Ashley Tombrello is an 18 year old high school senior who dreams of someday becoming a model. Recently, she had the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to New York with her family, to have her dreams come true for a day. Like many teenage girls, Ashley is a cheerleader who loves shopping and hanging out with friends, but unlike many her age, Ashley struggles with the life-threatening illness known as Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a dangerous genetic disorder that primarily affects the lungs and digestive system. Individuals with CF are extremely susceptible to various infections, especially lung infections, and pancreatic cysts, and those who struggle with the illness have difficulty breaking down and absorbing food. Although there is treatment for CF, currently there is no cure, so treatment becomes a lifetime commitment.

Ashley was diagnosed with CF when she was just two years old, and doesn't remember a time when she hasn't struggled. "She's been fortunate,"

What Makes a Great Lookbook
Lookbook n. A collection of masterfully created images which show off a model, style,
or clothing line.

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Spring has sprung. The United States, Europe, and fashion centers all over the world
are gearing up for the new season. They've worked for months to create a new line, and
it's time to reveal it. The first step in this process? Creating an awesome lookbook.
What is a lookbook? First of all it's not a catalogue. It's something much more creative
and intuitive than that. In a lookbook you can develop an atmosphere, and show the
‘look’ of a product in its ideal setting. With lookbooks you can establish a connection
between the brand and the buyer in a way that a catalogue never could.
So, you've assembled a new line, now it's time to show the world who wears your
collection and how they should wear it. A buyer walking through a showroom won't see
what you want them to see unless you tell them. A

Does anybody truly take notice of how much technology influences their lives? We’re aware of it of course, how couldn’t we be? But do we ever appreciate just how much we rely on electricity and technology to get from one day to the next? It seems that it takes a significant event like the recent blackout in New York for us to take stock of our lives.  

People may often speak about what it might be like to go back to the days where there was no electricity. They might joke that they would be “lost” without their smartphones and tablets. Yet the truth of the matter is such a time is really never far away. When the aftermath of tropical storm Sandy wiped out the electric board in New York, hundreds of thousands of people were left in the dark. Literally, for weeks. The answer to what it would be like to live with no electricity was no longer hypothetical. It was being lived by the inhabitants of one of the most well-developed cities in the world.

Was anyone prepared? Is there

I got in contact with Canon today to ask if if I can borrow one of their Hi-Def Video camera to do some video testing in the next couple of weeks. They agreed to send me the X305 High Def Camcorder and Although for video its not an expensive camera at about $7000.00 its still pricey compared to using a 5D mark II.  But there are major advantages to using this type of video camera over a DSLR.

One they are just easier to point and shoot., Sure you need some skill and experience but you don't need to set up every shoot like you would need to with a DSLR.

I am hoping to shoot a few fashion inspired videos and even a promo video for an client of mine. But I want to use the whole experience with this camera to help decide if I should offer full video packages as well for my commercial clients. I have always offered video, but I often given these jobs to other contractor like my neighbor http://www.jdmpromedia.com I would like to be able to offer a special style that represents a motion

So I Finally created a page for boudoir photography and funny enough it was very hard to find images for the gallery. I have thousands of pictures in this style but all of the images where my clients personal pictures and I did not even want to ask them if I can use the images. So I hunted out image from a few people who did not mind me showing and some models I shot previously that mimic a sexy intimate photo shoot

The editorial on the page describes what boudoir means to me and how I feel about the intimate capture. I think sexy is a tease and its what awakens and arouses us all. Don't you think?

Visit the new boudoir page and tell me what you think.

My Video person John had purchased some new gear not too long ago and wanted to do some test of the camera capabilities as well as create a quick reference as to what can go one durning a typical studio day here at the studio.

This happens to be 2 shoot days merged into one, The first is an editorial for a conceptual bridal magazine and the other is a catalog shoot for a costume company with about 10 models and is pretty much a full production shoot. Both shoots came out well but in both cases a signed NDA's as to not show the final images for my own promotion.

So I had Erika over a few months back and we did a test to see the capabilities of a new Hair Styist, I also tested a new Make-up artist at the same time, something I rarely do. I was just in one of those "Screw it!" modes, "Lets just see what happens" I was okay with the hair, but after just one look both of the stylist had to leave and I was a bit fustrated. I was looking forward to doing another look and it just did not happen. Well this was a test and sometime things just dont work out, I ended up using the shoot as a training session for my post production staff and it all worked out.   Some of the shoot is in the video as well as some of the post production and the final images

It was super last minute. I received a email from someone from overseas saying that they had seen my work and wanted to hire me to photograph their glasses. The English was not clear and there were no details so I kind off wrote off the mail as spam, But for some reason I wrote back and go back a response from one of my coolest clients Exalt Cycle, an Eye Wear Company based in Italy. The owners where making there way to New York in the next 2 days to attend the annual eye wear show at the Javits Center and they wanted me to do a last minute model search, Casting and in the end a production shoot. for a few glasses in the line. I said sure why not. I did a search and found 3 models with a casting of course and pulled Alex to help me shoot still and film the whole shoot on video as well. All in all the shoot was great and I even got a call back this season to shoot another series of images for this great client.

Fashion Photography can include shoot accessories like Glasses, Jewelery

So every so often I will teach my interns and assistants how to properly retouch so they can help me with my studio workflow, Most people who are not familiar with retouching believe that we just push a button a TaDa! we get a retouched picture. But proper retouching does take time, effort and most importantly skill. When I give the lesson to one person I sit there and let them teach one of the other while I listen to see if they retained and of what I just told them, It helps them remember better as it will make them dig for the details that I used to forget myself. This time around I had one of my assistants record her lesson so I can replay it for others if I was busy. The technique is very simple but very very rewarding you paint over the offending blemishes with a soft light layer in either black or whit paint to balance out the skin tone to the same as the surrounding area. It takes some serious time. but this is a variation of the high end beauty retouch this is the most

I had a call last week from a Agency called MSA to see if I can help their test board for the upcomming season, this usually

entails getting some fresh images out in their books so they can get new work by showing how they photograph. Most of these models do not have pictures and need almost anything but I tend to shoot toward giving marketable image only. I love shooting so I always have fun with it so I would like to show a bit of the test here but I have not added a full gallery mod to the blog yet, I will set something up and get it working soon so look for the revision of this post with more images of Rohannia, Jumping, sulking, vouging and just being beautiful for the camera.

As a fashion and beauty photographer I frequently get people coming to me asking if they have the looks to model and truthfully almost everyone has the looks to be in the industry. The commercial modeling industry is constantly looking for different people to cast in all types of commercial roles and just so you know it is really the attitude and drive that will make one successful in this business.

It is not as easy as they make it all look in movies and on television, there is a lot of very hard work, competition and stress involved the real question maybe more like are you ready to be a model?

Are you constantly flattered by others who swear that you could be a model? Do you secretly desire the perks of supermodel status, like living in apartments in major cities throughout the world, wearing the hottest designs without having to pay for them, and being invited to the biggest parties? Who doesn't occasionally indulge themselves with the supermodel daydream? Since modeling has

• Questions about sessions are welcome
• Rates may vary.
• If your look is in demand (my discretion) rates may drop.
• Or, if you're packing a princess card, rates may double. Triple for clueless.

-- No TFP --

Anybody can model. Doesn't mean they should!

If you're under the impression that there is no need to invest in a professional career, modeling or otherwise, well - don't quit your day job.

I do acknowledge exceptions as they are the elite few who win lotteries, marry billionaires, never age, and know all the right people. But wait, "they" still had to buy a ticket, earn trust and respect, take care of themselves, and reach out to make friends.

Hmmmmm, that's reality!

Should you be interested in working together, don't be shy as that would make two of us.

With camera in hand, I'm Superman. Without it, I'm merely the quiet one - Clark Kent. Still packing that cape 24/7 though, so be nice. And yes, I do have X-ray vision ...it comes with the complete hero package

Please

I get the calls all the time, a potential client will call me and ask if I take headshots for business or personal use. I reply “Yes, I do, what will you need them for?” They will then tell me that it’s for an magazine article, their corporate website, dating services, marketing materials and or any number of reasons a client will need a good portrait of themselves for.

I have to ask what the headshots are for because there are differences in the way I approach and shoot each client situation. For example someone coming to me for headshot for a dating website should be shot very naturally I feel these should not look like professionally taken pictures, don’t get me wrong, these pictures should be great looking but they should look like you are hanging out with your friend and that friend just happens to take great headshot pictures, these images should be taken in more of a location environment to add to the natural feel of the situation. Not in an obvious photo studio and in

When I first started to shoot fashion about 25 years ago a large number of clothing manufactures in the garment district avoid hiring a professional photographer to shoot the seasonal line, they considered it an added expense, actually a luxury. What a lot of the showrooms did was hang the clothing on a wall or a rack and shoot the clothing right there in the showroom. In some cases they would use a staff member with a camera or even go as far as hire a photography student. In most cases the picture where horrible, very flat and boring the pictures where then printed to 4x6 print size and put in a family style photo album. That is what a look book use to look like, “your family pictures” we have come a very long way since then, we now have iPad look-books, web versions, and my favorite the bound  printed 4 color separation book. So now a day even the small boutique fashion showroom can have a beautiful professional and expensive looking look-book at a reasonable price. This is