Awkward Things You Might Hear Me Say

"I wish the flowers would stop trying to involve me in their love lives."

Actually, I'm usually a bit more graphic about it when I've been sneezing for a few hours, but for today there is rain and the damp keeps the pollen from attacking my face.  Even so, I have been spending the day cleaning cameras like crazy and trying not to feed my Pinterest addiction with yet more frilly wedding photography.  I need to stop drooling over barn and beach weddings until later this spring when I can start shooting them more often, for now I am just focused on building ideas.

I've changed editing programs after my favorite publisher/printer stated hey would no longer be supporting the previous one.  I don't normally use third party "actions" for editing, but there are a few unique ones I adore for this set so it may be a change for the better.  Also, it allows me to reduce the time spent fighting with individual tools because I am obsessive over getting skin, hair and eyes to look ideal in my photography.

On the up-side, I've managed to hear from a number of weddings and our June and July dates are filling up again.  Couples still looking should request their day soon, and those thinking about a 2015 date will get fresh new images in the next few weeks to give them some ideas for their day.

Brothers

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Pinterest Ate My Soul

Oh the horror!

I have avoided joining Pinterest in a non-business aspect for as long as I could.  I'm obsessed with looking up wedding gowns if I'm not in the studio or at a wedding, so I've taken care to avoid the easy way to feed that need for flowing girly gowns.

Unfortunately, I am once again on bedrest after giving my doctors a heart attack by almost having a heart attack while in for what should have been a routine exam.  A friend sent me a note suggesting I check out "that site with the pictures" because I was fretting over how to plan a combined nursery for the toddler and newborn... and so I have fallen into the void of Pinterest.

I promise to come up for air and share things now and again, including the super cool news that we have a new camera on the way!  (this is almost as exciting to me as the new baby)  I have had to admit my poor darling has outlived her use as a primary shooter for weddings, and so she is being retired to the hands of my second shooter to live out her days as a studio and occasional wedding clicker if something goes wrong.

I am also happy to be the one back at the keys doing the emailing.  When you request info or contact us for a consultation, it is now "Akelis" herself answering the emails.  Normally it is Tanya doing this while I am out in the studio or running off to photograph a bride, but when all I have to do all day is edit images and play on Pinterest, it makes sense I be the one you hear from.

Models and local brides looking to perhaps do something a little different should check back at the end of this month for an open casting call.  I will be updating and creating new gallery displays for images in the near future.  Boudoir subjects can expect to hear from me soon if we want to share your lovely shots and had not previously obtained approval.  Couples booking for the up coming season of weddings can expect to be splashed all over the web as I find new ways to get your lovely mug out there.  And as always, recommendations from friends about using a photographer are always welcome as brides have so much to plan and do!

-Jeannine-

Hotel Shenanigans

As Valentine's Day creeps ever closer I keep wanting to do one big day of shooting to get in as many bookings as possible in a single push to help limit how often I am over extending as the due date for this baby crawls ever closer.  Thankfully, the ever beautiful Tanya has thrown her hat in the ring to pull an event out for all our sultry brides to be and sexy ladies in lingerie!

While I am gearing up with new lens orders for the 2014 wedding season, we are going to do a big day of shooting at a local hotel as well.  The goal will be to book a fancy room that has all those picture perfect elements you know and love about great boudoir.  So girls, are you ready?  Bring your favorite something sexy, have your make-up and hair done by our team, and get your very own session of seductive images to share with your Valentine or yourself.

Dates and location to follow soon.  And a big bonus for one lovely bride to be may just be in the works too!

Props and Baby Bumps

New goodies and props are popping up in my prop collection and I simply could not be happier.  

I've been browsing the shelves at our local dollar store as they begin to pull out the Valentine's Day and even some very early Easter items.  This is when I can always find things like strings of huge chunky faux pearls to use for a finishing touch over a soft lingerie look for boudoir.  I'm most proud of a collection of lace fans that I found a few days after Christmas as they were ditching the "last minute gifts" that did not sell.  Score six for a dollar in different colors and no worries if they break or rip.

Soon I'll be going back, this time to look for items to use at my up-coming baby celebration and of course I'll be keeping an eye out for props.  One of my all time favorites came from a friend's baby shower where she used flowers in clear crystal slides (made to look like flowers pressed in glass).  Placing this just off center and shooting through it focused on a posing child or baby gives a lovely dual image without having to fuss with layers that may not line up in post process.  This also lets me have a reminder of that party as a paper weight on my desk when meeting with clients or editing in the evenings.

Colors are a big deal for me this year.  I've found that my tastes always seems to float to soft teals, greens, yellows and blues with toddlers and young kids, and deep jewel tones of burgundy, violet, and jade when it comes to adults.  I love a classing pin-up girl touch of red for boudoir, but it has started to land in the overkill zone lately with Rockabilly influence seeming to forget that there are color choices beyond black, white and red.  I'm a sucker for a bold blue because it does such good in the right light, making even simple images floaty and full of an ethereal sense of heavenly beauty.  

I'm going to do some color study images soon for sharing, something to take my mind off how much the pregnancy is slowing down my desire to get out there and shoot.  I also have another shoot in the works with a fellow boudoir photographer as part of celebrating my pregnancy and trying to reclaim some of the strength and drive this has sapped over the last month.  I'm obsessed with doing a henna belly shoot, so I'll be having a ball with sharing those shots in the near future.

Naps Are Sexy

It feels like we've been moving forever.  I know really we are done with most of the work, but all I want to do tonight is take a very long nap.  Things in the new space are about 70% settled and I'll have time to test out the lighting and such by Friday, but for now you can enjoy something a tad different. 

These are test shots from when I set up my first home studio and had to replace bulbs in the studio stands.  I was working solo, so I just placed the camera on my tripod stool and used the timer to capture a few different things so I could see how much I needed to raise or lower the exposure.

The image of my hips and heels is a personal favorite as it was an accident that turned out to be one of the best from that test.  Anyway, hope you enjoy these while I go take a nap!

New Beginnings

Gowns provided by:
Weddings By Armando

Congratulations to Steven & Lorina Gray.  

It was a beautiful wedding,
and we all wish you a wonderful married life.

Photofreak Photography: Shameless Plug Time

Recently I began working on the other end of the lens and staging my return to work as a model.  This has been rough at times and while I miss the thin body I had in college, I am getting more comfortable day by day.  In the works are at least two more shoots with other local photographers, but I wanted to share a few favorites from my first time back in the role of model. 

To see more work from Photofreak Photography or to book your own shoot, please check him out here.

We're Back

After an impromptu vacation from being a responsible adult while we had family medical needs, I am back now, and ready to apologize for my disappearance with the sharing of some great things.  Namely, images from training my apprentice today.

Blue Haired Lady

One of my favorite models came by for a visit the other day to show off her new hair color.  We took a few shots to update her portfolio and while I'm not even close to finished with editing, I love this new look on her.

Big Beautiful Boudoir

After unplanned car repairs ruined our savings for this weekend's trip to the fairy festival, I dusted myself off and gotten right back to taking a shoot and keeping focused on the fact that there is so much I could/should be celebrating. 

A few weeks ago I shared an image and quote from a young woman named Tanya.  She's a beautiful woman and was happy to share her feelings on why boudoir can be so positive for women to try.  Today we had the second have of our shoot, and a good laugh at the long process of me lacing and clipping her into a full boned corset.

Here's a look at this pretty girl and some highlights from her last two shoots.

Why Boudoir?

Boudoir can be intimidating for many reasons; personal image issues with your weight or confidence, the fear that somebody would find the photos or that they will be plastered all over the internet to ruin your reputation, or the misconception that boudoir requires you to be pornographic in some way. Perhaps there is even the feeling that when you hand the finished product to your special somebody that they will be unhappy about the results, or angry that you allowed another person to see you in such an intimate way.

After hearing stories from many of my clients on how this was a huge step outside their comfort zone or how getting their photos back gave them a chance to really see how beautiful they are inside and out, I wanted to share their stories to let you all in on the not-so-secret.

Pamela

A few weeks ago I shared the story of my best friend and her boudoir shoot. She and I were college roommates and have similarly aged toddlers. She is a wonderful person and has a glowing smile, but really never has the chance to shine anymore between her work as a nurse and her work as a mom. I am so pleased she took the time to share her thoughts as her shoot has some of my favorite classic poses.

"Being a mom has given me a very different image of myself an sometimes it overtakes who I feel I am as an individual. For me boudoir was a reminder of that person I am and have always been. It's a way of showing myself I'm not just a mom I'm still woman and that is something to celebrate. It's fun and it's probably outside of a lot of woman's comfort zones (mine included) but the images afterward are incredible it gives you a glimpse of what others see in you not just the physical features."

Tanya

A stay-at-home mother of two that once had some serious self esteem and body image issues, she has had a long road to get to the confident and outspoken woman we see today. I feel blessed to help show off her big, beautiful smile in this surprise sitting done while her husband was out at work. This survivor of a truly unpleasant past is an inspiration for being so confident no matter what her detractors try to say.

"I feel it isn't so much about the modeling as it is about how the woman feels in their own skin. the fact that I have posed for pictures of this fashion says a lot of how I portray myself in my own eyes. Do I have some problem areas that need to be worked on? sure I do! do I have areas that I wish would never see the light of the sun and curse the eyes of others? maybe... but I am who I am, not one single person is going to change that and the ability to be photographed and show that personality, MY personality and my soul and inner being shines through. when I look at any and all pictures taken of me not only do I see body and soul and personality, I also see growth, as a person, and I also see the growth of the photographer. "

Charity

Charity has been featured here on our blog a few times and writes her own thoughts on working as a model in boudoir, fashion and fetish. She is always a pleasure to work with and talk to about many things. I often call Charity when it is time to do a study on poses or for a chance to practice with an experienced and flexible model before working with a client. She is happy to give feedback and honest opinions without overly praising or dragging out a negative when having a bad day. For this reason I respect her thoughts on boudoir as an art form and as a model.

"Boudoir shots for me are all about the setting and the mood. These shots are based on the concept of a lady’s “sitting room” where she would entertain visitors and lovers. They can include nudity and implied nudity but in essence nudity and being scantily clad is not a requirement. Boudoir for me typically uses lingerie and lighting. They can involve props and gloves as well as full body or just an arm."

Writing this and speaking to these ladies has given me the final push to put aside my own insecurities about my health troubles and lingering baby weight. In the coming weeks I will be planning and posing for a new boudoir shoot of my very own. I plan to share some inside images of the process and the results in an up coming blog later in June.

Thank you to every one of my brave and beautiful ladies for sharing this experience with the world. I hope they can inspire you to be brave and believe in your own beauty!  If you are located in the New Hampshire or southern Maine area and would like to book your own boudoir session, please contact our studio for more details.

Toes In The Sand

Saturday was my first beach wedding of the 2013 season.  The bride and groom picked a great spot and made the best of a rainy day to celebrate the start to a whole new life.  I wanted a share a little summary of the day and some of my favorite moments with you all.

Congratulations again on your marriage!

 

 

Farmer's Markets Are Wonderful

This week is crowded with work.  Tuesday - Sunday I will be assisting my favorite florist with their busy Mother's Day ordering season, Saturday is my first beach wedding of 2013, and next week I will be meeting with fellow small business owners to discuss having some Weddings By Armando original designs on display at their boutique!

To get ready for all of that I spent Saturday back at the Farmer's Market in Portland.  My son and I enjoyed sampling and selecting our delicious local goodies and eating a healthy lunch in the park at the duck pond.  I apologize in advance that I will disappear for most of the week, but to get you all in the mood for some lovely summer weather I'll give you these beautiful images of fresh food and local goods.  Support your local farmers and visit the market yourself (or check out one near you).

Earth Day & Spring Blooms

The flowers starting to bloom in front of my door.

My "day job" has eaten up a ton of time this month.  I agreed to take on extra hours when a co-worker left unexpectedly and we needed to fill the gaps in the week.  The income certainly has not hurt, but it makes time to shoot harder to find.  With the grass growing and the snow all gone, flowers have started to appear on the little patch of green between my front door and parking space and this makes me want to shoot even more.  Spring has such wonderful light for catching the natural world. 

Taken to show the new dye and make-up purchased 
from my "other job" at LUSH: Handmade Cosmetics.

To go with the change of seasons, I changed my hair color again.  This time going darker and working with the shorter trim I have now.  My skin has the wonderful pink glow that means my fragile balance between too much sun (I'm a lovely Victorian alabaster most of the time) and not being able to resist going out into the garden has shifted to the sunny side.  I think over the next few days while I am home it will get worse.  I plan on spending much of my time outside starting the long task of preparing my garden and playing with the tiny monster boy.

All this and planning out a photo shoot for the little man's birthday.  I avoided Easter photos with him but I cannot escape that his second birthday is coming and as a photographer mommy I will have to think about what to do for this year.  Two years is a hard age to shoot as he wants to run, giggle, fidget, and generally be a crazy little boy.  His favorite object at the moment is his blue kickball, and I suspect that will appear in this year's photos as well as the "guitar" he so enjoys (my husband's old PS2 controller) and his favorite shoes ever (my gardening boots).

Check back soon for wedding shots and some great wildlife items from a trip to the rescue and rehab center for injured animals!  Tonight I leave you with a look at one o my favorite parts of spring... baby things!  These kittens are from our neighbor's most recent litter of fluffy toe nibblers.