Thought for the day: I LOVE BEING ITALIAN!

I just saw MILK.

I just saw MILK. Don't miss it. Sean Penn is wonderful. Bring your friends & family: gay & straight. Touching, enlightening & powerful. One person can make all the difference, and being 'out' is imperative.

Miley Update

Miley is now Riley. No, I did not rename her. Her new mommy did. Yes, her new mommy. I have wanted another Boxer for years now since Roxie passed, but the timing has not been right. So, I am involved with Boxer Rescue to varying degrees. When I have auctions on EBay I donate a portion of the sales to BRLA. Weeks ago I took Miley on as a medical foster because her circumstance was dire. She was very ill and neglected which is abuse in my book. When her so called family decided she was too much trouble and gave her back to the shelter I knew I had to help. Miley had a very unhappy, unhealthy and difficult first year of life. I felt compelled to take her and I knew that I would be the one to facilitate her healing.
Little did I know just how beautifully this whole situation would unfold.

I had found an amazing vet, Dr. Palmquist, in Los Angeles who helped when Roxie was so ill. Because of that remarkable experience I will never bring any animal to any other vet while Dr. P is practicing. Our first visit confirmed just how sickly Miley really was. We immediately put her on a variety of meds and did a few tests. Within 2 weeks she had gained weight and was as active as could be. I fell in love with her, of course. Well, one of the vet techs had also fallen for her. Miley was making great progress, but beyond the mange which was supressing her immune system and a wicked bladder infection, was another much more serious and mysterious problem. The prognosis was not the greatest.

So, to make a long story a little shorter... I had another big lesson in "everything happens for a reason". Miley came to me so I could get her to Dr. P so the vet tech could adopt her permanently. Riley is in her forever home with an amazing woman, her husband, another Boxer and cats to play with. She has all the love, attention, medical expertise and companionship she could ever need or want. The day I turned her over to Christy I cried and cried even though I knew this was the best possible situation and exactly what was supposed to happen.

I went to visit Riley for the first time yesterday and it was a wonderful reunion. She wagged and wiggled and hugged and kissed and hugged some more. She looks great and is really coming into her own. She is an amazing being with an amazing spirit and I learned so much because of her.
She is a blessing and is now cherished by many as all animals should be.
I can't wait to see her again.

JUDY ELF

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Happy Sunday

You can always laugh, particularly at yourself! This is a sketch from my friend and projects manager, Damian, to
commemorate the week I threw out my back.
It says, "Just a little bit furthur, and that Milk Dud is MINE."
I think we should start a comic strip called "PJ" which stands for Photo Judy. God knows I provide a wealth of material to mock!
I am happy to report that I am walking upright again, and have been working all weekend. So, this evening I am off to a Thanksgiving party.

In The Name of Love

This is one of the best commentaries I have ever heard. Please watch and listen...

Blessings in Disguise

It has been a busy couple of weeks. A whirlwind of activity and emotions. I am sorry to say that I had to cancel my trip back east this week. For now my place is here with my father. He urgently needed to have some tests done on Monday and we have the results. So, based on those results I need to be close by. I will be re-scheduling my shoots and signings after the first of the year. I am looking forward to being back in New York and Boston and I will keep you posted on my schedule. Thank you for understanding.

By the way, I know now beyond a shadow of a doubt that everything does indeed happen for a reason. And I do mean everything. The bizarre way in which my father's surgery was unable to proceed saved his life. So, the next time something really ridiculous, upsetting, mind boggling or even heartbreaking happens, count to ten and be open to the blessing in disguise.

One More Day

One more day before the election. I know so many people are holding their breath...please do not pass out and miss your chance to Vote! I can't wait...I am one of those geeks who wears her 'I Voted' sticker for the whole week.

Yesterday was a perfect fall day for Los Angeles. It had rained a little, the sun mixed with some clouds, and I walked to the local church Holiday Bizarre. I love this very traditional beautiful church just 2 blocks from me. My car has been in the shop for 10 days so I very much appreciate all the places within walking distance. So, there I am lighting a candle for mom, listening to the choir, wiping tears from my cheeks as I am walking around looking at all the tables of gift items in the Parish hall with a dear friend of mine...who happens to be in the sex industry. Yup, sex talk mixed with the smell of 'church' incense. U gotta love it.

BIG REMINDER: If you are not already signed up with Club Francesconi please click on the link and register. It takes only a minute and you will love the special offers that are available only to club members....hint hint--it is new calendar time at Francesconi Studios.

2009 Calendar

It's here! My 2009 calendar is now available.

We printed a limited run and they are already selling fast. This calendar is artsy, playful and sexy, ( hence the title: Sugar and Spice), and I love it! Thanks for taking a look.

Remember to VOTE

Phone Blogging

I am blogging from my cell phone...how cool is this!

Here is a snippit of Maria Shriver's speech found on YOUTUBE

Women's Conference 2008

Yesterday ranks as one of my 10 best. My oldest and dearest friend informed me of The Women's Conference in Long Beach. She was fortunate enough to attend in person. The event was sold out weeks ago within 3 hours, so I watched their live webcast yesterday and was spellbound. It was a huge celebration of remarkable, accomplished, inspiring, powerful women.

I am a weeper by nature and nurture. I cry at parades, listening to music, watching commercials, and certainly listening to someone bare their soul. So, it did my heart good to see a convention hall of thousands of women wiping their tears as the camera panned the audience during the speeches.

This is Maria Shriver's baby and I believe this was the 5th year for the conference. She was incredibly brave and moving as she shared her most vulnerable and private self. She touched me deeply because she so gets "it".
"It" being that we are here to get over our big bad selves, to admit and walk through our fears, to stop feeling not good enough and less than (a plague among women), and to love. She speaks of being a caregiver to her mother, her learning to ask for help, all her fears that up to now have kept her from fully connecting to herself and others. Sound familiar? IT DOES TO ME. I resonated with her words---they are me and I am sure, the majority of us.

If Maria ever runs for office I want to photograph every minute of the campaign!

Speakers included Christiane Amanpour, Condoleeza Rice, Madeleine Albright, Billie Jean King, Betty Chin, even Bono...and the list goes on...all with the message of:

• How we can each be an architect of change-personally and globally
• The importance of Empowerment
• The imperative of Perserverence
• Be who you are and Share yourself
  

PLEASE go to the Webcast and listen to all or some of the presentations and speeches...you will love it and hopefully will be as uplifted and encouraged as I.

As women, every single one of us can make such a huge difference in the world. Women are nurturers. We operate out of compassion and cooperation instead of competition.
It is time we came into our own--individually and collectively and made our world a safe place we are proud of.

Just my humble opinion.

VOTE

NO on Prop. 8

YES on Prop 2

Incompetence is Alive and Well

Blog or rant, it is the same difference today. Medical incompetence is not just alive and well, it is thriving. After getting up at 4:30am, checking into the hospital at 5:30am, dad was hooked up to an IV and ready to go by 6:45am. Surgery was scheduled for 7:30am. At 10:30am dad was released from the hospital. His surgery was cancelled. Dad's regular physician, who had conducted the pre-op exam and tests, failed to fax the surgeon or the hospital the final clearance form. He also failed to return any pages or to respond to the calls thru his service---all attempts to resolve the oversight and proceed with the surgery. In fact, I still have not heard from the Dr. with an apology or explanation. My father was a trooper. I was the one who was livid.

For someone who rarely, if ever, even slightly raised her voice...I sure have been provided with a few too many opportunities in the last 2 years to get in touch with anger and to exercise my vocal chords. So, 'Dr. Useless' is now minus a patient.

Since I believe that everything does indeed happen for a reason then maybe this was a blessing in disguise. As so many unwanted events end up being for the best, perhaps he would have not handled the surgery at all well. Maybe the cancellation spared him of complications or worse.
It certainly has spared him from continuing with a bad doctor.

Tonight's Gallery Reception

I'm flying out the door, but I am thinking about all of you in P-town enjoying Women's Week. Have Fun and make sure you say hi to Jim and Damian for me at the Lyman-Eyer Gallery reception this evening.

Vegas Aftermath

This is a quick update before I head out to dad's for his surgery Friday morning. My Vegas trip was great! I stayed with dear wonderful friends and their 4 precious pups, which allowed me my dog lovin' fix. I had a fantastic day of shooting in a gorgeous studio, Desert Ice Studios, with beautiful, fun, amazing women! I played Wii for the first time and had a blast, and I had a lovely Sunday evening at a show enjoying my favorite singer, Linda Eder. Photos from the trip and an update on Miley and my dad in the next blog.

Women's Week Provincetown

I'm off to Vegas
Thursday for my photo shoots,
and it is Women's Week once again in Provincetown. I love P-town and miss it.

I wish I could be there for the artist's reception Thursday Oct. 16th at Lyman-Eyer Gallery. Instead, I will be taking care of my father who is going in for surgery Friday Oct. 17th. Wish us luck--any surgery is risky at his age and in his condition.

Here is the flyer with more details about the reception. I hope you can attend and check out the new work. Make sure you say hi to Jim Lyman, and meet Damian, my new projects manager, (we are working on some major new exciting projects.) Oh, and there is an article in Provincetown Magazine--the Women's Week Issue. I had so much fun doing the phone interview. Enjoy!

Calendar News and Miley Update

My new charge is adjusting very quickly to her new surroundings and routine. Miley is a very sick pup, but she is in the right place now to get all the help she needs. I have the most amazing vet and I am a doting mom. She already looks better after just 6 days. She is such a good girl...she walks perfectly on a leash, she knows all her commands, she sleeps thru the night, rides perfectly in the car, she doesn't beg for food, she LOVES everyone including other dogs, she lets me shove pills down her throat...and then, like any puppy, she goes through major manic spurts where she just has to get her ya-yas out.
I know those crazy times are going to get more frequent as she gets to feeling even better!

I am off to the vet again now to pick up more meds for her...but before I go I have some great news...

There will be a 2009 calendar! I am putting the finishing touches on it now and will begin shipping the beginning of October. It is a limited edition, and it will sell out quickly. Club Francesconi members are notified first, so sign up now to be included.

New Boxer Baby

Big news at the Francesconi house. I have a new Boxer baby girl named Miley. I just picked her up from Boxer Rescue L.A. today and we are bonding. She is such a sweet good girl. I have her as a medical foster..the poor thing has some immune problems and swollen back legs, but her spirit is loving, gentle, and so sweet. I have an amazing vet and I know that between the two of us we will get her as healthy as possible. She is just about one year old and so little, she looks like a puppy. Ironically she is afraid of cameras, so getting pictures of her to share with all of you is a bit tricky, but I am working on it. Here is a shot of her during her 3 minute nap.

Las Vegas Shoot--The More The Merrier

Here's some fun news...I will be in Las Vegas the weekend of October 10, 2008 for a location and studio photo shoot that Saturday and Sunday. So, feel free to contact me if you are interested in joining us and modelling for me.

The shoots are short, easy and fun...You stand there and look pretty as I run around, get in strange positions looking for the perfect angle all the while clicking the shutter and generally making quite an odd picture myself as I create art.

If you are up for an adventure send me an email. See you in Vegas!

Olympic Women's Basketball

Woo Hoo! This is a perfect Saturday morning. I made an awesome latte (my specialty) and I'm watching Women's Basketball. The Gold medal game between the USA and Australia. I love Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker. It's an exciting game, I hope you're watching!

I Love Getting Flowers

Look at these beautiful flowers that my "New York peeps" sent me.
They remind me of the movie, Under The Tuscan Sun (one of my favorites). My dad's family is from Tuscany and my mom's family from Naples. I still want to spend weeks in Italy and explore all the beauty and food! I was in Rome my senior year of college and loved it. I knew just enough Italian to get in trouble. We stayed at the Grand Hotel... Via Venetto, the Spanish Steps... I felt like I was home and would love to do a gallery showing and photo shoots there someday soon.

I have a great story about my audience with the Pope and choosing to take photos of him (almost the last photo I ever snapped) instead of shaking his hand and receiving a blessing. It is because of the Pope that I designed my business card the way I did. (Most of my stories are only told over margaritas at Marix)

What a great day--for many reasons.

Since Monday July 7, 2008 I have had the best caregivers taking care of Dad when I am not there. I worked so hard to find the right match, and after a year plus of constant hassles, stress, last minute calls because the caregivers didn't show up, a flooded backyard, and a refrigerator of ruined food because it was turned off, etc. etc. The stories go on and on as many of you know. I finally have some peace of mind and time to devote to other things --like fun new shoots and product for all of you! ART COMES FROM ARTISTS (I know I'm yelling. What can I say, I get PASSIONATE.)

Another Great Documentary

Sunday night I attended a screening for another HBO documentary called
The Black List. I loved it. Check it out when it premieres on HBO August 25, 2008

The Black List, Vol. 1 presents dramatic portraits of some of today's most fascinating and influential African-Americans, who share their stories and insights into the struggles, triumphs and joys of black life in the U.S. The film is a collaboration between celebrated portrait photographer and filmmaker Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, who directs, and award-winning journalist Elvis Mitchell, who interviews such notables as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Sean Combs, Thelma Golden, Lou Gossett, Jr., Bill T. Jones, Vernon Jordan, Toni Morrison, Suzanne-Lori Parks, Richard Parsons, Chris Rock, Al Sharpton, Slash, Faye Wattleton, Keenen Ivory Wayans and Zane.

Many Thanks

So many of you have taken the time to contact me with warm thoughts, good wishes and words of encouragement. I am appreciative of your kindness. My heartfelt thanks for such sweet communications. You have been a wonderful reminder that we all have such an impact on each other whether we have ever met in person before or ever will.

It means the world to me when my images touch people and I am thrilled when people "get" my work. So, please feel free to continue to share your stories, comments and suggestions.

Precious Pups

Another fact about me is that I love love love dogs and I am crazy about Boxers. I have had pictures of my baby Roxie on my site and in my books. So, you can imagine me squeeling when I saw this YouTube video that a friend sent me.



I have been looking for my next Boxer baby and am very close to finding the one (or two) that belong with me. I want to adopt from Boxer Rescue Los Angeles.

Giclées

I am a traditional woman. I write everything long hand. I prefer a phone call to email. I don’t own a “crackberry.” I have an IPod sitting patiently in its’ original box. I loved spending 8 continuous hours in the darkroom creating the “perfect” photographic print by hand.

One of the life lessons I’ve been forced to learn is that the only constant is change…not easy for a rooted Taurus.

So, when I developed (no pun intended) a severe allergy to the darkroom photo chemicals I had no choice but to make a change and find a printer who had a similar feel and finesse for my fine art women images.


After years of trying just about every lab in southern California I finally found a master. She was a gifted printer who it turned out had no problem with change.
Her life took a completely different direction and she gave up printing forever.

By this time I was still shooting film and had no interest in even holding a digital camera. However, each new commercial assignment brought questions such as, “You shoot digital right?” and “Would you email me jpgs between 1 and 2 mgs.” You mean I have to get a computer?! Alright, you get the idea. Apparently I’ve come a long way. I even enjoy Photoshop now and think it is fun.

I have learned that Giclée is French for “sprayed ink.” It is a sophisticated technique and process that allows archival fine art photographs to be made from a digital source. I am unveiling a collection of new giclee images. Some were shot digitally by me, all were meticulously fine tuned in Photoshop by me, and printed-- by me!

Welcome to my new world…

Judy Francesconi



My giclées are all open edition. They are titled and signed by me, but not numbered. They are digitally printed with archival inks on archival museum quality matte paper.
This allows new collectors to own fine art at an affordable price.

My line of silver gelatin hand printed original photographs are available as signed, numbered limited editions.

TRANSFORMATION

How quickly and radically things can change in a few short days! This is a very personal blog entry today. Many of you know that my mom passed on unexpectedly 2 years ago August 4th. It was a shock and an event that I had dreaded as far back as I can remember. My mother was awesome, my best friend and the person who was always in my corner and vice versa. She was so sweet and giving, more often than not putting others ahead of herself. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Every coin has two sides and every personality characteristic has a positive and negative component to it. Anyway, my mom was my greatest role model and I miss her beyond description.

Since then my dad has been having some health problems and we have had to go through some very rough changes together. He too is very sweet, exceedingly generous, with a great sense of humor and on the other hand can have moments that are challenging to deal with. We have had the opportunity to discover each other and develop a relationship without the buffer of mom. It has been one of the hardest and most wonderful, rewarding, and heartbreaking times of my life. It has been stressful to be a caregiver, coordinate other caregivers, and generally take care of every aspect of his life, and to watch and worry as he daily makes a decision to participate in life to varying degrees. I have resorted at times to teasing, cajoling, screaming and crying to motivate him.

Many situations I have handled beautifully, many I have not, mostly from fear. As I was juggling this and all responsibilities and obligations in the other areas of my life I know I have been alternately stressed, sad, exhausted, stoic, hysterical, loving, giving, sometimes fun, and sometimes not. Through it all I have had the most wonderful support (particularly if I stretched out of my comfort zone and asked for it) from a precious relationship and dear friends.

Since life is full of change and transitions when you least expect it I am now a single woman again!


I find it fascinating how we are all such a product of our parents and environment. For better, for worse, how we are formed and shaped forever by our families. My greatest wish for all of us is to find that someone, our safe place where we can be accepted for who we are and become more of who we want to be because of each other. To have the strength and vulnerability to go through the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful and the mundane together. Just my humble opinion.

GoMag Pride Issue 2008

I am so rarely in front of the camera, but I needed a photo of myself for the Pride Issue of Go magazine. All I can say is Thank The Gods for Photoshop! I am included in their 100 Women We Love Issue which I am so excited about. Check out my page!

Same Sex Marriage in California!

I remember in 1989 looking at my girlfriend and saying, why can’t we have children together and she said, we can’t even get married! Today is one of the most historic and exciting days in my life! I am thrilled that California has recognized same sex marriages. For years I photographed my straight friend's weddings and then began only photographing civil union and commitment ceremonies...those were some of the most touching and uplifting events I’ve ever captured on film. I am thrilled to announce I will be offering wedding photography from this day forward!!!

One Minute of Beauty

Here is a beautiful sunset for your enjoyment taken with my new white Flip camera. I was in San Diego last weekend at Torrey Pines for an outdoor HBO screening of BACK NINE AT CHERRY HILL. It is a great documentary about the 1960 U.S. Open that pitted three golf legends: Hogan, Palmer, and Nicklaus against the same course.

San Diego Sunset from Judy Francesconi on Vimeo.

New Naked Women

A blog is not a blog if you don't blog more frequently than twice a year! So, for now my "blog" is a "Hi, I'm thinking about you and dropping you a line."

I have been very distracted with what eventually becomes a pivotal time for many of us...taking care of an elderly parent. My father just turned 91 years young! That is pretty amazing. He has had a difficult time emotionally and physically since my mom passed on about a year and a half ago. Come to think of it, so have I. He is now facing another surgery, so I have been focusing on very time consuming parental obligations. Fortunately, he has a great sense of humor and never wants me to worry about him so he always says he is 'great.'

I have made time to shoot and wanted to share some of my latest images with you.

There will be more, so stay tuned!