Dilemmas and Other Brain-Consuming Things

Ooh, where to start? I haven't updated in ages, mainly because I've been so busy. First of all, I started a new job. I'm now the Executive Assistant to a CEO and 3 Vice Presidents for a software development firm in Tysons. Last week was my first week--so far, I love it! Everyone I've met has been wonderful, but it's a very, very different culture in a large office as opposed to the small group of 6 of us at the Golden Triangle BID. I'll miss my friends there (Katherine, Regina, MaryKay and Sloan), but hopefully we'll keep in touch. And I don't think my bosses at my new job are crazy, which is a huge relief. :-)

Second, I've been totally obsessed with the 2009 DSANV calendar. I'm closing in on the deadline for getting the materials to the printer. Bethany was great, offering to help (along with other people), but without having to schedule in-person meetings, it was easier to do most of it myself. I totally appreciate the offers, you guys!!! One of the aspects I didn't expect to be as time-consuming as it is, is the layout. I know a lot of people hire graphic designers for stuff like this. I'm praying that it all looks okay. Especially because I want to do justice to the beautiful models and the generous and talented photographers who were a part of this project. I may slip a sneak-peek onto my blog soon. Personally I think that what I've got so far looks great!

Now for the HUGE dilemma I'm faced with. I was debating even mentioning this on my blog, but I'm at crunch-time. Those of you who are familiar with this project or are a part of the DSANV, please, please give me your feedback on this. Heck, even if you're not familiar with any of this, I could still use your feedback. When I set out to choose the models for the calendar, I asked for name/age submissions from the DSANV membership. I randomly selected the models from within each age group, and made sure there was fair representation of both genders. I had 36 models chosen--each month would have 1 main, large, horizontal photo, with 2 smaller vertical images to the right of the actual calendar part, below. Not sure if you can envision this. What I forgot to do was get a model for the cover. I'd talked about it a few months ago, and was thinking about putting out a call for one more model, to have just their eyes featured on the cover, since the theme is "The Eyes are the Mirrors..." Then life got in the way (and the search for a new job), and I completely forgot about it. Soooooo, I contacted one of the photographers, Lisa Hill-Sutton, who I've gotten to know a bit through the course of this project, and whose work is exceptional, and asked her if she wouldn't mind photographing Samantha's eyes for the cover. The photo shoots had already been completed by this time, and I was about to begin the layout. My intention was always to exclude Samantha from the selection process, since I'm the one doing the calendar. I didn't want people to be upset if I put her in the drawing for models and if she was selected, because I didn't want anyone to think it was unfair. However, I think Samantha's eyes are gorgeous, if I must say so myself, and figured if it was a photo of just her eyes, and if I didn't put her name on it, it would be fine. Well, Lisa had a wonderful idea to photograph Samantha looking out through a vintage window that has flowers painted on it. I thought that would be a great idea. In the execution, it worked much better to have more of Samantha in the image. Her eyes are still the main focus of the shot. But I really, really don't want to cause any controversy. I don't want tongues to wag to the effect of, "...oh, can you believe she put her kid in the calendar? And on the cover!" You know how it would go... One person assured me that not that many people even know Samantha, so it would be okay, but I don't know what else to do. Lisa was so great to do this for us, too, and I would hate to not use the shot. That being said, I could always crop the image so the photo is just her eyes, but the concept works so well with the window. *sigh* Any ideas, anyone? Have I lost any of you yet??


Lisa--please let me know if you mind me posting this image, and I'll certainly pull it!!