What a great gift idea! Lauren approached me a few weeks ago wondering about squeezing in a Vintage Vixen session as a gift for her boyfriend for Christmas. I knew it would be tight and told her that I would do my best. Things didn’t pan out to be done on time, so I came up with a Peek-a-boo card. Essentially, it’s still something for her to present to her boyfriend for Christmas and in a nutshell it conveys that something special is on its way for him.
Here’s the card:
I might add too, that this session in particular was really nice. Lauren was full of confidence and just went for it! She was playful and fun and very sexy. Sure he’ll be thrilled with the pictures. Here are a few favs from our session together.
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Posted in Blah, blah, blogging with SwankPhotoStudio, Vintage Vixens | Tags: boudoir, January 23, January 30, special, two days only!, V3, Valentines sessions, Vintage Vixen
She tells me of how hard it was to duck away from Tim today to come out for her Vintage Vixen session. She had Tim’s white shirt on a hanger thrown over her shoulder along with other bags and a very baffled Tim asks, “Where are you going with my shirt?”. She replies with a duh, grabbed the wrong shirt, proceeds to go into the closet to tuck it into her bag. He definitely knows she’s up to something, not quite sure of what exactly. Boy, will he be surprised come Christmas AM!
Sexiness personified, Jenna oozes vixen glam! She opted for a mod late 60′s look. Two wonderful dresses supplied by my favorite vintage shop, Revolver Consignment Boutique in downtown Raleigh graced her body during our session, but she also wanted to spice it up with some extra little special pics for Tim and also went for a modern day boudoir look as well.
As you can tell by the photos, she does both genres well. Now, how does she explain the heavy make-up by Margo Williams of Belloviso when she gets home? HMMMM?
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Well, this is truly uncanny and I must say a first! It seems that I have two couples with identical proposals. And the thing that’s borderline freaky-weird is the fact that both of the guys sprinted up the two mile hike to the waterfall, left their gals winded, and proposed. Nervous boys?? So it is, the story for my sweet and giggly endearing couple number 2, Maggie and Kevin.
The long courtship across halls began for these two at their Longwood University, VA dorm and for two years Maggie exclaims, “We chased each other!”. It wasn’t until Maggie’s Senior year that they took the leap off of the ‘friendship rock’ and decided to be exclusive.
Simple and sweet the foundation of their relationship is bound by best friends, Maggie tells me. “We cannot wait to start our lives together!”
An October 24th, 2009 wedding is planned.
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My December 6th bride has the ability to ‘bring it’.
Before Ashley’s bridal session she had casually mentioned to me that she wasn’t interested in any traditional style pictures and boy does that perk my ears up. That to me says, ‘FREEDOM’. Have fun with me! I warmed up to that fact right away, that there were no boundaries and she was willing to step out of the box for her pics.
As we traversed the grounds of Barclay Villa, Angier NC(incidentally, also Ashley’s wedding location), I could not help, but be swept away with all of the opportune backdrops and possibilities there. Barclay is one of my favorite and most challenging places to shoot. It’s very warm and dramatic in lighting and to achieve an overall balance with the light, well, let’s just say it keeps me thinking and on my toes. Love it!
And with that being said, with Barclay as a backdrop and what Ashley can bring forth through her eyes, we are left with portraits that impart a sort of Old World beauty.
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Nothing more challenging to me than working with our animals. Take them to the great outdoors and they’re eager to play, explore, and not have their picture taken. I dig the spirit of our four-legged friends.
Doogan had his own agenda the day my assistant Kristen asked me to do a Fall portrait session for her and her husband. As we navigated the park and gave Doogan a chance to settle in and tire, well, a little, we were able to squeeze in some great shots.
The leaves gave way to their full glory as we strolled the grounds in what is an idyllic Fall setting. Can you say Christmas greeting card? Tis the season.
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Tricia and Tom had known each other since the Youth Group with their church since 6th grade. But the romance didn’t kick into full gear until they met again at Tricia’s beach shack party her freshman year in college. Four and half years later they’re still together and even more so.
Not so long ago, after vacationing on Ocracoke Island, NC, the couple packed up to head home. With their belongings loaded on the ferry, Tom convinced Tricia that it was a good idea for them to take a last minute kayak to see Ocracoke from a different perspective.
And a different perspective it was as Tom got down on one knee and proposed to Tricia at a deserted point on the island. Of course Tricia said yes!
A September 19th, 2009 wedding is planned for the church where they first met back in the 6th grade.
Pictures from their engagement session are below.
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What a generous and giving soul Donielle is. When I approached the owner of Botanicals II, Laser Center and Spa in Clayton with the idea of sharing a photo session with her and her dog in lieu of leaving some business cards, little did I know that I’d be relying so heavily on her generosity that she so graciously extended to me.
Donielle so sweetly offered her Italian style villa home for all of my shoots and I about dropped my jaw!. The very contemporary yet warm home has been backdrop thus far for all of my vixen sessions and what a backdrop it is. She has now extended to me the idea of making these Vintage Vixen sessions into group parties in which we would entertain about 4-7pp for a party style photo session and once again, at her home. Announcement to come soon just in time for Christmas.
Well, we styled our pretty little blondie up like the late 60′s, early 70′s, Raquel Welch. Complete with a Barbarella look homemade by Donielle. We partook in some shots local to her home in some thicket of bamboo. The sexy siren raised a red flag (ooops!) because we were behind an apartment complex and the manager came out and told us to leave in not so many nice words. MeoW!! She was just jealous!! : P
Nonetheless, it gave us a great laugh.(Margo, makeup and hair artist and owner of Belloviso), my lovely ass’t Kristen, and myself.) We felt like we really did something wrong and from there on out, we felt sneaky. It all worked out.
We rounded out the session with a few more outfit changes and looks for Donielle. Thanks Donielle! You’re a gem!!
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Not that I don’t mind a good rainy wedding as it makes for some great images, but it tends to subdue the tone of weddings and the guests.
But nothing stood in the way of my super laid back bride Lisa and her groom to be, Chris. They were served up for the day of the wedding some super soggy atmosphere and grounds and did I mention their wedding was scheduled for an outdoor terrace wedding at Duke Gardens?
Windshield wipers full blast, I placed a call into Lisa on the way to her wedding as they had a back-up plan in case of rain. I was sure we’d be going to the little historic chapel on 751; never assume. Lisa said they were going with their original plan for the gardens. I dig the spirit of a bride who just decides that a little rain isn’t going to spoil her day and I love the challenge it poses and of course how it affects the scene. Golf umbrella a must!
God has a funny way of smiling down on you sometimes and was true for Lisa and Chris’ wedding because by the time it was time for her to walk down the aisle to Chris the rains had subsided. We had a few intermittent showers during our groups post wedding, but nothing that we couldn’t jostle around and umbrellas make for cute props during shoots.
The candlelit reception was held in the Hilton RTP ballroom, otherwise known by the locals as ‘The Mansion on the Hill’. Floral art provided by Fresh Affairs, dotted all of the tables with tall and short vases with simple arrangements of autumnal colors and lime greens. And while the flowers were a definitive focal point of the wedding, one thing else was for sure; the mutual love and affection shared by this amazing couple. I reflect on the laughter shared by the two of them. A great ingredient in a happy marriage.
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