Friday the 13th = New Start for Someone Special!

Last night, coming back from the ranch, I came upon this swaggering mutt in the middle of the road. I honked my horn, shined my brights and all he did was look over his shoulder, as if to say,

"Can you just go around please??"

This dog was on a mission! Something about him moved me deeply, I honestly cannot explain it. I've volunteered at animal rescues for years, but very rarely has a dog just made me stop my car and bribe them with energy bars, but that's what I did!

In the proceeding hours, I picked off 50+ ticks (Which I'm deathly afraid of), washed him twice and fed him some food.

Oh yeah, and named him Rowen.

He was WONDERFUL in the car, has potty'd outside, slept the whole night in the room and gets along with our doggies! So I'll be advertising for his owners (Although, in the shape he's in, I doubt I'd give him back) and if that doesn't pan out, I'll be focusing on getting him in shape, basic training and neutered!

So, introducing ROWEN!

Slow Month...Fun Couples!

So here in Hawaii, April has been a month of growth, a month of expansion, a month of development. I am currently expanding, defining and honing my brand and hopefully, by the end of the month, I will be able to launch my brand new website! It's been my baby for the past couple months, because you can't create a brand without really knowing yourself and trust me, that is more difficult than it sounds! BUT! I'm pleased with the developments and can't wait to show you!

As a celebration, I'd like to give away a complimentary engagement session!

Who doesn't like gifts?



So the contest will be running from April 13th (yes, Friday the 13th) until April 20th (golly, I'm full of special days, aren't I?) and the rules are incredibly simple:

- The couple must write a minimum of a paragraph about who they are, what they like and why they would love to win a free engagement session.

- Please include two of the best images of you both, showing your camera personality!

The Fine Print:

- Engagement session will be 1.5 hours long and you receive all images on a disc, without a print release. All photos shared online must have Creatrix Photography watermark on it.

Please email all submissions via jenna@creatrixphotography.com! Share this with friends, send the link to someone you think needs it! I'm looking forward to getting to know you and good luck on winning!

We've been published!

When I started my company last year, the first thing I did was post on Craigslist, begging for free work. In comes Sasha Gonzalez, offering to have me take pictures of local bars for the magazine articles she was going to write. Did I think anything would come of it?

Nope.

Did it?

Yep!!

I just received both magazines in the mail and boy, am I EXCITED!!! I'm in PRINT! PEOPLE ARE SEEING MY WORK!!!! /excited jumping & fist pumping....





Now, here is my sheepishly admission...the work, in my opinion, could use some improvement. Yes, it looks fabulous in the magazine but golly, if I could reshoot those images, I would be super excited haha

So Viola, here they are!!! Please excuse the large boobs on the right. It was not an intentional highlight of them :)

Lovestruck {A Photo Lounge} Interview

I met Shereen Shariq, owner of Lovestruck {A photo lounge} and Ever After Events at a networking event last year and it was friendship at first sight. I even had the pleasure of working with her in February, at April & Andrew's wedding, experiencing both her wedding planner skills and her beautiful photo lounge! I thought interviewing her would be a fabulous way to show you, the reader, that you need a photo lounge at your wedding!!!

What made you want to start a photo lounge?

It began almost six months ago as a simple desire to find a fresh, fun and chic photo booth for a few of my Anthropologie loving wedding clients. I wanted the experience to be engaging, romantic, unique, and of extremely high quality. It was important to have gorgeous and oversized backdrops, a mix of vintage and custom props for both the ladies and their beaus, great lighting, professional photographers and on site printing that would blow a traditional photo booth out of the water. Little did I know that not finding exactly what I wanted would result in creating a brand new company called love{struck} a photo lounge.


How did you collect all of these awesome props?

I wanted the props to be a perfect mix of fun AND stylish, so not only did I scour the internet for well crafted props like felt stitched mustaches, colorful oversized pinwheels and chalkboard signs, I also did some shopping in stores (retro aprons and the red bat phone) and even commissioned a friend of mine in Los Angeles to create some of the items like the hand cut, glitter glass letters (we have the full alphabet so you can spell out just about anything you want!) plus the flower and feather hair fascinators! I have had SO much fun finding just the right items for love{struck} and always welcome suggestions or custom requests.


What should a bride look for in a photo lounge? How much should they expect to spend, for an awesome experience?

I believe the most important thing a bride can look for in a photo lounge is if it is “worthy of her wedding”. Brides (and grooms) put so much time, energy and love into creating their wedding day and the guest experience that they crave an interactive experience that is more than just putting on oversized plastic sunglasses, a clown wig and pushing button. This isn’t a company Christmas party or a networking event-this is your wedding. A bride should have quality, service and style that is on par with everything else she has planned.

Love{struck} photo lounge pricing is unique because there is truly nothing else like it on the island. (Hence the reason I brought it to life!) I based the pricing to be competitive in the industry considering that other photo “booths” (which only fit 2-3 people and require you to push a button) charge approximately $1500+ for 4 hours packages. Our {basic} package starts at $1950 and includes the following:

4 hours of unlimited photo service
1 chic backdrop
All the “trimmings” (props)
1 filtered light
3 attendants (1 dedicated photographer, 1 printing/email technician, 1 stylist)
Customized wedding logo
CD of all images
Online Gallery of all images




Explain the experience a client can expect, from the booking process to the wedding day.

First- Give us a call! We respond to inquiries within 24 hours and because we love what we do, we are happy to answer any questions you have!

Second-We will send you an email with a link to an online form where you will let us know when and where your wedding is, which backdrop you would like, the colors for your wedding logo and which package you would like.

Third-We will send you an electronic proposal via EchoSign detailing your selections and the final pricing. You will electronically sign this document and it will be instantaneously emailed to us so we can move to the next step!

Fourth-We will then send you a contract via EchoSign based on the approved proposal. This document details the agreement and the payment schedule. You will sign this document electronically as well, and it will be emailed back to us to keep on file.

On your wedding day we arrive to set up approximately 1.5 hours before our service begins. We require an 8’ table with whatever linen coordinates with your décor, as well as a covered area if we are outside. We bring our rustic wooden ladder, props, our backdrop (steamed to perfection before the event), our lighting, photography and printing equipment! Our staff is dressed stylishly and professionally and will be ready to interact with your guests right on time!

At the end of our scheduled contract time, we break down our equipment as quickly and quietly as possible and move on out.

Within a week of your event, you will received a CD with all your images as well as an email from us with a link to your online web gallery!



I personally adore Shereen, for her dedication to quality and excellent customer service. I can personally guarantee that your experience with her will be top-notch and better than any other offers on this island. Or California for that matter (Where she also services!).

Oh and because I am the biggest fan of my own work, here is a picture of the beautiful gal! I had the pleasure of photographing her a few months back. Isn't she gorgeous?

Take a moment...

Yesterday, I was rushing around, because life is so darn important and moves so quickly, so with my bag banging against my hip, my legs moving so fast Speedy Gonzales would be jealous, I happened to pass a man with a cane to get onto an escalator.

I was immediately hit with a pang of mortality. As I stepped onto the moving stairs, I couldn't help but wonder how often had he himself rushed around like I do, only to eventually end up shuffling with a cane by his side? I truly felt I was experiencing a metaphor, involving wasted youth and moments.

I constantly spout about how important moments are, but I'm so busy becoming famous that I forget to pause and just stand on the escalator of life.

So I did. And I will continue to try to remember to pause and enjoy where I am and what I'm doing. After all, I am living my dream.

On that note, here's a beautiful picture from a family I worked with last weekend!

Gene + Rosette's Day After!

Gene contacted me a few weeks ago, wanting simple ceremony coverage for him and his fiance. I was stoked! Alas, spring break put a crimp in our style and the beach we were going to shoot at was going to be crawling with half naked military folk and frankly, no one wants a half naked person in their wedding images!

So we planned a "day after" session, bright and early at 6am! I love Haleiwa in the morning, because it's so empty in the morning and on this particular day, the sun was kind to us! It was truly stunning out and I really enjoyed taking a couple hours with Gene and Rosette, to enjoy the day!

Disney Aulani Character Breakfast!

Here in Hawaii, we don't get a ton of new things to do. Yeah, sure, we live in Hawaii but after eight years of living here, I'm a tad jaded. Don't get me wrong, I adore the soft sand and swimming with dolphins as much as the next bloke, but I personally crave....never mind. Not today! Today is about MICKEY! My husband, who is of the thirty years old category, has never seen Mickey. Has never been to Disneyland. Or Disney World. Or anything.

Yes, gasp, if you will.

So today, because he's been incredibly support of my workaholic ways, I treated him to breakfast and forced him to A) stand next to Mickey and B) let me blog about it. Okay, maybe he doesn't know this is being blogged, so SHHHH. Just enjoy the pictures!

p.s. He actually really enjoyed himself, so I don't feel so bad about blogging this!

I present to you:

Oatmeal with Brown Sugar
Bread pudding
French Toast
Portuguese Sausage
Omelette with spinach, bell peppers, sausage and bacon. Oh yeah. And Cheese.


You can't see it clearly, but there is a samba line of children walking by, dancing and singing. These mimosas? Were required.




Excuse my husband, he is quite "miserable" in this photo. ;)







I tried to bring a mimosa into the photo, to really emphasize that I'm uber cool and well, Minnie isn't allowed to photograph with alcohol. I wonder if Mickey has a problem she needs to be supportive of?

For Realz: I used to be a cheerleader

Yes, you read the subject correctly, I used to be a cheerleader.

Okay, first, let me start by saying I was an awkward teenager.

√ skinny and flat chested
√ Knobby knees
√ never had a boyfriend
√ had an extreme inability to style my hair in anything but ugly.

Well, in eighth grade, I thought that it would be smart to join the cheerleading squad. I wasn't popular and honestly, I had limited friends. I had zero confidence. And I wanted to do a herky in a skirt.

Genius.

So, I did it. I went to practice. I learned how to do a herky (or a laughing example of one), I cheered at football games and always caused a ruckus, because they always chose to put a popular girl on the top of the pyramid. I weighed 80 pounds. Why couldn't I get tossed up in the air?

Finally, my bitching got through to the coach and they got ready to put me up in the pyramid. I ain't skurred, I've been wanting this for ages! I put my foot in one girls palm, hoisted myself to place my other foot in the other girls palm, bring my arms up, they begin to lift me up and up and up

and BAM

They dropped me.

On my head.

I blacked out for a good 5-10 seconds and went to the nurse after.

And never asked to be tossed again. Those chicks knew what they were doing and taught me a valuable lesson: trying to fit in will get you hurt. It's far more fun to do things on your own.

Just for giggles, here's a photo of me...during that bleak time period.

Charlie in Chinatown!

This past Saturday morning, I had the pleasure of working with one of the most adorable little girls ever! Charlie is her name and being photogenic is her game! Her mom, Steffani, loved the idea of doing a session in Chinatown, because that is where she had her maternity session. I was delighted, because Chinatown is such a unique and beautiful place, especially in the morning!

Charlie wasn't feeling too pleased about the early morning session, but the small smiles I did get, were soooo worth it. I love working with kids, mainly because the images are worth the difficulty and work that is involved in getting toddlers to giggle. Enjoy the photos of this cutie, because I adored working with her!

Jessica's Beautiful Waimanalo Beach Portraits

I first spoke with Jessica in September, when my Living Social deal first ran. She originally booked for an a couple session in February, but imagine my dismay when she told me a few days before the session that she would no longer with that guy, but still wanted some awesome portrait images! Well, I've been the single chick before and gosh, breakups would have been hella easier if I some fabulous images to show that dude what the heck he was missing!

So that was my goal when I was working with Jessica. She is probably one of the most down to earth women I've ever met, sweet southern twang and all! Her smile was infectious and honestly, I don't know if she realizes how gorgeous she is! If I could photograph her all day, I'd be one happy photographer! I think I was also jealous of her hair, but that is neither here nor there!

I believe everyone should get portraits for themselves, because really...this day? This day you're reading this? Is the only day like it you'll ever have. Why not capture it?

Kristen & Chad's Engagements

When Kristen asked me to meet with her to discuss her Hawaii wedding, I was naturally stoked but never did I think that I would have so much FUN working with a couple! First, I adore them because they think I'm funny, which totally strokes my ego. They get along so well and they POSE so well! I raved to Kristen on how amazing her hands are, because she just puts them perfectly wherever they are! Anyone need a hand model?

We used My Pinterest Board for posing and portrait ideas and I whipped out my ipad to create some great ideas. When Kristen posted on her pinterest that she wanted horses, naturally, I had to try and make it happen!

Enter Charlie! Charlie is a horse I ride at Dillingham Ranch during the week, a sweet pony who has a sordid past but was a gracious model for us, despite it being dinner time!

Then for the second portion of our session, we went to the beach to have some kool aid enjoy the waves! I'm so blessed and excited to shoot their wedding in July at Kualoa Ranch! Thanks again Kristen and Chad for being awesome clients!

Remember to Giggle

I had a great session with Liann and her daughter not too long ago, at Waimanalo Beach. It was a delight to see her pre-teen daughter giggle when swinging on the swing and having fun with her mother. Reminded me that sometimes, you just have to be silly, despite what society says! I went and had a cupcake right after, but let's be real...I probably would have anyway ;)