Serving Corolla, Duck, Carova, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, the entire New Jersey New York metropolitan area, and everywhere in between!
So here it is gang, my little portrait studio in Historic Corolla Village in Corolla OBX
It’s just a stones throw from the Currituck Lighthouse and directly behind the bookstore, which everyone who has been to Corolla knows about, but just in case you need directions, my address is 1130-D Corolla Village Road, Corolla, N.C. 27927
Stop by to say hi anytime, the hours are by appointment, but if the door is open , c’mon in!
A Bit of Corolla Info
Although Corolla has gained national attention as one of America’s best-secluded beaches, Corolla still retains its small beach-town charm that attracted Outer Banks visitors in the first place. For vacationing families who want plenty of sand to spread out on, but would like to still enjoy the amenities of a resort beach community, Corolla is an ideal vacation destination.
Our small-town beach community combines all the best elements of a five-star resort vacation, while still encompassing that laid-back Outer Banks style that embraces the best beach life. With minimal development but lots of amenities, Corolla is perfect for those who want to get away from it all, but still enjoy all the best dining, shopping, water sports, and amenities that the Outer Banks has to offer.
Corolla is known for its miles of beaches, as well as its array of restaurants, shops, and historic attractions. Corolla is also the home of several popular Outer Banks attractions, including the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, the Whalehead Club, the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, and the Wild Horse Museum.
Corolla is located in the northernmost region of the Outer Banks, just north of the town of Duck, and just south of the 4WD beaches of Carova. It is part of Currituck County and is accessible via North CrolinaHighway 12 North.
Here, on the northern tip of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, you can explore miles of windswept remote beaches, the legendary Corolla wild horses, and many iconic historical sites.
Oh, and one last thing, it’s “Cor-rah-la”, not “Cuh-roll-uh”
In the grand scheme of things, this is probably the least important, but it’s worth noting that the pronunciation is a bit different than what it may look like at face value. It may be spelled the same as the popular Toyota sedan, but locals and frequent visitors know it’s a bit different.
Whether it is a unique, one-of-a-kind family beach portrait from your vacation in Corolla or a framed print, any designer will tell you that adding family photography to your home decor will enhance your room with color and style and will often become an eye-catching focal point in your space. However, the task of determining the proper size and placement of new artwork can sometimes seem daunting. As a photographer creating custom portraits for clients, I want to help with that question that so many have when selecting their family photographs: “What size portrait should I choose for my wall?”. Here’s a short guide on how to decide what size of wall portrait will be just right for your room, to help make the selection process a little bit easier, and more importantly fun!
Here are a few things to consider when deciding what size portrait to purchase:
1) The Room – When picking art for any room bigger is always better! Any interior designer can aid you in sizing your artwork. However, there is one decorating mistake that I see made every so often when I go into people’s homes. It is that people tend to choose wall art that is much too small for the room! If you are investing in art, you certainly don’t want to buy it, and hang it, only to discover your room still feels barren. Take into account the amount of furniture that you have in a room, if it is sparse, then a large piece of artwork will fill up the visual field as furniture might. Just remember – to be on the safe side, GO BIG!
2) The Wall – Well, of course, you will certainly consider the wall, and you will probably measure it once or twice, but then what? In looking at the overall wall space dimensions your artwork should take up two-thirds to three-fourths of the wall. Like I stated above… go big!
3) Over Furniture or Mantels – Many of my clients ask for my help in recommendations as to what size their family portrait should be send me photos of the wall where they intend to hang their family photograph. This is great! Along with the measurements they provide me, I can quickly tell them just the right size image for hanging in that space. Here is the rule of thumb when hanging over furniture like a sofa, table, fireplace mantle, etc. The art should be three-fourths the width of the furniture and hung 6″-12″ above the top.It is that easy! Of course, it doesn’t need to be exact, sometimes an off-center piece brings wonderful visual interest to a wall, but when in doubt, fall back on that rule!
4) Just how tall do you think you are? – A close second in sizing mistakes to art being too small for the wall, is art being hung much too high! You need to think about this when determining the size of portrait to choose, any piece of art should be hung with the center point at eye level. Not with the bottom edge 6 feet off of the floor on an otherwise blank wall. (If you are very short, or very tall, use the average 5’8” person as a guideline.) Again, don’t be afraid to fill up that space!
Family Portraits are an investment that will last a lifetime, and can bring a finished look to your home!
I mostly create my family portraits of large groups for clients in Corolla and Duck in the Outer Banks and in the entire New Jersey New York metropolitan area, but do travel to other areas on occasion, please call with your questions.
Professional Dog Photographer in NJ and OBX
Those eyes, when they are looking right at you, what do you feel? If you are an animal person those eyes connect with your soul, as a professional dog photographer, I know they do with me.
When you are being taken care of throughout life by an animal, be it a cat, a dog, a horse, a bird, or even a ferret, you know the feeling of unconditional love and attachment.
The animal world is full of magnificent and beautiful creatures who are a significant part of our biodiversity.
As a professional dog photographer in New Jersey and the Outer Banks of North Carolina, I know that all pets are amazing creatures that show us, unconditional love, daily. They are pure and loving and we can learn a lot from them to strengthen our own relationships in life. Animal lovers are the best people to be around because no one else understands care and compassion better than them. If one has loved animals with all their heart, it’s most unlikely that they’ve never been disappointed in return.
Unfortunately, the sad fact is that our pets do not live forever, and when they do cross over that bridge we are devastated. What better way to honor the memories and times you’ve shared with your pet than to have a professional pet portrait made. And is so easy to do!
But my dog would never sit still for a portrait!
It really is funny how often people inquire and say they have crazy pups or super shy dogs or cats and don’t think they’ll do well in a photo session. I literally hear this all the time. As someone who photographs dozens of dogs every year, both in the mountains of New Jesrey and the beaches in the Outer Banks, I can honestly say pets enjoy these photo sessions as much as anyone else and are always engaged. They give us so many moments of exploration, love, and genuine curiosity to watch unfold in our time together. If there was ever something I’d want to hold on to, it would be that time.
Whether you’re in one of the many counties in New Jeresy, such as Morris, Sussex, Warren, Somerset, Hunterdon, Bergen or the towns of Corolla, Duck or Nags Head in the Outer Banks, the first step in having a professional pet photo made is to reach out to me to discuss what it is you are looking for. I’ll explain the process, go over what products are available, and plan the perfect photo session for your family and pet. Just reach out to me at 800-646-5812 or click the book now button on top of the page and send in the form, and I’ll be back with you as soon as possible.
Whether you’re a small family or a large reunion, capturing those precious moments will give you memories that you’ll cherish for years to come.
How To Capture The Best Family Photos Ever On The Beach In Corolla, North Carolina
The perfect family beach vacation has to include family photographs taken on the beach. Corolla is a beautiful oceanfront town in North Carolina, where the beaches are wide and there’s no shortage of things to do.
Learn how to capture the best family photos ever with these tips from my many years of photographing families on the beach. From choosing your location to creating a memorable moment, these simple steps will make sure that you walk away with memories for a lifetime.
Outer Banks Family Photographer
Choosing the perfect location for your family photos
One of the key elements in capturing the perfect family photo is choosing the right location. It needs to be scenic, but it also needs to provide a backdrop for your photos. Ideally, you’ll want an unobstructed view of the horizon so that everyone in your pictures can see what’s behind them. Luckily, Corolla is one of those magical beach communities that is filled with dozens of these kinds of spots. This small-town beach community combines all the best elements of a five-star resort vacation, while still encompassing that laid-back Outer Banks style that embraces the beach life.
The timing of your photo session.
When time of day is best for family beach photos?
The best time to take beach photos is early morning or the early evening. The sun will be at its best point and won’t cast any harsh shadows on your face. And if you’re lucky enough to have an overcast day, then you’ll get even better lighting for your family portraits!
Selecting the proper clothing
What should I wear for my beach portrait?
This is certainly the most frequently asked question I receive. And it is a great question because it can have a large impact on your portraits and how comfortable you are having them taken.
In general, you should dress in casual clothing that is both comfortable and cool. Shorts, slacks, sundresses, and lightweight tops all work well. Select white or pastel colors for tops. These can be mixed or matched among family members for a variety of looks. However, it is best to use colors that coordinate well together. Pairing colors with khakis or jeans results in great-looking photos.
Keep it simple. We want all the attention on the personalities and relationships – not on the clothing. Make sure everything fits well. Clothes that are too small or too big will be obvious in the portrait.
Many families choose to wear the same color top with slacks or shorts. This makes for a very attractive beach portrait. Other options include having the men in one color and the women in another color or the women in white sundresses.
White and khaki is a very popular color combination and is great when used in the early morning or late evening sessions. This color style is the palette of the beach and makes for an excellent portrait.
With multiple families or large groups, not everyone has to be wearing the same color although it would be perfectly acceptable to do so. A very popular theme is to have each family unit dress in the same color combination and coordinate the colors of the different family units in the group photo.
Here are a few recommendations for what not to wear. Usually, mixing different prints, stripes and patterns result in a less pleasing photograph.
You can use matching patterns with good results but typically solids are a better choice. Many of the poses used in the photo session involve sitting on the sand. Short skirts can be difficult for the ladies to sit on the sand in so choose something that you can be comfortable wearing.
Bare feet are the norm for a beach photograph but be sure to bring some type of flip-flop or sandal for walking to the beach, which may be hot. Many of our beach paths have sand spurs along with them and getting one of them in your foot can be painful.
Keep in mind that the beach is usually a little windy and it is prudent to be prepared for the wind. Bring with you items such as hair spray, comb, brush, hair bands, or any other item that will help to keep your hair in place. Fine hair is not likely to stay in place without some help. For those that can wear a ponytail, this would be a great answer to controlling hair. Whatever method you use, prepare in advance for this issue and it will result in better photographs.
A couple other points of caution. Be careful not to get sunburned prior to your photo session. This is especially important when tan lines show. The contrast between the areas that are sunburned and not, do not photograph well. Tans look great in the photos but sunburns do not. Also, less jewelry is better, and beware of using lotions that are oily. The sand will stick to your skin and can be difficult to brush off. And for the men, eliminating the five-o’clock shadow prior to the portrait session is a good idea.
Some final words on family beach portraits
If you are looking for family photos on the beach, Corolla is a great place to go.
Prepare for your beach photo session and you will be rewarded with portraits that will be treasured forever.
I hope that these tips will help make your beach experience unforgettable.
Feel free to call me any time at 800.646.5812 or email me at blorenz@blorenz.com if you have any questions.
Professional Headshots in New Jersey
Images mean business. The right corporate photography can sell, motivate and speak your identity through a visual language we all share. Corporate photo for your website, annual report, brochure or advertisement should send a razor sharp message that leaves your audience with no question about what you want to say.
Does Your Headshot Make A Great First Impression?
There is nothing more important than a great first impression, and there is no such thing as a standard business portrait. Simple as they may seem at first glance, creating a very effective corporate headshot or business portrait requires a sophisticated photographer capable of understanding the branding of your business, and of translating that into a visual message. I always do all of the photography, and never delegate the responsibility to other photographers.
When you hire me you are hiring a professional photographer with over 35 years experience photographing people, not just another person with a camera.
I make the uncomfortable situation of getting in front of a camera as comfortable as possible, and I don’t waste your valuable time getting great headshots.
So when you are ready up your game a bit, reach out to me at anytime at 800-646-5812 and I’ll be happy to explain how easy it is having your headshot updated.
I work with clients all over the state of New Jersey and Manhattan, including the towns of Summit, Short Hills, Morristown, Mendham, Chatham, Chester, Hackettstown, Franklin Lakes, Basking Ridge and Bernardsville.
Professional Dog Photography
“Dogs do speak, but only to the that know how to listen” – Orhan Pamuk
I know that you love your dog as much as I do mine, and as a professional dog photographer I also know that you want great photos of your dog. Many people think that because their dog is not trained or does not do well off of a leash that they could never have a great photo of their dog made. This is just not true, whether your dog is a perfect listener or a complete lunatic, with over 35 years experience working with animals, I’ll be able to get a great photo of your dog. The guy above had a leash on, but with today’s digital magic and some artistry skills, I was able to remove it. No one would ever know he was not the complete gentleman.
Whether your dog is a newbie, or getting close to crossing over that bridge, and if you would like a great photo to remember him or her,
reach out to me anytime by completing this form or calling 800-646-5812
Lots of images of large, medium and small family groups on and off the beach in New Jersey and Corolla and Duck and the entire Outer Banks of North Carolina. There are also many images of sunrises, sunsets and surfing photos in the Outer Banks, along with a mix of dog and pet photography, business portraits and headshots from sessions in New York City and all over New Jersey. Lots of fun photos from my journey.
