Interview: Juliana Scerri Ferrante

Yesterday's issue of FIRST magazine featured lawyer Juliana Scerri Ferrante and her upcoming fashion event Ferramoda. Juliana and I instantly connected while we were shooting her images for the interview by Marie Benoit (see below).

Ferramoda will be held at the Grand Excelsior, Floriana on the 9th of December and showcasing some of the unique fashion items Juliana brings from Italy. The evening's programme include also other artists in fashion and music.

I am looking forward to sponsoring the photography of the event.

Proceeds will go to orphanages.

Lastly, I couldn't resist to post another image

IDO November Issue 09

The brand new issue of IDO is out now! If you are getting married, grab one as this will be your secret bible to planning your wedding. Well yeah, it's November and you know what this means: It's the official month in Malta for everything bridal and wedding related. The Wedding Fair 09 at MFCC is in full swing, we have open houses of caterers, venues, bridal botiques and with all this wedding buzz going on, I thought I plan something special for IDO's cover.

It's officially unofficial the month of love (and my birthday :) and I thought what better if we have a real (yes a REAL) couple on the cover! One immediately popped to my mind... I secretly hoped and prayed as I knew these two would be fabulous to grace the cover. There was only one small problem: these two lovebirds are not even engaged yet and even more problematic, they are from Gozo. How am I going to convince them to pose on a national bridal magazine in wedding outfits?! Probably the whole village will start gossiping.. have you heard...

But these two are simply amazing and just went for it!

And here are my two new superstars:

JP (Jean-Paul) and Vee (Veronica):

I really have to thank JP. When I mentioned to use 1950's Italian films as an inspiration, JP organized an antique vespa. I won't go into details.. but it was quite a ordeal to move this old thing around. Thanks JP!

The backdrop was perfect for an old school flavour.

A young and flirty bouquet by Julie Lupi - Floral Expressions

Gozo has many beautiful places .. all a little tucked away...

The little bag from Wedding Bells... I wish I could take it home with me.. I would treat it very well...

I always used to pass by this bridge and thought I would like to shoot there someday

Now, this is my secret place and my heart made loops when we shot there

Yes, these two embody "romance and tenderness of newlyweds in love" (Josanne Cassar, Independent on Sunday, Nov. 1st, 09).

Last 2 frames after we had already finished but I just couldn't put my camera down.

I would like to thank all people involved.

Here is a list with all vendors and persons:

Models: JP and Vee

Dress: Marquita of Wedding Bells

Men's suit: Joe of Cefai Formal Wear

Hair: Flavia

Make-up: Gaby

Flowers: Julie Lupi- Floral Expressions

A special thanks to Josanne Cassar (editor) and my precious Fran whose support means a lot me.

Teen Model Portfolio: Martha

Martha is a 13-year old who loves fashion and modeling. Martha came to me for some new portfolio photos she could send to Shout magazine's young faces competition.

I think Martha would make a great fresh face as she does not only have the cutsie factor

but also the fierceness that would make Tyra banks proud

Personally, I adore her edginess

You Go Girl!

Young Rising Stars

It's always great to follow up where my little models go and do. The other day I received a pretty cool email and some pictures by Sidney's mom Mireille. Remember this little fellow?

Sidney has landed his first big job for C&A baby wear and adornes not only the website of C&A's online shop

but also huge wall images in the store. Must be pretty strange to walk in the shop and see your son oversized on the wall :) Great job, Sidney!

On another note, probably most of you remember Debbie. I photographed her about 3 years ago. Through Facebook, I learned she is the new Miss Malta and went abroad for more competitions! Way to go, Debbie. So proud of ya!

Divine

Brides have something angelic about them and that is how I like to portray them...

Episode II: Maureen & George & Maia

Before I leave for a wedding, I thought I sweeten your weekend by blogging the 2nd part of Maureen & George's e-session. Only that this time we have a third contender, Maureen's biggest treasure, her daughter Maia.

The two of them already had warned me, Maia has a strong head of her own. The warning couldn't have come more perfect. As we approached their house to pick up the little one, I could hear big sobs... and I thought.."oh my, how are we going to get Maia to enjoy a photo session?"

Yeah, I guess you just have to find the right places.

She does have the biggest and brightest smile....

.... mixed with a combination of crocodile tears ...

... but hey, at least I get a lot of hugs and beautiful moments like this:

I adore this picture. George wraps his arm around his new family.

We found this great field

makes my heart all mushy:

Maia loved it!

One of my favourite sequences

Th Dream Team!

Only one week to go to the wedding! Leave them a message!

My New Favorite Desktop

This year I have been shooting quite a bit on the beach and also in and out of the water! This is all due to my rocking couples who have taken me this season to complete different hights, literally.

I got this really cool new wallpaper which is gracing my screen, thanks to my couple Daniela & David, who are simply out of this world adventerous and just my type.

Blow this one up and spot them:

Today, I dedicate this blog post to Krystle. Yes, you Krystle!!! ;-)

Thanks for following my blog and although we have never met, it's always great to hear from people who tune in. Hope to meet you soon and if you like feel free to leave a comment!

Pre-Wedding: Maureen & George PART I

Maureen and George are something, something crazily fun, down to earth and special that you cannot help yourself but love these two!

Maureen has been following my blog, I think, from nearly the beginning and when I got the call she got engaged I was over the moon to be her photographer! When I heard her fiance was a photographer, I nearly p**d in my pants! Yep, I was scared!

When they came to me, I learned about their unique story.. well.. of their life and their love story and how things tend to work out myteriously by themselves, especially when you least expect it. Yes, life has its very own dynamics.

One big factor that connected the two is this place and the famous magazine below:

This shop is not only Maureen's work place but also Mr. photographer source of inspiration :)

No, Maureen doesn't usually sit on the counter and waits for George to come by but for Today we were free to roam the place and do as we please :)

We LOVE magazines and silly faces!

Maureens favourite literature at the moment ;-)

You got to see this big (click on the image to blow it up)

Our second stop of the day was actually their first point of real contact. George also works for the Gozo ferry.. yes on that fatal day, George stopped Maureen from bording.

Not because he was smitten by her beauty but because it was simply "nearly full up". This almost drove Maureen to tears as she just wanted to get home to her little girl.

Yes we tried to recreate a very frustrated look....

..but when these two see each other, I see more smiles than unhappy faces

No wonder Maureen's heart made a small jump when she saw George in his uniform!

Our third part (but not the last!) was at Ramla Bay. This place means a lot to them. Yes, we got their red, errm, blue tent... as this tent is a haven for itself.

Babe, welcome to your future home...

Yeah, this is inspired by the "American Gothic"... I said inspired... takes a bit to sink in.. I know..

Maureen and George are one of the most natural people I ever came across

and they are nothing short of many surprises, you have to see their expressions! They make me smile from ear to ear! The last one is the famous "Titanic Shot"

here in perfect form:

I want to see this on your wedding day!

They also have the fierceness factor!

Multplied by two

This cracks me up!

and more affection I can't wait to see on your big day

One of my favorites. It just eptomises all the fun and spontaneity of these two!

I also want to add that George was pretty much amazing in explaining my new camera to me. I just invested in a new Canon system (I am a Nikon and Canon shooter) and he showed me all the little tricks up the sleave of my new beauty (nearly all images were shot on the new Canon 5D MarkII). Muchas Gracias and it was really a breeze to have you two.

Keep looking for the final part of our day out together! It will get even better!

Bitter Sweet

THE NEW ISSUE OF IDO IS OUT NOW!


I am so excited to finally spills the beans: the brand new issue of IDO magazine is out and it has a new cover! My heart was pounding so hard from excitement when I first got the news that I was chosen to be the new photographer of I DO, Malta's premier wedding magazine. But it did not compare to the feeling when I actually held the brand new spanking issue in my hands! Is that how mothers feel when they hold their first-born child?
When Josanne leafed through the magazine, revealing each time another page of our shoot, true exhilaration poured through my body! I could have hugged my editor right there and then but I guess I was so flabbergasted that I forgot everything around me. Yeah, I must have been so in space that only 50 meters down the road I crashed my car! Well, my tire.. it sort of exploded when I hit a curb (how did I do that?!). Thank God, it was only a minor tragedy and my shining amor in the form of a RMF rescue truck rolled by just 15 minutes later. All in all, a bitter sweet day to remember.
I cannot say enough, how wonderful the experience it has been to work in a team of professionals. From the first day the idea and concept was born to the actual day of the shoot and to finally have seen the images on screen and then in print, it's been an amazing ride. I cannot thank editor Josanne Cassar enough for trusting me to fill in the big shoes that photographer Kevin Casha has left behind and to everyone who gave 100% total dedication to make this issue special.

Here's some behind the scenes info. Get IDO for the real deal.

Breathtaking Bella: When I first heard the news that I will be the new photographer of IDO, I knew I had to have Bella for the cover.
Make-up by the crazingly talented Venita.

I knew I wanted a smiling and relaxed bride. Gorgeous, elegant gown by Marquita from Wedding Bells and barefooted for an extra casual look.

The concept was Hollywood Glamour with the vintage backdrop of Popeye Village, which transported the feeling and flair of a true shabby chic affair!

Without Francesca assisting I wouldn't have managed to get all that beautiful light! Also, a huge thanks to Antoine and Stephanie for their helping hands.


Drama is everything! Blue and Red is the new IT! Doesn't this combo make your eyes and mouth water?!


An elegant bird cage veil, very old Hollywood!


The up-do was done by the ever so patient Alison of Scissors Tango. The gorgeous vintage inspired accessories were lend to us by Pop In and Zsa Zsa, Valletta.

The wonderful voluptous bouquet of 25 red roses was created by the delightful Julie of Floral Expressions

Again, thanks to the team for their total dedication and hard work. Looking forward to each magical cover shoot!

Miriam on the Cover, Again!

Congratulations to Miriam Cauchi for making it on the cover of Life&Style magazine. There is a great in-depth interview with the soprano about life, marriage and how her childhood dream of becoming a professional singer has become a reality. It's always an honour to have my clients photos featured and seeing them grow from strength to strength!

Holy Communion: Cara

Cara is a very special little girl. This year she celebrated her First Holy Comminion and we went out to catch some natural photos in her dress. I was so surprised that Cara was like a professional model in front of the camera. No shyness at all, instead sweet little giggles and bright eyes throughout our day together.

Isn't she adorable?!

Like a little angel

and very expressive!

I found this ocean of flowers




Then we went more casual



Our last stop was at the beach and here Cara was in her element


Love this one. Reminds me of pure summer fun at the beach!

Happy 3 Year BLOG Birthday!!!

3 YEARS!!! Wow, it's a small milestone since I started my blog www.jessmor.blogspot.com in summer of 2006. I can't believe how much time has passed since then. Sometimes, it seems like yesterday and then again when I browsed through all the entries and images I have posted here, it feels ages have passed. This blog has become something like an open diary, mixing my professional life with bits of my personal and looking back I discovered a few things I had nearly forgotten about. It's amazing to see where life leads you to... it's like being on the road and on a continous journey. You look ahead and wonder what Tomorrow will hold for you, you look back and say, I don't know how I came here. Life is a like box of surprises and I am happy to share it all with you.
For this happy occassion I prepared a small trip down memory lane. Watch the video below with snippets of the past. I hope you enjoy!
Thanks to all the great people who have become part of my life and shared my journey. This is for you!

Favourite Detail: ***The Getting Ready***

It's been a while since I have posted an episode of "My Favourite Detail".
With the wedding season in full swing and some other major changes here, I have to keep reminding myself to blog. Anyhow, I guess all of you are hanging out at the beaches right now (lucky you!). Can you believe I haven't gone swimming once this summer?! What a shame, especially since the beach is just around the corner. Maybe Tomorrow early morning I pack my snorkling gear and head to one of my favourite places.
Today, I have another goodie for you. As my blog readers, bride's and grooms know, I love the getting ready part of the day and all the excitement which usually mounts up right before the bride slips into her wedding dress.
The image above was a true photojournalistic moment. The bride was so incredible happy with her beautiful shoes. She slipped them on like a pair of Cindarella shoes... even before she got into her dress. The contrast of her elegant fair skin and those cute red toes work just perfectly!

Why my couples rock my world!

This blog post is dedicated to my amazing couples. Here is a selection of some of the pre-weddings I shot this season and the reason why my couples absolutely rock my world:

They take me to the most incredible places on earth and show me beauty from within


They are so cool and fun and I could hang around them every single day


They are not afraid to show heartfelt emotions and the most precious belly laughters EVER


They are up to anything and make my dream locations come true


They invite me to be part of their little world and make me feel complete!


Thank YOU couples to let me use your images for this post! Can't wait for your weddings, post-weddings, well..and babies!

***Luxurious: Guest Sign-In Books****

NEW! NEW! I've been getting some beautiful products from abroad and one of them is this luxurious guest sign-in book. This fabulous album features all your favorite images of your pre-wedding. It is chunky, has either white or black page options and wide variety of beautiful cover choices to make it an amazing personal keepsake.

The pages are nice and thick (here in black option).
First page with studio signature


Your photo is printed on the right page, the left is empty for personal wishes from your guest (use a silver, white or gold pen for the black page option)
This album features a soft silver suede leather with a cover cut-out for the couple's photo.

If you would like to get your hands on one of these beauties, please email me for more information.

Portfolio: Annabella Geraghty

The first time I met Bella, I was struck by her classic beauty. Bella has the look of a film starlet, just about to be discovered.
Some faces draw you in, they beg to be studied and discovered and Bella's face invites you to do just that. Bella transcends an inner calmness through her eyes.. just have a look at these big blue eyes that are framed with endless amount of long lashes, too gorgeous!
Bella is currently studying and living in England and has a background in acting and now, as well, modeling on the horizon.

It was a true pleasure working together as Bella and I share a soft spot for the natural. For our session we made perfect use of the season's high grass, wild flowers and soft light. We started with some classic black&white portrait




Amongst a sea of wild flowers: This one is so amazing and I'd blow it up into a humongous canvas art print


I can only see eyes




Bella is so natural and carefree, she's made for the outdoors


Modelesque

For this session I test ran my new camera (more news about that soon!). The files are so AMAZING. These are pretty much straight out of the camera, simply beautiful!


Go ahead and blow it up (click on it with your mouse) for some buttery crispiness!






This one makes me giggle!


You don't know what we went through to get to this field!


but it was worth it!

Wow, look at her! Doesn't she resemble Katie Holmes in this one? I think Bella belongs into a magazine! She rocked it til the end and didn't complain a second while I was testing my new strobes. Seeing this night shot really made it all the worthwhile.


If you would like to get in touch with Bella for modeling work you can contact her here or email me through the box on the sidebar.
Bella is available in England and Malta.

Elaine on The Sunday Times

Congratulations to Soprano Elaine Borg for the raving review of her concert on the last Sunday Times. Do you remember her from our portfolio shoot, here?

So, what did the paper has to say about Elaine:
"(...) the young lady has a very promising voice, an outgoing personality which helps her communicate well and is blessed with a crystal-clear diction underlying a completely convincing immersion in the interpretation of each phrase she sings."

Again, congrats Elaine!!!

Happy Birthday, Maureen!

Ha, by coincidence I found out that it's one of my bride's birthday! I think Facebook ain't so bad after all!

Just a little teaser! Happy birthday girl, keep it coming!
Fierceness factor: 100 gazillion

Wedding: Chris & Coralie - Part 2

As promised, here is the 2nd part of Chris & Coralie's wedding.

A very emotional moment happened right after the couple stepped out of the church...


...a big crowd of family and friends were already waiting to congratulate the couple. In between all these people a special person, close to Co's heart, was waiting anxiously and excited. It was Coralie's grandmother, who made it to her granddaughters wedding despite her physical condition.
Coralie, just got a glimpse of her nanna and ran right into her arms. People were still throwing rice and confetti but Co and her nanna were hugging each other as if time stood still for a moment.


The pride in Coralie nanna' s eyes spoke a thousand words. Her expression still gives me goose pimples.



Both were moved to tears with joy! I think this was one of the most emotional moments of the day.


I love how Chris is looking at his new nanna.


I love the expression of friends and family!


Coralie and Chris decided to go down to the Sanctuary to share a silent prayer together as husband and wife.

The cutest munchkin


One portrait for the parents




Coralie's princess dress was from Maggie Sottero and here it shows off her beautiful train.


Chris and Coralie arriving at the venue.
Look at the blue sky! The weather was splendid and God-send.
Can you feel their excitement?!

The reception was catered by Creme Caramel, Coralie's dad family company. They did an outstanding job as you will see in pictures to come.


The happy parents. Left Chris' parents and on the right Co's parents.



The girls! Yeah!

Some special light for a special couple.


The venue in the evening. It was the magic hour, right after sunset when the sky turns into a "liquid blue".


In the morning of his wedding, Chris with the help of his best man erected this tent...just in case of rain.


The wedding's theme could have been candy land. There were sweets everywhere.
Coralie's dad made an ice piano for his daughter.. it was filled with strawberries.. yummy!


The highlight of the sweet concoction though was the wedding cake, perfectly designed to match Coralie's dress.

Look at Co's dad expression. Priceless!


The guests stormed the dancefloor and partied the night away. The couple couldn't have asked for a better party crowd!



The going away...

The couple left in a sporty VW beetle. Yeah to Volkswagen! ;-)

I made it on FACEBOOK

At last, I made it on Facebook!!! I know it took me forever. Maybe I was scared that no one was going to be my friend and I stay on Facebook by myself...so please please add me!

Looking forward to this "new" social network.. if you have any tips please leave me a comment!

Thanks and see you there!

Wedding: Chris & Coralie - Part 1

Chris and Coralie have been heart and soul since their school days and I was blessed to witness and document their special day. I think it was of the biggest wedding of the year and there are many images to show.
Today, I have to split my blog post in two parts starting of with the grooms details, brides residence and church.
We start of with Chris as he had some great accessories that need an special eye and attention to detail. It also worked so fabulous because I had an extra day shooting the grooms residence.

The grooms shoes..tata:



During the "getting ready" part, I loved playing with reflections



We had so much time on our hands, so we decided to take the boys out for a walk




In front of the church the two were getting married


On the wedding day, we headed to the bride's house very early in the morning (I think it was around 6.30am). Coralie was just getting "beautified"
I always take a bridal portrait...


...but then I love to play around and experiment. These are my favourites as they show the artist side of wedding photography.




The flower girls were so adorable


I like to leave the little ones doing their own thing and not stress them out with stiff poses


Before leaving the house

Chris and Coralie were so lucky! Their day was crystal clear, hardly a cloud in the sky although all week it had been raining and storming.


Here comes the bride



I really like how the flower girl is tossing the petals and in the background you see the bridesmaids waiting.

The First Look

Mellieha church is beautiful


That's one of the moments I always look out for. Sometimes, tears of sadness and joy are bundled into one emotion. The mother of the bride:


and these emotions are the most precious of all


Exiting the church

You can look forward this week to part 2 of the wedding!

Tiny Wedding Teaser: Sarah & Keith

This one is a special sneak peek for my dear couple Sarah & Keith, who just got married last Saturday. I think the image above sumarizes it well: a magic event, somewhat like a fairytale wedding with a princess and her prince!
Even I had butterflies on the morning of their wedding. I've known these two for quite some time now (after having photographed their engagement party). I still can't believe the day of their wedding had finally come. It was exciting for me to follow them on each step they took on this day and document the beginning of their new life as husband and wife.


Here's another two photos from right after the mass.
Don't they look as if they came straight out of an international bridal magazine?



Dear Sarah & Keith, hope you settled well in your new home and you are enjoying every piece of moment together before you head back into real life. Can't wait for our post-wedding, it's going to be special!

We Will: Helenia & Albert

Sometimes the most unexpetected things happen in life. They come out of the blues, knock you off your feet and keep you wondering: Did this really just happen?! Albert's proposal to Helenia must have been one of these wonderful and rare but also humourous moments in life.
All happened with a phone conversation and the horoscope! Helenia, like most girls, loves to read the yearly horoscope for fun and of course she couldn't skip reading Bertu's. She was laughing as it said, this year he is going to settle down. Knowing Bertu, who is happy to be in a relationship but never mentioned marriage, Helenia thought of him more of the "never settling down" type.
For fun and a teaser, Helenia picked up the phone and read him his horoscope... Helenia was still laughing and joking and wouldn't have ever predicted what came next. In all seriousness Bertu surprised her by saying: Let's get married!
Helenia clasped on the telephone: What? Say that again? Did she hear right? Yes, Bertu was dead serious with Helenia: He can't imagine a life without her by his side.



Bertu, like most grooms, dreaded the thought of a 'pre-wedding' photo session but funny enough in a few moments these two were doing their own thing and I believe Bertu really enjoyed it after all. :)




Their photos work so well as story boards. Can't resist all these different expressions!




I absolutly adore this one! Imagine this as a framed print.
Click on it to see it big!



Work it!



Careful! Helenia knows karate and isn't shy to use it! ;-)




Complete change of location. Helenia is a tour guide and this area is one of her most famous ones.







And my favourite for last!

Miriam and Simon in Concert

Happy Weekend everyone! Here is some promo work I've done for soprano Miriam Cauchi and her husband and cellist Simon Abdilla Joslin. It's a blast working with them every time.


Simon is just a great guy! It will be my first time hearing him play.


I love that these two are always up to something new and let me experiment a little. You really need to give it a second look.


12th May 09 @ Manoel Theatre, Valletta.

Mystery Call 10 to 10pm

OMG! Where am I going to start? Last night at 10 to 10pm I received the most strange and incredible call ever! I still have to pinch myself to remind me if that was really true or if I was maybe already in lala land. But with foresight I marked it red in my diary so I have it right in my face: Yes, it did happen, you weren't dreaming!
Actually, I was having a real cozy evening in front of the TV, cuddled up in my blankets and watching one of those half reality half soap shows when suddenly my little pink and black cell phone rang. I said like, who's calling me at this time of night?! (not that it was really too late or anything but hey I was watching a soap!). The number looked alien, yes alien, to me... what's a +33 something doing on my display? Thank God, I wasn't watching one of those horror movies were the girl is receiving creepy calls... but anyhow, I still answered cautiously "Hello?"
The next thing I will never forget in my life...
"Hi, this is Joshua Smith calling"
I still want to cry and laugh at the same time.. what??? Joshua Smith, did I get this right?!!! Hey, there are probably a thousand Joshua Smith on this planet and one just happened to call me...yeah yeah... or could it be that I had the most INCREDIBLE OF ALL TIME AMAZING JOSHUA SMITH OF CINEMATIC BRIDE calling me up...


If you were wondering, Joshua Smith is one of the industry top professional in wedding videography on the PLANET, a creative genius and savvy business person I have admired for a looong time. In everyday language, it's as if George Clooney gave me a rang to tell me "Hey Jess, I saw your cute little blog and I was wondering if you'd like to go to the movies with me tonight."
Well, yeah.. no.. Josh didn't ask me for a date..just if you were wondering...
He actually asked me for my post code! There you have it..my post code! That's what I can remember.. because by the time my brain managed to process I had The Joshua Smith on the phone (and not some prank call) I couldn't process any other information anymore. My head just went: Joshua Smith of Cinematic Bride is on the phone (bubble), JOSHUA SMITH (bubble), Joshua Smith...BIG BUBBLE
Now you are probably wondering why the heck, someone like him calls a photographer from tiny island and asks for their postcode or address.. Now people, reality is sinking in so get prepared. The order I had placed a day prior with his new company LOKTAH (the coolest amazing earthy products for my clients!) couldn't be shipped because something was wrong with my address. Hey yeah..that's all (sorry to disappoint you!) but if it makes you feel any better, not everyday , the boss himself calls to solve shipping problems. I think my tiny little lucky star shone on me that night. As you can imagine, I slept like a baby ... too good.. as the next day I had overslept by 3 hours! (Bad side effect of happiness)
*Sigh* had to get this off my chest..yes world now you know! Thank YOU for listening!

PS: If you want to see one of his amazing movie trailers go here
and my alltime favorite here