Glimpsed and glittered

"Tracey Colvin of Owings Mills, is Glimpsed at the Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Pikesville, Md."

Shooting for a newspaper does not mean one will always be covering hard-hitting news. More or less, the articles people enjoy reading relate to what they do when they aren't working: food, fun and fashion.

As a respective citizen who loves all three of those things, I don't really mind shooting the "non-exciting" features, although I'd rather be out shooting the big football match of the week, a fire in the city or some other compelling topic.

These little assignments will always be around and I put same effort into them as I would the larger stories.

About a month ago I got to shoot my first fashion piece and had a blast.

I've done the standard food review, the book review and the review of a review, but never fashion.

Now, I am not much a fashion guru, so maybe that's why? I am not sure.

On any given day, one can find me in jeans, a white t-shirt and a causal button-up or polo shirt. On my feet, never anything besides a nice pair of subtle hiking shoes or boots. I feel comfortable wearing what I do, and that is the most important thing to me.

So one could say that I am an average to good dresser. I absolutely don't wear a shirt and tie everyday, nor ripped jeans and flip-flops.

My one girlfriend once told me I was one of the best dressed in our college class. But that doesn't really say much when others came still in pajamas.

Although I don't consider myself a classy dresser, I guess I do still have the ability to seek those that are better dressed than others, and those whom may be overdressed.

Anyways, the fashion assignment has a designated space in the paper called Glimpsed.

The reporter is really hip, fun and the minute I saw her pull up in her little Smart Car I knew I'd have some excitement.

That doesn't go to say I wasn't extremely nervous the entire drive over thinking I'd have to find someone fashionable. I can only see the look on my editor's faces when I transmitted a couple images of a dudes and chicks in jeans and t-shirts. Ha. I was so glad I had a great reporter to work with.

So after finding a nice location to shoot some portraits, and setting up some lights, the reporter asked for my help to glimpse around the restaurant for three willing, nicely clothed patrons.

Since the subjects had some cocktails in them, it made my job easy, and the smiles came naturally as we had fun with the shoots.

Following the first two subjects, the reporter and I were a bit stumped on who to make our last, if you will, model.

For myself, a good personalty will always trump a nice looking person, and one woman at the bar had a great one.

Not to say she wasn't fashionable or attractive, she just had a really nice attitude.

My one concern, since this was my first fashion shoot, was giving the subject too much power and ego. Putting a camera on a good looking person can be tricky sometimes, but all in all I had some great people to work with and can't say I didn't have fun doing it.

I'll be looking forward to my next fashion shoot, hopefully before the next food review.