Venue: Del Fosse Vineyards & Winery
Catering: Harvest Moon
Guitarist & DJ: 20 South Productions
Officiant: Virginia Moore
Cake: Cakes by Rachel
Tent: Skyline Tent Company
Flowers: Susan Frick

I just got finished chatting with the building’s owner about what the place was like in the very beginning, when, as part of Vinegar Hill, the property extended into what is now the parking lot for Staples. At the time, the plot of land was surrounded by shanties and run-down houses, many with no electricity and no plumbing. It was also mostly African American. When, in the 1960′s, Charlottesville City had the whole neighborhood razed as part of urban renewal, it seemed like there were grand plans for the area. Today, a simple drive down McIntire makes it clear that there’s not a whole lot of life or culture that took the place of the old Vinegar Hill, and the whole story makes you take a big ‘ol depressed sigh.

Enter the warehouse, which was an Oldsmobile dealership at the time of the razing. While well within the bounds of Vinegar Hill, the dealership was allowed to stay, which is why I am lucky enough to have a studio today. For a time lapse of the razing, click on “Aerial Timeline” at the top of this page. The studio is at the very bottom and just to the left of center in the time lapse photos.

Back in 2009, when I first discovered the empty warehouse, West Main was a virtual no-man’s land. When I first starting reclaiming the section of the warehouse that would become my studio and Sweethaus, another tenant also began exploring the place for a potential bookstore. Ryan Deramus, pictured below, has since made an authentic and poetic setting out of the space next door. His place is so inspiring, that a year after we both moved in, my husband and I held our wedding reception in his space. There’s no doubt that Random Row Books has contributed to a bit of organic urban rejuvenation on West Main Street, along with the rest of the businesses in our little section of West Main.

The pictures below were taken with a Hasselblad 500C, rented from Pro Camera. Shot on Fuji 400 Pro H film.

I  brought all 35mm film on this trip, along with a new/used Canon EOS3. Below are a few photos of Lulu chillin’ in the bathtub, shot on Fuji Neopan 400 and scanned at Moon Photo in Greenwood, Seattle. Rock out, Lulu!

I am excited to announce that Sweethaus & I have teamed up to create a new kind of portrait experience on Saturday, February 4th!

After the Snaps & Sweets event last month, where Santa photos rocked the day, I came away thinking about how fun it was to fill the studio & shop with people getting pictures of their children and enjoying cupcakes – there was nothing but good cheer all around! Afterwards, a new client inquired about getting one more shot of her and her little boy. However, classic family sessions are set up for folks wanting 50 to 100 shots of their family – complete collections that fill a whole book. So, in trying to figure out how to fulfill my new client’s request, a bell went off in my head: what about Snaps & Sweets without Santa? What about an opportunity, for those families who want it, to get a few pictures of their family, their children, and their babies at an affordable rate? Such an event would allow these families to come back multiple times over the course of a year, letting them document their growing family throughout the year without breaking the bank!

And of course, why not throw in some goodies from Sweethaus while we’re at it?

So, it is with excitement that I am announcing Fabulous Five Day: 5 framable pictures in 5 fantastic minutes, and $5 of goodies from Sweethaus! On 2/4/12 come to the studio to pose for 5 minutes, eat $5 worth of cupcakes or candy, and receive 5-to-10 perfect pictures in high resolution digital format, all for just $85.

By appointment only: email cat@catthrasher.com to reserve your space!

]]> http://www.catthrasher.com/2012/01/fabulous-five-day-is-february-4th/feed/ 0 http://www.catthrasher.com/2012/01/wedding-erin-levi-at-keswick-vineyards-in-charlottesville/ http://www.catthrasher.com/2012/01/wedding-erin-levi-at-keswick-vineyards-in-charlottesville/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:15:13 +0000 catthrasher http://www.catthrasher.com/?p=3558 One day at the start of junior high school, I ambled into a small gymnasium for  my first gym class. Having just put on my special Carl Sandburg gym shorts for the first time, I awkwardly shuffled into my spot on the floor and tried to not look too un-cool. Suddenly, waving to me from across the room was a tall blond girl with a huge smile on her face. Squinting through my horrible vision, I looked around to see who she was waving at, and realized it was me. I looked back at her and she began to wave even more enthusiastically, and shoot an even bigger smile. I didn’t actually know who this girl was, but I began mirroring her expression and waving back at her. This was a pivotal moment that has stayed with me to this day: one of the first days of junior high, in the midst of one of the most nerve-wracking moments of adolescent youth, in here on this cold, lonely gym floor full of nervous, zitty pre-teens, this girl broke through the tense fray, fearlessly reaching out of her comfort zone to connect with a total stranger, and all with a huge smile on her face. What a lesson on how to approach life!!

Erin continues to exhibit such warmth and love to everyone she meets. I am more than thrilled to share a few bride & groom photos and details shots from her wedding day, which i had the honor of shooting this past September at Keswick Vineyards. Her partner, Levi, is just perfectly sweet and I am so happy for them!

Congratulations to my junior high school best friend, Erin, and her lovely new husband Levi!! <3

I will be sharing the rest of their wedding soon!

Venue/Catering/Cake: Clifton Inn
Flowers: Pat’s Floral Design
Officiated by Rev. Claire Goodman
Rental supplies: Festive Fare
Equipment: The AV Company
Bagpiper: Tim MacLeod
Dress: Casablanca Bridal (bought at Bridal Elegance in Richmond VA)
Hair/Makeup: Emily Hudspeth
Bridesmaid dresses: Ann Taylor, Liz Fields, Donna Ricco, H&M
Groom’s tuxedo: Ralph Lauren
Groomsmen’s attire: Calvin Klein

This little girl’s dress matches Santa…a little elf? How joyous!

The backdrop was especially fun to put together because I have been dying to try out tissue-paper poofs and have also been obsessed with burlap of late. The end-goal was to have something that was super-festive but still a throw-back to the vibe of my studio and Sweethaus.

Kids telling Santa what they want…so adorably magical.

And then there was the occasional intense stranger response…

…easily remedied with the Sweets portion of the event, thanks to Sweethaus!

Thanks again for coming, everyone – can’t wait for next year!