As we are fast approaching 2013 Thanksgiving Day Holiday, what better way than to send you off on your trips to "grandma's house" than with a little treat from MWS Team featuring our PR girl Dawn Dorgan.

We would like to take this time to wish all of you a safe and wonderful holiday!  Be careful though...sometimes it is Red Riding Hood that strikes fear, and not the big bad wolf !

:}

Hello Everyone,

What a summer it has been!  I have moved yet again due to a very unsavory and dishonest landlord at the house I rented at the Commons.  It was more major than the move from NYC (and my belongings being shipped to Massachusetts)!   BUT...everything happens for a reason as we all know and I am VERY happy in my new place.  PLUS it is literally a mere few doors away from the studio. YEA!

School is now underway and going full force now.  I have just been approved to work with the Director of Photography and the Art Department via Directed Study for the fall semester at the University.  Believe me, you cannot imagine how much this helps the project.   We have one more portrait shoot which will bring Phase I of shooting to completion.  Starting during the next week Phase II begins.  This phase will be various sites in and around Salem.  We are leaning more towards hidden gardens and some of the really mystical locations in Salem.  If you have any suggestions for really cool sites please let me know!.  Of course this style of photography is completely different than studio shooting, and we all know that is where my strength is.  However, with the guidance of all the pros at the University I am sure that the shots for the left side of the book will be just as glorious and mystical as the portraits of the ladies.  These shots will not be published on the Smugmug site galleries.  The only time you will see them is in glorious print via the book itself.   Really, other photogs  rarely if ever  let people see the photographs prior to publication - but we did, in effort to express our gratitude to our fans, supporters, and the ladies themselves.

The Team and I are steadily moving forward with the project. Each and every day there are tasks either worked on or completed regarding MWS.  The Professor's were right...this project is HUGE and you cannot imagine how much work it requires to bring this project to fruition.  However, I am assured by the "powers at be"  that the rewards will be beyond our wildest expectations.   

During the next few months of shooting I will be blogging about the shoots and will be releasing PR photographs to announce the publication of the posts...so stay tuned everyone.  Remember....

Feel  the  Power,  Experience the Magic !   R :}

To all of our followers...

Please don't try to read this post from your email address, too much eye strain!  Please go to

http://mysticwomenofsalem.blogspot.com/p/our-team_16.html  to check out the latest post at

link and read directly from the blog itself.  Believe me it will be a much easier read.   :}


The MWS welcomes our new PR gal - Dawn Dorgan!!!

The Project Manager and I are thrilled to welcome aboard our new "all things PR gal"  Dawn Dorgan.

Dawn will be "the face" of the MWS in various PR materials and a variety of diverse advertisements and media.  Not only is Dawn a natural beauty and extremely photogenic, she has also demonstrated an extraordinary level of dedication to the project over the last year and a half.   This includes hours and hours of posing for very difficult and high level studio shoots to assisting in MWS shoots and the consistent promotion of the project to a wide range of people.  Being from the Salem area has enabled Dawn to be quite knowledgable in many areas of the city itself, businesses, local and long distance contacts that will (or have) behooved the efforts of myself and the Project Manager.  She has become a valuable asset to the development and success of MWS and we are so grateful that Dawn has agreed to join our Team.

You will be seeing a number of shoots and images of Dawn in various themes, costumes, and locations.  These shots will be used in all forms of media and promotional materials.  Not only will she be modeling, she will literally be our representative in a promotional capacity throughout the area and the world wide web, with particular emphasis on social media and web sites.

Check out Dawn's vision and photo at:

http://mysticwomenofsalem.blogspot.com/p/our-team_16.html  

Welcome, welcome, welcome D!

Rebecca  :}

A Healer in Both Worlds

MWS Team is Honored to present Karen Watson, a healer in both the Mundane World and the Earth World!

On Saturday, May 18, 2013 Karen arrived to the studio for briefing and signing of paperwork at exactly the right time.  As all of you know who have been photographed for the MWS project, I am pretty "rattled" by the time the featured woman arrives for her shoot.  However with Karen,  her energy transmitted onto a "level plane" accompanied by a very calming nature, put this "rattled" photog at ease almost immediately.  
I remember feeling the same way when I interviewed her at Jaho's one brisk New England afternoon.

When we made it up to the studio Karen and I began setting up the props and her seating area.  As is customary, Mystic Women bring the most incredible props and personal items to accompany them on their shoots...and this Mystic Woman did not disappoint.  The first crystal she handed me was the most perfect/clear crystal I have ever seen.  It was virtually absent from ANY inclusions whatsoever!  Karen informed me that she had bought it in Sedona Arizona...ha, no wonder.  We all know what a mystical place Sedona is!  I was so moved by this stone that I isolated it and photographed it.  I have already used it in PR!

Karen has been in the medical field for decades and has a fascinating story...but, you'll have to wait for the release of the book to read about it!  What I can tell you is that for years while working at hospitals, she would secretly work with patient's energy levels...as well as utilizing her scientific training to heal.  This was done many years prior to the acceptance of alternative healing methods in the staunch, conservative world of mainstream medicine.   Karen as always "known."

One of the interesting things is that in each one of her portraits she has a look of,"I know something...do you?"  I thought it was just me, but the professor brought it up during critique as well.  His view was that this "look" added a huge element to her portraits, especially when you find out that she is in medicine and when you know her story.  

We had an enjoyable afternoon and of course the magic happened with the amethyst.  All of the crystals were supplied with their own solitary lighting source...in effort to make them "pop."  However, when we began working with the amethyst (which was at the very end of the shoot) no lighting was necessary.  The lighting that you see of the amethyst is it's own...there was no additional lights set up to enhance it's appearance.  

The amethyst is from Sedona as well.

Thanks Karen for a great shoot!  One of the more "calm" shoots that I've done during MWS project.  Certainly a testament to a very powerful, and wise healer...known in the Mundane World as Ms. Karen Watson, truly a Mystic Woman.

R :}

I am thrilled to announce that Professor Lewis, Photography Concentration, of the Art Department at Salem State University has agreed to continue participating in the Mystic Women of Salem series/project  as advisor and critiques under the Directed Study program at the University.  My final portrait critique went extremely well to say the least.  

" These recent shoots are the best and most consistent that you have done in the entire MWS series, you are producing and working at a very high level of photography."  

OMGoddess, OMGoddess you guys!  I cannot tell you what these words mean.  You have to be at the University and in this program to fully understand just how hard it is to get high marks and to receive comments such as the above, is EXTREMELY  difficult!

So...all the pain, the endless hours of work, the fatigue, the frustration and not to mention the fear, is proving to be worth it.  With people like you ladies', your families, friends, the University educators, our PR Girl Dawn Dorgan and not to mention the Project Manager's guidance, expertise and constant support...is most certainly giving me the strength to continue on!  POWER TO MWS!!!!!  YES!

Elaine and Nicol, our Reiki Masters shoot will be scheduled for launch tomorrow and if it is too late in day I will re-launch it at 10 am Friday as well.  Just FYI - the Professor said that the lighting, was excellent and the photograph I took of Nicol sitting on the floor is the best photograph I have taken in the MWS series (due to the complexity of the lighting design).  CONGRATS and THANKS NICOL!!!!  

So VERY HAPPY!!!!  :} R

On Saturday, April 13, 2013 Mystic Woman Dawn arrives at the studio with "Excalibur" in hand and looking as lovely as ever.  Much, much planning had gone into this shoot, more than usual I would say.  From brainstorming to visions, Freyja sent messages almost immediately about the theme, the dress, the poses, the head dress, the backdrop, and most importantly...the lighting.  Weeks prior to the shoot I had begun sketching (a method I always use for each shoot) the layout and design of the decided theme...which was "Lady of the Lake".  The messages had come via conversation and ticker messages at the bottom of the screen of several news channels.  Salem had a snow storm prior to the "messages". The night before the storm Dawn and I met and had her pre-shoot meeting.  "Lady of the Lake" came up and had come to her numerous times long ago via a very odd library experience.  We left the conversation being that I would sleep on it and ask for confirmation.  The very next morning when I turned on the TV there was "Lady of the Lady" (reporting school closings) on one channel.  I changed the channel over 4 times (by that point I quit counting) and the message was the same on each "Lady of the Lake"..."Lady of the Lake"...over and over again.  So, "Lady of the Lake" it was!

We decided on two themes, Lady of the Lake, and Guenevere.  Dawn had ordered a gorgeous custom made dress from England and it was Arthurian in style.   (The Project Manager and I decided that we would be able to use Guenevere shots in PR.)  So, of course I HAD to shoot her in it. 

Thank goodness Dawn's niece (Courtney) had come to assist!  This was by far one of the more difficult shoots for "The Mystic Women of Salem" project.  Not only were THE GUARDIANS present but all of THE ELEMENTS (plus a smoke machine !) were represented as well, which made for a VERY powerful session.  The magic was thick and the messages were quite strong during the entire shoot.  I took Dawn back in time to Camelot where she was ultimately alone kneeling at an altar with Excalibur as her only source of defense.  Merlin, Arthur, Lancelot and all the men were in battle...Guenevere was to carry the burden of protecting the castle, the women, and all the children.  She could FEEL Morgana busy, busy, busy brewing a demon legion.  Guenevere went from desperation and fear to the ultimate triumph of re-gaining her power and determination to see the battle through...good against evil.  

Guenevere shots will be up on the Smugmug gallery at www.allure.smugmug.com soon.  

For right now check out her "Lady of the Lake" shots!  During the smoke scenes Dawn wore a crown with Fauz over her third eye...Freyja was well represented!  

Dawn and Courtney departing after hours and hours of a difficult shoot...but one that brought me to the verge of tears several times.  It is quite emotional to see your vision, sketches, and MWS woman bring it all to life right before your very eyes!   GREAT GREAT JOB GIRLS!!!!  :}

Ms. Mia Mountain arrived at the University on Sunday, April 7, 2013 for her much anticipated shoot.  The theme for Mia, since she is a librarian in Boston, was "The Book of Records".  A theme she was quite excited about after hearing my vision.  You all saw the "The Book of Records" promo with the blue lighting as pr for her upcoming shoot.  We expanded upon this vision.

I met Ms. Mia in front of Meir Hall on a rather chilly and windy New England afternoon.  The moment she popped her head out of the car, I could not help but notice how shockingly beautiful this young woman is.  She is a very strong woman who has had an incredibly difficult journey to navigate over the last couple of years...personal in nature, so I shall not go into further details.  

Mia has had some modeling experience in fashion and I tried to warn her about the type of shooting sessions that MWS requires from me and the featured woman.  However, I think she was a little concerned and "jarred" about my shooting style.  Until she saw the pr photo on facebook promoting her shoot.  She was assured after that, that I did indeed know what I was doing.  

Like I told her and I will tell all of you...when the pre-set music begins and the guardians are present my movements become fast, furious, and silent.  Many times I can literally "hear" what to do and what lights to pull next.  I had warned Mia that this experience is entering another realm...and there's no telling who will show up or what will happen.  However,  no matter how much I try to prepare MWS gals...it seems they must experience it for themselves...and boy do they!

After calling it a "wrap", Mia said,"that clock on the wall cannot be right."  I told her that it was indeed correct, but that she had just experienced the "zone".  Ms. Mia was shocked and further said that  the "blue light" session felt like she was being drawn/transported into the light...literally.  She surrendered to the power and respected the presence...  that's when the majick began and the best photographs were taken.

Great Job Mia!!!!  :}

The gorgeous and very powerful,  Ms. Dawn Dorgan as "Lady of the Lake"  and  "Guenevere" is coming up !  We are all excited and thrilled with Ms. Dorgan's support and consistent contribution to "The Mystic Women of Salem" project.  Ms. Dorgan's shoot will have many special effects...such as smoke machines, wind, water, and not to mention the ever present Spirits of the North.  Stay tuned...we are doing warp speed shooting now!  :}

Shoot with Mystic Woman, Mia Mountain posting soon!  Ms. Mountain is a librarian in Boston and her theme is "The Book of Records".

Details and Behind the Scenes info. to post over the weekend...so stay tuned everyone!