goes too fast these days and I really don't find the time to blog.

And now it is summer....Arizona is heating up once again. Although, I must say we have had cooler than normal temps lately which has been really nice. I have been able to go on trail rides with my friend Laura and still walk/jog outdoors. Soon it will be too hot to do that. And I am once again house sitting for my friends and this house is like an old friend. I feel comfortable here and so blessed to have such a nice home to live in.

On the photography side, I am working on putting together a group of black & white images to approach some galleries. That is one of my goals this year -to get into a gallery. I may also put a book together on the "Sport Horse" which would include some of my polo and race horse imagery. I am also pursuing the editorial/fashion route and hope to build that side of my business.

Life keeps changing and I keep trying to go with it and grow from it all. I miss Southern California a lot. So, this fall, I may be moving back there. But my family in Raleigh are also tugging me that way...so who knows? Time will tell as they say! I just know I miss being close to the ocean.

In the meantime, I keep shooting....I have a few portrait shoots coming up so I will share some pics from those.

Here are a few pics from Turf Paradise racetrack from this spring.

Stay cool and enjoy the summer everyone!!

~Jules

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-26T19:53:00.000-08:00

I know, it has been a long time since my last post. I have been really busy and then the holidays happened and now January is almost over! Lots of good things happening and I am excited about the new year ahead! February will bring the big Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show at Westworld here in Scottsdale! I can't wait....good friends and beautiful horses and lots of photo opportunities!

I had the great pleasure to photograph my good friend Lela and her horse Tag last week. Here is a few from that shoot.

I have also started to share my work on Tumblr. It is easy to post my new work, especially when I don't have time to write. So please be sure to follow me on Tumblr: http://juliejblair.tumblr.com

Have a great New Year!!

~Jules

Not Much Of A Ranch

2010-11-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

Not sure how to top my last blog post...wow, how profound I was in that post. But it is true...change is a constant. We change, transition, grow and reshape our lives to bring us some joy, some peace....

I am now moved into my beautiful little casita....on a ranch no less....a ranch called "Not Much Of A Ranch". A small, quaint ranch with 3 horses & 2 dogs. I sit here on the computer listening to horses whinny....and still can't believe I am here. Next weekend I will go and get my "stuff" in San Diego and merge it into my life here. It will be difficult to say goodbye to my beach life, to really face the change but my things will bring me comfort here in my new home.

So, here are some images to show a small taste of my new life here at the ranch...enjoy.

Hope you enjoyed these...stay tuned as I am sure I will have more to share of my life on a ranch!

~Jules

Change is Constant & Natural

2010-10-09T10:10:00.000-07:00

"Change is a constant. It's the way we cling to what things were, instead of letting them be what they are. The way we cling to old memories, instead of forming new ones. Change is natural, its the way people try not to change that is unnatural". ..Grey's Anatomy.

I am a huge fan of Grey's Anatomy. The writers are amazing. The actors are superb. The words, well, the words;the script, is so well written. I am constantly writing down the narratives they read at the end of the show. Hence the quote above.

My life is all about change this year. And yes, I tried not to change. I fought the changes that were happening to me. I wanted my life to stay the same darn it. I loved living at the beach....loved my friends, and all the beauty Southern California holds. I did not want to leave! But some circumstances changed my course and I made the decision to come to Scottsdale for awhile. I mean it didnot have to be forever, right?

Five months later, here I am sitting in a adobe house in the desert, the cool air blowing in the door and windows, birds singing, jack rabbits in the yard....and feeling blessed and grateful to be here. I have met the most amazing people here and started riding again and I am shooting more than ever. In a few weeks I will move into a casita on a ranch and enjoy the fall, winter and spring months in the desert. I mean I survived the brutal heat all summer so I have to stay and enjoy the best time to be in Scottsdale, right?

I have learned that "it is how we experience change that is up to us." Sometimes you have to embrace it and not fight it. So, I am embracing the change, change is a natural part of life. We don't always like it but sometimes it gives us another chance at life and opens new doors. I am forming those new memories and enjoying the ride.

Change is natural. Embrace it!

Until next time...

~Jules

A Wedding Photographer Named Jasmine Star!

2010-09-08T22:37:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Top Wedding photographer, Jasmine Star, was featured on CreativeLive.com.

Five days of talking, teaching, and putting herself out there for all to see! And thats not all! She even shot a wedding live on camera in front of thousands of people!

Little did I know I would be so touched, so inspired and so proud of a fellow photographer after those five days!!

Jasmine was real. She was open. She was honest. She revealed so much about herself that I was shocked, amazed and inspired. She provided insights that speak to both life and photography. Insights that helped validate some of my feelings of late. And while some of these thoughts and insights are not new....somehow watching Jasmine, a fellow photographer and successful business woman, say these things on air to thousands of people (LIVE no less) made that little light bulb go off in my head.

It is OK to be vulnerable, to cry, to kick and scream and be scared.

It is OK to be unique and different....that is what sets you apart.

It is OK to make mistakes.

It is OK to fail! OMG! Yes, lets repeat that shall we?...it is OK to fail!

You learn and grow with failures as well as successes!

Hell yes, it is OK for me to be the human I am and not be perfect!!! Wow! I said it. I can be the photographer and artist that I am and its OK to be all the things I fought so hard to not be!

And if you are still with me....here are some other comments Jasmine made that I wrote down that spoke to me personally....

~You have to give yourself room to fail.

~Life’s experiences should shape you, not define you.

~Take bigger risks, the rewards will be bigger.

And my favorite:

You can’t be all things to all people and some people will not like you, your work, or your blog! And guess what? That is OK! (Remember I am from the South and all little southern girls just want to please everyone!)

As Jasmine put it, “You either connect or repel” but she says you just need to “Keep It Real!”

Well, Jasmine kept it real throughout the entire 5 day LIVE event. I was so proud of her and kudos to her for being so courageous, open and honest. I truly have never seen anyone so real and revealing about themselves and their work. Thank you Jasmine Star (and your husband, JD, too) for sharing your time and your wonderful spirit and joy with all of us! And thanks to Creative Live and their team for putting it all together!

For a fun daily read, check out Jasmine’s Blog! She is a wonderful writer! I guarantee she will make you smile and laugh. You will relate to what she shares. You will get to know a wonderful woman, a caring husband (JD) and a little white puff of a dog named Polo! So go check it out!

And because I can't post on the blog without a photo...here is something fun I shot lost week...horses have a humorous side...they always make me laugh.

Until next time...

~Jules

A quaint mountain town, a rustic home & a dog named Chief

2010-08-31T22:02:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I had an opportunity to go to Crested Butte, CO. and dog sit for some friends. I was blown away by the beauty of this area! The mountains, the valley’s and clear blue lake. The air was cool and damp with thunderous rain storms moving in and out. The mountains humbled me in their sheer beauty and size. I was amazed that at night the stars were so bright and shiny, I mean seriously bright. I had never seen stars glow so much.

The town of Crested Butte is so quaint. I simply adored the town and had so much fun walking up and down the street and exploring the alleys as well. I was truly in heaven with the old tin roofs, rustic woods, peeling paint and victorian details on some of the buildings. Loved, loved, loved this town!! The people were open and friendly too. Sunday’s they have a fun farmers market on the main street. The food was fabulous. I watched the guy make my crepe fresh on this hot griddle with mozzarella, spinach and tomato wrapped up inside! In a word...Yum! He was also making them with fresh strawberries and a drizzle of chocolate on top!

My daily walks with their dog, Chief were so fun. We walked along a path that flanks a ranch that has cows and horses. Every walk was an adventure with Chief! He is one amazing, loving soul.

My friends’ house was wonderful too and so my style! The house was built by their neighbor out of reclaimed wood....love that! And these gorgeous concrete floors with wood beams criss crossing the floor. Love. And the stone fireplace with twin leather chairs flanking either side....yes, loved it. Kitchen with farmhouse sink...so wonderfully country but rustic too. Yep, loved it too. The vintage cabinets in the Master Bath...super love! And the wood planked front porch, hanging flower baskets, rustic water can and yes even a picket fence....swoon. I loved it all!!!

My week went by way too fast but I really enjoyed the time I had there. I had a great time shooting pics with my iPhone using an app called Hipstamatic. The images come out random and sort of like a Holga & Polaroid mixed together. And you can shake it and change it up. I seriously had so much fun shooting with a simple camera in my phone.....and here are some of the results....

Early morning walks with Chief...just gorgeous. Cool, crisp air, sun coming up over the mountain....

The cows were always close by and Chief loved them.

The first few days there were thunderstorms and I loved that they added so much drama to my pics! I mean look at those big, gorgeous dramatic clouds!! Chief, like me, loves horses and was anxious to get down to where they were grazing by the fence.

Chief relaxing after a long walk....

I loved walking around town and snapping pics with the iPhone. I grabbed this shot in a hat store! Leave it to me to find the cowboy hats!!

Loved the old buildings with all the quaint little details & the funky old trucks parked in front. (Yes, they are parked on the sidewalk!)

Loved hanging out on the porch in the late afternoon with a glass of wine...waving to the neighbors as they rode by on their bikes....

A few details of the interior of the house. I fell in love with the vintage cabinets in the Master Bath. Adore the little knobs too!

The living area was gorgeous....beautiful light and distressed leather chairs & ottoman flanking the fireplace.

I took soooo many pictures! It was crazy really...so will have to share more later....

I highly recommend a trip to Crested Butte! Good food, fun town, lots of outdoor activities and skiing in the winter....what more could anyone want?

Until next time....

Jules

What Happened To Summer?

2010-08-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

I am amazed at how fast this summer has gone. In the beginning of May, when I arrived in Scottsdale to spend the summer house sitting for some friends, I saw this long stretch of days and days and days before me. I wondered how I would fill my time in the desert. I pictured long walks on dirt roads, painting watercolors in the courtyard, riding and photographing horses and exploring the area. It seemed to me that I would have the best summer ever....fast forward to August. Wow! I did not realize so much time had gone by and I also let too much time go by without sharing on my blog.

The realities are that I did take long strolls in the desert and rode a horse named Cowboy the first few weeks I was here. Even had a photoshoot or two. That was while it was still mild weather. Then the heat hit! Wow, we are talking sweat dripping off your face and neck kind of heat! Feeling like you are in an oven that is turned all the way up kind of heat! We are talking blazing sunshine, 114 degree kind of heat! Yep, it is dang hot in Arizona in the summertime! Let's just say that the painting in the courtyard (even in the shade) ain't gonna happen! LOL! And those long desert walks and horseback riding have pretty much ceased. Now it is riding the stationary bike in the house with the air conditioner on and staying indoors most of the day working at the computer or reading a good book. And I have met some wonderful people here from fellow photogs, to horse owners. It has been a fun summer so far!

And even with the heat, I had a fabulous time photographing my wonderful new friend, Lysa, and her arabian mares, LaLa & Lexi. Lysa was a trooper and got out in the late afternoon heat to allow me to photograph her and her mares. Even her husband, Kevin, braved the heat to help us out! We had a great time and I got some wonderful shots. And yep, I am going to share some from that evening.

Lysa & her mare LaLa.

Lysa & her mare Lexi.

Next week I am traveling to Crested Butte, Colorado! Looking forward to cooler weather! I will be there a week and I am sure there will be some things to share so stay tuned!

Stay cool everyone....fall (and cooler weather) is on it's way!

~Jules

Random Thoughts...its all I got!

2010-07-03T14:51:00.000-07:00

Hola all,

I have been a bad blogger...Honestly, I have racked my brain for a good topic for weeks and my mind has been this big, blank void! My life in Arizona seems to have slowed down....I understand now what true "hot" weather is like. There is a big difference between 80 degrees and 112. Trust me.....so, I spend way too much time indoors these days.

I could not come up with a good blog post idea lately especially since I am not in San Diego going to all the horse shows....I miss that alot.

Then it came to me...a few times on Facebook I have thrown in just random thoughts that made people laugh or comment, so here are some random thoughts on photography from yours truly:

~Being creative is in most of us. I believe God instills a certain amount of curiosity and creativity in all of us. I think it is in our soul. It’s all about whether you act on it or not.

~I do get envious of others. So much talent out there...that said, I would love to be Jerry Ghionis for a day!

~I love my Jill-e camera bag...it is so elegant somehow. It shows the fashionista side of me.

~I covet the Hasslebad H3DII-50 camera! This is just an awesome looking camera...but a girl has to eat and keep a roof over her head....right?

~Photography & art are truly a journey...

~Good gear does help. But, the vision and talent comes first.

That's it for today....but I cant do a blog post without an image so here ya go:

Stay cool & have a fun and safe 4th of July!

Until next time...

~Jules

Art galleries, horse barns & scorpions

2010-05-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hi friends,

I arrived in Scottsdale a week ago to the temperature of 96 degrees! Call me crazy, but I love warm weather and the dry heat! Yep, warm balmy breezes somehow make me happy. However, 96 degrees was pretty darn hot on the asphalt freeway so yes, this gal put the air conditioner on in the Jeep! I am now all settled in at the house in the desert....it has been a fast week and few days. Really where does the time go? I truly don't know if anyone is really interested in my forays here in Scottsdale, but for a few of you that may enjoy the adventures, thanks for joining me!

So, where to begin? Just the highlights for now....

I was broke in early to the creatures of the desert....most of them I can handle....cute little bunnies, lizards and funny little birds...but then on the other side of the coin are the other "I can do without" ones. Top of the list: creepy, crawling scorpions! OMG, disgusting, right? Like many people, I really hate the thought of things crawling around especially something that can sting me. The first one was small but creepy nonetheless. The second one was a tad bigger and again, ewwww...I can do without it. Then, last night was the biggest one of all crawling across the floor in the bathroom! I am sure I screamed. The sucker was trucking pretty fast and I had to be quick to get a shoe to kill it with. Second on the list: Snakes. More creepy factor...Luckily, I have not had the pleasure of their company and I hope it stays that way! (And yes, the exterminators are due this week to spray for the scorpions. Yay!)

And let's see, oh yes, last Saturday I ventured north to the small western town of Cave Creek to have what I call an "artist" day. I like to feed my soul and be inspired by checking out galleries to see what other artists are doing. I also like to check out fun home furnishing stores, antique stores or flea markets...its all fun for me! Inspiration can be anywhere!

Cave Creek is a cute, little western town with all kinds of quaint shops and galleries. I could not resist stopping into a tiny store called "Suzanne's Hot Stuff"! This store was packed with all the hot sauces and marinades you could ever think of! Seriously! I found a line of sauces that actually had my name on them, my last name, "Blair". Of course I had to buy one -Jalapeno & Tequila sauce. (Tried it on my eggs this morning..very yummy and oh yeah, hot too!) Had a very nice chat with Annette, who was working in the shop that day....what a fun store.

On the way home I stopped by an amazing equine facility called Los Cedros. Wow, I was so amazed. The place is fabulous with very interesting architecture. They even have a pool to swim the horses for therapy. Everyone there was very nice and welcoming, too. Can't wait to go and photograph at that place!

These were taken with my iPhone:

Loved the little arched windows (with the wooden doors/shutters) for the horses to look out.

Therapy pool for swimming the horses....

Loved these huge grommeted barn doors!! Just fabulous!

If you got this far, then I haven't totally bored you....thank you for stopping by.

Stay tuned for more "Adventures in Scottsdale"!

Jules

Thrown Into Life Changes

2010-04-28T11:47:00.000-07:00

Hi dear friends.

Life has a strange way of guiding you to make changes sometimes whether you are ready or not. It's like you have a beautiful, sunny day but within an hour the dark clouds roll in and the rain falls. You have no control over that. You shake your fist at the sky and say, why today? And even when you think you can control things in your life there are times when you end up in the currents of life's ocean. The waves drive you tumbling over & over into the sand and onto the beach. You lie there, exhausted and bruised, wondering what happened....but then you stand up, brush off the sand & stretch your arms to the sky and thank God for life...for the blessings he sends you.

My life is changing so fast it is overwhelming at times...I have been thrown onto that beach of life and been forced to make changes, but I am so blessed with great friends who have opened their hearts and homes to me to help me regroup and start over...to start fresh. I am embarking on a journey that will no doubt lead me in new directions. I am embracing this change, moving forward...not trying to hang onto the past that is not working for me like I always did before. Am I alittle scared? You bet I am. Am I alittle bit excited? Yep. It has been too long since I made a big change so it is way past due for me.

What is this change you ask? I am moving to Scottsdale, Arizona for the summer. Thanks to some very generous friends, I have a beautiful home in the desert to live in....surrounded by desert and horse ranches! I am very excited to take this journey. I look forward to the many photo opportunities and the chance to ride horses again. The forces of life have spoken pushing me towards a new life. It's a chance to regroup and find my new life path. I am jumping in with both feet!

So, stay tuned for images and writings of my life in the desert!

Here is a pic I took last February of the road leading to the house where I will be living! And it is called Carefree Highway! LOL! Not like the highways here in Southern California!

Hugs,

Jules

Fresh new blog...

2010-03-31T14:31:00.000-07:00

OK, I decided to stick with this blog. No time to really redesign a new sight at this moment.

Julie

March Madness

2010-03-11T15:55:00.000-08:00

Madness & Chaos!

Hola everyone!

I know I have neglected my blog...bad, bad girl! (Slapping myself...) But like the craziness in the image above, my life has been so chaotic!

In February I had the opportunity to go to Scottsdale, AZ! What, you may ask, is so exciting about Scottsdale in February? Well, I am going to tell you! It is when gorgeous Arabian horses from all over the world converge on Westworld for the big Arabian Horse Show! Two things happened: I got a call from one of my clients that they would be showing and would love for me to join them & I got a phone call from some close friends of mine, Dan & Mary Devlin, who just happened to need a house/dog sitter for the same time frame as the horse show and asked me if I would like to do it!! I did a little happy dance and popped the champagne and said a big YES!!!

It was an amazing trip for me. I met so many great people, many from Facebook, from arabian owners to photographers. I could barely keep my camera from my face shooting all the beautiful horses! There were barn parties, the stallion auction and lots of cool stuff going on all around me. And if that was not enough, (there is more you ask?) my friends house was awesome! They live way out in the desert with dirt roads, surrounded by saguaro cactus and..wait for it..horse ranches!!! What more could a gal want?? (Well, except a cowboy! heehee). Those chilly early morning walks with Chief(dan & Mary's gorgeous dog!), beautiful desert sunrises and sippin' wine in the jacuzzi at sunset...sigh. Yeah, it was rough...LOL!

This is a busy month with lots of photo shoots. Looking forward to this weekend to shoot at the Dressage Affaire where Terri Miller is the official photographer! Of course I will be sharing new work the next few weeks!

And come August, I will be going to Crested Butte, Colorado. More to come on that!

Here are a few pics from my trip to Scottsdale. And you can see more on my website.

this is Chief! Such a love...and one big furry bear!

Here are images from the show:

The gorgeous stallion, SF Vargus! Loved this guy...what a ham he was!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jules

Happy New Year & Ex Arte International Equine Art Competition!!

2010-01-03T18:35:00.000-08:00

Wow, I just can’t believe it is a new year already...2009 really did fly by. As always we all tend to reflect on the past at the end of one year and then set new goals for the new year ahead. We also access what goals we met, what we did to move our work forward or things we know we need to improve on...like marketing and post production.

I think this coming year will be a time of learning for me as I try to take my photography work to another level. I want to shoot more, of course, because that makes me happy. And teach myself better ways of editing images and catch up with what technology has to offer. It is a challenge to keep up with the ever changing world of photography & technology!

As I look back on 2009, I am proud that I accomplished one goal and entered a few prestigious photo contests-the Color Awards & Ex Arte International Equine Art Competition. While I have not heard the results on the Color Awards yet, I did learn that I was juried into the Ex Arte International Equine Art Competition and will be featured in their upcoming book! Here is the image that made it into the book! This one was entered in the "digital art" division.

I am very proud to have been chosen for the book.

You can see other entries here:

http://www.arthorsemagazine.com/exarte3/gallery_digital3.html

So set those new goals, dream big and reach for the stars!!

More soon!

Julie

Busy, busy, busy

2009-12-13T20:35:00.000-08:00

Hi All!

It's been too long since my last post....time goes so fast and I have been busy shooting all kinds of great things from horses, to models, to kids. I even got the opportunity to second shoot at a wedding! Whew and to top it all off I had an interior shoot at a gorgeous home in Rancho Santa Fe last week! I will share a few images tonight from the wedding and a few models too. I will write and share more within the next week....

Here are a few from the wedding...Natalie and Josh were a blast to photograph. Thanks to my friend and colleague Kimerlee Curyl for letting me second shoot at this wedding with her! It was on a ranch and had a fun western theme. Natalie forgot her boots and got married in Ugg boots!! Too funny! Their wedding was just beautiful.

Lace & Uggs!

Then I had the a blast shooting with 30 photographers at the San Diego PhotogShootOut! It was held at Split Rock Ranch in Ramona and everyone had a blast. The models were great and I met some really great people.

The gorgeous Megan!

This is Anna! She has the most beautiful eyes!

The wonderfully muscled Michael! Knew you gals out there would appreciate that image so enjoy!
So much more to share so stay tuned!!

Until next time!

Jules

Galway Downs 3 Day Event

2009-11-10T21:38:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I ventured off to Galway Downs in Temecula to photograph at their 3 day event, which includes dressage, cross country courses and stadium jumping. It was an extremely hot weekend so it really tested both the horses and the riders stamina. These events really show the versatility, strength and discipline of both the horse and rider.

I can remember when I was young and showed my thoroughbred in a few of these 3 day events (in Lexington, Kentucky) and believe me it is no walk in the park! One must spend many hours in training to get fit and prepare for these grueling events.

Cross Country: I always love the water jumps. It is always fun to capture the horse and rider landing in water. These courses are tough-the jumps are solid...the horse and rider both must be amazingly fit.

Stadium jumping: This horse really jumped big on this one! The audience actually gasped!

As I walked back to the tent area, I noticed this horse and rider having a moment of solitude...

More to share soon.

Hope everyone is doing well and looking forward to the holiday season!!

~Julie

Spanish Breed Horse Show at Del Mar

2009-10-30T21:13:00.000-07:00

Today I went to Showpark to check out the The Foundation Of Pure Spanish Breeds Horse Show. I really love the spanish breeds and enjoy photographing them. They were having the halter classes today. I wanted to capture how the mares are shown in front of the judges and document the process. Here are a few images from the morning:

I loved watching this guy set up his mare in front of the judges! He was so focused and intense! The mare ended up winning this class.

Running the mare in front of the judges!

I also spent some time playing with shutter speeds...you can get some fun images this way!

It was a fun morning....I always enjoy photographing horses!

To learn more about the Spanish Breeds check it out here:

The Foundation Of The Pure Spanish Horse.

I am shooting this weekend at Galloway Downs so stayed tuned for more equine images!

~Julie

Arabians & Wine

2009-10-22T09:38:00.001-07:00

Wow, can't believe it has been soooo long since my last blog post! Where does the time go? Last week I went to Templeton, CA., which is in the Paso Robles area, to photograph at an Arabian Ranch. I was very excited and honored to be asked to come and photograph at Arriba Arabians! (Website is in progress) Having an o

pportunity to travel and photograph beautiful horses AND be in wine country on top of that...well, I was in heaven to say the least!

As many of you know, I love wine (honestly, someone in my family had to be Italian!) and getting the opportunity to tastes really good wines...I mean REALLY good wines was a delight! The only problem with this scenario is it then becomes difficult to drink the cheaper wines I often buy. LOL! It was a real treat to be shown around the area and visit the local wineries. The first one we went to was Rocky Creek Cellars, a small family owned and operated winery. They had some very nice red wines and we bought a few bottles there. I bought a yummy dessert wine called Black Monukka Dessert Wine. It is a dark amber color with vanilla and carmel undertones. They sun bake the wine for 2 years in ba

rrels which "carmelizes" the natural grape sugar. Can't wait to pop that one open on a special occasion!

The next winery we went to was called Zin Alley. Not sure that is the proper name so will have to look it up. Cecil knew the man who owns this winery so we had a warm welcome here. Their zinfandel wines were totally out of this world! Simply the best I had ever tasted. I learned that this winery only produces a certain amount of wine a

year (at top prices) and sells out annually. They do what is called dry farming, where they let the vine root go deep to find water. This results in smaller, hardier vines that produces (they believe) the best grapes. (There is alot of concern about water here in California so dry farming is really good. They may have to water alittle but mostly the plant finds its own water.)

One of the last wineries we went to was Sarzotti Vineyard & Winery. Over a century ago this family migrated from Tuscany, Italy to open a winery here in California. Already I liked them! LOL! They are Italian afterall and Italians know wine! I have to say this was the most fun I have ever had at a wine tasting. The Sarzotti family were so gracious and their wines were the best we had had yet. Their full menu of wines were all so incredible, from their Merlot to their Cabernets, that I had a tough time choosing what to buy. We were even treated to a Cabernet from their reserve that is not even bottled yet! Man, I can't wait to get my hands on that!

I ended up choosing the Merlot which we proceeded to open and drink right there since we were invited to stay and enjoy the BBQ and music (Pakes Grimes) that was provided. It was a beautiful day, with soft breezes blowing across the vineyard-the smell of grapes and earth, who wouldn't want to stay and enjoy it? Isn't that what life is all about? Great people, food, wine, music...

And then of course were the Arabians. Sigh...I love photographing Arabians. They have so much spirit and grace. Here are a few images from the photoshoot:

I fell in love with this black colt named aptly, CM The Black. Would love to have this colt. He has a gorgeous head and was so spunky and moved like a dream.

My signature artsy image..

This colt I think is just lovely. Nice dish head, a beautiful eye and great presence. This is BST Vargas.

At liberty. Love the tail!

This is a mare called CM Desiree. She was quite full of herself and fun to photograph.

I truly had an amazing 4 days on this trip and would like to thank The Martinez family for their graciousness and showing me around the area.

I hope to see you at Scottsdale!

Until next time...

~Julie

Innovation!

2009-09-29T13:08:00.000-07:00

Yep, lately I have been more philosophical then artistic, chatting about inspiration, style and confidence rather than posting a ton of images. I don’t have a lot of new work to share right now but I have had the time lately to read alot and listen to podcasts and check out other artists and photographers. After spending time doing this, I feel the need to share of course!

I recently listened to an interview of Jerry Ghionis, one of my fav wedding photographers, given by video producer Ron Dawson.

You can check out the interview here: http://fstopbeyond.tv/?p=674

The main things I picked up that I want to share is this:

According to Jerry there are 3 ways you can go with your photography:

Imitate
Emulate
Innovate

Of course the most effective of the three is to Innovate. Be an innovator and do your own thing! I happen to agree with Jerry....Many people can imitate or emulate others but the true test of your skill and vision is to innovate! It goes back to my discussion on inspiration. Be inspired to create...look at fashion, music, films, whatever inspires you. Jerry mentioned he saw a movie called Melina and he was inspired to create an image with all these guys lighting a gals cigarette. You can see this image (and its creation) at www.theicesociety.com

Click on the first video and it is the first part of the video to play...and watch both videos. You will be inspired by Jerry-I guarantee it!!

The other thing that stuck with me that Jerry said was, Define who you are...”If you want to be like the greats, be yourself! Be Innovative.” I said the same thing in a recent post about being yourself and creating your own style. Shoot from the heart and your own vision.

The other great guote by Jerry that I absolutely love is:

“You don’t have to be the best. You just have to be better than last week.”

Great words of wisdom and a quote I will never forget!

I leave you with a photo from a wedding that I took -a beach session after the wedding. I love this image...I made it black & White and added a texture.

I will share more links and words of wisdom next time. Hope you enjoyed this segment.

~Jules

Confidence & Style As An Artist

2009-09-16T16:24:00.000-07:00

Confidence. How do we get it and where does it come from? Confidence in your photography or art is important but for many of us it is elusive. The little devil on your shoulder laughs at you and tells you that you are no good, that your work stinks and that no one will like it. And even when you feel you might have an image or a painting that you like ...Wham! He pokes you with his sharp tail to remind you that hey you are no good, “what are ya thinkin’” all the while laughing at you in your ear! And so it goes....

Confidence is very powerful and once you have that “aha” moment, that moment when it all comes together and you love what you are creating, you can knock that little devil right off your shoulder and declare that yes, my work is unique and wonderful!! The devil will try to crawl back up but you have to be strong and just knock him aside and move on. Confidence is an essential element to drive your business forward!!

It has taken me years to achieve this, years full of self doubt I might add, to get to a point where I am confident in my work and what I have to offer. I am not sure I can pinpoint the exact moment when I felt this way, but it was amazing when it happened! I was shooting from the heart and seeing things in a whole new “light”....and my images became more consistent. I also made the effort to stop comparing my work to others. You must step out and be unique.

Another aspect to all of this is “style”. What is your style? My style has evolved but I think I have always been an “in your face” type photographer. I love getting close to the subject and I love details. What words do I use to describe my work? Well, other people have told me my images are elegant, sophisticated, modern and classic. These words totally describe what I feel my images project, the feelings they evoke.

So stop comparing yourself to others, take chances and be true to yourself...trust me the confidence and style will emerge.

I leave you with a few images I took at the Blenheim Grand Prix last Friday. The images are of the VIP tables set by and desserts made by Bistro 311.

Keep shooting...

~Jules

Labor Day: Commitment, Hard Work, Drive and Sharing

2009-09-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

Today, Labor Day, had me pondering while sitting poolside.......all last week, I was reading various photography blogs, equestrian magazines (like Horse Showbiz-West Coast) and I also attended an equine clinic called Emerging Athletes Program being held at Blenheim EquisportsFacility. Ironically, all of these businesses had the same theme throughout...a message as it were. It seems that this message or theme transcends a variety of businesses whether its photography, magazines or the equine industry. The main words I read or heard throughout were:

Commitment

Drive

Hard Work

Sharing

Being committed to your work and your industry in these challenging economic times is even more important than ever before, but commitment has always been important to growing and surviving in business. I think we should all ask ourselves:

1) Are you committed to your business and industry?

2) Do you have the drive and motivation to make it work?

3) Are you willing to do what it takes to make it happen?

4) Are you willing to share and give of yourself to others in your industry?

I need to ask myself these questions as well and be honest in my answers...sometimes it is difficult and I want to quit but I push on. I am passionate about my photography and I truly believe I have something unique to offer. But I also realize that it is going to take lots of commitment, drive, and hard work to get where I want to be. For now I am OK with that. If I ever loose the passion for what I do then maybe it would be time to reflect and ask myself these questions again. And maybe it means that I continue to just create my work for myself but I hope I can share my gift and passion with others for a long time.

Shoot from your heart and jump high over obstacles that come into your path...great things are on the other side!!

Julie

Horse Racing in Del Mar

2009-09-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

I have had so many thoughts now on blog posts and what to write about. I am currently working on a post about confidence so stay tuned!

Right now I thought I would let you know I have posted images from the race track on my website. www.julieblairphotography.com

Go to galleries-upper left side-and click on Del Mar Races. Hope you enjoy them. I had a blast at the races. I shoot in the paddock area alot capturing the scenes before the race. It was so hot that they were hosing the horses off before they saddled them! I have never seen that happen before but it was blazing hot that day.

I have a few I love so much I will be entering a few in some photo contest. One is a very prestigious photo contest called the Color Awards and the other is Art Horse Magazine's annual photo contest. I feel its time to put myself out there and be judged by peers and people in the industry.

Here are a few images...hope you will check the rest out on my website.

Hope everyone has had a great summer.

~jules

Inspiration: Where It Comes From

2009-08-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

People often ask me what inspires me. I have been thinking about this alot lately and finally sat down this morning to write about it.

For me, inspiration comes from many places. The first obvious one is from other photographers work. Although I do love seeing what my peers are doing and creating, I try not to compare myself to other photographers work as this can kill your creativity (thank you Dane Sanders for that wise piece of insight). Following your own path and vision is the important thing, not trying to be like others.

There are a few wedding photographer sights I love to browse periodically (Jose Villa, Jerry Ghionis, and so many others) and of course many equine photographers inspire me and push me forward as well. Other photographers not only inspire me with their imagery but also in their work ethic. Many also have encouraged me in my work and shared some things that maybe worked for them in marketing or whatever. I am so grateful to all the photographers who have shared their words of wisdom with me and have encouraged me to continue shooting.

So where else do I get inspiration?

Magazines: I get alot of inspiration from magazines of all types. Whether it is a position of a model, the clothes or location or maybe a new style of photography that might excite me, magazines are great places for inspiration. I also get ideas for logo designs and biz card designs from magazines.
Music and music videos/movies: Tons of inspiring stuff on music videos and movies. Sometimes a certain song just lifts my spirits and I create better with a happier mind. Music videos often have elements I love and I might put that away in my head for a future photo shoot. (Such as a gauzy outfit floating in the breeze on a beach.)
Art: This goes without saying really. So many talented artist out there and I always love going to photography showings or art galleries. Sometimes it is fun just to enjoy what others are creating. I love seeing all kinds of art.
Retail Stores: I have a few stores here locally that always seem to inspire me or provide me with ideas....a few include Anthropology, Mabels, Solo, antique stores, and a few wonderful interior design stores.
Blogs: So many great blogs out there that I love and draw inspiration from. Many are fashion and interior design sites. It could be colors in a room or a great fashion image that make me excited about working on imagery again. I also see textures and patterns I love and might use the idea for layering on an image. Sometimes the images on a blog just makes me happy and I then enjoy what I am doing more. An example of one thing that recently inspired me was Chase Jarvis and his blog. He often shares images taken with his iPhone and that inspired me to take pics with my iPhone and post them here on my blog. I will also be making a gallery on my website to showcase them. It is just something fun to do too.
Other: Sometimes I see something and Wham, inspiration hits hard! I saw this wine bottle recently that had the coolest wine label! I love the use of color and the finishes that were on the label. (Not telling about that yet since it inspired me to make new biz cards and biz stationary!) I have that wine bottle sitting on my desk! You never know what might give you ideas.

So these are some thoughts on inspiration. You have to be open to seeing whats in front of you....ideas and inspiration are all around us.

And of course I can’t blog without posting a few pics.

Inspired by the light in the dust....

Using some texture on a black and white wedding image.

Thanks for stopping by...hope you enjoyed reading this! Maybe I inspired you in some small way.

~Jules

Summer Classic at Showpark

2009-08-23T09:39:00.000-07:00

When I first started taking pictures again after not having picked up a camera for years, I started going to area horse shows to take photographs of horses. I figured they were a captive audience after all and I could practice and get a few shots I really loved. I also went to polo games and horse races. After that I was shooting farm calls and portraits.

Since I had not been to a hunter/jumper show this year I decided to go yesterday to the Showpark Summer Classic held at the Showpark in Del Mar, CA. I also went to see some great friends of mine, Jackie and Duncan and their little girl, Chloe. (Check out their Equine Marketing company www.equestrisol.com ) And of course I took the camera along. Here are a few from the Grand Prix jumping event. There were 50 or so competitors, competing for 40K! For those of you who don't know this type of jumper class is timed and the horses are given faults when they knock down rails, go over the alloted time or refuse a fence. If the rider falls off he is disqualified.

A classic black & white shot.

I have to admit I am alittle rusty shooting jumpers and unfortunately got alittle too close and cut some of the riders head off in this one. But I loved the image with the light on the tail and the beautiful way the horse is tucked over the fence.

This horse obviously did not want anything to do with this jump. It was troublesome for many of the horses. This was the first jump of a triple combination (3 jumps one right after the other) so it was tricky.

I am always amazed at the willingness of the horses to jump these obstacles. They are so trusting and they are truly amazing athletes!

I had a great time and hope to see more before the show season slows down. Can't believe it is almost fall. Where did the summer go??

Until next time...

~Jules

Inspiration: Workshops!

2009-08-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

I am working on writing up some thoughts on inspiration but have been sooo busy between working and shooting and housesitting/dogsitting....and keeping up my gym workouts...whew, busy, busy.... However, I did want to share some images from a recent workshop I attended given by Christine Bentley an amazing photographer in Irvine, Ca. (Check out Christines work and future workshops here: www.christinebentley.com )

Christine had all these amazing models for us to shoot along with some lecture time and it was awesome! I often do go to workshops to get inspired and refreshed. Here are a few from the day....alot more to come!

The most gorgeous and sexy couple I have had the pleasure to photograph!

Tatoos....
Christine's cousin who is a model with an agency in Los Angeles gave her time to us and it was much appreciated!!

Can you imagine having a toddler AND triplets??? Wow, and all girls...they were fun to work with....and yes it takes a tribe to raise them! LOL!
Thanks to Christine for a fast paced, fun-filled day!

More to come!

~Jules

San Diego Chapter Dressage show in Del Mar!

2009-08-09T14:47:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was a fun morning of shooting dressage at the Del Mar Showpark. I just love the elegant and sophisticated look of Dressage. The top hats and the beautiful coats...here are a few images to share.

I made this one sort of antique looking. As you know I love black & white images. This one really spoke to me.

Here is Gunter Seidel riding U2. He had an awesome test!

A few of my signature close ups.

This was a cute horse.

I am writing up a blogpost on inspiration and hope to post it this coming week! I will also share images from the workshop I went to last Monday which includes babies, kids and models!! So stay tuned!

~jules

Published In San Diego Home & Garden

2009-07-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

I am very excited and proud to share that I have been published in the August issue of San Diego Home & Garden Magazine!! The issue is all about remodeled homes and is a wonderful issue to inspire you.

This was a great project and such a beautiful Craftsman style house to photograph. I was hired by Interior Designer Cathy Brettman to photograph the exterior of the home last year. Two of my images were used in the article! It is always exciting to see your images in print and especially in such a wonderful magazine. I am very honored.

The first image is of the patio which overlooks the polo fields here in Del Mar.

This second image, which was given a full page feature, shows the beautiful patio area of the home.

Thank you Cathy for the opportunity to photograph the home and congrats on the feature-you did a beautiful job remodeling this home! You can see more of Cathy's work on her website: www.cathybrettmaninteriors.com

And don't forget to pick up the issue to see the whole article and other great remodeled homes.

Until next time,

Hope everyone is having a fabulous summer!!

~Jules

Gorgeous Day for Polo

2009-07-12T21:39:00.000-07:00

It was an amazing day for Polo in Del Mar today! Sunny & hot with a nice breeze blowing off the ocean. It was one of the best games I have seen in awhile. So much action and flat out gallops to get the ball and lots of goals! Needless to say, I was in heaven!

Here are a few from the day...

I always love shooting over at the hose off area! The horses make the funniest faces...

More action!

I will post more in a few days to my website....and I will be shooting more polo in the upcoming weeks. Also, the horse races start soon at the Del Mar race track so stay tuned for some racing shots too!

Thanks for visiting!

Jules

A Savvy shoot at the park!

2009-06-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a beautiful weekend it is here in SoCal! I love the hot weather and sunshine...it just makes me happy! And I can go swimming which I love. And the ocean is so beautiful and blue...just amazing.

I wanted to give you a sneek peek at the Savvy Doll photoshoot from last Friday! Five beautiful ladies gathered at Balboa Park for me to photograph them! Wow, what fun that is for me! I could have photographed them all day long. Here is one of the beautiful Jade...alot more to come!!

Stay tuned for more!

Happy Sunday all!

Jules

Something Impromptu

2009-06-16T23:01:00.001-07:00

Sometimes something just happens and you get an idea for an image and magic happens.

My friend Sandra's daughter, Jessie, and her friend Jordan were playing and dancing with various costumes and this white dress was just too irresistible not to photograph! This is Jordan and she is just too cute.

I have so much more to share. I shot at the polo games last Sunday so will share those pics soon!!!

Until then,

All the best,

Julie

iPhone Obsessed!

2009-06-03T17:57:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

I was so inspired recently by Photographer Chase Jarvis (here is his iPhone gallery: www.chasejarvis.com/#s=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&p=5&a=0&at=0 )and his iPhone images, that I just had to start taking pics with my new iPhone and now I cant stop!

I recently took some pics at Anthropology, my FAVORITE store and today I had breakfast with my good friend Nancy at The Pannikin, a great local coffee and tea house here in Encinitas. It is actually an old train station from like the 60's and it is so fun to hang out there. And downstairs they have all these coffee bags...both full and empty.

So here are a few iPhone images from my latest outings.

Anthropology store:

Pannikin Coffee House:

Until next time,

Jules

Savvy Dolls Photo Shoot

2009-05-25T14:32:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Hope you are having a fabulous Memorial Day weekend!

I had a photoshoot last Friday that I thought I would share with everyone. I am shooting the Savvy Dolls (http://www.savvydolls.com )once a month now. They are a great group of gals that do photo parties, modeling and entertainment for parties, etc....check out their website!

Here are a few pics from the day...

We met at the Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach to do the shoot. The theme was for Father's Day so the gals dressed up in mens shirts.

I got there early and took the first shot because I thought it was so cute. A man and his dog spend a relaxing morning together. Love the expression on the dogs face!

This is the lovely Abriel:

This is the spirited Phoenix:

This is Jade:

Here are all the gals together:

I took a ton of pics and you can see more on my website at www.julieblairphotography.com under galleries: Savvy Dolls. Stay tuned. Next month's shoot is going to be amazing!!

Thanks for everyone who is checking in. I will try to post more often!!

~jules

Busy Times

2009-05-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

Hello....

Sorry I have been so absent these past few weeks. I have been busy packing and moving. I moved out of my apartment and moved in with a friend for awhile. Moving was exhausting but it is all done and now its time to get back to blogging and photography! I have a model photoshoot this Saturday and more fun things scheduled for May and June! So stay tuned my friends!

~julie

Interior Design: A Favorite Kitchen

2009-04-23T15:08:00.000-07:00

Wow, life is pretty full these days -marketing my biz, processing photos from a fashion shoot and preparing for a move!!

Today I am posting from my Inspiration: Interior Design file! I tear out pics from magazines of interiors, fashion and other things that inspire me and keep it in a notebook. It has become quite large and its time for me to start volume II!

Anyway, this is a kitchen I loved because I LOVE fireplaces and having one in the kitchen would be amazing! I would love to have one in my bedroom too...I remember this article because the guy found this fireplace behind a wall in his kitchen! Cant believe anyone would cover a fireplace like this. I also love the architectural salvage pieces he put on the mantle! The rough hewn mantle is great too!! The nuetral palette is right up my alley. (I think this house is in Virginia and came out of Country Living Magazine.)

I think the little pup in the bed has the right idea....ahhhhh cozy and warm!
I have a few photo shoots lined up and will share soon. Horse show season and farm calls are beginning as spring arrives. And I will also continue to share interior design inspiration. Thanks for visiting!

~julie

A Goth tea Party

2009-04-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

Hi All!

Yesterday I participated in a photoshoot called "Goth tea Party" sponsered by some peeps at Model Mayhem. I am honored to be a photographer at Model Mayhem and I look forward to working with all the beautiful models in the future!

I had so much fun and meet some amazing people!! We had tons of models and makeup artists and about 10 photographers. So much creativity and fun happening....as per the title it was a Goth themed shoot with costumes depicting the theme and it even included fangs! Here is a sneek peek from the day.

I was so blessed to be able to be invited to take part in this shoot! Can't wait for the next one!!

I will be creating a blog just for my fashion work but I wanted to share these with you now.

Happy Easter everyone!

~Jules

Friday Musings

2009-04-10T14:01:00.000-07:00

Hi All, I always laugh when I write that because I am not sure that many people are reading this...but I keep posting. So many things are happening in my life right now it seems overwhelming at times. My photography is growing in a few different paths and I will be sharing more about that in the next week. I am going to be starting a new blog for this new venture that I am embarking on and this blog will be only for my equine work.

It all started with my friend Janine, who is such a great lady and has always encouraged me. We did a boudoir shoot recently and also took some fashion type images outside and that has lead me on another exciting path! Thanks Janine for all your encouragement and friendship!

Here is an image I took of Janine in an antique dress she owns....isn't she gorgeous?

More to come so stay tuned!

Happy Easter everyone!

Jules

Fiesta Arabian Show

2009-03-31T18:59:00.000-07:00

Usually I go to shows and shoot for the pure joy of it and get some images for my equine art. Last weekend was the Fiesta Arabian Horse show and i missed most of the days due to work. I went on Sunday but there were hardly any participants there. Classes were small by Sunday and when I got there they had a break so I didnot get to shoot near as much as I usually do at a show. I did meet two fellow equine photographers, Laurie Taylor and Lee Locke. It is always fun to meet colleagues and fellow horse lovers! I did take a few pics of a beautiful arabian pulling a buggy so thought I would share those.

The show season is really starting to rev up and I am also booking some farm shoots and I have some surprise shoots that I will share in a week or two!! I am getting some exciting opportunities coming my way....stay tuned!

Have a great week!

~Julie

More from Taylor's party....Butterflies were the rage!

2009-03-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

There was a gal at the party who did face painting for all the kids and many of the girls picked butterflies some picked puppies and the boys were spiderman and pirates, etc....I loved photographing the process. Here are a few pics. I will have the rest on my website soon.

Here is the birthday girl getting her butterfly painted on...

And Taylor's bff, Chloe! I loved how the colors were chosen to match their clothes! Very fashionista!

Another butterfly in progress...

Thanks again to Alex for having shoot at the party. I had so much fun! Be sure to stop by the Rustic Rooster for all your home furnishing needs and check out their new blog at http://rusticroosterinteriors.blogspot.com/

Hope everyone has an amazing week!

~julie

Taylor's Birthday Party! A sneek peek!

2009-03-28T21:20:00.000-07:00

Today I had the pleasure to photograph at Taylor's birthday bash! It was so fun. It was a beautiful, sunny Southern California day. Perfect for a fun-filled afternoon for kids and adults alike. There was lots of food, cake, candy, games and face painting.

I have alot of images to process but thought I would share a few here...a sneak peek as it were...stay tuned!

Birthday cake!

Taylor was hard to keep up with but I did catch her enjoying this sucker. The kids all loved them.

The 3 muskateers...with ring sucker candy! Everyone's favorite!

And little brother Ryan digging in the ice bucket for pieces of ice.

It was an amazing day and I had so much fun. Thanks Alex for letting me share Taylor's birthday with her, her friends and her family. It was an honor.

More to come...many photos to process so I better get back at it!

~jules

The Perfect Studio

2009-03-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

Besides my love of photography I also love interior design and beautiful spaces. I often dream about the perfect studio space and I came across this Ralph Lauren ad years ago and I just love it. With its large sunny space with hard wood floors, a beautiful chunky table for a desk, photos, a large plant in a really cool wood planter and overall neutral pallette....just wow! This is my kind of space and a open space for shooting would be ideal too. I love Ralph Laurens home website and always get some inspiration from his interior collections. http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/rlhome/collection/default.asp

I keep the picture hanging by my desk so I can dream and visualize having a space like this!

And then it would be nice to have a wondreful man and a few dogs and an English Manor to go with it right? ...in the Ralph Lauren Style of course, his clothes are timeless, especially his designs for men:

Where does Ralph get these models?

(Pls. note I could not find any mention of who the photog was for these images but they are from older Ralph Lauren ads. I always try to give credit to photographers and artists. )

I will be sharing more in the future of fashion, interiors, and other things that inspire me as well as my photography of course!

Have a fabulous week everyone!

~Julie

Happy St. Patricks Day and Dressage in Del Mar

2009-03-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Happy Saint Patricks Day to everyone. Personally, even though I am part Irish in my ancestry somewhere, I will not be indulging in any drinks colored green! Ewww....yuck. And I don't like beer to begin with...maybe a sparkling green champagne? Hmmm...

This past Sunday I had the pleasure to shoot at The Dressage Affaire in Del Mar, CA. My friend and fellow equine photog, Terri Miller was the official photographer (OP) and I was able to chat with her alittle bit and watch her in action. Always a pleasure.

I am not as well versed in dressage as I should be but I love watching these beautiful, talented horses show off their incredible beauty and talent. And of course their talented riders as well. I find dressage to be so elegant and graceful and I love the elegance of the riders attire.

Here are some moments captured from the day....

Fell in love with this horse! Here he is doing a piaffe what I call dancing in place!

This gal was so estatic after her test as she and the horse did very well. Love catching these joyous moments.

Back to the barn after the test...

It was a great day of friends and gorgeous horses.

Enjoy your week everyone!

~julie

New Fine Art Image And other ramblings..

2009-03-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

The weeks go by so fast and every friday I sit here shaking my head not believing another week has gone by. Today I am adding a new Equine Fine Art image to my line up of images for sale. I now have a store on etsy.com as well. You can visit me there at: http://www.seahorsestudio.etsy.com/

Here is my latest art piece. It is called "The Gypsies". It is shown here in an 8x10 version which will be sold in a limited, signed edition for $150.00. Other sizes are available...shoot me an e-mail for pricing. I am working on some other art pieces as well so watch for updates!

I am also on Facebook these days. It is so wild that as photographers we are posting pictures on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, our websites, etc! Its insane but totally fun! I will add links to my blog for my Facebook page too.

Spring is fast approaching and I am starting to book sessions for April and May! I am now available for Equine sessions, Portraits, Fashion and Boudoir, and Weddings/engagements!

I can't wait for the horse show season to start too. More on where I will be coming soon.

Hope everyone had a great week!

~julie

Surfers....

2009-03-01T09:15:00.000-08:00

Wow, can't believe it is Marcg first already! I realized that I forgot to post the surfer pics I had taken at dog beach a few weeks ago....it was cold and gloomy that day...totally opposite to what we have today which is sunny and warm! A beautiful spring day in SoCal today!

I really don't see how they get in the water even with a wetsuit...it is so cold!

Gave this one a vintage feel...

Just really into black and whites lately...

Have a great day everyone!!

~julie

A Saturday Wedding

2009-02-23T17:21:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure to second shoot with photographer Emmy Sherman at a wedding last Saturday. It was held at a beautiful home in Poway, CA. and was a lovely wedding. Thank you Emmy for the chance to spend the day with you and congrats to Heather & Ryan!

My interpretation...some black and white imagery...just seemed to fit the feel of this wedding to me.

Bridesmaid and flowers...

The beautiful cake...

The bridesmaids with the bride...

Dad giving the bride away...

The kiss...

Pretty lanterns....

Pouring champagne....

I really had a great time and it was such a heartfelt, warm and beautiful wedding. Lots of laughter and a few tears, good food, champagne, cake, etc. I was so excited to be a part of it all.

Have a great week everyone!

~julie

Dog Day Sunday

2009-02-16T18:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I met my good friend Sandra and her little girl Jessie with their dog, Inga at dog beach in Del Mar, one of the few beaches in our area that allows dogs. It was cold and cloudy with really cold winds at the beach but that did not stop the canine variety from romping, splashing and playing. I took my new Canon 1.4 II extender added to my 70-200mm lens to see what I could get.

Jessie is my favorite model....

Inga is getting older but she still chases the ball and has a great time.

This little Boston Terrier came running up to me and planted himself at my feet insisting I throw the ball! He was adorable.

I have more pics -some of surfers I will post tomorrow. Stay tuned.

~jules

Friday The 13th

2009-02-13T13:34:00.000-08:00

Ah...its friday once again and friday the 13th no less! Glad I am not superstitious.

The weeks just go flying by. I did not realize I had not posted in so long.

This has been a busy week so far...I had an interview (yes, still job hunting), worked on some images for my Fine Art division (Seahorse Studios), and the most wonderful thing happened for me this week....I have a mentor!! Thank you so much Juliet! ( http://www.lechevalthehorse.com/ ) I am so honored and thrilled to have this opportunity. It is a new and wonderful journey for me and I am so excited.

I could not post without adding an image so here is one I took at an Arabian horse show a few years ago. I love this image as it shows the closeness this horse and rider have with each other as she lovingly wipes something from the horses eye...these moments are so sweet.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Happy Valentines Day!

~jules

More from the Equine Affaire

2009-02-04T12:52:00.001-08:00

Wow, it is mid-week already! And we are into February already! Where does the time go?

I wanted to share a few more images from the Equine Affaire. I am reworking my website too but that will take longer...so here are a few more images from last Friday.

This gal was such a trooper letting us photograph her in the barn. The horse was an andalusian stallion. He was so well behaved. I fell in love with him and his sweetness.

The horse kept kicking up the dust which added to the atmosphere...The scene made me think of a mythical legend with a princess and a castle somewhere around the corner....and a knight in shining armour on a white stallion....

I just felt that this one had a great vintage feeling....

I hope everyone is having a great week so far.

~julie

The Equine Affaire

2009-01-31T21:38:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you mix friends, photography, and horses? An amazingly great time! Yesterday I traveled to Pomona, CA. to the Fairplex to attend the Equine Affaire (an equine tradeshow) and meet some fellow photogs. I had the great honor and pleasure of shooting with professional photographer (and friend) Charles Hilton (http://www.charleshiltonimages.com/)! It was so amazing spending the day with Charles and shooting beautiful horses.

I also got the opportunity to meet another friend/collegue/pro equine photographer, Carol Walker! Carol spends alot of time photographing wild horses and has published a book about them and their plight in the U.S. She also has a fantastic calendar for sale. (See her work and purchase her new book here: http://www.livingimagescjw.com/).

It was truly an amazing day. It was a hot and sunny day here in SoCal and so many great breeds of horses being exhibited there from Andalusians, friesians, peruvian pasos, gypsy vanners and even donkeys! I will be featuring many of the pics from the day in the upcoming week. Here is a sneak peek....

More to come so stay tuned my friends!

~jules

Look Out Vogue!

2009-01-27T11:11:00.000-08:00

I had a fun shoot last Sunday with my fabulous and fun friend, Janine. She was such a trooper as we tried all kinds of scenarios and poses throughout the day. We did some boudoir and then moved outdoors with this cool antique dress she had.

Working with adults is new for me because I am usually shooting kids or horses.... It was really a fun day.

More to come....thank you Janine for being so patient with me!

~Jules

A Favorite Image from the Past

2009-01-19T14:26:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite images from a dressage show.....I love the elegance of it and the vintage feel that the sepia tone gave it.

Can't wait until the show season starts and all the horses are glossy and gorgeous again! Until next time....have a great week.

~Julie

A Visit to Falcon Ridge Ranch

2009-01-13T10:46:00.000-08:00

Saturday I took a drive east to Escondido to visit Falcon Ridge Ranch. It was a hot, breezy day as the Santa Ana winds had kicked in. The ranch sits in a beautiful valley surrounded by grapevines, palm trees, orange groves and rolling hills. The ranch is an equine rescue center founded by Nicki Branch and David Lee Archer. They take in abandoned and unwanted horses from all over the US and bring them back to health and then adopt them out. They currently have around 50 horses!

It is a huge undertaking but without people like this many of these horses would die and/or end up at slaughter. I commend Nicki and her staff and volunteers for their commitment. Of course feeding and caring for these horses takes alot of time and money...donations are tax deductible. If you would like to make a donation pls. contact Nicki at nickbranch@aol.com. Their website: www.nickibranch.com/falconridge.

Here are a few pictures from my visit.
There are a few mares there with foals. This was one cute little filly getting a drink on a hot day...so sweet.

There were a few small donkeys as well. Love the big eyes and long fuzzy ears!

And one was a zebra mix! Loved the stripes on this one. They were so cute and inquisitive...

Thank you Nicki for providing a sanctuary for our equine friends who deserve a chance to have happy lives.

~julie

Beauty At The Beach

2009-01-07T16:53:00.000-08:00

Wow, what an amazing jog I had on the beach today! I finally got my ipod touch synched and took it with me. It is always easier to jog with tunes...why is that? It was still cool outside but sunny...and it was magical at the beach...alittle fog moving in, seagulls, pelicans, and surfers riding the waves...I could not help smiling and almost dancing with happiness. Didnot have my camera so I am posting a shot from last year that shows how beautiful it is here.

Some days the beach just touches your soul with its beauty.

~julie

Paperwhites

2009-01-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

Paperwhites are wonderful little flowers and they have a wonderful fragrance....I usually plant the bulbs in time for them to bloom for xmas but was alittle late this year. They are blooming now though and I decided to take a few pics yesterday before they get wilted.

Until Next time...

~jules

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T22:42:00.001-08:00

Happy New year to all!

Lets hope that 2009 can bring us more joy, more love, more happiness, more special moments with friends and family....and more peace in the world.

A toast to life and love. Have a wonderful 2009!

Thanks for visiting my blog.

~jules

I Left My Heart in ...Laguna Beach...

2008-12-26T20:36:00.000-08:00

Today was a glorious day although a bit cold(about 48 degrees). The sky was a wonderful clear blue and the ocean was a deeper blue! The cold winds were blowing hard and everyone was out walking with knit hats, Ugg boots and winter jackets. A funny site here in SoCal!

I ventured up to Laguna Beach today to visit Susie, a friend I grew up with in Kentucky. We had horses together at the same farm...amazing how time flies....and now we are all grown up and living on the West coast!

Laguna Beach is a special place...it has a wonderful energy and is so beautiful. The hills rise from the sea, dotted with homes and coast highway winds thru it. It has always held a special place in my heart. When I first moved here I lived in Laguna for a short while...and it was amazing. You really feel like you are in a coastal town somewhere in europe.

After a fun lunch and afternoon chatting, I headed home but stopped at the local park and took a few shots. It was quite blustery but I managed to get a few pics of the beauty of Laguna. This is a shot looking southeast towards Dana Point....Laguna's Main Beach is over to the left....

This is looking the opposite direction towards Newport Beach.....
A crane looking for food in the low tides....

The winds created huge waves and it was great watching them crash on the rocks....

And of course it wouldn't be California without gorgeous palm trees....and the sunset was amazing as I drove home and could see the sun setting into the pacific. Ahhh....a wonderful day!

~jules

Only 2 more days till Christmas!!

2008-12-23T12:09:00.000-08:00

December 23rd and all thru the house not a creature is stirring....except me pulling my hair out over my darn computer!! I really hate it when that hourglass is turning and turning but nothing is happening! Errrrrrr.....anyway, I am posting a picture today that my good friend Alex took of me with Santa during the annual Christmas parade this year. I asked him for a MAC computer and he chuckled...hey, I have been a good girl this year Santa!!

Thanks again to Alex and all the Roostic Rooster peeps (no pun intended!) for doing the santa pics. We all had a great time!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!! Hope your Holidays are filled with joy!

~jules

More Christmas Stuff

2008-12-17T13:33:00.000-08:00

Another cold and rainy day here in SoCal...man, when the rainy season hits-it hits hard. I hear we are getting snow in the local mountains too!

Here are a few more cute christmas items from the Rustic Rooster store (www.rusticrooster.com )in Encinitas....

A fun way to decorate a tree using seashells and ribbons with cute little wood signs..great for seaside cottages. Love the white planter it is in too!

Every year Sally and Alex have these fun xmas signs...great to hang around the house or on a wreath or a tree...so cute.

Happy Holidays everyone!! Only 8.5 days left till xmas!!

~jules

Christmas decorations

2008-12-15T12:44:00.000-08:00

I thought since it is a blustery, rainy day here in SoCal that I would post something alittle different. A real bummer that I am having to cancel some outdoor horse shoots...just never know this time of year what kind of weather we will have...so instead of sharing horse images I thought I would talk about Christmas and decorating.

I know, amazing isn't it that Christmas will be here before we know it. Most people have already decorated their homes for the holidays but I thought I would share a few things on decorating.

I like decorating using all kinds of containers like glass, wood, and baskets. I have similar glass containers as those pictured below. (this was a display at the Rustic Rooster store http://www.rusticrooster.com/ ) and I like this idea of putting ornaments in them or organic items like moss, twigs and wood balls...the fruit looks great too!

I also have a dark, wooden teak bowl full of antique looking glass ornaments I have collected over the years. They are nesting in a bed of twigs...I love the organic feel of it.

One of my favorite items purchased this year was a snow covered wood ball! I thought it was so pretty...love the soft, natural colors....

Maybe next year I will do a whole series on decorating...just not enough time in the day and it is almost xmas now. Hope everyone is having a great week!

~Julie

Looking Back..memories of photoshoots past...

2008-12-12T12:39:00.000-08:00

I had read somewhere recently about all the digital images that now remain in our computers and phones and never see the light of day or get printed. This seems sad to me somehow so I have spent the last few days (besides job hunting) going thru old photos from photoshoots I did in the past and reviving some of them. So I think on Fridays I will post an image or two from the past.

The first one is from the Del Mar Races....shooting in the paddock area.

Second one is from an Arabian Farm shoot I did with a friend a few years back.

It is fun to look back and see what you were shooting then and it is always a great surprise to find a few hidden gems that you really love.

Hope everyone has had a great week!

~jules

Gift Giving Idea!

2008-12-09T09:07:00.001-08:00

Well, the holidays are upon us and we are all looking for that special gift idea for our loved ones. Need a great gift idea?? You have come to the right place! I have one for you!!

Today I am featuring a fellow Equine Photographer and colleague, Tony Stromberg! Tony is an amazing equine photographer who lives in New Mexico and spends his time photographing the spirit of the wild horse in its natural environment. Tony has written several books featuring his emotive and beautiful images of these wild horses. In Tony's new book, "The Forgotten Horses", he "captures the soul of the working class equines." Tony decided to photograph horses that were abused, neglected and abndoned by going to sancuaries across North America. Tony's images speak volumes of the spirit and beauty each horse embodies! And actor, horse lover, Robert Redford, wrote the forward to the book!

I highly recommend this book. "The Forgotten Horses" would make the perfect Holiday present for all ages, especially those of you, like myself, who love horses.

You can read more about Tony and purchase his book at his website http://www.tonystromberg.com/book.html , or buy the book at Amazon.com, or your local bookstores.

Stay tuned for more gift giving ideas coming soon!

~jules

Encinitas Holiday Parade!

2008-12-07T09:21:00.000-08:00

Encinitas is wonderful beach town that still retains its small town feeling. I love this community and the people are all warm and giving. I truly am blessed to live here and have such wonderful friends. It was truly felt last night at the Annual Christmas Parade here in downtown Encinitas. It was great to see all the children and adults having a great time and coming together to share the xmas spirit.
I had so much fun hanging out at my favorite store, Rustic Rooster ( http://www.rusticrooster.com/ ), taking pics of the kids, santa and the store too. They also had tons of cookies for the kids (and adults), and champagne and wine for the adults. A great time was had by all!! Thank you to Alex and Sally and all the Rustic Rooster peeps for making this a special night!

Here are just a few pics from the night....
Here is Santa hanging out and enjoying the evening. He was quite popular and lots of kids had pics taken with Santa.

Alex giving Santa a big hug...were you a good girl this year Alex???

Sally also gets in a hug with Santa (hubby). And what is on your wish list this year Sally?

And this is Alex's cute daughter Taylor. She was more interested in the cookies than Santa! (Note: Cookie in hand and crumbs on face..)

And Susan and Kevin's little reindeer-antlers and all, Chloe, was such a doll smiling for all the cameras all night. She was such a trooper. I have to explain that her daddy, Kevin, is a wedding photographer so she is used to having a camera pointed at her! She was saying "cheese" all night long..LOL.

And although Taylor would not get her picture taken with Santa, we did finally get her to give Santa a give High Five on a job well done!!

I have more images to share. Will save a few for next time. Thanks again to Sally and Alex for the wonderful treats and such fun times!

~jules

Holiday Party On Cedros -Design District

2008-12-04T14:12:00.000-08:00

Tonight I will be at the Holiday Party on Cedros in Solana Beach, CA. The street is so cool and has all these great shops and galleries. I will be at a store called The Glow Bungalow. (http://www.theglowbungalow.com/ ). Amy, the owner, has a cute boutique with handbags, jewelry, and products for your skin and she also does facials, massages, etc.

All the stores will be open 5-8PM and offering holiday specials, wine and food. I will be there with some of my work and offering holiday specials on sessions! Hope to see some of my friends there!

Here is one of my fine art images....an Andalussian Stallion working at a show. They are such beautiful horses.

More to come...

~Julie

Some Thoughts and a cute Dog

2008-11-26T09:08:00.000-08:00

It is the day before thanksgiving....and as I lie in bed this morning I was thinking how tough it will be for Americans this Holiday Season with our economy in such a turmoil. I pray that O'Bama can help rebuild our once thriving economy and people can have hope again. Americans have always been a strong people but we have to stand up and take charge of our futures again. At Thanksgiving time we need to be grateful for what we do have and not what we lack.

So take some time today to be grateful for your family and friends, your health, having a roof over your head....spend time laughing and be joyful. Put positive thoughts out into this world. We can bounce back from all this but it will take time and perserverence.

I am grateful for my family, my friends, living in a beautiful town in Southern California, and I am grateful to be doing what I love to do....photography. While I am not full time yet, I have had a great year shooting horses, kids, families, and handsome men! And although I am struggling a bit like most americans, I still have faith and dreams for the future. It will be a hard road but if we don't have faith and dream big, then we wither and die....America will not survive without hopes and dreams...so dream big, have faith and stand behind what you believe in....and be joyous this Holiday Season!

I leave you with this cute picture...this is Danger. He is the gym "mascot" of sorts...could not resist taking a few pics of him.

Give thanks tomorrow, spread some joy, and live with gratitude.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

~jules

USCrossFit Gym Shoot

2008-11-20T14:20:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

Wow, what an amazing day I had yesterday shooting the facilities at US CrossFit Gym here in Encinitas, CA. A wonderful facility and an amazing group of trainers. Thank you to Mark and Isaiah for this wonderful opportunity (And Rory and Alex too). I had so much fun!

This is Isaiah...an amazing guy and a natural in front of the camera! We had so much fun coming up with great scenarios for shooting in the gym!

And this is Mark. He looks straight out of a medival movie ready for combat!

I have so many images to edit and will post them on my website within the next 5 days...and I will be shooting more of the trainers soon!

More to come...so check back!

Jules

A Sunday Photo Shoot

2008-11-16T21:59:00.000-08:00

I had the great pleasure of photographying Lorri, Max and Hannah today....here is a sneek peek. We had a great time and we had fun making Hannah laugh a times when she was trying to be serious! I loved this shot of her laughing....

Max being thoughtful....
Here is Hannah looking like royalty!

Thanks Lorri for the opportunity to photograph you and the kids!

~julie

An Image I loved

2008-11-13T19:00:00.000-08:00

Still finding great images from older shoots that I never posted or shared...here is another one. A moment when one is waiting to go into the show ring....this gal was all alone at the time -just a quiet moment watching and waiting..

Much more to come so stay tuned! I have 3 diverse sessions booked in the next few weeks...

~julie

Tilting Images

2008-11-10T22:49:00.000-08:00

Tonight I was looking through images from a wedding last year where I was a second shooter. It was so much fun to be a part of this couples day and I was so thankful to the main photographer for letting me tag along. I picked this image to share and put a sepia tone on it. This is also one where I intentionally tilted the camera a bit when I shot it. Although the tilt doesn't always work, I think with this image it worked....

I have seen tilting used on some images where it did not work out and I have read that it works best when there is some movement in the image. Since the bride and groom are walking away from me the tilt worked here. There are many who don't like tilting at all but I think it can be fun if done correctly.

~julie

The Vineyards of Temecula

2008-11-04T22:13:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of visiting a few wineries with a friend. It was a cool, blustery, dramatic clouds in the sky kind of day as we drove to a small inland community called Temecula. We were there to visit a winery that she is a member of called Long Shadow Ranch. Turns out they were closed due to renovations to their barn but they let us in so she could retrieve her wine and we took a few pics before we departed.

You can read more on their website: http://www.longshadowranchwinery.com/about.html

They just happened to have Belgian draft horses that they use to pull carriages through the vineyards! I hope to go back when they are open and take a ride-how fun that would be and great photo ops too! The grape vines are all empty of grapes right now but their leaves were changing colors, something I did not know they did.

The horses were not cooperating with me and I had a tough time getting pictures of them. The flies were terrible and the horses kept shaking their heads and rubbing their faces on the fence...poor guys but this one followed me along the fence line so I captured this as he stretched out to try and take a bite of foilage from the nearby tree.

We ended up at another winery called Wilson Creek and tasted some great wines (I prefer the reds)and my two favorite treats-an Almond Champagne and a chocolate port! Yummy! It was a fun day and I hope to return soon.

~Julie

Halloween Fun!

2008-11-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

Another Halloween has come and gone....which means we are heading into the holiday season!! Means we are also heading into the rainy season here in California. One just never knows though...

Last night I had the pleasure of shooting at a friends halloween party. I love seeing the kids all dressed up and having fun. Sometimes it is hard to get them to sit still long enough to be photographed! But here are a few from the night....more are posted on my website!

And of course there was alot of great food and wine...I loved this bottle of Vampire wine and it was fitting for the evening! And it was a great tasting merlot too!

And no Halloween is complete without lots of pumpkins!!

A good time was had by all. Hope everyone enjoyed their halloween evening!

Don't forget the clocks go back an hour tonight!

Until next time...jules

More from Sunday

2008-10-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

Thought I would post a few more of "J" from yesterday....this is "J" with her webkins snake "Striker" in front of a cool green door with a wood carved tiki.

And here she is airborne!

That was some leap!

More later...

~jules

An Afternoon Of Fun

2008-10-19T17:21:00.001-07:00

Spent the afternoon with my favorite young gal today....swinging, jumping in the air at the beach, and enjoying the sunshine. And although it was the worse time to take pics-bright sunshine-Here are a few shots to share. More to come.

I enjoyed our day "J". Hope you did too.

~julie

Shoe Biz....Not your moms Keds!

2008-10-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Can't believe it is October 10th already! Wow! Time does fly does it not?

Just wanted to share a cute picture of a pair of Keds shoes...yes, not your mothers Keds! These are wedge heeled and open toe and just too cute!!

And yes, I love them!!

Until next time...

Julie

The Ranch

2008-09-21T20:20:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun hanging out with my dearest friend, Pauline, at her ranch yesterday. Thanks Pauline for a fun time visiting and taking a few pics of some of your beautiful horses.

Those of you that follow my blog may remember my post in 2006 about the stallion "I Am A Hot Topic"-the most gorgeous stallion I have ever photographed. Well, Wally, as he is known around the ranch, is now retired from the show circuit and spends his days in the pasture. He does however, father many champion foals all over the country and in europe. I was honored to photograph Wally in his pasture and I tell you he is still the most beautiful stallion I know even with his grown out mane and whiskers!

You can read more about Wally and his foals here: http://www.apranch.com/

I also photographed the latest batch of foals hitting the show rings. They are all so beautiful, spunky and curious! They kept coming right at me as I was trying to shoot. They were so curious about the camera.

When not feeding or training horses, Pauline also raises Dachshunds. She had two litters of the cutest, tiniest little puppies! If interested in buying one just go to her website mentioned above!

Thanks Pauline for a fun afternoon!

More to come...

~Until next time...

Julie

Jousting

2008-09-19T22:53:00.000-07:00

As promised here are a few pics of the jousting demonstration that was held at the polo grounds last Sunday between polo games.

They told us that the goal is to hit the shield at each players chest and break the poles. I thought this was strange since that means they must have to buy alot of jousting poles! In the first picture I captured this perfectly as both players scored and hit each others shields and broke the poles!

You can get more info at http://www.worldjoust.com/.

It was certainly fun to watch. I bet all that armour was so hot!!

I will have lots more to post as I am shooting at a ranch tomorrow and more polo possibly on Sunday! So stay tuned!

Until next time.

~Julie

Another Amazing Day In Del Mar-More polo

2008-09-15T18:20:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

It was yet another grand day in Del Mar-sunny but cool breezes blowing....and lots of great action, food and drinks. I focused on taking photos but everyone was really enjoying the day. I found out that the San Diego Polo Team is the 3rd largest team in the country!

There was also a treat at half time before the final game...we had a demonstration from a local jousting team, complete with armour! I will have more on that next time...here are some pics of the day from the polo games.

Please note that the two horses in the above pic are cantering in unison. Their legs are exactly the same! Love these close action shots!

The horses are switched out every chukker and then they get hosed off. The water must feel good to them but they are like kids and hate their faces washed and they often make funny faces as you can see below!

They also handed out samples of a boutique raspberry champagne! It was really refreshing and of course I had to take a few pics. Here is one I liked.

Stay tuned for Jousting!!! I hope to put up some pics tomorrow so stay tuned!

(Pls. remember that all photos are copyright of Julie Blair Photography and it is unlawful to copy them.)

~until next time

~Julie

Food For Thought

2008-09-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

There are many times that I am inspired by other photogs and artists....case in point, I have long admired professional food photographer Sara Remington. I love her use of natural light and her work is very organic, natural...a look I really love. I myself love shooting alot with natural light. So here is my shot at photographying food...all natural and raw, straight from the fridge and pantry!

Be inspired, push yourself to do something different....just for the fun and enjoyment of it all.

Happy shooting....

~jules

P.S. Shooting at hte polo games again tomorrow so stay tuned for more pics!

Polo in Del Mar

2008-09-09T22:09:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

I am back up and running...finally! Moving can really be a pain and I tried to be prepared but still had delays and issues with AT&T trying to get my DSL hooked up in my new place. After alot of maddening hours spent on the phone...it finally got connected.

But on to the fun things in life....like horses and polo! I had alot of fun last Sunday shooting at the polo games in Del Mar, CA. The San Diego Polo team resides there and they play almost every Sunday throughout the summer. I finally had the opportunity to get out and shoot and spend some time with friends too. It was a perfect day -sunny and alittle hot but with cool ocean breezes blowing to keep the heat at bay.

Here is one of my favorite action pics of the day!

There are two more Sunday games left so I am hoping to go and capture more great images before the season is over.

Thanks to Joe for taking us back to the stables and showing us around! It was a wonderful day.

Until next time....

~Julie

Moving and Happy Labor Day Weekend

2008-08-29T22:50:00.001-07:00

I am moving into a new apartment tomorrow and of course the phone company messed up and did not get my internet service set up and now I will not have internet access until next Thursday....so I may be incognito for a week. I will post something new next weekend after I get back from a farm shoot I am doing so stay tuned!! :-)

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

Surf Kings And Vintage Cars

2008-08-24T16:51:00.000-07:00

One thing I truly love about where I live is that they preserve the history of surfing and vintage woodie cars. The surf lifestyle still prevails here in Encinitas! It helps that we are one of the top ten spots in the country to surf! Surfing history is important to the people here and many people have these beautiful vintage woodies and other cars that mark a time in history.

Last Thursday the Surf Kings-a local legendary band-played at the Smog Station here in Encinitas and they were surrounded by all these wonderful historic cars! I had a blast photographing the event and listening to the rockin' sounds of The Surf Kings! Here are a few pics to share....more to come soon.

Hope you enjoy these pics....

Until next time...

~jules

Andalusians & Friesians

2008-08-09T23:08:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

It was a glorious day in southern California....hot and sunny but alittle breeze blowing across the show grounds in Del Mar. I went to a small horse show today to play and just have fun....there were a few horses that really stood out and one was a gorgeous Friesian stallion. He was very large for his breed and had the most amazing long and full mane. I got a good laugh from a bystander that was watching the stallion perform in a class...she said "It's all about the hair!" And indeed with this horse that was so true!!!

Isn't he something??

There was also a cute Andalusian filly that caught my eye as she turned to look back at me. Somehow they know you are taking their photo!

Tomorrow I will be shooting at the polo games which is also in Del Mar, Should be another glorious day-a fine day for a game of polo!

Until then~julie

Dog Days of Summer

2008-07-04T13:28:00.000-07:00

Happy fourth of July everyone! It is officially summer here in SoCal. The 4th kicks off the summer months and the beaches are always packed!! I walked on the beach this morning and it was gorgeous...and the waves were big and breaking perfect! Lots of happy surfers out there this morning. (I saw lots of smiles and grins!) As the day has progressed it has become alittle hazy and muggy....and hot. Whew.

So, I am headed to the pool with friends but wanted to share some fun dog pics from yesterday. My neighbor got a new black boxer puppy....soooo sweet and cute....just 7.5 weeks old.

and of course there is the ever handsome Bruno.

Happy 4th everyone. Hope you enjoy your family and friends today!

And stay cool.....

~jules

Wonderful Interiors

2008-06-29T21:53:00.000-07:00

Being that I love interior design and beautiful homes, it is always a great pleasure to shoot a beautiful home....this past week I had the pleasure of shooting a wonderful craftsman style home in North County. I loved the simplicity and details that went into this house. Here are two pics to share....

More interiors to comeso stay tuned!!!

~jules

Dressage in Del Mar

2008-06-22T10:08:00.000-07:00

I admit, I have been sooo bad about posting lately....time just seems to fly by way too fast.

I love summer here....lots of great things events to photograph from horse shows to polo to the horse races at Del Mar! All between now and September....

As in many places across the US, someone turned the heat up on us and it is in the 80's here at the beach! Glorious sunshine and the sparkling ocean....sigh....my kind of weekend. we often get a thick marine layer most of June so this is really nice to have the sun out early in the morning.

Last weekend I went to a local dressage show and took some pics for fun. I love dressage because it is so beautiful and elegant.
Here are a few.....much more to come in the next few months.
I have some interiors and portraits shoots lined up too so I will have more to share....

Until next time....jules

More Food....

2008-06-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

Ah, nothing like grilling in the early summer months! I especially love grilling veggies and fruit and of course we love throwing some shrimp on the "barbie" as the australians say!

Here are a few pics from the grill....makes you hungry eh??

Until next time...

~Jules

Food For Thought

2008-05-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

I know the title of this blog is a cliche...but it is fitting to my subject today.

Being a creative person, I have always loved art and fashion. When I hit the bookstore I look at fashion magazines, home magazines, and even cooking magazines (love love love Donna Hay's new magazine.) I finally realized that what I liked was not neccessarily the items in the pictures but the photographs themselves! I was attracted to certain images and style of images. I began to realize I put alot of that same style into my work as a photographer. It is a work in progress but my style is taking hold after all these years of shooting. I think my work is organic and I do like to shoot more up close and personal....and I definately love natural lighting.

And as is my Gemini nature, I am finding I like to shoot alot of different subjects and have branched out from people and animals to homes and food! Yes, food. So, hence the title of this blog...I took out one of my lights last night and got this pic of some limes on a leaf from the garden outside my door. It was raining so the leaf still had fresh rain on it. I really liked this one so thought I would share. I will reshoot it in natural light at some point but here is what I got using a continuous light source.

Stay tuned for more food and other fun stuff!

~julie

Hiking

2008-05-11T17:35:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Hope your month is going great....can't believe it is already the 11th!! Happy Mothers Day to all those moms out there.

I went hiking with my friend, Teri Miller and the wonder dog-Tinto- yesterday. The hills really worked me! Man am I out of shape! We had fun taking pics and taking in the scenery! A gorgeous day with cool breezes....lots of flowers in bloom, some cool looking weeds, and we even had a snake encounter!! The snake was evidently chasing a lizard but I thought for sure it was after Tinto or myself! It was traveling fast and in the striking mode....oh yeah, I was definately running the other way!

Here are a few pics from the hike....

That's Tinto the hiking dog! He was really getting tired of us stopping to take pics....

Enjoy the week! More later.

~jules

Outdoor Shoot

2008-05-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

I had a great outdoor shoot last Saturday....it was a gorgeous morning and I really enjoyed being outside and shooting this gorgeous place. I really liked the lines in the pergola and the shadows it created and the repeat of the lines on the table....

More architecture shots to come in upcoming weeks....

~julie

Pretty In Pink

2008-04-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

Here is another fun pic of Jessie. Her favorite color is pink. Her whole room is pink!!

I love photographing her from above....this has become a signature shot for me.

Until next time....

Happy shooting everyone!

~julie

Jessie Rides Again!

2008-04-23T22:43:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

I had the pleasure of taking pics of Jessie tonight for us in a school project. She loves horses and wants to be a horse trainer so I wanted to depict that love thru the images.

Here is one of my favorites from tonight.

Love ya Jess. You are the greatest!! Thx for being such a great model!!

What is it with horses and little girls???

Until next time...

~Jules

Thanks for visiting....

2008-04-19T21:27:00.001-07:00

I wanted to thank all who have visited my blog...I will try to post more often especially now that tax season is over for another year...yay!

Here is an image I took at the last western show I went to. Same horse I posted earlier. With some magic sprinkled in....

Hope to get out and shoot tomorrow. It was cold and really cloudy today. More of the same tomorrow...looking forward to warm weather.

Until next time,

~Julie

Santa Rosa Plateau, CA.

2008-04-07T18:04:00.001-07:00

Had a great time Saturday hiking with a friend and fellow artist, Cathy Brettman, at the Santa Rosa Plateau. The area is beautiful with these great oak and birch trees and undulating hillsides. Here are a few pics from the day.

This first pic is of me trying to be graceful in the tree which was full of large ants!! Yuk!

The second pic is of Cathy. She is a great friend and a great Interior Designer!

These trees were so cool and very large. I will post more later. Thank you Cathy for a fun day!

~julie

Spring Is Here

2008-04-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

Spring horse shows are in full swing! I love going to the western horse shows...something about all that leather and chaps and cowboys....hmmm...but I digress. It is about the horses right? LOL

There were a few horses that caught my eye because of their beautiful long manes...just something very romantic in that long mane flying around...here is one pic I got of one of the horses...I got a few of this horse I really loved and may post more later but saving some for contests...

We are going into show season here so more images to come soon!!

Hope you are enjoying springtime in your neck of the woods!

~julie

Puppy Love

2008-03-09T22:37:00.000-07:00

There is just something about dogs....their personalities, their playfulness and their happy go lucky attitudes that I just love. Their ability to make you smile as they lick your face.....and of course there is nothing like a cute puppy to make you go ahhhhhhhh.......I had an opportunity to shoot two boxers on Saturday, one male-named Bruno- about 3 yrs old and one female puppy -named LuLu-that was just adorable! I bet you can't look into her eyes without wanting to hug and kiss this precious face!!!

Bruno is a great dog-I just love him. He loves to chase his tennis ball and give sloppy kisses.... and even when the puppy was biting his ears he was patient and played along with her.

I mean look at this face...how could you not love that face?? I love her wrinkled brow and her soft little ears...sigh. Now I want a puppy! I will share more later...

~julie

More from the Park...

2008-03-03T22:02:00.000-08:00

Sorry I have been away for a week or so....time just gets away from us doesn't it? And it is March already. Can't believe it! At least we are heading towards springtime. Of course here in SoCal it was like 70 degrees today! Sorry, hate to rub it in. I know it is bitter cold and snowy in places all over the US.

Thought I would share a few more images
from my trip to Balboa Park a few weeks ago.....

wisdom next time!

~julie

Fun Day in Balboa Park

2008-02-20T20:50:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I took a "artist" day to feed my inner creative soul and went to balboa Park in downtown San Diego. It is a beautiful park with wonderful architectural buildings, fountains, restaurants and galleries. It was a beautiful day-sunny and cool. Perfect for a day strolling around the park taking pics. i walked around shooting the buildings, statues and people. Some days you just run into amazing and talented people and you just have to take their picture.

The guy in the picture was playing an instrument called a didgeridoo! "The Didgeridoo is one of the worlds oldest wind instruments and has been dated back to 20,000 B.C. It is an important part of the aboriginal heritage with its use ranging from musical and healing to ceremonial heritage. A Didgeridoo is played by blowing air into the mouthpiece while at the same time, creating a vibration with the lips." He has bells around his legs and he has a wooden piece attached to his leg and taps that with a wood stick. He was so fun and the music was great! he said the longer the hollowed out tree limb the lower the tone. As people gave him tips he would lift his hat and make changes in the sound. I enjoyed watching him and took alot of photos!

And here is one of the many architectural details on one of the buildings.

This image is part of the Organ Pavillion where they have concerts, etc.

I love this building.

I will try to post more in the up coming days.

I took alot of pics!

Until next time...

~julie

Equine Eyes

2008-02-13T21:06:00.000-08:00

Every farm shoot I do I capture the true soul of the horse thru its eyes. I always get an eye shot of each horse....this was one of my favorite shots from the farm shoot I did last weekend. There is just something about the eyes.....those large doe eyes...speaks volumes to me.

Cooking Skills

2008-02-03T14:46:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

Just a rainy Southern California day....

I don't know about you but I hate to diet. I have tried so many things and I always felt deprived...until now. It is nothing revolutionary but I have lost about 8 pounds now. What's my secret you ask? It is Weight Watchers! It is truly more of a lifestyle than a diet. I have learned to cut out sugar, butter and to cut back on cheese and portions. It is based on a high fiber, low fat plan. I am doing the point system and I find it so easy to do. You really become aware of what you are eating and you decide to make changes to not only lose weight but to eat healthier too. Plus, you make your own meals fresh. No prepackaged foods for me! Yuk. That totally turns my stomach...I mean how long have those prepackaged foods been well...prepackaged?? YUK!

However, I was growing tired of the few recipes they give you to get started so I bought a WW Cookbook and made a new recipe last Friday night and it was amazing! It is a chicken quesadilla with a corn salad/salsa. I made enough for several days and it was so yummy and low fat and lots of good fiber!

I tried to make it pretty and put it on my fun scroll print plates from Anthropologie. (Love that store!!). Plus, I needed to practice using my new flash so it was a great opportunity to photograph this delicious meal!

Want the recipe? Leave a comment or e-mail me if you are interested. I will post more in the future so stay tuned!

Until next time....

~julie

A Beautiful tree

2008-01-27T21:06:00.000-08:00

I came across this tree in a field. It seemed old and wise and its branches grew at all different angles making it even more interesting. It beakoned me to come closer...maybe sit for awhile and it would tell me stories of days gone by.....

Until next time...

~Julie

Looking Back...

2008-01-21T22:48:00.000-08:00

I was looking at some images I took last year and thinking of all the fun I had shooting and all the great people I met. There is always a few images that you look back at that you love. I was at a small andalussian horse show last year shooting for fun and I took some images that really spoke to me. One was of a gal who showed such love and tenderness towards her horse. As you can see, the horse saw me taking the shot. (Funny how horses just know you are there.) She was gently stroking his muzzle.

The second image I took at the same show.

I loved the Spanish costumes especially the hats.

Both the horse and the handler were watching

the other horse in the ring being judged.

Both seem relaxed and ready to go their turn.

And I loved that the horse had

his ears up so nicely.

Andalussians are beautiful horses and I hope to

get a chance to shoot some again this year.

~Julie

New Year's Goals

2008-01-13T19:47:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

Every new year we re-evaluate and make new goals. Both short term and long term goals are important. Top on the list is usually losing weight and eating right. Maybe you want to make more money or clear out the clutter in your life....maybe all of the above are on your list. Last year I wanted to lose weight....tried on my own and failed...so this past week I joined Weight Watchers-I am more determined this year to meet the goal to lose weight! As far as business, last year I had a goal to get published again. I met that goal as I was published in Chronicle of the Horse magazine (ad shown above-5 of the images are mine) and I sold more images for websites last year too!

There are those goals we might not stick to and that is OK...you can drop those goals for now but I wholeheartly believe in setting those goals and writing them down every year. Doing a picture board, a notebook or a slideshow with fun images of your dreams is even better...so you can visualize goals and things you want. It makes it more real to visualize your goal and the energy you put out comes back in realized goals! (I still dream of owning a cottage year after year...someday it will come true!) So set those goals and push towards them everyday.

A few of my short term goals this year:
Lose 25 pounds!
Build my photo biz(I need to set a $ goal. Always be specific in your goals!)
Go to photo workshops

Long term:
Buy my dream cottage in the country or the beach
Lease a horse

It is a new year.....dream big, set goals and get moving!
~julie