Nappaversary SHOW!

The Nappy Hutt celebrated their anniversary with Dinner and Designs at the Andaz Hotel in Downtown Savannah! We had such a fancy fun night! We had over 20 models of assorted ages and one male model. Taliah Waajid herself was in the audience along with her Atlanta hair crew of family and friends! I was proud and happy to be apart of the night, The Nappy Hutt deserves the attention, the credit, and the opportunity! I know this event is just the start to more and more showcases for all the years to come. Even as I grow out of Savannah and leave SCAD I will always represent my Rising Nappy Nation Family. They molded me into the natural guru I am today! Sharing what I learn, methods, styles, and tips and more to the readers of this blog any natural beauty I photograph! In the picture in the top left corner is ZAKIYAH!! aka AMINI she is my frequent stylist and did the rocking twist out doo on my head you see there. She is only 18yrs old! This girl is gonna go far in hair and anything else her heart may desire, she's a great person to be in the company of its always a pleasure to be in her chair (on a good day ;) Just Kidding AMINI! <3 

The following images are just more from the night! I was really feeling my hair there is just something about volume that suits me and Ms. Shawn loves my hair in a fresh twist out. My outfit is brought to you buy Charmine of Charming a la Mode! My earrings are my new best friends lol. Ms. Shawn said my earrings were too conservative for the outfit so I had to go shopping real quick but I'm glad I found these babies. As my brother said "Storm wants her earrings back" lol. That little booger of a brother. He was just jealous cause I looked fly.

BEFORE!!

So my hair was actually a THREE DAY process! Amini washed and combed out my hair and blow dried it to utilize my length to maximize the volume in the end product of my hair.

 

 

THEN she began in the front her vision there was clear and concise. Mohawks suit my face! so to braid the sides was an easy choice to make. In the center of the front of my head I had two-strand twists. Now for the back that was a process. Originally I was going to have tuck and folds but when that wasn't working out Amini tried alternatives. Ms. Shawn wanted color though especially for the sake of the show you gotta be bold and go all out! OF COURSE I was not going to dye my hair so they chose Burgandy for my hair. and I'm not gonna lie I was really feeling it. On DAY 2 of my hair Amini came up with the spiral awesome yin and yang feeling in the back of my head and she also incorporated more color. The color is so intentionally placed it seems almost painted in the right spots I love it. After that I had to just keep my hair safe till the day of the show (DAY 3) and had my twist out!

AFTER!!!

A Phenom TWIST OUT

So I have so many pictures of my latest hair style that I thought it would be most appropriate to share the look and to describe how I was taught by Zakiyah (one of my hair stylist at the nappy hutt).

So here is the photo journey!!

This front portion here are two strand twists.  In the back of my head these are not braids/cornrows. These are actually twists agaisnt the scalp! They do the same job as cornrows but no pulling and pain!

side views of the hair do.  Zakiyah pinned up the back in the center of my head kinds creating a crown almost.  All my twists in the front followed and did the same.

 

 

The following photos are just me actually sporting the style. It awesome how it can transform from like a sexy conservative to a sexy sassy with the twist out. 

Now how does the twist out actually work?! Well the way I was taught is to take some product - I used Taliah Waajid Black Earth Product called "The Strengthener" Medicated. I take a little bit of product on my finger tips and run it from scalp to hair end and then I begin to rotate the twist in the opposite way it was formed, this causes the twist to unravel instead of being picked apart. be careful not to tear apart the previously twisted strands or else it'll get frizzy. Over time hair swells after a juicy twist out which gives your hair a fuller look.

 Now I had all these curlies bouncing every which direction and I pinned them in a way that gave it some order. In the very last image was the day I was going to get my next hair do and I let the curlies free with no pins. Oh yes and I'm wearing contacts :)

R.I.P. To those Hoop earrings that broke :(

October 2012 Hair at The NAPPY HUTT

September- October hair doo.
If you read my blog about "HELP TIGHT BRAIDS" it was from THIS hair style!
As beautiful as it was the over lapping did cause some pain for a few sleepless nights. AFTER that I was able to fully enjoy the hair style.

This style is a total original! Overlapping braids, and two strang twist "shag" in the bag and bantu knotted two-strand twist at the top.





I LOVE LOVE LOVE styles that are versatile. so when I was ready I pulled down my bantu knots and had a head full of curly fry twists to play with.


Sorry for the pictures being side ways when I'm on my phone it doesn't let me turn them :/







This style was completed by Zakiyah at The Nappy Hutt in Savannah, GA 31401

Natural Hair Spotlights

So due to recent experiences and relationships being built amoungst hair salons, natural hair representatives, products, and individuals I have been inspired to build a deeper portfolio in terms of natural hair. Not only do I want this to be photography but I want it to be an opportunity for me to begin a conversation about individuals and their natural hair journeys.

I've also learned its beneficial to me as a photographer to be able to shoot basic video in terms of audio and light. And when I photograph people my portraits are as great as they are because I've gotten a chance to get to know them. A slice of their life in a still image is all I attempt to provide. Also I decided over the summer that I want to get my masters in Journalism. So every blog counts even more now lol. I want to appeal to others while still talking about things that matter to me and especially things that can help someone else and touch their lives. I choose to use my God given talents to serve.

So every post on a natural hair individual is going to be titled "Spotlight on ___________" whoever is the model. I did my first one today and I can't wait to showcase it later in a fresh new post!
I hope that these posts get deeper in the minds of ladies on their journey's because that what it is. Your hair is an extension of you. And from what I recently learned at the Taliah Waajid World Natural Hair Show is that there are a lot of things emotionally that put a strain on your body as well as your hair. As I learn more I'm starting to really see hair as a reflection of the individual. Maybe one day I'll look and feel someone's hair to determine who they are like Ray Charles felt a pair of hands.
I even got some books about natural hair that are dated back in the late 1990s and early 2000s which I hope will teach me some things that were known well before this "era" of going natural. I know its been going on much longer than most know.

 

My Roarin' Twenties

Just last week I turned 20 and my world has already began to change. I have a feeling in my heart that this age is going to be my year of transition. My oldest sister and I have already deemed this year: My Roarin' Twenties.

I began my birthday(oct. 5th) on the road with my super assistant (Perry) to Atlanta, GA for my first contracted gig with Taliah Waajid's World Natural Hair, Health & Beauty Show. Based off the pictures I took at their Spring Show earlier this year, her people contacted my people (I'm my people lol) and asked if I would work their Fall show! So this gig was a big deal, contracts, deadlines, travel plans, BIG DEAL! And a footstep in the right direction and hopefully a lastly relationship with Taliah Waajid and her shows.



Amongst that shin-dig, I scoped out a new magazine coming out of New Jersey titled JOURNEY. Journey is going to be the FIRST and ONLY published Natural Hair Magazine. I've been in contact with the publishers and I'm hoping to make a lastly relationship with them as well. I rather not drop any more info on that because my excitement and fear like to walk hand in hand sometimes lol. But lets just say I'm contributing to the beauty and education of natural hair to women all over the world with my photography and words of wisdom.
More Info on the magazine can be found on their site HERE

My 20th year is also symbolic of a transitional year for me because I moved into an apartment, began a new decade of my life, began my 2nd year at SCAD(half way to graduation :), and I'm working on expanding my portfolios and polishing them up!


The apartment life is wonderful! I love my roommate and I love cooking. I have lots more cooking things I haven't posted in a while.

2nd Year at SCAD = Sophomore! woot woot lol. I'm taking Intro to Printmaking which is forming a new interest in my heart. I always said if I could afford to minor I would minor in printmaking. Which is why I took this class as my directive elective. I've carved into wood, scratched into copper, and so much more is to come with that! I'm also taking CMPA so I'm learning Illustrator, more photoshop, and next week we are doing InDesign. These computer applications I learn will be important on my resume so companies know I am proficient in a range of adobe applications. And lastly I am taking my Studio Lighting Course which has got me reading about light and loving it. lol. Just this morning I took out my little photo book on lighting - Light, Science, and Magic and read two chapters back to back. Reading it just gets me excited as to what I can learn today to apply tomorrow.

CAREER!!! Its getting a little scary as I approach the big graduation date I gotta look at my work, where I want it to go, and the type of professional audience I want to reach. Not to mention I want to enjoy what I'm doing of course! I still have my body stuff, but I'm beginning some personal projects on natural hair which is going along with my portraiture and lighting i suppose. And whenever I find a willing model it will go hand in hand with my nude body of work. Today I'm actually suppose to start what I call are portfolio planning books where I will put my plans and ideas and contacts in writing in something tangible I can build upon.

Speaking of careers I've separated business from pleasure if you will lol. I now have TWO facebook LIKE pages: one for my personal work - Stephanie Brown Photography and one for my event photography which is Saje Creations (link is in the tool bar of this blog.) I am still working on the website for my personal work and it should be up by Spring for the big career fair.

The ROARIN' TWENTIES!!! Its only beginning but I'm excited to grow as a photographer and adult and business professional. I've been ready all my life and now its time for me to start applying all that I've prepared .