The many facets of Paris

Pairs came in for her portfolio builder photo session with a MUA/Stylist and lots of clothing choices. we had an awesome session with her and took LOTS of photographs. The portfolio builder session differs from a regular model session in that it is designed to really enhance your portfolio overnight. Most photo sessions involve one or two changes of clothes, but the portfolio builder session involves different lighting and different backgrounds to compliment each of the multiple outfits. This way the images in your portfolio makes it appear that you have been to numerous photo sessions rather than just one session with one photographer.

You can see many more images from her session here in her gallery on our website.

Jennifer

Jennifer has one of those symmetrical faces that we could just photograph for hours and hours. She came in for a model portfolio builder session with well planned several outfits and we clicked and clicked. She was also one of those rarer models that was very good with facial expressions and with her hands. We had a lot of fun photographing her, joking around and serious times too. You can view lots of images from her session here in her gallery on our website.

I have blogged about this topic before, but here it is again...we always tell our models to spend five minutes three times a day practicing, just like a sport or an instrument you must practice. One five minute session spent on posing your hands, position your mirror so that you cannot see your face, jsut your hands, pose them gracefully, avoid the punched in the face pose, try expressing emotions via your hands, try to convey emotion via your hands without seeing your facial expression. The second five minutes later in the day is for facial expressions, how many can you do? Practice! The third session at a different time if full body posing, and we suggest that sometimes you try this naked, not that you will ever pose naked, but it takes away the pockets and such that you can use as props and crutches and makes you pose your arms and hands differently. It pays to practice!

Here are just a few of the many expressions captured, this series was all with one outfit and background and they are great! Take a look in any fashion magazine and you will see how many expressions are needed. Need fodder? Start by thinking of the seven dwarves and move on from there.

I had so much trouble deciding which images to post, the color, or the black and white since everything looks so good. I do like B&W images for portraits though, they just seem to say a little bit more.

  

The images in this next just exude elegance.

Her outfits were varied and they 'fit' her (style and personality) well.

We really got to try out many different scenes with Jennifer, which made it an especially fun session!

OK I cannot decide on which of these I like best, the one of the right has more detail and it gives more form to her face, but the one on the left shows her eyes more (she looks like Demi in that one) and has more contrast. What do you think? I guess I love both of them, but only one can go up on our Studio wall.



Charles and Family

We photographed these two adorable girls and their family two years ago. They came back for an updated family portrait plus one, meet this absolutely adorable and loved little boy, Levi. Elli and Ally

You can view more images from their session here in their gallery on our website.

Tom loved this family portrait with Levi pulling Ally's pigtail! It is one of his all time favorite images, because it tells the family story so well. These girls are great big sisters to Levi, he is certainly blessed!

These are such good mannered, well behaved young ladies, such a pleasure to photograph!

I just love series like these, where you need multiple images to really tell the story...

You can see how much the girls have changed in two years, this is them in 2009

The newest addition to this family is the most adorable and good natured little boy. I was so excited when I saw him because I had an image in my head of a little boy in just overalls with teddy bears surrounding him. Levi was one of the best little ones we have ever had in the Studio.

Charles and Cheryl can just drop him off at the Studio next time they need a baby sitter.

The delightful little buy just smiled and laughed the entire time he was here!

I will post on just Levi alone in a couple of days...

Chase is due to arrive soon -- Maternity Session

We had a wonderful time photographing this radiant expectant mom and her husband. WOW!! We had a great Session with Jaime and cannot wait to meet Chase. You can view more images from her session here in her gallery on our website.

Chase will make his arrival in a few weeks

and his doting father has painstakingly decorated his wall with Dr. Seuss scenes!!

This is an Ana Brandt TaoPan maternity outfit and Jaime just looked radiant in it!

You can tell that we had a lot of fun with this session...

They are such a great couple and are going to make awesome parents!

Two images -- peace and contentment to fun and playful...

I just can't wait to photograph this little boy in his Dad's arms -- the juxtaposition of the little newborn with the strong tatooed Dad, yeah, that is going to be a great newborn session!

Whether in her own clothes or in the Ana Brandy Mama dress Jaime exuded the essence of motherhood!

I love these kinds of 'transitions' poses where each one tells a story, but the combination of images makes for an even greater story. This is a session that would be especially spectacular in an album...

I wanted to include this outtake as well, Tom using his new Canon 10-22mm lens! We bought it more for churches (and landscapes) but he used it in most of the portrait sessions too!

See you soon Chase!

Flavors 2011

Last Tuesday night we had the privilege of photographing the 10th Annual Flavors of Connecticut (Presented by Hartford Hospital). This was an American Liver Foundation Event at the Aqua Turf Club (Plantsville, CT). Flavors of Connecticut 2011 has raised to date over $216,000 and is now the #1 Flavors event in the country! We are proud to have been a part of this event!

This gala showcased Connecticut's premier Chefs as each chef prepared a signature five-course gourmet meal complemented with wine pairings for a table of twelve guests. The meal was prepared tableside by each chef to make for an unforgettable experience. Special guests included Emcee, Marc Summers, Food Network and Fund-A-Grant Presenter, Chris Berman, ESPN. Dr. and Mrs Robert Leventhal were the co-chairs of this fabulous event.

You can view a sneak peak now and in a couple of weeks view the rest of the images. Special thanks to Dr. Leventhal, Marla, JoAnn, Karen and David Foster!

http://www.breaphotosgalleries.com/ALF/Flavors2011

Meet Valon, an aspiring Model

Remember Kush from a few weeks ago? Well we recently photographed his brother Valon, also an aspiring model. We had a lot of fun with Valon and loved the transformation from "Justin" (Bieber) into "Edward" (Cullen) with a quick change into black clothes and a change of hairstyle.

You can view more images from Val's session here in his gallery on our website.

 I just love this first ime, his expression, his pose, the negative space on the left, everything!

Val was game for everything that we threw at him, very patient, allowing us to be very creative.

I love him with the marbles!

 See, "Justin" on the left and "Edward" on the right???

This is a brand new background! Only the second time we have used it, wow!

You know how much we love Black and White photos for our portraits! 

But B&W with a splash of color always pops!

What an awesome session!

You can view more images from Val's session here in his gallery on our website.

Meet four of our MaryKay Glamour Session women

Meet a few our latest MaryKay Glamour Session women...Paula and Suzanne did a fantastic job as usual!

Our next MaryKay Glamour Session is June 27th -- join us!

Allison -- you can view more images of her in her gallery on our website.

Michelle -- you can view more images of her in her gallery on our website.

Lucy -- you can view more images of her in her gallery on our website.

Susan -- you can view more images of her in her gallery on our website.

Join us for our next Glamour Portrait Session on Monday June 27th

**Special $50**

Includes skin care and/or makeup by Paula’s Mary Kay Unit, followed by a portrait session by BREA Photos. Also includes 2 copies of one edited JPG file (one copy formatted for printing and another for the Internet).

Display YOUR best image on Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networking sites; print it on your business cards or give someone a great photo gift.

Call or email Paula Murphy today to reserve your session 203-996-6312 or Paula-Murphy@comcast.net

Rachel C

Meet Rachel, graceful and versatile. From the beginning of Rachel's session it was evident that she had poise and knew how to hold herself, which made for an awesome photo session! You can see more images from her session here in her gallery on our website.



Heather

Heather came in for a model portfolio builder photo session and we got to try a plethora of concepts with her -- from Hi-Key to fashion to runway to Joel Grimes to funky! She brought a lot of clothes and a lot of energy and was just great to work with!

You can view more images from her session here in her gallery on our website.

We photographed for about three hours and could have easily done double that! We look forward to working with her again!

Wow! This is fabulous

Can't you see it as a huge billboard?

Stunning!

I absolutely loved this jacket!

We also did some 'runway" type shots with it and they are amongst my favorite from this session!

The blue just popped for her!

Love her on the Hi-Key white!

She looked great with the 'Joel Grimes' style of lighting too!

We have been working on a patriotic project as well, so we were excited to see her flag bikini...

She brought in such a variety of outfits and we really got to try LOTS of lighting and backgrounds and overall different looks with her!

love the scarves that she brought in with her too -- gotta get some more of these for the Studio.



Brave and Passionate Monica

We were honored to photograph this brave, determined, persistent and passionate woman. Monica is one of a kind, she has a zest for life and optimism that is unparalled. You can view more images from her session here in her gallery on our website. She was an absolute HAM in front the the camera, most photographers are not very comfortable in front of the camera, but she hammed it up with lots of poses allowing us to photograph her many facets.


Monica survived cancer Hodgkins when she was 24 and has had a very full life with a wonderful husband and a great daughter who is also her friend and her companion. She is now battling breast cancer and we were honored to be able to document both her strength duirng this time and the ravages of the cancer. Her relationship with her daughter reminds me of me and my Mom. Monica has a great smile, a wonderful sense of humor, and oozes with passion. She is an award winning photographer and is very involved in photographry organizations such as the Milford Camera Club.

This is my impression of Monica -- that she has certainly accomplished this goal many times over! "The goal for mankind is to walk a path on which our souls will shine and sparkle as brightly as diamonds."

She says this about her photography: "an insatiable wildlife and travel photographer, captures beauty, color, spirit (and often humor) into all of her images"

I found this on her website

"The Jewish word "Besheret " translates in English to soul mate, destiny, or "meant to be."

I have always felt that in life there are few "coincidences" and that things happen for a reason, even bad things. So after surviving Hodgkin's disease at the age of 24 and then being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, my "besheret" became clearer to me than ever. Photography had always been my passion and I knew that the time had finally come for me to leave my teaching career, take huge risks and pursue a new path with wild abandon. Life threatening illnesses have a way of making you reach way down into your soul, see who you are and discover what really makes you happy."

Phyllis from Vissa Studios

Meet Phyllis, a hair model for Vissa Studios. This was a headshot photo session was geared towards showing the hair style on this gorgeous and unassuming young lady, who is currently going to school to be an orthodontist. You can see more images from her session here on our website.

Glamour Girl Portrait Session -- Sunday April 3rd

Glamour Girl Portrait Session -- Sunday April 3rd

**Special $50**

Includes skin care and/or makeup by Paula’s Mary Kay Unit, followed by a portrait session by BREA Photos. Also includes 2 copies of one edited JPG file (one copy formatted for printing and another for the Internet).

Display YOUR best image on Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networking sites; print it on your business cards or give someone a great photo gift.
Call or email Paula Murphy today to reserve your session 203-996-6312 or Paula-Murphy@comcast.net