Melly | Kansas City Lifestyle & Pinup Photographer

A sneak peak of the gorgeous Melly from Monday's Session!

xoxo,

h i l a r y  h o p e 

Photography: It's about who we photograph

Photography: It's about who we photograph. 

Our job as photographers is to help narrate the events that happen all around us. We are story tellers. We are time stoppers. We are life's moment collectors, appointed with this task of loving people with our lens! Photography has never been about me as the photographer.

I see posts all the time that say that photography is about the photographer. It gets me frustrated, because I have never thought once that my job is about me. It kind of sells us all out to say that! It's always been about who I'm photographing; who I'm trying to love on and make feel special. It's about those moments we capture; when we are so excited we can't help but smile because we KNOW we caught the beautiful person's personality in front of us. At least that's what I think. So I made this. ;)

Feel free to share and pin away if you agree!

Love,

h i l a r y h o p e 

Foxy Pinups FAQ

What is a Foxy Pinup Session?

A Foxy Pinup Session is a photo shoot that evokes your inner diva! It's totally sexy, completely vintage, and simply the bee's knees!

What happens during your shoot?

You are totally pampered! Our hairdresser Amanda works with you to figure out your perfect pinup hairstyle. When your hair is finished, a vintage makeup look is applied. Then you get to raid our closet! We have tons of dresses, skirts, shoes, and sexy little things to choose from. After you've put your outfit on, we put you infront of the mirror for the big reveal. There you are-a sexy blast from the past! When you're ready for your close up, Hilary gives it to you. You receive pinup coaching with each pose and you get to release your inner vixen for the camera!

How does Hilary edit these foxy photos?

Hilary works tirelessly on your photographic perfection. Your pictures are airbrushed with gentle cellulite removal while keeping your original body shape. You pick the photos to edit and you're in complete control of what is edited away or put in. The pictures will definitely be you at your very best. The celebrities get this treatment and Hilary is determined for you to get it too!

What products are available exclusively for our Pinup Gals?

On top of amazing matte photo prints, we offer our pinup girls vintage 12 month (13 photo) pin-up calendars! Each one is customized completely for you! We also offer Little Black Books, Vinyl Posters, Custom iPhone Cases, and Genuine Leather Albums to keep for yourself or to share with your sexy someone. 

To book your session, visit our Facebook Page, website, or call (708) 498-HOPE today! 

Foxy Pinups Perfected: Highlighting The Eyes with Lighting

I'm starting a Saturday series of blog posts and I am SUPER excited about it. 

(You all know me though-it doesn't take too much to get me excited!!!) 

I'm calling it "Foxy Pinups Pefected" and each blog will talk about things to look for when choosing, and also photographing, beautiful pinup models.

Without further adu... Blog Number 1, Commence!

If you guys were nerdy like me in high school and drew cartoon characters all over your Lisa Frank spirals, then bare with me! In those cartoon drawings, I would always draw in a little white bubble or two in the eyeballs. I'm sure you guys drew it too without even realizing it! You were drawing one of the most essential tools in highlighting your subject's eyes; a catch light. 

Wikipedia define's Catchlight or catch light as:

a light source that causes a specular highlight in a subject's eye in an image.^[1] They are also referred to as eye lights or Obies, the latter a reference to Merle Oberon, who was frequently lit using this technique. 

With pinup photography, because of the style you're emulating, you always want to have catch lights present and reflected in your subject's eyes. This adds dimension and depth to the eye and also let's you know that the lighting is correct on your subject's face. I went ahead and pointed out the catch light below in the gorgeous Laura's eyes.

To make sure a catch light is present in your subject's eyes, look to your light source. Here in our studio, our fill light is named "Phil" and we use him for catch lights in our Foxy Pinup girl's eyes. We have Phil located off to the right and slightly behind the photographer. 

When shooting your subject, be aware of where your fill light is in regards to their eyes. Always be thinking about your subject's brow and eye shape. Someone with deep set eyes will need the fill to be more centered behind the photographer and their chins lifted slightly higher to get that same catch light effect rather than someone with wide set eyes or almond shaped eyes. 

To me, having catch lights present in Pinup Photographs separates the professionals from amateurs.

When your subject doesn't have light reflected back in her eyes you have....

SHARK EYES!!!!! NOOOOOOO!!!!

Have no fear! Now that you know about catch lights you can:

1. As a pinup photographer, figure out how to make catch lights work for your images

2. As a client, choose a pinup photographer that understand this concept.

Toodles!


love,

h i l a r y h o p e 

Foxy Pinup Giveaway 2013 | Kansas City Foxy Pinup Photographer

A  little Birdie Told Me 
The Foxy Pinup Giveaway is Back! 

The Deets:

This giveaway is very special to me and to Amanda. We absolutely LOVE our jobs because we get to help women find their inner Foxy and feel beautiful in a very unique and fun way. We would love to share the Foxy Pinup experience with someone who has had a sub-par 2012 year. This is a treat for that special lady and her Foxy Friend, with love from us in helping her find her beautiful self again. 

Who wins?:

The winner of this contest is someone who shows love to everyone she meets even in times of trouble in her own life. We are looking for a woman that needs a little pampering, especially if the past year has been hard on her. We want to give this to someone that really deserves it and needs a little loving in their life at this moment. 

How do we decide?:

We pick the "who" above based upon what is written in the nomination by a friend. You cannot nominate yourself. The nomination of the "who" describes the character of the nominee, why you think she deserves the Foxy Pinup experience at this time and any other fun things you'd like to put in about you and yourr nominee. 

The nominee + the nominator BOTH win a Foxy Pinup Session together!

Check out this blog to see last years winners, Stefanie & Brandi!

To Submit:

+Make sure both you and your nominee "like" the Hilary Hope Photography Facebook Page

+Share our Facebook Page on your timeline (make sure you tag @Hilary Hope Photography)

+Share This Blog Post Link on Your Facebook Page after you've emailed us your entry-ie. I JUST entered the Foxy Pinup Giveaway from @Hilary Hope Photography! Have you?  http://hilaryhopephoto.blogspot.com/2013/01/foxy-pinup-giveaway-2013-kansas-city.html

Then send the following information by email to hilary@hilaryhopephoto.com

+Subject Line: Foxy Giveaway for a Foxy Friend

+Include your name, age (must be over 21), and telephone number

+Your friend that you are nominating's name, age (must be over 21), telephone number and email address

+Reasons outlining why your friend deserves the Foxy Pinup Experience, especially if there are events that pertain to their past year's current situation

Fine Print:

• You must be 21 years of age or older to participate and all the above actions must be completed for your entry into our contest to be valid. 
• Entries start today, January 9th, 2013, and will be accepted until January 22nd, 2013-midnight central standard time.  
• The winners of the contest both win a Foxy Pinup Session together, which includes hair styling, vintage makeup application, a pinup outfit, a boudoir outfit, an hour in studio, photos together and single shots, an 8 x 10 for each participant and an online webshow gallery to share with all their special someones. 
• Session must be executed in February or March, 2013 or prize is forfeited. 
• Winners must be Kansas City Area residents, or be able to make it into the Kansas City Area with their own transportation on the day of their session. 
• Their is no purchase necessary and purchase will not help your chance of winning.
• This contest is in no way associated with the company of Facebook and we release Facebook from any and all liability.
• Amanda and I will choose and announce the winners on February 5th.

Lots of Love and Happy Giveaways!

h i l a r y h o p e 

Will You be Mine? | Valentine's Day Cards from Hilary Hope Photography's Foxy Pinups

The front is a gorgeous Foxy Pinup Photo of you!

The back has your special message to your handsome beau!

So we've got one question for you:

Who will be YOUR Foxy Valentine?

XOXO,

h i l a r y h o p e 

PS. We got this awesome template from Birdesign! Check them out if you get a chance!

Positive Talk Time [Talking to Photogs]

Usually my lunch break is full of fun family photography blog reading, a cookie, possibly a number 1 from Jimmy Johns, and a little dose of positive. But today I've found myself reading some pretty negative photography posts out there on the internets. So I'm taking it on myself to boost today with a little positivity.

I know why this negativity is out there- right now we photographers are stressed! (Let's make this jump-the general populous is totally stressed out right now). People are running to and from work, Christmas shopping, making gingerbread people with perfect button noses, frosted feet and gumdrop buttons. (Confession? Mine somehow never make it on to the poor cookied dude...they end up in my tummy waaaaay beforehand). 

Then there is the professional photographer group-we're working on orders, deadlines, forgetting to eat. Glaring at a computer screen for hours on end can make you downtrodden...  It can be hard to keep things in perspective.

But here is something you need to remember as a photographer and business owner in this stressful season. You get to do what you love! You get to interact daily with your beautiful clients! You are BLESSED with this opportunity to provide for your family by doing something you love.

My little man and me! Photo c/o Blooming Images

Now what I'm about to tell you will change your business if you let it! 

I'm talking to all the photographers and business owners out there, here it is: 

Be Happy with your Business.

If you aren't happy, you either need to change something or get an attitude adjustment. Don't sit and stir in unhappiness because unhappiness breeds bitterness, which leads to anger, which leads to... the dark side.

And that's not good for anyone, especially your business, your clients, and Skywalker.

I love you! You can do this!

hilary hope bloomquist

over & out.