Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend

So, it's clear that Nikki is a supermodel. It is also clear that she pulls off glamour without breaking a sweat.....what may be harder to pick out is the fact that it was pouring rain outside.

With great panic, because these were taken only days before her wedding and we needed prints for the reception, I improvised and took them all inside my little apartment. We used my old, trusty red couch, a lamp that I bought at a thrift store and turned coal into diamonds!!

I am giving myself a pat on the back because I was not working with what I would normally use if shooting inside on a dark rainy day and yet I was happy and I dare say a little surprised that I like these images so much. They are moody, shadowy and a little mysterious, which begs the question,"Was it really the lighting?"

Great Beauty is always a mystery, and Nikki, you are puzzle everyone is trying to figure out, patent and copy, but I assure you, you will never be duplicated.

Three cheers for my beautiful friend.

Peru 2007

There is no denying the pull I have when creating a photographic image. I pull towards people and color. This is not to say I am not frequently inspired by other things as well....shape, texture, the perfect stream of golden light, like a gift sent by heaven for me and only me......but eyes and color really get me. There is something so rich and expressive in both. Part of me really feels like I am cheating nature if I extract the color that is naturally found in or on something. It was probably my photography ethics class and my photojournalism class in collage that started this line of thinking. I'm already leaving out everything I decide not to include in my camera frame and I really wish I could include everything. Leaving out anything is hard....

So, this taste of the images I took in Peru last month is true to those two loves. Its hard not to feel connected when you lock eyes and lenses with a complete stranger. We may not have been able to carry on a conversation but there is definite communication...and if you browse through my other images you will see the amazing color that is found in Peruvian culture and landscape.

While is was there to hike the Inca Trail I was able to shoot for two different humanitarian organizations, Southern Cross Humanitarian and The Hope Alliance. One was in conjunction with an orphanage we brought supplies too and another was for a village assessment for future dental and medical teams to be brought out. Check out the bottom of this post to find links to the rest of the images.

I loved working with non profits and would love to take more trips like this one where I can give something I have to give. Peru was amazing and now I'm thinking Africa.....









To see more of my favorites from peru go to www.rachelthurston.com/peru
more from the Sunflower Orphanage, www.rachelthurston.com/sunflower

Nikki & Matt

Bittersweet. Best friend getting married. Have to find a new roommate. Matt is pretty awesome. Bought me lemon-lime gatoraide once. They will live right on the beach......I guess I will let this marriage happen. They are too good looking together to break up.

Engagement pictures taken were it all got started. With the boardwalk, the bikes some major PDA. All the major components that created the Allfeck-Sotto union.

I will only continue to support this marriage thing if I can have an extra key to the beach bungalow. I need to make sure your bikes are taken care of while you are away.

True love always.

Dave & Melanie's Wedding

1 down, 2 to go. I'm glad you've cleared up some praying space for me Dave...and I am also glad you married Melanie. You guys are seriously such a great match. I never wanted your luncheon to end. when Dave got up and started talking about how he fell in love with mel, I was hypnotized. Dave was openly, and by his own free will and choice sharing his feelings and I never wanted it to end!!!!
The highlights of the wedding for me were:
-Mel wearing sandals in 20degree weather
-perfect lighting at the temple
-dave and mels toasts
-delicious homemade food at the reception
-the mirrored ceilings....totally awesome
-hanging out with my amazingly fun family

The whole day was a great winters jubilation....and for the record I don't usually include photos of myself while highlighting images on my blog, but I couldn't really resist.

Crew Odom

Friends in life come and go. People move, get married, have children and it seems fewer and far between that old friendships remain intact. Nick and I have been lucky to have stayed friends through all those changes. Nick married Whitney a few years ago and I might like Whitney more than I like Nick now....I definitely like her more. She is laid back, funny and beautiful..because of those things and a few good things that nick might have contributed, they just gave birth to their first practically perfect baby, Nicholas Crew.

Crew looks like a miniature Nick. Their faces look exactly the same. Whit and I agree that this fact is very unfair considering she formed Crew inside her belly for 9months. Maybe you can dress him in girls clothes every once in awhile to make up for this fact..no?

FYI: Whitney is an amazing hairstylist. She has an amazing fully functioning hair salon in their home and is way to busy for her own good. Email her if you are ready to have the best hair of your life. whitneymwaite@msn.com

I love you guys. I can't wait for you to have the rest of your 8 children!!