Me and my camera.

I have had to force myself to become comfortable in front of a camera. I am great behind the camera -- "my side," as I like to say -- but have always been one of those reluctant models.

I vividly remember the Sunday School outing in 5th grade (or somewhere around that age) where I saw a camera pointed at me, clutched my cup of Sprite really hard, giggled nervously (loudly, too; attention-getting tactic...the boys were over playing football), and - at the last minute - threw my hand in front of my face.

Yup, you read right.

I covered my face with my hand.

And that picture has been preserved for posterity in my mother's photo album. I blush every time I see it.

Stephanie, the ever-beautiful girl that she was (and is!), smiled prettily for the camera and will always be remembered for that. I, however, hid behind my hand. What will my Grandkids say -- "Great hand, Grandma!" ???

Well, I can't be a photographer and claim that everyone is beautiful and photo-worthy if I don't apply the same for me, right? Riiight?

Well, this is me, being a model. And kinda enjoying it too.

(Pulling the diva card is fun. I insisted I have a personal assistant to fan away the flies and retouch my makeup and hold my coat and bring me random accessories. Fact, all. Except the fan-the-flies part.)

Face obscured. The fifth grader Jennifer would've been proud.

Have I mentioned I'm happiest when I have a camera in hand?

By the way: in this picture, I was taking a self portrait. I don't even want to know what business executive was on the other side of that highly reflective window, laughing at me as I took this picture.

(The photoshoot was very gracefully managed by the stylist Maddie, the prop-runner Joanna, and the photographers Joanna and Maddie.)

The real adventures will be documented next time...and adventures they are. Promise. =P