Portland was a blast. I put up a bazillion and one pictures on instagram, so check there if you want to see visual proof of my west coast-ness.

You could also check the official wedding hashtag stream – yes, that is actually a thing- #rushpowerswedding.

. . . . .

So a few months ago, I got some new headshots done. While the old ones that Jeremy did were great, they were two years old and with Perfectly Unique coming out and a few more wrinkles to display, it was time for some newbies.

Also, I knew we were building out AnnieDowns.com and I needed one good shot making a ridiculous model face that I never make in real life. SUCCESS!

I figured I’d kinda give you the rundown of how getting headshots works [at least, for me and in Nashville, so there’s that caveat].

A few weeks before:

• find and schedule a really awesome photographer – my choice? Keely Scott. She is insanely talented.
• purchase some clothing to wear
• pick a location [we just went to a friend’s house because they have a killer yard and back porch]

A few days before:

• eyebrows waxed
• spray tan [Yep. That picture was AFTER a spray tan. I know, I’m the palest of the pale.]

Here’s what I did the day of the shoot:

• wore no makeup, did not do my hair, and photographed it for the world to see [no really, I just did that for you. You’re welcome… I guess.]

• I went to my friend Nichole’s house and made her curl my hair and help me with makeup.

•  At the photoshoot location, I had to take a picture of the jewelry because, shocking no one, I couldn’t remember which of these went with which outfit. So I took the picture and texted it to Amber saying, “Uh, what with what?” [Modern day technology, I heart you.] She wrote back, bossed me around, and voilí ! Trendy outfits!

•  Then Keely just got to work making me look way cooler than I actually am.

• This is Keely telling me how to be a model and how the professionals do it. Obviously, I’m trying to glean as much information as possible from her.

[I really love this girl. So glad we are friends.]

• We went to a few other locations that were important to me. Portland Brew with Lyndsay and Nichole, since that is where we write almost every day and where #4thchair happens.

• Well, this is just true and a favorite from that day. It says a lot about what God has done in my life the last 4 years and you know I tend to read meaning into way too many things, so that includes this situation.

So there you go… and every picture you see around my world – on Facebook or AnnieDowns.com or AnnieBlogs.com, they all came from this very day.

This is my favorite one because I think it looks like me. I mean, they are all me. But that model blue steel biz-nass? That is not an Annie you are going to meet. That’s a different Annie that I do not know very well. 🙂

So that’s how a photoshoot works. Here are a few random answers to questions you might have:

• No, I didn’t keep all the clothes. If I didn’t wear it, I took it back.
• Yes, I did pay for this photoshoot. Your friends shouldn’t do their job for free just because they are your friends.
• No, my finger mustache picture is not professionally done.

Do you have other questions about this behind-the-scenes-of-author-life kind of stuff? I mean, I figure you guys are my friends and you should get to know whatever you want to know. So ask away!

[Thank you, Keely, for providing such beautiful pictures and an equally beautiful experience. I’m deeply grateful. I’m always in your tribe.]