So have been missing my blog and excited about the launch and I so grateful to all of you who waited and supported me in this challenge. It was hard, rough but I had a deadline to meet and needed the meat and bones of my photography website to be revealed, there are always things to tweak and pictures to add but it was a good feeling to over all be accomplished. I finally now understand show it sites and it is everything it says it is, and it does what it says it does, it gives you freedom, freedom to be your self and I am so thankful for Sarah Barlow who introduced me to show it sites and I am ever thankful to Charlene Vaz who designed the main background and idea for my website and of course my slamin new business card, she has been working via different time zones and countries to help me out and I can be a handful and I am very thankful for her patience, tips and design. a hug thank you to Kimberly Salem, the FEO NY Leader for being the first one to show me hands on what Show it was all about and I sure bothered her loads. I also need to thank Tony for always helping me out last minute with the very technical computer stuff, and my Fast Track community for supporting and encouraging this launch, Iaan and Erin who did some hands on work as I bothered them last minute and many more folks who offered to help, give feedback and just stand with me.Boys were acting up as if they knew I had a big deadline, I am just glad it is finally up there! I encourage you to finish you site or try show it fast for free to feel free.

Thanks for everyone’s online support, comments, congrats and views, I SO appreciate each and everyone of you, thank you for being a friend! Thank you God for your  so ever loving strength and for my families’ patience.

If you want to learn about me, I suggest you visit the Feuza Loves section.

More changes coming soon on blog and my proofing site so I ask for you continued support and patience.

please take note now my blog is www.feuzareis.com/blog and my website is www.feuzareis.com

Many more pixs coming soon.

So as  I stated for my first day at WPPI, I signed up for the Bui Brothers Lighting workshop where we learned about shooting the perfect head shot and cool lighting basics for portrait sessions. We had three great models, a couple, the lovely Steviand Matt Savage from Avery House and model Faye Blume.

they were all troopers as we needed to constantly move due to rain, wind and crowds coming in from MGM, New York and Tropicana, that is Vegas for you, crowds all the time. As I stated I felt I learned such fresh content, simple things, things I miss sometimes and so glad to be attentive to all details in the shoot, not just lighting, composition in a general way, but to really have my eyes wide open. details, lighting source, ambient lighting,natural soft boxes, shadows, background and such. It was also great interacting with other photographers and I had a great time, about a few more blog posts to be caught up with my amazing Vegas experience.

Some cool off camera lighting techniques

the crew outside

Some Natural lighting shots for artistic affect.

and last but not least some more inside ones.

Good times at the MGM grand.

So my first day at WPPI in Las Vegas, NV was jam packed and I got a chance to attend a lighting workshop by the Bui Brothers. These guys rocked it, due to rain and weather change and lots of traffic from people, they constantly needed to change locations but make the lighting workshop which focused on getting the perfect headshot. We had some great models and it was my first attempt in photographing Las Vegas and testing some lighting scenarios. I really felt like a rookie at this workshop, but it was a good feeling, I think whenever we feel or think we know it all it is time to be doing something else. They went over some basic lighting info such as finding a great lighting source and put subject facing it to avoid shadows around eyes, this being said in cloudy scene, it was sunny, models would be squinting eye. Another great tip was the squatting position is great for getting the perfect headshot and last but not least a 3 lighting set up to get some cool lighting affects and play and have some fun.  It was awesome to immediately connect with some new friends, Shannon and her husband,  Hennesey, meet the very cool Mike Larson and catch up with Mr. Eric Farewell as well as meet Lan and Vu. Here are some sneaks for eye candy.

First some more shots of my Signature Hotel Vegas Room

Now on some of the workshop:

More on the models and lighting tests coming right up.

CONNECT|TWITTER|FACEBOOK

Today was one of those days, one of those pages in the story of your life where time freezes and for one second you almost think the book is over and you are no longer here then you breathe and see you are okay although you just saw a car flip a couple of times through the air through your rear view mirror and thank God for your life, for your family, for your safety. I had to stop the car and a gentlemen approached the upside down bug laying sadly on the concrete floor on broad cloudy early afternoon light, the lady was concious and okay and as we waited for the police and for help, my heart beat so fast. I was in the left lane you see and what if I was in the right lane, what if I was closer to her, what if she had hit my car. Ironically I was on left lane 2 minutes before thinking why was I on left lane, I was near that crazy two way street lane and thought that kind of lane would never work in Brazil and not even 2 minutes goes by and I hear a loud noise and look through rear view mirros confused and in disbelief at the site which seemed more like a movie than real life.

Our lifestory is a short one and the more I think about death, the more I want to live, the more I want to laugh, the more I want to love, the more I want to serve God, the more I want to reach for the stars, the more I want to be happy, the more I want to cuddle my boys and kiss my husband as he walks in in his construction clothes and I kiss him anyway and so more I want to take pictures, good ones, bad ones, iphone ones, whatever cause I want to hold on to these pages of my life as best as I can. Attending WPPI last week and doing photo shoots in Las Vegas was fun, exciting and uplifting and another lesson I got from it was I am missing the big picture. As God’s children, He wants what is best for us as we do for our own but we are so limited by our disbelief, at least I am, I am limited by my narrow sided vision and forget He takes care of our blindside and has such a more bigger picture for us.

Here is an example, when I attened the Fast Track Workshop in NY last October and I met Dane Sanders and saw how genuine he was and heard he was going to Brazil, a little voice in my head said, offer to translate for him while he is there, who knows you may get a free trip to Brazil. My limited vision was in thinking of my immediate needs situation, had not been to Brazil in 5 years, would love to go and what not better excuse than to hang with Dane? Coming back from WPPI and seeing what God had planned for me makes me want to kick myself in my behind and makes me realize that I need some bigger dreams for I am missing the big picture. As I stated yesterday with some of my mom photo friends on line,

“how little my mind is compared to what God really has envisioned for my life since we dont see the big picture we get stucjk on minor details that fog up our vision and see only what is so close to us meanwhile God is working on a panoramic view “

You see I was bummed I did not get asked to go to Brazil to  this one time event, sad, and just kept dreaming of it but to my surprise something magical happened, and I was invited to lead a Fast Track Brazil group on line, so I was in turn not attending 1 event but I was asked to be a leader for my fellow Brazilians, how cool is that? do you see the differance? do you see the much bigger picture at hand? International Leader, ambassador for the culture I so love? scary but I will sure try, I am so thankful to Dane’s friendship and the whole Fast Track Community and all the great photogs I met at WPPI. I am looking forward to dreaming bigger, higher, wider and encourage you to in what ever you are doing, if it is launching a photography or any other business, if it is planning your wedding, if it is restarting something, if it is finally taking that trip, setting that goal, dream bigger and cherish todays page in life.

Here are a few shots of me and Katrina Wheeler in our debut on Fast Track TV ( watch it here if you missed it)  where we gave some moms some tips of how to use social media  to help organize our chaotic life which we have motherhood, business, wife tales etc.  ( I will do separate blog post with tips since I really did not get to say everything I wanted) Thanks to my new awesome buddy Michelle for taking these.

I make some funny faces and I talk with my hands while I close my eyes sometimes, hay whatever works!

and we had a live audience too!

Thanks to all our friends and family who support us, who stopped by on twitter @fasttrackphoto and who came just to encourage us, thank you so so so much

and here are some Las Vegas pixs from my hotel room ( MGM Signature Hotel photos)

As I am still editing away so many shots of wonderful moments of photo sessions in Las Vegas during WPPI, I must take a break and tell you about a Christian Retreat I will be speaking this upcoming June. This retreat is called Point of Creation and it is an avenue where creative christian women can come together to explore their creative side, learn how to tap it into the business side with an overall goal to make you a better woman, a happier woman. I am so inspired by the founder of Point of Creation Yadira Laguerre, you might remember her from a previous post where I had done a lifestyle session with her. She is so vibrant and her smile lights up the city, I feel so honored and blessed to be asked to speak on the topic of branding and marketing and can not wait for this big ole girlie girl reunion. Registration is now open so I encourage you to grab your tickets fast.

Here is my Fuse Interviews Yadira Laguerre on Point of Creation Retreat-

The retreat is scheduled for the weekend of June 4-6 in Lake Pleasant, NY.  The cost is $299 which includes lodging, buffet style meals, interactive business workshops and all of the camp’s amenities (pool, beachfront, gym, sports complex, etc).  We even have an optional Challenge Course planned which is an obstacle course for team building and confronting your fears (think climbing a high pole and jumping).  I’m really looking forward to that!  Women who are interested can view the full weekend itinerary and register right online by visiting www.poc-retreat.yadiralaguerre.com Registrations paid in full before March 15th will receive a professional image/styling consultation and professional headshot by me to go with it (I moonlight as a photographer and graphic artist).  Tarsha Gibbons is our Image Consultant and she is amazing.

6) How is this retreat different than other retreats?

There are spiritual retreats and there are business conventions; this merges the two and throws in some girly fun.  Women of all ages stretch themselves too thin, doing things for everyone else while ignoring what is in their own hearts to accomplish.  This retreat will force you to stop and listen to what is in your own spirit, to hear the voice of God in a fresh way and be instructed by women just like you.  All our speakers will be rooming together with our guests.  It is not an “us” and “them” kind of weekend where there is an invisible wall between those that teach and those that take the notes.  We’re all in this boat together.  Let’s learn from each other.

Yadira thanks so much for such a great interview.

Here are some pixs of Yadira I had taken and stay tuned for for of my Las Vegas Photo adventures.

and here are some mobile uploads of the view from my room in Vegas, just some teasers-

Signature Hotel in Las Vegas, NV owned by MGM.

While in Las Vegas, NV I had a chance to photograph a live model Fashion Show sponsored by Kiss Wedding Books. Although I have not used Kiss books yet, their booth at the trade show caught my eyes with high walls splattered with kisses that I had to stop by. It was clean, it was modern it was simple as their motto is simple is hot.  I asked for one of their cool shirts and was informed there would be a surprise the Pictage Party at Studio 54 later on but little did I know what Kiss had planned. Mad props to Kevin Swan , Shaun Austin and team for presenting their Wedding Album Colors with live models to represent each color such as Sultry Blue, Redlight Red, Smouldering Brown and others. What a genius idea, luckily right before I was given a heads up by my friend Eric Farewell who said you might want to take your camera out and sure glad I did, here are some pixs of this surprise Fashion shoot hosted by Kiss.

Since I had to do the Pictagerazzi thing, we had to shoot in jpeg and most of these pixs are SOOC.

Studio 54

3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109-4319
(702) 891-1111

This is my first day back from Las Vegas, NV where I attended WPPI, only the biggest photographer convention in the world and I have about a gazillian images to import, back up and edit but so glad I got a chance to photograph couples in Las Vegas. Internet connection was very poor at the MGM hotel and I did not get to update my twitter, facebook or blog frecuently. I had an amazingly blessed time from beginning to end, my feet asked for rest, my stomach growled and my eyes were wrestling but it was freaking o fantastic with a cherry on top! I have so many experiences to share with you but as I sit here still in my pjs and very sore I just want to nap with my boys. I will say one thing, the biggest lesson perhaps learned in these last 5 days was do onto others as you wish it was done to yourself. WPPI can be so overwhelming and it made me feel small and alone at times and I thought about folks who were feeling that all the time and so I said well what if I smile more, what if I talked to the person standing in line next to me in the food court, what if I invited folks out, invited folks to the free parties I knew of, what if I gave? what if I served others? Although I had VIP pass I did not get a chance to attend VIP classes and even see some things I wanted to see like packaging and some other album companies, the best parts were the in betweens, it was running into people and changing plans, it was hanging out at the New Media lounge and just embracing this almost surreal out of body and yet fulfilling experience. To all my new friends, thank you for sharing and giving of yourself this week, thank you for hanging out with this crazy Brazilian who lugged huge bags all around, who ate while she was walking, who looked tired, who dance danced and danced some more. So as I thought of okay just do it, just be it, just smile, just invite, I came up with a last minute photoshoot out of my own. I had met this hot South African Couple at the food court during some arm wrestling, long story, but was so cool to meet folks from so far and all day tuesday I thought to myself, what if I saw them again and offered to do a mini shoot and don’t you have it that they were at the morning prayer get together with PhotogUnite which by the way was the perfect way to end my trip to Vegas, praising God with these incredible photographers and friends, talking in small groups and praying for each other, for our industry and praying for our wonderful clients.

I offered and they said yes, we scheduled to meet up within 2 hours and I ran into my new Brazilian fellow Fast Tracker Waldyr and invited him to go so he waited with me then saw Kristi Crosson and she tagged along as well and as we were shooting right outside the Signature Towers, my new buddy Otto Rascon came down and enjoyed this fun. Christine ( check out her work folks) and Iaan ( if you need a website check him out), thank you so much for saying yes to this wacky Brazilian and for being so true, real, beautiful, for speaking Afrikan during the shoot probably saying how strange it was to be on other side of camera, perhaps saying why did we say yes, perhaps shy, loved how you laughed nervously but let go as you thought more of each other, and how well you work together and felt your love in your eyes. From bottom of my heart thank you thank you, so glad I can say I have now friends in South Africa, wish I was going for World Cup 2010. So no further a dew here are some behind the scenes of this awesome Love Photo Shoot in Las Vegas, NV.

Waldycir getting some second shooting Shots while Otto was  showing Iaan how it is done

And how cute, romantic and fun are Christine and Iaan?

Loads more to come from this mini shoot~

As a NJ based Wedding and Lifestyle Photographer, I have to say I am so excited.Within 24 hours  I will be on a plane headed to Las Vegas, NV for one of the biggest if not the biggest Photography Convention in the world, WPPI ( Wedding & Portrait Professionals International) which will take place at the MGM grand in Las Vegas Strip. you probably have seen all the crazy tweets and might even be a bit annoyed but let me tell you good times, great pictures and lots of changes to come.  I feel very blessed that I am able to go and have friends and family supporting me and major helping with the kids. As a mom, it is not easy going away, it seems the kids act up right before, house is a little crazy and the to do list is never ending but again just feel blessed I am able to go at all. Some amazing things are about to happen in the next 5 days professionally and personally and I must thank God for all of that, for being able to share my ideas, my work, my feelings on this blog with you and to continue to create art with my camera As I write here in the dark and the kids are asleep, I feel tired, excited, proud, happy, blessed,worried about the kids and hubster already and I feel peaceful too.

For those of you at WPPI you will also see me wearing a pictagerazzi shirt. I was one of the photographers selected by Pictage to capture some pictures of the event so photographers there can order free prints from the talks and trade show. It is an honor to be connected to Pictage and looking forward to meeting many cool photogs and leaders. And also I super excited about participating in the Fast Track TV which will be aired on www.askdane.com so if you are not attending WPPI tune in and see full schedule here*** I am nervous but luckily I will not be alone, I will be with fellow mom photographer Katrina Wheeler and we will have a talk on being a mom, launching a photography business and how social media has helped. Please join us Tuesday at 2 p.m EST/ 11. am PST and send your questions ahead of time on twitter @fastrackphoto

And if you want to connect while at WPPI, dm me on twitter and here are a few places I will be at for sure. THESE TIMES ARE PST TIMES.

Sunday-

9 am- brunch - Rainforest Cafe, feel free to join me

12:30- Pictagerazzi meeting

1:30- Bui Brothers Workshop

8-9 - Pictage Welcome Reception

Airhorns and Lasers after that- woo hoo

Monday- busy day

8 a.m

then some classes and trade floor

2:00-4:00 pm workshop with Stephen Knuth

4:00-5:30 pm Fast Track Shoot out

WPPI pool party – 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
The 30th anniversary WPPI pool party at the MGM pool? no swimming for me, hair is not water proof and need it to last while I am there, lol

Tuesday-

11:00- New Media Lounge- tune in on www.askdane.com to watch me, hopefully I will not chatter away,

3:30 pm- Dane Sanders Platform talk

6:00 p.m- Fast Track After party

Then B-school Party perhaps

Wed-

8 am breakfast  with Show it Unite

perhaps 1 class and back home

I have not packed just yet. I am a planner, I love to plan plan plan but have a bad habit of leaving some things for last minute, just like my shopping and packing list and then when I go shopping, of course I can not find anything that fits and the mall is about to close. Happy Friday, so are you an early color cordinate your socks packer or are you a last minute see what fits in suit case and pray you dont forget your tooth brush but you always do anyhow packer? I would like to say I am in between and pushing for the first then the second one, after all I do not want a tooth brush collection. I also work well under pressure for these kind of things, well sort of, at least that is what I tell myself, I would love to hear your packing and traveling tips. Of course we need some pixs up in this blog so here are some sneaks of my new business card which I got paid for my trip, designed by the lovely www.charlenevaz.com

As you can see I most  likely will be not updating my blog but please follow me on twitter and facebook for the updates on my great trip. Wishing everyone safe travels and I can not wait to connect. Also booths I will be sure to check out are: Tofurious, Shoot Sac, New Media Lounge, Pictage, Finao Albums, Shoot Q,Shoot Dot Edit, Kevin Kubota, Drop It Modern, and some others

As a NJ bases Lifestyle and Wedding Photographer, I do try and watch the Jersey scene of photography as well as some possible models to shoot and fun ideas. I have been wanting to do a portrait shoot with my brother in law, after all, dark, handsome, brazilian and really tall. I jokingly say I will try and make him a model and become rich, he smiles with his timid smile and folds his arms liking the idea of getting pictures done but not too sure on the modeling part since we told him he would need to wear skinny jeans. He was very shy but I got him to do a portrait session this weekend around my South River, NJ neighborhood. He is single ladies but not looking for any commitment at the moment lol.  Here are some of my favorites of the outside portraits.