Its all "About Face"

As you have seen in recent posts, I have photographed my friend Rita. The images are being used for promo and marketing for a launch to her brand New Skin line called "About Face"
I've been going to her for about 3 years now, anything I need, from facial's to stress reduction massages and brow waxing. She also does numerous things I won't get... Bikini Waxes,Permanant makeup, Microdermabrasion (Although someday I'll get the microderm). She is a wizard of skin care and a certified esthatician. So she's amazing and has what everyone that goes to her calls "An Angels touch" which sounds cliche until it actually applies to you.

BIG NEWS About Rita:

She hasn't recently moved to a NEW SALON. ("Chill Salon" on 2nd St. and Bayshore)
She has a MYSPACE & like I mentioned above...
She's releasing a new Skin Care Line called "About Face"

I haven't tried her new line yet BUT... I'm sure it is AMAZING! Anything that she trusts to be on her face, I trust to be on mine.

I'm so happy for her move to this new location! If you need anything that has to do with your face, contact her!!!

Tell her you found out about her from my blog.

Hey, its finally H-Ween!

I never thought this day would come. I feel like I've been seeing skulls in windows and the color orange for 4 months! I gotta say Halloween makes me sick. Why do we even make sure to do something unique on such an evil day? Oh, I hear you debating "No, Samuel, its not evil, its just an innocent holiday like St. Patricks day, or Memorial Day" my answer to that is THIS. Anyways, Halloween is the 2nd grossing holiday after Christmas, so maybe its what our economy needs...some holidays that everyone continues to work on. Isn't that consider perfect economy fuel?

So with that said, I'll go ahead and be hypocritical for a day, but mostly in regards to celebrating that the gross "Holiday" is over! In celebration, I dressed myself in Vanilla Ice attire and donned an attitude of "I'm the best and you all wanna be like me" so yeah... I'm having fun with it. Not sure how my studio guys are doing with it, but hey its just fr a day! (or is it??)


Audrey as Snow White

Noah as "Six pack Joe Tennis Player"
Jon as "Douglas Jamison"
Me "Vanilla Ice" (Circa 1991)
Luke as "The Last Samurai"

The Morning Smörgåsbord

I have alot of things to drop on here and not much time.
So teasers and a few tasty morsels to chew on this morning.

Rita Brady Teaser:
PLENTY MORE to come...I've been meaning to post these for about a week and a half. Feature on the way.


The Lakers:

They're back in business!
The season started last night and I am more then happy with our chances to go alllll the way this year. Kobe Bryant,Gasol,Bynum,Odom,Ariza,Fisher,Farmar,Sasha?? I'm ready for an amazing season filled with enough wins to crowd a Bejing olympic stadium. They won last night against Oden and the Blazers. Clippers tonight!!


Slideshow:

Gila and Andy's Slideshow.
CLICK HERE

Need an Old Lincoln Limo.
1983 Limo for a shoot. You know of one I could rent?


Josiah got his Bike!
I love the thing, I rode it around yesterday and I think I want one...just for a local cruiser... nothing huge... something like THIS.



Thanks for the HITS:
Thanks for all of your blog views. 2 days ago, I had over 500 hits... Jon, thanks for bringing the laptop downstairs to Starbucks and clicking on my site over 200 times. Was it worth a penny a click?

My amazing clients Angie and David's Story:
(Keep in mind I found this online... I didn't find the story from them.)

David Aron took his girlfriend
Angie Tashnek to Cafe Annie for din-
ner. Just as they ordered, two police-
men walked in and asked them if they
had a dark blue Range Rover. Angie’s
heart sunk and couldn’t imagine what
had happened. The policeman said,
“You left your door open and some
unidentified articles fell out. Could you
please identify them?” Then he pulled
a small box out of his pocket and said,
“Is this yours?” David got down on his
knee. While Angie cried, the entire
restaurant clapped for them. Also
happy are the parents, Susan and
Larry Spitzberg, Don and Sue Sue
Aron, Jack, and Susan Leeand Ron
and Patricia Tashnek.

The Election:
You know who your gonna vote for right? You can always write me in... I'd love to make the news... But only if you would have voted McCain. Haha, I love politics!



Halloween:
I'm not a fan. This season gives me the heebey jeebeys. Something not appealing about window fronts with realistic looking skeletons and cob webs, or people dressed as if axes were embeded in their chest from rabid enemies... not my season I guess. I like Christmas and summer... but I guess you need to have seasons you don't liek to really enjoy the seasons you like... the gift of contrast.

Jamba Juice:
The one here on 2nd street in Belmont Shore is patheticaly slow and unorganized. They don't have a comment box anymore, so this is my comment to them. "You better get it in gear, Yogurtland is coming to town and will take you down if you don't step it up and make quicker better drinks in a professional manner, love Samuel"


Rootbeer floats instead of Jamba:
My Spur of the moment rootbeer floats inject glamour into my life.



Speaking of Ice Cream
How am I going to get a Vanilla Ice jacket like this???

Image by Michael Norwood

Man of the Day?
Jim Harrick from Ceremony Magazine calls me a few times a week, but today he took the cake. Quote to my associate Jon. "You know who I want to be in the next life? That would be Samuel Lippke! he has the whole package!..." then on the phone to me seconds later "You know who I want to be in the next life? Ira Lippke! He knows how to fork out the cash!..." Anyone that can entertain Jon, myself and the rest of the studio deserves the man of the day awards.

Andy and Gila's Engagement Shoot

I drove to San Diego on Saturday to photograph the picture perfect San Diego couple. Newly engaged and in need of photos, they found me through WPJA (Wedding photojournalist Association) It was an honor to shoot with them, they had great chemistry, both were easy to shoot and both are great looking too! I look forward to their wedding next summer!
After the shoot, Andy and Gila treated me to dinner and drinks at The Linkery , one of San Diego's hippest health centered resturants. I loved it and will be back! Thanks again Andy and Gila for turning me on to this spot.
Anyways, I'll get on with it.
Enjoy some of these pictures! A slideshow will be on here manana.

Hey Bluetooth users!

Goodevening friends.
I've been noticing something lately. There are more and more people walking around with bluetooth earpieces on...yes, walking around,eating dinner, going to movies/dates, at the gym, I mean come on, I could see using it in a store while grocery shopping, or even while clothes shopping, thats cool...I know you could use that extra hand... but here's when to take out that damn piece of ugliness.

1.CHURCH! (This is a given right??)
2.Dinner/lunch/any time you eat with anyone (exception...you're an agent and you're with your client and that client needs you to be on the phone WHILE you cut that filet with both hands.)
3.During a conversation with a real life person.
4. In the shower. (unless its water proof and you're a freakface)
5. Anywhere you should be interacting with other humans.

Those things were invented to save your life while operating a vehicle, but not for quick calls to others while you're at a baseball game, church, or at dinner dinner with a friend.

quick story, then I'm off to sleep:
I have a bluetooth.
I've used it while using the computer at my desk.
After using it for about an hour on and off, my associate Jon ignored everything I said, as he thought I was still on the phone.

BAM! I think I've made my point.
Use those things when you're not in contact with other people and you need both hands.


I like what this blogger has to say about the topic Daily Dalia
Don't listen to Oakley, they just want your money.

The Parade for Dogs

Today was Mayhem on 2nd st. I loved it!
A million and 30 people on my street? I had to shoot some pictures.
Check them out.
Justin Rudd put this wild dog costume parade on.
Again, I kept feeling like I was the bases of a film... this wild event happening below my feet and I'm up in its face with a camera, getting licked by a new dog every block, stepping on masked bystanders feet and watching people get yelled at for their illegal street loitering.
Oh Belmont Shore, you've shown up the other shores of the world once again.
Now lets just work on keeping our businesses afloat and go buy stuff!

Debbie Cook would love this I'm sure.

Just incase you couldn't tell, thats Ketchup and Mustard walking on the street with their hotdog.

Scooby Doo looks ticked off.

General Petraeus

The BumbleBee dog girl...not to be confused with bumblebee tuna girl.

Is this a shy, or short dog?

gangsterrrr. Same costume can be worn on St. Patty's day.

The space dog reminds me of TinTins dog snowy.
MORE of my pictures from this event? GO HERE

Palm Springs Summary

My parker shots while scouting for the shoot.

Palm Springs:

I stayed at the Parker Hotel for 2 nights.
1st night was a rehearsal dinner (a very LONG rehearsal dinner), 2nd Day was the wedding (see previous post) Night was filled with a wedding reception and then an after party of champagne and burgers with the White Lilac crew...minus Sunny who was fighting an extremely painful migraine and had to be rushed to the ER for a few shots from large needles. The night was interesting to say the least... Adam and I weren't sure which room we had to stay in, so confusion quickly turned into switching rooms and then switching back. I ended up relaxing by the firepit for awhile talking with a bunch of different people... some on drugs, some on alcohol, some on both... one retired stripper (that didn't get the memo she was retired) one myspace operator that had Reebok Pumps on, the wedding's hair stylist (nory) , 2 "would be" bridesmaids oh! and a passed out lady that was apparently just sleeping in one of the 8 firepit chairs... A weird night, but memorable, it felt like something from a Coen Brother's film... it didn't really amount to much except a weird concept and strong charactors.
My plan for the next day was to wake up early and play a game of tennis with Will Ferrell who supposedly was still at the hotel... it didn't happen... I woke up at 11am.
A fun trip, great pictures, met some fun people from Houston.
I have a few more pictures to post, but I can't locate where the images are...but I've only checked 3 of the drives...
If you go to Palm Springs or Palm Desert, visit The Parker Hotel. Its rediculas.

(Clockwise) Me, Sunny,Adam and Katie getting iPhone portraits taken.

I've Been Food Poisoned

(This picture set has nothing to do with being food poisoned.)

Incase you've wondered "Where is Samuel and why isn't he posting anything lately"
The answer would be...
Yes, I've been food poisoned... someone at El Torrito wanted to kill me (along with Ceasar and Amanda) Why would they want to do something like that? I mean, I think we're pretty loud and fun and sometimes we (we meaning them) bust out in a Mariah Carey song. Anyways, without giving you too many nasty details from the past 30 hours, I'll just say, I'm alive and kicken. It'll take more then 2 chicken and 2 carne asada tacos to bring me down!
With that said, the only thing I've been able to do in the past 30 hours is lay down, think about what my stomach should feel like and curse taco tuesdays.
Good news is...I'm feeling on the upside of this and my girl has taken great care of me. She's amazing!

Angie and David's Wedding

The Parker Hotel in Palm Springs hosted one of my favorite weddings of the year.
Event Design and consulting: White Lilac , they did an amazing job, Sunny and Katie deserve gold stars.
Adam Sjoberg Assisted and shot with me, some of the image credit goes inpart to him releasing stress off of me as well as doing some excellent shooting of his own.
Overall the Location,the event design,the newly married couple and the photographs came together to make a gorgeous event.
Here is a teaser of some of my favorite images.

Angie's fashion shoot

I'll post more on this later, the personalized side to this trip.

SLIDESHOW now up!