Trash the dress, a new type of wedding photo-shoot that has recently gained more popularity, has taken the bridal world by storm. Many new brides are looking for something unique and different and something to add to that special day. 

When we think of wedding photography things like formal pictures of brides and groom and the family come to mind. Pretty pictures of the bride looking like a princess on her special day. The highlights of the event like the kiss, ring exchange, cake cutting, and the bouquet toss. All those shots are necessary, but wouldn’t it be great to have something a bit more original?

Some women book their trash the dress shoot a few days after their wedding. They add it to their wedding experience and never look back. Others keep their dress in the closet for years, forgetting all about it until the idea them. What’s the point of keeping it watching it yellow with age? It’s only a silent reminder of younger years, crazy experiences and pounds since gained. Would it not better serve its purpose by giving you one more memory? One more exciting experience to be had! A boost of self-confidence and most of all another day of crazy fun! 

To illustrate my interpretation of the trash the dress shoots I had Brandy in the studio had her bring her old wedding dress and borrowed another dress from my friend Jen.  I had been inspired by a few other really good trash the dress shoots by Lindsay Adler and Karen Loudon photography both of which are just amazingly talented ladies! 

Ladies before I forget I wanted to get a word in from Ashley of  Make-Up Your Mind artistry: In addition to working with Oni Studio, I also do a lot of bridal makeup. I originally started my business with the idea of bridal work as my main focus. However, upon meeting Victoria and Travis and working with so many of their awesome clients, I have switched my focus to a more boudoir and pin up style. Now that wedding season is upon us and is in full swing, I really wanted to show off my ability to rock and conquer the bridal world. Victoria and I have been talking for quite some time about a bridal shoot, so to see the finished product is beyond gratifying!

We started the shoot with a more natural look, something that would be perfect for a day time summer or spring wedding. Peach cheeks, a subtle lip and brown eyeliner smudged into the lash line just to enhance eye shape and lashes. Natural and fresh is perfect for day time weddings. We then moved into a more dramatic look, for evening, fall and winter weddings, also with our “trash the dress” shoot in mind. I smoked out her eyes with a little muted black and grey, followed up with wedged black eyeliner to make her eyes stand out and pop. Once we got out to the site for our dress trashing fun, I applied a darker lip color for more of an edgy look. Over all I couldn’t be happier with the way it all turned out! I shouldn’t be too surprised though, because everything Oni Studio does comes out amazing! -Thanks Ashley! 

So stop saving that dress hoping one day your daughter might wear it. Stop looking at it in longing, screw sentimental value! Get it out of the closet and let’s burn it! 

Like I posted in my last entry I purchased an awesome new background from Serendipity Backgrounds, as you can see from the shots I used here with the trash the dress shoot it looks amazing! Can’t wait to get another one! 

You all may have also noticed a slight change in the design of our blog, this is all thanks to The Album Cafe, our one stop shop for designs! if you have a quick minute stop on by and check out their wares! 

That’s it for now dear constant reader, we’ll be back soon with an exciting entry on how Oni Studio went to Greece and all the sexiness that followed! Until then, keep up with our new projects, ideas and fun photo shoots by becoming a fan on our Facebook page!

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Film Noir, the name brings to mind the romantic look and feel of the films of Yesteryear. The film noir look is mainly a term from the classic Hollywood cinema days depicting old crime dramas with plenty of sex, intrigue, murder, and many other elements that came from the depression era of the United States.

Ever since seeing Humphrey Bogart, Marlene Dietrich, and other classic famous actors and actresses in these classic noir films I have wanted to try and recreate the look. I still feel I have yet to come up with the perfect noir technique, but  as you all have seen from my previous blog entry here, it is fast becoming a favorite of mine! If your wondering about the background behind Miss D, it came from Serendipity Backgrounds, in fact it was my first order with them, it came very quickly, and was quick and simple to set up, and I love how it photographs, I highly recommend getting one of your own! 

I hope you all enjoy these images and make sure to share your love to the model, Miss D, who was kind enough to let me share these with you all, not only is she  multi-talented singer and photographer, but sexy as hell!!! 

Gotta admit, I love girls with tattoos! 

This was one of my absolute favorites of Miss D’s images, when it comes to projecting raw sexual power this girl can bring it!

Straight forward and to the point, well said Miss D!

The last bit I’d like to share is the publication of our images in issue nine, June edition of Cat’s Meow Magazine! I can’t think of a better way to start the day than to wake up, check my email and have a message from a magazine editor telling me they have published not one, but two of my images!! Thank you Bri and Miss A, I couldn’t have done it without you!

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Legends and fairy tales. The appeal to this genre may seem strange to some, but for me this has been a theme I’ve visited many times with my art and photography. For me fairytales hold appeal because they represent a break from the hum-drum many of us experience with our daily lives. When we were young fairytales seemed to be within easy reach and becoming a princess or astronaut seemed as sure as our morning cereal. As we get older the reality sits in and those childhood dreams seem about as possible as pole vaulting to the moon. This is why I always seek to break away from traditional photography and use different techniques and products that will give my clients a piece of fairytale they can have forever. 

I draw inspiration for my fairytale images from many different places. The largest being the work of other great artist such as Natalie Shau in Lithuania, Dorian Cleavenger in Pennsylvania, Lindsay Adler, (with whom I just finished a very awesome class over at creativeLIVE) and many more I’d love to list, but don’t think I’d have the room!

Another reason for fairytale type photography was to set ourselves apart. When we first started Oni Studio we had no idea how many of other photographers there were in the area, and how much competition there was in this industry. Although at that time we were so amateur we couldn’t really call ourselves competition, lol! Once we really got to looking, we found seven other photographers in five mile radius of us. Many of these photographers had been in business for quite a while, were very established and producing very good quality images. It was an intimidating prospect and for a long time we just practiced with our camera trying to see if this was something we really wanted to get heavily invested in. We realized very early in the game that if we wanted to stand out amongst our peers and become successful in the photography industry we would have to produce not only high quality images, but images that would instantly be recognized as our style.  Since I had always been interested in dark fantasy and fairytales I wanted to incorporate it into my photography.  I want people to look at a photograph and right away recognize it and say, “that’s Oni Studio’s work!”.

One of the things I have always been interested in is incorporating fantastic props into our pictures. I didn’t want it to come across as tacky or gimmicky, I wanted the props to add to the image, not be the focus of it, and this is always tricky to pull off. One day while I was browsing Etsy I came across a seller named “Posh Fairytale Couture”, which featured some of the most beautiful photo props I have ever seen. I spent about thirty minutes on her page just in awe of her work. After talking with Rachel, the owner of the company, I discovered she was not only a talented creator, but a very beautiful and nice person, and she was also a military spouse like me!  I cannot recommend Rachel and her company enough. When I was buying the props from her she kept me updated throughout the construction and sent me instragrams of my head dress. Now I know where I’m getting my props from for the next couple of years!

It’s strange, but during the edit the piece began looking familiar to me, and then I realized what I was doing, making it look like “Lily” from the movie “Legend”, (at least subconsciously). I’m sure many of you have never seen this 1986 sleeper film starring Tom Cruise and directed by Ridley Scott, but if you have kids or you like fantasy film it’s a great one to pick up.

The inspiration for this piece were mighty warriors and sci-fi fiction movies. Gold is a very rich decadent color it says power, fame, ambition. I love how the black tones set off the golds! The skull is painted gold as a symbol of strength in humanity, our dominion over animals and respect to them for being a food source. I love to use recycled items in my pieces. It’s a re-birth of what used to be. -Posh Fairytale Couture

The last, (and maybe most exciting!) bit we would like to share with you is the publication of one of my favorite images I did in Essere Magazine! Although the image is one of our older ones it’s still one of my favorites.

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Today I would like to introduce our new rewards program and Miss K. was gracious enough to be one of our first participants.  She came in for her very first Boudoir photo shoot few weeks back and now would like to share some of her photos with friends and fans. We hope you enjoy the photos and get to know Miss K. a little. For every individual comment posted on this blog Miss K will receive a FREE 5X7 print from her photo shoot and get a chance to receive a beautiful Image Folio. So the more comments the better!

ONI: What was your favorite part about this shoot?

Miss K.: I liked having my hair and make-up done, it felt like big girl dress up and was really fun.

ONI: We love powerful women. What badass babe do you identify most with?

Miss K.: I know a lot of people do not like Sarah Palin but I think she is really driven and has a strong personality.

ONI: What do you have that other girls don’t?

Miss K.: I was pretty lucky to have a lot of my grandma’s influence growing up!

ONI: When are you happiest?

Miss K.: I am pretty happy right now. My career is good and I am engaged to be married to the love of my life!

ONI: What do you like most about yourself?

Miss K.: My teeth. I had adult braces for two years. The payoff was worth it!

ONI: What’s the best or most creative pick-up line you’ve ever heard?

Miss K.: Was your daddy a thief? Because I could swear he stole the stars of the sky and put them in your eyes!

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As with any skill once you learn the basics you start to build upon them, expand your visions and try new things.  We believe that in business as well as life you have a have variety and always seek to expand and improve in every en devour. =)

After my recent surgery I had a lot of down time to research new photography techniques, and one of the styles I hadn’t tried yet, but thought was very interesting, is bodyscapes. This technique, sometimes referred to as low key lighting, is something I’ve been very enthusiastic about lately and hadn’t explored very much before since I was restricted equipment wise. However, after we splurged a bit at B&H Photo I’ve been delving into this type of photography with a vengeance!

While doing research for this new shooting technique I was contacted by Crystal, who was a prospective client for a wedding shoot (yes I do WEDDINGS!), and during our conversation she mentioned Vantel Pearls, a company she worked for. For those of you who are new readers of our blog, what I do every now and then is highlight a woman owned business, or feature a woman in what would be considered a nontraditional role, to support strong women in our community. So when Crystal and I talked I knew right away how to showcase those beautiful pieces of jewelry. Each pearl is unique and no two strands are exactly the same. Pearls are a timeless classic that should complete every woman’s jewelry box, and Crystal can definitely help you out with that.

I didn’t always appreciate the beauty of a pearl. Not until I started working for a NEX jewelry department and learned more about them and different styles and settings. When Crystal showed me some of the inventory she had on hand and a catalog from the company I was pleasantly surprised. There are so many modern unique pieces to choose from to match any taste and occasion. But don’t take my word for it. Book a home party with Crystal and let her blow your mind!

Hi! My name is Crystal Hetzer. I joined Vantel Pearls in 2007 and the company has given me the opportunity to have a home ran business, still work full time and going to college online full time. I thought about getting into a home business for a while to help with the bills, but I’m not into make-up or expensive clothes, but I do love jewelry. The best thing about pearls is that they are great for every occasion and all the different styles they come in are fantastic!

The one thing I love about doing home parties is that the customer never knows what color, or how big of pearl they are going to get when they pick the oyster. Vantel Pearls has made it easier for customers, in the way that they don’t have to open an oyster if they don’t want and they can order the product with either a white or black pearl. The company focuses on the customer, like other businesses, the hostess gets items at discounts but I feel that Vantel Pearls gives a wide variety of items to choice from to use the discounts on. Also the company is reaching out to customers in different ways. For example, online with demonstrator personal websites, facebook and other media outlets. Every Thursday on facebook they put at least one item up at a deep discount for customers.

Vantel Pearls is committed to the idea of leaving the world a better place, and truly believes that every individual does make a difference. Each time you make a purchase, Vantel Pearls donates a percentage of sales to agencies that provide shelter, counseling and education to families in need.

Vantel Pearls often gets involved with their local schools or other adolescent organizations to talk about bullying and how it relates to a pearl. I believe that this can be directed to not only adolescents but to every person that choses to wear a pearl. “Inside every oyster, there is at least one pearl.  A pearl is formed when an oyster defends against a grain of sand or foreign particle.  The oyster secretes layers and layers of nacre or mother-of-pearl around the irritant.   When we have a challenge, how many of us, as oysters do, find the gift in it-actually turn it into something positive?”

~Crystal Hetzer, Independent Vantel Pearls™ Demonstrator

www.vantelpearls.com/crystalhetzer

360-682-6847

During this photo shoot I tried few different lighting set ups using primarily a strip light. I searched through my trusted “Lighting the Nude: Top Photography Professionals Share Their Secrets” book a number of times for reference and inspiration. I definitely need more practice, but for the first try I am pleased with the result.

What do you think?

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“They all float down here, and when you’re down here, you’ll float too!” To those of you who have never read Stephen King’s “It”, or saw the terrible made for TV movie, those words may not make much sense. To those who have seen the movie you will undoubtedly be reminded of the eight foot tall sewer clown.  This project was an obvious tribute to one of the scariest books I’ve ever read. We initially saw a still shot from Stephen King’s “It” and got inspired to recreate it in our own unique way. Stephen King has long been one of my favorite authors, and his book “It” was always my favorite of his. I had originally read it in the sixth grade and it scared me so bad I stayed up for weeks. When I saw we had a chance to pay a little tribute to my favorite book I jumped at the chance!

As explained in our first blog entry one of the ways we keep our creative juices flowing is to take on projects. These projects allow us to take our time and experiment and give us complete control over the final outcome. Since doing extensive experiments on paying clients isn’t ethically feasible for us as a business, these projects are essential for the training we have to do to always assure we are bringing you, the client, a superior product.

To begin a project like this we had to find a scary clown. For most people that would be a problem, but fortunately for us we get to meet some pretty interesting people in this business. Mr. Boyle, our scary clown, had thoroughly victimized us at the Haunted House at the Whidbey Roller Barn, and we knew he would be perfect for this!

Finding a model to fit this role was another matter entirely, in fact we searched for over a month before finally meeting Sharon, (AKA Opposable Model) not only was she eager to participate, but brought a lot of creative ideas to the project as well.

Ashley from “Make-Up Your Mind” brought it all together with her amazing skill, and with the team assembled we were set!

The following account was written by Opposable Model:

Victoria and I started planning, she got a wig from Gothic Lolita, I got some shoes, and it all began to come together. The day we settled on was a Friday and the night before that I was already going to be in Seattle for a shoot with Brady Hall so I stayed there for the night and drove up to Oak Harbor the next morning. When I got to her house, Victoria informed me that her faithful friend Ashley (the wizard behind Make-Up Your Mind) would be over soon with her adorable daughter in tow. She offered me coffee and brownies (both of which were amazing!) and we hit it off right away, chatting, laughing and sorting through the wardrobe items I had brought to figure out what would work out best.

Ashley arrived with the most extensive makeup kit I have ever seen and went to work right away doing all sorts of things to my face I don’t even know how to explain. One of them was an airbrush thing that made me look like I was made out of porcelain, and then there were the false eyelashes (top AND bottom!), lipstick, eyebrows and all sorts of other things that you may never even think of but are important in achieving the desired look.

The make-up looked fantastic, and the wig Victoria had bought just tied it all together. We packed up our bags, loaded everyone up and drove off to the location. On the way there we definitely caused a few heads to turn. Imagine, if you will, a procession of two cars, one of which has a porcelain doll in the front seat and a back seat filled with black and red balloons, and the second of which is being driven by a clown. Definitely one of the weirdest things people saw in Oak Harbor that day.

The location that Victoria had found was perfect for the shoot and even though the day was sunny, the house was so gloomy and old looking that it didn’t really matter. We trotted over to it and started getting set up. Now I’ve really got to hand it to Brian, because there is a huge difference between dressing up as a creepy clown and BEING a creepy clown and he took being a creepy clown to a whole new level. He ran, he jumped, he danced, he lurked, he slunk, he crept, he did everything possible to make himself as terrifying and photo worthy as he could.

Victoria started shooting and after a while gave up being angry at the sunlight and just started being delighted about how the shots were coming out. I remember at one point she looked at her camera and just started laughing and declared, “This is so %$#@^&* amazing!” That was when I knew it was going to turn out fine.

We shot in a couple different locations around the house, including an old outhouse behind the main building and a tree in the side yard. Originally we thought Brian the clown should climb the tree and be up there staring down at me, but it was slippery and the bark wasn’t easy to climb so we changed ideas and he boosted me up onto the limb where I had a ridiculously fun time clinging onto a tree branch for dear life while he jumped up and down on the ground underneath trying to tear my shoes off. Seriously, this is the part of modeling that I love more than the makeup and the beauty and all of that stuff. It’s being able to be lifted up into a tree looking like a doll and have a clown jumping up and down under me trying to grab at my legs knowing that the person behind the camera is going to capture something amazing and that in that moment I am a part of something so cool and so fun that people will see it and think, “I want to do a shoot like that!”

When it was all said and done everybody was happy with the way that it turned out and we parted ways after some hugging and letting our balloons float away into the sky (shhhh, don’t tell anyone we littered!). We drove back to Victoria’s house she took one last head shot of me with the wig and makeup and I changed back into my street clothes and headed back to Bellingham. I had kept the makeup on because it was just so pretty I couldn’t bear to take it off yet and on the way home I got a sudden craving for a sweet, icy coffee drink so I pulled off at a Starbucks and got one. I remember pulling back out onto the freeway; drink in hand, thinking to myself, “This is the life. My face looks fantastic. I’m drinking an expensive drink, driving down the highway (in my friend’s car) and I just got to be a part of one of the funnest shoots I’ve worked on to date.”

~Sharon a.k.a. Opposable Model

The low down on how Ashley did the make up:

I first want to say that I am so excited that I got to be apart of this shoot. I had originally told Victoria that I had a doctors appointment and couldn’t make it. I ended up canceling the appointment 2 hours before the shoot and came to the makeup rescue. (can you tell where my priorities lie?) Of course I had heard a little about the shoot idea, but I didn’t know much else about Victoria’s vision. I can honestly say out of all the shoots I have done with Oni, I was least prepared for this one. (As far as knowing what direction I’m headed in regards to the look and feel of the shoot.) So when I met Sharon I was still trying to piece everything together in my head. In the end, I just let go of trying to plan everything and let the creativity flow. I knew I wanted a dark eye, something exaggerated, beautiful, but verging a little on the creepy side. That is where the white eyeliner came into play on the bottom waterline. It gives the illusion of a larger eye. Then I topped that off by over exaggerating the black liner under the eye, and used a pair of eyelashes on the skin under the liner as well as a pair of upper lashes. The effect turned out amazing! I couldn’t have been happier! Sharon was so paitent and let me do whatever I wanted and took it like a champ! She even let my 2 year old sit in her lap while I was working and managed to keep her occupied while being so easy to work with. I loved everything about this shoot and am so happy with how it all turned out, and look forward to working with Sharon again someday!

~Ashley, Make-Up Your Mind

Thats all for now dear constant reader, I want to say thanks to everyone involved. Sharon for being so versatile and flexible. Brian for being the best damn creepy clown I have ever met. Ashley for being a master of your craft. And of course Johanna for handling that crazy clown and being my right hand at the shoot! 

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Maternity sessions are not what they used to be. With a variety of photographers available today and their unique styles any mom-to-be can select the type of photo shoot that will match her personality and comfort level. Before, maternity sessions used to be somewhat one-dementional, when now you can go as creative or crazy as you would like.

Creating your own package can be so much fun. From choosing between fantasy, pin-up, glamour or boudoir styles to picking a location. Would it be in the studio, your own home, a park or a garden, or a luxurious hotel room. And then there is the dress-up part… what girl does not like that?

When our long time model and friend Jenn, became pregnant with her second child I knew right away that I wanted to write this blog and be able to explore all the possibilities of the maternity shoot. I wanted to show the variety that any future mom can explore at Oni Studio. Few months ago I wrote about a pin-up maternity session. This is a little bit different.

I invited Jenn for a few short sessions. One was at The Palace Hotel in Port Townsend, another one in the studio and outside in the orchard on a sunny day. Her husband, a military police officer, was able to join us for one of the shoots as well and we took some great shots of mom and dad.

I hope you enjoy the photos and get inspired for your own shoot!

What’s new at Oni Studio? Well, we have been working hard on expanding our prop closet. Our clients would still provide their own lingerie, shoes and other personal items, but we want to be able to add really unique pieces to any shoot. Now we have a variety of wigs from Gothic Lolita, ear wraps provided by Feather Heaven, and amazing head pieces are on their way hand made by Rachel over at Posh Fairytale Couture. We also have masks, gloves, hats and other goodies. During the consultation we can go over your outfits and what we can add to make the look complete. So don’t wait any longer and book your appointment today.

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One of Oni Studio’s most elite Boudoir Packages, Lilith’s Lair, actually takes place at a luxury hotel of customer’s choice. This kind of location not only has a pampered, classy feel, but it also provides such a wide variety of scenes and settings that it makes a four hour shoot fly by in no time. This package includes hair and makeup services, and all your favorite shots in specially designed Press Printed Book.

Around Whidbey Island area there are not that many luxury hotels to choose from. When I select the hotel I look at things like decor and color combinations, space, light and of course accessibility. So whenever I am out I always keep my eyes open for a new location for future photo shoots.

During one of my last trips to Port Townsend, Washington, I visited The Palace Hotel. It’s located on Water Street, which is the main street of downtown area. Hiding among other Victorian style buildings of 19th century, the hotel is easy to pass by, but the moment I walked inside I fell in love with it. Especially after learning more about the history of the hotel I knew for sure this was going to be one of the most popular locations for Lilith’s Lair.

Every room is decorated in Victorian style and since it used to be a brothel, every room is named after the girl that used to serve in it. Each room is different, unique to the girl’s personality and has a lot of antique furniture and decorations. In hallways and common areas guests can find lounge chairs and fainting couches, beautiful paintings and an old working piano.

“There is something about the Palace Hotel that is unlike other old buildings. We hear about these old places of ill repute and imagine the wretched lives of desperate women. But The Palace leaves no residue of creepiness. Instead, I had a sense of friendship, companionship, and respect which surprised me.

On my way out the door, I talked with one of the women who cares for the hotel, and she said she sees ghosts all the time (she said I reminded her of one of them!). She said she was at first struck by how regal the spirits seemed, the girls seemed to exude a radiant love which one wouldn’t expect from a lowly prostitute. It felt, to me, that within the walls of The Palace, men and women found refuge from the hardships and judgements of society… if those walls could talk…” ~Aliza Finley

The Palace Hotel – A Step Back in Time

“When I walked through the halls and explored the different rooms, I tried to envision what life would have been like when The Palace was in its prime. Knowing what the hotel had been originally established for, it took me while to accept how profuse and how fast American society and culture has progressed since the brothel was shut down. I found that the experience stimulated senses that only museums and haunted mansions could evoke. Being in a place so lavish with history and so well-preserved deceived me of any change or advancement in the outside world. The website may have photographs of all the rooms and the lobbies, but pictures cannot compensate for the Timequake that knocks you back to the Victorian Era when you walk through that front door. I would highly recommend visiting this place, even if it’s just a walk through. Nothing beats aesthetic satisfaction like The Palace.” ~Alicia Christianson

To introduce and showcase my amazing finding I wanted to do a mega shoot with a variety of models and looks. Hotel’s manager, Gary, was very supportive and accommodating. When I was telling him about all the crazy ideas I had for the location, he was open to it and granted me access to anything I needed. Next I booked my models. Few of the faces you will recognize, since I’ve worked with them before, and others I actually met on the day of the shoot. My idea was to convey that Victorian era feeling in a modern way and all the girls played their part beautifully.

On day one of the shoot Ashley, from MakeUp Your Mind, and I took an early ferry to Port Townsend and hurried to unload all the equipment and prep the sets before the first model arrived. I was so glad to have Ashley there. She did an amazing job on making the girl look flawless, and as always helped me carry lights around and move things out of the way. Thanks Ashley!

That day we did three different shoots, moving from one room to the next, running up and down hotel’s large stairwell… what an exercise! I swear I started the day in heels, but that lasted about an hour. By the end of the day I was shooting barefoot. The whole day was so much fun. My creativity was pumping, especially when I would find a vintage piece of furniture or a cool traveling trunk that I could incorporate into the set.

“I thought the Hotel was beautiful. I loved it from the minute I stepped inside. The decor was so fitting to the feel of the place. The rooms were all so individual, and the fact that it used to be a Brothel just made the place all the more intriguing. It fits so perfectly into the town of Port Townsend.” ~Lucy Luck

That night Ashley had to go home, but I actually stayed the night in one of the beautiful rooms, Miss Mona 10B, on the third floor. I relaxed in a claw-foot tub and lounged in my comfortable bed watching TV. And only then did the thought occur to me, “I wonder if this hotel is haunted?”  I didn’t want to freak myself out, so I just locked the door, put a safety chain up and went to bed. I’ll admit, I had some crazy sexual dreams that night and woke up sweating, wondering why I was so hot. However, when I got out from under the blanket, the room was ice cold! I didn’t give it much thought, but when I turned around and looked at the door, I got chills down my spine. The chain was undone and the door was wide open!!!

Now, I am not one of those people that get easily spooked or freak out, but I am careful. I know the deadbolt was engaged before I fell asleep. Something had happened during the night. Was I visited by a ghost?

When I told the staff of the hotel about my experience, they were not at all surprised. They even keep records and letters from people that had a haunted experience while staying at the Palace. I looked through that hefty volume of records. Some letters date as far back as late eighteen hundreds. Wow!

“Theres something eerily romantic about The Palace Hotel in Pt. Townsend, WA. The lavish, antique furnishings remind one about the history of this once brothel now victorianesque boutique hotel. The elegant hotel has been modernized but still boasts many of the historical elements such as claw foot bathtubs. Some offer a beautiful view of the Puget Sound and feature beautifully aged frescos on the walls. While all are elegant, each room has a different vibe and is named after the woman who once occupied them. I found myself wondering about the lives of the beautiful women who once called this place home and earned their livings servicing male suitors from inside its rooms. Victoria has captured this essence and through her camera lens takes us on a pictorial journey reminding us of days not so long past. ” ~Jen Roberts

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Last Saturday Oni Studio was a part of The Ultimate Ladies Night at Element Nightclub. Oh, what fun we had! There were Appetizers and Desserts, Drink Specials, Door Prizes and FREE Gifts! A lot of our passed clients stopped by the table to say hello and talk about the ideas for the new shoots. I’ve also met a lot of girls that confessed thinking about doing a photo shoot, but for one reason or the other talked themselves out of it. I was able to answer many questions and hopefully made the decision easier. Ladies, you all know who you are and I better see you in the studio soon!

This event was sponsored by local, women-owned small businesses and I was honored to be a part of it.

Crista Holt was there to show off Mary Kay’s new make up and fragrances. Zaneita Williams displayed the most popular styles of handbags from Thirty-One Gifts. Melissa Fritch filled the air with romantic scents from PartyLite Candles.  Charity Schwegman had so much sparkle from Lia Sophia that I could not walk away from her table! Yvette Dwonch-Esparza represented her 24-hour North End Fitness and Jennifer Christianson-Blansfield showed off Body by Brazil fitness wear.

But the person who made it all possible and got all these local vendors together is

Jen Roberts with Sugar Studio!

I met with Jen at her studio few days after the event to talk about her business and this amazing hair removal technique, sugaring.

Jen had a crazy idea five years ago and decided to open Oak Harbors first studio dedicated to Hair Removal. A licensed cosmetologist, she was trained in the art of Sugaring by Lara at the Sweet Spot in Seattle. Jen opened Sugar Studio in October of 2006. It’s her goal to make every woman comfortable in an otherwise awkward situation, to provide an efficient and quick sugaring, and to empower and awaken confidence in women.

To make your appointment call Jen directly at 360-540-3687 or visit her website.

Another project that I have been working on for the last few days is building a new “Vintage Bedroom” set. It took five weeks to get the “Candy Sticks” wallpaper in from Backdrop Outlet and I thought the project would go smoothly after that, but the hard work had just begun! Thanks to my wonderful friends that came in on their day off and helped me finish the set in time. The very next day I had a model in to try it out. I am proud to say that the set-up looks so much better than I envisioned and photographs look magnificent!

There are few minor things that I would like to add, but that’s the beauty of it… the set will change from time to time. Some things will be added and taken away, just to keep you all on your toes! =)

Keep up with our new projects, ideas and fun photo shoots by becoming a fan on our Facebook page.

 We are also on Twitter, Pinterest and Google Plus!

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This year is most likely to be our last one to be stationed on Whidbey Island. We had great times here and were fortunate enough to meet a lot of great people and gain loyal customers. This year we would like to give back to this wonderful community that has given us so much.

At least once a month I would like to highlight a new and upcoming woman owned small business. Just to draw some attention and show some girl power! The catch is, this business has to be related to health, beauty, fashion or art. If you have a suggestion or have your owned woman owned business dont hesistate to contact us and tell us why!

This month I am proud to present an independent consultant for VAULT DENIM Jessica VanDine!

My name is Jessica VanDine and I have been an independent consultant for Vault Denim in the Skagit County area since October 2011. Vault Denim was founded in April 2010. This company buys overstock authentic name brand jeans from high end department stores and boutiques then puts them into inventories that contain 100 jeans to distribute to us consultants. We carry sizes 0-26. Every inventory is so unique which in turn makes it that much more exciting to share with all my clients. The commission based pay is amazing! The hostess of each party gets treated pretty generous too with 10% of each jean sold at their party towards a pair of their choice. I’m so happy to be a part of the beginning of a successful business and can not wait to share it with others! 

I was so excited to have Jessica come out to Anacortes for a location photo shoot early in the morning. She brought out her entire inventory of latest styles of jeans and was able to fit all four of the models.  The girls were able to choose jeans that fit their personal styles and compliment their look for the day. Here is what each one had to say about the jeans they modeled.

“The style and fit of the first pair I tried on for the shoot were my favorite. They were comfortable and looked good, which is a hard combination to find for me sometimes.” ~Alicia

“I am always having to adjust my pants. Being tall and skinny its hard to find pants that fit both the length and the waist, but the couple pairs I tried on fit excellent!” ~Kristina

“I loved those jeans! It wasn’t too tight or loose, high quality and length was also perfect.” ~Meggie

“My favorite thing about the jeans was how they retained their shape and kind of stiffness throughout the time I wore them. I can’t stand pants that stretch out and get baggy throughout the day as I wear them.” ~Alicia

“I loved that there was a variety of styles. It seemed like you could find a pair for almost anyone ranging from casual to the club wear! My favorite thing about these jeans was that it actually gave me a butt lol. ” ~Kristina

“When I buy my jeans, I usually look at the back pocket design. Depends on the pocket position makes our hips look different.  So I loved the sparkled pockets!” ~Meggie

If anyone is interested in having a party or becoming a part of this dream come true opportunity please contact Jessica @ 360-201-8657 or email @ jessicavandine(at)vaultdenim.com.

 Walking on the streets of Anacortes, even early in the morning, we had a lot of people stop and look. Some asked questions and offered advice on good locations, others just pull over to see what is going on. But this one was our favorite fan by far! He came out of no where and was ready for his five minutes of fame.  We were sad to leave him in the alley  =(

Special thanks to Adrift Restaurant for allowing us to use their back hallway as a base of operations. All of us met there and stayed afterwards for breakfast and coffee. If you’ve never been to Adrift you are totally missing out!!! Everything, and I mean everything, I tried there was absolutely amazing! Staff is friendly, cooks are creative and their menu will keep you coming back time after time. Visit them next time you are out for dinner!

Keep up with our new projects, ideas and fun photo shoots by becoming a fan on our Facebook page.

 We are also on Twitter, Pinterest and Google Plus!

*Oni Studio and the owners are not employees of Vault Denim, nor do we represent them in any form.

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