when there are two full moons in the same month, the second one is a BLUE MOON!  it is uncommon, of course.  well, it was clear enough tonight to 'shoot the moon', so here it is...

a blue moon!  isn't the little flare beautiful?

ciao for now!

~robin

you might be wondering where i've been for the last few days.  (ok, maybe not.)  but, i've been so busy!  i've finished up a number of albums and released them tonight!  i am so excited!!!! 

albums are my babies.  for the last several months i've been working with software and reading about design and expanding my photoshop skilz to really make each book unique, elegant, classic, and a little edgy with image placement.  the images kind of get me going - they always seem to have a 'feel' to them.  the total hours on each design is overwhelming - not in the physical creating, but in the thought process and 'virtual' creating.  i think about the layout and imagine books for days (sometimes) and come up with concepts.  Sometimes I get an idea when I'm shooting.  For example, Kristin & Geoff's wedding had a large bridal party.  I had a concept for the layout of how I wanted the bridal party pages to look as soon as I saw the space we were going to shoot in.  It took like 2 minutes to come up with the idea and then like 2 days of making it 'work' (in my head), and then 2 hours to get those pages just right.  And after that, I'm not sure if those pages will make the 'cut'.  Kristen and Geoff have the final say - it's THEIR book now.  But, maybe they'll read my blog and this will influence thme to keep those 2 pages.

after teaching a few workshops and a lot of encouragement from other photographers to actually design FOR them, i'll be making an announcement on June 1st!  (so there's a little teaser!) stop back on friday... but until then, please feel free to check out the latest! 

I've created a page on our website to feature albums - so check that out HERE. 

Jill and Peter were SO fun - and we shot this wedding almost 2 years ago!  it's never too late to create an album.

and how GORGEOUS is Kristen?  this just HAD to be a full spread - don't you think?  taken by none other than Laura Siivola for Bellissima!  I KNOW you want to see the rest of this album - stunning!

and a couple of guest books...

lots of room for signing - beautiful design and adorable couples!! 

thanks for stopping by to look.  there are lots more HERE!  by the way - these all still PROOFS.  i design with proofs and finish the books once the couples have chosen their pages.  some of the books are quite large, and not all the pages make the cut.  so, once they are released (tonight), they are no longer 'my' books, but i know they will go to good parents that will take wonderful care of them.:)

Mitch is an amazing hockey player.  I stopped at his house today for a few senior pictures -

and then we stepped on to the back porch for a few that were more 'him'.  this is my favorite shot of the family...

did i mention how great a hockey player Mitch is?  i told him that when he is interviewed for Sports Ilustrated that he is to tell them he has is own photographer.

and who doesn't love a black lab?  isn't she adorable?

Thanks Mitch and Jim and Jess!  You guys were awesome!

for all you photog-types - these were all done with one light.  the 'senior pics' were done shooting through an umbrella (50mm lens).  the other stuff was on a back porch in open shade at ISO 200, shooting INTO the umbrella.   i used a 16-35mm canon lens at f/6.3 and 1/250 (max shutter sync) to get the wall to go a little dark.  the stuff with the doggie was also lit with one light.  a black lab's coat will suck up the light and you need to throw a little light on her to get her to come out of the shadow and get some contrast.  those last images were stopped down to f/5 - so you see a little shallower depth of field - although most of that comes from being so close the subject.  hope that helps you out a little - now go try it!

What a great time I had yesterday at Kristin and Jeff's wedding!  The church has had some rejuventation and it looked gorgeous!  Bright, festive banners greeted us and there were stunning organza streamers hung from the ceiling inside - all in celebration of the Easter Season. 

If you'd like to check out the Moving Pictures, you can just CLICK HERE, or read on for more details!

Kristin was such a beautiful bride and so excited and happy to be marrying Jeff.  This couple has great friends and they all were so much fun!  I think it really shows in their photographs.

Just before the ceremony it started POURING rain!  I ran to the car and got our 'lucky umbrellas'.  We carry about 15 indentical umbrellas, which seem to ward off the rain.  While I went for the rain gear, Brenda snapped this shot of the girls' shoes - i must say STUNNING! - don't you think?  Just as Kristin stepped outside, it stopped!  So lucky!

Kristin's gorgeous flowers for her wedding were done by Toy's Flower & Lanscape Supply.  Jeff, her groom, chose the flowers for Kristin's bouquet, and she didn't see them until they were delivered to her.  I must say, Jeff has quite an eye for design - these were some of the most exquisite blooms I have ever seen.  Toy's did an amazing job - the flowers were truly remarkable.  I wish they had a website, but you can reach them at   724.543.5565.  Here are a couple diifferent shots...

Garda's catered the food for the Lenape Golf Course - and Chris did an exceptional job, as usual.  I've been to Garda's in Ford City many times for lunch and dinner and their chef, Chris, is fabulous!  When you go, you MUST try their house dressing - a basamic vinegarette - WOW!  The cake was absolutely gorgeous and tasted just as good.  Debbie Sutera from Terentum is quite a baker - the detail was beautiful.  You can reach Debbie at 724.224.2160.  I LOVE this cake shot - done with a 580ex flash off to the left at about 1/2 power.  It was taken with a 70-200mm IS lens at 200mm, f4, 1/30.  Pocket Wizards fired the flash.  Don't you just want a slice?

I also want to let you know DJ Gary Snyder was great! (412.257.3547) For the Moving Pictures I used the song Kristin and Jeff chose for their first dance - and NOW you want to see this GORGEOUS COUPLE'S Moving Pictures, right?  There's so much GOOD STUFF in HERE!

I've got to share some before and after pics with you.  The skies in the Pittsburgh area are usually white when it's 'sunny'.  Pittsburgh wedding photography rarely has the beautiful blue skies of the west coast, so I worked a little photoshop trickery.  Look how different this photo looks with a little color!  (what do you think I did with the photo above?)

By now you should have gotten our little news letters with the specials that we're running, but in case you haven't, here they are!

We are celebrating being in here!

Our Senior Sessions are $400 off, when booked by June 1st.  Of course we can shoot it any time - so give us a ring or drop us an email to sign up for this totally [redefined] experience!  You can find all the details HERE.  WOW! this is a special rate - and space is limited.

Until May 14th our photostamps are on special!!!  The postage rate goes UP on May 14th to $0.41.  So order these special stamps now and SAVE!  We just need to know which Bellissima photo you want on your stamp, the postage rate you need, and how many sheets of 20 stamps you would like!  (we'll be filling them with the new rate stamps, unless you need a special rate) and the sheets are $20 each - you even save over the price on the website!  (regularly $25 + the cost of stamps)  i  took this picture from the www.photo.stamps.com website.

FINALLY, our Bella Mia Collection is also on sale!  We decided to really treat you, and if you book your session by June 1st it's half off!  Watch the website as we start to update it.  This special includes your session and album - don't miss it!

can you tell we're really excited about this honor?

Contact us now - we're booking up fast and the summer is almost here!

I have always wanted to have a critic’s corner.  So I decided to do a little editorial after each wedding here on my blog!  I’ll put up the details after each wedding with a little review, as long as I have the contact info.  So let me know if I miss someone! Of course, we also have to feel that the details were worth recommending.

Jen and Nick are so fabulous! They have known each other for over 10 years and planned their perfect wedding for 2 years.  Nick was Jen’s first boyfriend and she was the happiest bride I’ve ever seen!  She smiled the entire day and was so bubbly and bright.  Nick was just as excited and was so helpful to us through the entire planning process.  This Harvard grad was our point person, and was always on top of things.  Thanks Nick!

Jan Krussey in Monroeville did Jen’s hair – and all the hair, (even a photographer’s.)  Brenda was having a little hair challenge and Jen worked her magic to get Brenda’s hair to really stay and it looked great all day!  Jen was fantastic, so if you need an up do, give her a buzz (412.856.4161).

Jen wore a gorgeous strapless gown from Gina Marie’s in West Mifflin.  Her bridesmaids’ dresses complimented the design of her gown and were a beautiful shade of pink that matched the invitations.  Jen and Nick designed all the programs and menus and even had little favors of toll change for the guests at the church (St. Bernadette's in Monroeville), since they took the turnpike for a short drive to the reception at the Greensburg Country Club.  Lisa, the coordinator at the club was wonderful and helped us with where to set things up.  And I must say the food was outstanding!  (y’all know I love to eat!)

Guests enjoyed strolling violins at the Club during an out door cocktail hour before entering the beautiful ballroom.  I just love calla lilies and the tables looked so beautiful with stems in glass vases.   

The guest book we created was a huge hit – and we were very happy to see everyone taking the time to leave a message, not just sign a name.  Here it is for you to see.  The cover was a collage of pictures.  I always get a kick out of people looking through the photographs in the guest books.

Mark kept the bride dancing all night with great music and if Jen decides to quit medicine, she could have a career as a choreographer for Christina Aguilera or Jennifer Lopez – wow!  That girl can DANCE! 

Nick was the ultimate host – making sure the photographers got the last 2 pieces of cake!  To die for!  Christopher’s sweet shop lived up to their reputation.  And they baked charms in the cake for Jen’s bridesmaids to do a ‘charm pull’.  A kind of lucky fortune told by the charm that each lady finds.

I was sad to leave – I had so much fun at this wedding!  We were like guests of this first class couple, and it was our absolute joy to photograph their magnificent day. Here are their MOVING PICTURES!

Thanks for stopping by.

 well, after Janel and Alexander's eSession (just keep reading!), we headed over to the zoo to met Jen and Ken...

the moving pictures are right here - but read on to find out why the zoo didn't work out.

but, as luck would have it, the sunny day brought EVERYONE out to enjoy the weather and the zoo was sooooooo packed that the traffic to get in was backed up for miles. 

PLAN B - we headed over to Jen and Ken's neck of the woods to look for some open shade - what a challenge.  bright, sunny days seem to be scarce around here but this one was FULL SUN.  a beautiful day!  unless you want to take portraits!  We shot a little on some rail road tracks and that was great...

but we wanted something else... we headed over to a park, but the broken shade was even more challenging than full sun.  Then Jen and Ken had the idea of going to a private residence. (brilliant!) Someone none of us knew, but the yard was AMAZING.....

we saw this as we headed down the driveway to see if anyone was home...

and the owner welcomed us to his yard and we got a FULL TOUR of his gardens!  Lloyd used to be the CEO of WQED - the public broadcasting station here in pittsburgh.  he's retired and now he enjoys his yard - what a yard!  we walked all around and found some great nooks for pictures.  we had quite a bit of full sun, but we found some shade and tucked Jen and Ken into a few spots.  Of course the obvious 'pictures by the flowers' would have been nice, but the gate and the working green house areas that are usually thought of as not photogenic were the perfect spot for us. 

Here's the really cool part - since we got to meet Lloyd, we asked him if we might come back on the wedding day, and he will be happy to have us!!  We are going to go back to the garden for some formal stuff later this summer!  Isn't it wonderful how things always seem to work out?  Here are few of my favorite shots and of course the MOVING PICTURES!  (As it turns out, Jen and Ken are fans of the Cure - i knew there was a reason we got along so well!)

i just LOVE a great story to go along with great photographs!

thanks for stopping by to check it all out!

one last link to the moving pictures for ya!

 Our clients really make my job easy!  We had so much fun this past weekend with a couple of eSessions - and I finally have a minute to get some of my favorites on line!  Here are the MOVING PICTURES.

Janel has legs that are a million miles long!

We met her and Alexander at Pitt - by our favorite red door!  We didn't realize that it was Pitt's graduation.  The campus was FULL of people, so we tried to keep to ourselves around the 'red door' area, and then we snuck up to the table in the Cathedral of Learning where janel and alexander first talked about dating.  their story is so cute, and this couple is even cuter!  such bubbly personalities, and great to photograph, as you can see...

I LOVE this shot - we used some flash techniques that we've never used before and i just adore the result.  edgy and clean.  i'm so glad they wore sunglasses:

of course, no Pitt eSession would be complete without the RED DOOR -

We are really excited for this wedding!  It will be in Meadville, PA - that's where I went to college (allegheny college) and Brenda and i have been best friends ever since.  i haven't been back in AGES!  it will be cool to see the old territory and how much it's changed.  Janel and Alexander have some great places picked out for wedding pictures - it sounds really awesome!!!

Here's one more...  and i KNOW you want to see the Moving Pictures!