Handmade High Quality Zipper Pouch Featuring Naheedence Photographs
I recently completed a time lapse video showing the process of making my durable zipper pouches. I shot the raw footage with my Canon Mark iii with an intervalometer and used Adobe Premiere Pro to create the time lapse. You can click above to view the video and see parts of the process. I shot the time lapse while my husband watched our one-year-old. He also provided the music for the video. My talented hubby is not only a great father but is also a computer genius and music producer. I could not be a pro photographer, business owner, bag-maker and good mother without him!
The pouches are large and can fit up to a 10-inch wide tablet or toiletries, makeup and such. I recently updated my Etsy store with two new designs including an homage to my hometown of Detroit (design below). Making things from scratch requires a lot of patience. I have learned so much from the process and from myself. It took a lot of trial and error, and coffee too! I hope you enjoy the video and check out my Etsy shop to purchase a stylish bag. There are several bags to choose from and they make great gifts for birthdays, Christmas or any occasion.
Go directly to the Etsy site at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/naheedence . Enjoy the rest of 2016, time is surely flying by!
Creating Zipper Pouches With My Images
After a couple of days of shooting I am editing a time lapse video to promote my zipper pouch bags. I learned to make them by hand and am selling them at my Etsy shop. I first came up with the idea when I thought about placing my images on merchandise a few years ago. I started with the zipper pouches and am hoping to launch a line of pillow covers in the coming years. The bags are made in Los Angeles by me and most of the materials are sourced locally, all are made in the USA. I get the zippers from a great place in the fashion district of downtown Los Angeles called Zip Up Zipper.
Sewing these bags allows me time to be crafty. I enjoy meditating during the process and learning the skill of sewing. I am always amazed by how much I learn each time I sew. Similarly, each time I shoot a photo session I learn something new. I love mastering the art and craft of stunning visuals and am happy to create a bag to display some of my photography and designs. I put my heart and soul into these bags. I tried out different designs, fabrics and learned how to sew them from scratch. I had to try a few printers who print on fabric for me to get the sharp look I was going for. It took a long time to perfect them.
Stay tuned to check out a new design for the upcoming holiday season and to see the time lapse video featuring music from my husband, Nomadico. My next step is to approach some local shops in Los Angeles and sell some bags on consignment. The bags fit a 10 inch or smaller tablet perfectly. They can be used for anything from makeup and toiletries to art supplies. Wish me luck and stay tuned, buy a bag for someone this holiday season! Check out my shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/naheedence
Toddler Photo Session in El Sereno Los Angeles
This week I photographed a portrait session of a two-year-old right before her bedtime! Her mother was meeting with an agent who needed a comp card made by Thursday and we did the photo session on Tuesday night.
When a photographer works with a child it can be challenging. You have to make the child comfortable very quickly. In some cases I work outside which can be easier. We needed to shoot with a white backdrop at my studio in Los Angeles to have more control over the light in this case. The area my studio is in is aptly named "El Sereno", the serene. I remained serene throughout the session!
We had about 1 hour to get 3 wardrobe changes and needed a handful of great shots to work with. Since we were working on a tight deadline and so late in the evening I was trying to make magic. I always do my best and even though I was watching my own toddler all day I summoned all the energy I could to create these images.
Sometimes I have all day to get a few great shots, here I was limited on time because two-year-olds do not work on cue! I am happy everything worked out!
Wedding Reception in Metro Detroit
I traveled from Los Angeles recently to my hometown of Detroit. It was for the second wedding reception of my brother, he was married abroad and my parents wanted to throw him a party here in the US for his friends and family unable to attend his wedding. It was quite the event filled with the usual chaos of inviting 300 people to a backyard party but was of course filled with plenty of happy moments. It was fun to be with my family.
I was born and raised in Metro Detroit. When I turned 27 I moved to New York City for 7 years and then to Los Angeles. I can honestly say I missed LA! My Angeleno husband, Dan, said "It only took 6 years", but hey, some places are not as easy to love, AND we've been homeowners in Los Angeles for 2 years now. It is home for our family of 3 and I feel so lucky because it is a great place to be. (Yes, I've been reading waaaaay too much Dr. Seuss with my one-year-old daughter ;)
100 Years of the National Parks
It's been such a blessing to live in California and be so close to so many of America's National Parks. I created the video above with photographs I shot in Death Valley National Park in California. My husband, Nomadico, helped mix the music of several artists to complete the video. I hope we can keep saving more natural lands from development and hope that generations to come will always be able to see such beauty. Happy 100th birthday to the National Parks. A big thanks to all of the rangers and staff that keep our parks so pristine.
Farmer John's 85th Anniversary
I photographed an event with over 2,500 attendees in Downtown Los Angeles last weekend, Farmer John's 85th Anniversary Celebration. I was hired by Team Play Events to capture candids of the guests who came out to celebrate a Los Angeles food institution. There were executives getting dunked in water tanks, hula hoop contests and potato sack races. All on the grounds of where the famous hot dogs are made on Soto Street. It was quite a spectacle.
It was an extremely hot day! Photographing events in downtown Los Angeles outside when it is 85 degrees at 10 AM is no easy feat! Luckily there were watering stations and fan misters which I used throughout the day. It was a fun event and I am happy to have captured a piece of Los Angeles history.
Ramon's Surprise 80th Birthday Party
I captured Ramon’s 80th birthday party last weekend in Monterey Park, just East of Los Angeles. The party was held at Luminarias, a well known Mexican restaurant and banquet hall. Ramon was totally thrown off guard when he entered the Buena Vista room. He thought he was meeting his immediate family for a birthday brunch.
People came from as far as Arizona to celebrate Ramon’s 80th birthday. I feel so lucky as an event photographer in Los Angeles. I get to capture and be part of so many wonderful moments in people’s lives. The excitement for me is especially the one time only aspect of it all. This occasion is only happening once, and I only get one chance to capture the moment. I got a great shot of him being surprised and also seeing the happiness in his face while he danced with his granddaughter.
Capturing events is a sacred thing to me. People will look back at these photos for generations to come and unlike a portrait session or other photo sessions where you get a second or third chance to get the shot right, during events it is only once. A truly seasoned photographer can capture a moment in time in any light and even have a backup camera at the ready in case it is necessary. It is a craft I enjoy and respect more after every photo shoot.
Alicia's 70th Birthday Party
Last week I photographed a birthday party of a lovely grandmother who turned 70 years old. The birthday girl's daughter found me on Yelp and after we spoke in the Spring she put a deposit down for the party in July. I photographed portraits of the family and captured candid photographs of the party. It was definitely not the mellow party I expected. It was quite fun to capture the birthday girl dancing and seeing her have a ball on her 70th.
I hope I can be this boisterous at her age. My own mother is in her 60s and she is still dancing and has a great sense of humor too.
This party was just a reminder you never know what to expect as a photographer. I had only spoken on the phone with my client and been in touch via email. When you photograph a party of people you've never met you don't know how fun it may be! These photos will always remind me to live life to the fullest no matter what age :) Below she is taking a more fun portrait and the last photo is a shot of the dancers who were hired to entertain the guests. I have photographed 40th birthday parties, 50th birthday parties and 75th birthday parties but Alicia's 70th birthday party takes the cake. It was held at Geezers in Santa Fe Springs, a suburb East of Los Angeles.
Beverly Hills Wedding
Every once in awhile I get a small wedding job for a couple getting married at a City Hall and then we usually do one or two other locations after the city hall ceremony. This is the second time I have photographed a couple at Beverly Hills City Hall and then went to Greystone Mansion after for a portrait session. The couple asked me to not use photos of their faces on my website so I am just including a soft portrait and two details.
Every photo session is a learning experience for me. We ended up having to go to a third location and I had to think quick and shoot several photos in 20 minutes. I am happy I work well under pressure and my client was happy with her photos!
Sugaring Photo Shoot in Los Angeles
Occasionally I get a client who wants to work in squares. I usually work in rectangles so working in squares is not my favorite activity! Imagine my dismay when Instagram first came out?! Luckily Instagram has a landscape button to change the square to a rectangle these days. I photographed for a client who does sugaring and waxing, facials etc. and uses all natural ingredients. She wanted to use the images for social media so I kept my shots to work within a square frame. Often times I will also shoot a little bit wider for square photos so I can crop them into squares and have more wiggle room later. Ah, the tricks of the trade! All of our secrets are out here on the Internet nowadays! I am not that old, really ;)