Alex // Durham Promo Session.

One of the best parts of our job is getting to meet new people and finding out what things you have in common with them. We were delighted to meet and work with Alex, who loves horror movies and The Simpsons and The Expanse, among other wonderful things that we also love. In addition, he’s a pretty terrific human. He needed updated headshots, and we ran around Durham to find some city-anonymous backdrops and then made Alex lean against a lot of walls. He was wonderful to work with and we enjoyed talking about cute dogs and DC and how eventually getting your white Chuck Taylors a little bit dirty makes them look more authentic and science and The Thing and how the news stresses me out because everyone with yelling (all while still leaning against a lot of walls). It’s crazy how much everyone has in common once you meet and really talk to them – and we were happy to find out how much we have in common with Alex, and to take his updated headshots. Thanks so much for working with, Alex!

Vivi // At Five Years

VIVI IS BACK! Long-term CSP readers/stalkers will recognize the vivacious Miss Vivi who is seriously near and dear to our hearts. We photographed her for her second, third, and fourth birthdays (click all of those links to see Vivi [and our editing] grow up before your eyes). Now she has just turned FIVE which somehow which makes me feel old. So what’s new? Here are some Vivi updates:

This was the first year she actively recognized us and gave us a hug and it made me melt. She blew kisses at several kids her age while casually walking past them, totally unprovoked. Vivi currently enjoys exploring trains, trying out every pogo-stick-sand-dinosaur they have at Pullen Park, and watching ducks. She very much loves carousels and bridges. New this year is her ability to find statues, hit them, and discover that “Wow, they are solid!” Her favorite thing about trains is the “wooo woooooooo” whistle that she enjoys emulating, but has mild concerns that the whistle might be too loud. She likes going down slides repeatedly but only if someone is at the bottom. Constantly making her mother nervous, she is inexplicably drawn to large, potentially unsafe surfaces and structures on which to climb. She likes to hold hands. She really likes talking, but is 100% positive 100% of the time. Examples below.

Vivi [before going on train ride]: This is going to be TERRIFIC!
Me [during train ride]: Is this terrific?
Vivi: It IS! It is TERRIFIC!

Vivi [walking over by the lake to look at some ducks]: Wow, look at the view!

And my favorite (perhaps channeling her inner Carolyn Scott). Vivi [while riding a carousel for the first time exclaims with a delightful surprise]: I’m not getting hurt right now!

I’m pretty sure I need a shirt that says, “I’m not getting hurt right now!” I would wear it to bed, maybe, which is one of the few times I’m not actively getting injured. Vivi is my spirit animal.