5:03PM

Personal: Thankful! 

Well, it's not Thanksgiving but I'm feeling so blessed today that I felt the need to share!

Today I'm thankful for sunsets!
Specially the sunset of Fridays.
Sunset of Fridays is when I can finally 'turn off' everything and rest without feeling guilt!
It's when I have an 'AHHH!!!' moment and I just love it!

Today I'm thankful for being healthy!!
Those close to me know that I've been going to the doctors and doing tests a lot lately (that was one of the reasons I was doing a juice fasting) and today I finally received a great new, that I'm completely fine!!! What a relieve! Cheers!!!

Today I'm thankful for Lomography.
For taking crazy pictures just for the fun of it and not really think about anything.

- these two pictures were taken with the Actionsampler Clear Lomo Camera. Film. No thinking. No editing. Cool, hun?

Have an awesome weekend everyone!!!

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3:34PM

Liane + Felipe | Day After | Richmond, VA

I looove the light of this session! It was about sunset time and the weather was great, just the way I like.
Liane and Felipe got married a few months a go and we met again for some more fun.
The 'Day After' session is great because there is no stress and time limitations of the wedding day. You get to get all dressed up again and not worry about getting the dress dirty - and the good thing is that the 'Day After' session can be scheduled for months, even years after. I did mine 3 after I got married. Although the best is to schedule it right after the wedding day so you still in the wedding day mood but hey, it's never late!
So here are my favorites, these pictures makes me want to dream.

Here are more pictures of this amazing couple:
engagement session
wedding day

Thanks Li and Felipe!!! I can't tell you enough how much I loved getting to know you guys!!
You guys rock!!! :)

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9:16AM

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas!

Valentine's Day is only 14 days away!
If you don't know yet what to get to your loved one I have three great ideas for you!!

• Boudoir Session!
This is my favorite! Surprise your husband with killer pictures of yourself!
We will have the option to partner up with a makeup artist and a hair stylist!
This is a fun session and a great way to impress your man! He will never forget this Valentine gift!
Click here to see what I'm talking about!!


Albums!
If you have previously booked a session or if I shot your wedding and you still don't have an album, this is the time to order one! Or two! Albums are a great way to display your family and wedding pictures and you can take it with you anywhere you go.


• Gift Cards!

We are now offering gift cards and that's awesome!!
With the gift card you have 'limitless' options. You can use it to book a session, to order an album, canvas, prints, etc. And if you are a husband you could give your wife a gift card for her Boudoir Session! I'm sure she would love it!

 

Hope you liked the gift ideas!
Please shot me an email (photography@biancavalentim.com) if you are interested so we can talk more about it! 

Looking forward to hear from you!

 

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12:15PM

Lastest Work | Sneak Peek

Hi people! Hope you are all having a terrific beginning of the year!

This post is a quick sneak peek of the last weddings I shot this past year.
I didn't have the time to post them before and usually I don't follow an order of events to post so I will be posting the full wedding as soon as I'm done working on it.

But for now I wanted to share what is coming soon to the blog!

Andrea + Arnold | Boston, MA

Lya + Adam | Charlottesville, VA

Chris + Octavio | Richmond, VA

Diana + Dennis | NYC

Liane + Felipe's 'Day After' | Richmond, VA


Have a great weekend everyone! Stay warm!

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10:00AM

Version 2.8 Upgrade | Happy New Year!

[my 'naked' face - film]

Happy New Year everyone!!!

As you may know today is my birthday and that's actually when the year really starts for me!
It has always been like that, the days prior to my birthday is when I do a soul searching. I start thinking about what I have accomplished in the last year, what I have not done, what I need to improve on, to change, etc. And today, the day I'm upgrading to 'Bianca version 2.8,' is the day I would like to share with you the highlights of my 2011, and also, what I'm planning to do in 2012. This is going to be a very personal post, something I don't do very often here but I hope you enjoy getting to know a little more about me and who is really behind the camera.

2011 was a great year for our business, we have never been so busy. We met so many awesome couples and made great new friends. I'm very happy with how things turned out and I'm very thankful for all my clients!! I love you ALL!!! 
But to be honest, 2011 was not the best year of my [personal] life. I think I have grown a lot though. We faced lots of obstacles and stressful situations. I became very anxious and things didn't always turn out exactly the way I expected. But either way, I'm thankful for what God has done for me and my family and that I can count on Him in the good and bad times - 'And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him'. - Romans 8:28

I learned to give thanks in all things, good or bad. So here I am, celebrating one more year of life and a new beginning! Let's focus only on the good things and be happy!

Here are the highlights of my 2011:
(here you will find a mix of iphone pics, film and 5D mark II)

- Elthon gave me a puppy for my [last] birthday - Our little Colby is a Cairn Terrier and he has brought so much joy to our family. He's fun, energetic, smart and loves blueberries.
(click here for full blog post about it)

- summer weekends with the family.

- running and finishing my first half marathon - 13.1 miles. (click here for a full blog post about it)

- finishing my first [sprint] triathlon race!! (click here for a full blog post about it)

- running 9 NYRR races [at Central Park] and volunteering in one to get guaranteed entry for the 2012 NYC Marathon. (click here for a full blog post about my volunteering)

- Elthon and I completed 5 years of marriage. (click here for a full blog post about it)

- and we took a two-week vacation to Florida to celebrate!

- and we also went skydiving to celebrate our marriage!
this was the most incredible experience of my whole life!!!! (click here for a video)

- loving where we live! It's close enough to the city but at the same time, far enough so I can maintain my sanity and also is a great place for training. (view from our bedroom window - film)

- having to quit training and not racing my second tri race due to a heavy work load. it was a very difficult decision but I just didn't had the time anymore (and because of that I abandoned my tri blog).

- we got a new car where I can fit all my photography equipment, tri bike, dog crate and bags when I travel which I love.

- best movies of '11: 'The Help' and 'The Girl with the Dragoon Tatoo'

I'm thankful for everything that happened in 2011 and for having my family and dear friends close to my heart. I'm thankful for you readers and for all my clients!

->

Now moving forward, I'm getting excited for 2012! Again, I'm not doing a resolution list, my to-do list is already huge and that will keep me busy. But like I did last year, here is my [personal]
wish list for this new year:


- finish my first full marathon! ... and not just any marathon, NYC Marathon! I got guaranteed entry through the NYRR 9+1 program and I'm beyond excited to be part of this huge event. I watched, photographed and cheered for the runners for two years now and this year is my turn to run! Let the training begin!

- do a least one tri race.

- book a 'love session' for Elthon and I with a professional photographer.

- let my hair grow.

- spend as much time as possible outdoors even in the winter time - this mean running, cycling, hiking and beyond.

- save money.

- blog more.

- take a 'backpack' vacation to California with hubby.

- go camping (it has to be this year).

- eat better/ eat less out/ lose weight.

- read more.

- visit all NYC Museums (some of them again).

- go to flea markets.

- meet new people and make new friends.

I hope 2012 brings me lots of good surprises and lots of sunny days!!!

What is in your wish list for 2012??

I wish you all a great year full of blessings and love!!
I also want to THANK YOU (in advance) for all the birthday wishes!!

... and that's how I look like at (almost) 28 drinking white hot chocolate. (Pictures by Renata Marques)

See ya!!! :)

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