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A Dapper Duo {Los Angeles Family Photographer}

I had the absolute best time with this awesome family recently.  We met up at one of my favorite spots for family photos in El Segundo and not only were the handsome little guys dressed in the most adorable outfits ever, they brought their fun-loving, full-of-joy attitudes, too!

This is one family that loves to laugh and have a good time together!

And I mentioned how adorable these boys are, right?  Well, it’s worth saying again. . . I just love these smiles!

I mean, seriously, I just can’t stop grinning at these boys!

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10 on 10: Ragnar {Los Angeles Photographer}

You may know that I am a runner.  I’ve been a runner since high school.  I competed on my school’s cross country and track team.  I also ran on my intercollegiate cross country and track team in college.  And in the 14 years since then, I’ve competed in 7 marathons (I ran Boston 3 times!) and countless races of every distance shorter than that.  I love running!

Last month, I participated in the most challenging running event of my career — Ragnar.  It’s a team relay race stretching almost 200 miles, broken into 36 different legs.  The traditional Ragnar team has 12 runners, each covering 3 of those 36 legs.  I did that last year and it was amazing.  This year, we took the challenge and craziness to a whole new level, doing it as “Ultra” team, which means we had only 6 runners covering the 36 legs.  So, we each had 6 legs to run.  My legs ranged from 4.7 miles at the shortest to 6.9 miles at the longest, and all told, I covered 34.1 miles for my team.

Teams start early in the morning on a Friday and don’t get to the finish line until Saturday afternoon.  Our team took 34 hours to cover the nearly 200 miles through SoCal from Huntington Beach to San Diego.

The fun (or crazy, maybe?!) part is that your team is responsible for getting each runner to and from the exchange points.  So, you rent a big van and after your runner takes off, you drive to the next exchange to get the next runner ready.  Repeat that 35 times, non-stop, throughout the night (along with over 600 other teams!) and you get one crazy fun event!

Runners are a fun, spirited, encouraging group.  And we’re a little wacky.  Ragnar is not complete without goofy team names, decorated vans, tracking “kills” (other runners you pass during your legs), fun outfits (like tutus and costumes), and more.  It’s kind of like a good-spirited, fitness-minded college frat party (minus the booze — that’s not til the finish line!).

Before we get to the finish, though, we have to start.  Our team start was at 6:45 a.m. on Friday morning.  I had the pleasure of being Runner #1 for Team Hexagon[e] (a nod to our 6-person Ultra status, and that we’ve “gone” a little cuckoo for attempting it!).

Our lovely team captain and driver made us some pretty sweet tutus to sport. . .

And we chugged through the miles in good spirits and with no injuries, even in the scorching afternoon heat of Corona!

The going gets tough once the sun sets.  The fatigue of the miles you’ve already covered sets in and with darkness all around, you just want to curl up and fall asleep.  But, there are miles ahead and mile to tick through, so you deliriously chug on. . .

And once the dawn comes on Saturday, it brings a renewed hope that you’re through the tough part and that you will actually make it to the finish line!

But you still take every chance you can to catch some zzzzzz’s.

When you hit your last leg, it’s a crazy, exhilarating, humbling, and joyous experience.  Proud to have not let your team down, proud for pushing your body to the limit and proud to have done it with such an awesome group of people.  One last hug to send our final runner off on Leg 36, bringing it on home. . .

Alas, 34ish hours later, we reached the finish!!!!!

We enjoyed some pizza and beer, headed back home, slept like babies and woke up the next morning with Ragnar withdrawal. . . wanting to pull on those running shoes and pink and blue tutu for just a few more miles!

Now, head over to Spokane Photographer Creatively Yours for a little more “10 on 10″ excitement!

 

 

Melissa - May 10, 2013 - 5:50 am

What a fun time Amy!! No I’m off to see if there is a similar race close to me :)

Kelly Q - May 12, 2013 - 5:18 pm

Wow! That sounds like quite an experience, and definitely a memory to last a lifetime!

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The Phone Photography Project

I am SO excited to announce. . .

 

The Phone Photography Project
32 days of Android + iPhone photo challenges, daily inspiration, and app reviews

Need summer photo ideas or help improving your iPhone photography? Spend this July taking amazing photos with your iPhone or Android camera in The Phone Photography Project.

In this month-long workshop, you’ll learn to take better photos with the camera you always have with you as you document your summer adventures—with help from 32 incredible instructors. On top of daily smartphone photography challenges, you’ll also enjoy:

  • dozens of tips and tricks from the pros for taking better photos with your mobile-phone camera
  • a handbook of 60+ photography app reviews for iPhone and Android, so you know which are worth your time and money*
  • dozens of project ideas for getting photos off your device and into your world
  • interaction with 32 experienced iPhoneographers and Androidographers, and hundreds of fellow students in a private classroom and on Instagram
  • giveaways, contests, discounts, bonus downloads, and fun fun fun!


    *Note: Many of the reviewed apps are available free in the App Store and Google Play, while the rest average about $1.99 each. App purchases are not required for participation in the class.

 

I am thrilled to be one of the 32 instructors for this course!  These days about 80% of the personal pictures I take of my own family are taken with my phone.  You just can’t beat the convenience and ease of always having a pocket-sized camera with you.  And I am just blown away by the image quality I get with my newly upgraded iPhone 5.  It’s definitely not the same as my DSLR, but for the ease and convenience of capturing silly kiddo moments in the grocery store, at the park, on our walk to school, I’ll trade out a little in the quality department.  I’ve captured SO much that I would have missed if I solely used my DSLR.    And here’s a little confession:  even if I do take along my DSLR, I always take a few pics with my phone, too!

So, join me for this FUN and INFORMATIVE summer class!  I promise you’ll have a blast, connect with some great people, and pick up a few life-changing tips;-)

Be sure to register NOW while the introductory pricing is available!  Go HERE to be among the first to sign up!

And then watch this cute little promo video:-)

 

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Spring Mini Sessions! {Los Angeles Photographer}

It’s one of the most beautiful times of the year right now — all those lovely spring blooms are a perfect backdrop for portraits of your family or children.  And with Mom’s special day coming up, there is no better gift than the one that will last a lifetime and bring a smile to her face every day.  Just in time for Mother’s Day I am offering Spring Mini Sessions in El Segundo.   It’s a wonderful opportunity to create memories, with a fun morning in front of the camera and cherished images that can be preserved for generations  — capturing the most precious parts of your family.

 

Join me on May 11th for a fun, sweet mini-session.  I’m so excited to be including this brass photo necklace (with your favorite image from your session) with each mini-session booked.

Contact me TODAY to book your mini-session for May 11th.  Limited spots will fill quickly!  amy@amyshertzerphotography.com  |  424.261.2691

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Fine Art Friday: The Minarets {Los Angeles Photographer}

April is a beguiling month.  When I lived in Montana, it was my least favorite month of the year — Mother Nature would tease with a sunny day, then dump a foot of snow on you the next.  And it wasn’t “useful” snow (the kind you can go ski and play in), it was just sloppy, wet, and messy.  Now that I’m living in Los Angeles, April has edged its way back into my favor. . . the flowers are all in gorgeous bloom, the sky is blue, sun is shining and the temperature is a perfect 68 degrees during the day, but still cooling at night enough to wear a cozy sweater.

For this month’s Fine Art Friday installment, I’m paying homage to my Montana days, with a snowy scene!  At the beginning of April, my family ventured to the Sierra’s and did some skiing in Mammoth Lakes.  Early April proved perfect for skiing (thankfully!) and my family headed up a cross country ski trail to Minaret Vista.  We enjoyed sweeping views, feeling on top of the world!

Minaret vista on a cloudy day in Mammoth Lakes, California.

Now, go check out Albuquerque Photographer Laura Meeks amazing image from White Sands.  Because of her, I have added this spot to my list of “must visit” places!

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