At the Beach, Blue Sky's Promotions, Fashion, Headshots, Orange County Photography, Portrait Photography, Senior Photography

Orange County High School Senior Photoshoot

The best thing about being an Orange County photographer and having a studio in Laguna Beach are the beautiful beaches! The beaches in Laguna are one of the most stunning places to have a high school senior photography shoot.

Although I end up with half the beach in my car after, it is truly one of my favorite places to shoot, especially in the Southern California “winter”. Personally, I believe the beaches in the winter make some of the most amazing backdrops. The unrivaled sunsets and blue skies, along with the beautiful textures of the rocks, sand and water, come together to capture the best moments!

If you have a senior that is graduating soon and you are looking for one-of-a-kind pictures to commemorate their high school accomplishments and utilize for gifts and/or graduation announcements, this is the perfect time.

I am offering a “Model for a Day” promotion in February and March. For $249, the package comes complete with hair and makeup and a portrait session with up to 4 outfit changes! You also get to go home with a 11×14 matted print. This is perfect for a senior session or even as a special treat for another treasured family member! Here are some of my recent beach sessions with some amazing seniors.

Family Photography, Headshots, Orange County Photography, Portrait Photography, Uncategorized

We’ll Help You Select the Perfect Photos from Your Session

Just about every photo session with us includes an in-studio review session about a week or two after your photo shoot. We know that a lot of photographers simply send an online album with photos to choose from, but I think it’s important to go the extra mile to help our clients.

If you’ve ever had professional photography done you know that we take a ton of photos during your session. This is great, because as a photographer I have so many more photos to choose from when looking for the perfect poses, lighting, smile, etc.

But if you’re looking through an online album of photos it can be really hard to choose between hundreds of different options. That’s why we are right there to help you.

This is one of the biggest reasons I make your review session a priority. My team is experienced in the art of finding and selecting the best photos from your session.

So here’s a little behind-the-scenes look at how our white-glove review session works.

It starts as soon as your photography session is finished.

That’s right, as soon as I’m done photographing you (and/or your family) I begin going through the images and selecting the best first round. This usually ends up being several hundred photos.

A little while later, after I’ve had a little artistic space from the images, I go back and get a little pickier, looking for the best poses, the best facial looks, smiles, etc.

Then we start editing.

From there, I select my favorite twenty to twenty-five images to edit. This is when my team and I tap into my nearly twenty years of photo-editing experience to optimize lighting, smooth wrinkles, or remove blemishes, or even shave off a few pounds.

High-quality portrait prints.

After we’ve made these gorgeous images absolutely picture perfect, we print them on our high-quality, archival photo paper and put them in mattes to display on our reveal wall. I’ll explain what that is in just a bit.

Your Review Session.

A week or so after your photography session we’ll call to set up a good time for you to come by our studio and see your photos in three amazing ways.

Slideshow.

We always put together a beautiful slideshow to show you some of the best pictures from your shot, sometimes with a little video from your shoot as well.

Reveal Wall.

When you first walk into the studio the reveal wall will be covered, but during your session we’ll pull the curtains aside to reveal those painstakingly edited images, matted and ready to be framed. You’ll be able to see your beautifully printed images, hold them in your (white-gloved) hands, and even take some home!

Digital Selections.

We’ll also have a selection of close to a couple hundred favorite photos on our flat screen display. We’ll work with you to narrow down the best shots, by comparing your favorites side-by-side and helping you understand the differences (even the minute ones) to each photo so you can pick ones that you’ll love for years to come.

You can always order individual images, but our best offerings are in our wall art, artisanal albums, Italian photo boxes, and other professionally printed packages. No matter what your taste, needs, or preferences, we’ll help you choose the perfect images and even edit them to your specifications.

We know that our clients come to us for a top notch experience and so we strive to give you the best photography experience of your life, along with the portraits that you’ll cherish for generations.

Want to see the behind the scenes video for this photo session? Click here to view the video.

Are you ready to book your session? Call us now.

Or sign up for the email list to get the latest tips on how to make your session wonderful.

Headshots, Orange County Photography, Portrait Photography

Professional Headshot Photography – Orange County

We’ve all heard the phrase “personal brand” thrown around a lot these days, but let’s be honest, whether you’re an entrepreneur, author, or a professional in a corporate environment you need high-quality headshots.

That’s where we come in to create stunning, one-of-a-kind portraits that put your best looks to work and express your unique style.

We provide both individual photo shoots and corporate company-wide sessions. If it’s time to finally spruce up your professional image, Blue Sky’s Studio will help you create images you will be proud of. Our personal brand professional headshots packages are the perfect all-inclusive package to help you look your absolute professional best!

Click the gallery to view more professional headshot images:

Our Professional Headshots photography package includes:

wardrobe styling (with wardrobe changes)
professional hair and makeup
a dedicated photography session with Kristin

You can use these digital images on your website, business cards, social profiles, brochures, anywhere. They are the highest quality–you could even print a poster-sized portrait of yourself, if you wanted to, that is. ;)

All for only $299 for woman (including hair and makeup) and $200 for men!

To book your session, click on the link.

BOOK A SESSION

Headshots, Orange County Photography, Portrait Photography

What It’s Like to Be a Model for a Day

Maybe you’ve seen our Model for a Day promotion that we do every year. Or maybe you haven’t, but you’d just like to know what it’s like to have a model for a day experience. Here’s a behind-the-scenes tour of what it’s like here at Blue Sky’s Studio.

Before Your Photo Shoot

Talk with our stylist.

Once you’ve booked your session appointment our stylist will be in touch to help you decide what to wear.

She will work with you to decipher what styles you’d like to have for your photos. Whether you’re going for a more professional look, or something fun and casual, or really a combination, we’ve got you covered. professional wardrobe styling

We generally recommend planning 3-5 different outfits so you will have a variety of looks to express the different sides of your personal brand. Our stylist will help you select the right combination of clothing, shoes and accessories from items you already own as well as suggest items that you could purchase to supplement your look. Or she can also suggest items to borrow from our wardrobe library.

At Your Photo Shoot

Arrive at the studio or on location.

When you arrive to our photography studio in Laguna Beach (or on location, where your shoot will be), we’ll make sure your wardrobe changes are ready and discuss which outfits, shoes and accessories you’ll be utilizing so I can plan for the best locations and poses. If you are starting your shoot at our studio, we’ll have some refreshing drinks for you to sip on as you prep for your session.

Let’s bring out your beauty with professional makeup and hairstyling.

Our hair and makeup artist will be there ready to help you look your best. You’ll just need to come with a clean face and clean hair and she’ll handle the rest. Our artist will work with you to make sure she’s creating a look that not only looks amazing but feels genuine to you. Our artists are experts at creating the perfect look not just in general but with special attention to what photographs best as well.

Your photo session begins.

Once you’re all dolled up and feeling like a superwoman I will be there to start photographing you. Not only do I have decades of expertise in posing, lighting and how to capture your best looks, but I also know how to take the edge of, and get your comfortable in front of the camera.

It can seem weird at first to be the center of attention, but I promise, whether it’s my silly jokes, or my natural love for what I do, I’ll get you in a good mood. And let me tell you, when you’re feeling good, it really shows in your photos. I promise you’ll have fun and start actually feeling like a confident model for a day!

After Your Photo Shoot

See the magic—your review session.

About 1-2 weeks after your Model for a Day session, you’ll come into my Laguna Beach studio to review your portraits. This is so much fun!

First, you get to see a slideshow of our favorite photos from the shoot. Then, we’ll “surprise” you with our Reveal Wall—which displays our top twenty fully-edited images from your shoot. We’ll hand you white gloves and you’ll be able to actually pick up and view each portrait. You can even purchase the photos right then and take them home. Or you can order other photos, wall art, albums and more.

From the moment you book your session, to when you pick up your stunning pictures, album, or wall art, we’re committed to making it the best photography experience of your life.

I hope you’ll trust us to help you feel pampered and lovely both on the day of your shoot and when you see your portraits for years to come.

To book your Model for a Day session, click here. Or to see exactly what’s included, click here to view our most current Model for a Day package.

Headshots, Orange County Photography

Creative Photo Shoot Ideas

After so many years as an Orange County photographer, I strive to continue to learn, grow, and create new ways of capturing the beauty of my clients. One of the types of photography that is often pretty standardized is the world of headshots.

But it doesn’t have to be! I love to add dimension and creativity to my clients’ headshots by thinking outside of the box.

Now of course there’s nothing wrong with a nice simple, professional headshot. I definitely do many of those. But it can also be fun to express yourself a bit more and add some of your unique personality or interests into your session.

Here are a few examples of different ways to bust through that box and create really unique headshots.

Show off what you do

Who says headshots need to be only head and shoulders? I love incorporating a client’s work or environment into their shots. This can be a great approach for entrepreneurs, or those who want to show a little more personality in their professional photos. Here are a few examples of this approach.

These three images from Pinterest. Tara Foley. Jean Exum photography. Khristian Howell

Get Outside

Even if you’re not an outdoors-person, getting outside in natural light for some photos outside of your office or another beautiful Orange County or L.A. location can add interest and uniqueness to your headshots.

Show your upward mobility…on the stairs.

Sitting on stairs is often a great way to add some dimension and interest to your photos. Check out these examples.

Images from Pinterest. Dominique Elkind. Courtney Cromer.

Show off your city, or where you live or work.

Southern California is a place of unmatched beauty so why not show a little bit of it off while you’re showing off your unique approach. Maybe you’re laid back like the seaside of Laguna Beach or Newport Beach, or maybe you’re more natural like Laguna Canyon, or maybe you’re looking to portray a more sophisticated look in downtown Santa Ana or with a cityscape of Irvine behind you.

Image from Hamburg photographer, Hanseshot.

We love this shot of our clients in Irvine.

Integrate Your Artistic Creativity

For creative entrepreneurs and other artist/creative types, it’s so much fun to integrate some of their unique tools, settings, or work into the shoot. Here are some examples.

Our stunning makeup artist, Brittany Norton.

These images from Pinterest. 1, 2, 3.

Utilize textures and unusual backgrounds

Consider utilizing interesting, subtle textures and backgrounds for your headshots.

First up is one from our classic white brick wall in our Laguna Beach studio.

Another Blue Sky’s Studio stunner.

Heck, you could even go crazy with color if that works for your personal brand!

Image from JadeWarne.com on Pinterest.

Add in some of your work personality, or even your best bud.

I love this unique, playful shot from Amelia Stanwix on Pinterest. How cute is it to bring your pup into the picture?

Add dimension and drama (in a good way) with simple color.

Sometimes, more simple, elegant shots are just what you need for your personal brand. In these cases, a more refined look is achieved with bespoke black, white, or other solid color monochromatic backgrounds and wardrobe.

Whatever your unique brand personality, we would be thrilled to work with you to find the perfect setting and even wardrobe changes to give you a variety of images that you can be proud of. To see more of our photography view our personal brand gallery or headshot galleries.