An Ashley Nizolek Photography Production...

So as many of you know, I have a deep passion for photography and spend a lot of my time on it. It has also translated into a new love for video editing and art directing of motion pictures. Here's a quick video I shot, edited and designed. Very simple but thats what I wanted. It was shot in HD so I guess you cant get the full effect with the low def quality of the youtube version.Otherwise, I'm super happy with it, and excited to make another ASAP so that I can get into more detail and combine tons of shots and cutaways and play beats in the transitions. For now this was just something fun and pretty to shoot. This is my roommate, performing a song he wrote acoustically a few nights ago :)

If you like the song, go check out Colin's band and "Like" then on Facebook! This Renaissance

Music Alert! The Year of Discipline

Hey guys, I haven't blogged in months, I'm the worst! I don't have much time, I'm scurrying off to the studio to work my fingers to the bone but I thought I'd leave you with a little music.

This is a song called "When We Say", originally by AJ Rafael, covered by my best friend, Colin Miner :) He's working on a year-long music project/challenge that he's calling "The Year of Discipline", in which, he does either a video of a cover song, or original song, every single week. 52 weeks, 52 songs. We're on week two here, and I'm having a lot of fun shooting with my Canon 5D Mark II and editing the videos :)

Anyway, enough blabbing, watch the video :)

Love Music? Wanna be a fly on the wall?

Ever curious about how a song develops? Then this might be interesting for you to watch :)

Heartless. But not Kanye.

I posted this video over on my other blog for Sara-Tone-In Records, but I realize that not too many people have found their way over there yet so I just had to post it again on this blog. Why you ask? Because it must be seen/heard! A spine tingling cover of Kanye West's song, "Heartless", but completely reinvented! Another amazing contribution to the world of art/music, but Chelsea Wilde aka 1/2 of Minor Birds. Don't skip over this, you're only cheating yourself!

PS: Please follow my other blog, it shall be a music/art based blog :) Sara-Tone-In Records BLOG

Where have I been?! Starting a RECORD LABEL!

I am a blog neglector, it's official, but I promise I was for good reason!

After years and years of dreaming of starting my own record label, I've finally decided to take the plunge and have whole heartedly jumped head first into this endeavor. Yikes! Am I a crazy person? Maybe! But then again, I've never taken much issue with people calling me crazy :) Oh yes, and I have officially picked a name: Sara-Tone-In Records!

Right now, I'm moving full speed ahead and running on very little sleep and even less common sense (who needs it anyway!?). This once, rather than stewing over decisions and worrying endlessly, I am relying on raw passion and belief in a dream to fuel my fire. I am spending all my extra time establishing the label legitimately, working on my branding, and developing and working with my first artist, Pillowhead! It's an extremely exciting time for me, and equally scary, but for now we're gonna just focus on the excitement of it all and roll with the positive energy :)

For those who are curious, I will still be continuing with my jewelry, and my photography, so this will be a juggling act. The more I type, the more I'm realizing just how crazy I really am sounding here... oh well, a little crazy never hurt anyone...much :)

So, anyway, as my lovely loyal blog followers, I invite you to come on over to my Sara-Tone-In Records blog, and follow me on this journey I am embarking on! I will do my very best to be entertaining and will be sharing a lot of music with you all (like I didn't do that here already, right?) as well as the inevitable ups and downs of starting a new business in uncharted territory. I would very much appreciate the support, so come on kiddies, follow me into the darkness, or the light, depending on the day...

Sara-Tone-In Blog
"Like" Us on FACEBOOK!

Here goes nothin'!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

...well, almost! The holiday season is fast approaching and business has really kicked into gear. Etsy loves to kick my ass from September thru January :) In other news, my photography side gig has really been growing as well! I recently shot promo photos for a local band, as well as keeping myself uber busy with photographing live shows! Woohoo! Photography and music, my heart overfloweth! Have I ever mentioned how much fun it is to have such talented friends? I will give you a peak at some of my favorite shots from the band shoots in the coming days...

Anyway, my apologies for my poor blog etiquette during this time of insanity but I will do my best to get back on track and keep you all entertained by my antics. For now, I must get back to the massive spread of half finished jewelry and stack of bubble envelopes.

Can you play 'The Piano'?

I can't. Except for one song. And believe me, everyone in my family was done listening to that one song about 15 years ago. Anyway, one day I will learn to really play piano...maybe when I'm 75, but still, I'm determined to learn at some point.

And when I do, the first song I want to learn is this piece from the movie "The Piano"... I think I've been obsessed with it since 5th grade. What a weird 5th grader I was, listening to "The Piano" soundtrack and all. I blame it on my parents. We lived in the woods, and we never had friends over after school because we lived too far away. So I listened to music. I often listened to this soundtrack as I did homework, and now 15 years later I still listen to it as I work in my studio. Woohoo! Go me!

Can any of you play this??? If you can, you get a big ol' Waynes World style "schwing" comin' your way!

Broken Bells. IN. MY. HEAD.

This song has been stuck in my head for days. I can't stop listening to it, even when I want to. It's kind of haunting. And I REALLY REALLY love the lyrics. Enjoy!


Lyrics | Broken Bells lyrics - The High Road lyrics

A Talented Happy Customer & Minor Birds...

...make me SO happy! Check out this photo of my friend, the lovely Chelsea Wilde of New Resolution Photo, easily one of my most favorite photographers, wearing her A.N. Original "Camera Love" necklace in a self portrait with her new toy, a Mamiya RB67. JEALOUS! I want a fun old camera! Her images are SO beautiful and has a style all her own. I absolutely LOVE her work! She also has a fabulous Etsy Shop with tons of unique etherial wears.

Chelsea is also in a band called, Minor Birds, in which she takes care of keys and vocals, and is epically talented at both. Seriously. Her music is much like her photo's; Fresh and Magnetic. She might be the most talented person I've come across in a long time. It's SO refreshing! Is it really any wonder that we get along so well?

I've sold a lot of these "Camera Love" Necklaces to photographers over the past year, which is really exciting for me! However, I was most excited to see a photographer who I really respect and look up to, proudly wearing one of my pieces.

High Five, Chelsea! You are epic.

Horse Feathers covers "Drain You" by Nirvana! MUST WATCH!

Ok, I lied, I have more to say today, and yes, it's about music. I know I know, all I ever do is talk about music, but...oh well! That's just how it's gonna be around here :) Music is ever present in my life, so it might as well be in my blog too :)

Anyway, you MUST, and I do mean MUST watch/listen to this cover of Nirvana's "Drain You" performed by one of my best kept musical secrets, Horse Feathers! Horse Feathers is pretty low key and folkiebut, Justin Ringle's voice has something that is truly undeniably magnetic. Dare I say it's magical? It's like a mix of honey and razor blades. Does that resonate with anyone else or am I just sounding crazy here? Their reinterpretation of "Drain You" is absolutely brilliant, coming from a long time Nirvana fan, I give it my seal of approval! I can't even begin to tell you how happy a combination of Nirvana and Horse Feathers makes me. I'm giddy. Seriously. YOU. MUST. WATCH! Oh yes, and, enjoy friends :)

Horse Feathers / Drain You cover from Lesley Graves on Vimeo.

Elliott Smith : Waltz #2

I could listen to Waltz #2 endlessly, I really could, it's that good. Elliott Smith was a genius, it's always such a shame to see a life cut short that created art that was so impactful on YOUR life. It saddens me to think not that many people seem to know Elliott Smith's music, so this is my contribution to the world. Small yet poignant. This is a live acoustic performance of "Waltz #2" in a very intimate setting. While it's raw and imperfect, the emotion and vulnerability Elliott Smith gives off is hypnotizing and magnetic. Please take a listen, with your ears, and your heart. You will thank me later.

Snapshot of the Day : Metal

I've been spending a lot of my time this summer with the musical boys of a local band called Pillowhead. This post isn't about Pillowhead though, we'll save that for another day and a proper introduction...

Anyway, as I was saying...I've been taking TONS, and I do mean TONS of photos at their shows, both for my own enjoyment and for their promotional use etc etc etc. Schwing!!! I love live music photography! It's becoming an obsession. While it's most certainly a challenge to shoot a live band in less than ideal lighting conditions, it is beyond gratifying getting a really intense shot when the odds are against you. This particular photo is one of my favorites from a show they played the other night. It's minimal, but epic none the less. Don't you think?

I love making jewelry, I really do. But when I grow up, I want to be a photographer :)

Revived Love for Sixteen Stone

Ok, I am officially the worst blogger ever, I know this. But, I thought I'd give you a little peak into my life as of late. So here it is. I sat in on a late night jam session at a friends recently and had my love of Bush rekindled. Epic. Why so epic? It's simple really...

Sixteen Stone is one badass record, and I had forgotten how much I loved it until a friend began playing the riff from "Machinehead". AMAZING. I literally had not thought about that song in years and years but as soon as that riff came in, my 7th grade heart almost burst. Everyone joined in pretty effortlessly and it was a full on jam sesh that then moved into "Glycerine". Totally nostalgic and 100% enjoyable. In fact I feel badly that more people don't experience that sort of fluidity and connection with others via music. Its a magical thing. Saying "magical" makes it seem like I'm not being all that serious, but really, I am. There's something about the music you listened to while growing up that brings you, or at least me, such a honest and deep internal satisfaction. When you don't hear it for a while you might not even really realize that you miss it, but when it falls back into your lap, it's like you've been holding your breath underwater until you think you might pass out, and then you come up and take that huge gasp of air.

Thats what I love about music. It never really leaves you. It waits for you.

Enjoy the tunes.

Muse vs. Jes Hudak : "Time Is Running Out", MUST WATCH

So, I hope your not sick of me posting about music because it's pretty much the biggest thing in my life besides my business...

Anyway, just a quick post to show off my friend Jes Hudak's disgusting talent once again. Here's her cover of "Time Is Running Out" by Muse. Love her take on it! And holy wow, can she sing the sh*t outta that song or what!!??

Great Job Jes! Woohoo! East Coast power!

P.S.: Jes just played the LA date of Lilith Fair...I forgot to tell you all! But anyway, yeah, high fives all around :)

"That's the beauty of music, they can't get that from you..."

I think that this might be the most brilliant scene in a movie ever.

EVER.

Around the 4 minute marker is pretty much my exact feeling about music.

Time Warp Mind Trap

Any time I listen to Interpol its a full on time warp. Back in NYC, back on the roof, back in time. And I'm always left wondering...

Trying to live without regrets is a tricky thing sometimes...it's a lot easier said than done. That's for sure.

The attached picture in this post is a view from my rooftop in NYC looking downtown. I wish I had appreciated it more back then.

With that, I'll just say... I miss you.

Summer Concerts: First up, Kings of Leon

Back again. I'm the queen of inconsistent blogging :)

Anyway, last night I went to a Kings of Leon concert in Saratoga. Good times with friends and good tunes. I must admit though, I was pretty distracted by the fact that I have to pee about 2 mins into the show. Why did I drink so much beer before hand? Silly silly girl.

Unfortunately, my dudes in Kings of Leon didn't play either of the song's I was really looking forward to them playing, but I will forgive them for that. Maybe.

One of those songs I was looking to hear is called "Manhattan", and I've been listening to it a lot lately since I've been going through a bout of homesickness for my former home in NYC. Gahhhhh, why didn't you guys play it? What, you don't take singular requests from a crowd of 25,000 people? Well, thats just ridiculous!

On a more positive note, Caleb's (the lead singer) voice was on point and Nathan (the drummer) and the husband of the one and only Jessie Baylin, was a joy to watch. I wish I could play drums and blow superb bubble gum bubbles at once as Nathan has seemed to master. And, you know, these boy's aren't bad to look at. Riiighhhhttt? Good lookin' family...

So now, I'll leave you with a pretty picture and a song. This is "Manhattan" by Kings of Leon. Thanks for the show boys!

Help get Jes Hudak on LILITH FAIR! Please VOTE!

Remember my friend Jes Hudak? I've introduced you to her and her music a number of times via this blog. Now, I am here asking you to pitch in and help Jes get a spot on the upcoming Lilith Fair Tour!

All you have to do is listen and vote on OurStage.com, you can sign in with your Facebook info OR just quickly sign up with OurStage. I know it's a pain to have to sign up for things but I'm asking you this ONE TIME to overlook that and help Jes out, since you know, it's just her future we're talking about here! SHe needs to get into the Top 10, right now she's at 15! Woohoo! So close!

Here's how it works:
Ourstage.com is an awesome website that allows fans to decide what makes it to the top of the charts. You can set up a profile or use facebook to login and start judging right away! Head to the following link to enter the judges chambers, and all you have to do to help out is vote "National Holiday" #1 when it comes up in the judging. CLICK HERE TO START VOTING!

So come on guys, be a pal and vote for my girl Jes! The website is kind of a pain it might take your through a couple other artists as well as Jes, but PLEASE hang in there and get that vote in :) Your efforts will be VERY VERY VERY much appreciated!

Song Lyrics & Opinions FROM YOU!

WANTED: Awesome song lyrics to immortalize in METAL

(Well until it's melted down and turned into dental fillings...)

Whilst I love making cute little Dinosaur and Camera silhouettes for the (semi)masses, I need to diversify and challenge myself to keep myself engaged in my work. Plus, if I don't change things up once in a while I fear my brain might liquify and drip out of my ears. Too much information? Perhaps. But, it had to be said.

So, I come to you asking for your opinions. What is your favorite ONE LINE (maybe 2 if theyre fairly short) song lyric? Maybe you have a few? Maybe you'd like to share them with me ? :)

Don't forget to include song title and Artist :) And no worries, so long as you don't choose a Miley Cyrus or Madonna lyric this is totally nonjudgemental...

Crowd participation is encouraged. Help me pool together the most excellent of song lyrics and help make the world a better place :)

Let's all just go ahead and live inside this song...

Shall we? Why yes, yes we shall. Just ignore the Fight Club stuff, listen to the tunes and free your mind. Exactly. Enjoy.