I've still got it!

I hope you’re all well tonight. I’m at Qamaria currently. The little Yemeni coffee shop in the suburbs. I did an entire homage to @caffetto in last night’s blog post but that may be in part because I feel guilty that I’m spending a disproportionate amount of my time here lately. Some of the reasons for the change are very personal but some are just straight up because of the Aidaroos tea! I’m addicted and this is the only place you can get it. I have a friend that imports high quality loose teas and she’s getting me 10 pounds of Aidaroos in January, but until then, I’ll be shelling out $7 a cup. The community here is incredible as well. The moment I walked through the door my friend Abdulahad rushed up and insisted on buying my tea. It’s a blessing to know these people.

Speaking of blessings, tonight I want to share some new photography. Look, I’m not going to try and bullshit you. It’s been an awful two years. When I decided to stop shooting dark pinup photography, it was a complete act of faith. I had no idea what I was going to do for income; especially terrifying considering @guthrie depends on me entirely. I prayed for work that aligned with where I am in my life right now and opportunities did begin to present themselves. Qamaria, the spot I’m at now, started hiring me for video work of their food and products but most recently, I’ve been hired steadily for portraits, senior pictures, engagements and nikah. One of my recent clients approached me here at Qamaria and said, “You’re a photographer, right?”.

He would be asking his bride to be for her hand in marriage and wanted to photograph and shoot video of the moment of the proposal. My recent blog post, “Cold heart!”, shares some of the first moments from that shoot and the near medical condition temperatures as a result of a candid rooftop shoot in single digit weather. There was suppose to be a portrait session afterwards but I couldn’t feel my fingers for hours. We finally had a chance for the make up shoot this Sunday and it came out great. The couple met at a local college here in Minneapolis, MTCT, and that’s where they wanted to have their photos taken. Temperatures were in the 40’s and I felt really on this day creatively.

The session lasted about 90 minutes. We shot at the college, The Basilica Of Saint Mary and the Sculpture Garden, a tourist attraction of Minneapolis that genuinely pained me to do, but I’m not going to take the blessings I’ve been given lately for granted. The important thing is, the clients are in love with these photos and I’m very happy with how I executed the shoot. Shortly after the engagement shoot, I was referred to his friend who would also be proposing to his girlfriend at a hotel and I have those photos and videos coming soon. I guess I’m the food and romance photographer now. I don’t know?! I’m open to whatever is written as long as it’s good for me. Thanks for reading!