Palm Springs with Lotus Den Hair at CasaDeVito

I was approached back in summer about a photoshoot trip to Palm Springs by Bethany Catalfamo (@stylistbethany) at her new Airbnb CasaDeVito (@casadevito) in Palm Springs for her salon Lotus Den Hair Studio (@lotusdenhair). Typically, I myself pay to go on these trips so it sounded like a super fun opportunity for me to be able to plan the trip.

Over the next month or two I reached out to models, makeup artists, brands, other photographers, etc. to try and put together a team for Palm Springs to join myself and the Lotus Den Hair stylists. It was quite a process and actually took a significant amount of time to plan and organize (Google spreadsheets was so helpful!), but we had a fabulous shoot and I have content to last me months!

It was 3 days and 2 nights, however some girls couldn’t come the whole time. For me, it was another 2-3 days after the trip to just sort and edit all the images but I was able to narrow it down to a feebly 646 images (lol). I had met some of these girls previously, but others I met on the trip, but we all got close and it was so nice getting to know them. Hope you enjoy some of the magic we created!

Models: Sade Katarina (@sadekatarina), Peyton Lake (@peytonlake), Miranda Dos Santos (@mirandatwosaints), Heather Wrixon (@heatherwrixon), Carly Rey Yaeger (@charly.reyy), Mary Simmons (@marygoldofficial)

Photographer/Stylist: myself (@allisoncarolcreatives / @allisonsherman4)

Photographers: Taylor Krause (@taylorkrausecreative), Stephanie Klotz (@stephanieklotzphoto)

Makeup: Nancy Z (@msnancyz)

Hair: Lotus Den Hair Studio (@lotusdenhair), Bethany Catalfamo (@stylistbethany), Tabitha Skantz (@the_blonde_whisperer), Sierra Badillo (@sierradoeshair), Emily Stebbings (@emilystebbingshair), Sheri Giusti (@shergiusti)

Brands: Brixton (@brixtonwomens), Hannah Frost Jewelry (@hannahfrostjewelry), Vibe Apparel (@vibeapparel_co), The Fox and the Mermaid (@thefoxandthemermaid), Swim Like A Mermaid (@swimlikeamermaid), Lucy Paris (@lucyparislabel), Boom Boom Brazil (@boomboombrazil), Royalie (@shoproyalie)

TGS Unplugged Dazey Desert House

I had the opportunity to go on TGS Collective’s “Unplugged” weekend to the Dazey Desert House in Palm Springs. Their “Unplugged” weekends are trips offered for creatives a part of the collective to unplug from social media and the hustle and bustle of their daily life to wind down, get inspired, shoot, edit, learn from other creatives, and have a motivational course taught by the founder, Alex Morehouse.

This was my second Unplugged trip with TGS. I like to go on short trips with other creatives not necessarily to get away and unplug from my busy life, but to connect with other likeminded people in my field and get amazing content, although it is nice for a social media break every once in a while.

The Dazey Desert House is a pretty special Airbnb owned by the same woman that founded Dazey LA (@dazey_la), an LA-based clothing brand with rad funky designs and graphics. There isn’t a boring spot in the house and it’s all very colorful and retro looking, (just like the clothing brand) – a photographer’s dream! My work is generally more outdoorsy but I still had a great time shooting all the trendy insta-worthy spots in and around the house. We also went to a cute tiki-themed hotel and shot around in the desert too.

This Unplugged trip was pretty special because it was a small team of all girls, so we got deep and really connected. I had known three of the girls previously, Alex (@chiefwolfblood), Larissa (@larissaraquelphoto), and Hannah (@hannahrosesesser), but it was my first time meeting Julianne (@julianneglass) and Sydney (@sydswing) and we got pretty close for just a 3 day/2 night trip. Had so much fun with these ladies and I can’t wait to do something like this again!

TGS Unplugged - Palm Springs

This trip was one for the books! TGS Collective (@tgscollective) put together a rad weekend at an AirBnb in Palm Springs for us creatives to UNPLUG from social media. We all can get so caught up in social media, we can get lost in the present.

Unfortunately though, in this generation in order to have a successful and lucrative career in the creative world -  whether you're modeling, photographing, filming, styling, designing, etc. -  you have to have be hustling and working hard online. It can be overwhelming at times for sure. This weekend was a time to unwind, set goals, and get inspired!

This weekend brought together such an awesome crew; TGS' leading lady - CEO and founder,  Alex Morehouse (@chiefwolfblood), photographer and TGS Collective Manager, Daniel Woods (@deer_dann), and fellow photographers Erikson Erise (@eriksonerise), and David Ardill (@d_ardill). Models included Kalista De Hart (@listyyloo), Tiana Ingram (@rosetiana_), and Andrelina Perazzo (@andrelinaa_). Not everyone knew or had met one another before the trip, but by the end of it we were all super close!

Before the trip, I had gone to Goodwill to find some interesting pieces to shoot with. Sometimes the crazier the clothing, the cooler the shot. Or it could turnout weird.. but that's up to you - the photographer and creative visionary! Many of the pieces in the photos below ya girl thrifted up a storm to find, and I'm so glad that I did because they turned out bomb! I'm a strong believer in that if your outfit is no bueno, the photo will likely be no bueno as well.

This is part of the reason I love to style my own models - if they're on point, you're on point. I got the pearly beaded blazer, white lace cover-up dress, red oriental top (Tiana bought it from me after the session!), sheer fringe kimono, floral romper, navy blue floral dress, and black sheer embellished dress - all between $5-$9 apiece. Recycled fashion KILLIN' the game! WHAT WHAT?!

We spent the weekend creating, laughing, relaxing, editing, sharing Photoshop and Lightroom tips and tricks, styling looks, eating, bonding, and overall just loving our lives away with the freedom from social pressures and the outside world. We encouraged each other, helped one another, and we left feeling motivated and ready to conquer our business goals. We all had our own stories and our own obstacles, but together we all had one thing in common - we love creating and we're ready to work our butts off to get where we want to be. 

THANK YOU GUYS FOR INSPIRING ME! And for a killer weekend.. And for killer pics. Much love.

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Pioneertown

After a couple nights in Joshua Tree for a retreat with friends, we met up with some other creatives and shot in Pioneertown. The photos really speak for themselves - wild wild west and vintage inspired, like we went back in time! Our team consisted of Jazlyn Sward (@jazlynnicolette), Leila Zandy (@leilazandy), and Haley Hudson (@darlinghaley) all as models, Alex Morehouse (@chiefwolfblood) as a model and stylist, and Tim Herman (@mr.therman) as a model and TGS support. The second photographer was Daniel Woods (@deer_dann) and Ish Barron (@ohheyits_ish) also assisted the team as TGS support. It also happened to be Ish's birthday! Yay! We shot until dark and once we were done we had dinner at the Pioneertown restaurant. We celebrated Ish and our wonderful day with new friends and old. Definitely some great memories from this trip and shoot!

Death Valley x Tony Bridal & The Secondhand Society

A few weeks ago, I went on a day trip with some photographer and model friends to the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley. I don’t know why we decided to go here in summer because we almost died of heat exhaustion haha but the photos still turned out amazing and we have memories to last a lifetime.

I recently collaborated with two different companies and thought this trip would be perfect to shoot them at. I have been looking to shoot a bit more bridal stuff because – let’s be honest – brides have the money to spend on photos and ya girl needs more paid gigs! Plus, I’m all about a romantic fairytale type of shoot. Tony Gallegos (@tony.bridal) is a local Long Beach wedding dress designer from Mexico.  Him and his husband came along on our adventure and it was such a pleasure to have them! The two dresses were very elegant and detailed in their construction - seriously so stunning!

The other brand accompanied on our excursion was the Secondhand Society (@secondhand.society). They are a recycled fashion subscription box company that sends you personally styled pieces once a month ranging from purses, dresses, accessories, pants, etc. – whatever your preference is! You fill out a style quiz with your likes/dislikes and sizes prior to receiving a box. They even check out your Pinterest fashion boards to make sure they’re picking out styles you would like! I received a complementary box from them with a dusty blue BCBGMaxazria dress, black and grey printed Free People kimono, gold fan brooch, gold and black circle earrings, and a silver/turquoise bohemian style bracelet. The box value is insane – just the retail price of the dress is likely $150-$250 but you get 4-5 pieces for as low as $27 a box (depends on the plan that you choose)! There are so many subscription boxes out there, but very few are committed to sustainability issues. By using thrifted, vintage, and recycled fashion finds you are working towards decreasing textile waste and manufacturing emissions, off-setting your carbon footprint, giving unwanted clothes a new life, and the list goes on! One of the easiest ways to live more sustainably is to shop secondhand – but still keep in mind to buy quality over quantity!

Our trip consisted of 14 photographers and models collaborating and creating content collectively. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s such a beautiful experience and makes you feel so alive to be exploring, wandering, and working with new friends and old to create not just to create art together, but memories as well. The best photos are the ones that have a story behind them or the ones that make you feel something. That’s what we hope to gain on these trips. We made photo stops along the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, shot at Badwater Basin (the lowest point in North America), the rainbow rocks in Death Valley National Park, and ended the evening shooting at the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes until dark. We took a moment on our way out of Death Valley to get out of our cars, star gaze, a few of us attempted to get some Milky Way shots on our tripods, lit sparklers, and danced in the lone road to music.  There were no other cars for miles, just us and the desert. You know those moments that you’ll remember forever - those moments that make you feel like you’re apart of something so much bigger? This was one of those moments.  So much love to all the people that came and to our trip coordinator Laurence (@photosby_laurence) for making it happen! Can’t wait for our next adventure together!

photographers:

@photosby_laurence

@deer_dann

@blakeephoto

@edikins

@e.c.shots

@koltinsullivan

@shot_by_dame

models:

@_lindsaybonilla_

@joey_danielle

@blake_eiermann

@hollyantionette

@megancarlos / @itsmegancee

@smileitzdunya

Big Bear, California feat. DeLezhen & StyleWe

I recently went on a trip to Big Bear, California with some of my creative peeps! Originally the group was supposed to be pretty big but it narrowed down to just four of us: @koltinsullivan (early bday boy and group organizer, yay!), @snow.fox_, and @rex.dude. We all met up at Koltin's house and carpooled from there. It was only about an hour and a half drive to the airbnb in Big Bear. We explored the area and shot at a few different locations until dark. There weren't many options for dinner haha but we ended up finding a nice Chinese restaurant called Dynasty where we all chowed down. We relaxed at the cabin and Koltin continued shooting some artsy indoor stuff with Rex and Cindy until bed. The airbnb was huge and could have fit like ten people, so it was super spacious with just us four!

We had a lazy morning the next day and then began to scope out some more good places to shoot. We were later accompanied by @lisajstarrett and @elliepanger and shot two looks for each of them. We had originally planned to stay until sunset, however we were getting tired and a little pictured-out from the weekend and decided to head home a little earlier. Koltin was a superstar driver and drove the whole way (again) while the rest of us (maybe just me haha?) instantly fell asleep for the drive. We arrived at his house and said our goodbyes and parted ways. 

I also partnered with a few brands on our little excursion: DeLezhen and StyleWe. Delezhen is a USA-made small jewelry company that makes the cutest dainty pieces! They sent me a white and gold druzy necklace (pictured in photos 3-5). It's super versatile and can go with so many outfits! Love love love it!!

As for StyleWe, this is my third time partnering with them on a shoot - yay! They sent me two pieces as usual for me to style, one of these is the Blue Lace Up 3/4 Sleeve Stand Collar Denim Mini Dress and the other is the White Vintage V Neck Floral-embroidered Midi Dress. Honestly, I was kinda up in the air about what type of setting I wanted to shoot these in because they could both totally work for a beach theme too haha but I like how the nature vibes from Big Bear turned out even better! I joked on my Instagram that the maxi dress could have gone one of four ways: 1. beachy 2. pregnant lady 3. mariachi band or 4. a super unrealistic (yet totally cute) adventure in nature with it.. obviously I chose option four lol. Needless to say, this trip was a blast! I'm so thankful for the memories as well as DeLezhen and StyleWe for the goodies! 

Joshua Tree & Salton Sea Feat. Peoples Project LA

I went to a photography meet-up a few weeks ago hosted by @rubyjamesphoto, @irenerudnykphoto, and @jessicakobeissi. I found out about it through another photographer friend @messinaphotos. The meet-up was at 6pm in Echo Park... so by that time it was already dark and surprisingly windy and cold. Sounds kinda sketchy to meet a bunch of random people you don't know in a public park when it's dark outside haha but it all worked out okay. I was talking in a big group and we all thought it would be a good idea to do a day trip to Joshua Tree and the Salton Sea and started a group message. Our group of 7 or 8 people turned into just 3 of us,  @koltinsullivan, and myself!

Koltin and I planned the meet-up for his place and started reaching out to models, photographers and other creatives! We ended up getting a group of 7 (@serenalisaa, @juliaamotta, @exit_the_minute, @photosby_laurence, @asantov, @koltinsullivan, and myself) leaving from Glendora and met another group of 4 (@brittneyborowski, @heysalem, @sarahwaseaton, & @justinomega) at Joshua Tree.

Big shout out to @peoplesprojectla for some of the goods I shot with in Joshua Tree! I love working with local brands and love even more when they are committed to philanthropy and the environment. Peoples Project LA is partnered with Heal The Bay,  which is a non-profit organization dedicated to making our coastal oceans safe, healthy, and clean. Ten percent of the proceeds from Peoples Project LA go to Heal The Bay - YAY! Their stuff is so cute too! I'm wearing a gray top, light blue floral dress, and denim jacket from them. 

After Joshua Tree, we went to this random Mexican restaurant  for lunch that was actually pretty good. There we met another one of Brittney's friends, @gregkantra. Lunch was pretty fun with all of us but then the group split up after and the original 7 of us continued to the Salton Sea!

The Salton Sea area was pretty much deserted but we surprisingly found 2 people living around there and lots of puppies haha. The sand was more just like crushed fish bones and your shoes would sink into this salty toxic mud.. honestly pretty gross and smelled kinda bad. We were there around sunset and the sea was so serene, it looked like glass and was almost an optical illusion because there was no movement in the water!

We shot until it was dark and then did the long drive back to Koltin's (about 2-3 hours) and everyone went their separate ways! This was probably one of my favorite shoots to date because I met so many awesome creative people, went on an fun day trip, and got a lot of good content! Can't wait to do a shoot something like this again!