Take for instance, our engagement photos — October 2007 and I was just getting started with photography. Our friend Maggie, who had some photo/posing experience come along and use my camera to help us out.  I was full on anxiety going into it.  Nichole is absolutely photogenic and I’m, well.. me.  I even forgot to take my cell phone out of my pocket — way to help my cause!

I certainly wish I knew then what I know now (as is always the case!)  And although I love Maggie for helping out and doing a great job — I really should have taken my own advice and hired a professional who would have known to make it less about the posing and more about us being us.

We had a lot of laughs, and that was really helpful.  There are some nice shots, and some of them do capture us ‘for real’ (particularly the one on the left — that eyes up face is a standard of mine) But if I’d read Linzmat’s article before hand, I may have done a few things differently!

These are great tips for anyone having their photos taken — not just “less than photogenic” people.  It’s truly all about being trusting and having fun and Linzmat has so succinctly complied some really good advice, I wanted to share!

• • Find a photographer you love and trust, and be honest and open with them. Our photographer had a very hands-off style except for every once in a while. She put us in a beautiful location, gave us a couple of pointers, and then practically disappeared while she was taking pictures and we just did our thing.
  • Don’t think of the session as a photo shoot. Think of it as a date that happens to have a photographer. Before we met up with our photographer, we went out to breakfast. We met her at a coffee shop and just basically went for a walk around a beautiful location.
  • If you have some shots that are really important to you, let your photographer know! I emailed our girl some great pictures my future husband and I that I loved the style and feel of, and a couple of them that we definitely wanted of us. A good photographer will appreciate a little guidance from you. After all, she works for you, not the other way around.
  • Bring props that are important to you. We brought books, our pool cues, and a photo frame of our wedding date.
  • Go to your element. We went to a pool hall and a college campus. Those are both places we love and places we feel at home. If your element is inside your own home, shoots at home are great too!
  • Wear something that makes you feel awesome. I changed my outfit three times the morning of because when I looked at myself in the mirror, I didn’t see me. I saw me in a top I wouldn’t normally wear, or in jewelry I’d never worn. I changed into a favorite top that I feel like a million bucks in, and brought my favorite little black (okay, blue) dress. And I was so happy I did. My future husband is most comfortable in a sweater and jeans, so he wore his favorite of both and brought a button-down and slacks (his work uniform and another favorite look).

I love all the tips and encourage everyone to take them under advisement. It is without a doubt, first and foremost, imperative that you trust and hopefully, adore your photographer. But the best advice? Don’t think of it as a photo session.  Think of it as a date.  It’s about enjoying each other’s company in a place (or places) you think are fun, or interesting, or beautiful, or meaningful.  Laughter and conversation are essential. Be flirty, connect with each other, take the time to remember everything you love about one another.  Have fun and don’t worry about me!  I’m more than happy to be the third wheel!

It’s no secret that I fell into photography accidentally.  Until early 2006 I really had no idea I loved it — or that other people (aside from my ever loving mother (hi mom!)) had any appreciation for the photos I took.  But in December 2006, I made a website, sold some prints & note cards, took some family photos, and was asked to shoot a wedding.  07.07.07 I shot my first wedding — and I haven’t stopped going since.  I love EVERY SECOND of it (well maybe not tax season..) but for real — this is an amazingly humbling thing I’ve found within me and I wouldn’t change a thing.

However, sometimes in the back of my head, even with 250+ shoots under my belt, I think — “but I never took a class, what if I’m doing it all wrong?”

There are photography workshops every time your turn around — near & far — short & long — and some hosted by people that I would totally consider it an honor to learn from — but when Bobbi hinted at a workshop I thought, gosh — THAT would be the one.  And when she released the options for dates of the workshops I thought — gosh, THAT would be the one.  And then I decided that HAD to be the one.  I needed to do this for myself as a photographer, and more importantly for myself as a person. Outside the fact that I have a total photo.girl.crush on Bobbi (and totally a crush on Mike too!) I needed to pursue this adventure and to hear whatever it was that they had to say.  … Looking back, when I signed up, I really had no idea what they were “selling” syllabus wise — I just knew that I couldn’t miss it.

In early February they announced the dates, and then announced when they’d open signups. 10 people per workshop, 3 workshops — but I wanted the first one. (you never forget your first!) Sign ups opened at 3pm.. the time I leave work.  At 2:45 I opened the page and frantically followed her twitter feed waiting for go time in between refreshing the signup page to see if the cart was open yet.  tick.refresh.tick.refresh.tick.refresh.tick. GO!  I was all full of adrenaline and crazy as I added the 2 day photography workshop and 1/2 day album designing  workshop to my cart, submitted my order, and squealed with delight as I was IN!   Then I got in the car to drive home and thought — now what the heck am I going to do?!  I’m going all alone to a place I’ve never been to meet strangers to talk about something I don’t even know that I’m doing right. crap.dammit.  But I pulled up my big girl panties and made the appropriate travel plans.  Leave Sunday, come back Wednesday night — taxis & a giant hotel rooms to myself.  It would be the longest I’d ever been away from home on my own. If I wasn’t before, I was certainly a grown up now. (within reason of course )

Less than 2 months later it was time to go.  Nichole & Benjamin drove me to the airport and with only minor, but hugely frustrating delays on my layover, and a not so scary taxi ride, I was in downtown Indianapolis and freshening up to go for a drink with the beautiful Ashley Cohn from MN — another workshop attendee, we’d all been emailing once the workshop roster was released and Ashley and I managed to coordinate evening schedules.   It was nice to know heading into it Monday morning that there would be at least one ‘familiar’ face.

The workshop was phenomenal we talked and learned and loved and laughed and cried and taught and shared and collaborated.  I didn’t do much with my camera, I probably could have just as easily left it at home, but I did bring it along on the real-people-not-models-who-were-actually-engaged engagement session we got to witness and I couldn’t help but take a few photos.

Here’s the whole group (minus one Michelle) l:r Michelle, Ashley, Faye, Jenna, Sarah, Leslie, Heather, Mike, Crystal Jo &  front and center, Bobbi taking photos of BJ & Rachel — engaged couple extraordinaire.   Let me tell you — watching bobbi+mike shoot was so awesome.  Not only are they fantastically hysterical, they had even more crazy tricks up their sleeves than I did — which means I was totally on the right track and now armed with even more fun and hilarity! new & improved!

Downtown Indy is really fascinating — so industrial and full of very-different-than-I’m-used-to shooting opportunities.  I’ve learned to look harder around here in the seacoast, but it really is strangely idyllic… (I do love that, but sometimes old and broken and different is a lot of fun too!)

The weather had been overcast all day, but by the end of our shoot, the ‘magic light’ tried to make an appearance — we were all on the top of the parking garage and I decided to pull out my ‘far away’ lens and see what I could do from my strictly observer standpoint working around 11 other people all watching or shooting the same subjects.  It was awesomesauce x2.

Bobbi explaining some of the thoughts behind her shooting — so much genius packed in to such a petite body!

I sort of love these 4 — a lot.

I can honestly say that this was the best thing I’ve ever done for myself — bobbi+mike and the rest of the group were fantastic and the knowledge was invaluable.  I left Wednesday afternoon with new friends, new ideas, and  secure and comfortable knowing I am headed in the right direction and that I want to do this for years and years to come.

much love friends!

It was my mom’s first time meeting him so she swooped him up when he got there, but she quickly learned she had to share.

With her grandchildren!

Killian who was just over 3 1/2 got to hold him all by himself, and he even shared his cherished monka with him.  And that there on the right, that’s a meeting of the minds.  Sweet, loving, minds.

Avery, 19 months, also got to hold him.  And love him, and tell you that he’s HER baby, and smooch on him. (And cry when we took him away, but I didn’t take a picture of that because it was my turn to hold him so I was the one doing the taking!)

We distracted the kids with presents — always a good plan.  Books for everyone!

Benjamin read his younger cousins their new books and then my dad did the annual reading of The Night Before Christmas

Christmas afternoon we headed back to my mums in the afternoon for more Christmas goodness.

Harry Potter — books & bluray!

Avery had had enough of Christmas and wasn’t too sure she wanted to be awake from her afternoon nap.  But she reluctantly showed me the elephant feet, and then mum got some slippers meant for elephant feet!?

Then Santa did something all crazy santa like..  Killian had had a small green Amy Coe blanket since before he was born.  It was called facey and then one day, sadly, facey disappeared.  We all looked high and low for facey but he was no where to be found.  Nor were there any more to be found in Target, or anywhere.  Well, Santa has some really good internet finding skills and decided that this just couldn’t be.  And a small, plain box wrapped in blue tissue with just the name Killian on it was found under the tree.

With good old three year old ferocity he ripped into that package as his mum sat behind him saying ‘what is it?’ … then out of the box comes the blanket and out of the Killian comes “FACEY” .. and out of my eyes come tears and love.

And facey got a proper love also and then a group hug from Killi’s mum & dad too.

And then, Benjamin did this.  And I couldn’t find a photo to partner with it because it tells it’s story ALL on it’s own.  Oh yes, he’s mine, all mine.

One final Christmas — ours!  And it was great.

The last gift was an Archos Internet Tablet — and then we never heard from him again

Merry Christms! (you know, 5 months ago)

Savings of $40-$125 off regular package prices.  Prices listed reflect sale.

Save now, shoot later! You know, when the snow melts; again.

Spread the word! If you and a new MKP client both book a session you’ll each get 2 free 8x10’s with any package!

As always, all packages include watermarked images for web sharing and an online gallery for you to view, share & purchase your photos!

~Think Spring~

~melissakoren~

First stop, of course!

Then meandering through some waterfalls & scenery.  Yay for family vacation!

When he was 5 we drove cross-country to NM, he’s always been a great road tripper.  This past Christmas he got a digital camera and would make us pull over on the side of the road so he could take photos of the scenery.  Made his photographer mommy proud!  (he didn’t take the photo on the left, I just like it and had no other place for it. )

I’ve always wanted to take a photo like this.  Yay me!

I love lake Champlain.

Family Portrait!

Echo!

Don’t be sad teddy bear!

I think his favorite part was spotting the cows around downtown Burlington.  So cute!

5 years ago I snapped this stealthy photo of Nichole at Dobra;

And it gave me stupid amounts of happiness to do it again 5 years later.  I really like the addition of the wedding band

On the way home we tried to stop at Texas falls only to be sad and dismayed at the damage that was done during some of our storms had closed it temporarily.  We still got to poke around the top a little.

I <3 Vermont!

I can’t believe it’s been 6 months since our little family adventure.

Happy Christmas to you and yours! <3

Much fun and copious amounts of food were had!

Part two of the birthday was a first for all of us -

Admittedly I have ZERO interest in sports.  But the buzz in the air and the grandness of it all was very exciting!

I only had the point and shoot so we could stay as compact as possible, I was showing B how much the camera could zoom but I kinda really like the resulting shot.  My 10 year old!

The sunset was beautiful!

Yoooooouk!

What a gerat way to celebrate being 10!

I love you B!

Bought house: check

Moved in: check

Made it through holidays: check

Still winter: check

So what to do?!  We decided to take a mini-vacation to Boston.  And it was the best decision ever. Despite the rain/sleet/deluge that was about we managed to time the weather well and experience so many things new, and old, with Benjamin.  We ate at Fire & Ice and Wagamama.  We went to the MOS, the MFA, the Top of the Hub, & the Aquarium.  We stayed at the Hilton Back Bay for 2 nights with a gelato bar in the lobby and had coldstone.  It was just fabulous family time.

I put my point and shoot to the task trying to demand high performance while still fitting in my pocket with my phone & keys.  It tried  it’s best to keep up with me.

First stop was the MOS (Museum of Science) - it’s crazy how much it hasn’t changed since I was a kid — the basics of science are still just that! Basic!  However, the ‘exhibits’ of what a cassette tape is were a little off putting.

The next day we went to the aquarium.  My mom came down for the day to hang out with us.  She is recently visually impaired.  Depth and shadows and monochrome are difficult for her to discern and the glass of the tanks was an interesting experience for her.  The octopus was hiding in the back of his ‘cage’ and mum couldn’t see him.  She put her hand on the glass and wished he would come closer.  And he did — he traversed right over, looked her in the eye, and then went back to the corner.  It was pretty amazing.  And also, I love jelly fish exhibits.

The Aquarium, like the MOS hasn’t changed much since I was a kid and it’s been a bit since we took Benjamin down.  The photo on the left is from.. maybe 2004/2005 and although I tried to get the seals to cooperate they refused.  The water level is nearly the same though. *sniff*

Most of our days looked like this — it gave a really neat feeling to the city.

Every once in a while we’d get a break in the clouds though and I loved the shadows in this old stone church.

One of the most surprisingly interesting things we did was go to the Top of the Hub at the Prudential Center.  I’d never been up there before and when we got to the top the skies cleared up long enough for us to take the tour; which was actually really informative and not so boring! (I was skeptical)

Our last trip was to the Museum of Fine Arts.  It was much less hit or miss than I thought it would be with the 10 year old boy.  He LOVED the Egyptian exhibits and the musical instruments.  He managed to find a decent attention span for the ‘classics’ too.  My most favorite part was this all sided mirrored bottle collection.  My photo makes it look kind of like a painting but it was fully three dimensional and just STUNNING.  It was probably the only time I really regretted not having my pro-camera gear with me.   But I made the best of it!

We had a great time.  He’s definitely at the right age for the mix of child like wonderment and the ability to keep himself entertained when it’s not all go. go. go.

~MelissaKoren

]]> http://melissakoren.com/2010/09/03/boston-stay-cation-02-10/feed/ 0 http://melissakoren.com/2010/08/28/destination-funville/ http://melissakoren.com/2010/08/28/destination-funville/#comments Sat, 28 Aug 2010 18:02:23 +0000 melissakoren http://melissakoren.com/?p=2446 aka Springfield, VA.

Social networking is the strangest thing. 

In 1998 I took my first plane trip ever to Syracuse, NY to visit a friend at SU.  I stayed with him in his ‘frat house’.  There I met Robyn.  She was vivacious and fabulous and she taught me how to drink CiderJack (like a champ).  We stayed in touch via email & AIM for a little while but as with most things the contact dwindled.

Sometime about 5 years ago, when myspace was still cool, I thought I’d search her.  With a very unique last name I was sure I’d found her and we exchanged OMG’s.

Myspace was never my favorite.  It was too hard to do/see/be.  Then came facebook.  We friended.  She announced she was engaged.  I jokingly pimped myself out.  November 2009, I get a message, asking if I was serious and would I travel to the DC area to shoot her wedding.  In January?!

y.e.s.

So after my whirlwind second half of 2009 I caught my breath, packed my bags, and boarded a fight to this destination wedding.  Only I would have a destination wedding in DC in January.  I didn’t care, I was SO excited.  It was also the first time ever I’d taken a trip completely alone.  (yes, I was 31. sheesh)

I made it in one piece! Flight, Luggage, Metro, Shuttle, Hotel, Rehearsal! (Destination wedding fact: If the travel plans include me arrived and settled by the time of your rehearsal/dinner — I’m there & shooting as a bonus!)

The wedding was taking place at the Mason District Park Amphitheater and after a somewhat … loud & gleeful reunion in the hotel lobby we headed off. 

The boys

The procession 

The girls. 

 The dinner. Which was at a chinese restaurant which had the best ever ‘beef candy’ I’ve ever had. Ever.  I have no idea what it was but I still want it at least twice a month.  

 Argh! Delinquent blogger strikes again.  I know that I took this picture on the left with purpose, there was a story.  But.. uh… Bueller? 

The bride and groom.  I think this is the for better or worse before and after. HAHA

By the time I left I was SO excited for the wedding.  This small sampling of their loved ones & friends and family was so amazing — I could only imagine what the next day had to bring!

Christmas Eve, as is tradition we went to my parents to have a gtg w/ cousin Beana & her family.

Benjamin was full of Christmas spirit while Nichole was just wondering what yumminess the tins were full of.

Killian & Avery (Dear Killian, I’m pretty sure it was you, not your sister)

I will forever and always love this picture on the left.  Note to self, make a print of this picture to actually hang in your house.  

The last Lego advent before bed! (and my ghastly dining room walls which I just rectified last month! yahoo!!) 

Christmas Morning! 

Then it was back to my parents for more family & mimosas.

And gift bags bigger than small children!

Nothing says Merry Christmas like a bloody finger trick.

After a whirlwind day… a whirlwind year!  It was amazing to celebrate our first Christmas in our new house and our first ever real tree! 

And with that, there are only 116 days left til Christmas 2010!

~MelissaKoren

In March, our friend Allison & I planned and executed (really really well) a 6 course wine dinner.  We could not have done it without the fabulous expertise of our friend Annie and it was a hugely successful surprise 31st birthday for Nichole.

In June my baby turned 9 and ate at least as many ribs at the Rock n’ Rib fest.   My nephew turned 2! (um, I think I left my camera at home that day..)

In July I turned 31. I was now officially ‘in my 30’s’

In September, WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!  (and moved and packed and all that fun stuff)

My mom and dad turned 50 in fall and threw a HUGE bash in the backyard with a pig roast catered by my brother, a tent & a live band!  (That’s daddy in the far back right corner on guitar) Happy Birthdays mommy & daddy!

We found a few minutes to go to the Deerfield fair (our favorite by far!) … He looks taller than me in this photo.  That is not the case. Yet.

In October Nichole’s mum & stepdad came out from NM to visit our neck of the woods.  We started with the House of Blues Sunday Brunch.

And ventured into the great north for some color and adventure.

We spent Thanksgiving at Allison’s with her family (and probably more wine than people… )

In early December we went off to the Festival of Trees for the first time — it was really cute!  I enjoyed all the different scenes and creativeness!  That tree is alllllll tiny paper cut-outs.  That boy is mine, but he’s quite lovely so I like to take pictures of him.

Mid December marked Reed’s 2nd birthday! I can’t believe how fast it all goes.  He had this ADORABLE cake from Chrissy’s Cakes and blew out the candles when no one was looking. HAHA.

2 1/2 year old nephew Killian & 6 month old niece Avery!

Lexi & Reed’s friend Abby

One more post for Christmas, but I think that’s most of the key points of 2009!  Glad to have caught up the blog through the new year .. now let’s get 2010 caught up before it’s 2011!

~MelissaKoren

Vegas.  We went to Vegas for Nichole’s step-dad’s bowling tournament.  Let me put this out there.  I’ve never wanted to go to Vegas.  The thought of it gave me a panic attack.  I thought there would be nothing to focus on and that it would be TFH. (toooooo freaking hot).

So there was bowling…

And Terry came in 2nd on the team and … you know, not last … in the tournament.  

The Shark Reef was pretty cool…

 Madame Toussads was interesting.. though it seems a portion of my photos aren’t as… family friendly as I’d like to appear to be so I’ll leave you with some Hugh & Johnny ;)

But Vegas, baby? Vegas?!  I’m in love.  We stayed at the Fabulous Las Vegas Hilton (can you hear my echo-ee announcer voice!?)

And I didn’t exactly focus — but I found so much to happily distract myself with — the colors and shapes and textures and architecture?! OMG.

I mean seriously — this is the inside of the women’s room bathroom stall at the shark reef. 

From the Bellagio to the construction zones everything was something to see. 

(the beer.. LOVE sin city) 

The chocolate fountain that was bigger than my living room…  

The food!

 Vladimir & Terry! 

And the LIONS. Holy crap I loved them.

It was just .. fun.  Good Amazing Family & Fun.  We saw Cirque zoomanity & love.  We walked and monorailed and laughed and had second breakfast of rum.  It was hot, but more than that it was fun.

I never expected to like it, let alone MISS it!  I’m so ready to go back!

It’s been a very productive couple weeks for me; I got my house unpacked, my office set up, and I’m nearly caught up on my past events. 

45 give or take.

That’s the number of posts I’m behind from my different shoots since June.  2 weeks til my next wedding.  Hopefully I can fill in some blanks between now and then!

I’m very happy to announce my participation in the launch of myKateParkerWeddings — this fabulous free resource for wedding planning on any budget has set out to revolutionize event planning as we know it!  I encourage you all the check it out — Kate and her team are fantastic all the way!  The site does require a sign up if you do too much poking around, but it’s very worth it.

I’m so excited to get back to blogging! (And I hope to have a better regime in place for 2010!!!)

Happy Belated Holidays from me to you.

I hope to be back with regular blog updates soon, but until then hello.goodbye!

~MelissaKoren

He was a munchkin…

A flying monkey

AND The Guard.  If you ask him he’ll be sure to tell you he was the only kid with 3 roles.  He even had a few lines!  It was a riot.

The kids all did such a great job with their costumes & props.  And they did the whole thing off script and a cappella!.  Not bad for an after school program!

And.. curtain!

I hope he continues with drama!