St. Louis Photographer » A Journal by Holly McCaig

Remember this party? Well, the lovely hostess recommended me for doing the same set up at Focus St. Louis’ Move & Shake Event this past Saturday. When people see a backdrop and a basket full of props and boas, you often get stares and looks of curiosity. Until…that one brave soul comes over and eagerly jumps at the chance to put on some Elvis glasses and a fake pair of lips. SAY CHEESE!

It’s probably the one time you can get away with saying “cheese” and being silly – as a grown up. Ahhh, love it.

Great event, good times. Below is a sample image and a little album template I’m designing for my Lollipop Smiles & LolliSnaps events for 2010.

Photographers interested in the above template design, coming soon to Pink Ink Studios! 8 Template pages and one cover. I designed these to fit Blurb 12 x 12 books.

Talk about a fun time! Colleen found me on Facebook – as we have mutual friends – and wanted me to come out to take pictures at her hubby’s 40th last night. We opted to go for the whole “photobooth” look and that we did! This is such a fun setup. It’s something we’re beginning to offer complimentary to our wedding couples too. We don’t print on-site for you to take home, but it’s a way to dress up and be a little silly if you wish. This is an alternative to Lollipop Smiles. You can do the LolliSnaps option like this for $200 an hour, with two hour minimum. If you’re looking for a real photobooth with on-site printing, etc. at your wedding reception, be sure to hire CI Photobooth!

Here were some of the favorites from last night!

I wanted to create some new props to use for Lollipop Smiles and for parties or other fun sessions and figured it was a good idea to share them with other photographers (or just for anyone really). So, I have a line of new products now at Pink Ink Studios. They are called Smiley Faces. Simple printouts that you download after purchasing. Print on cardstock and cut out. Adhere to dowel sticks or anything you want really. Here’s some that Amanda’s cutie pie, Miss. Haley printed and attached to some fun straws. She loved the pink set of mustaches!

The beauty of these things is that if they get stolen (which let’s face it, happens at parties and events) then you can easily print out new ones. Plus, it’s not an expensive investment. Great for photobooths and wedding receptions too! I have a bunch to start out!

You can get the lips in pink and in red.

The mustaches come in brown, pink, blue and woodgrain.

I have ideas for more, and will do a post if you all buy and use them. Send me your pictures and I’ll share them here. If I use your photo then I’ll send you another set for free. Visit my store at Pink Ink Studios to purchase.

Yesterday, we had the privilege of attending the Lot Music Festival, downtown at the Schlafly Taproom, with our Lollipop Smiles business. It was a pretty good crowd, and we had a few people that stopped in to take a few, fun photos! I loved the results from our new Lolli-Snaps option! This is something similar to a photobooth that we’re offering for free to all bride and grooms when they book us for at least an 8-hour minimum wedding coverage. We bring it in to their reception and let the happy couple give their guests something fun to leave behind for them! Or, they can hire us for full-blown Lollipops at their wedding. The cost for them is $650 for two hours of coverage. Be sure to visit the website for details!

And, our big winner of the 2-hour, Lollipop Smiles coverage goes to Abby! WOOT! I met Abby online through Twitter and finally got a chance to meet her and her fella! Abby is a huge dog lover too. So, I’m excited to give them an excuse to have a big party with our Lollipop Smiles! WOOT! Abby, I’ll be in touch! It was a lot of fun to meet our Twitter pals in real life during this event too!

It was tough battling the wind with our backdrop – but we learned a lot to make it better for use outdoors. If you’re planning a reception outdoors, be sure to let us know so we can give you some helpful hints on us bringing this set up into your reception!

Here were shots from the day! If you took a Lolli-Snap at the LOT, you can purchase them online here.

Today, I attended the Bridal Show downtown with my assistant (and pal), Hollie. We went to do some double-duty. You might remember the engagement photos of Nate and Carrie that we shared a few weeks ago? But, just in case you forgot, be sure to go back and see Part 1 and Part 2. Hollie was looking at some things for their reception next year and I was scoping out the location, booths, etc. We’ve been planning to have a booth at a bridal show for 2010 and wanted to see how this one was set up. I’m so spoiled and used to the CHA shows. The grandeur booths and creativity at CHA will blow anyone away! I didn’t see much of this at this show, so I am excited to put a personal touch on the future Holly McCaig booth!

But, seeing and meeting wedding vendors, it got me thinking about the new traditions at wedding receptions. Photo booths! I love this idea so much. Our Lollipop Smiles is another fun way to bring something different and creative to your wedding receptions. Obviously, both ideas are probably not going to be at the more conservative event, but it’s a great way to liven up your crowd and show off personalities. I love that the bride and groom get something extra to remember by doing these.

Lollipop Smiles is such a fun, wacky-style photography. We’ve been experiencing shooting groups and individuals, but are now catering to the event and parties world. We work a lot like a photo booth with hour coverage and inclusions, but the process is something unique and extensive that images aren’t instant. We have to go back to our digital labs and create the slick looks you see in the images. Wouldn’t it be fun to have this set up at your wedding reception? We’ve booked a few events already and are happy to talk to you about doing the same for your event!

We bring a prop box with lots of fun things to use for your popped photos!

A few things about Lollipop Smiles in the news: We’re going to be at the LOT Music Festival on August 29th. We’ll be in the Art Tent, so come by and meet us and talk to us more about bringing us into your event. We won’t be shooting Lollipops there because of the lighting set up. The outdoor experience changes a lot of that so why not schedule your own, individual Lollipop shot at September 13th! For just $35, you can come into our studio, get your Lollipops taken and then get a high resolution digital image emailed to you! Be sure to complete the Lollipop Smiles contact form to schedule your appointments…walk-ins are not accepted.

If you’re looking for something quick and instant, the photo booth is certainly the way to go! My friend, Cherie, owns CI Photo Booth here in St. Louis. And, you cannot miss this company! They are booked constantly. What I love about what they offer is the fun, modern backdrop choices and the hipster style that Cherie possesses makes the experience above all others (image below by www.ciphotobooth.com). Tell her that Holly sent you!