Best Places to Elope in NYC – Gardens

Hopefully you enjoyed our last blog on the best places to elope in NYC Parks. Our team of experts voted on the top NYC Parks for your elopement and shared insider tips, pricing and some of the best locations for your wedding photos in the parks. Now, part 2 of the 4 part series exploring the best places to elope in NYC will focus on NYC gardens! While many envision the iconic skyline for their NYC wedding, there’s a romantic allure in choosing nature as your backdrop. New York City boasts a myriad of public gardens available for your NYC elopement, each with its own unique charm. For couples seeking an intimate, nature-inspired celebration, the city’s enchanting gardens offer a perfect setting for your special day. Keep reading to find out our top picks for the best places to elope amidst the lush greenery of NYC Gardens..

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Best Places to Elope in NYC – Parks

With the price of pretty much everything going up in NYC, more and more engaged couples are choosing to elope. According to theknot.com the average wedding cost around $30K, add another 20-30% for getting hitched in one of the most expensive cities in the world and the average NYC couple is spending around $40K for their wedding! Eloping in NYC not only saves you money but offers couples an intimate option for tying the knot in one of the most exciting cities in the world!

Diversity is key in the Big Apple (after all NYC is known as the great “melting pot”) which means there are tons of options to choose from when looking for the best place to elope. New York City has everything from rooftop wedding venues with panoramic views of the skyline to secluded waterfront pavilions that will have you questioning if you are really in NYC!

Our NYC elopement photographers and team of experts have been helping couples elope in NYC for over a decade and are eager to share some of their top picks on the best places to elope in NYC. Drawing upon their extensive experience and countless inquiries from couples who have chosen to elope in New York City, we have meticulously categorized the options into four distinct and exceptional settings: Parks, Gardens, Rooftops, and Iconic NYC Landmarks. Keep reading for more details on the location perks, process for eloping there and of course how much it costs!

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First Look Wedding Photos: Pros, Cons & Insider Tips!

If you’ve ever planned a wedding, you’re sure to have come across a long list of wedding traditions to consider for the big day. Classic traditions like wearing something borrowed and something blue, is an oldie but goodie (grandma will love this one). While more modern trends like choosing a colorful wedding dress instead of the traditional white gown (grandma may not be so thrilled about this one) are becoming increasingly popular.

One tradition in particular that our wedding photographers have noticed is the decision to do a “First Look”. A first look is when a couple sees each other before the ceremony. While having a first look may break the tradition of seeing each other for the first time at the altar, more and more couples are choosing to have a first look for their wedding day! Keep reading to find out more about first look wedding photos, the pros and cons of a first look and insider tips from our wedding photography and video team!

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Planning your NYC wedding during the CoronaVirus pandemic

New Yorkers are known for their nonchalant attitude and ” unimpressed” response to anything short of an epidemic, so the announcement to shut New York City down due to the coronavirus pandemic really speaks volumes as to how serious this current crisis is, not only for New York but the world! One of the most populous cities in the world, 8.6 million NYC residents have been ordered to stay home and avoid interaction with others as much as possible.

Any business or event attracting a crowd has been ordered to close its doors during this crisis and travel has been strongly discouraged. So what does all this mean for NYC couples who are either planning or have planned their wedding over the next few months? Well.. ALOT! Keep reading to learn more about planning your NYC wedding during the coronavirus epidemic and get advice from our NYC wedding planners, photographers and NYC wedding venues….

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Brooklyn Weddings

Brooklyn is not only the hippest borough in NYC but also quickly becoming the go-to-city for wedding celebrations! Just google “Brooklyn Wedding Photos” for yourself to see why thousands of engaged New York City couples are flocking to Brooklyn every year to exchange vows. Our Brooklyn wedding photographers have witnessed it first hand and are excited to capture amazing weddings in the borough we call home!

Not only is Brooklyn home to countless wedding venues that offer everything from traditional ballrooms to industrial raw spaces to cozy Brooklyn restaurant wedding venues , but the options for gorgeous locations to choose from for your Brooklyn wedding photos is unmatched by any other borough! Keep reading for insider tips from our Brooklyn wedding photographers on the best wedding venues in Brooklyn, great locations throughout the borough to capture amazing Brooklyn wedding photos, and how to save a few bucks on your Brooklyn wedding!

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Restaurant Wedding Venues – Brooklyn

Brooklyn, NY is not only known for it’s unique wedding venues but also amazing restaurants with delicious cuisine! Luckily for couples seeking an affordable venue in NYC, restaurant wedding venues in Brooklyn combine the two! From french inspired menus to authentic Italian choices and beyond, our Brooklyn photographers have had the pleasure of shooting and dining at some pretty amazing restaurant wedding venues in Brooklyn! There are many advantages to booking a restaurant wedding venue in Brooklyn; besides being more flexible in pricing, a restaurant wedding offers a more intimate setting and personalized attention that may be hard to come by at the larger NYC wedding venues.

Many of our couples have chosen to host their wedding day celebration at their favorite restaurant while others found their restaurant wedding venue while researching affordable wedding venues in Brooklyn…whatever your reason for considering a restaurant wedding venue in Brooklyn, our photographers and video team can be there to capture it all. Keep reading to find out more about hosting your celebration at a restaurant wedding venue and some of our favorite restaurant wedding venues in Brooklyn ….

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Central Park Wedding

A historic New York landmark, Central Park is a beautiful oasis in Manhattan offering New Yorkers an escape from the concrete jungle. From popular movies like Breakfast at Tiffany’s to world famous events like the New York Marathon, Central Park has provided a beautiful location for all things New York for over a century! So it’s no wonder that hundreds of couples choose to exchange vows in the iconic Manhattan location every year. Our popular all-inclusive wedding package was created to accommodate couples who wanted an intimate wedding celebration without the hassle of paying for a full day of wedding photography.

Our photographers have had the honor of working at most of the Central Park wedding locations and never get tired of shooting in this beautiful outdoor Manhattan ceremony location. No matter your taste Central Park has a ceremony location that you will love. From waterside structures like Ladies Pavilion, to an actual castle by a lake, our Central Park elopement packages even include the permit for whatever location you choose (with the exception of the Conservatory Garden).

Keep reading for more information on the best locations to get married in Central Park, our amazing all-inclusive Central Park elopement package and some tips from our photographers on how to plan your Central Park wedding….

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Jewish Wedding Photographer – NYC

Are you planning a Jewish Wedding in NYC and looking for a photographer that is familiar with and experienced in capturing Jewish wedding traditions? Perhaps your future spouse is Jewish and you want to be sure to include some of the traditional Jewish wedding traditions into your mixed faith wedding celebration but don’t know which traditions are optional or mandatory.. Maybe you are attending a Jewish wedding in NYC for the first time and want to know what to expect and how to prepare.. ..no matter your reason our experienced Jewish wedding photographers can help!

With a population of over 1 million Jews in New York City (apx. 13% of the NYC’s population), New York City is home to the largest community of Jews in the world outside of Israel ! So it’s safe to say that a large percentage of the weddings planned in NYC are Jewish wedding celebrations or at the least include elements of Jewish wedding traditions… Our photographers and video team have captured hundreds of NYC Jewish weddings and are always honored to experience and document the sacred traditions that take place.. keep reading for more info on what goes into planning a NYC Jewish wedding and why our photographers are some of the best Jewish wedding photographers in NYC !

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NYC Vow Renewal

Our team is available to help you plan your NYC vow renewal. From photography for your vow renewal ceremony to officiants that will assist you with creating beautiful renewing wedding vows, and finding the best place to have your vow renewal ceremony, we can provide everything you need! Renewing your vows in NYC is a great way to celebrate your anniversary, whether you have been married for one year or 20 plus!

Our all-inclusive wedding packages are perfect for NYC vow renewals and can be customized based on your needs. Our officiants love performing vow renewal ceremonies and work closely with every couple to create a vow renewal ceremony that uniquely reflects your love story.

Not sure where to renew your vows in NYC? We can help you with great pointers on the best places in NYC to renew your vows and even suggest some small wedding venues in NYC for a celebration with your family and friends afterwards! Our NYC photographers and video team will capture beautiful vow renewal photos and video of your ceremony at popular locations like Central Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park or any NYC wedding ceremony location you choose. Keep reading for more info on the different options available with our team when planning your NYC vow renewal!

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New York City Hall Wedding

Planning a New York City Hall wedding is becoming more and more popular amongst couples getting married in NYC according to our elopement photographers. Couples who are on a budget or simply don’t want the stress of planning a 100-guest celebration at one of the NYC wedding venues are proving that eloping at City Hall can be just as special!

As a matter of fact, our unique elopement wedding photography packages were created to satisfy the demand of NYC couples who wanted affordable photography packages for their New York City Hall Wedding. While our wedding photographers and video team love working at the top New York wedding venues, they always get excited about capturing the more intimate New York City Hall Weddings and deliver amazing elopement photos and video to commemorate the day. Keep reading to find out more about how to get married at City Hall and how our NYC City Hall wedding photographers can help you plan it all!

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NYC Proposal Photographer

Our photography team sort of stumbled into becoming one of the top NYC Proposal Photographers after being asked to capture several surprise proposals throughout New York. A fairly new trend according to theknot.com, proposal photography may be the new “engagement photo session” for couples who want to capture the very beginning of their journey to the altar.

Of course, capturing romantic engagement photos in New York City comes naturally to our team of photographers that have been capturing engagement and wedding photos in New York City for years, and adding the element of surprise has been a welcome challenge that our NYC photographers have mastered! From helping the groom (or bride) find the best place to propose in NYC to conjuring up a good reason to have our photographer snap photos of you and your unsuspecting fiance, our proposal photographers are there to make sure everything goes perfect .. Keep reading for more info on why you should say Yes (pun intended) to hiring one of our NYC Proposal Photographers !

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Vendor Highlight: Giando on the Water

Giando on the Water may be the best NYC Skyline Wedding Venue in Brooklyn! In addition to being conveniently located in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, Giando on the Water offers one of the most coveted skyline views in Brooklyn with unobstructed views of the Williamsburg Bridge, East River and lower east side of Manhattan. The waterfront wedding venue is family owned and operates as an Italian restaurant that is open to the public when the unique space is not being used for a wedding celebration.

Our Brooklyn wedding photographers and videography team have worked at Giando many times and always capture amazing photos and wedding video at the Brooklyn venue! As a matter of fact, our wedding photographers and videography team have captured so many beautiful weddings at Giando on the Water that they added our Brooklyn wedding photography studio to their preferred vendor list! Giando on the Water is the perfect wedding venue choice for couples who want an intimate setting with dramatic skyline views on the water. Add in the fact that the food is delicious and affordable and picking Giando on the Water for your wedding day celebration is a no-brainer! Keep reading for more info on what makes Giando on the Water so special and why you should check them out for yourself…

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Barn Wedding Venues

Sometimes you just need to unplug and de-stress from all the seemingly wonderful things modern day technology brings. Constant texting, 24/7 social media feeds, emailing… tweeting… and looking at a screen all day (whether it be your computer,tablet or smart phone) may keep us virtually connected but could be hurting our “real life” connections more then we realize! Every industry is being affected by this “instant gratification” problem including weddings! Smart phones and social media make it possible for everyone (including those not invited) to see your big day happen live..even before the newlyweds themselves see the photos & video of their wedding day! Because of this, more and more couples are choosing to take it back to the good old days by hosting an “unplugged wedding” in an effort to help their guests reconnect to what’s really important….being in the moment!

Wedding venues are getting in on the “unplugged” movement as well offering rustic settings for couples who really want to take a step back in time! Barn wedding venues are becoming more and more popular for couples seeking a rustic wedding venue in the Tristate area. Our photographers and videographers have captured nostalgic photos and wedding video at several beautiful barn wedding venues in NYC, NJ, Long Island and CT. Keep reading for more info on these “old school” wedding venues and why you should consider hosting your wedding at a barn wedding venue!

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Small Wedding Venues NYC

When you most people think NYC wedding, they think BIG! After all, NYC is known for doing things in a big way. From historic New Year’s Eve parties in Times Square to the famous New York Marathon, NYC is home to big events! When it comes to weddings however, one size does not fit all. Our wedding photographers are capturing more and more intimate weddings at small wedding venues in NYC than ever before. As a matter of fact, our popular all-inclusive elopement package was created in response to so many of our clients inquiring about How to Elope in NYC!

But if an intimate wedding in Central Park isn’t quite what you had in mind, one of the small wedding venues in NYC may be right for you. Our NYC wedding photographers have worked at most of the wedding venues throughout New York City and have seen first hand just how special a small wedding can be! Besides relieving a lot of the stress that comes with planning a large wedding, choosing to host your wedding at one of the intimate wedding venues in NYC also saves a ton of money, since most of the small wedding venues in NYC offer very affordable wedding packages! Keep reading to find out more about some of our NYC wedding photographers top picks for the best small wedding venues in NYC!

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Editorial Style Wedding Photography

NYC wedding photographers are some of the most talented wedding photographers in the world and are as diverse as New York City itself! From editorial style wedding photography to traditional and photojournalistic styles, there is a lot to be considered when figuring out what wedding photography style is right for you. Well known wedding websites like Knot.com and Weddingwire.com even offer wedding photography style quiz for couples who are looking for an NYC wedding photographer and want to figure out the wedding photography style that works best for them.

Some NY wedding photographers specialize in a specific style while others are experienced in shooting several styles of wedding photography and shoot based on the preferences of the couple. Our team of experienced NYC wedding photographers do it all! Besides offering the most affordable wedding photography packages in NYC, our Brooklyn photography studio works with photographers with many years of experience shooting in several different styles of wedding photography, including editorial style wedding photography. So what is editorial style wedding photography exactly and what type of couples usually prefer this wedding photography style? Keep reading for more info on our NYC wedding photographers experience shooting this style of photography and why it may be right for you..

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NYC Wedding

Our Brooklyn wedding photographers and videographers have been honored to be a part of countless NYC weddings. Our affordable team of wedding professionals do everything from capturing wedding photos and video at some of the top NYC wedding venues, to performing wedding ceremonies in Central Park and helping NYC couples plan their New York wedding! Over the years we have developed a reliable team of wedding photographers and videographers, registered NY officiants and NYC wedding planners to help New York couples make their wedding dreams a reality. New York couples have no shortage of wedding professionals to choose from for their NYC wedding, but if you are looking for an experienced team of photographers and videographers that guarantee high quality wedding photos at an affordable price, our Brooklyn photography and video studio is the best choice!

So what’s so great about an NYC wedding? Besides having access to a ton of unique and affordable wedding venues, couples who choose to get hitched in NYC have free (or low cost) access to some of the best places to take wedding photos with skyline views, waterfront options or natural park settings (Central Park Weddings are a very popular option ). There are also tons of wedding packages to choose from including affordable full day wedding packages, all-inclusive elopement packages and now thanks to our one-of-a-kind build your own package tool, fully customizable wedding photo and video packages. Keep reading for more info and tips on planning your NYC wedding!

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Unique NYC Wedding Venues

More and more couples are choosing to forgo the classic wedding venues for less traditional settings at some of the top unique NYC wedding venues. Fortunately for them, New York City is home to tons of unique wedding venues that offer affordable wedding packages. From converted car restorations shops like 501 Union in Brooklyn, NY to historic wedding venues like Onderdonk House in Queens, (the oldest Dutch Colonial stone house in NYC) our wedding photographers have captured amazing wedding photo and video at some of the top unique NYC wedding venues.

If you and your fiance’ are literary lovers, you can get married in the New York Public library and give back at the same time since the rental fee supports the beloved non profit. If a rooftop wedding venue is more your taste, then 620 Loft and Garden in Manhattan offers a garden setting 60 flights above the bustling NYC streets with a reflective pool and stunning views of St Patricks Cathedral. Whatever you choose, our experienced team of wedding photographers and videographers can capture it all! Keep reading for our top picks for the best unique NYC wedding venues!

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NYC Elopement Photographer

Our NYC elopement photographers have been capturing elopements in New York City since 2011. After receiving numerous requests for elopement photography in Central Park and other parts of NYC, we created our now popular all-inclusive elopement packages. More and more couples are choosing to keep their wedding day plan simple and tie the knot with a short elopement ceremony in Central Park or other public (and free) locations throughout New York . Many of our elopement clients travel from abroad and need an NYC elopement photographer that knows the best places to elope in NYC and can connect them with other New York wedding professionals like officiants, florist and hair and makeup professionals. Our elopement planners take care of all the arrangements including securing the permit to host your ceremony in Central Park (or other parks in NYC), arranging floral delivery to your hotel and more! City Hall weddings aren’t the only option (although a great choice as well) when eloping in New York and our NYC elopement photographers can walk you through the steps of how to elope in NYC and capture it all. Check out our article for more info on how our NYC elopement photographers can help you plan your New York City elopement!

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Staten Island Wedding Venues

Staten Island, NY is home to around 480,000 NYC residents. For over 200 years, the famous Staten Island Ferry has been offering New Yorkers a quick escape from the other more populated boroughs with a free scenic boat ride across the Bay and access to great public parks, a popular zoo and some of the best restaurants in NYC. For couples getting hitched in New York City, Staten Island is also home to some of the most affordable wedding venues in NYC! Completely surrounded by water, Staten Island is the perfect choice for couples seeking a waterfront wedding venue that’s easily accessible from other parts of New York. Our photographers and videographers don’t mind the commute from our Brooklyn wedding photography studio and have worked at most of the Staten Island wedding venues and always capture beautiful wedding photo and video on the island!

Choosing a less populated borough to host your wedding is a great way to save when planning an NYC wedding on a budget! Besides offering more intimate settings and flexible pricing, Staten Island wedding venues come with one of the best NYC Skyline Views around ! Getting married on Staten Island gives your wedding guests a “destination wedding” experience and thanks to it’s easy access from New Jersey and the other boroughs, your guests won’t have the hassle of the “destination wedding” travel!

Although Staten Island is the smallest of the boroughs in New York City, there are several types of wedding venues to choose from when getting married on the Island. From beach wedding venues to cultural Japanese gardens to rooftop wedding venues with a view, Staten Island has something for every couple getting married in NY. Keep reading for more info on some of our photographers favorite Staten Island wedding venues.

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NYC Engagement Photographer

Our NYC engagement photographers have been capturing beautiful engagement photos throughout NYC since our Brooklyn wedding photography studio opened! Couples love the opportunity to celebrate their engagement with a professional photo session and get to work with our wedding photographers before the big day! New York City is full of great engagement photo locations and our photographers can help you figure out the best engagement photo ideas based on your taste and style as a couple. Our engagement photo prices are some of the most affordable in NYC and you receive high quality engagement photos that you can share to make the announcement or as beautiful table centerpieces at the wedding! Your engagement photo package includes a fun highlight page with the best photos from your engagement photo shoot which is great for sharing with family and friends. If you want to get the ball rolling early, consider our affordable proposal photography package and let one of our NYC proposal photographers capture the beginning of your journey to the altar! (We can give great recommendations on the best places to propose in NYC as well!). Keep reading for more info and tips on NYC engagement photos and why our studio is rated as one of the best NYC engagement photographers out there!

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Vendor Highlight: Deity Events – Brooklyn Wedding Venue

Being an NYC wedding photographer and videographer means being a part of a pretty awesome group of wedding professionals in New York. From NYC wedding DJs who get the party started to amazing wedding florist, officiants and NYC wedding planners, we have had the opportunity to meet and partner with some of the top wedding vendors in NYC! No matter the size of your wedding or the professionals you choose, finding the right wedding venue is key! After all, you need a place to get hitched and celebrate after wards!

Choosing a wedding venue that reflects your style as a couple, fits into your budget and is easily accessible from other parts of NYC are a few factors to consider when you begin your search for a NY wedding venue. Our photographers and video team have worked at most of the wedding venues in New York and surrounding areas and know first hand that choosing the right wedding venue can make or break your wedding day!

If you choose to get married in Brooklyn (great choice by the way) Deity Events is a great option and one of our favorite Brooklyn wedding venues by far! The unique Brooklyn wedding venue is owned and operated by a husband and wife team and offers exclusive use of over 5,000 square feet of space with 3 levels (5 if you count the rooftop and Bridal Suite). The Deity wedding cost is surprisingly affordable for all that they offer and to top it off, the in-house catering is delicious and the staff are super friendly and professional. Our photography and videographers love shooting at Deity (it’s like our second home) and have been honored to capture many wedding celebrations in the unique wedding venue.

Keep reading for more information on Deity Events and what makes this Brooklyn wedding venue one of our favorites!

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NYC Wedding Photographer

Our articles on how to find an “Affordable wedding photographer in NYC” and “NYC Wedding Photographer Cost” were so popular that we have returned to give you more pointers on what to look for when starting your search for a NYC Wedding Photographer. The average engagement in NY is around 14 months with most couples booking their NYC Wedding Photographer about 9 months before the wedding. So, on average, that leaves couples with only 5 months to research, interview and decide on a wedding photographer for their big day. Add in the added pressure of finding an affordable NYC wedding venue, NYC Wedding Planner (yes you need one of those), a Wedding DJ in New York that won’t break the bank and of course someone to make it all legal (an NYC officiant) and 5 months suddenly feels very short! We can’t count how many times a frazzled Bride has called praying that we have a wedding photographer available because they waited until the last minute to research wedding photographer prices and were shocked at NYC wedding photographer cost! After all, planning a wedding in one of the most expensive cities in the world without going into debt isn’t exactly easy ! Luckily our inexpensive wedding photographer packages are extremely affordable and our wedding photography team is known for being one of the most affordable wedding photographers in New York!

So now that you realize you are probably a few months behind in booking your NYC Wedding Photographer, what should you look for when choosing a photographer for your big day? Of course, finding an affordable wedding photography package is important.. but there is truth to the saying “you get what you pay for” so be leery of the cheap wedding photographers in NYC that seem too good to be true!

Booking a NYC Wedding Photographer that is experienced and familiar with your NYC Wedding venue is always a plus (and the venue can give you feedback on the photographers as well). Another key factor in finding the right NYC Wedding Photographer is making sure they have a good reputation. Check out their reviews on popular sites like Yelp and The Knot to see what other couple have said about their experience with the photographers.. don’t just take their word for it… after all this may be one of the most important decisions you make on your journey to the altar! Your NYC wedding photographer will be there on your big day to capture all the special moments that you want to remember for the rest of your life, so choose wisely! Keep reading for more inside info on how to choose the best NYC Wedding Photographer for you!

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NYC Skyline Wedding Venues

NYC is known for many things. Luxury shopping, amazing ethnic foods, Broadway shows and of course the skyline views! The NYC skyline is one of the most coveted views in the world, New Yorkers pay top dollar for an apartment with a view of the skyline and people travel from all over the world to get a peek at our amazing skyline, so its no wonder that those planning a wedding in or around New York want a wedding venue with skyline views on their big day! Our photographers are asked for suggestions all the time on the best locations to take engagement and wedding photos with a view of the NYC skyline and luckily NYC has plenty! From affordable rooftop wedding venues with views of the skyline to Yacht weddings that sail around the city to outdoor ceremony locations in Central Park, there are plenty to choose from when seeking a wedding venue with city views. Keep reading to find out more as our photography and video team weigh in on the top 10 wedding venues with NYC skyline views..

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Affordable Wedding Venues in Bronx, NY

When most people from NYC think of the Bronx, they think of the Yankees, amazing food and good music (the Bronx is widely acknowledged as the birth place of Hip Hop) but the Bronx is also home to many beautiful and affordable wedding venues! Easily accessible from the Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn, the Bronx may be the perfect choice when looking for an inexpensive wedding venue in NY. From reception halls in the Bronx to outdoor wedding venues to rooftop wedding venues with a view, there are tons of affordable wedding venues in the Bronx. Our photography and video team have shot at most of the wedding venues in the Bronx and are never disappointed. Keep reading for more info as our “Affordable Wedding Venues in New York” series continues with a look at some of the best inexpensive wedding venues in the Bronx…

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Affordable Wedding Venues Queens

If you are looking for an inexpensive wedding venue in Queens, NY then you are in luck! Out of all of the boroughs, Queens may have the largest amount of affordable wedding venues in NYC. From luxury wedding venues featuring ballrooms and crystal chandeliers to intimate rooftop wedding venues with a view, Queens has something for everyone. Our photographers and video team have worked at most of the wedding reception halls in Queens and are always impressed. Thanks to the recent development of Long Island City, more and more wedding venues are opening every year, making it easy to find a wedding venue in Queens on a budget. The borough has several popular parks for wedding photos like Gantry Plaza State Park and Flushing Meadow Park and is easily accessible from Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. There are even venues with all inclusive wedding packages in Queens, NY. So if you are planning a New York wedding on a budget and need tips on some of the most affordable wedding venues in Queens, keep reading!

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Affordable Wedding Venues Manhattan

Part two in our popular “Affordable NYC Wedding Venues” series, our photography and video team have weighed in on their pick for the top affordable wedding venues in Manhattan. Typically the words “affordable” and “Manhattan” don’t appear in the same sentence, as a matter of fact, CNN reported the average cost of getting hitched in Manhattan at around $77K . That’s double the national average! So what are the choices for budget-conscious brides and grooms who want to host their wedding in Manhattan ? There is always the option of keeping it simple and eloping at City Hall, or booking one of our all-inclusive elopement packages and having your ceremony in Central Park or one of the other beautiful places to elope in NYC . But if your mother has threatened to take you out of the will if you elope (we’ve actually heard this before) then keep reading for our tips on how to have a wedding in Manhattan without breaking the bank and find a venue that is both beautiful and affordable !

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Brooklyn Rooftop Wedding Venue

Due to the popularity of our recent article on some of the best NYC Rooftop Wedding Venues, we decided to highlight the Brooklyn rooftop wedding venue we mentioned on our blog, The W Loft. Part of the BK Venues family, our photographers and video team love working at The W Loft and have captured amazing photo and video at the Williamsburg-based venue! Brooklyn has made a huge impact in the wedding venue arena and couples getting hitched in the hip borough have a ton of wedding venues to choose from, including this recently renovated scenic rooftop venue. Our wedding planners fell in love with the elegant raw space and have worked with couples to convert this beautiful venue into a wedding masterpiece! Guests enjoy views of the Manhattan skyline, two suites for getting ready and an indoor space with glass walls to bring the outdoors in, for your reception (or to offer backup space for your ceremony in case of rain). To top it all off, The W Loft is also one of the most affordable wedding venues in Brooklyn, offering couples several rental options and freedom to bring in their own vendors, allowing even more flexibility with your wedding budget. Check out our article for photos of this beautiful rooftop venue and more details on why this Brooklyn wedding venue is giving Manhattan rooftop venues a run for their money!

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Long Island Wedding Venues

Long Island is home to some of the most beautiful wedding venues in New York. Our photography and video team love shooting on the Island and have captured countless wedding celebrations there. From intimate elopements in the Hamptons to large wedding receptions in a Mansion, you will be sure to find a venue that fits your needs and budget. Long Island offers tons of wedding venues with a view that are near the water on both sides of the Island (with amazing views of the Long Island Sound) and several beach wedding options as well, so you don’t have to travel far from NYC to get that “destination” wedding experience. Surprisingly affordable, most of the Long Island wedding venues will work with you on pricing. Book one of our affordable wedding photo and video packages and you are all set! Our photographers can give you great pointers on the best locations in Long Island for wedding photos and our wedding planners will assist you in creating your timeline to make sure every special moment is captured. Check out our article for more info about some of our favorite Long Island wedding venues…

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Queens Wedding Venues

When looking for an affordable wedding venue in NYC, Queens, NY may be your best bet! Our photographers have worked at many of the wedding venues in Queens and are always impressed. Queens, New York is easily accessible from the other boroughs including Manhattan and Brooklyn and with the recent development of Long Island City, this borough is offering more and more wedding venue options for couples on a budget. From reception hall venues, to Botanical gardens to rooftop wedding venues on the water, Queens wedding venues offer amazing views and backdrops for your photos. If you want a unique venue option in Queens consider Queens County Farm. You can get married on an operating farm complete with live animals and a barn for your reception! Whatever your style, you will be sure to find an affordable option and staff that is willing to go above and beyond to make your big day perfect! Check out our article for more info on our photographers top picks for the best wedding venues in Queens on a budget.

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Affordable Wedding Photographer NYC

Finding an affordable wedding photographer in NYC can seem like a daunting task. After all, New York is one of the most expensive cities in the world with the average wedding cost coming in well over $70K. Even if you are lucky enough to get a date booked at one of the best affordable wedding venues in NYC , you still have to buy the dress, rings, gifts for the wedding party, favors etc.. it all adds up pretty fast!

Your wedding photos are one of the few tangible items you will have after the big day, so the quality of your wedding photography should never be compromised to save a buck or two. Luckily, our affordable wedding photography packages give clients on a budget the option to have the best of both worlds. Our team of professionals are some of the best photographers in NYC and take great pride in providing amazing photography for our clients. You will never have to choose between quality and affordability when booking our wedding packages. We offer a one-of-a-kind build your own package tool giving you even more control over your budget and allowing you to add what you need and leave off what you don’t ! If you aren’t sure what you want to include in your photo package we can help you figure that out too.

Our photographers have worked at most of the popular NYC wedding venues and can give great pointers on how many hours of coverage you will need to get the photos you want. There are a few things to keep in mind when searching for an affordable wedding photographer of course. A cheap wedding photo package doesn’t always mean it’s the best option for you, after all you know the old saying, “you get what you pay for”….
Check out our article for some fool proof ways to book an affordable wedding photo package without sacrificing quality..

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Castle Wedding Venues in NY and CT

You found your prince (or princess) charming, you fell in love, got engaged and now you just need a Castle to get hitched in before riding your horse off into the sunset. Luckily, New York and the surrounding areas have several Castle wedding venues available for couples planning their fairytale wedding! Choosing a Castle for your wedding venue pretty much guarantees amazing wedding photography and video! Our photographer and videographers have shot at several of the Castle wedding venues in the NY area and are always blown away by their beauty. From Long Island to Connecticut to a local miniature Castle right here in NYC, there is something for everyone.

Of course when you book a Castle wedding venue you want your guest to feel like royalty and the staff at these venues see to it that every single detail is taken care of. From manicured lawns and top notch catering, to decked out Bridal Suites and guest rooms , your Castle celebration will feel more like a destination wedding in a chateau in France!

You don’t have to be an heir to a trust fund to afford a Castle wedding either! These Castle venues offer great pricing that is comparable to the cost of other affordable wedding venues in NYC . Add in our cheap photo and video package and all you have left to do is wave to your subjects..I mean…wedding guests… after you say I Do! Be sure to check out our article for more photos and information on some of the best local Castle wedding venues so you can start planning your fairytale wedding now!

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Affordable Wedding Venues Brooklyn

When looking for a wedding venue in NYC the words “affordable, cheap, or inexpensive” don’t typically come to mind. However, you may be surprised to find out that there are actually affordable wedding venues in NYC that offer beautiful unique spaces and all-inclusive packages without breaking the bank. Our photographers have shot at most of the New York wedding venues, from expensive luxury venues like Guastavino Event Space to intimate elopements in Central Park that only cost $25 bucks for the permit. With the development of up-and coming-boroughs like Long Island City, Queens (home to the popular Metropolitan Building wedding venue ) and the revitalization of industrial neighborhoods like Dumbo and Red Hook in Brooklyn, the hunt for affordable wedding venues is becoming an easier task for budget-conscious couples.

Speaking of Brooklyn, the hip borough not only offers various options for an affordable wedding venue, but is also home to several parks like the Brooklyn Bridge Park and Prospect Park, so you don’t have to go far for amazing backdrops for your wedding photography ! From waterfront venues like Giando on the Water in Williamsburg to the hip 3-story rooftop venue in downtown Brooklyn at Deity Events, Brooklyn has something for everyone. Of course, our photo studio is also located here and fortunately no matter the price of the venue, our affordable photography packages can make your big day look like a million bucks! But if you don’t actually want to spend that much check our our article to find out our top picks for the best affordable wedding venues in Brooklyn!

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Waterfront Wedding Venues New York

If you are looking for waterfront wedding venue in NY then you are in luck! After all, New York is home to several islands and the entire state is on the coast, so finding a wedding venue with views of the water is easy to come by. Of course, thanks to the views and natural lighting your photography is sure to be amazing! Our photographers and videographers love shooting on the water and your wedding guests will appreciate the treat as well! Our photo and video team have shot at most of the coveted NYC wedding venues on the water and are never disappointed. From Bronx-based venues with floor to ceiling windows to Manhattan event spaces docked right on the water, most of the NYC waterfront venues can accommodate both large and intimate weddings. You can even get married in a waterfront ceremony with views of the Manhattan skyline under the Brooklyn Bridge ! One of the many advantages of choosing a waterfront wedding venue with views is being able to bring the “outdoors” inside for your reception. You get the best of both worlds having a beautiful indoor reception location with the feel and views of an outdoor venue! If you really want to bring in the whoa factor for your wedding on the water, consider hosting a Yacht wedding for an ultimate “waterfront” experience. Check out our article for more information on our photographer and videographers picks for the best waterfront wedding venues in NY!

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NYC Wedding Photographer Cost

Finding an affordable wedding photographer in NYC may seem impossible. After all when you think New York the words “affordable, cheap or inexpensive” don’t usually come to mind, especially when calculating the cost of hosting a wedding in our great city, but it is possible! Thanks to the addition of many intimate and unique wedding venues throughout New York, affordable photography studios like ours and caring wedding vendors who are willing to work with your budget, it is possible to get married in NYC without breaking the bank (although you may have to break a few hearts when saying no to other expensive photographers out there).

Our photography team is made up of some of the best New York has to offer. After years of customizing our wedding packages to meet our client’s needs and budget we developed a “build your own package” tool that lets couples pick exactly what they need and leave out the things they don’t which offers even more flexible prices! AND with our photography packages you never have to sacrifice quality for affordability. It doesn’t cost more to get a “top photographer” at our studio; all our photographers have been capturing weddings for years and come with a diverse background and a pleasant attitude!

Our studio offers hourly photo packages that are perfect for couples that come to New York to elope or are planning an intimate wedding or full day photography packages for couples that want to capture everything from start to finish. If you are somewhere in between, don’t worry you can customize our photo package to fit your needs. We also offer add ons like wedding video options, engagement photo shoots and more…. So what can you expect to pay for a wedding photographer in NYC? Thanks to our amazing photographers , an “arm and a leg” isn’t required.. check out our article for more information…

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NYC Rooftop Wedding Venues

New York City is ranked as the #1 most populous city in the US. Home to over 8 million people, with the exception of Central Park, the city doesn’t have the luxury of offering a lot of open space. But what the Big Apple lacks on the ground it makes up for in the sky! Manhattan is known for it’s rooftop bars and many other boroughs offer city views with your drink as well like the Long Island City based Vista Sky Lounge. Locals and tourist alike spend summer nights hanging out and enjoying the views on rooftops across the boroughs.

For engaged couples seeking that “whoa factor” for their big day, NYC rooftop venues offer jaw-dropping views that are sure to impress. Our photographers have had the opportunity to work at several of the popular rooftop venues and have captured some pretty amazing photos! From intimate elopements 70 stories above the streets of Manhattan at the Top of the Rock to Brooklyn rooftop ceremonies, getting hitched at a rooftop venue guarantees that your wedding photography will have an amazing backdrop no matter the location!

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New York Indian Wedding Photographer

One of the many advantages of working in wedding photography and video is being able to witness some of the beautiful traditional rituals of our multicultural clients. From Jewish wedding ceremonies under a Chuppah to American and African fusion celebrations our photographers and videographers respect and appreciate all cultures!

No matter the tradition, planning a wedding is hard work! Securing a date, finding a venue that fits your needs (and budget) and then inviting (and paying for) 100 or more of your closest friends and family to celebrate with you…It can be a daunting task ! Most brides have a hard time planning one wedding and would probably gasp at the idea of organizing a 3-day wedding celebration! But that is exactly what Indian couples do!

Our photographers and videographers have had the pleasure of capturing several Indian Weddings and have fallen in love with the beautiful traditions. Our Indian clients love the fact that they can customize our wedding package to fit the diverse needs of each day’s events and not break the bank! Curious to know what happens during an Indian wedding? Keep reading for a breakdown of the 3 day celebration!

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How to Elope in NYC

NYC is one the biggest tourist destinations in the world. With a countless array of restaurants, nightlife,entertainment and cultural activities available literally 24 hours, it’s no wonder our great city was nicknamed the “city that never sleeps” . New York is also an amazing elopement destination location for couples who want to tie the knot and spend their honeymoon in the Big Apple! Our photographers and elopement team love working with couples from all over the world and serving as an unofficial tour guide for some of the best places to visit while you are here.

Our all-inclusive elopement packages come complete with a photographer and videographer to capture it all, an officiant to perform your wedding ceremony and make it legal, hair and makeup artist to come to your hotel and get you dolled up and we can even throw in a bridal bouquet and wedding album to show all your friends and family back home.

NYC offers hundreds of free or low cost ceremony locations like the famous Ladies Pavilion in Central Park (the permit is only $25 bucks!) , a man-made beach in Brooklyn Bridge Park (nestled next to a famous Carousel) and some of our couples who really wanna keep it “New York” have even eloped in the middle of Times Square ! No matter your taste (or budget) eloping in NYC is always a great choice. Check out our article for a step by step guide on how to elope in NYC!

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Best Unique Brooklyn Wedding Venues

With the welcoming of the New Year and Valentine’s Day right around the corner, engagement season is upon us! Our all-inclusive packages now include wedding planning services and our phones have been buzzing with inquiries from newly engaged couples asking about the best places to get hitched in NYC. Traditional wedding venues are still a great option for some but we’ve noticed more and more couples are seeking a unique option for their big day.

From a converted synagogue in downtown Brooklyn to a former warehouse with a rooftop in Williamsburg, this hip borough has something to offer for every taste and budget! If you are getting hitched in Brooklyn you don’t have to go far to find a beautiful outdoor space for your first look either! Brooklyn Bridge Park offers breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline and is home to several well known attractions like Jane’s Carousel and Brooklyn Ice Cream factory.

Smack Mellon (which is located in Dumbo) offers couples a rustic space lined with cobble stone streets, while Giando on the Water (in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn) has waterfront dining and an outdoor space for your ceremony that is unmatched! Our photographers love capturing weddings in our home borough and are never disappointed! Check out the article for our top 4 choices for best unique Brooklyn venues!

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I DO! But when? How to choose your Wedding Date.

You met the perfect guy/girl, you fell in love and now you’re engaged to be married! The hard part is over right? Well if you are anything like the thousands of other couples that are planning a wedding, the answer might be NO! The next crucial step in the process of making it to the altar is picking the perfect date to say I Do. There are many factors to consider when picking your wedding date; which season you prefer, when your guests can attend, do you want an indoor or outdoor wedding; and perhaps one of the most important questions, how does my wedding date affect my wedding budget? A weekday off-season (Jan-March) wedding is by far the less expensive option but also makes it highly unlikely that all your guests will be able to attend, while an evening wedding on a Saturday in the summer will require a larger budget in most cases. Book your Wedding Package here It really all boils down to deciding what is important to you as a couple. Perhaps getting married on the same date that you had your first date is priority, or picking a Friday that coincides with a major holiday so that your guests can travel to your destination wedding is what’s right for you. Whatever you choose, you never have to worry about paying more for your photography and video wedding packages with our studio. Our pricing is the same year round and we even have a one of…

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No need for cold feet, Divorce Rates are Down!!

We photograph and film hundreds of beautiful NYC weddings every year. The couples always appear to be deeply in love and connected. Finding that one special person to spend the rest of your life with is something most of us dream about! Sadly, high profile divorces (or conscious uncoupling as it’s being referred to) of some of our favorite stars like Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin; Heidi Klum and Seal; Katy Perry and Russell Brand; Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony and Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes(remember that “coach surfing” Oprah interview?) make even the most optimistic couples nervous! So our team was overjoyed to have read the recent NY Times article written by former Forbes reporter, Claire Cain Miller, debunking the myth that half of marriages end in divorce. According to her article and research done by University of Michigan economist, divorce rates are actually falling!

There are several factors that the article explores; changing gender roles (yes men cook too!) waiting later in life to get married and (our favorite) marrying for love instead of economic gain; as contributing factors to this welcomed decline. Perhaps the new same sex marriage laws being passed in the United States (about time!) is a positive contributor to this new trend as well. One of our favorite gay couples, Gary & John had been together for 38 years (talk about standing the test of time!) when we shot their beautiful wedding video!

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Pillow Talk with Sleepwear Designer Olivia Von Halle

‘Tis the season for great holiday parties and days spent lounging around your home, hiding away from the cold and recovering from your hangover. So, why wear sweatpants or dingy cotton pajamas on your days and nights off? London based designer, Olivia Von Halle, has created a brand of pajamas (or Pyjamas, if you’re British) that are glamorous enough for any New York fashionista on her off hours. Inspired by the lounging pajamas made famous by Coco Chanel in the roaring twenties, Olivia Von Halle’s brand has made bedtime a black tie affair. Le Image Inc had the great fortune to interview globetrotting sleepwear designer, Olivia Von Halle.  The British native, who started her fashion career as a trend predictor and luxury brand consultant in Shanghai, has been at helm of her eponymous brand since 2011. Her unique brand of luxurious sleepwear and robes has received the stamp of approval from the fashion elite of Vogue, Marie Claire and Elle magazine. And not to mention, David Beckham bought his style icon wife, Victoria Beckham, a pair of her very own last Christmas! Olivia was so kind as to answers our questions even amongst the chaos of the pre-Christmas shopping season (To get the best deals online for the holiday season, be sure to read our other article before Cyber Monday: https://www.leimageinc.com/blog/commercial-blog/best-days-to-do-online-christmas-shopping/). To get the inside scoop on these luxurious pajamas and her creative process as a designer, read our Q&A with Olivia Von Halle below! Q: What colors inspired your…

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Back to School Fashion Trends and Deals

It’s officially that time of year! Summer is coming to an end and the stores of New York City are becoming crowded with parents and kids trying to snatch up the best back to school trends for 2014. Our New York commercial photographers were busy this summer capturing ecommerce photos for our clients Conway in our Brooklyn photo studio just for this amazing time of year. So, what are the top trends and discounts for this year’s back to school rush? Read our top 3 picks for 2014 below!   Romantic Grunge- The 90s are still having a big moment in fashion, thanks to the takeover 2014 fashion trend, normcore. Embrace the grunge trend from the 1990s and add your own girly spin on it for your back to school outfits. Retail giant, H&M, has several great back to school deals and honors tax-free weekends in the United States. So be sure to peruse their girly yet grunge-tastic trends. Quirky Prints– This trend is particularly popular for the hip teenage set looking to put a tongue-in-cheek touch to their school clothes. Think fun graphic patterns featuring anything from unicorns to lipshapes and moustaches. Use your student discount to get 10% off ASOS.com and Topshop for this great 2014 back to school trend. Pastels– The runway was overrun with these spring colored hues for FW14. NY fashion Designer, Marc Jacobs, has inspired legends of young fashionistas after choosing Keeping Up with the Kardashians star, Kendall Jenner, to walk down his runway…

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August 2014 Curve Expo in New York City

Summer always seems like the season of showrooms and showcases for our New York commercial fashion photographers. This summer was no different with this August’s CurvExpo held in Manhattan’s Javits Center. The New York expo features lingerie, swimwear and sleepwear for both men and women. Expos are integral to the success of fashion brands and are always worth investing in. It’s important to make sure you arrived prepared, so, be sure to read our fashion expo & tradeshow checklist before you go! Held on August 3rd through 5th in New York City, the main focus for expo was the Spring/Summer 2015 market. Buyers arrived to plan what brands and collections they plan on purchasing to sell for next year. If you attended Curve, you may have recognized the lingerie photography for Crème Bralee’s advertisements. We shot the advertisement images for the QT Intimates’s brand and feel so proud that they chose to display the campaign photos we shot for them in our Brooklyn photo studio. Our favorite trend for S/S15 predicted by Promostyl was the “funny trip” trend. This trend describes the “offbeat theme that enchants us with a simultaneously poetic and psycheldic spirit”.  For this 2015 lingerie trend, imagine, “fanciful carnivals, hallucinogenic gardens, surrealistic collages and outsider drawings”. This SS15 lingerie trend is where “…freaks and fairies [take you] for unlimited flights of imagination”. We can’t wait to see how our NYC lingerie designers will interpret this vision for their upcoming lookbooks and campaigns. Le Image Inc wishes to…

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Labor Day Weddings

Summer is quickly coming to an end but that doesn’t mean the wedding season is over! Although August is the most popular months for weddings, September is not far behind with 9.6% of US weddings occurring during that month. Summer tends to be the biggest season for weddings because it’s the perfect weather for outdoor weddings, beach weddings and it’s easier to get time off from work. Our New York wedding photographers love summer weddings and always recommend couples look into booking their wedding for Labor Day weekend! Book your Wedding Package here Le Image Inc recommends looking into a Labor Day Weekend wedding because it can be a very affordable time of year for weddings. It’s towards the end of the traditional wedding season so it’s cheaper in terms of wedding vendors and wedding venues. The weather is also still nice across the United States and it’s an official government holiday, guaranteeing that your friends and family will have the time off. So, consider that if you are planning a destination wedding. That being said, wedding guests often have other plans for these weekends. Also, it’s also harder and more expensive to travel on those weekends if your wedding party lives far away from your wedding venue. At the end of the day, the further in advance you can plan your wedding and let your guests know, the better! Our NYC wedding photography hopes you found this article helpful in your wedding planning. Labor Day Weekend is always a…

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Coast to Coast: Australia’s Best Kept Beauty Secret

Australia is a beautiful country with serene coastlines, tranquil rain forests and the breathtaking ‘outback’. Beauty companies have often gone ‘down under’ for skin-care ingredients, such as tea tree oil, to alleviate skin conditions. Australia has much more to offer than tea tree oil according to new beauty brand, Coast to Coast. Once only available in Australia, Coast to Coast is now available to the United States through multi-brand store, Ulta. Our New York fashion photography and beauty team had the chance to try these wonderful new products and was so impressed that we felt the need to share our new obsessions with Coast to Coast. With the tagline, ‘just as nature intended it’, Coast to Coast believes in using natural ingredients that bring out the best in your skin. Coast to Coast is also an ethical beauty company and uses no animal testing, no artificial colors, fragrances or synthetic chemicals. Some of the pure products the brand uses include bilberries, pepperberries, & wild rosella, lilly pilly, marshmallow and forest peppermint. The brand carries three different lines to cater to your skincare needs. Those lines are “Coastal” for normal, dry or sensitive skin, “Rainforest” for oily, combination or blemish-prone skin and “Outback” for dehydrated, dull or uneven skin. The Aussie beauty brand includes skin care, bath & body and hair care products. This new beauty brand is amazingly price from $19.99 to $39.99. That’s a price point that any New York fashionista can love! Our beauty team’s favorite products include…

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Samples Sales 101

Shoppers and fashion lovers often crowd the streets of New York City waiting outside showrooms for the latest sample sale. Many tourists come specifically to New York just for the shopping but have no idea how to find these great fashion steals. Even locals may be a little confused about the mythical sample sales that occur in downtown Manhattan. So, what is a sample sale? A sample sale is a way for the retail businesses to discard excess merchandise by selling these near perfect items at a fraction of the price. These sales often occur at impromptu locations with temporary signage. Are you a soon to be bride looking for discounted wedding gowns? Then, you’re in luck. Sample sale are extremely popular in the bridal industry. Bridal salons generally carry two collections a year, spring/summer and fall/winter, and will sell the past season’s gowns at deep discounts in order to make room for their new season of wedding dresses. One of the most famous bridal sample sales is the Kleinfeld Bridal sample sale. If you’d like to attend a sample sale, the Internet is your best resource. Websites like, Racked NY and Here Comes the Guide offer calendars and insight for upcoming sample sales in the New York City area. Sample sales are a great way to get that fashion editorial look for a fraction of the price. Just remember, the bigger the brand, the bigger the shopping competition, so get there early, you may have to wait in line….

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Summer’s White Hot Fashion Trend

Summer’s biggest fashion trend is white hot! This season, we will see a continuation of spring’s all white trend. Usually, summer is a time for color block prints and other brights but that is not the case this year! Our NY fashion photographers have snapped many runway photos and editorial shots of models wearing all white ensembles. So, how do you wear the all-white trend? With your freshly tanned summer skin of course! The crispness of ivory, bright white and cream looks so fresh against tanned skin (tanned, not burned, so remember to use sunscreen accordingly).  If you’re a big follower of beauty trends, this style is fantastic for you. Any new lip color or eye shadow will pop against the stark white of your outfit. Just remember, if you’re making a fashion statement with your make up, try to keep your hairstyle neat and sleek. Ready to dive into this cool summer trend? Try an all white ensemble by pairing a white crop top and matching white mid-length skirt. The peak of skin between the chic white pieces is divine! To channel classic feminine beauty, try an all white eyelet dress. The white eyelet dress provides a chic transition from hanging on the beach to a proper dinner party or cook out. If you’re ready to unleash your inner Rihanna, pair a sporty white dress with tall white gladiator sandals. If you’re looking for a tamer approach, try pairing a girlish eyelet dress in cream with nude heels, ray…

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Using Tumblr to Promote Your Business

It’s no secret that social media has become an essential tool to promote business online. The social media industry is taking the world of public relations world by storm and forcing many older successful firms to learn the basics of this new business tool. Some of the most popular social media website to use to promote businesses include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WordPress and tumblr. Even our New York commercial fashion photographers  use it to promote our photography! What is Tumblr exactly? It’s a micro-blogging website that allows users to upload images, text and video to personally designed page. Each user creates their special URL and blog name. Tumblr not only creates a free website of sorts for businesses, but it also provides tons of networking opportunities.  Businesses can tag entries with appropriate hashtags that other users can search. It also helps with SEO, Google Search Engine Optimization for businesses. For example, if our NY commercial photographers posted an image from a photo shoot we would use that brand’s name as a hashtag so other users who follow that brand could see our photos. Also, Tumblr is a great place for submissions. To garner a larger audience, search for pages that host open submissions that correspond to your business. That way, if the host loves your photos, they will reblog them and share them with all their followers. Think of it as a way of the 21st Century’s word of mouth strategy. We hope our Le Image Inc article for tips…

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The Slip Dress

Oh, the slip dress, the trend that finally makes lingerie as outerwear totally acceptable. The 90s are definitely having a moment in fashion, but this time, the slip dress is more effortlessly chic and less gimmicky, sorry, Kate Moss. The 90s have been having a huge moment in the fashion world with slip dresses and normcore. Normcore is the term essentially means ‘stylized blandness’ based on 1990s fashion. So, those mom jeans and shapeless fleece jackets from 90s are now haute for street style devotees. The slip dress trend can be worn for several different occasions. Add a leather jacket and hobo purse for a casual night out, or a try a full-length satin slip dress, pinned back hair and streamlined clutch for an elegant day out.  To keep the slip trend stylish instead of over the top, be careful to consider the height of your heels! Flats are key for achieving a laid back look. Looking to accessorize? Try a cross body bag. The slip dress is all about being effortlessly sexy and cool. Check out designers, Helmut Lang, rag & bone and Tess Giberson for slip dresses. Our NY fashion photographers have seen this trend in several fashion editorials this year and expect the trend to last until next season as well. The nineties slip dress trend started in AW13 with Marc Jacob’s collection for Louis Vuitton and our New York fashion photographers don’t expect to see this trend slip away anytime soon. отделочные материалы для фасадов домов…

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Summer Tips for Photographers

Summer seems to be finally here after a terrible endless winter in New York City. Summer can be a slow season for the fashion photography industry but fear not, our Le Image Inc team has created a list of tips to make this summer your best summer yet. It’s the perfect time of year to hone your skills, try something new and shoot outdoors. Read our photographer tips below to make this season an important one for your career. 1. Intern!- If you are in the earlier stages of your photography career or if you want to get your foot in the door for bigger companies, this a great season to intern. Websites like Ed2010 list magazine internships that are paid, unpaid and for college credit for photographers. Many companies offer summer internships and then hire those interns for a permanent position in the fall. If you dream of being a photo editor or art director, be sure to investigate your options for summer photography internships. 2. Try film photography!-Most photographers feel more comfortable using digital photography but this is the perfect season to improve your film photography skills. The brighter and longer days mean more time to take photos outdoors and with the nicer weather, you’ll feel more inclined to travel to beautiful places. Our NY Commercial Fashion Photography team loves to use this time of year to scout out new locations for our upcoming lookbook shoots. 3. Assist with Wedding Photography- New York wedding photography is an amazing…

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Rihanna Takes Top Award at the 2014 CFDA Fashion Awards

The fashion industry took over New York City this week with the annual CFDA awards. The 2014 CFDA Fashion Awards was held at the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on June 2. For those who don’t know, CFDA stands for the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Every year, they award the top honor, the Fashion Icon Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America to an individual whose style has become iconic and important to the fashion industry. This year, the winner was Barbados chanteuse, Rihanna. The “Good Girl Gone Bad” singer wowed the NY fashion photographers of the red carpet with a stunning sheer sparkling fishnet gown. The risky Adam Selman garment left little to the imagination with the pop star appearing virtually nude for the NY fashion award show. The garment went perfectly with her speech where she explained that in fashion, “There are rules, but rules are meant to be broken”. She also went on to say that in her home country, she “…didn’t have a lot of access to fashion” growing up and began to use fashion as her “defense mechanism” in the music industry. She thought, “she can beat me, but she can’t beat my outfit”. Fashion designer, Zac Posen, said that what makes Rihanna special to the fashion industry is that “…she takes risks and she marches to her own drum and she knows what she likes”. Posen also credits Rihanna’s appreciation of fashion designers for the reason “people love to…

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The Biggest Wedding of 2014: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s European Wedding

Our New York wedding photography team is counting down the days until the most anticipated nuptials of the year for Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. The two celebrities have only been engaged since October but the world has been following the two relentlessly. The Kimye wedding has taken on a life of its own with rumors swirling around about a wedding at Versailles, family drama and celebrity guests. So, what’s the truth about the Kardashian-West wedding of 2014? Read on for more information about this Rap star and reality TV royalty wedding. The E! Channel star is planning a two part nuptials. Guests will arrive in Paris, France and then head to Florence, Italy for the actual wedding ceremony. It is rumored that the city of Florence was chosen for Kimye’s wedding ceremony because that is the city where they conceived their first child, North West, or, ‘Nori’. Friends and family of the Keeping Up With The Kardashian Star and Yeezus will receive two exclusive tours in France before the actual wedding.  First, on this Friday, May 23rd, fashion designer, Valentino Garavani, will throw a star-studded brunch for Kim & Kanye’s wedding party at his castle just outside of Paris. The couple’s family and friends will also receive special afterhours private tour of   Palace of Versailles after their fashionable brunch celebration. After that, the Kimye wedding party will head to Forte di Belvedere, a 16-century fortress in Florence, Italy for the wedding. So, who will walk Kim Kardashian down the…

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Top 5 Graduation Speeches for the Class of 2014

It’s the end of May, making it officially, time for graduation. Whether you’re graduating high school, college or getting your masters, it’s time to celebrate your success and hard work. Friends and family are flocking to school campuses across the country to attend their loved ones graduation ceremony. In New York City, our New York commercial photographers have been busy taking corporate photos for universities looking to commemorate this once a year event. Aside from the tradition of graduation portraits, another graduation tradition for universities and high schools is to select notable speakers to deliver a speech to the graduating students to impart a last bit of wisdom before they officially leave a program.  If you are not a member of the class of 2014, no worries! You can still get those important bits of advice given to grads here in our best 2014 graduation speeches round up. 1. Sandra Bullock at Warren Easton Charter High School in Louisiana- “”Eat something green every day. Do not pick your nose in public. How about we just go get a tissue? When someone who cares about you hugs you, hug them back. If someone doesn’t want to play with you, it’s okay. Not everybody is going to love us”. 2. Secretary of State, John Kerry at Yale University– “You are graduating today as the most diverse class in Yale’s long history, or, as it’s called in the NBA, Donald Sterling’s worst nightmare.” 3. First Lady, Michelle Obama at Dillard University in New…

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La Perla Ditches Controversial Mannequins

New York City has always had the most intriguing storefronts. American Apparel rocked the boat this Valentine’s Day with the use of mannequins with pubic hair and now, lingerie giant, La Perla, is embroiled in a mannequin fiasco of its own. This past Sunday, the Italian brand received a large amount of backlash from social media after a user tweeted a photo of the shockingly thin mannequin on Twitter.  Unfortunately, the pin-thin physique is nothing new to our New York fashion photographers. Unhealthy body ideals still rule the fashion world. La Perla has removed the rib-protruding mannequins and issued the follow statement, “The mannequin photographed has been removed from the store and will not be used again by any La Perla boutique”. The lingerie brand explains, “We are in the process of redesigning all La Perla stores with a new concept image and the mannequins that are currently displayed in our US stores will no longer be used. We appreciate and value everyone’s comments, thank you for bringing this to our attention”. The lingerie retailer is not the first brand to receive backlash for its too thin mannequins. Fashion brands, Gap, Zara and JC Penney have also received criticism for its ultra slim mannequins. Renown blogger, Cora, of The Lingerie Addict, also spoke out about the La Perla controversy on facebook, saying, “There’s nothing inherently offensive about a ribcage. Some women have visible rib cage…There’s a very wide range of “healthy” and “normal” for women’s bodies. Some women are on…

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Brooklyn Wedding Venue ReBar Closes

Dumbo Brooklyn wedding venue, ReBar, closed last Friday, May 9th. The restaurant served as a gastropub and indie screening room and operated in the Dumbo area since December of 2006. The Brooklyn wedding venue was abruptly shutdown this May due to bankruptcy. The owner of ReBar, Jason Stevens, is now wanted by the IRS for  $2.5-3 million in unpaid sales tax. Many couples are now left in a lurch, as this was a popular wedding venue in the New York area. So, what can you do if your wedding was supposed to be at ReBar? Our New York wedding photographers have some suggestions below. Can you get a refund if you were supposed to have your wedding at ReBar? The answer seems like no. The owner has allegedly disappeared with around $150,000 in wedding deposit checks and $27,000 in cash. Rebar weddings generally from $130-$160 per person before tax and gratuity. Saturday night weddings require couples to reserve the bar for a minimum of $25,000. Other Brooklyn wedding venues have reached out to help out couples planning their wedding receptions. Our Brooklyn wedding photographers know of several great wedding venues that are willing to help out these distressed couples including, Brooklyn Winery, 3 West Club, and Fornino at Pier 6 in Dumbo. Our NYC Wedding Photography team at Le Image Inc is so disappointed about this recent development in our neighborhood. We hope all the couples out there find a new location for their Brooklyn Wedding! We’re sure it will…

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Met Gala 2014

The “biggest night in fashion”, the yearly Met Gala, just finished last night in New York City. The fashion elite made their annual showing at this event hosted by Vogue Magazine’s editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour. The theme of the 2014 Met Gala was a tribute to Charles James. Charles James was a British born fashion designer who revolutionized American fashion in the mid-20th century. He is popularly known as “America’s First Couturier”. Harold Koda, the curator for the Costume Institute explains,”…he championed strapless in the Thirties; invented the figure-eight skirt, the puffer jacket and the Pavlovian waistband that expands after a meal, and was an early proponent of licensing”. Earlier during the day of the fashion gala, Anna Wintour was honored in the Temple of Dendur at the Met at a dedication ceremony for the Costume Institute’s newly renamed Anna Wintour Costume Center. The big celebrities, however, came out in full force later at night for the red carpet. NY fashion photographers raced to the front of the velvet ropes to get the photos of the A-List Fashionistas. So, who were the best dressed for the Met Gala 2014? Read our fashion photography team’s list of the top 5 looks for the Met Gala 2014.   1. Karen Elson wearing Zac Posen– It’s not hard to make a fashion model look fabulous, but Zac Posen does it exceptionally well. The ex-wife of rocker, Jack White, has always had an interesting sense of style and the softness and vintage elegance of her…

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Fashion Expo & Tradeshow Checklist

Summer is just around the corner, bringing with it the onslaught of fashion expos and trade shows. What is a fashion tradeshow? Entrepreneur.com defines it as “…an exhibition for companies in a specific industry to showcase and demonstrate their new products and services. Generally trade shows are not open to the public and can only be attended by company representatives and members of the press”. Our New York commercial fashion photographers are working hard retouching and editing images our clients plan on showing at NYC tradeshows this summers. So, what do you need to have a great showing at a trade show? Whether you will be at CurvExpo in August or the Fashion Footwear Association of New York in June, read our list of tips & tricks before you go.  Also, don’t forget to brush up on your fashion marketing terms. (9) 1.    Have Color Copies of Your Look Book Available: Color images sell! Black and white photos of will not convey the exact nature of the fabric or collection. It may sell the mood, but buyers want to move units, not ideas. Many buyers will consider items for their Ecommerce websites and, generally, color sells better online than black and white. 2.    Purchase Large Posters of Your Editorial/Advertisement Images- It’s important that your booth be visible and memorable to buyers traveling around the expo. Buyers who had not planned on stopping on your booth might be tempted after seeing your images. 3.    Bring a Steamer, Stain Remover & Other…

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Here Comes the Bride: Wedding Dresses from the 1775 to 2014 at Victoria & Albert’s

With the third wedding anniversary of Kate Middleton and Prince William yesterday, our New York wedding photography team has wedding dresses on our minds and weren’t not the only ones! London museum, Victoria & Albert’s, has a new exhibition titled, Wedding Dresses 1775-2014. This exhibit comes at the perfect time as the height of the wedding season is about to begin! Our NY wedding photographers have noticed an increase in the number of couples looking for vintage wedding photography inspiration to give their wedding photos a retro look. The best way to start moving in the glamorous direction of the past is to select a wedding dress with a silhouette inspired by vintage wedding dresses. One of the biggest wedding trends for 2014 is wedding dresses inspired by the 1920s, the jazz age. One interesting fact presented in the V&A exhibit is that wedding dresses weren’t always white. According to Liberty Voice, “…Traditional brides take a cue from a practice that began when Queen Victoria wed Prince Albert in 1840. Prior to the royal wedding, Victorian brides wore the best garment in their wardrobe. Colors ranged from light brown, silver and black to blue and lavender. Royalty, on the other hand, wore lavish gowns, usually embroidered brocade with metallic thread. Queen Victoria broke tradition of the silver gown, with an orange blossom wreath in her hair; the Queen opted for white silk satin, which originated the white wedding dress trend that is popular today”. So, don’t feel tied to wearing…

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The Latest Footwear Trend – Ugly Shoes?

It’s no secret that the ‘90s are back in full swing. There are already several trends branching off pre-millennium styles with the trend-non-trend, normcore. For those not in the know, Normcore essentially means ‘stylized blandness’ based on 1990s fashion. So, those mom jeans and shapeless fleece jackets from 90s are now haute for street style devotees. Branching off of the 90s functional trend is the mules and Birkenstocks trend for footwear. The term, mules, is a French word describing a style of shoe that is backless and often closed-toed. Mules can be any heel height – from flat to high. Birkenstocks are a German brand of sandals made famous in the 1960s and noted for their comfort. Our New York fashion photographers have seen so many “ugly shoes” ruling the runway this season. Below is our top list of notable shoes for 2014. 1. Prada’s Sequined Hiking Shoe Styled with Long Socks- brings the common tourist sartorial faux pas to the runway.  It’s a bizarre combination of functional/non-functional and gaudy/upscale aesthetics. Prada succeeds at mixing seemingly opposite ideas together. 2. Phillip Lim Vencent Ankle Strap Mules- The New York City designer turns a peep-toe shoe into something any downtown chic girl could wear.  Pair with a long dress and leather jacket for the ultimate dark and sexy look. 3. Birkenstock Gizeh sandals- Design label, Celine, is credited with bringing this old trend back to life with their 2013 spring runway show. Vogue.com editor, Katherine Bernard explains, “…That silhouette was universally considered…

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Businesses that Bloom on Easter

The biggest holiday for spring, Easter, is just around the corner. The Christian holiday traditionally marks the day of resurrection of Jesus Christ three day after his crucifixion. Easter is not tied to a specific date on the calendar but falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the March equinox. For many Americans, Easter has become linked to non-religious activities such as egg hunting, the Easter Bunny, Easter brunch and Easter parades. Many of these nonreligious activities are leftover from the ancient English spring holiday, Eostre. Eostre is a pagan spring holiday that celebrates the great northern goddess whose symbol was a rabbit or hare. Some businesses boom on Easter and plan their commercial photography only around this spring holiday. Our New York commercial photographers at Le Image Inc have created a list of the top businesses that bloom during the Easter holiday. 1. Peeps– This delicious Easter treat was created in 1920s by Russian immigrant, Sam Born. It used to take almost 30 hours to make one single Peep until the 1950s.  The highest selling marshmallow treat for this company is the original yellow chick. 2. Cadbury Crème Eggs– This chocolate Easter sweet is a best seller in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Invented in 1923, these chocolate and fondant creme eggs are only sold between New Year’s Day and Easter. 3. PAAS Easter Egg Dye- Invented by Newark, New Jersey drugstore owner, William Townley, PAAS has been around for over 130…

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Celebrities as Artists: a Waste of Paint?

The newest trend to hit New York City is not a new silhouette from Alexander Wang but the surge of celebrities attempting to have serious art shows.  These celebrities are not lifelong traditional fine artists, they are musicians and actors, like, Bob Dylan, Shia LaBeouf and James Franco. The allure of becoming a fine artist is a well subscribed archetype for the attention-hungry but what makes this trend particular aggravating to the art world is that these shows don’t seem to showcase genuine talent, but instead, a desire from these celebrities to garner even more attention from the public. Many have even spoken out that the ‘work’ that the celebrities do show is a thinly veiled rip off from other well-known artists. Actor, Shia LaBeouf, best known for his thought provoking work in Transformers and Even Stevens, recently held an installation in Los Angeles, titled, #IAMSORRY. Hopefully, the title is meant to extend an apology to Serbian performance artist, Marina Abramović. His 2014 installation is suspiciously similar to Abramović’s 2010 Museum of Modern Art show, The Artist is Present. Both shows include a performance piece where the artist sits across from individuals and stares silently at them. Although, in, #IAMSORRY, LaBoeuf sits silently with a bag over his head. Innovation at its finest. James Franco is also dipping his toes into the art world with his new show, New Film Stills, at the legendary Pace Gallery. His gallery opening was chic event with fashion photographers snapping away photos of Franco…

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Model Spotlight: Kate Moss

The fashion world in London has experienced so much tragedy recently with the death of fashionable British Socialite, Peaches Geldof and fashion designer, L’Wren Scott that our New York fashion photography team decide to spotlight the life of one their greatest living fashion stars: Kate Moss. Although she has had her moments of turbulence and controversy, Kate has remained one of the most successful models of all time. She shook up the fashion world in the 90s and still remains one of the most successful supermodels working today. Katherine Ann Moss was born on January 16th 1974 in the London borough of Croydon, England. Her father worked for an airline company while her mother worked as a barmaid. At the age of 14, Kate Moss was discovered by the founder of Storm Model Management, Sarah Doukas, at JFK airport in New York City. Her career began to develop after fashion photographer Corinne Day shot her for The Face magazine in an editorial titled, “The 3rd Summer of Love”. At 5’7” with a narrow frame, Kate Moss became the antithesis of the other popular supermodels of the day like, Cindy Crawford, Elle Macpherson, Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell who celebrated for their curvy and tall figures. Moss’s skinny frame became a point of controversy as she became synonymous with the ‘heroin chic’ look of 1993 in a Calvin Klein fashion campaign. Her star-power continued to grow as she soon became the face of Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Calvin Klein, Chanel, Rimmel…

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Celebrity Spotlight: Ramona Singer

It’s always a special treat when Le Image Inc has a celebrity walk through the doors of our Brooklyn photo studio.  Last year, our New York fashion photographers had the great honor of photographing Bravo TV Star, Ramona Singer. Ramona Singer, a reality star from Real Housewives of New York City, was in studio having her celebrity portraits taken with her new wine label. Ramona’s star power is so great, she’s the only housewife to hold the “main housewife” title through all six seasons of the reality show. Ramona Singer is a native New Yorker, born and raised in Rhinebeck, New York.  After completing her degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology, she became a buyer for Macy’s. After working successfully for the commercial retail giant, she soon moved into wholesale clothing business with Calvin Klein and French Connection. Currently, the TV star now has her own business, RMS fashions, a company that, “…purchases excess goods from clothing manufacturers and resells them to discount stores”. In the apparel industry, Ramona Singer is considered a “jobber”, a fashion marketing term for a middleman to whom manufacturers sell their surplus fabric.  In addition to her fashion company, she also has her own line of jewelry, True Faith Jewelry, and a skin care line, Tru Renewal, that are sold through the Home Shopping Network. The photos our Le Image Inc celebrity photographers took were of her other business venture, Ramona Wines. The line has been successful and launched in 2011 with her Ramona…

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What to Wear at Your Mad Men Premiere Party

Swing into the 60s with Mad Men’s final season premiering this Sunday. The previous season ended in 1968 with protagonist, Don Draper’s world in a downward spiral.  Several blogs and other entertainment news outlets are full of projections for the upcoming 7th season and while we can’t possibly imagine what’s in store for the AMC Show’s final season, we can give you some advice on the best outfits for your Mad Men premiere party. The New York City based show has plenty of fashion inspiration for our New York fashion photography team. Only one question remains, are you a “Betty”, “Joan”, “Meghan” or “Peggy”? The Beautiful Ice Princess: Betty Francis- Draper’s first wife is one of the most fashionable characters in the 1960s era show. With looks to match Grace Kelly, Betty favors feminine silhouettes in bright colors. To channel her look, wear the “Collection Basketweave Dress” from J.Crew. The Powerful Seductress: Joan Holloway– Shimmy your curves into a body-hugging silhouette to channel the secretary turned company co-owner, Joan. She’s known for her sensuality and her smarts so be sure to keep your outfit more subtly seductive than overt sex kitten. To honor Mad Men’s favorite redhead, wear the “Watch and Sea Dress” by Bettie Page available at Modcloth. The Trendy Rising Star: Meghan Draper– The current estranged wife of ad-man, Don Draper, is a woman with a mind of her own. She is fearless and hip with the times and is one of the few man characters who gets…

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Best Songs for a First Dance

The first dance is the most romantic moment during a wedding reception.  Our New York wedding videographers love capturing this special moment for our couples. Our Brooklyn wedding photography team has created a list of the best songs for your wedding ceremony. Book your Wedding Package here “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley – This 1961 pop song is perfect for your romantic first dance. The King of Rock and Roll is a staple for a rockabilly wedding or for couples who just love dancing to the oldies. “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith- This song was created for the box office smash, Armageddon, in 1998. The Aerosmith ballad was such a hit that it stayed number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks. This song is perfect for those cheeky redneck wedding receptions. “Such Great Heights” by Iron & Wine– This delicate song is perfect for our Brooklyn couples throwing a hipster wedding reception. For the artistically inclined, the poetic words are a beautiful homage to your wedding day. “Stay With You” by John Legend- This 2004 song off album, Get Lifted, is a great option for your first dance as man and wife. The romantic lyrics, “love so beautiful and divine”, will make everyone tear up with joy as you and your groom waltz on the dance floor. Our wedding photography team at Le Image Inc hopes you found this article helpful for your wedding planning. The first dance is such…

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Remembering Fashion Designer L’Wren Scott

The fashion world was rocked this Monday by the apparent suicide of fashion designer, L’Wren Scott. The beautiful British amazon, whose height reached 6 ft by the time she was twelve, was found hung by a scarf in her downtown New York City apartment on the morning of March 17th. L’Wren Scott was only 49 years old. Although L’Wren was astonishingly successful in her own right, many know her as the longtime girlfriend of Rolling Stones’s front man, Mick Jagger. On Tuesday, Jagger posted the following statement on his website with a photo of his partner, “I am still struggling to understand how my lover and best friend could end her life in this tragic way. We spent many wonderful years together and had made a great life for ourselves. She had great presence and her talent was much admired, not least by me. I have been touched by the tributes that people have paid to her, and also the personal messages of support that I have received. I will never forget her, Mick.”. Many insiders in the fashion industry are still confused as to why L’Wren chose to end her glamorous life. Many point to the recent struggles of her brand label, LS Fashion Ltd. In February 2014, her runway show for London fashion week was cancelled due to production problems. It has also been revealed that her fashion line was $6 million dollars in debt and was to be shut down this month. L’Wren Scott made her first…

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The Newest Fashion Trend: Fashion Trucks

The latest fashion trends are always changing, especially in New York City. We have seen the staying power of the food and juice truck trend and now, there’s a new trend just for the fashionista on the go! Introducing, fashion trucks, a new way to peddle fashions like a food truck. This 2014 fashion trend has already taken over Los Angeles. Many boutiques park their fashion trucks in areas throughout L.A. to spread the word about their brand. While the trend may seem tailor made for the west coast city, it has not been growing throughout the United States quite as fast. Stacey Steffe, a co-owner of Le Fashion Truck, told ABC News that fashion trucks go “…back to that idea of location, location, location!”.  She further explains the benefits of owning a retail truck. “I get to work in a city where I might not be able to afford to have a brick and mortar, but I can take my truck there once a week or whatever it is. We can take our mobile boutique to different cities in L.A. County”. Dana Calabrese Ensrud, a Hollywood fashion stylist, explains that, “the appeal is the experience. Everyone wants to run home and tell their friends, ‘Look what I bought at a truck!”. Although fashion trucks create a fun, fresh new way to shop, they can become unreliable. Many shoppers may not want to hunt down a fashion truck when they can just head to a regular brick-and-mortar retailer. That being…

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The Rise of Organic Cosmetics

The cosmetics industry has always been lucrative. This year alone, the beauty industry is projected to make $70 billion in the United States. One trend that is starting to reign in the cosmetics industry is the rise of organic cosmetics. Trend forecasters link the trend to a greater interest in healthy lifestyles. A 2011 Deloitte survey found that 57% of respondents said safety was their number one concern when buying personal-care products. According to research, women may ingest up to four pounds of lipstick in their lifetime. Since make up is so close to delicate skin, what women wear can affect their health in the long run. Many of the synthetic dyes used in lipstick and compact powders contain aluminum-derived chemicals, which have been linked to Alzheimer’s. Independent cosmetic brands are now making customized cosmetics that are organic, vegan, mineral-based and they are not tested on animals. One selling platform that is catering to this niche cosmetics market is Etsy. Our New York commercial photographers have even noticed a surge of independent product shoots for organic cosmetic brands in our own Brooklyn photo studio! Le Image Inc has noticed a widespread rise in all things vegan, not just in the beauty industry. Our NY wedding photographers photograph more vegan weddings than ever before. Many big name cosmetic brands like, Lush and Burt’s Bees, who have been organic since their creation, are now becoming household names, even in the smallest cities in America. Will the organic make up trend take over…

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The Newest App for Brides: WedPics

Move over Instagram, WedPics is taking over! WedPics is a photo and video app that is quickly becoming one of the biggest wedding trends for 2014. The new bridal social media app allows couples, the wedding party, and guests to share photos before, during and after the wedding day. The free app works for both iphones and Android phones. The Raleigh, North Carolina company was founded in 2014. So, how does WedPics work? The wedding photo-sharing app is free and is easy to use. Users just need to download the app and then invite guests by sharing their wedding ID. You can enjoy your wedding photos on the web with slideshows and digital camera uploads. Also, your friends and family can comment on other user’s images.  Our New York wedding photography team gives our couples a similar option with our free wedding websites but what makes WedPics great in that it is accessible with your smartphone and you can interact with it just like you would on Facebook or Instagram. Currently, WedPics adds 600 new couples per day. That’s an astonishing growth rate and shows the power of the wedding industry.  According to IBIS, the $50.6 billon wedding industry is expected to grow 2.3% over the next five years. Our New York wedding photographers are so excited to hear that as that is an industry we know and love! Le Image Inc wishes to congratulate all the couples out there planning their wedding! строительные материалы дешевая гостиница киев экспедиторские услуги

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Pet Weddings

It’s no secret that the pet industry is booming.  As of 2012, 62% of US households have at least one pet. And people are spending more than ever on their pets than ever before. This year, the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association projects that $58.51 billion dollars in the US will be spent on pets.  One interesting trend in the pet industry, although, it is a little eccentric, is ‘pet weddings’. What is a pet wedding? Our Le Image Inc New York wedding photography team investigates! A ‘pet wedding’ is a wedding ceremony to marry one pet to another pet. This bizarre wedding trend came to prominence in 2005 when celebrity, Pamela Anderson, arranged a wedding for her Golden Retriever, Star, and her Chihuahua, Luca, on the beach in Malibu, California. The pet wedding trend exploded and now there are tons of doggie wedding planners for “woof weddings”. They even have wedding industry professionals available to help you write your dog’s “bow vows”. In 2012, the world record was set in New York City when TV personality, Wendy Diamond, spent $250,000 on her Maltese, Lucky’s ‘puptials’. This wedding ceremony trend may not be for everyone, but it’s certainly fun to look through the wedding photos! Although our New York wedding photographers have never photographed a pet wedding, we hope to do so in the future! It may seem a little ridiculous but Le Image Inc would love to see a NY pet wedding ceremony.  It’s easier to work like a…

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Businesses Benefit from Saint Patrick’s Day Boost

It’s officially Saint Patrick’s Day and big cities across the United States are celebrating the holiday that commemorates the patron saint of Ireland. Many businesses across the New York area are expecting a boom in business for the March 17th celebration. To make the most of advertising, New York commercial photographers often spend the few months before the holiday photographing Irish bars and costumed apparel to promote theses Saint Paddy’s day centric businesses for the March holiday. So how many Americans celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Somewhere near 133 Million people, do! Saint Patrick’s Day is becoming a big money holiday across the nation, not just in Boston, New York or Savannah. According to the National Retail Federation, St. Patty’s Day celebrations are expected to generate $4.8 billion in the United States. The average person who celebrates the Irish holiday spends around $35.  The businesses that benefit most from this holiday are Irish restaurants and bars, of course. Business owners are rejoicing that the holiday falls on a Monday this year because it encourages consumers to go out on a day they usually wouldn’t. Some revelers are started celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day this weekend, so theses business got 3 days, not just one to earn some serious green. Even those who aren’t of Irish descent love to celebrate the holiday and it shows. The National Retail Federation reports that hat eight out of 10 people said they’ll be celebrating by wearing green and one in five said they’ll decorate their home…

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What is a Video Lookbook?

Our New York commercial photography department is no longer solely dedicated to capturing only still photographs of products. Today, commercial photography and commercial videography are often considered one in the same for fashion campaigns. From New York City to Milan, fashion designers and labels must now produce ecommerce product shots, look books, fashion advertorials and look book videos. With the rise in technology, designers must show their products and style in every visual form imaginable. Le Image Inc has experienced this new fashion art form rising to prominence in the past few years and feel that it is now a staple for any fashion brand, big or small. So, what is a lookbook video, exactly? Well, first it is important to familiarize yourself with basic fashion terms , including, ‘lookbook’. A lookbook is a collection of images that show models styled and wearing the items from your collection. The point of the lookbook is to inspire customers with your brands aesthetic and give them ideas about how to wear your collection. A look book can really help illustrate you intended audience and aesthetic direction to buyers. When put into video form, it puts life into your vision and allows viewers to see how your items move. It also further illustrates your fashion viewpoint and creates a specific mood for your collection. Fashion videos are extremely fun to shoot and plan! Our New York commercial photographers advise you to consider what format you’d like for your collection before approaching a photographer…

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Trend Report: Normcore

The internet has been buzzing nonstop about the latest fashion trend for the young and hip: Normcore. The term, “Normcore” was invented by New York trend forecasting group, K-HOLE, and then later picked up by New York Magazine. The term essentially means ‘stylized blandness’ based on 1990s fashion. So, those mom jeans and shapeless fleece jackets from 90s are now haute for street style devotees. Our New York fashion photographers first started seeing this trend with the rise of the disheveled hipster look of Brooklyn hipsters in the 2000’s. Every style or trend speaks to a point of view and normcore is no different. According to New York Magazine, the trend, “…exudes an attitude that embraces uniformity and manifests itself in ardently ordinary clothes. Mall clothes. Blank clothes. The kind of dad-brand non-style you might have once associated with Jerry Seinfeld”. This fashion mindset is a rebellion against the typical mantra of ‘I use my fashion to express who I am’. Normcore is all about looking like a ‘mindless sheep’. This trend actually falls right on schedule as most fashion trends resurface in a 20-year cycle and normcore basically celebrates the early 90s. The reactions to normcore have been very polarizing. Many fashionistas are raging against this new fashion trend for 2014 while others are embracing it. Even on the couture side of fashion, labels like Chanel, are celebrating the mundane and held their AW14 runway held in a French supermaket. New York fashion photography is never a bore with…

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The Newest Wedding Trend: Vegan Weddings

One of the newest wedding trends for 2014 is having a vegan wedding ceremony and reception. For those who don’t know, being vegan is “…the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet”. This includes all animal derived or made products including milk and sometimes, honey. Followers of the vegan-lifestyle also shun animal products outside of their diets and will not wear fur or leather products. Our Brooklyn wedding photographers are well acquainted with the vegan wedding ceremonies and believe it will continue to become a bigger trend, especially in New York City for 2014. So, what does a vegan wedding entail, exactly? It’s up to the couple, of course, but generally, it means a vegan cuisine wedding buffet or meal. Make sure you find a wedding caterer with experience creating vegan entrees or you could end up with a plate of plain raw vegetables.  Work with your wedding caterer to find great recipe ideas and test them out before your vegan wedding reception. Finding a chef with vegan cooking expertise will be easier in larger more cosmopolitan cities. Aside from the food, there are other vegan elements that will be part of the wedding celebration. Brides may wear non-silk vegan wedding dresses, as silk is produced by silk worms. Also the wedding party, bride and groom will wear non-leather shoes.  As for the vegan bridal makeup, the bride would use cosmetic products that are not tested on animals or made using animal products. Finally, a…

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Why The Oscar’s Red Carpet is Irrelevant to Fashion

Oscar night is officially over and fashion blogs are buzzing with the who wore what and who snagged the titled of best dressed. The 2014 Academy Awards were certainly full of glamour and headline generating gowns. Many celebrities rose to the occasion, while many feel that most of the actresses selected ‘safe’ fashion choices. New York fashion designer, Tom Ford, complained that the Oscar’s was nothing more than, “a bubble of 1950s Barbie clothes”. He went on to explain that he hates dressing celebrities for awards season red carpets because “…When you’re dressing an actress…you’re working with them and fulfilling their dream, their agent’s dream, their husband’s dream”. He adds, “…It’s not a creative process dressing actresses for the Oscars”. Our New York fashion photography team has long noticed this with awards shows this year, especially at the 2014 Grammy’s. For a long time now, gowns for the Academy Awards have seemed quite formulaic: V-neck, jewel toned and with a silk/satin based fabric material. After the whirlwind of fashion week, the Oscar’s red carpet must seem quite dull to the fashion photographers snapping those red carpet photos. United Kingdom’s Telegraph describes the Oscars red carpet as a place where “…actresses shunned runway trends to showcase colours and silhouettes inspired by Hollywood’s golden age”. Channeling ‘Old Hollywood’ glamour at an event designed to celebrate Hollywood is not exactly the most original style idea. It seems a shame especially when the acting awards ceremony featured a stylish superheroes theme (no spandex, please)….

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Top Fragrances for Spring

Spring is almost upon us and it’s time to lighten up! Even though this lovely season doesn’t officially start till March 20th, our New York Fashion Photography team has already picked out our top perfumes choices for Spring 2014! Read our list below for the best perfumes for this spring. 1. Dahlia Noir Eau de Parfum by Givenchy– This perfume is perfect for the feminine and mysterious women who resists the pastels of spring fashion. Created by Francois Demachy and Riccardo Tisci, the perfume has a distinct scent with notes of pink pepper, mandarin, cedrat, rose, peach, cedar wood, sandalwood, vanilla and amber. 2. Honey by Marc Jacobs– Not only does this fragrance have an adorable bottle (with cute bees attached) but it smells delightful as well.  To keep with the spring trend, the Marc Jacobs perfume is sunny and floral. Honey is a complex fragrance with notes of pear, juicy mandarin, orange blossom, peach nectar, apricot, honeysuckle, honey, golden vanilla and smooth woods. This designer perfume is girly and sweet. 3. Rosabotanica by Balenciaga– Fashion house, Balenciaga, has created a floral perfume that is both beautiful and dangerous. The eau de parfum spray includes notes of experimental rose, fig leaf and white amber. This a great example of rose scented perfumes that are anything but granny-inspired. Spring is a fabulous season for fashion and beauty. You don’t have to be a pastel loving Upper East Side lady to enjoy all the glamorous offerings of this romantic season.  Our New…

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What to Include in Your Line Sheet

Fashion Designers often ask our New York Commercial photographers what they should include their line sheets.  For those who don’t know, a “line sheet” is what designers use to promote their collections and give valuable information to potential stockists and buyers in showrooms and expos.  A good line sheet can make the difference between being carried by a big retailer or another year of dead stock. To make sure your fashion collection gets the attention it deserves, read our fashion business tips for line sheets below! 1. Include Look Book Images and Product Shots– It’s important to give a mix of look book shots and product photos in your line sheet so retailers will get an idea of how to merchandise your items and your fashion viewpoint. The product shots give retailers an idea how the item will look on their eccommerce websites and how the collection will sell purely through photos. As a rule of thumb, colorful clothing sells better online than black or dark colored garments. So, if you are going to show one style in a product shot and one style in a fashion editorial image, chose the dark item for the look book and the bright item for the product shot. Also, make sure to brush up on your fashion terms. 2. Include Price Information Under the Images- At the end of the day, buyers want to crunch numbers before choosing your items for their stores. To clarify price points and retail value, include the wholesale…

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Summer Wedding Flowers

Although we’re still shivering from the cold in our New York City photo studio, we can’t stop dreaming of the summer weddings our Brooklyn wedding photographers will shoot later this year. If you’re planning your summer nuptials for 2014, you’re probably deep into your wedding planning by now and starting to feel uninspired. Fear not, engaged couples! We have some delightful inspiration and ideas for your wedding flowers and bridal bouquet that will have you feeling the warmth of the summer sun even during these chilly days of winter. 1. Craspedia- This butter colored flower hails from the daisy family and makes a splash at wedding ceremonies. It’s sculptural form adds a modern whimsical touch to your bridal bouquet. This wedding flower comes in orange, green and yellow. 2. Freesia- This delicate flower is native to the eastern side of southern Africa. The funnel-shaped flowers are fragrant and are often used in lotions, candles and perfumes. Wedding florists generally carry a range of colors of this plant from white to yellow shades, pink, red and purple. 3. Bells of Ireland- This pale green flower is symbolic of good luck and is native to Turkey, Syria and the Caucasus. This bridal flower option can be used in fresh or dried flower arrangements and is a member of the mint family. Summer wedding flowers are always such a joy to pick out. Bridal flower trends for summer tend to be made up of soft yellows, bright green and romantic purples to channel…

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Lingerie Fashion Week: FYI By Dani Read

With the end of New York Fashion Week came the start of Lingerie Fashion Week. The runways and collection presentations in New York City highlight Fall/Winter Collections for 2014. The fashion event ran from February 20th-22nd in downtown Manhattan. Our New York Fashion Photography team was invited to this exclusive lingerie event and we had a wonderful time photographing and reporting on the newest trends for intimates. One collection that caught our attention in particular was the FYI by Dani Read AW14 collection. FYI by Dani Read first made its debut at Brooklyn’s Williamsburg Fashion Week in February 2011. Since then, the label has continued its dedication to the femme fatale archetype with the motto, “Women Are Weapons”. The AW14 collection at Lingerie Fashion Week featured similar styling to her other lines with minimal use of patterns anchored by black and white fabric, harnesses and visible hardware. The items were styled with a hip haphazard look complete with leather mini gloves, mismatched stockings and used sneakers/creeper shoes. The hair and make-up also fit the line with smudgy/androgynous inspired styling. FYI by Dani Read was an excellent choice for a featured designer for lingerie fashion week. BDSM inspired lingerie is certainly having a moment with celebrities like Beyonce, Rihanna and Lady Gaga all wearing similar brands like Bordelle at their performances. The only issue designers like FYI by Dani Read will face will be knock-off designers and other similar-minded lingerie labels, like Bordelle, who already have lock on the S&M lingerie…

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Highlights from New York Fashion Week January 2014

Fashion Week has finally left New York City and it’s now in full swing in London, England. Our New York fashion photographers had a great time enjoying all the excitement of the weeklong fashion event, despite the arctic temperatures and slush-covered sidewalks. Since many people were unable to travel to Manhattan for the runway shows, our Le Image Inc fashion team has created a list of the NY Fashion Week’s biggest moments. Rodarte’s Star Wars Inspired AW14 Collection– The fashion world is all abuzz over Rodarte’s Star Wars inspired Fall/Winter collection. Their gowns feature prints of Yoda, the Death Star, and other images from the classic film series. The collection, although polarizing, has been celebrated for its absurdity. It will be interesting to see which celebrities will wear these gowns for the red carpet. DVF Celebrates 40 Years in Fashion– Fashion designer, Diane von Furstenberg, ended her runway show with all her models smiling and wearing 15 golden wrap dresses.  The designer created the iconic dress in 1974 and it has become a staple of American sportswear ever since. Diane von Furstenberg explains that the wrap dress is timeless because, “…it’s a wonderful way to be proper and sexy”. Thom Browne’s “Wicked Nun” Runway– American fashion designer, Thom Browne, ruled the runway with his sculptural design and minimalist palette. The avant-garde styling truly made his AW14 collection a showstopper. Streaker at Prabal Gurung’s Runway– Fashionistas were agasp as a man wearing nothing but a crown, a robe and socks ran…

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Wedding Trends: Blush Wedding dresses

Modern brides no longer feel limited to cream, ivory and white wedding dresses. Today, there’s whole range of options available to brides-to-be that break the rules of tradition. One color in particular that is ruling bridal fashion is blush. Actress, Jessica Biel, spearheaded the trend when she chose a pink Giambattista Valli confection for her wedding  ceremony to Justin Timberlake in 2012. Our New York wedding photographers love the colored wedding dress trend and feel it will continue to be one of the big wedding trends for 2014. If you love living life with a splash of color, check out our favorite blush colored gowns. Book your Wedding Package here Mark Zunio Sweetheart Sheath Gown in Silk Chiffon– This beautiful two-toned wedding dress features a sweetheart neckline with an asymmetrical waist in silk chiffon. The gorgeous wedding gown is exclusive to New York wedding dress store, Kleinfeld Bridal. The dress will cost you between $5000-8000. Vera Wang for David’s Bridal: Strapless Ball Gown with Satin Corset Bodice– Wedding dress designer, Vera Wang, has teamed up with Wedding Dress chain store, David’s Bridal, to create beautiful and affordable wedding dresses. This strapless ball gown features a corset bodice, draped tulle and is available up to size 26. The blush wedding gown is now on sale for only $749.99 and is available in 3 different colors. Ella by Rebecca Schoneveld– Handcrafted in Brooklyn, New York, the Ella dress takes its style and inspiration from 1930s glamour. The dress is made of pure…

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The Best Lingerie Sets for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and it’s the perfect time to invest in new lingerie! The traditional colors for Valentine’s Day lingerie are red and black, but don’t feel limited to just that.  It’s important that you feel sexy, so focus on that instead of what’s typical for this February holiday.  Our New York fashion photography team here are Le Image Inc has created our ultimate list of the best lingerie collection for Valentine’s Day 2014.  Read our list below to look your best on this romantic holiday. Affordable & Sexy: The Danita Set by L’Agent– For all of those lingerie fans lusting over Agent Provocateur, the newest L’Agent line is a dream come true. This new diffusion label brings the sexy of Agent Provocateur within a far more affordable price rage. This sexy Danita lingerie set comes in violet and red. This style includes a bra, suspender belt and panty for $172. Plus-Size & Bigger Cup Sizes: Idole Balconette Bra by Maison Lejaby – This wonderful French lingerie brand is great for women with bigger cups and smaller band sizes. Their sizing for this style includes 30 bands and goes all the way up to a G cup. This stunning lace bra is as sexy as it is supportive. Luxury Lingerie: Amour Lace Bodysuit by Fleur of England– Another beautiful silk lingerie piece by British lingerie designer, Fleur of England. This gorgeous red halter style bodysuit costs $300 but it’s hard to resist the spell of ‘Amour’….

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Model Spotlight: Alessandra Ambrosio

Our New York fashion photographers have been working consistently with Brazilian modeling agency, Way Model Management, in our Brooklyn photo studio. Way Model Management is both a fashion model agency in its own right as a well as a mother agency. A mother agency is a modeling agency that discovers young models, propels their careers, signs them to larger agencies and then takes a percentage of their earnings. Our New York fashion photography team has gotten to work with several of Way Model’s budding stars, Alexia Bellini and Marina Albino . Way Models is a major mother agency for supermodels such as Victoria Secret Angel, Alessandra Ambrosio. Alessandra Ambrosio was born in 1981 in Erechim, Brazil. The beautiful model has both Italian and Polish ancestry and started her modeling career early. At age 12 she enrolled in modeling class and then in 1996 she became a finalist for the Elite Model Look national competition in Brazil. Soon, her modeling career was on a role with her first notable modeling job as the cover model for Brazilian Elle Magazine. Soon, her Polaroids were passed around and she booked the Millenium GUESS? Campaign. Her modeling work continued to rise in prominence and she appeared in advertisements for major brands like Revlon, Dior, Armani and Ralph Lauren. Aside for notable fashion editorials, Alessandra Ambrosio has also made a name for herself walking runway for fashion houses, Prada, Chanel and Oscar de la Renta. By 2004, she had entered an even more profitable level…

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2014 Super Bowl Not Benefitting Local Businesses in New Jersey

The most important game for The National Football League, AKA, The Super Bowl, took place this Sunday at the Metlife Stadium in New Jersey. Every year, this important sports game takes place in a different city and brings a boom in business to all of the local businesses surrounding the chosen stadium. When it was announced that the Metlife stadium in New Jersey would host the game, local businesses rejoiced as much of New Jersey is still reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy and could use the boost business for the state. The NFL works in tandem with the Super Bowl host committee whose purpose is to “…work with local businesses to coordinate logistics and maximize local economic benefit”. Unfortunately, big economic gains are not to be expected for East Rutherford merchants. There have been many business roadblocks for local businesses marketing their wares for Super Bowl XLVIII. Many are calling the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos game a “commuter bowl”. New York City is less than a half hour drive to the New Jersey sports stadium and has drawn the majority of the fans for hotel rooms and restaurants. Also, NYC has gone into marketing overdrive with Times Square being turned into Super Bowl Boulevard. The area has been made over into a Super Bowl-themed outdoor street fair with official merchandise and interactive experiences for football fans. While bigger businesses have been able to secure the trademarked Super Bowl name and logo, many local New Jersey retailers…

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The Perils of a Destination Wedding

Many couples are now combining their wedding ceremony with their honeymoon and booking destination weddings. For those who don’t know, a “destination wedding” is a wedding held at a vacation like setting. Unlike most traditional wedding ceremonies, these wedding celebrations last far longer than a day. The biggest myth about the destination wedding is that it’s a stress-free way to plan your wedding. While most large resorts may have extensive wedding planning services, there are many challenging aspects to planning your exotic wedding. Book your Wedding Package here First of all, a destination wedding may not be for you if you dream of having tons of wedding guests to witness your special day. The farther the location of the wedding, the less likely your friends and family are going to be able to go. Many people can’t get that much time off work or afford the extensive travel involved with an exotic wedding. Also, you have to assume that not all of your wedding guests have their passport up to date and ready to go for your wedding ceremony. With destination weddings, couples are subject to inclement weather and other travel issues which may lead to delays with arrivals of the wedding party. Also, many of the wedding planning services many resorts have may not be complete wedding packages. Our New York Wedding photographers heartily suggest double-checking that your location includes arrangements for music, wedding flowers, the wedding cake, hairdressers, photographers and an officiant. So, when are destination weddings a…

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Best Dressed for the Grammys 2014

The red carpet season has officially begun! Last night was the 56th annual Grammys music award show, held in Los Angeles, California. The performances were astounding with music legends, Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Metallica and Beyonce all having their own performances/collaborations. One area where the award show was lacking star-power, however, was the red carpet. Singers, Beyonce, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus did not walk the Grammys red carpet this year. Those four women usually create a barrage of headlines for their memorable fashion that pushes the envelope, but not this year. Our New York fashion photography team, even put Miley Cyrus and Beyonce on our list of biggest celebrity makeover of 2013 list and Le Image Inc was so excited to see how those two would style themselves for one of the biggest events of 2014. Several top performers, notably Katy Perry, Madonna and Taylor Swift, still brought their all to the red carpet. Grammy-nominee, Taylor Swift, lead the sea of metallic dresses with a gold lamé gown by Gucci. The sparkly piece was well fitted and kept with Swift’s modest tastes in length and sex appeal. “Roar” singer, Katy Perry, wore a Valentino Couture runway dress that paired the delicate aesthetic of a ballerina’s tulle dress with a graphic pattern of music notes on the skirt of the gown. Madonna brought her 8-year-old son, David, to the music award show, where they walked the red carpet in matching Ralph Lauren tuxedos and black hats. While the look…

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The Business of Valentine’s Day

Most retailers and service industries consider Christmas their most profitable quarter for the year, but that is not true for all companies. Valentine’s Day spending for 2014 is projected at $18.6 billion in the United States. The average American is expected to spend $130.97 this year, up from last year’s $126.03. Greeting cards and candy are the most popular holiday staple, more so than jewelry. Couples are also expected to spend more on their Valentine’s Day dinner, $77 on average, this year than in years past. Three companies that live or die by Valentine’s day include Hersey, 1-800 Flowers and American Greetings. Those three publicly traded company make up the majority of profit from this ancient holiday. Online dating websites also experience a spike in registration around Valentine’s day. Websites like Match.com and OkCupid consider the period between New Years and Valentine’s their biggest sales period. Two other industries that excel during the romantic holidays include intimacy products, like condoms, and lingerie. Trojan, the market-leading brand in the United States, will be spending more money than ever on their marketing this Valentine’s Day. It’s an aggressive strategy shareholders are eager to profit from. If you will be making your Valentine’s Day purchases on the Internet, be sure protect your credit card online. Our NY Commercial photographers here at Le Image Inc are busy retouching product shots for companies looking to promote their businesses this holiday season. Even our Brooklyn photo studio profits from this romantic holiday! Valentine’s Day is a…

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Why Shoppers Spend More During January Sales

It’s officially January and stores are buzzing with sales. Retailers continue to increase the savings on their products that did not moving during holiday clearance. Shoppers are flocking to these sales, both online and in store and spending more than ever! With items marked down by as much as 75%, shouldn’t retailers be turning over a lower profit rate? Not so, and our NY commercial photography team will explain why. As laughable as it sounds, many shoppers experience an addictive feeling when they see what is perceived to be an extreme bargain. Many shoppers, both in store and online, fear losing out when they see markdowns on clearance as that implies that limited quantity of items are available before they’re gone for good. Sales bring out the competitive nature in shoppers as well. Many see buying the last clearance item of a certain styles as “winning” by beating other shoppers to that purchase, regardless of how much they may or may not want the item. Further more, many shoppers spend time monitoring sales and feel that they need to buy something in order to make their time investment not seem wasted. If you decide to check out the ecommerce sales, be sure to protect your credit card online.  And if you’re still hurting over your Christmas purchases and bills, just remember that most retailers have their semi-annual sales in January and July. So, those savings will be back again later this summer. From our Brooklyn commercial photographers here at Le Image Inc,…

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Miley Cyrus Models for Marc Jacob’s Spring/Summer 2014 Collection

Our New York fashion photographers are all abuzz after hearing which celebrity will model in Marc Jacob’s newest fashion campaign. The New York fashion designer has chosen his friend and polarizing star, Miley Cyrus as his Spring/Summer muse. It’s no secret that the pop starlet is capable of generating huge amounts of buzz and controversy in the fashion world. Perhaps, Marc Jacobs is banking on that to sell his newest collection. Many suspected this would be the case after seeing Miley Cyrus wearing a gown made by the designer at the 2013 Met gala and accompanying him as his date. The selection of Cyrus as his campaign model has also caused creative differences between Marc Jacobs and photographer, Juergen Teller. Juergen Teller, a fashion photographer known for his Polaroids and film photography, usually shoots all of the campaign photography for Marc Jacobs’s. In an interview with WWD, Marc explains, “I have worked with Juergen for years and love him as an artist”. The two ended their collaboration this season as Juergen, “…just didn’t want to shoot [Cyrus]. With Juergen out of the picture, photographer David Sims shot the Spring/Summer advertisements. The fashion photos use a sandy beach setting with Cyrus and models, Natalie Westling and Esmerelda Seay Reynolds. The images feature a dark aesthetic with Miley deep in thought. The reception of the photos has so far been favorable. When asked why Marc Jacobs chose her as their campaign model, he explained, “We all just love her and her entire…

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Winter Engagement Photo Shoot Ideas

December is the most popular month for proposals in the United States. With that in mind, it’s time to start planning your engagement photo shoot! Winter is a wonderful time for engagement photos in New York. Our Brooklyn engagement photographers have created a list of fabulous winter engagement photo shoot ideas for you and your loved one during this whimsical season. Book your Wedding Package here 1.    Central Park – The iconic Manhattan Park is a great spot for your winter engagement photos. Our New York engagement photographers also know of many great wedding locations in Central Park, if you should want to include the park in your wedding ceremony as well. Central Park is known for its romantic spots and they’re even more beautiful during the winter season with mounds of white snow and delicate snowflakes dancing through the air.  2.    The Lobby Bar at the Bowery Hotel- This luxurious East Village retreat makes for a lovely New York photo shoot location. The lobby’s décor is Art Deco-inspired with plush velvet couches throughout the bar. The fireplace is also spectacular and makes a great spot for cozy couples’ photos.  3.    Brooklyn Botanic Gardens- Although the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens is thought of as being a great New York summer wedding location, it’s beautiful in winter.  It’s free during the weekdays of winter until February. There are several flowers still in bloom and the structures of the trees are so striking against the snow. We hope this list of winter engagement…

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Top 3 Biggest Celebrity Makeovers for 2013

2013 was a crazy year for fashion! So many celebrities played with their style and created new trends for shoppers everywhere. Our New York fashion photography team at Le Image Inc has created a list of the top 3 celebrity makeovers for 2013. It’s a perfect way to finish the year for fashion lovers everywhere! 1. Miley Cyrus– The “twerking” queen is the top of the list for biggest celebrity makeovers for 2013. The ex-Disney star shocked the world when she cut her hair short, started dressing in sexier outfits and displaying outrageous behaviors. Her controversial VMA performance in August is rumored to have cost her the cover of the December Vogue issue.  Anna Wintour must not be fan. Controversial or not, Miley Cyrus has shocked the fashion world and has had her photo on the cover of several notable fashion magazines this year. 2. Kim Kardashian– Kim Kardashian is never one to shy away from the limelight and 2013 was certainly no different for the reality tv starlet. Her biggest makeover yet started this year after she became pregnant with Kanye West’s child. She received a lot of criticism for the amount of pregnancy weight she gained and the tight couture outfits she wore during her pregnancy. After the birth of Kim and Kanye’s daughter, North West, Kim changed her look again. She continued her newfound love of haute couture and bleached her brunette locks blonde. Her new hairstyle has already become one of the most desired looks at salons everywhere….

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How To Protect Your Credit Card Online

Our New York commercial photographers often shoot look books and product shots for ecommerce retailers in our Brooklyn photography studio. While we love the world of online shopping, Le Image Inc knows how important it is to be cautious.  More people than ever are doing their Christmas shopping online, credit card safety is more important than ever. Read our list below to keep your credit card information safe when shopping the post holiday sales. 1.    Look for the HTTPS sign in the URL bar When your reach the check out part of your online shopping trip, be sure to check the URL bar before you type in your credit card information. HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure and ensures that your data will be encrypted. HTTPS also denotes an authentic URL, preventing those “man-in-the-middle attacks” which target online shoppers. 2.    Make a Credit Card Account Just For Your Online Shopping  Sometimes credit card data is breeched even on secure websites. Mega-retailer, Target, suffered a bad security breech this Christmas which affected 40 million credit cards and debit cards. This is just one of 600 publicly disclosed date breaches in 2013. So, to prevent what seems like the inevitable, it is best to open a separate credit card account for your online purchases. That way, you can cancel the card the minute you see signs of fraud without affecting your day-to-day purchases and online bills.  3.    Buy a Visa Gift Card/PayPal to Make Purchases Finally, if you are still unsure…

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Christmas Gift Guide: Pajamas

The holidays are right around the corner and it’s time to find the perfect gift for your loved ones.  One of the best gifts for Christmas or Hanukkah is a pair of lux pajamas. Whether you scope the holiday sales online or visit stores, our New York fashion photography team at Le Image Inc has created a list of the best PJs to gift for 2013. Gisele Short PJ Set by Eberjey– This Miami based sleepwear and loungewear brand is renown for their comfy fabrics and cute designs. Their Gisele PJ set is perfect for anyone on your lists from a young niece to your mom. It’s very cute without being too daring or uncomfortable. Sophie Sleep Shirt by Zinke– Silk is huge this season for sleepwear and this new pajama shirt by Zinke is definitely on trend. The luscious silk looks even more luxurious with its wine inspired color. The sleep shirt does run a little short, (3 inches above the knee), giving this sleepwear a saucy edge. Lila Daisy Pyjamas by Olivia Von Halle– If you’re shopping for fashionable friend or lover, these silk pyjamas (British spelling) are beautiful! They come with a hefty price tag but the print and fabric are definitely worth it. Le Image even got to interview this lovely London fashion designer for our blog! Stella McCartney Selma Dancing Chemise– This is a great gift for any of your friends or female family members. The beautiful silk in turquoise is eye catching and the…

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Black Friday Sales on Thanksgiving Day

Retailers are already prepping for the madness of Black Friday but there’s fear that one new practice may ruin the profit-making day. Traditionally, Black Friday is the biggest shopping day in the United States with stores opening their doors before dawn with amazing deals for customers. This year, more retailers are starting the shopping holiday starting on Thanksgiving Day and not waiting until the following Friday.  Some of the larger retailers open during the American holiday include Target, Macy’s, Best Buy and Toy’s “R” Us. Many retail companies and their workers are against opening their doors this Thursday. In AM New York, family owned and operated company, P.C. Richard & Son, bought a full page advertisement space stating, “It is our opinion that retailers who choose to open on Thanksgiving Day or night show no respect to their employees and families, and are in total disrespect of family values in the United States of America”.  Retail employees work very hard during the holiday season and with the loss of the Thanksgiving holiday, this is just one less day they have off. Also, some are concerned about the unsafe driving conditions that could be created by shoppers staying up all night driving from store to store in winter weather. With that in mind, what are the pros of being open on Thanksgiving? Retailers that open earlier (that is, before the early hours of Black Friday) may get more traffic from individuals that don’t want to stay up all night or wait…

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The History of the Wedding Garter

What is a wedding garter and what is its purpose exactly? Many bride and grooms to be are often unsure of this wedding tradition even though it’s such a standard practice at wedding receptions in the United States.  Our New York wedding photographers have been in the wedding industry for three years and even they are clueless about this wedding tradition! The origin of the garter toss at weddings derives from a 14th century tradition in France. Back then, the bride and groom had to show proof of consummating the marriage after the wedding night. The friends and family of the couple would stay in the room and obtain the wedding garter as ‘proof’ of the consummation. Another common tradition from centuries ago was the ripping apart of the wedding dress while on the bride as anything worn by the bride was considered ‘good luck’. The garter toss became a part of the wedding reception out of modesty for the bride. Today, the garter toss consists of the groom taking off the garter from the bride at the wedding reception. The garter toss takes places after the bride tosses her bridal bouquet. The bride wears the bridal garter on her right leg, a few inches above the knee and her husband is to take it off with either his hands or teeth and throw it to the groomsmen. The groomsman who catches the garter is considered ‘lucky’ and ‘the next to be married’. Although the history behind the wedding garter…

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Best Days to do Online Christmas Shopping

Planning to do most of your holiday shopping online? Make sure you get the best online shopping deals possible this December! Many retailers will advertise great online deals and specials before the holiday rush that aren’t as consumer friendly as they appear. After the tepid fall sales, which we discussed previously, https://www.leimageinc.com/blog/commercial-blog/warm-fall-weather-giving-retailers-the-chills/, online retailers and brick-and-mortar stores will be trying harder than ever to turn around a profit this 2013 holiday shopping season. Le Image Inc has compiled some online holiday shopping advice for you before the madness of Cyber Monday begins! Many ecommerce websites are claiming to have “Early Black Friday” sales and other “door buster” type deals online way before the tradition start of the online holiday shopping rush. For the most part, these aren’t sales that are unique to the retailer for the holiday season. More likely, they are just standard weekly specials repurposed to attract holiday shoppers. As a rule of thumb, don’t participate in these sales unless it’s an item you were planning to buy anyway and it’s marked down by at least 20%. The traditional online holiday shopping rush and rollbacks won’t make their way to cyberspace until November 25th. Everyone has heard of “Black Friday” for in store shopping deals galore, but what’s the biggest shopping day online? Cyber Monday!  Traditionally, on the Monday following Thanksgiving, this is the day for online sales and deals. If you shop online Cyber Monday, you are almost guaranteed a deal. While shopping on Cyber Monday is…

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Prada and Wes Anderson’s Newest Collaboration

Italian fashion label, Prada, will be teaming up with American film director, Wes Anderson for Prada Classics. This will be the third chapter of Prada Classics under fashion designer, Miuccia Prada, and will explore “…different cultural fields such as art, architecture and cinema”. Anderson’s eight-minute film, Castello Cavalcanti, debuts this Wednesday and stars Jason Schwartzman.  Director, Wes Anderson, and actor, Jason Schwartzman, have worked frequently together in the past with films such as Rushmore, Fantastic Mr. Fox and Hotel Chevalier.  Schwartzman is a relative of iconic film directors, Francis Ford Coppola, Sophia Coppola and actor, Nicolas Cage. This newest fashion film from Anderson and Prada was filmed in Rome’s Cinecittà and takes place in 1955. The New York fashion photography team at Le Image Inc is excited to see this fashion short because it takes places during the era of Federico Fellini and Sophia Loren. A very stylish time, indeed! The basic plot of the fashion movie starts when Jason Schwartzman arrives in a tiny Italian village where he crushes his car against a statue of Jesus. He then finds himself immersed in a completely new reality filled with gorgeous haute couture designed by Miuccia Prada. It’s interesting that the star of the fashion film is not a model, but an actor. For more about the takeover of fashion campaigns by other non-fashion related celebrities, be sure to read our other article: https://www.leimageinc.com/blog/fashion-blog/photogenic-models-need-not-apply/ If you aren’t lucky enough to be in Rome, Prada.com will be streaming the short movie starting…

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Wedding Reception Centerpieces without Flowers

Beautiful wedding reception centerpieces without flowers are a great wedding decor option for the modern bride! This is just one of the new wedding trends for 2014, which we discussed in one of our previous articles: https://www.leimageinc.com/blog/weddings-blog/wedding-trends-for-2014/. Many brides feel lost when searching for the wedding reception floral arrangements because the flowers for the season of their wedding are not to their liking or their colors don’t match their wedding décor color palette. This past season, our New York wedding photographers have noticed the trend of wedding receptions centerpieces that rely on simple elegance and not flowers for their beauty. Flowerless wedding centerpieces are a great option for any wedding style. For beach wedding receptions, glass vessels or votive centerpieces filled with coral make elegant wedding reception decorations. Natural coral comes in many different shapes, sizes and colors but we recommend small white coral for your summer-inspired wedding centerpieces. Another option for beach wedding reception centerpieces would be to include pieces of driftwood found on the beach. For rustic wedding receptions, there are plenty of great options for wedding reception centerpieces. For vintage inspired wedding decorations, use old hardback books and candles on your wedding reception tables. Another great idea for retro-inspired wedding reception centerpieces are hand-painted serving-wear filled with fruit, like clementines and oranges. You can also add other non-floral plants, like succulents to give your rustic wedding décor a more southwestern flair. There are so many great options for wedding centerpieces that flowers are no longer necessary to…

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Halloween Costumes, Fashion Inspired

Still searching for a chic last minute Halloween costume? You’re not alone! Since Halloween will be on a Thursday this year, the costume parties and other Halloween themed events are mostly taking place this weekend. Here at Le Image Inc, our team of fashion writers and New York fashion photographers have created a list of 3 fashion inspired Halloween costumes that will have you celebrating in style. Coco Chanel– Channel the French fashion designer for your Halloween party! Coco Chanel makes for an easy and trendy costume for any aspiring fashionistas.  Simply find a short black curled wig, wear all black clothes and ropes of pearls (real or not). Chanel was known for her effortlessly chic fashion aesthetic which will have you standing out in a room full of gaudy shapeless Halloween costumes. Lady Gaga- Dressing as singer, Lady Gaga, for Halloween is a snap! The outlandish star is characterized by her strange accessorizing, which means you’ll have far more creativity when creating your costume. Caution tape, old phones and anything else you have laying around the house is fair game for your Halloween outfit. Anna Piaggi– The iconic fashion writer who at one time served as Karl Lagerfeld’s muse in the 1960s is a cool and unusual costume idea. The fashion plate was known for her blue hair, love of hats and extraordinary use of colors in her fashionable ensembles. Beware: this fashion history inspired costume is only for the adventurous! We hope our list of Halloween costumes for…

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Is Terry Richardson’s Career Over?

Terry Richardson has never been one to fear controversy.  Recently, the famous New York fashion photographer has been making headlines not for his work but for a movement to get large brands and fashion publications to stop using Richardson as their photographer. Terry Richardson is known for his fashion photography style that uses sexuality and nudity with a film photography aesthetic. The petition to end his reign in the fashion world deplores his overly sexual, and some say, almost pornographic depictions of his subjects (who are many times underage) and for his questionable behavior on set. Several supermodels, including, Coco Rocha, Jamie Peck, and Rie Rasmussen, have come forward to the public about the unprofessional and sexual harassment they received from Terry Richardson when modeling for him. Throughout his career in the fashion industry, there have been several first-hand reports of sexually inappropriate behavior from Terry but many models and fashion insiders fear bringing the iconic photographer to court. Terry Richardson holds a lot of sway in the fashion world, having shot for Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, H&M and Mango. Model Jamie Peck, worked with Terry Richardson at the age of 19 and claims to have been sexually abused by the photographer. She claims that he had her pose nude and then he undressed and coerced her into preforming a sexual act on him. A sexual act performed due to coercion is considered rape by most state laws in the US.  In the words of Jamie Peck, “If you do a…

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Warm Fall Weather Giving Retailers the Chills

The month of October is notorious for lackluster profit margins for large retailers. The fall month falls right after the high earning back to school season August- September) and the right before the profitable holiday season (November to December). Another factor that has been lowering the profits for retail stores is the warm weather that has largely been affecting the nation this autumn. The above average temperatures have shoppers turning away from all the cold-weather apparel lining the shelves at most retail stores. Paul Walsh, the Vice President of weather analytics at the Weather Channel, explains, “The weather has a huge [effect] on driving consumer demand—especially this time of year, when people are changing out their closets and getting ready for fall”. Transitional seasons like spring and fall often put retailers at the mercy of the weather. Last spring, Europe experienced a chilly March and April, hurting companies like Zara’s and H&M who banked on skimpy more warm weather friendly apparel designs for the season.  Buyers and other retailers are nervous because they know, “…[once] the weather becomes seasonally appropriate… that in turn drives demand and that in turn drives full-price sales”. So what does this mean for your business? Many fashion designers are taking this slow time to thoughtfully create their advertisements and ecommerce product photos for the upcoming holiday season with their commercial photographers. Other retailers are creating promotions and markdowns for their products to increase foot traffic and sales for their company. Business week and Yahoo! have…

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Wedding Trends for 2014

Le Image Inc. had the great pleasure of attending the Atelier Pronovias and Elie Saab 2014 runway show in New York City this October.  The show gave our New York wedding photography team a great preview of what’s to come for weddings in 2014. Think your upcoming wedding could use a little glitz? Then 2014 will be a perfect year for your wedding ceremony! Wedding décor will still be gaga for Gatsby next year. The wedding trend of over the top glamor, sparkle and textured fabrics will be still be in Vogue for 2014. For wedding reception décor, try using a great-textured tablecloth like quilted leather and elaborate wedding centerpieces. One of the speakers at the event, Maya Kalman, of Swank Productions, recommend using patterns and other interesting materials for wedding reception table top decoration, such as all feather center pieces. The glitz, glamour and sparkle of wedding décor also translated to the bridal show runway, as well. The runway show consisted of 25 different wedding gowns by bridal designer, Elie Saab. The Great Gatsby trend is alive and well in wedding dresses for 2014. The dresses all used layered textures and were paired with full-length veils decorated with applique flowers. Sleeves are also another big trend for wedding dresses for next year. Illusion sleeves, cap sleeves, and full-length lace sleeves will be one of the biggest bridal trends for 2014. High Victorian-inspired necklines are also very prominent in Elie Saab’s newest wedding dress collection. The runway models were also…

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The Business of Halloween Costumes

The Halloween season is upon us! This unique holiday is a major force in the retail market with a projected spending of $2.6 billion dollars for Halloween costumes expected for 2013. This number is slightly lower than last year’s projections but is still not to be sneezed at. Believe it or not, Halloween costumes for adults makes up the biggest chunk of the expected spending on Halloween costumes at $1.2 billion. The National Retail Federation projects spending at $1 billion for children’s costumes and a cool $330 million on pet costumes. So, what’s the most popular costumes for adults? Prepare to be spellbound this Halloween season as 5 million adults plan on dressing as witches this year. Classic Halloween costumes aside, it appears that more than ever, “…costumes related to TV shows are more popular than ever”, according to Mark Bietz, the vice president of marketing for Halloweencostumes.com. Google Shopping released data this week listing the top 10 most searched costumes. The numbers 2,4 & 7 on the list all involve characters from popular TV Shows. AMC’s smash hit, Breaking Bad is listed at number 2, Duck Dynasty at 4 and Daenerys from Game of Thrones at number 7. TV show Halloween costumes are in and sexy is out according to new data from retailer BuyCostumes.com. CEO, Dev Mukherjee, explains, “…sexy has actually diminished and that seems to have moved over to queen-and-princess-type adult costumes”. Parents of teenage girls, rejoice! The Halloween costume business is huge not only for retailers,…

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Wedding Invitations – Things to Look for

Choosing your wedding invitations can be a fun yet stressful aspect of wedding planning.  The wedding invitation sets the mood of the wedding ceremony to your friends and family by defining your wedding’s style. Our New York wedding photographers and wedding team here at Le Image Inc has compiled a list of our top tips for finding your perfect wedding invitations! Book your Wedding Package here 1. Do Your Research- It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when digging through all the samples at your local wedding stationary store. If you come in with a basic idea or style for the wedding cards, the wedding invitation specialist can help point you in the direction that fits with your wedding day aesthetic, instead of showing you every past invitation they made. 2. Make Sure It’s Easy to Read– Although this may sound obvious, we have seen many beautiful wedding invites with swirling wedding calligraphy that made it impossible to read any of the wedding day information. If you choose to use calligraphy on your wedding invitations, make sure the key information like wedding venue, date and time are completely legible. 3. Consider Size- It’s easy to get sucked into those fun oversized wedding invites but remember, you’re the one who will be stuck paying for the extra postage on those cards. Oversized cards can also mean that your friends and family who live in apartments or condos may have an issue of receiving your invite due to tiny New York mailboxes. 4. Know the Exact Number…

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Best Skin Moisturizers for Fall

The changes in the season may mean its time to switch up your beauty routine for fall. Every season has its own weather changes, which means a change in moisture levels for you skin.  Skin that’s prone to dryness may be even more irritated in the fall and winter months so it’s important to consider your skincare products.  Both oily and combination skin need moisturizer in order for skin to stay clear and radiant. Our beauty team here at Le Image Inc. has created a list of our top moisturizers that will help you keep your skin glowing through the fall and winter months. Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion– This new formula is perfect for combination skin! It keeps the oily T-zone under control while nourishing the dryer areas of your complexion. We love this for New York’s unpredictable fall season as it works perfectly during humid Indian summer and the chiller days of autumn. Clinique is available at most department stores and at beauty stores like Sephora and Ulta.  Pond’s Dry Skin Cream– For those with all over dry skin, this classic is perfect. Pond’s is available at most grocery stores and if you leave it in the fridge, it becomes a nice cooling mask for your face.  Josie Maran’s  Argan Oil– For those looking for a more eco-friendly beauty product, Supermodel, Josie Maran’s, argan oil is perfect for you.  The oil is very luxurious and works with most skin types. The oil is very nourishing and is still noncomedogenic….

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Top 5 Fashion Schools in the United States

The end of the fall semester is almost here for high school students across the nation. The last few months of the fall semester signals the beginning of college application time, an extremely important time for seniors.  For those interested in majoring in fashion related studies, it can be daunting to apply to fashion school since there are so many great ones in the US. Here at Le Image, our team of fashion writers and fashion photographers have compiled a list of the top fashion schools in the US for 2013 for all of our readers! Parsons, The New School For Design– Parsons is a fashion powerhouse that has produced some of the most well known current fashion designers in the industry including Tom Ford, Donna Karen, Marc Jacobs and Jason Wu. The school offers a wide array of fashion related studies including design and fashion marketing. This New York City based college also has some of the best master-classes with top designers regularly teaching their undergrad and graduate students. Fashion Institute of Technology– Another New York based university that offers an amazing fashion program for prospective students. FIT is part of the SUNY network and has notable alums such as Calvin Klein, Michael Kors and Carolina Herrera.  FIT also has an exceptional museum and lecture series available to all of its students. Pratt Institute- The Brooklyn, New York art school has recently been expanding its fashion prowess, jumping in ratings as one of the best fashion schools in America….

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America’s Cup Size Runneth Over: Changes for the Lingerie Industry

The average consumer in the United States has changed drastically over the past 60 years. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the average woman, ages 20-74, weighed 140 pounds in 1960. As of 2002, the survey showed that the average woman in that same age group now has an average weight of 164.7 pounds. This steep incline in weight has had its ramifications in the fashion industry. Now fashion designers are embracing plus sizes and fashion photographers are photographing curvy New York fashion models like Crystal Renn. One industry that has seen a huge change is size run is the lingerie industry. As of 1992, the average bra size for an American woman was 34B. Today, the average size is 34DD. This increase in bra sizes is not only attributed to weight gain and rising obesity rates but also to an increase in bra fit awareness and an increase in breast implants. In 2005, Oprah Winfrey held an episode on her daytime show to bring light to the fact that the majority of women are wearing the incorrect bra size. Generally, women are wearing too large of a band size and too small of a cup size. Lingerie appreciation has also increased in the past few years with pop culture’s celebration of burlesque with films, musicals and celebrities like Dita Von Teese. So what does that mean for all the professionals in the lingerie industry? Well, most big name brands have increased their size run for bras. Ecommerce…

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Model Spotlight: Kate Upton

Since our fashion photographers have been collaborating with IMG Models in New York, we have decided to spotlight one of their iconic models. The models we test shoot from IMG may one day become as notable as supermodel, Kate Upton.  The road to success in the fashion industry wasn’t easy for Kate but she found a fabulous partnership with the powerful International Management Group and became a style icon overnight. Kate Upton was born in 1992 in St. Joseph, Michigan.  Her parents were both involved in athletics, not fashion, for their careers.  Kate also became interested in competitive sports and even competed nationally at the American Paint Horse Association.  It wasn’t until 2008 that she first entered the modeling world at an open call for Elite Model Management in Miami. She was signed by the fashion model agency that same day and soon landed campaigns for Dooney & Bourke. Eventually, Kate Upton moved to New York City and signed with IMG models worldwide, joining the same agency as Kate Moss, Karlie Kloss and Gisele Bundchen. Kate Upton has now worked with the best in fashion including, Guess, Sports Illustrated, Vogue Italia and French Elle. Not everyone has been cheering on the curvy 5’10” glamazon, Kate Upton was once told by a fashion agency that she was “too American looking”. Luckily, Kate has several of the fashion elite in her corner including Terry Richardson, Steven Meisel and Anna Wintour. Kate Upton has now crossed over into Hollywood and is busy filming…

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Fall Wedding Flower Trends

With the end of Indian summer comes one of the most popular seasons for weddings: fall!  September has now become one of the most popular months for wedding ceremonies, surpassing the traditional season of summer for weddings.  Keeping that in mind, if you’re planning your own fall nuptials, it’s time to pick out your wedding flowers! The flowers you choose for the reception centerpieces and bridal bouquet will all be captured by your wedding photographer, so be sure to put plenty of thought into it. Here in New York, we are very spoiled with all the different varieties of flowers that are available for purchase but we have compiled a list of gorgeous fall flowers that are available across the country for all of our brides. 1. Dahlias- This beautiful structured flower hails from Mexico and other parts of Central America and Colombia. This option for flowers is at full bloom in September and therefore, is abundant and cheap for fall weddings! What’s great about this flower is that it comes in a variety of sizes, from mini-sized (perfect for boutonnieres) to nearly 10 inches in diameter (a great option for centerpieces at the wedding reception). Dahlias also come is every shade, although we recommend the marigold colored dahlias for your autumn ceremony. 2. Chocolate Brown Roses- This newest fall wedding flower trend is sure to be a hit with brides! Chocolate brown roses are a new hybridized shade for the traditional wedding flower and it looks great with fall…

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Early Holiday Shopping Advertisements: Helpful or Hurtful for Business?

It’s only early September and the first nationally televised advertisement for Christmas shopping has already aired. Kmart launched its first ad to promote holiday sales 100 days before Christmas Day in hopes of spurring sales and interest in its famous layaway program. The Kmart ad advises viewers, “Don’t let the holidays sneak up on you” in a voiceover while a woman in an office is startled by a huge gingerbread man.  Even though the TV ad’s point is to advertise their layaway program, the company has received a large amount of backlash. On the Today Show, New York co-host, Hoda Kotb, declared, “I’m sorry, it’s too early for Christmas… I don’t care if it’s layaway. It’s really early”. So, why are all these large retailers already releasing their winter holiday deals to the public? Well for one, success in the fourth quarter is integral to a company’s annual performance.  Also, the retailers are now dealing with tougher competition than ever with the US economy still recovering. Most customers now shop around for the best deal around before purchasing a big ticket item. And, the National Retail Federation has found data that shows 40% of shoppers start their holiday shopping before Halloween! In short, early holiday shopping advertisements and deal announcements are not hurtful to businesses. That being said, customers don’t like being bulldozed over with ads for holidays that are months in advance. They may feel it’s an obnoxious overture to get their money and may resent your business, so…

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Miley Cyrus’ Hostile Take Over of Fashion

Miley Cyrus has been stealing the headlines lately from all the Hollywood’s go-to controversial tabloid cover stars. Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry and even Lady Gaga can’t get the press coverage that Miley Cyrus has been able to generate with her new image.  Miley Cyrus first stepped into the stoplight in 2006 with her Disney Channel Show, “Hannah Montana” and soon shook off her little kid image by revealing a short and edgy hairstyle in early 2013. She would soon start making even more headlines with her new single, “We Can’t Stop”, which discussed drug use and included a music video with her ‘twerking’. Her controversial image came to a boiling point with her MTV VMA performance in August which was soon followed by another single with music videos shot by New York fashion photographer, Terry Richardson. After all of this publicity and public interest, you’d think that every magazine would be vying to have her in an editorial or cover story, but one magazine in particular has made it clear that they are not interested. Anna Wintour, who admitted pre-VMA performance, that she loved Miley’s aesthetic and status as a rising fashion icon, has decided not to use Miley Cyrus for Vogue Magazine’s December 2013 cover, as was previously planned. No reason has been officially given, but it is clear that the fashion editor did not appreciate the “We Can’t Stop/Blurred Lines” performance on the VMAs. While I can certainly understand why the 63 year old fashion head did not…

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The Dangers of a Wedding Photography Shots List

Here at Le Image, Inc. we love our brides! Your excitement for planning your special day is truly inspiring. Brides can get so wrapped up in the wedding planning process that they spend hours pouring over wedding images on websites like Pinterest, Tumblr and the Knot. While it’s a great thing that there is so much bridal advice available online, there is one popular piece of bad wedding advice that has making the rounds that has affected even our wedding photographers here in New York. The issue at hand, the creation of an extensive wedding photography shot list by the bride or groom may at first seem like a good idea, but that is not the case. As a Type-A, to-do list queen, I certainly understand the desire to create a huge list of desired photos for your wedding day. You only get one time to do it right and you want to make sure it’s captured the way you want, right? Well, take a deep breath in and realize that sometimes its best to let go. I know it can be hard to trust a wedding photographer with capturing your special day but realize that you picked this person to do your wedding photography because you liked their work and could see their skill level and experience through their previously shot weddings. So what makes a wedding photo shot list so bad? For one, it will make all your wedding pictures seem stiff and forced. The wedding photographer will…

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What Fashion Week Means for Your Business

The New York Times recently made waves with their article, “Is New York Fashion Week Near the End of the Runway?” The article traced the history of fashion week in New York City as well as voicing several negative opinions about the runways shows and showrooms that swamp September. To quote one of the main creators of Mercedes-Benz fashion week, Fern Mallis, “Fashion Week needs to be rethought”. So, what does that mean for you as a fashion industry professional? If you are a designer, the good news is that there are a lot more opportunities to show your fashion collections to the public. Bloggers, fashion photographers and other members of the fashion world are going to more shows then ever with a total number of 350 shows and 9 presentations (even more if you count the ones not on the official stages of Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week). The extensive number of shows can act as double-edged sword; more designers have a chance to show but at the same time, more designers have compete for exposure with all the other designers who are now able to show their collections. Fashion week is officially scheduled for only a week, but the other outlying events now consumes all of September with the unofficial start being the Vogue Magazine Event, Fashion Night Out. After Fashion Week leaves New York, it moves to London, then Milan and finishes in Paris in October. The main purpose of the event is to generate buzz for…

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New York Fall Engagement Photography Ideas

If you’re anything like the wedding photography team at Le Image, you must be so excited that fall is finally here. Fall in New York, and the east coast in general, is a wonderful season and a perfect time to schedule your engagement photo shoot! September is quickly becoming one of the most popular months for weddings and it’s easy to see why. September is full of great 3-day weekends (Columbus Day & Labor Day), it’s still pleasant weather and the beginning of autumn is always a magical and romantic season.  Our wedding photographers also suggest that September and October are great months for engagement photos. Below is a list of our top three engagement photo ideas for fall. Book your Wedding Package here 1. Central Park – Central Park is always the perfect venue for New York Wedding photography but fall really brings the park to life! Starting in October, the New York City trees start to change color and the beautiful fall leaves can provide a great background for your couple’s photos. If you’re stumped for engagement poses or inspiration, take a blanket and picnic basket and have the engagement photographer take pictures of you and your loved one enjoying the outdoors! 2. Pumpkin Patch – Do we have any “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” fans? If so, channel your inner Linus and Sally and find a great pumpkin patch for your engagement pictures. Pumpkin picking is a great fall engagement photography idea and provides you tons of props…

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Fall Fashion Trends

With Labor Day weekend on the horizon, autumn is all ready to set into motion. September is a particularly important month for fall fashion as it hosts the iconic “September Issue” of Vogue Magazine, Fashion Week in New York City and Fashion Night Out across the globe. Retailers are moving out all new merchandise to accommodate the back to school shopping rush. So what are the biggest fall fashion trends for 2013? We’ve narrowed it down to 3 top trends for women’s fashion for fall. Fashion photographers snapped the fall/winter runway shows way back at the beginning of the year, so we already have a good idea of what designer’s have in store for the fall season. The first fashion trend that we’d like to mention is the continuation of the military trend seen last season. Instead of green military inspired light jackets, look for cameoflage to be all the rage. Look for the camo print in all new colors and pattern sizes. Fashion designers Christopher Kane, Michael Kors and Rebecca Minkoff have all included a nod to camouflage in their new autumn collections. Another trend for autumn clothing, is what we call, “The Annie Hall Trouser”. Statement pants are the cat’s meow this season and allow you to be fashionable without sacrificing any warmth in the chilled autumn air. Look for fun patterns and colors in all styles of pants: jeans, palazzo pants and tuxedo inspired trousers. Last but not least, we’d like to cover the fall fashion look…

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Bridal Lingerie 102: Finding your Wedding Lingerie

Finding the perfect wedding undergarments can be such a challenge for brides-to-be that we decided to write a second wedding blog article about it. Below are our top three tips on finding the perfect bridal undergarments for your wedding dress and for your wedding night. Examine the Fabric of your Wedding Dress– Before venturing to find your bridal underwear, really pay attention to the construction of your wedding dress.  Is it a silky a-line dress? Then perhaps you should avoid lacey lingerie and pick a bra and panty combination that won’t show under the material. Also, consider how you’d like your body to look in your dress. Our New York wedding photographers often have clients who express sentiments like “Oh, I wish I had bought a push-up bra for my wedding dress, I really wanted to fill out the top the neckline more”, after viewing their wedding photos. Pick your Lingerie Before your Fitting– Having worked both in the fields of wedding photography and lingerie sales in New York, this is one wedding dress tip that I can honestly say will save you so much time and money! Many brides get fitted for their wedding dress before finding their wedding undergarments which sticks them with the problem of finding bridal underwear and bras that fit with the measurements of their altered dress. Remember, once a dress is altered, it cannot be changed. Find lingerie that that will give you a perfect shape before having a tailor fit your wedding dress….

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A Perfect Marriage Proposal: Disney Engagements

Many people struggle to plan their proposals for their loved ones. Television and Hollywood have put tons of pressure on planning the perfect proposal, which can add even more anxiety to the situation of asking someone to marry you. One great option is to propose during a vacation, as you and your partner will both be in more romantic mood in a beautiful setting. So, where to vacation? Have you ever been to Disneyland, Disneyworld or on Disney Cruise? If you haven’t guessed yet, this blog post will breakdown the most magical engagements on Earth! Disney is well known for their customer service and their concierge services for engagements go even more above and beyond than you could have dreamed. For our East Coast couples, Disney Cruise Line now departs out of New York, making it easier than ever for a cruise. According to their websites, they can help you plan a marriage proposal on the deck of their ships or on the beautiful shores of their beach location, Castaway Cay. One great feature for couples is that Disney has the ability to provide you with professional photographers to photograph your proposal and your loved one’s reaction so you can share these memories with your friends and family. Book your Wedding Package here All three of the Disney resort options offer assistance with planning proposals and even break down their suggestions and ideas by categories: “Simple and Romantic”, “Signature Disney” and “Over the Top”. Keep in mind the busiest month…

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Tips for Great Wedding Videography…NYC Wedding Videographers

Ah, the wedding video. c has expanded greatly since its rise to popularity in the 1950s and 60s. Back in the old days of wedding cinematography, it use to be a family member or friend of the bride and groom who would film the wedding with a portable Super 8 film camera. These videos didn’t always come out great (or at all) because of the temperamental nature of the camera itself and because of the filmer’s lack of professional training. Today, brides and grooms needn’t worry about finding a separate wedding videographer and wedding photographer as most wedding photography studios (especially in New York and Brooklyn) offer both services to couples. Our top tip for couples tying the knot and looking for a wedding cinematographer would be to find a photos studio that offers both. That way, the photographer and the videographer can coordinate and make sure they capture your wedding day in its entirety without having any miscommunications. This is especially important for brides and grooms who planned to get married in a big city like NYC where time constraints are very strict and inflexible. The last thing you want is two separate wedding photographers and cinematographers scrambling around trying to get a shot that they thought the other one had already captured. Choosing one company to film the wedding and provide the wedding photography will also ensure the consistency of their aesthetic and skill level. Book your Wedding Package here Finally, always interview plenty of candidates. Your wedding…

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5 Terms You Must Know as A Fashion Designer Marketing Your Collection

Being an emerging fashion designer can be very overwhelming. You finally finish creating your collection and need it photographed in order to reach a broader market online. So, you contact local fashion photographers with great portfolios and soon they’re throwing so much fashion terminology at you, you begin feel completely unconfident about your new venture into the fashion world. But fear not, new designer, we will spell out the meaning of several fashion photography terms for you. 1. What is a Product Shot? – A product shot is a very plain image of an apparel item on a model against a white background like you have seen on several e-commerce fashion websites. These images serve to show what the item looks like on a person without any distractions. These images help customers imagine what the garment would look like on them. 2. What is a Lookbook?- A lookbook is a collection of images that show models styled and wearing the items of your collection paired with other items from your collection or with other designer’s items. The point of the lookbook is to inspire customers with your brands aesthetic and give them ideas about how to wear your collection. A look book can really help illustrate you intended audience and aesthetic direction to buyers. 3. What is a Buyer?¬- A buyer is the person who picks designers and their items for their stores to carry. These buyers create a look for a store and predict trends in order to make…

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The History of The Hoodie: From the Groovy 70’s to the Tragic Death of Trayvon Martin

Hoodies, or, hooded sweatshirts, have been making headlines lately because of their association with the Trayvon Martin case. For those living under a rock, Trayvon Martin was an African American high school student who was shot in his gated community by the neighborhood watch coordinator, George Zimmerman. The legal case has been featured significantly in the news for its allegations of racism and racial profiling by the shooter, George Zimmer, who was found not guilty by a Florida jury on July 13th, 2013. At the time of the tragic shooting, Travyon was wearing a hoodie and carrying only a bag of skittles. Shortly after the news broke, reporter, Geraldo Rivera created controversy for his comments on the teenager’s apparel stating, “I am urging the parents of black and Latino youngsters particularly not to let their children go out wearing hoodies. I think the hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin’s death as much as George Zimmerman was”. Shortly after the verdict, the “Million Hoodie March” was held in New York and across the country in memory of Trayvon Martin. So what is the history of the hoodie? How did it become such a controversial fashion item? With roots that can be traced back to the hooded capes of Medieval Europe, the hooded sweatshirt was first made in the 1930s by American clothing company, Champion. Intended for outdoor laborers and athletes in upstate New York, this new style of sweatshirt was created to help keep wearers warm in freezing temperatures….

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The Newest Wedding Trend: Wedding Dress Trashing?

It’s the newest and most extreme form of wedding photography: trash the dress photos. You’ve probably seen the viral photos and video of the bride setting her wedding dress on fire before running into the ocean after her beach wedding. This trend is not always about lighting the wedding dress on fire but it mostly centers around destroying the dress days or hours after the wedding ceremony. Examples include the bride and her groom jumping into the ocean, the mud, and every other messy situation you could imagine. The “Trashing The Dress” video has gotten a lot of flack from fellow wedding photographers for taking the trash the wedding dress trend to dangerous levels. The wedding photographer from the now famous video and photos, Eric Simantov of White Studio Photography in Tel Aviv, explains that “All brides are looking for something that hasn’t been done before”, which how the idea of trash the wedding dress photos came around. Our New York wedding photographers urge couples to take precaution if they plan to participate in this new wedding trend. A 30 year-old bride in Montreal drowned recently during her trash the wedding dress photo shoot. The wedding dress photos were taken by a 115 foot waterfall, the weight of her wedding dress dragged her down into the rushing water where she later died. The creator of the trend, John Michael Cooper, a wedding photographer in Las Vegas, told the New York Times, “In fashion photography, they often put really pretty people…

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Great locations for Weddings in Central Park

Arguably the most iconic park in the United States, Central Park is one of the best places to married in New York City. During the Spring and Summer season, our New York wedding photographers shoot at least one wedding ceremony or elopement per week in the 140 year old urban park. Planning a location for a Central Park wedding may seem daunting, but fear not. We have created a list of beautiful places to get married in Central Park, New York. 1. The Turtle Pond- Located in the middle of the park near 79th street and 80th street, this pond is a wedding photographer favorite for couples looking for a more quiet and intimate area for their nuptials. This wedding venue location is one of Central Park’s designated quiet zones. 2. Belvedere Plaza- Close to the Turtle Pond area of the park, this area’s setting is perfect for the bride looking a romantic and regal location for their wedding photography. Your bride will feel every bit a princess as this part of the park has a stunning view of Belvedere Castle. 3. Wagner Cove- Another mid-park wedding venue location is Wagner Cover, near the corner of the lake. This secluded area is very romantic and has a beautiful covered dock that blends seamlessly into the foliage like a rustic landscape painting. 4. Bow Bridge- This iconic cast-iron bridge has been seen in several famous movies including The Way We Were, Keeping the Faith, and, Manhattan. Many couples who get married…

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Tips for a Stress Free Wedding day

As part of a New York wedding photography studio, one of the most common questions I get asked by brides is how to have the least stressful wedding day. I am always happy to provide tips for brides, especially on the topic of stress free wedding planning! This is an especially hot topic for couples getting married in big cities, like New York and Los Angeles. Below are my top tips for couples looking to tie the knot without stress and anxiety ruining their day. Book your Wedding Package here 1. Get a Wedding Planner- This will take away all of the stressful parts of planning your wedding and leave you with only the fun parts. This way you can still decide between great wedding vendors and styles for your wedding without having to make calls and reconfirm appointments and schedules. 2. Get a Free Wedding Checklist- Big wedding blogs and websites like, The Wedding Wire, provide stressed brides with easy to read checklists to break down all the chores to be done before the wedding ceremony. This is a great option if you’re getting married on a budget and won’t be using the services of a wedding planner. 3. Get a Free Wedding Website- Many wedding photographers provide free wedding websites as part of their wedding photography packages. Some larger bridal blogs and websites like, The Knot, also provide wedding websites for its members. These websites allow users to upload their invitations, save the dates, engagement photos and wedding…

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Top 3 Tips For Pregnant Brides Finding Their Wedding Dress

“First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage”. You may recognize this rhyme from your days on the playground, but in 2013, these rules need not apply. Many couples first lived together and have children before ever tying the knot, and that’s great. Couples should live their life in a way that’s most positive for them even if it’s non traditional. Many women become pregnant during the engagement part of their relationship and decide to celebrate their wedding day as a pregnant bride. If you are considering this option, know that you are part of a new wedding trend with plenty of glamorous examples. Some stars who have wed while expecting include Drew Barrymore, Kate Winslet and Jennifer Garner. Below are our top three tips for blushing brides to be who will walk down the aisle while “great with child”. 1. Find the Best Style and Fit – Try to find fuller gowns rather than a figure hugging dress. Tell the sales associates at the wedding dress store that you are expecting and how far along you will be during your wedding day. Wedding dress styles to consider: A-line, princess line or empire line. Also be good to your dressmaker! She will have to work extra hard to give you the dress of your dreams. Famous New York wedding shop, Kleinfeld Bridal, of TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress”, has in-house seamstresses who are renown for their wedding dress tailoring skills. If you live…

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Dakar Fashion Week Says No to Skin Bleaching

Fashion lovers rejoice! Another fashion week host city is taking a stance against harmful beauty practices. This time, the spotlight is on the beautiful French-speaking city, Dakar. The largest city in the African country, Senegal, has hosted Fashion Weeks since 2002. This year, the city’s fashion week has taken a stance against skin bleaching. The creator of this annual fashion event, Adama Paris, has openly stated that he is “against” the popular beauty practice of skin bleaching. Skin bleaching cream is a popular beauty product among the fashion models of Africa who wish to achieve a lighter complexion that is considered the ‘ideal’ aesthetic. Although some companies claim to make natural skin bleaching products, this harmful beauty practice may leave blotches of discoloration with long-term use. Complications of bleaching skin include, risk of heart problems, since the cream is absorbed into the blood stream, and skin cancer. Many have spoken against the trend of African woman bleaching their skin, include New York based fashion designer, Sophie Nzinga Sy, who explains that the desire for lighter skin is “ridiculous. Our skin is something that we should value”. The fashion world used to be very racist and unwelcoming to non-white models, but now that bleak era is over. Fashion photographers now fight over the chance to photograph supermodels like Tyra Banks, Iman and Alek Wek. Fashion brand, Prada, recently made headlines for making Kenyan Model, Malaika Firth, the face of its fall/winter campaign for 2013. She is the first black model to…

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How to Channel Your Inner Mermaid: Top Tips for Beach Weddings

So, you’re planning a beach wedding? It’s a great traditional wedding venue for spring and summer brides. Outdoor weddings are a blast, but it’s important that you have all your ducks in a row before you tie the knot. Read on for our tips for some great beach wedding ideas! 1. Find a Great Beach Wedding Dress- Since beaches make great budget wedding venues, you may find yourself with a larger chunk of your wedding budget to use towards your wedding dress! We suggest something super romantic without any fussy details. Think goddess like. Also, be sure to consider the length of your wedding gown as it may possibly drag in the sand. 2. Research the Area of the Beach You Want for Your Wedding Ceremony- Some beaches require permits for weddings and it may take awhile for the paperwork to go through. Research this as soon as you and your groom begin wedding planning. Plan on your grandparents and any guests with disabilities to attend your wedding day? Consider how they could access the beach without having to go over tons of stairs, or, a rocky beachfront. Also, book a wedding photography service that has shot a beach wedding before. They will have better knowledge of how to bring and carry their video and photography equipment for your wedding. 3. Consider the Weather- Although no one can predict the weather perfectly, it’s best to get married during a season where inclement weather is less common. Also, plan on an…

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Bridal Lingerie 101: Find the Perfect Lingerie for Your Wedding and Honeymoon!

Shopping for your wedding day is no longer limited to just finding your wedding dress and veil! Now, more than ever, brides and their bridesmaids are booking bridal parties at great lingerie stores to find bridal undergarments to wear under their wedding gown and lingerie for the wedding night. In New York, many boutique stores, like Journelle, offer afterhours parties where you and your bridesmaids will be catered to with personal shopping and other amenities. Not able to do a wedding lingerie party but you still want to give your friend great bridal lingerie? Keep reading for the best lingerie brands for your bride. The Vintage-Lover Traditional Bride Is your bride-to-be a lover of all things vintage? Could she be Zooey Deschanel’s best friend? Then, Florrie Mitton Couture may be the brand for her. Originally launched on Etsy, this couture lingerie brand is renown for its gorgeous hand-made wedding garters. Made in the United Kingdom, these lux bridal essentials run from $60.00-$90.00 and make a great affordable gift! The Free-Spirit/Hipster Bride Not every girl is inclined to be the smoky eyed vixen in a black lace bustier. Maybe your bride would like a fun and patterned bridal undergarment. Another British brand, Beautiful Bottoms, may be the solution for your friend about to tie the knot. They have fun lingerie collections, with adorable patterns including one collection the features a fun summery flamingo print. If the bride to be is very eco-conscious, you may want to check out New York Brand,…

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Right Man, Wrong Finger: How to Say “I Don’t” and Call Off Your Wedding

You’re in the midst of planning your ceremony, the wedding photographers have been booked and the wedding dress has been fitted. There’s only one problem, you and your groom have decided to end your engagement. This is a terrible situation but it’s important to act quickly and salvage the situation. One fact’s for sure, some people may be annoyed, but you and your ex-Fiancé need to do what’s best for the long term. As much of a hassle as calling off your wedding will be, it’s better than going through a divorce. We have assembled some tips on how to call off your wedding. There is no perfect, clean-cut way to rectify relationship trouble of this scale, but we hope you will find this article helpful should you ever find yourself in this situation. Book your Wedding Package here First off, try to call your various wedding vendors and get back your deposits. If there’s one time to use “the sympathy card” this is it. Let those tears flow if you’re having a tough time dealing with your wedding vendor. Have your wedding invitations already gone out? No? Perfect, instead of mailing out the wedding invites you can send a simple card that simply says the wedding won’t take place. If it is closer to the actual wedding ceremony, you can have a friend or family member call your wedding guests and simply tell them that the wedding has been cancelled. Don’t worry about providing an explanation or calling the…

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What is Wedding Boudoir Photography?

Wedding boudoir photography is the newest trend for wedding photographers and brides-to-be. But, what is boudoir photography? It’s basically a sultry but tasteful photo shoot. Imagine classic images of Hollywood starlets, 1950’s Pin-up girls and Marilyn Monroe. Wedding boudoir photos are taken of the bride to be and given to her groom as a wedding present. Some brides give their groom just one large print of their best photo, while others have their best images from their shoot made into an album for him. Some bigger cities, like New York and Los Angeles, even offer photo studios that specialize in this type of wedding photography. For the majority of couples, the best route would be to see if your wedding photographer will add this special shoot to your wedding photography package, this already a common practice for many NY wedding photographers. Book your Wedding Package here So, now that we’ve piqued your interest with this newest bridal trend, how about some tips? First off, if you are on a new beauty regime and work out routine to look your best for you wedding day, hold off on your boudoir shoot until the week before your wedding ceremony. That way, you can reap the benefits of your hard work and look your best at the shoot. Don’t schedule your shoot the day before the wedding or even worse, the morning of your wedding, as the stress of the upcoming nuptials, may be too great for you to channel your inner Beyoncé…

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3 Trends in Fashion That Need to Die

We’re officially halfway through 2013. We may have survived the Mayan Apocalypse of 2012 but there are some fashions that should have perished with it. Fashion is now more then ever, very trend aware. Fast fashion retailers produce a new cut or style that then takes over all large merchandisers until big stores like Forever 21, Express, American Apparel, Urban Outfitters and H&M all carry the same items and style, just with slight variations. Fashion doesn’t need to be taken serious all the time but some of these eyesores have become too much to bear. Below are three trends that have us wincing in 2013. 1. High Low Hemlines- Also known as “mullet dresses”, these items are meant to ‘show a little leg’ but keep you covered in the back. If the “mullet” idea doesn’t work for hair, it doesn’t work for your clothes. I just can’t help but believe that some fashion designer’s mom came up with the concept while searching for a cute but not too sexy dress for her daughter’s prom. 2. The ‘Lita’ Bootie by Jeffrey Campbell-Featuring a 4.5” inch heel with a 1.5” inch heel platform, these shoes could make even the most petite fashionista look tall. These shoes used to be the style du jour for most hipster fashion photographers but they have run their course. Jeffrey Campbell became a popular label overnight after being featured on the Nastygal website, so, let’s see what other styles and ideas this designer has in his bag…

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“Born to Reign”: The Power of Royalty in Fashion

Princess Diana had a profound effect on fashion and with the upcoming release of the Naomi Watts film, Diana, the fashion world is once again swooning for all things British.  Even more relevant today is the “Kate-effect”. The so called, “Kate-effect”, describes the power that Kate Middleton, the duchess of Cambridge and wife of Prince William has over the retail world. Whenever fashion icon, Kate, wears an outfit to a public appearance, the garment will sell out from all retailers across the globe within minutes. This unintentional royal brand endorsement is well documented and was recently seen when photographers snapped her wearing an eye-catching $265 Hobbs brand ‘Dalmatian Coat’ (not made of real Dalmatian puppy pelts, obviously) at a cruise ship naming ceremony. The collarless coat sold out within an hour of the photos being published. Mom-to-be, Kate, is expected to give birth this July and retail analyst and fashion experts are already chomping at the bit. Joshua Bamfield, the director of the Centre for Retail Research has already projected that the pop culture fever over the royal birth could add almost 240 million pounds ($375,720,000 USD) to the British economy. This baby mania is expected to be a big commercial opportunity with tourists.  The birth of the royal heir will be commemorated with china, toys, books, DVDs and other collectables, which is estimated to generate 156 million pounds ($244,218,000 USD) of commerce. Although British female royalty has a proven track record of retail power, America is not without its…

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Vera Wang honored with CFDA Lifetime Achievement award

American fashion designer, Vera Wang, was given the lifetime honoree award by the CFDA at the June 3rd ceremony at Alice Tully Hall in New York City. The CFDA, or, Council of Fashion Designers of America, honored the designer for her 30 years in the fashion industry. Vera Wang’s climb to the top was not an easy one. She explained in her acceptance speech, “The ongoing, unmitigating truth is I would have done anything to be in fashion. I would have swept floors, which I did at Vogue, swept up hair from a model’s haircut, pack up clothes, stay on a Friday night after the store closed to get it ready for the next day, which I did at Ralph (Lauren)”. Vera did not begin her life with the intention of being a fashion designer. She actually spent her childhood dreaming of becoming a figure skater. Vera Wang trained for several years with pairs partner, James Stuart, who competed at the 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. It wasn’t until Vera Wang failed to make the US Olympics team that she began to work in fashion. She still continues to ice skate and she even creates competition dresses for elite female ice skaters. Vera Wang is most well known for her work on celebrities walking the red carpet and her bridal collection. Fashion photographers always find Vera Wang’s garments worn by iconic celebrities, like Sharon Stone, who paired Vera Wang’s lavender skirt with a simple gap shirt at the 1998 Academy…

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What to Buy for the Bridal Shower Lingerie Game

Bridal Showers are always a lot of fun! Our New York wedding photographers have photographed several of these pre-wedding celebrations and the photos are always a great addition to a wedding book. One popular bridal shower game that has been taking over recently is the “Guess Who” lingerie game. Guests bring a piece of lingerie, some maids of honor may restrict to only panties, and the bride must guess who bought them for her. It’s a great bridal shower game and always solicits a lot of laughs and fun memories for the bride and her bridal party. The bridal shower is usually held at someone’s home so there’s no need to be wary of strangers eyeing the delicate undergarments you have chosen for the bride to be.  If you are a bride searching for honeymoon lingerie or other bridal undergarments, we have wedding advice articles on those topics as well. If you will be a guest for an upcoming bridal shower, check out our list of suggested bridal lingerie pieces! 1. Florrie Mitton’s Swan Lake Wedding Garter– The wedding garter has an interesting history and is an important part of some wedding receptions traditions, such as, the wedding garter toss.  Florrie Mitton’s delicate garters are handmade and pay tribute to the beauty of vintage weddings. 2. Hanky Panky’s I Do Low Rise Thong– This bridal thong is cute and comes in a powder “something blue” shade and a bridal white. Best of all, it’s reasonably priced and comes in one…

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Say Yes to the Dress: Budget Fashion Takes on the Wedding Dress

The average New York City wedding cost is between $28,911 and $48,185 with an estimated guest list of 146 to 166 people in attendance (estimates from costofweddings.com) and then another $4,000 on wedding photographers. These prices may seem sky high, but many couples in the United States are spending more than ever on their wedding ceremony and reception. Along with the price of the event, brides are spending a fortune on wedding gowns, with the average New York bride paying $1,307 -$2,178 on their wedding dress. All these high priced estimates might scare you into marrying at City Hall, but fear not, many large retailers like Anthropologie and Target and now producing well designed wedding dresses for less. Cheap wedding dress retailers have existed for years, but now, stores that are known for their great design are also entering the world of affordable wedding dresses. Anthropologie, a whimsical and boutique themed ready to wear store is known for its girly designs and great quality. Starting this year, the clothing retailer has launched, BHLDN, or “beholden”, a wedding line that produces wedding dresses with an Anthropologie aesthetic. Their dresses range in price from $300-$4,000, a very affordable price range for the majority of brides in the midst of wedding planning. BHLDN has two stores in the US, in Houston and Chicago, with another store coming soon to Beverly Hills. Retailing giant, Target, has also dived into the world of wedding dresses with its newest bridal line, Tevolio. The line gets its…

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Vintage Wedding Photography Tips: How to Give Your Wedding Photos a Retro Look.

Everything old is new again, and that is especially true with vintage wedding photography. Nostalgia for years past is evident with the popularity of costume dramas like Downton Abbey, Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire.  Many brides now want to include a vintage flair to their wedding photography. Wedding websites and wedding blogs like the knot and wedding wire have great examples of real weddings that use a vintage look to their wedding photographs. Researching vintage wedding inspiration pictures is a great way to brainstorm but it takes hours to do. So, to make things easier for couples planning their wedding, we have complied an easy to read list of tips for vintage wedding photography. Book your Wedding Package here Include Film Photography with the Regular Digital Wedding Photography- Although you may choose to shoot your wedding ceremony and reception with digital cameras, have some Polaroid cameras around for some great vintage wedding photos. Your wedding photographer can use the Polaroid camera occasionally for some vintage looking photos and your guests can take their own personal snaps during the wedding reception.  This is a really fun way to give your wedding photography a vintage look and wedding guests love being amateur wedding photographer too! Consider Shooting Using Black and White Wedding Photography– If film photography is too much for your budget, you can still use digital photography for your wedding but have the wedding photographer change the images to black and white when they retouch it. Simply changing the colors to…

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No. 5 Culture Chanel”: A Must See Exhibit on the Iconic Chanel Perfume

Art and fashion continue to blur the lines of distinction between their different art forms with the hit show “No.5 Culture Chanel” at Palais De Tokyo in Paris, France. The show, which opened earlier this spring on May 5th, is a fabulous art exhibit that “…explores the inspiration and invention of Chanel’s most famous scent”. Coco Chanel’s perfume, Chanel No. 5, was the first perfume ever launched by the French fashion designer in 1921. During the 1920’s there were very strict social rules about the type of perfume a woman would wear. Respectable ladies wore floral scents that were made of one single type of garden flower, while women who were perceived as promiscuous wore a fragrance that used musk and exotic jasmine. Chanel lived a very bohemian and luxurious lifestyle in the roaring twenties and wanted to create a fragrance that would speak to the modern flapper and the liberated spirit of young women of the era and so she created her first perfume, Chanel No. 5. Not only was the scent itself revolutionary but so was the bottling. The original design of the bottle, which is still used today, was a huge shift from what was then typical for perfumes. Most perfumes in the 1920s were very fussy and ornate and came in highly decorate crystal fragrance bottles.  Chanel No.5 was to be the antidote to that fashion aesthetic and was designed to be as minimal as possible and resemble bottles that pharmacists used to distribute medicine. Although…

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Award Winning Wedding Photography and Wedding Videography Company in Brooklyn, New York

Wedding photography can be a very competitive field in New York but Le Image Inc has managed to work its way to the top and gain great recognition for our work. Our work has gain great ratings on several top wedding blogs including weddingwire.com and TheKnot.com. Weddingwire is a fabulous online wedding planning tool that puts wedding forums, budgeting tips, inspiration boards and wedding vendor ratings and reviews all in one place. The Knot is a blog that has become one of the most popular wedding planning blogs with brides for its wedding ideas and inspiration. The Knot also circulates a seasonal print publication. Book your Wedding Package here As an award winning Brooklyn wedding photography service, Le Image has a page you can visit on the wedding wire website.  Our page provides a profile of the services our wedding photographers provide, including: wedding videos, a wedding photo gallery, and our course, customer reviews. We are so honored to have received a 5/5 from our customers for New York wedding photography. Aside from our great reviews from couples who have worked with Le Image, we have also received a great award from the Wedding Wire website for Brides’ Choice. This wedding photography award is truly meaningful to us as the winner is selected by brides and brides to be, not just by a company or website. Le Image has also received accolades on The Knot. We were featured for their prestigious wedding photography category under their “The Best of Weddings”…

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Le Image, Inc. Wedding Wire Review

Wedding photography and video is more than just a job to the Le Image team. From the first meeting to the last shot, being given the honor of sharing in a couple’s big day is something we take very seriously! So we are always grateful when our clients spread the word about their experience with us… Book your Wedding Package here Our friends recommended Le Image to us after using them for their wedding, and we were absolutely delighted with them. We received a ~40 minute edited video plus almost 4 hours of “raw” (still great) footage. Nikola and Stephanie provided excellent service at all points from planning to execution. The video quality was fantastic – we opted for the “documentary style” and it was exactly what we wanted. They respected my requests for positioning during the ceremony and were generally friendly and non-intrusive during the ceremony. Above all that, my wedding took place in downtown Manhattan on the night before Hurricane Sandy hit, and not only was there no hiccup on their end, but they ended up integrated a lot of great (historic!) footage into the video as a result. Can’t recommend highly enough, and a great value! Rebecca and Leo

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Look Gorgeous on Your Wedding Day: Our Top Tips for Great Wedding Photographs

The idea of wedding photographs often cause great anxiety for couples about to tie the knot. You only get one chance to get great wedding photos and those photos will stick with you for the rest of your life. Everyone likes to look back on their wedding day pictures and you’d like to look at them with a smile on your face, not a frown. Fear not brides and grooms! We have assembled a wedding photography checklist for you with the help of our New York wedding photographers to ensure a photogenic wedding day. 1. Pick the right wedding photographer for you! You may have read our other wedding blog article about the Best Wedding Photographers in Brooklyn and New York so some of the advice for this first tip may sound familiar, but it’s worth repeating. Make sure you and the wedding photographer ‘click’. Don’t choose a wedding photographer whose personality doesn’t mesh with yours. They will be with you the entire day for your wedding ceremony and reception so you’ll want it to be a pleasure working together, not a chore. Rely on your gut! Finding the perfect wedding day photographer for you is like finding your true love, you’ll just know! Don’t get pressured into using the same wedding photographer as a friend or family member just because they recommended them. Book your Wedding Package here 2. Do your research! The internet is great place for wedding photography ideas. Although your wedding photographer may have their own…

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Tips for a Great Engagement Shoot

In the midst of planning a wedding, couples must also make time for an engagement photo shoot. Engagement photography has now become ubiquitous for wedding photographers and engaged couples alike. For being so commonplace, many couples struggle for engagement photo ideas and poses. In this article we have complied a list of helpful engagement photo tips to make sure your pictures represent you and your fiancé well and get your friends and family excited about your upcoming wedding! 1.     Location, Location, Location– Many couples struggle to think of a location for their engagement photos. Your wedding photographer may have some ideas and favorite places but if you want to make your images more personalized, it is best that the couple chooses the location. Are you and your fiancé urban dwellers or do you dream of the countryside? Many New York couples looking to include nature in their engagement pictures go to Central Park or Prospect Park. It may be easier to brainstorm locations if you can decide on a city or rural look to your images. Some couples like to take their engagement photos at a location that is significant to their relationship. I’ve seen one example of college sweethearts who had their engagement photos taken at the university they both went to and the photos were adorable! 2.    Be Your Own Stylist-Celebrities get the luxury of having a fashion stylist choose their outfits everyday so that they look gorgeous the minute they walk out the door in…

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Tips and Tricks for Summer Weddings

Summer is upon us! And if you are involved with planning a wedding or attending a wedding ceremony, you know that summer is the season for tying the knot. Surprisingly, September is the most popular month to marry in the US but the summer season has the 2nd, 4th and 5th most popular months for weddings. The second most popular month to marry is of course, June, with 13% of all weddings taking place during this month. So, to help out the brides and grooms to be, we have created a list of our 3 top tips for couples planning their summer wedding. 1. Don’t fall into the trap of feeling forced to plan an outdoor wedding. If you live in a more temperate climate that is free of overbearing humidity and heat, then an outdoor wedding might be a great option for you. Wedding venues are supposed to be picked because they make the couple feel special, not because they feel obliged to pick it due the season of their wedding. The last thing you want is the wedding photographer snapping away wedding photos of you as you sweat down the aisle with your makeup running and your bouquet wilting. Book your Wedding Package here 2. If you do get married outdoors, plan ahead! Our advice to couples who do want to marry outdoors is to make sure you plan for the heat and sun! Keep the ceremony an adequate length that won’t punish those attending your ceremony and…

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Founder of Fashion Couture House Missoni Dies at 92

The fashion world was saddened last week by the death of Italian fashion designer, Ottavio Missoni, after a recent hospitalization for heart problems. Known by his nickname, ‘Tai’, his fashion label was known for its revolutionary textile patterns, with its trademark zig-zag and stripes. Missoni also pioneered the trend of women wearing garments without bras. Ottavio Missoni is also credited with raising the profile of Italian made products and designers across the globe at a time where New York fashion designers were starting to dominate the fashion scene. Ottavio Missoni had originally prepared for a career in athletics but that soon came to a halt with the outbreak of World War II. He served in the Italian army and became captured by the British after a battle in Egypt. After being held as a prisoner of war for four years in Egypt, Missoni resumed his athletic training and was chosen to go to the Olympics. Soon after, he married his wife, Rosita, in 1953. The two originally made track-suits but in 1958, they presented their first knitwear collection in Milan. The rule-breaking Missonis first caused a stir in the fashion scene in1967 when they told their runway models to remove their bras before a major fashion show in Florence so that the colors of the undergarments would not show through the knitwear. The harsh lights of the runway ended up making the clothes transparent and soon the Missoni label became one of the most buzzed about brands in fashion with…

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It’s The Bee’s Knees: Getting a Great Gatsby Inspired Wedding

Today marks the US release of Baz Luhrmann’s newest film, “The Great Gatsby”, based on the 1925 novel by American author, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan, the film follows the doomed jazz-age romance between Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. Many fashionistas are already lining up to see the 1920’s New York set film as the costume design team is out of this world. Catherine Martin, Luhrmann’s wife and the Academy Award winner for costume design in “Moulin Rouge”, teamed up with Brooks Brothers and fashion designer, Miuccia Prada to create the luxurious costumes for the film. The 1920’s have definitely been having a moment in fashion not only with this newest film but also with hit series like “Boardwalk Empire” and “Downton Abbey” dominating the small screen. So do you feel inspired by the roaring twenties and want to incorporate it into your wedding ceremony but don’t know how? Look no further! We have some great tips for couples looking to add some art-deco charm to their nuptials. For all you brides-to-be, the first place to add some vintage charm to your wedding day would be to start with retro inspired hairstyles and jeweled headbands. You don’t have to look like a cartoon representation of a flapper but you can add pin-curls to long hair and shorter hair styles for a more 20s look. Jeweled headbands are also a very good way to channel the sirens of the silent films of the 20’s and can be…

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Punk Takes Over the Met Gala

The time has come once again for the yearly Met Gala, the “fashion event of the season and the party of the year” held by the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The event was hosted by several fashion heavy-weights, including, Anna Wintour, Editor-in-chief of Vogue, Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy, and stylish actress, Rooney Mara. The event benefits the Costume Institute and was themed this year in honor of it’s upcoming exhibition, “PUNK: Chaos to Couture”. One of the biggest celebrity transformations for the event was Oscar winner, Anne Hathaway’s, red carpet look. Inspired by the Blondie’s front-woman, Debbie Harry, Anne bleached her signature brown locks blonde and kept her hair in a short slicked back ‘do. Known for her more demure and pastel colored frocks, the Les Miserables actress, chose a black and sheer vintage 1992 Valentino gown. Rapper Kanye West performed at the after-party and walked the red carpet with his pregnant girlfriend, Kim Kardashian, on his arm. Rumors swirled that the reality TV star had been banned from the industry event by Anna Wintour but clearly that was not the case. Some have suggested that Kanye may have been the reason her invite was honored, but who knows the truth with celebrity gossip. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians’s star wore a floral print Givenchy gown which featured a high neckline, thigh high slit, matching gloves and sandals. The head designer of Givenchy also created a complementary look for Kanye West, a…

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Find Your Perfect Wedding Reception Dessert: It’s A Piece of Cake!

The cutting of the cake is wedding tradition dating back to ancient Rome. During those times, bread was broken over the bride’s head to bring good fortune to the couple. Today, the wedding cake (or cakes) has become an essential part of a wedding reception. Our New York wedding photographers often plan how to shoot this essential scene during the wedding planning stage for our couples. Wedding reception catering is a massive industry and couples often look for ways to interpret this essential wedding tradition. Our NYC wedding photography team at Le Image has created a list of wedding cake alternative ideas for your special day. 1. Wedding Cupcakes– These petite cakes offer the same idea of wedding cake but give much more variety for your wedding guests. Seattle based bakery, Trophy Cupcakes, is known for their wedding cupcake displays and even hold tastings every month for brides-to-be! Couples can include several different cupcake flavors like, red velvet, vanilla and chocolate when they chose this wedding dessert option. Cupcakes also offer a whimsical look for your wedding reception. 2. Wedding Donuts– This new wedding cake trend is all rage with blogs like Style Me Pretty and Weddingbee hailing the all mighty donut as the new wedding cake alternative. Generally, donuts are stacked on towering platters giving a fun, non-traditional look to a wedding reception. This option also offers the possibility of having multiple flavors for your wedding guests and catering to their dietary needs with vegan donuts or gluten-free donuts. 3. Wedding…

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What is Commercial Photography?

Photography is a relatively new art form with the first camera photos being taken during the 1820’s. Other art forms, like painting and sculpture, have roots in the stone-age, with sculpted fertility dolls and cave paintings. Since photography is a newer medium in art, there are a lot of questions surrounding the different categories of photography. One category in particular, commercial photography, seems to have a lot of grey areas in terms of its qualifications. The most basic definition of commercial photography is an image specifically made to make money. That definition seems a bit obtuse but it is such a large category that one must be general when discussing commercial photography. One example of commercial work in photography is advertising photography. All of those popular ads you see on the subway and on billboards for big brands like, Jack Daniels and Coca-Cola, utilize an advertising photographer. Some of the photographers used for these big commercial campaigns belong to an advertising agency, other times, the brand may choose to use a well-known celebrity photographer, like, David LaChappelle or Terry Richardson to take the photos. Commercial advertising photography can also coincide with fashion at times with product photography. Product photos are those images you see online, when shopping on ecommerce websites like Net-A-Porter or Amazon. These photos are taken in a studio with special care to show the garment or product in its best light so that customers will be more likely to purchase it. Photography marketing is a huge force…

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Ford model Johanna Grönholm – Test Photo Shoot by Le Image, Inc

Le Image continues its fashion photography testing with Ford model, Johanna Grönholm. Shot in our beautiful Dumbo, Brooklyn photography studio, we continued our film photography aesthetic using a medium format and Polaroid camera. Our lovely model, Johanna, came all the way from Finland to work as a fashion model in New York City. The Nordic beauty has only been modeling three years but she has already walked the runway for prestigious fashion designers such as Giorgio Armani, Kenzo and Band of Outsiders. Although she loves all the designers she has walked for at all the various fashion weeks she has participated in, Johanna’s favorite designer is Samuji. Samuji hails from the same country as Johanna, Finland. She loves this designer for their simplistic approach to fashion, the clothing line consists of “…nice classic clothes with great cuts”. The budding supermodel also comes from a notable family with her father being Finnish world rally champion, Marcus “Bosse” Grönholm. Johanna hopes to have a long and versatile career in modeling with both commercial and high fashion jobs. She explains, “…modeling is a nice job that lets you be creative and see the world at the same time”. Johanna looks up to model, Erin Wasson, who has walked the runway for Victoria’s Secret, starred in the movie, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, and has been photographed for Vogue magazine. Versatility is definitely a skill most models need to have and Johanna seems to have it in spades as shown in our test shoot. She…

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It’s a Mad-Men World

With AMC’s hit show, Mad Men, premiering it’s sixth season this Sunday, the advertising industry will again move into the spotlight of the public conscious. For all those still living under a rock, the term “Mad Men” is a combination of the words ‘ad men’ (men who work in advertising) and Madison Avenue (The famous New York street where all of the large advertising agencies were in the 1960s). The show does a great job of showing viewers how advertising was created and the various media outlets they used during those times. Television rocked the advertising world when it came into popularity in the 1950s. Before that, advertising consisted of product shots/drawings for newspapers and magazines or they were verbal endorsements/jingles made for radio audiences. In the show, creative director, Don Draper, has to learn to adjust to this new era where television and film grow in importance in pop culture. As you can tell from our work at Le Image Inc. or any towering billboard you see on a daily basis, advertisement photography is not dead. Although more money may go into television commercials than print advertisements, professional commercial photographers need not be afraid. The Internet and online shopping has revived the need for product photography more than ever. According to Business Week, last holiday season resulted in an estimated $586 billion made from online shopping. Now, every commercial photographer is seizing the chance to shoot look books and product shots for e-commerce sites. Shooting for online sites is…

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Aloysha Kovalyova at Ford Models by Le Image, Inc.

Le Image has been hard at work using our new film aesthetic in our Dumbo, Brooklyn photo studio. Using a medium format camera and a Polaroid camera, we shot Ford Model, Aloysha Kovalyova, for a fashion test shoot. The Eastern European native is known for short-cropped hair and androgynous looks, making her perfect for haute couture fashion photography. Le Image pushed the envelope with this wonderful model and decided to show a more sensual look with our photographs, channeling the simple elegance of Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic 1966 fashion creation, “Le Smoking”. Le Image is dedicated to keeping its reputation as having the most innovative and high-end Brooklyn fashion photographers and continues to test the best agency models in New York City.

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What is a gel manicure? Can Gel Manicures Increase Your Risk of Skin Cancer?

Nail art is definitely having a moment in fashion right now. With the invention of gel manicures, sticker manicures and nail polish pens, beauty enthusiasts are expressing themselves even more freely through their nails. Fifth Avenue in New York is crowded with mini spas, advertising manicures for cheap. The boom in nail bars has been explained by the Daily Mail as being “…a cheap way of transforming a look without having to invest in a new outfit…they also proved popular because they are quick, allowing women to feel pampered in just 15 minutes”. During this time of economic instability, women have begun to go in droves to these nail bars because they are one of the few affordable luxuries left to fashionistas. Keeping this in mind, it seems that there is one area in this booming nail industry that could put you at risk. Oncologists are now considering the harmful longtime effects of getting a gel manicure. What is a gel manicure? A gel manicure is a manicure that uses special formula that provides chip-free and glossy nails for weeks. This special nail polish, made by brands such as OPI and Shellac, is dried and set by a UV light after being painted on. The use of the UV light has many doctors concerned as any UV exposure runs the risk of damaging skin cells, which may turn into cancerous tumors. Dr. Adigun, from New York University School of Medicine, recommends that women interested in getting gel manicures should only…

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Photogenic Models Need Not Apply

Are singers the new models? That’s the question that must be asked with the increasing use of celebrities as the faces of notable fashion campaigns. Generally, New York modeling agencies would have scored these high profile campaigns but now that seems a distant memory. Just recently, singer, Sky Ferreira, became the primary model of Forever 21’s summer campaign and today it was revealed that Beyonce will grace advertisements across the globe as the face of H&M’s new summer campaign. Is this a new trend or old news? Well, the increasing use of celebrity to promote brands or publications is certainly not a recent development. Today, America magazines like Elle and Vogue only put celebrities on the covers of their publications, not models.  Iconic editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, is often credited with this shift of placing celebrities, not models, on the cover of magazines.  Although magazine companies like Hearst and Conde Nast have benefitted from the money made by promoting a celebrity, many models have lost an opportunity that used to ‘make’ a model’s career and propel them to supermodel status. Since the 1980s & 1990s, fashion photographers rarely shoot models as cover girls and instead must plan their shoot around a preselected celebrity. So, is this change a good thing or a bad thing? This issue has many different sides but one interesting possibility is that using celebrities will cut down on the amount of Photoshop used in creating an image. Why is this the case? Celebrities are ‘known’ figures and…

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Women & the Fashion Industry: Who Holds the Key to the Gilded Cage?

It’s a question that I’ve long since pondered but have never been able to answer on my own. Why is the fashion industry so unfair in its presentation of women when it is an industry run by and created for women (for the most part)? The facts seem to be on my side. The highest paid model is style icon Giselle Bündchen who raked in an impressive $45 million from May 2011 to May 2012 while the current highest earning male model, Tyson Ballou doesn’t earn a figure anywhere close to Giselle’s income. Even just reading that paragraph, I’m sure 100% of readers knew who Giselle is but I’m sure only half of those readers could point out Tyson in a fashion magazine. Co-creator of Vena Cava, Sophie Buhai, feels the same “…given that fashion, unlike film and art, is run by women, you’d think it’d be the one creative industry that champions women, but for some reason, most of the prominent artists are men,” Arguably the most important fashion editor-in-chief, US Vogue editor Anna Wintour, is female, so what gives? Well, they are many complex factors. For one, the majority of notable fashion photographers are male (an interesting fact, considering the majority of art school grads are indeed female). Also, a large part of the fashion industry is hell bent on marketing itself based on people’s insecurities. Just think of any anti-ageing cream advertisement you’ve seen. The whole purpose of the ad is to make you feel that when…

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Conway Retail Photo Shoot – Behind the Scenes

Le Image Inc. presents behind the scenes with Conway & CW Price. We had a great time shooting the Fall collection for their Women’s, Men’s, Plus Size and Children’s collections. Our fashion photographer, Justin Hyte and his tech, worked closely with the retail giant to create a professional, creative look for their apparel. The models were fun to work with and looked great thanks to the talented team of makeup artists and hair stylists on board. The retailer’s advertising agency, Dynamic Advertising was there to help style and organize the models and ensure everything ran smoothly.

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