WanderingBohemianPhoto

Caitlin & Jason

2011-12-21T15:02:00.000-08:00

Omg - Ivy is actually posting a NEW blog! I have been terribly behind on blogging, as usual. Though I have been updating my Facebook regularly, so its always good to check there. I have some new handy-dandy templates for posting blog pics, as well as a nifty new assistant, Ashley, to help me. :D So hopefully I can get some stuff accomplished over the winter months besides just editing.

Now that the last colorful leaf has fallen, and winter's breath is closing in, I find myself reminiscing about my favorite fall weddings I have shot. Let me share one of them:

Caitlin & Jason were married by Beth Palubinsky on October 10, 2010 at the Kimberton Waldorf School, where Caitlin works as the associate director of development. I absolutely loved all the significant little touches that were so much a part of their ceremony. I included this ring shot because I like how you can see the reflection of the tree they got married under in the rings.

See all the little holes in the tree? They were all made by woodpeckers! The old tree over the ceremony site was just covered with woodpecker holes! Super neat. :)

The couple wanted to do a first look before the wedding, which of course I am all about! Its so much more romantic and intimate to see each other for the first time that way - instead of in front of throngs of people. Though, of course, you have to be ok with seeing each other before the ceremony.

It wouldn't be a proper wedding without cowboy boots! :)~

or bridal portraits . . .

Distressed walls are also fun backgrounds! Every time I look at the below images I remember Serena saying, "Glow, baby, glow . . ." when we were shooting them. And Caitlin really DID glow.

Caitlin's father, Freddy Rodríguez, is a wonderful abstract painter. All the colorful details that made up the ceremony were thanks to him. :D

Fun with wagons . . . .

Jason was pretty good with that thing! I sense a past skateboarder . . . or maybe snowboarder? lol

The reception was held at Becca's Restaurant, in Phoenixville. Everyone there was wonderful, the food was out of this world, and I had THEE BEST risotto I have had since Italy - bar none!

And lastly, low light couples portraits at the end of the evening. I have been doing this at almost every wedding now, I know I mentioned it before. It gives the couple a nice variety of bright and sunny day portraits, as well as moody and romantic low light portraits. Gives me a variety when editing too! As an artist, I have to keep working on new and different images or I get stagnant. I really do love doing the low light stuff especially - its so Hollywood Noir.

Laura & Jared

2011-09-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Leaves are starting to tinge with color, kids are back to school, and Halloween paraphernalia has already hit the shelves at CVS. It still doesn't feel like summer should be over though! Lord knows I am sick of being hot all the time, but I still feel as if this summer just flew by when I wasn't looking. :/

The weather today puts me in mind of a wedding I shot last summer in Pottstown, Pa. It was July, and super hot that month. But Laura's wedding dawned at a comfortable temperature and with overcast skies. I remember thinking, "Boy! She really lucked out with today's weather!" The only draw-back was that they had to move the ceremony inside in case it rained.

Laura & Jared were married at the Old Mill House in Perkiomen Valley Park. (everytime I see 'Perkiomen' my brain always automatically reads it as 'Pokemon'. lol) Their wedding was all about bright summer colors - especially oranges and hot pinks. Laura's favorite flower, Gerbera Daisies, were in abundant attendance! :)

We had intended to do a few sexy pics before Laura got dressed. However, because they had to move the ceremony inside last minute, there were oodles of people milling around the house that we had not expected to be there. The room where the bride gets ready has these really big windows. While they are wonderful for soft light, not-so-wonderful for privacy. BUT! Because Serena and I often shoot models in difficult situations, we knew just what to do. :)

I busted out a length of tulle that I had brought, and we made a wrap with it, while Laura kept a tube top and shorts underneath for modesty. So it has the LOOK that she's not wearing a top underneath, but was still ok for nosey relatives peeking in the windows, lol.

This next one turned into a classical-style portrait when I was editing it. Not sure where that came from. I think it looks like a painting you would expect to see hanging over someone's fireplace in a big victorian house. (" . . . and THIS is a wedding day portrait of my great-great-great grandmother, Laura. Wasn't she a dish?")

Sometimes I start a piece thinking I'm going to do it one way - and then it kinda takes over on its own while I'm photoshopping and it turns out to be something completely different than I thought. Having spoken to other artists, it seems that is a common occurrence. I suppose that's what they mean when they say 'being inspired by Lady Muse'. ;)

I got so many great couples portraits that day (we had lots of time!) that I'll keep the getting ready and ceremony pics super sweet and short, and just post a few of my absolute fav's.

LOVE this ceremony pic. Unfortunately the officiant was also standing right there in the middle of them. He was talking at the time and making a really goofy face in the pic. No problem! I waved my photoshop magic wand and WHOOSH! *insert sparkles and magical Disney sound effects here* Beautiful!

Portraits, portraits, portraits. :)

Ok! Before I show you these next pics, you have to hear the story behind it. Laura and her dad were really close, but sadly he passed away when she was young. The one thing that's around that she feels has a little piece of her father's spirit is his car. He refurbished it himself, and now it belongs to her uncle. As a matter of fact - Laura & Jared went to their senior prom together in this car! (She showed me the pics, they were totally adorable. <3 ) They wanted to use the car as their wedding day ride, so that in a way, it would be like having her dad there with her. Plus it was also symbolic of Laura & Jared's relationship coming full circle, since it was also their prom car. However, with the rain seeming like it was going to pour down any minute that morning, she was really worried her uncle might not be able to bring it. But not long after my crew and I arrived to start shooting, there he was with the car and bad weather be-damned! She was SO happy, her whole face just lit up. :_)

I chose this next wide angle shot to edit because Serena said it looks like the car is smiling. lol I dont know - I kinda think it looks like the car is smiling in all of them! ;)

Look at the reflection in the windshield glass just above the rear view mirror on the top left hand side. See it? It says "Eat, Pray, Love." (backwards of course, lol) Didn't plan on that, but I thought it was neat. I was too busy contorting myself to get the shot without me in it. It was so funny - when Jared got in he said, "Boy, this car sure does seem like it got a lot smaller since high school! I'm having trouble fitting! lol"

On to the reception pics . . .

The reception was held at the Pottstown Elks Lodge. Laura chose the venue due to its historic nature and the AMAZING castle-tower-looking turret. The Lodge employee's were kind enough to let them run up to the tower for a few shots . . . .

And lastly, a few of my favorite end of the evening pics from the reception. Can you tell I have fallen in love with film grain recently? lol (thank you Jeff Ascough!)

Romantic Threads & Dark Beauty Magazine

2011-08-31T22:21:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I had the pleasure of photographing some gowns from one of my favorite designers, Belinda Barry of Romantic Threads. Her gowns are AMAZING. One of a kind, cant find anywhere else, knock down gorgeous, just gotta have it gowns. I highly recommend her to all brides our there looking for something custom made and unique!

Follow the link and check out the way her dresses transformed bride to be Chrissy in daring black (yes, I said black!) for an episode of David Tutera's My Fair Wedding this past January. The wedding theme was Alice in Wonderland. (LOVE!)

Creations by Romantic Threads were recently featured in the June/July issue of Dark Beauty Magazine, including a 2 page spread with artwork by your truly. :) Hair, Make up and modeling (she's a very busy lady! lol) by the ever-fabulous and talented Serena Star of Serena Star Photography.

Thought I'd share with you all a few others from the day, as well as the full versions of the magazine pics. ^_^

Ok, I know these next 2 images don't show the gown, but I was just having too much fun playing with the mask. Serena mentioned later what a coincidence it was that we ended up using a butterfly mask, as she had recently been proposed to by her now-fiance in the Butterfly Garden at the Museum of Natural Sciences. We actually didn't even think about that until after the shoot!

I have been so focused on the weddings lately with my work, that I thought it would be a good idea to stretch my digital painting legs a bit and have some fantasy-fun with a couple of the images. I've been feeling rusty lately. You know what they say - you don't use it, you lose it! (except in the case of body fat apparently, lol)

There was a second model scheduled for the day, but her car broke down on the way to the shoot and she was unable to make it at the last minute. Booooo. What can ya do? Gotta make due. ;)

There's things I like about the image above and things I don't. Its definitely an idea I would like to play with more in the future. The next image below, on the other hand, I am quite happy with how it came out. I would have liked to edit more from the day, at some point when I have the time I might delve back into it. When it comes to photoshop painting, sometimes you just have to sit on pics for awhile until inspiration strikes.

Keep checking back! More cool wedding pics on the way.

Holly & Greg

2011-08-08T12:47:00.000-07:00

All this hot weather lately has put me in mind of a wedding I did last year and haven't posted yet. (big surprise, right? lol I am searching for an assistant as we speak!) Greg and Holly were married on 4rth of July weekend, and it was a good old fashioned, american, giant party of a wedding! The ceremony and reception took place in Shwenksville, Pa. on a friends property. The house site has a beautiful, sweeping vista kind of view (you will see in some of the photos!), so its no surprise to me why they chose this location.

Serena was particularly excited when she saw the chess set.:)

Personally, I was more all about the funky shark thingees sticking out of the fern. lol

A few of my favorite bridal portraits of the day! Holly gave us lots of time to play both inside and outside, and got some really great portraits as a result. Her colors were hot pink and green, so I brought her a wrap with pink and green accents to use as a prop in some of the photos. I love her pink shoes!

When it was time for the bridal party pics, we played with some thought balloons that I brought. I gave everyone a marker and told them to write what they were thinking. In retrospect, I think maybe I should have had already pre-printed some words on them that they could choose from. I told everybody to put on their best thinking face. It was alot of fun!

Holly's sister's thought balloon was broken in a strong gust of wind. (note to self - next time use stronger sticks) I felt very bad for her because in the rest of the photos she had no thoughts. :( We also had one where we gave Holly's brother's butt a thought balloon, but though funny, I didn't think would be appropriate to post. lol

Couldn't resist posting this pic - all hail the Great God of Greg! *bows low and worships* ;p (and yes - we often shoot into the sun on purpose. I'm sure our camera sensors are screaming in agony every time we do it, but the results are well worth it.)

Lots of couples portraits on the deck! I was loving that red umbrella. *I would also like to note here that I highly approve of Holly's choice of Corona. ;)

Troy caught this next shot while Serena and I were posing the bride and groom. I thought it was pretty neat. Right below it is the photo that was being taken at the time. :)

I wanted to do some pics that were playful and whimsical, so Greg and Holly practiced their Jedi levitation skillz for me. "Feel The Force around the bouquet!" ;p

A helpful gust of wind at just the right time in this next one. Though there was a little kid running by behind them in the left of the frame that I had to edit out. But this was 'the shot' of this set, so it was definitely worth a little extra work.

A few of my favorite reception pics. :)

Oh! And check out these awesomely creative meatball and spaghetti cupcakes that Greg's dad made! (no, they were not actually made from meatballs and spaghetti, they just look like it. lol)

It was SO HOT that day I cant even tell you! You know the kind of hot day that you burn your hand on the doorknob just going into the house? It was awful! Both Holly and Greg are teachers, so there were alot of children at this party and they were getting pretty cranky in the heat. Solution? Set up the slip-n-slide! It was up to the bride and groom to take the traditional first 'Ceremonial Slide.' *grin*

Troy caught me snapping pics of Greg's brother. Love this one. :)

Luckily, Greg had another shirt and a dry jacket in the house. Holly's dress dried out just in time for sunset couple's portraits on the hill.

We also had a tree strung with lights to the side of the house, courtesy of the best man busting his hump to do it for us! Got lots of magical, romantic pics - some using my sparkle filter and some without, but this next one was my favorite of them. I always post too many pics as it is I think, so I just chose this one.

And lastly, what 4rth of July party would be complete without sparklers!? I had alot of fun shooting some of the images at a super-duper low shutter speed. (I cant even remember what I was using now, I think it was like 1/15 of a second at 2.8) Not only to see the effects of playing with the sparklers, but because it makes the people look ghostly and I thought that was really neat.

I would like to end this blog by sending out my congrats to Holly and Greg, who are now expecting their first child (baby girl!) in a few months. I feel so lucky and blessed to have produced the images that this little girl will have to pass on to her children someday. I love my job. :_)

Frankie & Stevie-Lyn , A Fairytale Come True

2011-04-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

This is a wedding I have been wanting to share with everyone for some time. It held a tremendous amount of personal meaning for me. Not only was it a fairytale themed wedding (which, of course, is right up my alley!), but theirs is also a true story of love overcoming all obstacles.

A quote from the wedding cards . . .

" . . . . . But knowing you love me too . . . just your heart, in exchange for mine . . . You could search to the furthest reaches of the universe and never find anything more beautiful."
~ Stardust, the movie

Frankie and Stevie met when they were teenagers and became best friends. It took time for them to realize that what they felt for each other was growing into more than friendship. I wish I could go into detail about all the ensuing years of struggle and emotional hardship they went through in order to be together, but it is a very personal story. However, I can share with you the results of that difficult journey - 20 years later, they finally got the wedding of their dreams. :_) The theme combined Stevie's love of fairytales & Disney, with Frank's style of victorian gothic. They both are big fans of the play Wicked, so there were a lot of touches added from that as well. I tried to tailor my editing style to play up those elements for them as I worked on the images in photoshop.

So hang onto your ruby slipper, folks! Because there are so many great images and fun details, that this is going to be a long blog post!

Looooove the detail stitching on Stevie's Cinderella gown . . . .

And a little ladybug for luck! ;)

Stevie's grandmothers pearls. Her caption for this photo on Facebook is "I'll get you my pearlies! And your little earrings too!" lol

Every girl needs a garter . . .

Instead of a bouquet, Stevie carried a full reproduction of the wand from Wicked that she had specially made.

Weddings bands and engagement ring from Tiffany's . . . .

The wedding favors were hand-painted poison apples from Disney's Snow White. How cool are these!?

Frankie is so romantic . . . . *le sigh*

. . . . . which put Stevie in the mood for a little bridal boudoir ;)

Time to get dressed!

Did I mention she also had the tiara from Wicked made? I have such a tiara obsession, lol. ;0)

The pensive bride . . . .

In the meantime, on the other side of the kingdom, the Prince and his companions make ready . . . .

Instead of the traditional flower boutonnieres, the groom and groomsmen each had an enchanted object. Frankie had the snow-drop flower (given for protection) from the movie Stardust, made of blown glass. Stevie's brother wore the tin man's metal heart from Wicked, because he has triumphed over heart problems himself. And the best man wore the key that sets Calypso free from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

A gift from My Lady . . .

It's all about the gothic touches with this fairytale hero!

The ceremony and reception took place in the glass conservatory at The Madison Hotel. It was beautiful!

The Fairy Godmother's of the West! (they are from California) Does that pretty, dark haired lady on the right look familiar to you? Well, she should! That's Yvonne Craig, the original Batgirl from the 1960's tv series! I remember being a kid and watching that show all the time. It was because of Batgirl's red locks and spunky attitude that made me want to be a red head someday. (thank you Miss Clairol, for helping me to realize that dream. ;)

A couple after-ceremony bridal portraits

. . . . . and couple's portraits, of course!

The location outside wasn't quite as WonderLand-esque as Stevie would have wished, so I did a specially commissioned Digital Painting for them. Via photoshop, I cut out Frankie & Stevie from the image below:

And used them to create this Digital Art piece. It was Stevie's idea to turn the hedge into a heart, I think it gives it just the right Alice in Wonderland touch! I wanted to put a pink flamingo lawn ornament in the hedge (like the croquet mallets that the Queen of Hearts uses), but it just didn't look right when I tried it. :/ I also had to add the larger tiara digitally, because the smaller one she was actually wearing didn't show up well enough. It took me a full day to do this piece, around 9 hours total, including all the layering and texture work.

The Reception . . .

I absolutely LOVE this cake! I said to Stevie, "Where did you ever find a blonde Snow White cake topper!?" Apparently you really can get anything on Ebay. lol

Nothing beats the magic of the First Dance . . .

. . . except maybe the magic of the 2nd dance! ;)~

Reception! :D

And lastly, some end of the night couple's portraits, just as the clock struck midnight . . .

(I played up the green light in photoshop because it reminded me of the Emerald City . ;)

Talking Retouching II

2011-03-28T17:15:00.000-07:00

My last blog about beauty and post-work, Let's Talk Retouching, turned out to be so popular I thought it was time for round two.

It’s no secret that most of the images we see today in magazines, online, on tv and in brand advertisements are photoshopped. (ask anyone who knows me - I'm always spouting off about it! lol) Fashion magazines claim that readers are not being deceived by their photoshopped pages, because the public has been made aware of the use of image retouching via the media. But is that what's at the forefront of your mind as you page through magazines and walk past billboards? And what about our children? What is the new generation taking away from this media onslaught of digital perfection that they are being exposed to every day?

“I don’t think women and girls know the extent to which photos are retouched. I don’t. And even if they do know, I’m not sure it penetrates.

Nutritionist, Alexis Best

If you have 6 minutes to spare, I highly recommend you watch this next video!

Every woman and young girl should see this.

Check out this short but powerful video from the Dove Self Esteem campaign.

How many of you caught Madonna's ad campaign for Dolce and Gabbana in the spring of 2010? The photos were everywhere. (I saw them in Italian Vogue) They stirred up quite the controversy when unretouched images from the photoshoot were leaked. Take a look at a few before and afters:

Amazing what smooth and perfect skin a woman of 52 has, isn't it!? NOT. In fact, it is quite impossible for a woman of 52 to ever look as good as these retouched photos show. She looks like she's in her 20s! There is not a plastic surgeon in the world who could turn back the hands of time like that. Lets take a look at a few more:

Here's another image from the final, edited and retouched ad campaign. Wow.

Found this shot of Madonna posing in her infamous bunny ears for an ad campaign for luxury brand Louis Vuitton.
And to the right, the final retouched image they used in the ads.

I can't help but feel that here's a woman who could be a prominent representative for mature women and Real Beauty. But instead she is promoting an image for her age that is quite clearly extremely deceptive. Now, I'm no fan of Britney Spears, but I was thrilled when she helped raise awareness of this topic by releasing side-by-side photographs of her before and after retouching for a Candies ad campaign.

Let's take a minute to talk about Kelly Clerkson - who saw that September issue of Self magazine?
The songbird graced the cover of Self's "total body confidence issue."

Now here's some candid photos of Kelly taken at one of her performances, during that same time period that she posed for the Self magazine cover:

Self magazine admits it did airbrush the singer, but they are also saying it was no more than they do for every other cover model. (uh-huh) The editor-in-chief argued, "Our picture shows her confidence and beauty." Some are saying that it seems like Self magazine doesn't have the confidence to show the singer's real body - booty and all. Many readers have expressed disappointment and outrage over the digitally slimmed Clarkson.One person who doesn't have a problem with her weight is Kelly Clarkson herself. She tells the magazine: "When people talk about my weight, I'm like, 'You seem to have a problem with it; I don't...I'm fine!' I'm never trying to lose weight – or gain it. I'm just being!" Good for you Kelly.

In September of 2009, Glamour Magazine released an unretouched photo of 20 year old plus-size model Lizzie Miller. (she's 5'11" and a size 12, btw) The photograph accompanied an article about body confidence. The image shows a beautiful, creamy-skinned, naked model . . . with a small roll of stomach fat.

It's a photo that measures all of three by three inches," said Cindi Leive, editor of US Glamour in a post on the magazine's blog, "but the letters about it started to flood my inbox literally the day Glamour hit news stands." She says that the overwhelming reaction to the tiny photo, buried on page 194 "shows that the world is hungry to see pictures of normal women." The model herself says, "pretty much every picture in a magazine or ad is airbrushed . . . I don't think the public understands how much smoke and mirrors are involved in making women look like that."

The French are trying to make the public more aware. French parliamentarians concerned by eating disorders and body image want a warning slapped on ads and fashion photos that are digitally enhanced to make models more appealing. Parliamentarian Valerie Boyer and some 50 other legislators, have proposed a law aimed at fighting touched up images that distort reality. "Such images can lead people to believe in a reality that often does not exist," Boyer said in an explanatory statement. The proposed legislation calls for photographs of people "whose body image has been digitally manipulated to be accompanied by a statement saying 'digitally enhanced to modify a person's body image.'" I personally really wish the United States would get on board with some of that kind of thinking.

Let's look at a few more examples:

Beyonce


Naomi Watts

Jennifer Aniston, who will be 42 this year.

Julia Stiles

Avril Lavigne

Mena Suvari

Real Housewives' Bethenny Frankel

Check out these images of super model Mischa Barton.
The first image was a candid taken before the shoot. The second, obviously, is after hair and make up.

And a couple other tidbits I found in my on-line travels . . . .

And we women aren't the only ones who are getting digital touch up work done these days!

Do you feel your eyes have been opened yet? I hope so! I'm going to leave with you something really funny I found while surfing before and after photos for this blog. Speaking as someone who grew up playing with Barbie and her fashion-tastic glittering world, I was always criticizing myself in the mirror for not being more . . . well . . Barbie-like. lol It wasn't until years later that I began to understand no human woman could ever come close to matching Barbie's perfect plastic physique. Barbie was launched on March 9th, 1959. If Barbie was a real person, and we consider that her birthday, then she would have just turned 52. Here's an image that someone photo-shopped to show how she might look today at age 52 after all her glamorous living. (and menopause) HA!

In Memoriam

2011-03-18T19:24:00.000-07:00

A lot has been happening in my life the past few months. Those of you who follow me on my Personal Facebook page know some of what's been going on. It has been a fall and winter full of changes for me, and unfortunately lots of worry and sorrow thrown into the mix.

The first thing that happened most of you already know about - that I had to move again just as fall began. When I was young I loved moving around. It was always an exciting adventure to live someplace new and have the opportunity for a fresh start. (I'm a big fan of beginnings) Now that I'm older, I'm really very tired of moving. I can't help but see it as ironic that now that I'm finally ready to put down roots, circumstances in my life have been forcing me to keep moving. *sigh* This most recent move was due to the fact that my fiance got custody of his 10 year old daughter, and all her friends and relatives are here in Bucks County. And to be honest, I have always been a Bucks County girl at heart. Any excuse to move closer to the woods and New Hope is always fine with me! :)

Moving, however, is a traumatic event no matter what the circumstances. (Especially for those of us with ocd issues and many boxes of breakable items, lol) I read once that 3 of the most traumatic events a person can through in life is: Death, Divorce and Moving. After having moved several times in the past few years, I have to say I agree. We downsized from a 4 bedroom house (this area is much more expensive than where we were living) and that in itself is hectic trying to find room to store so many items. I still have to wade my way through boxes and bins and over-stuffed closets just to find anything half the time.

Not long after we moved, my kitty of 10 years, Figaro, was hit by a car and killed. I felt awful. I still feel awful. Most of my kitties have always been indoor cats, for many reasons of safety and health. Figaro, however, was a kitty I rescued from the streets of Philadelphia. She was already accustomed to being outside and hunting, and though I had her spayed immediately, she never lost the urge to go out. When I lived in Morrisville for 4 years, we had a big back yard and lived far back from the road. Figaro went out all the time and was super happy there. She brought me home all kinds of prizes from birds to garden snakes to baby mice. I can still remember how proud she would be showing off her mighty huntress skills for mommy. :_) There were times when I was forced to keep her indoors 24/7 due to where we lived, but she was always miserable and cried at the doors and windows often.

Here in Yardley it is very woodsy, and the house affords a little property for a kitty to run and call her own. I hadn't seen her so happy in years. She loved it here. The bad part is that on one side of the house there's a road. I bought her a reflective collar and tag, brought her in every night, and hoped that her street smarts from her days in Phili wouldn't desert her. Sadly, it wasn't enough. There was a thunderstorm and it was pouring rain with bad visibility. I couldn't find her to bring her in before the storm, though I searched and called. We found her after the storm in the road. She had been hit by a car. It was obvious that it had been quick, thank god, but that is scant comfort. I don't think the person that hit her even bothered to stop. :(

During the summer and fall of 2010 my father was having a lot of trouble with his health. This is not uncommon for him, as he had been plagued by health problems for many years. Everything from prostate cancer, to diabetes, to heart attacks and high cholesterol. It was rare that he let anything stop him though, he just kept chugging along. After he had a double bypass operation 2 years ago, he and my mother decided to sell their properties in Philadelphia and move to North Carolina. They bought a cute little house in the foothills of the mountains, about 30 minutes outside of Asheville. I know he loved it and was super happy there. But his health never bounced back as it always had in the past. He became plagued by fluid build up in his limbs and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. In early December his kidneys began to fail and the Dr.'s had no choice but to put him on dialysis twice a week. This was too much of a strain on his heart, and he passed away at 8pm on December 22, 2010. (the night of the Winter Solstice and the Lunar Eclipse)

It took me this long to be able to talk about it enough to post this blog. I am still working through my grief and a lifetime of feelings. I was my father's only child and our relationship was often a complicated one. The first thing people always ask when a relative dies is, "Were you close?" I'm never sure how to answer that question where my father is concerned. There were times when we were close. And then there were also lots of time when we weren't. :/ We never really understood one another, we often butted heads and hurt each others' feelings. (I'm alot like my mother and I think that drove him nuts) Things were for the most part patched up between us for the last several years, and amends were made on both sides. I knew his health was deteriorating, I knew it was coming. Yet it still hit me like a ton of bricks. I am learning that no matter the relationship, the death of a parent is a huge big deal.

In Memory of : Frank Cutillo

Born - Feb 29, 1944 Died - Dec 22, 2010

Yup, that's my parents. :) They were married on Valentine's Day.

and that worried looking little poop-head is me! lol

me and my dad years later . . . . I think this was Thanksgiving.

my father as granpop with my daugher Casey, back when she was just a little rugrat.

(she's 18 now!)

A few months after my father's death, Dr.'s found a tumor in my mother's bladder. It was cancer. Already trying to wrap my head around my father's passing, (and everything else that had been going on) I now had a new crisis to deal with. My daughter, her boyfriend, my cousin and myself made a trip to North Carolina to be there for her while she had the surgery to remove the tumor. I had actually already been planning a trip to see my mom to help her go through and pack up my father's things, and so that I could pick up his ashes.She was very sick afterwards. We are still not sure if it was a reaction to the chemo or some of the medication they gave her. But I am happy to report some good news for a change! Further tests (and a biopsy of the tumor) have revealed that the cancer was in the very early stages, and they got it all. Her prognosis is excellent and she's doing much better now. THANK GOODNESS. My mom and I have always been close. She is the glue that holds my world together. The one I always run to when I'm upset or have a problem that seems insurmountable. My font of motherly wisdom and humor born of a lifetime of experiences and struggle. I would be lost without her.

There have been various other trials and tribulations that went on this winter that I won't go into. Suffice it to say it's been a rough few months, and I'm really looking forward to spring and better days! Sadly however, there was one more death to come. Though my mother was saved, we lost our kitty Jax shortly after. :_( Jax was my fiance's cat. He received Jax as a gift for his 10th birthday and the 2 of them have been best buddies ever since. Their relationship was very special, and it has been super hard for Troy to lose him. Jax was always a healthy and happy cat up until his very last day. He died in our bedroom with Troy holding him. He became sick very suddenly, and by the time the vet arrived it was too late. He had organ failure due to old age and died March 7, 2011 at the age of 21. We still miss him everyday.

Well, I think that pretty much brings everyone up to speed. I'm continuing to work my way through editing that got backed up while all of this stuff has been going on in my life. I love my work, so it actually helps me tremendously to have quiet hours to get lost in photoshop and practice my art for my brides. Though it can be tedious, for the most part I find photo editing to be quite soothing. In the way that my father used to come home and plop down in front of the tv to forget his problems, I escape into my art to forget mine.

So stay tuned! I will have lots and lots of new photos to post in the next few weeks. And a great, big, heartfelt thank you to all my friends, clients, and fans who have been so understanding and supportive during this time. :_)

2010 Publications

2011-02-01T20:26:00.000-08:00

2010 was a quiet year for non-wedding related art in Ivy's world. I have been so busy with moving, becoming a new step mom (and soon to be grand-mom! Yikes!) that my personal projects with models have taken a back seat. I do miss it. But it inevitably follows that too much model shooting makes me unhappy too, and then I wish for weddings, lol. Though lately I am having a really great time making my brides into my models, and I am eager to see how this will enhance my artistic vision in 2011.

I did have one model shoot that turned out quite well in 2010. Originally it was done for Alt Noir magazine's anniversary issue, where some of my art was being featured:

Model: Sharon TK

Make up: Darya Latham

Wardrobe: Bizzare Boudiour by Nicole Manning

Hair stylist : Robin Dorton

Then Harlow Magazine contacted me about using one of the images not chosen by Alt Noir for their September cover. I was super tickled, as the image they chose was my favorite of the day, and the one I took extra special time to make an art piece out of.

Wanna see the original, unedited version?

Neat, huh?

They chose this next image for bookmarks (which they were kind enough to send some to me, thank you Harlow!) and autographed-by-Sharon posters. As you can see, I didn't do the heart-beads on this one. It's tedious and time consuming, so I only did it for what I considered to be the 'wow image'.

Other happenings in 2010: My image of Kasia as a Hollywood Starlet won Model Mayhem's Pic of the Day contest, so that was pretty full of awesomeness!

And last but certainly far from least!~ I was again privileged to have some of my work included in the Pin Ups for Pitbulls Calendar. Pinups for Pit Bulls, Inc. works to educate the public about the history and temperament of the American Pit Bull Terrier and pit bull type dogs, to raise awareness about Breed Specific Legislation and Breed-Specific abuse, and to raise funds for "bully-breed"-friendly rescues and dogs in need.

The past 2 years I have had the good fortune to shoot the set for the founder, Deirdre Franklin a.k.a. Little Darling. (No relation, though I would certainly be honored to include such an amazing lady in my family!) This year's theme was 'A Media Circus'. As soon as I heard that, I had serious misgivings. I have only ever failed horribly at a theme-shoot once in my life, and it was a circus themed shoot. I haven't tried it again since. I'm sure someday I will again, but in the meantime I still have nightmares about models dressed as clowns. :)~

Besides, though I love pin up and do shoot it sometimes, Hollywood Noir is really alot more my gig. There is a far superior pin up shooter right here in Philadelphia - Celeste Giuliano. In my personal opinion, I think she's one of the best pin up photographer's out there today. And obviously Little Darling agrees too! Celeste shot the cover of the calender, as well as Little Darling's month and much more! Check it out!

Where did I fit in this year? It just so happens that a very beautiful young lawyer hired me to make her a pitbull-lovin' pin up girl, thank you very much! ;) Sandra Dee, along with furry friends Stella and Jema, were chosen to be the month of June.

Make Up and Hair: Rob Paluso
Stella is from Phillypaws.org and Jema is owned by Erin Doody through PSPCA.org

My apologies for the blatant watermarks. Unfortunately image theft runs riot on the internet.

Another image we did just for fun, sans pups.

And as always happens with Pin Ups for Pitbulls, the media was quick to pick up the story!

If you'd like to find out more about Pin Ups for Pitbulls, you can visit the website here: PinUps For Pitbulls
To purchase a copy of the calendar, visit here: PFPB 2011 Calendar

Snow Dayz

2011-01-29T14:40:00.000-08:00

Ever since I was a kid I have always loved the snow. Enough snow equals a day off from school (or work), and I certainly have lots of happy kid-memories of snow days. I love how everything is quiet and still, and all that was dirty looks pristine again. (though it's also certainly true that nothing looks quite so ucky as dirty snow!) And I don't know about you're neighborhood, but where I grew up lots of us kids used to say that the first snowfall of the season was magical. We would have a grand time catching the flakes on our tongues and making wishes. (in retrospect I suspect this behavior to be a direct offshoot of watching the 1969 Frosty the Snowman tv special one too many times) ;) As I got older and began to have to deal with the back breaking jobs of shoveling and car cleaning, my joy in the blessed white event started to decline a tad. lol But these days, though too much still makes me crazy, I am learning to re-appreciate the snow.

As some of you know who follow me on Facebook, I moved in with my fiance in August of 2009. We moved again this past August 2010 to Yardley, Pa, where his 10 year old daughter (Ava) joined us. My own daughter is 18, so it's been quite a few years since I've had a kid around the house. It has taken some getting used to, especially with learning to balance my editing schedule with my new step mom role, but the smiles that it brings are well worth it. The latest of these is helping me to remember the joys of snow days. :) With over a foot out there (i think we got around 14") there was plenty to play with!

If Ava wasn't in the house, I probably would have just holed up in front of my computer like always. But she was so excited for snow playtime and she drug my butt outside. I grabbed my camera and got some really cute shots.

And no, she doesn't really have purple/pink hair. lol They had Crazy Hair Day at school right before it snowed, and Ava sprayed hers with purple hair spray.

Wedding Wire / Martha Stewart Weddings Bride's Choice Awards 2011

2011-01-26T18:15:00.000-08:00

In honor of my brand new blog that I love, (courtesy of the talented Julie at BloggerBoutique!) I thought I would share with you all that I was selected as a Bride's Choice Award winner again this year. Yay, I'm so excited!

Here's the official weddingwire press release:

January 2011 - WeddingWire, the nation's leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce the 2011 winners of its prestigious annual Bride's Choice Awards™. With more than 200,000 wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community throughout the US and Canada, the 2011 award recipients represent the top five percent in quality and service excellence within the wedding industry.

Recognition for the Bride's Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Awards are distributed to winning wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and are based on the overall professional achievements throughout the previous year.

"WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of our top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community," said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. "Over the past three years, the Bride's Choice Awards™ program has afforded WeddingWire, and the bridal community, the opportunity to recognize those professionals for their unparalleled service and commitment to the wedding industry. We applaud the 2011 winners for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience for couples throughout the prior year."

Sean & Christina

2010-12-15T22:19:00.000-08:00

Where's Ivy been lately!? Working her tail off - that's where! lol A super busy wedding season, moving (yet again, ugh.) in August, and becoming a new step mom. (and soon to be a new grandma too!) Life sure has been busy.

I will have to make it a point to post a new blog of all the recent goings-ons in my life. Those of you who follow me on Facebook get to see all the new tidbits I've been working on, as well as see what been going on in Ivy's world. :)

But for now, I'd like to share with you some of my favorite images from Sean & Christina's wedding. They were married on May 8th, 2010 at Sean's family church. The reception that followed at Tomasello Winery was a blast - they even had a belly dancer performing to celebrate Christina and her family's Egyptian heritage!

Love these invites - simple but elegant.

Christina and her mom have a quiet moment together before the big day begins . . .

Smile ladies! . . . .

On to the bridal portraits. I think Christina's skin looks like cream in these shots - I am so jealous of her tiny pores!

Colors, colors, everywhere! I just couldn't resist giving the saturation a good pop in this next image.

Sean kept Christina smiling and giggling all through the ceremony. I'd love to know what he was saying!

Others didn't find the service quite as stimulating . . .

The emotion during the ring exchange had everyone choked up. :_)

Awwwww . . . .

Next it was off to Batsto Village for portrait time.

Christina pulled out her inner model for bridal portraits at the park . . . . .

and so did Sean! ;)

Time for couple's . . . .

Nothing beats the magic of the first dance as husband and wife . . . . .

When the belly-dancer shows up, you know it's party time! lol

And lastly, a second set of couple's portraits - low light and romantic.<3

Ashley and Michael's Engagement Session

2010-09-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

Finally in my new home, trying to work while still surrounded by bins and boxes. I have found lately that the only time I can squeeze in for blogging and paperwork is late at night, after the family has gone to bed. But the new school year is upon us, and I am trying to unpack a little everyday, so I have high hopes that things will settle down a bit before the fall wedding season really gets into swing for me in October/November. :)

And speaking of the fall wedding season . . . ! I thought I would share with you all some of the photos that Serena and I took of Michael and Ashley, who will be married on October 30th of this year at the Brantwyn Estate in Wilmington, Delaware.

Ashley and Michael wanted to shoot their engagement pictures on the grounds where they will be married, so we spent the afternoon at Brantwyn. They did such an amazing job and we had so much fun taking photos all over the grounds, it was hard to choose which images to edit and post!

I am quite happy with how this next one turned out. The gardens at the estate are so inspiring for photography! Everywhere we looked there seemed to be magic waiting to happen. This image I cross processed, then added warm tones. I had a cool version as well, but after sleeping on it decided I liked this one much better. I added a radial motion blur, a glitter overlay, and a subtle border to give it a touch of whimsy. :)

After doing all of these formal and sexy poses, it was time for Ashley and Michael to get changed into their casual clothes and have some play time!

Let's play a game! Can you find the hidden heart in this next image? ;)

The day ended as all good fairy tales do . . . with a kiss.

Mike and Cindy

2010-06-25T20:50:00.000-07:00

I still have a few weddings to post, as well as some very cool magazine and model photos that I've been doing. However, I am also moving again soon. (ugh. HATE packing and unpacking!) Between going through boxes and closets, and keeping up with a busy wedding season, my days have been awfully hectic. So thank you to my blog readers for your patience with me! And don't forget - you can always see my latest art and wedding pieces posted on my Facebook Page!

This is a wedding that I've been meaning to post for some time now. I knew Cindy was going to be a bride I would love to shoot from the moment I first met her. When we were going through my images, she got all choked up telling me how important her wedding day photos are to her. It was one of those 'you had me at hello' moments as a photographer, lol. There is nothing I love more than giving a bride the gift of seeing her own beauty, and knowing that it has touched her. My daughter used call it "making ladies prettyful".

Cindy and Mike were married at the Joseph Ambler Inn, in a small outdoor ceremony, on September 25, 2009.

Kudos to Cindy and her brave choice of red lip color! It totally made these photos. The red lips of Snow White in this first garden, fairy tale style image.

And her lips picking up the color of the red trim behind her really make her face pop in this next one.

Mike and his groomsmen pose for a photo-opp with Serena.

As the ceremony was about to begin, Serena and I saw a beautiful hummingbird hovering around the area. I included the images we took in Cindy's photos, as I couldn't help but see it as a sign for them as they start their new life together. I also included the symbolism of the hummingbird:

"Because of its speed, the hummingbird is known as a messenger and stopper of time. It is also a symbol of love and joy. The hummingbird is able to fly backwards, teaching us that we can look back on our past. But, this bird also teaches that we must not dwell on our past; we need to move forward. When the hummingbird hovers over flowers while drinking nectar, we learn that we should savor each moment, and appreciate the things we love."

The ceremony . . . .

Mike sees his bride for the first time. . . .

This next image turned out to be one of Cindy's favorites of the day, and a large print of it now graces their living room. :)

Love this next spontaneous shot! I had it up as my Facebook main image for quite awhile.

Want beautiful couple's portraits? Give me TIME! I ask for at least 45 minutes.

A little Hollywood Noir . . . . . ;)

Mike and Cindy's reception was all about candlelight.

One of the rare photos I added grain too on purpose. Normally I'm not a big fan of grain, but I usually end up with a handful of images from each wedding where I feel it fits, to give the image that old film camera look.

Time to party!

MARS 2010

2010-05-28T15:43:00.000-07:00

So anyone who knows me, or reads my blog, has heard me prattling about MARS for the past few months. But what is exactly is it?

MARS stands for Mid-Atlantic Regional School of Professional Photography. It's a week long, super intensive, nationally accredited course that takes place in Cape May, NJ each spring. They offered 5 courses this year, I believe there will be 6 different instructors next year. I was fortunate enough to get into Tom Munoz's class. Tom has been shooting weddings since he was a teenager, and was taught by the best of the best - his father and grandfather! He is now one of the top wedding photographers in the country - check out his website and blog, you'll be blown away.

Though it was crazy busy, it was also a lot of fun! I can't believe how much I learned in just one week. At the end of the course, Tom gave a cd of images that he took (and edited) during his classes, so that we could remember what he taught us and also to compare with our own shots that we took. I have re-sized a few of them here to share.

First day out shooting on location in the quaint streets of downtown Cape May . . . .

model: Josiah

models: Josiah and Serena

Tom's photo of the same pose. Gorgeous!

Josiah poses with his real-life lady love, Katerina.

Tom's photo, using the Canon 5d Mark II, and Canon's 16-35mm 2.8 wide angle lens

Tom talks about the importance of good posing

and sets up a few scenarios for us . . . .

Throwing Serena back into the mix. I decided to do a little cross-processing on this one with a texture overlay.

Tom's image, edited more traditionally. Look at those colors!

Next we did some indoor shooting with a portable soft box.

I love how Tom used the bar as a leading line for the eye. This image he actually shot reversed, but explained it's better to flip photos like this one in photoshop to accommodate how we read - from left to right. Smart! I would have done the same thing with my photo too, but when I tried it made all the writing on the green neon sign backwards. D'oh! >:(

Second day out, shooting on location at the beach . . . . .

Tom's wife, Erika, does a quick-pic holding the passport color checker.

Real-life couple Samantha and Joe take a stroll for the cameras

Tom's photo, processed with Nik Filters (LOVE my Nik filters!) and a stone texture overlay.

Daughter of one of the students, catching some play time. ;)

Third day out, shooting on location at The Southern Mansion . . . . .

Serena plays the pensive bride . . . .

Tom demonstrates how to use architectural details to create visual interest in your photos

Pretty cool, huh!?

And also about shooting in a variety of angles to increase visual interest . . .

Love that wide-angle lens effect!

There's just something about a white picket fence that says "happily ever after" to me . . . .

Class group shots!

Everyone was supposed to jump for this one. I am obviously challenged in that department. lol

Last day out, shooting on location at a church in Cape May . . . .

I loved the window so much, I went for a silhouette on this one. Tom's photo implements portable soft box light and the wide angle lens. To see his version, visit Munoz Photography blog here. (sorry! that one wasn't on our cd)

Tom poses our real-life sweethearts, Danielle & Mike

Those flip-flops were killing me! lol

Last shot. :( See you next year MARS!

Holly & Greg Engagement Session

2010-05-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

It's been a super busy month! First there was MARS, which was utterly amazing. (I'll be posting pics!) Then I was away visiting my family in North Carolina for a week. (great trip and a much needed break!) In between all the goings-ons, I shot a wedding and 2 engagement sessions. Here's one of them!

This is Holly & Greg, who will be married this July 3rd on Holly's family property in Shwenksville, Pa. :) Holly's make up done by Aleksandra.

Starting out with some artsy black and white close ups . . . . .

Fun with parasols! (when do I not have a parasol in my trunk? I am the prop queen! lol)

Some romantic canoodling in the arms of mother nature . . . . .

Though the sun kept going in and out and not exactly co-operating with photo time, this next one still turned out to be my favorite. It's a moment I happened to catch between the 2 of them, not a shot I set up in any way.

It's all about the bling! ;) Love the tiffany setting of Holly's ring - it's simple, elegant and classic.

Taking a break provides a cute photo opp.

And, of course, buttercups! I couldn't resist taking advantage of a big field of them! Buttercups, though technically a weed, are still my favorite flower. They only show up once a year, in the month of May. They are such happy looking little yellow flowers, it always makes me smile when I see them. The flower symbolism associated with buttercups is getting in touch with your inner child, innocence and happy memories.

Some sexy buttercup frolicking . . . ;)

And lastly, some fun I had reproducing the look of old photos from the 1970's. My mom has a big box of them from when I was growing up, and I really liked the look of the toning and the way the colors faded. I had a good time trying to copy the look and feel, I think it came out well.

Maggie & Rob

2010-04-29T23:46:00.000-07:00

I still have many more weddings to post! So I'm going to try and keep it lighter on the commentary side in the next few blogs. ;)

Following are some of my favorites of the day from the wedding of Maggie Lakis and Rob McClure, both cast members in the Tony award winning musical Avenue Q. Maggie and Rob were married at the Merion Tribute House, which was built to honor the 81 men from Merion, Pa. who were killed during World War I. The house and the grounds are just gorgeous! The perfect backdrop to Maggie and Rob's outdoor ceremony.

I always say when photographing models that it's the ones who are also actors that I love shooting the best. Theater people understand how to move their faces and bodies for the camera, and they are never afraid to ham it up for a fun shot!

Another future actor? ;) lol

I did some cross processing for these next shots. I love the light and airy, summer-like feeling of the tones in this effect. The first 2 have a blue cross processed overlay, the image of the 2 groomsmen sporting those cool shades I used a cream overlay.

Some time for family . . . .

and for friends! . . . . .

and, of course, time for canoodling . . . . .

More cross processing with a gold overlay to bring out the warm tones.

Every time I look at this next one it makes me think of Errol Flynn.

uh . . . and Richard Nixon. ;p

On to the reception!

Council Magazine

2010-04-27T17:53:00.000-07:00

I seem to be turning up in a lot of anniversary issues of things lately. Cool! Check out my full page photo of beautiful bride Maria in the spring/summer issue of Council Magazine, on stands now!

More from Kasia

2010-04-27T17:43:00.000-07:00

I had previously posted on my blog some hollywood noir style photos featuring chemist by day (& hollywood starlet by night! jk) Kasia. ;) They came out so well, she asked me to do some more, so here's round 2! Hair and make up by the talented Darya Latham.

This was just a quick make up shot, but I liked it so much I made a digitally painted portrait out of it.

This next image turned out to be my favorite out of both sets. I knew that scarf would come in handy for a photo someday! (do you like how I rationalize my over stuffed closets? lol)

Some fun in the stairway . . . . . .

And lastly, a curtain shot. I did a few of these but this one was both of our favorite. Cross processed, with a glitter overlay and radial motion blur.

Let's Talk Retouching

2010-04-03T21:47:00.000-07:00

Every so often I find I need to get up on my beauty-soapbox and have a frank and honest talk with other women about photo retouching.

One of the first things new clients always ask me is "what is digital beauty work?" and "what is digital body sculpting?" I'm going to have a section on my new wedding site talking about these very things! For now, I explain all about it and give a photoshop demonstration during my free consultation appointment for prospective wedding clients.

The dictionary defines retouching in the following way:

Re-touch - v.

1. To add new details or touches to for correction or improvement.

2. To improve or change (a photographic negative or print), as by adding details or removing flaws.

So beauty retouching is pretty much the art of digitally chasing perfection. It is, in some ways, presenting an idealized representation of a person. I'm doing with my wacom brush what plastic surgeons have been doing for years. (and I'm much cheaper! lol) The mere fact that most women really don't know what digital beauty work or digital body sculpting is, just shows how deluded we all are into thinking that the people we see in magazines and on tv actually look that good in real life. For most people, the only experience we ever get with retouching is having blemishes removed from our high school yearbook photos. But ask any woman in Hollywood or any model working in the beauty industry, and they not only know what those things are, but expect them.

Industry leaders say they cannot stop re-touching photographs, because if they do, people will stop buying their magazines. They say consumers simply are not interested in seeing every flaw that a person being photographed has.

Take a look at this short video. It is SO true!

I can't tell you how it burns my butter that so many gorgeous girls and women out there don't see their own beauty! I walk down the street or go to the super market and see so many women that I just know could be stunning if only they received the same treatment as models and actresses. Namely - professional hair, make up and photo retouching. And I'll bet most of the women I'm talking about don't even think they're that good looking or anything special. People would be shocked to know what some of the models I have worked with really look like! Sometimes a model walks in and I don't even realize it's the same girl as in the photos! But people in the industry understand that what our culture defines as 'beauty' these days is really just all smoke and mirrors. It's about time regular, everyday women realized it too!

I did a little internet digging over the past few days and found some eye opening images to share. Let's take a look at some examples:

Cameron Diaz, who by all accounts suffers from bad skin

Andie Macdowell, looking fabulous and airbrushed for Loreal.But check out how she really looks in this red carpet candid shot.

Britney Spears, even with all her bucks, still needs photoshop help

Nicole Kidman, who will be 43 years old this June

Kate Winslet for a recent magazine shoot

Kelly Clarkson:

Ex super model Twiggy posing for Olay. From what I've read, this ad caused a bit of a scandal.The ASA, a british watchdog agency for advertising, received multiple complaints from consumers that the ad was misleading because the image of Twiggy had been so extremely digitally retouched. They released a statement saying that the ad was not only misleading but also socially irresponsible, because it could have a "negative impact on people's perceptions of their own body image".

Pam Anderson at 40, photos taken 3 years ago.

In 1999, Madonna did an ad campaign for a make-up line for Max Factor. In the process she even got her very own red added to their color palette. Check out what the original promotional photographs looked like, and how the retouchers made it look - in order to make you and I believe in the world of illusions while flipping through our magazine. (That world being that a 41 year old woman can and should look like she's 24. What!?)

And speaking of Madonna - here's a woman who's been in the public eye and with more $ than the Rockefellers for over 25 years now. From all the celebrity buzz her looks continue to be extremely important to her. She's had plastic surgery done, she works out like a fiend, and she has access to all the best skin products that money can buy. But she's also going to be 52 this August. And in the immortal words of Dolly Parton, "Time marches on, and sooner or later you realize it's marching right across your face."

Take a look at this Vanity Fair cover of her from May of 2008:

And now look at these live performance photos taken only 1 year later.

Now that's some damn fine retouching Vanity Fair!

Mariah Carey

Here's some blatant lying - Kourtney Kardashian for OK Magazine right after having her baby. The cover says: "My Diet Secrets! Lose 10 pds in 10 days! How I'm losing the baby weight fast - my hunger free diet and easy fitness plan will work for you too!"

Kim Kardashian, on the other hand, often asks for magazines to go light on the digital body sculpting. She's proud of being curvaceous and see's no reason to pretend to be 100 pds. Good for her!

And speaking of magazine covers, here's some more eye openers . . . . .

Super model Linda Evangelista

Rachel Weisz

Britney Murphy, R.I.P.

Tyra Banks, a supporter of the real beauty movement, has spoken many times about how false today's beauty industry is and the unrealistic expectations that it can cause women to have about their appearance. She often shows her unretouched photos on her show America's Next Top Model, and speaks up about how important it is to understand that what we are seeing in magazines and on tv is an idealized version of reality and not to be taken literally.

Speaking of ANTM, this is a good opportunity for me to once again attempt to drive home my point about the importance of having a good hair and make up artist before a photoshoot or for your wedding day look. SO IMPORTANT!!! If you're thinking about doing your own make up for your wedding - think again! Unless you're job is that you're a pro make up artist, you're not going to understand how to apply it so that you look your best in your photos. Make up for everyday is quite different than make up that's best for photography. Not to mention that so many of us women fall into that trap of doing our make up the same way everytime. We get to know what we like and what we think looks best, and we do the same look over and over. Professional hair and make up makes all the difference to ensure you look and feel your best.

Take a look at some of the ANTM model make overs. None of these girls were models when they walked in the door. They come from different backgrounds and parts of the country, but none are professional models. that's the whole point of the show - to take 'regular, everyday girls' and give them the 'model treatment'. Imagine how you or I would look if we had access to those stylists, and hair and make up professionals! (and, of course, pro retouching!) ;)

If you saw any one of these girls walking down the street as she is in the 'before make over and retouching' photos, would you ever think she could look that good? Is it no wonder that most women don't think they could ever look that good?

There have been times when I question what it is that I do. Am I just helping to perpetuate the lie? I work in the modeling industry. I retouch and body sculpt all of my brides, giving them the 'model treatment'. Retouching is a huge part of my job and what people come to me for - it's my specialty - making women look good.

But I think the difference is that I am all about educating Jane-Public. (like in this blog!) I want women to understand what they are seeing is idealized and how the process works, and to be able to have it themselves!

There's an article I read in Professional Photographer Magazine that deals with this very subject. It's called Digital Portrait Retouching: A Question of Truth or Fiction by Gary Lott. I'd like to refer to his words of wisdom that totally sums up how I feel:

"Recently a woman I know jokingly accused me of being dishonest. She wondered why I didn’t see making people look better than they really do as less than truthful. In response, I spoke about the joy I see in people’s eyes when they see a retouched image of themselves.When someone looks at a loved one, their mind doesn’t really register the fine lines, the blemishes, or the dark circles under the eyes. The camera does, and thus without further manipulation by us, if we simply allow the camera to capture our subject, we allow it to present an altered view of reality. We would allow our subjects to be represented in a way people don’t see them in their mind’s eye. Through retouching, we restore the balance; in actuality, we present a truer truth."

Before the advent of digital imaging and photoshop, photographers spent hours in the darkroom retouching, dodging and burning, and tweaking. Ansel Adams was notorious for this. He often said, "You don't take a great photograph, you make it."

Well, I feel that way too. It can be a fine line to walk sometimes. My goal is for a woman to look at an image of her I've created and say, "wow, I look great!" not "wow, I look photo shopped." I am always checking my edited copies side by side against the originals to make sure I didn't go too far - making sure the retouch work still looks natural.

I'm trying to give my clients a gift - the gift of being able to see their own beauty. This is why I limit myself to how many clients I take on in a year. This is why I have chosen to be a specialty service. I would rather spend my time concentrating on my art and giving my clients my individual attention, than batch processing my imagery so that I can shoot more weddings per year and make more $. Yes, I sacrifice income doing things this way. Yes, I devote more hours of my time than you could imagine. (a 12 hour work day is typical for me) Yes, I make myself nuts obsessing over details. lol But speaking as someone who faced illness and death at a young age, I have learned that there are much more important things in life than money. I want to spend however many years I have left to be here making this world a better place in some small way. I stand by what I believe in, and I love what I do. It's really that simple.

New Promo Cards

2010-04-01T18:13:00.000-07:00

You know, I have to say, I'm enjoying blog-dom much more these days than I used to. Maybe I'm getting older and I just like to hear myself chatter now, lol.

These are my new promo cards I'm making, just thought I'd share. :) I'm still tinkering with fonts a bit, but for the most part I think I'm finished. The basic design was provided by Marybeth of ColorCast Graphics, who does almost all of my design work for me. The layout is actually from my business cards that she made for me.

In this case, I just wanted to make up something quick so I did them myself following her design. However, she is always telling me that I get too froofy when I try to do graphics work (and she's right, I do!), so I hope I haven't gone swirly-overboard on these. And yes! ~ I am aware that the back of the card is much lighter than the front, lol. I did that on purpose so that it would be easier for people to read.

Brian & Madara

2010-03-25T22:07:00.000-07:00

Brian and Madara were married last summer at the The Bischwind, which is a gorgeous English Tudor Manor House nestled in the Pocono mountains. It was built back in 1886 and in its past, has hosted such notables as Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Igor Sikorsky.

Madara is from Latvia, and she and Brian met via the internet in a christian chatroom. After that Madara made several trips to New York where Brian would drive up and meet her. It took them 7 years and overcoming many obstacles, but they finally have their happy ending. During the ceremony Brian's mom talked about how she felt that God had brought them pretty Madara from across the ocean to be a part of their family and it was a love that was meant to be. :_)

A big part of Brian and Madara's ceremony (and my favorite part ;) was the dove release. I previously posted a blog with many more of the pics, but I just can't help but post a few of my favorites again! The doves were provided by Say it With Doves and I have to say I was very impressed. The doves were obviously happy and well cared for, and it's standard procedure for couples to have an appointment ahead of time to learn how to hold and release them so they are not accidentally harmed in any way. My fiance and I had been tossing around the idea of doing a butterfly release, but once I saw the doves that was it - I was sold. We are totally going to add a dove release to our ceremony!

This next shot I really wanted in sepia. The problem is that a big part of the story of this image is the rose petals. In black and white or sepia they were not noticeable at all. Honestly even in color they kind of got lost because the image is rather busy - people in the background, the trellis, etc. So I made a sepia layer, then reduced the opacity to around 88% - giving it just a hint of color. Next I used a layer mask and painted all the rose petals color back in by hand, as well as some of the flowers in the bouquet. Can I take a minute to comment how tedious that was! Took me about an hour. Not that it wasn't worth it - it was. I am super happy with how it came out. But there are many times when I seriously wonder as to the state of my sanity when I put myself through all that detail work, lol.

Brian and Madara gave us a good hour for their couples portraits, and with such a beautiful location - both outdoor and indoor, it certainly paid off! Here are just a few of my favorites:

On to the reception!

Amber & Greg, LBI

2010-03-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

So much time has gone by since my last real blog, I feel terribly guilty. Alas, I am one of those girls that loved the idea of having a diary when I was a teenager, but never made enough time to actually write in it. And I do love to write! My mother is a writer, for goodness sake! I think I have always been torn between the fine arts and creative writing. But they are both enterprises that take a great deal of your time and of yourself. I had to choose, and the visual arts won. I often think to myself that if something happened to me where I couldn't take pictures and paint in photoshop anymore, I would switch careers and become a writer. Not novels like my mother writes - (she has much more patience than I do. capricorn's are like that, lol) I would probably write short stories and essays. About what, or who would pay me for it, I have not the slightest clue. But it's a thought I like to indulge in from time to time. ;)

Relating to my photography, I have had oodles of stuff going on over the past months! Lots and lots of weddings that I have not posted on my blog (though you can find them on Facebook and Myspace). Over the next several days I'm making it my mission to get caught up!

Following are some of my favorites from Amber and Greg's wedding, which took place last year at Long Beach Island, NJ. They had over 500 photos, and there were so many great ones, it's hard to choose just a few to post! A more complete album can be viewed here

This shoe picture turned out to be one of my all time favorites. (after a little photoshop cross-processing magic, of course! ;)

Unfortunately the outside of the hotel wasn't exactly what you would call scenic. But it did have this pretty nifty brick wall. After I was home and editing the images I decided that wall was just too ucky to leave as-was. It's a sort of muddy orange color that really didn't do anything for the image. I asked Greg and Amber what their favorite color is, and blue was the winner! I used 2 different shades of blue to help give it some visual interest, and then overlayed a texture. I also pulled out her dress to give it more shape.

Amber's sisters are twins, and she was telling me how when they were younger people used to confuse them for triplets all the time. There are more twins in her family, and in Greg's family as well! Serena and I thought we were seeing doubles at the reception, lol. I'm anxious to see what happens when they decide to start a family! I always wished I was a twin when I was a little girl.

Then it was on to the beach for couples portraits! Troy snapped this next one while Serena and I were shooting the groom. Originally you couldn't see her veil well enough, so I added this one in from a different shot.

This next image turned out to be my favorite of the couple's portraits, and Amber's too. This was the image they chose for me to make the thank you card from. Originally when I shot this Greg had his eyes closed. (it was soooo bright and sunny, we had to take lots of multiples to make sure we got pics without the squint.) However, I was able to use another image from this set to switch heads so that now he has his eyes open. :) You can view a before and after of this image on my WanderingBohemian.com website - go to "featured galleries" and click on the Before and After Gallery - it's on the first page, 2nd image.

The reception was held at Sea Oaks Country Club in Little Egg Harbor, NJ.

Doing my artsy thing, as always! This next image of the glasses turned out to be a color junkie's dream, lol. Most of the colors that you see in my images are already there, just very faint. I have gotten used to looking at the world in a certain way, so when I edit the photos I can sniff out the different hues pretty quickly now. Think of it like Where's Waldo - except for colors. :p My fiance likes to say that I see more colors than most people. I don't know if that's true, but I certainly like the sound of it! :)

This next image was taken by Troy during dinner. Due to his ability to shoot at very low shutter speeds, he was able to capture the candlelight ambiance beautifully. This shot was taken at 1/10 of a second with no tripod. For all you shutterbugs out there, you know how hard that is. And his ability to do it is pretty consistent, he has a rock steady hand. I am so jealous, I wish I could do that! Serena can go as low as 1/30 without any blur. The best I have been able to get to is 1/60. I think it's because my main camera that I use is heavier than hers, though we both have the disadvantage of having small hands. Having dainty hands is, of course, considered attractive when you're a woman. But quite frustrating when you're a photographer and all the cameras are made for larger grips.

These next images were a spontaneous set. It was right after dinner and Serena and I saw the happy couple enjoying a few moments gazing out the window at the sunset. We asked if they would like to go out onto the balcony for some quick impromptu couple's portraits and they were all about it. Being flexible with your photographer's pays off!

I love this next image, but there's a funny story behind it. I was just finishing editing it when Troy came downstairs. He stared at it thoughtfully for a moment and then said, "It's a really beautiful picture, but I can't help but think it looks as if there's an A bomb going off in the background." D'oh! Leave it up to him and his love of war and apocalypse movies to make that connection! Now every time I look at it I can't help but see the mushroom cloud resemblance. lol

The wedding was held right after Michael Jackson died. (yes, I am that far behind in my postings) Amber's sister ran out and bought a bunch of these white gloves and brought them to the reception, where they played Thriller and a few other fav's as a tribute.

Chris Vito from Over the Top Entertainment had the joint rockin when he played the girls against the guys in a sing-off of Meatloaf's classic Paradise by the Dashboard Light. It was awesome!

This next one was not set up in any way, it was one of those "I just so happened to catch it" kind of pictures. I darkened the shadow a bit in photoshop to make it more prominent and edited out a piece of the chandelier and a wall switch. Everyone who saw this kept saying it reminds them of Alfred Hitchcock, so now that's what I think of it as - the Alfred Hitchcock wedding cake shot. ;)

And lastly, Amber and Greg on the stairs taken by Serena with the fisheye lens at the end of the evening. There were some people at the top of the stairs that I edited out, but her dress really was doing that poofy mushroom kind of shape. I think it turned out super interesting. Definitely not the usual couple's end-of-the-evening portrait! And after all, that's what Wandering Bohemian is all about - wedding photography that's creative and unique!

Tinkering

2010-03-23T21:05:00.000-07:00

Trying to figure out how to post larger images here on blogger! I'm experimenting with some photos I took of baby Eros, my daughter's kitty. His official name is "Lord Eros Meowington" (of the Philadelphia Meowington's) but that's an awfully long name for a little kitty to remember, lol.

Pin Ups for Pitbulls Calendar 2010

2010-01-13T07:12:00.000-08:00

This year I was again fortunate enough to shoot for the Pin Ups for Pitbulls Calendar. Pinups for Pit Bulls works to educate the public about the history and temperament of the American Pit Bull Terrier and Bully Breeds, to raise awareness about Breed Specific Legislation and Breed-Specific abuse, and to raise funds for bully-breed-friendly rescues and dogs in need. Last year through calendar sales and events they were able to raise almost $20,000 for animal rescue charities. Outstanding!

Pin Ups for Pitbulls founder, Deirdre Franklin, was recently interviewed for NBC 10 where my photo and many fabulous others were featured as part of the interview. That's exciting! Check out the video here And if you're really in a video watching mood!, you can see the behind the scenes of last years calendar photo shoot on Discovery News at this link.

This years calendar theme was " A Tribute To Classic Pinups." I shot the photo for May, which is a tribute to Marilyn Monroe's 'Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend' number in the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

I shot some fun, behind-the-scenes goings on at the photo shoot and I thought I'd share a few. :)

Deirdre gets her 'Marilyn on' with the help of make up artist Josh Bessinger and hair /wardrobe stylist Rob Paluso.

                                                    Lexi checks in to see if she can help

                                     Baxter wonders why he's not allowed to help. lol

                               Deirdre assists a few of her 'gentlemen' friends to get ready ;)

Baxter requires coaching with diamonds that smell like beef jerky (yes, we rubbed jerky on the bling, lol)

Carla Lou needs no coaching. She's an old hand at this after her many photoshoots and public appearances!

And finally, the end result:
Pitbulls are a Girls Best Friend ~ May 2010! Featuring PFPB founder Deirdre Franklin, and companions (from left to right) Zoe, Carla Lou, Baxter and Lexi.

Model: Little Darling, President & Founder
Photographer & Set Design: your truly!
Make Up: Josh Bessinger
Wardrobe Stylist & Hair: Rob Paluso, RJ Paluso Design
Dog Handler: Jeffington O’Donnell
Dog Sashes & Bowties: Brenna Tripodi

Get your copy of the calendar today!

Tommy & Maria

2009-12-14T21:17:00.000-08:00

Trying to keep up with my blog posts, in spite of the holiday hustle! I have been churning out oodles of work over the past several months, and now I'm finally getting it all watermarked for posting. I thought I would share some of my fav's from Tommy & Maria's wedding. They were married on June 6th, 2009 at St. Mary's in Baltimore, Md.

Maria is a dancer with the Gilded Lily Burlesque Troupe which performs all around Baltimore and DC. I absolutely love the revival that's been going on the past couple of years - first pin up, then burlesque! I knew with Maria's being a dancer and a pin up model that she would be a dream bride to shoot, especially in that gorgeous Maggie So ttero gown.

Following are some of my fav's of the day. You can view a more complete album with tons of pictures here.

Maria got ready for her big day at her brother's house, which had a dock out back. Perfect for some bridal portraits!
Thought you might get a kick out of seeing the before and after! Click on the image to see it larger. The yellow dock was a risk, I'm not sure what made me think yellow. I suppose my college color theory class reared it's head, lol. (blue sky? green water? needs yellow!) I do wish I could see her other arm, but besides that I am pretty happy with how it turned out. I did A LOT of touch up work to this image, as you can see. I also did that illustration technique to it, then reduced the opacity to around 50% before I popped the color(s). Notice the shack on the opposite shore edited out, as well as the lamp post behind her. (the top of the lamp is RIGHT by her hand and where her veil bunches - boy was THAT hard!) I spent about 4-5 hours on this piece.

Some aged photo technique to one of Serena's lovely shots.

Taken right outside the church, this was a quick shot that was actually super blown out. I loved the sweet expression on her face so much though that I had to go in and rescue it. It doesn't always work, but with this image I thought it came out rather well. :)

Outstanding detail balcony shot by Nelz.

Not quite sure why I love this bridesmaid entry shot so much, but I just do. :) Maybe it's the cross processing, I've become quite addicted to that effect lately.

After the ceremony it was off to the reception and couple's portraits! Maria gave me plenty of time and as a result, received tons of great bridal and couple's portraits. One thing I am always telling potential bride's is that it takes time to get great photos. If you're rushed and harried, it's going to show in the final images. Even professional models take around 10 minutes to warm up in front of the camera and get used to the photographer. And they aren't having the biggest day of their life! (and still reeling from the long months of planning it, lol) You just got married! Give yourselves some time to unwind, canoodle with each other, and enjoy the photography experience. You'll be glad you did! Speaking for me and my team and how we shoot, I usually ask for at least 45 minutes for couple's portraits.

After playing in the vineyard, we found other nooks where the light was just right. (especially after being digitally enhanced. *wink, wink*) I spent about 3-3 1/2 hours on this piece.

Below is a detail shot of the reception location, Linganor e Vineyard. The winery sits on 230 acres of gorgeous countryside in Mt. Airy, Maryland. Shot by Nelz and color-junkie-ized by yours truly. ;)

Some of the pictures of the kids turned out to be my favorites. Flower girl Payton and ring bearer Johnathan were connected at the hip all day, they were so cute!

Just as the sun was going down and pouring light through the french doors, Serena and Nelz grabbed the bride for a few more beautiful portraits while I took care of some bridal party pictures outside. What a photo opp! You nailed it ladies! :D

I caught this next shot just as I came in.

Nelz shows Maria some in-camera shots

Maria & Tommy's reception was a blast!

Obligatory myspace wedding guest picture? lol

Awwwwww!

And just in case you doubt the value of hand editing even the reception pics, check out the before and after below:
Hello, my name is Ivy and I'm a color-a-holic. ;p

And of course, no wedding is complete without a stuffed chicken as a hat:

Or a rowdy game of stuffed-chicken volleyball after dinner to work off those extra wedding cake calories! (told you it was a fun party ;)