Today may be Black Friday but tomorrow is Small Business Saturday! In lieu of our favorite studio project, Focus on Wallingford, we wanted to remind you of some of our favorite local businesses. On behalf of ourselves and these places, we want to thank you for your business and loyalty! Shopping local not only benefits your town but families and people who are just like you and doing something they love for work. Although it may cost a little more at times, you can't put a price tag on the added customer service and knowledge of these business owners. Enjoy these few weeks of the holiday season and the new year! Don't forget to shop local tomorrow and all year long.

There's no better way to enjoy summer weather than with a fresh haircut and today's feature can help you get just that! When I walked into Dino's Modern Barbershop I could feel and see the Wallingford pride! Dino loves to show who he is through his decorations and possibly connect with his customers before they even sit in his chair. When we sat down with Dino to talk about himself and his shop; here's what he had to say:

"I'm 40 years old and have been a barber for 21 years. For 20 years I have been working in North Haven at my father's shop Gerardo's Modern Barbershop. It's always been a dream of mine to open my own place, just the way my Father did. Luckily, that is exactly what has brought me to Wallingford! It seemed perfect considering I've been living in this town since 1985 a graduate of Lyman Hall class of 1992. I'm super excited to bring excellence in barber shop experience to Wallingford. I hope to bring a family atmosphere and comfort for men and boys of all ages.  Also, when you visit my shop you will learn a lot about who I am, which is a big sports fan, especially the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Steelers. My second passion is my favorite band the Dave Matthews Band but my biggest passion is cutting hair and giving you the greatest customer service possible. I'm always welcoming new clients and forging great relationships with them. So, thank you in advance for your patronage and don't forget to stop in and check me out !!! Thank You!"

So, if you're in need of a haircut, good atmosphere and coverstaion, head on over to Dino's Modern Barbershop on 202 Center St. Wallingford!

Thank you for reading this weeks FOW! If you own a business in town and would like to be featured in our Focus on Wallingford series, comment below or contact me HERE!

I've been dying to share these images from another styled shoot with our friends from Salon Le Rae and The Dressing Room! I have loved each of our collaborations in the past but the edginess and overall idea for this shoot was so different from anything else we had done, I couldn't wait to put it into action! 

We decided to switch things up a bit and went from fancy prom dresses to the complete opposite edgy look with leather, black, dramatic makeup and hair. Our model, Marissa, is not only beautiful but also an amazing athlete and all around great girl. She’s the only girl on her high school's weightlifting team, an amazing softball player, crossfitter AND an Impressions Studio employee! You can find Marissa assisting me on on-location shoots in the summer and fall, carrying lights and reflectors. (Good thing she’s strong!)

I showed Jessica from Salon Le Rae some high fashion hair looks I loved and she pulled the vision together with the braided fo-hawk. Jessica also did Marissa's makeup. We started off doing something edgy but not over the top...we decided to take it to the full potential. This isn't something you get to do everyday, so why not! It was so fun to see Maris dressed in such a different style than usual! 

Now, let's talk location! Once we got the concept for styling hair and makeup down we needed a space. I was wracking my brain trying to come up with a loft type space with big windows, high ceilings and exposed brick. In talking to Chris from the Dressing Room, she said she knew the perfect space…and it was right in the center of town! She showed me a photo of The Confetti Room and I was sold! It was exactly what I had envisioned. When I walked in, it somehow was even better than I imagined, I was in LOVE! The light and overall feeling of this place was a photographers' dream.

Jess from The Confetti Bar was so warm and welcoming and has done such cool things with the space. We can't thank her enough for allowing us to play in Confetti Land for the day! Side note: Jess and I plan on working together more in the future. We will be offering a Confetti Session add on for our Class of 2016 Seniors that is going to be a BLAST! Stay tuned for the date and details on that.

I LOVE these black and white pictures. I really can't pick a favorite from the whole shoot but something about Marissa's expression and the painted radiator against the brick and showing the space makes my heart smile! Love it!!

Below are a few more of our favorites from this session. Keep an eye out for next weeks blog post...a FOW featuring who else but Jess of The Confetti Bar!

Hair and Makeup: Jessica Finn of Salon Le Rae

Oufit Styling: Chris of The Dressing Room

Outfit: Dress; Nicole Miller. Leather jacket; Blue Pearl by Allen B. Schwartz. Pants; Articles of Society. Top; Nicole Miller

5 Tips [for the Ladies]!

It's almost senior season and the most frequently asked question when sessions are booked is "What should I wear?!" While your outfit is one of the most important things, of course, there's a few other very big things to keep in mind...

1) Bring a variety of outfits! Try to avoid bringing only patterned items. Focus on having most of your options in a solid color. If you often dress in patterns, bring your favorite so it can be incorporated but won't take away from you and your session. You are the star of the show, remember that!

2) Apply makeup a little heavier than usual. At Impressions we are all about looking like the best and most natural version of YOU. Applying a little more mascara and foundation than what you are used to will just help accentuate your best features. Also, your hands will show in your images. Remember to get a simple manicure or remove any chipped polish before your session. 

3) Avoid a bad hair day! Whenever you go to a school dance or a special event, you often will go to a salon and get your hair done. Senior Portraits are only something you get the chance to do once so why not treat it like the special occasion it is? Salon Le Rae is just down the street from our studio and always does a great job. Making an appointment for a simple blow dry or curled hairstyle which will help create a polished look for your senior images.

4) Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! When you are wearing a plain outfit, it brings the opportunity to liven things up with accessories. Chris from The Dressing Room in Wallingford always has the latest trends in stock. This season, tassels are in! Also, if you play sports or participate in activities bring something that represents it so that can be incorporated into your session!

5) BE YOURSELF! When you look back on these pictures in 25 years you won't remember the brand of your dress or the exact location you picked. You will remember how comfortable you were and how much fun you had. We are here to make the session about YOU. Any ideas you may have for locations or poses are always welcome! You are only a senior once, make it memorable!

Spring is FINALLY here and with spring comes prom season! As you know, I've been teaming up with The Dressing Room and Salon Le Rae for a series of styled shoots. A few weeks ago when we were really itching for warmer weather we went to a local bakery, Mr. D's that is decorated in super fun way (and my favorite spot to get cupcakes) with some pretty Terani and Mignon pastel dresses and got to work. Our model, Cassie was so sweet! It was a blast working with her on this!

I really tried to photograph this shoot with a variety of techniques. I brought a small off camera light and used the beautiful natural light that Mr. D's had to offer. Using these different techniques allowed me to showcase the beauty of both garments that Christine brought from The Dressing Room as well as the interior of Mr. D's. Once again, Rachel and Jess did a great job with the hair and makeup for this shoot. It really pulled it all together. 

To make this shoot even better, we were able to use cupcakes as a prop (and we got to eat them afterward! Yum!) 

I'm so glad that I'm able to do these shoots with such great local businesswomen and feature some of my favorite shops! Keep your eyes peeled for next week's Focus on Wallingford post featuring...Mr. D's!