An excerpt from a recent private boudoir session in Philadelphia, PA. The session had a hint of an earlier time period which included vintage accessories and jewelry from a collection of pieces I’ve acquired over the years.. The entire session will be published in a fine art book as surprise gift her husband on their wedding night. He is one lucky guy!
During a recent commercial session, I had the distinct honor of working with the beautiful and talented Kelly Louise. She is the principal jewelry designer at K. Louise Designs. My job was to do a spread for one of her collections to use as advertising collateral. Because so much of this collection is African inspired she picked the beautiful Robyn Welsh as one of her models to show just how well it would work on fairer skinned women. I’ll post up some more images from the session once we have all the releases we need. You know… we’ll actually show the jewelry in that one. 
In the meantime, I just really liked this image and thought I’d post it up. Believe it or not, those black feathers are actually a necklace. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.
Necklace by K.Louise Designs
Hair and Makeup by Wendy Weinstein of Ground Zero Salon
Model, Robyn Welsh
Last month I had this crazy idea to put together a group of extremely talented hair and makeup artists, about 9 models and some vintage couture loaned to us by the amazing Charyl Burly of Art Deco and here’s a handful of images from that day. I’m hanging onto some of the images for a magazine spread that I’m hoping to be able to share with you by the end of May.
Despite three feet of snow falling in Philadelphia 2 days before and a Wardrobe Stylist stricken with the stomach flu we managed to have a really great day and produced hundreds of images. Many thanks to The Sofitel Hotel and all the staff members for graciously allowing us to us use of their hotel and greeting us with their wonderful hospitality.
In my next blog post I’ll share some images of their newly remodeled ballroom. It’s really beautiful! Oh and food… glorious food!
I cannot thank enough the people who donated their time and talent or garments to this project. I love every one of them for trusting me with this crazy idea.
Lead Makeup Artist: Andrea Martini
Hair Stylists:
Wendy Weinstein
Bethany Bell
Wardrobe on Loan from Charyl Burly and Alicia DiBlasio
An excerpt of images taken by Shari DeAngelo. Brittany and Marc toughed very cold temperatures at Longwood Gardens and we got to put together a Save the Date slide show for the upcoming wedding at Tavistock Country in Haddonfield, NJ
So what do you get when you mix 2 amazingly beautiful people in love, freezing cold temperatures, a little snow and bright bright sunshine? You get breath you can see, love you can feel and…well OK, you get cold fingertips. But just a little.
Brittany, Marc and I met up at Longwood Gardens to 26 degrees. We weren’t sure how comfortable we’d be outside for any extended period so Longwood really was the perfect place to pull off a January engagement session. OK, nearly perfect. I had put an order in for 4 inches of snow and only about 1.5 fell. And Marc had visions of water fountains that were off because of the freezing temps. Still, we needed a place that represented this outdoors couple. Too bad they don’t allow dogs for photography (then it really would have been perfect)!
We all were pleasantly surprised by how pleasant it was out there. Maybe it was the brisk pace and acreage we covered, but I think it was the good company and fun we were having! Seriously… the most I’ve laughed in a session in a long time!
For example… We were walking around inside the main arboretum when we fell upon the children’s garden area. Marc, without skipping a beat was up on a ledge opening his mouth for the pulsing water fountain to aim so that it was going in his mouth. A second later, Brittany was up there joining in the fun. Just as the water started to spray across and behind them, it hit Brittany square in the back of the head. We were all laughing so hard that I only got one photo that was in focus. Thankfully it was the one I show below.
I am often finding myself amazed at how lucky I am by the couples I get to work with. To say I absolutely adore this couple and can’t wait for their wedding day, is an understatement!
To Brittany and Marc, thank you, from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to play a small role in your beautiful love story. May 22nd can’t come soon enough!
Those who know me, know how much I love shoes. I always have. Over the years the types of shoes I have worn or liked have changed. Drastically.
Today, especially as I get older, I can’t get away with wearing any old shoe.
Or so I thought.
Last year, while browsing through a vintage shop in Barrington, NJ, I found a pair of boots that caught my eye immediately. I had no idea how much they were or well, anything about them. But I was pretty sure they’d fit. So I plopped right down on the floor and tried one on. Charyl Burley, who owns all the vintage clothing in the shop, just laughed at me. I have a thing for vintage clothing and she has been exceptionally gracious in lending me vintage clothing for photo sessions.
“Those were from Carolyn Wyeth’s personal collection.”
I continued, undeterred. The first one fit, “like a glove.”
“You know that she was Andrew Wyeth’s sister and also a famous painter, right?” I didn’t care. It was the craftsman that piqued my interest most. The styling and details were impeccable.
The second one went on and was just as fabulous. It was like I was wearing a pair of boots that were custom fit for my feet.
Finally I ask “So, would it be terribly disrespectful or insane to want to wear these? I mean like every day?” Clearly they were part of history and Ms Wyeth’s appreciation for fine art and craftsmanship. I wondered if they were only for sale to collectors.
She was quiet and I took her lack of answer as a “yes, Shari, you’d be nuts to wear them, but I won’t stop you.” I didn’t care. I wanted these boots. The stitching and leather stacked heels were so expertly made that they were pure art to me. And you know… they fit me like they were made for me.
I bought them and although I have to love them a little less than I did, due to cracking, they remain very special to me. I wore them last night to dinner with my extended family. They were a conversation piece and some of my family teased me (as they should have) for my silly shoe indulgences. Some did not share my appreciation for the art or craftsmanship, and just did not see what I valued in them.
I got back last night and had to get some more work done in the studio so I took them off by the (still yet to be hung gallery prints). As I looked over this morning I realized that those boots were much more than footwear that fit me well, or that some famous person owned them. They were made by someone who cared about the very tiniest of details, even when most would not notice. Someone once cared enough to create what I consider pure art and I love them for every stitch and every crack.
To each his own art.
To all artists who practice day in and day out honing their craft, I solute you…. while donning my spiffy boots.
Shari DeAngelo Photography | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer & Lifestyles Photography | Fine Art, Fashion, Lifestyles and Wedding Photographer located in Haddonfield, NJ and Philadelphia PA. Local and Destination services available.
Some of you, if you are clients of mine, have already met Andrea. If you haven’t yet, then please let me introduce you. She is the amazing makeup artist who does, and will do, most of the fabulous faces I photograph. Not only is she extremely talented in the art of applying makeup in a way that looks completely natural and beautiful, but she is also a beautiful human being (inside and out). I’m super pleased to tell you she is now part of the SDP team now.
Andrea is an absolutely perfect fit for us and our style. We wanted our clients to feel beautiful, relaxed and in expert hands and we are sure they will with her. She has been doing fashion and wedding makeup artistry for the past 6 years and has a beautiful book of work to share with you.
If you are booked with me and you’d like to schedule a consult with her, please contact us right away so that we can send you a Details sheet. Bridal consultations are highly encouraged. There’s so much that can be up in the air as your wedding day approaches. Know, with certainty, that you will look amazing…and exactly as you had hoped! I like to think that Andrea will make us all look good!
Andrea, thank you for trusting me while I experimented here with you yesterday and for withstanding the frigid temps without a single complaint.
Most importantly, welcome aboard, Beautiful!!
She will provide SDP clients in NJ, NY, PA and DE makeup artistry upon request. Destination work is also available but please call us about this.
Shari DeAngelo Photography | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer & Lifetsyles Photography | Fine Art, Fashion, Lifestyles and Wedding Photographer located in Haddonfield, NJ and Philadelphia PA. Local and Destination services available.
Nothing makes me swoon quite like watching a newborn baby as they begin to recognize their world, their family and begin communicating with us in pure and simple ways we always seem to understand. Elijah is Baby #5 to this family and I don’t know how they do it. Not only do they do it, but they do it with grace and good humor. They actually make it look easy.
I have an entire blog post to share with you all from this session, but since I’ve been very behind here with blogging sessions, I’m just sharing this image as a sneak peek.
Don’t ya just love the way babies smell? (swoon….) I just love his cute little fingers and toes (with fuzzy attached).
