Regarding Competition In Any Business. by Montreal photographer Hera Bell

Many business owners complain about their competition. Each generation claims that times have changed. Times do change. Technology evolves. Everyone tries to adapt. Some will be always better then others, this is just simple facts of life. We are not all created equal.

This has been true in all kind of business sectors since the existence of human kind in any capitalistic society.

Last year Apple (IPhone) opened a war against Samsung Galaxy android phone. Apple took Samsung to court in several countries with all bunch of allegations.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19989750

In North America although Apple won few of their court claims, in UK and several other court cases Apple lost their allegations against Samsung.  In UK Apple had to publish an apology ad.

Industry analysts today, they talk of Samsung Galaxy phone series' sales surpassing Apple's IPhone sales.

A healthy competition is good for the consumer. A healthy competitor does not badmouth the other party by using the name of his/her competition just to turn the spotlight on to themselves.

Photography business is no different. An educated customer knows the difference and their needs.

If you visit a business, as a consumer, and all you hear from the business owner how his/her competition is bad, and how he/she is great, I suggest you, stop a minute and ask what is he/she is scared of?

Food for thought...

A Sunshine Smile. Montreal Glamour Portrait Photographer Hera Bell's Photo Studio

A bright smile is like sunshine.

May you have always the sun shining upon your pathway dear LouLou. You are an amazing lady. A fighter. a mother, a wife...

PS: This image started as a studio shot. Louise brought her wedding gown to our photo session. Later on digitally I transported her to the background which I had shot in London. It is a living wall. All the plants are real. The background was shot with my Samsung Galaxy SII cell phone. The studio portrait was shot with Panasonic Lumix GH2. Two 1000 W Bowen studio strobes were my light source.

The Joy. Montreal Glamour Boudoir Photographer Hera Bell

Anna in all her splendor. My client is a breast cancer survivor.

Make-up, styling was all done by me as well.

During any glamour make over photography session in my Montreal studio, my first goal is to offer my clients an amazing journey. It is beyond simple photography. It is almost a therapy session. You come out of it in flying colors. I try to bring the inner beauty of everyone to their outer shells.

We are all beautiful. A picture speaks thousand words.

Mothers & Daugthers. Montreal Family Portrait Photographer Hera Bell's Studio

"You & I"

The world can be nothing but a magical dream between a mother and daughter. Fairytales' can come true. You just have to be a true believer.

Louise & Emma were photographed by me last Thursday.

The gown is Louise's wedding gown.

They were digitally transported from a studio shot to this location by moi... The background photo was shot by me last Summer at Eastern Townships Lavender farm.

And how about a little old fashion hand painted photo version. In the past we used to paint black and white darkroom prints with Marshal Oils. Now we emulate that mood digitally.

 

Life Is A Miracle...Montreal Family Portrait Photographer Studio

A teaser from today's shoot in my studio. 3 generations of Women... Janet, Louise and Emma. Daughters and Mothers...

I first photographed Janet and Louise around 2001 in my downtown photography studio in Montreal. Louise wasn't even married. Emma was not even conceived. I was shooting with film.

Life is a miracle. This shot is its celebration.

Louise celebrated her one year of breast cancer free life few weeks ago.

God bless them all.

The Art Of Editing Portraits- Montreal Portrait Photographer Studio

Glamour portrait photography isn't your regular "shoot and go" style of photography.

I am not however talking about magazine style beauty or fashion photography either.

To me, a glamour make-over portrait session it is just in between both genres.

Your subject should look like any beautiful pro models you see in the magazine pages, but more closer to reality.

A client pays to experience the look of glamour.

I see often too many photographers go too far into their portrait editing. The faces start looking like plastic barbies. To find the middle ground, it is about expertise.

So, let me share with you how a shot comes of my camera and how it ends up as the final product. (shot with Lumix GH2, 14-140mm Lumix lens, with external Lumix flash with Gary Fong device) Very simple set-up. Nothing fancy.

It is just a head shot to be used for publications depicting a breast cancer survivor spokesperson. It is only an inviting friendly portrait where other woman will relate to.

Anna is still Anna. Her facial wrinkles are softened, and the dark circles under her eyee are gone.

Most of the time, dark circles can be corrected with make-up. But I just wanted to show you a true before and after shot.

To see it larger just click on it.

Surviving Breast Cancer And Looking Glamourous-Montreal Glamour Photo Studio

I met Anna in 2008. She was a breast cancer survivor. She has accepted to pose for me for a special photo exhibit project which was going to tour the country. Cancer Connections.

Montreal part of the exhibit was at the Place Des Arts grounds outdoors.

This was the photo that was exhibited. Anna and her husband.

Anna was also a part of a radio interview about the exhibit and her story. If you would like to listen to it, please visit the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1fAFl9SJfY&list=UUPY0qBjaa3rouF6HMJyTpzg&index=2

Anna has returned today and we conducted a glamour make-over photo sessions in my Montreal photo studio.

Here is a teaser from today. After loosing 60 pounds, and undergoing for breast reconstruction surgery, voila, simply beautiful Anna in front of my camera. She is a wonderful lady inside out.

A very uplifting story which I am fortunate to capture in photos.

Peaches & Cream.. Montreal Glamour Boudoir Photographer Hera Bell

Photographing details can be very sexy...

Humour And Creating Old Fashion Pin Up. Montreal Boudoir Potographer

A little bit humor did not kill anyone. Make sure that your subject is in agreement. And if you will share any of the results with the general public, have the full signed rights.

I will conclude sharing some of the results from my lingerie, glamour make over boudoir session with lovely Ronda.

Various moods, image styles and image editing adventures of some of the photos were shot in a period of two hours. All in my Montreal photo studio.

The background shot here was captured by me in New York. Ronda was digitally dropped in later on via Photoshop.

Old Fashion Glamour Boudoir. Montreal Boudoir Photo Studio

From that same day glamour make over boudoir photo shoot with the same subject which lasted about 2 hours in my studio.

Creating old fashion glam... Editing is the  other important half part of creative process to achieve timeless sensual portraits.

At Her Boudoir Parlour. Montreal Glamour Boudoir Photo Studio

Over the past two blog posts I have been sharing some of my glamour make-over/ boudoir image results with the same subject during the same session. You can see the diversity in all of them. They were all shot in my studio. In other words, the styling and final editing that makes the variety in the images.

When I say to any of my clients that I will offer (lets say 12 shots) I mean 12 different top artistic shots... All edited, corrections made, ready to go. Some of them try to configure why only 12? Not 100's of shots. They only get to understand my system of thinking when they experience the session and see the actual results.

Quality versus quantity has been my motto for all my life.

Under The City Lights, Montreal Boudoir Photo Studio

The trick is all about creative studio lighting and styling. Your empty 4 walls can become something else when you shoot boudoir.