HAIR PHOTOGRAPHY

Two weekends ago I had my first Hair Photo shoot with The Nappy Hutt, the same salon that I recently had my hair done at. The shoot began at 12 noon and I didn't get home till after midnight! It was a challenge because the models were beautiful and vibrant with their hair and make-up being professionally done. I couldn't help myself taking beauty shots and personality portraits but I was reminded to focus on the hair!

In between models I critically looked through hair magazines with my assistant Torkwase, together we found things we liked and did not like at all. Some images were badly photoshopped from their backgrounds, some were blurry and some graphic designs were poorly executed. In contrast we found that the better quality magazines had better images. And the best photographs not only showed off the hairstyle but portrayed the models love and interaction with their hair. These conclusions guided my compositions throughout the shoot.

Early evening my assistant left me cause she had work else where, but I did fine on my own recruiting volunteers to hold the giant reflector we borrowed from SCAD's photo department. We had a white seamless backdrop (THANKS TO MY LOVELY FRIEND DANIEL ;) and we had two light but only needed one with the help of the reflector. Because the room was kinda small bouncing the light off the ceiling helped diffuse the light better. I shot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II and had a lot of models who had outfit changes and two-part hairstyles, 2 make-up artists, and lots of hair stylist. Right before my assistant left she photographed me since I was a hairstyle that needed to be shot. My make up was done by Shamari-Rene'. She uses MAC of course my favorite make-up and does a wonderful job. She is super kind and very creative, she brings out this celebrity aspect out of you I LOVE IT I was totally transformed by her work. Check out  her site to book her or see more of her faces she has transformed! Sha-Rene' Artistry

The Nappy Hutt is in the planning process of publishing a magazine that promotes Natural Hair and Natural Hair Care called, ITZ ALL YRZ! They got the right information and right people working on this magazine and it should be great! And I know my images will help bring alive the hairstyles and depict the articles they plan to include! The most important image is the FRONT COVER! Remember what I said a moment ago about the hair magazines we saw? The quality of the front cover image is what will encourage people to pick it up and start flipping through it. I wonder what the cover will look like....

The thing I love best about this salon is that getting your hair done is like an educational experience. They do seminars like Taliah Waajid that educates individuals about their hair, the benefits of staying chemical free and how to take care of your kinky kurls! A lot of people refrain from going natural because they can't bother with all the work behind it. I am a victim to say that I even thought I had to have my hair straight to get curls or have a fancy doo but no more! Spending so much time at this Salon and with their stylist have me ready to sell my flat iron.

FLAT IRONS/BLOW-OUTS/HOT COMBS OR THE LIKE!  WILL KILL YOUR NATURAL HAIR CURL PATTERN.

If you straighten your hair often STOP! If you ever want to see your hair curl again STOP!

I plan on sticking with The Nappy Hutt and the hair products by Taliah Waajid and other natural products to see what happens with my hair by the end of the year. My hair is moisturized but not obnoxiously oily and its bouncy and curly and I Love my Hair and i wanna treat it right! And so shuld you!

I you live in Savannah Visit the NAPPY HUTT and after one appointment you will be convinced! Go natural step by step or cut it all off! lol. Sounds drastic but change is good.

Okay Okay. Well the point of this post was to advertise a sneak peek at the images from the shoot! Enjoy! Check out more on my Facebook Page! LIKE Saje Creations LLC.



Remind Me why I blog

I blog not to show off. Not because I have no friends and not  cause I'm crazy.

I wanted to blog since high school but saved it for my college days to start.
From middle school to high school a child can go through a drastic personality switch. Its when most kids grow the most for the good or bad. But from High school to college things can differ even more so because now you are paying for your education! But for me I went from High School to Art School. And this blogging journey for me is a record of my progress of my art work, of my company, and my name!

I'm gonna blow up one day because I know I can do it. I always said I wanted to be one of those photographers listed that changed the world. I am going to be on covers of magazines, accompanying editorial pieces, shooting bodies, doing my signature thing in the studio and having musicians and actors find it, love it, and hire me for their shoots or posters or CD covers. And when I say "I am" I mean my art work, my photographs! We are one person. For my photograph to be on the cover of TIME magazine is an ultimate goal! It will feel like my face was on the cover! lol. For LIFE magazine to cover "Stephanie Brown the photographer that challenged the great" lol. A single Tumblr post with my name on it. For high-profile individuals to recognize my work and personally request me. For a foreign country to email me and ask for me to cover a story in their country. For organizations to reach out to me to bring awareness to their cause. Those are my dreams and aspirations for my work. I want my work to hit a global scale. I mean GOOGLE Stephanie Brown now and you won't find me but just give me 10 years boy haha I'm so excite for my life.

I'm excited for my life because of the way I live it, and because of the way I view it. Optimistic and free from worry because I am anxious but patient. Patience is a virtue, and its one I possess. I'm not perfect but I'm so in love with my future and believe in every aspect of it that I know it will happen. Whether it occurs while I am alive or dead all my dreams will come true. My artwork will warm hearts, change lives, save lives, preserve memories, and reach all the corners of the Earth.

Check me out on the personal level while you can lol. I got stars to reach and galaxies to climb people! What are your dreams? Are you allowing obstacles to get you down?
Try seeing those obstacles as fictitious monsters that only exist as long as you allow them to get you down. That's what I do, and I'm given the strength to stomp right through them to what GOD has planned for me. My pastor Joyce described how the devil is always tryna get you down. I mean pulling at your legs and putting weight on your back but you exclaim the GOD you serve and show that devil whose boss lol.

Remind me why I blog. Every once in a while. I sit and think back at all the plans/goals I intend to achieve, LIFE is so precious it excites me... I record mine with a camera.

How do you record your LIFE?

Remind me why I blog

Why I speak to silent screens

Why I sit in darkness

Typing to deaf ears

Mute Lips

Blind Eyes

I got viewers here

there and sometimes no where

I don't fear

No point

I record my thoughts, beliefs, needs

Plant seeds in the minds of those who really read

Reading with their spirits and recieve

The things GOD has give to me

I share with Thee.

hehe

I'm blessed...

Followers are my conquest

As I lead and go places

Remember me

My smile

My words

My heart

Take your picture

And replace your identity with someone who've never seen

Please I do it with ease

A challenge I accept

I blog to teach,

Release

Learn if anyone dare to comment me

What keeps you Helen Keller?

I'll wait

Until we conversate

We'll build something this world will Love to Hate

Can't Wait.

 

-Stephanie Brown

03/2012

THE NAPPY HUTT

On my to-do list I listed "nappy-hutt's new hair model"
But a few things have changed since then.

My awesome-sauce success advisor gave me some cards a while back of two salons that worked with natural hair. I needed some other salons to look at in case I couldn't afford Vanity Salon any longer. Well one was in Pooler, GA so that was a no. And the other was The Nappy Hutt and they were by the Oglethorpe Mall so that was great! I went to their website and noticed they were looking for hair models for a photo shoot and I have natural hair so I was a perfect candidate! Well I emailed and never heard back. So I called and got a call back! Husband and Wife own the shop and he called me back and we later met up. He told me to google his sister and after our meeting we did. Come to find out its Taliah Waajid! Whose products are told to be celebrities in themselves! lol.
Long story short, I went from being a model to planning the photo shoot and being the photographer! The Nappy Hutt works with natural hair and natural hair education, as to maintaining it, going natural, and growing those nappy roots! Now you all know I'm on the road to hair growth which is why my big hair cut was a big deal. By the end of 2012 I hope to see my hair Grow GROOW GROWWW!! So now that I'm kinda freelancing for The Nappy Hutt and helping then advertise I'm learning more about my natural hair and how to treat her the way she should be treated lol.

The Nappy Hutt uses one main brand only:  Taliah Waajid Natural Hair Products!

Last night I got my hair done for the shoot we are doing this weekend and it was the BEST HAIR WAShing OF MY Life! The Pre-shampoo strips my hair of the dirt and oils and such. The Next product shampoo returns the moisture and nutrients to my hair. My scalp was BREATHING! I mean the warm tingling sensation and the full five minute scalp massage after every application was wonderful! The air in the room was suddenly cold to me cause I felt it passing through my scalp as the shampoo was rinsed out. Then I got the condition that people on Youtube seem to rave about and it was very nice but I think I'd have to feel my hair to really understand what the hubbub is about. As he was pulling at my hair it felt very bouncy and soft so i guess that's it. I also sat under the dryer to let the condition set into my newly opened pores than it was rinsed out with cool water....how relaxing!

My hair style is depicted below :) I got a sexy/cute little mohawk with the braids on the sides and springy tight two-strand twists running down the center.

I am very satisfied and excited to go back again. Best believe after the shoot on Sunday I will have a sneak peak at the pictures from the shoot.

Do you have dreads, thinking about getting locs, considering going natural, or need help maintaining your nappy roots??!!
Get your hair done at THE NAPPY HUTT!

www.nappyhutt.com

REPLY: I nearly cried...

In reply to my last post:

     Prayers have been answered in ways unimagined! My multiple attempts to a modeling side-career has either failed or been transformed into me being the photographer. And ultimately that is what I am and who I choose to be. So when the opportunity comes knocking I gotta choose photography over modeling because my art comes first!

   Well I never give up an idea or dream when things don't work out because I just take it as a sign that this was not my time, but more opportunities will come later in my timeline. I like the way Pastor Joyce worded it one Sunday in church, she described that provisions are already made for you by GOD.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;

and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33

Constant devotion and faith in GOD has always kept my dreams alive and this verse in particular certified my thinking. GOD wants me to be happy and successful, he would never want any less, but he needs to come first. I gotta understand and never forget his power and all that he has done for me. So when I struggle financially and my dreams don't seem to be working right I gotta draw back and ask GOD to order my steps. Keep me in line and be patient.

So let me tell you what MY GOD did for me. Just within the past two weeks he has brought an abundance of opportunities to my feet. Internship, Job, event offers, opportunities to sell my art, and modeling! I made it. Remember when I tried out to be a model for SCAD and walked in front of Ms.J....well I did something right because I got an email saying congratulations!

I wanted to wait till I went to the meeting and learned more information and to be sure this was real before I blogged about it but it is so real! My name was signed on a line. Forms filled out and schedules in hand, not to mention this is a PAID opportunity! PRAISE HIS NAME!

Let me tell you...

I worked my butt off to get to SCAD and make it practically free for my parents to send me to this expensive private school. And even with the abundance of scholarships I knew they would only last so long. After my freshman year I will only have one scholarship left is helping out a lot (thank you Dare2BeGreat Foundation). And I will be saving money by moving off campus. But I will still have a lot to pay afterwards. My education at SCAD is an investment to the bountiful career I know I will have. But I gotta come up with this money so that my parents are always paying the minimum. I know they aren't crazy about me being out of state and pursuing a career in art. So the least I can do is help them out the best I can, by saving up and making money.

Also, I am one class away from being a member at Living Hope Community Fellowship and I want to commit by paying my tithes. I already give what I have but sometimes I have nothing but my prayers. I truly do want to give GOD a percentage of what he has given me but I gotta make something first. These paid opportunities presented to me not only ease my spirit but excite me to give back to GOD and show my appreciation for him as I do every day.

The more I learn the greater the feeling to serve MY GOD.

<3 Steph

BTW don't give up on your dreams. Just be patient, you can have anything your heart, mind, and spirit desires. When GOD is ready for you to have it, it shall be yours.

I nearly cried....

I nearly cried when I got the news.
GOD answered a prayer and sent a sign my way
Faith and confidence in a future in my body
Faith that income will soon come my way.
Patience for when I fight my eager mind
Warmth in my heart knowing my GOD was right
He is right all the time
There for me all the time
More and more and more
I Love You Lord


I Give Myself Away...

#this post is not as random as it seems. my readers you will soon learn the news :)

Coming soon 03.08.12

Family Documentary: Gardner's

What an experience! Each family taught me so much and took such great care of me!

Speaking of experiences, I had the FULL Gardner experience! Stephen and Sabrina Gardner are professors at SCAD with three kids: Isabelle (12), Peter (10), Max (8), and oh yeah! Ziti their dog. This lovely family agreed to be documented for my photography project analyzing a single mother home and a married family home.

 As my married couple, they were an excellent representation. Their beautiful historic two-story home (covered in personal art work of course); reflected structure, discipline, cooperation, team-work, respect, and lots of laughter. Their kids as independent as they are at their age have plenty of time with each parent doing homework, reading, eating, and going to and from school or practice. In the time spent with the Gardners’ lots of things brought pleasant smiles to my heart. Their hospitality was exceptional and kept guard of Ziti spazzing out around me, lol; she wasn’t that bad at all! But in all seriousness, like the McGregor family, this family portrayed values I’d want in my own home. Mr. Gardner’s mother teased saying after this experience I won’t want to have kids or something to that effect. But as I told her it’s the complete opposite. The Gardner’s are like a Disney Channel family. The eldest responsible daughter taking after mom and dad’s best attributes. The kind middle child with his obedience and boyish quirks, and of course the youngest rambunctious, gotta tell him twice, silly and mischievous boy. They have a timely dinner around 5pm when mom is back from her night class. Kids, usually done with homework by now, get to watch one show, than have dessert, maybe another show or more homework. Then they go their separate ways and shower, meet mom in the play room to hear her read another chapter of Harry Potter, run off to their individual rooms and await mom’s good night kisses and hugs and dad’s riled up tickles, and after that they all have their own book they read in with their night lights until their eyes begin to close. Afterwards, mom and dad get to enjoy dessert, peace and quiet and the comfort of themselves, their pre-recorded shows, and Ziti of course!

I love the intelligence of their kids and the value of reading in their lives. It’s so important to read and love to do it for yourself! Books will be their teacher and their guide and their vacation from themselves for years to come. Photographing them was fun, even though Max declared well in advance that bathroom pictures were not allowed! That didn’t stop me from camping outside of the door though, lol. The routine in their home reminds me a lot of my eldest sister Simone and my family as well when I was a child. When mom is home, Dad is at work, and when dad is home, mom is at work. I thought it was also lovely that on occasion Mrs.Gardner will meet Mr.Gardner for lunch in between his classes. How sweet! I know. I felt like a stalker sitting in the backseat as the two discuss their days so far, lol.

There is so much more I could share! But I’ve said a lot already! Lol. I’m just very grateful for the talent and creative ideas GOD has blessed me with and amazing opportunity to temporarily live with the Gardner Family. I know that these images I present in my class and to the family will be a great representation of their home and love within their family.

Gardner Family thanks a million! I was most nervous about this stay, since you guys were strangers to me, but it was a great end to a challenging assignment! I hope to keep in touch, see my work on your screensavers and walls…lol Just kidding! But anyway, can’t wait to see you guys again, maybe on a Monday night so I can enjoy Breakfast for dinner! Lol……I’m serious J

Family Documentary: McGregor's

Ms. Marsha McGregor is my success advisor here at SCAD and coincidentally goes to the same church I go to, Living Hope Community Fellowship. Ms. Marsha is off the chain and I sensed that from the moment I met her at orientation in the Trustees Theatre.

She is a single mother with two kids and recently divorced. Sir Andre is the oldest at 8 years old and Sir Solomon is a preppy 3 year old. They live in a simple one-story with plenty of space for Andre to throw his brother around lol. Marsha and those boys are so grateful for each other.  Marsha is strong, independent and unrelenting with those boys of hers. Even in her routine and scolding she is always making the boys crack up left and right and making jokes with them. She cooks them whatever they desire, watches movies with them, and sends them off to bed. They each have their own room even though Solomon finds his way in someone else’s bed most the time.

Marsha is awesome at multi-tasking and I would believe it’s something she quickly adapted to having to take care of both boys on her own and remember to take care of herself. She is very well educated though, with impressive plans for her and her boys. Andre is a big help to her as well, assisting with Solomon. Andre is quite the performer as well and I pray that Marsha will soon be able to afford his participation in this dance group that I got the chance to see perform at The Muse thanks to Marsha. Andre couldn’t stay still watching everyone dance and sing he was doing his own rendition from the audience lol. He is defiantly talented though; I mean I’d buy his CDs and watch his Broadway plays lol. When GOD prevails he will one day be an extraordinary student at Garrison and at SCAD.

In my days with Marsha and her boys we shared some fun times. So much fun she texted me the day I left and said Solomon missed me lol. He’s so adorable! The night I spend with them we watched Puss and Boots and cracked up watching it! To save time with movie and dinner we ate in the living room but Solomon ended up just cuddling up behind Marsha under a blanket. By the end of the movie everyone was asleep in their respective places on the couch; I defiantly got some great shots! I put Solomon in the bedroom and Marsha woke up to send Andre to bed. As I prepared for bed myself, Marsha was working in the kitchen taking care of dishes and leftovers, getting ready for the next day. Her mornings begin with peace and quiet, that’s her alone time to meditate and converse with GOD. Afterwards she gets out the boys clothes for church and starts to iron. At the appropriate time she goes into their bedroom singing “Good Morning.” I was up by this time and enjoyed her voice. Andre awoke to it annoyed asking her to stop singing so loudly, but I know days and years to follow he’ll lie in bed waiting to hear his mother’s voice. The next day when I woke up in my dorm room to go to class, the first thing I thought of was Marsha singing Good Morning, lol. It’s funny but so sweet I think and such a pleasant way to start your day.

I plan to spend more time with her boys and one day babysit them when I have my car here in Savannah. I’d love to help out Ms. Marsha anyway I can. She is doing a mighty fine job on her own but can do a mighty fine job in an easier way with some help J I love this family. They were my first choice and destination because I knew them so well already and that weekend we just got closer!

Ntozake Shange

   Over Winter Break I was spending some time at my sister's house and I saw that the movie For Colored Girls was coming on Stars. I was stoked because I had not seen this movie yet and wanted to watch it with my sister. We watched it late that night and boy was it moving! Emotional deep melody of spoken word and great acting. I will be honest though some of the dialogue going over eachother and then the heightened music lost me ssome of the time.
   Anyway, in the credits I learned that this was a book and I immediately got on my laptop. We wanted to know more about this book that was actually called a Choreopoem. and the actual title is For Colored Girls Who have considered suicide/ when the rainbow is enuf. It was originally a play of poems, a beautiful colaboration between Ntozake and her friends. I would kill to see this play in action. I don't think they are still performed live but I'd travel aacross the world if I had the money and if they would perform it! I ordered the book on Amazon that same night, lol, and it came just days before I had to return to Savannah. I read a page or two and got all excited but saved the book for my travels to Savannah. The choreopoem is very short like a novella and I got a nice hardcover copy. But I took my time reading it, saving it for moments I had with myself where I could dive into the language of these beautiful voices I heard as I read. I finished the book weeks ago but didn't get a chance to review it till now.
    Tyler Perry....great job because you made a full length movie out of a very small book and I value the poems they perserved in the movie itself, I hope Ntozake had a lot of say in how the stories in the movie developed because some of which don't exist in the book or are hard to interpret. Also some of the characters actually aacted out the monologues and scenes of what would be different people in the play. I like stories that describe a variety of characters and as the movie progress you see how they overlap. The book is  a play so essentially everyone is already overlapping. The horrible scene of the children beeing dropped from the window actually is at the end of the book and its more climax in the movie.

Of course I have my favorites from Ntozake Shange that I must share of course!
the lady in yellow - graduation night scene is funny
the lady in red - the note she left on the plant she'd been watering from the day she met that man
the lady in green - someone walked off with alla my stuff!
the lady in blue - 'Sorry' scene (just perfect!)

I want to share the last one because it truly is my favorite and something I can relate to as well as many others I'm sure. These poems are iconic to me and will live forever.

LADY IN BLUE:

One thing I don’t need

is any more apologies

i got sorry greetin me at my front door

you can keep yrs

i don’t know what to do wit em

they don’t make me happy

or get a morin paper

didn’t nobody stop usin my tears to wash cars

cuz a sorry

i am simply tired

of collectin

i didn’t know

i was so important to you

i’m gonna haveta throw some away

i cant get to the clothes in my closet

for alla the sorries

i’m gonna tack a sign to my door

 leave a message by the phome

'if you called

to say yr sorry

call somebody

else

i don’t use en anymor’

i let sorry/didn’t meanta/& how cd i

know abt that

take a walk down a dark &

musty street in Brooklyn

i’m gonna do exactly what I want to

& I wont be sorry for none of it

letta sorry soothe yr soul/I’m gonna soothe mine

i loved you on purpose

i was open on purpose

i still crave vulnerability & close talk

& i’m not even sorry bout you bein sorry

you can carry all the guilt & grime ya wanna

just don’t give it to me

i cant use another sorry

next time you should admit

you’re mean/low-down/trifling/

& no count straight out

steada bein sorry alla the time

enjoy bein yrself

NOW .... I am reading one of Ntozake Shange's narratives and you can tell the author is poet by the ways the words move on the page and in your mouth. It reminds me of myself when I try to write a story it begins to rhyme or get conceptual lol. But anyway I wasn't sure what I wanted to read from her next and I chose Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo which is a growing up story of three sisters and their mother. I'm almost half way through the book and I'm hoping to finish it before Spring Break on the 14th of March. I'm enjoying her narrative its rich in detail and very spiritual, it makes me wonder if she has a vivid imagination or if she is a believer of the spiritual world and its healings. With Indigo's "spells" and mama's recipes the book is actually a strong reminder of Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquival. I'm excited to finish the book and move onto her other narratives and later into more of her poetry.

I rented the book from the library here in Savannah. YES I got a library card and it was very exciting to do so :) I first got it because I wanted to see movies with Laura my English roomate because all of my favorite movies she had not seen yet! And we both wanted to see Troy and The Oddyssey for our Art History classes. Anyway, when I got the card I checked out the book by Ntozake and I'm still working my way into it. To me pleasure reading is very VERY important to me because it reminds me why I and everyone else in the world should love to read. Being an IB student I've been forced to read books since the 6th grade. Some were good most sucked a lot! But in middle school I read an awesome awesome book! Jason and Kyra by Dana Davidson. My mentor and teacher friend Stephanie Tomaselli bought me that book and it was thick and I read it daily it was so good! From there I began a habit of always having a pleasure reading book. Even though I couldn't read it die to other assignments, my pleasure book waited around for me until I had the time and pleasure of reading it. Pleasure books remind me that I love to read, remind me I love a good book, and remind me there is more to literature than the textbooks I get stuck in over the years. Everyone should have a book on the side that they can pick up when the power is out, internet is down, for when you're waiting and got nothing else to do the book is there for you waiting to pull you into another world.