Rio Long - Style In Indianapolis

Every year we see unique and amazing upcoming seniors stuck in the Senior Portrait rut -- in the Midwest there's not much variation with the usual train tracks, tree branch, and cornfield shots... When you look at portraiture in general, the trend is going in a more stylized, editorial direction.  Last year, we photographed Kenyatte Nelson, Esquire Magazine's Best Dressed Man, in Cincinnati, OH.  His shoot, Style in Cincinnati, reflected an appreciation both for his personal style, and for the unique locations many Midwest cities have to offer.  This year, Jordana Wright Photography is reexamining Senior Portraits with the same approach -- a metropolitan, magazine-style flair.  

We went to Indianapolis last weekend with current PCHS junior, Rio, and found incredible locations to showcase her personality, style, and charisma.  We spent the day exploring the city and taking pictures.  Here's a sneak preview of Rio's shoot -- Style in Indianapolis...

Thanks again, Rio!

Contact Jordana Wright Photography to find out how to incorporate 

your favorite locations with your Senior Portrait Session!

Oppose Illinois House Bill 1080

Do you want the government telling you what kind of dog you can have?  Do you want your taxes to go up to cover $17 million enforcing an unenforceable law?

Breed specific legislation doesn't solve problems -- it only serves to persecute the people who are doing the right thing.  Gangbangers will always have violent dogs, they don't respect the law anyway -- that's the entire point.  Every person I know who has owned a pitbull, or known a pitbull owned by a happy family, knows the breed to be loyal, sweet, playful, and protective.  In World War II, pitbulls were considered the American Watch Dog... all the traits we would look for in an ideal American.  Suddenly legislators are looking to enable any city in the State of Illinois to vote to ban any dog breed.  Dogs are individuals, banning a breed is banning a dog based on what it looks like... based on stereotypes.  Does that sound American?  

"Often when civic leaders want to impose a breed ban it’s in response to a recent incident in which a citizen was injured by a dog or dogs.  It’s a knee-jerk reaction not based on a serious look at what happened and why,"  Mary Tiefenbrunn, The News-Gazette

Tell your local rep that Illinois House Bill 1080 is unethical, unenforceable, and will further bankrupt an already bankrupt state -- to the tune of an estimated $17 million! 

In my years as a photographer, I have worked with many breeds of dogs, and the breeds our government would ban have been some of the most cooperative, well-behaved, and kind animals I have ever encountered. 

Illinois Residents -- here's how to get in touch with your local Senators and Representatives

http://www.elections.illinois.gov/DistrictLocator/DistrictOfficialSearchByAddress.aspx

Find your reps and call, email, fax... 
let them know that Breed Specific Legislation is not acceptable!

Yup.  What a scary dog.  Eating broccoli off of a fork.  Hide your kids.

EIU Dancers Sneak Preview

EIU Dancers Present The Heart Speaks

Last night was the opening performance of "The Heart Speaks", the latest show featuring Cassius' Lighting Design.  The dancers and crew have been hard at work all week getting ready for opening, and the first performance was a definite success!  The Eastern Illinois University Dancers put together an amazing show featuring modern dance, ballet, jazz, and hip hop choreography.  Below are a few of my favorite photos from the final dress rehearsals on Wednesday night.

The EIU Dancers are:  Melanie Bradshaw, Kristlyn Dalton, Jordyn Gandolfi, Trish Garvey, Margaret Hall, Jennifer Johnson, Kaitlyn Kavanaugh, Jenna Miglio, Carrie Murphy, Melissa Pallardy, Nicolette Sheridan, Krista Stephens, Alyssa Triptow, Lyndsey Weber, Edward Swingler, and Kayne O'Brien.  They are Directed by Antoine Thomas.


Congratulations to Cassius, the crew at The Doudna Fine Arts Center, The EIU Dancers and Antoine Thomas on an excellent production!  

Comfort Food

Nothing dispels the woes of winter like comfort food!  Last week we made Hamantaschen and Matzo Ball Soup and photographed the delicious results!  We've included the recipes below if you feel inspired!  Enjoy!

Apricot Hamantaschen

Apricot Filling:

• 6 0z bag of dried apricots
• 1/3 cup of honey
• 1 tsp. orange peel
• 1 tbsp. orange juice

Soak the dried apricots for 1 day in warm water to rehydrate.  Drain the apricots and puree.  Combine pureed apricots with honey, orange peel, and orange juice.

Dough:

• 1 cup butter (I use Parkay)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 4 cups flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla 

Place a rack in the top half of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the butter and sugar with a hand mixer until evenly mixed and crumbly.  Add eggs, vanilla, and milk.  Sift the flour and baking powder together and add to the mixture.  Combine ingredients into an evenly mixed ball of dough.

Dust your work surface with flour and roll out the dough (1/4 inch thick).  Cut out circles of dough with a cookie or biscuit cutter and place them on the prepared cookie sheets 2 inches apart.  Add a spoonful of the Apricot Filling to the center of each round.  Pinch up the sides of the rounds to form triangles.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.  Move cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Matzo Ball Soup

 Soup Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts cooked and chopped into cubes
• 4 medium sized carrots chopped
• 5 celery sticks chopped
• 1 potato (peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
• 1 cup grape tomatoes 
• 2 cups broccoli chopped 
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 tsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 3 chicken bouillon cubes
• Salt and Pepper to taste

 Boil 10 cups of water in a 4 quart pot.  Add the bouillon cubes, chopped vegetables and chicken to the boiling water and cook for 30 minutes, or until veggies become tender and tomato skins start to peel.  Add parsley, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.  Place matzo balls (see below) in the soup, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Uncover and serve!


Matzo Balls:

• 1 packet Manischewitz Matzo Ball Mix
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Beat eggs and vegetable oil together in a bowl.  Stir in Matzo Ball Mix with a fork.  Mix evenly until all Matzo Ball Mix is moistened.  Refrigerate mixture for 15 minutes.  Wet hands and roll the mixture into 1 inch balls.

Enjoy!

Flex Buff Chest

 Flex, Wexel, Flex-buff-chest... all aliases of the same incredible dog.  Flex is a blue pitbull (one of our favorite types of pups) with a lot of energy and a ridiculously strong, coffee-table-clearing tail.  Last week I snapped off a few shots of him keeping the neighborhood safe with a watchful eye from the front window.  Gorgeous pup!

Thanks to Flex and Pete for the excellent impromptu photo shoot!

Sweetheart Sessions