Katya Solovskaya Photography: Blog

New Photography Season in Los Angeles!

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 06:04:58 GMT

I am sure I am not the only one happy about warm, nice weather returning to Southern California this year! Welcome back, outdoor parties, beach photo sessions and mini-sessions in the parks!!!

My schedule is filling up quickly now, so be sure to call me/email me well in advance to book your photo session!

Never Too Early for Your Senior Pictures

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:11:35 GMT

Granted, my oldest son is only 6 years old, but I already know I will do something special for his Senior pictures. Something that will show his personality and his style. A picture that he'll be proud to display in his wedding slide show, after all :)

Email/call me if you are interested in unique photos for your High School Senior. Waiting till the end of the year will add to the stress, while doing it now will be easy and fun! Check out my gallery for Senior folder, I've got some really great pics there!

Mini Sessions

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:36:49 GMT

Mini photo sessions are a fun way to get great, spontaneous pictures of your family in your natural environment. They are usually scheduled in a park or at the beach on a week-end, you don't have to be all super-dressed-up and you won't have to spend 2-hours-plus trying to smile and look presentable while trying to keep your kids from making faces and throwing tantrums. In fact, you don't even have to dress up at all! You don't even have to tell your kids you are taking pictures until you are there. AND you walk out of the session with a CD of your own - no waiting for edits or gallery downloads! You get to post your pics on social networks the same day and order your wall prints just as soon as you want them hung in your beautiful home! I personally love mini-sessions, because families are a lot more relaxed and I get feed back immediately after the session. So call/email me, I always have ongoing super-specials on mini-sessions. And, because they are so affordable ($75 session covers my time and your CD with full copyright) you can have them as often as you want!

[email protected]

310-866-6431

Hilltop Photofest

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:25:24 GMT

To all of my Hilltop Photofest families - thank you so much for participating! I feel that we had very exciting, productive and fun sessions with a ton of great pictures! Contact me if any of the pictures need to be retouched or printed through a professional lab.

I truly enjoyed working with you and was very impressed by the sense of community and support!

What to wear to a family session

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 21:24:12 GMT

It's not easy to pick clothing for the entire family for a photo shoot. I get it. I've attempted that before with my family of five. I've taken pictures of families at large as 7-8 people. They all looked wonderful, no matter the clothes. But it is very important to think through this before the session. Truthfully, choosing attire for your family session is complicated, but giving advice on it is also very hard. Only you know your family style, preferences of your teenage children, grandma's selection of holiday-themed sweaters and how it all ties into the scenery or studio background of your choice. Here's a short list of what I can say confidently. Whether you use some or all of it is up to you!

As always, think match, NOT coordinate. Clearly, if you are wearing all the same solid color clothes, nothing will stand out, there is nothing to grab your attention, and pictures will come out visually boring and unnatural. SO, my advice is – start with Mom and Dad and choose something you feel absolutely comfortable in, something that makes you feel beautiful. Honestly, even if it’s your favorite jeans and t-shirt, you have to wear what makes you feel good, because, trust me, it will show. Well, maybe not necessarily your favorite t-shirt, but something … more in style this season, but you know what I am talking about. THEN, pick clothes for the rest of the family members that complement what you are wearing. If you are wearing a blue shirt, pick a blue skirt for your daughter, or blue plaid shirt for your son, or blue tie for your teenager. Put a blue ribbon on your baby-girl’s head or a blue hat on your baby boy. Or pick a blue vest for your darling 2-year old. You get the idea. OK, my only exception is while shirts (provided you are wearing a black or blue bottom for contrast). I know, it’s sooooo 90’s, but I still love that look!
Wear something seasonal. Reds and greens in winter, yellows, oranges, browns and reds in fall, bright vivid colors in summer and pastels and floral patterns in spring. This will definitely add to the story-telling effect of a family photo session.
Use layers. Layers always add texture and visual interest to the pictures. Layers also create different looks in one photo session. Layers also help you match and not necessarily coordinate your clothes.
Rich colors and patterns always come out good. Be careful with patterns, though. Only one or two family member should wear patterns, otherwise the picture will look too busy.
Absolutely, positively no logos or messages on your clothes. It just creates a lot of visual noise that is destructing and unattractive.

And remember, it’s not what you wear, it’s how you feel in it. If you feel happy, it will show, and that’s all that matters!

What to wear to a maternity photo session

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 05:24:57 GMT

I get asked for advice on what to wear to a maternity photo shoot more often than any other type of photo session. As a photographer, I feel obliged to give advice: the way you are dressed affects the impression that a final image makes. A well-planned photo session produces stunning images that can become not only memories, but also a work of art. As a woman and a mother of three beautiful children, I know how important it is to know that you look your best and are able to show off the beauty of your pregnancy. I also know that pregnancy is just a beginning of a new exciting life, and going back to memories of that beautiful beginning just ought to bring lots of joy and pleasure. So, let see what YOU can do to help me make the best and visually pleasing images of YOU.

The key is to aim for slim fit and avoid bulky look, even if you are not going to wear anything with a defined waist.
Think coordinate, not match! It’s very important not to come dressed head to toe in the same color clothes. Contrasts are always visually attractive, such as white shirt and black/blue jeans.
Solids are always better than busy patterns. Busy prints create a lot of visual noise.
Form fitted tops are the best! Pair it with a flowing skirt and you have a perfect combination.
Empire waist dresses make stunning pictures (make sure the dress is not too voluminous and loose). However, if you are not comfortable with this style, don’t wear it just for the photo shoot.
Add texture by wearing sweater over fitting tops. A top has to be fitted! If both top and sweater are bulky, well… you can guess what the image will look like. A sweater can be pulled back to accentuate that beautiful belly, and it also gives us two different looks in one photo shoot without any major effort of changing the whole outfit!
And my personal favorite – accessorize! Use beads, bracelets, rings – anything that make you feel special, beautiful and stylish. Maternity session is all about close ups, so use those details to show your personality and femininity.
Your hands are going to be in a lot of shots, so make sure your manicure is done exactly the way you like it.
Very slinky fabrics are not desirable.
If you are going to wear a short dress or a short skirt, wear leggings or high boots. High heals would add style, but… this is probably the only advice of my own that I would not want to follow.
Bring your own props if there is something that brings special emotions or sentiments.
If you want to show off your belly, wear layers, such as black or white lingerie and a button down shirt. And please let me know before the photo session, so we can spend enough time on this particular type of images.

Most importantly, just be yourself and enjoy every moment of creating beautiful memories of this very special time of your life.