Boudoir Event to be a big hit!!!

Due to popular demand and fast booking, we have decided to extend the boudoir event! We’ve reserved the fabulously gorgeous room No 9 at the historic Patterson Inn in downtown Denver for another night to allow for more bookings!

As of right now, these are the just released newly available times for bookings:

Fri 1/25 @ 3PM and 5PM

Sat 1/26 @ 9AM, 11AM or 1PM

All other sessions have been booked up, so you’ll want to grab your ideal time before someone else does!  This event is being advertised here, on Facebook, Twitter and Craigslist, not to mention word of mouth and via flyers, so there is plenty of competition.

As a reminder, women who participate DO NOT need to be models or skinny minis, in fact many of the best boudoir images out there are women with some curves to them.  Boudoir is about feeling sexy and conveying it to the camera; what makes it sexy is the realness.

Give your SO a gift they won’t soon forget with your boudoir images!  You’re sure to surprise the pants off him

Please share this event with EVERYONE you know!  People who refer others will receive a little extra special gift with their session…..

Here’s the link to our Facebook Event listing

 

 

Pin-Up Modeling Tips & Tricks

1.  Groom yourself like you’re going on your honeymoon weekend. Shave anything that needs shaving, wax what needs waxing, tweeze, trim, etc. Also don’t forget to touch up your roots! It’s likely that you’ll be up close and personal with your photographer, stylist and make-up crew so good prep means you can relax knowing nobody is staring at your fuzzy bikini line.
2. Don’t forget your nails! Have well trimmed and shaped toenails and fingernails, trim and moisturize those cuticles, and paint your nails. If you have an aversion to polish- and least do a clear coat on all twenty digits.
3. If you want to wear a garter belt and stockings, avoid anything that is designed to “stay up” on its own. Rubberized “thigh highs” and “stay ups” can make even the most toned thighs look like sausage. There are lots of online retailers that specialize in classic stockings that won’t bind your legs. Also, if you have less than toned thighs, a good trick is to find some completely sheer “sheer to waist” pantyhose as a foundation. (Make sure they are not control top! A good choice- Sheer Energy Sheer to Waist- they have the green stripe on the box.) The pantyhose will make your legs looks great, and then you can pull the stockings over them to have the stocking look with toned upper thigh.
4. It’s all in the face! Pin-Ups are all about facial expression & personality. Find your personal “pin-up personality”.  Are you smoldering and sexy? Cute and playful? Figure it out and spend some real time in front of the mirror finding out what expressions are best for you. Do what comes comfortably and most natural and your pictures will show that. We can always tell who has practiced faces before the shoot, and even a little practice means better pictures.
5. While you’re at it, practice poses you’ve seen in classic pin-ups, or modern pin-up photos you admire. Have a friend/lover/family member shoot you with a point and shoot or even a camera phone. The quality of the image will suck, but you’ll be able to see if you nailed a flattering pose or not. This way, when you get to your professional shoot, you’ll be sure and get your money’s worth!
6. Take some time to tell your photographer about what you see as your biggest assets and problem areas. It helps them choose poses and angles to hide what you don’t like, and show off what you do. A good photographer should be able to pose for just about anything.
7. Mention any moles, birthmarks, scars that you are self conscious about. The photographer doesn’t know whether you consider your mole a “beauty mark” or a “flaw”, so be specific about what you want wiped out in Photoshop.
8. Photoshop is a tool, not a miracle worker! The misconceptions of Photoshop drive me nuts!

9. Over photoshopped images are a huge pet peeve of mine — images with total lack of clarity are just not quality images. You want an image of an enhanced you — not someone unrecognizable. If you want a painting — get a painter. You should be realistic — do not expect to lose 20 years or 20 pounds through Photoshop. Expect a beautiful image of the true you.

10. Make a CD or bring a loaded MP3 player with all of your favorite songs. Have the photographer play it while you pose. It will help you relax and have more fun.
11. Always have double stick tape. This will help keep clothing where it should be while providing maximum cleavage.
12. Be on time, but not more than 15 min early. Photographers usually have tight shooting schedules. By arriving late, you are cheating yourself out of time. By arriving early, you are cheating someone else.
13. Don’t be afraid to be over dramatic, and really ham it up. Those “cheesy” ones are very often the best.
14. When posing, try to keep your tongue firmly glued to the roof of your mouth. This will slim your face, and cut down on the double chin.
15. Always, always, always point your toes! Your feet should never be at a 45 degree angle. Pointing your toes adds grace, while elongating and emphasizing the shape of your legs.
16. On the same note pay close attention to your hands and keep them soft. Imagine you are holding a raw egg in the palm of your hand, and keep the hands soft and graceful. Study ballet hand positions. Nothing ruins a great shot like hard and sharp angles or fists with the hands.
17. If the costuming is not provided- make sure you have a matching set of lingerie that fits well. Try on what you are bringing ahead of time. It really sucks when people show up with things they haven’t worn in years, or brand new stuff they haven’t worn before — and get all dressed up — just to hate the way the clothing fits them.
18. On the subject of wardrobe — there is a huge difference between a quality corset with steel or animal boning, and a cheap plastic off the rack clearance item. A quality corset will enhance your bust, and slim your waist dramatically. A cheap “corset” will just make your torso into an unflattering box shape.
19. Create lots of angles with your body without pointing a joint to the camera. Never point elbows, knees, or armpits directly to the camera; this is extremely unflattering. Instead create angles where these joints are pointing away from the camera.
20. When doing those “staring off to the side shots” stare into the photographers strobe light (softbox, umbrella, whatever) but not past it. The light will brighten your eyes and be flattering. If you look further than the light, not only will your eyes be dull and dark, but you’ll show too much of the whites of your eyes, giving a zombie effect.
21. Trust your photographer. If you’ve taken the time to research and choose someone because of their reputation and portfolio, don’t insult them by telling them how to do their job. We do this to make you look awesome, and nothing is more frustrating than a client who won’t let us use our experience and training to give you the best possible outcome.

 

 

News & Happenings – Exciting Stuff!!!

There’s a lot of big developments in the pipeline!  Lots of exciting things are going to be happening soon and I can hardly contain myself amid all of the excitement!

Let’s back up a bit to give a little context… On September 2nd I had my second child and have spent a little time contemplating what in my life is really quality enough to be worth my time. I decided that it was time to go after my passions and since my focus had changed to being a mommy and a wife during maternity leave, I was able to refocus my time to my talents of marketing and photography.

As fate would have it, my husband Andrew and I took over a salon with a once in a lifetime offer.  My husband has been doing hair for 15+ years and had always dreamed of owning his own salon.  With the opportunity and my business management skills, we were able to make it happen and couldn’t be happier with the decision! (Come visit us at Swagger Salon in Westminster sometime — you’ll LOVE your new hair).

Because of the salon opportunity, I was recently afforded the option to quit my 9-5 job and decided to pursue my dream of taking photography full-time. I’ve worked for others as a photographer and I’ve had my business (mainly on the side) since 2004, but I finally have the freedom to give it the attention it needs to grow and it makes me feel like my soul is whole again.

Enough of my dopey and mushy rambling…now onto the developments and news!!!!

(1)  I am planning a Vintage Boudoir Event for Saturday 1/26 in the evening with packages including full hair and make-up by the fantastic Travis Walgreen of Swagger Salon.  All participants will also enjoy champagne & chocolates during their session.  The room we have reserved is absolutely GORGEOUS and full of possibilities!  Just take a look:

The Room  (for some reason, I am unable to upload the picture. Take a look at my Facebook Fan Page to see the postings and you’ll see what I mean)

There are only a few spaces available and are booking up rather quick, so if you want in on the event, you’ll need to contact me immediately.  It’s $200 and a two hour session for the package with hair & make-up, champagne & chocolates, session & CD.  It’s $100 if you want to skip the hair & make-up and shorten the session to an hour.

It makes a great gift for Valentine’s Day or to yourself as a self-esteem booster.  If you’re worried about not being perfect or how you look – don’t worry! You will look fabulous when I’m done with you!

(2) We are teaming up with Passion’s Parties by Tiffany to offer Boudoir Parties and Pin-Up Parties to supplement your Passion’s Party!  If you’ve never been to a Passion’s Party, you’re missing out!!!  Anyways, we will be offering an affordable per person cost to bring our mobile studio to your party and have you and your girlfriends strut your stuff in front of the camera.

If you are interested in hosting your own party (and the hostess if eligible for free gifts based on the total sales at the party!) please let me know.  I will have Tiffany get in touch with you and we can plan the Ultimate Girl’s Night!

(3)  We will be appearing at a small Health & Wellness Expo on Tuesday 1/29 at Front Range Community College.  I will be sharing a table with Swagger Salon, however I will be representing both companies at the event.  If you’re in the area between 11AM-1PM that day, stop on by and say hello!

(4)  I shot my first homecoming for Operation: Love ReUnited (OpLove), a non-profit organization of volunteer photographers that freely give their time in thanks to our nation’s active military during before, during and coming off of deployment. I can truly say I was moved to tears witnessing the homecoming and and grateful for the opportunity to help make the {V} family’s Christmas Eve so special <3

I just wanted to take a moment to remind everyone about OpLove and ask you to tell all of your friends who are either in the military or related to someone in the military about us because it will change their lives for the better!

Well, that’s it for now….but there’s sure to be more news soon!

Posing: Tips and How-To

A pose is more than just a pose; many think it should exemplify a person’s personality, however I find it hard to bottle someone’s personality in that way….that’s why I don’t use posing much.  Poses do come in handy for people who are awkward or self-conscious in front of the camera (as most people are), it gives them a starting point to ease the camera ham outta them.

There are a million poses (maybe more) out there, but using these tips can help you to create your own or coax your subject into a more camera-friendly position when shooting:

1. Hands:

• Girl’s fingers should be long and elegant.
• Guys should have hands lightly fisted (like they are holding a small rock).

 2. Feet:

•  Feet hip width apart will give a look of strength
• Feet at different angles or heights (on a step, chair etc) will give better “balance” to depth.

 3. Arms

•  Elbows bent express a comfortable casualness.
• Arms straight give a feeling of formality and often stiffness (to be used with much caution)

 4. Head / Chin

• Head tipped back slightly will generally give an attitude of “punk” (especially for guys, think, “bring it on”)
• Head tipped back to the “high” shoulder will feel fun and flirty
• Head down toward the “low” shoulder can express power or position (especially when shooting up at the subject).

5. Legs

• Legs spread hip width apart while standing will give an air of strength.
• Generally while standing, one leg should hold the body weight; the other leg can be bent, or extended behind like a graceful dancer

 6. Shoulders

• Should be on different “planes” (i.e. one slightly higher or lower than the other)
• Shoulders square on will express a strong attitude.

 7. Joints

•  One rule: If it bends, bend it. This goes for elbows, knees, wrists, etc.

 8. Hips

•  Girls who stand with hips tilted forward will appear more slender

Follow us on Pinterest!

Follow us on Pinterest!

Trademark Photos is now on Pinterest!  Follow our boards to see what inspires us, new blog posts or new photographic works published to the web!

Fun Holiday Portrait Ideas

It seems like every year, at about this time, we all start to wonder what we are going to put on our Holiday Cards that get sent out to family and friends….and then panic because we realize we haven’t even had a portrait done this year! Most families will just resort to a snapshot photo from earlier in the year or a vacation taken, but these often result in a unimpressive card that doesn’t mean as much to everyone else as it does to you; this is why family portraits this time of year are HIGHLY recommended!

Family portraits taken in the fall or just before the Holidays offer friends and family and updated glimpse at your most recent looks and the ever-changing faces of your little ones (who seem to grow faster every day!)

Being a mom of two and a photographer, I decided to put together a nice little list of fun Holiday/Seasonal shots that any photographer should be able to pull of….however, you might be able to do these yourself (as I have) if you have a little photo talent, a tripod and a timer or remote activated shutter on your camera. I work with a Canon 30D SLR camera most of the time, however the camera and lens vary from job to job.

Location options:

1. There’s the tried and true indoor/studio backdrop version that most of us typically equate with Olan Mills, JC Penny Portrait Studios or other company.  If you don’t have the money for a canvas drop, many people will push towards the digital backdrop (I’m not a fan because it is really easy to make these look bad if not post-processed correctly).  The nice part about digital backdrops is the ability to reuse the same pose on many backgrounds (see this link for example).
2. There’s the outdoor/on-location image that I am particularly fond of if the weather is bearable and the scenery is nice (brick buildings, barns, trees, fences and parks work well)
3. And the most viable option for someone shooting on a budget without a scenic location nearby is the Christmas Tree, the fireplace with stalkings hung or other familiar holiday decor in your home.  Since I am a lifestyle type photographer, I often shoot images like this as well (think girl lighting the menorah with a darkened room behind her…)

Posing ideas (click image to visit source domain & photo credit):

1. In front of a big Christmas Tree (indoors or outdoors) dressed in holiday colors                             
2. Lighting a Menorah with a darkened room behind (expose for light on face, not background)              
3. Playing in the snow/ building a snowman                       
4. Baby in a pile of wrapping paper     
5. Hanging ornaments on the Christmas Tree    
6. Ice Skating at an outdoor skating rink                
7. Hanging the stalkings on the mantle                      
8. With or as Santa Claus (you’ll need a Santa suit or at least the hat for this one)                                         

Well, that should be enough to either get you started or to get inspired!  What fun ideas have you come up with? Please comment below!

Picture of the Week – Jan. 1-7th (Week 1)

In keeping with the spirit of my 2012 resolutions, I took a few pictures this week in hopes of landing one really good one….and while they were all good, the one I chose is more personal than technical.

As many of you already know, I am a mom to an outstanding 21 month old toddler boy named Max.  Like other moms, I think he is the cutest thing to walk the Earth and I believe that he is smarter than he should be (for this reason alone, I fear the teenage years!). This week, I captured some of his antics “on film” to share with you all: The Mr. Potato Head Incident.

I think it was Wednesday when I was making dinner for the family before my husband got home from work.  I was almost done cooking and Max was fussing because he was hungry.  I was making spinach stuffed chicken breast (freezer sections are wonderful!) with a side of spring veggies and mashed potatoes.  The potatoes were the first thing done and I knew Max would eat them while waiting for the rest of his meal to cook, so I sat him in his high chair with a small helping on a plate and a toddler spoon to dish it with and then headed back to the kitchen to finish cooking.  All was quiet, so I didn’t think much of the silence other than thinking that maybe he was just happy to be eating his potatoes until………I walked out of the kitchen to unlock the front door for my husband. What I saw made me double over laughing!  Max had smeared the mashed potatoes all over his hands, arms, face, hair and we even found some on the wall behind him! Apparently, he thought they made a great conditioning treatment or he was flexing his artistic muscles! 

My first instinct was to take a picture and when my husband came through the door to see what I laughing at, he immediately said the same (THIS coming from the guy that is a little peeved that I ALWAYS have my camera (s) handy!).

Resolutions for 2012

It’s that time of year again! Time to make and hopefully *keep* those New Year’s Resolutions. We all start with the best intentions, but most of us seem to fail at keeping them regardless of how good the intention is.

I watched a video the other day about making manageable business resolutions and I had three immediate and lasting impressions from it:

1.   Make the action your resolution, not the outcome. Most resolutions fail because we fail to make manageable progress (take baby steps) towards our goal. The goal doesn’t have to be achieved in a day – you have all year to do it! Just make sure you can measure your progress and stay on track; don’t be disgruntled by set backs – they’re bound to happen. Dust yourself off and try again.
2.   Entrepreneurs are a lot alike in that we HATE being told what to do – even if its my self telling me what to do! I just thought it was due to my punk rock personality….I had no idea it was a key staple of business owners, LOL!
3.   Businesses make resolutions, too! (I know, right?! As simple as it sounds, it was an epiphany to me)

I guess to be fair to the video blogger, I ought to post a link to the aforementioned video, LOL! http://youtu.be/oqSyJHidRo0

I think blogging is a fantastic way to not only communicate with you – my audience – but to keep my thoughts on track. I often liken my business sense to that of an ADHD teenager (*LOOK! Shiny!*) and blogging allows me to not only convey my goals, but to help me keep them. I think it was sometime in 2010 when I heard that in order to realize your goal, you must first tell others around you so that you will feel more obligated to fulfill it. Its true…… Isn’t it funny how we can let ourselves down so easily, but if we tell family, friends, clients, etc., we feel more obligated to deliver?

Looking back on 2010, I see that I started my project 365. I resolved to take a picture every day for a year and post it for the world to see. I failed. Yup……at least I can admit it. I stopped because I lead a boring life and posting pictures of junk around my house is no way to market my skills. It was a great opportunity for others to get free pictures in the name of the blog, but it also caused me a lot of grief because I was not making money, creating new clients nor successfully marketing myself; I was just attracting people who wanted freebies.

Believe it or not, I am thinking of picking the project back up again in 2012, but with a more manageable criteria. I was overzealous in my goal – *pfft! A picture a day to start? Nah!* This time around, my goal is to take a new picture worthy of posting each week. My son is older now and more capable of social activities and I am so bored with our lack of social life that I am hoping this will force us out of the house more.

Some of you may already know that I multi-task. I am an apartment manager, a mommy & wife, a social media marketer, a photographer, artist, musician and management mastermind. In 2012, I also resolve to be more dedicated to starting up a salon with my husband (www.andrewmolinaro.com) and to learning more about social media management for the sake knowledge (can’t be too smart) and for the love of Pete (who is Pete?), practice what I preach about social media! I tend to be such a “free spirit” that my only routines relate to my son’s bedtime routine, but I need to make posting and interaction routine in 2012 as well.

I think my only personal resolution for the New Year is to stop smoking once and for all. I’ve done it many times, but I always seem to pick it back up again for one reason or another. I’ve heard it said that quitting smoking is likened to quitting Heroin. While I don’t intend to ever find about about the latter, I do have to admit that each and every time I quit smoking, it gets harder and harder.

What are your resolutions for the New Year and what are you going to do to keep them? Comment and tell me – I’d love to know your process, plans and if I can help you keep them!

Check out the top 10 reasons to hire me

Check out the top 10 reasons to hire me as your photographer: http://ow.ly/66avc

Project: 365 – Day 65

Toto…..I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore!  LOL!  One of the most charming things about living in Denver is the mix of old and new architectural styles all in one place.  There are home downtown from the 1800′s and houses as new as this year located not 10 minutes from the historic neighborhoods.  Here is an old weather vane found on a ranch nearby that made me feel “nostalgic” for the old west styles smattered around town.