Meet Jamie and Nate

Meet Jamie and Nate! We did their e-session during one of our many snow storms this winter. They wanted to go to their high school for the session since that's were they met. Jamie and Nate crossed paths several years later at a class reunion and fell in love! It's funny how many couples I've photographed recently that met as teenagers and came back together later in life to find out they were meant to be!

Give him a Christmas he won't forget!

Solea Photography is proud to announce our SASSY LADY boudoir photography sessions....

The Naughty Edition!

$260 Session includes a luxury location, champagne, hair and make-up and a
leather bound 5x7 album with 10 fine art prints.



Please join us at the Renaissance Hotel at 9801 Natural Bridge Rd, St. Louis Saturday,
December 4th from 12-5



SESSIONS ARE VERY LIMITED!

CALL 636-751-1135 TO RESERVE YOUR TIME

Fall Portraits in the Park- Oct. 24

Solea Photography is now booking sessions for our Fall Portraits in the Park sessions. Mini-sessions for half off the session fee at Creve Coeur Park from 12-4 on Oct. 24. Call us at 636-751-1135 to reserve your spot today.

Step Up for Down Syndrome

Here's a few shots for Sundays fundraising event for the Down Syndrome of Greater St. Louis. Step up for Down Syndrome is the DSAGSL's largest awareness event of the year. I'm not sure what the official temp was but it felt like 120 degrees. All the kids had a fantastic time despite the steamy hot weather... the Popsicles helped! To learn more about the DSAGSL or how to support down syndrome education and support go http://www.dsagsl.org/.

Caitlin & Drew

Catching up on my backlog of Blogs this week! Today's post is of a lovely couple that got marries April 24th. Meet Caitlin and Drew. They were marries at Sacred Heart Church in Florissant. It was a wonderful wedding but it rained like crazy. We were able to go across the street to Hendel's Cafe and get some beautiful shots. Congrats Caitlin and Drew!

2010 Baby and Child Portrait Contest

It's that time of year again...The Millers Baby and Child Portrait Contest! Schedule an appointment with us from now until June 21st and your child's portrait will be entered into the contest. A range of prizes will be awarded from $500-$5000 in cash!

Contest Rules:

Children and infants to age twelve are eligible.

Images must be taken between January 1st and June 21st, 2010.

We were so proud last year to be the only studio to have two winners out of over 11,000 enteries!! Portrait sessions are limited so please call today to reserve your child's appointment.

Let Solea Photography document your child's ever-changing stages with priceless portraits that will be with you for a lifetime!

Sassy Katie

Cheers to all my Sassy Ladies! We had a great time last weekend with 11 fun and flirty ladies that rocked 11 unique looks. And we had a blast doing it. The last time I heard that many giggles I was at a 6th grade slumber party. Here are a few samples of Katie, a mom of 4 but you'd never know it by her photos.

I special thanks to the girls that helped me put these boudoir sessions together:

Hair Stylist- Jill Jackson314-255-3034

Make-up- Dacia Reidle with Mary Kay-636-328-4484

Jewelry- Kelly Olea with Lia Sophia-314-452-0480

Give him a Valentine's he won't forget!

Solea Photography is proud to announce our

SASSY LADY

boudoir photography sessions

The $200 session includes a luxury location, champagne, hair and make-up and

a leather bound 5x7 album with 10 fine art prints

Please join us at the Renaissance Hotel at 9801 Natural Bridge Rd, St. Louis

on

January 30th from 12-5 pm

Sessions are very limited!

Call 636-751-1135 to reserve your time!

Kacie an Sean

Catching up on my blogging! Here is an engagement session I did earlier this month with Kacie and Sean. We went out to the Shaw's Natural Reserve. We had great weather and even included their beautiful daughter and two pet dogs. We had to take a walk through some swampy areas occasionally but everything worked out. Congrats Kacie and Sean. I can't wait until your wedding in March!

O-kay, this is my Halloween post. I've always heard of people catching supernatural orbs in photos but just thought that these people didn't know what a lens flare was. As a photographer for the past 12 years, I've seen all types of lens flares, but have never seen an actually orb...UNTIL NOW! These photos were taken from a wedding earlier this month at the St. Louis Club. They show a cluster of glowing green orbs floating happily aroung the bride and groom. I really have no explanation for what they are or how they got there! If anyone another theory, I'd love the hear it!

Sweet Lydia Cox

I was sadly informed yesterday that a sweet angel, Lydia Faith Cox, passed away Sunday night. She fought hard in the hospital for several months after having heart surgery. I had the pleasure of meeting her in June for her portrait session and was truly amazed at what a sparkling spirit she had. At 3 years old, she blew me away by communicating threw sign language. Lydia's visitation was this afternoon. I was speechless when I walked into the room to deliver a slideshow memorial I prepared for her family and saw numerous photos around the room from that photo session. It hit me that our session might have been the last real time Lydia was photographed and how important those photos would be to her family. Sometimes I feel like I can't offer much to most people but today I was honored to help the Cox family remember their sweet angel, Lydia Faith Cox. She will be deeply missed.

Fall Portraits In The Park-October 24th at Creve Coeur Park

Fall is a perfect time for family portraits. The Scenery is exploding with color and it's a great opportunity to get a jump on your Christmas Shopping. With the season closely coming to an end, Solea Photography is almost completely booked for the fall season! That is why I reserved a date for all day mini sessions. They are 30 minute sessions at more than half the price. You still have time to get your fall family portrait session in. Saturday, October 24 Solea Photography will be at Creve Coeur Park from 12-4. We will have the beautiful fall leaves as a background and pumpkins if you want some Halloween photos of the little ones. Call me at 636-751-1135 to reserve your spot for only $15.

Solea Photography featured in StreetScape By Night Magazine

Solea Photography was featured in the new issue of StreetScape By Night magazine. It was a great honor for them write an article about me. I have always loved StreetScape magazine and now they've come out with a new publication. You can read the article below or pick up a copy at participation locations. To find out were you can get a copy of StreetScape Magazine or StreetScape By Night, visit them at http://www.streetscapemag.com/

[STORY] Robin Seaton Jefferson

[PHOTOS] Nichole Olea - Solea Photography

Nichole Olea wants her photography to generate feeling, not only in her audience but also in those being photographed. With over a decade of photography experience, Olea aims to make every photo session into a work of art. “When looking at your photography, you should feel like it has a soul,” she said. “I would like for my work to get a reaction out ofyou. I want it to convey an emotion.”Her company—Solea Photography—was born from that notion. “Whether it is a senior portrait or a portrait of a newborn, I am capturing a moment in your life that can never be recreated,” Olea said. “This is who they were. This is what their life was at that time.There’s a value to that. It’s not just a snapshot.”Olea started experimenting in photography in middle school. “I was in a performing arts school in a massmedia class and I knew that’s what I wanted to do,”she said. From there, Olea would go on to obtain her fine arts degree and begin work in her first studio in1998.Olea said her work is more than just getting the perfect shot. “I just loved to be involved in the processfrom way back when it was still film. From constructing the photograph to changing the visual effect with the camera, from the darkroom to now in the digital darkroom with the computer, I just loved the whole process.”Solea Photography is a unique studio that Olea said tries to “capture the spirit in all of us.” Blessed with four children of her own, she is dedicated to passing down the special gift of a family heirloom through her work.“Being part of such a big family, you learn quickly to just be yourself and enjoy life as it is handed to you,”she said.Olea specializes in “environment portraiture” which allows her clients to pick the environment that best suits them. “Whether it’s a park or your home, I try to pick a location that’s comfortable for you.”Photographing her clients in their personal spaces teaches Olea more about them as individuals. “I enjoy getting to know them as I’m photographing them and getting their personalities to shine through.”Olea said she enjoys photographing high school seniors the most. “They’re so fun and youthful,” she said. “They’re just up for anything really.”But no matter what the subject,Olea said there is never a dull moment in her profession. Like the time she was photographing a wedding party and all of the groomsmen simultaneously dropped their pants. Or even the time she was photographing NewYork Yankee player Ian Kennedy’s wedding while he worried that the playoffs might put the wedding on hold.For more information on Solea Photography, call 636-751-1135 or visit www.soleaphoto.com.

Please keep her in your prayers

Meet Lydia Cox. She is one of the little girls that I recently had the pleasure of photographing for the Downs Syndrome Association. I Just received word that she has been in Cardinal Glennon hospital for the past month for heart surgery. She has had... major complications and has be in intensive care for the last week. Currently, they are trying ... Read Moreto ween her off the ventilator – she has had a bleed at the base of her brain and they’re trying to figure out how much “damage” this has/is causing (they think that it is impacting her sight and movement from the waist down). Lydia is such a sweet little girl and was so pleasant to photograph. I was blown away by her ability to communicate through sign language during her photo session. This is a trying time for her and her family. Please keep them in your prayers.Read More

Sneak Peek: Ashley and David

Here's a little sneak peek of Ashley and David's wedding. They got married at the Conservatory on Main Street and had their reception at Bear Creek in Wentzville. Despite the 100 degree heat, we had a great day full of wonderful photo opts including a beautiful butterfly release. It was one of the most touching ceremonies I've seen as they both wept with happiness through the whole thing. Congrats guys!

Engagement session with Stacey and Zack

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of photographing Stacey and and Zack. We went to one of my favorite places, McNair Park in St. Charles. An engagement session is a great way for a photographer and a newly engaged couple to get to know each other. I really enjoyed hearing about Stacey and Zack's story of their relationship. I was amazed to learn that they met in kindergarten! WOW, how cool is that! Their wedding is planned for next August. Congratulations to Stacey and Zack. Visit us on Facebook to view a slide show from their engagement session.

And The Winner Is...

The final round of voting for the Millers 2009 Baby & Child Contest ended this week. After 4 long rounds of competition and 11,426 portraits submitted this year, Solea Photography ended up with 4 finalist in the final round. I am so proud to announce that 2 out of the 4 ended up being selected as a Final Round winner in the 2009 Miller’s Baby & Child Contest! Both families are receiving $500 from Millers Professional Imaging. Thank you Millers. I am soooo excited that I was able to produce prize money for a few of my wonderful families! BTW Solea Photography was the only studio to have more than one finalist winner!! Check out these smiling faces.

Congrats to Nicole and Pat

A big congratulation to Nicole and Pat who tied the knot on July 3, 2009. They had an intimate ceremony and reception at the lovely home of Nicole's brother. I love outdoor ceremony and this one was no exception, being on the lake in the backyard. It did start to drizzle a bit but everyone was very laid back and it didn't slow the party down in the slightest bit. Thanks guys! I had a wonderful time. And on a side note, Nicole is one on the teachers for my niece and nephews, Koan, Alethea and Burke. They absolutely LOVE her. (Thanks Nicole for taking care of my babies!) Here are a few of my favs from the wedding. To view a slideshow of highlights from their wedding, visit Solea Photography on Facebook.

E-Session with Leslie and Jeff

I had a great time meeting Leslie and Jeff on Main Street in St. Charles. We started off at the local coffee house and worked our way to the train tracks in Frontier Park. They plan to get married next June. Congratulations to them both.

To view a slideshow of Leslie and Jeff's full engagement session,

visit Solea Photography on Facebook.

Congrats Lauren and Mike

I know I've neglected the blogger fans and have a tone of catching up to do. So here are a few photos from Lauren and Mike's wedding on June 6th. The ceremony was at Our Lady of Laurdes which is a stunning church and the reception was at Windows Off Washington which is always fun to photograph at. We had some fun at Forest Park and the Arch durring our down time. Here are a few of my favs.