Marlen James portfolio and store

Right after my glamour shots days, I was actually a baby photographer for a bit. It lasted a whole year and a half until the squeaky toys started to give me eye twitches. True story. It was a perfect match since I was a new mom and around all these babies so it made sense at the time. I learned a lot. Specially what I like and don't like. I hate photos that you just sit there in front of a grey back drop- I really do. Well, I hate the stiffness of them. It takes a while for people to feel comfortable in front of a camera and those sessions are in and out in under 15 minutes. I love interaction, true smiles, tickles and hugs.

So anyway... I tried to keep the family shots and the boudoir shots separate but they keep overlapping - so I am giving up.

You can see some family and friends shoot here: http://pptout.com/x5yq

Maternity shoots... like boudoir shoots from a while back, before they got all maxim and cool, there is a fine line between cheesy and cool. VERY fine.  I think it all started with the Demi Moore image in the 90's. And then Christina Aguilera's came along...
 I like the poses and the heels actually suit her. I like the fact that she is smiling, not looking at the camera with the come and do me face- she is just having fun. The belly here is kinda small like a 7 months so keep that in mind. And the ones with her son are super cute and clean. Nobody is naked, but she just has great make up on.

I bought the domain MaternityBoudoir.com a while back, thinking hmm, it will eventually be ok to rock the belly with some push up bras and some sexy poses, but it turns out, it hasn't happened that way. It seemed a bit contrived. And who am I kidding, the last thing you feel at 8 months is sexy. You just want to capture your body, in the nicest way possible, while you have an alien like creature in there, or like I was supposed to say it: "while it is creating the miracle of life..."

Anyway, what I am blabbing about is that my whole intention of the maternity boudoir has shifted from capturing sexy belly, to capturing a shot where you feel great. And that you can show your parents. We still do some tasteful nudes anyway, that if you want to show them go ahead, I do not judge.

So here are the tips on what to wear to your Maternity shoot:

• "Bandeaus" bras (I had to google that) those tube bras that cover your boobs with no straps. White, black or simple colour.
• Skirt - flowy, comfortable. Even kinda of those peasant ones. Or even denim 
• Black simple dress- or any colour as long as it doesn't have prints (I am anti-print)
• Big dress shirt. This one for some reason works without being too cheesy. Your hubby's works. 
• Coordinate a bit your other half's outfit. Try not to be matchy - matchy but at least do not clash. Showcase what you would normally wear.
• Baby items: toy, shoes or a special blanket.
• Wraps or fabric. Not really needed but if you have one you really like.
• Comfy sweater - nice if its cold out, it is a bit body hugging or if its open with buttons, or shows your shoulder.

taken at my place

so, there comes a time every now and then, that my self timer is not enough, and the stars align perfectly for me to be the photographed instead of the photographer. Usually once a year. And usually because of networking. Fancy that. Twitter and Model Mayhem do work.

I pretend that I actually listen to my own advice. Keeps me grounded too. Staring into a lens and bringing the sexy out is kinda hard, and sometimes the results are pretty lame.
But once in a while, oh la la, the angle just works, the light hits the right spot and the editing gets rid of the two zits on my forehead and the multiple sun spots and ta-da!
Thanks to Doug Shimizu for making me look like that.  He has a super sexy portfolio.
I like that one of my eyebrows is kinda messy ( like normal).  And I am debating the possibility of me going around with my mouth like that, not closing it e-v-e-r.

Interesting effect about having a great picture- makes you feel good... and a lot of my facebook friends liked it, keeping it for a while, want to send it to a couple of ex boyfriends... ha
I do have the liquid eyeliner down to a science I think.

So hi, about time I updated my website with more pin up stuff! So ta-da! : New packages for pin up shoots. 

Package info:
There is the Tease that is done once a month at the Roosevelt Room in collaboration with Diva Girl Fitness. We do shoots before the show. I really like the ambience of the space and it is an opportunity to have a taste of what a pin up shoot is. Plus you get the perfect guidance from Miss Laura Furtado on how to pose. Try it!

The other two are at my place. The main difference between boudoir and pin up is the amount of retouching. While the boudoir is more natural, sexy look, pin up is glossy and everything from skin to hair is touched up. This package does include hair styling just to get the hair right :)

TIPS:
+ Prepare your outfits carefully. From fully dressed to underwear. Make sure everything goes. For example bring a fifties looking dress, with the lingerie stockings and shoes. We will take pictures of the hole outfit and go from there.

+ Choose a theme.

• Fifties pin up or sixties for that matter
• sailor, military (police or anything uniform) cowgirl
• sexy secretary (or sexy librarian)
• playboy bunny
• singer (like jessica rabbit?) Sexy long dress
• house wife (sexy dress, apron) - or nightie 
• beach (bathing suit, sunglasses, hat)

or anything really. Get inspired by researching pin up photos and my absolute hero : Alberto Vargas. Dust of those slutty halloween costumes.

+ Practice your posing. This is the time to let it all out. Go as out there as you can. Always point your toes and keep your hands busy. More posing tips here.
+ Plan what you want. In this kind of shoot, it's better to plan ahead as much as possible. Depending on your package you can choose between having two outfits or unlimited to plan a calendar. Wouldn't that be nifty? have your own pin up calendar? Plan your outfits per month in this case.
+ Bring props! Backgrounds available are pink, red, striped red (kinda circus like), black and white. Will add more as we go.

Retouching:
 Below is a sample of the retouching. Who else but me is brave enough to show a before and after picture. The things I do for you people. What also works here is the pose.  No need to tuck the waist since the arm does the job of covering it AND pushing boobs together. Dang it I forgot to do my nails.

	the before- leaving it little but you get the idea.
Skin, make up, and background gets the photoshoping.

err, my boobs look huge! They no not look like that on real life. The combination of the top and the arm.  On that note, check the gallery here.

I will blog more, and on that note I am (hoping!) to write a weekly inspiration article.I should have started with Dita. Or Betty Page. But I met Jane Fonda at a Globe and Mail event so I am starting with her.  Me and the sister went to her book signing this last week (thanks to ex-boyfriend who hook us up- pays to be friends). And here I have her new book "Prime Time" about love, health, fitness and sex into your nineties (!). 

This shoot was so sexy that it deserves it's on post. I love to hear when clients tell me: we bookmarked your site a while ago and we where excited to do this.  me: yay! They liked the photo I have somewhere around here of the couple I shot through the blinds. So I went to ikea to get me some for my place. Hadn't thought of that one! It works great- now I can do my "perv looking though the blinds" shot anytime.

 so yay! couples! people should do this as an anniversary present. Or "I really like you and I want you to stick around" present.

And I like to thing that a couples boudoir shoot is the gift that keeps on giving. First is the day of the shoot - you leave and do your thing whatever it is. Then the anticipation of seeing your pictures and choosing together. And then when you get the final prints - or book, so you can look at these pictures any time you want.

Or an alternative tittle for this post could be:  "Things I can say without sounding like a perv". Or "things that are so funny when they happen and they are just alright when I remember to write them."

Here is my Top ten list of what only a boudoir photographer is allowed to say:

• 10. Bring your shoulders back (same as stand up straight)
• 9. Push the boobs and the butt out.
• 8. Don't breathe!
• 7. Open your mouth - like you are inhaling 
• 6. now stick a finger in (the mouth of course)
• 5. Make kissy lips
• 4. hold your boobs higher
• 3. And make a face like you are enjoying holding your boobs 
• 2. Pull the underwear like you are taking it off...

And the number one phrase  of what only a boudoir photographer is allowed to say with out sounding like a perv is:

• 1. take it off !

Oh and these are the ones I can remember, there have been some you had to be there and others that I would never thought I would say to another woman like "you have really cute nipples" or "no wonder I missed photoshoping that pimple, I wasn't looking at the crevice area". All true stories.

Some samples bellow! I wish I could post more dang it! I have some great shots, that sadly would showcase my ladies' faces (yeah, that sounds weird) but at the same time these are real women, getting married, celebrating aniversaries or celebrating themselves, their face do not needs to be in the internet.

This sample, I loved the vest. And she was wearing sexy librarian glasses. Animal print underwear and librarian glasses, fierce!


I love getting the images of people cracking up. Makes me think I am hilarious instead of accidentally funny.


 and then lipstick and curves








And sometimes all the accessories you need are red lips and shoes. There was no lingerie needed for some of these shots.

Recently my minions interns, Linda and Melissa and I,  attended the Chic a Boom Burlesque show, June edition. These shoot are like me doing a groupon or something like that where you just come there and do a pin up shoot at a discounted rate. Nothing naked but also there are more people involved than just you and me. There is my awesome minions, who actually shoot, fabulous Laura that tells you EXACTLY how to pose, and me doing your make up, retouching and supervising the minions.  I like saying minions, it's ok they are use to it. :) Next one is July 27th!

And the whole point of my bloggy article today is that if you stay for the show, you learn a couple of things. And it's never the same! In this edition there was a traditional burlesque strip tease.

Its been so hectic, so I havent posted recent work properly.
But here we go! I made new friends (who should post great reviews girls!) just saying, you can go here for the google one and here for the yelp one hint- hint.

so anyway! These are the reasons why some of my clients have done a boudoir shoot:

• "I do not like any pictures of myself but I am doing this for my hubby" I said BRING IT ON. She liked them. He LOVED them. 
• "It has taken me a long time to feel good about my body and here I am!" love this one. 
• "It's our ten year anniversary"
• "Nobody thinks I would ever do this"
• "I am getting married in two weeks!" - I get this one a lot.
• And the main one, no one will recognize their faces in their underwear. 

I love shooting couples... I sound like the corny wedding photographer but it is true in my case. It takes a really committed and confident couple to go for this type of photography. It is almost like swinging (i think). You have to trust the other half that these images are not going to end up on tumblr (i just found out about all the nsfw images here! holly crap! wish I was a 14 year old boy to use it properly) Start with Tremblingfluidheat - you are welcome!! Warning it is not for prudes. Sister of mine, if you read this, do not click it.

So! where was I? it's getting warm here.

Oh yeah, you have to trust your other half that in the case you ever broke up; pinkie promise that these images do not end on the internets for the world to see your abilities. So when people email me about the couples photography I always have to ask: how long have you been together? and give me both your emails. For the rated R or above I do require to meet prior to the shoot, or at least have a phone conversation to make sure everybody is comfortable with everybody (almost like swinging- so I have heard- ha).

• Suit with tie and everything (not to worry about the shoes really) or just bring shirt and tie.
• Jeans and simple t-shirt 
• Boxers/ briefs/thongs I do not judge. Maybe a little but I won't tell you. Simple colours, preferably no prints.
• Shave super early in the day on even the night before if you have sensitive skin.
• Tweeze the unibrow and brush off your lips with your toothbrush for kissable lips.
• Moisturize after your shower, you want to look dewy