April 10, 2017

Why You Need Self-Care To Have The Wedding Day Of Your Dreams

April 10, 2017/ Lorna Stell

How would you feel over the next few months if you planned like crazy, had very little time to relax or do anything for yourself, and then your wedding day came and you never felt like you could soak up how amazing it was because you felt fried?

Now…how would you if you had time to plan your wedding AND take time just for yourself, you felt physically more relaxed and emotionally more calm and positive, and had the wedding day of your dreams too? Feels better, right? That’s what I want for you, and I believe that self-care is the ultimate way to make that happen!

June 06, 2016

Somerville Small Business Product and Lifestyle Handmade Jewelry Photography | Linkouture

June 06, 2016/ Lorna Stell

Whenever I get to work with fellow entrepreneurs and creatives and see their success, I feel like such a proud mama! When you own your own business AND you’re a solopreneur, sometimes it feels like it takes forever for all the pieces to fall into place and for everything to work together seamlessly for you to achieve your goals. As a photographer and someone who does their fair share of shopping online, I can say that cohesive visual elements and imagery make a huuuge difference in the perception of a product! Having seen the “before and after” of Linkouture’s imagery, I can say that Bev's new photography for her business works wonders for showing off the quality she’s capable of creating!

May 02, 2016

Rebranding: The New Logo

May 02, 2016/ Lorna Stell

Never in my life have I ever had a crush on a typeface. Until this year.

We both know modern is totally my style, but I also wanted to bring in something that spoke to sophistication with a touch of luxuriousness. I love my usual minimalism, but I wanted something with a little more “oomph” than that. Believe me, it’s hard to put words to something visual that doesn’t exist yet!

April 25, 2016

Rebranding: Making A Moodboard

April 25, 2016/ Lorna Stell

I remember thinking over this past winter, “Oh man. Rebranding is so intense. My designer and I have to work together to figure out how to express who I am and what I do in ONE logo. Just one. Not only that, I’ll need to visually “brand” everything in my business cohesively, from my business cards, to my packaging, to my website…where do we even start??”

I’ll tell you, friends. It all starts with assembling a launch pad. In the case of branding and visual design, your launch pad is a moodboard!

After assessing why I needed to rebrand and who the new brand would be for (a.k.a. my Dream Clients—you guys!), it was time to begin thinking about how to express all that in a visual way.

April 18, 2016

Rebranding: That "Me Too" Moment

April 18, 2016/ Lorna Stell

I recently decided to create a survey and call up some of my portrait clients from 2015. I didn’t get to chat with every one of you sadly, but those of you I did get to talk with taught me SO much. I am so grateful for the time you spent sharing your thoughts with me and showing me what’s most important to you in life. I ended up asking you about everything from what your dream house would be like, to what you're most often frustrated by, to how you want to be seen by others (Seriously. We got DEEP and I cannot thank you all enough for sharing these things with me)! I discovered some amazing things, which my Dream Clients all have in common, that made me feel so elated and encouraged! Read on to learn what I discovered!

April 11, 2016

Rebranding: It's Happening!

April 11, 2016/ Lorna Stell

Here’s my deep, dark secret: I designed my current logo myself, somewhere around 2011, when I was a senior in college studying studio art with a concentration in graphic design. Seriously. If you know me personally, you might be totally surprised if you haven’t heard that before because I would NEVER touch a design project today.

I share all that to say, I have learned SO much lately about the true worth of hiring a creative expert. Not cutting corners when you have the choice to invest in something great, that will elevate your experiences in life and business. Choosing to trust a creative business owner to do what they do best. Choosing to focus your energy on the things you do best, rather than trying to wear ALL the hats, and fumbling around with the ones that don’t fit quite right.

I am done trying to “make it work” myself when it comes to my branding, because while I have learned so much through this process, I am totally not a branding expert! The awesome part is, I got connected with someone who is!

January 11, 2016

Somerville Winter Fashion + Style Photography | Fashion On The 4th Floor, Chapter Two

January 11, 2016/ Lorna Stell

When Diane pulled out these sequined pants, that was the moment. I knew I was in love. Not only with the pants, but with her creative styling ideas too (not to mention, her personality is off-the-charts)!

I LOVE a good statement piece that requires some gusto to wear, and pairing sequined pants with a casual sweater in a classy color is just perfect. This was an outfit I would love to wear myself, so I love that I get to feature it here and share with you all! This is perfect for a holiday or New Year’s Eve party, or a daytime look that you want to kick up a notch.

October 26, 2015

Squantum Point Park Senior Portrait Session

October 26, 2015/ Lorna Stell

When I was first chatting with J's mother on the phone about scheduling his senior portrait session, I think I was told at least three times, "Oh, he's a very no-nonsense kind of guy." In this case, "no-nonsense" apparently means being an amazingly easy going portrait subject! J knows what he does and doesn't want ("Yeah, let's not shoot by the giant rusty piece of metal...") but was also down to try a bunch of my creative ideas. I have to say, this is the perfect combo when it comes to portrait sessions! This guy even sat on a big (possibly dirty) piece of driftwood in his khakis for me (and for the record, I offered my own blanket for him to sit on)! Our time at Squantum Point Park was everything I could have hoped for, and I think J and his mom and sister would agree!

July 27, 2015

Wholehearted | Woohoo, We're Moving! / Eeeek, We're Moving...

July 27, 2015/ Lorna Stell

Today's post (as you may have guessed) is about a special announcement and awesome life change for My Other Half and I, as well as the emotional rollercoaster that comes with it. You may recall from my previous (and first) Wholehearted post that change sometimes totally freaks me out, and BIG changes pretty much freak me out 100% of the time. Change was hardly ever part of my world growing up, so when I became a young adult I had to figure out how to navigate it, and I'm definitely still in the process!

May 18, 2015

Boston Fashion + Style Photography | Chic Coles, Chapter Six

May 18, 2015/ Lorna Stell

This session was photographed right next to the Zakim Bridge. Urban textures juxtapose grass and trees (much like the rest of the city), and allow for so many different "look and feel" opportunities for styled sessions like this. I love when all you have to do is look around to find inspiration! Read on to see more Winter-To-Spring style!

May 04, 2015

Boston Fashion + Style Photography | Chic Coles, Chapter Five

May 04, 2015/ Lorna Stell

Melissa had the great idea of visiting the area around the Zakim Bridge. Even though I have lived between Cambridge and Somerville for about 3 years, I had never actually been under the bridge, so I was excited to explore! As it turns out, it's architecturally a very interesting space and and I think it paired well with Melissa's navy and white with pops of accent colors. This outfit is a perfect "winter-to-spring" ensemble! Feminine yet simple and modern, it's the perfect outfit for a day in the city.

April 20, 2015

Charlestown Fashion + Style and Food Photography | Chic Coles, Chapter Three

April 20, 2015/ Lorna Stell

So excited to share with you all another collaboration between Chic Coles and I! Melissa had the great idea of pairing an outfit with a smoothie, and on a day that's overcast or chillier than you'd like it to be, a smoothie (and dressing for what you WANT to feel like, not what you currently feel like on said dreary, overcast day) is the perfect pick-me-up.

March 16, 2015

Charlestown Fashion + Style Photography | Chic Coles, Chapter Two

March 16, 2015/ Lorna Stell

Melissa and I are at it again! This week's fashion post is a different take on the classic New England style. If you have ever felt like a schlub trying to pull together something semi-presentable to cover your body with for weekend errands while still rubbing the sleep out of your eyes, this outfit inspiration is for you, dear reader!

March 09, 2015

Charlestown Fashion + Style Photography | Chic Coles

March 09, 2015/ Lorna Stell

I'm very excited to announce that Melissa and I are teaming up to bring you some lovely visions of Boston-inspired wardrobe ensembles to inspire your own, while we highlight our favorite spots around the city. Melissa is inspiring me already to expand my own personal style, usually composed of color blocking, edgy textures, and lots of black. If you enjoy the photo story below, please pay Melissa a visit at her blog, Chic Coles, to see more and to even pick up some of these pieces for your own collection, including the makeup she used!

February 23, 2015

Melrose Day In The Life Family Session | Mom + Daughter Cupcake Adventure

February 23, 2015/ Lorna Stell

These two are such an amazing duo brimming with love. I had an amazing day with this mom and daughter at their home in Melrose capturing their little antics and sweet moments together! Little Ruby did impromptu gymnastics and showed off her treasured makeup kits for me, and she and her mom Christine baked cupcakes and tramped around in their snowshoes before everyone's fingers got too numb from the cold.

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