Experiencing Wedding Albums

Your wedding album is one of the few luxuries that outlasts the day of your nuptials.

Pretty as a place setting; as entertaining as the dance floor; and filled with more memories than the fine round of speeches during cocktail hour; the wedding album is an after thought that deserves much more than it’s Cinderella-treatment.

At Bluefly Lens, every request and every product is custom created. There are no sterile formulas and we avoid sticking your requests into rigid strings of check-boxes. 

What does that mean for our clients?

When we layout your wedding album, we are creating a storyboard of your wedding day. 

The visual storyline rolls through its climax like a roller-coaster; often reaching its first peak at the ceremonial lip-locking; and reaching epic joy as bride and groom dance into the night with one another, friends and family.

While we can appreciate the immediate and mass satisfaction that comes with a quick upload to Facebook; a true wedding album, one with pages that turn, and feel, smell, and serve each of our five senses, becomes an experience that creates pause and reflection.

Like sitting by a lake with a warm cup of tea, listening to the water roll; turning the pages of your wedding album is romantic and nostalgic; both in the act itself and the content within.

Photobooks: Full Story

Hear the olde-tyme piano playing saloon jazz… it was the day of black photo corners fastening black and white memories to crisp pages of a yellowed photo album.

Fast forward. 

Gone are the days of cut-and-paste albums. Here are the days of customization; (be aware: not always along side high quality. Not all photobooks are created equal).

Like the wedding albums we offer our newlyweds, Bluefly Lens photobooks are the highest quality. A perfect home for photographs; harking open-flat binding (no image-warping curves at centerfolds), and are crafted with the finest materials: linen covers, gorgeously textured endpapers, and art paper that rivals your favorite coffee table book.

Our children and grandchildren will inherit beautiful books of photos that cannot fall off the page, tear, or go missing: memories in perfect, clean color.

Like a cherry on top, your photobook has place for a cover photograph and title (like Mila’s whose read: “Jacob & Alyssa; Spring 2016” and is filled with photographs of her two children).

What will your cover read? 

Leave a comment. We'll reply to as many comments as we can!

How to choose framing sizes

This is such a challenging question for MOST of our clients!  We have begun to do pre-consultations & our viewing appointments in client's homes for this very reason.  We will be able to see what you have for wall space, bring our samples, and SHOW YOU exactly what it will look like on your own wall.  Think of us as interior designers who will come to your house and create a plan to decorate your walls - that's one of our favorite parts of what we do!

     The frame you see in these two pictures side-by-side is a 26x32"

One thing we NEVER hear is, "I wish I got this frame smaller..."  It's always the opposite!!  In your typical, everyday world - an 8x10 seems big, because let's face it... that's usually the biggest size frame you can find at your local Home Goods ;)

     This is an 11x14" size frame on this wall

In reality, an 8x10looks pretty small on a wall.  Unless, you are doing a photo wall with several photographs (at least 6-7) in one space - which we think looks really awesome, too!

Until next time,

The Bluefly Lens Family

xoxo

Comfort and Style & the Finished Product

The minute you walk into our studio, you will hopefully gain a sense of comfort and trust which will acknowledge that we will help you create your photography for life. Not only is this our mission statement, but we believe in creating beautiful framed art for your home. We want to build a strong foundation with our clients starting from their high school senior pictures, to engagement and wedding, to maternity pictures and newborn photographs, following with first-year cake smashes, and family portraits; all to document the story of your beautiful life. Building a relationship so personal allows us to do our job to our full capabilities, and it allows you and your loved ones to be themselves in front of the camera.

We want your experience working with us to be straight forward, fun, and memorable. From the very beginning of taking the pictures, to you then coming in for your viewing and ordering appointment, we then fully package your photographs in albums of your choice and suggest frames that match your home's style.

Once production is complete on our end, we’re happy to deliver and install your photography - keeping the process as full-service and simple for you as we know how!

At Bluefly Lens, we are very much ready to cater to your individual requests, so feel free to let us know what you have in mind and we will do our absolute best to match your vision!

As Rose Kennedy once said “Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but of moments.”

Until next time,

The Bluefly Lens Family <3

Feeling Comfortable in front of the camera : Part 2

“Beauty is about being comfortable in your own skin. It’s about knowing and accepting who you are.” ­ Ellen DeGeneres

Those words could not be any truer, Ellen! This week we are focusing on style suggestions and practical pointers to make you feel more at ease in front of the camera.

First, let’s start off with what you wear. We suggest that you wear something that makes you feel comfortable and confident. Pick what your heart desires, and what feels best to YOU.  If you are having a difficult time deciding, you are more than welcome to bring some clothing options to your pre-consultation with you, and we will help you choose!

Neutrals typically photograph very well and look very flattering.  It's fun to stick to a basic color palette, and add pops of color in here and there!

We usually recommend wearing clothing that does not have any words on it, unless you are wearing that special t-shirt with a saying that you love and you intentionally want that to be a focal point.

When choosing outfits for family photographs, pick your own outfit first (mom)!  Then, have the rest of your family coordinate, but don't choose outfits that are too "matchy-matchy".  Again, we are more than happy to assist with choosing outfits during your pre-consultation appointment.

So, we have talked about styling, now let’s get into how you position your body. Here are some practical pointers:

1. Posture Matters: How you display yourself in front of the camera is super important. We suggest that if you have your shoulders relaxed and down your back with your chest out, this will give off the impression that you are confident! Also, if you smile or laugh don’t pull your chin back in close to your chest. Instead, extend your neck out, so that you don’t get double chins!

2. Get moving: Even if we aren’t holding the shutter button down to snap a picture every second, take this time for yourself to relax and get moving! Use what you are wearing to have some fun ­ twirl that skirt or dress, play with you bracelets, rings, or even for a guy, see if your tie is in the right spot! Maybe tweak it a bit!

3. Have fun: Lastly, when we see you having fun, we will too! Having fun is key to a great photo shoot, and we hope that we can have that experience with every one of our clients!

Thanks for taking the time to read this post. We hope to see you in the future! Have a great weekend!

Until next time,
The Bluefly Lens Family <3

A special thank you to M.Pope Jewelers for lending the jewelry used for this photoshoot, and to The Fashion Cookbook for being such fabulous models!

Feeling Comfortable in Front of the Camera

When you see a picture of yourself, does it look like the real you? This week we are focusing on how to be camera ready.  We are going to give you some tips and tricks on how to feel comfortable in front of the camera, so that your authentic and true self shines through in an image.

At Bluefly Lens, we understand that having someone take your picture can seem a bit intimidating at first, or maybe not the most comfortable. However, we hope by the end of this post that you gain some understanding on how to overcome that.  First, let’s start off with your mind. Do you come into a photo shoot feeling anxious and apprehensive of how it will go? Do you wonder if you will be ultimately be happy with the end result(s) and share it with all your friends and loved ones in person, or even share it on social media outlets? Believe us when we say that you are in good hands; we want you to feel at ease, to have fun, and to feel confident during and after the photoshoot, so that when you leave, you have no regrets and love the final outcome!

Camilla's dad showing her how to be silly and carefree in front of the camera....he told her not to think too much & just have fun!

In order to achieve this, we strongly believe in communication - one between the photographer and the subject (you!). A two way street type of communication will definitely display a strong image in the end. We will pass along encouragement and positive feedback, while also motivating you to take risks.

Something to note is that if you decide to work with us is that it is not our first time hearing Nina being complimented in having “a yoga instructor type of voice”: a calm, patient, and understanding one. She gently guides the model to tap into themselves by instructing them to close their eyes, take a few deep breaths, and to follow along to her face scan: starting from the forehead, to the ears, down to the cheeks, then relaxing the jaw, the mouth, and the lips. Also, reminding you to take your mind off whatever is worrying you.

Camilla & Umi are start to warm up to the idea of pictures and are feeling more relaxed and comfortable!

We both find that this really helps our client feel in the present moment if they feel some pressure being in front of the camera.  We'll instruct you to take a minute to be silly in front of the camera, or sway back and forth to loosen up.  Some of our favorite images come right after that moment!  It really gives you a chance to relax, be you, trust us, and feel confident.  So remember, next time you ever feel nervous in front of the camera, make sure to keep an open mind, have silly moments, be positive, and communicate how you feel.

This will help you loosen up and have some fun...because who doesn’t like fun? We know we do!

Until next time,

The Bluefly Lens Family <3

Your Photography for Life

Your life is filled with special milestones and we’re so happy to be able to offer you photography all along the journey!

A strong relationship between you and your photographer infuses the process (pre-consultation, photoshoot, installation) with comfort and trust, which in the end gives you photographs that look and feel like you.

We love our clients and enjoy building on those existing relationships. It’s so exciting to watch them grow and evolve; capturing real photographs at every stage of your life in a way that is intimate and informed by who you are. Photographing consecutive milestones (like your engagement, wedding, pregnancies, newborns, and family portraits to follow) allows our relationships to blossom with roots of open communication, trust and understanding.

Holly and Ben's stunning wedding at Monadnock Berries in Troy, New Hampshire.

Since then, Holly and Ben welcomed their first daughter, Winslow.  We loved doing this lifestyle newborn session.

Knowing you on a deeper level, and understanding your styles and tastes (how you dress, decorate, what makes you tick, and just as importantly, what doesn’t) adds to the perfect end-products of great photography that enhance your life.

Here's Kathryn and Patrick in downtown Worcester taking their engagement pictures. 

Fast-forward 3 1/2 years later to Kathryn's maternity session...We're all counting down the days to baby P's arrival & newborn session.

We love the Michalowski family! <3 Little Lena came back to us a few months later to celebrate her first birthday.

Lena's first cake smash!

Lena loved this cake made by On the Rise Baking!

On the blog next week, we want to give you more detail on being comfortable in front of the camera (why it’s so important and practical tips to enjoy right away). We’ll see you there!

XO,

The Bluefly Lens Family

Vintage Wedding Week

Hi, my name is Sarah and I am the new intern at Bluefly Lens. Nina & Alicia attended the Vintage Wedding Week in the White Room at Crompton Collective last Sunday. I unfortunately wasn’t able to go, so I wanted to interview them and hear all about it!

Q: How did it feel to have your own booth at The Crompton Collective - Vintage Wedding Week?

A: We had a great experience there! There were probably 200-300 people who came through, and we had great, quality conversations with people.

N: It was also invitation only, which made it that more exciting and an honor to be apart of. The space is very industrial looking, with white brick walls, and loft-like ceilings. The people who know and love Crompton, have a similar style and have an eye for a particular type of beauty. It was fun to try out a wedding show for the first time as wedding photographers. Recently, we’ve been tuning our ears to other small businesses in the city, so it felt very natural, comfortable and the right place for us to be right now. It was a great fit for us, and we love to shopWOO and support as many other local businesses as we can!  

Q: What is one thing that makes Bluefly Lens’ services stand out from other photography businesses in the Worcester area?

A: From speaking with brides, they want someone that is positive, friendly and easy to work with: a service that makes their day go smoothly. Also, more specifically is a photographer that is good with capturing large families. Many people don’t want “cheesy” pictures and would rather have more documentative, candid photographs that captures the day rather than having things staged and getting in their way. They liked the tangible products that we offer such as our albums and frames.  Our albums are unlike any I have seen before, leather bound in white or black, and on very nice paper. I liked to point out, that we are not shoot and burn photographers, which can be described as just shooting someone’s wedding and giving them a thousand digitals and sending them on their way.  At Bluefly Lens we are a full-service boutique photography business.  We handle everything every step of the way, and you end up with beautiful artwork to fill your homes with.

N: We take pictures of real people that is what our photos show, real brides. Someone came up to our booth and said that other photographers showcase their supermodel, “perfect brides” or whatever, and that is just not real life.

I don’t so much like to think of us versus other people, but more of what our strong suits are. I also think that one thing we have going for us, which is more difficult to find in a photography business, is that we always shoot together and it is not a changing scenario, so we shoot together on many occasions. We know what each other’s strengths and weaknesses are, who is good at what, and just have this overall unspoken language ability that other photographers might not be able to offer. I’d say that we flow together a lot easier, because it is always the two of us shooting together.

Q: What is something that stood out to you during the fair?

A: It was the right amount of vendors there. It wasn’t too crowded or overwhelming. Another thing that brides kept on saying to me is that this wedding process is so overwhelming for them, so I think it was smart to keep the vendors limited to 20 or so rather than go somewhere that offers 100’s where that they would be way overwhelmed and it would probably add on more stress.

N: I hate the idea of going somewhere where you can’t look at everybody’s booth because a lot of people experience the fear of missing out on something. I was looking to have conversations with everybody. Everyone there was fairly a laid back person. The vendors were not as corporate and uptight and took the more independent route.

Many of the brides there like antiques, or DIY, or that shabby chic look.  We spoke with brides who also love the city of Worcester, and their wedding venues are going to be at unique locations. That is kind of what Crompton has going for them in a lot of ways. Amy [the owner of Crompton Collective] is really good at singing that song, so I know a lot of people connect with her on that.  They like shopping small and shopping local.

Q: Would you do it again?

A & N: We would do it again next year! For sure!

Five highlights from the fair:

1. Makes it easy for the brides to shop and around and get a taste of what she likes - without being overwhelmed by too many vendors!

2. Very laid back environment, not too up-tight and “corporate-like”

3. Vendors were more hands on, and many offered something fun such as champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, cupcakes, lattes, etc!

4. Small, intimate setting

5. Good variety of vendors that you need for your wedding, not too heavy on one thing or another

Vendors:

Moonstone & Moss, Joseph Gonzalez-Dufresne Photography, The Swoon Booth, Struck Catering, M. Pope & Co. Fine Jewelers, Elizabeth Ann's Bridal Boutique, Pepper's Fine Catering, Nkd Waxing, Lashes, and Makeup, Creedon and Co., Inc., Birch Alley, Bluefly Lens, Button Tree Kids,Shannon Grant Photography, Covet + Lou, Yaritza Colón Photography,Samantha Melanson Photography, American Gentleman, Anchors Aweigh Events, and The Queen's Cups (Renee King)

This was taken at photo booth at the event! So much fun! 

NEW YEAR... NEW LEVEL!

Nina and I went to high school together...picture me with braces and bangs...sounds really cute I know  ;)

We graduated high school and each went our separate ways.  After 10 years, we rekindled our relationship over our love for photography.

We were both running our own successful businesses, but definitely felt the lack of community. We had met up a few times to discuss photography and business, and loved having another photographer's ear to run ideas by.  

During these meet ups we had never intended on joining forces.  However, one day over coffee at BirchTree in Worcester, we thought "why wouldn't we join businesses?"  It seems like all great business ideas are over coffee, right??  Anyways, we thought this was the best way to serve our clients, and put two heads together to create the best business possible.  

 Nina was focusing primarily on women and weddings.  I was focusing primarily on newborns, children, and families.  We both loved the relationships we were building with our clients, and wanted a way to continue to work with these great people...in as many ways as possible!

Now, fast forward a few months... and we have developed a brand where we will be "your photographers for life!"  We want to be there at every stage of your life to capture your most cherished memories.

... we even have a great intern program now!