Small Business Shout out: Alden Park Bar and Grill

One of the restaurants I am very fond of in Plymouth is Alden Park.  I can't say enough about them.  The food is good, the atmosphere is upscale yet relaxed.  It is my usual choice for bringing clients when I meet them for a glass of wine.  The staff is always welcoming and friendly.  Alden Park is also always trying new things when it comes to events.  From Paint Nite to having a medium come in to hosting a charity event.  They helped me to get a start on my Cameras and Cocktails Events as well.  It is so great to see someplace in town that is trying to generate night life with fun ideas! If you haven't had the opportunity to eat there yet, Don't wait.  Trust me, you will be happy you stopped in!

A new take on Head Shots: Oceanside Animal Hospital: Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore

I love when a creative take on something comes along.  A chance to do something new.  I have been working with Oceanside Animal Hospital for a few years as a photographer for their website  and on the flip side as a client.   I love that Oceanside puts so much care and thoughtfulness in everything they do.  Taking pictures is no different.  Each professional was encouraged to bring their pet to work and be photographed with them.  Kathy and Lucy are the latest example of that. Kathy is one of the technicians at Oceanside Animal Hospital. Some of her responsibilities include taking patient histories, weighing patients, reviewing vaccination records, filling prescriptions, scheduling appointments, and assisting the doctor during examinations. Kathy’s favorite thing about work is it never feels like she’s working! Kathy would prefer a lick on the face over a thank you any day! Lucy is one of her beautiful canine babies.

Thanks Oceanside for all you do including taking care of my canine baby Charlie!

Small Business Shout out: Vassi's Drive In: Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore

When we are on vacation, if we can, we like to take things slow and have fun.  We especially like to stop at fun little places to eat.  On our way back from PA, we stopped in a cute little drive in for lunch.  Their food was simple but really good.  Burgers and Chicken were exactly what a good diner should be and we love diners!  I had a Greek Veggie Sandwich, Dave had burger and fries and Lucy had chicken and fries and of course ice cream.  If you are looking for a fun little spot to stop on a road trip this is just the place! Vassi's Drive In

Address: 1666 Main St, Hellertown, PA 18055

Phone:(610) 838-1877

Small Business Shout out: Mayflower Brewing Company: Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore

Long before I photographed Mayflower Brewing Company, I very much enjoyed their craft beers.  In particular I am a big fan of their porter.  It is so smooth and filling and no bitterness at the end.  I am not a big fan of the bitter after taste that sometime accompanies a darker brew. In addition to making a stellar product, Mayflower also supports other local business, in particular local farms.  They compost their hops and other organic matter with one of the local farms in the area.  This decreases their waste and also goes to support our local food. Something I am a big fan of.

If you have not had a chance to sample Mayflower's brews, there is no time like the present!

Photo Tip of the Week: Tips on Photographing Jewelry and other small items

Sometimes people will come to me to have me professionally photograph their jewelry lines or small items that they are producing.  However there are a lot of individual artisans out there that cannot afford to hire a professional and still want nice looking photos. Here are some suggestions.

1. Use poster board as a backdrop.  the white background is smooth and easy to photograph and will not detract from the look of the item.

2. Use external lighting.  For a truly professional look you want to use studio lighting but you can get away with setting up some make shift studio lighting of your own.  Go buy some silver work lights at home depot and some Halogen bulbs.  Position the lights on either side of the item and don't use the flash on the camera and I guarantee you will be happier than if you used the on camera flash.

3.Go buy a plexi-glass frame from Staples and place it under the object.  This way you get a slight reflection to add some visual interest but not to mirror the image exactly.

If you have the money, a professional has the equipment to really knock it out of the park ; If you don't these tips will help you to produce images you can be proud of and to sell more product!

Happy Shooting!

Small Business Shout out of the Week: Woods Seafood: Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore

If you have been reading my blog then you have guessed or seen by now that I am a big supporter of local business.  One of the places that I had the pleasure of photographing while I was working with Destination Plymouth is Woods Seafood.  They are part fish market and part restaurant. If you live by the water and you love seafood, It is a must to by your fish from a local fish market rather than a grocery store.  The fresh is more likely to be fresh rather than flash frozen and the quality is so much better.  I have been good to Woods Seafood for my fish since I was too little to buy it myself, I recommend you give them a try, and if you don't feel like cooking then have them cook it for you too!

Small Business Shout out: Plymouth Bay Winery: Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore

I have always been a fan of a nice glass of wine, especially this time of year when I can sit on my deck and enjoy the summer nights and the relaxing breeze.   On my travels with Destination Plymouth, I was fortunate enough to spend some time at Plymouth Bay Winery in Downtown Plymouth.  They were in the middle of doing a tasting for a super cute couple (with their two puppies) while I was there.  I was able to witness first hand the time and care they take with customer service.  Not only do they have wines, but they also have wine jellies.  In addition, they made suggestions about pairing wines, cooking with wine recipes.  It was a long tasting with lots of information.  It looked like such a fun time that I am planning my own date with Dave to go there and experience it for myself.  Looking for something fun for the 4th? Why not have your local winery provide you with something to celebrate!

Small Business Shout out of the week: Oceanside Animal Hospital: Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore

I have been trying to support and sing the praises of local businesses around me every week and this week is no exception.  This week I want to tell you about another great place, Oceanside Animal Hospital. Oceanside Animal Hospital is located in Sandwich, Massachusetts at the corner of Tupper Road and Route 6A. They are a new full service animal hospital and retail boutique.  This is where I take my dog, Charlie and my sister takes her dog Max.

The level of care and compassion at Oceanside is the best that I have ever had.  I feel comfortable and confident that my pets are always getting the best care.  I can tell you as a pet owner that I have definitely not always felt that way.  In fact, I have had a handful of really bad experiences with other places.

Oceanside treats their patients and owners like family.  They are warm and caring and their level of care and attention to their patients is fantastic.  If you are looking for a vet, this is the only place I will go.  Oceanside can be reached at Phone (508) 744-3838 Email info@oceansideanimal.com and website http://www.oceansideanimal.com

Creative Photo Shoot: The Elements with C'mor Color Lush MUA

So every once in a while, about 4 times a year, I try and do a creative photo shoot that has nothing to do with anything other than remembering why I love photography.  Cynthia Morales, owner of C'mor Color Lush was introduced to me by a friend and we set out to showcase our talents!  Here is our result!

Plymouth South Shore Professional Photographer: A little Jazz..A little Photography...a little talk about taking candid photos!

So as the daughter of a jazz musician, I occasionally get to have fun taking photos of my mother and her fellow musicians out at their gigs.  I thought it might be fun to use some of their pictures to talk about how to take better candid shots.  So obviously when you are photographing a band, or a group of kids on stage (the list goes on...)  You can't change what they are doing and you can't change the limited number of angles that you have.  I have a couple tips on doing the best you can with a difficult shooting situation.

The first tip, when I go on any photo shoot, I set my camera settings ahead of time.  The benefit to this is that I am relatively confident that I am not going to miss any of the action.  If you are in the same room for the whole time (barring being closer and farther from changing light sources like windows) you can usually make sure you are happy ahead of time and just focus on composition.

The second tip is don't be afraid to move around the room.  Get as close as you can without disturbing others around you.  Not a lot of good pictures are had by just sitting in your seat and watching the show.

Change your perspective if you can.  Stand on a chair. Lay on the ground. If you are taking pictures of a dance group, try taking pictures of just their cute little feet all in a row.  Don't be scared to play around.  

Make one subject your focal point, take a picture of the singer and blur the band.  Take a picture of the guitarist when he or she is playing their solo.  Try to catch each person in their element.

Happy Shooting!

Plymouth South Shore Professional Photographer: Cupcakes...YUM!!-Plymouth/Cape Cod Portrait Photographer

Here at The Mirrored Image Photography, we work on all types of photos.  We were fortunate enough recently to work with an excellent company with a really neat product.  Dress My Cupcake makes a great cupcake wrapper to add some finesse to your cupcakes, see for yourself at http://www.dressmycupcake.com.  They are these excellent cupcake wrappers that you put over your cupcakes after they are cooked to, well, dress them up!  We were so inspired while photographing these and thought that our readers might find them to be fun as well!  Here are some of the fruits (or cupcakes as the case may be) of our labor.