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When Holly, my assistant, and I left this wedding we both felt that we had experienced something truly wonderful. Stan and Sue's love, warmth and glowing personalities just made all of the people in the reception wish them well. It's not often that love happens more than once in a lifetime. To see Stan and Sue's entire Coffee Table Book, click here.
Many of our clients are unaware of the fine art images that I have done in the past and present. Here is a "Photoshop Manipulated image" from Ogunquit, Maine. A second image, shows the layers used to achieve this effect.
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The manipulation actually starts from the bottom directly our of the camera. I used the Canon 5D and I almost always shoot Raw.The sun was just about setting and a 10 second exposure was taken. I didn't want too long an expsouure because I wanted to differentiate the waves. Otherswise, the water would have looked very silky. I used an f/stop of f/16 to create greater depth of field so focus would be from the waves to the houses in the background of the scene.
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In 2001, Marty was asked to write a book by Amherst Publishing Company. He could have just sent in some images with diagrams but chose instead to make it more of a textbook on the "Hows" and "Whys" with his writing. His book, The Art of Bridal Photography, has been read and reviewed through out the world. Even though film was the medium of capture in the early 2000's, all of the tips, lighting, posing and style apply today in the digital world of capture. He still employs the same metering system, lighting and ratios of lighting that he did when he authored this book. Students in the Paier College of Art, of Hamden, CT and The Hallmark Institute of Photography in Turners Falls, MA have used this book in many of their classes. The Art of Bridal Photography, now in its second printing can be applied to all types of photography even though brides are featured.
Stella and Marty's very good friends, Chris & Pat Beltrami both Masters of Photography, Craftsman and Fellows of the ASP volunteered to write the forward of his book. We were very honored by their comments.
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The following is a page from his text regarding a lighting diagram as well as explaining what each light is meant to do.
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To read reviews of his book The Art of Bridal Photography click here.
The technology of today certainly boggles the mind. We are very proud of our website and we hope you will refer to it frequently as we plan to update it often. Tips about decorating with images, getting prepared with clothing for your session, new products and specials can be found on our site and on this blog. Links will be provided as necessary.
The motto of Stelcar is "Capturing the Essence". Rather than just snapping a "picture", we want to capture the likeness of a person. We want to discover your uniqueness and your personality. We will pose and light your face to enhance your best features. With all the mass produced pictures out there, our slogan says "WHEN GOOD ENOUGH --IS JUST <span style="text-decoration: underline">NOT</span> GOOD ENOUGH!!! With a Stelcar image you can be assured and confident you'll be represented the way you want to be.
We hope to share some exciting things that are happening in our lives and in our business.
In Movies, we will share some of our favorite images in a slide show format using YouTube. We think it is really cool!!
You will have links to our custom format design albums that have been making our clients very excited about "Capturing the Essence" of their event.
We will be able to show in a link fashion only those images of a particular event.
In Community involvement we will be sharing the things we are documenting and doing to help this world be a better place.
All and all, it is a very exciting time to be a photographer.
It is our hope that this blog will also serve as a forum: The digital age of photography and how it affects all concerned.
Enjoy and explore.
Stella & Marty
It is absolutely FANTASTIC - It’s AMAZING how you can “fill in a hole
in a face” Adjectives just can’t describe the job that you did and in record time. Delivering
it before the holidays was just an added bonus. Thank you so very much!!!
Mary R.
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Marty and I just returned from the CPPA (Connecticut Professional Photographers Assoc.)
Convention at the Crowne Plaza in Cromwell, CT. all excited, rejuvenated and rearing to go. We got lots of information about all sorts of things. Blogging, high school seniors, photoshop tips and of course we socialized with our photographic friends and community. It was really a blast. At the trade show we saw all the latest technology and equipment in the industry. It’s just amazing to me what the digital revolution has done to and for our profession. In some ways it has impacted us negatively, but in other ways it has given us the capability of enhancing our weddings and portraits to a degree unheard of. It’s unbelievable that a family portrait can now be so close to perfect. We can take heads from one pose and put that head onto another pose, and “BAM” EVERYONE in that family portrait has a great expression. There is no “settling”. All you need is a photographer that knows good posing and lighting. Which, of course, Marty, being a “Master of Photography” certainly does. Technology has enabled us to do these things. Or you can take a “heavy” mom, and “BAM” we can make her look thinner. The way she sees herself when she looks in the mirror. On the negative side. Anyone can pick up a digital camera and profess to be a “photographer”. There is no retaking of wedding photographs. Everyone go stand there and I’ll “click” just doesn’t cut it. Wedding and B'nai Mitzvah photographs are our memories. They are passed down to generations.
It was very interesting at the trade show to look through the history books and see ourselves in the early 80’s and 90’s. Yes we have been in the business that long. But today you take pictures and don’t even have them processed. “Oh, we can see them on the computer”. But will we be able to look back on them when our children are growing up and show them what mommy and daddy looked like all those years ago. Or what Daddy looked like at his Bar Mitzvah. Will all the fun, silly, images be deleted? How sad would that be. So, yes, anybody can pick up a digital camera and call himself or herself a photographer. BUT, that really isn’t what professional photography is all about. It’s having the confidence in a professional to CAPTURE THE ESSENCE and love in the relationship of a bridal couple. Or the family portrait where EVERYONE looks great, or the beautiful lighting on a Bar/Bat Mitzvah child’s face. Yes, the digital revolution has arrived and it has impacted ALL of us!!!
I was a cook at the University of Hartford. I was thinking of trying a career of modeling. I went to Stelcar Photography and had some portfolio photographs done. Then, I went to John Casa Blanca Modeling Agency, and after viewing my images from Stelcar, they said “You won’t be a cook for very much longer - you’ll be a model”. Omari
Stelcar Photography opened in 1976 with three simple goals that husband and wife team Marty and Stella Seefer hold to steadfastly today: Capture moments and people as honestly and beautifully as possible, treat customers with attentive respect and kindness, and always create work they would display in their own home.
