1) How did you get started in photography? What camera/lens do you own?

I got started in photography when I was really young.. maybe 10 or so.  I always had a camera with me and always LOVED looking at photos.  I really started getting into photography one summer when my mom took me to Paris.  I had a film camera and I must have taken about 30 or 40 rolls of film.. all in black and white.  Since then I have been totally hooked.  Then i switched to digital about 5 years ago and have recently been going back to film and shooting with a hasselblad 503cw.  I only own 3 lens’: 24-70 2.8mm, a homemade lens that I call the big lebowski, and a 50mm 1.4 which stays on my camera probably 90% of the time.

2) How did you come up with the name Olive Juice Photography?

I came up with Olive Juice Photography because I really wanted a name that stood out and was kind of different than just using my name.  When I was growing up, my friends and I would say olive juice to each other when joking around because when you lip it silently it looks like i love you.  so i thought it was fitting for wedding photography and was a little playful and represented me in a nutshell.

3) Where do you draw your inspiration from?

I draw inspiration from everything.  Mostly, i like to create.  I like to see things as i come upon them.. get a picture and then start moving things around.  I have a different approach when shooting objects vs. people.  when i shoot objects, i like to pull them out of their ordinary environment and try to capture something that isn’t ordinary; such as putting an office in an alley, or coming up to a homeless man playing a piano on the sidewalk (the piano being the object).  When I shoot people, I like to keep them in their natural environment and I hardly ever direct them.  I just tell them do your thing and pretend i’m not even here and that’s when i get the most real moments, the ones in between when something is happening.

4) What is your favorite vacation spot and why?

I have been truly blessed and have traveled to many countries.  My heart lies in Spain.  The culture, the food, and the people are just so unique and beautiful.  I love the land, the ocean, and the architecture.  I hope to live there someday, or at least to visit many many many times.

I just love the colors, composition and how the trio of photos fit so well together!  Leila is a wedding photographer… and pretty much just a photographer of people and pretty things!  One of my favorite shoots that Leila did was a fabulous Breakfast Buffet Luncheon for the Inspired Creations Contest.  It was styled by her best friend Erin from Dandelion and Grey, here’s a little sneak peak but you should hop on over here to check out the rest!

Ummm yea… can I get a *SWOON* or what?  Her photographs are seriously sooo dreamy with all of that bokeh, the composition, and just the subjects she shoots!  She can seriously make anything look good.  Oh, I should also mention that Leila is soo nice that if you see anything in her portfolio or blog that you like, she sells those too.

But for this giveaway, Leila has offered up the WINNER’S CHOICE of a 8×8 or 8×10 photograph from her etsy shop… printed on super sweet sugar cane paper!

{To Enter}

1. (Mandatory entry) Visit Leila’s shop and leave a comment below with the name of your favorite print from her shop.

2. (For additional entries) Blog, Twitter, or Facebook about this giveaway and leave a separate comment with each link. If you Twitter, please use @sandyalamode and @theolivejuice in your tweet so I can track them.  And to make things extra easy, feel free to use this tweet:

Win your choice of a BEAUTIFUL print photographed by @theolivejuice on @sandyalamode! #GIVEAWAY http://bit.ly/chANFm

Giveaway ends on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 5:00PM CST. The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be announced on this blog on Thursday, July 22, 2010.  Thank you SO much Leila and good luck everyone!

Entries for this giveaway have been closed.  Thanks to all that entered!