Celebrate YOU this Valentine’s Day with a Fresh Face Mini

Let’s go natural! Fresh face minis–A timeless gift for you or a friend this Valentine’s Day

Feel beautiful in your own skin this Valentine’s Day with a fresh face mini portrait session. Come to the studio au natural (whatever that means for you) and we’ll take it from there. Whether you go completely bare-faced, put on your regular day-to-day makeup, or just a quick swipe of mascara- we’re here to make you look and feel gorgeous.

The Specifics–

When: 20-minute slots on Feb. 15th from 10am-3pm.

Where: The Coach House of 4553 N. Wolcott Ave.

Price: $99 deposit.

Only pay for the ones you love.

An online gallery will be posted within 72 hours where you can purchase digital files, prints, and other products.

BOOK YOUR SLOT

A different kinda gift for someone you love…

Whether for yourself (which we 100% encourage) or a treat for a friend or family member, there are so many reasons this makes a great, unique gift. We can say from first-hand experience (yes, Kelly and I went “fresh face” for this promo) that they’re super fun. There’s something really nice about getting the chance to feel seen, to play, and get expressive. And because they’re shorter and less of a thing to prepare for than boudoir, it feels like less pressure. Not to mention, it’s winter, and we could all use a break in the monotony of winter.

RESERVE YOUR SLOT

Fresh Face Mini FAQs:

1. What should I wear? Pants are optional because we’ll be focusing on your beautiful face. We do suggest wearing something simple on top like an oversized t-shirt, simple tank top, button-up shirt, or off the shoulder sweater. Something that has a looser neckline will give us more room to play.
2. Is this a boudoir session or a portrait session? Think of this as boudoir-(ish) portrait session. No heels, no backbends, no beds. But you know, if you wanna show some cleavage, we’re not gonna stop ya. You’ll get to be you, which we promise is even better.
3. Can I wear makeup? Ya, girl, you-do-you. In these samples, you’ll see a range of “fresh faces”. Some wore just concealer, others did a full application of foundation. A few curled their lashes and skipped mascara. Kelly and I each wore our basic “daily makeup” which means light foundation, blush, and mascara. Just go with whatever makes you feel good.
4. Do I get to choose my own background? We’re keeping options simple and classic for this special. You can choose from a white or black background. Depending on what you wear or the color of your hair, one option might make more sense over another, which we’ll advise you on.
5. What if I want more than 30 minutes? The more time the merrier! You’ll just have to reserve and pay for an additional slot when you book.

We can’t wait to capture your natural beauty! If you have any additional questions, send us a message at info@revealed-studios.com or call 773-273-9063. Also, scroll down to see Kelly and my fresh face pics.

Cheers to 2014 from Revealed Studios!

By Maggie Rife Ponce

New Year’s Eve – What we’re thankful for this year

Last night I celebrated the New Year with a group of close friends. During dinner we shared our resolutions for 2014. Answers ranged from being more positive, creative, and patient to committing to a workout and being open to new experiences. This conversation got me thinking about Revealed.

The year 2013 brought many amazing people into our lives. We met clients who left us humbled by their courage to try something new, ignited our creative senses, and filled us with joy during their sessions. It was a year of change. The more we fell in love with this work, the further our devotion grew to our mission of making women feel beautiful. So, taking a big leap, Laurie and I signed a lease to a brand new studio space for shooting everything from boudoir, portraits, and families, all of our own!

I’ve choked up more than once while laying flooring, painting walls, and cleaning windows. It’s our very own studio! Our path to this sweet, bright, inviting space on Damen and Cuyler started in downtown hotels, moved to the lovely rooms of Ponce Studios, then migrated temporarily to my own home. After reading the journey we took to acquiring this spot, you can imagine the utter excitement and happiness Laurie and I feel at having this space for Revealed to grow and flourish.

We have much more to tell about the studio, including all the details about our opening date and specials we’ll be running. You can see more pictures showing the work in process at our instagram page and follow us on our facebook page for specials you won’t find on our blog. Here’s looking at you, 2014, we’re ready!

A dark and vintage bridal shoot

By Maggie Rife Ponce

Gothic Chicago Bridal Shoot

This Fall we collaborated with makeup artist Jen Johnson, jewelry designer Zurina Ketola, and florists Joanne Leiman of Flowers Flowers to create this gothic inspired Chicago bridal shoot. Follow us on Pinterest to see the styleboard, full of rich burgundy and the hair that inspired model Brooke’s bouffant up-do.

The first bouquet by Flowers Flowers.

The second bouquet designed by Flowers Flowers.

Sneak Peek from our Fall Bridal Shoot

By Maggie Rife Ponce

A little peek into our gorgeous Fall bridal shoot

I know, we’re terrible, how can we share just one? Just think of it as delayed satisfaction. Many more to come from our fall bridal shoot with the beautiful Brooke. Check back Thursday for all our favorites!

Kelly’s Experience

By Maggie Rife Ponce

Curious what a Revealed Studios session is like? Read a firsthand account below.

“A few months ago, my good friend Maggie Rife Ponce approached me and asked me to be a model for one of Revealed Studios photo shoots. She and her partner, Laurie Peacock, had this idea to shoot me at Montrose Harbor at sunrise. I think there were a few reasons they thought of me for this specific concept; one is that, as a baker, I am all too familiar with being up before the sun. I said yes, although, I don’t think I could have been more nervous. I had to keep talking myself into it more and more as the day of the shoot approached. I was very familiar with their work, and I loved it, but I’m not the girl who likes to get her picture taken. In fact, like most women, I don’t always feel great about the way I look. I’m the girl who always makes fun of how awkward she is–why would I want someone taking photos of that? What made me even more nervous was being the center of attention, having two people with their eyes just on me.

After arriving to the beach, it took me a little while to warm up to this idea, but Maggie and Laurie made me feel so comfortable. They are two of the warmest women you will ever meet, feeling silly or uncomfortable didn’t last very long around them. They both understand that posing is not a natural thing to do. While one photographed the other would coach and do poses as well.

The sun was barely up before I started to find the whole experience actually fun. Laurie and Maggie both became so enthusiastic about everything! Whether they were excited about a certain setup, or the way my hair was blowing, or a pose, I received constant affirmation. I seriously don’t know if my self esteem has ever been higher. And it wasn’t because I had my makeup done and felt pretty; it was because I truly felt beautiful and was having fun. Maggie and Laurie are both so creative and passionate, but they also figure out your personality, and with such ease, capture that not only in the photographs, but also in the whole photo shoot process. During makeup, throughout the shoot, wrapping everything up, Maggie and Laurie become your friend and your biggest fan.

Before I did this shoot, I would have never guessed that I would have allowed myself to be in that situation, but after it was over, I wanted to do it again. I didn’t understand why it had taken me so long, why I had been so worried about it. I recommend the whole experience, especially to those who may be more reluctant. And to those, who say yes and make an appointment with these wonderful ladies, take a deep breath, relax, don’t allow yourself to be nervous, and have so much fun.”

Women who inspire us: Spanx Founder Sara Blakely

By Maggie Rife Ponce

As a female centric business, we find inspiration in many places, from sigh inducing scenes in our favorite movies, to the pages of fashion magazines where the sets send our creative wheels spinning. When it comes to the business though, we find confidence in the success stories of other female entrepreneurs out there making it happen.

In a new blog post series, we’ll be running short features on those women changing the World. We’re starting today with Spanx founder, Sara Blakely. One night before a party, out of desperation, the thirty something grab her scissors and in a brash move, severed her panty hose just above the knees. The rest of the night, she walked with comfort, knowing her rump looked smooth and her tummy felt supported. She thought, this is it, these footless panty hose are going to change the way women wear clothes.

Blakely’s passion and dedication pushed her forward, despite road block after road block. Her “crazy invention” has now become a billion dollar business as a result of her tireless commitment to the brand.

She has now expanded her mission beyond helping women feel and look beautiful through her products, by creating the Sara Blakey Foundation, which is “dedicated to helping women globally and locally through education and entrepreneurship. By finding the future female entrepreneurs and leaders of the world and giving them the “leg-up” they need to succeed, the whole world will benefit.”
Watch her share her story during a TED talk herehttp://www.inc.com/sara-blakely/the-spanx-story-how-sara-blakely-turned-footless-pantyhose-into-a-business.html.html

Austin, Texas Editorial Shoot

By Maggie Rife Ponce

Having some fun while in Austin – Editorial photography on location

During our September trip to Austin, Texas, we partnered up with actor Jake Glascock and friend/occasional model, Beth for a fun, editorial photo shoot. On the last day of our visit, feeling very inspired from the vibe of the city, we hopped in Beth’s jeep and headed out to the country. We drove for miles, waiting for the perfect spot to jump out at us. “Stop!” Laurie and I both shouted, “There!”

We whipped a quick left, and headed down a looong winding road, stopping at the base of a big, beautiful oak. Certain this is where we wanted to start, Beth did what any good Texan woman would, and climb right up that tree, ignoring the bark scraping her legs because the shot was “just too good.”

We loved working with Jake, who used his acting chops, to create playful, charming expressions reminding us of our favorite lead men, Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Then, when we found the rusted, old truck, like a true professional he turned up the heat, helping to make this cinematic shoot possible.

To see behind the scenes pictures from our trip, including all our favorite Austin spots, check out our facebook page and instagram profile.

Looking for editorial photographers or interested in booking your own stylized photo shoot? Email us at info@revealed-studios.com or call (773) 273-9063

Portraits for Gibson and Quartino Restaurant

By Maggie Rife Ponce

After our recent announcement that we’re now offering corporate portraits and headshots, we received a call from Gibsons Steakhouse asking us to come by to photograph a few of their staff from Gibsons and their sister restaurants. Our goal was to create environmental portraits of Gibsons cooking staff, LuxBar mixologist Matthew “Choo” Lipsky, and Quartino Chef John Coletta.

For these portraits, we used both natural and studio light. Laurie and I scouted locations within the restaurants by looking for clean backgrounds, which still gave a sense of the atmosphere. LuxBar had beautiful natural light in the upstairs bar coming through the East facing windows. However, it was a little strong, so in the below image we filtered it by using the transparent side of our reflector.

At Gibsons Steakhouse and Quartino, we wanted to give the portraits a sense of the warm, inviting environment. These two Chicago staples are famous for making customers feel like their dining in their family’s home.To achieve this, we brought in studio lighting. We balanced the ambient light with our main key light, in this case, the AlienBee B800 with an umbrella attached. We used a neutral density filter to lower the strength of the flash plus a warming gel to match the existing tungsten color temperature. Throw in a dash of Revealed Studio charm, and voila, success.

The ladies of Golden Girl Chicago glow!

By Maggie Rife Ponce

Chicago portrait photography with GlowOut Chicago (previously Golden Girl)

We are ultra excited to celebrate another female owned business, Golden Girl Chicago, started by the lovely Jenn Dies in 2007. This salon brings a natural golden tan to the ladies of Chicago, without the harmful damage of the sun’s rays. We’re not only in love with their services, which include much more than sunless tanning, but also their shared commitment to treat every client like a million bucks! It’s a vendor match made in heaven!

We’re happy to announce Golden Girl Chicago is a preferred partner of Revealed Studios. Mention us when calling to book your appointment for a sweet treat for your first visit! For those out there looking for a natural, sun-kissed skin before their shoot, skip the tanning beds and call these gals. You’ll leave looking and feeling fabulous!

These girls are not only gorgeous, they’re also super talented! They all have a skill they specialize in at the Salon–custom spray tanning, hair, makeup, and a variety of other services.

Chicago Dance Portraits

By Maggie Rife Ponce

As promised, here are the pictures from Luvabull dance, Brittany Brown’s dance portrait session at North Avenue Beach. We had such an amazing time collaborating on this shoot with Brittany and makeup artist Emily Wolf. These two gals are soooo inspiring!

Check back soon for more dance shoots taken throughout the city.

A sky high dance shoot with a Chicago Luvabull

By Maggie Rife Ponce

Chicago Dance Photography with Lovabull Brittany Brown

On our love for Chicago Dance Photography–In addition to our deep love for photography, there are a few other things that make Laurie and my heart pitter-patter. Travel, makeup, a great book, an epic song, and of course, dance. Though neither of us are formally trained, we each have spent hours at salsa clubs shaking our bootays. Laurie even met her husband salsa dancing.

We love the freeing feeling that comes over us as we twirl until our hearts are racing and can’t contain our laughter. It’s liberating when when your hips loosen up and you no longer feel inhibited.

Even watching dance ignites the same uplifting emotions. Seeing the Joffery ballerinas leap into the air brought tears to my eyes, and I have to confess, I’ve seen the live show, “So You Think You Can Dance” not once but twice. Each time left me inspired to move, create, and live more fully.

So after years of passionate talks about our shared love for dance, we finally decided to photograph the lovely art form.

Last week we had our first dance photography session with the truly lovable Chicago Luvabull dancer, Brittany Brown. Makeup artist Emily Wolf met us at the studio at 4 a.m., prepping Ms. Brittany with a soft, dewy look and big, flowing curls. With the look in place, we were off to catch the sunrise of North Avenue Beach.

We love this single frame of Brittany leap high into the sky. We’ll share all our favorites from the shoot next week and talk about our upcoming Dance Chicago Series. If you’re a dancer and would like to be involved, please e-mail us at info@revealed-studios.com or call us at 773-273-9063.

Calling all actors, models, musicians, and comedians

By Maggie Rife Ponce

We’re now offering authentic headshot photography

We’ve all seen them. Super stiff and stuff headshots. That doesn’t have to be you. We’re now offering portraits and headshot photography starting at $299.00. Our entry level package includes a 30-minute session with one look and five retouched color and b&w high resolution digital files.

Wanna see more? Check out our sister site, Revealed Portraits for even more examples.

Questions or like to book? Contact us at 773-273-9063 or e-mail at info@revealed-studios.com

Sister silliness

By Maggie Rife Ponce

One night while living in New York during a college internship, I was chatting with my roomates in the kitchen when my phone ringed. I looked down at the caller id and saw “Dad” flash across the screen.

“Hi Dad, what’s up?” I asked.

We chatted for a few minutes, until at one point, my Dad changed the subject and tone. He told me he’d fallen in love recently, and well, had proposed. He explained how he met her in Kenya while photographing children in an orphanage. It was a brief run in, they just bumped into each other in the hallway where he asked to snap her picture. “She had a great smile,” I remember him telling me.

A month later, he received an e-mail from the woman, Caroline, asking for the picture. Gradually, through e-mail exchanges and long distance phone calls, he fell for Caroline. Before anyone knew what had grown between them, he proposed. (I attribute my adventurous, hopeless romantic nature to my Dad. )

She said yes!

After two years of visa paperwork, a trip back to meet her family, and tons of hoops to jump through, she finally arrived to Nebraska with 9-year old Jasmine in tow. Our family suddenly grew from three to five, a year and a half later, a new addition arrived. Her name, Neriah.

There is 22 years between Neriah and me and 12 between Jazz and me, but our bond, which includes our older sister Katie, is solid. When we’re all together, silliness always ensues! I never imagined ten years ago that I’d have two new sisters, nor that despite our age differences, we’d all be so close. I’ve always been the baby, which in my family meant I doing “favors” for my older sister, asking for advice, and getting it even when I didn’t ask, and the one with the least experience. All that has changed. Last week I had Jasmine up to visit. I realized it was now my time to treat, tease, and teach her. What a gift! On Jazz’s last day, my Dad and Caroline came to pick her up with Neriah. With a lump in my throat, I snapped these pictures below. I love them so much and feel lucky as can be to have three great sisters who bring me all this joy.

At Revealed Studios, we love celebrating women, and especially sisters! If you’d like to book a session with your sister, call us at (773) 273-9063 or e-mail to info@revealed-studios.com

In this nine-by-nine below, my little sister, five-year old Neriah, shows me her many different faces.

My sister Katie and I in our kitchen back in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Twirling at Sunrise

By Maggie Rife Ponce

Fun Lifestyle photography Shoot at Montrose Harbor

Before the sun was above the horizon, we were up and out the door on our way to the studio. The day started with hair and makeup by Anjelica Bannos, giving Kelly, our model for the day, a luminous, fresh glow. Everyone handled the wee morning hours like champs. It helped knowing we have an empty beach at sunrise for a lifestyle photography shoot. It was well worth sacrificing a few more hours of sleep.

Just as we parked our cars, the sun rays stretched across the sky. When Kelly reached the top of the hill, her red hair glowed like a burning fire. The location was perfect for her free spirited nature and beautiful smile. We had the best time that day, snapping away in multiple outfits and twirling along with Kelly.

Accompanying us was jewelry design Zurina Ketola, who leant us her lovely designs for the occasion. They were the perfect accent for this beachside portrait shoot. We’re so excited to now be carrying a selection of Zurina’s pieces for our client’s to wear during their sessions! What a great additional to our studio.