You can see these beautiful faces (and adorable children’s clothing) on display at Elephant Ears, located on the 2nd floor of Kerrytown Market & Shops (tel: 734.622.9580)
Hours
- weekdays: 10am–6pm
- Saturdays: 9am–5pm
- Sundays: noon–5pm
You can see these beautiful faces (and adorable children’s clothing) on display at Elephant Ears, located on the 2nd floor of Kerrytown Market & Shops (tel: 734.622.9580)
We’ve since become good friends. Dawn started her child photography business about a year before I opened Myra Klarman Photography, and she’s always been very generous with advice and suggestions. She even played a huge role in making my online proof gallery interface so clean and usable.
Yesterday on her blog, Fresh, Dawn shared a photoshop storyboard template she made for photographers to download. I gave it a spin and I’m hooked! It may take a while to get a dynamic arrangement, but I think the results are worth the effort.
Using my new template from Dawn Mikulich. I love how this 8-year-old’s portraits play off each other in this configuration. You can almost get a sense of how much we ran around together during the session!
Dawn also sells art prints of and usage licenses for a growing collection of her own Chicagoland photography (1201 images and counting) through a website (of her creation) called Chicago Uncommon. All the photographs are tagged, and finding specific types of images is easy. The whole venture is smartly done and more than a little ingenious.
Her energy level and positive personality are so enviable. When she had her daughter Kendall late last year, it didn’t seem to slow her down one bit. Okay, maybe a little. But I’m still astounded by what she manages to accomplish — and with such aplomb!
I got to photograph this adorable mother and son for a surprise birthday present for Daddy. The template allows me to show all the playful moments I captured — at a glance.
On May 30, prints will be posted on the 2nd floor of Kerrytown Market & Shops — free for the taking!
Take a gander at last year’s Motherfest; it was a glowing success.
Afterwards, I’m going to ask my boys to take me to Everyday Cook for a pre–Mother’s Day brunch. It’s always nice to get a head-start celebrating these holidays.
If I don’t see you there, have a great Mother’s Day!
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Willy Wonka (Max Rasmussen) was portrayed deliciously with equal portions of deviousness and charm.
Just as the golden ticket winners couldn’t wait to get inside Wonka’s factory, I couldn’t wait to see the opening night of the Pioneer Theatre Guild’s production of “Roald Dalh’s Willy Wonka.”
Pioneer was selected to prototype and fine-tune (a process known as “workshopping”) a new stage adaptation of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory before it becomes available for license to theatre groups worldwide. The honor was not without major challenges, though — such as receiving the script and score in piecemeal chunks over the weeks leading up to opening night. The show is also a major technical undertaking: anyone familiar with the story knows how much it relies on the adept execution of illusions and special effects.
And as if that weren’t enough… the show also includes nearly 100 27 elementary school children (they appear throughout the show in various roles so seamlessly that I actually thought there were almost 100 of them).
The show’s directorial staff includes four students from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance: Etai BenShlomo, Clark Baxtresser, Sarah Yarrington, and Gavi Savit (all but Etai are recent Pioneer alumni!).
These photographs were shot during the first dress rehearsal and opening night. Here’s a taste that won’t spoil the special effects for anyone lucky enough to have a ticket for this coming weekend’s performances. (And if you’re the kind of person who believes in making your own luck, go purchase tickets — along with scrumptious chocolates! — at Morgan & York, located at 1928 Packard.)
All performances will be in Schreiber Auditorium at Ann Arbor’s Pioneer High School.
Mr. and Mrs. Candyman (Daniel Moo and Sonya Major) can.
The poor Bucket family reads about the golden tickets in yesterday’s newspaper. (l-r: Sam Hubbard, Robby Eisentrout, Milo Tucker-Meyer, Hannah Overhiser, Monica Baker)
Augustus Gloop (Kiel Lerch) and the ensemble: I Eat More.
I love the sinister expressions on their faces.
Mike Teavee (Schuyler Robinson) is fierce!
Charlie (Milo Tucker-Meyer) has a golden ticket! And he’s sure to steal your heart.
The theretofore bedridden Grandpa Joe (Sam Hubbard) accompanies Charlie (Milo Tucker-Myer) to Wonka’s factory.
Mrs. Gloop (Zoë Berman) is in hysterics when Augustus falls into the chocolate river.
Wonka (Max Rasmussen) tempts Violet Beauregarde (Clare Eisentrout) with his irresistible, multi-course gum.
Veruca Salt (Ashley Park) wants it all!
Preparing to enter Wonka’s television room. (l-r: Sam Hubbard, Milo Tucker-Meyer, Hope Parow, Schuyler Robinson, Max Rasmussen)
Charlie’s moment of truth.
Later this cellist will perform at the Power Center (specifically, in the lobby). But for now, she’s content to be a busker.
Shake your Groove thing! Groove is a U-M student group that specializes in rhythmic acts of coordinated violence directed at garbage cans, buckets, ladders, and other things that make a loud noise when banged. Very fun!
My two special Fools really got into the spirit of the day. Rico jerry-rigged Max’s ukulele guitar up to a tiny, battery-powered, 5-watt guitar amp and let loose a torrent of overdriven tune-age — “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “Fools in Love,” and “Tears of a Clown” were favs. Max (who had been anticipating FestiFools since last year’s event) jumped right into the parade and didn’t look back.
Rico and Max: a 6-string guitar, a 5-watt amp, and soul to burn.
To say that numerous people photographed the festivities would be a monumental understatement. It seemed that everyone had their cameras out, and for good reason — there was so much visual goodness to capture. And truly, it would take a battalion of photographers to cover such a rich event. In recognition of that fact, I’ve decided to organize a juried group photography exhibit to reveal FestiFools from diverse perspectives. The show will hang at Sweetwaters (Washington St.) from mid-April through the end of June. If you’d like to participate, here’s all the relevant info.
So where are these puppets now? Funny you should ask. Earlier today Rico and I helped install eight of them, along with my puppet-making photos, in the lobby of the Power Center. The exhibit will be up until the end of April. If you catch the U-M Dept. of Musical Theatre’s production of Carousel, you can check it out proper-like. Otherwise, you’ll just have to press your nose against the Power Center glass.
You can take the cellist out of the street, but you can’t take the street out of the cellist. Eight puppets are on display at the Power Center until the end of April.
Kudos to everyone who worked so hard to make this event happen, including Creative Director Mark Tucker, Co-Director Shoshana Hurand, Master Puppet Artists Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles, and U-M Art+Design Assistant Professor Nick Tobier.
If you’d like to get involved and become a real, card-carrying Fool, visit the FestiFools website. I hear they let all types join up. They’ll even take you!
flickr slideshows: FestiFools 2008 | The Making of FestiFools 2008
]]>Last week I shot press-release photographs for the show. Even before I got to the shoot, I knew the kids would be very entertaining. It’s not like this is becoming old-hat, but this is my 5th time taking publicity shots for a PTG production. By now, I’m quite familiar with the kids’ talent. I figure we’ll have loads of fun staging the shots, and we’ll get an excellent finished result. Yadda yadda yadda. But let’s get real. It’s not like these kids are gonna supplant the original — archetypal, canonical — film cast for me. That movie came out when I was 6, and it’s been etched fondly in my psyche ever since.
The four naughty children (clockwise from upper-left): Veruca Salt (Ashley Park), Augustus Gloop (Kiel Lerch), Violet Beauregarde (Clare Eisentrout), and Mike Teavee (Schuyler Robinson).
The four naughty children with Charlie Bucket (Milo Tucker-Meyer).
Now any regular reader of Relish (or friend of mine, or friend of the PTG) can already predict how this blog entry is going to end, right? That I am going to attest to being completely transported to Wonka’s factory by the kids’ acting alone (without any stage design or music — none of which is ready yet). That I’ll describe in detail just how brilliant the performers were (and wax poetic about the costumes and make-up). That I’ll do absolutely nothing to defuse suspicions that I’m simply a devoted fan who is smitten with everything that the Guild does (if not an out-and-out shill). And finally, that I’ll wrap up by emphatically urging everyone to do whatever it takes to get to the show.
So? Just because you guessed exactly what I was going to do — does that make it any less true? I should think not.
What’s also self-evidently true is that I’m running out of novel ways of saying these productions rock!
This show has me so excited, I jumped at the chance to reshoot Willy Wonka (Max Rasmussen) for the poster.
All performances will be in Schreiber Auditorium at Ann Arbor’s Pioneer High School.
]]>Portrait website updates: Check out the new images I’ve added to my HS Seniors portfolio.
Crocheted Mouse Hat
Funny Froggy Hat
Crocheted Mouse + Bear Hats
On Sunday, April 6 from 4–5pm, giant, fanciful puppets (and foolish co-conspirators) will once again descend upon downtown Ann Arbor, and dance like there’s no tomorrow. If you were at last year’s parade, get ready for even more awesomeness. If this will be your first FestiFools… well, there’s no way to prepare for the excitement that awaits you!
Puppet making: Julie Foster works with papier-mâché.
Co-Directors Mark Tucker and Shoshana Hurand, U-M students, and community volunteers have been hard at work on the puppets since January, and I have been lurking in the studio with my camera. Get a behind-the-scenes look into the early stages of the puppet-making process through photographs I’ll be exhibiting at Sweetwaters Café (Washington St.) starting Wednesday, March 19. My thanks to Lisa Bee of Sweetwaters for both hosting and sponsoring the exhibit.
U-M students and community volunteers work side-by-side in the FestiFools studio. Puppets from last year’s parade oversee the progress from the rafters.
Sweetwaters will also host an exhibit of photographs taken during the parade. This year, I’m inviting anyone who photographs the parade to submit a few of their favorite images for a juried group photography show. Here’s your chance to have your artwork hang at Sweetwaters from mid April until June, and let Ann Arbor see the parade from your unique perspective. Just look at the wide variety of shots taken last year. Truly, it takes a village of photographers to do this event justice. If you’re interested in participating, you can learn more through the Ann Arbor flickr group or by dropping me an email (myra [at] myraklarman [dot] com).
You might think I’m gah-gah over FestiFools, and I am. But my enthusiasm pales in comparison to my husband, Rich’s. He joined the FestiFools board, and volunteered to redesign and execute the new FestiFools website. It’s foolishly terrific.
Rich came out of web design retirement to win one more for the Gipper. FestiFools logo by U-M student Nate Chmielewski.
My favorite shot of the series: Jay Pekala (both personally and as Cogsworth) is somewhat ambivalent about the burden on his shoulders, while Clinch Steward (Lumiere) is awash with light.
The show has been closed for over a week, and my family is still trying to figure out how the songs go. Max still sings his cover versions of Consider Yourself (from Oliver!) and To Life! (from Fiddler on the Roof) — nearly on a daily basis.
When I first started shooting for the Burns Park Players, I wasn’t very good at color correcting the insufficient fluorescent and rehearsal lighting that illuminates the pre-performance cast and crew work. My sneaky way of making those shots look a lot better was to show them in black+white. On the other hand, since the on-stage production featured beautiful lighting — not to mention colorful costumes and sets — I showed those shots in their full-color splendor. Problem solved.
Since then, however, I’ve become quite adept at color balancing images taken in all kinds of lighting conditions. So I could choose whether to display a particular rehearsal/crew shot in color or black+white — based on what worked best for that image, rather than on any technical considerations. But this year, in my haste to get the show up in time, it was faster to forego the choice: I just produced everything in color. I was happily surprised to hear that people missed the black+white.
For Relish — and for old time’s sake — I decided to return to the original Kanses v. Oz strategy. To good effect, I think.
The cheese-grater costume (deftly donned by Barry Fuller) was particularly fascinating in its realism.
![Burns Park Players: Beauty and the Beast | Set crew member Jim Wallace engineered and built Maurice’s invention, including all the bell[ow]s, whistles, fire, and smoke.](http://relish.myraklarman.com/images/174.jpg "Burns Park Players: Beauty and the Beast | Set crew member Jim Wallace engineered and built Maurice’s invention, including all the bell[ow]s, whistles, fire, and smoke.")
Set crew member Jim Wallace engineered and built Maurice’s invention, including all the bell[ow]s, whistles, fire, and smoke.
Make-up crew member Harvey Weinblatt painted Jon Wardner’s face numerous times before arriving at the final beastly look.
A dramatic shot of rehearsal from upstage.
The oldest and youngest cast members — Fredda Clisham and Ben Worden.
Vocal warm-up exercises with music director Eric Lofstrom.
Beautiful light (and faces) could be captured in the pit orchestra.
![Burns Park Players: Beauty and the Beast | When Maurice arrives at the castle, he enjoys checking out ALL the equipment. [Bob Galardi, Jay Pekala, and Eva Rosenwald]](http://relish.myraklarman.com/images/181.jpg "Burns Park Players: Beauty and the Beast | When Maurice arrives at the castle, he enjoys checking out ALL the equipment. [Bob Galardi, Jay Pekala, and Eva Rosenwald]")
When Maurice arrives at the castle, he enjoys checking out ALL the equipment. [Bob Galardi, Jay Pekala, and Eva Rosenwald]
![Burns Park Players: Beauty and the Beast | Gaston is determined to get Belle at any cost. [Karen Ostafinski Hulsebus, Jeff Post, Zack Pearlman]](http://relish.myraklarman.com/images/182.jpg "Burns Park Players: Beauty and the Beast | Gaston is determined to get Belle at any cost. [Karen Ostafinski Hulsebus, Jeff Post, Zack Pearlman]")
Gaston is determined to get Belle at any cost. [Karen Ostafinski Hulsebus, Jeff Post, Zack Pearlman]
Dramatic lighting and staging: Maurice in the dungeon | Gaston fights the Beast (in this scene the Beast is played by body-double Barry Fuller, of cheese-grater fame).
![Burns Park Players: Beauty and the Beast | Madame de la Grande Bouche (the Wardrobe) offers Belle a favorite gown. | Lumiere, in full costume, was positively dashing. [Dawn Korman, Karen Ostafinski Hulsebus, and Clinch Steward]](http://relish.myraklarman.com/images/184.jpg "Burns Park Players: Beauty and the Beast | Madame de la Grande Bouche (the Wardrobe) offers Belle a favorite gown. | Lumiere, in full costume, was positively dashing. [Dawn Korman, Karen Ostafinski Hulsebus, and Clinch Steward]")
Madame de la Grande Bouche (the Wardrobe) offers Belle a favorite gown. | Lumiere, in full costume, was positively dashing. [Dawn Korman, Karen Ostafinski Hulsebus, and Clinch Steward]
![Burns Park Players: Beauty and the Beast | Mrs. Potts sings “Beauty and the Beast” while Belle and the Beast dance in the castle ballroom. [Milo Tucker-Meyer, Lisa Mann, Karen Ostafinski Hulsebus, and Jon Wardner]](http://relish.myraklarman.com/images/186.jpg "Burns Park Players: Beauty and the Beast | Mrs. Potts sings “Beauty and the Beast” while Belle and the Beast dance in the castle ballroom. [Milo Tucker-Meyer, Lisa Mann, Karen Ostafinski Hulsebus, and Jon Wardner]")
Mrs. Potts sings “Beauty and the Beast” while Belle and the Beast dance in the castle ballroom. [Milo Tucker-Meyer, Lisa Mann, Karen Ostafinski Hulsebus, and Jon Wardner]
And yes, the show even had a kick line. Bravo!
It’s never too late (or early) for a walk.
I know that many seniors dig urban portraits. But last summer I photographed this 2.5-year-old girl, who was absolutely giddy about having her pictures done city-style. The results were amazing! Needless to say, this year I’ll be shooting people of all ages in downtown Ann Arbor. With my camera, that is. :)
Portrait website updates: I’ve added new images to my Babies + Children portfolio, and even more will be added in the coming weeks. My portfolio images are now almost 40% larger! New HS Senior images will be added very soon, so stay tuned.
Exhibition updates: I just hung 4 new pieces at Kerrytown last week — look for them along the staircase near Kosmo and Hollander’s. (If you keep this blog entry in mind, at least one of those pieces should look rather familiar.)
]]>On a beautiful, sunny day in January, I got to photograph my first “wish kid,” Izzy. Izzy just turned 4 and is undergoing maintenance chemotherapy for leukemia. She loves Disney characters — especially princesses! — and she’s very excited about going to Disney World with her parents and two sisters this month (that is her wish). She is also a delightful, beautiful girl, whom I will never forget.
For her photo shoot, Izzy got to star in her own, personal fashion show at Elephant Ears in Kerrytown. Elephant Ears owner Jenna McElroy let Izzy choose whatever fairy princess dress-up outfit she wanted — she’d even get to keep it after the shoot! Izzy made a bee line for the pink one — hands down, pink is her favorite color. Princess Izzy and I made the rounds at Kerrytown Market, where Izzy repeatedly turned me and several shop owners into frogs, and then (mercifully) back into humans again.
Many thanks to Robin Cook (Whitfield Design) for introducing me to Make-A-Wish.
Izzy models her fairy dress-up ensemble, which includes a skirt, wings, and wand. I love how the skirt is designed to go over her clothes.
The sun-drenched, jewel-tone curtains at Sweetwaters provided the perfect backdrop to our fantasy. And even as a frog, I enjoyed photographing Izzy.
While Izzy changed into her next outfit, li’l sis Ryan modeled some boots that Elephant Ears had on display. Ryan likes to mix and match.
Such a natural!
Fairy Godmother Susan Fenters Lerch (a.k.a. CEO, Make-a-Wish Foundation of Michigan) and Magic the Bear stopped by the say hello!
He wants (more of your) candy. In his belly. Now.
Consider yourself warned.
Your cookies aren’t safe as long as he’s around.
“If I shave there will be trouble./And if I don’t it will be stubble.”
“So come on and let me know./Should I stay or should I go?”
Treasure map in hand and Crocs on feet, this 14-foot-tall ruffian is lumbering your way.
Since I can’t show pictures, Max kindly agreed to share about his experiences working on the set.
“Well, I’m basically moving from one task to another. There’s always someone who needs my help.”
“I make sure that everything is square, with perfect 90° angles. Otherwise, they redo it.”
“Sometimes they need help finding stuff. Check out this velvety smooth fabric I found! It will be perfect for Belle’s bed.”
“The toughest part of the job is having to act naturally with the paparazzi always hounding us. But we manage.”
Buy your tickets now — or cry later!
Tickets went on sale Wednesday, and they’re going fast. According to a source involved in producing the show (who wished to remain anonymous discussing sensitive matters), 700 tickets (almost a third of all the available seats over the four performances) were sold on that first day. Complete showtime and ticket information is available at the Burns Park Players website (see the marquee-ish looking sidebar).
Brigadoon (2005) | The first and second graders rehearse in the Burns Park Elementary School auditorium. They were practicing being startled.
I love telling people about how my photographic career got started. It’s a “follow your bliss” kinda story, and it all started with the Burns Park Players’ production of Brigadoon in 2005.
I had been a graphic designer for 18 years, and had spent the latter half of those years in a terrible rut. Photography gave me joy, even though my super-active toddler often outran my camera (oh, to be so mocked!). Photographing Brigadoon gave me the chance to capture a broader range of subject matter, tell a different story, and meet a talented community — people who were much less likely to run away.
One of the Players had already volunteered to photograph the performances, so I was more than happy to photograph the behind-the-scenes activities instead. A cast and crew of hundreds work on the show for about 3 months before curtain. It was easy for me to imagine the rich visual possibilities: kids in rehearsal, sets in progress, rows of costumes, make-up, etc.
Lesa Huget, Players board member, came up with the idea of displaying the images outside the auditorium for opening night. Not only would this give people waiting in line something to look at, but the collection of images would begin to describe the complex work that goes into these productions. Work accomplished by previously invisible crew members, who could finally be recognized — literally!
My first exhibition, and I was euphoric with how well it was received. I was quickly offered three different photography jobs: an actress’s headshot, the Ann Arbor YMCA’s opening gala, and a bat mitzvah party. This was unexpected since, at the time, I hadn’t entertained the possibility of becoming a professional photographer. But it was certainly enticing. Just one weekend after Brigadoon, my husband and I toasted the beginning of my new career. One year later, with the opening of Fiddler on the Roof, I opened Myra Klarman Photography to the public at large.
Fiddler on the Roof (2006) | Ghoulish fourth graders hang out in the Tappan Middle School cafeteria while awaiting their big dream scene.
Oliver! (2007) | First and second graders are excited to take the stage at Tappan. Don’t look now, but one of them has a spoon!
Beauty and the Beast (2008) | The third grade boys during rehearsal at Tappan. I can’t be sure, but I think one of them might be juicing.
The Players’ 25th anniversary show: Beauty and the Beast (February 8–16). From my photojournalistic snooping thus far, I can attest that this will be another awesome production (also, my photos will be on display, which is gravy). The fact that so many kids are participating tells me this will be a very popular show — i.e., likely to sell out quickly. In other words, if you want to see this show (and you do), don’t wait to get your tickets. Tickets for reserved seats are $15 and are available beginning January 30 at Morgan & York, 1928 Packard. Complete showtime and ticket information is available at the Burns Park Players website (see the marquee-ish looking sidebar).
About the Burns Park Players: The Players is a group of adults who live in the Burns Park School community (as defined by the Ann Arbor Public Schools’ attendance area boundaries) who join together to produce one musical show each year. The elementary school–age children (grades one through five) of Players members may appear in the musical production. All proceeds are donated to school or school district needs. Since 1992, the Players has donated over $200,000 to a variety of arts-related programs in the school district.
]]>Bonus! I got to hear and meet guest band My Dear Disco. Concert dates are listed on the My Dear Disco MySpace page.
More details about the show:
Top-5 finisher Ashley Park opened the show with her sizzling performance of The Angels’ My Boyfriend’s Back.
Top-5 finisher Tim Van Riper grabbed the audience with The Beatles’ Hey Jude.
2008 FutureStars winner Dorothy Yarrington brought poise and finesse to her performance of Etta James’s At Last.
The British re-invaded Schreiber Auditorium with the Rising Stars’ (i.e., future FutureStars) performance of a Beatles medley.
Loved their vibes: Morgan Minger-Szyniszewski (FutureStars finalist) and Clare Eisentrout (Comedy Troupe performer).
Top-5 finisher Amelia Franceschi melted hearts with her rendition of the Beatles’ Blackbird.
Pioneer’s Spice Girls had it going on: Ashley Park (Posh Spice), Olivia Bassett-Kennedy (Scary Spice), Rachel Mann (Baby Spice), Olivia Songer (Ginger Spice), and Sonya Major (Sporty Spice). They get the award for most thrilling to photograph.
Top-5 finisher Sonya Major brought intensity to the Dixie Chicks’ Not Ready to Make Nice.
Look what happens when nice Ann Arbor kids go off to the big city. (True, Ithaca ain’t so big, but work with me…) I LOVED that Scott Mooney and Heather Thiry came home to celebrity host this year’s show.
Ann Arbor’s own My Dear Disco entertained the audience while the votes were tallied. The group is comprised of seven University of Michigan School of Music students (l-r): Tyler Duncan, Bob Lester, Michelle Chamuel, Theo Katzman + Mikey Malis (subbing for Joey Dosik). Two of the band members were apparently camera shy (apologies to Christian Carpenter + Mike Shea).
FutureStars performers shook their respective groove-things heartily to the pulsing, electronic beats of My Dear Disco.
]]>
You can probably guess that the absence of a Relish entry for over a month had something to do with my (harried) fixation on getting orders done in time for the holidays. Let me tell you, I’m delighted to be writing again.
2007 was a monumental year for Myra Klarman Photography, and I appreciate everyone who supported the studio — as patrons, as cheerleaders, as partners, and (in the case of one person) as my husband.
Thanks especially to everyone who was patient when orders took a bit of extra time to arrive. Not only was I still working out the kinks in a fairly complex infrastructure, but I neglected to calculate the number of sessions I could (safely and sanely) do per month, and I over-booked August … by a lot. August is a great time to schedule portraits (before school starts), and many people learned about me thanks to my exhibit at Sweetwaters. When the phone started ringing (and kept ringing), I was more than flattered — I was euphoric. I didn’t for a minute stop to consider what I could realistically manage.
These are the problems that a business owner is supposed to want to have, right? I’m touched and honored to have the opportunity to make so many families happy. But it’s obvious that I need to implement some “tweaks” so I can have a life as well.
My final pre-vacation task (I’m struggling to maintain a state of denial concerning the tedious end-of-year accounting) is to get out our family’s New Year’s card. If the stars align just right — and a gnat somewhere in Southeast Asia beats its wings just so — then we hope they’ll arrive in mailboxes before the ball drops on Times Square.
Meanwhile, I’ll happily regale you with some of our past years’ designs:
December 2003: The glee here says it all. I had just purchased my first digital SLR a week earlier, and Max knew there would be a marked increase in the quality and quantity of his portraits.
December 2004: I can’t quite recall, but I’m guessing we hadn’t had much snow yet. I mean, really, who can remember these things!
December 2005: In 2005 Max got his first haircut (when he was 2 months shy of turning 3). Since it was impossible to choose just one image (pre-haircut or post-haircut?), we threw moderation to the wind. Heck, let’s do 12!
December 2006: I named this one after noticing that in 11 of the 12 portraits, Max was sporting some type of headgear. It’s my favorite of all the cards so far (including this year’s).
Pink Puppy Necklace
The Ultimate Messenger Bag - Happy Apple
Looking for an arty and hip gift for the young person on your holiday shopping list? Not something mass produced or that requires you to go anywhere near the mall? But something made in a limited edition, and easily obtained with a mouse-click?
There’s no need to fear! Shana Logic is here! Shana Logic is an online shop for jewelry, apparel, and accessories that are all lovingly made by independent artists. And yes, they even have stuff for guys. Shana Victor, proprietor (and personal friend of mine), tells me most of her customers are age 16–25. But it’s obvious to me that her shop has a wider appeal: I, an early 40-something (and admittedly somewhat goofy) chick, love my new cupcake belt. And 5-year-old Max is already waiting in line to inherit it.
Screenshots from shanalogic.com
I met Shana in 2002 when she joined Studio Mobius (our now mercifully defunct design studio). Shana is also the founder of the acclaimed website Pixelgirl Presents. She earned a BFA in photography at the University of Michigan School of Art & Design. She’s extremely talented, entrepreneurial, and fun to eat sushi with — and we were lucky to find her. When I offered her a job as a part-time designer, I told her to consider Studio Mobius a stepping stone to having her own business. Within a few short years of working with us, I’m not surprised to see that Shana Logic and Morfia Design, her design studio, are doing so well.
In a fun meeting of creative energies, I set up a photo session to help Shana get some new product shots on her site. I asked Kayla Mishner, a senior I met while taking her senior portraits, if she wanted to be our model. As you can see, she rocked! Thanks Shana and Kayla.
I just hope Hanukkah Harry reads my blog!
Sassy Sword Necklace and Red Stripy Arm Warmers
Not for the Life of Me — Millie (Ashley Park)
All performances will be in Schreiber Auditorium at Ann Arbor’s Pioneer High School.
How the Other Half Lives — Millie and Miss Dorothy (Ashley Park, Clare Eisentrout)
The scheming Mrs. Meers attempts to communicate with Ching Ho and Bun Foo (Max Rasmussen, Annemarie Friedo, Joe Siebert)
They Don’t Know — Mrs Meers (Annemarie Friedo)
What Do I Need with Love? — Jimmy (Tim Van Riper)
Forget About the Boy — Miss Flannery (Jenny Herzog), Millie, Office Singers, Stenographers
I’m Falling in Love with Someone — Trevor Graydon and Miss Dorothy (Clare Eisentrout, Ashley Park, Jimmy Mero)
I Turned the Corner — Jimmy, Millie, Miss Dorothy (Tim Van Riper, Ashley Park, Clare Eisentrout)
Long as I’m Here with You — Muzzy (Dorothy Yarrington) and Muzzy’s Boys
Gimme Gimme — Millie (Ashley Park)
Trevor Graydon (Jimmy Mero) drowns his sorrows after Miss Dorothy stands him up.
Zazu Rosey Shmevmen (Dorothy Yarrington) poses as an orphan.
Finale — Cast
Max dressed up as Capt. (formerly First Mate) Starbuck. | “Arrrrrrr!”
The last half hour before trick-or-treating always rushes by in a matter of seconds. Shovel something nutritious down our throats, throw on the costumes and make-up, go to the bathroom, don’t forget a raincoat, our friends are here, time to go…
I didn’t dress up. But I had the great honor of hollering like a lunatic at the kids to hurry up and let me take their pictures before the ominous storm-cloud-laden sky got another shade darker. “Stand here. Look mean … meaner!!! But look at the camera! Okay. NEXT!” (This is my normal mode of interaction with portraiture subjects — not!)
Lyd bewitched us all in the costume she made herself. | Max and Lyd started trick-or-treating together in 2004 (when her li’l bro Jo was only 6 months old).
Oh no! El Hombre Araña (of Mexican wrestling fame) got me with his web. | Spiderman turns out to be photojournalist Peter Parker, who turns out to be Jo.
Rico as the ever dapper Cap’n Crunch. (I got an earful every time I incorrectly referred to him as “CAPTAIN Crunch.”)
We made our way along the most idyllic trick-or-treating route on the planet — Burns Park. The leaves rustling underfoot along the sidewalks, the closely-spaced 1930s houses festively adorned in spookiness. Every year, it’s the same refrain: All of us parents look at each other and marvel at how we’ve landed smack-in-the-middle of the most perfect Halloween cliché. Some clichés ain’t all bad!
By 8pm we were beat, and the drizzle came right on cue. Pirate Max sorted his booty, and quickly noticed that m&m’s® were the most plentiful item in his haul. His choice of first treat? Skittles.
Max’s best “Johnny Depp.” | In closing: “Arrrrrrr!”