cheriefoto » Los Angeles Wedding Photographers

NOT YOUR TYPICAL ORANGE COUNTY WEDDING

cheriefoto — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 07:13:58 +0000

A couple of years ago we did a wedding of a beautiful girl and a very handsome groom….They had a friend from Kenya…and she had a friend who just gor married…I got a call from her…requesting that we shoot for a newly engaged couple Carol and Kris…The story was really magical..Here was a beautiful Kenyan girl marrying an Orange County boy..They looked different but it turned out they were really very much alike and were very much in love…When I met them I knew no mater what I wanted to be apart of this day for them and experience the joy and the unusual customs and vibe….I said yes..and the rest is a great story of so much love and so much acceptance that it made me think that this wedding was a small microcosm of the way the world needed to be..It was the thing that dreams are made of..It is the Aquarian age….It is pure love and devotion and respect….Both Christians from majorly different parts of the globe…But still feeling the same about most things Carol and Kris fell in love the first time they saw each other….Carol made it clear that she just loved Kris and how he looked..He was so cute…

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TOP VENUES IN LOS ANGELES TO GET MARRIED IN

cheriefoto — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:12:05 +0000

In the past 12 years and hundreds of weddings, we have discovered some truly wonderful places to get married right here in L.A. These are some of our favs we thought we would share this info with you new Brides. It is sometimes such a difficult thing to find that one place that really sings to you. These have always been for us a joy to shoot at. Whether southern California is your backyard, or you’re planning a destination wedding to Los Angeles, Orange County, San Fransisco or Santa Barbara, here are some amazing locations that we just love. They are for small weddings and large:

THE FIGUEROA HOTEL
939 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles
(213) 627-8971
www.figueroahotel.com

Petite Ermitage
8822 Cynthia Street
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Phone: 310.854.1114
http://www.petitermitage.com

Casa del Mar
1910 Ocean Way
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Phone: 310/581-5533
http://www.hotelcasadelmar.com

Music Center
135 North Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA
Contact: Patina Catering
Phone: 213/972-7565
www.patinagroup.com/catering/LAMC

The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey
4375 Admiralty Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Contact: Catering Department
Phone: 310/823-1700
http://www.ritzcarlton.com

Kyoto Grand Hotel and Gardens
120 South Los Angeles Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Contact: Catering Department
Phone: 213/253-9200
www.kyotograndhotel.com

Shutters on the Beach
Santa Monica Wedding Location
1 Pico Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Contact: Catering Department
Phone: 310/458-0030
www.shuttersonthebeach.com

Paramount Special Events Department
Hollywood Wedding Location
5555 Melrose Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90038
Contact: Special Events Department
Phone: 323/956-8583
www.ParamountSpecialEvents.com

Oviatt Penthouse
Los Angeles Wedding Location
617 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014
Contact: Event Coordinator
Phone: 213/488-9951
cicadaevents@aol.com
www.oviatt.com

Citrus at Social
Los Angeles Wedding Location
6525 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Contact: Special Events Department
Phone: 323/462-5222 x3
www.citrusatsocial.com

Los Angeles Union Station
Los Angeles Wedding Location
800 North Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Contact: Jeff Cooper
Phone: 213/617-0111
www.hollywoodlocations.com

Il Cielo
Beverly Hills Wedding Location
9018 Burton Way
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Contact: Fabio Price, Director of Events
Phone: 310/276-9990 Catering Dept.
www.ilcielo.com

Ebell of Los Angeles
Los Angeles Wedding Location
4400 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA
Contact: Special Events Office
Phone: 323/931-1277
www.ebellla.com

Malibu Nature Preserve
Malibu Wedding Location
33905 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90265-2316
Contact: Peter Ireland
Phone: 310/457-9783

Cafe Pinot
Los Angeles Wedding Location
700 West Fifth Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Contact: Special Events
Phone: 213/239-2513
www.patinagroup.com

Vibiana
Los Angeles Wedding Location
210 South Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Contact: Anika Warden
Phone: please email
www.vibianala.com

Cicada
Los Angeles Wedding Location
617 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014
Contact: Special Events
Phone: 213/488-9951
cicadaevents@aol.com
www.cicadarestaurant.com

Inn of the Seventh Ray
Topanga Wedding Location
128 Old Topanga Canyon Road
Topanga, CA 90290
Contact: Special Events
Phone: 310/455-1311
www.innoftheseventhray.com

Mosaic Hotel Beverly Hills
123 Spalding Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Phone 310/278-0303
www.mosaichotel.com

Beverly Wilshire Hotel
9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212
www.fourseasons.com/beverlywilshire
310/275-5200

Avalon Hotel of Beverly Hills
9400 W. Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212
www.avalonbeverlyhills.com
310/277-5221

Doing Wedding photographer at wonderful locations is always wonderful and these are just a few of my favs. A wedding is always so special it really does not matter where you get married actually it is always about the feelings and the family and friends. But if we can have a magical backdrop it is that much easier!!! So congratulations and have a fun day where ever you get married and what ever destination wedding you are planning.

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COOL KIRSTIE KELLY COUTURE WEDDING GOWNS

cheriefoto — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:20:29 +0000

We got to shoot Kirstie Kelly the absolute amazing designer of couture wedding gowns in the world. She has done so many amazing celebrity wedding gowns and we had her in our studio for a little shoot. She does an exclusive wedding fashion line with Disney and this gown she did for the movie Enchanted. She was such a nice woman and great designer it is always nice to be able to photograph the designer of such amazing wedding gowns.

Here is the info on her and her studio and gowns:

One of bridal fashion’s break-out stars, Kirstie Kelly’s stylish Brentwood design studio is open by appointment only. With the salon all to themselves, each bride is lavished with Kirstie’s personal attention and artistry. Her finely-crafted gowns incorporate luxurious silks and satins, and have been called “clean, fresh, original, and beautiful.” Popular with celebrities (or those who want to feel like one!), Kirstie has also designed for television and film. While dedicated to “creating garments that express the unique personalities and subtle qualities of today’s woman,” Kirstie’s silhouettes have a classic, timeless beauty. Kirstie’s latest achievement was the creation of the enchanting princess bridal line for Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings!

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LOS ANGELES ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

cheriefoto — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:00:21 +0000

It is sometimes not the easiest thing to figure out where to shoot your engagement shoots. My couple Jenai and Tony have been living outside LA for some time and really did not have any ideas about where to shoot but they wanted to shoot outside. After getting to know them they are such a fashion thinking couple and very LA. We finally decided on a wall that I have loved for sometime and also it is the wall and door of a very hip Hollywood club called The Green Door. The Green Door seems to be always in the news and I had just seen it on the show Entourage. Jenai my beautiful Bride showed up with her Christian Louboutin shoes in toe!! We had a great engagement shoot and we all learned alot about each other and my couple felt really comfortable in front of the camera….It will be an amazing wedding in October at the Biltmore Hotel. It is an American/Indain wedding and will be colorful and beautiful. Let me know if anyone has been to The Green Door!!….

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CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN SHOES

cheriefoto — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:27:52 +0000

Who says a pair of shoes cannot change the world……So one of my Brides Jenai will be having these shoes as her wedding shoes……They are of course Christian Louboutin….I was like struck by lightening when I saw these particular shoes and cannot wait to shoot the wedding for Jenai..on so many levels……She is such a fashionista…..and that is always fun for us to shoot someone that is so fashion conscious…Enjoy these works of art……and be sure to go onto his site and look for these shoes for your wedding and boudoir shoots…..They are comfortable and sexy…..and I think all girls need to have at least one pair of these shoes in their wardrobe…So enjoy looking at these pieces are art….and start saving….!!..I will expect that if I am doing Wedding photography in Los Angeles that all my girls will come with these shoes….!!

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BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY….SOME IDEAS…

cheriefoto — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:51:54 +0000

Every once in while I come across images that I love but never make it to the web…..We do a lot of Boudoir photography and of course much of it is not for the web…To private!….but once in a while my girls say my hubby would love to have our shots on your website….As I was going through images yesterday I pulled a few that were done in various shoots..and just wanted to post them…….some favs….The shoe image actually is on the wall of Nikon Corporate offices in New york….The shoe was one of my girls coming in to shoot a sexy photo story for her fireman husband…and the shoes just really rocked the photo shoot…..When I do boudoir shots I always ask y girls to bring in something that is really special for them..to add to the mix….and be part of the portrait that we will have forever..I highly recommend everywoman doing a sexy shoot for herself…It is a time that will only be once in your life..and looking back and having these pictures is very special….So start thinking about it, start working out…and gathering some really sexy and special items for the shoot!!!! I do have to admit..I have a shoe fetish…….the shoes are very important……and remember…always go to any photo shoot with a mani and a peti!!

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SIRA…A FAMILY PORTRAIT

cheriefoto — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 07:16:34 +0000

Our resident Pilates instructor who the the most amazing drop dead body…Asked us to take a few pics of her just adorable kids…..The mother and the daughter…..Could they be any cuter…I jumped at the chance to take these family portraits because we love doing family portraiture and also because it is always wonderful to shoot people that are just so into the camera….and that the camera loves them..I must say the mother Sira…..was not as ready to have her pics done..but the kids were just loving it…..

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SURVEY OF EDGE EFFECTS BY LARRY BROWNSTEIN

cheriefoto — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:57:04 +0000

MICHELE CELENTANO, in her presentation at this year’s WPPI conference, articulated a concern that’s on the minds of many photographers these days: Our clients have sophisticated digital cameras that are often just as capable as ours, and with the cost of film being a thing of the past, they are experimenting more and becoming better photographers. Will they still need us in a few years? And, if they are using cameras similar to those used by professionals, how will we continue to remind and convince them of that need? Celentano’s answer was to encourage her audience of professional photographers to raise their game in every way possible. Most specifically, she suggested using the best lenses—not only for the sharpness and other advantages they offer, such as the shallow depth of field that comes with a large-aperture lens, but also because of the psychological edge reclaimed when using better, more professional equipment.
Along the same lines, photographers must learn other ways to distinguish themselves. A recent trend is to use Photoshop techniques to add a special touch. There are myriad software
offerings, from big companies down to individual photographers. In this article, I will explore software that specifically addresses adding edges (also called borders or frames, as different
manufacturers use different terminology) to an image. These software packages are from three photographers whose names may already be familiar to Rangefinder readers: I’ll be reviewing Cherie Steinberg Coté’s EdgyGirl, Kevin Kubota’s Sloppy Borders and Parker Pfister’s Parker J Edge. I’ll also take a look at onOne Software’s PhotoFrame, which you may remember from
this year’s June issue. The first package I experimented with was EdgyGirl Volume 1.
The best thing about EdgyGirl is its simplicity. Each edge is simply a layered Photoshop file. First, open the file with the desired edge in Photoshop. Then copy and paste your image file into the
edge effect file and adjust to taste. The Photoshop files even tell you where in the layer stack to paste your image—there will be a layer labeled “Paste Your Image Above This Layer.”
The edges are grouped into several categories: 4 x 5 Polaroid, Painted, Sloppy and More Edges. The 4 x 5 Polaroid edges simulate the peel-apart Polaroid films and the unique artifacts they
leave behind. Most of these edges also add a bit of smudginess and scratchiness, too. (The lowest numbered file, EdgyGirl_001, has the least smudginess and scratchiness, with the higher
numbered files having progressively more.) The Painted edges have a more sharply defined insideborder and painterly outside borders with white space around them. The Sloppy borders are
fairly conservative black borders with some irregularities, and these are the closest thing to the sloppy borders that are offered by many photo labs. The More Edges folder has one edge
that simulates two Polaroid SX-70 prints that are paper clipped together and two others that are Polaroid peel-apart films with the paper still attached.
I found it difficult to choose the best edge by viewing the file icons on my Mac, as the icons are simply too small for this purpose. Instead, I viewed the same folder via Adobe Bridge with
nice big previews. This made for much more efficient work, and I knew I’d be happy with an edge before opening it.
While EdgyGirl provides a simple way to access some useful edges, there is one inconvenience that comes with this simplicity: The image sizes are fixed and may not match the size of the
image file you are working with. This is easily remedied with the Image Size command. I never found it necessary to match the pixel dimensions of the edge and the image file exactly. Instead I
just ballparked it—with good results.
Kubota Image Tools provides an application called Kubota Sloppy Borders, which combines a variety of templates—TIFF files with borders in them, much like the edge files provided by
Cheriefoto—in conjunction with several actions (used for the setup) and scripts that are run from the File menu.
When you run the Single Border script, a File Browser window appears, allowing you to choose from the numerous different borders available. Just as with EdgyGirl, it is a bit hard to see the edges at this small size, and it might be useful to use Bridge to view them larger before selecting one. The program will take the selected border and do the necessary processing to copy layers to a single file, resize the layers to match and add a white border outside the black sloppy border.
Another nice feature of the program is that it allows batch processing so that borders can be added to a group of photos without great effort. It also provides a convenient way to make
4 x 6 proofs with sloppy borders. The borders available range from thin to thick, with numerous variations that evoke cut-off sprocket holes, a blur from emulsion curving at the edges, etc. In fact, these effects look very realistic—as though they were from a traditional analog photographic process. However, all the borders are pretty much a variation on a single theme and don’t include such things as Polaroid or painted borders. Also, you’ll have to read the installation instructions to know where to place the various action and script folders and how to set up the program.
I also looked at Parker J Edge Volume 1 from Parker J. Pfister. Pfister includes a movie that provides all the necessary instructions. (Just as with Kubota Sloppy Borders, installation requires
that a file be copied to the Photoshop Actions folder; this file is loaded via the Actions palette. Pfister’s Edge, however, does not add the complication of scripts.) Parker J Edge has an action for inside edges—edges that fit inside (and thus overlap) the existing image area. It also has an
outside edge action that adds the edge and an outside white border around the existing image area. There is also an inside knockout action that, instead of adding a dark border, uses the
selected template to fade towards transparency. There are also some other burning and fading effects that are more generic and don’t require you to select a template file.
Pfister’s actions that work with a template edge file require you to position the edge by grabbing the corners of the edge layer and dragging it to superimpose it over the image file. (This is an
improvement over EdgyGirl, which requires you to resize them. But it is not quite as convenient as Kubota Sloppy Borders, which automatically resizes the edge to fit.)
Lastly, I looked at onOne Software’s PhotoFrame. PhotoFrame provides the largest number of options. It has numerous types of edges and borders. There are so many of them that it actually
becomes a liability, as many of them are artificial or cutesy and may not be appropriate for most professional photographers’ needs. Don’t get me wrong—there are a lot of excellent ones, in-
cluding overlapping numbers, emulsion effects, cut-out masks, watercolor, Mondrian and even fingerprints. Unfortunately, it can be time-consuming finding the good ones. On the other hand, they do provide two features to assist with this: View Grid allows you to preview several selected frames in a grid; the Favorites list allows you to keep your most useful frames in a convenient area for reuse. Optional collections of unique frames by several different photographers are also available. Each application has its strengths. EdgyGirl is so simple that
anyone who understands layers can begin to use it immediately. It also has a nice variety of edge styles. The Polaroid edges and painted edges are very eye-catching and make for some
nice variety along with the more conventional sloppy borders it provides.
Kubota Sloppy Borders is easy to use once it is set up, as it doesn’t require you to resize the edges. It also provides a batch capability that some photographers may consider a critical fea- ture. For example, a photographer can add borders to several hundred wedding photos with ease. Also, the package provides an action that will batch process a folder and make 4 x 6 proof
images with sloppy borders.
Parker J Edge is quite simple to install and provides a unique capability—the knockout, or fade to transparency, as well as the inside and outside edge effects. Also the manual step of dragging the edge to resize it allows some added control over how the edge appears, which some photographers will appreciate.
PhotoFrame provides the greatest variety of edge effects, but the downside is time wasted sifting the good from the bad. PhotoFrame also has the largest learning curve by far. (As I usually do with new software, I tried to learn PhotoFrame without the manual. As such, it took me a while to figure out that as I was selecting new frames, I was also adding them to a layer stack of frames. In other words, they were all overlapping and I had to delete the older frames if I didn’t want to create a
complex overlap.)

EdgyGirl retails for $150; Kubota Sloppy Borders retails for $125; Parker J Edge retails for $199; PhotoFrame Pro 3.1 retails for $159.95. See the individual websites listed below for more
information on these products.
Adding interesting borders to images is a simple and effective way to add a distinctive finishing touch to your photographs. At the same time, it provides another way to distinguish professional photographers from the crowd with digital cameras. You could say that it might just give you a little edge over the competition.

Larry Brownstein is the photographer and author of two books, Los Angeles,
Where Anything is Possible and The Midnight Mission. His photos appear
in numerous books, magazines, calendars, etc. His stock photography is repre-
sented by Getty Images. He has a growing wedding photography business. His
work can be seen at www.larrybrownstein.com.

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ISABELLA CAMIL Striking in Louis Verdad Wedding Dress

cheriefoto — Thu, 28 May 2009 04:46:42 +0000

A few weeks ago we were thrilled to be asked to shoot some images for Isabella Camil (the “Paris Hilton” of Mexico City) in her Louis Verdad Wedding Dress. Louis designed the dress and Isabella came from Mexico to get her last fitting. Not only was Isabella an amazingly beautiful Bride but the dress Louis Verdad designed was spectacular, fit her like a glove and was the most unusual dress imaginable. We had a blast setting up a small set which we shot with Robertino doing a small Fashion video for us all. Congratulations Isabella on your wedding in Mexico on the Mexican Riviera. The wolf Timber was compliments of wonderful Vanessa. I would recommend Louis Verdad for anyone that wants a wedding dress that is not like any other wedding dress. This designer is a master at making couture dresses that are edgy, profound and cutting edge. When the editor from Vogue, Diana Vreeland comes to Los Angeles she has said in the past that Louis Verdad is the only designer she would not think to come to LA without seeing! Diana Vreeland by the way is who the movie “Devil Wears Prada” was supposed to be about. So for that unusual Bride that does want to make a real statement run to see Louis and tell him I sent you!!! Women come from all over the world to have him make clothes for them.

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Your Wedding Day Event @ The Ebell!!!

cheriefoto — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:27:26 +0000

The Ebell and Your Wedding Day Magazine Event……

I will be posting a few images from this event asap…..

It was magical…..

Jeannie Ward from made a Marie Antoinette Room….

Nikki Khan from Exquisite Events made a Bollywood Room.

Micheal Willms from…..from Entertainment Design Events….made the Disco room!!!!

Eddie from Tic Toc Flowers

Did some very striking and unusual Floral arrangements……

Stay tuned for these amazing Panoramas from each room we made..and more pics ASAP!!!

For anyone looking for an amazing place to be married the Ebell of Los Angeles is for sure somewhere that you should check out. The history alone and the charming 1020’s architecture and the most interesting places to shoot all over the building. Please do yourself a favor and check them out.

Bridal Fashion

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