Every Seasons Events l Wedding Coordinator, Middletown, New York

A couple of months ago I meet at dunking Donuts with Jennifer Pagas who’s the owner of Every Seasons Events, an event planning company. With her is Nicole Scandura her right hand, and the three of us just hit it of from the beginning. They are not only great for adding me as one of their photographer vendors but also for always keeping me in mind for new opportunities to work with them.This past week they organized a party for all the vendors. I was excited because they allowed me to set up a little station for my photography and to meet some of the people they work with.  

It’s Friday night and I walk into Jennifer’s home, the moment I step in I can smell the sweet scent of cinnamon and apple candles, there are beautiful fall flowers carefully placed on the tables and an awesome food table arrangement. I set up my station and wait till her staff meeting is over. Jennifer is always carries herself with a great ease and professionalism.  Everything she decorates is beautiful, even her home has a modern chic touch to it. Overall it was a great night, good food and great company, I enjoyed talking to some girls about my business and showing them my work. It’s really nice when people say they like my photos. :)

Check out their website at www.everyseasonsevents.com

Flowers by http://www.bellafiorifloralandeventdesign.com

This was Mariana Feely Photography's table!

Hudson Valley Professional Photographers Society of New York

I had a very long and fun phone conversation with Les Howard the other night, we were talking about what it was like for him being a photographer for the past 35 years and how much he still loved it  at past his retirement age, at one point he says to me: Mariana, If you want to meet some of the best photographers in the industry from our area you need to come to tomorrow’s meeting of HVPPSNY .  OK if you put it that way I have to go. Again another night I was not going to see Tom and David, but I figure it was worth my time and effort since they only meet once a month.

So on Wednesday after work, I drive to Orange county Choppers building, sadly the meeting was not there, but across the street in the Hilton Garden of Newburg NY.  I walk in and see a group of people at the bar in some sort of happy hour. Then I see the cameras around and I know I have arrived to the right place. I start talking to some of the folk’s introducing myself, Mariana Feely, Oh! Irish gir. Oh no ! that’s my husbands name, I’m 0% Irish 100% Venezuelan. So what do you shot? What’s your equipment? It was like a mini interview and then after that, we just start talking about the business, equipment, their experience. I just felt so excited to be with people that were as in love with photography as me.This must be how Star trek fans feel when they go to their conventions in their best Spock custom and start speaking in their Deep Space language to each other. Then to make it even better they were having a photo competition with all these hard core judges, I was blown away by the talent, I felt like I learned so much from their critics and it was overall a very cool night. I go home and I have at least 7 business cards in my purse and I start adding everyone on FB and looking at their websites.

You can go to their site and see some of the members work

http://hvppsny.org/

Daycare Pictures l Monroe, New York

To be a children photographer you have to have something more than sharp photography skills. This is not a job for you if you are scared of children, or they make you nervous (Kids can smell the fear).  Liking children is also not enough. I hear a lot of parents complain how they can’t get their own kids to cooperate for pictures.


My expertise with children started back in my college days; I babysat many kids from all ages and family sizes. The hardest ones were three year old girl triplets. Let’s just say I thank God everyday that my first born was ONE boy. With all that experience, I learned how children think, what makes them laugh, smile, and most important how to get them to cooperate. Now all my expertise was put to a test last week, when I did a photo session of my son’s daycare center.  There were twelve children from one year olds to six year olds running around. Oddly enough, my OWN son and the bigger kids gave me the most trouble, but at the end of the shoot I knew I had captured fantastic pictures!

I think after this I can call Octomom and ask her if she would like a family portrait J.

Best Computer For Photographers Mac vs PC

A week ago my 6 year old PC broke down. I did not have nervous breakdown at the moment, cause have been very good from the beginning about backing up all my photos in a CD, before I get even started editing them. The nervous breakdown started Friday, when I saw my husband getting hard core matrix, doing bunch of weird stuff in the computer. Then he said what I was fearing, we need a new computer. Nooooo Why? Why?, I said. That was not my plan, I wanted to save some money for my $4,000 MacPro with an awesome big monitor. I probably would need two years before that could happen, but buying a PC this week, was not part of my plan. Then I got into the discussion with Tom about Mac vs PC, it’s an ongoing battle in my household. Yes, Macs are over price, Macs are exclusive to Apple and the apple fans are annoying (I won’t stand in line for 2 days to be one of the first to get their products). I have not much technical knowledge about computers but the little I know, Mac is the best computer for photographers.At the end of the day, it all comes down to the money, so a top of the line PC for $800 wins this round…for now.