Body Awareness – A Great Play – Photography on Display

Last night Ruth and I attended “Body Awareness” performed by the Pinch ‘N’ Ouch Theater at 7 Stages Theater in Little 5 Points here in Atlanta. I highly recommend that you see this play!

The play is set in the fictional small town of Shirley, Vermont, where Phyllis, a college campus organizer for Body Awareness Week (whose topics range from a dance troupe of refugee Palestinian children to an eating disorder seminar) lives with her partner Joyce, a high school social studies teacher, and Joyce’s 21-year-old son Jared, from a prior marriage. Jared shows several symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome, but he refuses to see a therapist for treatment. Their houseguest is a middle-aged photographer named Frank Bonitatibus, whose artistic photos of nude women offend Phyllis. Frank’s presence exacerbates the already existing tension between the three of them, and when Joyce agrees to pose for one of Frank’s pictures, this threatens her relationship with Phyllis. Meanwhile, Jared, a self-described autodidact who works at McDonald’s until he successfully tries to get fired because he hates his co-workers, asks Frank for advice on how to attract women.

The cast and crew do a great job of holding your interest throughout the play. The humor and interactions between the cast are amazing. We couldn’t believe that 95 minutes went by so fast and that this one act play could totally consume our attention like it did. Our hats are off to the PNO Theater and the talent in the play!

After the show there was a “Boudoir Photography” reception in the lobby with wine, food, and cheese. My work (Casual Elegance Photography®) was on display for everyone to see. There are 12 photos (models, not clients) on display ranging from artistic nude to pure boudoir imagery. It was amazing for us to see everyone’s positive reactions to my work and to have people come up to us complimenting the photos. The photos will be on display until the close of the show and we highly recommend seeing this play while it’s here in Atlanta.

Visit Casual Elegance Photography to view our work, read the testimonials, and book your shoot today.

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Another GREAT Photo Shoot with a good friend

Late last week (before our short vacation to Helen, GA) I shot with Stephanie, a good friend and model. It’s always nice to see friends and have a fun shoot at the same time. And it’s not often that my schedule has openings to take the opportunity to do so.

After catching up on things, since it had been a year since the last time we shot, we discussed what we wanted to accomplish during the shoot. We decided to get some headshots for her (for her professional use) and a few additional sexier shots so I could work on my lighting techniques. I’ve been looking at the lighting that Playboy uses and working on placing my lights so that I can get a similar effect. I normally don’t use a lot of lights, but in this style I am using more lights than I ever have.

Shooting with models/friends allows both of us to get something out of the shoot. The model/friend gets images that they need, and I get either images I need or time to work on trying out new lighting ideas. It’s a win/win situation – especially when it’s fun! 🙂

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Choosing a Boudoir / Intimate Photographer

I received a call from a potential client back a while ago and I was actually very delighted that she had such a good list of questions for me before she would hire a photographer – especially one that was going to take intimate photos for her. She had done her homework and said that she wanted to be sure she was dealing with a professional and a real business. Here are some of the questions she asked.

1. Do you have a business license? (yes – in Sandy Springs where my studio is)
2. Are you a corporation and in which state? (yes – Mark L. Anderson, LLC – Georgia – DBA Casual Elegance Photography®)
3. Do you have insurance? (yes – liability and loss of property)
4. When did you start the business? (2000)
5. Do you have a Website? – she was referred by a friend (yes – casualelegancephotography.com)
6. Do you have a studio? Can I meet with you ahead of the shoot and see your studio? (yes – I encourage that. It’s always a good idea to see if you click with someone.)
7. Do you have a Makeup Artist? (yes – I utilize the services of several in the area but work closely with 3 – all licensed estheticians. They all believe in cleanliness and ensure their equipment and products are cleaned between uses.)
8. Can I bring someone to the shoot with me? (YES – I highly encourage you to do that)
9. Will my photos be sold or used by you? ( NO! I do not use client images. If a client wants me to use an image I require them to sign an agreement for me to do so. I don’t even allow anyone other than the client to order prints or a CD)

She had a bunch more questions but they were related to the process, the shoot, and the timing. As I said, I was delighted that she was taking the task of hiring a photographer so seriously and I gladly answered her questions. It made me very happy that I had followed all the right steps to build my business correctly, and that Casual Elegance Photography® had all the right answers.

Visit our website to learn more about Casual Elegance Photography® and read our client testimonials.

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“Take your clothes off and shoot! It will make you feel good!”

LOL – that’s what one of my clients said that they wanted to tell clients who are considering Casual Elegance Photography ® for a photoshoot. But in reality that’s exactly what many clients experience. Many say it’s an empowering and liberating experience to shoot art or glamour nudes. I’ve had women say that they wished they had done a shoot years ago and would have if they had only known how cool it was to do. One client, age 58, said that she finally knew what it’s like to take control of her life and express herself in a way she never thought she could. Her husband was thrilled with the images and he even wrote me a note thanking me for making her feel that good. But I’m not the one who makes someone feel good about them self, I’m just the catalyst that enables them to see how sexy and beautiful they really are. I encourage them to be the person they really are. I encourage them to show their true feelings for the one who is going to view the images. And I encourage them to call upon true emotion to get the look they want someone to see. I consider myself lucky to be able to be part of the capture process of the images that assist in the overall “feel good” process.

So visit the Casual Elegance Photography® website and make your appointment to “take your clothes off and shoot!” 🙂

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It’s HOT outside – Why plan now for the Holidays and Special Occasions?

I know it’s only July and it’s hot outside, but now is the time to start planning for those Holiday and Special Occasion Photo Gifts. Why? Well first of all you want to be sure that you have everything you need for the shoot such as outfits. You should be shopping for the ones you want now and putting together a little book of poses to use them in. Second, everyone wants to look their best for the shots so that sometimes requires a couple of months of workouts, etc. And third, if you start planning now then you won’t forget and then remember just a couple of weeks away. We have several great gift ideas such as:

Our calendars. They contain 13 images (cover plus a different image for each month) and you can create a caption for each of your photographs if you wish, to make the gift even more special. You can select to start the calendar on any date and have it run for 12 months. The lab we use for our calendars will print up to Playboy style nudes, and works fast to get these beautiful calendars back to us with record speed, but we book up quickly during the holiday season, and editing of photos takes time to ensure they are picture perfect.

Our Hard Cover Books. Each book can have 20 or more pages of the images of your choice. One client had the cover done in black with the words “(husbands name)’s Little Black Book. Each photo had a theme that they both shared.

Our Electronic Photo Book. These cool little “wallets” are a great way to share the images with a loved one so they can take them on trips with them. The come in ether red or black and make an excellent gift as a add on to any session.

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Summertime and the living is easy…

Well, not always! At least the traffic is a lot easier to deal with when school is out.

This week is the headshot week at Casual Elegance Photography®. Like I have said numerous times, this business is cyclic. A few weeks ago it was “Calendar week” and a month or so before that it was all about “Books”. I actually enjoy these cycles because it allows me to concentrate on one particular service and get the work done a little more quickly for the clients.

Since there are so many head shots coming up, here is a bit of information about how to prepare for a headshot session (this is a condensed version of the note we send out before a session).

Please be prepared for your session by:

Getting a good nights sleep prior to the session. We want you to be fully alert and your eyes as white as possible.

Don’t starve yourself before the shoot, but don’t have a three course meal either.

Be sure your teeth are are as bright as they can be.

Drink plenty of water for a few days leading up to the shoot. It will hydrate your skin and give you an edge in the shoot.

Women, be aware of any facial hair (especially around the lip and jaw area). Consider waxing ahead of the shoot.

Men, if you plan to shoot both an unshaven look as well as a shaven look, let me know ahead of time so we can plan the time accordingly.

Arrive on time for the shoot. We have set aside the time specifically for you. Don’t arrive too early and don’t be late. If anything causes you to be running early or late please call an let us know.

Be sure to “do” your eyebrows in advance of the session. We would hate to have them all red on the day of the shoot.

If your shoot will be using a Makeup Artist Service, be sure to arrive with your face clean and makeup free.

If you will be doing your own makeup please be sure to arrive with your makeup basically done so we can start right away. And remember not to wear sunglasses on your fresh makeup – they will leave indentations and mess up the makeup. Bring your makeup to make touchups with.

If you are doing your own makeup please try to stay away from makeup with an SPF in it. They typically cause a shine.

Try to relax before the shoot so you are not all tense. Tension shows in photographs.

Stuff happens – a breakout of acne, a cut or scratch, etc. Don’t dwell on them. In post production (editing) I can usually fix them for you. I try to edit the images to give them the best look without overdoing it. Headshots must represent the real you so I try to edit like makeup would do – not create a different person.

Picking your images can sometimes be difficult. We can sit down after the shoot, pick and edit the shots you like, OR I can build a web gallery for you to select from. The plus for have a web gallery is that you can invite others to look over the unedited images and help you select the images that will “Stop the agents, casting directors, producers, directors and clients in their tracks”.

Most of all, come in with a great attitude, a willingness to get great shots, and prepare to have a fun shoot.

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Head Shots and Body Shots

One thing I get a lot of requests for are headshots, but in the past few months I have been getting requests for body shots in addition to head shots. I think it’s because there are more and more contests coming to town. The clients want to submit images to the contest in hopes of getting picked and a head shot is only half of what they need. So I’ve been modifying my headshot package to include one headshot and one body shot under the standard pricing. I try to be sensitive to client needs and want to earn their business.

Lately, in addition, there have been several request for “simply sexy” shots. Basically non-nude sexy shots for dating sites and social media sites. I always enjoy these shoots because I love the way the clients have fun in the shoots. I’ve had clients do a winter theme in the summer, summer themes in the winter, and just plain fun themes all year round. It a pleasure to work in this fun environment! 🙂

Visit Casual Elegance Photography® to view samples of my work, client testimonials, and my services/pricing. I look forward to working with you soon!

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Boudoir Specialty or General Photography

When I think of studio that does general photography verses a studio that has a specialty I think of it in terms of the medical profession. When you have a cold or the flu you would go to a general practitioner. But if you needed to have a heart transplant your choice would be a specialist – someone who understands the complete subject, keeps up on the latest procedures, and knows how to do the job from beginning to end. It’s not that different with photography. While a general studio can produce excellent results, they tend to have a general photographic focus without being focused on a particular venue of photography. It’s somewhat similar to going to the restaurant that has 45 pages of different foods and ordering an Italian plate – The food is normally good, but not quite what you would experience at a specialty Italian restaurant.

At Casual Elegance Photography® we specialize in Sensual Photography. Call it Boudoir, Art Nudes, Intimate, or Glamour photography, it all boils down to sensual in nature. We understand the business and we understand what you want. We keep up with new techniques as well as continually researching what works best and how to get the best images for you based on what you have communicated to us. We understand that you will be nervous and that this may be very new for you, but we work with you to help you overcome the nerves and get those relaxed and sexy shots (just read the testimonials). We realize that everyone is different and that’s why we specialize – you’re not here to get a family portrait, so there are several things we make sure we don’t overlook. For instance, we have robes in our studio for you to use incase you forget to bring one. We provide a comfortable area for you to put your stuff and get dressed in. We have the latest in technology so you can see the images as we shoot them – therefore allowing you to see how beautiful you are looking as we shoot. Our studio isn’t they typical cold impersonal environment you may have encountered in the past – we pride ourselves on our personal attention to detail and the at home atmosphere of our studio. We even make sure our refrigerator is stocked with water and soft drinks so if you get thirsty it’s there for you.

So when considering Sensual images, consider Casual Elegance Photography®. You’ll be glad you did.

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Photo books of Boudoir or Nude Images

Lately my clients have been selecting the Hardcover Book Package that I offer at Casual Elegance Photography®. This package give the client plenty of time to get many different images, makeup artist services, and a selection of 3 different size books. A book is a great way to present the images to a loved one and also a great way to preserve the memories forever.

I have a sample book at the studio as well as the optional presentation box that completes the whole package. I also have a sample calendar for those who would like to see how nicely the calendar can keep them on the mind of the one who receives it.

Visit our Website to view sample images, read the testimonials, and review the different packages we have available.

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What’s in a Name?

Well here we go again. Someone loves the name Casual Elegance Photography so much that they decided to name their business it. Now, I’ve heard the saying that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”, but what they don’t realize is that the name Casual Elegance Photography® is protected by a US Federal Trademark ® and that the penalties can be severe when someone violates the Trademark laws.

What I don’t understand is why people just don’t follow good practices when they decide what they want to name a business. There are a lot of things to consider when purchasing a URL, developing a name for a business, investing into a website, and purchasing advertising materials. There’s cost, time, knowledge of the marketplace, etc. Why spend all that money just to have to do it all over again if you don’t have the right to use the name? A quick google search, a quick check of the USPTO website, a quick review of the laws associated with infringing on a trademark, and seeing if the name has a website… chances are that if casualelegancephotography.com is taken, the name is in use, so do a little more research before naming a business. Casual Elegance Photography® has been a registered trademark since 2008 and has been in business since 2000. Our website is http://www.casualelegancephotography.com. I’ve worked hard to brand my business and it’s cost a bunch of money and time to do so. So tomorrow starts the process of resolving this issue. Phone calls, contacting ISPs, and basic “first attempt” stuff… But it’s all necessary to protect then name, brand, and good will of Casual Elegance Photography® so I gladly do it.

Visit us at Casual Elegance Photography® – the finest in Boudoir, Intimate, Maternity, and Fine Art Photography.

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