Joey turns 6 months

Baby Joey keeps growing and every time I see him he is cuter and cuter.

We did a portrait session at home just a couple of hours before he was baptized:

He is so much fun to watch and this is one of my favorite portraits from that day:

He was waiting to get dressed and keeping me busy with all the funny faces he is learning to make:

Getting a little extra love from mom before the big event:

His outfit was handmade and very elegant:

Mom dyed the little shoes to match the details on the outfit and added some bling too:

Well, he was somewhat somber once he was fully dressed; I think he just wanted to look cool and all grown up!

Joanna and Larry with baby Joey ready to entertain all the friends and family that joined the party after the Baptism:

There are many other photos from all the fun during the party and the portraits of Joey with family and friends; to view them click HERE and you’ll be directed to the private online gallery (use the event key provided by Joanna and Larry to log in)

Joanna and Larry, it is always so much fun to see you and Joey.

Dinner was great and the cake was just fantastic! I even thought of coming back the next morning and asking for seconds!

Krista and Joe’s Wedding

What a fun wedding this was! From the preparations at home to the energy on the dancefloor, the whole day was a blur.

Krista and Joe, it was great to meet all your family and friends – they brought so much enjoyment to the wedding. Seeing you laugh all the time and sharing the good times with all of those around you made my job so much fun. I cannot wait to start designing you an album that reflects all that emotion. Thank you for the evening, your kindness and boundless energy!!

For those of you who enjoy a short movie, we made a little video with some of our favorite photos from the day:

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If you prefer to browse the photos at your own pace, here are a few for you to enjoy and share:

Krista getting ready with all her girls lending a hand:

In the meantime, Joe and the guys were ready to get things going:

This images have a great story behind them, but that will remain between the guys and me…

Everybody arrived to the reception ready to have a great time, and we managed to get this group portrait on the fly:

We were so lucky to have Krista’s Grandma host the reception at her beautiful home – such a gracious host!

Here is dad, an avid photographer himself, practicing the craft on the newlyweds:

Krista and Joe started the evening with a combination grand entrance/little dance to the cheers of friends and family:

The cutting of the cake is a tradition I am always happy to witness, as I know it won’t be long before all that sweet goodness makes its way on to the tables!

The toasts were a time to remember shared experiences and an opportunity to create new ones filled with love and laughter:

The Detroit river provided a beautiful background, and the dock gave Krista and Joe a little one on one time:

The first of many dances and they owned that floor:

The changing evening light of a late summer day in Michigan, added a little bit of magic to an already very special day:

The dance floor was always ready to handle wave after wave of party people:

Click HERE to view the complete gallery of photos from Krista and Joe’s wedding (you will need the “event key” provided by  Krista and Joe to access the system).

Megan And Barry

Megan and Barry got married at The Dearborn Inn on a day that brought rain in the morning, with the promise of dry weather later on; only to go back to more rain. The ceremony was originally planned as a beautiful garden wedding, and with the grounds in full bloom, we were all excited about the day. As often times is the case in Michigan, the rain was not slowing down much. The ceremony was to take place indoors. Everybody kept looking out the window, hoping for a break in the clouds. Meg kept a very cool attitude and had resigned herself to the change of venue. Then things started to change rapidly. The rain finally stopped and the clouds began to open up a bit. After a few phone calls back and forth, Meg and Barry decided to go ahead with their original plan and have their ceremony in the gardens. I was personally very happy with their choice. Family members and hotel staff rushed to dry the chairs and get the rest of the plans back on track.

Here in Michigan, planning an outdoor wedding is a bit of a dare. We got lucky on this one and I still get a little grin on my face when I think that we almost folded. Here’s to all the brave couples who do not let a little weather uncertainty ruin their day!!

This last photo is the one they choose for us to custom design their Thank You cards, and one of our trademark shots that gets requested very often:

Megan and Barry, it was great fun photographing your wedding and hanging out with your friends and family.

We made you a little video, with some highlites from the day – we hope you enjoy it:

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Finally, to view the password protected gallery with all of your wedding day images, click HERE.

Joel Hernandez.

Rebecca & Larry – Wedding Portraits

Rebecca and Larry got married on a beautiful sunny day in Toledo, Ohio. After the wedding ceremony and some portraits with family and friends, we jumped into the Eclipse Studios van and went looking for a few less traveled spots to create some fun portraits. Our first stop was a bridge I remembered seeing on a previous visit to Ohio, and they were up for anything I suggested – even climbing up a little ladder I keep in the van “just in case” I need a little extra reach to get the vantage point I need. They actually had to do a little reaching and stretching to get to where the cool things would happen.

Bridal portraits can be a lot more fun than the most traditional ones, and even though you don’t have to climb a bridge, it’s good to know we’ll be there with you if you feel so inclined!

I like this little sequence below and I can see it as a large Gallery Display on the wall – it will be killer!

This image, done right under the bridge, while we could hear the heavy traffic overhead just cracks me up, so I had to give it my “super hero” treatment:

I was checking out another area when I spotted them completly engrossed with each other, so I managed to capture these two love-birds in a beautiful moment; the light was just perfect:

We got back on the road searching for a cool urban spot to continue the session, and ended up here:

My favorite from that spot is the one below; it has that great mixture of urban-funk with a little bit of old-world appeal, or at least that’s the best way I can describe it!

We drove to another area, and when the lone weeping willow grabbed our attention, we just had to do our version of  “The Garden of Eden” minus the whole apple and snake thing; the canadian geese on the grounds were wild enough for us…

We wrapped things up with a Cityscape by the water:

I leave you with a little video with some additional images that just would not fit in here without making this entry super long, so check it out. It is under two minutes and fun.

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If you are a friend or family member, and received the access code from Rebecca and Larry, click on the link below to view all the other photos from the wedding, including the group and family portraits.

Click here for private gallery

Hey Larry and Rebecca, you guys were a blast to photograph and I consider myself lucky to have shared such special day with you!  Thank you for being cool and fearless!!

Joel Hernandez.

Wyandotte Street Art Fair

We are open during the Wyandotte Street Art Fair going on from Wednesday 08th to Saturday 11th. Stop by and say hi, cool off in the air conditioned studio and take a bottle of cold water with you.

This link will take you to the website with all the information; we hope it is useful in planning your visit and choosing your favorite artists to see:

http://www.wyandottestreetartfair.org/

We hope to see you soon!!

4th of July Fireworks in Detroit

I finally made some time to share some of the photos from the 4th of July fireworks in downtown Detroit. We had a great crowd  again this year and there was standing room only at the favorite viewing spots along the river front. If you live in the greater metro Detroit area, you should make it to the yearly fireworks display at least once – watching them on tv just does not make them justice; besides, it is fun to people watch, specially the little kids with those big eyes trying to take it all in… or just bump into somebody you haven’t seen in a long time. Its always a great time, so start planning your local get away for next year.

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The BIG day – Joey is born.

I have no clear idea how to start this post, other than to tell you that I am thrilled to be a small part of somebody’s life.  I will share an abbreviated story in hopes that it will help you understand how very special these images are to me.  Joanna and I met several years ago, and we became friends almost right away.  She has an easy smile and a generous laugh – I love that about her. Both our schedules are demanding and we absolutely love what we do, so free time is a rare commodity – yet we have managed to stay in touch and remain friends.  I still remember the night that she introduced me to Larry; I was leaving the studio late one day, around 10pm, when a familiar voice called my name.  They had just had dinner a couple of doors down from my building and were on their way home.  Larry seemed like a real nice guy and it made me happy to think she had found a great guy to share her passion for life with.  We had a couple of dinners together, the two of them and my wife Kate and I.  It was evident that they were really falling in love, and we wondered if they even knew it.  Time went by and a date for the wedding was set.  I was happy and honored to be trusted with the photographic documentation of such a milestone - I might post a few images from their fun wedding at a later date.

Life has a way of keeping us busy, and before we know it a couple of years go by.  There were the sporadic phone calls and every year a wonderful holiday card with a letter updating me of their goals and achievements. Then one day there was a phone call – I could tell there was something important going on, maybe a little something in her voice or perhaps just a different vibe… anyway, after a minute or less of conversation Joanna could not keep me in the dark any longer: Joel, guess what? We are pregnant!!

And that’s the very short version of how we got here, and why I am so proud and thankful to be a participant in their lives.  These photographs are just a part of their story, a story that I am happy to document, in the hopes that it reminds us all about the little and the big moments in life, and how very important it is to have a record of who we are and how we live – not for vanity’s sake, but so that the next generation knows what it took to get there; the joy that we shared and who our friends and family are.  If anything, it makes for some great conversation about hair styles! I am always excited about what I do because I know that these images will help tell a few chapters of the story of someone’s life – it is an honor and a responsibility I am delighted to be entrusted with, so Joanna, Larry and little Joey – thank you for allowing me to take a peek into your lives, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!!

The first three images were portraits at their home just before we headed for the hospital:

Once we arrived at the hospital, things started happening very quicky:

And as usual, these love-birds found time to have a good laugh just before heading for the O.R.

A short while later, Joey is reunited with Joanna and Larry:

And here is a little video with more cool images:

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If you are a family member and were given the password, you can click on the link at the very end of the next post to view all the images.

Joey comes home!

So it has only been a week since Joey arrived and already he is looking more handsome -  it is the great genes he has been blessed with for sure!

Its very hard to choose just one favorite image from this at home portrait session, but this one is probably it for me.  I love the way Joanna and Larry are holding hands and the tiny smile on Joey’s lips. He really melts my heart like only babies can (or my wife when I catch her just before she wakes up and gives me a sweet smile).

Of course I will share some of the tired but extremely proud parents:

And the sweet bundle of joy named Joey:

This image is also one of my favorites – it does not get much better than a new born baby, natural light at home and a soft friend to cuddle with:

I leave you with another video to share and enjoy:

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If you are a friend or a family member, and were given the password (Event Key) to the private gallery, you can view all the other images from these two sessions by clicking on this link:

CLICK HERE

Also, please feel free to leave a comment for the parents, little Joey or even me.

Thank You all and expect another installment in the not so distant future.

are we there yet?

Hi Eclipse Studios friends!

It has been a little while since the last post, and I just wanted to let you know we will have a few new things to share with you soon. I will not spoil the surprise, but I won’t keep you in the dark either, so here are a couple of hints:

A.- It is bigger than a loaf of bread (but not by much) and a lot sweeter than honey – you will want to hug and kiss and cuddle – OK, no more hints on that one for now. This one is coming real soon!

B.- No riddles on this one: A fun session with a great couple – we took this one to new heights! The images are still being sorted and organized, so this one will take a little longer…

C.- And I am hoping to be able to post these new senior portraits in the next week or maybe two. We have so many great images that it will be tough to choose just a few.

That’s all the time I can afford for now: I have a ton of emails waiting for me and other projects still in progress; a few album designs, some graduation announcements, and the busy season is just picking up speed. Oh, did I mention how fast the grass has been growing with the cool temperatures and the rain? It seems by the time the backyard is mowed, the front has grown enough to need another cut - I swear I can hear the grass grow!! Hey, at least there is green and flowers everywhere – so with the winter blues fast becoming a distant memory we are gearing up for a crazy summer full of fun outdoor portrait sessions. I will do my best to post a few images here and there, or at least stop by and say hi to all our clients and friends.

Joel Hernandez, MD. *

 

*”Mayhem Director” at Eclipse Studios.

Ducklings and Rabbits, oh my!

We were so happy to have a few visitors at Eclipse Studios for this Easter.

In keeping with the principle that a portrait session should be special, we decided to give the Easter Portrait a more classic appeal, intsead of the commonplace treatment they usually get. This is an Easter Portrait that will stand the test of time and you will be proud of for many years to come:

Luna, the studio Pug was not about to let Mr. Rabbit take over her job as official studio greeter:

On a more relaxed setting, the basket full of ducklings was a big hit – just look at the surprise on her face!

She was quick to pick her favorite:

What’s better than making new cuddly friends?

While the duckilngs take a short brake to fluff their feathers, Luna tries her best to keep all available laps warm:

Hey, I think that’s my spot!

I am always delighted to catch all the quiet moments, all the tenderness:

We made a couple of short videos to share with you.

Turn up the volume on the speakers and click on the little arrow to play:

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Katie had no idea that there was a big surprise waiting for her at the studio:

She was at ease right away and made quick friends with Mr. Rabbit; I think these portraits show how she sealed the deal!

Play this short video to see a few more fun images from this session:

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The ducklings had a chance for a quick visit too:

These little guys are just adorable:

Of course we had to produce some portraits of our little guests.

This little guy had the best disposition and really knew what his best side was; check him out stricking a pose for the camera:

The cutest crested duckling I have seen:

And here is a peppy video showing all their talents and charm:

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Ahh! Mr. Rabbit was so cool and collected all the time, a real professional:

This video really shows his personality, even the music fits perfectly – he would not have it any other way:

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After some work with the kids and a few images for his portfolio, he let us know he was ready for a snack, standing up and looking around for some munchies – time to call it a day!!

It was such fun having these little guys at the studio, we are already planning another visit – it does not have to be Easter, so let us know if you and some friends are interested and we’ll be happy to put something together.

Thanks and we hope to see you soon!!