My First EVER Photo Shoot!

My first ever Photo Shoot so many years ago....

I asked one of my friends to be my model. I had a Nikon D40 with an 18-200mm lens. I didn't really know much about photography..just that I loved it and I wanted to be something big one day. I always shot with automatic (which in a professionals eye is a NO-NO) but again, I didn't know any better. And honestly, as my first photo shoot ever, I think I did a pretty good job :)

I lived in West New York, NJ at the time so Central Park was a river away. Oh Central Park, the BEST and most BEAUTIFUL natural backdrops any one could ask for. It was fall time and the leaves were falling off the trees in all colors. I was a bit nervous, because it was my first time doing something like this. But my friend did such a good job "posing." I remember we shot for about 4 hours! That is pretty long for a portrait session! How many poses can you possibly get without getting repetitive in 4 hours?! Not that many. Since my camera was on Automatic mode, I could just snap, snap, snap. Not worrying about changing the ISO, or aperture, ect. Definitely easier, but in the long run, Manuel mode just takes the most amazing pics. Especially since you get to control everything your eye captures. It truly is amazing.

I have to honestly say that portrait shoots, like this, are my favorite. I used to watch America's Next Top Model, and wanted SO badly to be like Nigel Barker. He had and till now, has my dream job.

One of these days I will get to where to I want to be. I can do it and I will make it happen. All in the meanwhile remembering my first shoot, defining who I was and who I want to ultimately become. The girl version of Nigel. Kidding. Just remember, it isn't what kind of camera you have, or the lens...it's the person behind the lens. Everyone can call themselves photographers because they have a camera or take a few good pics. But to me, a photographer is someone who sees things in a shot, that no one can see, and then ultimately being able to capture that shot within the vision that they had created in their mind. Making it happen, no matter how bizarre the posing is or bending of the body is from the photographer. Finally capturing the picture and then having viewers speechless and mesmerized by the image. Those to me, are the true photographers. Those to me, are who I want to be.

Love creating a world of beauty within beauty...

Hi! My name is JuJu and I am getting new to this whole blogging thing. Want to blog as much as I can so I can always look back to each event I have captured and read what I was feeling and how much I gained as an artist at the time. So here is my intro...

I have been doing photography for about 6 years now, and I truly love it. I love the fact that I can capture memories that people can look back on forever. My goal is to capture it in a way that no one else can. Capture it so uniquely that it will bing tears to eyes, or chills from head to toe. I believe I have been successful thus far. But I know, I have so much more to learn and gain as a photographer. 

I went to school for hair and makeup and worked in salons transforming people and making them feel so beautiful, it changed their outlook on their bad days, or hard times they were going through. I loved that feeling! I started to think about all that they are feeling, for that moment, feeling that flawless and beautiful, why not capture it on film so it is forever remembered? So, my little sister bought me my first DSLR and I began to shoot every person I made feel perfect. It was the highlight of my career. I only wish I could have started years prior! I moved to New Jersey, and went to school in Manhattan to learn all about photography! It only confirmed that I adore NYC, and finally found my calling. I was that much more determined and focused to get all my creativeness out into the world. 

I now focus more on photos, not so much hair and makeup. But I can however get creative when I have my visions for certain shoots. It's like I can see how the picture has to look, so I give it my all until I capture it. That is exactly how I felt with hair and makeup. I knew it was doable and I did everything I could to mock what I had envisioned. And never once did I fail my vision! :)

So, here is my life through my lens. My visions coming through and imagination being as creative and bringing out beauty in all aspects. I hope you enjoy this ride with me. Get ready for some unique editorial shoots, along with beautiful weddings, engagements, maternity, children and etc. 

My goal is to let you feel and think what I do. From my lens...to your heart.