Settling into the fact that winter is on it's way. I don't think I am ready for the cold weather. It has been very busy the past couple of months here in the studio.
One of the hi-lites was a model shoot with Lauren. She is such a beautiful girl and we had a great day of shooting. Check out her video!
I wish you the best of luck, Lauren, in your quest. Don't forget me!!
Bye for now,
Janet
This summer has gone by so fast. Friday I take my daughter back to college! It was a busy summer for the studio and we met so many wonderful people.
Angela Macri from An Ultimate You spent the day with us shooting her models to promote her business of the wonderful art of make-up.
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Great job girls! You look gorgeous! | |
Karen and Tim got married in an intimate but elegant wedding ceremony at The Belvedere Mansion in Staatsbury NY. It was just beautiful when Tim bent down and put a ring on Karen's daughter's finger, marrying her as well. Check out their video. You guys were awesome and such fun! Your love for each other really shows, congratulations!
And what a party for Zach's Bar Mitzvah held at The Dutchess Country Club. Jodi went the extra mile in planning this spectacular event. Way to go, Zach!
Bye for now,
Janet
Wow, it is already the end of June and I haven't posted. The spring market opened up like a bang for the studio and between shooting and editing, there just doesn't seem to have any time left.
We shot a fabulous wedding in May with Leanne and Nick. They were married in a full mass ceremony and their reception was at Benmarl Winery at Slate Hill Vineyards, which I learned is the oldest vineyard in the country! The whole day was fantastic and you can see with the video below that everyone was having a blast.
I did my first bridal show at Villa Borghese and met some great people. Their show is more intimate and allows time to speak with brides and grooms.
Ashley, my daughter, is home from college and working as an intern for a computer software company in White Plains. Still very proud of this girl.
Well, check out the video!
Bye for now,
Janet
Some new and exciting things are blooming with spring. We have finally been able to replace the Pictage service (or lack thereof) with our own hosting, right from our website. It is very user friendly and the most important thing is that the studio has full control. I like that!
Some exciting weddings coming up and interesting venues. So make sure and check back to see the videos. I finally got my page on Facebook so send me a friend request.
This month's video is Kelvin and Jia. We did a portrait shoot in Poughkeepsie at a couple of locations and had a lot of laughs and great fun. Check it out!
Bye for Now,
Janet
Soooo cold today. -6 when I got up this AM. But we're gearing up for our trip to Las Vegas and the WPPI conference. I'm really looking forward to it this year. I want to check out all the new album options for my clients.
I joined Facebook last month. What a kick! People are finding me that I would have never thought would be on Facebook. Of course my daughter was "mildly disturbed" (her words), but she is using it to communicate with me and loves the fact that she gets my messages instantly on her new Blackberry Storm.
Also, I am having so much fun with creating Animoto videos. These guys are off the charts smart and they are constantly adding new features. I shot a very pretty Christmas themed wedding in December. I made a video, of course, so check it out!
Bye for Now,
Janet
Getting ready for your wedding day is an awesome undertaking. So many decisions to make and details to remember. Today I am posting my recommended top 10 things for you to prepare for your wedding pictures, especially your portraits. This list is from a photographers point of view, specifically mine, and intended to help you look your very best in your photographs. I recommend that you begin your preparation at least six months in advance.
1. If you must tan, do it sparingly and stop at least a week before your event. Tanning takes away the luster and smoothness of the skin and that shows up in the photos. Avoid bathing suit straps that create tan lines. Have your facials done a week ahead of time to allow the skin to recover from any reaction it may have.
2. Drink lots and lots of water. Not much more to say about that and you probably already know how much your skin needs it.
3. Exfoliate your skin, especially your elbows. I use a product that I love, Pure Fiji. It is a coconut sugar rub that you use in the shower and it not only exfoliates but leaves your skin nourished and soft.
4. Go to the dentist and have your teeth cleaned six months before your event. Then whiten them at home with a product that I picked up at the drug store called Luster. It is a similar technology to Zoom from the dentist at a fraction of the cost. Get the box that includes the activating whitening light as in just one hour your teeth will be at least five shades whiter. You can then purchase the rinse and gel separately and repeat the process just before your day.
5. Have your hair professional styled. Meet with your stylist ahead of time to decide what style you want and try it out. If you have long straight hair and you want curls, they may not hold throughout the day. Don't be afraid to try something different.
6. Do not apply your own make-up. Make-up artists are really good at what they do. Daytime and evening make-up should be different. The camera will remove about 50% of your make-up in the pictures so don't be afraid to let the make-up artist apply your make-up heavier than you would normally wear. Fake eyelashes make a big difference and cost a lot less than eyelash extensions. Go for it.
7. Choose a gown that flatters your figure. You may have your heart set on a strapless gown but it doesn't look good on YOU. Tell your maid-of-honor to be honest with you when you try on gowns. You will be much happier with your pictures when your gown fits properly.
8. Do a pre-shoot with your photographer. Getting to know each other will help you relax and allow your photographer to understand your best features which will make the posing easier on the day of the event. Allow enough time to shoot the portraits which means you will miss most of the cocktail hour. The cocktail hour is for your guests. You will have plenty of time to greet your guests at the reception.
9. Jewelry - real or fake? Real diamonds and pearls... why not!?! You don't have to go out and buy expensive diamonds and pearls, you can rent them from Adorn Brides at very reasonable rental prices. Not only will they look beautiful in your pictures but your guests will definitely notice and give you raves.
10. Choose a photographer that is accomplished in touch-up, airbrush, liquify and all of the Photoshop essentials that are necessary to edit photographs. Digital technology have given us the opportunity to enhance our images so make sure that the photographer you choose includes it automatically in their final proofs.
Good bye for now,
Janet
Okay, this is my first entry since last summer. The months just flew by but now that it is the beginning of a New Year, I am committed to posting each month.
We had an awesome studio project on Monday, January 5th. With gowns from Mary Abdoo and you, hair styling and artistry by Jackie Coy, gorgeous make-up by Rosalie Bell, flowers by Morgan's Florist and Nursery, modeling by Ashley Friend, Avery Toland, Tory Belin and Erin Otterbein. And then of course assisting for the day, Neal Martin and Diane Toland. I have attached a video, check it out!
Good bye for now,
Janet
