Be YOU.

WPPI was so incredible...on so many different levels...there is so much that I heard. So much that I learned. So many notes! I'm going back and processing it all and making an 'action plan' so that it doesn't just 'come and go' - like it's so easy to let it do.

I sat through Dane Sanders class on Tuesday and was SO inspired when he showed this movie clip from the last Rocky where he's talking to his son. Check it out:

Vegas or BUST!

Once, when I was little, my dad took us on a road trip from Indiana to California. This was back in the day when you didn't have to wear seat belts and the only electronic thing in the car was the radio and maybe a tape deck. We would build forts in the back seat with our blankets and pillows...often my dad would tell us stories (PG versions of the latest Stephen King book he was reading). I think we were too little to really understand the massiveness of the drive, but I remember my Dad posting a sign on the back of the car that said "Grand Canyon or BUST!" I had no idea what that meant. Well, I did some research and this is a simple explanation of it...

"or bust" means "or fail, but fail having given it my best shot."

So, ladies and gentlemen... I am flying out to Vegas today for the Annual Wedding and Portrait Photographers International Convention... AKA WPPI. I'm SO EXCITED...you simply have no idea. Well, unless you're going there yourself. Then, you might have some idea.

A few things I'm looking forward to: warmer temps; 12hr class days; learning a lot; taking copious notes; getting to see my old friend, Kevin; hanging out with my pho-tog friends - Stacie, Elaine and Phoenix; meeting Jasmine Star; meeting the way cool people at Brand Camp; the Oscars; Starbucks; watching other people gamble, the sun rising and setting over the mountains...and well...lots more.

So, it's VEGAS OR BUST!! See you on the flip side!

"Before & After"

I recently posted a new profile picture on Facebook and got a lot of comments from it. One of my friends asked how much the image had been 'tweaked'. So, I thought I'd take this opportunity to show the before & after image. I will preface this by saying I do like to 'tweak' my images and apply post processing to them - but first and foremost I focus on taking great pictures. A bad picture is still a bad picture no matter how much post processing work you do to it.

I use Adobe Lightroom as my 'digital darkroom' to general post processing. From there, I choose images that I want to work on additionally in Photoshop. I use photoshop to 'finish' the image or give it that polished look. Whether it be removing some lines around the eyes, removing stray hairs, or removing blemishes to also adjusting the color and contrast of the image to make it look interesting and sometimes playing around with the image to give it an artistic flair. I have created several of my own signature actions but I also love my 'Totally Rad' action sets.

Note to clients & future prospective clients: I charge for my time & talent to show up at weddings and capture amazing images for the bride & groom. It's my passion and I am blessed to shoot for some very amazing people all over the place. While I know I have to sell myself to my clients, I am not in the business of selling pictures. That's why I offer my clients the original DVD of high resolutions files in my packages. I figure, if they don't want to spend $25 for an 8x10, they are certainly welcome to take the files to a lab of their choosing and make their own prints. Or, if you want us to "do what we do" and give the files our TLC in Photoshop, we are happy to make those images for you and charge accordingly. It's up to you, no problem either way. Of course every image that goes into your album gets the VIP treatment and will look amazing!

BEFORE

AFTER

The N Result Crashes NYC!

The N Result recently played at New York City's Crash Mansion. The show was hott and I really enjoyed working for them as their official photographer. They were recently featured on "The Sound Loft" Music Industry Blog. Read the article here: http://www.thesoundloft.com/?p=1563 The best line from the article "If Fallout Boy, Gym Class Heroes and Adam Levine were all thrown together in a room and told “don’t come out until you have an album,” you might end up hearing something similar to what The N Result bring." Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the show. Check out their MySpace page to see where/when their next show is, and GO!

Baby Portrait Session!

I used to be afraid of babies - not really sure why - but my camera has helped me to fall in love with them.

On Saturday I got to visit my friend, Marie. We were roommates in college back in our fashion design days at FIT in New York City. Five of us lived in a tiny little two bedroom apartment on 28th and Sixth Avenue, just a block away from school. And, in typical NYC fashion... we paid $2600 a month for rent. Absurd. Our kitchen was in the electrical closet. But, oh the fun we had!

Anyhow, we're all grown up now. She's married, owns a house on Long Island and has a nine month old baby, Isla - she's gorgeous!!

Heads are meant to be shot!

By my camera, of course :-)






Head shot sessions start at $400.00. Please contact the studio for more information or to book your session!

Ladies Night!

More Senior Sessions!

Better Together...

Laura and R.P.'s wedding was amazing. I feel sooooo blessed that I got to be their photographer!! Really. They were amazing. I think I had the biggest smile on my face driving home from their wedding on the Cape...and then always a smile as was editing their photos!! And not only were the bride and groom amazing, their friends and family were too! I had so much fun dancing around the dance floor snapping photos of everyone! I so much enjoyed spending this incredibly important day with them, as they fell more in love with each other with each passing moment.

More Senior Sessions!

Meghan

Sara

Rachel

Headshots with Laurel!

Here's her fabulous slideshow!

Matt and Mandy's Wedding

I had such a fun time with Matt & Mandy and their friends and family!

Check out the slide show below!