TheBelovedExperience bio picture
  • The Beloved Experience is the most rewarding Photo Session that I offer. Imagine that you are sharing in a moment with someone that you love and as a beautiful by product of these moments you have images depicting you to the core, to leave a legacy of who you were, who you are and quite possibly who you want to be... The Beloved Experience is truly a Photographic Journey that celebrates:

    Showing {love}
    Feeling {love}
    Being {loved}

    I feel so humbled when I am shooting one of these sessions because of the beautiful glimpses into your lives and the humanity that connects us all. It really matters to me that we make the kinds of images that Matter to those that matter to you... If you want the Full Cinema Experience we offer our Beloved Cinema.

    It's our hybrid version of documenting the beauty within the events of your life seen through the lens of our cameras by filming stills, audio and motion. We offer cinema for Beloved Sessions & Weddings.

    You want to know more? Of course you do ;-)
    email me: Cindy@the BelovedExperience.com

The Beloved Experience – Almost Spring Savings!

 

The Beloved Cinema Experience $700 ($600 dollar savings- regularly $1300)
Includes:
  • 1 – 2 hour portrait/cinema session
  • travel to location
  • choice of either a collection of 35 artist selected fine art prints gift boxed or choice of a 20 page 8×8 custom designed coffee table book
  • coming soon movie trailer
  • Beloved Cinema short film
  • 2 DVD copies of the film-trailer
  • digital web versions of artist favorites in an online and sharable smart phone compatible album
  • shareable/downloadable slideshow of artist selected faves
The Beloved Experience $450 ( $550 dollar savings)
  • 1-2 hour portrait session
  • travel to location
  • choice of either a collection of 35 artist selected fine art prints gift boxed or choice of a 20 page 8×8 custom designed coffee table book
  • digital web versions of artist favorites in an online and sharable smart phone compatible album
  • shareable/downloadable slideshow of artist selected faves
Contact Us to schedule your session. You will have 6 months from the time of purchase to schedule your session.  Weekday and some limited Weekend Availability.  This Offer expires on 4/1/12

 

We are Hiring!!!

Yup, It’s true I say! I’ve been hinting around about the changes around the studio for several months now and at some point I will write a blog post about the many things, people and circumstance that have made 2011 such a tumultuous yet outstanding year both personally and professionally but for now I’m super stoked to announce that here at Cindy Guessford Studios we are officially launching our Beloved Cinema Division. We have been quietly shooting all year both stills and video and have made some beautiful pieces that absolutely document and preserve the memories of you and the ones you love. We have also launched our Beloved Experience which will be the only type of portrait session that we offer moving forward. What this means for us is that we are embracing our creativity and not limiting it to a specific medium. My studio will be a full service hybrid photo/cinema studio. We offer photo and cinema coverage for The Beloved Experience as well as Weddings. To learn more visit www.theBelovedExperience.com or just contact me. I would love to chat about future projects and commissions.

I’ve also had to re-evaluate my business model and will no longer be accepting as a studio multiple bookings. In the past 8+ years, the studio has employed several photographers, editors, designers, filmakers etc… We have shot multiple events per date. The new model will require that each person employed here at CG Studios to be cross trained in every aspect of studio operations as well as both still and cinema shooting. We will only be accepting 40 weddings/events per year. This will allow me to focus on the things I love (shooting, planning, pleasing my clients) and for the rest of the team to be fully present and available under my direction to do the same. The 2012 Wedding season is nearly booked to capacity and 2013 is shaping up to be one of our quickest and earliest years of bookings to date. phewwwwww! such an exciting time to embrace technology =))))

Now on to the hiring bit. I’m looking to have a few very special candidates join my team. Specifically photo/cinema shooters. I can tell you that my expectations are high but I will never ask of you anything that I myself won’t personally do. Everyone here works together in unison to create not just the type of product we love but also the kind of experience for our clients that means something. Those who do not posses exceptional client relations skills need not even read any further. Here is a short list of qualifications that will get you to the top of the list:

Candidates must have:

knowledge of available light photography

ability to utilize flash, strobe, led lights, wireless triggers

pro level gear ( i don’t so much care if it’s Canon or Nikon – just get it right in camera and in focus)

working knowledge of at least 2 of these -Lightroom, Photoshop, Premiere, Final cut (insert any video or audio editing software) Excel, WordPress, HTML

full knowledge of color theory and the color wheel

no ego – we are all important parts of the body of work and collections presented to clients

Here’s the catch, if you have all of the qualifications listed below then I may let that trump missing some of the above qualifications:

A great disposition, positive outlook

the ability to leave your problems at the door and get the job done

a thick skin and a cool head

a passion for film, digital stills or cinema

excitement, creativity, a point of view

excitement, creativity, a point of view

excitement, creativity, a point of view

excitement, creativity, a point of view – yes – wildly important

timeliness ( lateness is not tolerated ever – it brings the angry out in me – you don’t want to see me when I’m angry;-)

a willingness to learn, grow, create, prosper

last but not least – the desire to be fearless in how you pursue the moment, the image, the scene, the shot, the task and most importantly fulfilling the needs of our clients.

SO that’s the skinny! If you feel that you are the next addition to my team or know someone who is please send a resume and a letter of Why I should hire you to Cindy@theBelovedExperience.com

extra points awarded to those who have an affection for home brewing and/or are a great cook. Okay, not really but we do like to have a cool, laid back work environment providing all of the work gets done. Just sayin!

Resumes will be accepted until January 20th. Interviews will be conducted on Saturday January 21st & Monday January 23rd. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

PS! I have the uncanny ability to find the diamond in the rough and I appreciate heart more than credentials but you must have photo/video skill sets.

Nicole + Michael {beloved cinema} trailer

Kinda posting things out of order but we just finished this trailer for a Beloved Cinema love story film that we are working on and I just had to share!  A little sneaky peeky for you Nicole and Michael! Happy holidays to you both =)

xoxoxo ~ Cindy

 

 

Jen + Mark – be{love}d

Jen is truly an example of how resilient the human heart & body can be and how a positive attitude can effect  your life in so many ways.   When we first met, she was taking a chance on me as I was just delving into my portrait business.  That’s the kind of person that Jen is.  The kind that see’s the potential in someone, the kind of person that looks on the bright side, the kind of person that you want on your side and you will undoubtedly be on hers.  I know that these last few years have been difficult as she has faced personal tragedy, family illness and an on going battle with her own personal illness.  Despite all of the stress and strain these things can place on a person she is always there with a smile, and a mischievous look in her eyes.  I love the zest for life that she has and I wish there was a way to sprinkle a little bit of her mojo on the Debbie Downers of this world because guess what, we cannot run from the cards we are dealt we can only play our hands well.  I love this session so much.  I love the way I feel when I look at these images.  I can see and feel the connection between Jen and Mark and after meeting Mark I’m so happy that these two have each other.  Sometimes a simple stroll in the woods or hanging out underneath a highway for no reason but to celebrate your life and your connection is all you need to fuel your hope.  Marc and Jen, the time I spent with you on this afternoon reminded me of some very important things in life and that I had forgotten.  I saw so much of the joy and fun that you bring to each other and with wanton abandonment.  It seems so easy for you both to embrace each other and the session and I am thankful that we have crossed paths.  You have made me a better person for having met you <3

 

 

Lauren + Joey + Aidan – be{love}d

It seems like a lifetime ago that I met Lauren. We were working for the same company yet we had other dreams of what we should be doing with our lives. For me, well I’m doing what I love and I’m thankful to be a part of preserving memories and for Lauren well, she’s an integral part of sustaining and saving lives on a daily basis. I admire this about her. Not just her ability to do the job that she does but to be able to manage and multitask and pretty much kick life in the ass every time she needs to. She’s feisty, smart, strong & compassionate beyond belief. She’s also an amazing mother. I’ve witnessed the connection between her and Aidan on several levels. He’s always come first, he’s frequently been the most important male presence in her life and rightly so.

When you meet someone who has so much to offer you naturally wish for them to meet someone who deserves them. Someone who compliments them. Someone who balances them. Some who respects and uplifts them. Most of all you wish for them someone who can be the man that can break the walls and build them back to include him as a family. I knew that there was something special about Joey and that maybe just maybe, he could be that man.

Sitting across from Lauren having some lunch at Honeys sit and eat, I could see the way her eyes lit up when the topic of Joey came around. When we chatted about the new type of session I was offering (the Beloved Experience) she remarked that I was one of the only people that she would trust making images of her and that no one other than herself had photographed Aidan. I felt honored that the trust was already there and I was super excited to meet Joey and special guest Rocco:). The Beloved Experience is a very special session in that some of the most beautiful layers of you can become exposed. It can also be a session that liberates you because I believe that deep down inside each and every one of us there lives a strong desire to be loved and to be appreciated and to be noticed. Not for obvious physical traits but to be noticed for who you are on the inside. These sessions bring things to the surface and honors all that you are to each other.

I cannot tell you the exact moment that I knew Joey was the one. Maybe it was the first time I looked into his beautiful, sincere and warm eyes. Maybe it was the way he (without knowledge of the full scope of the session) embraced all of the invitations and had fun where fun was warranted and considerate when thought was required. Maybe it was the way he wrapped his big powerful arms completely around Lauren and made a space for her that she fit perfectly into, safe, loved, protected. It may have even been witnessing his interaction with Aidan and seeing all 3 of them together like a family. Like I said, I don’t know when I knew, I just knew.

My afternoon shooting and chatting and laughing with them left me feeling very happy. Happy for them, happy for my friend that she found someone who can put a little gleam in her eyes, happy that I am a part of a collective of people who are able to use Beloved as a multi-dimensional expression of art. I can not stress enough that the human connection, the experiences that one has, the affinity to be moved by the way that someone who loves you sees you and gets you and loves you, well, this connection will always trump flashy editing, industry trends and staged posing.

Because of people like Lauren, Joey & Aidan, I will spend the rest of my career making images that are Authentic, genuine and provocative. I will do anything within my power to touch as many lives as I can in a healthy, fun and positive way and I will not apologize for wanting and expecting the best of you or all of you when we do a session because quite frankly, I give so much of myself and I deserve to have the types of people who long for more than just a photo to document your existence. I deserve to have the types of people who want to explore and marinate in the good, the bad, the wonderful, the life, your life, your loves…

Since the session a lot has changed with Lauren and Joey. Many congratulations are in order:)))). Let’s just say, I knew it then…
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