Kandylane Enchanted Summary (The Why?)

ABOUT ME & KANDYLANE ENCHANTED (summary)

All images are ©KandylaneEnchanted2013 by Kandylane Photography. These are all personally inspired scenes that I have created with the help of family and friends in real life , NOT created in Photoshop. Costumes and scene design take weeks even months of preparation and have either been handmade by me & help, previously used, collected, borrowed, altered and few things are bought from online stores- which I name in each post. My models are usually friends who I have been inspired to portray a particular character. My makeup artist is one of my best friends Brittany Benko. I DO NOT offer these as "sessions" to the public as they are personally inspired projects intended for future fine art gallery showcasing, future print sales and one day when the project has matured, I want to publish a fine art photography book following the blog and showing "never before seen" pictures from some projects.

Not every creation will be cheerful and bubbly. Some will be inspired by some of the darkest, scariest and hardest times in my life. This is why the story is just as important as the picture.

I have always loved when pictures tell stories. Even in my portrait and wedding photography business, I never want anything to be "cookie cutter". I want those clients to see their pictures and remember every moment while taking them, rather than just seeing what they looked like at the time. Reading, has never been my high point. I would often rely on the pictures in books to tell me the story, and although I enjoy reading and writing now days, I still want people to feel emotions flowing freely from every picture I take without even reading about them.

The seed to this project was planted 9 years ago when my mom Sheri Lawson purchased an amazing illustration called "Always" by Nene Thomas. She specializes in fantasy characters. I fantasized about creating photography scenes similar to what she illustrated and recreating dreams I have in my own dream life- which is usually really charismatic and full of adventure. 2 years ago, we bought our house in Las Vegas and as a house warming gift, my mom gave me that picture!! The desire of stepping into the world of fantasy, enchanted and whimsical conceptual fine art photography became so fueled! I have thought so much about it over the past few years then my sister in law Vanessa Sanoja (who is also a wonderful photographer) sent me a link to a creative & conceptual photography artist, Kirsty Mitchell! Her work gave me chills and it gave me so much hope that what I wanted to do, could really come to life. I finally decided in May of this year (2013) to create and launch the first shoot, "Enchanted Indigo".

Creation runs through my blood having a singer/songwriter & artist Father, Ric Hancock; creative & fictional writer mother, Sheri Lawson; hobby artist, writer and singer sister, Shelsi Stolworthy; Creative & incredibly intelligent brother, Jamin Hancock; A sister in Heaven who helps me from above, Kandyse Layne (inspiration for the name Kandylane Photography & Enchanted); Artist & singer grandmother, Connie Hancock; Photography hobbyist and writer grandfather, Kieth Hancock; and MANY other extended family members who embrace art and creation. Future enchanted shoots will be inspired by some of these wonderful people in my life.

Blog postings are ordered by the most recent at the top. Please enjoy reading more stories about my childhood, my dreams, my family and my life as I grow this gallery of enchanted creations.

Thanks for visiting! Lots of love and sweet dreams!

-Kira Sanoja

Owner & Creator of Kandylane Photography & Kandylane Enchanted