Welcome

Hola! This is Raquita, and you've found my blog. I am a Photographer and I love my job, I get to watch people be in love everyday and they trust me to capture that love and I am grateful for the chance. I write poetry because because the love of my life deserve more than what we say everyday, and I want to tell them.

I beleive in romance and happy endings, and fairy tales, more so now that I have two daughters than I think I ever have. This all being said it should be no surprise that I am a little goofy, and a lot cheesy. I love chick flicks, poker, Greys Anatomy and Hoops and Yo Yo. I always root for the underdog, (GO Celtics!) I prefer sushi for dinner and waffles for breakfast. I am the resident WOBL-in-training around these parts. (W)ise (O)ld (B)lack (L)ady and I'm pretty much into flat out having a good time.

This blog has gone though a lot of changes now most notably merging my personal life with my business one. So you will find as much about what I think about the latest movies as well as my latest assignments. You will get to know my kids and my husband pretty well if you read often, and i love a good debate so please feel free to comment all the time. I have also gotten back into performing poetry as a hobby, so to those who got my card after a show please feel free to click the poetry button below for access to my work, and information. The wedding button will take you to my wedding slide show, the portraiture button to the portraiture slide show.

Its….a… Beautiful day in the neigborhood

Is it bad that as a kid I was totally uneasy about Mr. Rodgers? He gave me the willies. Him, and my high school drivers ed teacher.
Anywho, despite my childhood willies, it is a beautiful day in the neighborhood! Won’t you be my neighbor!

I got big things cookin, hopefully I can get them out of the oven with little difficulty.

The weekend was interesting. I need to work a little harder at balance. I spent so much of the weekend working that I know my kids were a bit bored, probably a lot bored. So, I know I am gonna have to find a better way to walk the line. Even still we played alot of memory (the my little pony version) and got a game of Trouble in. I think I want to go get us a full size version of Connect Four, I’m too annoyed by the tiny pieces of the travel version.

Despite that we got alot of things done around the house although the christmas tree is still up, we got a ton of laundry sorted and folded and I actually put it away, if you knew me ,like IRL ,you wuld know this is major, I don’t pout laundry away. But my husband likes it when the laundry comes out of drawers and not baskets.

I think hes been conspiring with my mother.

Anywho.  We did alot of that - we also cleaned Cammys play room which also means we need to donate soem toys, hopfully if I got to ImagingUSA next week Cammy and I can do a purge of toys Bri won’t play with and get an inventory of needed batteries and give away alot of stuff.

I should be on reality TV for a HGTV show, maybe someone will organize all this mess for me.

We also went to church this weekend, which is something I have missed terribly in the last year, I love my home church, its just with the construction and a few quibbles about doctrine we’ve not been attending regularly (its roughly an hour drive, on a good trip.) and the search to find the right fit for us has been, difficult. But I do not plan to give up, and I think we have decided on a few of the things that are very important to us as individuals and what we want to expose or girls to.  Pastor Clark, you could just fix a few of my major my issues by building a branch in the city, KTHX!  

I miss belonging to an actual church family. Which is another down side to Shalom, the SHEER SIZE of it. I’m down for a few hundred people to worship with, but Shalom, its a mega church no getting around it.

There are air traffic control wands used to direct traffic.

So its bigger than I’d like.  For Jerry I think he’s okay with going to church and learning and goin home. Its not the community thing it is for me. I like to know the poeple I worship with and know whats goin on with them and talk and be friends during the week and not just as a fly by on Sunday. Which is why the larger church experience is so, not me.

In an ideal world my Grandmothers church would still be located on Union and Enright and I would still attend there and Pastor Thomas would still be my pastor. But that is just wishful reminiscing.

Anywho beyond our church trails this week we are both, Jerry and I brimming with ideas and possibilities! So keep reading we’ll hopefully get Jerry back to writing in his blog one day too.

Sisters - a session recap

When Erin contacted me to set up a session of her and her sister for her parents christmas gift, I thought wow, shes way more on the ball than I was when my mom made it crystal clear that was what she wanted for christmas.  She even went above and beyond to make sure her mom had the gift on Christmas day ( a little rush shipping never hurt! Thanks FedEX!)   
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It was very cool to watch the sisters together and see the simiarities between my sister and I, and Erin and Lindsey.  
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We got to try some very cool areas around town, they were game to try anything, Iw anted to take them out to a farm but it was very brisk and we thought it better to keep it close to buildings with heat and mocha lattes, although the Chocolate bar was closed much to our dismay.
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I tried to take the pictures I’d want Cammy and Gabby to bring me as a gift for my walls. Which would have included some nice individual shots.  
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Thanks girls for entrusting me with such an awesome project for your mom, I hope she liked it as much as I liked taking them!

Session McBrady Siblings

When I meet with people to do a session with them part of the reason I love my job so much is its a portion of people watching involved. And as much as I love engagements - oh and I DO lurve some fresh brand spankin new shiny fresh out of the box we are so in love - love,  I also like to see other dynamics in front of my camera.  Adult siblings are always fun.  I like to look at them and try to imagine what they would have been like as kids my kids age and take the photos I hope my kids think to have take for me one day.   

Adam and Rebecca decided to have these taken for their father. Full disclosure, the Mc Bradys are people I have know for seven or so years, aka FOR EVAH! They are wonderful people we swear we are gonna spend more time with every year and it never quite happens that way, I am excited that Rebecca took the reins on this because she even got her parents a family session this spring as well as a storyboard of these images.

Can you say awesome daughter?
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She really is the kind of girl you hope you raise your daughter into. You know peace core, Volunteer fire fighter, Saint - you know the basics. They are Irish - notice the clover on Adams Skully…

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They are the kind of people who enjoy hanging out with their dad, and being Irish, that means the occasional Beer ;) , so when I saw this wall it reminded me of all the things you want to do when you hang out, “Eat, Drink, Be happy.” Should be a life motto you think?

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Classic siblings. I loved those outdoor couches, great burst of color on a sort of grey day. But I like the over cast days the best, personally. WE tooled around the CWE and found out Adam and I both have a fondness for Chess, we stopped in at the St. Louis Chess Club and its a beautiful space.

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Adam gave his sister a quick lesson while I clicked away. Adam is the kind of boy you’d be happy with your daughter falling for. And he’s single ladies. Back from a stint in Japan, this is one of the few stretches that he and his sister on on local soil apparently, they are both a bit of globe trotters. So I was glad they trusted me with this time between them.

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We did this shot at the Ice cream/bubble tea place on Maryland and it turned out to be one of my favorites. We also stopped by one of my favorite spots in the CWE the Bissingers Chocolate Bistro - I think the people there are awesome, the Assistant Manager Tambora Makes The Best Mocha Ever.

Thanks again Guys! Looking forward to the Spring!

Tis the Eve of 09…

Ah, yet another year has come and gone…

Good riddance 2008.

It has been a tough tight year for Chez Henderson, not that we haven’t leanred some good lessons and fought hard to come out the back end, its just life could just sent me a memo and it woulda been just as effective. Alas I don’t know that we would be in the right place that way, so I am okay with the trials and valleys.

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Cammy givin me that "come on mom!" face

Cammy is growing and flourishing and becoming a beautiful young lady. Shes a singin’ dancin’ tornado of wonder and sweetness. Shes done well in school this year, we’ve gotten her thru school and only had to sell two kidneys and part of a liver.

As I mentioned in the little holiday drive by we are very into games and puzzles still. Some where in the last few weeks she started sayin she didn’t like math, but we’ve been reprograming that cause shes actually very good at counting and adding and shes very comfortable with numbers - so we won’t be having any of that girls don’t like math thing in our house. No sir.  I need to pick up tht chick Winnie from the Wonder Years book on girls and math.

Other than school, Cammy has grown in most of the ways I mostly expected, shes an avid baker and loves to assist with the cooking, shes genuinely the nicest person I know.

Shes very into clothing lately - and make-up. Shes four and does eye make up better than me. A family friend is a make-up artist and spends alot of time playing with Cammy they do cheeks and eyes and lips and my kids looks sometimes like she fell out of 1984 but she loves it and shes happy.

Shes got more MAC make-up than YOU.

She had a little rough patch dealing with the sharing of affection as Bri has come into her personality and is walking and talking. But Bri is right at the playing age so tehy get to play together - which was probably the single best reason to have an extra kid - they entertain each other.

Shes still a bit too winey and she has her fathers selective hearing:

“Cammy! Come clean up your board game!”
“Cammy…”
“Cammy…”
“Cammy come help me amke cookies..”
“Coming mommy!”
“Pick up your game first.”
“Aww mann!!!”

Other than that I can say shes a great great kid. Shes gentle and sweet - if a bit loud at times, but she comes from loud people.  So what can you do?

Oh- she also got a Cat. UBee.  He is a cat terrorist, but they love each other. He will get his own post soon.

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Shes gonna figure what ever it is out.. just you wait!

Now Miss Gabrielle, she has had a year full of firsts. First word (it was yes) first steps, shes quite happy to feed her self and is about done with bottles except occasinally at bed time. Shes still my reserved personality but shes much quicker to warm to people especially when they come to our house versus being out in a new place. She talks when she wants to and has a TON of words. Example - she knows the sign for “up” and makes it when she wants to be picked up. She and Spoken were in the kitchen and she was making the sign for up at Spoken.

“I wish you would learn how to say up, instead of just signing at me..”
Bri looked her square in the eye and said “Up!”
“Well, okay then.” Spoken said.

What else can we say to this kid? Shes really into things with peices, trains and animals. Shes very partial to her tooth brush so I think she has a fair shot at being a dentist. Shes also bossy so she could easily be Hillary Clinton when she growns up, with a large dose of Condi Rice.  Shes also got  thing for pens and pencils. Loves to write. (Wonder where she got that from..) Shes got the brightest smile, and she still pats my back when I pick her up. We had a small pneumonia scare a few weeks back, and you never realise how important a person can become to you in such a short amount of time.

And my husband. There are no words. Really for all the support and friendship and love, really none.

So we are so very blessed in ‘08, and have many many things on our plate for ‘09, The photography business Pinxit is taking off well, Thank you to all my clients and brides who have come along with me on this our soft lauch in 08. ‘09 is our first full wedding season, starting in the fall was not the best idea I ever had but I am very excited about ‘09 for both business and personal reasons.

I am off to make my annual ginormus pot of “Everything and the kitchen sink” gumbo drink margaritas with my homies and kiss my babies for the east coast new year put them to bed and knock back a few with the grown ups before midnight central time.

Remember in all the relvery to reflect on all the joys and trials you have overcome  and prepare your self to look forward. New Years are for the NEW!

See you guys in ‘09, tomorrows post is a sibling session.

Be peaceful, be poetry, Be photographed!

Raquita

we will! Chris and Crystal

I know I say when you do images with me I want you to feel like family, but what happens when you ARE family already? Being trusted with your familys images is always an honor - but when they trust you enough to invest in your talent - that is MAJOR. Any artist will tell you so. So when my dear Cousin Chris called to say he was engaged I was totally hyped, and totally didn’t think they would hire me, not tht I am not good enough or anything to that effect - family is simply complicated at times, who needs the extra complcation right? But I was totally STOKED when they wanted to book their engagement session. So we headed out to some of my favorite little areas and got clicky with it! This first one is my favorite I think.

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Gotta love some Eskimo Kisses!

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Chris is Mr. GQ smooth, I hope I get to make a slide show for the wedding cause I got some doozies!

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More with the stylin future Mr. and Mrs. Jackson (I won’t say if you’re nasty I won’t do it)

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LOVE this blue wall.

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Thanks Chris and Crystal! I had a ball and I can’t WAIT til your big day!

Model/Casting Call

I am working on a project and am in search of models -kids and adults who are silly and fun and comfortable in front of the camera. For this project, you will receive the session complimentary as well as a $70 print credit. The catch is: I am goin DIVA. Seriously, the catch is that I will be deciding everything from the date and time to the location and even approving clothing choices. If you are prepared to dress you and or your kids like a gap/banana republic/oldnavy commerical complete with singing and dancing - then you are PERFECT.

Also, you will need to sign model releases.

I would love to get a young sibling group (all girls or all boys would be wonderful - kids get a new puppy for chrsitmas? - bring it too!), an engaged couple, Singles, A Firefighters kid, a recently married woman willing to trash her dress, Newborns (like I’m due anyday and would love to have my baby photographed at the under 2-week marker) but feel free to contact me even if you don’t fall in these category. People tell you you should be a model? they ask why your kid isn’t represented by a talent agent? Let me give you a little practice.

It doesn’t matter if you are a past client or not, either is fine, feel free to pass this around if you know someone I should concider. Email me at Raquita@gmail.com for more details. Please put “1st Quarter Project” in the title. Tell me you or your kids first names and ages and include a snapshot. Sending in the info doesn’t mean I am promising to use you - shoot I can’t even promise that if I LIKE you. This doesn’t mean I’m gonna get you on a billboard- its more of a we’ll see how much billboards cost kinda thing. Okay?

Very Happy Holidays

Well Fa La La La La! And all that good jazz

Merry Chrismahanukwanzakah Good People!

I am late with my holiday wishes but things ar emoving along around Chez Henderson, Jerry and I are both flexing our creative muscles and trying to make things happen, I got new blogs coming soon (be on the look out) I did take a trip to Ohio woth Holly McCaig  which will be blogged next week - this week and next I’ll be posting an engagement session, and two sibling sessions (wonderful gifts for their parents) and a family session. Not to mention all the randomness that is my life.

Like for instance I’ve been tryin to give my mail carrier a christmas card and a starbucks GC but - he must be on vacation cause its still at my house.  

And why are the streetlights out on like four block around my house? - and the city is like - yeah well, don’t go out at night with out a flash night! Oh Bri is talking alot - ALOT and I mean TONS. She went from 0-60 words in like a week. Just decided she was ready to talk, and now shes got things to say.

Cammy made out like a bandit at christmas we are playing a TON of board games - which has replaced her hour of TV at night as her favorite past time. She will easily choose a round of Trouble over Oswald anyday.  And I like that alot.

Anywho I have a ton of things goin on and I am procrastinatin’ about gettin em done so let me go..

Todays photo moments are of my neice Sophia, she got to hang with us for a little while and I miss her so.  Her mom too.
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She thought I was pretty funny, I think shes pretty darn cute.

Tweezers and other torture devices

SO I’ve got alot of sessions to post and thats coming a little later this week, but in the mean time I wanted to just say life ever feel like the first time you tweeze the hair on (insert your particularly hairy body part here) for the first time? Like that hurt like a MUTHA but hey its over but wait no there is ANOTHER HAIR…. DUN DUN DUN!!!!!

yeah.

catchups-125 Thats sorta hows its been around these parts. But I am not complaining, one must endure the valley to apprciate the mountain tops so this is me enduring. I would like to take a second to thank everyone who has been so supportive as I walk this.

Particularly my husband - when we started this journey we thought, well I thought it would be like everything else that we have ever done, not with out work but relatively bump free, but its been hard some days. Really hard, but the thing I love about us Jerry, is we retreat into our relationship to regroup, rebuild and start again, we don’t push away. On the days when you don’t like me very much and I think you are being unreasonable I know we will get to tomorrow and be stonger for it.

It is days like today that I look at our everyday and notice how much less I cook, and how much more stuff you are doing around the house, how I forget to do the things you ask, how I need to pay attention more, how I drop the ball on bills and all manner of things I can’t really drop the ball on.  How the most important things don’t get treated like the most important things. Howyou have just stepped up into the fray and shouldered it all while I am shouldering this new begining. How we are set and determined to make it work.

I want to you know it is, I know we can’t see the cogs turning, we can’t see around the bend but we are moving forward, we are. We can’t stop, we won’t stop..

take that take that..

sorry I couldn’t help it.
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Rollin wit the Homies

catchups-95 you have to do the whole arm action too - circa ‘Clueless’ 1995. This image is precisely how I hold images of my friends in my mind.

About once a month I drink an extra Caramel Mach from Starbucks, I put the kids to bed, leave the hubby to his devices and head out to a local bar to listen to a good friend DJ Enoch or KnocKock and we so lovingly dub him. If I’m feelin spry I make it to a DJ Needles session too, but usually its Enoch.

The ususal suspects are almost always there, Kelly, Jingo, CJ, but I’m there cause Spokens there, and we didn’t get to be friends when I was unattached and free, before I had babies and a husband. Before I cared if I made my 9-5. So for one night every so often I don’t.

Enoch spins all the right albums, the hummus is tasty and my friend smiles at me. It reminds me that I have a good life even life forgets.

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so many days after the first day of the rest of your life..

I’ve missed my blog.

In its original state, this was the place I could always be myself. And lately I’ve been being a “photographer” and while that is truly a kick ass part of the current Raquita Package (and will be a prominate part of the package forever, forever ever, fofevah evah!)  I miss the outlet my blog was for any of my needed rants and thats simply not okay with me.

So. My blog is undergoing a metaphysical and spiritual and physical change in the near future. Yeah that sounds major but all it really means is its a better marriage of me at this turn in my life than this last one has been.

I’m learning balance better lately. I am. I just have to execute more consistantly.  

Thanksgivig was a bit of a throwback for me - Spoken had to work so I did most of the cooking myself although my WONDERFUL husband did an awesome job of cleaning as I went so I didn’t have to worry about how my dressing got mac n cheese in it.  Jerry said my Thursday turkey was better than my Friday turkey, actually all of my relatives were like the turkey is perfect! and I’m like DUDE! I always bring the kick arse bird man!!!! Don’t be actin like my birds ain’t the shizznit!! Why I’m defending the turkeys of years gone by I don’t know.  

Anywho I’ll be posting more about Thanksgiving, as well as

-Sophia’s First Birthday
-A set of sibling sessions
-the disater that would be me trying to get the girls (ALL THREE) to sit still for christmas card pictures
-an engagement session

And other random Funky good times in my world of Awesome. With awesome sauce.

Toodles!

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