Goodwill Bride

Hello, hello! Though my posts may be a bit sporadic I sure do have some fun things to share with you. One of them being a little anniversary shoot that my dear friends Jessica and Jason Williams of Session Nine Photography did with Mike Olbinski.

I wasn't on site to be a part of the whole thing, but I definitely would have been if I could. At least I got to go wedding dress shopping with Jess, and the BEST part is that we found a gorgeous dress for under $100.00 at Goodwill.

YEP! You can buy gently used wedding dresses at Goodwill. They actually have a whole bridal boutique within certain stores. How awesome is that?! Makes you a bit bummed when you think about how much you spend on your wedding dress, right?

Jess had fun making the dress look a bit more rock 'n roll by cutting up the bottom. =)

Check out more photos from the awesome anniversary shoot on Mike's blog!

Jessica & Travis Virtually Styled

I LOVE styling engagement shoots. Two people in love are the perfect clients, no? I was thrilled to get to style Jessica and Travis, clients of Jeffrey Shipley's, for their engagement shoot in California. Seeing the photos makes me WISH I could have been there, but it also makes me so happy that I was able to style them perfectly from afar.

Jessica and Travis both appreciate fashion and trends, and wanted to look picture perfect for their photo session with Jeff. After collaborating on a Pinterest board, they went out shopping and came back with clothes that fit them well, are timeless and colorful. All qualities you want to see in an outfit for photos that you are going to look back on for a lifetime.

Jeff did a tremendous job capturing their love and good looks. I can't wait to style more beautiful clients of his. =) To see more photos from this engagement session, please visit Jeff's blog.

Motherhood & Elle

Well, hello there! Long time no talk. I wonder why...Maybe because of this little munchkin...

Miss Elle has kept me VERY busy. It may be an understatement, but I can sum up my first month of being a mom in two words - LIFE. CHANGING.

Taking a shower where I actually shave my legs, eating more than a handful of cereal for lunch, wearing something more than concealer, going outside for more than the mail...Those are all rarities right now. I know it's to be expected for the first month, but it's still hard to adjust to such a HUGE change in 30 days.

We're starting to get the hang of things though, and soon enough I'll be back out there with a little sidekick. To see some pictures by Session Nine Photography of our first week home with Elle, click here. To see pictures of her nursery and newborn shoot by Mike Olbinski, click here.

More life updates to come!

*All photos by Mike Olbinski

Featured on Babble.com

Babble.com is an amazing resource for new parents. And while discovering this new world of parenthood, I was pleasantly surprised to see an email in my inbox asking to feature my maternity session with Gina Meola. After two sleepless weeks of being a mom, it feels extra special to be featured on this awesome parenting resource. Thanks Babble!

A Photographer's Perspective On Using A Stylist

Gina Meola is mentioned a lot on this blog because we work together often, and have become good friends because of it. I asked her if she would be interested in contributing something about fashion photography to the blog since she's a photographer, and instead she wanted to share how working with a fashion stylist has helped set her business apart. =) Now, can you see why I love her?! Enjoy!

--- For us, offering personal styling services to all our clients is SUCH a bonus! When a couple hires us, they believe in our values, they care about an amazing experience, and they trust us to capture them BEAUTIFULLY! Alex of AVE STYLES has helped solidify all those areas!

For most couples, engagement photos are the first time they are being professionally photographed together. It can feel unfamiliar, a little intimidating, or even awkward without the right guidance. So why not let an expert in fashion help put your clients’ minds at ease? In the end, they feel more confident in themselves and are more trusting of YOU.

These are just a few ways having a stylist “on staff” has changed Gina Meola Photography::

• This is one more way our couples are cared for because we include this service in our collections.
• Marcus and I spend less time preparing for photo sessions, and more time growing our business!
• Our couples arrive stress-free to shoots because their ensembles were selected far in advance.
• Our couples can focus on lovin’ each other instead of worrying about their outfits. This, in turn, helps us create natural, authentic photographs.
• The overall experience AND image quality are enhanced tremendously!
• Fully trusting Alex ensures our clients look and feel their very best!

The verdict is out, and having a personal fashion stylist makes the process much more relational, unique, and special! THANK YOU, ALEX!!

All images by Gina Meola Photography and style by AVE Styles.