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On February 3, 2020, I was so excited to photograph a community support campaign kick off event (Celebrate The Magic) at the YMCA in Wayne, New Jersey. It was a wonderful night of getting together, sharing lots of success (and emotional) stories and to celebrate the amazing donors!  As guests started to arrive, they were checking in with the staff who were all dressed in costumes that fit perfectly with the magic theme. The children got to request their favorite balloon animals from the balloon artist. The guest were treated to some delicious food and dessert donated by local establishments in Wayne. The presentation and the speeches were so touching and we even got a treat from the children performing The Little Mermaid musical! They were so good and adorable! If you would like to learn more about Wayne YMCA or how to donate, please visit their website.  Need a photography service? Give me a call 201-663-8585 or email me at charissa@charissahyongphotography to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Visit my website to see my portfolio and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram!
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In my previous blog post, I shared 5 tips that you can start implementing for you and your business to have images that are more consistent. Click here to read my previous 5 tips. These images can be used on your website, social media, email campaign or even handing them over to your copywriter or marketing team. They will love you for it! So here are 5 more tips for you. Tip 1: Photograph in consistent lighting – Whether using natural light (sunlight) or artificial light (indoor light or flash), photograph your subject in consistent lighting will make editing easier and your images will be more consistent. Tip 2: Use selective focus mode – If your phone camera has selective focus mode option, use it to photograph your subject to emphasize it. This will bring the attention to what you want to show your audience.  Tip 3: Photograph in landscape orientation – Most website and social media use images in landscape orientation (horizontally) so photograph that way. You can always crop the image to portrait orientation (vertically).  Tip 4: Remove clutter – This can mean a busy background or messy room that will take away the focus away from your subject, it is best to remove it or use a plain color background when you photograph. Using portrait mode would help bring the focus back to your subject. For example, if you are photographing a product, use a large sheet of white paper as a background.  Tip 5: Use the same editing tool or filters – If you edit your images before you share on your website or social media, make sure you use the same editing tool or filters so your images look consistent. For example, if you use Instagram filter, use the same one consistently when posting. A free editing tool that I use on my phone all the time is Adobe Photoshop Express. Here is a link for the free photo editing software for your computer and this one is for your phone.
Click here to download all 10 tips on How to Take Better Photographs for Your Business. I'd love to know what you think about these tips, comments below. Need a photography service? Give me a call 201-663-8585 or email me at charissa@charissahyongphotography to schedule your complimentary consultation. Visit my website to see my portfolio and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! Why do you need a professional picture for your LinkedIn profile and not a selfie or a cropped picture of you at a party? Your LinkedIn profile is your first impression when someone lands on your profile and wants to get to know more about you. You want to make the right impression and you want to build your personal brand with a professional headshot. "Your personal brand is what differentiates you from others." – unknown Here's an example of a headshot that I did at home. My husband used my DSLR and took this picture in our dining room with a beige wall. I did some editing to it using Lightroom and Photoshop. There are plenty of free editing software out there to achieve this too! You got this!  I know that there are a lots of college graduates are missing out on their graduation and thinking about finding a job during the COVID-19 pandemic. I had the privileged of being a guess speaker at Berkeley College in Paramus via Zoom earlier this month and I thought to share these tips with you.
Tip #1: Choose Your Background. Decide if you want a plain background (white or light colored wall) or outdoor. Tip #2: Choose Your Outfit. Select an outfit that fits and makes you feel good. For men, I recommend suit and tie. For women, I recommend business attire or business casual outfit. A little color is alright. Tip #3: Choose Someone. Ask someone in your household to take your headshot or use a tripod, then set the timer on your camera. Tip #4: Choose Your Camera. I always recommend a DSLR but a point and shoot camera or your cell phone would work. Tip #5: Edit Picture. I found some free photo editing software for your computer and for your phone. Click on the links to see the full list. I hope these tips help! If you would like to watch a replay of my How to Take Your Own Headshot webinar, click HERE. Need a photography service? Give me a call 201-663-8585 or email me at charissa@charissahyongphotography to schedule your complimentary consultation. Visit my website to see my portfolio and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! While we are staying at home due to COVID-19, there are so many ways to connect with your audience online. Here are 5 photography tips for you to get your images to look more professional and be sure to share it everywhere so you are on top of people's mind.  Tip 1: Use what you have and use it all the time – Whether you have a cell phone camera, point and shoot camera or DSLR camera, pick one camera that you will use to photograph all the time. Tip 2: Clean your lens – Always clean and wipe your lens to ensure there is no dirt or smudge on your lens so you have clear images and don’t need to waste time editing. Tip 3: Use a tripod – Using a tripod can help reduce camera shake that causes blurry pictures and can photograph at the same angle every time Tip 4: Color scheme/logo – If your brand has a specific color scheme/logo that you want to incorporate into your images, you can place it in the background or as the main focus of your image. Do it consistently so your brand color scheme or logo can be recognized easily.  Tip 5: White space – If you plan to add text on your images, make sure you leave enough space around your subject…we call it the white space. This way, you can add text or edit accordingly based on what you need share to your audience.  I’ll share 5 more tips on my next blog post. But if you can’t wait and want to get them all now, click here to download the PDF file.
I'd love to know what you think about these tips, comments below. Need a photography service? Give me a call 201-663-8585 or email me at charissa@charissahyongphotography to schedule your complimentary consultation. Visit my website to see my portfolio and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! Having school closures and social distancing is a big adjustments for all of us, especially small business owners. However, I think this is a PERFECT time to connect with your audience online and build your know, like and trust factor! Here are 3 things that you can do right now to get started! #1: Think of one story you want to share with your audience on social media. For example: I sell xyz services or products. I can share my services/products, the benefits of my services/products, some behind the scenes, freebies/tips for my audience, things/tools I use for my business that would benefit my audience, and more. One of the thing you can definitely share right now is letting your audience know if you are open for business and if there's anything they can get without having to visit you or your place of business. For example: offering free delivery or video chat. Remember: Story can connect better and we are all solving a problem for someone.  #2: Take 1 day to photograph the listed story breakdown from #1, and have a minimum of 10-20 images (this way you'll have 1-2 months of images if you post once or twice a week.). Use different background within your business or home to create a variety of images. For behind the scene, you can even do a small video clip. I highly recommend editing the images to match your brand. I personally like the free Adobe Photoshop Express App on my Android but there are plenty of apps out there. Here is a link for the free photo editing software for your computer and this one is for your phone.  #3: Once you have all the images edited, you can use these images on your social media, email campaign and website. Don't forget to upload some pictures to your Google My Business too!  Need a photography service? Give me a call 201-663-8585 or email me at charissa@charissahyongphotography to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Visit my website to see my portfolio and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! Community Options, Inc. is a non-profit organization specializing in group homes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They offer housing, employment supports and so much more. Every February, Cupid's Chase 5K run will take place all over the country to celebrate the founding of Community Options in February 1989. So this year, on February 8th, 2020, I was so excited to volunteer and photograph Cupid's Chase 5K run in Glen Rock, New Jersey.  The runners slowly arrived to the Glen Rock Municipal Pool around 8am to register, have breakfast, and hang out to stay warm. During that time, the volunteers were setting up and the DJ started playing some uplifting music. Around 9am, more runners arrived and some were dancing to the music, some were taking pictures at the photo booth, and some were stretching and warming up before the 5k run. Promptly at 10am, the 5k run officially kicked off and the runners were ready to go. One by one, the runners returned to the finished line. We were all cheering them on and congratulating them. Each runner got a metal for participating. At around 10:30am, the award ceremony started and all the winners got their medal and proudly showing them off. The energy and support from the by standers were amazing! Here are some of the highlights from the event.   I asked Michael Manginello, a Staffing Coordinator from Community Options Inc. in Elmwood Park, New Jersey, what was his absolute favorite moment while working at Community Options. He said: "Seeing the reactions on the faces of our residents." He also shared his one tip about life and that is "Patience is a virtue".  Check out their website for more information, donation, and upcoming events.
Need a photography service? Give me a call 201-663-8585 or email me at charissa@charissahyongphotography to schedule your complimentary consultation. Visit my website to see my portfolio and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! I'm so excited to introduce Faith Miller from Yoga with Faith based in New Egypt, New Jersey. I've known Faith for more than 10 years and I've taken her yoga classes. She is so gentle and kind. I remembered there were certain poses that I was having a hard time doing, she will take the time to evaluate and then show me an alternative pose that would work for me. Her yoga class is so empowering and fun! Definitely check out her classes if you are in and around New Egypt, New Jersey.  Charissa: So tell me about your business and what do you do? Faith: I am a Certified Vinyasa Yoga Instructor and Ayurvedic Health Counselor. I offer public yoga classes and personal and group Ayurveda consultation. I am here to help guide you through making the right choices, using the ancient Indian science of Yoga and Ayurveda, for optimal health physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Vinyasa Yoga is a type of yoga that links movement and breath to attain balance in the mind and body. (Source: https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/5035/vinyasa) Ayurveda is a form of alternative medicine that is the traditional system of medicine of India and seeks to treat and integrate body, mind, and spirit using a comprehensive holistic approach especially by emphasizing diet, herbal remedies, exercise, meditation, breathing, and physical therapy. (Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ayurveda) Charissa: What is your absolute favorite moment in your business? Faith: My favorite moments of both yoga classes and ayurveda consultations are seeing the shift in a person’s understanding of their body and taking their control back of how they want to move their body and live their life through the tools they learn with me.  Charissa: What is the one tip that you would like to share? Faith: Breathe deep, meditate often, and eat according to the seasons. Check out her recent blog on Plant-Based Nation in terms of what to eat during the Winter time. A great read! Charissa: Where can people follow you and find more information about your business? Faith: You can find out about my yoga classes on yogawithfaith.com and ayurveda services on ayurveda.yogawithfaith.com. I'm also on Facebook and Instagram. Follow me there!  Need a photography service? Give me a call 201-663-8585 or email me at charissa@charissahyongphotography to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Visit my website to see my portfolio and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! Visuals play a crucial role in how you portray your personal brand to your customers and clients. It’s important to remember that customers shop with their eyes and will often make decisions based on their first impression of someone.  Personal branding involves influencing the way potential customers see you and view your products or services, which is why personal branding photography can have such a massive impact. Professional photos are an asset and will serve you for years to come. Here are a few of the ways that you would benefit from taking professional personal branding photos.
 Remember to refresh your photos often so that your personal brand is also reflected accurately. Hiring a professional brand photographer who specializes in storytelling can help you plan out your stories and connect with your audience better.  Need a photography service? Give me a call 201-663-8585 or email me at charissa@charissahyongphotography to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Visit my website to see my portfolio and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! Recently I was invited to a Macy’s Friends & Family Shopping Event by Teresa M Londino, a Macy’s stylist and personal shopper. Did you know that Macy’s has a personal stylist to help you shop and the service is FREE?!!  The event was so much fun! Teresa was so helpful and knowledgeable. During the event, she showed us the hottest gifts and best gift ideas for our loved ones and friends. We also got to mingle and chat with other shoppers.  There are a few more weeks until Christmas so if you need to help finding the perfect gift, go to Macy’s in Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, New Jersey and find Teresa.  And if you recently got engaged and need to setup your registry at Macy’s, definitely go find Ginnie (Mayc’s Wedding Gift Registry Advisor). There are a lot of benefits when you register with Macy’s.   Happy shopping!!
Contact me to find out more about branding session that can include event like the Macy’s Friends & Family Shopping Event. Call 201-663-8585 or charissa@charissahyongphotography.com. Website: https://home.charissahyongphotography.com I never knew about consignment sale until I was pregnant with my first child and my best friend told me about Whoo Consigns. Since then, my favorite shopping months are every March and September. I LOVE this consignment sale so much that I tell all my friends about it all the time so it would make sense that I would feature them in my blog.  Whoo Consigns has a 3-day seasonal consignment sale twice a year. They have everything for kids and new moms. A lot of their items are almost like new for a great price. I had saved so much money for the last 3 years buying clothes, toys, books, and more for my kids. This year my husband came along for the first time because I needed help so I can buy bigger items like a bicycle or a scooter. He was amazed by all the items they have there and how organize they are. This year, I bought everything on my list, winter wear, holiday outfits (from Halloween to Valentine's Day), bicycle, scooter, high chair and more. It was $300+ worth of stuff and we almost filled up the minivan. TIP 1: Make a list! It can get overwhelming when you get there and you will end up forgetting to get the things you want most. The best I have done so far was 2 years ago when I went back to shop on a Saturday, which is half price day on discounted items and I bought a full bed of children's clothing for $26!!! I got such a shopping high that day. TIP 2: Bring big shopping bags. They have some Ikea bags for you to use and then when you checkout, they will put your purchased items in a big clear plastic bags. But if you want to go green, definitely bring your own.   TIP 3: You can pick out your items then get a volunteer to put your items on hold while you go back to shop for more. If you are currently pregnant or a new mom with children under 18 months old, make sure to get the "Pre-sale pass for new moms" so you can shop early on the first day of consignment sale (before public sale starts). Definitely check the date/time on their website.  Tip 4: They recommend keeping the children home because the checkout lines can be long once they get busy. 
I became a first time consigner this year and they have so much tips and guidelines on their website. It was super easy to get my items organized, tagged and dropped off at the consignment sale. Way easier than a garage sale in my opinion. I got 60% of the total sales and Whoo Consigns donated the rest of the unsold items for me (you do have the option not to donate the unsold items). I will do this again next year for sure! I also wanted to mention that Whoo Consigns' organizer (Melissa) and the volunteers are always super friendly and helpful. They definitely make this shopping experience fun and easy. One of the volunteers even brought water for us while we waited at the checkout line, it was so sweet!! TIP 5: Leave your water and snack at home. They have free water and snacks for you because we all know shopping definitely will work up an appetite.  If you are in and around Wayne, New Jersey and have kids, definitely follow Whoo Consigns Facebook page to get updates on the next sale. Also, check out their website for more information and shopping tips!
Tell Melissa I sent you...Happy shopping!! Let me know what you think about consignment sale, comment below! If you ever need any photography services, feel free to reach out and I would love to chat! 201-663-8585 or charissa@charissahyongphotography.com. Website: https://home.charissahyongphotography.com |
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