71% of earth is covered by water

So it just makes sense that we feel so attracted to it. It's calming, brings life, but also can be powerful and dangerous.

We humbly introduce some of our previous work with the life-giving liquid.

Enjoy!

For beginner photographers

I know it's been a while. Just so busy but I wanted to post something really quick. This time, though, it's for my colleagues instead of my clients.
I receive many requests from other photographers, asking for advice. I really feel honored that other people would reach to me to ask for advice.
When I was looking for advice, years ago, only one great gentleman offered any. The rest shut their door to me.  He took time from his busy schedule to invite me in his studio. Back then, when you asked for advice, you actually went to a studio and talked to the photographer, showed your portfolio and shook his/ her hand with your sweaty and nervous hand.
Yes, time have changed a lot.
But the essence it's the same. Even though now a days almost everything is done via email and electronic communications, the idea is to present yourself in the best light possible.

So, based on many requests I received in past years, I will state some key points.

When you first contact a photographer, be aware that they have a busy agenda. Any minute a professional takes from his/ her day, means lost revenue.
So sending an email asking to Google your portfolio, or find you on Facebook is just disrespectful.
Be prepared! provide a link, straight to your portfolio. Select the best images and be consistent.
If you reach out to me, ask me about my field, this is boudoir. Don't ask me about baby images.

Check your grammar! (I know I'm bad at this myself) but at least try to use proper language and not slang.

Ask real questions. Writing an email stating that you want to know how to start into photography is as vague and useless as it can be. I need to know about you. I need to see your work. I need to see what knowledge you have and what you lack. More over, I don't have time to tell you the story of my life, but if you ask concrete and direct questions, I'd be delighted to answer them.
So, ask me to critique your work. Or to help you figure out your prices. Or what's my best marketing strategy. Even ask me how I did such and such picture. Or how to deal with legal stuff.
But an umbrella question is a big no-no.

Be thankful. Nothing makes me want to delete an email more than not having a single 'please' or 'thank you' in such email. I know, it's old school. But think about it. I can help you learn the business. But if you lack people skills and basic manners, your customers won't follow you. And that's pretty much the end of your non-yet-started business.

Recently, I received an email from a young lady who wanted to know how to get started in the business. She told me to find her on Facebook by such and such name and to tell her how to get into business. She didn't even say which business.

When I replied to her that I would need much more information to help her, I also sent her a list of questions. Her second reply was even shorter than the original email. And none of my questions was answered. Not paying attention to my very lengthy email told me so many things about her. The most important was, she wasn't paying attention so my time was been wasted.

So, be respectful of a professional's time. Be concise. Be thankful. Pay attention, take your time. Put your portfolio together. A bunch of selfies on Facebook with cheap filter effects is NOT a portfolio.

The reward?
You could actually  get a professional to share the knowledge he or she has acquired in many years of hard work, many times based on mistakes that you don't have to make.

I did get valuable information once. Most of it was related on how to present my work. How to select my best images and how to improve my technique. The best feedback I got was the one that actually pointed out my weaknesses.

And that's what I treasure. It was raw, but was honest and well intentioned.
Cheers!

Time, time. Do you need more time?

Hey there!
I figured I could post a quick refresher, since my clients are sometimes too busy to go through past posts.

Today, I want to explain my clients how time is allocated during a session. But first, to remind them that during a session, my goal is to create as many diverse images as possible. My clients bring many lovely outfits and I try my best to take pictures of them wearing most of their cute clothes.
That said, sometimes we have to leave some out, but even then, I try to give them as many different looks, poses and angles as I can. Many clients choose a 1hr session. This is great if you're in a budget. However, that hr. goes by very quick. I mean it! In an attempt to help and make things faster, there's some preparation required from my clients. So when you get your pre-session package, please read it a couple times, use the checklist, print what needs to be printed and, if you have questions, ask them in advance.

Just as a quick example, I will write a real-life scenario, just from this week:

Client was scheduled for one hr. session. I had sessions before and after hers.
When my last session left, I proceeded to get ready for her session. When the time came, she wasn't there. I waited 5 minutes. Nothing. Then I called her. She was almost there. A couple minutes later, she called me, saying she didn't see the studio. Turned out to, she was at the wrong street.
Once she made it to the studio, we proceeded to go through her outfits. Then we had to go through her forms and discount voucher. She didn't have them printed. So I printed her the forms and explained them to her. Then, She had some problems logging into her email to pull her voucher. By the time we started shooting, over 25 minutes of her session. About 30 minutes into shooting, we had to wrap it up.

If she had taken the time to go through the package I sent her, She would have found the studio on time, she would've had her forms ready and signed, her voucher too. Lastly, we would've been able to do at least another 2 outfits and it would've been way less stressful to her.

The morale of the story is: Use my experience to your advantage. Read through the information I send you and things will go smoothly.  Waiting until the day of your session to ask questions or to prepare, is not the best idea. Even a better idea is to add some extra time to your session, so you are relaxed, we get more outfits, backgrounds and new ideas.
I hope this helps! Trust me, my goal is to make your session the best experience for you. I just need a little help from you :)
Adrian

Project in the works

I got this idea from a peer. He was doing a big mess with a model, and asked me to help him. I figured since she was already a mess, why not just throw the paint to her? Then I decided to do my own take on the concept. So far, this is what I have. I need to experiment with colors and techniques. Any takers to model?

Nervous? actually, it's a lot of fun!

 I have many clients who keep coming back, over and over. I think the record so far is a lovely lady who drives 3 hrs, just to have her sessions and then drives back home. She's been at the studio 5 times! That got me thinking, that there must be something else, besides getting great pictures, that makes my clients come back. Then I remembered the images that never make it to the prints, sort of 'behind the scenes'. That gives a better idea of what really goes on on a session.  I figured I would post the 'official' image, next to the 'BTS'

It's quite fun to have such lovely and interesting ladies come over, be so nervous and then, within minutes they are already enjoying themselves. I guess it doesn't hurt that I'm a bit of a dork :)
Many ladies tell me they just don't know how to be sexy. I always tell them that their problem is that they try too hard! The secret is not to try to be sexy, but to relax, enjoy and have a good time. Then, when they least expect it, click... I got my image.

Some choose to have a glass of wine, some bring their favorite music. Some bring their hubby, or BFF. Whatever makes them feel great, is certainly welcomed.

It's not only about the images. It's also about the experience. The adrenaline rush, the fun, the excitement and empowerment that confidence gives us as human beings. And what a better way to feel confident than have beautiful hair, make up, sexy outfits and a photographer that knows how to find your angle, the perfect light for your features, and makes you feel at ease?

And some other clients just feel pretty comfy :)

Male Boudoir? Just for my lady customers :)

This was actually a request, from one of my favorite models. We had done some couple's work before, but he now wanted a solo session. I must admit, Males are a very small amount of my work.
However, I was willing to give it a try.

 

I was quite pleased with the results. It didn't  hurt that he brought his bike to the Studio. Such a trooper actually, he rode it 3 hrs for the session, and rode back home right after the session. 

We did quite a bit, not all images I can show but it got me thinking, it's quite fun to do males sessions.

I can't wait until it gets warmer so we can do more images, outdoors this time :)

The simplicity of white seamless - NSFW

It just has something. It's simple, elegant. The whole image revolves about one thing only: The subject. 

I know, even on white seamless, I have to make it dark. But what's the fun on leaving it white? I mean, we can turn it gray, whatever shades of it, or even black, right?

 

Here's a truly white one. 

 

I admit, my way of utilizing seamless can be a little less conventional than other photographers. And that's how I like it :)

 

So there, even I like clean and high key images.

Adrian