To be or not to be popular on Instagram. That is the question.

It has been a while that I haven’t had a chance to write anything on my blog. To be precise the last post on my wedding blog was one year ago.

Sometimes I feel like nobody is reading wedding blogs anymore. It seems like it is all about Instagram popularity in these days.

Am I popular on Instagram? The answer is No. I somehow never had the time to update my weddings on the media to make my company’s appearance more visible for the local clients.

It is definitely a choice when it comes to how you communicate with your prospect clients. I still find my old network and previous client’s recommendations more useful and relevant than becoming popular on Social Media.

I admire people dedicate themselves to posting right tone images on the right time and acting all right and getting thousands of followers, likes, etc.. I find them really disciplined and focused.

I wonder whether they are reaching the right clients for their time. For me being able to reach the prospect bride has a deeper meaning, maybe I am too romantic but I still want to spend quality time with my brides than keep thinking about the next post I will be having.

For a well-established wedding business between 15-20 weddings is enough for a year. So, we really don’t need that 20 thousand requests.

*I will start posting more regularly on Instagram soon. If I get too popular, let’s laugh together.

My instagram address is elevenheartsstudios.

See you soon

Gigi

QT Is The Best And Affordable Option For The Eleven Hearts Studios Summer Wedding Albums.

---

QT is Beautiful albums built for fine art photographers and affordably  priced. The digital age is keeping Fine Art photography on our external drives.

So elegant, so chic

Our pick for this Summer

Eleven Hearts Studios find it so useful to have Wedding Albums or Portrait Albums for the studio samples and also for our clients.

We recommend to our bride albums are something that would be with you for a long, long time even for the future generations.  When it comes to selecting the best album company, we are very picky. We always work with the best of the best high end companies. One of the reasons that our album packages are quite expensive is simply because of that.

We are happy to announce that we find this new company called QT.

They are very professional, great quality of work and affordable prices. It is a European Company who is in love with Fine Art Photography. They are simply helping Fine Art photographers like us to create heirlooms which will last for decades. 

Contact with the Eleven Hearts Studios to get more information about Wedding Album prices for this Fall.

Follow the link for more info  http://qtalbums.com/

We did it again! Eleven Hearts Studios are the Top Portrait Photography Studio in Washington DC

Eleven Hearts Studios is once again included on the Top Portrait Photographers in Washington DC in 2018 by Expertise. We are pleased to inform you that our business, Eleven Hearts Studios, is once again included on the list.

Thank you for your support! We love to share this great news with our previous clients and colleagues.

Ethereal Romance on a California Wedding

Outdoor ceremonies at the ranches and vineries are popular choices for California weddings.

There are no words to describe how sincere and romantic this wedding were. We were at one of the most beautiful ranch that is called Hammer Sky Vineyard Please vist the website for more information for our favorite ranch.

Since the reception was outdoors, Mirna wanted the lighting to be ethereal during dinner, with soft and warm lighting during the dancing portion of the evening. Creamy florals with a tangle of vines graced the tables while overhead chandeliers were hung among strings of lights suspended from the trees created the best atmosphere for this beautiful wedding. 

Photographers are not vampires, we reflect too!

Yes, photographers reflect from certain surfaces :) and we love it!!!

Sometimes reflections can be annoying and not artistic. But creativity and good-quality photos depend on the photographer being able to see things differently may turn the regular picture into an artistic one.

Water, windows, mirrors or any sort of reflective surface can change an image into a work of art. Using reflections in photography can lead to some amazing effects and beautiful images.  I have a constant craving for reflections.

Have a fun week!

Digital Media Story Telling Workshop in Washington, DC

I have been giving Digital Media Story telling workshop for 4 years. Every year the number of attendees in United States is getting higher. 

I feel so privileged to be invited two times by Fairfax Public Access TV Station last month. The content was very interesting. From the early ages of human history to current day. From the cave men drawings to Instagram Videos.   

It is all about story telling and understanding the beauty of being more aware as a viewer. 

I can not wait to be invited to another workshop series sometime in the future.  

Eleven Hearts have been selected one of the best portrait photographers in DC.

I am so happy to inform my old clients, colleagues, friends and family that Eleven Hearts Studios have been selected one of the best portrait photographers by Washington D.C. by EXPERTISE. 

I feel so thankful for all the support you've given me. Listen to your heart, I will find you...

Eleven Hearts Studios

Eleven Hearts Studios

Life of a Wedding Photographer for destination weddings.

Today is one of those days that I'm ready to take a good long vacation.

Most of my friends think that my life is already a good long vacation as a wedding photographer.

I have to admit that they might be right.

Imagine that you have to travel to the most amazing locations for work.

There is not much of a complaint on my end.

The recent destination wedding booking by Eleven Hearts Studios in Cancun, Mexico at Le Blanc resort is a simple proof of that.

Le Blanc Resort in Cancun, Mexico

I made a small list for my brides to consider for their big day if they are planning to have it abroad. 

• plan ahead
• pick a date while considering the national holidays
• make your guest list in advance
• reserve a resort which is big enough to accomodate your guests.
• choose practical location that doesn't have to be to expensive for your guests
• keep it simple
• check the seasonal changes of weather, make plans accordingly. 
• make sure that there won't be any local festival or gathering at the time of your wedding. 
• Hire a local wedding planner who knows the area and vendors really well.

Wearing Vintage Gloves are the Summer Trend for 2016 Weddings.

While gloves were worn every day by previous generations of women and were worn as a matter of course at weddings, today's brides view gloves as optional. Modern brides are free to utilize the customs of the past or break all the rules. Along with veils and tiaras, gloves are a significant signal that on this day, the bride holds a special position. When considering gloves, brides often choose gloves that complement the dress and choose lengths that fit the dress.

Wearing Vintage Bridal Gloves can be a great choice for modern brides on their special day.

Brides also are choosing vintage gloves for the style and sentimentality, or choosing fingerless gloves for the versatility. Knowing when to wear the gloves and when to take them off is important, as is practicing with the gloves. Flexibility regarding the rules is also a key to a great experience.

The most important factors in choosing gloves are the length and sizing.Brides find wedding gloves at bridal boutiques, department stores, and online sites. Finding gloves is easy on eBay and Etsy as sellers have a large inventory and are helpful allies in all wedding preparations.

Marrying in London? Don`t you love the retro look with this short wedding dress!

The shortest length of wedding dress ends above the knee and looks brilliant on petite brides who are worried about being swamped in a long dress. For her wedding in London, Kristen wore an embodied glamour gown by Fendi paired it with simple Gianvitorossi shoes. The Fendi dress featured intricate layers of fabric and sequin embellishments.  Along with a vintage headpiece and white peep-toe slingbacks, she wore her grandmother's pin on her bouquet.

5 tips for photographing toddler at your home

Yay cake smash! Smashing sessions are messy and dirty but we always get tons of great images. It takes the toddlers full attention. You need to make sure the cake smash is the last part of your session, and to have a bathtub or shower nearby for cleanup. Wet wipes is just not enough in this case.

1. Ready for action. 
The moment of kid’s magic can go just as quickly as it comes. The available light and the creative spark needs to work together. Take your camera off of Burst Mode You’re going to be able to capture a child’s personality only in a split second.

2. Use Warmer Tones
Warmer tones allow a deeper personal connection with the photo. It also helps with the flesh tones to appear a bit more vivid and full of life. 

3. Focus on the subject
You can typically darken areas where the subject doesn’t land in the frame. This lets the viewer’s eye naturally gravitate towards the subject. Your composition plays a large role in this as well.

4. Change your angles. Get down to the child’s level when taking pictures of children. Try to get as many angles in as you can. If the kid is willing to sit still, change angles too.

5. Toddler session is technically challenging but the shutter speed is the key.There will be a lot of fast movement involved, often unexpected, so you have to be prepared.  If you don’t want to deal with motion blur, you need to use a high shutter speed. Never go under 1/250 with a toddler.

Newborn Black and White Photography.

Newborn simplicity...'the kind of photo I would want for my baby' his mother said. We preferred lifestyle look and Black and White baby session for this beauty. Meet Altan, 3 days old! And if you’re wondering…he was so peaceful and sleepy while at the studio.  Oh how I adore his squishable face! 

Magara'da Gigi ile Dugun Fotografciligi Atolyesi.

Yaklaşik 9 senedir Muammer Yanmaz'in Magara'sında gerşekleştirdiğimiz Düğün Fotoğrafçılığı workshopları her zamanki gibi harika geçti. Bu workshopların en sevdiğim özelliği benim de seneler içinde Turkiye'de artişa geçen düğün fotoğrafçılığı ilgisinin şahidi olabilmem. Katılımcılara çok teşekkür ederim. Bir sonraki atolyede görüşmek üzere. 

Istanbul