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Happy Birthday Polo!
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H e's the first thing I see when I wake up, and the last thing I see before I go to sleep. He presses his body into mine in the darkness of night, follows me in the pastel light of morning, and when I cry, he's the first to respond. He waits by the window every morning when I leave the gym and greets me at the door upon my return. When everything else is too much, the simplicity of my dog's love is enough.
I should be embarrassed to admit how much I love Polo, but I'm not. I suppose that sort of confidence comes with age. We're growing old together, me and my dog. We recently celebrated Polo's sixth birthday and I took a photo to remember my best friend...and all the joy he brings to my life. |
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The Fix : Tickets on SALE!
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I spent all of yesterday pacing my office. I bit my nails, I danced, I clipped magazines, but mostly I just sat there and worried. AND WHAT IF NO ONE COMES THEN WHAT?!?! What if it's just me and JD and I beg him to do the Arsenio Hall fist twirl (whoot whoot whoot!) so I don't feel lame. Well, the day has come to officially release tickets for The Fix : Conversations with Jasmine Star. Yup, just referred to myself in third person. I promise I'm not this weird in person. Hand to heaven.
After announcing The Fix last week, a few questions arose and I want to address them for sake of clarification... kathleen frank: Is the information wedding photography specific? Do you think the information will be easily transferable to a non-wedding photography business? Yes, the focus will be on the business of photography, and how it applies to our industry, not necessarily a specific niche. Thomas: I can't find what time The Boston Fix starts. Can you please let me know? Every event begins at 6:30pm with a mixer and the presentation begins at 7pm. Emily Dobson: The dilemma - do I venture out to see you 4 days before my due date?! ;) Would you be comfortable delivering a baby if by some chance we go into shock?? No, but JD is a really fast driver and we'll make sure you get to a hospital in time. And please come because, really, that would make an epic blog post! ;) Ashley: Is this strictly for photographers or do you think other areas in the event/wedding industry would benefit? The Fix is open to anyone who'd like to attend, so feel free to join a great group of people. Also, if you're in a different part of the industry--say, a wedding coordinator--this would be a great place to network and meet the artists whose work you'll one day be curating! anda: ps -- and the website by promise looks incredible too!! I couldn't agree more! Promise Tangeman created The Fix website and I'm so happy to collaborate with such an awesome designer. |
| Jason Cho: What is the price? I can't tell what the $99/$119 means on the pricing page.
Sorry...this was sort of confusing. My bad. If you purchase a ticket before February 1, 2012, it's $99 and $119 anytime after that. Bianca: I'm so proud of you! And even though I am NOT a photographer, I will attend. With bells and whistles on. You better be. You're my sister! Camille: My business is more aspirational than actual at the moment. Is this for someone like me, or for established business owners? This event is geared for a wide spectrum of entrepreneurs...we'll be discussing the building blocks of a strong business so it may be a great way to prepare for what's in store. To be honest, my goal is for attendees to walk away learning one thing new that will revolutionize the way they look at their business. It won't be the same for everyone (so much depends on experience and business structure), but that one thing can be the start of big changes. feuza: are you renting a cool ride and driving all over? We rented a bus and will be driving to each city (yes, we're crazy). I might look back at my life one day and ask What The Heck Was I Thinking, but for now we're creating an adventure...and hoping for the best. If you're interested in securing a seat in a city near you, CLICK HERE at 9am PST to get a ticket! And special thanks to White House Custom Colour and Showit for sponsoring The Fix...I feel so lucky to have their support. Love them. Hope to see you soon! **EDITED TO ADD** Because of the surge on the website, the high volume has caused a delayed in the ticket email. If you received an email receipt from PayPal, you're covered. The secondary email should arrive within 24 hours and/or please check your spam folder in case it was accidentally placed there. Feel free to bring your ID to the event if you don't print out your ticket because we'll have the guest manifest on-site as well! :) |
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Vibiana Wedding : Styled Shoot
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I think it happens to anyone pursuing an artistic endeavor: you get stuck. Or maybe I'm the only person who's felt this way, the only person who's let the funk cloud my mind. If that's the case, this post isn't for you. Feel free to come back tomorrow for regular programming. What I'm referring to is the moment when you realize that what you're doing isn't enough...to satisfy you, to make you feel inspired, to feel enough, even if but for a flickering moment.
Maybe it affects me more than most, but when I feel a wave of _________ coming on, I try to create. Anything. Something. Having the ability to call a friend and dream out loud is powerful, so I called my friend Amanda Auer of In The Now Weddings and talked. Then she talked. Then we set out to create. Amanda is extraordinarily talented in creating, so she and her team descended on Vibiana in Los Angeles to create a styled wedding shoot. I was there to document her magic and happy to see it featured on Style Me Pretty. There you'll also see step-by-step tutorials for cool DIY wedding details, so definitely check it out HERE. Now onto the creative collaboration... |
| I'm absolutely in lovvvvve with Vibiana...it's actually a restored church in Downtown Los Angeles that's been converted into an event space...I'm smitten. The last time I was here, I photographed Damaris and Donald's wedding, and it still remains one of my favorites to this day... |
| What I especially loved about Amanda's sense of style is her brazen love of color...be bold, y'all... |
| The centerpiece is a metal pegboard Amanda designed and created herself...she's so good at what she does, the men at Home Depot are intimidated by her! ;) |
| A special shout out to Steve+Sara...they're a newly married couple who kindly offered their time to be in front of my camera. I love the way they love...and I ended up simply loving them too! |
| One of the best things about Steven (besides his sense of style) is his humor...just being around him can make anyone smile... |
| This is when they brought out the fierciosity...yup, fierciosity. |
| Sara...oh, you... |
| Many thanks to the uber talented team who made this shoot come to life...
Venue: Vibiana Event Design: Amanda Auer for In The Now Weddings Catering and Cake: Jay's Catering Rentals: Classic Party Rentals Specialty Rentals: Found Vintage Rentals Florist: Amanda Auer for In The Now Weddings Models: Steve and Sara Lucero Multimedia Prints, Vinyl and Projects: Creative Media Print Graphic Design: Amanda Auer for In The Now Weddings Linens: La Tavola Fine Linen Hair/Makeup: 1011 Makeup Bridal Gown: Jenny Yoo Veil: Erica Koesler from The Dresser Photography: Jasmine Star Happy Friday! |
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FAQ : How to Pose the Groom
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A couple weeks ago, I posted a video on How to Photograph Groom Preparation Photos on a Wedding Day, but there were a few people who asked, specifically, about posing a groom, which usually happens after prep. Writing about posing is often times difficult for me because--without a model or demonstration--so much is lost in words.
In light of this, I thought I'd share a few of my posing guides I use as inspiration before a wedding day. I've mentioned this before, but when I first started photography, I didn't have formal training, so I simply taught myself. I went further in depth about this process in EXPOSED Magazine, but here's a few updated samples of how I dissect a photo and use it as a way to refine my photographic approach. One of the top questions I was asked was how I pose the groom and his groomsmen. Well, I don't have a single approach (so much depends on light, location, vibe, and the overall comfortability of the wedding party), but what I will do is comb through my favorite music magazines for inspiration. For instance, this weekend I'm shooting a wedding in Arizona, so last night I went through magazines and clipped out photos for fresh ideas. Because I'm a girl (obvi), I need to study and understand the male form and what works when posing a group of guys... |
| The above photo is from a J. Crew catalogue. And I love it. Part of what I find appealing (aside from a set of impeccably dressed men...rawr) is the accessibility of the photo itself. And by this I mean I could easily replicate this idea on a wedding day, no flashy gear or complex lighting setup needed. The guys look comfortable, casual, and--most importantly--cool. Of course I'll always capture a traditional photo of the groom and his groomsmen, but if I can also capture an editorial photo like the one above, I'm proud because it's a mix of safe (mom will have a photo for the mantel) and edgy (the groom will have a photo he's stoked to post on Facebook).
In the photos below (left page: Rolling Stone Magazine, right page: Spin Magazine), I found the group poses particularly helpful because seeing and understanding what works for guys is important for me. If I can pose men in a way they're comfortable with, it makes me confident. When I'm confident, my clients feel it...and when clients feel it, they trust me...and when they trust me, I can push their limits. |
| Here's a sample layout I pulled from a J.Crew catalogue. When explaining to JD how I'd like for him to style (yes, style...I request that he position groom details in a particular way) and photograph the groom's clothing, this spread of photos worked well to articulate my point. I can talk for days about how I'd love things done, but giving JD this cheat sheet moved things along quickly... |
| Okay, so now let's move on to posing just the groom. I pulled these two pictures to demonstrate two approaches. The photo on the left is a great pose that works if the groom is uncomfortable or really doesn't want to be photographed. It's masculine, straight-forward, and if positioned in a cool environment can solicit an editorial vibe. Take notice of his hands, where he's placing the pressure on his feet, and the unbuttoned jacket (these are the styling approaches you'll need to make on a wedding day). The photo on the right is a great pose for a groom who's comfortable in front of the camera and has a little swag (these are my favorite types of grooms). Grabbing any chair or bar stool can achieve the same look, but be sure to study the placement of his arms and how much of his bum is actually on the seat itself (these small details can change the entire feel of the photo). |
| These are examples I pulled from the Lands' End catalogue because they are great ways of capturing a groom during casual moments through out the day. The photo on the left is a great photo to capture, especially if you ask the groom to look towards his groomsmen who are standing off to the side (this usually prompts the groomsmen to make fun of him, which results in a great, natural capture of a laugh). The photo on the right is a great example of natural light when photographing a groom. When finding photos for inspiration, one of my goals is to find imagery that is duplicatable on a wedding day. If the photo looks like it required a high-tech lighting setup, I'll usually pass because I need to focus on the reality of a wedding day: I don't use extensive gear, so remain true to my style and approach. Oh! And make sure and notice the way the model on the right is leaning...the only point of contact to the wall is his shoulder and his left knee is relaxed, not straight. If I can find something for the groom to hold (his vows, sunglasses, a flask, yarmulke, etc), I could replicate this idea with confidence. |
| So. I think I went on far too long with this post. Sorry. I just wanted to make sure I explained my thoughts the best I could to help a few people along the way. If I missed the mark, my bad. I'll try again soon, but until then I hope you rock out posing!
Stay Fabulous, j* |
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The Fix : Conversations with Jasmine Star
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I HAVE WRITER'S BLOCK!!!!!!! I'm just gonna come out and say it: I'd love for YOU to join me at The Fix in one of 12 cities around the United States. |
| Yup, that's right...JD and I will be hosting an evening event for photographers to meet, make new friends, and build a better business in the process. And bubbly may or may not be involved, so please know you're in for a good time. The Fix's entire goal is to identify weaknesses within a business, maximize entrepreneurial strengths, and outline a course of action to employ for the new year.
Tickets go on sale this Monday, January 16, 2012, but for more information and to find a presentation nearest you, feel free to CLICK HERE for further details. I can't wait to bring a little OC-ness to your neck of the woods and it'd be an honor to meet you soon! |
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| © 2013 Jasmine Star Photography | Blog by infinet design |
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