Photographing Jane Love

I had the pleasure of photographing tattooed alternative model Jane Love in the studio last week.

She is an alternative/conceptual model who always has the most colorful and vibrant hair to match her explosive personality.

Alex Jankowski of Arrogant Beauty came in and rocked out Jane's hair and makeup..... absolutely loved what Alex did with Jane's hair!

I chose a moodier lighting until Jane started to smile, that image was meant to be brighter ;)

Also since Jane stands out I wanted to keep the background simple and we shot on a black background and made her the main focus. 

Here are my favorite images from our shoot.

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

Happy Mother's Day to all of my amazing Moms out there!
Unleash your inner sexiness and Superhero this weekend, have a relaxing and pampering time!

Model is a beautiful Mom, who owns Bien Assorti (nail salon in Chicago).  Her hair and makeup was done by the talented Kate Johnson!

Enjoy your day ladies!

Wedding Season is beginning!

Brides are already booking for their pre wedding boudoir shoots!

Besides a great gift for your groom to be, it's a great way to document all the hard work you've put into getting in shape for your big day!

We customize packages per client, I have found out that every bride wants something different..... digital files, albums, calendars...  Some like to use my hair and makeup team, others like to come after their hair and makeup trial to shoot.  We like to collaborate with your ideas.

Here are some bridal boudoir inspired images of our model of 2015, Carley Coakley.  Her hair and makeup was done by the talented Michelle Mink.

I recommend scheduling at least 25 days before the big day to insure we get your products to you in time!

Mardi Gras inspired shoot!

Another set of images of the gorgeous Carley Coakley, makeup and hair by Michelle Mink in my Revival Pinups studio.

Some of these images and many more are published on Playboy Romania ..... so excited for the love that they are showing us!

Revival Pinups Photography was interviewed by Groupon

Our photographer Lori was recently interviewed by Groupon about what to expect for your boudoir shoot.  Absolutely loved how it was written, you may read the article HERE!

Here are some images by Revival Pinups used in the article

Happy reading!

Moms are bringing sexy back!

I first met Jill on a Living Social deal I had for family photography Holiday portraits for my Lori K Sapio photography studio.  She came in with her adorable son and husband, and I forged an instant bond with her.

After discussing it for awhile, I had her come in for her first Boudoir shoot when her son had just turned a year old.  She was a bit apprehensive about showing some of her body parts.  While we had her in hair and makeup, I eased her worries and came up with our game plan.

Jill is also a bridal gown designer (her work is amazing), so of course she would come with a lot of options.... more options are better than none.

We went through her wardrobe and decided that we would shoot a couple of different gowns/dresses, a vintage slip and a bra/panty set.  You can be sexy without showing it all.

Jill killed it and I feel her nerves were at ease once we finished the shoot.......

I just wrapped another boudoir shoot in the studio with a Mom I met for her family's Holiday portraits this past December...... I love that these Moms are bringing sexy back!

2014 Indie Wed Wedding Show & Market

We were fortunate enough to be a featured vendor at today's Indie Wed Wedding Show and Market that was held in the beautiful Ravenswood Event Center.

We met so many wonderful people and look forward to the future clients we talked to.... love the energy they will bring to us!

The food was to die for, I was lucky enough to sample goodies from Elysia Root Cakes, Give Me Some Sugar, and real kitchen.... MMMMMMMMM.

Nancy Krause Floral Designs and Life in Bloom had beautiful displays of their floral creations.

Got to see the talented Red Hot Annie and her Vaudezilla troupe perform.

Vavoom Pinups had the cutest setup, their retro booth was a hit.

Thank you all for making our first Wedding event a success, we can't wait for the next one!

Our Breast Cancer Survivor, Tracy

For October, Kate Johnson and Revival Pinups gave away a free boudoir photoshoot and a makeover to a Breast Cancer Survivor.

From all of the submission, Tracy was chosen.  You may read her story here:
 http://revival-pinups.blogspot.com/2013/10/our-breast-cancer-survivor-photoshoot.html

She did absolutely amazing and I would like to share a couple of images from the ones she chose:

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

I have so much to be thankful for this year.... the birth of my daughter Viola, my wonderful boyfriend, my sweet dog Loki, my family and friends, everyone's health and my amazing clients. 

I am very fortunate as well to be able to collaborate with so many talented people.  These images were from one of many fun shoots with the gorgeous Red Hot Annie.

This year we were also published not once, but three times in a month in International Playboys!
Playboy Israel, Playboy Italia and Playboy Mexico.  Absolutely love working with Ashley Salazar.... she is something :) !

I want to wish you and yours an amazing Thanksgiving..... gobble gobble.

Our Breast Cancer Survivor Photoshoot!

We have a winner for our free photoshoot for a Breast Cancer Survivor: Tracy!

Here is her story....

Surviving Cancer….

            At present, I am a 35 year old single mother of two and a 13 year breast cancer survivor.  I have an amazing 17 year old son and a magnificent 10 year old daughter.  I reside on the north side of Chicago. 

            The news came to me 13 years ago this October.  I felt a lump and went to the doctor.  I was then scheduled for an ultrasound and immediately had a mammogram to follow because of the findings.  The Radiologist, along with my gynecologist (via a phone conference), broke the news to me, “it looks like cancer”.  I was crushed!  I was 22 years old with a 4 year old son at home and just a year into my career as an x-ray technologist.  I walked out of the room, got dressed, and went home. I was stunned into silence from the news. When I got home, I cried and cried. 

            The next morning I woke up and moved right into action.  Scheduling doctor’s appointments, further tests, and my first surgery (a lumpectomy) was on my “to do” list.  I went into auto pilot to just get a resolution to my problem.  All my appointments were done and my surgery was performed on November 24^th 2000.  I woke in a dazed state from surgery and my surgeon broke the news, “Tracy it’s malignant”. When you first hear the news of cancer, it sounds like a death sentence.  I again went home and cried.  I allowed the tears to flow for that day and the next, but then that was the end of it.  I am not allowing this bump in the road to bring me down!  I am not allowing cancer to beat me and so I didn’t.  

            The next nine months of my life was a whirlwind of action.  I began the roller coaster ride with an axillary node dissection surgery to see if the cancer had spread into my lymph nodes.  Thankfully it hadn’t.  I had my full diagnosis and prognosis at that point.  I was in stage I breast cancer with a 2cm lump and an aggressive tumor of 3, which meant it was rapid in its growth and spread quickly.  I am so thankful my cancer was caught when it was.  I had three more surgeries that year, with six rounds of Chemotherapy a sixteen week time frame, and six weeks of Radiation therapy to follow. 

            I decided in July of 2001 while I was finishing up my treatments for Radiation to have genetic testing performed.  I was so young when I got my diagnosis, even though cancer doesn’t discriminate by any means of the word, I wondered if possibly there was another explanation.  As it turned out, I did have BRCA II, an inherited genetic mutation that was hidden within the men of my father’s side. Another worry then had come to me and an even scarier thought; the chance for reoccurrence almost triples.  It was devastating news.  I decided to have a bilateral mastectomy with tram flap reconstruction.  However, my surgery needed to be put on hold.  I became pregnant in May of 2002; a real miracle considering all that my body had been through the year before.  I delivered in February of 2003 and allowed my body a year of healing before going through with the mastectomies. 

            In June of 2004, at 25, I had the 10 hour surgery of removing my breast tissue and reconstructing my body with my own tissues, the mastectomy and reconstruction.  There was another nine weeks of recovering ahead for me. I wanted the surgery though, to survive, to be there for my children, to be there for my family and friends, I wanted to live my life! 

            My survival story isn’t what I just told you, that was just the background to it.  The real story lies within my day to day life.  It is within my children’s eyes and their laughter, it is within my mother’s and father’s compassion and unconditional ways, it is within my brothers and sister-in-laws protecting arms and helping hands, it is within my family and extended families love and wisdom, it’s within my friend’s care and support.  Without all of those pieces to this puzzle my survival wouldn’t exist. Together as a whole they help me to survive, help me to be the best me, help me want to push forward every day to live my life! So, yeah I am a cancer survivor, yet more importantly I’ve learned to love life and believe in living life to the fullest!  

 Tracy now

Tracy then

As you know my Mother had a double masectomy on 11/5/13, almost a year ago.  This month my Aunt Sandy is a 5 year breast cancer survivor.  My Grandmother Marie passed from breast cancer 2 years ago.  This October to celebrate breast cancer survivor's I wanted to give away a free photoshoot to a survivor.

I enjoyed all of the stories and photos that were sent our way.

Kate Johnson will be beautifying Tracy for this shoot next month.... we can't wait to share some of Tracy's images, we are so excited to be working with her!

Giuseppina Magazine

Our photographer Lori Sapio had a fashion editorial published for Halloween in Giuseppina Magazine.

Here are the images:

 Hair & Makeup: Jen Bean
Stylist: Claire Ann
Stylist Assistant: Drea Shillingburg
Model: Kelsey Marcelline

Playboy Mexico and Playboy Italia has published us!

Our collaboration with Ashley Salazar has landed us now in Playboy Israel, Playboy Mexico and Playboy Italia!

I can't say enough how much I absolutely LOVE collaborating with Ashley.

These images were shot at Masada restaurant in Chicago, IL.

Jen Bean did her hair and makeup, Russel Schiller styled the shoot and assisted and Ian Nathaniel was our editor.

Free photoshoot for Breast Cancer Survivor

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and as part of our quest to support women’s issues and health, Revival Pinups is announcing their first annual Breast Cancer Survivors’ Boudoir Photo Shoot Contest. We have photographed many cancer survivors in the past, who naturally wish to see themselves in their best light and want to feel confident about their bodies once again. Getting excellent boudoir photographs taken is a huge self-confidence booster for any women, especially those who have been through such a difficult experience. Our photographer Lori lost her Grandmother 2 years ago to breast cancer.  Her Aunt Sandy is a 4 year survivor, her Mother had her double masectomy on 11.5.12.



Revival Pinups will be holding a contest during the month of October for cancer survivors. If you or someone you know has been affected by any kind cancer that affects women, please consider entering our contest to win a FREE Boudoir Photo Shoot Package. Entering the contest is easy, simply send us your survival story along with one or two photos of you and we will post some of the entries on our blog. The winner will receive a deluxe boudoir package, including full makeup & hair by Kate Johnson, a photo shoot with Lori, plus 10 beautiful images that will help you further realize your true beauty! Anyone who has a cancer survival story is a true winner, and so all entries will receive a discount toward a future boudoir photography session. In addition to providing our contest, Revival Pinups will also be contributing a portion of each photoshoot in October toward breast cancer research. Please join us in our support of breast cancer research by donating to this important cause.

Revival Pinups in Playboy Israel!

We are featured online on Playboy Israel....

We wanted to share this exciting news.

Model is Ashley Salazar, hair and makeup is by our talented Jen Bean.
Stylist/assistant is Russel Schiller and images were edited by Ian Nathaniel.

We photographed this feature at Masada restaurant in Chicago, IL.

What a great honor, thank you to Playboy Israel!

Amber

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Was fortunate enough to photograph my muse Amber again at our studio in Logan Square.... LOVE photographing her.

Our talented hair and makeup artist Emily beautified Amber for the shoot.