The Adventures of Lazygirl http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/ DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME en 2008-08-05T20:49:37-06:00 Lovely Love http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/08/lovely-love.html I shot this wedding with Shannon Cunningam a few weeks ago. Any of you who know me know that I am a pretty laid back person. I definitely have the part of me that likes pretty and expensive things and likes pomp and circumstance, but I also love things that feel real. And this wedding was so very real. I loved it for its authenticity and honesty. It wasn't trying to be anything other than what it was. And that was splendid.


]]> bbphoto Bonnie Berry 2008-08-05T20:49:37-06:00 Slammed http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/08/slammed.html Every day I think that today is the day I am going to catch up and get organized and become super productive woman and every day I don't. I could so easily spend the next hour compiling a blog entry, but I will try to be good. So I have nothing today except a little photobooth photo we took a few weeks ago. We actually got all four of us in the booth (although Sam looks mighty smooshed). And don't worry. I am sure I will be back to procrastinating tomorrow.


]]> photo_booth Bonnie Berry 2008-08-04T13:35:12-06:00 The Executive Decision http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/08/the-executive-d.html I have so much angst about working and raising children. I love my boys SO much, but I also love working and having time to do creative things for myself. And let's face it, I am no stay at home mom. I don't have the stamina or the patience for such a difficult job. The boys are in school full time right now and although they love it, I can't help but wonder what I am missing.

So I decided to take each boy one day per month during the week to have an adventure. I started with Ben yesterday. We had a very busy day. First we went out with the dogs and Ben was on his tricycle and we went for a walk. Then it was off to get his hair cut. He looks so sanguine in these photos, but I think he was just worn out from the bike ride (even though I ended up carrying the bike halfway home since he said he was tired of it). After that we headed out for lunch. I told him that he could pick, so guess what he picked? Yep. Pizza. Then since there was an Amy's Ice Cream right next door, we couldn't skip that. After that it was off to the movies and "Kung Fu Panda" which was a bit violent for kids in my opinion. Ben did really well. After about 15 minutes into the movie he pointed out some kids who had popcorn and he said he wanted some like them. So we headed over to the concession stand to get some. This was definitely a "whatever he wants" treat day. On the way out we took our photo in their modern day booth. On the way home in the car I asked how he liked the movie and he said" Too scary and too loud". I must admit that I agreed. What a couple of fuddy duddies we are. Then it was home for a nap, which never happened and then off to collect Sam. We had a great day together and I can't wait to see what we do next month. In two weeks it's Sam's turn.


]]> benny Bonnie Berry 2008-08-01T12:18:27-06:00 Hemingway Had An Awesome Typewriter http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/08/hemingway-had-a.html I couldn't have said it better myself. I get this a lot too.

]]> links Bonnie Berry 2008-08-01T10:27:58-06:00 Festivities http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/07/festivities.html As promised, here are the photos from Sunday at Shannon and Conor's. The first one is from my point and shoot, but I love it.


]]> my photos Bonnie Berry 2008-07-31T20:45:28-06:00 Independence Day http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/07/independence-da.html Over the fourth of July weekend I had the good fortune to meet and photograph my friend Sara's family on her husband's side. Sara's daughter Leilani was very shy of the camera and so, while technically not a great shot, I love the one of her silhouette in the window.


]]> bbphoto Bonnie Berry 2008-07-30T14:28:58-06:00 Mama Fu http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/07/mama-fu.html Our friends Jill and Joe invited us to Mama Fu's last week for dinner. Apparently, on Monday nights kids eat for free. It's an Asian chain restaurant that's not bad (it's not Chef Jia's in SF, but beggars can't be choosers) and I've never turned down a free meal. I took some photos after dinner while the kids played.


]]> my photos Bonnie Berry 2008-07-30T13:50:06-06:00 The Procrastination Story http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/07/the-procrastina.html


This is how today's procrastination played out. I got an email from a woman I went to art achool with named Boo Weber (now Louis). We took an experimental typography class together which was taught by Jean Orlebeke. Jean and I became friends and I started working on design projects with her about 5 years ago. Since then she has really became my mentor and she is not only incredibly smart and talented, but also the most genuine person I know. She has become a huge part of my life and I cannot imagine it without her. Funnily enough she was the easiest person to leave behind in California because we speak on the phone almost every day, but even though we lived about 15 minutes from each other, we rarely saw eah other in person. So it is about the same now that I am in Texas.

Back to the email (I can even digress in a blog post). Boo now lives in the south of France in a town called Montpellier with her husband and two children. It is the same town I lived in about 15 years ago. Crazy, crazy small world. Boo mentioned that Jean's house was just featured on the designsponge blog. Jean has such a great house in the Oakland hills. Every time I visited there I would linger as long as possible, just to pretend that I lived there too. It was as close as I was ever going to get.

So after checking out the post and sending a pretend chastising email to Jean for not telling me about it, I decided to look up the photos I took of Jean a few years ago. Jean doesn't like being in front of the camera, even though she is, of course, very beautiful. I took her photo when I was just starting out and they are bad. Not of Jean. She looks great. But I clearly had no handle on the technology of my camera and little understanding of exposure. So what do I do next? Yep. I start working on the photos in Photoshop and that's what the photos above is. A reworked photos from two years ago of Jean. So let me use this public opportunity to beg Jean to let me photograph her again the next time I am in town and to do a little self-flagellation for procrastinating so shamelessly. I have just lost an hour. But it sure is a pretty picture, isn't it?

]]> ramblings Bonnie Berry 2008-07-29T12:54:04-06:00 The Struggle http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/07/the-struggle.html In September I am going to Southern California for a few days for work. I am having the toughest time trying to decide whether to bring the boys or not. My parents live in Palm Springs and the boys love being with them and at their house so much. But the idea of flying with both of them again by myself sends shivers down my spine. And let's face it, a little break from being "mommy" is never a bad thing. If I brought them, it would be a break for Josh (which he really deserves) but a challenge for me. It's SO hard to decide. Who wants to decide for me? Come on, you know you want to. Bueller? Bueller? (if you don't get that reference you are too young to be reading my blog).

]]> ramblings Bonnie Berry 2008-07-28T16:30:29-06:00 Sunday Morning http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/07/sunday-morning-1.html

]]> sam Bonnie Berry 2008-07-28T15:53:13-06:00 Shannon and Conor http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/07/shannon-and-con.html We just spent a lovely evening at Shannon, Conor and Savannah's house. Poor Savannah had an upset stomach after an unpleasant macademia nut reaction. But she bounced back pretty quickly and a good time was had by all. While I snapped some photos there (which I will share later) I wanted to share some more I took of her parents at Friday's workshop. They are such a handsome couple as well as amazing hosts.


]]> workshop Bonnie Berry 2008-07-27T22:17:09-06:00 I Love Them So Much It Hurts http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/07/i-love-them-so.html

]]> benny Bonnie Berry 2008-07-26T23:03:25-06:00 The Man Comes Around http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/07/the-man-comes-a.html Today I had the good luck to be in a one day workshop called veryaltf given by the fabulous John Michael and Dalisa Cooper from Las Vegas. They are touring around the country in an RV with their two dogs for the next few weeks offering workshops in several US cities. So ear infection or no ear infectin, I was going to be there. I doped myself up on vicodin and headed over to the beautiful home and studio of Eric Doggett, who was generously hosting the workshop.

I got so much out of it and pretty much none of it was technical, business startegies etc. Don't get me wrong. There was some of everything. But what I personally took away from the experience is how to approach my photography work the same way I have always approached my design work. With research, concept, intent. For a long time I have had an abstract expressionistic philosophy towards photography. Namely that I am simply recording time and action. I think it served as a nice break from the intellectual rigors of the design profession. But now that photography has become my main focus, it is time to reintegrate some of that mental energy. And I feel like Mr. Cooper got me thinking that way again. And I am grateful. Here are some highlights of the day.


John Michael Cooper:


Their trusty dogs (who knew that a dachshund would make such an amazing RV guard dog):


This is my friend Shannon and her husband Conor, both if whom I was plesantly suprised to see there:


And two of Shannon's wedding clients who volunteered to model:


And then for some REAL fun:

]]> bbphoto Bonnie Berry 2008-07-25T20:43:41-06:00 The Superstars http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/07/the-superstars.html I have to give a big shout of thanks out to my friend Tanya and to Josh. This has been a hellish week of pain for me and Josh has taken 100% care of the boys with style and grace. And Tanya chauffeured me to the after hours clinic yesterday so I could get doped up with demerol. They even wheeled me out to her car in a wheelchair and she didn't even make fun of me. That's true friendship. When I am sick I am reminded of how important it is to have a good support system and I am blessed with a most excellent one.

]]> ramblings Bonnie Berry 2008-07-24T20:30:03-06:00 O'Mamaversary http://www.adventuresoflazygirl.com/2008/07/omamaversary.html The mom's group I belong to here in Austin (which is now called the O'Mamas but was originally 'The Other Mothers' which I liked better) celebrated its first birthday. So what did we do? What any self respecting mother would do. We left the kids at home and went out and drank. A lot. And we gave out funny awards. I won two awards that basically said that you could find me at the next shindig by looking for the one who is drunk and badly dressed.


]]> my photos Bonnie Berry 2008-07-24T20:23:26-06:00