Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Happy Holidays!
2009 is quickly coming to a close and the holidays are a time to spend with friends and family.We'd like to wish you and yours the best this winter and offer a little gift of our own. As you may know, we've recently started taking family and children's portraits and we couldn't be more excited to photograph you and your loved ones, which is why we're waiving our sitting fee for the rest of December and January! That's a $200 value, so call us to set up an appointment and have a Happy Holiday Season!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
THE INSANITY 2
Frickin' Tekken 6 online is sucking up a loooot of my time. EVILKRIS_1977 if you see me on there. Playing as Eddy I'm currently 126th (W 906 L 503) in the world online battle rankings, not bad for a dude some might say is past his best gaming years! Come on all ye challengers!
Er.. and for anyone interested in my work:
'THE INSANITY II' is in the works, I'll have some snapshots up on the blog sometime later in the week. I've examined a lot of feedback from players of the original and decided to make a few altercations to the in-game mechanics. The battle system is kaput- some folks said it was 'original' but not very enjoyable and *shockingly* actually killed the games suspense.
Replacing that will be more action QTE-esque cutscenes and subgames, though none as tricky as 'The Machine'- which seemed overly challenging and clearly pissed off a lot of players.
Picture a mouse-mashing scene that will require you to crawl through a vent with one of the vivisects in hot pursuit, get caught and there will be a nasty, delectable death to come. The protagonist in this one is much more apparent- I've already designed the 3d mesh and you will see his appearance throughout the game.
The game will continue the tradition of ambushing any quiet moments where the player thinks it's safe to have a break. Also, in some cases you'll die by walking into the wrong place, using the wrong item or lingering too long, you'll need to think carefully and keep your wits about you at all times. Also, the puzzles will be trickier and more 'intellectual'. The blood and gore are all there but the story is the main chiller.
Originally I entertained that the game would take place in a lighthouse. This seemed like a good idea but I realised it would be impractical for storytelling purposes.
So, where is it being set now? An abandoned asylum..
More later...
Er.. and for anyone interested in my work:
'THE INSANITY II' is in the works, I'll have some snapshots up on the blog sometime later in the week. I've examined a lot of feedback from players of the original and decided to make a few altercations to the in-game mechanics. The battle system is kaput- some folks said it was 'original' but not very enjoyable and *shockingly* actually killed the games suspense.
Replacing that will be more action QTE-esque cutscenes and subgames, though none as tricky as 'The Machine'- which seemed overly challenging and clearly pissed off a lot of players.
Picture a mouse-mashing scene that will require you to crawl through a vent with one of the vivisects in hot pursuit, get caught and there will be a nasty, delectable death to come. The protagonist in this one is much more apparent- I've already designed the 3d mesh and you will see his appearance throughout the game.
The game will continue the tradition of ambushing any quiet moments where the player thinks it's safe to have a break. Also, in some cases you'll die by walking into the wrong place, using the wrong item or lingering too long, you'll need to think carefully and keep your wits about you at all times. Also, the puzzles will be trickier and more 'intellectual'. The blood and gore are all there but the story is the main chiller.
Originally I entertained that the game would take place in a lighthouse. This seemed like a good idea but I realised it would be impractical for storytelling purposes.
So, where is it being set now? An abandoned asylum..
More later...
Sarah's Gown
I met Sarah Lorkovic, from Bravo Salon, many months ago during our Pasadena Magazine Photo Shoot when she modeled one of my gowns for their real weddings section. As you look through the Collection pages of our website, you can find her modeling some of my gowns! But, at the time of the Shoot, she still had not purchased her wedding gown , so after talking, Sarah made an appointment to see me. She already had something very specific in mind for her dress, she wanted a crochet and lace gown that she had seen photos of in a wedding magazine. I took her initial concept and decided to run with it, making it more of a modern, fitted piece to compliment Sarah's beauty and figure. So, as crazy as it sounded, I decided instead of purchasing the lace, we would actually create our own here at the Salon.
After fitting Sarah in a muslin gown, we pulled apart the patterns and hand stitched strips of ribbon together to create her entire gown out of our own battenburg lace. We also applied lace appliques to add to the beauty, creating a gown that was elegant, light and perfect for her Palm Springs wedding!
When we were complete, it fit Sarah like a glove and she looked stunning!
I will have wedding photos coming soon as well...
Monday, December 7, 2009
Mrs. Canada!
I am proud to have had the distinction to dress Mrs. Canada, Barbara van der Maaten, for the Mrs. World Pageant which just took place in November! Barbara contacted me back in August through a popular modeling website after viewing some photos of my gowns. After numerous emails and phone calls, I was able to give Barbara all of the information I needed to create her gown for the evening portion of the Pageant.
Although Barbara lives in Calgary, Canada, we were able to create a muslin gown which was shipped to a seamstress in Canada to fit to Barbara and then create her final gown here in Pasadena. When we completed the gown, we shipped it back to Canada just in time for Barbara's long flight to Vietnam and the Mrs. World Pageant! Long story short, Barbara looked stunning in her gown and in everything else that she wore! I will be posting photos of the gown as soon as Barbara recuperates from her exhaustive trip!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Kids, Kids, Kids!
As many of you know, we've recently started taking family and children's portraits and we couldn't be more excited about this new photographic venture! We document first steps, first birthdays, and everything beyond with natural and artful images that celebrate your child's unique spirit. Below are some of our favorite images. Take a look at our new gallery to view some more images and email us to set up an appointment. Mention this post and we'll give you a 25% discount off your sitting fee!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Trunk Show
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This past Saturday we presented our own Trunk Show at the Salon where we showed the complete Collection to an intimate, yet full house. Our models, Kat and Teresa, walked through the Salon on our mini runway, looking gorgeous and sophisticated.
As people sipped on champagne, chardonnay, and sparkling lemonade, they were treated to all of the handmade gowns that make up the the Alina Pizzano Collection. Our excited Brides couldn't wait to try on the gowns the second the Show ended! Many who saw the Collection for the first time had no idea that we create all of the gowns, including all of the beading and detail, right here at the Salon in Pasadena! David Kim captured all the action and looks with his superb photographic style! Thank you to all that attended and I hope to see you soon!
This past Saturday we presented our own Trunk Show at the Salon where we showed the complete Collection to an intimate, yet full house. Our models, Kat and Teresa, walked through the Salon on our mini runway, looking gorgeous and sophisticated.
As people sipped on champagne, chardonnay, and sparkling lemonade, they were treated to all of the handmade gowns that make up the the Alina Pizzano Collection. Our excited Brides couldn't wait to try on the gowns the second the Show ended! Many who saw the Collection for the first time had no idea that we create all of the gowns, including all of the beading and detail, right here at the Salon in Pasadena! David Kim captured all the action and looks with his superb photographic style! Thank you to all that attended and I hope to see you soon!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Zepur & Ron
Zepur came to me last year and fell in love with the fitted lace gown that was part of the Collection. When she came in and tried the gown on, she instantly knew that this was her dress! Her Wedding wasn't until August of this year, so we had a good amount of time to be able to fabricate, fit, and alter her gown in a nice relaxed manner. Zepur is so down to earth and sweet, that we connected immediately!
Upon completion of her gown, Zepur cried tears of joy, seeing her vision come to life! Needless to say, we both ended up going through a box of tissues with endless amounts of hugs.
When the actual Wedding Day came, my husband Jameel & I were honored to have been invited. The Wedding and reception took place on a 3 story yacht in Newport Harbor. All I can say is "Stunning"!
Photographer, Brian Alexander kept up with all the action on board the ship and took many amazing shots. On a perfect summer day with the sun setting on the harbor, Zepur and Ron were wed...a truly beautiful day with a fantastic couple!
Congratulations Zepur & Ron!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Alina Pizzano Trunk Show
Romance yourself in Vintage Hollywood Glamour with a fresh modern twist as you join us for the Alina Pizzano Trunk Show! Any Bride that places an order at the Show will receive a 10% discount towards the purchase of their gown. Come meet Alina Pizzano at the cocktail reception to follow! Here are a few teasers of some of the Collection...
Please rsvp at rsvp@alinapizzano.com or 626.584.0076
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
New Name, New Website, New Blog!
Love Nest Photography has undergone a make over! We've changed our name to Wren & Field Photography and have got a new website, a new blog, and all sorts of fancy new materials for our clients to see. What's remained the same is our dedication to making beautiful images that capture your personalities and the unique story of your wedding day. The name Love Nest Photography isn't gone for good, though. We're keeping it around to promote our new photographic services for your ever expanding families. Check out our new gallery to view some of the family and children's portraits we're so excited to now be taking!
Email us with any questions and check everything out at our new site!
Email us with any questions and check everything out at our new site!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Liza Shtromberg
Many Brides that come to me are in search of that perfect accessory, that stunning piece of jewelry to compliment their custom gown. Well, Liza Shtromberg is one of those artists that can create just that. Her two shops, LS in Los Feliz and Island in Silver Lake, are an amazing showcase for her "Ancient Modern" jewelry. Liza takes stones, metals, pearls, and shells and creates wearable sculpture that is gorgeous, unique, one of a kind works of art.
Why not get your own custom wedding rings designed for both Bride and Groom? Her bands can be as complex or as simple as you would wish, with gems and stones from around the world! She also has an eco-friendly collection that takes the beauty of nature and wraps it up in an ecoresin.
Liza has a very loyal clientele of stylists and celebrities, but designs for everyone.
"My jewelry is meant to be classic, universal, organic, playing into who you really are. Each collection is strategically conceived to layer well with the others - as well as with jewelry the client may already have."
So, if you are still searching for that perfect piece, please visit Liza at one of her shops! I promise you won't leave empty handed!
Liza Shtromberg
2120 Hillhurst Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90027
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Huntington Library Photo Shoot
We were recently asked to participate in a Photo Shoot at the gorgeous Huntington Library in Pasadena. The Shoot was organized by Amanda Ma and Ada Chan of Fresh Events. They met at the Salon and browsed through the Collection before deciding upon the feathered chiffon ball gown and the twist front gown. The Photographer was Meghan Aileen who's Studio is located in Burbank. The late afternoon session provided beautiful natural lighting within the different gardens that are part of the Huntington grounds.
With the Huntington Library now open for weddings, any Bride can see from the photos what a dramatic backdrop the Gardens can provide for their event. Whether you're getting married, or have already tied the knot, I definitely recommend taking a trip with your significant other and walking the grounds to feel like you're on a first date again!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
"THE INSANITY" DEVELOPMENT POST
GAME INSPIRATION
-----------------------
There's no direct inspiration for 'THE INSANITY' but it definitely had a wide range of influences. My first purpose was to recreate something similar to what we used to read in the Fighting Fantasy Ian Livingstone&Steve Jackson books as kids. Are you old enough to remember?
What a great idea it would be, I thought, to have a game like that. Not really much more than an excuse for a straightforward picture-book story. Interactivity is limited- there are battles and sub games to raise the pulse a little, but the real involvement comes from the characters and being astray in this mysterious world that is part directed by the author and part by your own imagination.
In a sense the game is a hybrid because it's not actually aimed at the crowd who prefer slow, passive puzzle games, but rather the Silent Hill/Resident Evil fans who like a decent story and medium pace action+the chance of a grizzly death.
CHARACTERS
---------------
EDGAR FRIENDLY
One of the differences between Friendly and other horror genre antagonists is that he doesn't have any provocative background tale, his history is straightforward and nondescript, he is a highly-educated man from a good Christian non-abusive family. He's brain damaged. There's more to be learned about this in the second game, but he gets involved in a horrendous accident that triggers it all off a few years later. He loses the mental faculties that appropriate what is moral and sane in our society. With normal thought patterns destabilised he goes on to believe what he is doing, the experiments, the kidnapping, the vicious murdering, is for the benefit and advancement of humanity and medical science. He doesn't view himself as an outright serial killer (as do many in real life btw) - it's 'progress'- mankind will comprehend his objectives and one day thank him, the end DID defy the means, and all was not for naught. In the Insanity 1- which is taking place sometime after the second game- his beliefs have manifested themselves to such an extent that he literally puts himself under the knife with a little help from T.Takaki, in the vain hope that it will educate the world and prove his level of commitment. All goes awry at the last minute however, and he ends up potentially 'curing' his condition and being as horrified at his surroundings as a normal human being would be. His awakening prior to discovering the horrible truth is the event consequentially to the games beginning.
TRACY TAKAKI
Tracy is nothing more than a frail-minded girl who's love for Friendly runs so deep that she allows him to sculpt her into one of his Pigmalion-esque 'experiments' to be with him. She lies to herself that all that is happening is just a game. She is the one who deep-down is completely aware of the terrible irregularity of it all, and yet her love obscures her righteous beliefs and she foolishly expects he will somehow revert back to his once normal mentality once the Doctor is done playing around. Her physical appearance is largely based on the 'Kuchisake Onna' of Japanese mythology and the actual model herself (counting out the face) is none other than my own wife- who after seeing her lovely photo's zombied up is convinced she married a Edgar Friendly nut job herself. She will be making a further appearance in the second game.
"THEY'LL BE NO ESCAPE FOR YOU GUY"- TUNNEL MONSTER - STATUE
Past captives and surgically altered victims.
ALEXANDER
Another captive although he- like yourself- manages to escape and is in the process of looking for a way out when you encounter him.
CHAINSAW GUY
He's a character from another game I never did quite finish (yet) "THE DAMNED". Just out of silly affection for the 3d model and it's animations I decided to write him into the game. His history is under wraps as if I do make a second game-demand depending, he will be one of the leading characters. As inspiration goes, obviously you can tell clearly he's all Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
What about a -"THE INSANITY 2"?
As far as a story goes I've already a pretty decent one fleshed out using many of the characters in the original game plus 'The Doctor' naturally.. Don't expect a happy ending!
It is certainly a possibility, depending on the reception of the original and the plausibility of making some better $$$ this time.
Under Construction
--------------------
-----------------------
There's no direct inspiration for 'THE INSANITY' but it definitely had a wide range of influences. My first purpose was to recreate something similar to what we used to read in the Fighting Fantasy Ian Livingstone&Steve Jackson books as kids. Are you old enough to remember?
What a great idea it would be, I thought, to have a game like that. Not really much more than an excuse for a straightforward picture-book story. Interactivity is limited- there are battles and sub games to raise the pulse a little, but the real involvement comes from the characters and being astray in this mysterious world that is part directed by the author and part by your own imagination.
In a sense the game is a hybrid because it's not actually aimed at the crowd who prefer slow, passive puzzle games, but rather the Silent Hill/Resident Evil fans who like a decent story and medium pace action+the chance of a grizzly death.
CHARACTERS
---------------
EDGAR FRIENDLY
One of the differences between Friendly and other horror genre antagonists is that he doesn't have any provocative background tale, his history is straightforward and nondescript, he is a highly-educated man from a good Christian non-abusive family. He's brain damaged. There's more to be learned about this in the second game, but he gets involved in a horrendous accident that triggers it all off a few years later. He loses the mental faculties that appropriate what is moral and sane in our society. With normal thought patterns destabilised he goes on to believe what he is doing, the experiments, the kidnapping, the vicious murdering, is for the benefit and advancement of humanity and medical science. He doesn't view himself as an outright serial killer (as do many in real life btw) - it's 'progress'- mankind will comprehend his objectives and one day thank him, the end DID defy the means, and all was not for naught. In the Insanity 1- which is taking place sometime after the second game- his beliefs have manifested themselves to such an extent that he literally puts himself under the knife with a little help from T.Takaki, in the vain hope that it will educate the world and prove his level of commitment. All goes awry at the last minute however, and he ends up potentially 'curing' his condition and being as horrified at his surroundings as a normal human being would be. His awakening prior to discovering the horrible truth is the event consequentially to the games beginning.
TRACY TAKAKI
Tracy is nothing more than a frail-minded girl who's love for Friendly runs so deep that she allows him to sculpt her into one of his Pigmalion-esque 'experiments' to be with him. She lies to herself that all that is happening is just a game. She is the one who deep-down is completely aware of the terrible irregularity of it all, and yet her love obscures her righteous beliefs and she foolishly expects he will somehow revert back to his once normal mentality once the Doctor is done playing around. Her physical appearance is largely based on the 'Kuchisake Onna' of Japanese mythology and the actual model herself (counting out the face) is none other than my own wife- who after seeing her lovely photo's zombied up is convinced she married a Edgar Friendly nut job herself. She will be making a further appearance in the second game.
"THEY'LL BE NO ESCAPE FOR YOU GUY"- TUNNEL MONSTER - STATUE
Past captives and surgically altered victims.
ALEXANDER
Another captive although he- like yourself- manages to escape and is in the process of looking for a way out when you encounter him.
CHAINSAW GUY
He's a character from another game I never did quite finish (yet) "THE DAMNED". Just out of silly affection for the 3d model and it's animations I decided to write him into the game. His history is under wraps as if I do make a second game-demand depending, he will be one of the leading characters. As inspiration goes, obviously you can tell clearly he's all Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
What about a -"THE INSANITY 2"?
As far as a story goes I've already a pretty decent one fleshed out using many of the characters in the original game plus 'The Doctor' naturally.. Don't expect a happy ending!
It is certainly a possibility, depending on the reception of the original and the plausibility of making some better $$$ this time.
Under Construction
--------------------
Friday, August 28, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
First Couture Bride Work Shop!
Jeannie & I would like to send a grand "Thank You" to our Brides who attended our first Couture Bride Work Shop! They were engaged, involved, and a pleasure to work with. Hopefully they gained some smart and valuable tips and advice that will help them with their special day!
Special thanks to Brian Alexander Dreisbach for being our first Special Guest. You must check out his website, his skill, passion, and amazing style make him a perfect choice for any Bride. We believe in Brian so much that he has just recently shot the complete Alina Pizzano Collection, which will be available to view online very, very soon. We would also like to thank Cake Sensations of South Pasadena for their amazingly yummy treats! They provided a sample of every type of cake one could imagine for our Brides to taste and take with them! Jeannie & myself look forward to next month and are excited to be a part of each of our Brides special day!
We are excited to announce that Melissa Allen of The Ebell Los Angeles will be our September Special Guest. Melissa will be discussing "Choosing the Perfect Wedding Venue". In addition, Jeannie and myself will give tips and advice on "Planning a Flawless Wedding" and "What is the Perfect Gown?". Remember, space is limited to only 12 Brides so that we can work with you one on one! If you have not sent your RSVP, hurry as this Work Shop is sure to fill up fast! Stay tuned for our Q & A with Melissa which will be posted this week.
Special thanks to Brian Alexander Dreisbach for being our first Special Guest. You must check out his website, his skill, passion, and amazing style make him a perfect choice for any Bride. We believe in Brian so much that he has just recently shot the complete Alina Pizzano Collection, which will be available to view online very, very soon. We would also like to thank Cake Sensations of South Pasadena for their amazingly yummy treats! They provided a sample of every type of cake one could imagine for our Brides to taste and take with them! Jeannie & myself look forward to next month and are excited to be a part of each of our Brides special day!
We are excited to announce that Melissa Allen of The Ebell Los Angeles will be our September Special Guest. Melissa will be discussing "Choosing the Perfect Wedding Venue". In addition, Jeannie and myself will give tips and advice on "Planning a Flawless Wedding" and "What is the Perfect Gown?". Remember, space is limited to only 12 Brides so that we can work with you one on one! If you have not sent your RSVP, hurry as this Work Shop is sure to fill up fast! Stay tuned for our Q & A with Melissa which will be posted this week.