You want awesome pictures and a fun
(or at least painless) experience…
is that so much to ask?
I shoot weddings, family portraiture, commercial branding and headshots, as well as boudoir.
That’s a lot, but they all require the same skillset…
Making people feel comfortable and natural in front of the camera, and guiding them to flattering poses
Having the experience to light various venues, people, and groups well and accurately
Intuition to know a perfect story-telling moment when you see it
The ability to think creatively under pressure
People tell me all the time that they've been meaning to get updated family portraits forever, or that they're on the hunt for someone to capture their special event, or that their businesses badly needs updated marketing collateral…
Don’t overthink it. The Pintrest scroll never ends… if you’re unsure of what you want, that’s ok. We can come up with it together.
Parents tell me they're worried about being in pictures because they gained 20 pounds during the Covid quarantine, or they can't figure out what they should wear. I have a specific therapy session for that.
Businesses have trouble nailing down exactly what it is they want their photography to say about their business. I'll help you figure it out with a consultation and worksheet.
With weddings, the choice feels monumental and the search overwhelming. This is why I meet with wedding clients in person or over the phone so that I can give them a quick and clear sense of exactly what the experience of working with me will be like.
So let’s talk about your project!
Weddings
When it comes to weddings, it's paramount to hire someone with a ton of experience, a personality that will leave you relaxed and comfortable, and the ability to stay on track and follow a schedule even when circumstances aren't what you expect. With other types of shoots you can always redo it, with weddings it's a one-shot deal so you need someone who's up for the challenge no matter what it brings.
Hi, that’s absolutely me!
I offer…
◗ Second shooters
◗ Unlimited size and content albums bound in Italian leather
◗ Custom Artwork for your home
◗ Easy videography
◗ Gif Booth
Portraiture
When we chat you can tell me all about your kids personalities and how you want to be captured and we can come up with a perfect plan for you.
I have lots of portraiture clients who come back year after year on the same weekend to do updated family pictures and we make a little yearly album which they collect on a shelf so that their memories are preserved with no extra work. These clients tell me how much fun they have looking back over their books through the years to see the different phases in their children's childhoods.
FYI, I have three little ones myself, I come from a huge family, and I've been shooting for 16 years so there's nothing that your kid is going to do that will shock me or throw me off my game.
I can turn any monster into a little cherub!
Commercial
How your business presents itself online and in print says everything about the personality of your company. Even the way your photos are toned can affect the message you sent to future clients. I send all of my business clients a worksheet that they can fill out before hand which gets them thinking about exactly who they're trying to reach, what they want to convey, and what they can confidently deliver. Sometimes it's hard to see the forest through the trees, so this little exercise will help you hone your message into something that potential clients can easily recognize and identify with.
◗ Headshots
◗ Branding imagery for web and print
◗ Photo/video for social media
◗ Bio video for your website
◗ On-location business photos
Boudoir
I kind of hate the name “boudoir sessions” because it makes me think of hazy glamour shots in Fredericks of Hollywood feathers and teddies from the 80s, but that's what they're called so we're stuck with it. I don't show my boudoir portfolio publicly for the privacy of my clients, but it is available privately if you're interested.
I regularly shoot women and couples, of every shape size and color you can imagine. Most come to me when they have an occasion, a wedding/anniversary, a divorce or some other milestone. For some reason, we all think we need an occasion to celebrate ourselves, but once you've done one session you'll have a little epiphany… you'll leave your session feeling like 1 million bucks and wondering why you don't celebrate yourself that way every day… Can you imagine?
GIF BOOTH
Want a little something fun at your party? My Gif Booth is it! This Bad Boy takes pictures, it creates gif’s even videos where your guests can leave you an embarrassingly sentimental drunken message that they will absolutely regret the next day! Fun all around! Guests can do their thang, then enter their phone number to have their gif texted right to their phone! You can’t miss. Guests of all ages go absolutely bananas, every time!
FAQS
◗ What does Zenobia mean?
When I first started as a wedding photographer, brides and grooms were just beginning to plan their weddings using the internet (and there was NO Pinterest!) When I googled “wedding photographers” a dozen Jennifers came up (there were no girl names in the 1980’s other than Jennifer, Jessica, and Michelle). I figured I needed a name that stood out and it wasn’t mine! I had recently visited the ancient city of Palmyra in modern-day Syria and was smitten with the history of it’s most famous ruler, Queen Zenobia. I am super-duper into history, like, dork-level obsessed.
◗ What is your booking process?
Let’s first schedule a quick ten-minute chat on the phone or in person so I can learn all about your plans and explain my coverage options. Snagging me for your day requires a deposit and contract, both of which can be done online. I have an extensive details form, also online, which we can go through together. It asks you lots of questions to get you thinking about things you may have not considered. That’s about it! Easy and seamless, just how I like it!
◗ What vendors do you recommend?
Lots!
Here are a few and feel free to email me for more!
Videographer: JB Horn
Florist: Studio 539 and Greenlion
Desserts: Ellies Dianes Silver Spoon
◗ I’m nervous about being in front of the camera and my fiancé views pictures as a necessary evil…suggestions for getting through?
First, lots of people feel this way to varying degrees. I would even argue that everyone gets nerves before a shoot and being the center of attention. Fear not, I have lots of tricks for taking the pressure off. First and foremost, booze and drugs. Just kidding (kinda). Second, I won’t ever just stick you in front of a pretty backdrop and tell you to “do something” and “hold it”. For the most part, I eliminate your ability to discern when I will release the shutter. This is crucial. I also crack lotsa dirty jokes to keep you laughing (or dumbfounded as the case may have it). This is definitely my best skill, namely, getting the best most natural looks out of you. I also have a really keen eye for posing and never run out of ideas.
◗ What happens after I book?
Nuthin’!
Actually lots. I will send you some tips and suggestions for all the things you are thinking about…. planning your wedding schedule, what to wear for your engagement session, where to shoot your portraits etc. I’m always around so we can check in anytime with questions, to talk something over, for vendor recommendations etc.
At the time of booking I will give you access to a long online form which you can look over and work on as you plan. It goes over alllll of the nitty-gritty details and will prompt you to think about things you may not have considered. You can come back to it and update as many times as you like!
◗ What is your editing style?
My editing style is true, for the most part. I do lots of things that fall in the category of “nobody has any idea how much work this takes behind the scenes” such as swapping closed eyes for open ones in a portrait that is otherwise perfect. I sometimes do composite images, so for example if we shoot at sunset I will take a shot that perfectly exposes the sky, then another that perfectly exposes you and put them together. What I definitely don’t do, is have a trendy editing style. Often photographers embrace trendy or vintage color tones and palette in their marketing that is totally pintrest-worthy, but which will make zero sense ten and twenty years from now when you look back on your photos. The tones can also dull images that should be a blast of color, such as sunsets and dance floor shots. Trendy toning limits the photographer in their ability to portray the look of your day honestly. Some photographers are “natural-light shooters” which reflects an aversion to flash lighting. That is great for 5PM afternoon golden sunlight on a beautiful summer day, but anything else it can be a disaster. Point of the story is, I can shoot in any light, any building, any weather, and have the tools to correctly record how your moments actually looked.
◗ Why are you so fantastic?
Dunno… just can’t help it!
◗ A Bit of Advice on Wedding Planning in General, and Choosing your Wedding Photographer Specifically
The number one nugget of wisdom that I can share with you…. This may blow your mind, so you should probably be sitting down…
Enjoy Your Wedding.
Revolutionary, right?
Sounds simple, but it’s really not. How many couples have sniped at each other over their varied participation in the planning process… how many couples have spent their wedding days feeling exhausted and spent, instead of joyful with pumping adrenaline?
It is so easy to let all of the decision-making, writing checks, listening to your mother’s unsolicited advice etc. get the better of you.
Suffice it to say, follow your gut.
◗ Choosing a photographer is not like shopping for jeans
