SCAD Fashion Show..."Nice While It Lasted"

As many of you may remember from previous posts I tried out back in Winter Quarter to be a SCAD model for their fashion show and I made it!

Starting Spring Quarter I started going to fittings every Wednesday and sometimes Saturdays and Sundays. Critiques were every other Friday for most of the day. Designers worked on 2 pieces(looks) at a time and then we would have a critique. The narrowing down of designers continued after the 6 look critique where professors looked at the student designers work. Only 4 out of 6 looks would be chosen and those four would be presented in the Jury show. All but two of my 9 designers made it to the jury show. I was sad to learn that my favorite look didn't even make it to the Jury show. With designers being cut also meant models were going to be cut. It was understood from the beginning of our commitment that if your designer didn't make it you didn't make it.

 JURY SHOW was the first time I got to see Ms. J Alexander since I walked for him at try outs. The day before the jury show my new great friend Jessica who is  a super sexy model gave me some walking tips and lessons and it paid off in the jury show. The jury show was all day and had 89 designers from Savannah and Atlanta. I had so much fun doing it! I started off nervous as shit because 2 girls were cut during rehearsal alone. I wanted to please Ms. J and do everything he instructed to the "T". After a while I felt much more comfortable in his presence. When the show began it was a private audience. Only the designers in the balcony and the professors and other professionals were on the main floor in front of the runway. There were student volunteers in the background as dressers to help us get in and out of the different looks. Some got us mixed up and we had got in the wrong outfit and had to hurry and get into the right one before having to get back on the runway. There was one point in particular during the entire show that will never leave my mind...
I just got off stage and began getting into a look with lots of buttons and different shoes. As I got into my shoes one person was buttoning me up, two other people lint rolling me and another person letting me lean on them for support. I was hands free and being tended to like I see models on TV and it was just so exciting and surreal to me. Half naked ladies all around me and clothes going every which way I knew from that moment on I had to be in this show! After the jury show Ms. J Alexander congratulated us and pointed out a few bad things about 2 models who he felt had disconnected eyes and body language. He also looked at me and said I know you're gonna have contacts for the final show?! And I was jumped to say yes! Because honestly whatever Ms. J wants he can have lol! And I also already previously discussed with my Dad that if I made it to the final show I would go get contacts.  I was estactic and forget him talking about contacts he said final show! I felt like I made it and told my sister and my parents and Perry of course but that would soon be a mistake...

Starting Monday we had 8pm rehearsals and everyday the group got smaller and smaller. Models just got emails saying they were no longer needed and everyone or i should say most people feared that email. During the rehearsals I did attend I actually got annoyed because some  girls really didn't care if they were in the show or not and I felt that was unfair. Confidence in your walk should come from confidence in what you are doing and I felt they should leave and let the people who want to be there and model do it!

 At any rate Sunday I went to Lenscrafters and was told my insurance didn't work (which was odd cause I'm SUPPOSED to be covered by all lenscrafters). So Monday and Tuesday I went to rehearsal without contacts since my appoint wasn't until Tuesday morning. I went to one place to find out its "out-of-network". Finally spoke to an insurance rep and they told me to go back to the Lenscrafters I went to. My friend Jessica took the journey on the city bus to Lenscrafters with me to find out that I am covered and the lady I spoke to on Sunday neglected to double check and sent me home prematurely. I didn't understand what God was doing, why he was postponing my contact experience. At any rate, I had my eye exam and began training for contacts. normally contact training only happens on the weekends but the lady at the desk was tryna work with me because I told her I needed them for the fashion show on Sat. Getting those contacts in were hell! I mean we are training our eyes to NOT defend itself  momentarily so we can poke our own pupils. I got my left contact in but my right one gave me a lot of trouble...the rule is the doctor has to see me in both contacts to be sure they fit alright before i can take them home. He leaves early though so I didn't get to take the contacts home that night. Either way I stayed until I got it in just so I could demonstrate to myself that I could do it. The next morning I returned to Lenscrafters, got both in and had the doctor look at them. It took me 45mins to do so and the doctor approved them for my eyes! Surprisingly I didn't need any training to take them out that was easy for me which is apparently rare. But the way I see it is that its easier to touch my eye knowing that something is protecting it from hurting my pupil. I left there with contacts in my eyes and 3 more daily acuve contact lens since I used up 2 from my 5 day trail pack already.

When I got home with my "new eyeballs", as Ms. J called them, I checked my email and i saw in the from it said Stephanie (the fashion department lady) and the subject said urgent! attn model!: thank you ....   I instantly knew what that email was and I just began saying no no no no no why r u thanking me I'm not done yet! I opened the email to learn that I was cut, eliminated, no longer needed for the show and that my hard work and dedication was well appreciated -________-
I was so upset and instantly txted Perry, Jessica and my other friend Aidan who both did make it to the final show thank God. I didn't cry because i worked too hard to get those contacts in to watch them be washed out of my eyes. I was disappointed and embarrassed to think of my Dad and sisters to tell them SIKE! I didn't make it after all. Models were being cut left to right and nvr showed their faces again. But I didn't want to do that, Ms. J was patient with me and even doubted that I'd get contacts cause I was a first time wearer. But that night Wednesday, I went to the rehearsal after it was over and built up the courage to approach Ms. J and told him what had happened. He was shocked and had no idea I was cut, and I was disappointed to know that he wasn't being told who was being cut. I thought the decision was his...I thought he was the walking coach, I feel that the people in the background were randomly choosing who they wanted in and out. Ms. J said what I mentioned before, out of 89 designers 35 were chosen to be in the final show. If your designer was cut you were cut. All but one of my designers were cut so I should still be in the show. Yet we had girls who made it to the show whose designers were all cut yet they still remained. I don't understand how you have you have us be mannequins and have clothes sewn to fit our bodies yet put another body in it. What if it doesn't fit, or if the garment is damaged there is no time given to the designers to correct that...


As disappointing as the news was I was happy to say it didn't end bad at all. Earlier that week I was hired to belly dance at a beautiful handmade jewelry boutique Zia on Wednesday night so I danced the night away in my contacts. Then I belly danced again for Zia  at the Savannah Fashion Show on Thursday night. I shadow danced with my friend Kim while the models walked with his jewelry. When I knew for sure I would no longer be in the SCAD fashion show I texted Shannon to see if he may want me for the wedding he had on Sat. a wedding I had been looking forward to and would have missed if I WAS in the show. So too bad about the fashion but the wedding was awesome and I may have opened another door of opportunity there too. God's Divine Plan for me is something extraordinary may He grant me patience and order my steps to him.

<----I'm wearing contacts in this picture!!!

Details about the wedding will come later! I gotta get to bed to so I can wake up for church tomorrow.


**BTW I have not worn contacts since the first day(wed.) when I left Lenscrafters with them on. I intend to buy some down the line. and will use my remaining few for super special occassions only.

15th Annual Taliah Waajid Presents WORLD Natural Hair Health & Beauty Show

15th Annual Taliah Waajid Presents WORLD Natural Hair Health & Beauty Show

APRIL 28th - 29th, 2012

Georgia International Convention Center

College Park, GA

Yes... I went to College Park Bubba Sparks! Can't say the name of the city without thinking of the song!
The wonderful Nappy Hutt Hair Salon in Savannah brought me along to the ATL to document there involvement in the Hair Show! As there photographer networking opportunities and many doors have opened up to me. I am blessed to be working with them.  Not to mention this hair show was my first legit event since I had been working with Shannon and I got a chance to use my new camera bag he got me! (my very first one). I also used my triggers, my flash, and borrowed a zoom lens from a friend. And with an event must of course come my assistant...PERRY! He was a great help at the event and I utilized this reunion to teach him how to use my new gadgets and even shoot on his own since I had to model for the salon to show off the hair style they did.

Note to self and anyone who attends a hair show..IF you go there with cool hair be prepared to be photographed! Almost every person I shot wanted to take a cell phone pic of my hair as well! I was primarily shooting for the Nappy Hutt but I wanted to photograph a lot of the really nice booths and take group shots and display images in hopes that someone may want to buy it from me or get business from me after seeing their awesome image.

The hair show was two days long. The first day was followed by the "Natural Hair Crowning Affair" This is the 2nd year the hair show has held a pageant like event where the winner represents natural hair and promotes it and works as a paid spokesmodel for Taliah Waajid Black Earth Products. This black tie event led me to photograph my very first celebrities! The hosts were award winning actress Kimberly Elise and Actor/Comedian Bone Hampton. I also photographed a performance by singer Folami who had a killer voice and bought about 6 images from that night off of my online page where I posted all the images. The final day of the hair show (Sunday) was concluded by a performance by TANK! Who just came out with a new album. Every time I hear his song on the radio I am taken back to this day when I say him sing it right in front of my face! :) Also there was a visit by the man i know best from Soul Food and other movie/television roles Darrin Dewitt Henson! He even voiced in site on a future show where him and Tank will be acting as brothers!

Amongst all the action that went on in those 2 days some valuable lessons were learned and some unfortunate experiences happened.  The not so good should be said first... There were a lot of cameras and shooters at the event which was expected with the size of the production. But when it came to taking pictures of like Tank or even the models I got greeted like I wasn't a photographer just some chick taking pics for the fun of it. The Tank security guard was even meaner letting some unprofessional chick through before me... But Perry kinds helped me out with that, ya win some you loose some and either way I got great shots of everything! For my first time at this show I am HELLA proud and blessed! The show was a great networking experience and I hope that Taliah Waajid catches wind of my images like her supporters have. Since the show I have had over 30+ additional likes on my facebook page and over 100 comments, likes, and views. Valuable lesssons learned...Facebook SUCKS when it comes to uploading hundreds of photos. I wanted to post them there because people took my card and went to my website and followed my website to the FB page and to the pics. But facebook killed the quality of the images especially the ones where I had to use a high ISO. So I sent all I mean EVERY SINGLE IMAGE TAKEN AT THE HAIR SHOW IS EDITED AND WAITING FOR YOU TO SEE ON WWW.SAJECREATIONS.SMUGMUG.COM
I feel like its better to put them there anyway since you can like an image, share it on facebook and or Twitter. One last awesome thing is that Bone Hampton liked my images and even shared it on his own page!


To my surprise and excitement there is ANOTHER hair show in October, the FALL hair show. They do this thing TWO TIMES EVERY YEAR! But now I understand why. Up until the final hour or so the lines to get in are out the door! Companies come from all over! East coast to west coast i met people from all over!

I know this post was long awaited and I apologize for the wait. Even my original website needs to be updated, I'm behind but I am also a student and tryna juggle a lot of balls and I'm juggling just fine, with the exception of some balls getting caught in the clouds for a minute before coming down lol.
Extended metaphor? Why not :)

Again All the images are on my smugmug account page: www.sajecreations.smugmug.com Enjoy them and share them!

JeJu Sauna - Deluth, GA

JeJu Sauna changed my life! lol (click the link <----)
Seriously though. It seems so long ago but I have to reflect on my ATL experiences.

When I went to Atlanta for the hair show that very night we stayed at a 24 hour Korean Spa. To any anime lovers this is your dream location that will take you right into the bath houses you see in your favorite animes!
I won't bother to explain all what it entails that's what the link above is for so you can check them out on your own. I'm blogging about how it changed my life and to share the things you DON'T get from the website. In no way shape or form am I denouncing JeJu's I loved every party of it and I can't wait to go back!

Perry and I came into the Sauna and met up with my Nappy Hutt hair salon friends. At the counter you tell them what size you wear and how many people. You get a plain uniform (shirt and shorts), a toothbrush, razor if you want it, and a locker key that you wear at all times. From there you pay and women walk in toward your left and men went toward your right. My poor baby was left alone since this portion of the sauna was separate sexes, I think he did okay though :)

Past the WOMEN ONLY door there is a narrow hallway where you put your shoes in your designated locker. Then past the hallway there is a larger locker room with sinks and bathrooms. We got a tour of the place as well since it was my first time. In the larger locker room you have another locker that can fit your bags and purse and clothes. On the website it says you don't have to be naked but what they don't tell you is that you must be naked when you shower in the bath house. NOW I understood why the genders were separated for this part. Totally nude you must shower before you can go in the steam rooms or sit in the pools do anything there and this is for sanitary reasons of course. Connected to the large locker room was a huge bath house. 3 mineral water pools (cold, warm, hott). There was standing showers and sit down showering areas where you pulled up a stool sat and washed yourself with the bar soap provided (the only not so great thing about the sauna) and the shower head that detached from the wall. Shawn Waajid and I teased that it felt like we were showering down by the riverside lol.
They also had 2 steam rooms a dry one and a wet one. I didn't go in any of them because it would disturb my hair. They also had a tanning area where you could lay under this UV lamp. There was also a separate area that you would get professional massages and they would just charge your number and you would pay later when you left the sauna. Something extra special they had was a cleansing arrangement of leaves and herbs, and maybe even spices to an extent that they put together right in front of you in a large bowl. They then heat the mixture and place it below a seat. The woman who pays for this takes a seat on a stool like object that has a hole in the center, kinda like a toilet. And you get a cape from your neck down to the bottom of the seat. The steam and minerals from the herb mixture act as a vaginal system cleanser. There is a list on the wall where you can read all the ingredients and all the things it can help cure. Here are the few things I remember: it helps with odors, infections, post-pregnancy and miscarriages(cleans you out the remainders), allergies(if you raise the cape over your nose so you inhale the ingredients as well), cramps, heavy menstrual cycle, and the list continues. There is a separate price for this procedure but all the women get in lines just to have it done and rave about it.

After the shower we dry off with some tiny behind towels they have lol. And you put on your uniform. They do have bathing suits to rent or you can wear your own which is ONLY used for the common area swimming pool that has mineral water instead of chlorine water. That pool is the only time that you can wear a bathing suit. Otherwise you must always have your uniform on when in the common area. The common area has a cafe where you can order food, grab a pillow and sit on the floor by one of the small tables. It also has all the entrances to the pool, game center, and fitness center and of course all of the treated sauna rooms. Each room caters to a different health aspect. Physical issues, mental issues or spiritual ones there is a room for you. Perry really liked the detoxing room, I loved the one that was layered in Gold and silver inside but all those metals made it so hott in there I could never stay in there long. On the website there are deeper explanations to what each room entails but its absolutely fabulous and relaxing. Depending on the sauna you were in you were either enjoying the aroma, breathing steadily, or you were sweating buckets.
After swimming I showered again, then I ate and enjoyed the saunas then showered again! Then we came back out to the sauna and grabbed a bamboo matt and square pillow and my blanket and found a place to lay down and sleep. The place is only $25.00 for a whole 24hours to enjoy. When we woke up I showered again and got dressed for the first day of the hair show feeling relaxed and ready for the world.
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At first the whole experience was very awkward seeing my friends naked and all these random women naked but over time it became a refreshing experience and a kind of ancient maybe even biblical experience and cultural experience. To be fully naked amongst the other women of the village, showering and relaxing our bodies the way we should. I went from being nervous and awkward to showering more than I ever have in a single day. I really wish I took pictures indoors but it was my first experience and first time being there I honestly chickened out I didn't want to offend anyone by taking pictures. But next time I will :) Every time I am in the Greater Atlanta area I want to spend a night at JeJu's Sauna!

**All sauna images are ones I found online except for the ones of me and my friends of course!

Let the Blessings Rain!

GOD doesn't make mistakes! Everything he does and says and puts you through is for a purpose!
Today really since its after midnight begins my midterm week at school and I have been super busy this weekend and still a little behind but God is going to get my through this week he shall give me my well deserved rest later in the week.
Tuesday is my Anniversary and by Friday I'll be in Atlanta for the first time!

Today at church I completed my 3rd Membership class ,at Living Hope Community Fellowship. I newly learned more things about the church and the church's mission. I was expecting to be presented to the congregation today and I was going to buy the cd to show my parents but it turns out that won't happen till the next 1st Sunday. Nevertheless, God spoke to me through the music ministry, like he normally does and the Judah worshippers(the choir) sang my mom's song "Holy Holy Holy". And normally her singing that annoys me because she is trying to ignore me or drown me out. But today in church hearing that song was so comforting and I felt like my mom was in service with me. Later we had a moving period of praise with the song.

So (today) may 10th I am actually continuing this post that I realize never got posted.
In reference to the title let the blessings rain I am proud to be working with what is now 3 other companies. Early this quarter I prayed to God that I wanted to be able to pay my tithes and serve him and my church and I want to be able to save to help my upcoming FALL quarter which will be financially tight on me. And he blessed me day after day.

I am a photographer for THE NAPPY HUT Natural Hair Care Salon
I am an intern for SHANNON CHRISTOPHER Wedding Photography
and I am now a BLOGGER for KREATIV MYNDZ event planning company back home in Florida.

It is a little here and there but its quite the blessing indeed. All three companies are full of beautiful people who love what they are doing. I often ask myself when I go back home for the summer do i really want to go back and work for Macy's....?
With my business license now I am an LLC. and I really want to challenge myself and begin making money more creatively. Honestly I am still not sure because the consistent check from macy's would be lovely but...it would take up time I could use for shooting and editing.

I guess we will have to wait and see.
Nevertheless PLEASE check out the people who God has made blessings in my life!

The Nappy Hutt           Shannon Christopher Wedding Photographer      Kreativ Myndz

Membership with LHCF

Membership is a 3 class process at Living Hope Community Fellowship. And on the following 1st Sunday of your 3rd membership class you are introduced as family and as an official member before the entire congregation during service. Pastor Joyce Hall preaches that membership to a church is a commitment. Its my declaration into the covenant of the church. Members of a church give tithes, provide of the church, and help the church in anyway possible. Big or small no duty is over looked.

Prior to Spring Break I took 2 out of 3 membership classes at Living Hope and 2 weeks ago I took my final class. Today, on the first Sunday of May, and coincidentally my nephew's birthday, I was introduced in front of the congregation as a member! I am so excited to finally be binded to a church.

In the 3 classes I learned a lot about Pastor Joyce and her vision for the church and about God's vision for all of us. Of all the things we learned some things in particular stand out to me.
1) Denomination is not declared in the name of the church. The church administration describes the church as Pentecostal but I also heard Pastor Joyce reflect on Baptist and Pentecostal but she never declared Living Hope to be one in particular. I have not spoken to anyone about this, but I appreciate that. Learning about various denominations influenced me to let go of my "Baptist" raising. I don't even like telling people i am non-denominational because technically THAT could be called a denomination. I am just a child of God serving my living Almighty God in faith following HIS word the way I believe he wants me to believe it.
2) On the first day of class I was asked on a form if I believed in speaking in tongues... And honestly I didn't believe it because I didn't know what it was. When I was younger my mom dragged me to a Benny Hill presentation in Miami and these Hispanic girls behind me began speaking in tongues and were shaking a little bit with their hands up. In this same class I learned about the gifts and fruits of the Spirit. Corinthians 12:1-11 describes the gifts God has bestowed upon his Christians. One of those gifts are the speaking of tongues. Pastor Joyce Hall comes from a Pentecostal background and has been blessed with the gift of speaking in tongues.
Today we had a guest speaker, minister Janet Greene, and for second service at church she was driven by the spirit to minister something other than what she originally had planned. She discussed the speaking of tongues and I learned a lot about it today. She said that sometimes when we  are praying and praising God we exhaust our vocabulary and the Spirit of God takes over with a stirring and over flow in your sides and you begin to speak in tongues. She said you must will it and desire it and it shall be yours. She asked for people who have never spoken in tongues before to come up if they truly desired that gift. I'm not gonna lie I was scared. I have been curious as to what my gift from God would be as I progressed in faith with him but I almost felt put on the spot and so i didn't go up there cause I didn't feel that I truly desired it. Followers of God may have one or many gifts and thinking about my praise and prayer made me think about whether or not this is one of my gifts. I praise through music and singing that's what gets my insides going and that's what brings me magnifying God's name for all he has done for me. And the closer and closer I get to Him the easier it is for me to get emotional just thinking about all that he has done for me. But I do feel that I have a block in me that is keeping me from seeing my finish line with God and hindering my praise. And when I pray and exalt his name I quickly run out of words yet my heart and eyes continuously pour out his praises.
Pastor Joyce announced today that God had spoken to her and moved her to preach about being saturated in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues on May 27th. And today by the last minute guest minister being moved to talk about the speaking of tongues, Pastor Joyce took that as confirmation from God as to how important this topic of discuss was. She said that this is not something we should fear, and that it is a gift God wants us to have if we desire it. I don't want to fear it but I also don't want it for the wrong reasons. Guest minister Janet Greene challenged us to get up and pray between 3am and 6am and i am going to do that this week and allow God to wake me up from my sleep just for a moment to praise and talk with Him and figure out what is his will. May 27th may be a second chance for me and this gift if it is what God wants me to have.