Nikki Incandela Photography

Psst.....I'm coming to NYC & Michigan for shoots!

2011-05-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to quickly remind you that I'll be traveling to

New York City & Michigan

for photo shoots.

I'll be in

NYC fromFriday May 20th until Wednesday May 25th.

Let's meet in the park for a family shoot, in my soho studio for headshots (see below!), or I can come to your home for a boudoir photo shoot. Let me know how I can help you with your photography needs and we'll have a great time! :) Space is limited so act fast if you or someone you know may be interested in a photo shoot with me!

I'll be in

Michigan from Thursday May 26th until Sunday May 29th.

Need a great photo for facebook or your business, or to document how the kids are growing? Let me know how I can be of assistance to you with helping capture you're story on film!

Definitely call or respond to this email today to book your session! Or forward to a friend you might know who is interested. Looking forward to working with you!!

call: (646) 872-0020

email: nikki@nikkiincandela.com

Have a great weekend!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meet me in my Soho studio for a great headshot!

Here is a sampling of a client I photographed in my Soho Studio to give you an idea of the lighting and looks that the space offers. :)

Helen Taylors Headshots

2011-05-09T18:46:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day 2011!!!

2011-05-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are moms & caregivers with the heart of a mom ;). Thank you for making such a profound difference every day by the unconditional love and support that you show and for allowing your light to shine so brightly, it inspires all who know you!

Boudoir Photo Shoot Testimonial

2011-03-14T11:34:00.000-07:00

"Holy Shit! Nikki, you are a talent. You will be my official photographer forever! Love these. I have so many favorites I can't choose! Also, my boyfriend LOVES them. I can't thank you enough, because honest to God, he has never said I'm beautiful before and now he's gone on and on about them. He told me 'Listen, this thing is going to expire and I won't be able to keep looking at them so can I get a disc?' How funny is that?! He refuses to narrow them down because he loves them all. And believe me, he's a critic! So, thank you thank you!!

~Nancy M (MA)

Calling ALL Networkers & Business Owners!!!

2010-12-01T16:13:00.000-08:00

Here is an incredible offer from a very dear friend of mine and I only wish I could attend this event too!! I didn't want to miss the opportunity to pass it along to you in case you were interested in attending. If this speaks to you - GO!! Everyone who attends will absolutely get a ton of information from it along with doing a LOT of great networking with really amazing people (because that's who shows up for these events....trust me!)

Want to make money while you help others?
Don't miss this opportunity!

Here's what you have to know about business:
The only way to sustain your effort is to be profitable.

David Neagle, Suzanne Evans, Bari Baumgartner, and Blue Melnick each built a million-dollar business before hitting their 40th birthday. They've helped hundreds of business owners grow amazing businesses in record time. And now, in one very special live event, they're going to reveal how you can do the same thing.

When you attend the SEVEN Event (on December 8-11, in metro DC), you'll discover how to reach more people, how to structure services and products to help the people you reach, and how to step onto a big stage and get your message out.

Get the scoop on SEVEN here, but don't buy your ticket there!

The tickets for SEVEN are going for $1247 each, but my friend Julie Fleming is sponsoring a table, and when she invited me to join her, I talked her into making a few tickets available for you too.
She's even going to host a luncheon on the last day of the conference just for her guests, to coach you on implementing what you've learned.
(ummm....Her regular coaching rates start at $950 a month, so this is a great opportunity!)

Call Julie, and if she still has tickets available, you can attend this conference for FR*EE! To grab your complimentary ticket, just email Julie at Julie@juliefleming.com or call her at 404/374-7500 no later than Friday at 9 AM EST.

A LOT of people ask me how I've created a successful business SO fast and how I'm doing so much already with amazing experiences to take advantage of - well, it's by jumping on a plane at the last minute to attend an event like this! That's honestly how it started for me and I wish nothing but the best for you too!! Give my friend a big hug for me!

Photographing Your Pet ...... tips & images!

2010-11-11T13:14:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to share MY new addition to our family. This is our new puppy Cooper!!! He is our adorable little golden retriever. He's just over two months old and growing so quickly every day. My assistant Amber and her fiance came over to meet him days after he came home and asked if I've been taking insane amounts of photos of him..........hmm, "not really. I mean mostly with my phone camera" was my response, which shocked both of us! With sooooo much time spent training him, creating that lovin g and safe connection with him, and trying to get sleep didn't leave a lot of time to sit and take some really great pictures.

Being a professional photographer, I was like "whoa! If I do this for a living and I'm not making time to capture him at these amazing younger stages, I'm SURE that others forget also!". So in my effort to help all of you capture and document all of the amazing stages of YOUR 4 legged family members, I've included tips for you in the article below that I personally used with Cooper! Enjoy and plus you get to look at some more adorable images of my gorgeous little buddy that I've captured during his puppy stages before they're gone. ;)

Our pets tend to move quick, lose focus easily, and grow fast. So its important to make sure you enjoy taking photos of your pet and not stress about the shots your taking. Get what you can and just keep snapping away!

Don't erase images on your camera because once you download your photos to the computer you might really like that picture! Plus, you want to use that time to get the shots, not worry about editing since that can be done in the computer.

Once again, don't forget to take time out from training and everyday routines to make sure you capture those special moments your loved ones create with you......

Tip #1-Size Matters! ;)
Make sure that you record the size of your new addition to the family as they grow because they grow fast! You can also compare their sizes from when you first brought them home to when they're older and create a cool collage. This photo of his head in the bowl is a photo that I can take later when he's larger and compare his size. It's great to use props/objects that help you compare how small they were!

Tip #2-Favorite Spots
It's also important to document their favorite spots helping you record those memories that can help you layout a story of their early years. Cooper LOVES the kitchen, not sure why but I spend a LOT more time in there sitting on the floor with him. LOL! This is one of his favorite spots where he feels safe and it helps document how small he is since he fits UNDER the cupboards. awww! :)

another favorite spot of his! :o)

Tip #3-What Perspective?
Make sure that you capture different angles when you're taking your photos; rather than just standing and looking down at them....mix it up! I was on the ground at his level for this image, but see on the blog that it also is very adorable to have them looking up at you for other images. Play around and have fun so your images don't all look the same.

Here's a different perspective/angle - remembering how cute they are looking up at you as a pup! :o)

Play around with your composition as well! Love this one where he's in the upper corner and there's a lot of our wood floor showing. Looks so different from the other images!

Tip #4- Funny quirks!
It's really fun to capture their quirks that they will grow out of so you can remember the more humorous parts of your pets younger years; aside from their messes and chewing disasters. When Cooper gets so excited he doesn't know what to do with himself and his outlet is chewing on his tail. Capture their different phases, just as you would your children!

Tip #5- Get in the photo!
It's so important to make sure that you get photos of yourself with your pet too! It's easy to capture your pet with others and it's really cute to have tons of pictures of your pet by himself, but get assistance from a spouse or friend to capture your special connection with them by you being in the image too! See below for a few more sweet images of our time together.

Tip #6- Capture the Love!
Enlist help... Your new pet is already attatched to you the moment you bring them home so they gravitate to you which can make it difficult to take their photo. It makes it easier if you have someone hold them so that you can get that special image of the way they look at you. It makes it easier to capture that look of love and trust that they feel for you.

Tip #7- Keep ANY camera ready!

Keep your camera handy even if it's your phone! You don't know when the perfect photo opportunity might occur so its good to be prepared. It's also good to make sure that you make time each month (at least) or every other week to keep taking photos of them growing and changing. Before you know it they will no longer be cute little puppies, but soon they will be beautiful dogs. I have to make sure I keep taking photos of Cooper because there's a possibility he'll be full grown at 9 months!!! That's definitely not a long window to document his size so keep taking as many photos as you can!!

(p.s. this one was taken with my iphone!)

*More images of the two of us that I had taken*

November's Image of The Month

2010-11-11T13:07:00.000-08:00

Happy November! :o)

We're kicking off the month of Thanksgiving by counting our blessings and creating the list of what we're thankful for!!! At the top of that list of course.....family! And for a lot of us, pets are a big part of our family. Which is exactly why I chose Charlie for my image of the month. This is a long time coming because his parents are good friends of mine who hired me a while ago to capture them and they've been petitioning for a LONG time to get Charlie as one of the 'Images Of The Months'. I can just hear how excited they are by this surprise!! :D

Charlie's a very lucky pup because I know how much he is loved and how thankful his owners are to have him in their family now. Even though he can't speak, I'm sure he shows his owners how thankful he is in return that they chose him. It's these special bonds that are so important to document when it comes to family images. Telling stories through the images so that we will always remember!!

October's Image Of The Month!

2010-10-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! :o)

I can't believe its almost November, but here we are!!! This is such a great time of year to take a moment and breathe. Its so easy to be running around like crazy and feeling a little stressed about the holidays coming up (I know I am), but its so important to pause and find that moment of peace within your day.

I love this image of the month for so many reasons, but I thought it was perfect for October! Everyone needs a lift sometimes; even your fabulously magical cute little witch. ;o) This last quarter before the end of the year is the time when you really enjoy those small and perfect moments (and when we all just need a little extra help sometimes!). So enjoy your connections to those who are there for you and vice versa this month! :o)

Client Custom Holiday Card Sample

2010-10-14T14:15:00.001-07:00

It's that time again!

Time to spread the love to all of those special people on your holiday lists, sharing with everyone how big the kids are getting, how life is changing for you and sending true appreciation for the beautiful connections you've created together........through holiday cards! :o)

Here's a sample of a custom card I created for a client for 2009 to get you inspired to get ahead of the game this year!

To see past seasons examples of custom holiday cards scroll through the cards & announcements section to the right.

Brittany's Senior Pictures!

2010-10-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share samplings of senior pictures, being that time of year, and thought I'd showcase someone VERY close to my heart - my niece! I can't believe she's a senior in High School and going off to college next year. It makes me emotional to think of her life and how quickly time has passed to get us to this new stage. I just feel like the luckiest person on earth to be able capture her beautiful personality and loving heart on film to help her celebrate who she is now as a young woman.

Back To School Photo Shoot!

2010-10-14T12:18:00.001-07:00

I love this image of the month! I did a back to school shoot with these girls and it was so fun and they were so excited and adorable! I can't tell you what the shoot was for just yet, but got permission from my client to share these with you. :o) I'll share more when everything is launched, but scroll down to see a few more fun images from this shoot!

September Image of the Month!

2010-10-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

August 2010 Image of the Month

2010-08-05T06:54:00.000-07:00

I love this image of the month! This is gorgeous little Reese! I love how soft and delicate this image is with her hair and dress blowing in the ocean breeze and the softness of the colors in it. It was an overcast day and the lighting was so beautiful! It also reminds me of a quiet and peaceful walk on the beach. Something I love to do year round!

Launch of my Boudoir Photography!!

2010-07-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

This is the beautiful Chris! She's a mom of 3 and like many other women, juggles the kids and work on a daily basis. Here's what she sent to me after seeing the images:

"I am so happy that I had the opportunity to have Nikki photograph me. She was so professional and also made me feel at ease. I thought that would be hard to do giving that I was half naked most of the shoot, but we found ourselves laughing most of the day! I can't stop smiling on how great they look! I thought I would be embarrassed to show people and now I am showing everyone! To think that I am a mom of three and I can still look "sexy". It opened my eyes and I am sure my husband will benefit! When I showed them to him he said "they are beautiful"! My husband does not talk like that. I teared up. Thanks Nikki they are so classy and tasteful, just what I wanted! I will be letting all my friends and family know! "

This is the gorgeous Nancy! She is funny and bold and a mom of 3 that has an incredible story that you just have to hear!! She is reinventing herself and you can see a clip of her new project where she is auditioning to be a new television show that Oprah is looking for. Check it out here and vote for her. Click HERE for the short clip of her audition and her story!

This is the beautiful Robin! She is actually the daughter of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty and sexuality. Well, ok so Aphrodite really was her mom's name anyway! :o) She is an incredible and loving woman who is rediscovering herself after raising her two daughters and now living on her own and having just started a second business called Let's Make You Shine. (www.letsmakeyoushine.com)

July's Image of the Month

2010-07-01T01:16:00.000-07:00

We're heating things up this July!
I'm helping women celebrate expression ........ in a new way!! :o)

Well, I'm doing it again! Reeeaaaallllyyy putting myself out there with this one! Why did I choose this image for July's Image of the Month??? Well, because I'm celebrating the July 4th holiday and also celebrating the official launch of a new part of my business and photography service that I offer now ....... Boudoir Photography.

I'm so excited and completely frightened at the same time about this launch if I'm being completely honest! I've put it off for a little while because of it's sensitive nature and I wanted to announce it in the proper way. I don't want to frighten my clients who come to me for family and children photos, so please don't think that I'm going in a new direction because I'm not! Just expanding and offering this new service to women. Mom's to be exact!

Happy Father's Day!!

2010-06-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

"Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance."

~Ruth E. Renkel

I love this quote and how appropriate for celebrating Father's Day this coming weekend! It's time to honor and celebrate all of the Dad's out there!!

We thank you for finding the balance of being strong, protective, playful and still being caring, loving and sensitive!

Happy Father's Day!! :o)

Have a great weekend!!

June's Image of the Month

2010-06-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

To me, this image above says it all......YAY, it's summer!!!

Which is why I chose it for June's Image of the Month. How exciting and yet I can't believe that it's June already. Wow how time flies.

I'm lucky enough to live near the beach and still travel the nation (and the world) to experience all of the seasons, but it always feels good when those true beach days start to appear! I know we were all ready for them!!

I hope that the image of Max doing his cartwheel in the sand has brought a little extra excitement to your day! Have a great weekend!!

May's Image of the Month!

2010-05-07T13:14:00.000-07:00

I chose this image of the month because of Mother's Day this weekend,

so I hope you like it. It's one of my favorites and Mother's Day is

one of my favorite holidays to send love and appreciation to all the

women in my life that are mom's.

It's a hard and rewarding job and one of the most important ones we'll

have as women! I don't always think that women have enough appreciation for who we are, what we do in our lives, how strong we are and how much we're capable of giving love to others because we are very emotional beings.

This is why I always like to make such a big deal out of Mother's Day every year!

Happy Mother's Day to you, whether you've given birth or if you are

just a mother figure to a child in your life. This weekend in particular,

we celebrate you all!! And I'm hoping that we're moving closer toward

celebrating it on a daily basis!

Much love to you this Mother's Day!!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend & many captured memories,

p.s. Attention all Mom's - don't hide from the cameras this weekend!

We LOVE having pictures with you in them, so if you need to, spend a

couple of extra minutes doing your hair and makeup and make some

beautiful pictures together with your families!!

April's Image of the Month!

2010-05-07T12:56:00.000-07:00

2010 Celebrity Oscar Gifting Suite in LA

2010-04-13T17:21:00.000-07:00

I had the honor of presenting my work at a table at the Aesthetic Everything's Celebrity Oscar Gifting Suite to benefit the Rasual Butler Foundation. The foundation is not only raising money to help rebuild Haiti, but also raises money for rec centers and shelters for homeless kids that don't have a way out.

I met the most incredible people and am happy to share them with you here as well as what they had to say about the images I gifted to them.

"Wow Nikki - thanks for the beautiful pictures. You are spectacular!! BTW - your website and photo work is marvelous. I'm running photos on my radio site (a million plus listeners) and Facebook etc for my radio show! Again, thank you very, very much for your amazing talent!"

Xxoo Debbi

Deborah Dachinger

"Dare to Dream", radio & television show host

http://www.deborahdachinger.com

debontheradio@deborahdachinger.com

Friday @ 4:00 PM PST, Wednesdays Noon-2 PM PST on http://925kyhy.com

(This is not a Nikki Incandela Photography image. It is from Vanessa's facebook profile)

"Hi Nikki, Best photos from the event!! Seriously Gorgeous!!! I am so impressed with your shots, I can't believe the lighting you were able to capture.....did it come from magic? amazing!!!

All the best, Vanessa"

Vanessa Florez

Aesthetic Everything Event Planning

www.aestheticeverything.com

www.vanessaflorez.com

"Hey Nikki! All of the pictures turned out beautifully....Such pretty lighting. Keep in touch!

X Hunter"

Hunter McGrady

Model | Actress | Host

Inspire Magazine

Miracle Hydrate

"Nikki, Thank you so much for your amazing picture! :)

Success, Gustavo"

Gustavo Daniel Cardozo

www.gushollywoodproductions.com

"The pictures cane out beautiful. You are an extremely talented Photographer. It was great to meet you at the Oscar gifting suite. I showed your pics to some of my friends & passed your contact info. I hope we have the opportunity to work together in the future & I will definitely be contacting you the next time I do an update on my headshots. Look forward to seeing you sometime in the near future."

Tia Barr

Model | Actress

www.TiaBarr.com

"It's beautiful......thank you!"

Emma Zerner

Fashion Model | Actress

www.emmazerner.com

"You're an Angel! I love the pics you took of me. You cleaned me up very well, LOL! I enjoyed chatting with you as well, you are a lovely gal! I will spread the word about your work Nikki!!

Thanks so much for sending them! You Rock Nikki! :0)"

Lisa Morgan

CEO/ Solisa Productions

www.thebeachwives.com

"Wow, you have a magic camera! Thanks so much for the picture, awesome."

Norton Morris

Leasing Concierge

Sunset Vine Tower & 7046 Hollywood

www.gables.com

"Nikki, You are awesome. So great meeting you. Much love to you and thank you for the photos they are beautiful. Blessings!!!"

Wawi Amasha

Mami Africa ART | FASHION | JEWELRY

www.wawiamasha.com

"Thanks so much Nikki!!! You take beautiful pictures!!! It was so nice to meet you, hope to cross your path again!

Best, Ned :)"

Ned Liebl

Actor

"The pictures turned out great! Let me know if you want to shoot sometime!"

Nicole Andrews

Model/Actress

"NIKKI thank you so much! Pics are amazing because you are amazing. Have a great week. See you soon, love Carlos"

Carlos De Antonis

www.carlosdeantonis.com

"Love it!! Thank you so much!!"

Mary Carter

Head of Studio838 Headshot Division

www.MaryLCarter.com

www.Studio838headshots.com

"These photos are fabulous Nikki! Thank you"

Kimberly Stillwell

Owner/Massage Therapist of Navitus, LLC in LA

www.navitusmassage.com

"Hi there Nikki - Thanks for the photos. You did a great job with them. Whatever your secret is, keep it up! And also to let you know, I added that photo you took of me to my bio on ALL the business plans I am included in. I was happy to replace the old photo which was not nearly as good, so I guess you're now my Official Photographer - lol. Best, Peter"

Peter Ziebert

Principal at Lotus Entertainment Group

www.lotusentgroup.com

"Thank you so much for the picture. Thanks Nikki for making me look so pretty."

Bonnie Witas

LA County Dept of Adoptions

"Beautiful picture!"

Dayami Padron

Model and Actress

http://mipagina.univision.com/dayamipadron

Thank you everyone for your amazing feedback and for the incredible connections!! So honored to have met you and worked with you at the gifting suite!!

Photographer's Prayer

2010-02-14T10:20:00.003-08:00

As I bring my subject into focus and prepare to make each portrait, never let me forget that I'm creating treasures for some family, a keepsake for loved ones, assisting others to get their life's work out into the world. Keep me sensitive to the qualities and virtues of others, that I may draw out into the light the beautiful radiant belongings of their hearts.

Help me to be an artist, collecting the beauty of every soul, the glow of youth and inner child of every client, the gentleness, the laughter or tears of each life that is precious in my sight. Deeper than a means of livelihood, give me the perspective to see my photographer's art as a service to others, making life richer and more memorable.

Between the lights and shadows, the ups and downs and the rolling years, keep me from getting out of focus or off center, so that my life and work may be framed with dignity and colored with contentment. Allowing only the highest of myself to shine and recognizing the highest self within all others. That all come and go from a place of pure love......

Amen!

~The author of this prayer is unknown unfortunately and I've adjusted it slightly to fit my core beliefs a little more. I hope you enjoyed it and it allows you to know me just a little bit more. :o)

Hank's Valentine Day Shoot!

2010-02-14T09:33:00.003-08:00

This is my favorite image and I just can't help but to bust out laughing every time I look at it! When things just feel upside down........laugh! :o)

February's Image of the Month!

2010-02-14T09:31:00.001-08:00

Filled With Love.......

2010-02-14T09:03:00.003-08:00

You are filled with love that you long to express. And yet
all too often you hold it inside.

The times when you feel most fully alive are the times when
you act based on love. The greatest value you have to give
is the value that comes from your love.

Though you may fear that it will make you vulnerable, love
actually gives you great strength. Let yourself love, and
let your love flow.

Think of the people you love, the values you love, the
things you love to do and the places you love to be. All
that love will pull you and guide you toward where you truly
belong.

Love challenges you to be who you most authentically are.
Love enables you and compels you to find and to give the
very best that you have.

Love is exceedingly difficult and unspeakably beautiful all
at once. Live in love, and you truly live.

Ralph Marston

January's Image of the Month!

2010-01-14T13:27:00.002-08:00

Rose Images - To the blooming of a New Year!

2010-01-14T13:07:00.006-08:00

These are rose images I captured from the garden of a client I recently did Headshots for and thought I'd share as part of the January Image of the Month.

Maternity Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T18:20:00.000-08:00

"When I called Nikki to set up the photo shoot she instantly made me feel welcome and very relaxed. You don't often feel good vibes over the phone, but I felt nothing but positivity resonating from Nikki's voice. When I actually met Nikki everything was pleasantly confirmed. Nikki is a pleasure to work with and really has a special way of warming you up to the camera. I was really looking forward to capturing gentle, special moments with my baby in utero and Nikki did just that. Nikki is calming and has an amazing eye. I also included my three year old dog, Foxie, in the shoot and Nikki was able to blend Foxie in the photos with ease. I look forward to having Nikki photograph my daughter, Nilah and I, now that she has arrived and has blessed my life.

Thank you so much Nikki."

Joy Rivera (New York City, NY)

Newborn & Family Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T18:18:00.000-08:00

"It was truly a pleasure to work with Nikki on photographing our newborn son Tanner. Prior to working with Nikki we had taken thousands of digital pictures with little success. The morning of our photo shoot Tanner was cranky and we feared that we were going to be disappointed with the outcome of the pictures.

Once the photo shoot started, Nikki provided us with guidance and recommendations based on what we wanted as the end result. She created a comfortable, unrushed setting and it seemed as if we were just spending time with a friend and our baby.

Nikki delivered a high percentage of amazing pictures which captured our baby’s personality and a moment in time that we wanted to visually document. Nikki has a great eye for the art of photography and I am glad she pursued her passion."

Thank You Nikki,

Renee & Marc Beaudin (Randolph, NJ)

Headshot Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T18:17:00.000-08:00

Nikki--

You are so talented. Honestly, they've exceeded my expectations. Thank you so much!

Nancy Micheals (MA)

http://www.GrowYourBusinessNetwork.com

Headshot Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T18:14:00.000-08:00

"Nikki,

Thank you so much for taking my headshots. I have never had a headshot that I actually liked before. As a realtor, I can tell you it's been really nice to use a headshot that I can be proud of in marketing materials. And to have options?!? It's so exciting. You do amazing work! Thanks again."

Danielle Hishon Hartley (Charleston, SC)

http://daniellehhartley.com/

Gift, Baby, & Family Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T18:04:00.000-08:00

"My sister-n-law, Nicole, had a baby shower. She registered for necessary items & I was thinking gifts come & go, especially the ones he grows out of. I thought a special gift for her would be a photo session from Nikki. When she opened the package discovering that it was a photo session, she was very excited because she knew how talented Nikki is. Everyone in the crowd thought that was the most unique gift ever.

Photos last forever! The ones that I've gotten for Christmas are all too cute. Everyone in the entire family opened our gifts at the same time & we all gasped at how cute the pictures turned out! I had a hard time deciding which to frame."

Nykki Dang (Union City, NJ)

"Eric and I are so grateful to our sister-in-law for giving us a session with Nikki Incandela! It was truly a special gift that we may not have thought to splurge on for ourselves.

The images from that fun afternoon are beautiful. She captured our baby’s many expressions just perfectly. Looking at the photos now, it’s surprising how much our little guy has grown in just a few months. Thankfully, that moment in time with him is preserved forever."

Nicole Smith (Weehawken, NJ)

Headshot Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:57:00.000-08:00

Nikki,

All I can say is WOW because I am speechless!!! The pictures from our photo shoot are beyond beautiful. I told you going in I'm a woman who hates to have professional photos taken because I am always disappointed. In the past if I could find one decent shot I was happy. Now all that's changed.

Nikki, all the pictures you snapped were beyond fabulous. When I first saw the cover page to your email that contained my picture gallery I didn't even recongize myself.

Just wanted to let you know how pleased I am. You are a pleasure to work with and next time I will actually look forward to our shoot.

Warmest regards,

Linda Franklin (New York, NY)

http://www.realcougarclub.com

Family Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:54:00.000-08:00

"I reached out to Nikki based on a referal from a close friend. I was hoping to surprise my husband for his 35th birthday with a photo shoot at our beach house with our son. Unfortunately, most of our pictures since our son's birth were of our son and other people, relatives, etc. My husband and I were always the ones taking the photos! So, I thought it would be great to have family photos.

Sure enough, we had a gorgeous day and despite our son being a bit cranky, Nikki was able to get some amazing shots of our family. When I shared them with our family, most if not all wanted copies :) We will certainly use Nikki and her talents again!"

Heather Rhatigan (Oak Beach, NY)

Headshot Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:46:00.000-08:00

" I write for an online magazine and sent them the news headshot for my April article and got a response that said, "WOW, great photo!!!" I keep getting that response, and it's your talent that brings it out so I thought you'd like to hear. "

:) Julie Fleming (Atlanta, GA)

http://www.lifeatthebar.com

Headshot Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:44:00.000-08:00

"I was so impressed with the work that Nikki did with my photos. I had a wonderful time at the shoot. I had never done a professional shoot before and I was a little nervous but Nikki made me feel completely comfortable and at ease. We had a great time! When I saw my photos, I felt for the first time in a very long time that I looked pretty in photos. I had such a major positive change in my self esteem that day. She does amazing work bringing out your true essence and creates beautiful & natural images. Nikki is such a brilliant artist!

Thank you Nikki!"

Shannon Leslie Clark (Costa Mesa, CA)

http://shannonleslieclark.com/

Family Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:42:00.000-08:00

"I love how you captured the light in all of them, we'll have to do another photo shoot in the future, here in Boise, that would be cool or when we are all in San Diego again. Our family is going to love these! -Thank you Nikki! Thank you for finding the beauty in the ordinary!"

Amy Scott ( San Diego, CA)

Headshots Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:33:00.000-08:00

"Nikki is an amazing photographer who captures the energy and essence of her subjects. I’m grateful for her willingness to travel cross country so my farm and healing center could be incorporated into the photographs. The use of natural lighting is amazing. I plan to use the photographs as a major part of the branding of my new business, so they are perfect. Nikki is the best!!!"

Pat Chapman (Whitehouse Station, NJ)

Wedding Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:21:00.000-08:00

"Nikki, I just wanted to say hi and tell you how amazing you are! U r a true ray of light. I'm not usually one to connect with people on such a deep level within the first 74 hrs of meeting them...=) as soon as I met you I was overwhelmed with your warmth, your beauty (inside and out) and your kindness.

I am SOOOOOOO honored to have met you, Thank you."

Amanda McRae (Puerta Vallarta, Mexico)

Headshots Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:18:00.000-08:00

Thanks Nikki, I actually enjoyed it and it got easier as we went. You are really easy to work with and you made me feel very comfortable. I look forward to seeing the pics. Talk to you soon.

Scott Laska ( San Diego, CA)

Boudoir Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:15:00.000-08:00

Chris Vasilakis (San Diego, CA)

Wedding Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:13:00.000-08:00

Wow! The photos are sooooo amazing! You are so good at what you do!!! Frame after frame after frame, they are amazing! I will be making an order, but it takes awhile to go through 2000 or so. You are tireless my dear. Thank you for recording their special day with your own special touch!

Renee Anderson

Headshots Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:11:00.000-08:00

"I had such a wonderful time with Nikki! Every little detail was perfection! She truly and genuinely captured exactly what I was in want of! She also made me feel so comfortable to just be myself! I was elated with my results and I look forward to working with her again!!"

Michal Naomi (San Diego, CA)

Family Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:09:00.000-08:00

"Nikki has photographed our son twice. She connects well with children and is able to get them to feel comfortable around her. She has a great eye for capturing very tender and endearing moments. Each of Nikki's photographs elicit tender emotions and memories. The first time we used Nikki, our son was only 2 weeks old. Each time we see these photos, we are reminded of the way we felt then."

~Betty Crosa (Park Slope, NY)

Family Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:07:00.000-08:00

"We were looking for some professional shots of our newborn son and Nikki was a perfect match for us. She came over to our apartment for the photo session and made us feel really at ease with her professionalism and personality. Working with what we had, Nikki managed to take many beautiful and creative pictures of our 1 week old son. From family shots to close up of shots of his little hands and feet, we were thrilled with the results. Nikki also created a birth announcement with several of the pictures taken that afternoon which we loved and which was received with many compliments from our family and friends. Working with Nikki turned out to be a tremendously pleasant experience and we look forward to using her again and again as our little boy grows."

~Gregg and Erica Birenkrant (Manalapan, NJ)

Family Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:05:00.000-08:00

"Our family has had numerous sessions with Nikki over the years and we have always been extremely impressed with her ability and style. Her pictures are truly outstanding and certainly surpassed our expectations. We will treasure them for years to come. But equally important is her professionalism, kind and thoughtful personality, and tremendous ability to work with kids. She is a pleasure to work with and we plan to use her for years to come!”

~Mike Cassidy (New York, NY)

Family Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:04:00.000-08:00

"When Nikki came to our house, she was so great with our baby! Our daughter is usually very shy around people she doesn't know but when Nikki started taking her pictures, she lit up and had a blast! We all had such a great time and each picture was a masterpiece!"

~Randi Tomasulo (New York, NY)

Family Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:03:00.000-08:00

"Nikki is great with kids, very easy to work with, and she doesn't miss a beat! Every great photo op that I was sure she must have missed because it happened soooo fast....she got! Not only did we have a blast but when we saw the finished photos, they were even better than we expected. They came out completely natural and expressive rather than staged."

~Israel Bien (Forrest Hills, NY)

Family Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T17:01:00.000-08:00

"Nikki is wonderful to work with and an EXTREMELY talented photographer. The photographs she took of me and my daughter are extraordinary. She captured all my daughter's moods in one session...her playfulness, fun loving attitude, joy of the beach, and the tenderness between mother and daughter. I will cherish these for years to come and look forward to our future photo sessions."

~Leslie Perkins (New York, NY)

Family Photo Shoot Testimonial

2010-01-05T16:47:00.000-08:00

"Nikki has done several photo sessions with my two "active" little boys-at the beach and in Central Park. It is amazing how she not only gets fabulous pictures of them but she is able to capture their personalities on film. She says it's because they are such good subjects but I know better!!! Nikki is one of the best child/family photographers I have ever used and seen."

~Anne Mahoney (New York)

Images of the details help tell your story!

2009-12-22T19:01:00.008-08:00

Documenting the details of a scene, holiday or moment allows you to take your picture making to a whole new level so that your images read more like a storybook. This is especially helpful when attending or hosting events and parties throughout this holiday season. You can easily create a photo book out of all of the images and your detail shots will add so much to the presentation with your candid images (psst.....also makes a GREAT thank you gift for the host!)

Here are some images to inspire you!

Have fun and if you're looking for more gifts to make with those great images, go to the Photo Tip section here on my blog for some custom photo gift ideas. :o)

December's Image of the Month

2009-12-11T17:18:00.003-08:00

Love Is The Message!

2009-11-20T13:06:00.005-08:00

This is one of my amazing clients Jelynne! I met Jelynne at a workshop not too long ago and we connected right away. Discussing both of our issues with being 'People Pleasers' and always available for others and not making time for what WE need and want. Taking full responisibiity of course and recognizing that we are the ones who have to change the habit of neglecting ourselves.

We decided to do just that! Setting the intentions to nurture ourselves, set aside time that we need to accomplish our dreams and to stop feeling so bad about setting boundries with others. Putting ourselves first so that we don't run ourselves down, and end up not able to help anyone.

We kept in touch and Jelynne hired me to do her headshots on one of my trips back to NYC. During the processing of the images from our shoot together, I came across this image and was floored. I have never seen anyone carry a bag saying 'I Love Me' and here it is showing up at her photo shoot walking so clearly in the background right after she declared that she would start loving herself more! I love how stuff like that works!! :o)

**BTW - Jelynne owns a restaurant called LITM which stands for 'Love Is The Message'. How wonderful! She was able to build a very successful restaurant from scratch and now she's giving back by teaching others to do the same. I can't tell you what she has in store, but it's BIG and you can check her out at www.restaurantfromscratch.com.

Create the best conditions for indoor images!

2009-11-19T17:49:00.007-08:00

Indoor photos can be fun and gorgeous!!

**Natural light is key so bring the light into the room by opening all blinds and curtains. Even turn lights on inside during the day to let the room fill with light for your picture making experience!

**You can also create an image by capturing the mood with less light in the room and using only a nearby window like this one below.

Have fun and scroll down to see more indoor images from previous photo shoots to give you some inspiration! :o)

2009-11-05T11:27:00.003-08:00

This is me with Michael Bernard Beckwith from the movie 'The Secret'.

I had the honor of meeting and photographing him at Marianna Cooper's 'Summit By The Sea' event last week in Carmel California. He gave an inspiring presentation and his wife's beautiful music filled the room! After taking so many photos of him with everyone there, he handed my camera to another person and asked that a picture be taken of us together.

Kind and generous, just as I expected! :o)

Violet's Beach Photo Shoot

2009-10-09T11:14:00.003-07:00

October Image of the Month!

2009-10-09T11:13:00.000-07:00

Max & Family having a GREAT time at the Beach!

2009-09-11T14:57:00.002-07:00

September Image of the Month!

2009-09-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

August Image of the Month!

2009-08-01T11:06:00.001-07:00

When the breakdown moments are keepers too!

2009-07-20T09:08:00.003-07:00

As a professional photographer, I know to just keep clicking away when it could end up being a funny moment captured with kids. Most of the time they are some of my clients favorite images so I want to make sure that I get the shots for them. They are those breakdown photos that are just too good and funny to get rid of!

You definitely want to remember these too because it really adds to the story of the day, time, or situation. No one got hurt, it's just a little temper tantrum that is over in seconds.....well, minutes anyway! ;o)

Above is little Parker and he couldn't walk so well in his little Uggs and was just so upset by that! I'm surprised I got the shot because his mom and I were laughing so hard at the way he was trying to walk. Look at those chunker munker legs!! Don't you just want to eat him up?!

Also, here is Colin who is a gorgeous free spirited kid and he was so not cool with having wet jeans on and not to mention his hands were sandy and it was driving him crazy! His mom ordered a print of this and told me she couldn't resist and had to have it. All was fine a minute later when he was able to get his jeans off and I think there was chocolate involved too. Doesn't that make everything better? :o)

To capture your kids personalities (and I mean ALL of them), don't forget to keep snapping when some of those funny moments happen. Place them in the album with the others you took that day and see how the story unfolds!

A little inspiration....

2009-07-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

I subscribe to a website called The Daily Motivator and here's a recent quote from them that was so appropriate for me right now, so I thought I'd share it with you!

Each setback provides an opportunity to recover. And each
time you recover, you grow stronger.

The route to your goal is not a straight line. There will be
many times along the way when you find yourself off course.

When that happens, it can seem like your destination is
unreachable. Doubt, fear and apathy will take hold if you
let them.

The key is not to let them. For as hopeless as the situation
may feel, there are actions you can take that will enable
you to quickly get back on track.

Much of the substance of achievement is in becoming skilled
at making a quick and solid recovery. Each setback gives you
the chance to practice and strengthen and refine that
valuable skill.

Know that whatever has slowed you down can provide you with
a way to move more effectively forward. Quickly get back up,
and feel the new strength you've gained.

**Click HERE if you'd like to get inspirational quotes emailed to you from The Daily Motivator**

July's Image of the Month

2009-07-08T21:27:00.002-07:00

Tips on Capturing July 4th's Fireworks!!

2009-07-02T15:24:00.004-07:00

Above is a picture that I took in Spain at New Year's 2010. See below for more images of fireworks!

Here are 8 tips (without getting too technical!) that will help take some of the guesswork out of trying to capture the fireworks this holiday weekend:

1- Arrive Early

Get there early if at all possible so that you can find your best location with the least obstructed view of the show. This not only includes people and crowds, but also street lights and trees that could end up ruining your chances of amazing images (and of course watching the action live too!).

2- Position Yourself Wisely!

Position yourself up-wind of the fireworks so that you have less haze obstructing the fireworks in your images as the previous set blows away.

3- Use a Tripod

Using a tripod is best, but not always practical for the occasional shooter. With the combination of low light and fast action, your result will be best and create sharper images if your camera is on a steady surface like a tripod. You can also get creative and use a flat rock or your cooler or a sturdy chair!

4- No Flash!

Make sure your flash is off so that it won't ruin your shots.

5- Play Around!

Try different modes on your camera to get different looking images as well as test to see what mode you're liking the best. There are a few to choose from like landscape, night mode and a lot of cameras have a fireworks mode built in. Check to see which modes you have before heading out so that your prepared when it gets dark!

**Take a small flash light or use your cell phone light to adjust the camera settings in the dark!**

6- Don't Forget the Details

Get creative and take images of the crowds to remember how many people were there or the great spot you found. Taking pictures is not just about capturing great images, it's about telling stories. So take pictures of everything of interest as well as the firework display to remember the story of your July 4th!

7- You'll need Extras!

Don't forget your extra batteries and memory cards!!

8- Focus! (One last tip that I'm adding this year!)

It helps if your camera has selective focus and you can focus on something stable in your background or foreground and snap the shutter when the fireworks go off. This way you'll be ready with a slower camera than a professional one and you'll get amazing images of the exploding fireworks! (note the image above I focused on the cathedral and below I focused on the skyline buildings).

Have a GREAT time and a safe holiday weekend!! Don't hesitate to let me know how it goes! :o)

June's Image of the Month

2009-06-02T12:02:00.004-07:00

Professional Tips for Photographing a Low Light Situation

2009-05-29T10:25:00.006-07:00

These are some examples of images that I captured in Low Light situations without using a flash. I was able to create more light my adjusting the settings on my camera.

Organization is Key!!

2009-05-21T07:13:00.002-07:00

Do you find that organizing and storing your images on CD's and DVD's to be bulky and take up too much room?

Not a problem!!

Here's an inside look as to how I personally store my backups on DVD's. (I of course have them backed up on external hard drives as well and you should absolutely have everything backed up in two locations/ways!)

Here's a really quick and easy step-by-step process to follow:

1- Download cards right away!
Do this so that you can keep them organized into folders by date and event. That way you don't have to sort through the images to separate them out after a month's worth of shooting.

2- Create folders for the 'Originals'.
This is a great way to start especially if you just don't have time to go through the images right away and edit into a 'Favorites' folder and you'll know for sure that if anything happens to your camera, memory cards, or computer, that you already have everything downloaded and backed up!

Create a folder on your desktop and name it by the event and date, then inside that folder create another folder and call it 'Camera Originals'. Download all of your images into that folder at that point.

(If you have time! Edit the images and remove any blurry ones, mis-fires or images with closed eyes and save only your absolute favorites into a 'Favorites' folder within that event folder)

3- Create your Backups!
Copy that main folder into your external hard drive as well as onto a CD or DVD and there you have your two backups and everything is safe!

That's it!! 3 easy and quick steps to assure that all of your documented memories are safe. Now here are a few of my secret tips to add to this! They're not glamorous, but I think you'll be impressed because it's just so easy and compact.

**Storing CD's & DVD's:
I use a media drawer that I purchased from West Elm online and it's nicely covered in canvas and the drawers are the perfect size for disks (there are two drawers so a LOT of memories can be held in this one spot!). Since this is a drawer system, you can keep it on a shelf anywhere (even in a closet if you need) and place other things on top of it to not take away from storage space. Plus, I'm just not a person that likes containers with tops. Call it lazy, but the idea of taking something out so that you have to lift the lid off to get to what's inside just adds a step that I don't feel like dealing with!

To increase the amount of storage space I have for my disks, I use disk sleeves instead of jewel cases. When I need to use a jewel case is when I send a disk to a client and I then use the slim cases as to not take up a lot of their space as well. I prefer white sleeves but you could go even further and color organize your drawer. I take a black sharpie and write on the disk face what it's contents are and also at the top edge of the sleeve so that I can quickly flip through them to find what I need. (As a side note here, make sure that the flap of the sleeve is off to the side for ease of taking them out and placing them back in the drawer).

**I organize the sleeves by date and keep the most current in the front. If you don't have time to edit your images you might have two disks per event - one named 'Camera Originals' and another named 'Favorites' or 'Finals' with that event name and date on each. This is completely ok because you'll know that you're setting up your system to not lose your valuable images.

Also, to keep organized in knowing if you've had time to edit an event - you can look at your backup in your external hard drive and see if there are two folders in that event and if you just have the 'Originals' then you know that you never had time to edit them and can do it when you have extra time!

**Here's a link to the West Elm Canvas Storage unit that I use, They're super cheap and on sale right now and it looks as though they might be phasing this piece out, so I wouldn't wait to purchase it if you're interested!**

Does a picture REALLY say a thousand words?

2009-05-14T07:11:00.002-07:00

Well, these are the 'BEFORE' part of her story so you tell me. :o)

Recently a dear friend of mine hired me to photograph her for her business and I was SO happy! Here's why, I know her and know how wonderful she is, how beautiful she is, and how much she has to offer her clients and the images she was using for her business didn't at all relay who SHE really is. They were just images that she had so she was using the best of what she had available.

It took her a while to decide and she was struggling with the investment of hiring me for a few reasons. One being that she'd had her picture professionally taken before and was not at all happy with the results and the other that she really didn't think it was worth it because she wasn't photogenic. Believe it or not, I hear these both a lot! Most of my clients think that they're not photogenic and then love the results after our shoot together. They're usually shocked like I waved my magic wand and all of a sudden they're photogenic. Which is completely true! ;o)

Ok, so not really true about the magic wand, BUT it is because this is what I do well and am an expert in. Please don't even think of hiring me to do your book keeping or cooking (and that's all I'm willing to share about what I'm NOT good at!).

The point is that when you find the right photographer (and there are plenty of amazing ones out there, you really need to focus on hiring the one for YOU) it IS completely worth the investment to have a few really unbelievable images of yourself. With this social media revolution, there's no hiding anymore! It is all about the photo and you want to make sure that you're sending the message YOU want to send and not leaving it up to interpretation. You really want to convey your true personality and expression in your images so that you're attracting more clients/customers.

Are you like sooooooo curious to see what a few of her images looked like in the 'AFTER' part of this story?? Quickly go to my blog to see a few! :o)

Thank you Lilia for allowing me to show your 'before' and 'after' story!!

Would you like to know my advice on hiring the right photographer?? You can read an article HERE that I wrote for a great website called Hip Slope Mama.

It's Okay If They're Not Looking!

2009-05-14T07:09:00.001-07:00

A lot of my friends are frustrated by their children being too fast to capture (and that's a whole other photo tip), but that's ok! Your kids don't always have to be looking into the camera to capture an amazing picture of them. It's nice to have a good variety!

Distract them to take the emphasis off of what you're really trying to do......just capture them naturally. When you distract them from feeling like they're being photographed and the focus of the picture, you can capture some timeless moments. Like this one! She was getting changed for the next outfit during a photo shoot and all I said was "Zoe, where's your belly button?". Voila!!

Let me know how it goes and what tricks you found worked for you with your kids! :o)

Lilia's Business Images

2009-05-14T00:55:00.003-07:00

Here are just a few of the images from our shoot together.

Nikki Incandela Photography's Video!

2009-05-07T16:53:00.004-07:00

Bien Family Images from Video Shoot

2009-05-07T16:37:00.007-07:00

These images are from the photo shoot I did for the Video. Got some great sunset shots in here and just love how the water is so light and contrasts with the dark sand in some of these!

Thank you again Israel, Geri & Zoe!!!! I appreciate you spotlighting yourselves for my video!! You're the best!!! :o)

May's Image of the Month

2009-05-07T07:05:00.002-07:00

I have a question for you.....

2009-05-01T07:00:00.003-07:00

What is YOUR biggest photography challenge??

I absolutely love answering your photo questions and am creating a guide to consolidate all of my photo tips as a free giveaway for those who sign up for my newsletter from my website and I need your feedback.

Please just hit 'reply' to this email (and don't feel that you need to include niceties asking how I'm doing if we haven't spoken in a while, no worries there), and let me know questions that you have or problems that you have concerning photography in any capacity (shooting, lighting, storage, notecards & products, etc).

No matter how simple or silly you think the question is, please add it in your response! :o)

Thank you so much for helping me with this!!! Those who reply to help me out will also receive a copy of the guide when it's completed. Don't miss out, it's going to be jam packed with information!!

Check out my very first video!!

2009-05-01T06:56:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to share this with you!

Click HERE or on the logo to the right to view my very first professional video for my business!! Since hiring a photographer is such an intimate experience, I created this video of me doing a photo shoot with clients of mine (and they were amazingly nice enough to agree!!).

It's really important to not only love your photographer's images, but to have a connection and comfort level with them so that they're able to capture you and your family naturally. It will show on the faces of the subjects when that connection is missing for sure!

Since I'm lucky enough to have clients around the country and referrals from them are given to their friends, I wanted a way to virtually connect with those interested in getting to know me and what it's truly like to have a shoot with me before even hiring me. That is exactly what this new video is going to accomplish for me.

Let me know what you think of the video because I always love getting your feedback!!

The amazing people at Marathon Video shot most of this for me and pulled it all together in a beautiful edit and I wanted to share them with you as well. They're located in Long Island and Paul, the son of the owner Alex, shot the actual shoot at the beach with me. They were great to work with and I'm happy to pass on their information. Please click HERE to visit their website and definitely tell them I sent you.

Evan's first photo shoot as a gift!

2009-04-23T09:50:00.008-07:00

This is little Evan's first shoot who was the star of our 'Image of the Month' for April and his family was gifted a photo session with me as a baby shower gift recently. See how cute he is?? He was amazing during our shoot and we had a great afternoon! See the great feedback at the end of this post from the giver and receiver of this photo session. :o)

I just adore his little grumpy face in this one! So serious...... :o)

This is my good friend Nykki who purchased the gift of a photo session for her sister-in-law.

Thank you Bankey Family!! :o)

Testimonial from the gift-giver:

"My sister-n-law, Nicole, had a baby shower. She registered for necessary items & I was thinking gifts come & go, especially the ones he grows out of. I thought a special gift for her would be a photo session with Nikki. When she opened the package discovering that it was a photo session, she was very excited because she knew how talented Nikki is. Everyone in the crowd thought that was the most unique gift ever.

And from the recipient:

"Eric and I are so grateful to our sister-in-law for giving us a session with Nikki Incandela! It was truly a special gift that we may not have thought to splurge on for ourselves.

The images from that fun afternoon are beautiful. She captured our baby's many expressions just perfectly. Looking at the photos now, it's surprising how much our little guy has grown in just a few months. Thankfully, that moment in time with him is preserved forever."

~Nicole & Eric Bankey

April's Photo Tip

2009-04-23T06:53:00.001-07:00

Tired of the kids just being blurry objects in the images you capture?

Want to use images to document their growth?

Easy! Capture the kids while they're distracted doing something (even if it's from behind) so that they're more still for your photo. Also, use an object (like this car in the image to the left) so that you'll always remember their height in relation to that object and to each other. Then voila! You have them captured and a fine art looking image also.

Just watch - NOW they'll want to look at the camera! :o) That's ok; you can get some great face photos too!

Good luck and let me know how it goes.

(p.s. these cutie pies are part of the Kalimian family. Yes, there's one more, and they're all so incredibly adorable!!)

2009-04-02T11:39:00.005-07:00

Leslie & Kailey's Home Photo Shoot in NYC

2009-01-26T15:43:00.005-08:00

Here are images from a shoot I did in NYC last January where Leslie & her daughter Kailey got dressed up for our photo shoot. We had a blast!! Kailey had so much fun dancing, twirling and jumping on her bed. She's always fun to photograph! Thanks so much Leslie & Kailey!!

This is one of my all time favorites! We had a blast and I was so psyched to have caught her so perfectly in the air as she jumped off her bed.

What impression does your social media image project about you?

2008-11-26T20:47:00.010-08:00

Do you wish you had a great photo of yourself to display on Social Media sites like facebook and Linkedin?

Do you wish you had a photo of yourself that revealed your true personality and gives others the exact impression you're trying to send out??

If you answered YES, then this is for YOU!

I love facebook and besides being able to re-connect with old friends from grade school and up, I use it to network for my business. Facebook is an amazing venue to use for your professional networking! In addition to building my business with facebook connections, I've been able to reach out and help other professionals with their business.

It doesn't take a professional photographer to know how critical it is to have a good photo to use for this type of social media. Your first impression is a visual one and most people want to look pleasant and personable in the images they use to network and build their business. Trust me on this! When I deliever headshots to my clients, there is a huge difference in the way they approach their business that increases their exposure in the market as well as their bottom line! Not to mention what it does to your confidence to have an amazing photo of yourself to use.

Mari Smith is a 'friend' of mine who is a master networker and bases her business on helping people utilize social media platforms to build their business. I know that she is like me and very selective when accepting a friend request from a stranger. She emailed me this link to an article she wrote addressing the importance of your profile photo. To reference her words from a portion of the article:

"A picture says a thousand words, would you agree? When you receive incoming Facebook friend requests, I'll bet the person's profile picture has a LOT of bearing on your decision to accept their invite or not. See, one of the great aspects of Facebook is the fact we have the opportunity for our face to show up throughout the platform."

There is also an interesting article on the psychology behind your profile photo written by Dr. BJ Fogg where he ends by saying "Your mugshot is the most important element on your Facebook Profile Page, even more important than your name." Click this link to read his entire article.

You don't have to hire a professional photographer to get a great photo of yourself for facebook (especially if you're not using it for your business like these clients of mine). It's all about getting the right angle for you and capturing your personality correctly so that you're sending the professional message YOU want to send and not what others interpret from an image of you.

Here are a few tips:

1- Stick your chin out a little:
People tend to lean back in photos and you'll get that dreaded double chin look if you do! So stick your chin out slightly to avoid that.

2- Lean forward:
By slightly leaning forward (it feels weird, but looks good in the photo) you look more approachable in your image.

3- Don't be too serious:
Most people tend to look mad or angry if they try to give a serious look, so if you want a more serious image or if you don't like your smile then think of something pleasant. I know it sounds strange, but I can tell in my clients eyes when I'm photographing them if they're feeling self concsious or trying to be serious by thinking of something serious. You at least want your eyes to smile or look lighter for a more serious image.

4- Try different compositions:
This can create a fun and more interesting photo than just the normal horizontal and verticle composition. See the images below for different looks that I give my clients. Try an angle, or really close up, or off centered to make your image more intersting!

So if you do want to give a better impression or have a better image of yourself to use, take a look at these as reference and then have a friend/spouse/someone you feel comfortable with take a bunch of shots to see what angle and composition you like best of yourself! Have fun!!

These are all clients of mine who hired me to photograph them so that they could put their best image forward in all of their web and print materials. And they are not models, I promise! Even though they look like they could be, just about all of them told me that they're not photogenic before our shoot together but loved thier photos after.

Gifting & Giving Back

2008-11-26T20:40:00.006-08:00

As we approach the holiday season and purchase gifts, don't forget that you can give back at the same time! Here are some great sites that you should bookmark and use for your holiday shopping as well as your every day items!

1- Earth moment

"EarthMoment is a no-cost internet portal that allows customers to purchase their favorite products and services from their favorite online retailers, while fighting climate change with each purchase. We have teamed up with more than 1,000 companies to offer you 15 million products and services. Each of our company partners pays a commission to EarthMoment, half of which we donate to investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects around the country/world. These investments are managed by Carbonfund.org, one of the world's leading carbon offset charities."

2- iGive.com

"SELECT your favorite cause (or add a new one). Register with iGive and SHOP at brand name online stores through the iGive Mall. A portion of each purchase is donated to your cause. SAVE money with exclusive coupons/free shipping deals. Plus, when you shop within 45 days of registering we'll donate an extra $5 to your cause!"

"Turn your everyday online purchases into donations for your favorite cause! Support any cause in the U.S. or Canada with up to 26% of each purchase at over 700 online stores, just by shopping through iGive.com. iGive is a free service for shoppers and the causes they support."

Over 700 stores participate in our donation program, including eBay, Lands' End, Staples, Barnes & Noble, Overstock.com, drugstore.com, Office Depot, Expedia, Home Depot, Best Buy, Drs. Foster & Smith, Gap, Buy.com, and NORDSTROM.

3- TheHungerSite.com

CharityUSA.com owns and operates the GreaterGood Network Stores, where every purchase gives back to a worthy cause, at no extra cost to you! A portion of the purchase price of each item you buy goes to your choice of these important causes:
· The Hunger Site funds food for the world's hungry.
· The Breast Cancer Site funds mammograms for women in need.
· The Child Health Site funds health services for children around the world.
· The Literacy Site funds new books for children in need.
· The Rainforest Site funds preservation of endangered rainforest habitat.
· The Animal Rescue Site funds food for abandoned animals in shelters and sanctuaries.

GreaterGood
The GreaterGood Network of websites offer the public an opportunity to support causes they care about at no cost to them.

Each person's daily click on the Click To Give™ sites displays sponsor advertising. One hundred percent (100%) of sponsor advertising is paid as a royalty to charity through the non-profit, tax-exempt GreaterGood.org.

Supporters can also contribute directly to charity by purchasing Gifts that Give More™, where one hundred percent (100%) of their donation is given to charity, or by purchasing one of the 4500+ products that we carry, including jewelry, apparel, and gifts.

4- GlobalGirlfriend.com

Global Girlfriend was created in 2003 to help women worldwide gain economic security while providing you unique products and a simple way to help women in need. Our fair-trade boutique offers a line of trend-setting, women-made, fair-trade products including stylish apparel, accessories and gifts with one purpose -- helping women in need help themselves.

5- ShopTheCause.org

Shop the Cause is a project of Women Thrive Worldwide (formerly Women's Edge Coalition), a non-profit that fosters economic opportunity for women living in poverty worlwide. Women in poor countries face unequal barriers that keep them from lifting their families out of poverty. Women Thrive advocates for policies that give women the opportunities they need to overcome these barriers - opportunities such as fair wages and working conditions, access to credit, property rights, and protection against violence. Opportunities that help them create beautiful products (like this bracelet to the right) and feed their children.

6- World-Shoppe.com

Purchasing an item from World-Shoppe.com not only helps provide income, dignity and hope to people in developing regions, but it also helps sustain the communities by promoting community development, healthcare and childcare, education and literacy training.

World-Shoppe.com is committed to using our knowledge, creativity and purchasing power to directly benefit artists and artisans throughout the world. Fair trade enables people to make their own choices and helps them develop the skills to make those choices.

Today, World-Shoppe proudly works with several artisan cooperatives, non-governmental organizations and locally controlled small businesses in some 16 countries.

I also found a few great items for gifts like a Let There Be Peace Piggy Bank and a Chrysanthemum Tote (handmade in Bangladesh)

7- OneCause.com

When you make your everyday purchases through OneCause, for everything from apparel to groceries to travel, you will earn much-needed contributions for your chosen cause or school, at no extra cost to you. Shop your favorite merchants today!

List of stores & the percentage they give back when you shop with them

Happy Shopping and giving back!!! Enjoy!

How To Choose Photo Equipment

2008-11-26T19:59:00.012-08:00

As my Photo Tip for this newsletter, I've set up an Amazon storefront in order to help you narrow down the choices of photo equipment, storage, learning materials, software and other fun stuff! I've also added notes to many of the products to assist you. Please feel free to give me your feedback on the storefront I created to let me know if it's easy to follow, or if you have any suggestions that will make shopping there more clear.

The Categories that are set up for you to shop are:
1- Photography Equipment
2- Photo Storage
3- Software
4- Apple Computer Products
5- Books
6- Fun Stuff for Kids!

Here are a few quick tips for you when purchasing some equipment:

1- Megapixels: This is always a question for everyone when purchasing a camera! Here's the deal - megapixels only matter based on how large you will be enlarging your photos, that's it! So if you just want a basic camera that'll take good photos, you only need 5 or 7 megapixels. It's obviously fine if it's more than that too.

2-Speed: It's important when purchasing a point and shoot to ask the sales person about the speed of the camera (especially when photographing children!) Most cameras have a delay, but there are cameras out there that are faster so you don't miss capturing the moment. I invested a lot of money into my equipment for the purpose of photographing kids and I needed a lot of speed. If you are into photographing landscape, you don't need a fast camera and the same equipment I have. It all depends on what you plan on photographing.

3-Battery Life: When purchasing a new camera ALWAYS buy an extra battery that way you'll always have a fully charged battery waiting for when your battery decides to die in the middle of an event or important moment. Forget to charge your battery before heading out?? Yup! Well, no more worries now that you'll have an extra one ready to go!

4-Memory: Always invest in a memory card for your camera that is at least 1GB so that you have enough room for all of your images.

5-Purchasing a nice lens: If you're buying an SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera body and purchasing a nice lens to attach, always do the following:

Purchase a UV Protection Filter. It will not only protect your lens but will make your images look better by cutting down the Ultra Violet light that gets into your lens! UV light can cause a low-contrast haze that diminishes details in your images and the saturation in the color of a scene.
Use the lens hood that comes with your lens to keep out unwanted extra light that will be registered by your camera and adjust your camera settings inaccurately when shooting on auto mode especially.

Here's a GREAT point and shoot that I personally use as my pocket camera!

Canon Powershot G10 14.7MP Digital Camera
with 5x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

List Price: $499.99 Amazon's Price: Too low to display

Buy Now

Stretch with your kids!!

2008-11-26T19:46:00.010-08:00

Now that the weather is getting chilly, and you're staying indoors more, you can still have fun and get your children to exercise by doing yoga together!

You can purchase a great book like the 'I love Yoga' book shown here as a fun guide to follow! One book I found is called 'My Daddy is a Pretzel'.....I mean, how cute is that??!!

You can also purchase large illustrated cards called "Yoga Pretzels" by following the link here . Ages are 2 and up so get those little ones involved and Have fun!!!

NYC Strong Kids Campaign Images

2008-11-21T11:34:00.008-08:00

This is Nancy who one the bid on my photo shoot donation and this is an image from the shoot with her and her nephews and niece!

The location in NYC Central Park is so gorgeous!! Lily ponds, fountains and tons of beautiful greenery for backdrops.

Here are a few images of the kids playing in the fountains, ponds and drinking fountain.

Too cute!

Tanner's Birth Announcement Shoot

2008-11-06T13:03:00.010-08:00

This birth announcement is a 5x7 folded card that was printed on fine art paper & this is the front:

This is the inside left portion of the card & they left the inside right blank to write notes & thank you's.

This was the back of the card showing the new family!

Hands-on Art Books for Children!

2008-10-22T14:20:00.015-07:00

These children's art books are one of my favorite gifts to give! They introduce children to the world of art with a "hands-on" approach. You can find them online at UncommonGoods.com.

This set comes with 4 books. Each book features famous works of art that have fun commentary, tactile materials and interactive components. Learning about art doesn't get more hands-on than this!

The set is only $35 and includes:
1-Brush Mona Lisa's Hair
2-Feed Matisse's Fish
3-Make Van Gogh's Bed
4- Pop Warhol's Top

Sophie's Notecard

2008-10-16T13:30:00.006-07:00

Here's a notecard I designed for a client that's blank inside so that she can send notes and thank you's out as needed! It was from her 1st Birthday party that I photographed and the background is a close up of the cake, but the card isn't specific to her birthday so she can send them year round.

Back of Card:

NYC Fall 2007 Images

2008-10-16T12:20:00.006-07:00

This is Gabriel. He's a cutie pie that I photographed last Fall in Prospect park. The leaves were so gorgeous & made for a perfect background! Even so, it's also great to have Black & White as well as Sepia images from this time of year as shown below.

I love this photo where we were both lying on the ground & he was peeking up at me. He was still a little shy with me at this point in the shoot, but still made for an adorable image!

I can't say enough about how beautiful NYC is as a backdrop!! Central Park is so gorgeous this time of year and I'm really looking forward to the shoots this fall also.

Holiday Card Designs (2007)

2008-10-16T12:01:00.008-07:00

1-Card Front:

Inside Spread:

Back of Card:

2-Card Front:

Inside Spread:

Back of Card:

3-Card Front:

This was the card back.