We're published!

This has been a whirl wind week. I had the chance to work with the wonderful team at Bombshell Salon in Richmond, VA. We did our first themed Pin Up session together and it was great fun. What a fantastic group of ladies to work with.

This month you can get your hands on the latest publication 422 Studio is in. The Cat's Meow magazine November issue. Be sure to grab your copy so you can see the lovely Nichole Moore photographed by 422 Studio. Find it here!

And of course here is little miss eye candy herself Nichole Moore,

Because I love my clients

I'm offering a first for 422 Studio.

I have had the pleasure of working with so many wonderful, brilliant, outstanding, women in the last 12 months. Actually throughout the whole operation of my business I've been blessed with amazing clients. Year after year I see more beautiful people (and I'm not just talking pretty faces here). So as a thank you to my clients who've come to see me in the last 12 months I'd like to offer you a special HALF OFF reprints. That's right! If you've done a session with me in the last 12 months you are eligible to receive half off any reprint order.

What qualifies as a reprint? Any previously ordered image can qualify. For example you may have ordered a 5x7 print from a boudoir session and your husband has been begging for you to order it as an 11x17 print so he can adore you in a greater form. Perhaps you ordered an album but didn't order any of the images from it as prints and now you'd really like to add a couple of them as 8x10's.

Well this is your chance to do just that and save half off of my regular print prices. All you have to do is call or email me and I'll get the information from you that I need to do your reprint order.

If you did your session more than 12 months ago check with me to see if I still have the images in storage.


The fine print:
This does not apply to previously unedited images (contact me if you have questions about those).
It also does not apply to Canvas' and Mounted Wall Art however you can still save 30% on those though.
Special rate applies to my current pricing.
5% VA sales tax will be added to all orders.
Sale ends November 30 2011.

And now for the eye candy because no blog about Pinup photos is complete without a picture.

If you love lipstick

and let's be honest who doesn't, then you'll really want to read this post. A while back I went to get my hair cut by the fabulous Jennifer Mantura. She has been cutting my lovely locks for the better part of 2 years now (perhaps longer my memory is not so good) anyhoo she had just gotten samples of some incredibly color rich lip sticks from Cosmetic Psychiatry. After she finished my new hairdo she popped one on my lips and wowed me with the formula. Right then I knew I wanted to help the creator of this fantastic lipstick in the best way I knew how. I'd use my big chatty mouth to talk it up and I'd showcase the lip colors in a photo session so you all could see it too. Jennifer and I teamed up and this is the result. Beautiful ladies in these fantastic colors. But there's more! I'm also going to tell you how you can help Robert, the creator of Cosmetic Psychiatry, make his dream a reality. See he has this Kickstarter account set up to raise money to cover the start up costs. What is Kickstarter? It's this amazing place where artists and creative minds can set up accounts to gather the funds and donations to make their dreams a reality.Here are just a few samples of Roberts amazing lip colors.

 From Robert's Kickstarter page:
"Cosmetic Psychiatry is a line of artisanal lipsticks celebrating creative self-expression and the power of color to affect the way we feel. It's mission is to fill the color gaps in  the lipstick market, produce pigment-rich formulas with great wearability and provide superior personal service, all at a reasonable price. My aim is to not only push the boundaries of the color palette currently available in lipstick, but the boundaries of personal expression and fashion as it applies to lip color."

Where did the summer go?

Between friends and family coming to visit and a short list of natural disasters I'll be honest, blogging this summer has been the last thing on my mind. We weathered Irene and are now back to full power and internet. The kids return to school next week and then the coveted routine sets in. It's kinda funny how I would have never considered myself a "routine" favoring gal but now with 4 kids, hubby and business I crave routine. So after labor day I'll be catching up on the blogs and loading up some new pictures to the website. Stay tuned!

Oh I'll also be announcing a fabulous new project with Bombshell Salon in RVA. Mark Nov. 5th on your calendar you won't want to miss it.

422 Studio presents the Malt Shop

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE ice cream. I love ice cream shops, soda shops and old diners. Always have! When it came time to build a new permanent set I knew exactly what I wanted to do. It was just a matter of collecting pieces and designing the right space in the studio. I knew what colors I wanted and had a clear vision of how I wanted the space to feel. When I found the perfect bar stools about 5 months ago I began rapidly collecting other bits and pieces for the design. I met model Nichole Moore a couple of months ago when we were working on a project for a publication that will be out in November. She was really excited to come test out the new set for me. I did her hair and makeup and the dress she is wearing is one of the studio's dresses that I found on a vintage clothing shopping trip (sorry I can't remember which on it was at) So without further adieu I bring you the 422 Studio "Malt Shop" set.

 To kick off this set I am offering a special 

mini session for just $100

Restrictions apply so be sure to read them before you book your date.  

Mini session info:
* Available to the first 10 people to book
* Offer valid August 22- September 16
* Not Valid weekends or Labor Day. 
* Offer valid with Malt Shop set only.
* Price does not include prints or 5% VA sales tax.


Add on Specials
* add the Domestic Diva set  for just $50. (this also gives you 1 additional outfit and 15 minutes more shooting time)
*add hair and makeup styling at the time of booking and save $30 (regularly 100 you'll get it for 70)
* preorder an album at the time of booking and save $51 off your album (regularly 450 you'll get it for 399)

To reserve your your date email or call me

ginger@422studio.com 804-833-0888.

Fab Friday Fashion

Summer is a tricky time for me to blog. I've got family and friends coming and going and I'm squeezing in a bit of travel here and there myself so the blogs will be less frequent.

This week I'm going to focus on outfits that would be perfect for our new permanent set. What's a permanent set you ask? It's one of the fantastic beauty sets that 422 Studio offers year round. As of right now we have 2, the Modern Boudoir set and the Domestic Diva set. Each set has it's own unique features and styling. I am launching the new set next week.

The Modern Boudoir set is a set designed to look like a bedroom. It's for my clients who would like to have classy, sexy pictures made with a more modern feel to them. The end result is similar to these.

Modern Boudoir is a fabulous way to give your special someone a completely unforgettable gift. The clothing selections are easy to find and you probably already own something that would be ideal.

The other permanent set that I currently offer is the Domestic Diva set. This is the retro styled kitchen. Previously it looked like this.

And after it's recent facelift it looks like this:

The Domestic Diva set is the perfect set for a bridal pinup session, grooms gift, anniversary gift, birthday present or just because you want to show off how hot your domestic goddess skills are. This set is flexible enough for a multitude of retro style dresses and even lingerie. It's as sweet or as hot as you want to make it.

Now lets get down to the new set. First off I am so excited about this set. It is the biggest of the permanent sets. I'm not going to tell you what it is today (that's Monday so come back!). I am going to get you guessing by leaving you with the fashion finds that I think would bring all the boys to the yard . These sexy little costumes are sure to make you all scream. Pair one of these with bobby socks and high heeled Mary Janes and you've got a sweet treat for the new set.

Can you guess what the new set is? Pictures coming to the blog on Monday so be sure to check back to see the new set.

Fab Friday Fashion

This week's Fab Friday Fashion is actually going to focus on beauty tips. Lets be honest you can have found the best outfit in the world to wear to your session but in order to have the total package you need to do certain things to prepare for your big day. I doesn't matter if you are preparing for your wedding, pinup, boudoir or even family session. There are things you can do to make the most of your session.

First of all consider hiring a makeup artist and or hair stylist for your session. They are the pro's! You are investing in quality photography services for your big day and they will help you look polished and ready. Lucky for you I offer it all and know some of the best ladies in the area who offer MUAH.

Whether you go with a pro or not there are some basic things you'll want to do to prepare. I've been sending a prep list to my clients for years and today I'll share some of those tips with you.

Let the list begin!

Sleep! It's not just for babies it's for beauties too. For the week of your session try to rest up and get that solid beauty sleep in each night.

Water! Yes I know it doesn't taste like anything ( I have to force myself to drink it every day). Hydrated skin is happy skin. Drinking your 6-8 glasses helps flush toxins from your body (and skin) and helps to lessen water retention and puffiness.

Skin care! Your skin is your largest organ. Take good care of it. If you aren't on a quality skin care program your skin will show it. Your skin care program should include some sort of exfoliating component (like a mask) as well. You should use it religiously in the weeks leading up to your session. Also don't forget to tend to those dry patches on elbows and knees and keep that body moisturized too.

Nails and Toes! Treat yourself to a mani/pedi the day before your session if possible. If you're not able to do that then be sure to tend to them so they look neat and clean and chip free. In general  you want to stick with a color that is going to compliment your outfit(s). Hyper bright colors will draw attention away from your face so I suggest avoiding them. Don't wear polish? Then at least make sure they (feet too) are clean, filed and possibly throw on a clear coat.

Teeth! In this day of coffee and soda consumption we are hard on our teeth. Consider using white strips or a similar product in the weeks before your session. Most OTC products will do the trick just fine. I hope, for your health, that you aren't smoking but if you do, pay extra special attention to your front teeth. Cigarettes cause a lot of staining that can show more in your pictures. One tip about teeth whitening. To avoid "chic-let" teeth you should not lighten your teeth to any shade that is whiter than the whites of your eyes. It can look unnatural in your photo's.

Waxing! Face and body hair should be taken car of at least 2 days before your session to avoid redness or swelling from the hair removal process. Also digital cameras pick up everything so something that looks like peach fuzz in real life can seem more pronounced in pictures so keep that in mind when deciding what/where to do your hair removal. 

Hair! Many photographers (myself included) do not touch up your hair in post production. Your stylist should be on your list of people to visit the week of your session so that you can have your color looking as fresh as possible.

PMA!! Positive Mental Attitude is the MOST important part of your preparation. Every time you walk by a mirror tell yourself (at least) one POSITIVE thing about your look, body, face, style etc. When you feel confident it shows.

I hope these tips help you prepare for your big day.

And what's a photography blog without a photo. This is one of my all time favorite makeup looks that I've had the chance to do.
Miss Tiffany as The Mad Hatter. This was from our Alice in Wonderland High Concept session last year.