Another highlight is my involvement in the Thirst Relief Mentor Auction. So many of the biggest names in the photography world offer up their time to be a part of this awesome organization- and I am certainly humbled to be listed among them.

This is my second year of offering up a 90 minute mentoring session to the highest bidder- and the best part is you do NOT have to be attending WPPI to win! Mentoring sessions can cover pretty much anything you want for the time- I am ready and willing to chat about anything- even Lost!! In addition to the mentoring session I am throwing in a spot at any of my upcoming workshops!

You can sign up HERE to be notified when the auction goes live – I believe it is February 16th and 17th

So Connecticut people, who all is going??

XXOO

Watching this made me all melancholy as I looked back at our year here at the studio- and I celebrated all of the changes that we have undergone! From the total completion of my renovated studio space, my amazing studio manager and bff Dominique  to the addition of our extremely talented associate photographers- Erik Maziarz; Katie Slater and Graham Scobey to the just absolute perfect melding of shooting styles of me and Mike on a wedding… I can say with total confidence that I would do it all again, exactly the same.

One thing I have learned in my travels in life is to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you, better than you at what you do and who laugh at my absurd humor (thank you Reilly) They just can’t have better hair, cuz that’s all I got!

So without further blathering on from yours truly…

carla ten eyck photography best of weddings 2009 from Carla Ten Eyck on Vimeo.

XXOO

Here’s to another amazing year!!

you know you’re my boy Romano!!!!

XXOO

Well ‘two tears in a bucket!!’ I say!

I seeeeem to have misplaced about 10 pounds…..but trust me, I am NOT looking to find them!

And I am looking to misplace quite a few more- so that when people look at me they say ‘Wow, she had TWO kids and looks that good?!’ Instead of looking at me and saying ‘When are you due?’ (which in my book warrants a swift kick to the throat, so beware)

Well tell that to my wii fit, that piece of crap called me OBESE!! And here is their rendition of me……..

The worst part is that I think it looks better than I do

Except the hair, mine is better.

So to everyone out there making an effort to get back into shape, or just to feel more comfortable in your own skin, I am right there with you!!

Obese wii avatar and all

XXOO

First can I also say how much I love working with the staff at L’Escale? They are easy going, professional and so great! Thanks for making our night so much fun! We had our good friend and amazing videographer Tom Morlock from Vantage Point Films along for the ride and their band The Rhythm Shop just about brought the house DOWN!!

Now on to the details!

I had my trusty main man Erik Maziarz at my site, he is so amazing and fun to be around, we always have a blast when we shoot together! Our trusty assistant for the day was the lovely Miss Rebecca Hales, making the score: two for the blondes and one for, well- me. I am not sure exactly WHAT color my hair is these days!!

Here is a mix of me on the left and Rebecca on the right- see how nicely we play together? Rebecca’s shot of the bouquet has a piece of Christine’s Mom’s wedding dress, a sweet and loving memoir of her that kept her memory literally at her daughter’s fingertips during her wedding. It was a beautiful tribute and detail.

Christine’s details were just so pretty! Her stunning dress was from Yolanda’s in Boston

Now it’s time for a Maziarz Ten Eyck tag team- Erik is on the left I am do-si-doing on the right

This light and Christine were BFF’s

Erik’s beautiful detail

A little Ten Eyck time

Honestly!!!!

Rebecca got this great moment of Christine and her Dad

Another Rebecca shot from the balcony!

My view: Mark was so emotional as he watched Christine and her Dad come down the aisle

I love this shot I grabbed of Christine looking at Mark

And I had a great view for the ring exchange

Ten Eyck + Maziarz time again

Rebecca has to chime in from above!

And then I got all papparazzi on them with this shot, one of my FAVORITES!

During our drive back to L’Escale we pulled over and I lit them for this

Erik grabbed another favorite of mine from the evening with our video light

More Maziarz is ALWAYS a good thing in my book! Check him OUT!

Rebecca grabs a lovely detail

I’m here too! This spot that Erik found for us (he is a firefighter in Greenwhich so he knows some nooks and crannies) which is handy because these two were on FIRE!!

I love my little one two punch here!

Then Erik is just showing off at this point!

Nothing like a little fire to warm us up on a chilly New Year’s Eve!

Their table scapes and details were amazing!

Their cake was made by Sweet Lisa’s Exquisite Cakes in Cos Cob CT

Christine and her Dad had an emotional dance together, I am not sure there was a dry eye in the house, myself included.

Rebecca got the pre-New Year’s Eve prep

HAPPY 2010!!!

Christine and Mark, congratulations!!

Thank you for letting us ring in the new year with you and your families!!

XXOO

It’s Grammy’s turn to buuuuurn in the fire here with our next installment of Celebrity Stunt Double!

Graham = Curt from Glee, minus the awesome singing and dancing skills, though I’d wager Graham  just may do a great rendition of ‘Single Ladies’…. maybe he will show us when he comes to the studio later!

Let me just get this out there. I truly think that the success of my workshops is measured by the images that everyone who attends gets! Wait till you see what this class got!!!

Here is one of the shots I snagged in between sets ups.

And here are our models for the day: Paul and Krystal of Studio Foto! I know, I know, it was like cheating having them to photograph they are so easy!!!!!

February 16th’s Posing workshop  at my studio in Hartford CT runs from 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. and still features my tried and true workshop formula:

super small class, no more than five people

meet n greet

lecture

photo shoot with regular peeps on location

home cooked meal by your momma

we finish off with the critique, the best part of the day (well, besides my cookin’!)

THERE ARE ONLY TWO SPOTS LEFT FOR THIS!! so reserve your spot now via the workshop page

This class is about taking your work to the next level and really getting your clients involved and excited about having their picture taken!

Tell me you haven’t heard the line :’I hate posed photographs!’

Yes, I hear that too, ALL the time by my current and potential clients. So what do I do? If they need direction- I am all over it and I make it fun!

learn what to look for in body positioning

learn how to get your clients comfortable being posed so they look natural

learn how to flatter all body types

$375 reserves your spot

Now…

Meet my January Lighting Workshop class:

and yes, Bruce you owe me for not using the picture of you I REALLY wanted to use!

Bruce Plotkin on the mic!

Ashley Scobey on the drums

Sandra Costello on the rhythm guitar

Jesse Turnquist slappin it up on the bass

and Anna Sawin tickles the ivories!

…and Greg Lewis on the beat box but my boy had to leave before the crit!!!

RIGHT!!!!!????

Love it. LOVE.IT!!! How amazing are all of these images?

Thank you all for such an inspiring and fun workshop and to Paul and Krystal for being such great models!!!!

Here is my BFF and studio manager Dominique aka Maggie Gyllenhall!

COME ON!!!