My favorite color finally got a name in 2019 when Pantone announced its "Color of the Year" as Living Coral. I always described it as sort of a not-quite-peach, coral-y pink color, but the press release brought it completely into focus. Over the years I've noticed whenever I wear coral, I get compliments. I'm drawn to flamingoes (a running joke with my mother for going on 30 years now - who can find the most obscure flamingo-themed item and gift it to the other) and course seeing the real thing (coral that is), alive in the sea is a sight to behold.
Dallas is as far away from the ocean as I've ever lived so now I have to get my coral fix in other parts of nature, and as it turns out, in my Carrollton studio as well! Given that we're still under a shelter-in-place order for Dallas county, I had to get creative to photograph for this week's Pet Photographer 52 Week Challenge and it's theme "favorite color" with my best little model, Ginger.
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2019 Pantone Color of the Year
The Color of Flamingos
Last fall I visited the Fort Worth Zoo for a photography safari and spent quite a bit of time with the flamingos. I never gave it a thought as to why I lingered there longer than just about any place else in the Zoo, but now I think it might be because of their color. It makes me happy and I find it soothing and calming in some way.
The Color of Springtime Azaelas
Ginger and I took advantage of a neighbor's coral azaleas for a bit of color outside and close to home.
Living Coral in the Studio
I've been searching for just the right color of seamless paper and thought that this one, called Flamingo, might be it, but it was still a bit too pink for my liking so I adjusted the color in post processing to get something closer to Living Coral. I don't think Ginger is the flower crown / collar type, this is her "Really Mom?" look.
Meet Fling
And just in case you thought I was kidding about the running family joke about flamingos, I'd like you to meet Fling. He was a Christmas gift from my mother a couple of years ago and he lives at the studio so occasionally makes an appearance in a session if he catches a client's eye.