Kellan Studios » inspiration

Maria and Luke~Expecting

Kelly — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 19:22:53 +0000

Kind, gentle, genuine, sweet, loving, talented, godly, and expecting. Just a few words to describe Maria and Luke. Seriously…you can be around them for like two seconds and you will marvel at how incredibly sincere this couple is. A few of the Portnoy brothers have known Luke and Maria for some time now. Luke is also our amazing worship leader at our church. How blessed we are to be lead into the throne room in scripture and song by Luke’s beautiful voice each Sunday.

Like I said before, we make a few exceptions to the no family/babies/bellies shoot rule and I am so glad we did for the Hayden’s. This session turned out so beautiful and so “Kellanish” that I couldn’t wait to get home and upload our cards. Enjoy some of my favorites.

I’m pretty madly in love with the whole feel and tone of this portion of the shoot. It had been pouring on and off all day and quite dark by the time we got into the woods. We totally winged it on location and just started walking into various parts of the woods until we stumbled onto this fallen tree covered with lime green moss and incredibly intricate fungi. It was perfect, magical even!

This sign was made by our talented friend, Sunshine Lewis. You may remember her from some portfolio shots we did last year to launch her new shop. She is very good friends with Luke and Maria and wanted to make this sign for little Evangeline or “Evie” as she will be called.

Maria and Luke brought a few props that they wanted incorporated into the shoot. This dress was worn by Maria and her sisters when they were babies. Representing her heritage from El Salvador. How adorable is this dress to be handed down to Ms. Evie?

Luke bought this little dress for Evie

Representing Luke’s gene pool, a rocking MOOSE from his home state of Maine.

Favorite

Literally squeezing out the last moments of daylight…..

Sigh…..love the miracle of new life. Maria and Luke, you did amazing. Such a fun and EASY few hours. We rejoice in your precious, precious girl and can’t wait to meet her in just a few short months! Have a blessed third trimester Maria!

Venn Workshop Wrap-up Finale

Kelly — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 01:13:14 +0000

I can’t believe this is the final post and it is literally full of DELICIOUSNESS! We had one final styled shoot modeled by the lovely John and Kristyn. Kristyn sported another vintage 60’s wedding dress from Etsy and John sported some southern summer goodness. They can pull of some seriously intense looks directly into the lens! I adore the pops of saffron that Elisha from Petal Flower Co. put together for us. So striking against the wood and green backgrounds. After this final shoot we headed down to the AWESOME sperry tent to behold the superpowers of Lynn from Sunshine and Rainshower styling some fantastic tablescapes and Maria of Pharsalia Events cooking us some of the most memorable food of my life. ONE TWO PUNCH to the senses. Most of the food was literally picked from the gardens that day as well as the floral centerpieces being trimmed from the gardens around the grounds. Can you spell FRESH? Let’s dive in and I will break down some more details as we go.

Lynn made the runners and napkins as well as all the paper products. She also assembled the silk flowers petal by petal and printed the wood leaves. So stinking amazing!

Now buckle your seat belts to view some tasty vitlins!

Figs picked fresh from the tree outside the kitchen window. The combination of a sweet fig and tangy blue cheese…oh my word. One of my favorite choices on my plate.

The smell of this smoked pork filled the entire tent.

Special Thanks to:
venue/reception florals/furniture: Foxie at Pharsalia Plantation

caterer: Maria at Pharsalia Plantation

tent: Liz at Skyline Tent Company

stylist/paper goods: Lynn of Sunshowers and Rainshine (and also her husband Chris!)

bouquets and bout: Petal Flower Company

Kristyn’s vintage dress: VintageVortex | shoes: Threadsence

hair piece: One Little Dove | gloves: Seventh Vintage

Kristyn’s hair: Fusion salon | makeup: Body Works

John’s gingham shorts: JCrew | shirt & belt: H&M | bow tie: Wickham House

shoes: Amazon | suspenders: Suspender Factory

Venn Workshop Wrap-up Part 2

Kelly — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:02:16 +0000

When I say this is one of my favorite shoots ever, I mean like EVER!!! I mean no offense to all the awesomeness we’ve shot in the past. This is just different. I mean for starters….a PINK vintage wedding gown was worn. This gown is literally topped off with the most banana’s headpiece EVER thanks to Melanie at One Little Dove. Pulling this entire look off is my stunningly gorgeous friend, Kristin. Take this incredible look and plop it into a 200 year old bedroom at Pharsalia Plantation and it is pure magic.

During the morning session, while the guys were geeking out with one half of the group, Jodi and I took the other group upstairs to go over “getting ready” shots of a bride before a wedding and also how to take a more editorial shoot of a bridal session. The room was simple and clean. We let the interesting lighting and wallpaper be our background and incorporated a stunning bouquet by Petal Flower Co. at different points. I remember when Ryan and I attended Jeremy Cowart’s workshop a few years ago he did a whole photoshoot with us watching him. I found it fascinating to watch how he posed, worked the elements around him and interacted with the models. For this session, just Jodi and I shot and I think we could have gone all day if Kristin would have let us!
These are some of my favorites. Ryan grabbed Kristin for a few outside…so those are his, I won’t claim them!

It has to be said that Lynn of, Sunshower and Rainshine worked tirelessly to correct the hem and lining on this vintage beauty. Amazing job Lynn!

I don’t know that I will grow tired of looking at these. Kristin, you were 8 shades of awesome. It was so hot up there and you never complained once!

Ming and Dan~Married

Kelly — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 20:41:13 +0000

It’s like the cliche line in Jerry McGuire, “You had me at hello”. The day Ming Thompson called me and began to describe the rustic, vintage, charming, personal, detailed, and beautiful wedding she was planning….I knew I would do anything short of selling my kids for her to book us. I’m so glad she didn’t make me get down on my knees and beg. She chose us and thus began our year of courting Dan and Ming. You know…DAN AND MING! Ming’s infamous decoder Save the Dates that blew up on Ruffled. They were also recently debuted on Style Me Pretty showcasing this very wedding. I must say, as amazing as those blogs are and how honored we are to be a part of those features…I am dying to tell their story Kellan style. You WILL fall in love with them and you WILL fall madly and deeply in love with the beauty of their day.

It must be said that those heads attached to their shoulders are much more than hat racks. These two smartie pants met while studying at Yale for their undergraduate degrees. While planning their wedding on opposite coasts they were each in graduate school, Ming at Harvard studying architecture and Dan at Berkley working on his doctorate. Ming also, FOR FUN, runs an amazing cupcake recipe blog and started her own invitation line featuring the most clever invitations and paper goods! So you can basically conclude that they are very lazy and not creative whatsoever. Such a shame, such a shame.

No seriously….I was a little bit intimidated at first UNTIL we shot their engagement session. “Down to earth” doesn’t begin to describe them. Engagement sessions are always an interesting sociology experiment to me. You see how couples work together, communicate, act romantically, senses of humor (or lack thereof), and overall you get a glimpse into what their wedding day will probably be like. I can honestly say that Dan and Ming are some of the kindest people I’ve ever met. The way they spoke to one another, encouraged one another, looked lovingly and adoringly at one another. It really blessed me. It’s refreshing to know in a world full of superficiality and “good time” romances….there is true love and respect still alive and well. We just liked them.

So now it is time for the main event. It was a true mash-up of style, class, Virginia awesomeness, creativity and color. Ming grew up in the little mountain town of Pounding Mill, Virginia. Her dad is owner and chef for a converted dairy barn turned BBQ fusion restaurant named Cuz’s Uptown BBQ.

The surrounding grounds played host to the ceremony. Specially chosen lumber was shipped from Canada to build the split-rail fence surrounding the ceremony perimeter.

I can’t begin to explain the cuisine of the day. Talk about fresh. Everything that graced the plates of the wedding guests was just about grown and raised right on property including dozens of varieties of tomatoes. Friends of the family brought in homemade pies to grace the dessert table. Gigantic slabs of beef were grilled right before our eyes. The sights and smells of the day still linger in my senses. I’ll fill in some more details as we go.

Let’s begin with her stunning Vera Wang dress and Louboutin shoes.

Loved Dan’s fresh boutonniere.

A brief sunshower welcomed their First Look together.

The brothers looking on.

Dan’s brother on the left and Ming’s on the right.

An old drafting table and ribbon held the seating cards.

All the guests received a canvas bag with Cuz’s pig logo on it.

Ming’s dog.

The most incredible blue grass music all night.

I LOVE that Ming specifically asked that we take pictures of the workers that day because they were the employees of the restaurant and like family to her. Here are a few I love of Ming’s “extended family”.

IF you are not drooling by now…these are the last few food shots.

These were the favors Ming gave to her guests. Homemade preserves.

She also designed and had printed the pig and airplane fabric. Adorable, no?

One TOWERING white cake and one hilarious groom’s cake. This is a bear being eaten by a shark. Yeah, I don’t get it either, but what I do know is it is awesome! This was made by Dan’s brother.

Heather and Paul Married~ Part 1

Kelly — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:14:24 +0000

I’ve decided this blog post I am going to let the bride do a little talking. I love hearing how our couples met, fell in love and got engaged. Every couple is unique and every story equally so. We hit a home run with Heather and Paul in every way. It’s like God keeps blessing us with the most amazing couples who end up being genuine friends by the time the dust settles on the engagement and wedding shoots. Heather and Paul are no exception! I’m fairly certain that Ryan and Paul could talk about music for days on end. Their wedding music was some of the coolest we have ever heard. I mean whose moms, groomsmen, and bridesmaids walked out to R.E.M.’s “At My Most Beautiful”?

“As for our story, here it goes. We used to be shy talking about it, but we found that some people are encouraged when they hear that we met online (E-Harmony)… yep! Our first date was Sunday brunch that ended up lasting EIGHT hours. We went from brunch to my favorite watering hole in my neighborhood and talked, and talked, and talked (anyone that has met Paul knows he’s a talker!). A few hours later, Sebastian (her dog) needed a potty break, so Paul walked down the street with me to my place and Sebastian immediately gave Paul his seal of approval (he never liked strange guys, but took to Paul right away). So, our first date ended with a dog walk, hand in hand.

“After that, we were pretty much inseparable. A few dates in we figured out that we had friends in common. There were actually three parties that we could have met at. Just goes to prove that sometimes fate needs a little push. We got engaged after 10 months. Paul popped the question after meeting my family for the first time in Texas. A year and a half after that, was the wedding!”

The Inn at Warner Hall.

The property is budded right up to the bay.

Heather’s beautiful Nicole Miller dress. The most buttery fabric!

Her, to die for, Badgley Mischka heels!!! 1-2-3 SQEEEEEAL ladies!

A gift from her mom and sister.

Fascinator for the reception

For the sake of awesome shoes. Her bridesmaids heels.

Her dog, Sebastian, was an honorary groomsmen and sported this custom embroidered collar.

Just a little side story. I love when a bride takes her wedding by the horns. Paul got this incredible suit from JCrew. To their dismay the buttons were a washed out brown. They took the suit to a tailor and had all the buttons switched out for black to match his belt and shoes and give a sharp accent. Such a simple, yet impactful change! Love it.

First look time! I love being honored enough to be present for this special moment! There will never be any other time like this in your life. Planning brides…do it! You will never regret it. Ryan and I did it and we encourage our brides to consider it. It makes the day SOOO relaxed and HEY…you get a full-on photoshoot before your wedding. Score!

Proper distance established

Sebastian was brought in for some photos.

We briefly stopped in on the bay, but it was hotter than the center of the sun so we thought it best to stick to the shadows.

There is no way to pass a giant chess board and not use it. Indeed the King and Queen of the day.

An extremely thoughtful and poignant photo for Paul’s mother. Paul’s father passed away in October 2009. From what I heard and the way people reacted to his name…he was a very loved and respected man. Paul’s father was a Lieutenant Colonel. For his service during the Vietnam War, he received two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, and a Silver Medal. Obviously he is a man of honor. Paul brought these photos of his dad and one of his medals to remember him on this special day.

We are just about to get to the main event and celebration….stay tuned! Here are some of the vendors that made this day so special.

Veil- One Little Dove
Hair Fascinator—- Etsy vendor, Weddings and Such
Paul’s Suit—- J Crew
Paul’s Tie—- Theory
Bridesmaid Dresses—- J Crew
Florist—- The Flower Cupboard (Williamsburg)
Cake—- Carrot Tree Kitchens (Williamsburg)
Makeup—- Kim Wadsworth (Norfolk)
The table numbers and cocktail napkins were also Etsy finds.

Best of “Foxy Ladies” of 2010 Portraits/Editorials

Kelly — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 21:34:18 +0000

I have a very large post planned centered around Rhett’s amazing birth on February 12th…but that puppy is going to take a serious amount of brain power to write so for now I am going to finish up the last few “Best of” posts I have planned. I am totally stoked about this category as I find photographing women one of my most favorite things we get to photograph (This is Kelly talking, not Ryan… that would be a wee bit creepy!)

We’ve had no shortage of foxy ladies this year…literally…we had a few maternity shoots with some seriously hot mamas in them! I love how each woman brings a unique facet to the lens…whether it be a killer smile, laugh, amazing eye contact or vulnerability. These are some of my favorites from this year’s shoots. Enjoy the beauty that is women.

Best of Intense, Strong and Penetrating Moments for 2010 Portraits/Editorials

Kelly — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 20:19:28 +0000

Not everyone can pull off “the look”. You know, the one where eyes penetrate a lens and you are drawn into a photo in the most mysterious way… like you just learned something about a complete stranger. Steely eyes, a coy smirk, intensity, confidence, with a dash of electricity. Scanning through a years worth of sessions I still find myself drawn into this collection of photos. There is something about each one of these I have to pause for a moment and stare. I hope you find them as intriguing and compelling as we have.

Best of Details, Props, & Accessories for 2010 Portraits/Editorials

Kelly — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:25:47 +0000

I may or may not get a little too excited about a good detail!

A fun high heel, a memorabilia reflecting a couple, a killer backdrop, food, furniture, decorations, or even abstract objects. I love seeing what our couples bring to shoots, collaborating on details and putting together backdrops for editorials. I wanted to highlight some of our favorite details, props and accessories of 2010 that brought our shoots character, charm and personality. Enjoy some goodness!

The 3rd Annual “Besties”~2010

Kelly — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 03:19:35 +0000

It’s that time of year! A true and utter walk down memory lane for Kellan Studios. Some of our favorite moments that captivated our lens, made us giddy or just feel completely humbled that we were present for such important moments. We literally traveled up and down the east coast all year from NYC to Miami, Jersey Shore to Charleston. So many incredible couples and venues….we loved it!

This year we are focusing the Besties on our 2010 wedding clients. We fully intend to indulge you in a big fatty post of all our favorite engagement, editorial, and portrait sessions of the year after the Bestie polls close.

So we ask you to take a moment with each category, consider it, savor it, marinate in it, and cast your vote! There are 11 categories so scroll all the way down. (Only one vote per I.P. address allowed)
It is just that easy!

We will open the polls on Wednesday, January 12 and close them on Tuesday, January 18 at midnight. The winners from the 11 categories will then go into a random drawing. First winner will receive a 16 X 24 canvas wrap, the second winner will receive a 12 X 12 canvas wrap and the third winner will receive an 12 X 18 enlargement. JUST FOR BEING THE BESTEST!!! How rad is that?

BUT WAIT DEAR VOTERS…..you can win too! By leaving a comment at the end of the post you will be eligible for a drawing for a $15.00 Starbucks card. All you have to do is link to a photo that meant something to you in 2010. It could be a personal photo, a photo from another photographer or one of ours. We would love to see what moves or inspires you! That’s it…..leave a comment, be in a drawing. (Unfortunately, Facebook links will not work)

Let the fun begin….

CATEGORY 1: Beautiful Brides

Traci

Michele

Sarah

Corey

Ming

Sylvette

Jodi

Emily

Kelly

Katherine

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

CATEGORY 2: Dapper Grooms

Kenny

Nate

Kenley

Matt

Dan

Brandon

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

CATEGORY 3: Ring Shots

Emily & Matt

Jodi & Alan

Michele and Kenley

Sarah and Kenny

Ming and Dan

Tina and Dave

Corey and Tim

Katherine & Mark

Traci and Greg

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

CATEGORY 4: Floral Details

Corey & Tim

Melanie & Dave

Dan Boutonniere

Corey Bouquet

Traci bouquet

Melanie bouquet

Katherine bouquet

Brandon boutonniere

Ming bouquet

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

CATEGORY 5: Miscellaneous people shots

Traci/Greg Mash-up

Corey and her Mickey D’s

Traci’s Granny giving me a butt poke

Sylvette making an entrance

Cutie Petutie eating peach

Kenley and Michele

Kelly on the run

Serious girl

Ming and her dog

Shady Dudes

Sarah and her gorgeous peepers

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

CATEGORY 6: Bridal moments/details

Sarah

Corey

Katherine

Kelly’s Shoes

Melanie make-up/necklace

Sarah’s hands

Ming’s dress

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

CATEGORY 7: Light-hearted moments

Kelly and Brandon

Emily and Matt

Sarah and Kenny Boardwalk

Jodi and Alan

Matt and Emily

Melanie and Dave

Kenley and Michele

Kenny and Sarah

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

CATEGORY 8: Miscellaneous pops of color

Matt and groomsmen

Plateful of goodness-Ming/Dan’s wedding

Sarah and Kenny at the amusement park

Emily in the vines

Kelly and Brandon Croquet

Sarah’s orchid/seaside cake

Kenley and Michele

Emily and Matt-wall mural

Tomato buffet

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

CATEGORY 9: Serious and Romantic moments

Traci and Greg

Kelly and Brandon

Jodi and Alan

Corey and Tim

Kenley and Michele

Katherine and Mark

Sylvette and Nate

Brandon and Kelly

Tim and Corey

Sarah and Kenny

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

CATEGORY 10: Tender Moments

Emily and Matt

Sylvette and her dad

Traci and her dad

Michele

Kenny and Sarah

Sylvette and Nate

Emily and her dad

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

CATEGORY 11: Party Starters

Brandon

Greg

Traci’s grandmothers

Jodi/Alan’s wedding

“That guy!” Kenley and Michele’s wedding

Sarah and Kenny’s wedding

Brandon and Kelly’s wedding

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

Thank you SOOOOO much for participating and supporting our incredible clients!!!

Oversized Pinwheel Tutorial~ Kelly style

Kelly — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 21:41:23 +0000

Let me start out this post with a few disclaimers.

A-I am not the first to make these, nor is this the only way
B-I craft like I cook and sew…..very little measuring or precision….just a “go with the gut and wing it” kinda girl.
C-I welcome all comments on how to do this better for others to learn from
D-This is not rocket science but my tutorial may come across confusing…I’m sorry

With that said….let’s jump in!

Step 1: Gather Tools- (Truly the pen and the straight edge measurer are just for looks for me. I have no intention of using them but if you are anal about measurements…..USE THEM!) I have selective analness…..like my pillows always have to be straight on the couch…..cutting crafting paper in half…I just wing it! HAHA….good start to my tutorial right?

Step 2: Gather Supplies- BIG HUGE IMPORTANT DETAIL….when making the OVERSIZED 12 inch diameter pinwheels you need TWO sheets of the 12 inch scrapbook paper. Buy duplicates or scrapbook packets that have multiples. A package of 12 inch long dowels. A spool of twine. Oversized buttons. These happen to be ones I pressed and cut from polymere clay…but any kind will do. (Yes be impressed by me for a moment) I don’t iron my shirts, but I make my own buttons. I don’t get me either!

Step 3: Cut Strips and Fold Accordion Style- I recommend lining the patterns up on your two sheets of paper and folding or “measuring” them in half and cut in the same direction so your pattern continues end to end to end to end for 48 inches! Stack all 4 strips on top of each other and fold in either a 1/4, 1/2 or 1 inch bend. If you are making multiple pinwheels it looks really cool varying the fold width. (**Note…have glue gun plugged in so it is ready to roll shortly)

Step 4: Staple or use permanent adhesive squares. (Use a discrete amount of staples). Staple all the way around until you make a full circle. The accordion will stand upright like a lampshade. This is where it gets very tricky to lay the paper design side down. You need to “manhandle” it and show it whose boss. I kid you not. That thing will spring up in your face and cause great frustration.

Step 5: Flatten Pinwheel/Insert Dowel- With one hand you need to hold it steady while you get your glue gun ready. The dowel is the KEY to the stability of the pinwheel. One this large does not want to lay flat without the extra support, especially if you are using them outside and wind is involved. You will thank me later!

Step 6: Glue the snot out of it- You will win no prizes for aesthetic reasons on the backside of your pinwheel….but you will have a sturdy pinwheel in the end. If you really want to go the extra step you could cut out a 12 inch wide circle and glue it flat over the back to cover up all the mish mash of adherent.

Step 7: Glue on Button- put a lot of extra glue on the center point under the button as well as on the back of the button and hold firmly for a good 1-2 minutes until glue is absolutely cooled.

Step 8: Hang up and Enjoy- I just hole punched and added twine. I’ve shown you two lovely background choices for mine.

It is really easy to string multiples like we did for the One Little Dove Shoot.

You can also make your large pinwheels have babies very easily.

I ended up cutting mini strips of the same paper I used in the large pinwheels to make varying size “mini’s” for Chloe’s 4th b-day party. Gluing a toothpick as a dowel and an additional toothpick as a poker…they made adorable cupcake toppers!

There is also a beautiful tutorial on Style Me Pretty that you may find useful as well. Similar methods…but some varying steps.

There you have it! Hope that was helpful. I would love to see pictures if you attempt it. Be prepared for a little bit of a learning curve so don’t waste your favorite paper on the first one!

ENJOY!!!