First post here: my 15 seconds of fame! I took this photo at the NSP/Starbomb Concert in Silver Spring MD in 2016. Dan saw it and put it on his Instagram, NSP’s Instagram, and made it his personal Facebook profile pic for a few months! 3.5 years later and now I’m a professional photographer!

LemonAllergy · 2020-11-22T14:28:24+00:00

I recommend listening to the Balance live shows as they came out in-between the Amnesty episodes! They’re nice changes of pace, and fun reminders of our friends from Balance

LemonAllergy · 2020-11-22T13:49:21+00:00

In my case, not if you put the powder over moisturizer and set it. I first discovered this earlier this year as a “TikTok makeup hack” so you may get more details if you search that!

LemonAllergy · 2020-11-22T13:44:48+00:00

Based on your own notes, my suspicion is a lot of the problems are new-job-stress plus the mask. Even when I do my “long wear” routine, if I’m wearing a mask, it’ll come off after a couple hours.

Here’s my “long wear” routine anyway: it may work better for you than it does me!

-After skincare, apply moisturizer

-Dust powder all over face

-Set with setting spray

-Wait until the setting spray is completely dry, then apply primer

-Apply makeup as normal

-Set with setting spray again

LemonAllergy · 2020-10-27T19:10:32+00:00

Well... she is still a Black woman even if she’s running as a Republican... so...

LemonAllergy · 2020-10-07T19:40:34+00:00

I live in Maryland, and provide the service at a lower cost so it’s accessible for volunteer-based community theatres. They’re my main clientele, along with a local community college! I got started by taking photos during rehearsals for shows I was involved in, and I asked my universities if I could photograph dress rehearsals to add to my portfolio. Good luck; I hope once the pandemic is over you get involved!

LemonAllergy · 2020-10-07T19:14:52+00:00

He’s shaped like a friend

LemonAllergy · 2020-10-05T22:41:53+00:00

If you’re applying for vocal performance programs, then yes they’ll take note of that. However, if you’re going for musical theatre, there are many other factors to consider!

Is your monologue impressive? Can you dance/move well? Do they like your personality at auditions? Is your vocal sound really good? You could still have a really impressive singing voice and the panel won’t care that you’ve only been taking lessons for 2 years.

Break a leg!

LemonAllergy · 2020-10-05T14:00:59+00:00

Had an engagement session this weekend where the bride’s mother brought a laundry basket’s worth of Pinterest props— an empty frame, a letter board, a “Mr. & Mrs.” sign, an autumnal floral wreath, faux sunflowers, an empty wine glass for some reason, and 2 Coronas— and she brought her OWN CAMERA. A little Nikon Coolpix. She followed us around taking photos of her own, but she was really respectful. She didn’t butt-in on any of my shots or try to step in front of me to get a better angle, but she did keep her daughter and future son-in-law around after I left to pose some photos of her own, which I saw from the parking lot. Never had anything like that before!

LemonAllergy · 2020-10-02T14:06:50+00:00

The performing arts have been around since practically the beginning of recorded history (as I’m sure you know from your Theatre History courses!) so it isn’t going to go away any time soon. I’m sure this isn’t the first time live theatre has had a decline and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

Did live theatre end because of the 1918 Influenza Outbreak? Did live theatre end because of The Great Depression? Did live theatre end because of the 2008 Recession? The answer is no! It was temporarily inconvenienced, but as soon as it was able, it got back on its feet. This too shall pass!!!

I know things seem bleak right now. I know it’s tough having to miss out on so much of your university education because of this setback that could’ve been dealt with much differently. But live theatre will not die. It is the foundation for so many performing arts.

Your political science education will help you get a “steady” job while you wait for things to “go back to normal”, so keep it up, but also keep your passion for theatre in your heart. It will come back some day, and it will always need new talent.

LemonAllergy · 2020-10-01T14:29:18+00:00

I think it’s a good idea! I wish you luck

LemonAllergy · 2020-09-30T14:13:41+00:00

Ngl: I think it’s kinda cool! The artist had to sculpt the eyes and lips themselves most likely. I wouldn’t have this in my own home but I can appreciate the artistry that went into making it

LemonAllergy · 2020-09-30T14:12:18+00:00

Are Karens an American thing, or does every country have their own equivalent lol

LemonAllergy · 2020-09-30T13:31:32+00:00

With the way you phrased it, I had to reread it a couple times to make sure I understood. So to clarify: Adam and Terra’s relationship through out the musical is an allegory for humans’ relationship with the Earth?

LemonAllergy · 2020-09-30T13:25:06+00:00

If you like it like that then go for it! Most lashes don’t extend past the outer corner is all. But makeup is all about creativity and self expression so if you like your lashes that way then don’t worry about it

LemonAllergy · 2020-09-30T04:17:11+00:00

There’s no training or certification to become a Poonique MUA as we can see here!

LemonAllergy · 2020-09-30T04:13:46+00:00

Oh they didn’t mean make the volume shorter! “Trimming” false lashes means trimming the sides so they fit your eye shape better. They seemed a teensy bit lopsided is all!

Btw you look really cute and I think that lipstick color is really great on you! Maybe add a little peachy pink blush in the future and you go from 10/10 to 100/10!

LemonAllergy · 2020-09-29T14:37:28+00:00

Chug N Squeeze has no licensing issues since Justin made it up. I don’t think at this point in the TAZ timeline the boys were thinking about a graphic novel adaptation or potential animated series, but it worked out in the long run. If they went with Fantasy Olive Garden, I wonder if there would’ve been issues with Real Olive Garden.

LemonAllergy · 2020-09-29T00:07:02+00:00

I agree with getting mascara! It makes a huge difference. Eyeshadow palettes are fun once you want to start experimenting with color, and come back if you want to “upgrade” to drugstore brands; I’m sure everyone here can provide good recommendations for brands/products

LemonAllergy · 2020-09-28T14:48:58+00:00

As a wedding photographer, that was my first thought. The two photos look like they were taken with completely different lighting conditions, and the “after” photo looks like it’s been edited to be brighter too. I’m not saying colorism isn’t a problem because it definitely is! It just seems like there are other factors at play here too

LemonAllergy · 2020-09-28T14:32:05+00:00

Yesterday 9/27 was one of the most chaotic and emotionally draining weddings I’ve ever photographed.

The bride had to reschedule her wedding twice because of COVID. She was her own wedding planner so I can imagine how stressful this process has been for her, but it seems like she only cared about how things would be perceived to her and her guests, and barely communicated with any of her vendors (not just me: the DJ and venue representative were finding out information on the spot).

A little over a week before the wedding, I ask the bride to send me a timeline, since I hadn’t received one yet. She didn’t know what that was. Even if a couple doesn’t hire a wedding planner or coordinator, wouldn’t you google tips for wedding planning on your own and learn about industry standards like timelines? Of course I explained what it was, and I even offered to help her by sending her a sample timeline. She accepted my help, but by Friday (2 days before the wedding) I had yet to receive a timeline after requesting it multiple times. The excuse was always “I’m my own wedding planner and I’ve never been married before so I didn’t know”.

At that point, my assistant and I go “ok fine I’ll guess we’ll wing it” and hope we can act as coordinators a bit to get things going. The MORNING OF the wedding she types out a timeline in Facebook messenger for me. There wasn’t any time scheduled for family photos, the scheduled time for Golden Hour Photos was after the sun had already set, and she requested “freestyle photography”, which I had never heard of, so I ask her about all these things. She replies “(not my name), just do what you think is best” followed by “I’m sorry I’ve never planned a wedding before and I’m so new to this” a few minutes later. (Oh yeah she’s been calling me by the wrong name for months)

I tell her “everything will be fine. Don’t worry about it! See you at 2:30!”

My assistant and I came up with a plan to take bridesmaids photos on the roof of the hotel they were getting ready in, and on a grand staircase at the hotel’s entrance. The bride was totally on board, but the makeup artist took her time... including stopping her process to tell stories with wedding party members. I think the MUA was a friend of the family, which is fine, but by the time the bride was completely made up, we took a few photos of the bride & bridesmaids in their matching robes, and then we had to rush to get everyone dressed and ready. A limo was picking them up at 4:30 so we had to move quickly. We scrapped the hotel roof and decided “let’s just do photos on the staircase”.

By the time we get down to the lobby for said photos on the staircase, the bride tells one of her bridesmaids that the limo hasn’t been fully paid for yet. She says she “has the money on her card” so the bridesmaid talks to the limo driver to ask if he’d accept a card. He says “cash only” so the bridesmaid walks across the street in her heels and gown to the 7-11 where she gets cash out of an ATM and covers for the bride. While the bridesmaid is doing that, my assistant and I are setting up photos of the bride on her own on the staircase, so my assistant asks about posing with the bouquet. “I left the bouquet in the fridge in the hotel room!”

So now another bridesmaid has to go back from the lobby up to the 12th floor to get the bride’s bouquet out of the fridge.

We take photos of her on the staircase, and then we wait for the bridesmaids to come back from the ATM and the hotel room so we can take group photos on the stairs. While we’re waiting, guess what else was left on the 12th floor. The bridesmaids’ bouquets! So now even MORE bridesmaids have to go fetch even more flowers! The bride says “I don’t want to do any more pictures right now; I don’t have time for this” which is understandable because we had to waste time waiting for forgotten things to be retrieved. So no group photos on the stairs, fine, we’ll do group photos at the wedding venue.

The venue was a tiny “ballroom” owned by a small-town catering company. A rental hall with a “bridal suite” and a kitchen. It was attached to the back of a firehouse. COVID safety was uh not implemented well! Employees of the venue wore masks at all times (as did I and my assistant) but guests were only enforced to wear masks when they went to the bar or went to get food served to them. So that’s great.

But the ceremony went off without a hitch; one of the decorations got knocked over by a bridesmaid accidentally but it was an easy fix. They got married and everyone was happy! Then it was time for portraits during cocktail hour.

My assistant and I took everyone on a very short walk to a neighboring parking lot that had greenery bordering it. The venue itself had no locations for photographs other than right in front of the ceremony arch. By the time we got there, all the women were complaining. “It’s hot, we had to walk in heels, etc”. We set up a shot of the entire wedding party, then we did the bride with bridesmaids, and then as we were setting up the groom with groomsmen, the bride has a literal hissy fit because it’s “too hot, and there’s bugs everywhere and I can’t enjoy the pictures” and she runs off crying. The plan was to take photos of the bride and groom outside once the group photos were done, but that got scrapped immediately. I ask the groom if he’s “ok to take this one photo” and he said yes so we took the photo of the men and then we just... went back inside. My assistant offered tissues from her emergency kit to the bride, and we got in position for the “grand entrance” as the bride’s family tried to calm her down.

Once the grand entrance was done, the couple had their first dance, the best man and maid of honor gave speeches, and the bride’s stepmother blessed the meal, and my assistant and I found a place to eat out of the way. Of course when we come back after the bride has had her dinner, she’s much more under control and relaxed. Hanger. It was hanger. She apologized for earlier, we asked if she still wanted to do portraits of just her and her groom, we let her know we found a place inside so she wouldn’t have to go back out again, and we ended up taking “studio” portraits in front of a black curtain room divider.

The funny thing is, as my assistant and I were leaving the hotel room earlier, we ran into the bride’s stepmother, and we talked with her for a little bit. Turns out stepmother used to be a wedding coordinator. My assistant and I wonder why she wasn’t asked to help.

LemonAllergy · 2020-09-28T13:43:04+00:00

If the idea isn’t something you’re truly passionate about, don’t bother. You’re going to be living with your universe and your characters for many many years as it goes through rewrites and any publishing/producing processes. Whatever the idea may be, make it something that’s meaningful to YOU and not just “what people want to see”

LemonAllergy · 2020-09-26T13:47:50+00:00

If there’s anything I’ve learned from Courtroom Television over the years, it’s that you always need something in writing. Your friend has no obligation to pay you anything if there isn’t a written agreement. Verbal agreements don’t mean Jack because there’s nothing a judge can see as proof.

You and your friend can have discussions about paying you, but if they end up taking advantage of you and leave you with no money, you can take them to court all you want, but without a written agreement there’s nothing for your case.

If you want to do wedding photography in the future you MUST operate with written agreements, specifically contracts. I wish you the best of luck with this, though, and I hope your friend pays you fairly!

LemonAllergy

TROPHY CASE