Captured Memories Photography

Baby Photographer: Alejandro Jr.

2011-03-30T20:08:00.006-04:00

I truly enjoyed this portrait session since I had the honor to photograph Selena & Alejandro's Wedding back in 2006. I just love seeing past clients, and especially seeing their family grow. This lil guy, Alejandro Jr., was such a cute munchkin. He has the biggest smile. The ladies better watch out! Haha. Here are a few favorites from their session.

And here's one of my favorite images from their wedding I thought I'd share as well.

Top 10 Wedding Trends for 2011

2011-01-04T14:34:00.003-05:00

1. Sophisticated Elegance Returns
It's back to basics with elegant, sophisticated style in 2011. Wedding decor will be simple and understated, with modern design elements trumping DIY touches. Scripted calligraphy, custom monograms, and classic wedding cakes embody this trend. Brides will wear pearls, and grooms will ditch the Converse in favor of more tasteful wedding day kicks.

2. Outdoor Venues- Where It’s At
Couples tying the knot in 2011 will gravitate toward outdoor ceremony and reception venues. The raw, minimal backdrop of an outdoor setting leaves room for personalization and customization, a major perk for creative, hands-on nearlyweds. Lakeside venues, vineyard locations and spaces situated alongside sprawling mountains will dominate, and they’ll be spruced up with personalized touches that represent the bride and groom.

3. Grey is the New Black, Crazy for Navy
Gloomy no more, grey is the neutral IT color for 2011 weddings. Organic and natural, shades of charcoal, dove, stone, oyster and shell will be incorporated liberally into wedding color palettes and paired with vibrant hues to make the colors pop! And while grey remains the talk of the town for 2011, navy blue (and other deep blues) are definitely on-trend for the coming year.

4. Mad for Metallics & Bold Color Palettes
Whether it’s two bright hues with a metallic accent, or several metallic shades used together, brights and metallics will be popular choices for wedding color palettes in 2011. Gilded gold, shimmery silver, and sparkling champagne will used alone or with accents of yellow, purple or teal. And since metallics make such a bold statement on their own, couples will scale back over-the-top decor in favor of a more restrained style aesthetic.

5. Big Ball Gowns are Back
Dramatic ball gown wedding dresses floated down 2011 bridal catwalks in droves. Wedding dress designers draped, ruched, and layered clouds of tulle, power netting, and chiffon to fashion wedding dresses with limitless volume. The outcome? Fairytale-inspired bridal style and whimsical wedding dresses for 2011 I Dos.

6. Grooms Take a Walk on the Stylish Side
Grooms are taking a stand in the name of fashion. Their tux choices will no longer be dictated by some “rent 5, get 1 free” deal. Instead, they’ll chose formal looks that represent their unique style. Bow ties will replace classic long neck ties, and embroidered dress shirts, engraved cufflinks, stylish lapel pins and the color of the season- grey- will grace the white aisles.

7. Wedding Invitations Go Green
The green weddings movement continues full speed ahead in 2011. From totally paperless wedding invitations and save-the-dates, to stationery printed on 100% recycled paper, invitations have truly gone green.

8. Luxurious Textures-- from the Dress to the Tablescape
Luxe textured fabrics will bring a sumptuous, opulent vibe to 2011 weddings. Wedding dresses will feature 3D applique, layered light fabrics (tulle, lace, chiffon), romantic ruffles, oversized florals, and illusion fabric with eye-catching beading. Textured linens will be layered to dress up reception tables, chair covers may be embroidered or beaded, and branchy centerpieces and floral arrangements will captivate wedding guests.

9. Ethnic Influences, Cultural Wedding Details
At long last, brides and grooms are embracing and showcasing their unique cultural traditions and ethnicity. Whether it’s a religious wedding ceremony ritual, traditional wedding day garb, cultural cuisine infused throughout the reception dinner, or wedding decor with bold, ethnic prints, you can’t help but embrace the unique cultures and ethnicities of couples in 2011.

10. Revved-Up Wedding Receptions
Who wants the best day of their lives to end? Not couples and guests in 2011, that’s for sure! Couples will plan a post-reception after party lasting into the wee hours of the night with drinks, entertainment, dancing, and snacks so that wedding guests can party all night long!

Post taken from OneWed
http://www.onewed.com/blog/savvy-scoop/category/top-tips-wedding-ideas/2011/01/02/top-10-wedding-trends-2011-hot-press/?utm_source=bridevendornewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20110103bridevendor

Photo of the Month - December 2010

2010-12-30T20:14:00.002-05:00

While rain isn't a good thing when trying to photograph a wedding, it's awesome what it does to nature. After a rainfall, it leaves beautiful texture and a glistening all around. It almost looks like jewelry. This leaf caught my eye and I just had to photograph it. The different lines and textures are so interesting. I hope you find it as beautiful as I do. Florida is such a great location to find nature like this.

Photo of the Month - September 2010

2010-09-30T20:24:00.002-04:00

This Photo of the Month I chose two photos of this beautiful flower I saw at a botanical garden. It had rained earlier that day, so the rain drops added another cool aspect. Then I saw this little bug guy hanging out, so I waited for him to land and captured the moment. Nature has such amazing “art” all around. It’s truly beautiful and I love taking some time to be able to capture some of its beauty. I hope you enjoy these.

Photo of the Month - August 2010

2010-08-31T18:16:00.006-04:00

I was so busy with the Pinups for Pitbulls 2011 calendar submissions during the month of August, that I totally forgot to post my Photo of the Month, which happens to be a Pinups for Pitbulls image. So here is my Photo of the Month for August. Hey it's August 31st, but it's still August. Lol. I submitted four different sets of photos for their 2010 calendar last year. I was so excited to find out that two of my images were finalists. And then super excited to find out that one of them made it into their calendar! Yeaaa!!! This is the image that they used for their August 2010 image. The model is my friend LaQuaisha and the dog is Rusty, owned by my friends Jessica and Justin. They were both great to work with. LaQuaisha had never "modeled" before, and look how cute she looks. So anyone can be a model for Pinups for Pitbulls. And Rusty was just happy that he got to eat so much ice cream that day. Lol. We went through a few cones by the time the session was over. If you would like to check out the rest of the calendar or purchase one, or to learn more about the Pinups for Pitbulls charity, please visit www.pinupsforpitbulls.com. They are a great charity that tries to educate people that pitbulls are not these evil dogs that some people think, plus help out injured pits and shelters. This year I submitted seven different sets of images for their 2011 calendar. I can't wait to see the images they choose.

Photo of the Month - July 2010

2010-07-14T12:37:00.002-04:00

I decide to use one of my favorite Model Session images for this month's Photo of the Month. This photo has got to be from one of the most fun Portrait Sessions I've done. Plus most dangerous! Haha. I saw some portrait somewhere online with fire, and thought "Hmmmm, that would be fun to try!" I wanted to glam it up a bit with a fashion model look. The fire is real! No editing it in later. We took some rope made a circle around the model, then drenched it with lighter fluid, finally added the fire with matches. It didn't stay too long, so my husband had to keep lighting the rope, until it burned away. Pretty cool! By the way, don't try this at home. Haha. We were in a large open concrete floored abandoned parking lot.

Photo of the Month - June 2010

2010-06-17T12:11:00.002-04:00

Ok, well sorry for skipping a month, I've been sooo busy with portrait sessions, print orders and meetings with brides, that I forget just to show off some of my everyday photos just for me. For this month I'm going to show off my newest baby, Rocky. He's very special to me. My favorite cat Remy who passed about a year ago had the personality of a dog, and was like my best friend. Since then I've been missing something. It was time for our family to grow and add a dog. I browsed online at various animal shelters and learned about different breeds to find my perfect fit. I didn't want a huge dog that would weigh more than me, haha, but my hubby didn't really want a teeny lap dog either since he likes to go outdoors and wanted a runner. I had a few dogs lined up to meet, but when I found Rocky online, something inside me just knew I wanted him. The first time we meet he ran over to my husband and I, licked us, stayed by our sides while we visited, and wanted to go with us when we were leaving. I just knew, it was love at first sight. The first night be got him we went to the beach and had a blast. We've had him about 6 months now and we're so in love. He's by my side when I'm working on the computer (he's here right now as I type this), loves his walks, is buddies with our cats, so well behaved and loving. I couldn't have asked for a better dog. We took him to some training classes and he can do tricks, walk with us without his leash, knows commands, and is great with other people, kids and animals (although he does seem to prefer the ladies over the guys, haha). He is just so wonderful and has made my life happier. And he happens to be part pitbull, so for all of you that think pitbulls are "dangerous", you have got to be kidding me. Any dog can be as sweet as you train them to be, or if you're a jerk and train your dog to be mean, then any dog can be mean too. I'm actually going to use Rocky this year for the Pinups for Pitbulls 2011 calendar submissions. I'm excited! Well here is a portrait of Rocky I took while I had my backdrop out for another session earlier in the day and of course wanted to get some portraits of my new child, so decided to do a session with him while my equipment was setup. This image happens to be my favorite from his lil mini session. So I proudly introduce you to Rocky. :)

Average Wedding Costs

2010-05-25T19:49:00.000-04:00

I came across this website so I thought Id share it with all of you Brides&Grooms-to-Be planning your wedding. Been through it myself, I know how stressful and confusing the planning and budgeting process can get. So every little bit helps, right? This site let's you know the average costs of items you need for your wedding, and also the average in your specific area. That way you get a little heads up when you start to price shop, and know about how much past couples have spent. There's also a list of the items you need, which some get overlooked. Hope some of you find this helpful. Happy planning!! :)

http://www.costofwedding.com/

The Bui Brothers Photography Workshop

2010-05-20T14:02:00.002-04:00

Last week I attended a very cool and informative photography workshop by the Bui Brothers. It's always a good idea no matter what your profession to keep up with the latest techniques and skills. So from time to time I love to attend professional photography seminars and workshops to help inspire me and to be able to learn from other people's point of views and experiences. Plus I always meet other friendly photographers with experiences of their own, who make great friends to bounce ideas off of. The Bui Brothers workshop was on lighting, natural and studio. We learned some in the classroom first, about some great equipment and some super cool lighting techniques that they use. Then we went outside to photograph what we just learned on some models. With the natural light we learned the best spots for the model to stand and for the photographer to stand and how to really make the light work for you, plus some little tricks and tips. When all you have is the sun to work with, you really have to know how to use it to your best advantage. Being in Florida, one minute is can be super bright hot sun, then the next a cloudy dark sky, so I need to know what works best in all situations to really make my clients look amazing. After we used just the natural light we had a couple different studio strobe lighting setups outside. It's amazing at how many different looks and creative feels you can get from introducing different lights and different power of lighting into your scene. I personally love using studio lights rather than just natural lighting. So it was great to experiment with different setups and see the styles I really like best. After that we ended the day by going back into the classroom to learn some editing techniques. It was a great day and I enjoyed expanding my knowledge and meeting some great new friends.

Here are a few photos of me that some of the other photographers who attended took. I'll post some of the images I got from the day very soon.

Wedding Photographer: Tarin & Bob's Outdoor Wedding - Club Med Port St Lucie

2010-03-25T22:51:00.011-04:00

Tarin & Bob had a beautiful outdoor Florida ceremony at Club Med in Port St. Lucie. It had been unusually cold for Florida the past couple of weeks on and off. But on the day of their wedding, it had a slight breeze accompanied by the warm sun and blue sky, and it was just perfect. The ceremony was emotional and filled with tears of joy (I always have to fight back my tears when the bride or groom cry haha). Followed by a fun and crazy reception, mostly due to the comical bridal party. There was a lot of dancing, singing and jokes all night. Everyone had so much fun and I had a blast photographing it all. Tarin & Bob seem like a perfect pair and they kept stealing kisses from each other during the day. Here are some of my favorite memories from their wedding. I hope you enjoy.

Venue: Club Med - http://www.clubmed.us/cm/resorts-north-america-usa-sandpiper-the-resort_p-115-l-US-v-SANC-r-1-ac-vh.html

Harpist: Barbara Brundage - http://www.floridaharp.com/
DJ: Kiss By a Rose - www.akissbyarose.com
Tuxes: Men's Wearhouse - www.menswearhouse.com
Bridal Gown & Bridesmaid Dresses: David's Bridal - www.davidsbridal.com
Flowers: Martin Downs Florist - http://www.martindownsflorist.com/

Photo of the Month - March 2010

2010-03-03T15:55:00.004-05:00

For this month's "Photo of the Month", I just couldn't narrow it down to only one image. But I am a lil bias to this month's subject matter. This happens to be my cutie lil baby, Riley. He's the newest kitty to join our family. After a recent passing of another baby, Remy, I was extremely bummed and missing a kitty friend. This cutie Riley was at an animal shelter. We noticed he had no tail at all, which I am partial to, since Remy and 2 of our other cats only have little bobtails. I picked up Riley and started crying since he reminded me of Remy, and he immediately started licking my tears away. It was instant love. So that's how we ended up with Riley. These are some of his ummm, 'modeling' images. Haha. He just sat there perfectly while I snapped away. Isn't he just cute?!?!

Haha, this one just cracks me up. Don't be scared, he was only yawning. I can even see a little hair that was stuck on his mouth.

Riley's shelter was http://www.hsslc.org/index.html Please support them. They have tons of lovable cats and dogs there.

2010 Wedding Trends

2010-02-25T16:36:00.003-05:00

I found this article on another blog and thought Id' share it to help out my brides & grooms planning their weddings Hope it helps ya out some. :) I found it interesting. I especially love the Birdcage Veils and Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses.

2010 Weddings Trends:

I will start with the caveat that brides need to be trendsetters. When you design your wedding, make it personal to you and set your own trends. Invariably, however, many want to know what is predicted to the newest trends in weddings for 2010. So K Sherrie+Company did a quick internet search to see what people are saying will be the hot thing for next year. Let's see what's being said and we'd LOVE to hear what you think about the reported trends.

Weddings at Home
More personal, more casual and less ostentatious.
Homemade Wedding Favors
Again--more personal and made with love.
Birdcage Veils
These veils add glamour and fun to your bridal ensemble. And who doesn't like feathers and rhinestones?
Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses
This is not necessarily new, but done with a different twist. The bride picks a color and the maids go and buy a dress, any dress, so long as it's the right color.
The End of the Standard Year-Long Engagement
This can go either way: quick elopements or long-drawn out engagements for planning and saving purposes.
Strapless Wedding Dresses
Still?? Still. . .
Personalization
Attention to the details and making memories: shouldn't this always be the IN thing?
Buttercream
Many will be saying goodbye to fondant. Taste is more important than looks.
Backyard Desties
Weddings guests will not have to travel as far from home because many couples will choose hot locales within the US.
Monochromatic Colors
Think blues, purples, oranges, greens, yellows and pinks. Or metallics: golds, silvers, coppers and pewters.
Green Weddings
Couples will be more eco-conscious in the planning of their wedding and focus more on "doing" instead of "being." This means, it's no longer about making the event appear to beorganic.
Video DJs
A fusion of dance floors, deejays and music videos all for your guests' delight.
HD and Blu Ray Videography
HD and Blu Ray will become the standard in wedding videography. Upgrade now and appreciate the quality later.

So. . .what do you think? Are these pretty close to accurate? What trends do you think we've left off the list?

Taken from http://www.theweddingworkroom.com/2009/11/2010-wedding-trends.html

Our Wedding Photos! - Viscaya Miami

2010-02-09T15:37:00.013-05:00

I was known by my friends as the "Hurricane Bride". Actually the news had traveled and people I didn't even know were calling me that. If it came up in conversation they would say "That was you?" Haha. You see my hubby and I were married in September of 2004, when hurricane after hurricane kept coming right at Florida. We ended up having 4 different wedding dates. The original date was set for Sept 4, then changed to Sept 12, then to Sept 26, and finally the actual date was Sept 25. Sadly we had to rearrange, cancel and do things differently than originally planned for our wedding. Thus we really didn't get to have amazing wedding images like I would have wanted. So last year for our anniversary, my hubby and I decided to get our wedding outfits back on and get some great images of ourselves that we could be proud to frame. We went to gorgeous Viscaya down in South Miami. I have two other employees that work with me, they happen to be my husband and mother. So all of these photos were taken by my other photographer Diane McBride, my mother. I helped out with the posing and such and then added my own spin to the images with my touch ups. I'm thrilled with the outcome and even have one huge 16x20 framed in our living room, plus smaller prints of the other ones around. I thought I'd share them with everyone. It's not everyday you get to see a professional image of the professional photographer. Haha. Thanks for viewing!

Wedding Dress: David's Bridal http://www.davidsbridal.com

Venue: Viscaya in Miami http://www.vizcayamuseum.org/plan-general.asp

Photo of the Month - February 2010

2010-02-05T14:13:00.002-05:00

For this month's photo I wanted to use one of my still lifes. I photographed a lot of still life when I was first getting into photography. Just as portraits can, still life can also tell a story, such as who was here or what just happened, or to tell something personal about a person. For example when I photograph a bride's jewelry, shoes or bouquet on her wedding day, all of those items and very personal to her. When looking at those items later on, they will remind her of her special day.

This particular still life just caught my eye because of the great lines and shadows, and the bold colors. I moved some of the items around to give it just the look I wanted. I actually entered this photo into a contest and it won for the Still Life section and was published in a book called "International Photographers". Yea! I hope you like it too.

Art&Hustle's Art Show a Huge Success!

2010-01-19T22:20:00.003-05:00

This past weekend was the opening of Art&Hustle's first art show, "From the Block to the Brush". The result: a HUGE success! There were over 800 people in attendance, over 10 artist's work on display, live music, yummy drinks and snacks, mingling and FUN! I was so glad to be apart of this. Congrats to everyone involved and I wish you many more successful shows in the future. I'm looking forward to it! Below are some shots I photographed from the event and some of my favorite art pieces that were on display. To read more about the event or contact the artists, please visit http://www.artnhustle.com/2010/01/from-block-to-brush-wrap up.html .

Artists Dane Wesolko & Steven Albuquerque of StudioSixFive with some of their art, and more below.

Artist Adriaan Mol and his art below, with staff from InProgress Magazine.

Artist Christa Zurich with her art, plus her painting live during the event.

Artist Loren Squier with his art, and more below.

Art by John Matos aka Crash, and more below.

Artist SandOne, and more below.

Art by Dale Chihuly

And that's me, with one of my art pieces.

Art & Hustle presents: From the block to the Brush

2010-01-05T15:16:00.006-05:00

Come to this amazing Art Show!!!!!!
Friday, January 15, 2010 at 8:00pm -12:00am
Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 7:00pm - 12:00am
433 Flamingo Drive, West Palm Beach Fl, 33401 (near City Place)

Art & Hustle at the Paul Fisher Gallery Presents "From the Block to the Brush" an Urban Art Exhibit show casing art work from emerging artist like NFRomero, LA's Sandone, Miami's own Atomik, Dane Wesolko,Steven Albuquerque,Crome, Adriaan Mol, and Christa Z. Also works by Keith Haring and Kenny Scharf. Featuring the Legendary Graffiti Artist John "Crash" Matos will be in attendance.

Live art and Music by DJ Roc-One.
Performing live will be ArtOfficial
$10 at the Door $5 with Student I.D
Portion of the Proceeds go toward Autism Speaks. Have fun and help out a GREAT cause!!!

Sponsored by: Captured Memories Photography, Bottoms Up Beverage, Iv.K Events, Scene Killa Photography, Pierre LaVie Clothing, We Merge Magazine, Studio Six Five, In Progress Magazine, Avenue Barbershop

Yours truly will be there photographing this event plus showing a few things of my own.

Come one, come all. Bring a friend. Have fun. Socialize. Be inspired. Be entertained.

Photo of the Month - December 2009

2009-12-23T15:06:00.007-05:00

This photo of the month is a tad late. Oops! December has been a CRAZY busy month for me. Everyone craving new family portraits before the year is over. I've been so involved in them that it totally slipped my mind for December's Photo of the Month. Anyway, I came across this cool photo I took of my hubby and decided to use it. He's a hardcore mountain biker and was bugging me about getting some images of him jumping. So one day I went with him to the park, waited by one of the jumps, and snapped a few shots. This one was my favorite. The park has trees and foliage everywhere, but this spot had some cool sunlight coming in. Plus he's making his 'bike' face, we call it, when he's concentrating on his jump. Haha.

Pinups for Pitbulls 2010 Calendar

2009-11-12T15:46:00.007-05:00

I had the privilege to help out Pinups for Pitbulls by photographing some of their entries for their 2010 calendar. The images are reenactments of famous vintage paintings, but with a pitbull buddy also included. It was tons of fun to photograph these sessions. Not only did I get to meet a lot of new model friends, but also 4 legged model friends as well! I love animals and helping out when I can. Below are a few examples of some of the images submitted for the calendars and that will be featured on their website. I am soooo thrilled to say that two of my images are actually going to be in their 2010 calendar! I'm super excited. It's an honored to be published. Plus I know I helped out a great cause. Congrats also goes to Jenna Beth & Val (parents Crystal & Tim) for being a finalist. And to LaQuaisha and Rusty (parents Jessica & Justin), who is our month of August 2010 winner! Please check out their website at www.pinupsforpitbulls.com to read up about how they're helping. Plus don't forget to purchase your 2010 calendar. Everyone needs a new 2010 calendar, so why not purchase one where you're money will do some good. They're only $20 each. Thanks goes out to everyone that helped with the sessions.

Our month of August Winner: LaQuaisha & Rusty

One of the Finalists: Jenna Beth & Val

Michele & Diamond

Miss Maye & Coco

Photo of the Month - November 2009

2009-11-10T16:23:00.006-05:00

For this "Photo of the Month" I decided to use this cute little guy. Isn't he super adorable? I'm an animal person, so when I saw him, I just had to stop and take his photo. I got a few kisses out of it too. Recently I've been looking online at animal shelters for dogs. My best friend, my amazing cat Remy just passed not too long ago, so I've been wanting another buddy. This lil guy made me smile. Pugs just crack me up with how they look. So maybe I'll find myself a cute pug that needs some love.

Photo of the Month - October 2009

2009-10-01T12:56:00.005-04:00

I'm a Floridian and proud of it. The thought of living in snow doesn't settle well with me. Lol. And to make it even better, I live in east Florida, pretty close to the beach. One thing I don't think we take advantage of enough is Florida's amazing sunrises and sunsets. So this photo is just that. My hubby and I went over to Stuart Beach, right by the Refuge House and watched the sunset. It was pretty awesome that day. Colors vibrant and clear, just enough clouds to add some more depth. And I just LUV that lens flair the sun is creating here in this image. Ahhh, makes me want to grab my sunscreen and a MaiTai. Haha!

Fireworks!

2009-09-18T22:36:00.004-04:00

During the month of July, there's fireworks going on all over. This July I knew I wanted to capture a cool image of myself with my hubby with some fireworks behind us. So I went out with my tripod and just my little point&shoot camera and set it up during one of the 4th of July firework shows. With the timer set we captured these few images that I think turned out pretty cool! Hope you like them too!

Photo of the Month - September 2009

2009-09-01T16:01:00.006-04:00

For this month's "Photo of the Month", I chose an older image from a model session I photographed. I really love this image because of the vibrant colors that really catch your attention (and aqua happens to be my favorite color). Plus they really bring out her dramatic eyes. It's fun to bring props into images that help bring it to LIFE (such as the peacock feathers)! I hope you enjoy this image as much as I do! :)

Photos for Charity - Pinups for Pitbulls

2009-08-11T15:52:00.006-04:00

Interested in getting a FREE photo session, helping out a CHARITY and having a BLAST?!?!? Please check out Pinups for Pitbulls. Right now they are calling for models for their Pinups for Pitbulls 2010 calendar. Please check out their website for all of the details (http://www.pinupsforpitbulls.com/). Since this is for a great causes, I'm offering a free model photo session in exchange for a $50 donation towards the charity, which includes your entrances fee for their 2010 calendar. The theme is vintage pinup style and must include a 'co-model' of a pitbull or bulldog type dog (If you do not own a dog of this type, one can be provided). Pinup model sessions are SOOO much FUN! You get to dress up in super cute outfits and feel extremely sexy. It's a great gift idea for your boyfriend or husband. Please contact me for any further information and to reserve your session appointment. But HURRY, the deadline for the calendar is SEPTEMBER 25!

Photo of the Month - August 2009

2009-08-06T13:56:00.008-04:00

For this "Photo of the Month" I decide to use this cool photo I took of my hubby, Nick, a few months ago in June. We are Disney World Freaks. We love the place! Everything is just so awesome; the atmosphere, the cool architecture, the food, the beautiful hotels, the fun, the whole 'magicalness' of it, we love it all. And being not too far away, we visit often. So when I had family coming in town from Kansas wanting to go to Disney, we of course said we'd tag along with them. Sneaking away for some 'us' time, we visited the Disney Coronado Springs Hotel for dinner and just to relax and walk around. The hotel has a Mexican theme and has some very cool and beautiful architecture around. Of course I had my camera with me, so we walked around and photographed some interesting shots of the place. I love this one because of the repeating arches and the cool lighting. Since I didn't have a tripod with me, I laid down on the ground and stayed VERY still to capture this image. I think it turned out pretty cool. I hope you think so too. And look at my hubby, all posing for me! What a good 'model'. :)

Jean & Hamah's Wedding Album

2009-07-13T23:11:00.013-04:00

I really love how the photos from Jean & Hamah's wedding turned out. It was a great day outside, and the reception inside had very cool different colored lighting. It's impossible to own a copy of every album I've ever made, but I can show it off here on my blog. I custom design every album myself. In their album, I included a verse from their first Bride&Groom Dance, a few quotes about family and love, and some different textures for some of the page backgrounds. So I'm always proud when the end results turn out great, and especially when the bride and groom are happy. And Jean & Hamah LOVED their album! They kept going on and on about it. They showed it to everyone. I even had a wedding guest email me saying how much she loved their album. That definitely makes me happy! So I wanted to share their album with you and hope you enjoy taking a peak at it as well.

Photo of the Month - July 2009

2009-07-02T16:51:00.006-04:00

Since blogging is a fairly new concept (very new to me since I just got into it), I was not able to post tons of cool images while I was creating them. So in the beginning of each month, I'm going to pick one of my favorite images I've photographed in the past and blog about it. It's only July 2nd, so I'm not far behind. Let's hope I can keep up with this!

This image was done back a few years while I was in college (probably in 2004?). Being a photography major, we always had to be shooting something. The 'model' here is actually one of my best friends, Simone, in her bridesmaid dress for MY wedding. We had recently picked up the dresses and I decided I would dress her up in it, put a ton of makeup on her, and do some dramatic black&white images. Yes, this was back in the film days (gasp!) so I was using black&white film (later put onto a CD). I used one main hot lamp for my light source, and afterwards over developed the film during the process (we had to develop the film ourselves) to give it that very high contrast, dramatic look. The images turned out very cool and she looks super hot in them. We both loved them (and so did the professor)!

Wedding Photographer: Tabby & Sam's Persian Wedding - Four Seasons Miami

2009-06-24T19:15:00.014-04:00

Tabby and Sam's wedding was a blast! The beautiful bride, Tabby, happens to be 100% Persian, so they had a traditional Persian Wedding. I had never photographed a Persian wedding before, so there were new customs and traditions I learned about. It was all very interesting. First, the ceremony had a variety of different foods and items that all symbolize something different for the couple. For example, sugar is grated over their heads to 'sweeten' the marriage (seen in one of the photos below). The reception was also filled with rich Persian customs, such as the 'Knife Dance' done right before the cake cutting (also seen in photos below). They even had a bellydancer. And boy, did they LOVE to dance. The whole night, the dancing never stopped. It was one very exciting, fun-filled, and interesting wedding! I had a great time and loved photographing all of the excitement. Thank you Tabby and Sam for having such an awesome wedding! Congrats!!!

Venue: Four Seasons Hotel in Miami http://www.fourseasons.com/miami/

Wedding Photographer: Nena & Attila's Beach Wedding - Downtown West Palm Beach

2009-04-27T16:56:00.014-04:00

I'm so excited for Nena & Attila. They are expecting their first baby in June. I actually met Nena & Attila back in the end of 2006 when they were looking for their wedding photographer. I was recommened by friends of their's who's wedding I photographed. They were unable to have a tradition ceremony and reception, but they still wanted some wedding photos in their wedding attire with their family and bridal party. So we had four whole hours just to photograph tons of awesome posed and candid images. It was so much fun. They let me use my creativity, plus threw in some of their own. It seemed like we were always laughing. They are definitely one of the most fun couples I've ever photographed. And now we've kept in touch and are friends and I can't wait to do their maternity and family sessions with their new lil guy. Since their wedding was before I had this blog, I decided to share some of my favorite images from their wedding session. Now you'll get to see how fun the photos turned out. Enjoy!

Flowers by: An Affair To Remember by Ivy

Wedding Photographer: Jean & Hamah's Outdoor Wedding - Tree Tops Park Fort Lauderdale

2009-02-12T11:08:00.021-05:00

I loved photographing Jean and Hamah's wedding. Jean is a friend of mine, who actually got me my first real paying wedding job years ago. I was doing portrait sessions at the time and had done a few weddings as the second shooter. Jean had a friend getting married and thought I had beautiful work so he pushed me and told me that I could be a wedding photographer all on my own. That really gave me some confidence and that's basically how I starting photographing weddings and I love him dearly for that. So when he told me he was now engaged and would like me to be his photographer, I was so excited. It was a simple outside ceremony (which I love) surrounded by big beautiful trees, perfect weather. Followed by a brightly colored and fun reception. It was great to be there because I saw some of my old wedding clients who I photographed their wedding, including Jean's friend who was my first real wedding job! :)

Here are a few of my favorite images from Jean and Hamah's Wedding. Congratulations!!!

Venue: Tree Tops Park in Davie http://www.broward.org/parks/tt.htm

New Website! Yeaaaaa!!!

2009-02-12T10:16:00.003-05:00

I know, I know, I've been a badddddd blogger. But I've been busy, and a good busy. I've been working super hard and am so happy to announce that I now have a brand new website. Most of you that I've had the privilege to photograph are showcased somewhere on the site. I would love for you to check it out. It's at http://www.captmemphotos.com/. And tell your friends! I do hook you up with free prints from your sessions for any referrals. I appreciate everyone who has already checked out the site and has given awesome feedback. Do you want to be famous too? Let's reserve a session and you'll be next! ;)
Thanks!!!

Winner for September

2008-10-01T16:15:00.007-04:00

I am currently a member of the South Florida Camera Club (SFCC). The club includes monthly guest speakers, classes, field trips and photo competitions. I am proud to say that for the month of September, I came in 3rd place for our photo competition. :) The theme was Wild Animals. Here is a small part about it on the club's website. Click on the links to see a larger version of my winning photo, plus the other 2 winners. -------->

"September’s Photographic Competition Winners
September’s photographic competition is the closest we’ve had so far in South Florida Camera Club, with first, second and third place being separated by only one point between each other. And the lucky first place winner for September is Linda St. Hilaire with her stunning photograph entitled “Cooling off” which she took at the Palm Beach Zoo At Dreher Park. Coming in a very close second is Leonardo Glusman with his photograph entitled “Jurassic Presence”. Leonardo took this photo on the southwest corner of Arthur Godfrey Road and Chase Avenue on Miami Beach. In third place we have Shannon DiBenedetto with her photograph entitled “Owl Baby” which she took at the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter, Florida."
And here is my "Owl Baby". I call him Owl Baby, since the instructor at Busch Wildlife said he was fairly young, and still acted like a baby, making a certain cry that only the baby owls make. He was such a sweetie.

A Little About Me.....

2008-09-04T23:22:00.004-04:00

Well now I figured I'd give you a brief bio on myself and how I got into photography. As far back as I can remember, I was always into artsy things. My parents would buy me the neatest art toys. That was my hobby. I was always drawing, making something, taking photos with my little point&shoot camera, you get the drift. So I always took art classes in school as well. In high school I signed up for a photography class, and that really did it. I was hooked. It was something I loved to do, plus had a talent for. I continued to take more photography classes in high school, and continued with it in college, making that my major. So I am proud to say that I have my Bachelor in Fine Arts specializing in Photography. Ta-da! Since photography is what I love to do, I have made it into my career. Who wouldn't love being part of those special moments, watching people in love interact, watching a child do something new, bringing someone out of their shell to make some amazing and sexy portraits. I've had fun and wonderful experiences, and have had the privilege to photograph some very sweet, interesting and funny people. Some of them which I still keep in contact with today, and am still photographing. Will you be next? ;)

Contact Info

2008-09-04T21:47:00.003-04:00

This post is to basically tell you how to contact me. I can be hired for weddings, events, all types of portraits, including bridal, engagement, maternity, family, models, etc. So if you'd like any info from me, have any questions, or would like to book a shoot, here ya go.....

954 - 849 - 7240

772 - 337 - 7411

CaptMemPhotos@aol.com

www.myspace.com/capturedmemoriesphoto

www.modelmayhem.com/CapturedMemoriesPhotography

Thanks!!!
:)

Hello and Welcome to my Blog! :)

2008-09-04T16:51:00.007-04:00

Hello! And welcome to my blog! Now that I have made it as a professional photographer in the digital and very internet-friendly age, my other photographer friends and clients have told me it's time to set up a blog. That it's a great way for me to connect with all of my past and potential clients out there and for them to get to know me personally. And I agree! So here I am. My name is Shannon. Nice to meet you! :)

Here's one kinda crazy photo of me so you can see who you're talking to and that I'm not big and scary looking. :)~