“Jaime and Michael are two of the most creative people I've worked with in years. They’ve done an amazing job of communicating both the hope and despair facing victims of sexual assault in their photographs. We use their work on our website, myspace page, banner ads and brochures.”
Lynn Crall Parrish, RAINN
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"Before Boojazz, I thought a photo shoot was sitting on a stool with a tie and a smile. Michael and Jaime taught me otherwise. I had used them several times for business and family portraits. They took my family out on location to capture us in a natural setting. Sometimes urban, sometimes country. A far cry from the usual. My talents do not lie in the visual arts. I'm thankful I know Michael and Jaime. I love the way they think outside the frame."
Tony Rusnak, Client
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Question for Michael #1
Q: I'm just starting out in photography. How do you create all of that texture work on your pictures?
A: Lots of layers and experimentation in Adobe Photoshop. Sometimes I'll have 16 separate layers by the time I'm ready to flatten the image.
I'd suggest grabbing a photo disk of patterns or textures, you can also purchase some on istockphoto.com for cheap. from there you just add each texture or pattern, one at a time, experiment with the opacity and such (dissolve, darken, lighten). Knowing what to remove using different erasers helps, too. The layers will begin to mesh and create interesting patters within themselves.
Eventually you'll get the hang of it. Sometimes it helps to look at other collage pieces, just to get an idea of how shapes, colors and textures will play together. There really is no science to the process, which is what makes it so unique.
Hope that helps!
- Michael Foster
A: Lots of layers and experimentation in Adobe Photoshop. Sometimes I'll have 16 separate layers by the time I'm ready to flatten the image.
I'd suggest grabbing a photo disk of patterns or textures, you can also purchase some on istockphoto.com for cheap. from there you just add each texture or pattern, one at a time, experiment with the opacity and such (dissolve, darken, lighten). Knowing what to remove using different erasers helps, too. The layers will begin to mesh and create interesting patters within themselves.
Eventually you'll get the hang of it. Sometimes it helps to look at other collage pieces, just to get an idea of how shapes, colors and textures will play together. There really is no science to the process, which is what makes it so unique.
Hope that helps!
- Michael Foster
Wedding Tips: Part 1
A lot of brides as us our opinions on simple things that can make your day go smoothly.
- Be sure to eat something before the ceremony. There are plenty of brides who don't, and then get headaches or stomach aches later in the day.
- Bring a spray bottle filled with water to keep the flowers looking fresh for pictures throughout the day.
- It's always a good idea to pack an emergency kit with aspirin, band-aids, safety pins, stain remover, an extra pair of nylons, a sewing kit and an umbrella.
- Assign a close family member, preferably a parent to look after the $ bag.
- Cut the cake after you eat the meal. During dinner is your only chance to sit down and relax, and believe us... you'll want the down time.
- This is a major one! When planning wedding day events, be sure to give extra time for getting ready, altar shots, pictures in between the ceremony and reception and the bridal party announcement. Most of the time, things run behind schedule.
- Try to have at least 45 minutes after the ceremony ( and family pictures) to take pictures with your photographer.
All for now! We'll post more ideas in the coming months.
- Jaime
- Be sure to eat something before the ceremony. There are plenty of brides who don't, and then get headaches or stomach aches later in the day.
- Bring a spray bottle filled with water to keep the flowers looking fresh for pictures throughout the day.
- It's always a good idea to pack an emergency kit with aspirin, band-aids, safety pins, stain remover, an extra pair of nylons, a sewing kit and an umbrella.
- Assign a close family member, preferably a parent to look after the $ bag.
- Cut the cake after you eat the meal. During dinner is your only chance to sit down and relax, and believe us... you'll want the down time.
- This is a major one! When planning wedding day events, be sure to give extra time for getting ready, altar shots, pictures in between the ceremony and reception and the bridal party announcement. Most of the time, things run behind schedule.
- Try to have at least 45 minutes after the ceremony ( and family pictures) to take pictures with your photographer.
All for now! We'll post more ideas in the coming months.
- Jaime
Life is a Series of Surprises...
We never really intended to be wedding photographers, we just kinda fell into it.
My husband and I were married in 2002, in a historic movie Theater in St. Charles, Illinois. While in the process of planning our wedding, so many people were estatic hearing about our wedding ideas... that a couple brides to be, eagerly asked us to document their wedding. At the time, I was a freelance photographer for several local newspapers, along with working at a local photography studio. Michael was working for a design firm as an art director. At the time Boojazz was a website featuring our photography, artwork and Michael's design, with no real direction other than , "Hey! Look at us! Here we are!"
We photographed a handful of weddings that year. The couples were very happy with their photographs and we realized that we were really good at it. With a little more training and experience... the following year we doubled our bookings. In 2004, we were working at Boojazz fulltime. We never had to advertise, word of mouth spread fast and that year we again doubled the business and booked over twenty weddings.
We set ourselves out to be the opposite of many photography studios, the cynical ones looking for a crazy big paycheck with no personal service. In Chicago we made a great name for ourselves, and we're excited about the possibilities here in Seattle.
Jaime Foster
Boojazz Studios
425.577.3936
My husband and I were married in 2002, in a historic movie Theater in St. Charles, Illinois. While in the process of planning our wedding, so many people were estatic hearing about our wedding ideas... that a couple brides to be, eagerly asked us to document their wedding. At the time, I was a freelance photographer for several local newspapers, along with working at a local photography studio. Michael was working for a design firm as an art director. At the time Boojazz was a website featuring our photography, artwork and Michael's design, with no real direction other than , "Hey! Look at us! Here we are!"
We photographed a handful of weddings that year. The couples were very happy with their photographs and we realized that we were really good at it. With a little more training and experience... the following year we doubled our bookings. In 2004, we were working at Boojazz fulltime. We never had to advertise, word of mouth spread fast and that year we again doubled the business and booked over twenty weddings.
We set ourselves out to be the opposite of many photography studios, the cynical ones looking for a crazy big paycheck with no personal service. In Chicago we made a great name for ourselves, and we're excited about the possibilities here in Seattle.
Jaime Foster
Boojazz Studios
425.577.3936
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Five Year Anniversary
It's been five years since Michael and I were married, and people still ask about our wedding. So we wanted to post an article written by Eileen O. Daday for the Daily Herald Correspondent back in 2003 about all of the things we did to make our big day something everyone would remember. It might even give you ideas for your own celebration. Enjoy!
A Wedding Fit For A Screen
Film buffs mark start of a beautiful marriage with theater ceremony
By Eileen O. Daday
Daily Herald Correspondent - November 10th, 2003
When a graphic designer and a photographer decide to take the plunge, you can bet that it will be anything but traditional. Sure enough, when Jaime McDonough and Michael Foster, both of New Lenox, became engage, friends and family members knew to expect something creative from the artsy pair. That’s just what they got at their August 2002 wedding. “We’re both old film buffs, so we came up with the idea of a vintage Hollywood wedding,” said Jaime, who specialized in black-and-white photography. “We wanted it to be classy and different and represent our personalities.”
Their imaginations took off when they found the restored 1926 movie house known as the Arcada Theatre in downtown St. Charles. The theater’s rich history combined with its ornate design drew the couple’s interest immediately, they said. That and the fact that the theater operator was open to the idea. “Since we opened the place, we agreed it was going to be available for rent for different things,” said Todd Smith, theater operator. “This sounded like a neat idea.”
Michael and Jaime began by designing custom invitations and programs that resembled vintage magazines covers and Hollywood tabloids. They worked from two black-and-white photos, including one replicating the famous returning World War II soldier kissing his girl. The couple also created mock movie posters with photographs from the shoot to decorate the inside of the auditorium.
Once guests arrived, they saw the couple’s names on the marquee. As they entered the auditorium, ushers escorted them to their seats with flashlights, while famous movie scores played in the background. For their big day, Jaime chose to wear a 1940s-style ivory wedding gown, while Michael wore Humphrey Bogart’s classic white tuxedo jacket and black pants from the film “Casablanca.”
“Mine wasn’t an authentic vintage gown, but it made me feel like Audrey Hepburn,” Jaime said.
Before the ceremony itself the couple put together a 15-minute series of vintage movie trailers, featuring clips from such classic movies as “Casablanca,” “Singin’ in the Rain” and “My Fair Lady.”
A minister married Michael and Jaime on stage in front of the movie screen. The ceremony began with the 20th Century Fox theme song, followed by the song, “Someday My Prince Will Come.” Both were played on the theater organ, which made its grand entrance from the side of the stage.
Afterward, they walked down the theater aisle as the organist played, “When You Wish Upon A Star.” Upon leaving the auditorium, guests received old-fashioned popcorn bags. instead of throwing the traditional rice or even rose petals, they threw popcorn - non-buttered of course.
Outside the Arcada, guests boarded a series of trolleys that toured downtown St. Charles and Geneva while playing old Hollywood musical numbers including “The Trolley Song,” from the Judy Garland film “Meet Me in St. Louis.” Then it was off to the reception in a vintage 1955 Cadillac limousine, which took the couple to their banquet at Gray’s Mill in Montgomery. Their Hollywood wedding theme continued with guests being assigned to different casts for their movie themed table assignments. Each table then featured a bottle of Marilyn Merlot, and favors of chocolate rolls of film from Universal Studios. The couple also put together a 10-minute short film that placed them in classic wedding movies.
“It’s been a year since our wedding and to this day people still talk about how much fun they had,” Jaime said.
“We had so much fun planning it,” Michael added. “It was a lot of work, but it was all worth it. We had a blast.”
A Wedding Fit For A Screen
Film buffs mark start of a beautiful marriage with theater ceremony
By Eileen O. Daday
Daily Herald Correspondent - November 10th, 2003
When a graphic designer and a photographer decide to take the plunge, you can bet that it will be anything but traditional. Sure enough, when Jaime McDonough and Michael Foster, both of New Lenox, became engage, friends and family members knew to expect something creative from the artsy pair. That’s just what they got at their August 2002 wedding. “We’re both old film buffs, so we came up with the idea of a vintage Hollywood wedding,” said Jaime, who specialized in black-and-white photography. “We wanted it to be classy and different and represent our personalities.”
Their imaginations took off when they found the restored 1926 movie house known as the Arcada Theatre in downtown St. Charles. The theater’s rich history combined with its ornate design drew the couple’s interest immediately, they said. That and the fact that the theater operator was open to the idea. “Since we opened the place, we agreed it was going to be available for rent for different things,” said Todd Smith, theater operator. “This sounded like a neat idea.”
Michael and Jaime began by designing custom invitations and programs that resembled vintage magazines covers and Hollywood tabloids. They worked from two black-and-white photos, including one replicating the famous returning World War II soldier kissing his girl. The couple also created mock movie posters with photographs from the shoot to decorate the inside of the auditorium.
Once guests arrived, they saw the couple’s names on the marquee. As they entered the auditorium, ushers escorted them to their seats with flashlights, while famous movie scores played in the background. For their big day, Jaime chose to wear a 1940s-style ivory wedding gown, while Michael wore Humphrey Bogart’s classic white tuxedo jacket and black pants from the film “Casablanca.”
“Mine wasn’t an authentic vintage gown, but it made me feel like Audrey Hepburn,” Jaime said.
Before the ceremony itself the couple put together a 15-minute series of vintage movie trailers, featuring clips from such classic movies as “Casablanca,” “Singin’ in the Rain” and “My Fair Lady.”
A minister married Michael and Jaime on stage in front of the movie screen. The ceremony began with the 20th Century Fox theme song, followed by the song, “Someday My Prince Will Come.” Both were played on the theater organ, which made its grand entrance from the side of the stage.
Afterward, they walked down the theater aisle as the organist played, “When You Wish Upon A Star.” Upon leaving the auditorium, guests received old-fashioned popcorn bags. instead of throwing the traditional rice or even rose petals, they threw popcorn - non-buttered of course.
Outside the Arcada, guests boarded a series of trolleys that toured downtown St. Charles and Geneva while playing old Hollywood musical numbers including “The Trolley Song,” from the Judy Garland film “Meet Me in St. Louis.” Then it was off to the reception in a vintage 1955 Cadillac limousine, which took the couple to their banquet at Gray’s Mill in Montgomery. Their Hollywood wedding theme continued with guests being assigned to different casts for their movie themed table assignments. Each table then featured a bottle of Marilyn Merlot, and favors of chocolate rolls of film from Universal Studios. The couple also put together a 10-minute short film that placed them in classic wedding movies.
“It’s been a year since our wedding and to this day people still talk about how much fun they had,” Jaime said.
“We had so much fun planning it,” Michael added. “It was a lot of work, but it was all worth it. We had a blast.”
Monday, November 19, 2007
Greetings!
Hello! Welcome to our blog.
Michael & I will be posting all kinds of information on our studio, from recent clients we've photographed to tips for future wedding clients. We hope you enjoy it!
Respectfully,
Jaime & Michael Foster
www.boojazz.com
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