March of Dimes Fundraiser

Since doing the ACS fundraiser back in June, I had decided to do one as well for March of Dimes.  It was prompted by a (now) good friend Kathy (Hailey's mom), who asked about donating for a raffle.  Of course I said yes!  So I set up mini sessions at Coney Island to benefit this great cause.  I will do these from time to time, and next year, I will be doing them for Juvenile Diabetes!  I wanted to this year, but there was too much going on.  I will set something up for the spring so this way everyone has some time and we know there will be nice weather.  Speaking of weather, our original date was August 28th, but Hurricane Irene decided to ruin our party.  Thankfully almost all participants were able to switch the date to the following weekend!  We lost one participant, but I am hoping to do a session for her next year!  :)

Christian & Tyler

Ava & Thomas

The L Family

RJ & John

Thank you all for participating!  I hope to see you again soon.  OH, and I hope you see the little goodie I put in the envelope with your disc.  It is for you to use on a full or half session!  :)  xoxo

Happy 1st Birthday!!

In one weekend, I got to spend some time with two little girls that both turned one.  They are both so cute, I just want to eat them up!  I love First Birthday shoots!  Really I do!  :)

First up, we have Isabella, Bella for short.  And bella she truly is!  :)

Then there is little Hailey.  Her spunk and sass has made me fall in love!  

Communions

Do Over!

I did a shoot of a little cutie Ryan.  He was two months old at the time.  Not sure how many photographers would admit this, or like to admit it - but I feel like I didn't live up to my normal potential with this shoot.  I am not sure what it was.... I think my problem was partly because I psyched myself out hoping he would sleep, but also I was not prepared to have the baby in this type of setting to take pics.  I thought I had ideas, but that was for a sleeping baby.  :)  And while his parents may be more than happy with the results, I was not, and offered a second shoot at no charge.  I have a certain standard for pictures, for myself.  So if I was not happy with the shoot, how was I to expect the parents to be.  So we will wait for Mr. Ryan to sit up!  We can get Christmas pictures in the mix of it all!  (See, things happen for a reason!)  I did capture some good stuff though, even if not at my best.

Christmas Minis and Specials

I have been so busy, that I keep forgetting to let everyone know that I have some specials going on!  Try to stay with me, this post will have a lot of information in it.  :)   

1. Christmas Mini shoots.

    These are minis because they do not last for more than 30 minutes.  Due to the nature of the shoot,  

    only one family per session.

    If you choose to do a longer session, then you need the Half or Full session.  

   Check the information here:  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=271414982888950

    -Two mini dates - 10/23/11 AND 11/6/11.  PLUS, other dates you choose through November!

      You are not bound to these two dates.  

2.  Newborns 

     NEWBORN SPECIAL!!! Book your (tentative date) newborn session at least 3 months in advance, and get $75 off! :) 

      ex: You are due in May, book no later than February! :)

3.  Weddings

     Now Booking 2012 weddings!! Book your 2012 (or 2013) wedding and get 2011 prices!! Email for more info! :)   

4. Christenings & Communions

     Need to book your Communion for 2012? Book your Communion or Baptism by December 31, 2011 - get a 20% discount!! :)
 

 Please note: Discounts cannot be applied to packages already including a discount!! 

So far behind!

I just came on to try and work some blogging action, and I realized my last post was over a month ago!!  OMGSH!!!  I keep saying I must not let that happen, but it does.  The pain of working a full time job AND doing some photography.

Needless to say I have been super busy since the last (photography) post.  We have been through some crazy stuff.  Hail, hurricane, some areas floods, and even a 5.8 earthquake!  I didn't feel the earthquake, although they say that it went from Virginia all the way up to Canada.  The reason it was so wide spread is because the East Coast sits on Bedrock, instead of Plates, like California does.  I happened to be driving when it happened, which is why I didn't feel it.  I am kind of sad, because I want to experience it.  NO, definitely not saying I would want it to happen again, but I want to know what it is like.  Then the hail.  Baseball sized hail.  No joke.  The pictures and video DO NOT do it any justice.  Internet - it damaged my car so much!  $5000 of damage.  (Above) Not the greatest picture, and it does the 30+ dents in the hood no justice, but it shows more than if I took a picture with daylight.  Then there is the roof, side panels and more that the adjuster saw that I did not.  It actually goes in on Wednesday to be fixed.  I waited...  I had no glass damage.  My entire office, and all the cars in the area of New Hyde Park on that day were heavily damaged.  Some $8000+ worth!  Roofs had to be replaced, along with the obvious windows, trunks and hoods.  I repeat, Baseball sized hail.  You truly wouldn't believe it was possible unless you were there to see it.  It was a scary hour and a half.  

Til next time! :)

In Betweens

This is a little random, and a bit ago, but I figured I would share.
I walk in from work one day in May - and Scott, our friend Jimmy, and my my kids ambush me.

You see, on April 25th, 2011, Jimmy's cat had kittens.  I think there were four of them.  Two of which were orange and white.  OH MY.  Did they know my weak spot?  My cat Kikken had just recently passed, and I was not going to "replace" her.  That sounds so harsh, but what would you call it if you got one because one passed away?  She was 13, and ended up having a uterine infection - that went to her heart.  :(  My poor baby.  So I am told to just go look.  You know, you cannot just do that to a cat lover!  LOL.  Instantly hooked!  So home with us went one little boy, orange and white.  :)  We had a debate over his name.  Got suggestions from Facebook even!  My daughter suggested Jack-O-Lantern...I then said - Jack!  But then the Jack/Hurley debate happened.  NO - he is NOT a Hurley!  We are not picking Lost characters people! In the end, he is just Jack.  (no, not a play on Will and Grace...it just ended up being written that way!)  My Jackers, who likes to sleep by my head, or in anything he can crawl into!  He is now four months old... time sure flies!  He is growing like a weed!  I will get more pictures of him, but for now - Here are his 5 week old and 3 month old pics.

Rebecca Grace

This little one is such a doll.  At 4 weeks old, she (of course) did not want to sleep for long.  :)  But, in that time, I managed to get off a few shots I personally adore.  I hope that her mom and dad adore them as much as I do!
We went to a little park....not sure if it was a hiking trail - but found a clearing and went to work.  :)  Tried out a few new things I got for little ones.

  

Xz

While planning for my vacation this year, I always try to find time to see some friends that live down there.  My friend Connie and her family have been down in Florida for some time.  We always have kept in touch, whether it was through email, or snail mail.  Now, FB and text.  We planned a day to hang out, but I found out that her oldest daughter Xz, would not be there while I was!  But, as luck would have it, she was going to be in NY!  So, I immediately set up something, so I could take some photos, and get to hang with this extraordinary gal.  :)  To see her grow up into a young lady is amazing.  She is talented, and gorgeous!  I cannot wait to photograph her Sweet 16 next year!

         

Sands Point Preserve

Sands Point Preserve.
I love the place.  It is up north, in the town of North Hempstead.
It has a little of everything!  A beach, some woods, grass.  Sun.  Shade.  Trails.
I have been there a few times now, and I still have yet to see the entire place.
Before I went on vacation, I had the pleasure of shooting one of my good friends boys.  And OH how cute they are! :)  Tyler and Nicholas, you forever have a place in  my heart!

                   
             

American Cancer Society Fundraiser

So a little bit ago, (really a little bit since my posting has been virtually nil) I posted about Florence, and the ACS fundraiser.  I was able to do two sessions to benefit this great cause.  Thank you to the Leach Family, and Yajaira C. for your donations!  I hope that next year, I can continue to do sessions in June to benefit it.

                

GOALS

October 2, 2010. 

That was my very first session after I made the decision to make a go at this photography thing.  My little friend Gary, helped me decide that I really did want to do portrait type sessions, and not just parties and weddings every now and then. 

Since the decision, I have made a Facebook fan page, and it currently has jumped to 214 likes from just 176 two days ago!  I actually realized that people were not seeing my posts from LasSana Photography aka Lena Messana Photography on my wall like I originally thought.  So I have to make a post from my actual site for it to pop up so people can become fans!  Thank you Jessica of AJ NICK PHOTOGRPAHY” for helping me realize that, and for showing others my page!  Us photographers have to work together, not against each other!  (Something Jasmine* taught me).  Now, I am working hard a few nights a week to put the site out there. 

I have a few goals that I have set in place as well during this time, that by the end of 2011 I hope to have accomplished.  Posting them here makes it seem real.  Now I have something to prove, if it is only for myself. 

*Set up a Facebook fan page – CHECK!

*Set up a price list – CHECK!

*Switch from Nikon to Canon – CHECK! (Although I kept my D40x and the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 yummy lens)

*Get a logo – CHECK!  (Thank you Mike!!!!)

*Set up a website – still working on this one.  It is so hard to choose which way to go!

*Obtain new lenses:

 -50mm f/1.4 – COMING SOON!

 -24-70MM F/2.8L

 -I would also like to have a wide lens… undecided at this point.

*UPGRADE to Full Frame with the 5D MarkII  (Hopefully by Christmas), keeping my lovely 7D as my backup and hanging with family camera. 

And there ya’ll have it!  The only thing that was not on the agenda was the business name.  I am not sure if everyone saw the change!  I am trying to find a way to incorporate that into my Facebook page, as it is telling me Lena Messana Photography is it!  So if LasSana Photography pops up…that would be me! J

And for those of you that did not get to see this adorable little one – here is a sneak peek! 

Reach for the Stars!

It is so hard to believe that my vacation has come, and gone.  It was two years of planning, and now it is over. :( My family went to Kissimmee, FL.  This year, we rented a house instead of just a villa.  It had 6 bedrooms!  I seriously could get used to that!  But at the prospect of cleaning a house like that on a daily basis would probably blow my mind!  I do not know how people do it.  (Get a maid!!)

I feel like I have been away for so long, as it has been a little bit in between blogs.  I have been super busy, so I really need to figure out a way to make sure that I blog a few times a week.  

This post is special to me.  It revolves around a very special woman, Florence, who I have known for many, many years (That would be a whopping 31 years!) .  We went to P.S. 97 (The Forest Park School) together.  From first grade we have stayed in touch!  Since 2004, Florence has been through hell and back.  She has beat Cancer, more than one time.  I will not get into the full synopsis, but she is one strong cookie.  To help kick off my fundraising for her team, Reach for the Stars - I had put out a photography sale.  Half price Half sessions, with 2/3 of the proceeds going to ACS.  I was able to send $100 to the American Cancer Society, thanks to Yajaira C. and the Leach family for participating in this event!  I hope that next year, even more people will take advantage of this special sale, because the proceeds go to great cause, and you will have pictures to last a lifetime!  And even though Relay is over, it is not too late to donate!  

You can do that here:  http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY11EA?px=4218551&pg=personal&fr_id=29438

I will also be doing this for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in August/September of this year!  Look out for this awesome event!

To kick off this event, I did a photo shoot with Florence and her children.  

Flo, you are a special person.  Even though I don't hang around as often as I would like, know you hold an extra special place in my heart!  Love you bunches! xoxo

New name/logo coming soon!! :)

And the WINNER is???!!!

May is still not officially over in my book!  I still have two sessions left to finish editing.  One a party, that should be quick, if I ever can find the time to get to it!  I go on vacation at the end of this month, so anything that is hanging out, I must have done!  I am glad I warned everyone that it is a little busy right now...so it will take a little longer than my usual time.

A little while ago, I hit 100 likers on my Facebook Photography page. (Just in case you don't already like it... :) http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lena-Messana-Photography/116656341727525)

That 100th liker was the winner of a free HALF SESSION!  It turned out to be Liza.  I went to High School with her, and we were cheerleaders together!  What a better way to celebrate #100 than to take Liza out with her beautiful daughters, Liana and Olivia.  It was a very overcast day, with some mist.  We decided to go out and do it anyhow, just as long as it wasn't raining.  :)  We stayed by the Forest Park Bandshell, and got some shots done!  I won't lie...  I was messing with my new camera for the first time in crazy overcast weather.  :D  

These girls are seriously gorge!  ALL THREE!   

Stay tuned!  I want to do something with my 200th liker...  so keep em coming! :)

Beach Bound

Who would have known that my first time at the beach this year would be with my little friend Gary?!  OK, so I did know that since February, but who's gonna know that?  (OK internet, so now ya know!  lol)

The week prior, we kept watching the weather.  It had been raining, and raining.  It felt like it would never stop! We had an eye on that Sunday though...  and it said rain!  I told Gary's mom not to worry.  My day is open.   So was theirs.   With clouds, it won't be a problem shooting at all - so if I see that spot open in the radar, be ready for my call!  9am came, and I was hopeful!  It looked like we would have some time in the afternoon!  We were excited.  Then 12pm came.  I messaged Jackie, and told her... 3pm!  We are IN!  :)  They came and got me, and we were OFF!  Got to the beach, and if I tell you we had the PERFECT weather for the precise time we were there...  It most certainly could not have been planned better.

Since then, we agreed I must add weather forecaster to my job description!  :)