Leaving for Vegas in a minute and so excited for WPPI this year! This blog was brand spanking new when I posted about my experience at last year’s WPPI in Vegas.  I was so inspired by last year’s conference and it was the catalyst for so many amazing things that I’ve done since then!  I remember sitting in the Print Competition room watching the Print entries being judged, but I hadn’t entered the contest… Well this year, I’m in! I’m thrilled that this is the first photography contest that I’ve entered, and it’s fulfilling just to participate with my peers :)

I’ll be seeing many of you in Vegas - don’t be shy and say Hi! Coming up on the blog - announcing a new website, downtown BW installation and family pics :)  Here’s a peek at a recent Boudoir Workshop demo - this was a 5 minute shoot using only available light at night in the Biltmore Hotel bathroom!…

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Boudoir Workshop “A Sexy Affair” dates have been changed to April 10th & 11th.  Give me a buzz to sign up -would love to see you!

xoxo,

Christa

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It’s absolute torture to not show you all of Genevive’s pics… her nude pics are sensual and full of energy, and are some of my favorites I’ve shot to date… if the above pic gives you any indication.  But we must respect a girl’s right to privacy :)  So here is a little peek into our recent boudoir shoot and G-rated pictures…

One of my favorites… (you know me, I loooove action and emotion!)

and if you’re lucky enough to know Genevive personally, you know that picture on the left captures her silly exuberant personality perfectly…  nice match with the fun-loving free woman on the right :)

Genevive was an attendee at one of my Workshops, and thought my boudoir demo looked like so much fun, that she had to check it out for herself :)  Now, that’s my kinda girl!  In fact, shooting Genevive’s boudoir pics inspired me so much that a few nights later, I did my own boudoir shoot!… but we must respect a girl’s right to privacy, so you won’t be seeing those shots either!  lol!!

Happy Monday :)

Christa

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The sweet chaos of a family photo session… That’s what I was going for during my recent Workshop demo - I wanted all the Workshop attendee’s to see how I negotiate challenges, work with kids and parents, and manage to capture my signature pictures.  So we got out of the studio and on our feet to a nearby home for some family photo fun…

…focusing on the necessity of play, creating action, capturing emotion, the beauty in details, the awesomeness of props, and much more…   and sweet chaos ensued, as we ran around a tiny yard looking for great light, trying not to step in dog poo, and still capture great images.

…such as, the personality and sass of each child…

…kids being kids, and Rocking Out!..

…the beauty of everyday details…

…of course yummy happy close-ups!

…and how much fun, value and variety that simple props can add to a shoot…

Seriously, my Workshops are this fun :)

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I’m thrilled to announce details for my next Workshop! for pro’s and those that want to go pro… including topics from branding to sales and everything in between!  The Workshop in January was a huge success and tons of fun, and I’m looking to top it with this new one!… The workshop will be held at my Studio + Gallery and is limited to a small group so you get plenty of one-on-one instruction and hands on learning.  You will be on your feet shooting alongside me during model sessions and will be granted use of the images for your blog and portfolio.  The last workshop sold out quickly, so register soon.  More info below…

The Workshop, with Christa Meola

Revolutionize your brand.
Create meaningful photographs with impact.
Take your photography and business to the next level!

Saturday March 20th 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
Sunday March 21st 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

Held at…

Christa Meola Pictures Studio + Gallery
860 Via de la Paz, Pacific Palisades CA 90272

Topics include:

Branding…
Personality and developing your unique style.  How to stand out from the crowd.  Selecting an in-demand product line, getting booked solid, communicating with clients, and selling emotion not images.

Pricing…
Nailing your price list so you’re busy, happy and well-paid :)  Best business practices including, contracts, release forms, and other good habits.

Shooting…
Family, Baby, and Boudoir shoots on location and in the studio.  Christa will do demos and you will get time with the models and rights to your images.  Learn how to capture honest moments and turnaround a kid’s meltdown, engage a reluctant dad, and relax a nervous mom or boudoir model.  Plus, my Top Ten Money Shots and how to get them!

Equipment…
What’s necessary and what’s not.  Lighting techniques - how to work with the challenge and beauty of natural light, a simple studio lighting set-up that works for any subject matter, and the convenience of hand-held video lights.

Workflow…
A Workflow that’s easy, fast and effective.  Top 10 Tweaks I use in LR.  Top 10 Tips for PS… how to take off 20 lbs in 20 seconds, retouching, working with actions, and more.

Photo Parties…
How I made $25,000+ in one weekend with Photo Parties.  I breakdown the whole process for you and what I’ve learned that works best.

Plus!…
One-on-one time, individual portfolio review, Q&A session, awesome discounts from all of my vendors/sponsors, and a fabulous gift bag of my favorite things that make me happy :)

Workshop Fee: $950.00
To register, call 310.383.6494 or email christa (at) christameola.com.

The last Workshop sold out quickly, so register soon, and I can’t wait to meet you!

xoxo,

Christa

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The Christa Meola Pictures Blog is 1 Year old!… yay! The first post I blogged last year was a Boudoir Shoot and focused on Top Tips on How to Feel Sexy while being Photographed.  It’s been such an amazing year of growth, and the blog has just exploded with visitors from all over.  Thank you for all of your comments, loyalty, support, and generosity.  I didn’t know how this blog would fly when I first started it, but I have to say, it’s been an amazing experience to share my work and life with all of you…   Many more exciting things to come this year, and I promise you: you will always be surprised at what’s blogged next!

Recently, I’ve been slammed shooting Boudoir for Valentine’s Day :)  and I’ve been swamped singing up photographers for my next Boudoir Workshop, “A Sexy Affair” on April 3rd and 4th! There are only a few spots left, so register soon!

In the meantime, here are my favorite Things to Do on a Boudoir Shoot - Enjoy!….

Top 10 Essential Things to Do on a Boudoir Shoot

1.     Have champagne and chocolate on hand
The champagne marks the shoot as a celebration and an Event.  It’s a toast to sexiness and relaxes everyone.  Chocolate is definitely a girl’s best friend and an excellent mood elevator, but more importantly, it’s the sugar rush needed after a few wardrobe changes and extreme posing… Hey, boudoir is hard work!

2.     Limit wardrobe changes
Outfits are fun, and variety is the name of the game!… However, wardrobe changes can quickly get out of hand.  Make sure your girl gets enough time to “vibe” in each one.  A nice selection of wardrobe changes can be simple:  just a thong and heels, a fantasy element, lingerie, or some dress up… Just remember: 5 different black bustiers is not variety.

3.     Chat like girlfriends - even if you’re a guy :)
While you’re both enjoying champagne and while she’s still in the hair & make-up chair… Yes, you want to tell her how much you love those shoes, chat about dating, last night’s escapade, tell her a self-deprecating story, etc.  and start playing with those outfits and getting really excited…

4.     Begin without fanfare
…Keep talking, drinking, and shooting while she’s still in the make-up chair and continue shooting before she even knows “the shoot” is starting.  I always say that I’m just doing lighting tests, or whatever.  Meanwhile, I’m really just giving her time to warm up and get used to a camera in the room while she’s half-naked ;)

5.     Demo the moves!
Show her the exact movement you want her to do.  This will take the performance pressure off of her.  Plus, she’ll see how ridiculous you look and won’t be shy about duplicating it :)

6.     Be high-energy!
Keep the energy high, and you’ll get fun, lively, sassy images!…   She will play off your energy, so bring it :)

7.     Be silly and playful
Keep the atmosphere silly and playful, so she will be bold and experiment with new and different things :)

8.     Talk talk talk!
Constantly reassure her… any moment of silence will cause her to doubt what she’s doing.  I provide a never-ending litany of “gorgeous, perfect, good - keep going… yes! that’s amazing… sooooo beautiful… ok, now flip your hair - perfect!  Yes, do it again… great!…

9.     Everything works “Great!”
– even if it doesn’t… You don’t want to kill the energy and make the poor girl embarrassed.  Most of what you guys do together may not work (that’s what’s awesome about editing!)  - but she doesn’t need to know that.  So say “GREAT!” but move on swiftly to something else when it’s not really working for ya.

10.     Call Her!
Give her a buzz later that evening to mention how much fun it was and how you took a sneak peek at the pics, which look amazing!!  Mention how bold and sexy she was… and how much fun you had.  Think about it: You saw her naked - she deserves a phone call afterwards :)

Happy shooting and Happy Vday!

xoxoxo!!

Christa

Boudoir & Fashion, Personal, Photography Boudoir & Fashion, christa, intimate, lifestyle, meola, Photography, pictures, portraits, woman, workshop

I’m thrilled to announce The Boudoir Workshop!… “A Sexy Affair” on April 3rd + 4th… The ultimate workshop for boudoir photographers and those that are just entering this booming market!  Last weekend’s Workshop was a phenomenal success, and the attendee’s raved about the Boudoir section and demanded more!… so I am happy to oblige and will cover everything you need to know to run a successful Boudoir business… including topics from branding to sales and everything in between!  The workshop will be held at my Studio + Gallery and is limited to a small group so you get plenty of one-on-one instruction and hands on learning.  The best part is that you will be on your feet shooting alongside me during model sessions, will get personal coaching while you shoot, and will be granted use of the images for your blog and portfolio.

The Boudoir Workshop!
“A Sexy Affair”
with Christa Meola

Everything you need to succeed in the Boudoir business.
Create sensual photographs with impact.
Give every woman the gift of feeling gorgeous.

Saturday April 3rd 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
Sunday April 4th 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

Optional Welcome Reception
Friday April 2nd 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Held at…

Christa Meola Pictures Studio + Gallery
860 Via de la Paz, Pacific Palisades CA 90272

Topics include:

Inside the Boudoir Market…
Learn the in’s and out’s of the booming boudoir market and how to attract new and existing clients.

Creating a Boutique Brand that is In Demand…
Developing your unique style and standing out from the crowd.  Selling emotion not images, selecting a smoking hot product line, getting booked solid, and communicating with clients.

Selling the Experience that Every Woman Wants…
The most fun is in the planning!  Tips + Tricks during each stage of the process to give every girl the gift of an unforgettably amazing experience!…

Pricing…
Nailing your price list so you’re busy, happy and well-paid :)  Best business practices including, contracts, release forms, and other good habits.

Lighting, Equipment, Sets + Styling…
What’s necessary and what’s not.  How to work with the challenge and beauty of natural light, a simple portable studio set-up, and working with hand-held video lights.  How to style a set and a model to create hot magazine-style photos.

Live Boudoir Shoots + Side-by-Side Personal Coaching…
Live Boudoir shoots will be on location at a luxury hotel and in the studio.  Christa will do demo’s for each, working with a half dozen models.  You will each get plenty of time with the models and rights to your images.  Christa will be by your side, available for personal coaching, while you shoot.  Learn on your feet how to relax a nervous client, bring out the best in each girl, create sensual moments, push yourself creatively, and raise the bar for your photography.

Top 10 Money Boudoir Shots…
The all-time Bestsellers, and how to get them!

Sexy Post Production…
A Workflow that’s easy and effective to create smoking images!  My Top Tips for Lightroom and Photoshop… How to take off 20 lbs in 20 seconds, essential retouching, working with actions, and more.

Plus!…
Lucrative Boudoir Parties, individual portfolio review, Q&A sessions, discounts from all of my sponsors, and a sweet gift bag of my favorite sexy things :)

Workshop Fee: $1,499
To register, call 310.383.6494 or email christa (at) christameola.com.

Space is limited, and I’ve already signed up some very excited photographers, so register soon, and I can’t wait to meet you!

xoxo,

Christa

Boudoir & Fashion, Personal, Photography Add new tag, Boudoir & Fashion, christa, intimate, lingerie, meola, Photography, portraits, sexy, Women, workshop, workshops

Shooting Boudoir is addicting and a total party! I did a 15-minute boudoir demo shoot with my gorgeous friend Ximena at The Workshop this past weekend.  Ximena is a regular gal, had never done anything like this before, and was totally nervous… which made her the perfect model!  And for most of my 18 workshop attendees, it was their first time shooting boudoir….  ah, I love a good challenge!  They each got time in my studio, shooting one of two models, and by the end of the workshop, I believe 18 little boudoir addicts were born!

I started the demo by sharing my philosophy on what’s beautiful and sexy to me: a woman enjoying herself, having fun, being free and open… and expressing all the wonderfully different facets of being feminine.  It’s not about what you look like, it’s not about what you’re wearing or not wearing… it’s about letting that feminine energy out!  Wooooohooooo….

I talked about creating movement and giving direction (above pic)…

…that laughter is sexy…

…extreeeeeme poses (and a little help from the liquify tool)….

…capturing the beautiful “in-between” moments…

…the importance of sexy little details…

…and your artistic choices in post…

…and making sure to be energetic, keep the laughter going, and the camera clicking!…

I’ll talk more in the coming weeks about shooting Boudoir and being sexy and feminine.  In celebration of Valentine’s Day coming up, I’m giving you my Top 5 Things to do on a Boudoir Shoot, as well as my Favorite Things to Bring to a Boudoir Shoot.

On Monday, I’ll be opening registration for The Boudoir Workshop in LA on April 3^rd and 4^th, and The Boudoir Workshop in Paris! in June, details on that coming soon…

Have a sexy weekend :)

xoxo,

Christa

Boudoir & Fashion, Photography Boudoir & Fashion, christa, meola, Photography, portraits, Women, workshop

Wow, The Workshop was an amazing experience! It was a total blast and so much fun… but what really stood out to me was the incredible openness of all the attendee’s… their incredible energy, encouragement, experimental spirit, curiosity, and camaraderie - they truly made the weekend what it was, and I couldn’t have dreamed up a better group!

I loved seeing everyone support each other, encourage each other, and most of all… laughing our asses off together.  I know we all made some wonderful connections and friendships that will last, and it gave me such joy to see everyone hugging and hating to say goodbye last night.  It was an event I’ll never forget - it was my first Workshop for Pro’s, and you all made it meaningful for me in so many ways.

I will be posting pics from The Workshop this upcoming week, as well as pics from today’s Boudoir Workshop.

Then lots more to shoot and blog all week - valentine boudoir session, a newborn session, an afternoon tea party, a bachelor party scotch tasting (!!), and a wedding… Whew!… how much fun and variety is that?!

Thank you to all The Workshop attendee’s - you hold a deep and special place in my heart for making my first time a fulfilling experience that took my whole job and art to a deeper level…. Love you guys and looking forward to participating even further in your growth!

xoxo,

Christa

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How to take photos “as awe inspiring as your kid’s world-class cuteness!” The awesome new resource for moms and photographers has launched!.. Check out TheMomtographers.com - the place to go for inspiration, easy lessons, geeking out with other momtogs, and bringing your snaps to a whole new level!

The Momtographers, Krista Njapa and Adrienne Gray, launched their beautiful site with an interview of me and the best advice I could offer momtogs on how to capture what The Momtogs call my specialty… “Authentic Joy!”  So without further ado, here it is:

“We couldn’t be prouder in our premier edition of  ”Help A Momtographer Out!” to introduce you to Los Angeles Photographer, Christa Meola. In fact, left on it’s surface, describing Christa with just the term photographer is a little misleading. Treat yourself to a few minutes going through her portfolio, and you’ll understand what we mean. She’s an artist that truly captures the spirit of family with her unique voice - life, sung in the key of happy.  Every image radiates a joy and warmth, clearly infused with her sunny perspective.

So before we go trying to change her business cards to something like “Purveyor of Photographic Sunshine”, let’s ask her a few questions….”

Read more of the Interview here:  “How to Capture Authentic Joy, with Christa Meola”

Congratulations to TheMomtographers!… It’s a beautiful and fun site that will help thousands of moms everywhere capture the meaningful moments of everyday life :)

xoxo,

Christa

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I love a Brand-Spanking New Year! Every year, I get grateful for what was and get excited for what is to come!  I do a Tony Robbins exercise called The Power of Momentum, and I can’t recommend his books, seminars, and coaching highly enough - to rediscover your core self, to push past your comfort zone and to live life to it’s fullest!  I’ve taken my favorite bits from the Tony Robbins technology, mixed in some ideas from the fun photography resource Photojojo, and added my heart and soul to come up with this list:

20 Ways to Reignite your Passion for Photography

Get Excited
1. What did you love about photography in 2009? What were the magical and extraordinary moments?  What did you accomplish?  What are some of the things you would want to duplicate in 2010?
2.  What was challenging about photography in 2009? What did you learn by going through these experiences, and why were they incredibly valuable?  What would you need to do/be/have/change in order to overcome these challenges?
3. Separate the wheat from the chaff. Let’s get all your best A+ photos together all in one place.  Only select the best of the best - the ones that make you feel good, the ones that remind you of a wonderful time, the ones that you’re technically proud of.  Put these all in one folder called “2009 5-Star Photos” so you know where to go when you need them :)

Show Off
You’ve got a ton of amazing photos now in that 5-Star folder. Get them off your computer and show them off properly!
4. Put more photos up. Surround yourself with inspiration!  Frame and hang your favorite images, photos from your favorite photographers, pics of your family and friends. Build yourself an inspiration board or a gallery wall.
5. Make a book. I love books! and making books online is now crazy easy because of DIY publishers like Blurb, Lulu, and MyPublisher. Make a book of your favorite subject, for yourself and to share as gifts.
6. Enter some contests. It’s great to know your mom loves your pics, and now let’s step it up and share it with your fellow pro’s!  Check Photocompete to see what contests are running at any given time.

Shake it Up
7. Use a new technique. Experiment with something you’ve never done and always wanted to try, whether it’s pinhole photography or shooting lomography. Or try some new effects like cross-processing or tilt-shift.
8. Shake up your process. Shoot in new locations, shoot different subject matter, shoot from a different angle, shoot faster (or slower), shoot with the heart more (or from the head), or from the hip (without peeking at the viewfinder).
9. Get new GEAR! Yay! Nothing like a new toy! Rent that fancy new lens you’ve had your eye on, or borrow a friend’s camera and try it out. If you’ve been shooting only in digital, play with film for a while (and vice versa).

Spread The Love
Use your talent to do some good :)
10. Volunteer your talents. I think a great photo of a child being joyous is the best gift to build their self-esteem.  Photograph kids and families that are less fortunate.  Volunteer to document an event for a local charity.  Donate to Operation Smile.  Go on a mission - photos significantly help fundraising efforts for charities such as Hearts with Hope.
11. Teach somebody what you know. Pass on your knowledge, experience and skill. Go speak at a local school, teach a friend’s kid how to use a camera, or help out a total newbie.
12. Donate your old gear. If you’re not using it anymore, give your old camera to somebody who needs it, like kids, conservationists or your favorite charity.

Challenge Yourself
If you want to get better at photography, you have to keep practicing and pushing yourself. Just like everything else in life.
13. Go on assignment. Assign yourself photography tasks to complete and make them fun! Such as: take an afternoon and shoot the meaningful details in your home, hire a model and do some fine art nudes, shoot a series of self-portraits, start with a title like “Dirty” and do a photo-essay, take your favorite piece of music and create 10 shots that tell the story of that song, go on a photo-safari and see where it takes you!  
14. Do something difficult. Practice photographing subjects that don’t come easily to you, like still life’s, street scenes, or people you don’t know.  It gets easier :)
15. Read your manual.  If you’re an emotional shooter like me (and not technically oriented) - review and perfect a small section of your camera manual every week until you know your gear inside and out.

Begin! a Project
The shiny new year just begs for beginnings. Start something up, be it year-long, month-long, or just for a day.
16. Start a blog or Flickr page.  There’s so much joy in sharing with others.  It’s wonderful to create or join a community to share your love of photography and how you see the world… Your photography is a gift - don’t keep it to yourself :) Check out Wordpress and Flickr.
17. Begin your business! You know you want to.  And you can do it.  Believe in yourself and just begin.  It’s time to start charging for your work - do some research, talk to as many pro’s as you can, set up a price list and have fun with it!  Don’t wait for the planets to be aligned - start now - you will always continue to change and evolve so don’t wait to be “ready.”
18. Set up an Etsy Shop. It’s so fulfilling to set up shop and sell your work, and it’s simple and easy with Etsy.  Sell simple prints or something unique, like Polaroid-transfers, encaustic paintings, or storyboards.
19. Create a new tradition. Do something new this year, like taking the same portrait once a year, or shooting a photo-a-day, or having your picture taken for once :)
20. Bring your camera everywhere you go. Even if it’s just a toy camera, make sure you’ve got it at all times. You never know when the perfect shot will present itself.

Happy New Year, everybody! Wishing you a life lived with Passion!

xoxo,

Christa

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