Metropolitan Imageworks

My girlfriend Bianca is back on the blog and almost all smiles!  She is such a little ham for the camera and had me cracking up throughout the shoot with her little antics and a couple funny faces she would sneak in.  Her folks brought her to the hotel I was staying out for my IM Marathon the following day and we got to use a variety of backdrops within the hotel suite and it worked out very well.  It’s funny to me how we save the family shots for the end and one of the adults, not naming names, grumbles and finally agrees to do the shot and somehow they always end up to be the most incredible moment that captures a glimpse into the dynamic of their entire family. I joke that they can hate me now but in 10 years they will thank me for creating this memory.  (Thanks to my associate Liz who came up with that gem at a wedding a few seasons ago!)  After yet another successful portrait session we all decided it was time to eat so we headed out for a celebratory meal and Bianca snoozed through most of it in her car seat and Toni was the epitome of a perfect child out at a restaurant late on a Friday night.  After working with clients for 5 years, the lines between client and friend start to blur and they simply become a very important part of my life.

On March 30th & 31st, Metropolitan Imageworks completed their 7th Intimate Moments Marathon!  What’s an IM Marathon?  It’s when we book a couture hotel room for multiple days and bring in the fabulous Nikolina Apostolovski of Moya Make-up for hair and make-up styling, and book 6-7 girls each day for their own personal Intimate Moments photo shoot with me!  Why a hotel room? We book swanky hotel suites in the heart of downtown Chicago which allows the living area for hair/make-up prep and staging. My lovely associates, Kira and Ariel, are typically on hand to welcome the clients in, show them samples of finished albums, talk about the process and of course mix mimosas.  I use the bedroom part of the suite for the actual photoshoot, which allows for maximum privacy. And yes, I use the entire bedroom from the bed to the nightstands to desks and tables and onto fun balancing acts in windowsills. No portion goes un-photographed.

These are some delectable samples from prior IM Marathon Sessions the Metimages team has coordinated.  Our next one is scheduled for May 27th and 28th in another awesome hotel just off the Magnificant Mile. Email me at rachael@metimages.com for more details and to schedule your own session. These make GREAT gifts too!