Green and Graffiti With Kimberlyloc (And My New Camera!)

I had another great, but cold, photo session with Kim last weekend to shoot some outfits for her blog, Kimberlyloc. We've decided to get together monthly for shoots, so you'll see her lovely face a lot this year! We did this session in the Crossroads Art District in Kansas City, on 18th Street. There are graffiti walls, alleys, shops and restaurants all around the area -- kind of a haven for photographers.

Between outfit changes, we popped into YJ's Snack Bar for lattes and to warm up. Kim braved the cold for the sake of fabulous fashion and my fingers were frozen, so the coffee was especially good. I also wanted to try shooting some "lifestyle" photos and adding the coffee shop element offered a nice, easy way to add some context. Here are my favorites from the day.

PS. I got a new toy! I decided to purchase a point & shoot camera so that I'd have something compact that I can easily carry with me. The intention is to shoot more day to day instead of waiting for a planned session. I'm really inspired by photographers like Alice Gao and the photos she takes of food and restaurants. Honestly, I feel really self-conscious pulling out my big DSLR in a restaurant, so I will feel much more comfortable with my new little friend -- the Panasonic LUMIX LX7.

It has creative controls, shoots RAW and got rave reviews. I tested it out by taking a couple of shots of Kim in the coffee shop. I have to get used to having a zoom lens; I shoot most everything with my 50mm 1.4 where I have to zoom with my feet. I also have to get used to framing my shots on the screen versus through the viewfinder.

Here's what I took from my test (no editing). I'm sure many future posts will feature photos from this camera!

Part of the Weekly Top Shot.