Opie, one cool photog, contacted us to help her out with one of her personal projects. Heres a couple shots. You'll have to visit Opie's blog to see the rest. Thank you Opie for trusting us with one of your very own.

Enizio Artists are available for test shoots for any photographer. If your interested in shooting for your personal pleasure, educational purposes or for S&Gs, we'd love to be a part of it.

I feel really awful that I haven't been the best at updating this blog. I have also slacked at doing before and after photos which I realized today people actually like to see! My apologies. I promise to do better. Today, I thought I would share a couple of fun projects we've been on recently...

RYAN AND ASHLEIGH'S PHOTO-SHOOT

As some of you may know my "brother from another mother" was on So you think you can Dance this last season. Just after the show wrapped, Ryan and his wife were casted for Burn the Floor as the principle couple for their 2010 world tour. I had the privilege of doing the hair and makeup for their tour pictures along side my good friend Heidi Uhl behind the lens. This was such a pleasure for me because Ryan and I grew up together. It's been fun to see his career advance and to be able to participate in a small portion of it was a real honor. Look out for these two because I know America will be seeing a lot more of them.

VAMPIRED

I am a huge fan of Mark Andersen who is known for his amazing stock photography company, Rubberball Productions. Just recently Mark started a production company and I had the honor to be a part of Mark's first short film called Vampired. Mark wrote, produced and directed this short film. I have to admit that I was a little intimidated because I am such a big fan of his work. I had such a blast on this film. His lead actor was a riot to work with. He kept everyone laughing on set and watching him work with Mark was an unforgettable experience. Heres a small clip I caught on my phone of him goofing off with Mark. It just gives you an idea of how much fun this project was.

MASK

I got to team up again with my favorite mother/daughter team Laurie and Tiffany of Naturesknockout.com for this film. Stephanie and I came on as day players and I ended up pulling a 36 hour day working on this show and a couple other photo-shoots. I love working with Tiffany and Laurie! This film takes place in 1905 and was filmed at Lagoon. I'll tell you that walking from base to set in a dark theme park by myself at 3 am is a bit creepy! Because of the time period of this film, the hair was so fabulous and fun to do.

SOUL 41 PRODUCTIONS FOR DENTRIX

I got to take part in my first comedy type film project this last week. I laughed my head off taking part in this commercial for Dentrix. Will Rubio has got to be one of the funniest actors I have ever met. If your not familiar with Will Rubio you have to check out his work here. You'll laugh your head off! This spoof on clients who forget to show up to their dental appointments is sure to make a lot of people laugh! Im excited to see the final cut.

And of course, wedding season is in full bloom. Heres a couple trial sessions I captured plus some behind the scenes of our latest photo-shoot with Heidi Uhl. (Those are always very eventful). Last time we teamed up, she walked us out on to the Great Salt Lake in the freezing cold. I have to admit, it was the most fun shoot to date. Morgan and I laughed our heads off as we froze to death. Poor model. She was such a trooper!

I just want to thank everyone who follows our blog. Its fun to be able to share our projects with you!

7 things to avoid for perfect skin

photo courtesy of fitsugar.com

1. SUN - Exposing your face to the sun is the quickest way to age your skin. When ultraviolet rays hit the skin's surface it produces molecules called free radicals which destroy healthy cells. They're particularly fond of collagen and elastin, the two ingredients that help keep skin firm and elastic. The more collagen and elastin degrade, the faster wrinkles appear on your skin. Use a teaspoon of SPF 30 on your face. Apply it before going into the sun. Reapply every 9 hours. Avoid sunlight between the hours of 11 am and 3 pm. Even the strongest sunscreen can only filter out so much during this time which will cause damage to your skin.

2. SMOKING- Nicotine in cigarrettes constricts the blood vessels of the face, making your skin look gray or sallow. An ingredient called acetaldehyde goes to work, attacking the fibers in your skin that hold it together. Finally a chemical reaction occurs creating a protein that causes the destruction of collagen and elastin. Add this to the constant creasing of the face while due to smoke irritation and the wrinkling of the skin while you inhale, its no wonder women who smoke look around ten years older than a non-smoker of the same age.

3. ALCOHOL- Alcohol dilates the blood vessels and in sensitive skins this can lead to broken veins . Alcohol also contains acetaldehyde which attacks skin fibers, reducing firmness and elasticity. As little as 2 drinks a day will dehydrate the skin enough to make wrinkles. Alcohol destroys all vitamin c, one of the most important nutrients for skin functioning.

4. STRESS- Stress increases the level of adrenal hormones like testosterone, which have been linked to the triggering of acne. In fact, stress is being blamed for the increase in so called adult acne in career women. Stress hormones cause blood flow to be directed away from the surface of the skin to your limbs and major organs. This means that your skin doesn't get all the nutrients it needs. To add insult to injury, you can't repair these problems with skincare as effectively when your stressed. Studies show it doesn't absorb products as well as relaxed skin. Learning to relax will help your skin survive.

5. LACK OF SLEEP- Nighttime is when the skin repairs itself. You build new cells and replace collagen and elastin damaged by the day's exposure to sun and pollution. The skin is also more absorbent at night which means it takes in treatments more effectively. Research shows that up to 25% more of some vitamin treatments enter the skin at night compared to during the day. Lack of sleep is responsible for dark circles, sallowness and fluffiness under the eyes, as the skin diverts blood to fuel the tired brain and other organs.

6. POLLUTION- Not only is air pollution bad for your face but so is taking in toxins to your bodies. On average we breath in 2 grams of pollution and eat 11 lbs each in food additives. Avoiding pollution is tricky. You can help fight pollution by eating better. Increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and avoid salty foods, caffeine and hydrogenated fats.

7. LACK OF EXERCISE- Physical activities will help boost skin tone by increasing the amount of oxygen in your blood and reducing the amount of toxins that build up under your skin, it will also boost your skin health by increasing your tolerance to stress and help you sleep. For optimum skin health, try to do 3 sets of 20 minute exercises a week.

information curtesy of Helen Fosters "The Beauty Book"

Meet Kumari..the most beautiful girl I've ever seen

I met Kumari on the set of the last movie I had the privilege to work on. The moment I saw her I practically begged her to let me put some makeup on her. I called Heidi and well, heres how it all turned out. Assisting me on this shoot was Morgan. Working with her and Kumari and Heidi, makes this the best day of my job to date. I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed helping to create them.

How to have a successful salon visit

image courtesy of treassuringtresses.com

Finding a hairdresser is like the search for a significant other! Hairdressers have a different approach to the way they dress hair, the way they communicate and the things they feel are most important. It can be overwhelming but at the same time very exciting. In order to help you through this process, here are 5 simple tips to help you get the most out of any hairdresser you visit.

1. Visit the salon or do some research before scheduling and appt. Check out the age, style and hairdos of the staff and clients. Does what you want fit in with their approach and image?

2. Take a picture with you. This will help your artist visualize what is in your mind. Use the pictures as a guide but be open to hear what the artist has to say as your hair texture and length will play a major role in making your vision a reality.

3. Be open to the care and maintenance of your desired look- Your artist should explain to you what products it will take to recreate this look as well as regular salon visits to maintain the look at its best. If for some reason they don't explain this to you, ASK! Once you hear their professional recommendation, think about your commitment to doing what it takes. If you feel like it will be too much work, or too expensive to maintain, then you may want to think twice about the service your going to receive.

4. It's important to feel like you can communicate with your artist. Find descriptive words to help explain to your artist your frustrations with your hair as well as the things you love. Share with your hairdressers things that have worked for you in the past, concerns you may have as well as the absolute do-not's. Communication is the most important thing to a positive experience in any salon. A good hairdresser will understand that you know your hair better then anyone else.

5. And lastly, always have an open mind when visiting a new salon. Comparing your new stylist to your old one will just set you up for disappointment. Ask questions to help you feel at ease. There is more than one way to achieve something so if they aren't doing it exactly like your past hairdresser, it doesn't necessarily mean they don't know what they are doing.

KIMLEY - GORGEOUS!

Photographed by Elizabeth Taylor Frandsen, you can check out the rest of her wedding photos here, bridals hereand more bridals here

Tracie - HOT HOT HOT

Photographed by Rebekah Westover- check out the rest of her wedding picturess here

Feature

It pays to collaborate with Rebekah Westover! Her lovely work keeps poppin' up all over the place which means our work gets featured as well! Thank- you Rebekah for being so talented and allowing us the honor to work with your brides! check out all of DaniBrees engagement session here

Makeup tips for the DIY bride

Even though a makeup artist is a must for your wedding, a lot of people opt to do the makeup themselves. Heres some tips from our makeup artists for those of you brave enough to take on the job!

Morning Brides:

Morning brides will photograph in the most natural light. This light has a blue tint to it. Because of this everything will photograph darker than you see it therefore do not make bold color choices for this time of the day. Also warmer shades photograph better in this light because of the contrast of the cool light. False eyelashes are a must for any bride being photographed early morning.

Mid Day Brides:

This is the harshest light to photograph in. The light source is directly above you therefore it can cast shadows in the under eye area. Choose a highlight with a touch of shimmer to avoid looking like you have under eye circles. Keep liner as close to lash line as possible again, to avoid the shadows. Use false eyelashes this will open up the eye more. Avoid dewy or sheen looks with your foundation and don't be afraid to blend, blend, blend. You cannot blend enough when photographing in this light.

Late After Noon Brides:

This is by far the best and most flattering light anyone can be photographed in. This light is so forgiving that you can do more intense color choices.. The flash however, will wash out your face so don't be afraid to put color on! Blush and Bronzer either or are a must in this light. Lip color can be richer for this time of day.Don't forget to pull out the false eyelashes to finish the look.

Evening Brides:

This is the time to let the Diva in you out!! Feel free to choose more bold colors. This is the only time a bride can get away with wearing a smoky eye. This is a great time to define your features. Shimmers are great for this time of day and false eyelashes a must!

Update- Saras shoot featured

Adventures in trunk show shooting-what happens from 6pm to 2 am at the wrap of a trunk show by Alta Moda

On the runway and on a perspective bride the gown looks like this....

Then when Heidi Uhl of Retrospect Studio and I get a hold of it, heres what happens...

On the runway

Heidi and Cynthia style

Gowns by designer and hero of mine, Anne Barge, provided by the lovely Hilary and Justin of Alta Moda Bridal

Brideology recap

I recently had the opportunity to be a guest speaker at the launch of Brideology - An educational event for brides to be. Studio Enizio hosted the event under the direction of Darla Roze Photography, founder of Brideology.

For my presentation, I focused my attention on the importance of makeup. I addressed 7 common myths in regards to the importance of hiring a professional for your wedding day makeup. They included;

MYTH 1: I don’t have to hire a pro because my sisters friends cousins wife’s next door neighbors aunt is going to do it for me. She went to beauty school!

MYTH 2: Well its cheaper to go to a counter so I’m just going to do that.

MYTH 3: My future husband loves the way I look everyday, why should I pay someone to put my makeup on when I can just do it myself and know that he will love it?

MYTH 4: I have to have airbrush because I heard its better and will last longer.

MYTH 5: A trial is not necessary for me because I know exactly what I want.

MYTH 6: I don’t need to do anything to prepare my skin because my makeup artist will cover everything.

MYTH 7: I don’t want to hire a makeup artist because then I won’t look like myself

Check out the photos and a full report on the evening on utahbrideblog.com. You can also check out a picture of our lovely bride to be model Leslie. I will put closeups our my twitter so follow us if you want an up close look.

Be sure to keep a look out for the next Brideology event. It was an evening worth participating in!

Sara for Opie Photo

I apologize for the lack of posts lately. I have been very busy finalizing a new project as well as working with different photographers on self projects. I have a lot of stuff to share but honestly it may take a while to get everything up. Ill start with this fun project I just did with Opie.

Sara is such a cute girl. She was so nervous for this shoot but I think she did a great job. Sara is not a professional model by any means but did a great job. She was recently married and the gown was custom made by Melissa Blackburn who coincidentally happens to be friends with one of my best friends (small world).

I had a blast prepping Sara for this shoot and as always, is a pleasure to work with Opie. Check out the rest of this set here

Website Maintenance

For the next couple of days the Enizio website will be getting a makeover!

If for any reason you are unable to access the website, you can contact us directly for more information about our services.

Heres how.....

COME BY : 3300 North Running Creek Way Suite A-2 Lehi UT, 84043

GIVE US A RING: 801-341-5041

POP US AN EMAIL: info@enizio.com

REPOST-Knowing when to let go.. (for my new brazilian friends I met today)

I recently had the opportunity to work on a corporate film project for a local company. On set, one of the ladies asked about her flaking mascara. I asked her how long she had had her mascara and she told me over 3 years! I began to explain to her the dangers of using expired products and I was not surprised at all when she said "Oh, I didn't know that"

I feel like thats the case with many people. A lot of us don't know how long the shelf life of our makeup is and why its so important to discard makeup after it has expired. Since makeup companies are not required to post expiration warnings on their labels, you have to use your best judgement to know when its time to toss it out. The preservatives used in most cosmetic should kill common-use bacteria. However, studies have shown that a small amount of bacteria is often present in makeup prior to purchase. Upon the makeup’s exposure to air, airborne bacteria are introduced. The concentration of bacteria is augmented with unsanitary practices such as unclean hands or unclean applicator or brush. Don’t be alarmed; this is usually not a health hazard. If you are healthy with intact skin, a small amount of bacteria is not a problem. However, there is a higher risk for infection from contaminated products if your skin is non-intact. So if you suspect an infection don't use your makeup. If you have used it while you had an infection get rid of it and NEVER share your makeup with others.

As for the shelf life, heres some professional advice on how long to keep it around before its time to toss it out.

Foundation: • Life-span = 6 months to 1 year • Warning signs = thickening, altered color, or change in odor

Concealer: • Life-span = 1 to 1 ½ years • Warning signs = color change or thickening

Face powder, Eye-shadow:

• Life-span = 3 years • Warning signs = texture change when applying, dryness or change in color

Pencils: (for eyes or lips) • Life-span = 3 to 6 months • Warning signs = Change in odor, texture, or color

Lipstick and lipgloss: • Life-span: 2 years • Warning signs = taste or odor change, stickiness

As for mascara, It is so important that it is replaced every 3-4 months. This is one you definitely should not keep around longer!

And one last thing... Never add water to formulas that are drying out. Your just asking for problems at that point! If you have to add water, your way overdue!!

Featured on Wedding Window

Wedloft is a wedding blog very similar to Utahbrideblog but on a national level. Professionals as well as brides and grooms come together to share with you ideas, inspirations and personal experiences in order to help future brides plan an unforgettable wedding.

Michelle, one of their writers, contacted me about 4 months ago to feature ENIZIO on Wedloft. The feature went live yesterday and I wanted to share it with you all. You can check it out here. It's a small interview about who we are and what we do and what makes us so different. Please If you used us before and had a great experience, let others around the country know by leaving a comment!

Thanks so much Michelle for the post!

Featured Bride - Tracie

I had the opportunity to hang with Tracie as I prepped her for her engagement session with the Fabulous Rebekah Westover. I had a blast getting to know her! Shes absolutely lovely in every sense of the word.

Check out her engagement session here

The session was also featured on Ruffled Blog. You can check out that cool blog here

Brideology by definition: the science of bridal planning in all its forms and phenomena with reference to wedding, beauty, romance, entertainment, and education.

A must attend bridal education party will be held on the evening of February 18th 2010 at an exquisite location between Salt Lake and Utah counties. {want location? Visit site} Eight of Utahs leading wedding vendors will be gathering in this place, at this time {seven to nine pm} to share with you {the planning bride} a priceless no pressure educational experience.

You will learn the short & long term value of a professional photographer . what to wear to maximize your engagement pictures . the difference between film makeup and everyday makeup . bridal hair trends . current bridal gown and accesory fashion trends . the value of event design and great rental pieces such as linens . cake tasting . floral trends & the difference between your aunt betty's flowers, a shops flowers, and a designers flowers . costco catering or profesional catering and so much more!

These vendors are providing an priceless education to the planning bride, something that has not been done before. No strings attached just a night of fun! If you want to attend you must visit the brideology site and register, seating is limited.

Heres how it turned out

Thanks to Hilary and Justin for allowing us to prep their 2010 add campaign. All these girls but one are actual Alta Moda brides. I think it was very cool of them to use real brides!

Shout out Saturday - Studio Stems Floral Design

Audrey of Studio Stems (the most amazing flower designer EVER) has just announced her 2010 bouquet giveaway on her blog.

If you are a bride planning to be wed this year, you will definitely want to check out her work.

Audrey and I met about 5 years ago when Enizio was in the process of being launched. I was scoping out different wedding shows when I came across her booth.

Her designs caught my eye but one in particular. An orange tree that she designed. Of course I approached her about it and we became instant friends.

A couple of months later she made me a replica of that piece that sits in my home today.

Since then, Audrey has been a huge influence for Enizio and its growth. I can't thank her enough for her friendship and dedication to our talent. I adore and respect her with all my heart. She has taught me so much about being a business woman as well as living life.

To every bride out there, Audrey delivers immaculate work. Studio Stems is THE place for your wedding floral designs. You wont regret it. If you are debating wether you should hire a professional for your wedding or taking on the challenge of a DIY project, read this first, then visit www.studiostems.com and see for yourself.

It is common for photographers to photograph the face of the bride next to the bouquet to capture the beauty of the face and the flowers. In that instance, face and flowers should be in harmony. One as good as the other. So for our work, we recommend Audrey all the way.