Love knows no bounds, and neither does the magic of vow renewals! We had the immense pleasure of photographing Karen and Tony's after their vow renewal here in Las Vegas. We bounced around Paris, made a stop at Planet Hollywood and ended with the world famous Bellagio fountains. Wishing the couple many more years of happiness!
See, vow renewal photo shoots: https://www.
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After temporarily pausing operations this Spring due to Covid-19, the city and Glitter Lens opened early this summer and we've been working our way back to normal. At least as normal as can be for now. It's been tough, but luckily outdoor shoots are our favorite and bonus, the Strip is currently experiencing less traffic making for easier photo shoots. In case you're wondering, masks are not necessary on these shoots as the photographer and client maintain proper social distancing. We have been including mask photos to serve as a memory of this time in our client's lives. These past few months we enjoyed hosting; two couple's shoots (one that turned into a surprise proposal and hence an engagement session and one celebrating an anniversary), a family photo session, a wedding, two bachelorette party shoots as well as a solo photo shoot just for images for the client's social media, as well as many more. Enjoy a few photos from the aforementioned shoots and we hope to see you back in Vegas soon!
Sondra came to us last month with a fun request. She was looking for maternity photos, family photos, engagement photos as well as graduation photos! What an awesome exciting time this must be in her life. We were more than happy to commemorate it for her. We choose the gorgeous Mountain's Edge Park here in Vegas for the location and the photographer selected right before sunset for the shoot for the soft golden light. Everything turned out perfect. Enjoy a few shots from this multi-purpose photo shoot.
What a fun and diverse March it was! We had the pleasure of coordinating and covering Jennye & Morgan and Samuel & Britanny's elopement here, congratulations to the happy couples. We were out for a family photo shoot, an anniversary shoot and not one but two birthday shoots on the Strip. We covered Dignity Memorial's annual awards ceremony in Laughlin and brought the photo booth out for the costume post-party. We married Megan & Bryan up in Red Rock Canyon, so gorgeous. We awesomely got to be a part of Chance proposing to Hannah, spoiler, she said yes! We traveled out to lovely Lake Las Vegas to photography a few properties for a client's AirBNB listings (and were jealous of the views). We were out to the always stunning Neon Boneyard for a wedding photo shoot. We had a family portrait/engagement session for one of our upcoming August weddings. We had a two man team out for the third year for Magna Legal's conference. Guest speaker, former NY Knick, Charles Johnson spoke to the crowd. We provided on-site printing as well so their guests had souvenirs of themselves with the towering Charles. Last week, our green screen booth made an appearance for Hakkasan's corporate event. And to close out the month, we got to cover Advanced Training Institute's graduation ceremony, always a good time. Happy to share some highlights from the month. Here's to April!
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Sabrina came to us saying she wanted to do something really special for her best friend's Keri's upcoming wedding. So on their girl's trip to Vegas she booked their bachelorette party a photo shoot out on the Strip. She selected the "South Strip" Route with stops at Paris, Planet Hollywood, Cosmopolitan and of course the Bellagio. Let me tell you, as the headline states, I am obsessed with the the bride-to-be's awesome yellow dress and bridesmaid's complimenting white. It was a dream to shoot and the photos turned out perfectly poppy. The girls are now having collages made to be printed and given to the bride as a wedding present. Awww. Congrats Keri!
During the week of this patriotic holiday, we'd like to highlight a recent portrait shoot we did for the Veterans of Destinations Pueblo, a local active 55+ lifestyle community here in Las Vegas. The property is creating a portrait 'Wall of Honor' to recognize it's resident Veterans and we were honored to photograph these servicemen.
In addition to photographing their Vets this month, Destinations has also had us out to their Valentine's Day Prom with our photo booth & for their Grand Opening with our Step & Repeat photography service.. Their sister property, Destinations Spring Valley, also got in on the photo booth fun for their holiday shindig. To round it out, we also were invited to photograph Destinations Anderson's Great Gatsby Party.
It's always a blast at Destination's event and and we look forward to many more!
We’re not sure why but Aussies love Vegas. Who are we kidding? We know exactly why. Vegas is awesome and they have good taste. But we do seem to get more Australians marrying here than one would think, and our photographers love it. They’re always a blast to shoot. Sarah and Paul are no exception. After their chapel wedding here, they choose our daylight to dusk Vegas Views Chauffeured Photo Shoot with stops at the Venetian, Bellagio, Caesars and Paris. Of course the Australians choose the photo shoot that includes champagne (did I mention their good taste?) The results of their day are stunning. Enjoy a snippet of their photos here.
It’s that time of year again. March Madness is upon us. It’s such an exciting time here in Vegas, walk into any casino sports book and the energy is palpable. For the third year in a row, Magna Legal Services has come to town for the hoops hoopla. And for the third year, we have the pleasure to photograph their event. Each year, they bring a former basketball player out for a question and answer session with their employees & guests. Dennis Rodman, Spud Webb and this year Magna’s special guest was Bo Kimble. The guests get to enjoy a private meet and greet with the athlete as well as a photograph provided by Glitter Lens. We’re already looking forward to next year.
Of the many requests we hear from couples for their wedding photos, the one I'd say we hear the most is the request for "Vegas lights, please". If you're looking for those classic old school Vegas style lights, our Downtown Las Vegas photo shoot absolutely cannot be beat. But sometimes, Brides are looking for just a touch more romance than Fremont Street. Such was the case with Christina & Derek. They wanted a photo shoot around the Strip after their Chapel wedding and they selected our Vegas Views Chauffeured photo shoot with stops at the Venetian, the Vegas Sign and the Bellagio. The Vegas lights were shining bright this night. Enjoy a few snaps from their shoot.
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Bring a bit of that "Old Vegas" magic to your photo shoot. The Neon Museum in one of our absolute favorites places to shoot here in town. Family, photos, wedding photography, engagement shoots, anniversaries; the Boneyard (Las Vegan's nickname for the spot) makes for a spectacular backdrop for all. The Main Yard even lights up after dark! The Museum offers a few different options for photo shoots at their property. We've added photography to their options to create all-inclusive packages. You can take a look at details here: Neon Museum Photography. Do note, space is limited to one shoot at a time so the Boneyard does book up! Contact us today and we'll check their availability for you right away. In the meantime, enjoy some highlights from recent shoots.
As photographers, we really love a classic black backdrop for photo booths (it's included in every rental package), as it goes with everything and makes photos really 'pop'. Sometimes though you just want a little more. Have an absolute, can't live without it, favorite color? Promoting your business? Love the look of modern brick or chevron? Does your event have a Vegas theme? Does your wedding have a rustic vibe? Whatever the look or feel you're going for we have or can create a backdrop for you. Add on one of our stylish photo booth backdrops to any rental for just $95. Or create your own completely custom booth background for just $150. Take a peek here at some of our weddings that have went the specialized backdrop route and view all of our our on-hand options too.
Be it for the slew of social media sites out there, for your company’s website’s bio section, or just for a classic business card, a professional head shot is essential in today’s corporate environment. Or, as with our two most recent head shot sessions here in Las Vegas, maybe you’d like a great shot for a dating profile or for the jacket of your upcoming book. Last month, out-of-towner, Martin wanted an update profile photo. So we took him around the Vegas Strip for some 'only found in Vegas' backgrounds. Karen, new to Vegas, was looking for a stand out image for her book jacket. We suggested the always gorgeous Springs Preserve. It did not disappoint on this shoot, it lends the perfect understated but beautiful background we were after. We're happy to share some shots from their shoots here today.
Whatever your head shot need, our professional photographers are ready to help you make a great impression. Check out more of our headshot photography work here:Las Vegas Head Shot Photography
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Everyone has heard Las Vegas called the wedding capital of the world, but what about the family reunion capital of the world? I'd say Vegas is at least in the running. Affordable hotel rooms, world class restaurants, shows for all ages, and did I mention the fabulous weather? It seems like every month we're going out and capturing moments from these special events. Besides documenting the gathering, it is the absolute ideal time for group family photos. We'd like to share a few shots from the reunions that have come to celebrate their clan in Vegas this last year.
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Daisy and Chance invade Fremont Street! Even through this couple came all the way from Texas, they know how to do a proper Vegas wedding. A little glitz, a little rock and roll and an insane amount of fun. The ceremony and reception were a sight to be seen. In all our years in Vegas we've never seen Fremont Street taken over quite like this. And did I mention how super jealous I was that they got featured on the Viva Vision?? Amazing!
Check out our wedding photo shoot tours their instead! See: Downtown Las Vegas / Fremont Street Photo Shoot
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Friendship Sports Soccer Tournament
Spring time in Las Vegas is perfect time to have an event, you have to get it in before those blistering summer temperatures arrive. Every spring Friendship Sports hosts several soccer tournaments out at the Silver Bowl Park. They always feature our photo booths at their concessions, but this year they had us bring out a couple photographers to capture the action on the field, as well. Here are some of the fast paced highlights:
Senior Sessions
As the school year starts to wrap up, it’s a hot time to get those high school senior portraits done. We went all over the valley capturing the best of the best in photo shoot locations. Here are a few samples:
It’s Show Time!
My job takes me to a lot of cool places that I would normally not be privileged to like private events, concerts, shows, clubs, etc. It’s definitely a perk. We recently had a client who was in town for a convention and wanted to take their entire company for a night out on the town. We got to capture every minute of it. Starting with a trip 550 feet in the air at the new High Roller Observation Wheel at The Linq, then we moved over to The Wynn for the show Le Reve, followed by a company group shot and a 5 star dinner at the Lakeside Restaurant overlooking the fabulous Lake of Dreams. Not a bad night, if you ask me.
The Serta Sheep Shenanigans
There is no slow time for Las Vegas. Any day of the week you can find a wedding or convention somewhere on The Strip. We’ve become masters of capturing the moments. One moment that sticks out to me was the after party for a convention at Mandalay Bay. It was held by the mattress company Serta inside The Mix Lounge. We brought out the whole Red Carpet setup to welcome their guests with a cool photo op, but they brought the life of the party… The Serta Sheep. You probably know him from their commercials, but what you probably didn’t know, was that he is a party animal! He was a full blown celebrity that night, everyone wanted their picture with him and he did not let them down. Here’s a small sample of his sheepish shenanigans:
They brought along their close friend Ashley, who served a lot of important roles, maid of honor, flower girl, ring bearer, my lovely lighting assistant, oh and she was ordained as a minister just so she could marry her friends in Vegas. That’s pretty awesome!
We did a portrait session that spanned the length of Fremont Street, all while looking for the perfect spot to get them hitched. They finally decided that the neon clad archway of the newly remodeled Slotzilla was the perfect spot. It was a beautiful ceremony, with only a few crying breaks for Ashley. :)
I’d like to wish Alisha a happy birthday, and both Alisha & Preston a big congratulations!
~ Mike
Since their first date was at Border Grill, we swung by Mandalay Bay to get a couple of shots there to start off the session. We then moved over to Bellagio to start our South Strip Vegas Views Tour. After we caught the fountains we made our way to the bright lights of the Cosmo and Planet Hollywood and then finished up with a romantic stroll around the Paris. We even made them an awesome hybrid collage (photo & video) they can play at their wedding. I loved how it all turned out!
~ Mike
The Wedding Day: Las Vegas Weddings come in all shapes and sizes, and we are prepared for all of them! Eloping? No problem, our Vegas Views package also works perfectly for that too. Medium size wedding? Use our ala carte style and get just what you need. You need the total package? 8 hours? Sure. 10 hours? Yup. 12 hours? Anything for you. Double coverage? Why not three? Video coverage? Lets roll. Need a Photo Booth thrown in? It's the life of the party! We've got you covered.
The Album: In this digital era it's easy to forget about the most important part of the wedding, the memories. After all, this is one of the most important days of your life. Personally, the album is the entire reason I got into wedding photography to begin with. My sister and I would go through our parents wedding album for hours, studying every page like we hadn't already seen it a thousand times before. It has been passed down to us as a legacy of sorts and now stands as the only documentation of our unforgettable family. Still to this day it is what inspires me to capture those special moments in every wedding I shoot. And that is why we are happy to now offer The Heirloom Album.
One of our recent couples, Scholastica & John, took full advantage of all three components while recently eloping in Las Vegas. I could not be happier with the results. I'd like to share some highlights of their shoot here as well as a snippet of their album. Enjoy!
~ Mike
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It's Magic!
Angela is not one to shy away from the cam.
Warning: Plastic grapes may be tough to digest.
Good kitty, good kitty, good kitty, BAD KITTY!
The team taking a moment to enjoy a wedding we covered in San Diego.
Showing the new kid how it's done.
Best of photo booth strips.
All hands on deck.
I guess this makes me Frank?
Our jobs can be so demanding sometimes.
Heyyyyyy! On site printing is up and running.
Bands never start on time.
Sooo cold in the Vodka Vault at Red Square. My camera started to freeze, literally.
I know I left my camera around here somewhere!?
Everyone to their battle stations, the San Diego wedding is about to begin!
Doin the bull dance, feelin the flow.]]>After that we jumped right into 14 days of NFR action! We provided two photo stations for the B&W Trailer Hitches’ official fan zone booth in front of the Thomas & Mack Center. Guests were able to take pictures with custom backdrops featuring the Vegas Sign or Bodacious the Bull. Both stations were in a dead heat for popularity, but Bodacious ended up beating out the Vegas Sign 836 to 754. It was a close one! No matter who won, they were both tons of fun.
Up next was some more festive photos printed on-site for guests at MolyCorp's big Holiday Extravaganza at Green Valley Ranch. What a beautiful property and what an amazing party.
Wrapping up this busy holiday season was Exel’s annual Holiday Fete. This is the third year in a row they’ve had our photo booth out for their event, and boy do they have fun with it. There is always a non-stop line.
And I have officially run out of monikers for ‘Holiday Parties’. So here’s to a great year and hoping next year is even better!
~ Mike
The day started off in Sara & Jeff's corner suite at The Cosmo for some getting ready shots and then we quickly hopped in the limo to head to the ceremony at Alexis Park's outdoor gazebo. We jumped back in that stretch and headed towards the Royal House Hotel for a private cake cutting session at the swanky Barrymore. They were amazingly accommodating and opened the joint an hour early just for us. Plus, The Barrymore is the perfect spot to capture that vintage glam look! Then we were off to Fremont, but first a quick stop at the Vegas Sign, not the actual one though. We switched it up and opted for the Jerry Misko mural of the famed sign located at 1st St & Coolidge, snuggled deep in the arts district. It was a nice change of pace. We wrapped it up with a walk down the ol' glitter gultch! Downtown Vegas is always my favorite place to shoot weddings. The romance of the twinkling lights, the enchanting glow of the neon, combine that with all the diverse textures and Fremont Street truly is a photographers dream.
~ Mike
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As always, I look forward to my next event at Hacienda Gardens. All of their Quinceañera and wedding receptions are always so beautiful! Make sure to check them out for your next party.
~ Mike
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Our Vegas Views package is often used for engagement shots. Frankly, it’s perfect for them. :) Way back in February of this year, Lisa and Andrew had recently moved to Vegas and came to me to get some ‘Vegas style’ shots for their engagement session. One problem, Andrew wasn't a big fan of photos. Challenge accepted! It turned out to not be much of a challenge at all, our Vegas Views is designed to be fun and painless as possible and they were fantastic. But the true testament came at the end of their shoot. Andrew said, not only did he enjoy his time, but they were the best photos he’s ever taken and I was now his photographer FOR LIFE! They then informed me that their wedding was going to be in San Diego, not Las Vegas. No problem! Yup, it’s time to take this show on the road! Cali road trip!
This was an all hands on deck kind of wedding. They were looking for photography, videography AND a photo booth… all down in sunny San Diego. You got it! We packed up the gear and headed south. We got there a day early so we could scout locations and put together a game plan. This one was going off without a hitch. After meeting with the friendly staff at Torrey Pines Christian Church in beautiful La Jolla, we stayed for the rehearsal. The bride & groom were both so calm and collected. Andrew especially always has a cool demeanor to him, nothing can faze him (he didn't even sweat when the limo was a no show on the wedding day, eeek!) And Lisa, you couldn’t wipe the smile off her face if you tried. She was beaming. They are an amazing couple and I couldn’t wait to watch them walk down the aisle. After a little bit of sightseeing, we all called it an early night and got some rest for the big day.
Once the morning came we sprang into action. While Tyge was setting up multiple video cameras at the church, I ran to setup the photo booth at The Palms Banquet Hall & Restaurant where the reception would follow later. I doubled back and began shooting the bride’s preparation shots. I often get to see the look of happiness in the groom’s eye when he sees the bride for the first time, but I rarely get to experience that moment of awe for myself. When I walked in the room for the first time, she truly looked like a fairy princess. I was half expecting to see cartoon birds helping to put the veil on.
The ceremony was inside the stained glass adorned chapel at Torrey Pines. Being from Las Vegas I rarely get to see a venue this gorgeous. No offense Vegas, but everything looks like it’s in a shopping center. Afterwards, we brought the entire wedding party and every guest out to the front courtyard for one big group shot. I love finding new ways to document every wedding attendee. This was the perfect way to not miss a single person.
We then made our way back to The Palms, the reception was just as fairytale as the ceremony, full of teal lights and crystals. And, of course, the photo booth was a huge hit. The trend for the night at the booth was photobombing the group that went before you on their fourth photo. It made for some hilarious photo strips. The only thing that truly bummed me out about the entire evening, was when it was over. Working with Lisa & Andrew has been such a pleasure, I really wish they could get married every weekend. ~ Mike
Rules... they were made to be broken. Many couples these days are ditching the aging tradition of not seeing each other before the ceremony. It dates back to the time of arranged marriages and thankfully that doesn’t happen much these days. First looks are now taking the place of this tradition and it is much more relevant to the modern day wedding. I will still gladly respect the wishes of anyone who wants to refrain from seeing each other beforehand, BUT it does open up a lot more time for the portrait session and to be honest, that is my favorite part. :)
Sara managed to fit in two first looks. One with her groom, Spencer, and an extra special one with her father. Since the couple saw each other before the ceremony we had an extra hour of portraits before the ceremony even started. I was in heaven! With all that extra time I was able to throw every pose and scene I could think of at them and with a wedding party full of characters, they were all happy to oblige. I dragged them all over Angel Park!
Once we got the first half of portraits done, we moved over to the green for the outdoor ceremony. Despite it being August in Las Vegas, the weather was perfect and the gorgeous sunset offered an amazing background for their nuptials.
They moved the party back inside for the reception and the only thing that could upstage the impressive line at the photo booth was the dance off grand entrance by the wedding party. They went one by one down the aisle and each had their moment to shine, it was pretty impressive. If that wasn’t cool enough, the bride bucked another tradition by forgoing the father-daughter dance and replaced it with singing a duet with her father. The groom seemed very touched by this and began to “lose his contacts”.
That wasn’t the last trick Sara had up her sleeve for the night. She took the mic and brought her mom and dad out to the dance floor, she surprised them with a dedication and gave them the first dance they never had. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house and I may have gotten “something in my eye” myself. Overall it was a fantastic night full of laughs, cheers and maybe even a few tears (I swear, I swear, I had something in my eye). ~ Mike
| Venue: Angel Park Golf Course | DJ: Gabriel @ All Events Disc Jockeys |
| Bridal Gown: David's Bridal | Tuxedos: Bowties Bridal Boutique |
| Hair & Makeup: Anna @ Stardust Salon | Wedding Cake: Sweet Lucy's Confections |
| Florist: Flowers by Michelle | Photographers & Photo Booth: Glitter Lens Photography |
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We love our Vegas bachelor & bachelorettes. These groups are SO. MUCH. FUN. So much fun, that we decided to offer a photo shoot out on the Vegas Strip perfect for these boisterous get-togethers. Or, we're always happy to design a photography package tailored to whatever place they have in store for the night. Don't worry, we put the camera down if there is any 'What Happens Here, Stays Here' stuff going down.
I was reminded today of how Vegas is THE destination for bachelor/bachelorette parties by two articles I came across. The guys over at Thrillist listed their top 7 pimpest of the pimp Vegas hotel suites and Vegas.com put together a not too shabby, more affordable compilation of grandiose rooms as well. Can we be invited, please? ~ Caitlin
Sorry, I just wanted three straight blog posts to have a superhero reference/pun, mission accomplished! I’m done now, I promise, but it is somewhat relevant, my latest bachelorette party photo shoot was FULL of riddles. Our Vegas Views package is often used for Bachelorette parties, because it is the perfect way to capture all the action. This time the maid of honor came up with a fun game to make the photo shoot just that much more of a party, she planned a scavenger hunt to go along with it. Six riddles would reveal each shoot location as well as multiple challenges along the way.
As we all sat in the limo, they started it off with an easy one... What is the most photographed object in all of Las Vegas? … THE VEGAS SIGN! And the adventure began! Next we hit Margaritaville, where she had to finish one of their most famous drinks, the 45 ounce ‘Booze in the Blender’. Then we were on to the Venetian for a gondola ride and then to Gilley’s so they could take their turn at the mechanical bull. A quick stop for a quickie mock wedding with our bride to be and the limo driver (what a good sport) at The Little White Chapel and we wrapped it all up with some very interesting photo ops with the characters on Fremont St.
Overall it was a very exciting evening and made for some excellent photos. The Bachelorette Scavenger Hunt was an amazing idea, I might just have to borrow that. ~ Mike
Yes that is the second superhero reference/pun in as many posts, but I couldn't help myself. The WSOP (World Series Of Poker) is back in town & that means Bovada (an online gambling destination) is bringing us back to the Man Cave, now with a college fraternity theme. What's the difference you ask? All the Man Cave goodness, but now with more keg stands & beer pong!
While the WSOP is in full swing over at the Rio All Suites Hotel & Casino, Bovada is once again treating their sponsored poker players to 4 days of absolute debauchery in their themed hospitality suite over at Planet Hollywood. The suite provides an open bar with tons of prizes. The prizes are awarded for competing in the various games provided, including pool, foosball and beer pong tournaments, along with high scores in skee ball, wii bowling and daily trivia. This year they're even including a huge photo contest worth thousands of dollars. They are having everyone show off the Bovada 'Britney' doll all around town and giving points for the most creative pics, too bad I'm not eligible.
I can't wait to see what they come up with next year. Maybe a Big Top theme, with full on carnival games to win their prizes. One can only hope! Either way they always throw one hell of a party. All you have to do to get yourself invited to next year's party is get really good at poker. You got one year, start practicing! ~ Mike
Opening day at the World Series of Poker.
Bovada after party at Lavo inside The Palazzo.
When I met the bride & groom, Lisa & Josh, it seemed like they would be a lot of fun, but I had no idea what was in store for me. Josh's only wish was a shot with all his groomsmen and their Justice League t-shirts under their tuxes and Lisa's main goal for the day was to get a 'Bridesmaids' esque photo shoot with her and the girls. Love it!
On top of their goals for awesome party photos, they managed to plan a really gorgeous wedding. The ceremony and formals took place on the balcony of the resort which overlooks the breathtaking mountain range and the reception was held inside the main ballroom which had a rustic yet elegant style. The portrait session took place all over the property, everywhere you turned at the resort was prettier than the last. What an amazing place for a wedding, I can't wait to shoot there again. Maybe next time I can get an Avengers theme or ohh ohh X-Men, yeah X-men! ~ Mike
Click on their gallery to see more of the fun!
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This past week EBG (Entertainment Benefits Group) brought our photo booth out to their after party for the 2013 International Pow Wow Convention. No after party would be complete without a photo booth, especially one inside the world famous Real World Suite at the Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas. With a room that had a bowling alley, jacuzzi and a live blackjack table, our photo booth still stood out as the highlight of the party. Thanks to all the attendees from all over the world for making it such an amazing night and for setting a record for how many people can fit in our photo booths!~ Mike]]>
It's said that the 'something old' represents stability; something new corresponds with optimism; something borrowed symbolizes shared happiness & something blue stands for fidelity & purity. The sixpence is to bring prosperity. Whether or not you're choosing to incorporate this tradition I hope you can take something from these these neat visuals. Enjoy!
~ Caitlin
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It's hard to believe it's been a year since I started working for Glitter Lens Photography.
I remember those first few photo booth gigs, and how I had to constantly refer to the notes on my iPhone to get everything working right, but now I can set-up our booths in no time at all and take them down even faster. Without being too biased, I'd have to say my favorite photo booth event was last summer at a wedding in Lake Tahoe. I'd never been to that neck of the woods before, and I totally fell in love with the place. The event was held on the shores of the lake, and the weather was beautiful.
Within a few months of being hired, all my photography gear was updated with some of the best accessories available. You see, I've always been a photographer, but hadn't pursued it professionally ever since moving to Las Vegas. It's kinda strange to say, but looking back, I'm just a tiny bit thankful for the poor economy over the past few years, as it spurred me to find a new job... and I can tell you that working for Glitter Lens Photography is a much more enjoyable and rewarding job than working for the hotel industry.
Weddings, engagement shoots, bachelor and bachelorette parties, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, sporting events, corporate expos and mixers. These are just a few of the things I've covered over the past year, and the biggest joy is knowing I've barely scratched the surface of things yet to come. Las Vegas is such a diverse and happening place, I can't think of a better environment to be a photographer... well... there is Lake Tahoe, but I'm not a fan of the snow!
Without getting too sentimental, I wish my dad was still around to see how I finally did follow in his footsteps as a professional photographer, and how I managed to retain all the things he taught me about photography while I was growing up.
I think he'd be proud.
And finally, I'd be remiss without thanking the cool-cats I work for, Caitlin Shupp and Mike Hewitt. Here's looking forward to many more years of hearing the click and the flash of our cameras. ~Tyge
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Mike and I recently covered a corporate event for The Hartford insurance company at the posh Haze Nightclub, located inside the gorgeous Aria Hotel & Casino. In the past we've covered plenty of events for Haze and it's parent company, Light Group, and they've always been a joy to work with. One can always plan on a fun-filled night at any Light Group event, and the 80's-themed Hartford shindig was no exception. I mean, how can you NOT have fun when "David Bowie," "Mr. T," and "Cyndi Lauper" are mingling with the crowd?
In addition to our usual coverage, The Hartford folks requested that the photographs with the 80's icons be printed on site, and available for their clients to pick-up on the way out the door.
"No problemo!" was our reply.
So we brought out our on-site printer station, and voila, by the end of the night nearly 300 guests had a souvenir to take home with them!
The event at Haze had everything: great atmosphere, awesome food and entertainment, and a little something-something printed on site to remember the night with.
I can't wait for the next Light Group event! ~Tyge
I love surprises! Who doesn’t, really? Diana & Guillermo’s wedding was full of them. It was like Christmas morning and my birthday all rolled into one. From the first moment I arrived, I was welcomed by surprises. As soon as I walked through the door I realized that the minister for the ceremony was one of my all time favorite people, Angie Kelly from Peachy Keen Unions. She is not only a pleasure to work with, but she always blows my mind at how amazing she is at her job. She puts so much into every wedding ceremony. You will laugh, you will cry and you will definitely be in awe of the couple’s love story. Yes, I teared up!
If that wasn’t enough to make my day, the couple had a few surprises up their sleeves for me as well. While we were off doing their portrait shots, they pulled out some awesome neon colored sunglasses for props. I’m a sucker for props (and I may have to snag some of these for our photo booth)! It was perfect timing. We were shooting at sunset and the sunglasses added the perfect touch to the shoot. Next surprise came during the first dance. What started out as a slow dance broke out into a full 80’s dance montage, lasting well over 10 minutes. The crowd was loving every minute of it!
Speaking of the crowd, the DJ had a surprise in store for them too. He gave a bit of a revamp to the old tradition of the bride & groom kissing when everyone clinks their glasses. Now every time the room clinked, he called out a different couple to come up to the dance floor and kiss. But the bride & groom were not off the hook yet, they had to mimic whatever kiss the other couple just did.
Diana & Guillermo were such a fun couple and an absolute joy to work with. I wish them many many years of happiness together and maybe a few more surprises. ~ Mike H
| Location: The Lakes | DJ: All Events Disc Jockeys |
| Venue: Canyon Gate Country Club | Minister: Peachy Keen Unions |
| Videographers: Memory Lane | Photographers: Glitter Lens Photography |
As the end of the school year comes to a close, senior photos are starting to boom. These shoots are always my favorite because they push the boundaries of my creativity. Brides usually have a certain look and feel they are going for, not always, but usually. Seniors are open to anything, sky's the limit. Crazy lighting effects, grungy overlays, it doesn't matter they love it all!
My latest senior, Hannah, is an artist. I knew there was only one place to go, Downtown's Arts District! Her art has a dark yet vibrant feel to it so I wanted to try and match it the best I could. First stop I had in mind was the "Gateway to the Arts District", towering neon paintbrushes created by the late artist Dennis Oppenheim. Then we headed across the street to Bar & Bistro and Artifice for some cool background lighting. Our greatest find of the day was the staircase in front of the Coit cleaners building. Although it was a bit weathered, I had the idea to showcase her artwork in the panels of the railings. What an awesome shot! Downtown Vegas comes through once again for another amazing shoot. ~ Mike H
Our most recent couple was a double shoot, engagement shots and a full wedding. Kelly & Gary came all the way in from the UK and brought forty two of their friends and family members, yes, I said FORTY TWO! Since this was their first trip to Vegas, they left it up to us to pick the locations for the photo shoots. For the engagement shots, we went with Downtown Las Vegas at the Fremont St Experience and the East Fremont District. DTLV is always a favorite for us, but it turned out to be a very good choice. The couple was blown away by the neon. It was exactly what they envisioned 'Vegas' to be, but were not able to find on The Strip anymore. I was stoked that I was able to deliver exactly what they were looking for. I was even more excited by how amazing the photos turned out.
Their ceremony was held at the Juno Gardens of Caesars Palace (beautiful by the way). Immediately following, we did a quick shoot around the iconic fountains and Roman columns of Caesars. Since the entire group was along for the ride today, they rented the two largest limos in all of Las Vegas! NTS Limo provided a massive stretch hummer and a monster of a limo called the Big Blue. From there we made a quick stop at Bellagio to catch the fountains and then off to the Vegas Sign. This group loved hamming it up for pics down there. We finished at Mandalay Bay where the reception was being held in the Marquee Room inside Slice of Vegas (vegan options!). My favorite part of the reception? Kelly & Gary's choreographed dance routine! This got their group going and the dance floor was packed the rest of the night.
Kelly & Gary were so enamored by their Vegas experience I wouldn't be surprised to see them back here next year for their anniversary, probably minus the FORTY TWO man entourage! ~ Mike H
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Yes, the rumors are true, Glitter Lens Photography has finally hit FIVE HUNDRED likes on facebook!!! I want to thank everyone I've ever met in my entire life! No, seriously though, everyday is an absolute joy because of my awesome clients and all of the amazing people I get to work with. Cheers to touching 500 lives and salute to the next 500 and the 500 after that! ~ Mike H
Wedding season has officially begun! Elizabeth & Randy's wedding last month set the bar very high. I got to spend a lot of time with them during their engagement photo shoot, so I knew this one was going to be a lot of fun. I will admit, I am extremely lucky to live in the wedding capital of the world. Not only does it keep me very busy, but the average bride that does choose to get married in Vegas is typically on the chill side. Not exactly dealing with Bridezillas here and Elizabeth couldn't be any further from that if she tried. I've actually gone looking for a term that is the complete opposite of Bridezilla for her, surprisingly there is not much out there. I guess not to many people are lucky enough to get such a cool bride. She has inspired me, I am now determined to think of a term for anti-Bridezilla now. All I have seen that come close is Briderella or uberBride, not bad, but not good enough. I think I am going to go with Bridetastic, yeah definitely BrideTASTIC! (If anyone can think of something better, please feel free to leave it in the comments.)
Now to move on to the actual wedding. It was held at the Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall, on the second level balcony of their gorgeous Mystic Falls Park. Even though I annually visit the Mystic Falls for their amazing Winter Wonderland light and water show, I had yet to see a wedding held there. Boy was I impressed! The balcony had a perfect panoramic view of the entire atrium and completely set the mood for this intimate and romantic ceremony. Everything went off without a hitch, even the adorable twin flower girls made it down the isle with very minimal coaxing.
The reception was moved down the hall to the main ballroom. This place was a photographers dream, the lighting was perfect and instead of chandeliers they had rows of bulbs running in square patterns throughout the ceiling, giving all the photos a fabulous background glow. Once we finally got a chance to break away for a private shoot, the sun had gone down and the atrium of the Mystic Falls Park was pitch black. Thanks to my second shooter Tyge, we were able to play with a few lighting options and actually came away with some of my favorite bridal portraits to date. ~ Mike H
...but this might have been my favorite pic of the night, a groomsmen getting his freak on...
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We wouldn't say that quite yet, but it is a trend we've seen more of lately and Yahoo agrees. Check out what they have to say and some bold gowns here: Beautiful black wedding gowns. Also take a look at our recent bride Erin, wearing a stunning black gown, whose elopement with Tyler here in Vegas this week we were lucky enough to cover. - CS
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So much for my new year’s resolution to write more blog posts. Sorry I have been slacking, but the new website is coming along nicely, won't be long now. That being said, every once in awhile an event comes along that you just have to talk about. This past week we were brought out by Sin City Entertainment to cover a corporate party at the Golden Nugget featuring their fabulous showgirls and Rat Pack performers. We had one photographer working the red carpet step and repeat and I was covering the stage show.
Now without ageing myself too much, I can honestly say I can remember when the real Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin & the chairman of the board himself, Frank Sinatra, were still performing on The Strip. No, not in the heyday of their careers, I’m not that old, but I do remember them limping through a few solo performances in the 80’s. I have been a huge fan of the Rat Pack my entire life and even though it wasn't the legendary shows that they were famous for, I still got to see them live, which was amazing.
Of course, I have also seen countless recordings of their original shows, and I believe ‘The Strangers In The Night’ Rat Pack Tribute Shows starring Nicholas Brooks (Sammy), Johnny Edwards (Dean) and David DeCosta (Frank) is the closest we will ever get to seeing that charisma and charm live and in person. It was superb!
Sin City Entertainment is always a pleasure to work with and their long list of impersonators and entertainers make my job a blast. I can’t wait till the next event! - MH
1) Eat more Kale. (Had it for lunch. Check.)
2) Add a new photo booth to our fleet. (Oh wait, already purchased a new one yesterday! It will be ready by February. Yay! Check.)
3) Try and pull off a bow tie. (No, not really.)
4) Write more blog posts. (Already working on that one too. Check.)
5) Don’t drink any more. (Or any less either. Hiyoo!)
6) Kill it at the upcoming bridal show. (New signage and flyers have already been ordered. Check.)
7) New camera. (But I love the one I already have!)
8) Travel more. (Now that is one I can sink my teeth into.)
9) Make more lists. (Check.)
10) Take up a new habit: Maybe smoking!?
Overall it looks like I’m already nailing 2013. Here’s to the best year yet! Cheers! - MH
Now because of our wildly successful year, we were forced to expand pretty quickly and we’re lucky to have added some amazing people to our staff. We have assembled quite the team of talented photographers and photo booth hosts, but more importantly they are some of the most fun and energetic people we’ve ever had the privilege to work with.
As we look towards the future, we’d like to take just a minute to look back at all the fun we’ve had this year with our amazing staff, enjoy...
This pretty much explains it.
That wascally wabbit!
We had almost as much fun in the photo booth as the guests of Contiki.
Tyge's creepy glare shows just how happy he is to be working the Las Vegas Marathon.
No it's not the end of the world, streets were just cleared for the race.
The art of the Double Photo Bomb!
Cait and I trying out some new props at the OMG Summit.
Ally posing for a romantic picture with her camera. Get a room!
It's rare when we get to play together. Three photographers at one event, NICE!
Tyge showing some Sundevil pride at the Eldorado Class Reunion.
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Being a wedding photographer can be challenging at times. Capturing every precious moment of your special day is our task to bear. Then every once in awhile you actually get one that makes you think, how are we actually going to pull this one off??
As everyone who attempted to drive anywhere in town knows, the Zappo’s Rock & Roll Las Vegas Marathon was held this past Sunday. We were contacted by a couple from Japan that was going to be running in the race and was actually going to get married on the course along with one hundred other couples. They wanted us to not only capture the ceremony, but get shots of them all over the course, start, finish, wedding & downtown. With limited transportation options due to road closures, we would be forced to either get creative or put on some running shoes and try to keep up. After much planning we decided to use two strategically placed photographers, one at the start and the other ready at the 3 mile marker at the Brooklyn Bridge outside NYNY where the couples would be getting married. Then both switch to our second positions, one downtown and the other posted up at the finish line in front of the volcano at the Mirage. With a little bit of luck and a lot of planning everything went off without a single problem and our couple couldn’t be any happier with the results, they even got featured in the Las Vegas Sun.
So as demanding as wedding photography can be sometimes, pulling it off without a hitch is equally rewarding. I look forward to our next challenge! Bring it! - MH
It has been crazy busy around here and of course that is a good problem to have, but our poor blog has been suffering from neglect. When you work all day and night, there is little time to document your journeys along the way. On top of our 20+ Photo Booth events, 5 FULL weddings and countless corporate events, we have had 14 Vegas Views photo shoots alone in the past month. I would love to write about each and every individual experience because they were all unique and exciting, but I physically don’t have the time because I have to get back to editing. I have decided to put up some of the highlights of the past month’s photo shoots. Enjoy.
We jumped right into it with a group shot consisting of the top reps from all over the world, nearly 70 woman lined up all dressed in Shiseido red dresses, fantastic. After the awesome awards ceremony was complete, things got kicked off with some photo booth action. It never fails to start the party!
Lastly, a big shout out to my man DJ Michael Toast for keeping us rockin’ all night long.
I have heard a lot of great things about this little ghost town, but I had no idea just how cool it would be. I was there for over four hours and could not even touch the surface of how much there was to work with out there. From the airplane wreckage to the dozens of vintages cars, there is not a single spot that wouldn’t make for an awesome shot. I was certainly not disappointed as you can see from the shots below. Can't wait to get back there soon!
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The opening night gala was held at the Cathouse Boutique Nightclub inside the Luxor Hotel & Casino. Every inch of the place was covered in Yelp swag and Yelpers from all over the country were enjoying the seven signature cocktails. They were flowing like water. Alcoholic water. :)
A big thanks to Misty, the hostess with the mostess. See you guys next year!
Check out more pics on our Facebook page.
After some more research we found that the actual Dry Lake Beds were not in Dry Lake Bed, NV, but out towards Laughlin. Live and learn. Practice makes perfect. When in Rome. All that jazz. I’m not sure which cliche is right here, but at least found the right spot and Ally totally nailed the photo shoot the next day.
NOT dry lake bed...
]]>Looking for a great new resource for wedding photography info? Give Wedding Photography Select a look, of course remember to check out Glitter Lens while you're there!
]]>With all that being said, when Contiki came calling for us to provide the photography and photo booth for their Las Vegas summit, we jumped at the opportunity. Contiki staff from all over Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa gathered at the Palms Casino Resort for a few days of shenanigans and tomfoolery. I hope they make the Vegas stop a regular part of their annual company gathering. Here are a few pics from that weekend and a video from the day I ran with the bulls, just for the hell of it.
]]>The MTV show ‘Made’ was filming for an upcoming episode featuring a Prom Queen makeover. They filmed for a while featuring our photo booth quite a bit. And yes, I will get my MTV debut. I’d like to say it’s my reality show debut, but that’s a different story for another time.
All and all it was one heck of a Prom and a great opportunity for this lifelong Vegas local to finally get to Laughlin. I know it’s crazy that I have never made it down there in all these years, but I’m glad I finally did. It was much cooler than I expected. I can’t wait to go back to play some more on the river and hopefully we'll have another opportunity to bring the photo booth too.
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]]>On a side note, one of the many great people that I met at OMG is Alli Ward. She is one of the many people affected by Cancer that have decided to “Get busy living”. Along with her new colorful sock fetish, she is embracing on a journey she likes to call Allipalooza. Having been on a similar journey, this really caught my attention and I would like to send a shout out to her blog. Please check it out.
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