Double exposure occurs in  film photography when one shot is superimposed over another. This happy accident doesn’t occur in digital photography, but you can recreate the look in Photoshop (read an easy tutorial on how to achieve the look here).  Since I’ve been spending most of my time prepping for my trip to Aruba in two days, I decided to dig through my archives and find some examples of my travel “happy accidents” (places that we stumbled upon by  sheer luck) for this month’s theme.  Crossing my fingers that the trend continues on this trip…see you all when I return!

The next stop is a film photographer who just joined The Creativity Project.  I’m already loving her pictures and I’m sure she will show us digital folk  how a “REAL” double exposure image is done. Please continue the circle with Katherine of Oh Nerdiness!

Please join us “Today” – wherever you are in the world – and link up with Communal Global!

Mindy of Freckles & Dimples Photography and I met two years ago at a photography workshop. Since then I’ve journeyed from hobbyist to starting my own business and Mindy has been cheering me on every step of the way, as a supporter and friend, even entrusting me with the task of photographing her own family back in 2010! As my business continues to evolve, I’ve considered the possibility of breaking into the wedding photography market, but it’s a decision I did not want to take lightly.  I wanted a partner: someone with a similar shooting style, business philosophy, whom I admire and respect and who would continue to challenge me to be a stronger photographer in this highly competitive industry. I found all these things and more in my dear friend Mindy.  So it’s with great excitement that I announce our wedding partnership: Kiss Me, Kiss Me Studios.

In case you’re wondering, Mad Hearts Photography is not going anywhere! Both Mindy and I are still maintaining our individual portraiture and event photography businesses (Mindy is based out of Lehigh Valley, PA and I’m in the Northern New Jersey/ NYC),  but we are now officially available for wedding clients in both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey/ New York regions! We’d love for you to follow our exciting new venture here.

*Enjoyed the sneak peek? Expect to see more images from our first promotional engagement/wedding stylized shoot very soon!

It seems city sessions are all the rage at the moment!  The last three Mad Hearts sessions have all been in New York City – how cool is that?!  Since people seem to love them (and I love to do them!), I thought I’d share some helpful tips on  how to dress for a city photo shoot.  The key to choosing your outfits is to keep it simple. Here are a few do’s and don’ts to help you dress fashionably and comfortably the day of your session:

• Don’t wear uncomfortable shoes. We walk a lot -and when I say a lot, I mean A LOT!  If you want to wear a pair of killer heels, bring them along and change into them when we’re ready to shoot. But a comfortable pair of shoes for the times in between photos or closeups where you won’t see your feet is ideal. Trust me, your feet will thank me later!

• Do choose a solid base. Whether that be a pair of black pants, dark denim, solid color skirt/ dress… Just choose something versatile and that you will not have to change out throughtout your session.

• Don’t forget to wear a camisole or plain tee underneath your top. That way you can change out of your shirt discreetly in public without worrying about flashing all of NYC.

• Do accesorize. I always stress the importance of “layering” when consulting with clients before a session, but it’s even more important for city sessions. Little things like scarves, shoes, hats, jewelry and jackets can change your entire look without the need for a complete outfit change.

• Do travel light. Our time together goes by so fast, so I always suggest that you bring two looks – three max. No need to bring bags and bags of stuff. One large tote with all the essentials should suffice. Just make sure you leave room for your makeup bag to freshen up in between photos.

As the warm weather approaches, we find ourselves trying to move our home improvement projects outdoors to get  things ready for summer cookouts, cocktails and company.  And since the weather was absolutely magnificent this weekend, we decided to start by cleaning our the flower beds and getting rid of the weeds that were running rampant.  It was my first time weeding and I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. The previous owner planted a wide variety of flowers, so it was a bit tricky figuring what belonged and what didn’t.  There were a few casualites (things that were ripped out that probably shouldn’t have been), but that’s expected with us being newbies and all. It was a lot of work and I’m still aching from head to toe, but it was the most gratifying home improvement project yet. I might have found my green thumb afterall!

Please join us “Today” – wherever you are in the world – and link up with Communal Global!

You might remember Joci’s pretty face from a while back! She and her sister (whom I nicknamed the Fierce Sisters)  were one of my first clients and so much fun to photograph. It’s been over a year since I last saw her and I just couldn’t believe the beautiful young lady she has blossomed into! And what’s even more sweet is that of all the things she could have asked for her 13th birthday, she chose to have another Mad Hearts session as her gift. So of course we had to make this the best birthday present EVER! We traded in the open fields for a metropolitan setting in the Lower East Side and SOHO areas of  NYC -   ideal for this budding fashionista. Everywhere we went,  she lit up the streets with her gorgeous smile causing several passerbyers to stop and admire.  She’s definitely a show stopper! Just take a look….

Though I love doing  client sessions, the downside  is that there’s rarely time leftover to shoot just for fun. So when Becky suggested The Creativity Project – a monthly blog circle with a new theme each month - I immediately hopped on board! I’m so excited to participate in this fun new venture with a few of my favorite photographer friends. After reading my post, be sure to continue clicking through the various photographer’s links to complete the circle and see everyone’s take on the latest theme!

This month’s theme was The Girl______ (fill in the blank). The first thought that popped in my head to fill in the blank was “behind the lens”, so this is my attempt at a self-portrait. Who knew it would be so tough to take my own picture!  Between balancing and trying to focus the camera, I had a full bicep workout by the time this little exercise was complete. I did manage to get a decent one after a two dozen attempts. Here are a few of those unedited outtakes….please don’t laugh at my obvious awkwardness! I’m much more comfortable behind the lens than in front of it.  I’m also linking up with Communal Global for Around the World Tuesdays.  This won’t normally be the case, but just for today, you get a double dose of linky fun :)

Continue the circle with the always fabulous Becky of Life with Kaishon!

I will gladly scout picturesque locations for a session, but I absolutely love when client’s choose to have their photos taken in a place that is special to them – as was the case for Denise’s portrait session. She chose to have her session all around the East Village and the downtown areas of NYC where she grew up.  We stopped by her elementary school, local park, eateries – like Jack’s Stir Brew - as well as some other memory filled neighborhood spots. It was quite the adventure for us both: she revisited her old favorites and I discovered some new ones!

I have my friend Scarlett of House of Emery to thank for these behind the scenes photos of the Chestnut Hill photo shoot. I was so engrossed in taking pictures that I had no idea Scarlett and her daughter Keana were taking all these shots…ahhhh!. I literally rolled out of bed, threw on whatever I could find and ran out of the house in time for the shoot. So picture ready I was not.  But I do love these photos because they capture everything that goes into getting the “perfect” shot.

Sharing the eye candy…errr…I mean model.

Everyone tried their hand at getting the girls to smile. “Whatever it takes!” is the photographer’s way!

We switched between shooting, posing the models and holding up reflectors so that everyone would have a turn.

My partners in crime: Scarlett and Becky! The day wouldn’t have been nearly as fun without you girls!

I’d be happy if I never had to look at this room again…for real!  Despite being the tiniest room in the house, it’s been the biggest pain in the you know what to fix. What’s even worse is that we haven’t really started with any of the real transformation stuff. All I’ve managed to do is chip paint for the last month and I’m so over it!  But since this space is destined to be Mad Hearts headquarters  (aka the office), the DIY’ing continues – albeit begrudgingly!

But onto better news, the stair are finally complete!  Though I was never a big fan of the wrought iron railing, we decided to keep it because a) it was original to the house b) we didn’t want to spend the money on a new one. Kleber took on the hefty task of refinishing the rusted railings and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. Every time I saw him covered in a black spray paint after spending hours working on this project, I thanked my lucky stars for my hardworking guy! Next step will be replacing the gold accents and fixtures, as well as adding picture frames and wall art to make the space a little more inviting when visitors walk in – we’re making progress!