Scarlett Lillian Workshops: Gavin and Erin are married! /// Las Vegas desert photoshoot

It's becoming a tradition that each year at WPPI, I host a fun photoshoot to help other photographers get some amazing images in an amazing place. The past 2 years I took the group around the strip with all the flashy lights, but this year, I wanted to get away from the fabricated Vegas buzz and out into the raw desert. We shuttled out into mountains and found some cactus and jumped out in the road a few times. Our models were the gorgeous Gavin and Erin Wade, both Orange County wedding photographers who got married last October.

A special thanks too to Giselle Sanchez who did Erin's awesome makeup!

We had such a blast shooting and I absolutely adored the images I got, it was so hard to narrow down my favorites, so here's a ton below!


























































And of course a few of the group in action!







Here's some of the attendees images from the shoot they already blogged too! Go give them some comment love! :-)

Sia McDonald
http://siamcdonald.com/blog/2010/03/happy-lungs.html

Terra Dawn
http://www.terradawnblog.com/2010/03/16/wppi-2010-scarlett-lillian-workshop/

Katrina Wheeler
Her fan page of the shoot

Meg Sexton
Her fan page of the shoot

Janet Power
http://www.janetpowerphotography.com/blog/?p=624&cpage=1

Tricia Bennett
http://triciabphoto.com/blog/2010/03/red-rock-canyon-las-vegas-ttd-shoot-with-scarlett-lillian/

Michelle McKeen
http://www.michellemckeenblog.com/2010/03/gavin-erin-wade.html

Let's get our shoot on at WPPI 2010 in Las Vegas!

So who all is attending WPPI this year? Leave me a comment and let me know! And if you see me around, please come up and say hello, I would love love love to meet you!

One of my favorite things about WPPI is the chance to leave Jacksonville behind and shoot in an new awesome place! Las Vegas has SO much eye candy to shoot around! The past 2 years I have hosted photoshoots around the strips and hotel, and I thought I would take a break this year, but so many of you have been asking me to do another one... Soooooo, here goes! I'm actually really excited to host another one this year because last year the photoshoot SOLD OUT to 20 photographers from as far away as Japan and Australia! We had fun playing around with off camera lighting, but things got a little crazy being in the heart of the WPPI. So this year, I'm scaling it down to 10 people, and I'm taking things out to the desert because... well... I've never got desert shots before and I really want that shot of a bride and groom laying in the abandoned road with the steamy desert all around them... ha!

The event site is already live, but registration doesn't open until 1 PM PACIFIC standard time. (That's 4pm today for us east coast folks! I had to set it according to Las Vegas time!) So set your alarms on your iPhones to remind yourself because it's first come first serve with the 10 spots open! Here's the link where you can grab your spot:

http://scarlettlillianvegas2010.eventbrite.com

Also, as a bonus, each attendee will receive a 30% discount toward a stylin' Trendy Camera Strap!

Here's a fun behind the scenes video from last year's shoot made by the fabulous Andrew of Studio MSV!




Also, earlier that day before the shoot on Tuesday morning March 9, I'm excited to also be asked to hang out at the Pictage booth at 11am. Apparently Jim Collins, the rockstar CEO of Pictage, is doing a "Inside the Actor's Studio" dealio with myself and other friends of mine (you'll want to stick around for Bob & Dawn Davis and Mike Larson following me)! So I hope you'll make it over to the Pictage booth and participate and say hello!!

Lastly.... can I get a big WOO HOO! Last night, I was honored to be 1 of 90 photographers who helped raise almost $42,000 for Thirst Relief! This will help ThirstRelief save 8,327 lives by providing access to safe, clean drinking water in third world countries. It was like watching a horse race the last 2 minutes as I watched my bids go up, actually hanging on the edge of my seat! I'm still waiting to hear who won my bid, but I'm excited to not only help Thirst Relief, but help another photographer at WPPI. We'll be spending 2 hours together over lunch chatting about photography as I help answer their questions. In addition to the mentor session they won, I'm giving them a FREE spot in this Vegas shootout!

So don't forget.... 1 PM PST is when registration opens... Hope you can grab a spot too! I look forward to hanging out and shooting with you in Vegas!

http://scarlettlillianvegas2010.eventbrite.com

EDIT: This event SOLD OUT in 20 minutes! But if you missed out grabbing a spot, go to the link above and sign up on the WAITING LIST in case a seat opens up... I just might open a few more. :-)

Scarlett Lillian Workshop: Day 4 + I love MCP Actions!

On the last day of the workshop, we said our goodbyes and most girls headed out early back home. A few girls stayed a tad longer to get their headshots done by moi! Here's a few of my favorites of the beautiful ladies!

I'm excited too... for this blog entry, I tried out one of the workshop sponsors, MCP Actions, new "Finish It" action to create my blog logo header on the images. Before, I used a homemade template with my logo, then had to run an action to resize the high res to the web size, then drag it over to the template with my logo, then had to sharpen it, then had to flatten it.. all these crazy steps.. but now with the Finish It action by MCP Action, all I literally did was press one click to run the action (which resized it whether horizontal or vertical and created the black part at the bottom), another click to add my logo, and another click to resize it. Soooo simple and eliminated all those extra steps I was taking. Jodi with MCP Actions created a whole bunch of shapes and looks you can choose from for your blog preference, I just chose the one closest to what I was using before. I highly recommend you download this to tag your blog images with your logo with such ease!!


The blue-eyed beauty, Jerri Lynn









The trendy and chic Kayla Mercedes












The gorgeous Jessica Ashley

Scarlett Lillian Workshop: Day 3 With America's Next Top Model Cycle 10 Winner Whitney Thompson

When I found out the news, I could hardly contain myself. Somehow, I was able to keep a secret until the last day of the workshop when I surprised the girls that our special model for our bridal photoshoot that day would be America's Next Top Model Cycle 10 Winner Whitney Thompson!


If you can't view the video, click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59t54_5M598


Before getting ready for our bridal shoot, Whitney walked into the room bravely without hair or make up done. She shared her heart with the girls about her message she carries with her to inspire others. As the first "Full Figured" model to win the show, she enjoys talking with young girls about how real beauty comes from within, not what the pages of a magazine show and distort. She shared with us the realities of how the average size woman IS a Size 12 or above, but in the modeling world, size 6 is considered overweight. I applaud Whitney for not starving herself, but rocking the gorgeous curves she has.

Here's a pic of us I grabbed with my iPhone behind the scenes as Whitney got ready!



As Whitney and our groom model Wes modeled for us, I taught the girls about off camera lighting around One Ocean Resort & Spa and out on the beach. It was a freezing Florida day, but Whitney and Wes were troopers and rocked it! I was so proud to see the awesome images the girls were getting, most their first time using off camera lighting. A few of the girls have already posted pics, so be sure to check out their photos of Whitney on their own blogs and leave them some comment love!


Amy Gibbons
Kerry Andriuk
Jessica Ashley
Lydia Shannon
Leeann Marie
Sarah Bray
Connie Rollins
Erin Campbell

And below are a few of my favorites I shot! Special thanks to the glam squad that put together Whitney's look:

Fashion Stylist: Melanie Pace
Make Up: Paulina Perez
Hair: Amber Kish
Dress: Judd Waddall, Solutions Bridal
Necklace & Earrings: BCBG
Ring & Bracelet: Bayhill Jewelers
Shoes: BCBG





























And here's a fun shot Stephen grabbed of the whole gang with Whitney!




And the workshop wouldn't have been complete without a special thank you to the amazing sponsors:

ShootSac
Trendy Camera Straps
Canvas OnDemand
Phaunt
Rita Hermes, Wedding Publicist
AsukaBook
MCP Actions

And a special thanks to the Bui Brothers who rocked it behind the scenes capturing the whole event for an upcoming project!

Lastly, I leave you with this special message from Whitney Thompson to you!


If you can't view the video, click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxdy6rAxOmw