Cinco de Mayo....Plus one Day, Jacksonville Bike night, and other great stuff you missed.

Wow, it has been sooooo long since I have Blogged. I REALLY need to get better at that. The Lord has truly blessed my this past month, so maybe that's why I have been so busy. But I should never be to busy to blog and let you know whats going on in the world of LDPhotography.

The above picture is from the Jacksonville Bike Night at the Landing. This seems to be a regular event, so i will post more as I get them.

Let's see somethings to catch up on. I shot a great mother and daughter team early in the month. Brandy and her daughter were so amazing. And I tell you what, that beautiful young girl, was MORE than a handful. I think she should have her own TV show. Brandy is a wonderful single mother, who is in Navy flight officer training. Even with such a busy schedule, she makes time to let her daughter know, that she is number 1!



Just in time for Mother's Day




BE NICE....



That is the motto of John Paul DeJoria, co-founder of Paul Mitchell hair products. On April 9th, a new Paul Mitchel The School (PMTS) had its Grand Opening ceremony at the Saint Johns Town Center in Jacksonville, FL. Men and women from all over Florida and Georgia came to celebrate. I had the privilege of being one of only THREE photographers allowed to shoot the event.




and no matter whether you were wearing black or white, a good time was had by all.




EVERYONE WAS KUNGFU FIGHTING...



I had the pleasure of assisting a man by the name of Horace begin to develop his portfolio. We had a GREAT time. What was even more fun was that I got to work with a full all-star cast. Faythe Mesic(MUA/Hair), Nikki Coote(Hair), Javan Reed(Wardrobe), James Burney(Video/Photography), and the models Michelle and Zanobia.




SISTER TO SISTER...




How many time's do you get the chance to say that you shot your friend's wife? lol. I had the opportunity to do a shoot with Melissa Valdes, with her sister in-law, the wonderful Luisa Valdes-Johnson providing hair and makeup. This is the second time I have had the pleasure of working with Lu, and I am amazed EVERY TIME by her skill.

Here is a sneak preview from the shoot:



and should I mention that she is a mother of 5? I guess I need to hit the gym more...



Ok, it's almost 2am... I will try to be better with the blogs and keep them coming.

Happy Mother's Day!

Wedding part Deux and Jax Smug launches!

Wow it's "hump day" and I am definitely going to have to do a better job when it comes to writing blogs earlier. Had a good day of shooting with Faythe Mesic's shoot group as we did a wedding themed shoot on board the Princess II luxury yacht. Shot with a great group, only two drawbacks were that there were 3 vendors who didn't show, and that there were probably maybe 10 photogs too many for boat of that size. But thanks to Captain Ben and the crew of the Princess.

From there it was off to Mandarin to the library for the first Jacksonville SmugMug user's group...which coincidentally has the anagram "SMUG." The event was sponsored/hosted by Dawn McCarthy or "Dawny Mac" as I call her when she is not around...lol. Great speaker and a great event. There were about 40 people there it seemed, maybe more. A lot was learned. Can't wait til next month. Now its time to go off to bed.

March Bridal Couture

Wow, Monday was a GREAT shoot! I must say it was one of the most fun that I have had on a shoot in a long time. I was with a great photog group, and the models, location, outfits and everything were on point. This was just part one. Geared up for part 2 later on today. Got to be going to bed, but stay tuned for more!

Photo Credits
Photographer:Leighton DaCosta/LDPhotography

Model: Lisa ( solid purple right)
Lead Makeup Artist: Sonia Garza
Lead Hairstylis: Sonia Garza
Wardrobe: Faythe Mesic
Dress: RiverCity Bridal (designer name available upon request)
Stylist Assistants: JoJo and Margo

Model: Tasia ( wht/purple left)
Lead Makeup Artist: Faythe Mesic
Lead Hairstylis: Faythe Mesic
Wardrobe: Faythe Mesic
Dress: RiverCity Bridal (designer name available upon request)
Stylist Assistants: JoJo and Margo

Neither Rain, Sleet, nor Jacksonville weather....

Just got in not too long ago from an Awesome shoot out in Mandarin and Lakeview areas of Jacksonville. The weather decided that it would kind of cooperate, but held out long enough to produce some great shots. Can't wait to start editing.

March is proving to be a great month of shooting, let the hits just keep on coming!

Big announcement coming up on the blog and Facebook pages.

Have a great evening!

Photography Club of Jacksonville, March Shoot

Did you spring ahead this weekend? Well the PhoCluJAX(yeah I just made that up) sure did Saturday morning at Big Talbot Island. Great models and great photogs getting together to have a good event. Afterwards we all went to Singleton's by the Mayport Ferry to get some good seafood. Can't wait until the next event!

Calendar Tips

Its that time of year again. The time of year when we decide its time to get a NEW calendar. After all the whole YEAR changes, the dates shift, is it a leap year, full moon, BLUE moon...etc. It is just this same time of year when people decide they want to put out calendars. So here are a few things to consider and tips.

1. What does Christmas and GREAT Calendars have in common? The both happen during the summer! If you are interested in composing a calendar, understand that average turnaround time for PRINTING, is normally about 60 days when editing is involved. Also the best calendars have 14 months. and go from December of the current year, to the January of the year after. That's 14 months. For photogs and promoters, that's at least 15 models to shoot! For the models, do you have 15 different looks?

2. That being said, why would someone WANT your calendar, much less buy it? What is so much different about yours? This is a question that needs to be asked, along with how many would you have to distribute to make it even worth while. A good calendar could cost anywhere from 600-800 per model on the low end, and then of course it goes up from there. That is for Female models though. Male models usually run a hundred to two hundred less, mostly due to hair and makeup. That being said, who is more likely to buy your calendar at a premium?

3. Last, but not least, what is the PURPOSE of your calendar? Why should I want to buy it over someone elses? Once you plan, have a price, and a purpose then you should be able to have a great calendar!

Getting Started: Models

So, you want to be the next supermodel, but don't know where to start. You can go to Barnes and Nobles, and Google search the web for information on modelling and you will be there till your grand kids' grand kids were graduating from high school. The following is my two cents and take it for what its worth.

1. Understand, there is a difference between modeling and BEING a model. Anyone can be a model, but very few people model. Whether its clothing, automobiles, food, or car insurance, a model is only effective when they can create an emotional response to an audience. What many models fail to understand is that modeling goes far beyond the model. The expression, pose, and posture have as much to do with a shot, if not more as the look of a model.

2. This is work! Every time a model steps in front of a lens they must remember that they are adding to their resume. A model should always be conscious of WHY they are shooting whatever they are shooting and the message they want to convey. Whether its a paid shoot, a contracted shoot or a TFP/CD shoot, the model must bring IT!

3. Pay your dues. Many models start out not knowing WHAT they want to shoot. Whether its Fashion, glamour, editorial, industrial, pop art...etc, many models just throw everything at the wall and see what sticks. While for some this may seem great, it can also prove to be a great usage of valuable time. Have a plan. If you are unsure of what you want to shoot. Find a local photographer and schedule a shoot with a sufficient amount of time time to achieve 4-6 different looks and see what worked and what didn't. If you are 5'1 102lbs you probably will not be a lead candidate for runway or high fashion type modeling, but you might be great for print and catalogue fashion. Conversely, if you are 5'10 and a size 3, you might find a lot of fashion work, with very little print or editorial work. It all depends what a prospective client is looking for.

4. Pay to be Paid. As stated earlier, a starting model can find many outlets to getting photo shoots. Some will be free, some will go close to $2,000. The difference will be not only the quality of the shoot/photographer, but also the amount of control. A photographer that you pay works for you, and is trying to get you the best shot that they can possibly get. The same that you are trying to get yours. When you do a shoot, invest in a good make up artist (MUA), and hair stylist. I tell all models, at worst have an MUA, for ANY and EVERY shoot! It does make the difference.

5. Have a book. In this day and age of iPhones, online websites, and Model Mayhem, many new models forget the importance of having a hard "book." That hard portfolio can go with you anywhere you go, and creates a different effect for a multitude of reasons. It lets a potential client/agency to see you IN PRINT so they can get an idea of your versatility at arms reach. Also it adds a great level of professionalism. But the greatest in my opinion is that it IS your resume. It should have your best shots, and focus to a particular style or styles. While comp cards are great, I feel that a model should always have a port with them. I always recommend to my female models to have an 11x14" and a 5x7" portfolio. The larger can stay in a bag, car, ...etc, and the smaller is easy to carry around in a purse.

The goal of many models is to become agency signed. The agency creates opportunities that it might be hard to come by on your own. If a model takes the time to map out where they want to go, and how they will get there, the path to being the next supermodel becomes more in reach.

LDP