Elle Creative

GOOGLE + FANATIC! A Florida photographer's quirky take on awesome socializing.

2011-07-18T07:18:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the Google+ site? Are you on it? You should add me! I am completely obsessed with it and am updating the site more there than anything else. It's amazing, hands down.

So far it's also been really useful for my business. I've had real time "hang outs" with clients via a skype-like application that allows us to talk face to face. This is a wonderful feature for my destination brides, so I can "meet" them ahead of time.

Neat right?

So for those girls in New York, Atlanta, and Austin that are flying in to Tampa for their weddings, you can now talk with me face to face.

The sky's literally not even the limit anymore, more like outerspace (haha!)

Check out some of what my posts look like- a smattering of work, some personal stuff, you name it...

Other great features besides the hangouts:
-direct integration of all google applications, not just gmail!
-SPARKS, a great way to type in your interests and follow all of your local favorites and learn more about whatever your passion is (like photography!)
-security and privacy features that surpass other social applications. Don't want your Mom seeing your live updates and bar check in's while you're 2 Vodka Martini's deep? No problem!
-Accidentally commented on a post, (maybe an adorable picture of a cat or baby), that is eternally annoying you with spam comments from other users? No sweat, just mute it and never hear about it again!

Hope to see all your faces on Google+ when it opens to the general public on July 31st! Come find me when it does!

Fort De Soto Engagement Session

2011-07-09T21:41:00.000-07:00

Here's a very quick sneak peek of one of my favorite shots from today's engagement sessions at Fort De Soto in St. Pete:

I'm seriously so surprised it didnt rain through this session. Lately the Tampa Bay Area has been like the set of Jumanji. Every five seconds there seemed to be some sort of dice rolling, fate driven, ridiculous flood crashing through the area causing all sorts of shenanigans. But, the rain held out just long enough for me to finally shoot Deanna and Chris's engagement session.

It seems like they've been patiently waiting forever so I was so excited when the weather forecast cleared up. There are a bunch of photos I love, but this one in particular is my favorite right now. Deanna and Chris were troopers trudging around in the post rain wet sand and puddles.

The rest I'll be editing this week and should be up pretty quickly!

Also, for the photographer's reading this: Because of the rain and pending angry thunderclouds, I used a significant amount of off camera flash. The sun hid behind clouds pretty frequently, so I definitely needed a little extra help with the light to make things crisp, clean, and vibrant. I pushed this particular photo one stop up, and fired the master flash to not contribute to the image. It really worked, and looks pretty natural- I am huge on working with people as they are and photographing them to look like themselves, and that means trying to closely imitate natural light when natural light may not be as readily available as I'd like it to be.

Palma Ceia Country Club (Tampa) Bride

2011-07-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

Oh dang, I got so caught up yesterday that I couldn't post! It's been raining here like crazy and it seems like Tampa's getting totally soaked. I have a shoot tomorrow at Fort De Soto for an engagement session and it's looking a little dreary. Have to wait and see.

Here's another set I'm working on right now of a past bride that was married at the Palma Ceia Country Club off Macdill Ave in Tampa. Not sure how many of you are familiar with this particular location but it's stunning... just like this bride.

As far as where I'm at with editing images for the website: it seems like it's so slow going. But, in the age of immediate, everything seems slow doesn't it?

Speaking of immediate, who has been invited to the new Google+? I'm on it and having a ridiculously good time. If any of you out there in cyber land want to add me, I'm under atkins.photography (at) gmail dot com! Feel free to interact with me on there.

I have a feeling it's going to be the next wave of neat things to come, especially since you can choose who gets to see what, when, and how!

Day 2- a look at what I'm working on as a Tampa Wedding Photographer

2011-07-06T15:00:00.000-07:00

When I first thought out my website, I started my main page slideshow with a pair of shoes. These shoes above, actually. Now, I am in the process of pulling more images, and these shoes aren't going away. However, they're going in a different order in the slideshow. I want to wow my brides, and although these are some seriously gorgeous shoes (Hell-ooo Louboutin), they're taking a back seat to more amazing images of past couples.

This got me thinking heavily on marketing and being an impactful vendor in my area. In terms of websites, SEO, and internet presence, a lot of professionals (all over) have a heightened awareness of what they should say, when they should say it, and in what optimized terms they can say it in. A lot of times people get caught up in coding, key wording, and marketing themselves that they forget that a good old fashioned cup of coffee with another professional in their industry can do wonders for their insight on what people want in their area. Blogs can sound a little forced and canned when it's peppered with Google Ad Words, and sometimes it's really nice to take a step back from the computer screen and interact with someone one on one.

Besides, it's nothing like hearing a hair stylist or florist's take on how they do things. I walk away with some amazing tips and great vendors to refer my brides to!

A look at what I'm working on as a Wedding Photographer in Tampa

2011-07-05T16:04:00.000-07:00

Hey all! Right now I have a little down time and I've been spending it focusing on my engagement sessions, and editing images from weddings to update my website with. I'm going to be posting a few screengrab samples here and there that I love as I work through the process.

It's kind of a nice way for people to take a look at how a wedding photographer goes through the process of editing and selecting images.

You'll hear a lot of photographers talk about creating a story for their wedding clients and selecting images that reflect their events, personalities, etc. Whenever I read these little ditties I chuckle to myself... that is 100% the definition of an event photographer, but more or less the tip of the ice berg. What's really going on is accepting the challenge of creating beautiful images out of whirl wind, fast paced environments associated with shooting large events, (heck, ANY events). Getting to know your client well enough to have them feel comfortable to allow you in to their dressing rooms, no make up, hair half done, people calling/texting/shouting/repeating questions- well, it's kind of the beauty of being a wedding photographer.

So, with that being said, my goal is to post one new screengrab a day of what I'm working on, and also to share a little something about my experiences with weddings, events, brides, grooms, and everything in between so you all can get a little snapshot of me, who I am, how I work, and what I do as well.

Wedding Album Design, fun with layouts!

2011-06-26T13:39:00.000-07:00

Right now I'm working on Kristin and Allen Gatlin's wedding album inbetween engagement shoots. Take a look at the screengrab of one of my favorite spreads from their book:

Also, my first (ever!) magazine advertisement came out in the Tampa Bay Weddings magazine! It's been out for roughly a week and I've seen a big bump in people visiting my website. Of course I'm now working with Joe over at Yellow Dog Party to update some of my images so my website is fresh and impactful. That guy's been pretty busy with freelance work and I'm always throwing ideas at him about my own site and how I can make it bigger and better.

It's been a lot of work the last couple of weeks. Also, on a personal note, I've succeeded in flooding my dishwasher AND my washing machine!! I definitely should stick to editing photos and being a photographer. Seems a lot easier for me (haha).

Next up is a little spotlighting on the advertisement I have out then on to finishing Kristin and Allen's album. I'm also prepping for an engagement shoot out in Fort DeSoto and am cooking up a ton of external lighting ideas.

Anyways, while you all are browsing the 'net I'm going to be scratching my head at my washing machine while a whole boatload of images are downloading on my hard drive!

Engagement photography inspiration in Tampa, FL

2011-06-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

I came home from Atlanta this week and have been recovering from all the art museums, exhibits, and art festivals I saw. It's so nice to get out of town and get re-inspired. I have a ton of engagement sessions and portraits coming up in the next 3 months, so have been feeling a little tired of shooting in the same places.

Unfortunately, I can't take Atlanta back to Tampa with me, so I drove around with a few specifics in mind:

-rustic chic
-gritty urban
-urban decay
-TONS of texture
-pops of color

I started driving around the Tampa/North Tampa area and ran in to this gem:

It has everything!! Rustic, gritty, urban decay, texture texture texture!

Now to see which one of my clients will be adventurous enough to shoot in this firewood lot. I can't wait to experiment with photographing people here. I am seeing so many possibilities!!

Also, I took this image with my mobile phone. In was once told as an artist and photographer, you have no excuse to not make art when you have a camera on you at all times. I took this to heart and it really keeps me sharp. Excellent advice!

Clearwater Beach and Island Way Grille Spring Wedding

2011-05-15T17:18:00.000-07:00

Hello all!

I just finished up a few weddings just in time to be off to Atlanta in another week. I've been having someone help me in studio and she's been a total God send lately. Answering emails, putting together client packets, lending a huge helping hand getting everything organized for the next wave of work.

First up is a Clearwater wedding we just finished up at the studio:

Eileen and Sean had their reception at Island Way Grille out along the causeway in Clearwater. They ended up using several vendors I recommended which I was super happy about! Tony at Bay Bouquet was her florist and put together some garden roses that I thought were perfect for Eileen's personality, and I loved the splash of green blades cutting through the white. I've really fallen in love with his work at Bay Bouquet over the last year or so. He also provided table linens, designs, you name it.

Eileen and Sean are such a great couple. The groom was cracking me up throughout the reception with his really easy going attitude. Shooting me the thumbs up, making great faces, you could tell they were there to celebrate and have a great time. It's so much fun when you run in to clients with a hilarious sense of humor and just happy go lucky. They were easy to work with and easy going, natural bubbly chemistry.

Nicole at Sweetopia put their cake together- I was really in to this design. I loved the colors on this cake.

Love it! Eileen and Sean have great eye for design, I couldn't get enough of this brick wall texture.

Here are a few more images from their wedding!

Big congrats to Eileen and Sean! Best wishes to them, I'm genuinely glad I got to be a part of their day and celebrate with them.

Tampa and St Pete Weddings

2011-04-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

Right now I am furiously editing images! there has been so much going on lately. Recently, I shot Adriana and Aaron's wedding on Sand Key- it was a gorgeous day, ceremony planned just right so that when it came time to shoot our fun portraits, there was a nice golden glow to everything.

Beach weddings are extremely popular in this area, and us Florida photographers have the luxury of shooting year round. One of my favorite things to do is to let the sun take over and dictate the mood of the shoot. On weddings in particular, photographers have to roll with whatever the sun is doing. Some shoots are luckier than others, but if you come with the mindset that your light is your friend then you'll always get great results!

See my art at Kaleisia, and BIG THANKS!

2011-03-01T15:44:00.000-08:00

I had such an outpouring interest in my half off engagement sessions that I've been booking like crazy and cooking up creative ideas to shoot with couples. a HUGE thank you goes to everyone that inquired! One of my favorite ideas so far is a kayaking trip with an outdoorsy couple. I love when my clients want to get dirty!

Right now I have some simple, down to earth art up at Kaleisia that you all should check out. It will be up until mid-April, and if you love comforting drinks then you should definitely head over and try the place out!

They have me featured on their main page and I have met some really amazing people so far! The staff is super friendly and it's one of my favorite local businesses to date.

Next up: tons of engagement shoots, weddings in March and April, and tons of Spring inspired fun!

New year and new love!

2011-02-05T13:56:00.000-08:00

It's almost spring time and that means spring fever!! I have been booking up the 2011 season, but for those spots that are still available, I am shooting off a little celebration discount until Valentine's day. Can't wait for spring to be here!!

I will also be showing some portraiture and outdoor scenery at my favorite local tea spot Kaleisia. Best tea in town with a huge selection to choose from, as well as my favorite boba (or bubble teas!!)

Best wishes for a happy and loving Valentine's Day!

Portraiture

2010-11-13T09:56:00.000-08:00

It's been so long since I've updated!! I have tons of shoots, tons of photos, and so many things to share with everyone.

Firstly, I would love to share the latest shoot I've done for a fellow artist and life long friend, Heather Trese at See Heather Write.

I am always eternally impressed with her dedication to her craft. Although both of us choose different avenues to express ourselves, we're both artists. She'll stay up late, sleepless nights editing her work in progress- risking carpal tunnel and eye strain, letting rest be the casualty of her craft. Currently she is working on a young adult novel before she runs off to her master's program in Vermont.

Knowing her personally made it a breeze to photograph her. It's always important to keep in mind that you're photographing the type of person, as well as the physical image of a person. A good portrait photographer is always thinking of two things: the flattering angles that will work best with the subject's body type, and what the subject's overall demeanor is. Is your client fun to be around? Are they willing to get their clothes dirty? Is he or she more serious? More reserved? I cheated a little at this, considering I've had 12 years to get to know Heather. Most of my clients I have to use a mash-up of in depth observation and direct conversation which easily gets the job done.

Time flew by, and I captured some amazing photographs that I am hoping will be on the inside cover of her novels one day soon!

For Heather I used a wide variety of depth of field, creamy natural light as well as some portable, external lighting equipment to create texture, interest, and emotion.

Using the environment around me, I decided to pump up the atmosphere with one external light about 8 feet away, (on a dramatic angle) from the subject, set at 1/4th to 1/2 of it's power. I under-exposed my shots to get the dark, rich shadows. For more formal looks I flattened out the light to act as fill, and let the background react to existing natural light as well as the external light being projected and bounced from the subject.

Heather is naturally blessed with great skin that works well with a variety of lights and shadows. Post processing these will be a dream!!

After this I have 2 wedding clients to show you from October but I am not ready to unveil them as of yet! The next two posts are Kristin and Allen's wedding, then Jon and Kelly's!! Can't wait to show you guys the amazing shots I got from both.

Questions, comments? Interested in learning more? Leave a comment here or email me directly at elle@elleiscreative.com

Teaser Photograph

2010-10-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

Donald Lynd came along as my PA for a model shoot I had wednesday. He was absolutely invaluable, no joke. I've assisted I don't even know how many times over the course of the past few years and he really put me to shame.

Here's a teaser image I really love from the shoot. I have some other great images that I'll post later on this weekend. The rest of the month should be insane for my workload so am busy editing as quickly as I can before the next shoot comes. Donald's helping me the 23rd and I'm looking forward to it. Less stress for me, more hands on deck!

Also, the 24-70mm f/2.8 came in the mail today. At first, I was worried I had made a mistake- I shoot wide, loved the idea of the 16-35mm f/2.8, but decided that I shouldn't get too crazy and stick to the more standard lens. I don't like playing it safe, but when you're dealing with lenses it's better to be a little more conservative. I'm really glad I picked up this lens and I was worrying for nothing. It's absolutely everything I want and need. Can't wait to take it out with the 5D on the 23rd and SHOOT LIKE CRAZY.

Ceremony Sites, and upcoming shoots

2010-10-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

Things have been insanely busy the last few weeks. Finishing up my legal loose ends came just in time- I had a surprise call from a vendor in NYC asking to shoot an aspiring model this Wednesday. I've been rushing around finding hair/make-up vendors she might want that are available on short notice, as well as securing a photographer's assistant, grabbing a portable light battery, and brushing up on inspirational poses.

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous, so it makes being outside wonderful- after I dash off this post I'm headed out to St. Pete to look at a few upcoming client's ceremony sites to get a feel for great shooting spots and what the sun will look like during shoot times. It's also a great excuse for me to visit St. Pete's huge open air market that opens up this time of year every Saturday. Two birds, one stone!!

Right now I am drooling over some Steven Miranda shots- he's a local photographer that shoots models all over the bay area, and he is a huge inspiration for me!!

Enjoy your weekends and the amazing weather!

2010-10-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks have been insane! After some time spent untangling the business from my personal life via bank accounts, taxes, and legalities, I finally can say I'm over the hurdle of becoming an LLC.

I am preparing for a couple of clients at the end of this month, so in the mean time here are some things that are inspiring me right now as I prep for shoots, mostly fashion ads and great lighting:

Love the birds, great photoshop work

And to be quite frank, I love Givenchy Ads! How can you not love Audrey Hepburn in this classic gown?

A few more modern Givenchy ads:

Labor Day Weekend

2010-09-06T14:28:00.000-07:00

They always say you should love what you do- and they are absolutely right. It's labor day weekend and I am contentedly editing photos, sending out emails, and sipping coffee! Honestly, there is no better feeling than being all caught up on your work, especially before another big wave of work comes! October will be incredibly busy for me focusing on several clients (both weddings and creative).

I've been editing photographs from an event by Catering By Robert I participated in on the 27th of August. Susan set up a large event that catered to past, present, and potential future clients- she had a large number of mock-ups for client's table displays, as well as phenomenal food and great entertainment! It was a great opportunity to meet local vendors as well. Take a look at some of the table displays.

Here is what my table display looked like- very simple. My logo and branding is all a bright, poppy, happy yellow so what better way to show that off than to do a summer "lemonade" theme!

Here is Alicia's adorable cards that I loved!

Vicki, an officiant running Beachangels Weddings, was kind enough to help me load all of my stuff in the rain while I was running around like crazy trying to get things organized.

Kristin and Allen, (clients of mine at the end of October) had a sneak-peek of their table display at the event, which I was super excited about. How often do we, as event photographers, really get to see a sneak-peek of what your event will look like? Almost never!

I really loved the wine favors they have for their guests- awesome take home gifts in my opinion!

I also loved this simple table display:

Here is a slideshow of the rest of the images:

It was wonderful to meet kind, caring vendors in the area that appreciate hard work, and love what they do. It's so refreshing to be re-inspired by those around you. It also didn't hurt that I was the only photographer there, so everyone was feeling particularly comfortable. Each vendor had plenty of room to shine, and weren't rubbing elbows with another similar vendor. Everyone had a chance to be comfortable and really open up.

Enjoy the rest of your Labor Day and the following shortened week!

Launching, work, and an introductory post

2010-08-30T18:20:00.000-07:00

I am currently launching a site that reflects my work and style as well as my straight shooter attitude and creative ability. You never really know exactly how crazy things get until you're in the middle of it all and wondering how you even got there!

Recently I participated in my first vendor showing, which really was more of a collection of like minded people brought together by one larger entity under an umbrella. I met one of the most adorable vendors ever- Alicia at www.seasideinvitations.com

I'm really looking forward to working with her in the future. I love her product, not to mention she and I are relatively in the same boat. Always nice to touch base with other likeminded people!

Right now I am working on editing some of the photographs and will update the blog this week to showcase some of the hard work of other locals working in the wedding industry. That will be up this Friday!

In the meantime, enjoy the rest of the week and looking forward to the Labor day weekend!