Mikkel Paige

Post-Processing: Culling Images After a Shoot

2012-05-17T13:00:44Z

Using Adobe Lightroom as a part of my post-session processing.

Clare and Doug * Engagement Session Sneak Peek!

2012-05-14T13:00:42Z

An engagement photoshoot on NYC's High Line.

Etsy Wedding Event: To Have and To Hold * New York City * April 28, 2012

2012-04-30T18:15:55Z

Do you love Etsy as much as I do? If you do, you'll understand why I was so excited to hear that they were having their first ever WEDDINGS event! My friend Jen, from Sweet Element cake designs, told me about it in March. I immediately went online to buy a ticket for $20, which is a fair price if you ask me. Thank goodness I did! It sold out not too long after.

I didn't know what to expect because they informed guests that you would not be able to buy anything there. Hmmm....then wasn't it just Etsy, in person instead of online? And to be honest, maybe it was a bit, but I couldn't have been more pleased with the presentation. And there really is value in seeing products in person rather than online sometimes.

If you weren't able to go, let me walk you through it!

Setting the scene - spring Saturday in Manhattan. Nice day with sunshine and perfect spring temperatures usually means happier people who want to be out and about. Score for Etsy. I rushed from the subway to the venue, on 91 Horatio Street in the Meat Packing District (er, borderline West Village?), because the trains were so messy that day from Queens (where I live) I ended up being late. I was so nervous they wouldn't let me in because my 10:15am ticket time had passed. But I was greeted by Laura, the social media staff member of Etsy's team, whose smile and welcome instantly calmed my nerves. Whew. I'm in! She said I could definitely take photos when I asked permission. SO glad I brought my camera!!

After a conversation with Laura (she's to the right in green and yellow) about how fab Etsy is I spoke with Sara, who interns with Laura, about general crafting, with an emphasis on stationary (smiles!) and she handed me a cute tote bag. It was filled with a Bride magazine and all sorts of coupons for various Etsy shops. Major enable factor for shopping later on. I was also advised to grab a guide and a pencil to mark off anything I loved at the show, which I could later order online (or at one of the laptops they had set up there - I think there were about three). The photo below shows the show book and the tote. And that cute typewriter next to it had a banner instructing "sign the guest book." Too cute. And yes, you can find that typewriter on Etsy, at the Oui Oui Je Suis shop. (How cute is that name?)

The guide was REALLY well done. Well designed, well organized; it was smart. Kudos to whoever put it together. Below is a glimpse inside its pages. Not only was it resourceful, providing easy education on "How to Find Your Ring Size" and "How to Take Your Measurements" but its table of contents made it easy to navigate to categories like "Brides and Bridesmaids" that included anything from jewelry to bouquets and wooden hangers, to "Decor" including cake toppers, guestbooks and signs.

I entered the room, through the pearly gates - or in this case awesome white, ivory and gold ribboned entryways. And I immediatley hit with desserts. Such is my life. Ovenly provided sugary goodness. I tasted a few things (coincidentally my cousin knows Ovenly's owner, Agatha, who I was thrilled to meet in person) and everything was honestly delicious! My favorite was the salted chewy chocolate chip cookies. But it ALL looked good.

The music was great. Colleen at Sugartown Industries knows what brides want to hear. I was singing along the whole time I was there. How cute is her candy business card idea? Yum.

I picked up a drink from St. Germain and made my way around the room.

Here are some of my favorite items from the event. There are far too many to have captured and shared it all but I did my best to give a great overview. I have a slideshow of some more photos to share at the end with a coinciding list of where you can find the featured slideshow photo items on Etsy.

A great hanger for a bridal dress or gown: a must! Photographers will LOVE you even more. And good calligraphy? Such a turn on.

Hanger: Whiskey n Weddings Bells

Calligraphy: Hazel Wonderland

Garland behind envelope: Thimble Weddings

I kind of want the gold heart earrings below for my very own. Thinking about it..

Dress: Ouma

Heart earrings: Safron and Seage

Cute handbag alert! I love a little surprise inside in the form of a fun liner.

Handbag: Angeew

Rhinestone Headband:

Another great dress with floral detail on a one shoulder strap with a great hand-crafted bouquet.

Grecian wedding dress: KT Jean

Bouquet: Florabond

Custom shoes: Angelesque Stilettos

They had a great idea to have a letterpress pro at the event. I loved speaking with Rebecca, of Moontree Letterpress. She's such a doll and so easy to talk to. As if her stationary and invitations weren't enough, she prints Etsy's employee business cards too. Cool, right?

Here's a peek at Rebecca gorgeous work. I love the grey ink with green edges on this wedding invitation!

Flowers for the event were provided by Celadon and Celery. Completely gorgeous!

Not only were the products amazing but the way Etsy styled everything was superb. Like the rings below with amazing engraving on the inside, set inside a printers box (see slideshow for larger view). I love great details like that.

Rings: Metal Pressions

Of course there was something for the groom, groomsmen and ring bearers too!

For more photos from the Etsy Wedding Event please enjoy the slideshow below. All items have shop links provided at the end of the post.

Engraved wood yo-yo: Engraving Wiz * Succulent boutonniere: Succulents Galore * Engraved leather humidor: Taylor Crafts * Monogrammed linen pocket hankerchief: Couture Wedding Hankie * Rustic ring bearer pillow: Knotty Notions * Cigar band custom labels: I Label Cigars * Embroidered flower ring pillow: Michelle Edgemont

Cotton Bouquet: Tall Cotton Peas * Paper Ranunculus Bouquet: Sunny and Stumpy * Colorful Woodland Bouquet with Birch: NH Woods Creations * Vintage bible book page bouquet: Playing with Paper * Romantic ivory paper rose bridal bouquet: Bliss Street * Fabric ivory rosette bouquet: Ljubezen Brew * Cotton fabric bouquet: Autumn and Grace Bridal

Colorful gemstone earrings: exquiscustomjewelry * Art deco diamond ring: Somewhere in Time Fine Jewelry * Personalized cosmetic bag: Allisa Jacobs

Crystal flower bolero: Chaviano Couture * Ostrich feather shrug: The Wedding Dresser * Lace covering for woman's bootie: Kristen Ashley Arist * Spring garden ballet flats: Beholden Bridal

Escort/placecards: Rachel Carl & Co * Ribbon graphic invite: 26 Sorts * Watercolor wedding map: Berry and Peg * Folded map wedding invitation: Ello There * Save the date tags: A Visual Concept Designs * Printable chevron save the date: Quinny Essentials * Save the date chalkboard postcard: Paper and Lace Collections * Vendiagram personalized stationary: Silhouette Blue * Letterpress leaf thank you card: Tabletop Made * Rustic woodland printable invitations: 3 Eggs Design * Calligraphy scroll thank you card: Plume to the Wind

Teal leather journal: Karleigh Jae * Custom timber wedding book: Lorgie + Me * Carved tree guest book: Memories for Life Scrapbook s

Vintage antique birdcage: 86 Home * Milk glass cake stand: Barking Sands Vintage * Love felt banner: Love Love Love Designs * Violently happy sign: Miss Cake * Cake stand: The Roche Studio * Vintage book pop up letters: Love and Found

Wood love sign: Old New Again * Mr. and Mrs. mugs: Wandersketch * Engraved love birds recipe box: Exquisite Inks *Embossed spices: Gneiss Spice * Porcelain sea urchin tea lights: Annie E Dennis * Olive and Pits porcelain containers: Clayswan * Quotes measuring spoons: Beehive Kitchenware Co. * LOVE letters: Duryea Place Designs * 'I Do, Me Too' wedding fork set: Pretty Paris

Custom twig monogram cake topper: Made Merri * Spring carnival flag topper: Bluebird and Violet * Cardboard candelabra: Seequin

I can't wait to see what they do with the show next year, knowing the sky's the limit. They had a great first year and I'm glad I was able to join. Thanks, Etsy!

Spring in Astoria, Queens with a 105mm Nikon Macro Lens

2012-04-23T13:00:43Z

I happily rented a 105mm macro lens and captured some gorgeous Cherry Blossoms in my neighborhood.

Happy 29th Birthday to Me!

2012-04-19T05:30:11Z

I'm proud to say I'm offically 29 today! Maybe it's because I still look really young :-) but I am happy to say I'm in a great place in my life and I'm feeling optimistic about the future.

In past posts (like my 27th birthday or my 28th birthday from last year) thanks for my family and friends goes out fairly close to the top! They continue to be the main source of joy in my life. Love to my family, first and foremost, for being utterly supportive whatever the day or the weather and especially Becca and Lindsey, who keep me sane.

Because this has become an annual tradition I get a kick out of (even though I'm so not the person to post photos of myself on a day-to-day basis), here's looking back on past years of my life...

My 28th year provided some really great memories. I was lucky enough to shoot some amazing weddings and be a part of many couples' lives as my photography business has continued to grow. I was maid of honor in my sister and brother-in-law's wedding, welcomed my "nephew" into the world (my best friend's son), got my first tattoo, paid off my credit card debt (which only those of you who have or had cc debt can appreciate), went on some awesome trips including one to Seattle and on a Disney Cruise, and moved into an awesome apartment I adore.

Last year's birthday post mentioned I wanted to improve on the balance in my life. I'm happy to say I've focused on that and this year's been all about better balance! Learning how to better balance my calendar and my ability to say no to others and yes to myself and realizing how true the cliche "time is money" is; I've tried to be a more selfish for a change. It's taken me a lot of time, lack of sleep and stress to understand I need to say no to people more, put myself and my goals first, and take the steps necessary to balance my life better so I'm truly happy. (The problem is I find a lot of joy in making other people happy but there's a fine line there which I've defined this past year and continue to do so this year. Like a fine wine, right? Better with age?)

Here are some of the things I'm very much looking forward to this year:

My nephew's first birthday in July! I love a good reason to celebrate AND craft.
Finishing the redesign of my blog and website into a blogsite.
Traveling - definitely to Vancouver this spring and hopefully to Europe this summer!
Working on my photography business that I love so much!

My friend emailed me this week and said, "I have a feeling 29 is going to be a great year," and I couldn't agree more. You know when you just have a good feeling about something? I'm excited for the things I am expecting and planning for and the even more wonderful unexpected surprises that happen along the way.

Cheers! Happy Thursday and HAPPY APRIL 19th!

New York Magazine Weddings Event * March 28, 2012 * New York City

2012-04-10T13:00:24Z

Towering cakes, pretty dresses, awesome flowers, modern invitations and amazing people - and I got to be in the midst of it all!

New York Magazine puts together a wedding event this year I was lucky to attend. Instead of manning a booth I was fortunate enough to mingle on the floor with other industry professionals. It was so uplifting and inspiring.

Of course I brought my camera with me so I could share the event in case you couldn't be there.

Jen from Sweet Element Cakes and Nancy from Nancy Swiezy Events teamed up for this very attractive booth (flowers above and cake/flowers below). Nancy's flowers and Jen's cake go together quite well! Definitely check out both their sites, as this is just a small sampling of their offerings.

Jen excels at making sculpted cakes as well, which are increasingly popular for grooms cakes. Brides, keep that in mind. ;-)

Kristan of Kreated by K was rocking her booth with cake pops, cookies and more. I absolutely loved her presentation of cake pops and what she offers for a bride or anyone planning a party to make your cake pops into favors. Check out how they're individually packaged! Major points to her husband Chris who was there schmoozing up the attendees and doing his best to support his wife's business! And thank you to Kristan for the delicious samples. Overall, I was certainly impressed!

Kristan also makes it really easy to order cake pops. Check out the fuss-free ordering section of her website here.

Of course I gravitated towards Rent the Runway's booth. If you don't know about Rent the Runway yet, please let me help you find the light from the rock you're wedged under. Tired of only wearing a dress once? Sad you can't afford the newest designer gown for your friend's wedding? RENT IT! It's a type of Netflix for fashion, but better. It's great for not only a bride but her bridesmaids and guests for all their bachelorette, bridal shower needs, and day-after-brunch attire. Please check it out, especially their weddings page. You'll thank me.

Back to some killer cakes (because why go 15 feet without a cake tasting if you don't have to?) Cakes by Nicolle provided some really great flavor combinations. If I remember correctly, I tasted hazelnut buttercream on a vanilla mini-cupcake. Words fail me in attempting to describe how delicious it was. I LOVE hazelnut...and they nailed it, in buttercream form!

Invitations? Yes!! I love me some good graphic design and incredible letterpress. I met Nathalie of Village Invites and enjoyed talking to her about their business. I am forever impressed by amazing calligraphy and these women know where it's at! Just look at the photos. They have two locations in NYC (one midtown, one downtown) so it's really easy to get to; convenience and beauty. They actually can provide unique weddings/party favors as an added bonus to using their biz.

What I really love about Village Invites is how modern they are. From neon color combinations to chevron zig-zag patterns, they know what couples today are looking for. When I saw the map + heart + N + D combo in the above photo on the left in New York Weddings Magazine, even before the show, I knew I found a great resource. (And below are the faces of Village Invites.)

You'd think that I may get tired of seeing more cakes but why would I? Creativity is infinite with these cake designers!

I've met Lindsey, of Elegantly Iced, twice and I like her more and more every time we meet. This was the first time I saw her creations in person and I was so impressed. Her detail work is exquisite from her ruffle technique to her precision with creating sugar flowers.

Her shoe cake was amazing, by the way, and even better in person.

I wanted to end this post with a confetti "blast" of sorts! I've heard about Confetti System here and there for a long time now. I was able to see their incredible handiwork for the first time at WPPI (Wedding Photography Convention) last year and immediately took note of it. I swear I remembering thinking, "Wow. That's f*cking cool and really well done." Because, let's face it folks, there's a danger that confetti can get really cheesy, really fast if it falls in the wrong hands. It's best to leave this element of design to the professionals.

Julie and Nicholas of Confetti System handmake (yes, I repeat - create by HAND) all of their products for photobooths, decorations, set design and more. They magically transform tissue paper, metallic plastic, cardboard and more into an integral decorative element for your event.

Nothing brightens up a scene like confetti. COLOR BLAST!! If you can't wait to shop here's the direct link to their online store.

The next industry wedding event I have on my calendar is Etsy's wedding event, April 28th in Brooklyn, New York. I'm extra excited for it because it's geared towards a DIY bride, which I certainly identify with.

Please do not hesitate to contact me at mikkelpaige@gmail.com if you need assistance or advice in contacting any of the vendors I've listed here (or suggestions for more wedding vendors).

Thanks to New York Magazine for hosting a wonderful event!

Happy Tuesday!

Weekend Trip to Washington, DC

2012-04-10T04:39:36Z

Bribery works, right? I'm going to lure you in with this cupcake photo then go back to the beginning for you to see how I got there. It's like my version of Momento. Kind of.

So I took a trip to Washington, DC this past weekend. I adore DC. It's one of my favorite cities. It's so clean, has such great design and awesome monuments to see. Plus I have family there so it's a bonus I get to see them every time I go. Oh yeah, and I went to The University of Maryland and lived in DC my last semester of school so I get a little nostalgic when I go. Overall, the city feels like a second home.

As soon as I arrived I took the metro to the monuments to hit up the National Mall. Blue skies, green grass, 70 degree weather. Yes, please! I just LOVE the photo of the trees below, on the right. They just create such great shapes against the bright blue backdrop of the sky.

Apparently it was National Pillow Fight day! So I had an unexpected surprise in seeing a massive pillow fight near the Smithsonian! Notice the Capitol Building in the background. :-)

The red brick Smithsonian Institute Building is gorgeous. I have to admit I've never been inside, which is odd because I've been inside most buildings on the National Mall, but it sure looks pretty from the outside!

The green grass reminds me of my childhood. I know, a little crazy. But I lived in Florida for a while and the grass is not like this there so I always appreciate it when I see it. Soft, lush and great for a picnic! Or for a photo of my Converse shoes.

There was a lot of kite flying going on that day. The breeze + warm weather + sunshine was perfect for it.

Is it me or you want to sing the national anthem now too? Fun fact: the Washington Monument is the tallest obelisk in the world, at just under 556 feet (about 169 meters) tall.

Approaching the WWII Memorial... See the leaves on the tree up top in the photo on the left? I love them.

The azalias were already in bloom. Really, everything was. It was a warrmmmm winter. And you can't see this, of course, but they had just put down fresh mulch. Very woodsy smelling. And it was baking in the heat of the sun. There is something about that smell I just love.

I LOVE this photo. It's looking up in the "PACIFIC" side of the WWII Memorial.

Nothing like a grandiose fountain.

Monuments x 2! I love that you can see the Washington Monument behind the pillars of the WWII Memorial in this photo.

Two of my favorite states!

Great fountains and great symbolism in this part of the space. Each star represents 100 soldiers who died fighting for the US in the war. There are 4,048 stars.

I spy the Jefferson Memorial.

I admit I was a little disappointed I missed the peak time the cherry blossoms were in full-flower-effect. However I was lucky enough to come across a grouping of 5 or so trees that were still hangin' onto their pink blossoms like true champs. Or trees that just wanted to make me happy. I hung out there for about 10 minutes. I was in heaven! And the dork in me just totally appreciates how gorgeous the bark of cherry blossom trees is. Hence, the photo on the left!

I'd been walking around DC for a few hours, lugging around my camera gear and laptop, quite exhausted from the heat and the traveling from NYC to DC I'd just done. So I was in need of some sort of refreshment. I pretty much chugged that iced coffee but not before I finished my Cake Love cupcake!

Cake Love cupcakes are amongst the best, if not THE best, cupcakes I've ever had. I have one every time I'm in DC. No trip to the District of Columbia is complete without one of these babies. I usually get vanilla with strawberry frosting. Heaven in a pastry. If you're ever in the U Street Corridor of DC please do yourself a favor and stop here.

I ended the day with a wonderful family meal at my aunt and uncle's home in Arlington, Virginia. I'm not religious but I was raised Jewish. And my aunt did a great job putting together the Passover table with such care. Thanks, aunt Fran!

My uncle Todd arguably makes the world's best matzah ball soup. It was delicious. The meal ended with some ice cream and coconut macaroons!

After the meal I headed off to Baltimore Washington International airport with my uncle to pick up his family and spend the rest of the weekend with him, my aunt and cousins in Maryland. I love my family dearly and it was great to have a little escape from NYC for a few days.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

New York City's High Line

2012-04-05T13:00:43Z

A visit to Manhattan's High Line park. The photos are amazing and I cannot wait to go back!

Alison and George's Wedding * March 24, 2012 * Long Island, NY

2012-03-27T03:59:42Z

Ali radiates happiness; it's no wonder George fell for her. They bonded instantaneously after an exciting first date and three hour closer to the evening over Starbucks and good conversation.

When a bride and groom contact me to inquire about photography for their wedding I don't think they realize they're about to get a big dose of Mikkel. But I love that - and thankfully they do too. From our first in-person meeting, months ago, over Long Island bagels and coffee (the BEST) we bonded over dating stories, his amazing proposal to her after a hot air balloon ride last year, and their vision for their day.

Ali and George were not only passionate about their wedding, but they were passionate about each other. I am so honored I was able to photograph their day and be a witness to the beginning of an incredible chapter in their lives. From the moment I arrived at the hotel and greeted Ali in the bridal "suite" with a congratulatory embrace (I was SO excited - I can only imagine how she felt) to the last dance move I made with my camera on the dance floor, it was a joyful day in every sense of the word.

Ali and her mom are really close. It was wonderful to be able to finally capture their special bond in person after discussions with Ali about their relationship.

The Woodlands was their incredible venue. Wow, could you faint over that black and white marble floor? Yes, please!

Ali is a completely gorgeous person in every which way. If I captured even half her beauty I did a good job.

What a freakin' kick a$s bridal party. Kat, Kate, Michelle, Lauren, Mike, John, Rich, Jeremy and Rob - thank you for making the day even more awesome! I can see why Ali and George love you all.

And last, but certainly not least, the groom, George, gets down with his bad self as he showcases his famous, "THE MOVE."

For even more Alison and George goodness, please check out the slideshow below (which I'm happy to say can be viewed on an iPad and an iPhone as well).

Alison and George's Wedding Slideshow from Mikkel Paige on Vimeo.

Venue: The Woodlands, Woodbury, New York

Wedding Planners: Cheeky Glam Events (I loved working with these women!)

Makeup Artist: Sandra Baldini

Hair Artists: Krista Burke and Nikki Cestaro, Karma Beauty Studio

Wedding Dress: The Bridal Suite of Bayshore, designer: Casablanca

Bridesmaids Dresses: Netbride.com, designer: Watters

Officiate: Reverend Deb Viola

Florist: Black Dahlia Inc.

Band: Heart & Soul (they were awesome, by the way)

Photobooth: NY Digital Memories

CONGRATULATIONS, ALISON AND GEORGE!

Friday Top 5 * March 16, 2012

2012-03-16T16:20:25Z

Happy FRIDAY!!!!!

This was such a nice week for so many reasons: great conversations with current brides and grooms, awesome phone calls with potential bride and groom clients and wonderful talks with fellow photographers. All in all I feel inspired and motivated and that is a beautiful thing. And I sprayed some perfume on me this morning my best friend bought me - so I am inspired, motivated AND I smell DELICIOUS! What could be bad?

1. Ali and George. You melt my heart. Thank you for being YOU - I cannot wait to capture your beauty next week at YOUR WEDDING!

2. I took my dad to a hockey game earlier this week, just us. It was nice to spend some quality bonding time with him. :-) Love you, dad!

3. 5 Napkin Burger - holy crap, you are DELECTIBLE. This is why I can't go vegetarian. I love a good burger. And I had great company. Bonus.

Want to know what I ordered? Sure you do! The namesake burger, the 5 Napkin Burger: 10oz. custom ground beef, caramelized onions, gruyere cheese, rosemary aioli, soft white roll. Yum, yum, yummier, yummiest. Five stars for cooking it how I ordered it and coming out piping hot too. Yup, I Instagrammed this baby. (I'm @mikkelpaige on Instagram!)

4. I'm seeing my friends from high school tonight that I still keep in touch with. We meet up about once every 3 months to just catch up and enjoy good food and each other's company. Looking forward to that.

5. Planning for the future. Having a plan of action for the goals you wish to achieve feels oh-so-good.

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!