Connecticut Photographer | Carla Ten Eyck Photography| Carla Ten Eyck Photography

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Do any of you know what you are celebrating, besides having an excuse to have Margaritas after work? Neither do I!!! The best part is that my Father is from Mexico, so we have this running joke every year where I ask him what the hell Cinco de Mayo is all about. And he tells me. And then I forget! And then I ask him the following year!! Pretty funny stuff you say, no? Well not really I am sure it’s more than a little irritating to my poor padre but what are you gonna do!

This past year has been such a fun year for me photographically- I have created some fun photo challenges for myself and partnered up with some truly amazing creative professionals. They have not only become the creative salve for my soul, then have become true, close, real friends to me. To think that only a few short years ago I felt so incredibly alone in my industry that I had to fly my friend in from Wichita to second shoot with me at a wedding in Mexico because I didn’t know anyone here! True Story!!!

Well, have things changed!

OK, back to this shoot. It came about because in all honesty I haven’t really ever seen an abundance of people of color on the blogs- especially in the editorial sections. So as a nod to my heritage I got Alicia and Carlos (who are both Puerto Rican btw) to literally pose as Mexicans for my Cinco de Mayo shoot!!

The lineup:

Tony of Datura: A Modern Garden did the amazing florals and table and altar styling

Beth Chapman of The White Dress by the Shore provided this amazing Melissa Sweet dress & jewelry

Catie Bane of Dana Bartone & Co. was on point for Beauty

my designer and client Nichole Tremblay of Coral Pheasant did the colorful paper

Diana Chouinard for Jubilee Events was on styling and the bomb.com duty

Myra Callan of Twigs and Honey custom made this beautiful headpiece for our shoot

and my amazing team of Rebecca Hales and Sara Code-Kroll were on site to shoot and assist, you guys are the best!!

mini donuts and cakes were by Tastease in Hartford’s Parkville section of town

the props? courtesy of my crazy Father, Carlos Hernandez-Chavez and me! or should I say yo

oh and I lit the candles all by myself!

Alicia came prepared with shoes. Shoes and more shoes. the color was great!

yes. When we got there it rained! So we ducked under here after we thought it stopped but then it started again a little… just gave them a reason to cuddle!

My Mom was represented! I brought her orange chair (that is currently a fixture in my studio) that she used to sit in at her sewing machine and make all kinds of creative things- quilts, dolls, you name it. Hey Madre!

We tapped into my love of the Dia de los Muertos altars and incorporated it into our shoot. Tony you are a genius, thank you for making this so beautiful for me!!

I feel like I want to just eat this headpiece!!! Myra, holy smokes sister you are one talented gal! Ladies honestly, go check out her site, (twigsandhoney.com!)she will make you drool and then get all warm and fuzzy!

My Dad snuck in a picture of my grandparents- we gots to represent!

A big, big big thank you to everyone who helped me bring this vision to reality!!

XOXOXOXO