We had triple-checked all of our gear and materials that we would need for the day. We got into our groove and prepared for the day ahead of us. After all, it was not every day you do photography for Zumba celebrity, Samuel Salazar, let alone two back to back events. We were ready to rock!
Samuel is a Zumba Jammer and has traveled all over the country and the world teaching his choreography to numerous Zumba instructors. He was even featured on the Today Show just a few days ago. Just the day before, he led a Zumba Jam Session (a 3-hour zumba class offered to only licensed Zumba instructors) that I attended. It was my first Jam Session and I had a spectacular time. Besides being a phenomenal dancer, Sam was truly engaged with his audience and you could tell that he loved teaching and helping those around him to succeed. He was devoted to doing what he loved.
It was a pretty jam-packed (no pun intended – honest) weekend for Sam. In his three-day visit to Minnesota, he led seven (yes, seven!) Zumba events in the Twin Cities and Rochester areas. We had the privilege of shooting of his Master Classes on Sunday. The first was at Highland Park Life Time Fitness and the second was at Lakeville Life Time Fitness. Both events were a rockin’ good time and after the long day, Sam got a much needed massage.
Several weeks back, we ventured to the Northwest YMCA in New Hope, MN for a Dance-a-thon to help support those affected by the tornadoes that slammed North Minneapolis. The event was held to provide programs for North Minneapolis youth and to help rebuild the homes and lives of the community after such devastating event. Their focus was to help Recover, Rebuild and Rebound.
Unlike other Zumbathon fundraisers we’ve done in the past, this one was a bit different. It was a two hour event that blended two genres of music. The first hour the participants partied to Zumba rhythms with various instructors and the second hour they grooved to some hip-hop beats led by Carlos Collins. By the end of the event, everyone was drenched in sweat! Check out the fun!
Last weekend we decided to surprise a good friend of ours with some priceless moments of her dogs. She was out of town for a few days and with the help of her sister, we were able to be sneaky and get some great shots of her two adorable dogs, Lucy-Lu and Witko. When she returned from her trip, she was surprised, shocked, and was in tears. Her dogs are her babies and I think it really meant a lot to her that there was someone who understood that. To me, dogs are and will always be part of the family. Each day that I see my dogs’ faces, is a cherished day and always puts a smile on my face.
On June 12th, I headed to the finish line of the MS 150 to welcome Stan home for his awesome accomplishment – 150 miles of cycling from Duluth to White Bear Lake over the course of two days.
While waiting, I camped out with the official event photographers and took some shots of the incoming riders. I only shot for a little over an hour but I had a blast. The atmosphere was filled with so much enthusiasm, emotion and action that I am seriously considering volunteering to be a photographer for the 2012 MS 150 and contributing to this amazing cause.
A few weeks ago, we headed to Minneapolis to celebrate and photograph Marilyn’s 8th birthday! We had a wonderful time. But, who wouldn’t when you have silly clowns, cool games, Zumbatomic dancing, and lots of friends to help ring in another birthday! We also learned something new that day…. it’s a Hispanic tradition to smash the birthday kid’s face into the cake. We never saw it coming, but boy was it a hoot!
For those of you who’ve been following our blog lately, you know that we recently shot my sister’s beach wedding in Sanibel Island, Florida. Well, we also had the wonderful opportunity of shooting our very first Trash the Dress session.
So, what is Trash the Dress exactly?
Now, that the wedding is officially over, you have the option of putting on that gorgeous wedding dress again and lettin’ loose. Trash the Dress sessions are usually done the day after the wedding. It’s just a fun and stress-free photography session when you have more time for photos as compared to the official wedding day. You would also be sitting and lying in areas that you would not have dared to do the day before. Some popular environments include: pools, ponds, lakes, fields, woods, mountains, even grungy urban areas.
In our case, the beach was a huge element in our shots. We also took advantage of a nearby wooded area as we made our way to the beach. We even incorporated Marcus, even though, he didn’t officially “trash” his wedding attire. We loved the idea of getting the newly married couple in the natural backdrops and doing something a bit different.
If you are interested finding out more about our Trash the Dress sessions, contact us. Even if we aren’t your wedding day photographers, we welcome you with open arms. This is the perfect chance to celebrate your style and add to your wedding photography collection.
The day had finally arrived – May 20th, 2011. After months of planning each and every detail, today my baby sister was going to be Mrs. Amanda Gendon Bolton.
It was a gorgeous day on beautiful Bowman’s Beach on Sanibel Island, Florida. The rays of sunlight bathed the white sandy beach. The soon-to-be newly weds greeted everyone with excitement as they prepared for the sunset ceremony. Family and close friends came from afar to celebrate with Mandy and Marcus on this momentous day.
I invite you to view the wedding gallery of Mandy & Marcus. Also, please check out some of our favorite shots along with the video slideshow to highlight the day. Enjoy!
Yes, it’s true – I am now officially licensed to dance.
So, how did it happen….
Well, after some persistence from a wonderful Zumba friend (she knows who she is), I decided to take the Zumba Basics 1 workshop. I was not sure where it would lead me to but I knew that it was going to be an awesome experience.
Ever since I started taking Zumba classes myself at my local gym, I fell in love with it. Zumba brought me back to all the great memories in Guyana of the family get-togethers when we would dance the night away to soca, reggae, calypso etc. Dancing to me always took me to a place where I feel truly happy and feel like I can achieve anything that I put my mind to. Also, I already had the amazing support from the Zumba community since Sajous Photography became the “official” Zumba photographers for Minnesota.
So, on April 29th, 2011, I became a licensed Zumba Fitness instructor.
The workshop was held at the Life Time Fitness in Fridley. It was lead by Joy Smith, Zumba Education Specialist, who traveled all the way from California to teach us. The workshop was a mix of a whole lot of dancing, lectures and small breakout sessions and let us not forget all the cool Zumbawear for sale.
After the long and exhausting day, I was glad that I did it! It was so rewarding and it’s something that I will cherish forever. As it turns out, after the workshop, Joy held a Master Class opened to the pubic. So, of course, I couldn’t pass that up….what’s another hour of dancing after an 8 hour workshop
Special thanks to Olga, Hugo, Cindy, Patricia and Stan for supporting me that day and to so many of the other instructors. Here are some highlights of me groovin’ after the long day.
In addition to photography, cycling is something I’ve always loved to do. And there’s nothing better than taking something you love and using it to help make the world a better place. This year I will be participating in the MS 150 bike ride. The MS 150 is a two day 150 mile ride that takes place June 11 and 12, 2011 from Duluth to White Bear Lake MN to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. I’ve never done a ride anywhere near this long before and I’m really excited for the new challenge. Please visit my MS 150 donation page and show your support. Every little bit helps and is truly appreciated.
Also if anyone wants to get together and ride just drop me a line. See you on the trails!
On a rainy and chilly Sunday morning we packed up the vehicle and headed to the Mall of America for another Zumba event. We knew that even though the weather was gloomy outside, that the atmosphere in the Best Buy rotunda was going to heat up real quick. After all, Kristi Gess was in the house and she was gonna bring it.
Kristi’s Zumba in the Rotunda, which was hosted by lululemon athletica, was a huge hit. The event brought Zumba fans from young to old and even attracted some passer-bys to take a break from their shopping and watch the fun.
Kristi is the owner of With Muscles and has worked in the fitness industry for 15 years. With Muscles offers training and custom classes/workshops to help adults and children be active and reach their fitness goals. But more importantly, With Muscles is a philosophy where people enjoy and have pride in being strong and healthy individuals.
The morning was filled with lots of fun moments. Here are a few of our favorite shots along with a vid. As you can see from the banner on top, one of our favorite moments was getting some swag
