Yearly Archives: 2011

Hello Hotstuff No. 2

It’s bikini season! And now’s the time to hit the great outdoors for some hot & fun summer fitness! You’ll be a step ahead with the strong and spirited Liz DiAlto as your trainer! Here’s part 2 from our recent fitness photo shoot…beating the heat in NYC’s Battery Park.

Liz is a phenomenal nutrition specialist and coach as well. Plus she’s just so darn silly – you gotta love her!

Jeans and a t-shirt, a coke and a smile, laughter and silly dance moves = a super sexy good time 🙂

If you missed the SWEATY SMOKING HOTNESS from yesterday, check out Part 1 with Liz!

More salty and sexy goodness on the blog coming up soon!

x. Christa

Hello Hotstuff!

I’m getting my ass in some seriously sick shape, and I’ve put my backside in good hands 🙂

Enter Liz DiAlto! a woman of integrity, passion, strength and talent for whipping sinners like me into fighting shape. Liz is helping me blast away my hardwon heavyweight pasta belt in Florence earlier this year. (I’d like those 4 months I recently spent in Italy to linger in my mind and heart but not on my hips thank you.)

Liz is genuine strength personified – ie. these pics are UNRETOUCHED. Seriously.

I’ve got my 2nd Annual Nude Birthday Boudoir Photo Shoot coming up in August, so I needed the best of the best to give me an even juicier, higher, rounder, stronger bum! Liz is the expert in glutes – she has a signature class in NYC (which recently received a RAVE REVIEW from the FITist) just for your booty, called As*pire.

Um, Hello! Look at this unretouched As*pire!

If you want a SLAMMING HOT BOD, (like the my gorgeous friend Liz’s here), pause from drooling for a sec and speed click over to Liz’s site to get her 30-day Slamming Hot Bod program (plus you’ll get her killer inspirational newsletter full of no bullshit tips for those of us that need to get fit fast).

I’ll see your sweet bum back here tomorrow for juicy Part 2 of our Fitness Photo Session!

hot hot hot!

x. Christa

Life Lessons From My Dog

My dog turned 5 years old today.  I’m stunned at how time flies by, and normally I don’t post personal stories on my blog, but I’m making a few changes ’round here 🙂 Smart as a whip and a born entertainer, my dog will paw at my laptop when I’ve been working for too long and drop a toy in my lap as a heavy hint. We celebrated his bday in Central Park, and I took some time to think about what I’ve learned from knowing this sweet crazy beautiful soul. We’ve moved about 6 or 7 times in his little lifetime, and yet everywhere we go, Gucci is known as the happiest dog on the block! I think that’s worth taking a look at.

So in honor of his 5th birthday, here are 5 life lessons learned from sharing my days with the most interesting, silly, affectionate, funny, happy, crazy little soul in the form of a stuffed teddy bear, my little dog G.

LESSON 1. Own who you are.
The little man is a toy poodle, 7lbs soaking wet, was born in California and named Gucci. We all know the stigma attached to that. Despite stereotypes, Gucci owns it, struts his stuff with a spring in his step and is unabashadly himself, winning over even the most hardened poodle-hating heart.

LESSON 2. Greet each day with ENTHUSIASM!!
From waking up, going on a walk, getting a treat, meeting a new friend, and chasing a ball… the simplest of moments are treated as INCREDIBLE EVENTS! Every day is worth jumping up and down, smiling like mad, and wagging your tail about.

LESSON 3. Do one thing, do it well.
G fetches balls. Period. And he’s crazy good at it.

LESSON 4. Love the one you’re with.
If you can’t be with the one you love…  whoever you are with is the most awesome fascinating being on earth. And where you’re at, is THE place to be.

LESSON 5. Give people a second chance – they’ll come around.
I’m glad Guccenzo has kept me around this long. There was a time when I wasn’t sure I’d make it as a dog person 🙂 the housebreaking thing was driving me mad, the dog kept eating my flip-flops and peeing on guests… but he stuck with me, I came around, and we couldn’t be happier 🙂

Lots of love and dog licks,

x. Christa and little G.

ps. Bonus tip from Guccenzo: Bark at bigger dogs. It freaks them out :-p

Nude Photo Workshop & Retreat in Italy!

All NEW! For Women Only!
NUDE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP & RETREAT
with Christa Meola

Florence, Italy | September 4th – 9th

I am SO FREAKING EXCITED to announce my ALL NEW ITALY WORKSHOP! I designed this event to be an empowering and sensual experience unlike any other! This is more of a RETREAT than a workshop. I can think of few things more fun than getting together a small group of super sexy soul sisters to enjoy a week-long all-inclusive female photo-fest in an Italian Villa. Space is very limited.

This is a unique event & one-of-a-kind learning opportunity! Sleep & eat in a beautiful historic 15th century villa with me as you complete a stunning portfolio, work with fashion models & nude figure models, create beautiful photographs, explore Italy, and eat up & drink in all that LA DOLCE VITA has to offer!

Be inspired by the art, history and beauty of Florence, as we explore the breathtaking landscapes of the Tuscan countryside and the villa’s expansive estate.

Each day will include shoots and focus on a different aspect of photographing women and building a successful business.

You will receive personal coaching from Christa while you shoot and be granted use of all images for your blog and portfolio. Christa will share in-depth info on how to work beautifully with natural light, the art of coaching & posing models, creating high-end sets & styling, creating amazing relationships with clients, pricing, post production, branding & more. Film and Digital photographers of all levels are welcome.

Room and board are included. You will be Christa’s guest at a beautiful historic private villa and enjoy authentic Italian meals and dinners on the town. Think divine combinations: Italian cheeses & antipasto, Butter & Sage Ravioli, pizza & wine, fruit & espresso, chocolate &… well chocolate!

Lastly, can you handle even more sensual awesomeness headed your way?!

As Christa’s gift to each woman…

ALL ATTENDEES will receive a MINI-BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION with Christa!

SOLD OUT

 

 

“Worth every penny. This is the workshop for those who want to stand out in the photography community.”
Allie Lindsey, Temecula, CA

“Best workshop I’ve ever taken!!!! Anyone who asks me I tell them it’s SO worth it! Sign up!”
Shani Barel

“It’s the 1st workshop I walked away from saying how wonderful it was & that it was worth every single penny.”
Stephanie Piscitelli, Bridgewater, MA

“Christa’s workshop blew me away!… an amazing experience!”
Rita Spevak, Chicago, IL

“I had my highest portrait sale ever of $4,700 thanks to Christa!”
Lisa Roah, Orange County, CA

“Best money I’ve ever spent on my business. Period. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
Erin Nelson, San Francisco, CA

“I more than doubled my income! Attending Christa’s workshop changed my life.”
Robin Hultgren, Walnut Creek, CA

“EPIC!!!! I have a new outlook.”
Melissa Lin Huddlston-Smith, Moreno Valley, CA

“I have been on fire since the workshop! It kicked my creativity and inspiration into overdrive!”
Jill Amanda, Santa Barbara, CA

See CHRISTA’S PORTFOLIO, read the REVIEWS, check out THE VILLA, and SIGN-UP NOW!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Siena, Italy!

Let’s be honest. We all have sorely missed the blog posts from ITALIA! I am getting so freaking excited for my summer trip back to Italy, that I’m going into my archives from this past Spring and my days spent shooting/living/loving the Tuscan countryside to share the pics you haven’t seen!

First stop: a classic Tuscan medieval hill town, gorgeous Siena!

The town is built on a series of hills, and it’s so steep that outdoor cafe tables are balanced on stilts!

Doorways everywhere are adorned by Bacchus, god of wine, and chianti bottles in celebration of this region’s overflowing and divine vino rosso!

These were shots I took from the top of the Bell Tower, 505 steps up through narrow stone staircases, but well worth it!

View from the tower of the city’s main center, Piazzo del campo Siena.

Ah, youth!

..and speaking of youth, why are you letting a single more day go by without booking your trip to Italy this summer!!

If ya missed it, peek at all of my Italian pics and stories, including Firenze Street Art, hot Men of Italia, my Villa in Firenze, and a Nude Photo Session with women built out of stone!

a presto!

x. Christa
ps. Keep your eyes peeled to the blog for more of my Tuscan frolicking, including Capri, Sorrento, Pompeii, Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, and more from my backyard of Firenze.

Celebrating 40! No. 2

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any hotter! Here’s Part 2 of the super sexy NYC photo shoot to celebrate Mrs. S turning 40!

I had such a great time with this couple and decided to do something that was a first for me – I normally do not allow husbands to be a part of the shoot, but with Mr. S, I changed my mind! I wanted to celebrate them as a couple.

And it was a huge success! Here’s an email I got from Mr. & Mrs. S last night…

Christa!!!

Blown completely away is the best way to describe how the hubs felt about the pictures!!

He has several comments…but most are curse words:)

Here is what Mr. S wants you to know…

“I’ve known my wife for 20 years.  I’ve always thought she was very sexy and beautiful.  Are you kidding me…???  Wow!!!  I’m blown away at the sexy confidence she’s now walking with!  FYI…beware of the future shopping escapades, they only get sexier!!!”

Side note: as the week went on, I was surprised to hear him totally out of the blue talking about the pictures… “I loved this one because of the confidence in your eyes, that one because you are having fun, and holy shit that’s sexy!” I am still surprised at how strong his reaction was 🙂

Thanks again!!!  We would love to see you in Chicago!

Mr. and Mrs. S

 

It’s torture not to be able to share Mrs. S’s nude pics! Some of my best EVER!  But I respect my client’s wishes regarding what they are happy to share, as well as what they’d like to keep private 🙂

So, I’ll just leave you with this hot little moment…

…until the next time!

Lots of love and nudity,

x. Christa

ps. If ya missed it, check out the sultriness of Part 1!

Celebrating 40! No. 1

Turning 40 soon? Sex up your celebration with a smoking hot photo shoot 🙂

The lovely Mrs. S and her hubby of 11 years flew from Chicago to NYC for her photo shoot and had an unforgettable weekend. Mrs. S was “super nervous” before the shoot, but by the time we were done with hair and make-up and a couple cocktails later, we were all sultry silly and having a blast!

Here is part 1 of 2 from Mrs. S’s session. Look at how GORGEOUS and SEXY 40 can be!

This was such an incredibly fun shoot and thanks so much to Mrs. S who let go and revealed her sexy side to me 🙂 Huge thanks also to Mr. S, who waited patiently in the lobby and joined us for a bottle of champagne at the end to celebrate!

Stay tuned for part 2, when things really got heated up!

x. Christa

Soccer Moms are Sexy!

Soccer moms have got it going on. These women amaze me with how they get it all done, and I love that I spend each day empowering this group even further by celebrating who they are.

Plus, I LOVE LOVE LOVE sending them home to their husbands confident, happy, seriously sexy, totally playful and on fire! Men, you can thank me via email 🙂 or if you haven’t yet, call me up to book a shoot for your woman. Then get ready to have your world rocked.

Mrs. K is a 38 yr old mother of two, wears a size 10/12 and has typical insecurities we can all relate to. She went waaay outside her comfort zone, had a total blast, and rocked this shoot out!

Kicking back, enjoying some wine, and having a really good time is so.damn.sexy.

Classic. Black & White. Gorgeous!

If you are one of the 100 photographers currently kicking butt in my new ONLINE BOUDOIR WORKSHOP, then you will get to see the behind-the-scenes video of this shoot. For those that were locked out due to seats being sold out, you can sign up to get dibs on seats for the next one!

A huge heaping thank you to Mrs. K for being so generous and granting me permission to show how we captured your sultry, silly, beautiful self 🙂

So honored to be of service to the soccer moms!

x. Christa

The Dancer

I love to dance, and I looove photographing dancers! The shoot actually becomes a dance between photographer and subject…. Well except for when I trip over a stool or fall off the chair I’m standing on.

Wow. Enigmatic Portrait.

Thank you for all the emails and inquiries regarding The ONLINE BOUDOIR WORKSHOP.

It is now SOLD OUT! and the workshop is currently in session. Put your name on the list, so you can get early notification of the next one 🙂

Lots of love and nudity,

x. Christa

FAQs, Freebies and 10 Spots Left!

Hello Boudoir Bad-Asses! Wanted to give you a quick heads-up that we have only TEN SEATS LEFT for the ONLINE BOUDOIR WORKSHOP, which starts tomorrow! I am THRILLED with all the wonderful people we’ve got signed-up from all over the world! We are well-represented: Newbies and pro’s, women and men, Canon and Nikon 🙂

I wanted to tell you about all the AWESOME FREE STUFF we’re giving away during the workshop!

This is what ALL attendees who sign-up are receiving:

Free 2-month membership to Pictage

My exclusively designed “Perfect Boudoir Sample Kit” from Pictage when you sign up for extended membership at 60% off, which includes:

+One hour free retouching services!

+Free album design!

+Free 10×10 20-page press-printed album!

+The supah sexy little black box of Ten 5×5 Art Prints

$50 Gift Card from Simply Color Lab!

30% off print & bind with Leathercraftsmen!

15% off all gear rentals from LensProToGo yo!

And here are some of the goodies we will be giving out through-out the course:

A copy of my book “EXPOSED: Redefining Boudoir” signed by me 🙂

Two $100 Gift Cards from Adorama!

$100 Gift Card from LensProToGo!

Super Mini-Album Sample Kit: set of 4 smoking hot accordion books from Simply Color Lab valued at $100+

And more being added every week!

And just to answer any last-minute Qs, here are the Top 3 FAQs about the ONLINE BOUDOIR WORKSHOP! beginning Tuesday June 14 – tomorrow!

1. I have something scheduled during a few dates this summer. Do I have to be available at certain times, and will I miss anything?
You won’t miss a thing! I built this boudoir workshop for busy bees like me, and so the content is available 24/7 baby! Plus all the juicy content will be online and available to you for 8 weeks! Plenty of time for you to watch/listen/learn at your convenience! How cool is that.

2. I have no experience. I’m a total newbie. Is this the right course for me?

Hell yeah!! Talk about perfect timing! This course will short cut your learning curve and get you started with smart habits and powerful tips in a super fun way that will set you up for success with my very simple, totally easy, and budget-friendly approach! Sign-up, and you will thank yourself!

3. I’m already a pro. Is this too basic for me?
Awesome! well let me ask you: are your sales where you want them to be right now? are you creatively juiced and completely inspired? do you want to spend less time in post? do you have raving fan clients that spread the word about you like wild fire? are you having FUN with your business? if you can’t answer a whole-hearted HELL YES! to any of these q’s, then sign up baby! We’re going to bring your creativity and success to the next level!

Once again, there are only 10 SPOTS LEFT! Grab your’s now!

Update: The Workshop is SOLD OUT.

“Best money I’ve ever spent on my business. Period. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
Erin Nelson, San Francisco, CA

Get all the JUICY INFO, read the REVIEWS, watch the SEXY TRAILER and SIGN-UP NOW!

Sweet!

SOLD OUT

“Worth every penny. This is the workshop for those who want to stand out in the photography community.”
Allie Lindsey, Temecula, CA

Get all the JUICY INFO, read the REVIEWS, watch the SEXY TRAILER and SIGN-UP NOW!

Directing Models without Posing

People look their best when they are genuinely happy and having a good time. It’s essential that nerves, tension, and self- consciousness take a back seat on a shoot. This will allow freer movement and relaxed expressions, so you can capture the essence of who that person is in a beautiful carefree way. I like to accomplish this by focusing on fun during a shoot and by coaching actions.

COACHING ACTIONS
When you’re coaching a model to perform certain actions, a few things happen. First, she transfers her focus on performing the action instead of trying to pose and look good. Second, you create some natural movement to capture instead of stiff static poses. Third, you begin to exhaust her nervous tension by keeping her in motion and repeating the action. This keeps her engaged, can revive expression and is one of my tricks to create emotion.

DO IT AGAIN!
When I ask a girl to repeat an action over and over again it gives me multiple opportunities to capture something gorgeous, and it’s my secret ploy to annihilate her nervous energy. It’s hard to be tense when you’re exhausted!

DEMO THE MOVE
Take the performance pressure off of her, and give her a quick demonstration. With my camera in hand, I will quickly just demo the action I’m asking her to do. I go way overboard with it, so she doesn’t feel silly doing it because I just looked so silly a second ago and who cared right?

THE BEST 3 EYELINES
The first thing a non-model will ask when she steps in front of the camera is, “Where do I look?” I give her my three favorite eye-lines right off the bat. One, look at the light source. Two, look down your body. Three, look at me. I tell her to just move between the first two, and I’ll ask her for the third, since it’s my least favorite. Eyes closed technically isn’t an eye-line, but I often ask for that one too.

EXTREME POSTURE
I demonstrate what I call extreme posture to most of my models right up front. I want them to see that when I stand simply with normal everyday posture, it’s a bit… well, unremarkable. But when I reeeeally stretch and pull my hips and shoulders out and arch my back like I never thought I could and lift my neck up and out, then it’s suddenly a lot more flattering and significantly more dramatic. Try it yourself in the mirror – huge difference. So I often will coach her with “…more extreeeeme, keep going, keep going, more…” until she falls over and laughs (another great shot).

HAVE A LOOKBOOK
Some people are visual creatures and respond better to seeing the posture or action you are trying to coach. They feel safe duplicating something, and then you can coach them along to put your own spin on it. Lookbooks are also great if you run out of ideas or you are shy and don’t really want to coach, or you’re male and you’d just rather not demo a hair flip.

If you’d like to learn all of my boudoir photography tips and tricks, head on over to the brand-spanking new ONLINE BOUDOIR WORKSHOP site, and join the awesome group of photographers already signed up for this fun-filled info-packed success-focused course starting this Tuesday, June 14th!

So excited!!

x. Christa

ps. can you handle more cool free stuff and special deals? I am wheeling and dealing with each of my Sponsors & Vendors to give every single attendee joining the ONLINE BOUDOIR WORKSHOP the sweetest swag! I’m so psyched with what they are offering you guys!! So head on over to the new website to register and lay claim on your spot and the goods! I’m just sayin 🙂

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