Lifestyle Photography Archives - New Jersey, Philadelphia, NYC Personal Branding, Commercial and Editorial Photographer

A Girl and Her Horse-Maile and Luna

October 23, 2019/0 Comments/in Branding Photography, Editorial, Horse and Rider Photographer, Lifestyle Photography, personal branding photography, Photojournalism, Portraits /by Deirdre Ryan

If you haven’t guessed by now, my other passion is horses and riding. Years ago I used to show horses, jump them etc. I’m still an equestrian, and I ride and working on riding more and more each week as my schedule allows it. I met Maile at a farm we both rode at a while ago, since then she and her two horses have moved to Sporty Acres Farm, but we’ve kept in touch and remain friends.

She has this amazing thoroughbred horse named, Luna who is an amazing jumper and mover, loves to go fast. Maile is an amazing rider and watching her ride this horse, you can see the connection between them both.

I had this idea for a photo shoot and I wanted to originally shoot Maile and her husband David as he has a horse named Sailor. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to make it. My idea is to showcase a horse and rider, for personal branding. Many equestrians have their own websites, are on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. Riding is an expensive sport, so getting sponsorships really helps us.

To better understand more about the costs:
How Much Does It Cost To Enter A Hunter Jumper Show?
What Is Equestrian Show Jumping?
What Does It Take To Become and Olympic Equestrian?

Being an equestrian at a professional level is more expensive than sailing or tennis:

By having professional pictures to showcase at our trailers and stalls during shows, and online shows the commitment we’re making. Basically marketing ourselves to small and large brands to help us to afford what we do. And this includes our training, upkeep of our beloved animals, outfits, helmets, saddles, bridles, etc. The list is enormous, and why do we do this?

Because we love it.

The inside of the stables is pretty dark, so while I tried a few shots without my flash, I ended up having to use it.

Love the tail flip! The day was gorgeous, and the sun was perfect.

After Maile’s ride, I wanted to get some shots because I could tell that both were pleased with their ride. I suggested to Maile to take off her helmet and give Luna some kisses and hugs.

No one was using the indoor arena, so Maile helped me with the large muslin background that I brought. The idea to have Luna step on it, I wasn’t too sure of, so we put it up, I set up one light. Thinking that I was going to Photoshop/extend the background to cover up the windows, but as I was editing the pictures, I decided to leave it alone.

With the lighting set up, I didn’t want it to be too punchy or bright, and the colour processing I did in Capture Pro One gave me the look I was going for. The pose Maile has in this first one with her composed, and serious face reminded me of the old paintings when no one smiled but held their horses in a regal manner.

Thank you Maile for letting me come and hang out with you and Luna! We need to get together again soon!

If you’re interested in having me come out to your stables to photograph you and your horse(s), please contact me.

Editorial Photoshoot Showing A Cervical Cancer Survivor Whose Future Is Bright

January 10, 2018/0 Comments/in Editorial, Lifestyle Photography, Photojournalism /by Deirdre Ryan

Have you ever sat in your doctor’s office and seen these magazine titles?

Diabetes Health Monitor
Pediatrics Health Monitor
Eye Care Health Monitor
Heart Care Health Monitor
Arthritis Health Monitor
Living with Cancer Health Monitor
Dermatology Health Monitor
Digestion & Diet Health Monitor

Each time I would read one, I would think, you know, I should contact someone from this publication and see if they could use a photographer like me.

Well, one day, as I was sitting at my computer working on images back in October or November, I got an email requesting an editorial photographer to go on location to photograph a woman and her family for an article for the Living With Cancer Health Monitor Magazine.

It’s funny how things happen, right?

Amanda is a cervical cancer survivor who lives in New Jersey, married and is a mother to an adorable little girl. To read her amazing story click here.

After getting the approval for the project, I contacted her to decide on the best time to do the photoshoot, where we could do it, and asked some questions so that I could get to know her before showing up. I found out that she and her family have much in common with mine, a love of books, music, movies, and comic books. Getting to know the people who I’m going to photograph helps to break the ice, create an intimacy so that they feel comfortable with me, because it’s not every day that someone shows up with camera equipment and starts taking pictures. Not once did we talk about the article or what she went through, I wanted this to be about Amanda and her family, as though cancer never entered their lives. Just a fun afternoon, hanging out, playing Uno and eating popcorn with a friend.

Originally, we were going to photograph outside and some in the kitchen, but the weather was unseasonably bitter cold and windy. So we stayed inside their home, it was really comfy and had great light coming into their living room window. Based on our conversation before, I was able to chat easily with them, also I have an 11 year old daughter who loves to read.

As usually, I packed way too much and used barely half of it. I recruited their daughter to be my photo assistant. I showed her how to unfold the light stands, how to set up the flashes in the Westcott Rapid Boxes(she helped to set up those as well). I also had a large reflector that I unfolded, she loved that one. Their adorable pug allowed me to get some doggie time, which I relish each time I go somewhere and see a dog.

I wanted to give the magazine a variety of images to possibly use. I understood that this wasn’t going to be a cover story, but from what Amanda has gone through, I wanted people to see what a loving, beautiful, fun family they are.

Instead of using the flashes, I used natural lighting, utilizing the sin coming in their from window. I defused it by closing the sheer curtains and I set up the large silver reflector their the right,(our left) just out of view to give some additional light. Whenever I moved around them, I moved the reflector to where I needed the light to hit them.

For the images of Amanda and her family eating popcorn, I had to use at least one or 2 lights, so I set them up wirelessly, one in the front off to the side and the other in the back to fill in the kitchen.

First we started off by having them read a great Harry Potter picture book(I have it on my Amazon Wishlist).
Then I suggested that they play a game, so we all decided on Uno. This is also a favorite of ours in our family, and it gets quite ruthless!
We could’ve stopped after playing Uno, but I wanted to give another scenario in a different room. So They made some popcorn and I took pictures of them having some fun with it.

I didn’t want any posed shots, my goal was to get everyone natural, relaxed and having a good time. Okay, I admit, the last shot with the popcorn, I suggested, because it’s fun to feed mom and dad popcorn when you’re a kid LOL!

Below is the final article from this month’s issue of Living With Cancer Health Monitor. If you go to a doctor’s office and see the magazine, check it out as January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. You can see which image they used and I think it was an excellent choice.

Thanks so much Amanda and your family for letting me come into your home. I had a great time chatting and getting to know you all. Thanks Health Monitor for contacting and working with me on this project.

Interested in working together on a project? Use the red button on the right hand side towards the bottom titled Get Started to contact me. Thanks!

A Day In the Life Branding Photography For Your Business

December 6, 2017/0 Comments/in Branding Photography, Editorial, Headshots, Lifestyle Photography, personal branding photography /by Deirdre Ryan

What is A Day In the Life Branding Photography For Your Business?

It’s where we tell the story of who you are and what your business is about with me documenting your day. As a former photojournalist, I’ll follow you around, taking pictures. There’s a little more to it than this, go to my previous post Are You Ready For A Change? Branding Photography For Your Business to get a better idea.

The reason I bring all this up now, is because I was at a networking meeting with a group of women and was asked if I did this sort of service. To which I said yes of course I do!

A while back, my friend Ann Laurie approached me about needing photos of her going about her day running errands for her clients. At the time she was in the business of doing concierge services called Time Well Spent, so if someone needed errands done, they contacted her, gave her a list, and Ann did them. Ann got VERY busy and it was great seeing my friends business take off. Now she’s doing a consulting business and she’s very busy with that too, this makes me happy for her continued success 😀

So we first planned the day with errands that she was going to do and the outfits that she wanted to wear that not only fit her personality, but her brand. Ann loves bright colours, beautiful patterns and is very social.

We went to The Goodwill to drop off donations.

Picked up some baked goods and balloons at a bakery shop.

Next we went to Petal Pushers in Hamilton, NJ. The owner is my neighbor and a friend. She has an amazing shoppe!

Dropped off and picked up at the Borden Dry Cleaners. I got a scratch ticket, I was not a winner…

After the dry cleaners, we went back to my house where Ann changed her clothes, then we went to the post office here in Bordentown. Beforehand, I spoke to the Postmaster to ask if we needed a permit and permission to photograph there. He was really nice and said that no permit was needed, then said thanks for asking and yes to our photoshoot.

Since this was all on a Wednesday during the summer, it was also on a day when the Bordentown Farmer’s Market was taking place. Yes, we planned this, so the last shots were taken there as Ann purchased Jersey Fresh produce.

A lot of these has Ann facing the camera, and this worked well for what she wanted. Not too long afterwards, she needed a business portrait so I went to her home which has a lot of property and we had a lot of fun as we always do. Picking out what to wear, the jewelry, petting the dog, etc. This image below is our favorite and she uses to this day. I asked her to lean in towards me and the wind kicked up at just the right time and there you have it. BAM!

We need an updated photo for her, but this one surprisingly still works for her business, the brand and it really shows off who she is. We’ll talk next time we see each other, and it might come it. As friends, we usually chat about the important things, like being happy. Love ya Ann!!!

So, if you’re interested in my Day In A Life Branding For Your Business, and want me to tell the story of what happens to help connect with your clients, contact me. This will be useful for not just small businesses, but large corporations and companies too. If you manufacture anything, let people know how it’s done visually. Work in an office? Let’s make it interesting and fun! Especially if you are recruiting new employees.

While reading this post, you may have seen a RED Button on the right that says Get Started? Click on that to contact me, thanks I can’t wait to hear from you!

Mother, Painter, Tattoo Artist Environmental Portraits

January 6, 2017/2 Comments/in Branding Photography, Editorial, Lifestyle Photography, personal, personal branding photography, Portraits /by Deirdre Ryan

My friend and neighbor Julianna is an amazing woman, mother, artist and now a tattoo apprentice at Ceremony Tattoo Society in Philadelphia, PA. She already has a name for herself in the art world for her amazing paintings and drawings. She was also a featured artist with Grumbacher, a famous maker of art supplies such as paint brushes, oil and acrylic paints and more. And now she is about to take on the tattooing world as well.

Follow her on Instagram to see her sketches and finished tattoo work. Her flash sketches are simply amazing, and she’s taking on clients to practice her work on.

As Julianna was preparing her needles, ink and machine, we caught up on what’s been going on. Our children go to the same school, I’m friends with one of her daughters and her husband Joe, also a well known artist.
These two were taken with the iPhone SE as she works on a client 😉

Photo by Julianna Menna

The above image is the freshly completed black and white tattoo with a hint of white ink in places. I believe that this was her fourth tattoo that she’s ever done(?). This is why I know that she is going to become very well known very soon, and she is in the right place for it.

After Julianna completed the gorgeous tattoo, she proceeded to clean up the work area. Everyone in the shop left for the day, so it was just us, chatting while I was taking pictures.
And then she let her beautiful red hair down….However this wasn’t working for me.
I wanted to see more of her neck tattoo that she had done by Raph Cemo, so I had her put her hair back up again.
She moves like a dancer….

We moved to the work station, and I preferred this better.

I shot these using my Canon 6D , the Canon 24-70 f2.8mm L lens, Canon Speedlight 600 EX RT Flash, and the Canon Wireless Speedlight Transmitter ST-ES-RT . Normally I would have my Photek Softlighter with me, but I didn’t. So I bounced the flash that had a Stofen Diffuser on it. I have more ideas for her and her co-workers if they’ll let me, in the this amazing space.

A HUGE thank you to my good friend! You are going to go so far in this natural transition of your art and medium as you continue to grow in your creativity. I can’t wait to get together soon.

All photographs appearing on this site are the property of Deirdre Ryan Photography. They are protected by U.S. Copyright Laws, and are not to be downloaded or reproduced in any way without the written permission of Deirdre Ryan Photography. Copyright ©2017 Deirdre Ryan All Rights Reserved.

Photographing An Image For A Book

September 9, 2016/0 Comments/in Branding Photography, Business Portraits, Editorial, Lifestyle Photography, personal branding photography, Portraits /by Deirdre Ryan

Sometimes my clients are friends or my clients most often become dear friends and this is the case here. Dolores and I met while networking during a W.I.N.(Women Interested in Networking) meetings. These were monthly meetings held at Villa Mannino’s in Bordentown, NJ on Route 130. A huge group of women would gather to meet, network, and eat lunch. It was started by Teri Petry and it was my first real introduction to getting up and explaining who I was, and what I was about in front of sometimes 80-100 people. I was very nervous, and scared. No judgement, we helped each other out, I had to have a 20 second elevator pitch and Teri had a question that was fun like, what is your favorite dessert or if you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go and you had to answer it with one thing or place.

This is where Dolores and I met and we hit it off from there, she was one of my first headshot, business clients and we fast became friends 😀

As time moved on, she met Francine Parham, introduced me, and we hit it off as well. I photographed them both and for their projects and events. They have both written and completed their book titled: The Ultimate Career Pocket Guide.

What this book is about is to help those who need to get through networking, your goals, and not just for the workplace. I see this for many in their personal and career goals, their own businesses, their current job and within the job market. I highly recommend this book!

Francine is from the corporate world and has vast experience and knowledge and Dolores is a consultant and development coach. The two have put their heads together and come up with this amazing book to help many people.

I photographed the image for their book at Jester’s Cafe, right here in Bordentown, NJ. Natural light, no assistants, no bounces or fill. I’m literally just standing in one of their large windows, using my Canon Mark 5D III and the Canon EF 50mm f1.8 lens and the Canon EF 16-35mm f2.8L lens. I know the owners, the food is great and it was the perfect time of the day to do this.

I call these, “The World’s Worst Spy.”

Afterwards, we ordered lunch, did some formal headshots at my house.

We laughed and had a great time, but most importantly, I understood and wanted to make sure that the focus was about what they wanted with a twist. I helped to come up with a location and suggested some ideas, and went from there. I have ideas to go further with them with hair, makeup, and more.

What I did for Dolores and Francine is help them with their branding, how they wanted to be seen on the cover for their target clients. Professional woman, talking over lunch, being casual, but serious about what it is that they’re doing. This is how they talk to other professionals. It could be anything that they are chatting about. As you can see on their websites, the images of themselves, I have photographed, is what they have envisioned and I have more ideas for them.

Here are questions to ask for yourself:

Where are you headed? Who needs to see you? What is it that you are doing? What’s next on the horizon for your business or company? Do you have a team of experts to help you visually? Can they insure that your images and presence are of the caliber that agencies and publications can expect of you? Can your images be printed for high end marketing and packaging?

If you’re ready for this step for your business, company or corporation, contact me. This is what I do, listen, make suggestions, help present my clients to their clients in the best light possible. Make sure that you and your brand look cohesive and flawless.

Click on the red Chat Now Button that pops up and let’s get started!

Click here to see an event I photographed at Jimmy Choos in SoHo, NYC with Francine and Dolores.

Photos Signal 22 Canteen-Volunteer Group Helping Emergency Workers

February 13, 2013/0 Comments/in Branding Photography, Editorial, Lifestyle Photography, personal branding photography, Portraits /by Deirdre Ryan Commercial Photography

My friend Len Pope is a volunteer for this wonderful organization, Signal 22 Canteen. They are located in Trenton, NJ.

Here is their mission statement:

The mission of the officers and members of Signal 22 is to respond to any man made, or natural disaster and to provide proper nourishment for police officers, fire fighters, EMS personnel, any other agency personnel assigned to any disaster. In furtherance of this mission we also provide sustenance to the victims of any disaster also.We will respond to such disasters within a 30 mile radius of the City of Trenton, New Jersey, and when called upon we will respond to events outside of the 30 mile radius. The area we cover has a population of over 1.2 million residents. During a normal work day, that population grows to over 1.5 million people.

We provide assorted liquids such as hot coffee, tea, cocoa; ice tea, soda, lemonade, and water. On short term operations we provide cold lunchmeat sandwiches, pork roll w/ cheese, egg sandwiches, and summer sausage. Long term operations we provide assorted hot platters, such as beef stew, pasta with meat, etc.

We also provide aid and comfort to emergency personnel. One example of this is when we take the work gloves of fire fighters, EMS personnel, and police officers, on cold winter nights, and warm up the gloves in the truck while emergency responders are eating, and return them warm and dry before they return to the disaster scene.

I urge everyone to send in donations to their address:

1005 South Clinton Ave., Trenton, NJ 08611

They are strictly non-profit and work on donations and with volunteers only. I have seen them work with others and hear from my many friends who are EMT’s, Fire Fighters and Police Officers who are ever so thankful for having them on the scene to provide them with nourishment to them and victims.

If you have any questions feel free to send them an email:

signal22canteen@gmail.com

A Girl and Her Horse-Maile and Luna

Editorial Photoshoot Showing A Cervical Cancer Survivor Whose Future Is Bright

A Day In the Life Branding Photography For Your Business

Mother, Painter, Tattoo Artist Environmental Portraits

All photographs appearing on this site are the property of Deirdre Ryan Photography. They are protected by U.S. Copyright Laws, and are not to be downloaded or reproduced in any way without the written permission of Deirdre Ryan Photography. Copyright ©2017 Deirdre Ryan All Rights Reserved.

Photographing An Image For A Book

Photos Signal 22 Canteen-Volunteer Group Helping Emergency Workers

Rotary Club Member

Branding Photography

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