Our dear mothers, moms, mamas, mammies, mamis… our only, our heroes who give up an immeasurable amount of life and sacrifice for us… With the upcoming Mother’s Day, I am thrilled to announce a very, very special treat to my existing clients. In fact, I have never offered anything like this before…

As a sign of appreciation of your trust and support to me, but more importantly, of your love for your mothers and my respect for them, I want to give your mothers a genuine gift, a true gift of a free portrait to reflect the warmth and dedication in their eyes. As simple as this, with no catch or purchase required. My dear friends, allow me to introduce Mama’s Love event on Saturday, May 5, 2012 (updated). Your mother comes, I photograph her, then post-process and give her a free 8×12 printed portrait. Pass your mother a gift of professional photography for the Mother’s Day and portray her kindness and beauty!

I expect an overwhelming interest in this free event so in the interests of space and time, I need to put a few rules into effect:

• This is a client appreciation campaign so the offer can only be extended to Zorz Studios’ clients who paid for my photography service in the past or booked me for a paid upcoming event/assignment.
• This is dedicated and intended for clients’ mothers who may or may not have been given my attention yet. If you are a client and a mother, I can photograph you another day as a regular session. Show your love to your mother and send her or bring her with you! Anyone can be in the photograph, up to five persons, as long as client’s mother is there.
• The event will be offered only for one day, on Saturday, May 5, 2012 (updated), at Zorz Studios’ Manhattan location.
• Only a limited number of 10 sessions can be handled properly, each about 15 minutes long. Time slots will be assigned to the first 10 inquiries. Requests must be emailed to studio’s email (not sent via Facebook, SMS, or other means). Once the limit is reached, the list will be closed but a waiting list will hold several more names in the event of cancellations.

This special event is warmly dedicated to my own mom, Zagya Hafizova, who lives across the ocean. I hope that the spirit of gratitude, kind words, and joy flowing on that photo session day will somehow get funneled and transmitted to her, single mom who went through a great deal of mishap and deprivation when raising me, young woman who worked two jobs almost around the clock while going to school and graduating as a Chemical Engineer and becoming a scientist, who was strict and tender in teaching me the values of life, and who just loves me too much.

I thank you and all women who gave us life.

UPDATE 04/28/12: Due to the NYC Bike Tour on Sunday, 05/06/12, and the closure of many streets and bridges, the event has been rescheduled to Saturday, 05/05/12.

Share/Bookmark

As some things are happening in life, they hold your breath. You watch them form and shape, still afraid to blow off the feather of destiny. When they do finally take place, you are not relieved to gasp for air… they leave you breathless in awe, still. Such is my ongoing odyssey with Meera and Arjun.

In all regards, this is a long-distance journey, and it is how it even started in October 2011. I was sitting across the ocean from them in a Moroccan cuisine restaurant when an email came from a young lady from Atlanta, GA. She came across my photography while searching for “innovative engagement photos” online. Visiting San Francisco for Thanksgiving, they were thinking of doing a glamorous photo shoot in the Sutro Bath Ruins. That was some start for a New Yorker already! Shooting an Indian couple against the beautiful backdrop of a windy cliff, ocean waves, and old walls of the baths would be a double delight! Upon my return to the US, we continued our excited discussion and they booked my travel from NYC for the engagement session at the end of November.

And then comes a surprise email from Meera’s fiance, Arjun. He explains that as their wedding preparations traditionally set off by the families, he did not get to make a formal proposal. He prepared an elaborate plan to surprise her during their next visit to NYC and he hoped I could candidly document it. I had plans for that night but how could I miss this?! Two streams of emails followed — official with Meera, discussing the wardrobe and ideas for the e-session via Pinterest, and the unofficial behind her back — for Arjun’s plot. It felt like a conspiracy…

Arjun’s plan was fabulous. He would first take her by a surprise with first-row tickets to Phantom of the Opera, then go for a drink to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s rooftop martini bar and garden (highly recommend). That is where the proposal would be made and I would need to candidly shoot it from a distance, easily mixed in the crowd, later revealing myself and finishing off with a few happily-proposed portraits. At some point before their planned trip, things got in a whirlwind, almost ruining his plans. As we exchanged emails just a few days before their visit, everything got sorted and planned out, and we were ready.

Surprises began early that day. First, on their way to the Met, Arjun’s cell phone broke down interrupting our vital text message communication. He had to borrow Meera’s explaining his constant using it for urgent family matters. According to my plan, I went to the Met a little ahead of time to look around and take a position in the bar. Upon my arrival, I learned that the bar was closed, contrary to what they told Arjun on the phone. I had to think and act quickly, putting Arjun at ease and offering to re-arrange everything, preferably without moving too far. First, I found a different location at the Met where I could seat them — at the booked up indoor Great Hall Balcony bar. It was more formal and required table reservations with a waiting line… On the big plus side, it played live classical music. This is what I would have to work with instead of easy blending and pretending to be a party-snapper in the crowd:

Location phone snapshot sent to Arjun

I called for the restaurant’s staff’s sympathy and compassion, jumped the line, sweetly demanded a strategically located table to allow me for a clear shot at a concealing angle, and then asked to hold it empty for me until needed… Oh, once they heard the story, the patrons and staff were completely understanding, nodding, and smiling! They grew curious and excited about being part of the plot, too. I kept texting Arjun with my progress as they approached the museum: snapshots of the place, directions to the table I secured for them, seating instructions and diagram, “our” waiter’s name, and other logistics. I later got to switch tables for an even better angle.

Finally, I received a text message that they were on the steps. I gave signal to people in-the-know and ran to my position. There I saw them coming. I understand what Arjun had to go through and the level of his excitement and worry. I don’t blame him for seating Meera the opposite of what I instructed him but I had to make him switch so I could see both of them and not the back of just one, blocking the other. Then I suggested (still by texting) he combed his hair before making the move. Being myself in a pretty open space sitting on a bench some 10-15 yards away, I had to conceal my camera with a big white Canon telephoto lens and my face, too! Although they never met me, Meera could have recognized me from my photos. As it turned out later, she did notice a “very sad man”, sitting with his hands in a grief grasp of his head. Well, my eyes could cry of the tension I put on them trying to watch the guys through my fingers while keeping the nose down…Thankfully, soon Arjun took all of Meera’s attention away, and that is when I uncovered my “gun” and started shooting, moving between two hideouts and catching lots of understanding smiles and sighs from the by-passers. 20 minutes later, I approached the table and finally introduced myself. We finished with an outdoor mini-session on the steps before they went to another reserved restaurant to celebrate. The mission was completed.

Few days later I published the following slideshow. A friend of mine couldn’t resist but shared it with her friend who wrote back, “Thanks a lot for making me cry….” These are people who don’t know my couple… The whole experience felt like a fairytale in making, with supporting people deeply touched by it. I thank all.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I can’t thank you enough for everything you did for us yesterday. You went far above and beyond just your job in the way you helped me set the stage and recover from having to change the original location. Thank you so very much for everything – all the photographs at the end really made Meera feel extra special about the occasion and it was just altogether wonderful. Having you there taking all the photographs really added so much to our entire day, I can’t thank you enough. — Arjun

***

Now back to the official plan for an engagement session in California later that month. Preparations went uncovered now, and one early morning a few weeks later I boarded the plane to San Francisco. After landing I rode right to the Sutro Heights Park, a couple of hours ahead of the scheduled start time. As the guys were getting ready, I picked a lunch box from Louis’ and while eating, scouted the area to identify places, poses, and ideas I wanted to try. One very promising and adrenaline-pumping sign greeted me. That would be a workplace I wanted to work in! Among the most exciting visions I formed would be a shot over the guys with the huge waves crushing in the rocks below. Possibly something similar to what I did for this couple but more colossal and fierce. I watched the immense ocean waves in awe and counted minutes for my couple to arrive. It was end of November and I knew that the sun would be going down early in the day.

The circumstances made some adjustments to timing, and we didn’t get to have as much time as I hoped for. We started with a few conventional portraits in Meera’s and Arjun’s traditional clothes, then changed to a contemporary look. An even bigger blow was a surprising change in waves’ strength. They started to weaken late afternoon and by the time we got to that part, became almost non-existent, at least for the impact I was after. Although I felt like we were rushing through my written notes and skipping some ideas before the sunset, we managed to create a spectacular imagery illustrated by just a few samples below, now reminding me of the breathtaking Californian sunset and ocean breeze. I flew back the same night, making it yet another 24-hour gig.

And this is all just the beginning… Aside from another encounter, the all-Russian traditional dinner to which I treated the guys during their recent visit to NYC, we are now preparing and holding our breaths for the grand finale of this photographic odyssey to their wedding ceremony. The spectacular conclusion will take place in the land of vibrant, spiritual, cultural, and natural heritage — India, in the Garden City of Bangalore in June 2012. I will be spending three days working with them! I’ve been already blessed with a number of Indian and Pakistani weddings but the one that flourishes on the ancestors’ land is a true fantasy for any artist. And that would be a whole new story to write…

Share/Bookmark

I have been placed on Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Platinum List for the fourth year now and was delighted to learn about a Platinum Members Event that Wedding Style magazine organized for their preferred vendors past Thursday. I love these gatherings because they allow us, wedding industry professionals, to  meet and mingle among each other, talking to people we mostly communicate by email and phone. Such events also offer a tremendous opportunity to establish new relationships — the networking aspect is fully covered there. With Wedding Style, though, this was not a regular event like most I have attended. This was remarkably put together in style!

I was asked by the magazine to cover the event and decor, and wasn’t there plenty to enchant my eyes! First, the venue itself already ensured a spectacular and appropriate backdrop — the luxurious Pierre Hotel. I love being and working there but this time, I would get to take some quality break, too! We were greeted by astonishing tabletop designs by Ambiance, Diana Gould, Tantawan Bloom, and A Touch of Elegance Flowers. The gracious gowns were provided by Bridal Reflections. If you know my affection for classical music, you’d know I appreciated the captivating melody of Bianchi Musica string quartet during the first hour of formalities. And, to help put it all together, wedding planner Maya from Swank Productions demonstrated the miracles of working on a tight schedule due to unexpected time conflict that cut the prep time from 9 to 3 hours!

It was a true pleasure to see my contacts at the magazine — Lexi, Laureen, Cynthia, Yanni, and of course, Grace herself. Having documented all this beauty with photographer Ryan Brenzier and videographer Edward Neary, we jumped into the action, eating, drinking, dancing to the grooving live music of at DDM Entertainment, and oh, yes, networking! Fun all over the place, useful and crazy… Thank you, ALL vendors and colleagues, for such a treat and good time! Enjoy the highlights below!

[Show as slideshow]

03/23/12 UPDATE: Check out this energized video clip with the coverage of the party by Edward Neary!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Share/Bookmark

Klout developed an algorithm to aggregate and quantify your online presence and interactions within 13 (and growing) social networks, mainly focusing on the current hubs — Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+. Notably, it doesn’t just count the number of friends, connections, or tweets. It looks at the number of comments, “likes”, retweets, mentions, etc. that your content generates. In other words, to what extent you can influence an audience, and what that audience is. An association that comes to my mind is how Google decided to rank the search results back in the days — instead of just returning a random pile of close matches to search keywords or phrases, it ingeniously thought about measuring popularity of the found webpages, i.e. counting the number of other sites linking to it on an assumption that popular sites “know it better”, or are just more relevant and to the point, thus placed higher in the search results.

The main shortcoming of this approach, criticized by the masses, is taking the offline influence out of the equation, thus generating an inadequate measurement. A tech-savvy and outgoing student may be easily deemed as more competent and influential than his professor. An amateur may score twice as high as the industry leader who does not bother with a Facebook profile. Or, you may become less of a thought leader if you take on a two-month humanitarian mission and temporarily cut the connection with the web… And yet, while the assessment is far from being perfect and comprehensive, I believe it has a revolutionary potential and will develop into a mainstream application in many markets, offering a unique way to measure one of the key qualities, and providing a new layer of social status of the digital era. Perhaps, many of us will be forced to pay attention to this new “credit score”… Just as its counterpart, it can be both misleading and securing, both a curse and a blessing.

So, take the following with a grain of salt. Few days after signing up, my score today is 55. This is what Klout researched about me: “You are a Specialist. You may not be a celebrity, but within your area of expertise your opinion is second to none. Your content is likely focused around a specific topic or industry with a focused, highly-engaged audience.“

Recommended reading:

CNN: Measuring influence online: A Q&A with Klout’s CEO
BusinessInsider: The TRUTH About Your Klout Score: How Your Phony Number Is Calculated
New York Times: Are You a V.I.P.? Check Your Klout Score
BusinessWeek: Should You Care How High Your Klout Score Is?

Share/Bookmark

Every 3 minutes, a child is born with a cleft, often unable to eat, speak, socialize or smile. In some places these children are shunned and rejected. And in too many cases, their parents can’t afford to give them the surgeries. Help me save a child from a life of shame! On April 22, 2012, Zorz Studios will again participate with an elite group of photographers around the country in a very special portrait promotion. Although my studio does not focus on family portrait market, I want to offer a wonderful opportunity for you to update your individual or family portrait, and more importantly,  I want to support Operation Smile, which treats children who suffer with facial deformities.

Zorz Studios will donate your session fee to PPA Charities to benefit Operation Smile which treats children around the world who suffer with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities. More than 100,000 children are born with a facial deformity every year, yet tens of thousands remain untreated. Your session fee truly will help change a life, otherwise spent in pain and rejection. Celebrate your family by helping a child, along with thousands of volunteer doctors, nurses, and dentists who donate their time to this incredible organization. I hope to benefit as many children as I can through this promotion’s sales and my own personal contribution.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I pledge to donate all proceeds from each photo session above the operational costs to the charity. Three packages are offered, starting from as low as $25 for a mini-session, while a $240 donation will reserve you a session that will allow to completely cover the costs of performing a surgery on one child. To see the packages and book, click the link below.

Make a donation by booking your session

(note studio’s adjusted event date: Sunday, April 22, 2012)

I also believe that the awareness of this event is a wonderful way to teach children the value of reaching out to others. Even small children can understand the importance of Operation Smile work, and they are eager to help these needy children.

In-studio family portraits, “relationship” images, and individual portraits of children and adults are eligible. I am willing to shoot all day long, as many sessions as I can fit in a day. The more I shoot, the more surgeries will be performed! I hope you will join me in helping make this vital work possible. Thank you.

Share/Bookmark

After three long years, the famous Zorz Studios’ contest is back! The tradition will go on, and I am pleased to announce my next EngagEd contest, in which I give away a complimentary engagement session (and more!) not to one, but two lucky winners!

What?
Engagement session, also referred to as an “e-session,” is a separate photography session with an engaged couple, usually conducted months prior to the wedding. The advanced type of this session became one of the hallmarks of my studio’s style, characterized by a fashionable, daring, and adventurous production, creating results seen in the slideshow above. This contest is for such couples, ready to herald and kick off their new life with impact!

The contest’s hot prizes are:

• Runner-up – complimentary e-session and a 20-page album of session’s images
• Grand Prize – complimentary e-session and free wedding photography service (covers time of the primary shooter)

Note: Third-party fees associated with e-session are optional but are likely to occur, being clients’ responsibility. Examples are permits, rentals, and transportation. Free photography service on the wedding day covers time of the primary shooter, a $4,000 value. Additional post-wedding services and products are optional.

Who?
Invited are all engaged, unmarried couples! If you are not, show your love to your friends and rush them over here! As a destination wedding photographer, I welcome people not only in the NYC metro area, but from across the country and the world as long as they cover travel and accommodation for one low-maintenance fella… The couple must be willing to appear on my blog with their story. Clients already booked with Zorz Studios or other studio are welcome to enter, eligible for e-session only. To claim the Grand Prize, I must be available on winners’ wedding date.

How?
Enter by submitting your vision of the epic e-session, along with a photo of you two and few more details. The cooler and the more challenging your vision is to execute (which I LOVE and count on!), the higher the chance of having it done, for free! Into role-playing? So am I! Indulging fashionista? My background in commercial and fashion photography will pamper your visual desires. Adventurous dare-devils? Meet Ed. Love quiet moments and dreaming of Renaissance? I burn the candles through the night in studio filled with classical music…

Keep one point in mind – this is not a raffle but a contest. There is no lucky chance for a quick entry. In return for a valuable service and skills, you need to bring an intriguing and new idea to the table. I can certainly come up with mine but then I charge my fees. Think of places you can take me to — abandoned habitats, fashion magazine editor’s office, car junk yard, theater’s backstage, scorched desert, and so on… See where I am going?

The link to the entry form is posted below. Three judges, including truly yours, will pick the three finalists. They will be announced in Zorz Studios’ blog and placed in a public voting system. All visitors will be able to cast their vote for who they believe has the  coolest concept. Entrants will be encouraged to invite their families and friends to vote, of course! Live progression of the scores will be made public.

When?
Entries accepted through February 26
Finalists selected, announced, and public voting begins on March 4
Public voting ends on March 25
Winners announced on March 26

Don’t let anyone miss out! Forward this to all your friends and spread the word! Nominate your neighbors, friends, family, and of course YOURSELF. We’re going to have a lot of fun with this again!

Submit Entry
(Submissions closed, check back for the finalists)

01/30/12 UPDATE: I warmly welcome the very first entrant, Erica from North Carolina with a vision of incorporating a dazzling powwow ceremonial dance! What a start! Keep up the spirit, friends!

03/04/12 UPDATE: And the three finalists are here!!! It is your time now to cast your vote and show your support for your friends! Visit Zorz Studios’ Facebook page, click the “Contest” button under the main photo, show me that you “like” what I am doing for your friends (yep, that “like” button), and vote for them! The couple who gets the most votes will win not only an e-session but the wedding day photography coverage (!), so why not make an extra effort and tell your other friends about this, too? Let’s make some waves here! On to our Facebook page, guys!

Kayla and Matthew	“My vision for an epic engagement session is high fashion meets Disneyland! When I tell people that I’m getting married at Disneyland, they think that it is childish, or little kid, or immature. I want to prove them wrong! Disney can be fashion forward, edgy, sexy and cool, and I want you to help me prove that to them. We would do the shoot in Disneyland Park itself, as well as the new California Adventure Park. We wouldn’t be wearing typical tourist gear, oh no… but my fiancé could adorn a sparkly sexy dress; a complete contrast to what you would expect at Disney. The setting would be night, under all of Disney’s magical lights.”
Erica and Jorge	“Our vision is to have a completely unique engagement session at an American Indian powwow in NC. All my life, I have danced in powwows, festivals of song and dance that are breathtaking, colorful, energetic events for participants and spectators alike! Driving from the urban area of Durham to the powwow, down rural roads surrounded by corn and cotton fields, to the completely unexpected, vibrant powwow. NC has the highest population of Indians East of the Mississippi and this is a great chance to highlight our culture and celebrate our upcoming marriage!”
Julia and Max	“I’ve always dreamt of dressing up in those exquisite outfits of the 1700′s, so I think an amazing and challenging engagement photo session would be to portray Marie Antoinette’s passion for love. The extravagant lifestyle, the lavish tea parties and her secret love affairs.”

03/25/12 UPDATE:
And we have
THE WINNERS!!!

Ladies and gentlemen, I am thrilled and happy to announce the winners:

• Grand Prize winners: Kayla and Matthew, with their “Fashionably Sexy at Disneyland” theme
• Runners-up: Julia and Max, with their “Marie Antoinette’s Passion for Love” theme

My sincere congratulations to you, guys! My dear readers, check back as I will be writing new blogs to keep you updated on the winners’ photo shoots! They are promising to be spectacular!

Share/Bookmark

I would just love once to be called sexy. Just because it would make me something other than cute.
Jennifer Love Hewitt

Be his sexy Valentine! Just in time for upcoming Valentine’s Day, I am pleased to announce the next Zorz Studios’ boudoir marathon – a full day of fun, luxury, excitement, sexiness, champagne, and art! This is an experience every woman should have at least once! In the spirit of editorial fashion shoots, on Monday, February 13, 2012, a creative team of professionals will realize your dream of being the sexiest your lover has possibly ever seen! Make a unique gift to him or — demand this as a perfect Valentine’s Day gift for yourself!

My generous hostess, Natalie Licini, and I are inviting you to the Casa Belvedere mansion. This landmark is home to Italian Cultural Foundation in Staten Island, NY, sitting atop a hill overlooking Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and the New York City Harbor. Not is it just opening the doors to you, but we will be taking care of your makeup and hair, setting up the studio lights, then styling and tastefully photographing you in the finest way produced by Zorz Studios!

Feel free to bring your sensuous and mysterious accessories like corsets, lingerie, fish nets, masquerade masks, feather boas, high heels, silk robes, etc. Let your fantasies out! Couples are also welcome.

As a very special gift to you, I am excited to offer this amazing experience at one seductive price! Regularly starting at $1,000, I am offering all of the following for just $395!

• private 1.5-hour Victoria-Secret-esque photo session in the mansion
• glamorous makeup by a professional makeup artist
• fabulous hair by a professional hair dresser
• sexy props and ambient music
• wardrobe changes
• champagne and refreshments
• private password-protected online gallery
• ten Master-processed images
• optional prints, books, gallery wraps, etc.
• all low-res proof images on a CD
• incredible confidence boost
• pride and desire on his face when he gets the best Valentine’s Day gift he has ever dreamed of… smoking hot, high fashion, enticing photographs of you!

To preserve and devour your gift in fashion, upgrade your collection to a photo art book presented in a Boutique Bag that invokes an emotional connection as you hold the luxurious fabrics and reveal the content. The bag creates mystery with its deep red shantung fabric and raised black velvet floral design, black velvet inside liner, and a black satin ribbon or knot closure. Highlighting ten of your sexiest retouched photographs, this haute art book costs $400 but as part of the event, it will be yours for only $195, completing your experience in style.

Booking: For this exclusive event, I limit my offer to 5 time slots and only require a $100 deposit to reserve one of them, subject to availability. To start, go to Zorz Studios’ Boudoir Marathon booking page, make your selections, and send your request. Bookings will be honored in the order they are received until all slots are claimed. Taxes and shipping are extra.

Book before someone else gets sexier this Valentine’s Day!

01/27/12 UPDATE: I am happy yet regret to say that the Boudoir Marathon is now booked up. Thank you all who signed up for your trust and appreciation of this unique Valentine’s Day gift idea. I specially thank guys who did it for their wives. Depending on continued inquiries, I will consider extending this event for a second day of shooting, around 2/14/12. Stay tuned for the update and send me a note if you would be interested in the second day.

01/28/12 UPDATE: Due to the feedback and demand, I will be extending this special for one more day of shooting same week. I will open the booking system again for the first sign-ups to claim them. Check back for the announcement, please.

02/01/12 UPDATE: Keep the Valentine’s Day spirit in the air! Upon a careful evaluation of the current workload, I see that I reached my capacity for the month of February and although conducting a second booked-up day of such large-scale event as Boudoir Marathon is realized to be unfeasible, I am happy to offer an enticing alternative. Instead of shorter fast-paced marathon sessions, I will be conducting individual boudoir sessions in my boutique Manhattan studio, offering more time and cost savings during the Valentine’s Day promotion. Now through February 17, all sessions regularly priced at $600 will be offered at a $200 discount. For $400, you will get 2-2.5 hours of shooting with one Signature and five Master-processed images. Extra products and services from the marathon event are optional. Click here to start the non-marathon boudoir booking process. This is your second chance of being his sexy Valentine, Zorz Studios’ style!

02/17/12 UPDATE: Here are the first few artist’s favorites:

[Show as slideshow]

Share/Bookmark

11/09/09 UPDATE: Maternity sessions present a natural progression for me as a photographer who shoots weddings and gains trust, pride, and love from clients. Combined with my approach to fine art portraiture, these sessions strive to create a unique imagery, filled with emotions and poetry. And when such style meets an adventurous mind living in Alaska, who is open to my passionate and daring vision, something extraordinary is bound to happen…

I flew to Anchorage, bringing bags of equipment from NY. The client’s husband and two friends teamed up to provide the much-needed support for the plans I made. Part of it was an aerial filming and photography from a helicopter. I had some epic scenes in mind… Unfortunately, we lost the helicopter a few hours before the start of that portion of session. However, we still had mountains and all the fabrics arranged for the session!  The following morning we set off on a trip to the remote Fox Island — quiet, tranquil, primeval land with the remnants of dead trees’ trunks. My idea was to contrast the the lifeless scenery with an emerging life, touching the ancient spirit with a human soul.

There were other smaller challenges, such as rain which was forecasted before my arrival but wouldn’t cancel the months of preparation and investment. Shooting with portable studio light and battery packs outdoors in the rain is troublesome but at least it did not pour. It did bring waters higher so we had to move away from my favored spot in the meadows… We continued working on the shore, then traveled to another location in Seward, later finishing that day with a small indoor session in the hotel room with a touch of glamor. A bed cover promptly served as a background. The next morning, we continued our trip to the Alyeska ski resort where we went up on a lift and slowly hiked further up, away from traffic and on-lookers. We were never certain if we could actually just shoot there so we tried to keep as low profile as possible… for 5 of us carrying a ladder and bags with equipment and props. At least we tried not to shout, an urge tough to resist in the mountains.

It was a challenging but truly successful, distinctive, and artistically fulfilling project. This is what I want to find and express in my photography. Huge thanks to everyone who was involved and assisted!

Main equipment used:

Hasselblad H2 with Phase One P30+
Canon 5D Mark II SLR
Hensel Pro Mini with Porty 12 Lithium Battery
Canon Speedlights 580EX

[Show as slideshow]

01/17/12 UPDATE. Behind the Scene Coverage

Thanks to Dmitry Stramilov from Anchorage, AK, we can look back now and peek behind the scenes to unveil some details of this unique two-day photo journey. First, check out the “Making of…” slideshow, followed by the documentary images below.

[Show as slideshow]

Share/Bookmark

I am quitting my daytime job. Believe it or not, I’ve been carrying the weight of two full-time jobs for many years. One you know – the owner of a fashionable, edgy, and fine art photography studio – and the other was held at a highly successful and growing $8bln pharmaceutical company. Meet another Ed, Coordinator of Global Monitoring Operations. Meet and bid your farewell, as next business day is my last day of employment at this perspective and rewarding position. In part, the stability, security, and appreciation of this position was what held me back for some time. The upper management and all my peers have treated me as a valued employee for all 11 years, creating a truly comfortable and enjoying environment. Yet, I could not possibly tame my true passion, especially when it kept being infused, overflowing the boundaries set by the idea of having just 24 hours in a day.

The past years were remarkably tough, testing out human abilities of sleeping 3 hours on average, scoffing at TGIF cries, and hardly having relaxing weekends. Throughout a week, I would not come home to have dinner and then relax in front of a TV, or hang out, or just crash in exhaustion after a “tough day at work”. That tough day at work was transitioning into night at work when I would post-process and try to attend to minimal business needs, with mixed results. While my brand post-processing has always remained a quintessential hallmark, promised and delivered, it was coming at a price of extended turnaround. I could have handled the standard timeframes if I my studio’s final product were average. The complications arose from my recognized higher levels of post-processing and beauty retouching, requiring extra effort and extended time. Another sadly noticeable drawback was lack of attention to some advanced business aspects. While I was keeping up with the basics, I could only dream of putting all my gained knowledge, ideas, and concepts into action. I did try some, quite successfully and encouragingly I might add, but they inevitably winded down without the vital influx of energy and time. Even take this very blog! I am ashamed to see it dormant for the past 1.5 years… Although I remained active on Facebook which turned into my primary communication media, I could not dig up all the details and cool behind-the-scene stories and information. And finally, aside from all paid gigs, my impetuous vision had scarce opportunities to be released in the form of my own independent art projects, such as underwater and Gothic themes. Without them, my imagination felt like a sprout during the drought.

My time has come. Time to catch up, to address the shortcomings and root them out, to sink my teeth deep into the backbones of the business, to liberate my passion and skills. Time to spread my wings… a banal saying that best and truly describes my inner senses now as I am standing on a cliff this last day of 2011. A bit worried but believing. If you think that I achieved something by gaining some recognition, creating a group of followers and fans, commanding above-the-average prices, or shooting for Grace Ormonde Wedding Style magazine,  you didn’t see it all yet. What you’ve seen so far is that sharp tip of an iceberg. I am eager to bring the potential of what is deep under the surface. And you will start hearing about my new projects and initiatives in the next few months already.

The good boy in me is opening a new chapter of Zorz Studios almanac, The Epoch of Renaissance. The bad boy in me is quoting one of my favorite epic films, shouting, “At my signal, unleash hell!” Hold tight now.

Share/Bookmark

Talk about busy people and (lucky) last-minute booking… One spring day in March I am getting a call from a young lady who was among the guests of Maya and Stan’s notable wedding in Jamaica and has become my fan since then. So, she proceeds with a curious story about her brother Boris who is getting married in about three weeks. As I understood, as a business owner, he hasn’t quite had time to arrange for a professional photographer, or rather, consider the merits of having some guy hanging around in a way, on a day for them to enjoy. Fortunately, I was available and his sister persuaded him, alluring with a perspective of stress-free selection process, confidently referring to just one candidate – ahem – Zorz Studios. So, in an emergency meeting with the siblings in their workplace two weeks before the wedding, we went through few formalities and the basics. As expected, I was booked on the spot and just hoped for meeting the bride before the wedding. Granted with such an opportunity, I had a pleasure of hosting the couple in our Manhattan studio a week before the wedding.

The rest just happened. With much improvisation, a few bumps, and a ton of fun, my team with curious and charismatic Olga and invaluable assistant JP, jumped through the day. Knowing that there was just no time allotted for our regular “photo adventure”, we were shooting everything that moved around us, especially if having similarities with our bride and groom. I spent much time photographing Oksana in a chic home studio of her makeup artist Gigi while her maid of honor and mom were getting ready. Later, I found myself in the sands shooting Boris and those of the groomsmen who were not fashionably late, he-he…

Regardless, we came out with a predictably cool coverage, sweetened (or spiced up?) by a bombastic Cirque du Soleil type cabaret-show presented by the famous Russian venue, Rasputin Restaurant. That’s what I call wedding guest entertainment… Remarkably, one of the show dancers is my legendary client and dear friend, Tanya, who became part of the studio’s logo. That night I was also formally introduced to another dancer Dasha, who jumped the ship and participated in Zorz Studio’s second boudoir marathon just a few days later.

My special thanks go to Boris’ sister Masha and her husband Dimitry, who handled many aspects of the wedding preparation, demonstrating the value of friendship and family bonds. Another special thanks goes to JP, who briefly covered me during the reception show. And Olga, you are practically always the Queen.

The images below are quick edits from my main camera only, second camera photos will be added soon.

[Show as slideshow]

Share/Bookmark

The auction will be preceded by a fashion show of international couture designers, performances of pop artists, violinists, a pianist, opera-pop fusion singer, aerialists and acrobats, salsa and flamenco dancers, and a belly dancer Aisha.

The black attire Valentine’s Ball will conclude the date with luxury, fashion, and entertainment. Red carpet, cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, and more fashion and dancing will culminate this spectacular event. Guests will enjoy the elegant atmosphere, cash bar and delightful displays of fine art, fashions, jewelry and more.

A number of celebrities and VIPs are expected at the weekend’s fashion event. Fashion shows will feature designers from Turkey, India, Dubai, Korea, Kuwait, Argentina, Romania and the USA. You are cordially invited to come, have fun and help a great charity event! Tickets can be purchased here.

Share/Bookmark

Confidence is the sexiest thing a woman can have. It’s much sexier than any body part.
- Aimee Mullins

Be his sexy Valentine! Just in time for upcoming Valentine’s Day, I am pleased to announce Zorz Studios’ first boudoir marathon – a full day of fun, luxury, excitement, sexiness, music, champagne, and art! This is an experience every woman should have! In the spirit of magazine quality cover stories, on Sunday, 01/24/10, a creative team of professionals will realize your dream of being the sexiest your lover has possibly ever seen! We are taking you to a boutique Manhattan hotel, taking care of your makeup and hair, setting up the studio lights, then styling and tastefully photographing you in the finest way produced by Zorz Studios!

As a very special gift to you, we are excited to offer this amazing experience at one seductive price! Regularly starting at $1,000, we are offering all of the following for just $395!

• private one-hour Victoria-Secret-esque photo session in a boutique Manhattan hotel
• two of the best Zorz Studios photographers, including yours truly
• champagne and refreshments
• sexy props and ambient music
• glamourous makeup by a professional makeup artist
• fabulous hair by a professional hair dresser
• unlimited wardrobe changes
• private password-protected online gallery
• Little Couture Boudoir Book with 20 sexiest photographs, all retouched
• all proof images on a CD
• incredible confidence boost
• pride and desire on his face when he gets the best Valentine’s Day gift he has ever dreamed of… smoking hot, high fashion, enticing photographs of you!

Feel free to bring your sensuous and mysterious accessories like corsets, lingerie, fish nets, masquerade masks, feather boas, high heels, silk robes, etc.

For this unique event, we will limit our offer to 5 time slots. We only require a $100 deposit to reserve one of them, subject to availability. Call or email us before someone else gets sexier this Valentine’s Day!

01/19/10 UPDATE: I am excited to inform that all five slots have been booked within 24 hours! You go, girls! Due by popular demand, we are pleased to extend the hours and offer 3 more evening slots, starting at 7 PM. If you are up to a little night-out party, join us! I can also arrange for a 2 PM spot if you are really interested.

01/20/10 UPDATE: The event is now completely booked up. Those who missed this opportunity, as well as all future inquires will be placed on a waiting list should one of the booked participants cancel. Thank you!

02/02/10 UPDATE: The session was a blast! I have gone through all the images and cannot express enough how impressed I am with the results… This clearly sets the ground for a continued success of the project. The clients are about to receive their proofs and I look forward to sharing their feedback!

As one of photographers and our Facebook fans  wrote, “Unnecessary to say … but I’ll: A-MA-ZING!!! WHAT A COMPOSITION!  We, the ordinary mortals, will have the blessing to see more?” I do hope to get a permission to use a couple of sample fine art photographs from each of the young ladies, so check back in a few weeks. In the meantime, enjoy the very first one… and think, “Would this be his sexiest Valentine?” I  bet. Be the one! Don’t wait for the next year.

Share/Bookmark

As we continue to raise the bar of top quality and untamed creativity, finesse our vision, and revamp our offerings, we build more and more value into our exquisite packages, inevitably reflecting on the prices.

While shooting high undoubtedly serves as the ultimate drive to excel and remain the industry flagship, it has a penitent potential of distancing the studio from a more value-sensitive clientele where many of our appreciative fans, devoted followers, and studio art lovers are. This did not feel right…

We sat and came up with a solution! Meet the newly-designed wedding packages that combine Zorz Studios’ artistry with affordable prices, starting at just $2,900! Two new packages, Welcome and Temptation, will proudly introduce complete photography service by our one and only, talented associate photographer Olga Mironova. One of the packages will even include my own signature post-processing touches and the design of package components. To maintain studio’s trusted and expected brand identity, I will be exercising my personal quality control over these packages’ final products, just as with anything coming out of our studio. Client relationships will continue to be monitored or handled directly by yours truly, ensuring the uncompromising experience of Zorz Studios’ genuine care.

About Olga

Coming from the artistic community in Belarus, Olga encompassed visual arts through the study of philosophy, with her Master’s thesis at the European University concentrated on the philosophy of  photography.

In the meantime, a tremendous success of her handcrafted object design resulted in a series of personal exhibits in Moscow and Europe, establishing a worldwide clientele. Noticed by the leading art magazines, she gained publicity and became a special event and wedding set designer. Being a head designer for the well-known event planning agency opened the doors to many fashionable venues and finest night clubs, where applying the knowledge of materials and special visual effects helped her create a dynamic theatrical atmosphere unique to every event.

Her imagination developed a concept of merging theatrical action, philosophical insights, design skills and visual representation into one through photography. Photography became a perfect medium for reflecting the inner beauty of a person. Most of the weddings and art projects shot in the past 18 months largely shared both of our talents and vision.

The images below just scratch the surface of Olga’s potential. Detailed pricing options will be announced here soon and the packages will be integrated into studio’s booking system. Please check back or feel free to inquire in the meantime!

[Show as slideshow]

Share/Bookmark

May the New Year 2010 be a year of materialized dreams. May your wishes, wildest and warmest, deepest and oldest, unbelievable and daring, come true! From all of us at Zorz Studios, we sincerely wish you and your loved ones the best and exciting things in 2010!

This time of the year, the joy of giving is larger than ever! I am super excited about our ending-soon contest that will give three winners free photography service, extended as far as covering the entire wedding day! (And there is still little time left to enter!)

But that is not all… In just a few days, closer to the magic night of New Year’s Eve, we will announce something that will surely warm many of our clients’ hearts. Perhaps, even making someone’s wish come true… Ah, this time of the year!

Share/Bookmark

.

An important day in the year has come. It is time when I take a moment to slow down, look around me, and think of all whom I am thankful for — from family to dear friends, from clients who become caring friends to friends who become trusting clients, from those who influence me to those whom I inspire, from random website visitors to superior powers, from nostalgic rainy days that cleanse my soul to euphoric sunshine when I touch the sky. Think of you.

As I will sit with my family and friends today, I will raise my glass to all of you, to all who appreciate beauty, even if by giving Zorz Studios’ art just a moment of their  life. I am astonished by how much trust and love I am given… and I pledge to return it  both individually and globally, as we work on new charity initiatives in 2010.

On behalf of the entire studio team, I wish you all a warm, kind and caring Thanksgiving Day today. Please accept my earnest gratitude for everything you do and allow me to do. Thank you.

Kind regards,

Ed Hafizov
Certified Professional Photographer
Studio owner

Share/Bookmark

.

Calling for all adventurous minds!

This time has come again! After the smashing success of the free engagement session contest a year ago, I am über excited to announce Zorz Studios’ next contest, TrashEd, in which we give away complimentary trash-the-dress sessions, photo books, and even free wedding coverage to three lucky winners!

.

What?

Trash-the-Dress (TTD) session in my studio’s books is referred to as a high-impact, visually explosive, outrageous, even absurd photography session usually with a bride but sometimes with both B&G, conducted after the wedding with an emphasis on totaling the dress. This is a tribute to your dress, this IS the way to remember it, not just by you, your skeptical teenage daughter, and your pet moths but by all of your envious girlfriends, the online community, and beyond. This is the only opportunity for the creative, intrepid, salient, and adventurous souls to fulfill their daring dreams of being referred to as one-of-a-kind bride.

Granted, Zorz Studios’ bride looks stunning on her wedding day but on that day, she is likely to be found in an all-well expected place — a familiar cityscape, park, or venue — doing pretty much what she is expected to do — posing graciously in a snow-white dress, or softly kissing, or gently looking into her puppy’s… eh, hubby’s eyes. Fire it up! Be the Queen of the Dumsterland, the Dark Spirit of the Neverwoods, the Mesmerizing Siren of the Caribbean, the Fire Angel, the Mad Artist, the Princess of the Nukes… Need I say more?

You may be asking, what will this guy attempt to do? (It’s ok, not everyone knows me.) Place me in a puddle?  Or throw me on a sooted fireplace wall? Well, it is an option for an ordinary TTD session but not for me! My studio pushes the limits. Consider last year’s free engagement contest. The winners were not keen on walking on an alley holding their hands… They wanted something more, and we delivered way more! Check some of their images below, along with other elaborate e-sessions that we did last year… body painting, cinematic storybook, underwater, fashionably risque, Renaissance, Gothic, and many more.

I want to see those dresses stuck in bushes of wild roses, sunk in a desert (Burning Man… ring-ring), greased in manholes, painted over, set on fire, torn into pieces (and here’s your chance to get a free boudoir session with a high-fashion twist, too!)… I dare you to surprise me.

The contest’s hot prizes are:

• 3rd place – complimentary TTD session
• 2nd place – complimentary TTD session and 20-page haute book of session’s images
• 1st place – complimentary TTD session and free wedding photography service

Notes: Third-party fees associated with TTD session are optional but are likely to occur, being solely clients’ responsibility. Examples are permits, rentals, and transportation. Free photography service on the wedding day covers time of the primary shooter, a $4,000 value. Additional post-wedding services and products are optional. The TTD session must be shot within one year after the results are announced, or within six months after the wedding, whichever date is later.

Who?
Invited are all engaged and married couples! Yes, married, too! I know some of my past brides were that type of soul. I can understand the reservations of soon-to-get-married and of freshly baked but you, the married for a while, may have started to wonder if there is light at the end of your dress’ closet.  The married ones will not get a wedding coverage as a prize but hey, the most exciting part is still theirs to experience! And if you are not engaged nor married, think of your friends and kick them over here! As a destination wedding photographer, I welcome people not only in the NYC metro area, but from across and beyond the country as long as they pick the bill for travel and accommodation.  Entrants must be willing to appear in my blog with their stories. To claim the 1st place, I must be available on their wedding date. Booked clients eligible for TTD sessions only. And of course, pre-wedding entrants will be given a chance to wear the dress on their big day before we trash it.

How?
Enter by submitting your wild vision of the TTD session, along with a photo of you and few more details. The bolder and the more challenging your vision is to execute (which I LOVE and hope for!), the higher the chance of having it done, for free!

Keep one point in mind — this is not a raffle but a contest. In return for a valuable service and skills, you have to bring an intriguing idea to the table. I can certainly come up with my own for you but then I charge you! If you thought of something new since your submission, feel free to re-enter.

The link to the entry form is posted below. Four judges, including truly yours, will pick the three finalists. They will be announced in Zorz Studios’ blog and all visitors will be able to cast their vote for who they believe is the craziest and coolest. Entrants will be encouraged to invite their families and friends to vote, of course!

When?
Entries accepted through December 31st.
Finalists announced on January 9th.
Voting ends on January 31st.
Results posted on February 3st.

Don’t let anyone miss out! Forward this to all your friends and spread the word! Think of all your crazy neighbors, friends, family members, and of course YOURSELF. We’re going to have a blast with this!

Submission Ended

.

.

.

11/17/2009 UPDATE: And we are up to a great start! Just on its second day of the announcement, the contest page drew attention of hundreds of visitors and — we have the first brave entrant! Kudos to Bessie Lee from New York, NY for jumping on the sinking ship with a fun and sexy idea! Judging by her e-session images that she shared with us, I can tell that this young lady is into making an impression. Edgy, hip, sensual, and fashionable – just the right ingredients for the table! Anyone into contributing and sharing the meal?

12/29/09 UPDATE: Only 3 days left to enter Zorz Studios’ contest and win a wedding photography service by truly yours! I’ve seen some cool entries already and can hardly wait to bring them to light. Yet, I have a feeling I haven’t seen it all… I dare you to step out, Bravehearts and Queens of Swords!

01/05/10 UPDATE: The submission has ended so on to the next step! Judges, please click below to log in using a password sent to you via e-mail. We have until 01/09/10 to select the three finalists who will be later positioned by the popular vote of site visitors.

Judges Login

01/09/10 UPDATE: The finalists have been determined and the voting is now open! Click below to see the finalists and vote hard and dirty!!! I invite and welcome all visitors and friends of the finalists! Help them make one step further and win free wedding photography service! Spread the word and unite!

Vote for Finalists!

01/14/10 UPDATE: In less than one week, the contest has already drawn close to 500 votes among the finalists! The turnout is quickly bypassing the one of last year’s engagement session contest. What an encouragement to the TTD concept! The amazing neck-to-neck competition is heating up…

01/22/10 UPDATE: Who will it be? Just about a week before the voting ends, we have a near tie between 1st and 2nd places! What a tension… (And I am not telling who they are.)

.

.

.

02/03/10 UPDATE: And we have the winners!!! Close to a thousand of of visitors cast their vote for their favorite finalists, and they are…

First place – Bessie
Prize: complimentary TTD session and free wedding photography service.

“Title: Sweet to Eat Concept: The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’ We don’t want to just trash the dress- we want to tell a story. Scene 1- FOOD FIGHT Shots: Great action shots and still poses of the bride and groom eating dessert very sexually Vibe: Fun, sweet, sexy and dirty Description: It takes place during the wedding reception- the hour where we decide to hit the perfectly laid out dessert table. The backdrop and dessert table is white for a very clean look but everything on the dessert table is bright, vivid, mountainous, larger than life and colorful. Every inch of the table is completely filled with: 5 tiered wedding cakes Chocolate sauce Whipped cream Gallons of milk Beautiful dessert trays with assorted sweets Colorful ice cream All types of sticky candies Powdered and colored sugar Sweet, colorful liquor bottles (Godiva liquor, champagne bottles, and flavored vodkas) Painted martini glasses FOOD FIGHT!!! Scene 2- THE AFTERMATH Shots: Great for facial expressions and for a sexy editorial Vibe: Hung over, grungy, completely covered in sweets Description: The reception hall is empty and the bride and groom are completely hung over and stuffed from the dessert. Either on the floor, with our clothes ripped off, half on and off- we’re discombobulated with no recollection of what just happened; or in the bathroom stalls with toilet paper all over the place; or in the reception hall’s kitchen, with dirty dishes piled up in a wet, soapy sink. It’s really sexy and dirty! I’m so excited just thinking about it and I know you can make our vision happen!!! “

Second place: Eric and Nancy
Prize: complimentary TTD ession and 20-page album of session’s images.

“Our vision is to trash the dress using graffiti art. A close friend of Nancy’s is a very talented graffiti artist. We would like the session to start off with the artist creating an artistic version of a wedding ceremony. He can “tag” an alter, the church or hall scenery and create a painted version of a bride and groom on a backdrop scene made of canvas or perhaps plywood… something BIG. The scene will be rich with color…flowers, candles, stone and brick, with a fake bride and groom in the foreground. We can take some pictures of the bride and groom (us) pretending to “create” this scene all around them using the spray paint…after all, it is our love that created this day, so we can be shown physically creating the space (guided of course by the graffiti artist). Next, we can introduce the real bride and groom into the picture, replacing the painted figures in the foreground. The graffiti artist can paint us as if we were part of the picture all along. They will both be dressed in their wedding ensembles. We will then have the artist begin painting the actual dress, making the bride part of the graffiti picture, and telling a story with pictures on the dress.. perhaps he can paint a heart to symbolize how we first fell in love, some other interesting and relevant symbols, stories and pictures directly on the dress. At the different stages in the process, we can show the groom (me) painting these pictures on my wife. In the end, we will have a beautifully painted gown that will symbolize the love and art associated with taking a vow to spend our lives together.”

Third place: Shirley
Prize: complimentary TTD session.

“Inspired by “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” and the fact that my fiance is a martial artist, I would love to stage a fight scene where I fight off a ninja using ninja stars, swords and daggers (all of which we have access to since my soon-to-be brother in law owns a Tae Kwon Do gym in the Bronx). I envision some hot fighting scenes where my dress gets shredded little by little. We might even be able to do shots of me hanging from my dress which is pinned to the wall with daggers and stars. Not sure I can pull off acrobatics in my dress, but perhaps we can stage some shots of me doing back flips and running up a wall. In the end, when my dress is in shreds, I will unmask the ninja, realize its Willie, and we can close of the story line with some romantic (slash passionate) shots. It might be awesome if we can have the backdrop of an alley way in Chinatown (or something similar) which would have fire escapes and stuff for me to hang from. The black ninja against the white bride would be very Ying & Yang. “

.

.

Congratulations to all the winners!!! Man, what concepts! We are up for another round of supercharged mind-blowing photographic adventures!

I am also happy to say that although Leah, the fourth finalists, did not win, I am offering her a 50% discount on their TTD session.  All other contest entrants are eligible for 30% discount, as our way of showing appreciation for their time and sharing their ideas. Please contact the studio for arrangements.

My special thanks go to the other three photographers who contributed their time to judge earlier in the pre-voting stage: Olga Mironova, Maya Beynishes, and JP Sevillano.

Well, the fun has just started, so bookmark this page and check back in a few months to see how we are doing! Thank you everyone for your support, interest, and participation!

Share/Bookmark

The preparations were not difficult considering our previous experience and existing displays. However, I wanted to show off some of the new lines of products so I worked aggressively on getting them from the suppliers in record time frames. Among them, a Himalayan line of Couture Collection of photo books which featured Mena and Aswin’s wedding — vibrant yet telluric, traditional yet dashing. Hence my choice of book, made out of Lotka paper from the bark of the bush which grows naturally in Nepal at altitude of 6,500 to 9,500 feet, processed as thousands years ago. The other product is an Italian line of boxed albums and books, from huge 16×16 volume to handy gift-sized for the bridal party. The only caveat at this expo was rather cramped booth space given to vendors…

We also offered an enticing show special, good for just one week. I am glad that some wise ladies did not let it pass…

Despite a high ticket price ($50), this bridal show attracts hundreds of brides looking for Crème de la Crop (organizers quote over 2,000 attendees). Although I haven’t seen it but people say the line extends and wraps around the block of the Roosevelt Hotel. At some point, the crowd was let in. We were strategically located next to Eleni’s cupcake display, a natural draw for an exhausted traffic entering the ball room.

It was especially touching to see our own clients, both those whose weddings are still ahead, and those upgraded to the “happily ever after” status. Aww, they still stopped by to see us… When standing and chatting with us, they were layering a whole new sensation of warmth and hospitality on top of the overall excitement. Amazingly, they share the same sentiment of wanting to have our whole photography experience all over again… Hey, there are quite a few other adventures beyond a wedding, even more challenging and mind-blowing. As you may know, my dear wedding client in Alaska recently had her staggering maternity session in the wilderness. Two more adventures are brewing in the Caribbean for next spring…

In general, I was delighted by the discerning taste of those who stopped by, their demonstration of appreciation of our art and its visual impact and emotional value. And then comes a pleasure of post-expo communication and building a more intimate relationship to meet individual needs and fulfill the dreams…

Of a significant importance was our networking with the industry peers. We enjoyed talking to other wedding photographers, make-up artists, stylists, planners, gown designers, and others. This is of utmost importance to us as I plan a series of art projects involving unique props and resources. I am looking forward to working with Bridal Reflections, Nilah and Company, and a toy designer, among other new contacts.

It was also an enjoyment to see familiar faces of NY Wedding Dance, Joseph Edwards, Chatterberries, The Knot, Affluent Bride, and others.

I personally thank Tracy Chenoff from the Wedding Salon for her dedicated care and support. The complete list of participants can be found here. For more information, download the salon’s NY Fall 2009 Program Guide.

Overall, the experience was certainly encouraging and thrilling. Thank you all who visited us, talked, and laughed with us. I am looking forward to continuing our conversations.

[Show as slideshow]

Share/Bookmark

WS Publishing Group is the largest publishing company of wedding planning books in North America that have published over 30 of the best-selling wedding books, carried in 6,000 stores. Now, together with WedSpace.com, it is creating a new title in the line of top-selling wedding books, slated for release in all major bookstores in early 2010. OMG! Wedding Stories: Did That Really Happen? will be based on hilarious and shocking wedding stories and, boy, don’t I have them!

The publisher invited Zorz Studios to contribute and I am starting to draft a few crazy wedding-related adventures which we happened to create and capture… By all means, if you want to help me with your story, pitch in! Send me your own iterpretation up to 300 words and I will quote it. I think you know whom I mean… The deadline is October 25, 2009.

Share/Bookmark

To show the love and appreciation to her maid of honor, Daria ordered a photo session from me, wanting nothing but a “fantastic experience”. Since Julia was visiting NYC for a week-end only, we had one night-after for the session which I promptly made available for them.

Wrapped in the soothing sounds of music, the guys were enjoying the comfort (even a nap) while picking from the fruit basket, intended as a “thank-you” gift to me from Daria. The basket was just perfect for the environment so I was glad that it found its fate. Daria was helping me with the delicate maternity session, and Julia’s husband joined her later for several shots.

The session was intimately friendly and courteous. It is remarkable to see how a young lady approaches a maternity session wearing pants and a tank top to make herself feel comfortable but led by photographer’s confidence and consideration, later may find herself wearing little to nothing… Julia’s summary of it is as an “ethereal experience” probably tells it all. In fact, she kept thinking about the clouds…

Thank you, girls, for loving each other so much, and trusting your friendship to my art. And I thank their husbands who were around for a support.

Share/Bookmark

Zorz Studios will donate your session fee to PPA Charities to benefit Operation Smile which treats children around the world who suffer with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities. More than 100,000 children are born with a facial deformity every year in Operation Smile 26 partner countries, yet tens of thousands remain untreated. Your session fee truly will help change a life, otherwise spent in pain and rejection. Celebrate your family by helping a child, along with thousands of volunteer doctors, nurses, and dentists who donate their time to this incredible organization. I hope to benefit as many children as I can this year through Family Portrait Month sales and my own personal contribution.

Atypical to the industry, I pledge to donate not a portion of the session fee but all proceeds from each photo session above the operational costs to the charity. Your fee for a one-hour long in-studio session will allow to completely cover the costs of performing a surgery on one child. Included in the session fee is a 16×24 paper print.

I also believe that Family Portrait Month is a wonderful way to teach children the value of reaching out to others. Even small children can understand the importance of Operation Smile work, and they are eager to help these needy children.

In-studio family portraits, “relationship” images, and individual portraits of children are eligible. Zorz Studios’ schedule in October can only accommodate for five appointments which must be booked by September 30, 2009. Remember… your family portrait is perfect for holiday cards and that time is just around the corner!

I hope you will join me in helping to make vital work possible.

Share/Bookmark