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It's prom season! One of my favorite times of year. I love enjoying the excitement of prom vicariously through you all, but my favorite part of it is the dresses. For the past several years I've been invited by Cal High in San Ramon to take part in their Formal Faire. This is a fashion show put on by the Cal High Leadership team showcasing gowns, tuxes, and some wonderful hair and makeup styling. Check out some of the gorgeous looks from the 2019 Formal Faire!
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 Glitter! Have you ever wondered what the heck it is? Where it comes from? All the glittery secrets are revealed today on the blog!!!  Glitter originated on a farm in New Jersey when a German immigrant invented a machine that could shred scrap metal into tiny pieces in the 1930s. But glitter didn't become a "thing" until the 1940s when people were advised to do their Christmas decorations with glitter rather than light candles (which turned windows into night time targets during the war). Most of the glitter that you'll find in American glitterized products are made in one of two highly secretive glitter factories. Both of which are in New Jersey. One of which is called, awesomely, Glitterex.
The thickest and least advanced is craft glitter. The finest is cosmetic glitter used on lips. Most glitter produced is hexagonal.
I personally love the look of glitter in pictures but I also love the environment. My solution? Digital glitter! So if you want some celebratory shots during your photoshoot I can get the look of glitter without harming the environment! Yay photoshop!
Class of 2019, I still have a few spots open on my spring calendar for senior portraits for which, if you book, you can also qualify for the cap & gown mini shoot. But get in touch soon before they are gone! If you are interested in learning more about glitter check out: "What is Glitter? A Strange Journey to the Glitter Factory" by Caity Weaver in The New York Times 12/22/18
 By guest blog author Kaelin. Kaelin is a competitive dancer, AP scholar, and a captain of the varsity cheer team at AVHS. Strip lashes are a way to really elevate your look. There are a ton of tips and tricks to making them look absolutely perfect. Read on to help figure out the right brands, right styles, and the right way to apply them to take your look to the next level! First, you need to decide what level of boost you want to go for with your new lashes. If you are on stage with heavy makeup definitely consider a more dramatic lash. For these I would recommend House of Lashes in the style "Iconic". They are quite bold and will hold their own with the rest of your stage makeup. For everyday wear, wispies are a great choice for a natural look. If you are going to wear wispies, I highly recommend Ardell. They have the perfect balance of "natural but better" that is great for Homecoming, photoshoots, and any event where you really want your eyes to pop. There are pros and cons for different brands. For example, House of Lashes and Lilly Lashes are more expensive, and can only be bought online, but if you are careful with them you can reuse them up to 10 times. Drug store lashes like Ardelle and Kiss are more affordable but you can only use them once or twice. For general all-around wear my favorite lash for any occasion is Lilly Lashes in the style "Miami." They are perfect for a glam look and even though they are pricey you can wear them up to 25 times! So go pick out some pairs to try and don't forget the glue. My favorite eyelash glue is Duo (which is formaldehyde-free. Yay.) which you can pick up at any drug store. You'll also want a few other things to help with the application process...
The key to strip lashes is the application. Before you start, gather together everything you will need:
 First- the glue. Before using the glue, squeeze the tube to get out any air bubbles. Then apply a little bead of glue to a piece of paper towel or the tray the lashes came in. Wait around 30 seconds for the glue to become tacky.  While you are waiting... Eyelashes are made super long so you'll likely want to trim part of them off to fit the length of your eye. I prefer to trim from the outer side. You can also apply mascara to your natural lashes while you wait.  Now take a bobby pin- dab the edge into the glue and use it to apply the glue along the edge of the lash taking special care to apply a bit extra to the inner and outer edges (the parts most likely to come undone). Once the glue is on, wait another 30 seconds to a minute for it to become more tacky. You can blow on them to help speed this up.  To apply the lashes, hold them with the lash applicator tool and push the ends of the lashes onto your lash line. Make sure to actually push the strip lashes into place so that they won't lift.   Once your lashes are completely dry (about 15-20 mins) curl them to blend the natural and fake ones together. And finally, apply mascara. My current favorite is "Better than Sex" by Two Faced which is a true waterproof mascara.
My trick for applying mascara for the top lashes to hold a mirror (or your phone) below you and look downwards. For the bottom lashes I like to apply several layers of mascara and use my fingers to "pull off" the clumps to leave behind just the darker color. With the right tools and some practice, you'll be able to get your lashes on in 5 minutes. So don't be intimidated- give it a try! Check out the before and after!     These lashes are Ardelle wispies. Samantha Grant Photography is a boutique photography studio in Pleasanton, CA specializing exclusively in high school senior portraiture.
by Emily. Emily is a 2019 Foothill high senior with an interest in all things fashion. Denim MinisDenim mini skirts are one of the biggest trends right now. They are versatile in that you can easily dress them up or down with the right accessories. A great casual look is to wear your denim mini with a pair of Vans.
BootsBoots will keep you warm when the weather gets cooler but they also give your look a bit of an edge. Booties are a great dressier option, while a Timberland style is great for walking around all day in your more casual outfit.
Beanies!Beanies are the perfect statement piece for any fall outfit. As the weather gets cooler a beanie is a way to stay warmer while still looking cute. Not to mention that they are PERFECT if you aren't having a good hair day!
Jean JacketsJean jackets are great for when the weather starts to get cooler but isn't super cold yet. Think about layering the jacket over a short sleeved shirt. They look great with skirts and pants and really add that extra something to your look.
You obviously don't need to stick with neutral tones for your fall wardrobe, like I did here. But if you do, there is the added benefit of everything going with everything else.
by Raegan. Raegan is a senior at Amador Valley High School. She enjoys thrifting and all elements of styling. I often look at my closet, overflowing with clothes, and think: "I have nothing to wear." But a great way to combat this problem is to take a staple item and style it in different ways. Take the t-shirt, for example  T-shirts are cute, comfortable, and easy to wear. You probably have a ton of them; I sure do! T-shirts are super versatile...so lets take a shirt out of your t-shirt hoarding pile and style it different ways. I grabbed this black "coke" shirt from Forever 21. Here are a bunch of different ways to wear it. Look 1: Out & About
 Look 2: Classy but Sassy
Take the same black shirt and pair it with a fitted skirt with a cute ruffle, and a pair of suede flat and all of a sudden you've taken a casual look up a notch. Depending on your job, you could wear this to work, and it would be great for going out to dinner at the end of the day. Again I kept my makeup and hair pretty natural with this outfit. A pale pink lip makes sense when you are wearing shoes that are in the same tones.  Look 3: Night Out
Finally, a fun hairstyle for this look is a half up top-knot. The key to this look is that the knot isn't too perfect-- messy is good here, and be sure to wave the bottom part that's left down.  Don't be afraid to style your t-shirt in tons of different ways. Fashion is all about trying new things and exploring. Go find your unique style!
 by Melia. Melia is a 2019 senior at Amador Valley High School and captain of the varsity cheer team. In the summer when the temperature is north of 90 degrees and you're spending time outside, it's a great idea to make some healthy treats to keep yourself cool and energized. 1. Banana Nutella Roll Ups
This snack only takes 5 minutes to make and is perfect for a day at the pool or the beach with your friends. If you don’t love Nutella you could sub in peanut butter, or any type of nut butter really. A fun version of it is to use peanut butter and jelly. Ingredients- 2 bananas 4 Tbsp of nutella or peanut utter 2 soft flour tortillas Directions- 1. Spread nutella and/or peanut butter on the tortillas. 2. Peel the bananas and center one on each tortilla 3. Roll the tortillas tightly around the bananas. 4. Cut into pieces. Makes two roll ups. 2. Strawberry Energy Bites
3. Strawberry Limeade Slushies
This drink is super refreshing, easy to make, and is great for the hottest of days! I love drinking this by the pool with my friends. Ingredients- 2 C ice cubes ¾ C water ¼ C lime juice 4 Tbsp sugar 4 strawberries Lime slices Directions- 1. Add everything to blender 2. Blend until smooth 3. Pour into cups and garnish with extra strawberries and lime wedges. *Try adding 7Up for a tangy variation on this recipe. Makes 4 smoothies. 4. Fruit Infused Water
"I created her," is what Lucy's mom Karen told me. She delivered this line completely deadpan after I showed her the back of the camera, in the middle of Lucy's shoot. Yes. Yes you did. Nice job!
Lucy is attending Chapman University in the fall. She wanted to incorporate some of her college gear in her shoot as well as some dressier and more casual looks.  Wind can be difficult to work with at photoshoots but sometimes you need to embrace it. I love the movement in her long hair...
Lucy has a shark tattoo on her back. "It's to remind me to constantly keep swimming," she explained. She also loves nature and exploration. Love. It.  
Lucy, I hope you have an amazing time this summer exploring Europe and are rested and ready to rock it at college in the fall!
"I got this dress this morning," is how you can give your photographer a heart attack. Just don't tell me. I don't want to know. Let me think you've had this outfit ready to go for the last 3 weeks. But yeah, that's what Hailey admitted when I told her that I loved it. To everyone else: don't leave it to the last minute because you might not luck out like Hailey!
However, let the record stand that Hailey was the originator of the "accessories in individual baggies" planning epiphany. So when you get your two-day pre-shoot email from me with the last minute checklist of planning prep, and it talks about this, you have Hailey to thank!  During her planning call Hailey explained that she really wanted a rustic look for her shoot. She was going to wear neutrals. So instantly I knew that this farm and field would be perfect for her shoot.
"The photography opera!" is what her mom Micaelanne called it. And by "it" I mean me, and the happy noises I make when I'm excited about a shot. I was quite operatic at Hailey's shoot apparently. But seriously, how can you *not* get excited when you see a shot that you know will turn out like this?   While we were at this farm, in between takes, we managed to see baby goats, ducks, chickens... it was seriously like our own little mini petting zoo. When we got the heck out of Dodge for the ultra rural part of the shoot the tall grasses were in their full spender. This meant two thing:  1. Hailey's sister, Rachael, would start throwing the little grass heads at Micaelanne's chest and, like a dart board, they would totally stick in her shirt. 2. I, in a moment of inspiration, would pick an adjacent bundle of wildflowers for Hailey to hold and, in doing so, manage to rip the dang things out by the roots. Here, hold this 3 foot tall bundle of stems with this clump of dirt! Pretty!
But it all worked out. Micaelanne made it out in one piece, I clipped the flowers down to a normal configuration, and Hailey got some lovely shots in the golden sunset.
  "I broke my arm-- the same arm-- 4 times," said Kendra. The saga of how it happened each time, the metal plates, all the hospital visits...did not sound like fun. So imagine my surprise when Kendra explained that she wants to go to medical school.⠀  "I just really find it all interesting," she said. I love the fact that Kendra was able to take what most people would consider pretty crummy experiences and channel them towards a bright future.⠀  Speaking of future..."I was soooo worried that she wasn't going to do a good smile in her pictures!" Kendra's mom admitted to me when they came to pick up their artwork. ⠀
Which was surprising to me, because Kendra's smile was totally natural in all the pictures from her senior session!⠀But this comment was based on a pretty extensive history of Kendra doing either cheesy or grimacing smiles. But no worries here! Obviously somewhere along the way she figured it out.  Something else she figured out? Bringing along a concealer stick to use on her legs!! ("I read your post about how most people have random bruises on their legs and don't even realize it and already *knew* that I had some from diving!") So yeah, there was a little bit of leg touching up going on. Which was AWESOME.
I honestly think that all the careful prep that Kendra put into her session is an excellent indicator of her impending success in the pre-med track at Baylor! Keep it up Kendra!
 by Jade. Jade is a 2019 senior at Foothill who has years and years of braiding experience.
The anything but "basic" braidThis is a great starter look if you are new to braiding. You already know to divide the hair you want to braid into three groups and do the pattern: left into center then right into center etc.
Dutch BraidsDutch braids are the opposite of French. With French braids you add new hair from the side as you cross into the center. When Dutch braiding you work from the center-out. The pattern is center cross to right then center cross to left. And Dutch braids add hair with each cross.  This look will also start with a center part. Begin your Dutch braid down one side of the part, taking pretty small sections initially. As you progress, take slightly larger sections of hair into each cross.
Having longer nails here is helpful because you can use them to define out the sections evenly. If you don't have long nails, using a rat-tail comb also works. It will just take a little longer. But take your time regardless, and keep the braid tight. The key with this is to pull backwards as you go so the braid lies flat against your head. Once you are done with one side, do the other exactly the same. The Fish Tail BraidFish Tail braids are completely different from all other braids because you are working with two groups of hair rather than three. You will be selecting a small amount of hair from the outer side of the right portion and crossing it into the center to join the left and then doing the same on the other side-- left wrapping into center to join right.  The key to making a gorgeous Fish Tail is to take small portions with each cross. These can be super time consuming but the longer you put into it the better it will look. If you want your braid to be thick when you are done, secure it with an elastic and then tease the individual pieces away from the center a bit.  Remember- no matter what style of braid you chose, it takes practice and the more often you do it the better you will get!
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© Samantha Grant Photography 2019