Kim Hudson

Technicolor: The Ghimire Family

Published on March 24, 2015

Blog/Child Photography/Family Photography/Photography/Portraiture

When I first moved to Las Vegas, I was enamored with all of the classic motels on The Strip and Downtown. I used to drag my boyfriend around so I could take photos of them, especially all the vintage signs. It never dawned on me they might not be there one day. Sadly, I’ve watched them disappear over the years and now there are only a handful left. In the back of my mind, I really wanted to use one as a location for a shoot, but I knew it had to be for the right people.

Sometimes, despite all the dreams or pre-planning, you just have to wait for things to fall into place. When my dear friend and colleague, Mercie Ghimire, booked a family portrait session with me, I knew they were the ones. We had talked about shooting photos for years but never managed to make it happen. Thankfully, this past November it all came together as one epic weekend of shooting. Not only did we get permission to use the awesome Motel 8 (thank you, Grace), we also found some fantastic spots Downtown in another abandoned motel. We had so much fun (as evidenced by the multitude of photos to follow) and I’m pretty certain it can’t get more colorful than this!

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Modern Mixtape Vol. 17: Get to You

Published on March 13, 2015

Blog/Music/Photography

180360_ModMix17 I lied. I am clearly incapable of posting music quickly. After beating myself up about this, I realized the whole point isn’t to deliver music as fast as possible. Instead, it’s about making well-curated mixes of what I liked and listened to each season.

‘Get to You’ is heavy on strong female vocals. About half of these songs are new releases, while the others managed to make it through the winter and my editing process to be included. I really wanted to add Florence’s new song, “What Kind of Man” but it just didn’t fit, so be sure to check that out. I hope you like it!

Listen on 8Tracks
Listen on SoundCloud
Download

Track listing:

Art School // Frankie Cosmos
Star on the Ground // Energy Slime
Julep // Treasureseason
Queen // Perfume Genius
To Die in LA // Lower Dens
Catastrophe // Yumi Zouma
Leaf Off/The Cave // Jose Gonzalez
California Nights // Best Coast
Black Sun // Death Cab for Cutie
Green Sea //Fear of Men
Artifice // SOHN
Trainwreck 1979 // Death from Above 1979
Anything I Do is All Right // Happyness
Pay Attention // Colleen Green
Careful You // TV On the Radio
Bloodlust // Black Honey
Had Ten Dollaz // Cherry Glazerr

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Scout: Pinball Hall of Fame

Published on March 11, 2015

Blog/Las Vegas/Photography/Scout/Travel Photography

2011

Long before the days of Wii, Nintendo, Atari and Sega, children and adults alike amused themselves with a much simpler game, Pinball. From the 1930’s until the 1980’s, these glass-encased boxes could be found across America in restaurants, drugstores, and taverns. Naturally with the onslaught of technology, video and arcade games became the standard and thus began the decline of the Pinball Age.

Although arcades still exist, many of the vintage games of our youth seem to be fewer and far between. Enter: The Pinball Hall of Fame. Located off of East Tropicana in Las Vegas, this non-profit gallery and retro-gamers heaven is housed in a non-descript building with even less impressive signage. Whatever the outside lacks in appeal, the dark and slightly seedy interior makes up for with its enormous collection of over 200 vintage pinball machines and classic arcade games.

Nostalgia runs deep! Even non gamers can appreciate the sense of history, fantastic art and design, plus the appeal of old-school entertainment. For an hour and a fistful of quarters, it’s definitely worth checking out!

Pinball Hall of Fame
1610 E. Tropicana
Las Vegas, NV 89119

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Scout: Corn Creek, Nevada

Published on March 7, 2015

Blog/Landscape Photography/Las Vegas/Photography/Scout/Travel/Travel Photography

A mere 25 minutes northwest of Las Vegas lies a surprisingly beautiful oasis in the middle of the desert. Corn Creek, was created in 1936 as a protective habitat for the Big Horn sheep population of Southern Nevada. Over time, it became one of the best places to view hundreds of migratory bird species. Surrounded by multiple mountain ranges and a vast wilderness, Corn Creek is one of the entry points into the Desert National Wildlife Reserve, the largest refuge (1.6 million acres) in the United States outside of Alaska.

Recently renovated (to the dismay of some), Corn Creek and it’s Visitor Center offers plenty to see. Beyond bird watching, be sure to look for other desert wildlife like jackrabbits, lizards, coyotes, tortoise, snakes, and squirrels. There are also beautiful old trees, springs and ponds surrounded by reeds and grasses, an orchard, historic buildings and cabins, wildflowers, cactus, and endless desert vistas.

The children and I visited this past fall on a day where I felt like getting outside but wasn’t up for a full-on expedition. If you’re looking for a family-friendly adventure that requires little effort and/or time, this is definitely worth a visit! Pack a picnic and spend a couple of hours strolling around this calming sanctuary.

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Directions:

From Las Vegas, take US 95 Northbound towards Mt. Charleston. Shortly after the turn off for Kyle Canyon road, look for Mile Marker 101. There will be a sign on the righthand side that says Corn Creek. Turn right/E, then follow the gravel road 4 miles until you come to the Corn Creek Field Station and Visitors Center. For more adventure, take a vehicle that is equipped for off-roading and continue on into the Desert NWR. Be warned! It’s extremely bumpy. I tried to drive further into the park but my car simply wouldn’t have it.

Hiking:

There are 5 easy trails that loop around the Corn Creek area. All are stroller, wheelchair, child, and elderly-friendly. This is a nice place to bring a picnic, walk around, look for wildlife and it’s also great for photo opportunities. Don’t expect a good workout here! If you are looking for more of a backcountry adventure, head further into the Desert National Wildlife Reserve for hiking, camping, and hunting.

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Ayurveda 101: Dry Brushing

Published on March 3, 2015

Ayurveda/Blog/Photography

Ayurveda… the ancient wisdom of life, where the connection of body, mind and soul meet and create a healthy or unhealthy being. It teaches that when there is disharmony in any one of those areas, it manifests in a corresponding part of the body. Oftentimes, it begins with our consciousness and what we believe to be true.

180360_DryBrush Between my studies in yoga and my ongoing urge to live a holistic lifestyle, Ayurveda is the natural progression towards whole healthiness. It has been a passion and an interest of mine for some time now, but only recently have I started to truly implement it in my daily life. I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned…

Several years ago, I had an Ayurvedic spa day which included Shirodara, Dry Brushing, and Abhyanga. I always like to try different therapies whenever I go to the spa, but I found the dry brushing to be excruciating (think nails-on-a-chalkboard mixed with torture!) It wasn’t until last year I tried it again and fell in love with how it felt when I did it myself. It has become addictive, energizing and my skin quality has greatly improved.

Considering skin is the largest organ, it tends to be the most overlooked and perhaps most misunderstood. Generally, people spend more time focusing on the skin on their face while neglecting the other 8+lbs that cover their bodies! Our skin protects, absorbs, repels, stimulates, transmits, regulates and manufactures. It’s also a good indicator of our overall health. I’ve been making some major changes to the way I treat my skin, starting with dry brushing. Here are some of the main benefits:

Invigorates circulation
Exfoliates skin
Encourages lymphatic drainage
Promotes healthy, soft skin
Removes toxins
Stimulates glands
Reduces cellulite
Boosts immune system

I purchased this brush and have been really happy with it. I like the strap and how it fits in the palm of my hand. The key is to use a brush made from natural bristles as opposed to synthetic. (Some people prefer to have a longer handle to reach their back.)

Here’s how it works:

First, it’s recommended to dry brush in the morning before a shower due to it’s energizing qualities. However, I usually shower at night, so I do it then. Starting at the bottom of the feet, brush the soles and tops. Then moving up the body, use long, sweeping strokes going towards the heart. (This is important because the brushing helps the blood flow back towards the heart and aids drainage of the lymph fluid which eliminates waste and toxin build up.)

I break it down into parts; feet, lower leg, upper leg, buttocks, stomach, arms, back, neck/chest. The pressure should be medium firm — not light but certainly not painful. The skin should feel tingly and good, like an invigorating massage – not red or irritated. Follow with a shower and body oil.

Have you or would you ever try dry brushing?

The Changeling: Red Rock Canyon in Snow

Published on February 26, 2015

Blog/Landscape Photography/Las Vegas/Photography/Travel Photography

After weeks of 70 degree weather, blooming trees, and in general what seemed to be Spring — out of nowhere it snowed here in Vegas! Snow in the desert is truly magical. I tried twice this week to drive the loop at Red Rock to take new photos, but both times it was closed. I managed to get some shots outside of the park and will share those another time. But I realize now that I was lucky to get these images from a few years ago…