Introducing the MOLLY Dress (/See video below)
This beauty was custom ordered for Molly’s maternity photo shoot (hence the name), and now lives in the studio as part of the wardrobe collection. Who is going to wear it next? Details below:
• blush color
• soft tulle fabric
• sleeves can be off the shoulder or with regular shoulder
• corset back
• one size fits all
• hand made in Europe
The Molly dress in action
Are you tired of mediocre product images that just don't do your products justice? Well, I've got some good news for you. Investing in professional product photography is a game-changer for your business, and I'm here to tell you all about the benefits.
First off, high-end product photography provides your customers with a clear and detailed view of your products. This can help build trust and credibility with potential buyers. When customers have a clear understanding of what they're buying, they're more likely to make a purchase and less likely to be disappointed.
But that's just the beginning. Professional product images can also help increase sales and differentiate your products from the competition. High-end product photography showcases your unique brand identity, making your products more appealing to customers.
And the best part? Professional product photography is an investment that keeps giving. High quality product images can be used for years to come and can be repurposed for various marketing materials, including social media, email campaigns, and advertising. This helps reinforce your brand's image and your brand's message to customers.
But wait, there's more! Investing in high quality product photography is especially important for e-commerce businesses. Customers rely heavily on product images to make informed buying decisions, and detailed imagery can help increase your online visibility and improve your search engine optimization (SEO) rankings.
And let's not forget about the reduced risk of returns. When customers have a clear idea of the product's color, size, and texture, they are less likely to be disappointed and to return the product. This improves customer satisfaction and helps to build trust and credibility with your customers.
Investing in professional high-end product photography sends a clear message to your customers that you take your business and your products seriously. It demonstrates your commitment to quality and professionalism, which can further build trust with your customers.
Investing in professional high-end product photography is a no-brainer if you’d like to attract the right clientele for your business. From improved customer experience and increased sales, to enhanced brand image and increased online visibility, the benefits of high-end product photography are numerous and can help to drive success for your business.
So why settle for mediocre product images when you can have great product photography today and reap the benefits for years to come?
Do you want to know how I’ve created these moody images with the use of studio flashes only? Click on the behind-the-scenes video below:
I’ve recorded another video for you with a detailed demonstration of my light setup. To see the animated lighting diagram, watch the video below:
Light Setup Explained
Here is the light setup again from a top view (see description below):
Lighting Diagram
Light #1 - bare bulb shot through a large scrim on product left and bounced back off the white reflector on product right
Light #2 - bare bulb shot into the white wall behind me and bounced back onto the products
Light#3 - Westcott Optical Spot with a GOBO pointed directly at the products & backdrop
The Final Image
If you have any questions, head over to my YouTube video and leave a question in the comment section, I am happy to answer them.
YouTube Video Link: Click Here
If you’re reading this article, you’re probably looking for a maternity photographer or are wondering how maternity sessions work in general. I get a lot of questions from clients so I’d like to go over the ones that come up all the time and hope that this helps you decide when and with whom you want to do your photo shoot with.
Heck yes! As a matter of fact, my first 7 years of my career in photography was dedicated to maternity and family photography only. I started 16 years ago in Europe, where I’m from and all I was shooting for was baby bumps, newborns and families back then. Here is a little gallery of my early maternity work. Trends in Europe are different and it was very popular back then to photograph pregnant women in lingerie and high heels. :)
When I moved to the United States, I switched my focus to working with adults only so I kept maternity portraits among the services I offer, but I am no longer focusing on newborns and babies.
I’ve always been fascinated with the female experience and how a woman’s body changes when carrying a baby and until this day, it’s one of my favorite subjects to photograph. I find pregnant women very beautiful!
There is no exact time that will be applicable for everybody, but in general the start of your third trimester, somewhere within the 30-36 weeks window is a very ideal time for a maternity photoshoot. You can schedule your photos sooner, if you are happy with the size of your bump. I want you to feel comfortable and make it as easy on you, as it is possible, therefore, I do not recommend pushing this till the very end of the pregnancy. Babies sometimes arrive a little early and I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the belly photos. Another risk by pushing it out too far can be discomfort, swelling or having less energy due to lack of sleep as the belly grows.
Yes, I do have my own private studio in Costa Mesa, California. The studio is specifically made for portrait photography, it is a safe and clean environment with easy access and free parking. Take a look inside the studio here:
I'm available to travel to locations in Southern California and beyond. For traveling requests, please reach out to me through my contact form for details.
Another topic we need to talk about is the outfits.
In my studio wardrobe, I have a selection of beautiful gowns along with fabrics and sheer materials specifically for maternity sessions. We wrap and clip these fabrics around your body, creating the illusion of elegant dresses in your photos. My personal style is timeless, emphasizes class, simplicity, and clean lines, focusing on showcasing you, your form, and the beautiful connection with your growing baby. I avoid busy wallpapers, furniture, and excessive props in my work.
If there are specific clothing items you'd like to incorporate into your photos, such as jeans or button-down shirts, please bring them along. We'll discuss these details during your consultation as we plan out the exact looks for your session.
I truly believe that it all comes down to your personal taste and vision of how you want to be photographed while being pregnant. This leads me immediately to the next topic that is super important to discuss and I think sometimes people overlook this part:
It is a SUCH AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. I believe that with every other type of personal services out there, the photographer and client should have a certain connection or chemistry if you want to create truly beautiful images. If you hire a photographer, whose work does not reflect what you’re looking for, you will most likely to be dissatisfied. I highly recommend that you check out the photographer’s website, specifically their maternity work, and see if their work fits into your vision. If you don’t see maternity work or what you see is not what you had in mind, move on to the next one. There are so many photographers out there, you will find the right person for you. Sometimes I get approached by people with requests that are clearly way different from my style and I’m always wondering why would they even want to work with me if they haven’t see that type of work in my portfolio? When this happens, I like to refer these clients to other photographers, who will be a better fit for them.
All in all, make sure that the maternity photographer you reach out to has been doing the exact style that you’re looking for in the first place.
It’s not a problem at all. We can do your entire shoot fully dressed or with fabrics being wrapped around you, this is something we would go over during your personal consultation before your shoot. I want to make sure that you get the photo series of your dreams that you can cherish forever and will be a beautiful reflection of this unique time of your life. I personally love artistic nudes, but this is not the only style I’m shooting pregnancy in.
Yes they can! We typically include husbands and children at the very end of your maternity shoot. I like to do hair & make up first, then your individual images, and have the rest of the family arrive for a couple of portraits at the end.
The retouching is typically done within maximum two weeks of your photo shoot, but usually less than that. I am very effective with the retouching and don't like to sit on your images for too long. I know people are very excited to get their final photos and I'm always trying my best to finish the editing as fast as it is possible.
If you're still reading, thank you for being here and if you have more questions, feel free to reach out to me!
Besides shooting portraits I have a newfound passion for creative product photography and I’ve been really enjoying this new world I find myself in a photographer. Product photography at this level is a completely different animal requiring a whole different set of skills.
If you're a luxury brand, you understand the importance of standing out and making a statement. But did you know that the way you present your products can have a huge impact on your brand image and success? That's why high-end product photography is a must-have for luxury brands. Let me explain why.
First and foremost, high-end product photography showcases the quality and attention to detail that sets luxury brands apart. Professional product images provide a clear and detailed view of your products, showcasing the intricate design and fine materials that make your brand unique.
But it's not just about showcasing quality. High quality product photography also helps to build a strong brand identity by presenting your products in a way that reflects your brand's values and aesthetic. From lighting to styling, professional product photography can help to communicate the essence of your brand and attract your target audience.
And let's not forget about the impact of professional product images on customer perception. High-end product photography can help to increase the perceived value of your products, which can translate into higher sales and more repeat business. This is especially important for luxury brands, where the price point is often higher.
Another important aspect of high-end product photography is that it can help to improve your online visibility and search engine optimization (SEO) rankings. By using high-quality product images, you can increase the likelihood of your products appearing at the top of search results, which can lead to increased traffic and sales.
Additionally, professional product images can be used for years to come and can be repurposed for various marketing materials, including social media, email campaigns, and advertising. This helps reinforce your brand's image and message to customers and provides a consistent look and feel to your marketing materials.
Also, investing in high-end product photography sends a clear message to your customers that you take your brand and your products seriously. It demonstrates your commitment to quality and professionalism, which can help to build trust and credibility with your customers.
I am going to leave you with one important thought. High-end product photography is a critical component of any successful luxury brand strategy. From showcasing quality and building brand identity, to improving customer perception and online visibility, the benefits of professional product photography are numerous and can help to drive success for your brand.
So many of you ask me what is Personal Branding/Branding Photography exactly? Today I’d like to tell you about the importance of personal branding photography in building a meaningful personal brand.
Now, I know you might be thinking, "I've got a pretty good headshot on my LinkedIn profile. Why do I need personal branding photography?" But let me tell you, it's so much more than just having a good headshot.
Personal branding photography is all about showcasing your authentic self, your values, and your personality to the world. It's about telling your story and communicating who you are, what you do, and why you do it in a way that's meaningful and memorable.
Imagine for a moment that you're scrolling through your LinkedIn feed and come across two profiles. One has a blurry, low-quality headshot, while the other has a professional and high-quality personal branding photo that showcases their passion and expertise. Which one are you going to be more likely to remember and connect with?
Exactly. High-quality personal branding photography can help you stand out from the crowd and attract the right people to your brand. It conveys professionalism, credibility, and expertise, and helps to build trust with potential clients, partners, and followers. And let's not forget, it can also help you differentiate yourself from your competitors and showcase your unique qualities and talents.
Another key aspect of personal branding photography is consistency. By using specific color palettes, backgrounds, and poses in your photography, you're creating a consistent and recognizable visual identity for your brand. This helps to reinforce your brand and make it more memorable to your audience.
Investing in personal branding photography is also an investment in your future. With high-quality photos, you can create content for your website, social media, and marketing materials that will continue to serve you for years to come. And in today's competitive job market, having a strong personal brand and visual identity is essential for career advancement and success.
So, to wrap things up, personal branding photography is a crucial component of building a meaningful personal brand. It helps you showcase your authentic self, values, and personality, and provides you with a consistent and recognizable visual identity.
When you hire a photographer you most likely have already checked out their work and liked what you saw there. Right? I mean, I hope so. I hope that you would only trust someone with taking your portraits whose work you really like and can identify with.
But my point here is on trust. I often find myself in situations where I see a picture in my head, I have a vision for a particular photo and when I present the idea to my clients they look at me confused. It's natural that they don't know what I'm thinking about and what I have in my mind and that's when trust comes in.
Below you can see some behind the scenes photos of a few situations where I could already see the vision in my head but when you look at what’s going on from the outside it looks ridiculous and you might worry (rightfully so) that the photos would not turn out as good as you’d hoped.
What You See
What I see
What You See
What I See
What You See
What I See
What You See
What I See
What You See
What I See
If you’re asking me as a photographer who has had hundreds of young women in front of her camera, my very firm answer to that question would be:
Heck, yes!!!
The problem is that most of the women of the 50+ age group would give you a different answer. They would disagree because they doubt their beauty and worth. Not everybody, but the majority does. I can’t blame them. Unfortunately the media rarely shows fifty something old women in the ads unless it comes to incontinency pads or elderly homes.
How unfair!
To me these women are magnificent. I look up to them, learn from them, respect them for all the things they’ve accomplished.
These women are the matriarchs of our families, they are mothers, sisters, wives, caregivers.
Annamaria told me that she was nervous before her photo shoot and she felt weird getting ready for it. She didn't feel that as a 53 year old woman she'd be allowed to feel desirable or beautiful enough to be photographed.
It almost felt to me that she was seeking permission from society to feel that way. It's a shame that she does not give permission to herself to do so. So to all of those who feel the same way for whatever reason, let it be age, body size or anything else, I am giving you permission right here and now!!
I have a lot to say about this topic, yet it is very hard for me to say anything after putting together Annamaria's video. All I'm going to say now is that women in their 50s are deserve to feel beautiful. 50 is fabulous.
Watch the video below and hear what Annamaria has to say about this topic herself.
Don’t forget to flip through her gallery as well at the bottom of this page!
Carmen was the second participant of my Artistic Lingerie Project which now I feel like I should have named “Self Love Portraits” instead. There is so much in common between these wonderful women I got to photograph for the project. It is truly heartbreaking to witness their struggles to see their own beauty. What a shame. It is very relatable though and I’d lie if I said I haven’t had my own struggles with this topic. To be honest I don’t know one woman who hasn’t had her fair share of self image issues.
Carmen had said something during her session that stayed with me for hours after her photoshoot:
“ The road to self love is a journey that never ends.”
So true! We constantly have to put in the work in order to keep our minds in that state of self love. There are days when it’s easier but man, are there days when it’s so damn hard… My own experience doesn’t even involve pregnancies and hormones being all over the place. I can’t even imagine what that must feel like.
Carmen has two baby boys, she gave birth to the second one 5 months before this photoshoot. Her willingness to be real and vulnerable in front of the camera is incredible. What a brave, strong woman. Postpartum is a very complicated phase of a woman’s life, it comes with all kinds of physical and mental struggles. Most of the women in postpartum are tired, exhausted, irritated, frustrated not to mention the lack of time for self care. We are not talking about mani-pedi here, just being able to take a shower… right?
I have all the respect for women who raise children! It is the hardest job in the world as I see it and certainly the most rewarding one. I want you all mamas out there to know that you are beautiful and wonderful and you deserve to be given credit for all the hard work you do!
Please be gentle with yourselves. Please LOVE yourselves as much as you love your children and everyone else you look after for.
Towards the end of 2020 I had the opportunity to work with the newly engaged TV starts Heather Rae Young and Tarek El Moussa. There was a good six weeks of planning and preparation going into this photo shoot which included building their mood boards, checking dates with assistants and some back-and-forth with PR, also booking my team and setting a very clear vision for the outcome of this shoot and planning the flow of their session. I had several zoom calls with my hair stylist, makeup artist and assistant to make sure everything goes smoothly on the day of the photo shoot.
I always try to point out to my students how important it is that photographers plan their sessions very well. I did not do such thorough planning for the first couple of years of my career and when I started implementing it, it has changed my creative process forever and my images started getting so much better and it has made my job significantly easier.
I talk about this and a lot of other aspects of my creative process in a free webinar that anyone can access at this link:
But now back to Heather and Tarek. If you don’t know who they are, Tarek is mostly known for his show “Flip or Flop” with his ex-wife Christina Anstead on HGTV. Besides that show he has started some new ones like Flipping 101 and he also has several other businesses in real estate. Heather Rae Young, a former playboy model and recently has gained a lot of interest with her show on Netflix which is called ‘Selling Sunset’ and her engagement to Tarek.
I’ve always enjoyed Flip or Flop, I loved seeing these fixer uppers in our neighborhood being turned into gorgeous houses but Selling Sunset is seriously one of the most addicting shows I’ve ever seen. First I wasn’t a fan and when I saw the trailer I thought, meh but as I started watching it I just couldn’t stop. Not only you can see these gorgeous multimillion dollar houses in Beverly Hills but the women on this show are nothing short of beautiful and extra just like the luxurious houses they are selling.
Heather has been one of my favorites all along but little did I know much about her before I had the opportunity to work with her. She is seriously one of the sweetest of all influencers - or celebrities if you will - I’ve ever photographed. She’s gorgeous, successful, has really been killing it lately and yet she is a down to earth, sweet human who is not too “famous” to say ‘thank you’ and ‘please’ and I just adore this about her! I feel like so many people in her industry tend forget where they come from and their personalities change in a negative way.
It was so nice to experience that there are people in this industry who can still remain kind and sweet to others regardless of their status or the size of their bank accounts.
Aall that said, we had a great time during their photoshoot in my studio. Witnessing their love in front of my camera was just amazing. Things have happened fast for them some say, but you can see that there is genuine, true love and admiration between these two and I wish nothing but the best for them!
We had two separate mood boards: one for Heather‘s solo images and another one for the couples shots. Our goal was to create gorgeous solo images of Heather with a touch of glamour and old Hollywood vibes and some GQ inspired, sexy couples portraits for the two of them. It was a contemporary, in-studio engagement session. Notice how she has so much resemblance to Marilyn Monroe on one of the looks we did?
I had no idea that they will love these photos so much that they ended wanting to use them for their Save the Date cards! This photo shoot did not start out as an engagement session but it kind of turned into it by the end. This gave me the idea that I want to make this a thing. In studio engagement photos are so unique, they are very different from your typical engagement photos so why not create a trend out of it?
Their photos since then has been featured in magazines around the world. Once the photos were published they started living their ow lives on the internet. Thank you so much People Magazine and The Daily Mail for featuring some my work. You can see the featured photos and read more about Heather and Tarek here:
PEOPLE MAGAZINE article & photos
DAILY MAIL article & photos
If you’re interested in some behind the scenes footage, you can find them on my Instagram amongst my Reels: CLICK HERE
Being a professional photographer for 13 years gave me a lot of insight to the deepest fears and vulnerabilities of women who have been in front of my camera. It’s clear to me that there is a strong pattern of body image issues and struggles with self acceptance. Unfortunately it effects the majority of us.
Even after 13 years I am still trying to figure out why I became a photographer. What was my real motivation behind it? Why did I have a strong desire within me to pursue this career? When I photograph women who have self esteem issues, I know I am getting close to have an answer to that question. Maybe it’s because I need just as much encouragement as my subjects? It can quite possibly be as simple as that, yes.
2020 has been a rough year to say at least and I felt the urge to give back and offer a helping hand. There are a lot of other ways to help but this is where I think I can be the most genuine at. Photography is my love language, it is where I feel most powerful and most useful for my community.
In early December I announced on my social media that I was looking for someone to model for me for my personal photography project which was an artistic lingerie photo session. I was looking for a woman who NEEDED this experience for some reason. I asked the applicants to share their stories with me and why they wanted to participate in such photo project. I was interested in finding out their ‘WHY’. The response was overwhelming. I received the most beautiful letters from the most gorgeous women who were opening up to me about their struggles with self acceptance. I couldn’t just pick one ‘winner’ for this project so I decided to extend it and ended up choosing 4 participants.
For the look of these photos I was craving something simple, something raw, something very different from what I’ve been producing in the last few years. My work has been vey colorful and vibrant lately filled with glam, perfect makeup and hair and that is why I was craving something completely different this time. The entire session was shot black and white and with very minimal editing. I wanted to focus on real beauty, no heavy makeup, no big props, fancy dresses, no fluff. It was just my subject and I, no crew, no noise around us in the studio. It’s been quite a while since I’ve had such an intimate photoshoot and I have to say it was amazing.
Tamzen, this beautiful soul was the first one in front of my camera. She is truly one of the most fabulous women I’ve ever photographed. It breaks my heart to know how she feels about herself sometimes. You can hear in this video as she explains it in her own words. Without further adieu, I present you the first part of my project, Tamzen’s Lingerie Photo Shoot:
Follow me on my Instagram and/or Facebook (links are o the bottom of my page) to see the rest of the project unfold. My next photoshoot will be in January and I cannot wait to photograph and share my next model’s story with you.
When was the last time, if ever, you put yourself first and allowed yourself to be pampered as if you had a spa day at a luxurious resort?
We do a lot for those who we love. It doesn’t matter if we are moms or have no children. We take care of everyone else first and then at the end of the line somewhere comes our self love. Sounds familiar?
My team and I at Andrea Domjan Photography love celebrating YOU.
To us, you come first. We want you to enjoy a pampering day in the studio where you get all dolled up and enjoy a fun session to reconnect with yourself and with your beauty. How do we celebrate? With professional hair, makeup, wardrobe styling and photography.
Let’s celebrate you, love, connection, friendships, mile stone birthdays, weight loss, or even divorce (= a new start)! Invite your family members, your friends, or anyone you’d like to share this experience with.
We are here if you’re looking for a pick me up experience but this time you would like something different, something exciting and ever lasting because these photos will always be there to remind you how worthy and beautiful you are. ✨
We’re in the peak of the COVID19 pandemic and I’ve been feeling paralyzed lately by not being allowed to do photo sessions, not being able to create. We’ve been staying in our homes for about 3 weeks now. Portrait photography is my passion, my profession and I miss it so much.
Self portraits have been trending lately amongst photographers on Facebook and I didn’t want to miss out on the fun either. I wanted to find a way to still be able to take pictures without risking anyone's health so the idea of doing self portraits seemed to be the best so far.
So I decided to set up the studio, style my hair, do my own makeup and take self portraits while recording the entire process. Sounds easy, huh?
But here’s the thing: I didn't just want portraits of myself. That wasn’t moving me. What I wanted was to play dress up and to feel and look like a woman and myself again, which seemed only a distant memory after 2 weeks in this weird “zombie in pajamas mode”.
The other motivation was to create a lasting memory of myself before I gain 40 extra pounds of eating out of boredom. Let’s circle back to this thought once the quarantine is over.
Let’s start with the end result. These are my favorite images out of each look. I shot over 500 and I hated like 485 of them. Haha. Below I’ll walk you through my entire process. But first, the photos (click to enlarge):
I’d been waiting for some inspiration to come so that I’d be motivated and excited when I finally had that spark when I saw another amazing photographer’s self portraits and I fell in love with the idea. Next step was going on Pinterest and start pinning like crazy (as I would always do). Everything was planned and categorized: 1 closeup, 1 half body and 1 full body look.
So what does an Old Hollywood Portrait look like?
“The classic photographs of Hollywood’s golden age conjure up visions of fantasy, romance and perfection – and these evocative images are still in great demand today. Establishments like Studio Harcourt in Paris, France, which was set up in the 1930s, have met this demand and continue to do so.
…
I’m often asked what makes a portrait ‘Hollywood’ in style. The answer is the finely controlled use of hard light from Fresnel spotlights, a narrow depth of field and a high-quality monochrome print. Vintage Hollywood also needs the right hair, make-up and styling to complete the look.” says Damien Lovegrove in his article.
Well, I have ZERO Fresnel spotlights in my studio available, in this was a random idea anyway, so I had to work with what I had available. See my list of gear used below.
I also noticed, that old Hollywood portraits have 3 distinctive key elements:
The lighting is hard with harsh shadows, very bright hair light and some sort of background lighting.
The photos are black and white
Retouchers were often over-smoothening the skin texture and hair
My Mood board ended up looking like this:
My studio has a collection of dresses in different sizes that I’ve been collecting for my clients for a long time, so I knew I would find something to wear. For the 3 different looks I wanted something sparkly, something tight and something dramatic. That’s how I was picking out the dresses.
There was this gorgeous, gold embroidered black gown that I really liked but unfortunately it was too small for me. I tried real hard to squeeze myself into it but ended up almost not being able to take it off and becoming a hostage of it, so I gave up. The ones that happened to fit turned out really nice, however a note to self: it’s super hard to do pose while leaning onto an apple box in a super tight dress so next time, use that one for the standing poses.
Hair and makeup to achieve the desired look is key. And nothing describes my struggle with hair and makeup better than my Behind The Scenes video below. Seriously, if you want a good laugh, go watch it. I’ll give you a spoiler: I forgot to bring my foundation, I used halloween face paint to imitate red lipstick (that I don’t have) and couldn’t take the stress any longer so I turned to my roots and started drinking shots of pálinka.
I started planning my hair and makeup the day before by washing my hair a day in advance (which helps the curls and waives to last longer) and by watching these tutorials:
Hair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXVHGlWjZD4&t=2s
Makeup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgMCy6K7kMo
For all four looks I used the following equipment:
Key light: Profoto B1X
Background Light: Profoto D500 Air
Hair Light: Profoto D500 Air
Profoto Air Remote
Canon 5D MK IV
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Canon EF 50 mm f/1.2L USM
Plus an iPad with the Canon CameraConnect app to hook it up with my camera. Having the iPad next to me allowed me to see my frame (more or less) and explore different poses without having to look at the back of the LCD screen. I’ve set my timer to 2 seconds so that I’d have time to pose after hitting the expo button.
Lighting Diagram of Look #1
Key light was camera left with a barn door, my hair light was on the left behind me with a 9” reflector and in this light setup I’ve placed a DIY GOBO (not BOGO) in front of my backlight to achieve some shadows behind me. So many acronyms in one sentence. The backlight had a barn door too to concentrate the light into one area.
Lighting Diagram of Look #2
My key light is to the camera right with a barn door, hair light on a boom arm behind me, higher up and tilted down with a 9 in reflector. Background light with barn door hitting the backdrop from camera right.
Lighting Diagram of Look #3
This was very similar to the previous one except that I had placed the backdrop (a piece of fabric with sequins) between the hair light (9 in reflector) and myself. Well, the hair light was right above the fabric, tilted down at an angle towards me. Sorry, the diagram doesn’t exactly show this but imagine the boom arm above the background stand.
My key light is to the camera right with a barn door, background light with barn door hitting the backdrop from camera right.
Lighting Diagram of Look #4
For this look I had to raise everything up as I was shooting a full body image and now my face was significantly higher that before. To achieve a radial shape, I replaced the barn door to a 30 degree honeycomb grid on my backlight. My key light is to the camera right with a barn door, hair light on a boom arm behind me, higher up and tilted down with a 9 in reflector.
You can watch the whole thing or jump right onto the part that you’re interested in:
1. Hair - 2:18
2. Makeup - where I realize I left my foundation at home - 3:31
3. Makeup - where I come up with a (not so great) idea about how I can still make it work - 3:45
4. Breaking out the halloween face paint kit from 2018 - 17:34
5. Finally setting up the studio - 24:55
6. Making a DIY GOBO to create shades on my background - 25:15
7. Where I had to drink a shot - 26:24
8. Another Halloween prop from 2 years ago - 27:30
9. LOOK #1 - 29:32 notice the beautiful combo of yoga pants and fancy dress
10. LOOK #2 - 30:13 still couldn't care to take the yoga pants off
11. LOOK #3 - 31:04 yep, they're still on
12. LOOK #4 - 32:07 whatever
13. Bye, I can't feel my legs and lower back anymore - 29:58
Creating these images was great fun and excitement and boy was I tired at the end. It took me 6 hours from start to finish to complete all these looks (including setup, breakdown and cleaning).
Knowing what I know now, I could’ve gone for an easier light setup for my first “real” self portraits than this one. It is not hard to do when you have a model to photograph, but because the light has to fall so precisely on certain ares, it is way harder when you are fulfilling the role of the model and the photographer at the same time.
Let’s see how many hats I was wearing actually:
photographer
retoucher
model
makeup artist
hairstylist
assistant
lighting technician
producer
wardrobe stylist
caterer
janitor
Wow, I am a super woman! Haha.
On a serious note, I am so happy I did these and already looking forward to try it again (with a much simpler light setup this time). I’d love to hear your thoughts too in the comments.
About two years ago, while I was doing a photoshoot for a renowned hairstylist, this cute little boy walked in with his parents, and I instantly liked him. He was quiet, but he wasn't shy at all. Dusty, the hairstylist, had invited him to the shoot so that he could get a glimpse of how photoshoots work. He was also allowed to help Dusty with his hairstyling creations that we were shooting for the most prestigious competition in the hair industry, the North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA).
When I asked the team why CJ wanted to be involved in the photoshoot, they quickly explained to me that CJ's dream was to become a hair and makeup artist and that he'd been passionately learning hair and makeup styling. Dusty and his team had been mentoring him for some time.
Photo: Andrea Domjan
I immediately liked him even more! I loved the idea that no matter what his gender was, he had a keen interest in a female-oriented field (makeup) so early on. I loved seeing how focused he was on learning as much as he could about a hair and makeup career.
Photo: Andrea Domjan
Sometime later, I came across an Instagram account that was run by a Mom who was raising a 'gender creative child.' I started looking at the photos and immediately discovered that it was CJ from the photoshoot! I spent at least an hour reading the descriptions underneath the Instagram images and getting to know their story. It was awful to learn about the bullying he had to go through in his school. My heart broke for him, and I couldn't believe how people could be so blind and cruel. And I am just not referring to the children bullying him at school...how could parents tell their kids not to be friends with CJ (even though they had liked him before) because he had come out as gay? What kind of message is that for their children and future generations?
Photo: Andrea Domjan
We all want to be accepted and loved, and everyone deserves the right to be accepted and loved. His peers rejected this little boy, and rejection is one of the cruelest things you can do to another human.
When people bully or are cruel to someone they don't understand, I always wonder what they would do if they were in the same position. How would they feel if they put themselves in his shoes for a day? The thing that is amazing is that CJ only uses these experiences to help him grow stronger and be a role model for other children like him.
Photo: Andrea Domjan
Photo: Andrea Domjan
He says "I haven’t always felt that way. I’ve been bullied, badly, but I’ve always come out stronger. Bullies aren’t going to get me to stop being me. I think it’s important for people – including bullies and haters – to see me because people need to see there are kids like me out there. Gender creative kids need to see other kids like themselves. The more people see people like me, the less “different” we are and the more they accept people like me. Besides, I’m not ashamed of who I am."
Photo: Andrea Domjan
Once I learned about his story, I knew that I wanted to work with him and help raise awareness about the issue. CJ is the sweetest, most kind-hearted little kid I've ever met. As a spokesperson for Sephora and makeup artist, he receives a ton of makeup products from different brands and continually gives a portion away to friends in school and other boys are just getting their start in makeup. Even after the heartache he's endured, he is still generous.
As CJ puts it "My advice for younger kids like me is that it's going to be okay. Just be yourself. People will learn to like you the way you are. You aren't weird; you're just different. And being different is awesome! ”
Photo: Andrea Domjan
Not only has CJ been brave enough to follow his own path, but he has also helped to raise awareness in his school and community. He is currently an advocate for the LGBTQ and nonbinary communities and says that "My mom says that if you are in a position to help other people, you should. So that’s what I do. I helped make my elementary school the first school in the district to adopt a dress code that wasn’t gender specific. One year later, the dress code was used as a model for implementation at every elementary school in the district. That’s 26 schools! Through meetings and email campaigns, I got my school district to stop sex/gender segregation in elementary school PE classes and to stop having special event dress codes that were illegal because they discriminated against gender creative students. If I can see a way to make life better and easier for gender creative people, I always try to do it. Being kind, sticking up for others and not being a jerk. That’s what life is all about.”
Photo: Andrea Domjan
For more information on CJ, you can visit his mothers blog: https://raisingmyrainbow.com
Photo: Andrea Domjan
When you view my portfolio, pet photography is most likely the last thing you would associate with my work. Yet, I have a collection of portraits with pets and their owners sitting on my computer.
Although pet photography is not my main focus, some of the most beautiful photography stories I have collaborated on have come from pet owners.
Telling a story through photography is what I love to do. It doesn't matter if I'm taking photographs of people, dogs, or products. I want the viewer to connect with the subject.
One of my main passions has been to allow pet owners to have a moment to honor the love and life they have shared with their pets. The majority of my pet photos have featured owners capturing a moment with their pets who are terminally ill. These portraits help celebrate their lives and honor their time with their owners before they pass.
This project began a few years ago with my sister-in-law. She asked me if I could do a series of photos with her and her beloved bullmastiff, Alf. Alf had just been diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer.
During the shoot, we went to places they'd loved hanging out together and captured pictures of their favorite activities together.
I published the pictures on my old blog in honor of Alf and a dog lovers' online community - iHeartDogs - picked the story up and did an article about it. You can read it here along with all the photos:
https://iheartdogs.com/photographer-captures-touching-moments-for-woman-and-her-terminally-ill-dog/
Back then, I thought that Alf's pictures were my first and the last photoshoot of it's kind for me. It's not easy to capture those moments of love, connection, and saying goodbye to a pet without becoming emotional and losing focus. At the same time, I understand the great importance of these photos, and I felt honored to gain someone's trust during this extraordinary assignment.
Since then, I have done a few other photoshoots of owners and their pups in similar situations. It is still an emotional journey to learn about the stories and connection behind these pet owners and their beloved animals. Yet, these shoots no longer make me sad. I am grateful to have the opportunity to give these families a chance to create a beautiful memory in honor of their pets.
These photos will be cherished forever in their homes and in their hearts. It is these moments that I feel connected and proud of the work that is seen through my lens.
"I am not photogenic at all" - this is what I hear from most of my clients. But, what happens when they need to take a professional photo? They take one with their phones or ask a friend to take one for them.
This is the main mistake I witness all the time. How many times have you seen a social media profile that featured a blurry or inappropriate profile picture? Your profile picture is your first introduction to potential clients and you want to appear confident, trustworthy, and professional.
In today’s world, both business and personal, we are surrounded by visuals like never before. Your headshot is your first impression. You must make it count!
LinkedIn and Twitter have become hunting grounds for recruiters, and your profile picture will be the first thing that grabs their attention. Before a recruiter reaches out to a potential applicant they will do a quick Internet search to find out more about prospects in advance. Having a professional headshot that represents you well, you’ve already made a positive impression on anyone who has discovered your profile.
You want your headshot to tell your story and allow your personality and expertise to shine through. From the location and your outfit to the expression on your face, your photo tells your story. Picking a location that represents your career and desired visual aesthetic is key. One of the most important things to keep in mind is that your headshots should align with your brand, whether that’s personal, professional or both.
Having a high quality headshot ready to send at a moment’s notice shows you think ahead and represents who you are and your personality. Plus your headshot can be useful for so many situations:
• Your email account
• Your email signature
• Your website or portfolio
• Your guest posts
• Your company bio
• Your entire professional life.
Trust me, at some point in your career, you will want to have this on hand. All of my clients have come back and said what a difference their headshot made to their business!
Getting a professional headshot done is an investment in your business and in your future.
A quality headshot does more than just present a professional impression to recruiters or potential employers. It infuses confidence in your own professional capabilities. Recruiters will see you as strong, confident and put together, and knowing you were prepared can ease your stress and inspire you to be as confident and professional as that photo implies.
It is time to look at your headshot as your first introduction, and a representation of who you are to potential connections or employers.
Take the time to invest in yourself and your future, and I guarantee you will be happy with the results.
Let’s be honest for a second. In the world of digital age, your photos on your LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook Page, etc. will be your first impression. Before you even get a chance to do your pitch at a meeting with potential clients, they probably had seen your photos already.
Investing in high quality, authentic images is necessary if you want your visuals to deliver the personality of your brand. People shop with their eyes and they like to do business with people, not businesses. This is why it’s crucial to show yourself to the world, the person behind the business.
The images on your website will influence the way your target market thinks about you and your business or product. This is why Personal Branding Photography can have a huge impact on your business. Often times buying is an emotional decision not a practical one.
Having custom photography saved in a library on your computer will be one of your biggest assets. You’ll be able to constantly pull images and provide consistency on your social media platforms. Because consistency is also key when you want to attract the right crowd!
Therefore with most of my Personal Branding Photography clients we do a quarterly session to make sure their photos are always up to date (not only to their latest hair styles but the actual holidays - yes, I plan all sessions with the upcoming holidays in mind). Doing a shoot every quarter saves my clients time and provides them with 3 months worthy of visual social media content.
Did you know that posts that include an image receive 120% - 180% more visibility and engagement? Yep. That’s what I’m talking about.
Personal Branding Photography is a very powerful tool which can have a significant impact on how people see you and if they want to do business with you. I will plan the session with you from the very beginning by building it around the personality of your business.
Still not sure if this is what you need? Check out my sit down interview with a brand expert, who explains the importance of having quality images on your brand and much more.
If you’re interested in a Personal Branding session in Orange County or in Los Angeles, get in touch with me HERE.
"Your life is your story, and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential."
—Kerry Washington
Have you been dreaming about your senior portraits for the last 3 years, and counting the days until it's your turn?
Your senior portrait experience should be an incredible memory for you…something that you'll look back on as one of the highlights of senior year. This is a day that will be something you look back on as you grow into your future, and see the moment when you were ready to start your journey.
I personally remember how nerve wracking a senior portrait can be. As a teenager, we are all trying to find the beauty in ourselves, and to try to love who we are.
I am passionate about helping you see yourself for YOU. Your talents. Your inner beauty. Your achievements and everything you have worked so hard for.
My senior portrait sessions are not your average headshot. This is a personalized experience that makes you look and feel like a celebrity for a day! We start wit professional hair and airbrush makeup to glam you up then head out to our location to take your breathtaking portraits that you’ll proudly look back at in many years to come.
It's an experience all about YOU. Your INDIVIDUALITY. Your CHARISMA. Your BEAUTY.
I want you to look at your senior portraits and think, "WOW. I look so happy! I look incredible". I want you to to see yourself in a new light. I want you to see your portraits and walk away with confidence.
Our sessions will be a time to honor and celebrate who you've become during high school. During our portrait session, you will have time to truly be yourself and feel comfortable with who you are. I encourage you to be bold, because I want your true personality shine through your photos!
During our consultation, I will spend time getting to know you; your passion, your humor, your dreams. This way I can make sure that your pictures represent who you are, and are as unique as you.
"But I'm not photogenic!" is what everyone says, but this is not true. It’s my job to guide you through your entire session and I promise to prove that you are indeed very photogenic. You are your own special beauty. This session will be an amazing and fun experience that you can take with you as you move forward in your journey toward adulthood.
Barbie. My childhood idol. I’ve always wondered if she existed in real life. Now I know that she does, her name is Kandee Johnson. :)
Dreams do come true folks! Finally I met her and got to know her a little bit when we shot her cover story in August.
Barbie isn’t anything I’d imagined before. She’s so much more. She’s not only this pretty face in beautiful dresses (although I loved Barbie even when I thought she was just a pretty face haha). This Barbie works hard like only a few people do nowadays while balancing between family and work life. It takes so much dedication and sacrifice to get where she is today an that needs to be recognized. Because it might look easy but it’s not.
I hear it so often from people: “Oh, I’ll just start putting up videos on Youtube and be famous and successful in a minute.” Not so fast my friend… Let me tell you, I’ve only been following her for a couple months but man, this girl does not sleep! She stays up all night to create and edit content for her channel. Not to mention the crazy schedule she is on. And she is still able to be nice to people with a huge smile on her face. Now that’s is what I mean by hard work.
“Work hard, stay humble, be kind.” My favorite quote. That about sums up everything she is and does. I love that Kandee didn’t forget where she came from and her sweet personality.
If someone, than she deserves being famous and being invited to amazing events around the world and to be showered with gifts. This experience has made me adore her even more.
We were set to shoot at The Palm Baum which is an amazing little pink house in Palm Springs, CA. The house is available for rent and is the most ideal location to have a bachelorette party. It was the perfect house for the Kandee shoot, we loved every little detail of it. Check out her website for more photos, it’s worth to click!
Photos by The Palm Baum
Rebecca, Kandee, myself & Kalynn on set
Working with talented industry professionals is key to achieve the look and quality of the images I was planning for. This shoot’s team has exceeded my expectations.
Here is the list of amazing people who made this happen:
Art Director and Co-owner of Locale Magazine - Reilly Kavanaugh @reillyek
Hair - Chris Dylan @chrisdylanhair
Makeup - Spencer @paintedbyspencer
Styling - Teresita @bornorigingal
Photo Assistant - Rebecca Thacker @rkthack
Behind The Scenes Footage - Bradley Blackburn @bradleyblackburn_com
Director - Kalynn Nguyen @kalynncnguyen
Writer - Marissa Stempien @paperandlights
Our day with Kandee and her team was like hanging out and having fun with our friends. Everyone was so nice and easygoing, which is a breath of fresh air in this industry. Some photoshoots can be very stressful, there are a lot of factors that can make them stressful like the shortness of time, or if something goes wrong, technical difficulties, someone being late or didn’t even show up or bad attitude, etc.
We knew that LOCALE magazine required us to shoot at least 5 different looks utilizing different scenes for each one. It was so hard to narrow the options down. Teresita has brought an amazing selection of dresses, which could’ve been enough for the entire team to wear for a weekend! And those rooms! It was very hard to not shoot in all of them with every little prop we found.
We ended up shooting in 3 different rooms and 3 outdoor locations around the house. Everything worked out perfectly with the outfits that we’d previously picked for Kandee and she’s been so patient and nice throughout the 5 hours we spent there. The glam team Spencer & Chris were changing her hair and makeup for every look to make the photos diverse.
For lighting the different scenes I used a layered technique where a beauty dish or a huge octabox was my key light and either the sun or my other light was the fill light.
Outdoors I only used 1 artificial light to overpower the bright Palm Springs sun and give more depth to the image. At some areas we used reflectors to dim down the power of the sun. The only setup where I used natural light only was where we shot at the front of the house with the cacti whisk was in shade that time of the day. I wanted to create different vibes for each set so decided to skip the strobes for that one.
Inside the rooms I bounced my fill light from the wall & ceiling and had an octabox directed at Kandee from a 45 degree angle.
The lenses I chose for these photos were the Canon 24-70mm II USM 2.8 and the Canon 50mm 1.2 which is one of my all time favorite lens. The camera I used was my Canon 5D Mk IV. Also one of my favorite pieces of gear that I use almost every time is the Spider Holster to make sure my hands are free while I still have my camera close to me. Before knowing about the existence of it, I used to put my camera on tables, on the floor or the makeup counter and always forgot where it was. I looked like a fool running around looking for my camera all the time. Well, not anymore.
The only thing I didn’t do this time was shooting tethered. We had to move between locations so fast that I figured it was easier for me to skip it this time. It all worked out at the end of the day.
Enjoy this little video that gives you a little glimpse of our day:
Important - All images on this website are copyrighted to Andrea Domjan Photography but you are welcome to share this page with the ‘Share’ function.
