After your session, get the goodies!

After your session, get your images back and show them with pride!
Choose from a variety of options. Lay flat coffee table books ranging from 6x6 inches to 12x12. Square or rectangular. in 26, 38 or 50 pages. Accordion mini books, calendars, personalized CD's, prints, Canvases, the works! Because your images deserve the best presentation!
All done with true photographic paper and with the highest quality standards.
email me for more details!

Adrian

The outfit issue, or what to wear?

The answer is complex. It is complex as it's tricky. When clients ask me if I provide outfits, or what to bring,
they probably believe there's a right kind of outfit. But there's not. What you wear is a reflection of who you are.
So, It would not be fair for me to provide outfits. It would make everybody look exactly like the other 550 clients I had. And...who wants that?
People come to see me because I do something that nobody else does. But the big part of that is that my images are not cookie cutter, like they would be if I provided outfits. That leaves still a big chunk out there:
So what should I bring?
Well, that depends on many things. What's your personality? Who are the images for? Are you confident? I've done session with one outfit through the whole time. And with one pair of shoes. Not ideal but I can work with whatever you have, however, I would ask you this:
When you go out, say on a very important event, maybe a wedding. You pick the perfect outfit. Spend days browsing on dresses, and finding matching shoes. Maybe some jewelry. You do this in an effort to find something in which you just feel gorgeous. Then you make an appointment for hair and make up, right?
Boudoir is pretty much the same. With on little caveat: The images might be intended to make you gorgeous on somebody else's eyes. Find out his/ her preferences!
And usually, guys and girls have different approaches to beauty and sexy standards.

Let me share some images. Check them out and see by yourself. What works best for you? simple? elaborated? is it worth it getting new stuff?
A boudoir session is the perfect excuse to do some shopping!

So, which one is more "you"?  bright color? matching set? dark? conservative? wild? No, there's not a 'right' kind of outfit. They're just different, as every person is.

A couple of things though,

• Please bring matching shoes for each outfit.
• Make sure all outfits are ironed.
• Remove tags from all of the outfits.
• Clean shoe's soles.
• If you bring garters, make sure you bring stockings and know how to attach them.
• Make mental notes of which outfits you like more and which less.
• Try to bring an average of 5 outfits per hr of session.
• I tend to favor matching outfits. But that's just me. I consider a matching outfit to be one with the same colors and fabric on both parts of it. Close enough is just close enough. However, it's your session and we'll do it YOUR way! :)
• Push yourself out of your shell. This is a once in a lifetime experience. So what kind of images are you creating? cute or mind blowing?

Adrian

What do you mean by a couple's session?

I'm not exactly sure how it started. I guess I had a client who had a very special request, and then, from there, it just took off.
The truth is, a couple's session is a very intimate thing. It shows the most basic connection between a man and a woman. It's about the electricity that generates between them. I'm lucky enough to do quite a bit of these. These images are just a tease.
You'll get the idea. Yes, this lovely couple gave permission to post their images. They're just so cute together!

 Definitely not the kind of session for the shy or square. But a lot of fun. My clients make an event from it, sometimes driving from out of town and planning the whole day around it.
The session, a nice candle light dinner afterwards, maybe dancing and a night without the kids. What's not to like?

 The best way to rekindle the relationship and remember why they got together in the first place.
Plus, getting a book with their images always makes for awesome memories and lots of conversation :)

 

 Are you wild enough? Bring your loved one and have an absolute blast.

So much, that these two are coming back for seconds :)

Yelp is weird

If you had gone through my blog, you might have noticed that I believe that Yelp is a biased and unfair site.
Although I've tried several times to contact them and find out why they hide the positive reviews that my clients leave and show only the negatives, (which we vigorously disagree with), I've never received even an acknowledgement of the issue.There's not a phone number to call, nothing.  It's interesting because I even had sessions for Yelp employees! I thought I would just let it be, but today I received a call from one of my repeat customers. She is very private and asked not to be identified, however, she talked to me for about 40 minutes, and made me realize that some things are just not right. She's been in the studio 3 times already, and is looking forward to her 4th. So I thought I'll post an email of yet another positive review, that has already been buried with all the other 14 good reviews that our great clients left so far) There's a tiny gray link that says "Filtered" under the two reviews Yelp likes to show.  I thought I'll share what I've got on the mail from Yelp not too long ago.
So no,
We don't agree with Yelp and we don't hide it. We proactively try to inform our clients and let them make informed decisions.
We wouldn't be in business if we didn't have the highest standards in the industry.
Adrian

If you can't find the right tools, make them.

Due to my shooting style, I usually don't shoot with an on camera flash. I know, purists will say I need one to open up shadows and soften them. That's exactly what I don't want to do. However, during my couple's sessions, I increasingly found the need to use a little light, from the lens axis, to put some emphasis on some areas of the image. The normal on camera flash I used in the past was way cumbersome and heavy. So I've been on the look for a very small flash, which at the same time would have an external sync port to use for my pocket wizard. I bought the Nikon SB-27. Although it's quite nice, it was still a big heavy brick on top of my camera. I decided to make my own hybrid unit. I purchased the Bowen SFD450N, which doesn't have the external sync port, but it's small and light. From Radio Shack, I got a 3.5mm stereo jack. I disassembled the flash unit and made a hole for the jack, next to the battery compartment and soldered the jack connections to the flash's foot wires of the hot and ground signals.

 

Put back the flash together and Voilá! I now keep the Bowens on my camera as a fill, in case it's needed and use the sync port to plug in my pocket wizard! I love it when I get things to work my way! Adrian

Interview: Tiffany Buckley

A- How long have you been a photographer?
T- I started using a camera about a little over three years and I’ve been a professional for about a year and a half, or two.

A- How did you start?
T- I knew someone who hooked me up to clean a photography studio and soon after that, a couple of people that worked there got fired or quit so I pretty much told the owner that I could do whatever they did and do it better and I did, so here I am. Sounds cocky, but it is true.

A- Are you talking about a job as a re-toucher or as a photographer?
T- I did little things like putting together proof books, and then I did some editing and then someone gave me a camera.
 

A- I find this interesting: You worked there, but you had never done the job. You just faced the owner and said “I can do this editing”. How did you figure out that you could do it, if you’ve never done it?
T- I took a Photoshop class in high school and I liked it, so I had the basics.

A- What photographers do you admire and or emulate?
T- I don’t necessarily emulate anyone. I don’t have the lighting means to do so, but I do admire a handful of photographers here in Kansas City. The first one that got me into it, Mike Freeland, I admire his wedding photography. He’s the one who taught me how to use the camera so I feel like I have a little bit of his style going on in my work, a lot to do with available light. A couple of photographers I worked with here in Kansas City; Ken Claypool for Bare Light Photography. He’s pretty phenomenal in the studio.
You, Adrian Vega. You have a dark, edgy style at the studio. Your lighting is different. I like it. It reminds me of Tim Burton. I like Steven Melvin; he’s available light as well. He shot me and we worked together a couple of times. I like his edginess and his “I don’t take crap attitude” and his willingness to push the model to get some great stuff. That’s my handful.

A- What’s your specialty?
T- I am a professional wedding photographer. I have shot 100 weddings even so far and I have 30 to 40 booked for this year.

A- How do you define your style?
T- I stumble upon it. I just keep shooting. I get some models who want to hang out, grab some clothes and stumble upon great things. Out on location, driving around and just jump out of the car.
 

A- If you were describing your portfolio to me, how would you describe the feeling, the mood, of the images?
T- I’ve heard people describe it as ‘stealing the soul of a person’ through the eyes. Maybe eventually I’ll be able to describe it, but right now I’m winging it.

A- Who do you market to?
T- So far, my page shows women between 18 and 30, but I try to make images that everyone likes. I don’t have a particular style, per se. Might be the available light factor, because I haven’t come up with a theme. It’s all jumbled and spotty. I’m experimenting with filters and angles and compositions and what not.

A- Do you have a marketing strategy?
T- I don’t. I’m not a business person. Maybe when I’m legit.

A- Are you not legit now?
T- I’m a contract worker. I’m a hired gun.

A- What do you want to be as an artist?
T-I want to be somebody that people appreciate. I want to photograph everything and anything. I want to travel, shoot for different markets, and maybe one day I’ll find out what I want to do. But so far, I haven’t experimented with everything yet.

A- Where do you think photography in the Midwest is going?
T- I think is going to follow the trends of the east and west coast, just like everything else. I think it’s going to be edgy, I think we’re finally bringing some fashion aspects to the Midwest, such as KC fashion. But as far as photography goes, we’re pretty big in wedding photography here; it’s one of the best ways to make money. And I feel like money starts trends. It’s either hate it or love it, and those who hate it, there’s a lot more. But those who love it make a good amount of money. Jason Domingues, Mike Freeland, Isaac Alongi, those are all big names in KC.

A- Can you name your five all time favorite photographers, dead or alive?
T- I don’t really embark on defining which photographers I like, names don’t stick with me. I’m not going to say Ansell Adams, or anybody. I just don’t know yet.

A- What are the top five items on your wish list?
T-A 5DMark II, a couple L series lenses, some lighting, a studio, merchandise like mugs and pens. I want to make a brand.

A- Can you describe your work flow?
T- Clients book and get a consultation. Can be months or years in advance. The day of the wedding, I usually shoot 8 hrs. It can be 2 or can be 14. It varies. From the time of the make up to after the bouquet gets tossed or when people are drunk on their asses on the dance floor. We don’t want to take pictures of that. You guys have your own cameras for that. Then I get home, dump your photos, organize them, get rid of the worse images, Photoshop a little bit, like get rid of sweat if it was too hot or cold noses if it was too cold. I don’t like to make things too over done. I think retouching a photo and still making it look normal is important. Then we put it online and they order stuff. If I’m doing my own wedding, I tend to spend more time on each image.

A- What’s your latest project?
T- For the last couple of years I’ve been doing this project called ‘girl of the month’. I just look for girls on my Facebook page (rawemotionbytiffanybuckley)/ I judge based on their profile picture and how I feel that day, we go out and shoot, find some cool locations, then I edit some pictures. It’s been pretty good. I have no complaints on my productivity or the models or the location. So that’s my constant project.

A- How did it start?
T- I didn’t want to go into Model Mayhem and find some questionable people. I wanted to build a market on Facebook. It’s a lot easier than other websites and shows my work with everyone.

A- What is the worst mistake that photographers make?
T- All sorts of things. Forget memory cards, forget batteries, break equipment. Assuming that someone wants something or not following up. One time I dropped my camera and I broke my lens. Cost $400 to fix it. It happens.

A- You know a lot of people in the industry. I’m sure you see people make mistakes.
T- One thing I don’t appreciate is when a photographer comes into the business brand new and charges
the normal average price, when they haven’t even done the work before. That makes me upset more than anything. I know it’s kind of bad to charge less than what you’re worth, but I find it to be a game of honesty. So if you come here, haven’t shot a wedding before and go out charging $2000 or $3000 for it, go home. I don’t like financially raping people. I don’t think that’s honest business. Just go home.

A- Now these are my questions for you as a model. I admire your work as a model as much as I admire you as a photographer. What drives you to Model?
T- It’s a hobby. I’ve only been paid once for it, out of 40 or 50 times. It’s fun. It’s like, going out golfing. I just want to go modeling.

A- How did you start modeling?
T- When I was 13 or 14, maybe 15, when the first America’s Next Top Model came out, one of my parents made me watch it and told me that she wanted me to try out for it. I was like, you’re crazy. I’m not pretty enough, confident enough or popular enough to do anything like that. I’ll never travel with that crowd. But it got me thinking later on, after knowing all these photographers, sometimes they need people to shoot and being a young female photographer, we’re not the majority, so when you understand one side of the lens, and somebody wants to be on the other, it makes it easier, and it helps you understand the other side a lot more, when you’re on the other side, when you are shooting a model. I feel like it is almost research. I get some cool photos and it's a confidence booster. You’ve never done it before?

A- No! Do you have a concept or certain things you’d like to try as a model?
T- I really want to try high fashion, in legitimate designer clothing. That’s pretty much all I really want to do now. I’ve done a nice wide array of things modeling wise, but nothing too specific for a certain reason.

A- Do you think that there’s a good modeling market here in KC?
T- For paid modeling? No. If you want to do that, just go home.

A- Where do you draw your inspiration for modeling?
T- I don’t know. I just think the female body is gorgeous. Every female body and every male body is gorgeous. You just have to find the little angle and things that make it gorgeous. And sometimes, more than others, it's not fair. I understand that. I don’t look like Gisele Bundchen. But I think it is great to capture the human body, the soul of the person. My inspiration is all of you and my own body.

A- Do you have any favorite model?
T- I like Lily Allen. Of course, I’m in love with all the Victoria’s Secret models. I think that’s everybody.

A-We’re done then..Thanks!

Got questions? read along!

 All my clients usually have very similar questions. Understandably, right? It's their first time!  So I though I'll update the most common questions and their answers. So if you are in the same boat, here's some help. Something I noticed is that many clients worry about small details. Although there's no bad questions, I think the main focus should be the experience, more than the small details.
What I mean is, instead of worrying about what color of an outfit to bring, you should focus on enjoying your session. In all honesty, I can work with pretty much any outfit. The secret of getting good pictures is not the outfit. Is the attitude. It'll be easier to create great images with few outfits and a great attitude than with great outfits and a very stressed lady!
Allow me explain more. In my website you see lots of pictures. My clients love that they're not cookie cutter images. The reason is because I don't like traditional "bedroom" images, with posed smiles. Those remind me of a Sears or JC Penny's portrait session...in underwear. The idea makes me mad. So, on my session, the most important things is: Have fun!  I really mean this. If you're open, chatty, and are truly enjoying your session, the images will be amazing.

 Well, of course the idea of a session is nerve wrecking. I understand. However, it really is way easy.
I had over 500 clients, all of whom went through the same. The adrenaline, the uncertainty, the not knowing what to do. Fear not. I will guide you through the whole process, from selecting outfits to posing. So that's really the easy part. The hard part I can't help you with. If you come to see me to get the kind of images you saw on my website, I need you to love who you are. If you are not happy with your body, there's little I can do for you. Just a couple of days ago, one of my clients told me that she rather have a male photographer than a female. I get this a lot, but when I asked why, she said that guys don't care about the female "flaws".
So true. We think ladies are amazing! So don't worry: nobody is going to judge you. Age, body type, or any special situation really don't make a difference to me. It's all up to you.

 Anyway...too much talking and not enough answers, right? so here we go!
Q-What kind of outfits should I bring? A-I find this one interesting. Since I don't know you, your body type, your preference or your husband/ boyfriend's preference, it's hard to answer. I can tell you that most people, sadly, think that black is the sexiest color. It might be for them, although seems like most just assume that it is.
I recommend that you bring the things that YOU like. Just be careful here: Remember your goal is to look sexy, so loosely fit garments are not the best choice. Usually you'd like to bring things that enhance your curves, have a tight fit and you also want variety. A common thing I see is people who bring just long nighties, that cover the abdomen area. This is the perfect recipe for having a lot of images that look all alike. If you want this, it's fine.But I suggest you bring stuff that shows more skin, however, that's just my preference.

Q- Do you provide outfits or do I bring my own?  A- If I provided you with lingerie, wouldn't it be weird to use it? I think that would be just gross! So short answer: you bring your outfits, which fit you, are clean, and you already chose because you liked them. Makes sense, right?

Q- How many outfits should I bring? A- First, I have to explain that is a great idea to extend your session to at least 2 hrs, if you don't have them already. For a 90 minute session, I recommend 5 or 6 outfits at least. Please consider that bringing 6 outfits doesn't mean you'll use them all. I just like to have enough choices.
Each outfit should have matching shoes. I prefer all images to be with the shoes on, so bring enough.

Q-Hair and Make up.   A-I don't have an in-house make up person, but I can't stress this enough: This is a once in a lifetime experience. You want the sexiest images. Why not go the extra mile to get the best look with great hair and make up? Please, make sure you invest in your look, since it'll show on every single picture.

Q-How long it takes to get my images?  A- Well, that depends. The process goes like this: A week after your session, you'll get the proofs. From those, you'll select your favorites and will send me your selection. Once I receive the selection, it'll take about 4 weeks to get them edited. If you didn't order a book, then you'll get the CD then. If you ordered a book, it'll take another 2 weeks. So all in all, it's anywhere from 5 to 7 weeks. Plan accordingly.

Q- Can I purchase more images or a book?  A- Of course! extra JPG files, paper prints, books in 5 sizes and either 26, 38 or 50 pages, canvas wraps, calendars. You'll receive the prices when you get your proofs. I have the lowest prices in town. It's true!

Q-Can I do edgier images? A- Your session should be whatever you want it to. Many people choose to do edgier images. You don't have to. The idea is that you enjoy your session. Piece of advise though: try to push yourself a little bit. Think about why are you doing this. For your special guy? for yourself? what would he like? what do you want? I hear quite often that people wishes they had done a little edgier.

Q-  Is the photographer a male or a female?  A- I figured this was obvious on the style of my images. But in case it wasn't, the photographer AKA me, is a male. He take a very male approach too: Women are beautiful. Not cute or pretty, but amazing, strong, and sexy. Also, the photographer believes that women are mysterious, complex and have two sides. A bright one and a darker one. That's what I show on my photography. 

However, many ladies discriminate against my gender. If you want a lady to tell you what is sexy for your guy, a girl photographer may be better suited for you.

Q- (Not a question, but a common comment) I want sexy, classy pictures. Can you do that?

A- the interesting thing about words these days...they mean very different things, depending the situation they're used on. Sexy, classy, fun, cute, pretty, are very vague to me. I've served over 500 clients, and they all had a very different idea of what sexy is. Even more, with the media doing a very poor job telling people what the ideal of sexy is, I purposely isolate myself from mainstream channels. So telling me that you want a picture that is sexy, tells me very little. Telling me you want a picture like Jennifer Anniston's won't bring anything to my mind, since I've never sen it. The day of your session, I will ask you to show me what you have in mind, with your body language, by asking you things, with your attitude. So be prepared... you'll be acting, showing my camera what sexy means to you.

Some extra advise:

-Iron your outfits!! nothing less sexy than wrinkly outfits

-Get to session on time. Not before, not after. I have no waiting area, and if you're late, the time will cut your shooting time.

-Cut your lingerie's tags.

-Make sure your shoes don't have stickers on their soles

-Print your coupon, if you have one

-Read the material I send you. It'll help you.

-If you have to cancel/ reschedule, make sure you give at least 72hrs notice.

 So that's it. I'll see you soon!

Adrian