2010 January | ESSENTIAL IMAGERY, Philadelphia photographer

You'd love to have a family portrait session that fully captures who you are, how you connect, and how much affection surfaces when all the members of your family are present within the camera frame.

We're happy to capture your family in our studio, complete with gorgeous light and minimal distractions, or in your comfy-cozy home full of familiar toys and routines. No matter where our session takes place, we'll delight in your delight. And we'll encourage you to pay attention to one another instead of the camera, because there's no 'add happy' button in Photoshop.

We don't care whether you're barefoot or wearing fuzzy slippers, and we won't be sending over a twenty-page list of suggestions about what to wear. (We can make you look beautiful in sweat pants if you love each other.) We just want to capture your family. Your habits, your quirks, and your love. And when you view the images we've created together for the first time, we want the depth of love you feel for your family to grab you by the collar and bring tears to your eyes.

The video below provides a peek at how portrait sessions unfold. If you have questions or would like to schedule a portrait session, click on the 'Contact' link above or call 215-206-3689. Oh -- and thanks for stopping by, lovely!

-- Kristen & Haunani, Essential Imagery owners

P.S. That's Kristen up in the header -- Haunani is camera-shy.

Monthly Archives: January 2010

ESSENTIAL IMAGERY PRESENTS PETS FOR HAITI

Haiti’s devastation is no longer news to us. We’re all overwhelmed by what’s happened and by all that needs to happen in the coming months and years.

Truth be told, if a natural disaster were to strike this neck of the woods, it’s Hermione I’d grab first. I suspect we’d trust our spouses to take care of themselves, grab the kiddos, and hunt down the dogs before running off to the appropriate place for surviving a disaster.

Since it’s pets we’d rescue first and I realize many of you don’t have professional pet portraits, this is your chance.

The cost of our Pets for Haiti package is just $65 through March 15, 2010.

You will receive:

30-minute pet portrait shoot in your home or a local park ($225 value)
5×7″ matted metallic gift print ($65 value, shown)
a featured portrait in our Pets for Haiti studio charity event on April 6, 2010

You will be providing relief to Haiti in three ways:

100% of the proceeds from your $65 Pets for Haiti portrait shoot will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.
10% of additional print sales from the pet portrait shoots will also be donated to Doctors Without Borders
Your dog will be featured in our Pets for Haiti studio charity event, where raffle monies raised will also be donated to Doctors Without Borders

To commit, purchase your package below. We will contact you to set up your pet portrait as soon as possible.

Posted in Philadelphia pet photography

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER | ARTSY FILES

Every now and again, I get to shoot for the pure joy of shooting…I’m inspired by abandoned stuff. Abandoned houses, shopping centers, parking lots, items. The stories they aren’t giving up draw me to them again and again.

Why steal only the upper right bit of the rooster? Or did this happen organically?

The color of that pipe…killer!

Loved the angles here…the way the eye can go around and around…I’m looking through a streetlight toward the ceiling. As for the right — that color gets me.

Ultimate question: why knock down an entire building, but leave three walls standing?

Better yet, why paint rainbow stripes only halfway down a wall?

Posted in randomshoots

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PHILADELPHIA FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY | COLE + MAMA

Family photography allows me to capture the gorgeous and unbreakable bonds between family members. Being able to capture mamas with their kiddos? It’s my favorite.

I’m always thrilled when a new Mom is willing to hop into photos with her little one…these three images are so very real to me. Playing, emoting, loving.

And my favorite from the session…what’s a six-month-old got to be so sad about? Those lips kill me!

Cole rocked the Essential Imagery natural light portrait studio in Wayne, batting his eyelashes and otherwise showing off his best assets for Mama, Auntie, and both Grandmas! Natural light provides a clean, fresh look to family photography that’s simply unmatched by studio equipment.

Posted in Philadelphia family photography

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PHILADELPHIA BABY PHOTOGRAPHY | COLE

Baby photography is best when it’s simple. A warm room, some adorable clothes, and a well-fed little one spell portrait perfection. Cole and his Mama rocked a mini portrait session in our Wayne natural light studio this week…it’s so nice to savor a simple setup, a fabulous kiddo, and those hysterical expressions.

Cole was a little wary of me at first! Aren’t those blue eyes incredible?

My favorite baby photography always involves a little one in the buff! Cute overload optional. ;)

Check in tomorrow, when I share my favorite portraits of this sweet little man with his Mama! And for more samples of baby photography goodness, click here.

Posted in philadelphia baby photography

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BEST CAMERA IPHONE APP, HIPSTAMATIC

Hipstamatic is the best camera app for iphone. Hands down. Without question. Promise.

The original thought behind the Hipstamatic camera was that it would cost less than the film. The body of the camera was made of molded plastic and was produced from 1982 to 1984. Though the Hipstamatic bit of plastic goodness has gone the way of the dinosaur, it’s been revived in the form of the Hipstamatic app! Just $1.99 gets you a crazy amount of yummy vintage camera goodness, including three standard lenses and films. (Films affect the frame, not the color of the image.)

The interface you play with looks like this:

Once downloaded, it’s time to play with your shiny new camera app! Below, a simple subject to show off the Hipstamatic lenses’ effects. From left to right, each using Ina’s 1969 film: the Jimmy lens, Kaimal Mark II lens, and the John S. The Jimmy washes your image in yellow, while the Kaimal Mark II adds a magenta haze. Oh, and the John S adds a blue tint with some crazy-fine texture.

Again, a simple subject (the tray is actually white) to show off the lenses’ effects. Kaimal Mark II rocks the left side, while John S rocks the right. In the middle, a lens featured in the Shibuya pack, Roboto Glitter. Roboto Glitter adds a simple blue wash to photos, and also comes with the Berry Pop Flash and Float Film. Just $.99 tricks out your Hipstamatic app with these accessories!

Other Hipstamatic packs are called The Portland and the Williamsburg and cost $.99 each, so the ‘camera’ with all the accessories costs less than $5! Aside from being fun to play with, you can share your photos on Facebook. All in all, the range of films, lenses, and flashes make iPhone photos more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

And since I’m a children’s photographer, I have to say that kids will LOVE playing with this, too. Let them express their creativity and fake being Photoshop masters while they’re at it! To buy the best camera app on the planet, visit the Hipstamatic store.

Posted in neat stuff

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