Sunday, January 10, 2016

A Special Glamour Make Over Session With The Italian Actress Playright Michaela Di Cesare by Montreal Portrait Photographer Hera Bell

 
My photography has been a journey for each of my subjects.
A moment of reflection in our chaotic life and finding that stillness within.
 





Michaela Di Cesare  will open her play In Search of Mrs. Pirandello  at Centaur Theatre's WildSide Festival 2016. There will be only 5 performances. Go and see. You will not regret.

I first met beautiful talented Miki September 16 2013 for a special photo project with Montreal Italian actors and comedians. And yes I call her by that name, just because I can...

Here are some results from that session...




 Yes this was our first connection together.

We stayed in touch. Often we run into each other at plays. Shared a glass of wine and discussed theatre.

Then I got a message from her in February 2015 wanting to book with me a glamour make over session for their upcoming wedding anniversary. Due to busy schedules we ended up doing our session in April 2015. The session was going to become a birthday gift to her hubby.

We discussed the art direction only between emails. Her and her husband love to travel. She wanted me to represent during our session the countries they have traveled. A very tall order for me.

This is what I received from her:

" Hi Hera,

I think it's about time I sent you all the destinations/themes I would like to try to capture. I'm just going to write down words and images that come to mind

Where we've been
Cuba: a dark cave with bats
New York: williamsburg, cafes, broadway, art, spotlight
Turkey: mosque, harem, Sanli Urfa, Capadoccia, magic, 1001 Nights, scarves, lights
Mexico: Baja California, Hotel California, Water,
West Coast St Lucia: Caribbean, coconuts, mango, paradise, salt
Rome: eternal, spanish steps, trevi fountain
Sicily: limes, heat, ruins, lazy, sensual, yellow and green Thailand: gold, buddha, richness, turquoise, beauty

Where we're going He is dreaming of Africa...Madagascar...but also many other places so this could be ambiguous. Or maybe with a globe?

And maybe one image that represents home? That could be a nice romantic idea.."

I was getting a bit nervous. April 8th 2015 quickly arrived. I told to myself, go with what she brought as dresses, props and take it from there.

Here are some results from that day. We both had fun creating these images. I did her make-up, hair, styled each shot what she had brought and what I had in the studio. The backgrounds are all my own travel photography.

She loved the experience. She has now caught the bug of getting photographed by me.. That makes me very happy.

THAILAND

24 karat gold leaves...
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
TURKEY
 
Memoires from a harem... Boots are from Turkey. Embroidered leather. Many more beautiful shots with the boots, but they will stay private.
 
 
 
CUBA
 
The nightmare with the bats at the hotel room.
 
 
 
ROME
 

 
 
SIENNA
 
 
 
FRANCE Paris
 
At The Opera House
 


MIKI THE TRAVELER



 
 
MIKI THE PRINCESS
 
 



MIKI THE TALENTED ITALIAN BEAUTY
 
The wife, the lover
 
 

Today I will see her play at Centaur theatre. It is the opening... I wish her all the best.
 


Saturday, January 2, 2016

Romantic In Venice Our Gondola Ride by Montreal Glamour Portrait Photographer Hera Bell

After spending a two weeks in Venice, walking almost its every tiny streets, watching millions of tourists in gondolas, and photographing them (me off course), we finally decided to take our own gondola ride two days before our departure date.
 
Our decision was to take it from the spot that every day we had a Campari spritz. The place was next to our apt. We chose to do the half and hour tour, in tiny canals and end the trip back to the grand canal. Price was 100 Euros. Worth... every penny of it. I actually preferred spending it on a Gondola ride then few our restaurant bills which coasted more then that.

We absolutely wanted the ride during dusk, sun set time. Exactly 8.30 pm we started the ride. Our driver was great. He was doing this job since he was 18 years old. Over 35 years. He spoke only at the right times. It was uber romantic time for both of us. Quite, relaxing zen like.

Here are two photos of what I mean that I captured during our ride.

PS: On a funny note. During the ride, at a spot, a man with Quebec accent shouted at us. "Arete, arĂȘte un peu" He wanted to take our photo. I asked him "etes-vous from Quebec?" he answered "Oui, de St Lazarre"... What a small world.
 

 
 
 
  
 Our Gondola Ride Audiovisual on Youtube filmed with Samsung Galaxy S6

just click to the link above to watch the AV.

 

Friday, January 1, 2016

The Butcher A Centaur Theatre 2015 Play by Montreal Portrait Photographer Hera Bell


Least year I was commissioned by Montreal's Centaur Theatre to photograph and create their entire season's visuals.

The photos have been circulating in the entire media.

I just discovered this Montreal Gazette article about the play. Just follow the link.


 
 
And here are some of the other shots snapped  by me for this particular play.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Friday, July 24, 2015

The Art Of Giving A Photography Gift Certificate by Montreal Glamour Boudoir Portrait Photographer Studio Hera Bell

Yesterday I delivered one of my new gift certificates to a very happy client. Couple of ladies got together to purchase this gift certificate to their co-worker who was turning 50. She was not expecting this new elaborate design. I wish I had taped her face when I showed it to her.

 I have created this handcrafted package all by myself. The person who receives it will explore it layer by layer. To me a luxury item's gift wrapping is as important as the gift itself.

Inside of the plain white envelope which it wrapped in luxurious double sided ivory thick satin ribbon, they will discover another amazing envelope, which one side is covered with a beautiful velvet flock design surface, the opening has a dye cut guipure lace and a crystal. The actual invitation has my seal logo sticker and it is embossed with my initials. You open that, you see an ivory pearled stationary where actually the text of what the gift is about is printed on.

To read and see what this highly personalized photography gift certificate involves and means you can visit the link below.

 

And this is how that gift certificate looks like.



Thursday, June 11, 2015

Testing At Night The New Android Cell Phone Samsung Galaxy S6 by Montreal Photographer Hera Bell


I have recently returned from Venice from a two weeks trip.

I have put to test my new Samsung Galaxy S6's camera almost every day during this trip.

Very sharp, very clear, low grain at night shots high quality and large image files.

I also did video with it. Especially at night during almost pitch black situations its capacity shines though.

Here is an example.



To see the files larger just click on to the images.



After editing, the result is below. I just did bring out the details and used Noise Ninja to smoothen the grain.
 
 
And the video sample.
 
 
 

Thursday, April 16, 2015

About The Bully by Montreal Glamour Make Over Boudoir Portrait Photographer Hera Bell

When anyone tries to bully you, the reason behind it all is to turn the attention towards themselves and meanwhile their entire purpose with this cowardly act  is to cut you into pieces and they want you to react and feel hurt.

Stand TALL. Ignore. Shake it off. Ignoring the bully is the best way to get back at them.

A bully thrives on controlling a group of people by directing them to gang up on others. Meanwhile that same leader bully tries to show a friendly face towards the bullied. Bullies are insecure controlling cowards. Their insecurities make them suffer from the disease called envy.

Several years ago I watched a great play about this at Centaur theatre. I wish I remembered the play's title.
 
 


Thank you George aka DarkAngelOne   for creating these two fabulous animated gifs below of my photo "Getting Bullied" from "Emotion In Motion" series. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. George is a legally blind Amerindian photo animator. He is extremely creative.
 
 
You either repulse the poison implied to you by others.
 
 
 
 
 
Or you let it in and get hurt. The choice is very clear. You are the master of your own universe.
 
 
 
 

Sunday, March 22, 2015

About Relationships And Friendships by Montreal Portrait Photographer Hera Bell

Most friendships or most relationships are like a pair of shoes. You got to wear them out, only in time they will show if they were a good fit for you. Sometimes you are better off running shoeless to feel the difference.  Often we push ourselves to fit in a pair shoes out of desperation much like friendships Just because we don't want to feel lonely, or the shoe looks good but feels bad.

Do not forget. We are our choices in life. Much like our choices in our relationships.

Patrick was photographed in my studio in 2004.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Centaur Theatre Launches its 2015-2016 Season by Montreal Photographer Hera Bell

I am proud to be the photographer behind the 2015-2016  season's theme poster and the play posters. yay. now we can show the results. no more secrets. The much awaited media launch happened yesterday.

When Centaur's graphic designer Steve proposed me as the photographer to create the photos to the theatre's artistic director Roy, I was quite excited to undertake such task and achieve the very specific visions of 3 people. Steve, Roy and Eloi the communication director.

After few email exchanges with Steve, we had a very productive lunch meeting at my place, where I cooked, we ate, drank and brain stormed about the direction we were about to take.

I went ahead and booked few people for the shoot. As some of the play's actor's were not casted yet.

The two full days of shoots happened at the main stage. 7 sets, over 600 shots, then putting it together in two separate meetings with the boys.

We achieved in a very tight schedule (about 10 days from the shoot to completion) what you are about to see below.

As they say, I am not sad it ended, I am happy it happened.

Thank you boys. It was a great privilege to cooperate with you all 3.

6 plays which 4 of the play rights are Canadian women, which are represented in one theme poster "Luminosity"



Roy's fast sketch the day of the first shoot , photographed by me under available light with my cell phone.

 
 
The Brochure for 2015-2016 Season At Centaur.
 
 
 
Did I mention that I have a fear of falling? photo snapped during our shoot by Steve Ross.



At the media launch






Saturday, January 31, 2015

Power Of Gold Audiovisual by Montreal Glamour - Boudoir Portrait Photographer Hera Bell


During my travels to Thailand, I witnessed Buddhist placing 24 karat gold leaves on Buddha’s statue at their temples.  I must admit, this has fascinated me.

Every temple is covered with gold in Thailand. The Burmese burnt the Thai city Ayutthaya just to melt and steal the gold on the entire city’s temples and architectural structures. Today when you visit the city, it stands in ruins reminding us the greed of human kind towards the power of Gold.

I am deeply affected by human kind killing their own kind. Unfortunately we never learn from our history.

In my recent photography project which you can see in this audio visual, I used 24 karat gold leaves directly from Thailand.

Everything in this video has for me deep symbolism. Gold is a beautiful precious metal. I used it on my beautiful chocolate skin muse Widline.

I will let you ponder on who we are as a human race today. Nothing much has changed since our existence.

Thank you,
Hera Bell


Concept, art direction, photography, styling, hair and make up was all done by yours truly.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Two Images, One International Competition 4th Place By The Jury And By The Crowd by Montreal Glamour Portrait Photographer Hera Bell

Montreal Glamour Make Over Portrait Portrait Photography Studio by photographer Hera Bell
I love entering competitions with my images.

I do not often just aim to win, but to see the reaction.

I have recently entered an international  photo competition.

The theme was: Fashion & Beauty

339 images have entered. You could enter two images only.
55879 votes were casted by the crowd formed by other member photographers at Photocrowd.

One of my images became 4th chosen by the crowd. Here is a screen grab below. You can see it larger just click on the image below.





The other one became 4th by the expert jury. Here is a screen grab below . You can see it larger just click on the image below.




Opinions matter for me. It only makes me a better photographer. Thank you Photocrowd.

Monday, January 26, 2015

Lux Perfume Ad Campaign Photographic Creativity Does Not Need Eyes

I have always said. The camera is just a tool. In the hands of a creative artist it becomes magic. In the hands of a technician it is just a tool of the trade. I want all my blog followers to watch the 3 av's in red texts. And then tell me if I am wrong. Have a wonderful day.

To me photography has always been capturing a feeling, not recording reality. A feeling can't be seen, it is only felt. You can't become a successful  artist overnight by emulating others.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Montreal fine art glamour make over boudoir portrait photography studio by photographer hera bell

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Simply Jessica Another Glamour Make Over Boudoir Session Bites The Dust By Montreal Portrait Photographer Hera Bell

January 3 2015, this was the years first glamour make over boudoir portrait session.

My client is Jessica, a 26 years old beautiful young Armenian lady.

No need to say much. The photos will always speak for themselves.

I promised like usual 20 different shots, we ended up with 21 photos.

Enjoy the visual journey. And the 10"x10" amazing album that I have created with 20 thick laminated pages printed on high quality photo paper. The pages are flush mount and it makes a great  coffee table book.. A true conversation piece. The price $250.00 Canadian. Yeah! High quality product for an amazing value.
























The contact sheet of the entire results