.

SBG magazine's "Girls Night Out!"

2012-01-08T13:14:00.000-08:00

Southern Bride & Groom Magazine threw a real “Girls’ Night Out” party for a bride-to-be last fall. We brought in a team to enhance Sparians’ private bowling room with a 60’s mod theme. A Southern Soiree helped SB&G plan the shoot. Florals and décor were provided by The English Garden, cupcakes from Gigi’s Cupcakes, entertainment from Island Sound DJs, food and drink from Sparians, and beautiful themed invitations from Maria Scheel Invitations & More.

f8 was there to shoot stills and to cut a little film of the events.

Enjoy,

f8 Photo Studios Featured on "Style Me Pretty" AGAIN!!!

2012-01-04T16:47:00.000-08:00

Hi there all! We are so excited to be featured again on this amazing blog! This wedding was gorgeous and so much fun to photograph. We truly feel lucky to have the opportunity to share these special moments with our clients. Thanks so much for your continued support in our business and making us what we are. We are nothing without our clients.

Wow! This feature is a great way to start our new year!!!
Warmly,
Cara

Brittany + Derek Engagement Session

2011-12-14T09:02:00.000-08:00

Hi there All! I just wanted to share a really cute e-session that we did recently of a really adorable couple that my dear friends and colleagues at Viva L'Event referred to us. Brittany and Derek will be getting married on October 27, 2012 as you can see from the super cute Scrabble board that Brittany made with the tiles spelling out their wedding date. I am very excited that I have gotten to get the opportunity to know these two a little better and that we will be sharing in their big day. These relationships that we build with our clients is truly the cornerstone of our business and we are so grateful to have the best clients in the world!

Have a happy Wednesday!
~Team f8

Boudoir Special

2011-11-04T13:59:00.000-07:00

We have some fun sessions planned for the ladies that sign up for their time slot to do this amazing session. After our hair and make-up specialist transforms you into the "Oooh la la Boudoir Diva" that is dying to come out, we will have our boudoir hostess prepping you for the shoot.

Please call us or send an email to inquire about boudoir parties and discounts for bringing a friend.

The champagne will be flowing and the bustiers will be in full effect!!!
~Team f8

f8 Photo Studios Featured on "Style Me Pretty"!

2011-10-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

Hi All! We were delighted and honored to have our beloved couple Krishna and Bill's April 30, 2011 wedding featured on the oh so popular wedding blog "Style Me Pretty". Thanks to a very creative bride and many amazing vendors, such as Erin McLean Events, Cobblestone Hall, Swank Cake Design, Fleurtations Wedding & Events, Green Planet Catering, f8 Photo Booth and f8 in Motion, we had tons of amazing details, a gorgeous backdrop and a fun couple to photograph.

Check it out!
http://www.stylemepretty.com/2011/10/19/raleigh-wedding-by-erin-mclean-events-f8-photo-studios

Modern Posh Promo film

2011-09-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

friends of fate,
Just wanted to drop a quick post this morning after an exhaustive weekend of shooting stills and video topped with VERY late nights of editing with our sister company f8 in motion cinematography.
All hands were on deck for finalizing f8 in motions first promo film for Modern Posh. (www.modernposhdesign.com) Modern Posh was recently named one of the top 10 designers to watch in 2011 by Stationary Trends Magazine. We are truly honored that MP picked us for showcasing there forward thinking designs and services.
Designer and creator of Vanilla Print, Julie Schaffroth and her husband Justin have a true passion for design, and it shows. Their love of type and photography resonates throughout their work and it has been a true pleasure to work with this fun couple throughout filming.

Enjoy!

Drown the Gown 2011 Tulum Mexico

2011-09-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
I know this video has been out for a few weeks and yes, I have not been blogging like I should be and promise to do better. However, Jana and Erik were this years DROWN THE GOWN winners and lovely Tulum Mexico was the backdrop.

Tulum was one of the last cities inhabited and built by the Mayans, it was at its height between the 13th and 15th centuries and managed to survive about 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico. Old World diseases brought by the Spanish settlers appear to have been the cause of its demise. There are three major structures of interest at the Tulum site. El Castillo, the Temple of the Frescoes, and the Temple of the Descending God are the three most famous buildings. Among the more spectacular buildings here is the Temple of the Frescoes that included a lower gallery and a smaller second story gallery. The Temple of the Frescoes was used as an observatory for tracking the movements of the sun. Amazing Niched figurines of the Maya “diving god” or Venus deity decorate the facade of the temple. This “diving god” is also depicted in the Temple of the Diving God in the central precinct of the site. Above the entrance in the western wall a stucco figure of the “diving god” is still preserved, giving the temple its name. I highly recommend you add this place to your bucket list. When you do finally get there, be sure to check out the Grand Cenote's as well, But that is another post.

An e-session in a boneyard!

2011-06-15T13:19:00.000-07:00

That's right,
Cara and I had the opportunity to fly out to good ol' vegas to shoot Sarah + Zack's engagement session. Flying my indie slider and blackbird stabilizer was a TSA's dream and they made sure to swab everything but in the end, it was totally worth it!

The Neon Museum collection or "Boneyard" boasts over 150 donated and rescued signs. The core of this collection is contained in the Neon Museum Boneyard itself, a rambling park approximately two acres in size. Retired signs feature dates from the late 1930s through the early 90s and represent motels, local businesses, and celebrated casino resorts from throughout the Las Vegas Valley. While the Boneyard is not electrified, the photogenic and video collection offers a glimpse into the storied past of Las Vegas and its most memorable art form, lights!!!

Please leave some feedback.

-Team f8

Land of the Inca's.

2011-06-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

Cara and I just returned from Tulum Mexico for Jana + Erik's wedding.
I unfortunately had a shoot the day of their ceremony but trust me, our Drown the gown fusion video is going to blow you away!! underwater cameras were a must on this shoot and we had a blast making a very special film for our amazing couple!

We had a few extra days to relax and in it all Cara and I found a little monkey named Pom.
She was a sweet little thing and we played with her for what seemed like hours in the 105 plus heat. (you know Cara loves monkeys right!)
Have a peek at the clip and let us know when your next adventure is taking f8 with you.

-team f8

Happy earth day!!

2011-04-21T17:20:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
Just wanted to give Mother Earth a shout out and let her know we appreciate her.
f8 photo studios not only recycles but has put in place the latest in LED lighting and green eco-friendly processes with our printing labs producing a less carbon footprint.

Tell us some of eco stories, we look forward to hearing from you,

Happy Earth Day!!
-team f8

2nd Annual Drown The Gown

2011-01-19T08:49:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,
Cara and I are now accepting entries for our annual Drown The Gown contest and this year it is going to be bigger than the last!

Our sister company f8inmotion.com is joining the fun and offering a fusion piece to go along with the shoot!
Nights lodging is provided by us and you get to keep the images!

So dust off the creative cap and get busy dreaming up a the perfect way to dip your dress in good old H2O!
Entries received will be reviewed and the lucky winner will be notified by April 3oth of this year.
Please email all entries to info@f8inmotion.com

Good luck!

~little inspiration from Year 1.

Great article.

2010-12-08T15:57:00.000-08:00

It is that time of the year when couples increase their interest in wedding venders and the following was a good article taken from the Triangle Bridal Associations newsletter,

Being photographers and film makers, we find it quite true and wish you the very best in booking your photographer and videographer.

Today's wedding market is flooded with Photographers so it is important to know that you are choosing an established professional. This is not to say that a newer photographer doesn't do great work, but you must do your homework first! The very first thing to think about is your connection with the photographer, first impressions say it all, and if you click with them chances are they will click for you and produce amazing images of your big day! When meeting for the first time you should always ask for a referral from a recent client they have shot, this way you can ask them in depth questions and be rest assured that you are going to get what you want. You will also want to see a variety of images and albums to see if the images fit with what you are looking for. If you are still looking for your photographer, visit www.trianglebridal.com to view a complete list of professional photographers.

I smell a Golden Globe!!!

2010-11-29T10:18:00.000-08:00

Hey f8 fans,

Cara and I were recently featured on NBC 17 for the Carolina Today's program. NBC was focusing (pun intended)on the unique qualities that our studio offers to clients that no other studio can.

It was really great to work with the film crew and see it all come together for the final piece. I am no stranger to editing but from an inside standpoint, it was a great experience for me to be on the other side of the camera. Cara and I have never been so nervous ever! All in all, we had fun with the taping.

Take a peek at the link and we pre-apologize about the clarity of NBC's link. we are trying to get a copy ourselves.

See the link here.

-team f8

f8 in motion is live!

2010-10-01T17:21:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
A lot of you have been asking recently about the progress of our f8 in motion cinematography company and we truly appreciate all the support we have received.
Well, it was a long tedious progress but our new site for showcasing our future Photo fusion VIP's is now live!
That's right, f8 in motion now has a home on the web. (CLICK HERE)

We are still in the progress of getting more fusion trailers loaded onto the site and server but it is a start and we couldn't be happier.

Please join our facebook page to keep up on the latest and greatest from North Carolina's busiest fusion cinema company.

Be sure to click over and check it out.

-Kaz

Latest Highschool Senior Session

2010-08-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

Hi there All! We keep saying that we will be better at blogging but it just isn't happening. I did want to share some images from our latest Senior Session that we did with Sarah B a few weeks ago. We have several more sessions scheduled over the next month, which we are really excited about as we LOVE doing them! As my sister will be starting college this week, it makes me a little sad to photograph these girls because I saw how fast Taylor's last year of highschool went and I feel a little teary-eyed waiting for her to move forward onto her next endeavor in life. We truly have the honor of sharing in this exciting time with these amazing young adults and we are so excited about some of the fun ideas they bring to us and the ones that we come up with together. Some of my favorite images of Sarah are the ones that we shot in her ballet slippers. Her talent was extraordinary and it was pretty cool to capture that in the more casual setting of this photoshoot.

Congrats Sarah!!!!!!

Clients Becoming Friends ~ Megan + Jason 05.08.10

2010-07-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

Hi All! We apologize in the slackness that we have showed in keeping up with our blog posts. We are happy to say that it has been an incredible busy Summer and we are loving every minute of it, but truly do wish that we had more time for doing fun things like blogging. :-)

Today I wanted to show a few collages that we had made from Megan and Jason's wedding and use this opportunity to express the extreme gratitude for the people that enter our lives through this amazing career that we have as photographers. Jonathan and I always talk about how we enjoy the relationships that we build with our clients and very often the intimacy that we share with them by photographing such treasured moments in time brings us all very close. We have several clients that have become close personal friends over the years and we are proud to still see them and watch their relationships as well as their families grow. It might sound sappy, but it almost brings me to tears to think about how many families have let us be a part of their most cherished moments. For that, we are truly lucky.

For us Megan and Jason are one of those special couples. I had lunch with Megan today and it brought me back to her fun and heart felt wedding day on May 8, 2010. Megan, who is a catering manager at the fabulous Renaissance North Hills, was referred to us by her colleague Ann as well as her neighbor Pat. We had the honor to photograph two of Pat's daughter's weddings and they are like family to us now. I could write an entire post or 5 on them as well. Anyway, Megan and I hit it off and not only did our client relationship grow, but so did the professional relationship and most importantly our friendship. This friendship made her wedding day so special to me because it made it just THAT more important that we capture her and Jason's day in a way that reflected all of the emotion that was present between them, their friends and their families. I will never forget showing up to the Renaissance and Megan greeting me with a huge smile that is so warm and kind. It followed with a cheery, "Hi! I am so happy to see you!". This was a woman that glowed from her head to her toes. She was so excited to be marrying the man of her dreams and to have the ones that she cared for most surrounding her at start of a new life with Jason.

Megan and Jason are the sweetest people that you will ever meet. They wholeheartedly deserve one another and I look forward to witness the success of their life together.

If you love Megan's flowers, check out the amazing "English Garden". They rock! Also if you are in the North Hills area, stop into The Renaissance. It is super cool and the food is to die for!

Much love,
~Team f8

Pinehurst Fusion Bridal shoot

2010-05-25T04:23:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
We just wrapped our editing of a Bridal shoot That Cara and I joined forces on.
I have to tell ya, Cara and I should take dance lessons at this point since it is literally what we do as we shoot together... Dance!

Wendy Evans looked smashing in her dress and I know her husband to be, Richard Williams will be in awe as they are joined in matrimony at the Carolina Hotel at Pinehurst on May, 29. 2010.

We had a blast shooting this fusion piece and we hope you enjoy.

Pinehurst Bridal Fusion from Jonathan kaz on Vimeo.

Living Social,

2010-05-06T08:23:00.001-07:00

Hey fans,
Be sure to check out our VERY special offer for 24 hrs only through the fabulous Living Social website.

I first stumbled upon this fantastic site as a consumer and now it's our turn to pay it forward.

How it works:
Sign up to get the daily email, then they send you one deeply discounted deal daily to use at local businesses in the RTP area for creative 24hr deals with up to 80% off.

We are swamped for the year but we thought it appropriate to offer up our services as we feel guilty for using this amazing site!
(We use the many restaurant deals) ;)

Give us some feedback.

-Teamf8

F8 is now at the app store!

2010-04-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

You can now view your online galleries for our studio via our new iphone app.
*You MUST have an iphone to use this app. ;)
To use our app, just type in the event code and view your gallery with all the details of its bigger brother.

• View, share and order photos
• Ability to review images in a slideshow format
• Automatic updates
• Secure ordering
• Easy to use navigation through categories
• Available on all iPhone models including the 3GS

To obtain our Studio app is simple, download from ITunes or even easier, from the APP store on your phone.(WI-FI recommended)
A quick and simple search for Digilabs Pro or StudioShare will get you there.

Let us know your feedback,

-Team f8

Hey Everyone,

f8 In Motion Photo Fusion

2010-04-01T17:11:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone,
Cara and I just finished up a second fusion shoot and are proud to launch it on our blog.
Glenda Chapman, her two daughters, and her mother Sonya are a wonderful family and we are looking forward to shooting her wedding in early May.

In this video we experimented with a few things, experimented with a few more and are happy with the output of this extremely fun bridal shoot!

Fusion is not only being requested by our brides for there wedding day, it is being sought after for business owners for promos.

*We are working on this whole "embedded" video for our blog so forgive us.
The Videos are HD and our blog is having trouble knowing how to render it.

-team f8

Stephanie's Boudoir Session

2010-03-03T11:32:00.000-08:00

Hi again Y'all! I wanted to share some fun images from Stephanie's Boudoir session that she surprised her boyfriend with for Valentine's day. Stephanie, who works with the amazing Cara Zuehlke of A Southern Soiree , asked me to come over early last month when her boyfriend Brian was out of town. We thought that using her bedroom would be an intimate and fun place to create the scene for our shoot. Kristi Martinson, who is a makeup artist for Bobbi Brown, did an awesome job on the makeup and I think that the hair and makeup are an important aspect of the shoot as it, along with the fun outfits and accessories, help put the client into "character". Stephanie was so fun to shoot and such a good sport. We shared some wine, many laughs and we simply just had a blast shooting.

Boudoir in general is something that is fairly new to our business together. Jonathan did it much more with his old photography studio, but for me it was something that I have wanted to do for a long time, but never pursued it until recently. It really was a result of shooting a few sexy images on the wedding day in the wedding lingerie, but we had this drive to want to make it a complete session on its own. There is something really cool about watching a beautiful woman transform in front of the camera. For me I love to watch the subjects exude control and gain a confidence to be comfortable with themselves. It is truly an awesome honor to be trusted as a photographer to capture this element of confidence, feminism and ultimate sex appeal

As Jonathan always say, "Be Gorgeous!".

Until next time!
xoxoxo,
Cara

Emily + Byron E-Session

2010-02-22T11:30:00.000-08:00

Hi Folks! We have been so terrible at blogging and it is truly our goal this year to be better at keeping our followers and clients informed on all of the cool new things that we have been doing. The studio has been cranking out work both wedding and commercial and we are having a BLAST doing it! This is such a great time of year because the focus in January, February and March is more about playing a little catch-up, focusing on bettering the business for the upcoming wedding season, and doing more portrait and commercial work which truly helps to balance us out as a studio. We are at the absolute height of turning around albums for last year's happy couples and having a lot of fun being creative with that process as well as with our portrait sessions. So in saying that, I wanted to share a few fun images from a shoot with a great couple on a very blustery Winter day. Who says that all engagement sessions need to be in a warm Spring garden full of flowers???

Emily and Byron were brought to us by Cara Cousins of A Southern Soiree. This couple lives in Florida, but they will be getting married in Raleigh this Fall. I have to say that this was a truly sweet pair that was really up for anything! Even having fun during a very cold shoot on one of the coldest days of the year. I am so grateful that they took the time to do the shoot while on
their visit to the Triangle because, as we all know, taking part of engagement and bridal shoots add to the experience for not only the clients involved, but also me the photographer. The bond of the relationship strengthens and by the time the big day rolls around...well the pictures are just old hat.

So check out the images and enjoy! Stay tuned for some images from our latest venture!!!

Until next time!
~Team f8

Raleigh Wedding Photographer wins 2010 Bride's Choice Award

2010-01-19T14:08:00.000-08:00

Raleigh, North Carolina – Tuesday. January 19, 2010 -
WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that Raleigh wedding photographers Cara Galati and Jonathan Kaz of f8 Photo Studios have been selected to receive the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards™ for excellence in quality, service and professionalism!

The annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ recognizes and celebrates excellence in quality and service within the wedding industry, as determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 500,000 newlyweds.

f8 Photo Studios of Raleigh is among the top five percent of all vendors in the WeddingWire community, which includes over 100,000 wedding professionals across the US and Canada. Awards were given to winners across 19 different service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers.

“We are excited to recognize and honor the success of the top wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “The annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program has given us the unique opportunity to highlight the best wedding professionals in each region as reviewed by brides and grooms who have utilized their services in the past year.”

We are happy to announce that f8 Photo Studios is among the very best Wedding Photographer within the WeddingWire Network, which includes WeddingWire and Martha Stewart Weddings.
"We would like to thank our past newlyweds for nominating us for the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards", Jonathan Kaz stated in a recent phone call. He added with a wink, "without such great clients we wouldn't have such a great honor to try and top for next season"!

For more information, please visit there award winning work at www.f8photostudios.com

About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding vendors. WeddingWire enables engaged couples to search, compare and book over 100,000 reviewed wedding vendors nationwide, from wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding vendors, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. In addition, WeddingWire has partnered with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) to provide its network of local vendors and online wedding-planning tools in the Weddings section of www.MarthaStewartWeddings.com. For additional information, please visit www.WeddingWire.com

Raleigh wedding is f8 in motion!

2010-01-07T13:34:00.000-08:00

Hey gang,
f8 photo studios is now in motion (f8 in motion) or "fate in motion" as we like to call it.
Our Raleigh wedding photography fusion videos are now offered with every package as an add on feature!
We are proud to lead the area of photo fusion in North Carolina!
Booking is tight as we are already receiving requests for dates, so be sure to check with Cara about availability.

Take a look at our first demo and let us know what you think!
We have other featured shoots coming soon, so check back often.

-team f8

(www.f8inmotion.com to launch soon)

Raleigh/Durham Wedding Photographer. Pinehurst resort weddings

2010-01-01T14:32:00.000-08:00

Take a peek at what the team at f8 photo studios has put together for Pinehurst resort.
If you like what you see, leave us a comment!

You can find out more about us by clicking our above logo or logging on to www.f8photostudios.com.

Please vote for us!

2009-12-31T14:37:00.000-08:00

Click this link to vote for us!
We could use a pat on the back and besides, you get a free gift card!

Raleigh Wedding Photographer

2009-12-30T06:58:00.000-08:00

Looking for your Raleigh Wedding Photographer this weekend Jan 2nd-3rd?

Attend the Forever Bridal wedding show, find our booth with Pinehurst resort and mention that you saw the keyword "f8" on our facebook fan page or blog to receive $150 off our photobooth rental for 2010 and other deep discounts towards your wedding photography!

learn more by logging on to www.f8photostudios.com

Nations next top model home winner

2009-10-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

Hey Ya'll,
We have had a strange but amazing week so far, booked some amazing couples, disco danced with our 4 year old and we are doing a week long shoot for WOODPLAY play sets.
And to make it feel extra special I am fighting a cold.

I thought it appropriate to tell you when someone needs a pat on the back, sometimes you just gotta do it, so here it is... (insert patting sound)

As you know Cara had her own studio before we conceived f8 and she was shooting some pretty cool stuff. I cant speak for everyone but for Cara and I, you get a sixth sense for things that we believe offer a talent and a way to make this world a better place.
We have photographed celebrates, non-celebrities, children, people who act like children and interiors to house the bunch of them. Yes, Dwell magazine twice in a 12 month span , but that's another story!

Well wouldn't you know that one of Cara's favorite designers just won the Nations next top model home Susan Tollefson!!
She is a Raleigh resident and we love her!

Not only did Cara shoot her firms photos back in 2005 but she recognized her talent back then and as Su-Su (as we like to call her) put it , "they are still some of the best images she has seen."

-Thanks Su-Su!
We adore you and your designs, so congratulations!
And thank you Cara, for being a kick ass photog!

Below are some of Cara's images shot for the ASID house in Raleigh... Cool right!

-team f8

What's Your Story?

2009-10-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

Space is limited!

Click image to see full view.

The Fam!!!

2009-10-08T08:23:00.001-07:00

Hey there,
fall time is here and family shoots are under way!

I thought I would add a quick show including my fall family shoot. (taken by suprise visit)

-enjoy!

MY f8!

2009-09-30T13:06:00.001-07:00

Land Rover Lifestyle Magazine

2009-09-25T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hey there,
For those of you out there who know me, you will know I LOVE Land Rovers and will do anything with them to be involved. Besides owning several of these fun machines, I have been involved in various LR groups.

Well, I am happy to say Cara and I received a call a few months back to drive a fully loaded new LR3 Land Rover from Raleigh to Albuquerque NM. this truck pushed $90,000 with all the mods we were told and from the 10 MPG on the 33' tires. We bleived it!
Schedules were cleared, bags were packed and the fly rods wore happy grins in anticipation of some Colorado trout to be had.

Due to contract issues with the magazine, we never released the images, but the journey we took (made it in two days stayed two days) will stay with us forever.

So to at least mention some of the cool things we get to do.
-This is one of them!

Enjoy.

Drown The Gown

2009-09-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

Some of you have heard about it,
A few have lived it... now you can see it.

Our annual DROWN THE GOWN winners.
-Brooke and Michael in Highlands North Carolina.
There winning essay on how to get her dress wet included such claims as "my Dad is a dry cleaner" to " I look better wet".

IF you are a client with our studio and you have a great idea to Drown Your Gown, send us an essay to: info@f8photostudios.com

The winner gets a $150 print credit and free dinner with lodging.

-Good luck.

Get some action!

2009-07-02T14:19:00.000-07:00

Hey Y'all
After years of of being asked for our Photoshop Action sets, Cara and I opened a shop in this little place called the internet.

You can now download and actually use our stunning collection of photoshop actions and more importantly, Our stunning Indesign Album Templates!

Take a peek!

Beyond the f/stop

2009-06-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

PLEASE CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Taylor's Senior Photos

2009-06-02T09:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday! Jonathan and I are at the point now where there is no type of photography that we haven't done and our breathe of services and experience just keeps expanding. We took a vow to each other that when we started this business that we would have a policy of "no fear" and I think that we have really followed that motto to a tee. Our business started strangely enough as commercial shooting and then expanded to fine art gallery shows, weddings, family portraits, and of course the f8 PHOTO BOOTH. Now we are really wanting to beef up our Senior portrait business. This is something that Jonathan has much experience in from shooting in Maine and I have shot a handful of Seniors over the last few years, but we seem to have a knack for doing it. It might have something to do with the fact that we connect well with young people and they seem to be so open to fun ideas when it comes to their session.

In any case, here are a few images that I shot of Taylor when I went home to see my family a few weeks ago. She is an upcoming Senior and I am so proud of her. We are 15 years apart in age, but we are very close. My summer job for the first 3 years of her life was to watch her while my mom finished residency and my dad worked at the hospital. I have watched her blosom from the adorable little auburn headed baby that we used to fight over to snuggle with to this amazing young adult that is beautiful inside and out. It was such an honor for me to take these pictures of her. NOW I feel old. :)

I love you Tay-Tay!
~Your Big Sis

Brenn + Kevin ~ 05.09.09

2009-05-11T13:57:00.000-07:00

Hiya Y'all! It is that time of year again...Wedding Season! I get so excited anticipating each couple's big day. Being able to capture all of the color, the little details and the intimate moments of a wedding day makes our job so rewarding. Brenn and Kevin's wedding this weekend, at St. Mary's Chapel and The North Hills Club, was no exception.

First of all, the ceremony and the reception venues were AMAZING. I had never shot at either of these places before and both venues truly had my creative juices flowing. We had to battle the heat and the blaring midday sun, but we had fun doing it!! The couple, both families as well as the wedding party were so incredibly fun to work with. Maybe a little too much fun. :) I think the groom had me blushing at one point, but as most of our friends and clients know, Jonathan and I like to have fun and can dish out one-liners just as fast as we take them.

Thanks Brenn and Kevin for including us in your wedding day. It has been a pleasure to work with you both and I look forward to showing you your images soon. For now, here is a fun little preview of what you will have in store.

Hugs,
~Team f8

Renee + Machon ~ 04.11.09

2009-04-22T12:54:00.000-07:00

Hi there! We officially kicked off our wedding season on April 11th at The Preston Woodall House in Benson, NC. Renee and Machon's wedding was a great wedding to start off a busy season. They are simply a really fun couple that made us feel like family on their big day. They were so incredibly laid back and basically up for anything. I went a little nuts photographing their couple's session because they gave me the best gift that a couple could give their wedding photographer...plenty of time to shoot an amazing couple's session after the ceremony. We have included a fun panorama featuring a series of images that we took during their couple's session.

To Renee and Machon: I love you guys! I had such a great time being a part of your wedding. I had such an amazing connection with you both and I truly enjoyed getting to know you as well as your family and friends. Thank you. :)

Until next time...
~ Team f8

And One more...

2009-04-16T14:35:00.000-07:00

One more of Blair and Jeff at Meredith Chapel In Raleigh.

-Enjoy.

Video killed the Slideshow star!

2009-04-15T13:31:00.001-07:00

As of late,
Cara and I have been working our tails off learning a new medium for our slideshows and let me say, OCD can be a HUGE benefit at times.

f8 Photo Studios will now be offering our new slide shows with some of our packages this season and we couldn't be more excited.

The one I am uploading does not have the killer added intro feature that my movies get, only due to the fact I couldn't figure out how to get them from IDVD into this blog.

-Give me time, it will be done!
Enjoy!

-team f8

Holga to the rescue!

2009-03-19T11:16:00.000-07:00

Its me again,
I wanted to reach out to the watchers of our blog and let you know my faith in photography is not only always renewed, but also in constant change and full of inspiration. It is a huge challenge to find a slight window for personal projects as our studio has been in a constant state of movement. Couple that with being a busy dad and you can imagine our surprise when our fine art work almost falls off the radar every year.

A few months back I was at my local pro-camera store and I was looking at all the old Mamiya medium format cameras, as well as a Rolleiflex twin lense 4x5 camera that I grew up on. What do I see on the top shelf full of dust... a Chinese made 4x5 Holga that I actually owned at one point.
(I thought it was Russian all theses years!)

For those of you who would love to play with this sort of idea, the Holga has its own cult following and for a medium format camera... its a huge piece of crap!
But, here in lies the beauty and simplicity of the camera itself. A Holga has a plastic lens and really, plastic everything even loading 120 film can be tricky and the light leaks and lens distortion is what I am attracted to. Its the flaws that make it an art.

The Holga camera was designed by T. M. Lee, and first appeared in 1982 in Hong Kong. At the time, 120 roll film in black-and-white was the most widely available film in mainland China. The Holga was intended to provide an inexpensive mass-market camera for working-class Chinese in order to record family portraits and events. After the cameras began to be distributed in the West, some photographers took to using the Holga for its surrealistic, impressionistic scenes for landscape, still life, portrait, and especially, street photography. In this respect, the Holga became the successor to the Diana and other 'toy' cameras previously used in such work.

I am adding a recent image with that represents a Holga's light leaks and fuzzy lens.
-Truly a Piece of art and refreshing step back from our Pro Bodies of today.

P.S
Southeastern Camera in Raleigh has a few left that are lonely for some street shooting!

New Parents

2009-02-28T11:58:00.000-08:00

Hello All! We wanted to share a few images with you from our latest family photo session. It has been and more popular as of late for our past wedding clients to honor us by asking us to photograph their new little additions and we just love it! This is what it is all about folks! Creating a relationship with your photographer so that we remain your lifetime family photog. This particular couple, Kristin and Keith Cox, were married at the beach on 5.19.07. They called us after the birth of their beautiful daughter, Makenna Leigh born 2.11.09, to take her first professional pictures. We were thrilled to do so. Kristin and Keith are such a great couple and we spent over 2 hours together catching up, nuzzling with baby, and taking some great pics. I was having some serious baby fever after holding this precious little girl.

As far as the images go, there were so many great ones. I tried to find a good variety from the shoot. I think my favorite one was of Keith and Makenna both crying. It cracks me up because that is so "Keith". He is so darn goofy and makes the best funny faces.

To Kristin, Keith, and Makenna: We had so much fun with you guys. Thank you for allowing us to capture the next stage of your life. You are beautiful people with an amazing new addition.

Much love,
~Team f8

f8 Photo Booth favorites

2009-02-09T12:53:00.001-08:00

Quick post.

While running through some old images to clear out some
storage on the server, I ran across my favorite f8 Photo Booth image from 2008.

Keep up the Charlies Angels look Cara... and I will keep up that hilarious pose for you!

-Kaz

Mascarade Wedding ~ 12.05.08

2009-02-09T12:49:00.000-08:00

Hey there All! First, let me start by apologizing for not keeping up with our blogs. We have been doing so many fun things in the studio, so we might be updating everyone in a non-chronological way of how shoots and events have been occurring. Currently, I am truly inspired by Kim and Rich's wedding, which we photographed in December. They are an amazing couple that are truly romantics at heart. The masks, the tails, the feathers, the opulent dress, the beautiful backdrop of The Preston Woodall House tied in with their first dance song from Moulin Rouge, "Come What May", were all very indicative of another era in time. It was a really fun event and I feel honored to have been a part of their day.

I want to take moment to talk about vendors. Brides, please choose your vendors wisely. Having amazing vendors that are there to nurture you and support you through your day is really worth its weight in gold. This event, planned by amazing wedding planner, Cara Zuehlke owner of "A Southern Soiree", organized a remarkable team of vendors that worked so well with eachother. Having that support system on your big day and creating a strong relationship with your vendors can make the biggest difference. I know because shooting weddings every weekend helps us to see the antithesis of this. We encourage our brides in every meeting to please create a relationship with us. I love to fall in love with my couples so that I can wake up on Saturday morning and think, "YAY, I get to shoot (insert name)'s wedding today!" There is nothing that makes me happier.

We'll write again soon!
Love, Team f8

P.S. The last picture from left to right is: Max Cohen(f8 Photo Studios), Mel Manning(Joe Bunn DJ Company), Cara Grace Galati(f8 Photo Studios), Cara Zuelhke(A Southern Soiree), and Stephanie Cisko(A Southern Soiree). Don't you just love it!!!!

Falcons Hamlet selects f8 Photo Studios for marketing material.

2009-01-21T11:27:00.000-08:00

for immediate release

Jan 1, 2009 (RALEIGH, NC) – Photographer’s Cara Galati and Jonathan Kaz of f8 Photo Studios spent a cold and rainy September day with the Facility Director, Tim Kavanaugh of Falcon’s Hamlet, trying to capture the sense of awe and beauty that surrounds the 150 plus acre estate that is located in Clayton, North Carolina, which is just a short 20 minute drive from Downtown Raleigh.
With cameras in hand, it seemed Mother Nature had a different idea.

What seemed to be an ordinary shoot for "Falcon’s" to use for PR purposes would prove to be the most challenging of the year.
According to Jonathan Kaz, “The shoot turned into a raging downpour, which with only the shelter of the golf cart was not enough to keep them protected from the wind and rain.”
"It was like shooting against a raging sprinkler", stated Kaz "and to make it worse, construction was still actively in progress and limited our options for composition."
It was decided another day would have to be chosen for the PR shoot, but that rewarding day would come months after in the form of a phone call from Tim Kavanaugh. Jonathan recounts the conversation as; "I know the chateau is not finished, but we have the perfect model and dress. Can you be out here tomorrow?" The f8 Team threw themselves at the chance to re-do their rainy adventure from months prior.

"We are extremely excited to add Falcon’s Hamlet to our family of vendors", stated Galati. "It feels like an honor that we were chosen".
When asked about Falcon’s Hamlet, Jonathan and Cara light up as they both can speak for each other when they say, " It is a welcome change to the average venue. We feel our "edgy-elegant" work fits right in with the vision of their classical architecture".

Galati and Kaz, both veteran photographers, own f8 Photo Studios in the Royal Building on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh, NC.

They are available for booking internationally.

Off to DWF!

2009-01-09T06:24:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone,
I know this is a post that is not of the norm but Cara and I will be heading for Carefree Arizona this morning to attend our annual DWF (digital wedding forum) convention and will be returning on the 15th.

We will be returning with some great offers for Valentines day shoots and are excited to hear from all of you.

As you know, It is hard to keep up with everything during travel and long days of seminars but we will try to keep you posted on the "fun" we are having.

Thanks again for a Wonderful 2008 and we look forward to a great 2009.

-team f8

Can you melt my heart more please!!!

2008-12-08T08:51:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,

Cara and I have been hard at work tying up loose ends for the season whilst still managing our shoots and trying to keep our date night intact. Least to say we spent Thanksgiving at the Biltmore estate and while there we discussed how much we appreciate not only our friends and families but our community who continue to help us make our dream and vision of f8's abilities stronger each year.

I wanted to share a few images that Cara captured before our trip of Meghan and Brett with their 3 month old bundle of joy Eva. They have been clients since 2005. First as bridal clients and now with the birth of there daughter, we get an intimate peek at there family life.
(best part of our job BTW)

I can recall my first Christmas with my daughter Sophia and I wish Meghan and Brett a day filled with as much joy that I had.

Below are some images that really warmed my heart. Cara and I occasionally look at them just to put smiles on our face.

-Have a safe Holiday!

Cara and Jonathan,
team f8

Is it Woodplay or are we just playing on wood?

2008-10-25T12:22:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
Cara and I just finished one of our larger jobs for the season for WOODPLAY Play systems.
It was 14 days on location but days in advance scouting, recruiting....scouting and more recruiting!

I generally write a huge blog on my thoughts over the latest fun adventures we have but for this one... well, I am spent!

It is time to now turn our attention back to our other clients and kick it in to high gear before X-Mas. We have a ton of family photos to shoot yet this year and we are going to take a little break next week in the RV provided to us by the outstanding people at D&H RV rentals.
The RV made all the difference on the shoot on the cold mornings. The children loved it!

I thought I would enclose a shot of the whole crew from the marketing gang at DBD to the people on the ground at WOODPLAY. (yes that is Cara on the swing)

A HUGE thanks goes out to the families involved in getting up early and finding the patience to keep the kids on set!

We will post the finals later in the year when we get some.

-Team f8

Fall time E-SESSIONS

2008-09-19T07:15:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
I was recently reminded of how much the heat really drains the energy out of oneself recently when Cara and I had two weddings in one weekend. The cooler weather is a HUGE welcome and yesterday was the perfect day for an E-SESSION!

Just yesterday, yes I know, I know I am blogging fairly fast, I had the pleasure of capturing Summer and Neils engagement session and I had a downtown spot waiting for the right couple and the alleyway that I found months ago was just the perfect spot for Summer and her new fiance to strut their stuff and show me that people who say they are not photogenic... just are not trying enough! ;)

We started their E-SESSION with studio work courtesy of Cara, which is not the norm, but she had some ideas and we followed it up by hitting the chosen spot and ending up walking around downtown for an hour and finishing up at the Royal Bakery Building where we are located and shot the railroad tracks. Did I mention that a train came after we were finished! -PHEW

Neil and Summer are fantastic people and we appreciate all the clients we receive, but there are some that stand out and Neil and summer are no exception.
Neil has a love of Montana and Fly fishing as much as yours truly and Summer has great energy with the camera. I look forward to shooting their wedding and meeting their families.

Summer is a big fan of the PhotoBooth and since they will be one of the lucky few first Angus Barn receptions, I am anxious to show it off for the new space.

Oh yeah, Don't forget to sign up for our drown the gown session sweepstakes!!!

-Team f8

Drown The Gown Session with f8 Photo Studios

2008-09-08T09:37:00.001-07:00

Hey Everyone,
So I know all of you here the buzz all the time about "trashing the dress". Since Cara and I love to do our own thing we have decided to have some fun and create a contest to see what kind of ideas our clients have.
So, for a limited time, Cara and I are giving one lucky participant (that could be you) the crown of the first annual "DROWN THE GOWN" session with f8 Photo Studios.

Cara and I will pick the winner form entries received before October 10th 2008. With the shoot to follow in the following weeks after.
This one month window offers our past clients or non-clients a chance to actually use their dress in an atmosphere free of worry and with a twist of art. (its OK, we will provide the towels.)

Details:
Session includes full on photoshoot with you and your new husband to get in that dress and do something with it!
-its not like your daughters will wear those relics in 20 years, so have some fun and use your imagaination... No, No the OTHER imagination. ;)

To enter: Send an email to me at jonathan@f8photostudios.com with a short description of your ideal "DROWN THE GOWN" session and the winning entry will get there wish.

You can find a ton of inspiration by opening that browser of yours and typing in "trash the dress"

-But we don't use that term. ;)

Good luck!

~team f8

Better weather... better shoots!!!

2008-09-02T11:50:00.001-07:00

Hey Y'all

Cara and I are wrapping up the year with a great number of Commercial work, Senior Grad's and 17 weddings yet. (Phew!) Shooting outside has been a little wearing on us and my last shoot was at Oakview Plantation and was glad to see it a little cooler than the past few months.

Albeit the weather has cooled down and yes, while we noticed during our processing (backlogged) we have noticed how much more relaxed our brides and couples are when the weather hovers around the 75-80 degree range. Now, humidity is a whole different story!

Before the busy but long Labor day weekend spun under way I had the pleasure of shooting Mary Andrew's Bridal session. Mary and Her Fiance Geoffrey Hamrick have there ceremony coming up on September 13th at Forest Hills Baptist Church and we look forward to meeting all their family and friends.

The Image you see above I gave a VERY warmed late season look too. If you click the image you might be able to see the textures and a little more detail. It was the only and I mean ONLY image of the year I actually played around with to reflect my thoughts and not the clients so it was fun to play a little.

I appreciated the almost breaking fall weather during our shoot and Look forward to their day being just as nice.

-Here's to cold weather and Hot Chocolate. ;)

-team f8

f8 Photo Studios Gives EDGE to Cliff Bleszinski of EPIC Games.

2008-08-25T10:08:00.000-07:00

On an extremely hot Thursday afternoon in early June, Jonathan Kaz of f8 Photo Studios was surprised to hear a British voice on the other end of the line asking him if f8 Photo Studios would like to do a piece for a 4-page spread in an international gaming magazine on EPIC games’ "CliffyB".

That British voice belonged to Darrin Phillips of Future-Net Publishing LTD. in the U.K.

Future-Net Publishing has a magazine distribution which includes: Xbox 360: The Official Magazine, Official PlayStation Magazine, Official Nintendo Magazine, Nintendo Power, PC Gamer, Edge and Games Master not to mention various sports publications and websites that include: gamesradar.com, computerandvideogames.com, next-gen.biz, pcgamer,com, oxm.co.uk, fileradar.net

"Our ears where ringing with excitement" stated Jonathan Kaz, "Not only is CliffyB, or his given name Cliff Bleszinski as he likes to be called now, an icon in the International gaming world but a local Raleigh favorite for gamers alike". Cliff Bleszinski is the design director for the game development company Epic Games in Cary, North Carolina. He is most noted for the development of the “Unreal” and “Gears of War” franchise.

The shoot was a follow-up to an interview for the same publication that was to be released in the August print edition of EDGE Magazine. "The Publishers gave us a 24-hour turn around and to have that kind of shoot outside with temperatures hovering around an abnormal 102 degrees Fahrenheit, We knew we had to come up with something different", said Kaz . Cara also added, "Even though technically it would have been easier to shoot outdoors, we knew the heat would add tension and make Cliff uncomfortable. That’s when we looked at a funky, hip indoor solution to the challenge, something that represented our client". Cara and Jonathan explain it as a mystery as they looked at each other at the same time and decided “The Mosquito” in downtown Raleigh would be the place to shoot. Jonathan and Cara talk about the solution with an almost "fateful" remembrance (pun intended) "We contacted the club and a gentleman answered the phone. They explained the situation to him and were surprised to hear that “The Mosquito” was one of Cliff's regular for hang outs and even more surprised to hear a response with, "What time will you be here?"

Due to the 24-hour deadline given by the publisher, f8 recruited some top talent to help with the shoot. Kevin Milz, of Kevin Milz Photography, offered up his talents to help with the setup and the technical coordination for the shoot. "Setup was great and it helped that the club was so open to our ideas for the shoot." Jonathan adds, "By the time Cliff arrived we had a cool drink ready for him and an atmosphere that was probably more laid back than he was used to.” The photo shoot that f8 Photo Studios produced received an e-mail from Cliff himself that stated "One of the most pleasant shoots I've done" This blew us away since Cliff has been photographed for Playboy, Maxxam and various other great photographers in the industry”, said Cara Galati.

Cara and Jonathan have enjoyed pushing their talents for various publications over the last few years and as they put it, “We look forward to hearing from Epic again.”

f8 Photo Studios is available for travel internationally and are also enjoying their new adventure; the f8 Photo booth.

*Spread image courtesy of Edge Magazine.

WE [HEART] FAMILY GUY

2008-08-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

Ok,
I found this hilarious scenario...

for all the fans out there, enjoy!

~team f8

f8 Photo Booth of Raleigh

2008-06-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

It goes like this...

Boy likes photo booth... boy does not like traditional photo booth... boy thinks for two years on how to build his own photo booth... and he does!!!!

Cara and I are happy to announce that the f8 photo booth will be available as soon as Mid-July for rental and sales.

We have the most unique and custom filled booth in the state as far as we know and are looking forward to its success.

details:
.automatically displays images to available projector for live sideshows.
.uploads via FTP to galleries like flicker and your very own F8 galleries.
.Has options of printing or non-printing modes.
.did we say how gorgeous it looks with the glowing white acrylic skin!
.Customizable graphics and additions to complete your event look.

Here are a few images from our booths first session at a wedding at Pinehurst.

This booth was a bigger hit than the dance floor and was a smashing success.
Dates are filling faster than we expected so book now before the August show for it's grand debut.

updates to follow.

-team f8

Nikki and Billy~June 14, 2008

2008-06-18T11:55:00.000-07:00

Hello All! This weekend was such a busy weekend. Jonathan and I shot 3 weddings this weekend. One of which was in Charlotte and boy are we tired this week! Shooting weddings is such an amazing occupation, but it is (as I am sure anyone can imagine) very emotional and takes a lot out of us. That is why we make sure to balance our lives with taking days off during the middle of the week and leaving work at work each evening when we leave the studio. Jonathan and I do not have computers at home and never will I can assure you. We want to stay fresh, balanced and relaxed so that we can provide a better service to our wonderful clients!

One of the weddings that we shot this weekend was Nikki and Billy Richardson. We featured some of Nikki's bridal portraits on the blog earlier this month. This wedding, held at Wakefield Plantation, was planned by wedding planner Cara Zuehlke of A Southern Soiree. Cara was amazing this weekend. She did such a great job with the overall design of the wedding and the event could not have been more organized. From the food to the flowers to the band, it was a well planned event. I have to say that hiring a capable wedding planner is worth its weight in gold.

I have shared with you some of the pictures of the couple and the beautiful details of the day. Man, do I love this family. The Schwartz's and the Richardson's are the sweetest people. I felt like a part of the family and so appreciated as well. That is a wonderful feeling when you do what we do because we put so much of ourselves into our jobs. I like walking away at the end of the night sad to go because I had so much fun being a part of their special day.

I can't say it enough...we love our clients. Thank you for being so sweet, trusting and supportive of us.

We Love Bridal Portraits!

2008-06-11T09:26:00.001-07:00

Hello All! So I have to say that we love bridal portraits! There is just something wonderful about being able to spend as much time that you want on photographing a bride, being able to pick the ultimate best time of day to shoot, and choosing the perfect location that suites the bride's personality.

On June 10th, I had the pleasure of photographing Jessica Caveness who is getting married July 19th in Raleigh. Jess had some big visions as for what she wanted in a portrait. She came to the table with some really fun ideas, so needless to say, I had a blast photographing her. To start, she walked into the studio with the coolest pair of Frye cowboy boots that I have ever seen. As soon as I saw her I said, "you have GOT to let me take some shots with those on!" She was all for it and we had a ball.

This is what I am talking about ladies! Let's think outside of the box when it comes to portraits. We can get the traditional shots too, but this is not your mother's wedding photography. Let's throw in some of your own personal style and make it fun.

Happy Wednesday!
Hugs!
~Team f8

We have a really tough job!!

2008-06-05T15:26:00.000-07:00

So we don't normally post 2 blogs in the same day, but there has been WAY too much excitement hitting the f8 Studio in one day for us not to share.

Today we photographed several pairs of sexy legs for the latest "Playmaker's Sports Bar and Restaurant" ad campaign. "Playmaker's" is under new ownership and they are doing a great job making it an incredibly fun place to hang out. Every Friday features a different theme night and they have been hosting a variety of killer live talent as well. We are thoroughly enjoying our new neighbors.

Jonathan and I showed great team work, as usual, and had a blast doing this shoot with the wonderful models that were brought in for us to photograph. Even I can enjoy several GREAT pairs of legs. And from the little smirk on Jonathan's face as he is "metering"(wink. wink.) one of the models legs, you can tell that he was enjoying a closer up view as well.

As usual...we can't say it enough everybody...WE LOVE OUR JOBS! I think that I can speak for us both when I say that we wake up every morning truly looking forward to coming to work everyday.

Thank you so much to all of our clients for making what we do so enjoyable. We couldn't do it if it wasn't for all of you! We love ya!

~Team f8

How cute are they??

2008-06-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! I wanted to share a few images that I took last week of Carrie and Brandon, who are getting married September 20th of this year. They are one of my multitude of couples that tell me that they take horrible pictures together. As you can see, this is just not the case. Their chemistry was amazing and Carrie just lights up in front of the camera around Brandon. Carrie is as cute as a button. I can't wait to have some fun with her bridal portrait!

Follow this adorable couple's photo progress as they reach the marital finish line.

A big "thanks" to Carrie and Brandon for being so easy to work with!

Hugs!
Cara

And...Action!

2008-06-03T08:18:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks,
- I always wanted to say that!

Cara and I work with a lot of clients from out of town and we get asked frequently enough about our sideshows that I figured I would put one on the blog for our watchers out there.

The clients pick the music and we set it up either on an IPOD or ITOUCH to have access to what we call the portable album.

Be sure to ask us about this feature when booking and we would be happy to show you.

(to view better quality click video to download)

-team f8

TTD sessions...de-mystified

2008-05-29T09:48:00.000-07:00

De-mystified you ask!

Well maybe not totally but we did receive this e-mail from a bride today taken from The Knot's website
In keeping with our fun nature Cara and I are making a call to past, present and future brides to make the leap...what are you REALLY saving that dress for?

A session of this nature is not for everyone (we think it is) but you do have to ask yourself. Is your daughter or even yet your future daughter in law want to wear a 20 year old gown?

Besides, some Photogs recognize a TTD session as just laying on the ground. We say, Get in the dirt and roll around a bit.. break the boundaries of the "pristine" stigma attached to that dress.

Most of our clients love getting dirty!

We say,
Why not take advantage of your youth and our vision and make a memorable piece of art out of it!
Heck 20 years from now your kids will say... "That's you mommy"!

Below article taken from the Knot.

Few things represent a wedding better than a bride in a white dress. And after all of the salon visits, fittings, and alterations, it's no wonder that many brides opt to preserve their gown after the wedding day. But some brides are taking a decidedly different approach: They're wearing their wedding dress once more in a much less careful manner (no bridesmaids carrying the train here) for a dramatic photo shoot, better known as "trashing the dress" (or TTD). Here's the scoop on this growing wedding trend.

Is the wedding dress ruined?

Not necessarily. Should you decide to give this trend a try, you (and your wedding photographer) will discuss beforehand just how badly you'll trash your gown. The concept is to relax (finally!), let your creativity flow, and enjoy wearing your dress one last time in a fresh, liberating way. Some take a subtle approach for their photo session with a walk through the woods or a swim in a pool or pond, while others go a step further by heading to construction sites, changing greasy car tires, or wading through muddy puddles. Brides who have embraced the trend say that a TTD shoot gives the gown new life in lieu of simply sitting in the closet. Plus, they'll have photos in their wedding album that can look as though they're straight from the pages of Vogue.

Who "trashed the dress" first?

Las Vegas wedding photographer John Michael Cooper is credited with staging the first TTD shoot. After becoming bored with more traditional wedding photo sessions, Cooper began asking brides to pose after their wedding day in unusual (and less pristine) settings. The sentiment among many photographers who offer TTD shoots is the same: Given the unique photos that result, it's a win-win opportunity for brides and photographers alike.

How much does it cost?

Prices vary among photographers and can depend on how many scenes you shoot, how far away the location is, and how many hours you spend shooting. If you know beforehand that this is something you want to do, find out if your wedding photographer offers a TTD shoot as part of a package deal.

Where can I find a photographer?

If your wedding photographer doesn't do TTD shots, there are other options. Some photographers who offer these photo sessions will work with a couple even if they didn't shoot the wedding itself.

How should I trash my dress?

Hit the Internet for inspiration. As the trend spreads, many photographers are posting their photo sessions on their websites with the rest of their portfolios. Others are blogging about the latest ways they've had brides trash their dress, and videographers have joined the fun, uploading footage from TTD shoots onto YouTube.

-- Written by Charli Penn

team f8

Carolina Inn and the Dreyer's

2008-05-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all,

Cara and I want to congratulate Evelyn and Gregory on their new adventures together.
I had the opportunity to shoot their wedding and then a longer than normal couple's session for an hour and a half (usually 30-40 minutes) in and around Chapel Hill after their ceremony at St. Michael's Church in Cary on Saturday. It gave us a ton of time to play!

After giving them a sneak peak of the images, I was happy to see we had fulfilled their vision of what their couple's sessions would entail.

Have fun in Saint Lucia!!!

~Team f8

What a fun day!!!!!

2008-05-15T09:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of photographing Nikki Schwartz's bridal portrait, who is getting married June 14, 2008. We were accompanied by Nikki's mother Carol and their AMAZING wedding planner Cara Zuehlke of "A Southern Soiree". Nikki wanted a more "urban" portrait, so I decided to take them to the rapidly booming Warehouse District in Raleigh. This area is filled with vibrant colors, textured walls and a multitude of interesting doorways and windows. This extraordinary 2 hour shoot was filled with so much laughter and many funny moments. This is really what our vision as a company is all about; creating a fun experience for our clients with beautiful images as a by product of these amazing connections that we have with these wonderful couples that enter our studio. These intimate moments add to the comfort level between us and our brides and grooms. We encourage as much interaction as possible between us and our customers!!

To end the shoot, we celebrated at Humble Pie with a glass of champagne.

Thanks to Nikki, Carol, and Cara Z. for an amazing afternoon!

Photography: Cara Grace Galati, f8 Photo Studios
Wedding Planner: Cara Zuehlke, A Southern Soiree
Floral Bouquet: Len Graves, Fresh Affairs
Bridal Gown: CasaBlanca

E-SESSION TIME!!!

2008-04-15T13:19:00.000-07:00

Hola!

Cara and I wanted to give you all a sneak peak at Evelyn and Greg's engagement session that we had the privilege to shoot.

It was my first session since my major car accident/roll-over and my soreness was fine. (I was a little, tiny bit worried. ;)

These are a few samples (not finished processing the whole shoot) to tide some of y'all over to let you know that, yes. We still love our Jobs!

I appreciate the well wishes from all our clients.

team f8

That time of the year again...

2008-03-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

Hey Y'all,

As you all might know, Cara and I are always asking for feedback from clients about their experiences with us after the images are reviewed. We feel blessed that we receive so many positive acclaims. For me, it is amazing to receive this after two years of business(Has it been that long?)and I feel it is due to the vision and experience that we share with our clients.

I was reminded of this recently when we had a client who wanted to shoot her bridal session in the Rose Gardens in Raleigh. Needless to say, the drought has taken its toll on some of the plants that have endured over 100 years of climate, teenage miss-doings and countless infestations of bugs. As it turns out, a waterless 359 days is not good for these plants. When we arrived it showed.

My heart sank as we pulled in to have Mother Nature reveal not one rose plant blooming as it did the previous year. I could hear the frown break on the brides face from 10 feet I swear!

This is where it gets inspiring!

Cara and I re-assured our Bride that we have, had and will show her our vision for her and it was one that we have never tried. The rose garden is home to yes, many roses but also one of a kind stone bleacher seats from 1936 in the amphitheater and a very unique arbor trellis that is covered with vines. Just the perfect look for my Black and White work!

What resulted was EXACTLY what we had envisioned.

After the shoot, I realized how much our talents (Cara especially) come through for our clients and how much trust they put into us. After months of in frequent shooting it is my Spring awakening and what makes me love my profession so much.

We look forward to a wonderful year!

-Team f8

What The Duck!!!

2008-02-19T11:52:00.000-08:00

A couple for a couple!

2008-01-08T11:39:00.000-08:00

I didn't see inspiration on the menu!

2007-11-28T13:28:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,

Cara and I recently had the pleasure of being invited back By WakeMed to shoot the Society of 1961 Appreciation Gala at North Ridge Country Club in Raleigh. This year's guest speaker was Tom Brokaw.

To honor the history and tradition of WakeMed, which opened in 1961, the Society of 1961 was established to recognize donors who contribute at the $1,250 level or above on an annual basis. Each year, the Foundation Board of Directors and WakeMed administration select a specific expansion project or an enhancement to a specific area of care for financial support from the Foundation’s annual fund proceeds.

Through the years, the Foundation has been honored to host evenings with notable public figures, including First Lady Barbara Bush, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Walter Cronkite, Cokie and Steve Roberts, Bob Newhart, Bob Costas, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Cal Ripken, Jr., Tim Russert, George Stephanopoulos and the late Christopher Reeve.

f8 Photo Studios has covered two of these events and we couldn't be any more delighted with the honor of being around these iconic figures.

For me it was interesting enough to hear Tom talk about his experiences in his life with profound meaning and depth. His new book called “Boom!” orchestrates a baby-boom epiphany. It stages a virtual reunion of America’s Class of 1968, accompanied by a full spectrum of opinions about the impact of that pivotal year.

Although I was still a twinkle in my mothers wine glass, I do understand all the changes that the late 60's brought with it.

From the death of JFK and Dr. Martin Luther King to the text page happenings of the Watergate scandal.

I think I speak for my generation when I say we where affected by these changes directly as we were the generation that fueled the 80's and 90's.We were the ones that turned the Vietnam conflict into a daily ritual on the playgrounds. As most kids when they are young we act out what we know and we knew about the conflicts directly from our parents and the pages of our history books.

Its the direct dialog of these happenings that Tom touches base on.

Personally, it was just great to see another man that shares the Passion for fly fishing, Montana and the strength of family.

Congratulations on your new Granddaughter Tom and thanks for the Photo!

You can read the review of his latest book Here

Holiday Card Time

2007-11-02T07:21:00.000-07:00

Click Image to read full size

So my mother is even more famous!!!

2007-10-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
We got rain today what a blessing.

If you follow our posts you will know that we are a strong advocate of the pink ribbon club.
Cara and I have both had our mothers go through hell not only battling breast cancer but survivng it!

My mother called me today to let me know her image that I shot in studio here of her and my then 16 month old daughter was chosen as part of a campaign by Lifetime TV for the "Faces of Breast Cancer"

If you know someone out there who has or is marching strong for the Pink Ribbon.

Please join me in saying thank you for letting us in on your stories of courage.

-Love you mom.

Kaz

Look up in the sky!

2007-10-15T11:29:00.000-07:00

Hey there,
(yeah I know, cool camera huh!!!)

So Cara and I have a super heavy workload and find ourselves working 7 days a week and are still very much loving what we do.

How do we do it you ask?
Well one way is to pretend you are Jimmy Olson working for the daily planet,
chasing superman around capturing awesome images of the man in tights doing his thing!

Well, in the real world (unlike Jimmy) we don't shoot the same subject.

Cara and I constantly try to push ourselves to step out of our comfort zones to produce
a product for our clients that appeals to the unique visions that they hold.
Its what drives our passion.

We love what we do and are always appreciative of the fun we have!
So, I thought it appropriate for the watchers of our BLOG to have some fun

Click here to pretend you are a Killer photog on assignment.
-My high score is 52.

Make sure to drop us an e-mail for high score posts.

-team f8

Life, the Universe and Everything in Your Wedding

2007-09-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

Cara and I are off to shoot a wedding In Negril Jamaica this weekend and it got me thinking of all the great places we have shot this past season and how the dynamics of families and the creativeness of it all can lead to some unique ceremonies and best of all receptions. I gathered some useful considerations for those of you who are still planning or are just looking around. There are always things that pop in my mind when shooting a wedding that I have always wanted to ask... so here they are.

Where do you get your wedding reception ideas? How do you decide between a formal dinner and a buffet? Do you really want to create a seating chart for 200 people? Do you want to embrace the pomp and the circumstance of the receiving line? Where do you look for your wedding reception ideas? The answer to that is a simple one.

You look to your own life, the life of your soon to be spouse and you find the a happy middle ground that satisfies you both. The wedding reception is the first major event hosted by you and your new spouse. It’s a function that celebrates your marriage and invites all of your family and friends to celebrate alongside you. The reception is as much for your guests as it is for you. In fact, in many cases your wedding reception will continue after you and your new spouse leave it to head out for the honeymoon.

Wedding reception ideas come from mixing both the drama and the fantasy in our lives. Think of a romantic setting that you’d like to share with your wedding guests and create it. If that means creating a beautiful outdoor setting with tents and paper lanterns that mix both natural and quiet illuminations as well as dramatic shadows; then that’s what you do.

Your wedding reception ideas might include a brightly lit room with colorful decorations, loud music and lots of group dances or your ideas have to come from who the two of you are individually and who you want to be together. It’s the first couple of paragraphs in the new chapter of your lives. So create the setting you want to be seen in and you want to enjoy in and that’s where your wedding reception ideas come from.

Team f8

New Blog

2007-09-17T13:01:00.000-07:00

Stay tuned for our new blog.
We will now be offering video and multiple images for your viewing pleasure!

~team f8