Film Noir or Pin-Up Photography Session?

When selecting your vintage-inspired photography session with Vintage Photography, you may be left with the question, “which one should I choose?”  We are fond of both of our Film Noir and Pin-Up sessions, however we have found a pretty good way to distinguish the difference between the two.

I usually advise our clients to select between Film Noir and Pin-Up based on their personality.  The two styles are very different and almost on the opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to posing and facial expressions.  Often when our clients select to do both in a session they comment after how different style is and more often than not they find one easy to execute based on who they are in real life.  The essence of Pin-Up is typically very playful, fun and all about the expressions of innocent surprise.  Whether you smile seductively, pucker, pout or put on the “oops” or “oh’s”, Pin-Up is all about exaggerating your facial expression to match the pose and props.  Your pose is often more playful, revealing all of your feminine curves.  We also shoot Pin-Up with your full body in the image.  Often our clients who say, I am always someone who smiles, laughs and jokes around find our Pin-Up session easy to execute.

On the flip side, Film Noir is often described as sultry, mysterious and dramatic.  Film Noir photography uses harsh light that creates dramatic shadows that result in high contrasts in black and white.  It was often used to create very dramatic photographs of movie stars in the 1940s and 1950s.  We typically shoot close-ups and head shots for our Film Noir images.  We often coach our clients to smile less and give a dreamy or passionate expression in their eyes.  You could be looking directly into the camera or off into the distance and the posing in Film Noir is often more theatrical with your hand placement in the shot.  Our clients who often do not do a full smile in photographs or are more serious in nature, find Film Noir easier to execute.  I also find those in the performing arts fit this type of photography well.

In all honesty, when you bring your personality to our shoot, you will be able to do either session with ease.  Whether introvert or extrovert, all smiles or a little more reserved, we will make your photography session memorable.  As photographers, we are there to coach and guide you through the session.  We start off slow allowing you to get comfortable with us and the camera.  One trick that I always do at each session is show some pictures of Pin-Up or Film Noir to assist you in capturing the essence of the pose or facial expression.  While Chad is often behind the camera, I typically stay in your view and mimic the pose and facial expression with you.  It usually ends with a lot of laughs and you feeling confident and ready for the next pose.  We often find after 10 minutes of shooting our clients are suggesting how they want to pose next. 

One last tip I also have is that a little practice goes a long way!  We are always online researching how to perfect our art and coaching techniques.  Youtube is a great source of short videos to assist you with your posing a facial techniques.  One of my favorite to follow for Pin-Up tips is Cherry Dollface.  You can find her YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/Thecherrydollface

For Film Noir, if you visit our Pinterest page I have pinned hundreds of examples of different poses and model headshots that you can practice in the mirror at home.  Our Pinterest page can be found at https://www.pinterest.com/vintagephotoyeg/

We hope this helps in selecting which session best suits you and look forward to meeting you in the studio!

Why we do Vintage Artistic Photographs!

Last weekend, we had the pleasure of shooting Monica for her 50th birthday.  When she asked why we chose the style of photography we did, it sparked a very passionate conversation for Chad and I about allowing women to see what we do through our lenses...confidence, beauty, glamour and grace.  I felt it was only an appropriate topic for me to share in this week's blog.

Feeling beautiful and confident in photographs is a different experience for every woman.  For me, I've never truly enjoyed getting my picture taken.  In fact, I can count on one hand how many times I absolutely loved a photograph taken of myself.  My journey to finding confidence is one I often never share.  Let's face it, I grew up in the 80's and 90's where perms, LARGE pink rimmed glasses, big bangs and fluorescent colors reigned supreme.  I always wore baggie and over-sized clothes to hide my figure.  Throughout my years in University, I was told I was lazy and fat which spiraled into many years of me working out obsessively, sadly to a point where I collapsed due to poor nutrition and over exertion.  I share this small piece of my story because it is from these struggles in my past why I am so passionate about making everyone we photograph find their beauty.

When we started out with our Film Noir photography, Chad and I tested out the concept on ourselves first.  I ordered myself a vintage dress, I watched countless hours of vintage make-up and hair tutorials on YouTube and then we practiced.  In our very own living room, we transformed our space into a Old Hollywood scene.  And the result?  I will admit, when we reviewed our "practice run" of on the computer, I was astonished at my own transformation!  In that one instance, I experienced a moment of awe and appreciation of myself.  I started to cry because I never felt as beautiful and confident as I did in that moment.  I knew that if I could feel this way about my own Film Noir test shot, more women out there needed to feel the same!  I love the shot Chad took of me.  It is a shot I will forever treasure.

Here is my transformation from the everyday to Old Hollywood Glam!

When we set out on our journey of re-creating the vintage Pin-Up artistry of legends such as Gil Elvgren and Alberto Vargas or Old Hollywood Film Noir photography like George Hurrell, we really wanted to highlight the "transformation" of women before their eyes.  Our photography session offers our clients a chance to be pampered for a few hours.  Sondra transforms your hair and make-up into a vintage doll and we take every detail into account preparing for the photo shoot.  Together, we select the outfits that make you feel comfortable and highlight your best features and complement them with beautiful vintage accessories.  We spend time coaching you on the poses and why we direct you the way we do in the shoot.  Who wouldn't feel like a movie star when that is all finished?

Our Pin-Up Photography is a great opportunity for women who may not feel comfortable wearing lingerie to give their special someone a different kind of playful and sexy photograph.  Women wear clothing that accentuate their curves with a peak or tease of what is yet to come!  The innocent expression and pose draws you in.

Our Film Noir Photography really highlights the glamour, confidence and grace of a woman.  We were humbled by the feedback one of our clients gave us when she said, "I really needed that, it was a boost to my self esteem and I never felt more beautiful."  Her shots all turned out amazing!  She really looked like a movie star from the 1950s!

Ladies, gentlemen, couples and friends, this is what we want to offer to you!  A transformation that leaves you speechless, brings tears to your eyes and allows you to find your inner and outer beauty.

So to answer Monica's question as to why we chose this style, we chose it because it means something to us.  We chose it because we get goosebumps every time we shoot a client and see the results of the vintage makeover.  We chose it because we are humbled by the opportunity to work with such beautiful people willing to share themselves with us for an hour in studio.  We hope that we make a difference in how our clients feel and allows them to find find confidence in themselves. Whether you want to give your photograph to that someone special in your life or keep it as a memento for yourself, we will celebrate you and give you an experience we hope you will never forget!

Outdoor Photo Shoot Locations in Edmonton

Often times our clients will ask us where are good locations to have their outdoor photo shoots within the Edmonton area.  Below is a list of our top ten favorite locations for outdoor shoots and why. Each location is ideal for family portraits, wedding & couple portraits, pet portraits and engagement sessions, if you are interested in booking an outdoor portrait session with us, please contact us through our portrait website at www.vintagephotographyedmonton.com:

1. St. Albert Train Bridge
This is truly a hidden gem that we were lucky enough to shoot at with a family whose backyard backs onto this beautiful natural area.  It is has an old train bridge running through an area that is filled with trees and nature trails.  If you walk further, you reach a ravine area that has cliffs and water.  A great location if you are willing to hike in for about 10 minutes with your loved ones!

2. Henrietta Louise Edwards Park
If you are looking for a variety of nature meets city landscape shots, look no further!  This park has it all.  It has picnic areas, beautiful mature trees, river valley, city skylines and the Edmonton Queen Riverboat.  The area also has beautiful bridges and water to add to the background of your images.

3. University of Alberta Grounds
The University of Alberta grounds offers new versus old building structures with beautiful mature trees, flowers and man-made ponds.  During the summer months it is an ideal location to shoot if you do not want to run into a lot of other people.  It is also handy to have access to the buildings in case your clients wish to change outfits or freshen up!

4. Legislature Building
The Legislature grounds are probably one of the more traditional spots within Edmonton to shoot outdoor portraits.  Don't be surprised if you see many other photographers and their clients if you choose to shoot at this location.  It offers beautifully manicured greenery and interesting architectural backgrounds to any photo.

5. Whitemud Creek
Whitemud Creek is very close to our home, but in the fall it turns into a photographer's paradise with all of the colors of the changing trees.  It has old fence lines, a fun blue bridge, rock structure, pathways and a small creek with water.  It is another captivating place to shoot!

6. Fort Edmonton Park
If you are seeking a variety of different shots with a Vintage feel, Fort Edmonton Park is the place to go!  With wooden boardwalks, restored historic buildings and vintage cars this place cannot be beat. It is a great place to also bring your family for a fun outing for the day.  You do have to pay to gain entry into the park, but it is worth it!

7. Whitemud Park
Whitemud Park is located just before the entrance to Fort Edmonton Park.  It is a great area if you are seeking a lot of trees, shade and park benches.  It is a nice option for quick shoots or families with smaller children because you do not have to travel too far to change the mood and scenery in your shots.

8.  Rural Farmland en route to Devon
I love finding hidden gems along the country side to stop and shoot at.  We often will hop in our car and head out to Devon where farmland is a plenty still.  We've stopped on the edges of farmers' field when in full bloom, abandoned farm houses, interesting fence lines or old barns. Your creativity and the occasional mosquito is your only limit!

9. Whyte Avenue
Enough said!  It is just a super cool and trendy place to shoot.  We've taken clients through back alleys and shot near graffiti, Old Strathcona Farmers' Market and throughout the streets, old buildings and parks.

10. Hawrelak Park
Hawrelak Park is another great location that offers a variety of different backgrounds in a smaller space.  It too has water, bridges, river valley views and beautiful trees.

Edmonton offers a lot of great areas for outdoor portrait sessions.  We love shooting any where you call home!  Usually our clients suggest to us areas that have sentimental meaning to them and we love discovering new locations.  We will often arrive to the location a half hour early so that we can visually plan out the flow of the shoot in advance.  When our clients arrive, we usually lead them through a loop of different posing locations to offer a variety of different backgrounds to their final images.  We look forward to discovering more locations this year, so stay tuned!

What makes our Vintage Pin-Up or Film Noir Session Special?

Two weeks ago, we had the pleasure of doing a few sessions that honored special loved ones in our clients' lives.  It seemed only appropriate for us to share this with others who may wish to do the same!

Often times we collaborate back and forth with our clients in order to capture the mood and essence of their Film Noir or Pin-Up photography session.  When Mimi reached out to us, she shared a photography of her grandfather and asked us to duplicate the image in her session with us.  We asked Mimi to bring along any heirloom pieces that she could use as props to make the photograph that more personal and special to her.  While she did not anything she could bring of her grandfather's along to the shoot, re-creating the image for her created tears in all of our eyes.  To pay tribute to her grandfather in this special way meant the world to Mimi.

Mimi capturing a very special moment of a man she admired, her Grandfather.

Another way Mimi paid tribute to her grandfather was highlighting the tattoo on her arm.  She had saying of her grandfather's along with his signature tattooed on her to be a constant reminder of him.  We think the image turned out beautifully.

Our second client reached us and asked us to do the same with her grandmother's nursing graduation photograph.  While she never met her grandmother, she wanted to give her mother a gift that was more than meaningful.  We had our hair and makeup artist, Sondra from Blonde Ambition Beauty replicate her hair and makeup and when it came time to do the photographs, all of our jaws dropped in awe of the uncanny resemblance between Danielle and her grandmother.

Danielle looks so much like her Grandmother in this recreated photograph!

There are so many ways to incorporate those you love in our Vintage Images.  Heirloom jewelry, clothing, accessories or props are just a few ways to honor your loved ones.  When we started this venture, my mom shared many pieces of my grandparents furniture, clothing and jewelry.  For me, every time I use one of their pieces, it is a way of always thanking them for inspiring me to be creative and to work hard.

Betsy bathing in my grandmother's antique wash tub.

If you do not have any pieces from the past that you can bring to the shoot, another great way to capture your loved ones' spirit is by incorporating items that meant something to them.  Our client next weekend asked us to pay tribute to her father who was a pastry chef by having some fun Pin-Up shots with baking materials and a cake!  We cannot wait to have her vision come to life, Pin-Up style!

You may also want to just explore who you are and what best represents you in our session.  We encourage all of our clients to share with us their ideas for their shoot.  Whatever your vision for the shoot is to honor a loved one from the past or to capture the essence of your own personality, we will work with you to make your Vintage session truly special and unique to you!

If you wish to reach us to book your session for a Film Noir or Pin-Up Photography session, please visit our website at www.vintage-photography.ca  We love capturing your special moments and placing our vintage one-of-a-kind artistry on every image!