successful

Albina Ileeva: "I have always considered myself to be not very photogenic, but let me tell you, those days are over."

© 2017 Valentina Sadiul Photography

© 2017 Valentina Sadiul Photography

"Valentina is AMAZING. She has a way of making you feel comfortable and welcoming. I have always considered myself to be not very photogenic, but let me tell you, those days are over. She had great energy, really listened to what I wanted, and had great ideas. These shots are true to who you are and what you really look like! and they will get you noticed, which ultimately makes you money! The return on investment is never ending! I am more than thankful for the work Valentina provided me with and I am hoping to work with her again in the near future."

Albina Ileeva - Arbonne Independent Consultant

Dana Putnam Fonteneau: "I not only had a great time but left her studio feeling gorgeous and fabulous."

"Valentina is a very gifted photographer and fabulous person. I got some new professional headshots done. It's a major testament to her that I, who hate being photographed, not only had a great time but left her studio feeling gorgeous and fabulous. Check out her mastery!"

Dana Putnam Fonteneau - Cellist, Psychotherapist, and Creator of the WholeHearted Music

http://wholeheartedmusician.com/

http://wholeheartedmusician.com/

My Signature Editing for Your Professional Headshot

As a headshot photographer, I work with real people from the classical music and business world. They are not professionally trained fashion models and most of them feel uncomfortable on front of the camera. 
The major difference between an amateur portrait photographer and skillful one is not only a strong knowledge of lighting and equipment, but also having skills in directing and editing. 

Headshot-editing-retouching-workflow-before-after-Valentina-Sadiul

The process of the headshot photoshoot in my studio includes a guidance on how to pose, professionally set-up lighting and equipment, shooting tethered, so clients can give me feedback during the session to ensure that we achieve the best results in short time. The crucial step of final look is retouching favorite images. Keep in mind that photographers who provide unedited images to the clients are delivering unfinished work. This is not accepted in business of professional photography. 


My signature editing includes:

  • Improving color, contrast and sharpness

  • Retouching skin by clearing up blemishes and reducing wrinkles as needed

  • Removing flyaway hairs and adding volume to the hair if needed

  • Enhancing eyes

  • Fixing the wardrobe shoulder line, editing underarms in sleeveless headshots.

 

Additional editing service can be provided by request for additional cost.


Valentina-Sadiul-Headshots-Blog-Profile-Picture

Visit BOOK NOW page to schedule your Headshot Session with Valentina Sadiul Photography. For more information contact at ValentinaSadiul@gmail.com or call 415.400.9212

Creative People in Business: Andy Babkes - Nutritionist, Exercise Coach, Owner of OptimizedFit

My name is Andy Babkes and I’m a functional nutritionist, efficient exercise coach, healthy-lifestyle optimizer, emotional regulation specialist, and the owner of OptimizedFit.
I like to think of myself as “the laziest healthiest person around.” Meaning, I’m obsessed with trying to improve myself mentally, emotionally, and physically in the quickest most time-efficient ways possible.
To achieve these goals, I am certified in a unique type of exercise program that gives your body all the exercise it needs in less than 20 minutes, once a week. I know it sounds crazy, but the science checks out and my clients and myself love it! In addition, I implement functional nutrition, using lab work and individualized nutrition recommendations as well as helping to resolve negative emotional patterns, I help my clients achieve their goals quickly and safely.

© 2017 Valentina Sadiul Photography

© 2017 Valentina Sadiul Photography

Time you wake up: I’m more of a morning person so I like to get up around 6am-7am.

Morning routine: To help keep a peaceful mind throughout the day, I always start my morning with a 20-minute meditation. Followed by about 30 minutes of stretching and foam rolling to get my body limber and ready to take on the day!

Best habit: I think I’m good at being consistent with my goals. Once I put my mind to something, I will keep at it! I think I can mostly am able to achieve this by being very meticulous with my goals and planning. Daily, I have “to-dos” and I do everything I can to try and hit these goals.

Worst habit: On the flip side, I tend to take on too many projects/commitments… this I am slowly getting better at.

Personal philosophy: Come at the world with compassion, curiosity, and good-will. Don’t take things personally and don’t hold back.

Book you are reading now: Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chögyam Trungpa… just finished No Boundary by Ken Wilber

Most used apps: Google Docs—great for taking quick notes, keeping my “to-do” list handy on whatever piece of technology I am using at the moment.

Time you go to sleep: Generally around 10pm. I never like to stay up past midnight and try to always get 8 hours of sleep each night. I’m also a fan of daily naps whenever possible!

1. What motivated you to start OptimizedFit?

I started down my personal “optimized health” years ago when I decided to become a vegetarian. Then, during college, I stumbled upon the Holistic Health department. From there, I begin taking every class that was offered through their department and couldn’t stop reading about all things nutrition and health. This inspired me to pursue a career as a health coach… Since then, I became certified as a nutritionist and began eating meat again. After all this training and self-education and research it became clear that I had a passion for all things health. This realization is what motivated me to start a business helping others optimize their health.

2. What has been your greatest professional success and biggest setback?

I’ve had many professional milestones, but one of my greatest moments of pride was when I was able to quit my normal 9-5 job and start working for myself. I’m not much of a risk taker so making this jump was huge! It was a very empowering moment.
I don’t really think I’ve had any major setbacks (thank goodness). And if I had to look at all my “setbacks,” I don’t really see them that way… they were all important learning experiences that I am truly grateful for.  

3. What parts of your work do your enjoy the most and why?

Connecting and serving others to get healthier and happier. It’s really strange but cool to have my work life and normal life kind of blend into one. I never feel like I am working.

4. What skills do you consider to be essential to work in this industry?

A thirst for knowledge, wanting to help others, and growth.

5. You are professionally trained in the TiPi. What is Tipi?

TIPI stands for the Technique d’Identification des Peurs Inconscientes (TIPI) or Technique for the Identification of Unconscious Fears in English.

TIPI allows you are able to tap into your body’s innate capacity to heal and process negative emotional patterns. This could look like Phobias such as: Fear of the dark, swimming, heights, driving, being in closed or open spaces, animals, germs, agoraphobia, emetophobia, public speaking, meeting new people, etc. Or emotional patterns such as: PTSD, panic attacks, anxiety, depression, low-self esteem, anger, jealousy, etc.

Often when people think about hiring a health coach they just think about exercise and nutrition, but working on one’s emotional health is absolutely critical for a client’s success.

6. What nutrition and fitness advice would you give to entrepreneurs and busy professionals to boost their energy level?

Something I find that all my clients struggle with is being properly hydrated. An easy equation to figure out how much water you should drink is: to take your weight in pounds, divide that number by 2 and that should be about how many fluid ounces of water you should drink (at minimum) each day. I actually wrote an entire article on the subject here: http://optimizedfit.com/drink-more-water/

Another important tip I give my clients to improve their energy level is to build good sleep habits. That includes getting to bed and waking up at consistent times, minimizing blue light exposure at night, avoiding caffeine after 3pm and more. Lots to talk about… check out my article on other helpful sleep tips: http://optimizedfit.com/get-your-sleep-on/

7. What's your typical daily meal and workout routine look like?

I am a fan of intermittent fasting, which is basically a way to skip breakfast and receive the benefits of fasting. (More details can be found here: http://optimizedfit.com/fasting/)

For lunch and dinner I keep things basic. Generally making sure I have a meal high in healthy proteins and fats with a moderate amount of carbohydrates. A typical meal would look like some steamed organic kale and grass fed ground beef… prepared sort of like a stir fry. After cooking, I’ll add raw salad greens, some kimchi or sauerkraut for health probiotics and added vitamins/minerals as well as some nori or other sea vegetable to boost my iodine and mineral intake for healthy metabolic function.

When I do snack I go for organic, raw nuts—presoaked or some sort of nut butter with a little bit of a dark chocolate (85% or higher) for added antioxidants. Sometimes I will pair these treats with some berries.

There’s a lot of random things I do to stay healthy. Feel free to check out my website for more helpful tips! You can find me at: OptimizedFit.com


Web: OptimizedFit.com
Tel: (415) 735-6843

Makeup and Hair Tips for Your Professional Headshot

You understand how important a headshot is for your career. However, to make the most of your time with your photographer, you are going to want to make sure your makeup and hair are camera ready – which is a bit different than your normal wear. Not only will it boost your confidence, but will also even out your skin tone and cover any blemishes.

Makeup-tips-for-headshots

To get you started, here are a few tips about makeup and hair for your professional headshot:

  • Find a professional makeup artist. 

It is highly recommended that you utilize the services of a professional makeup artist. Making people look good is their specialty. Locate a professional in your area and make your appointment. 

  • Utilize services in your local department store. 

If seeking a professional makeup artist isn’t an option, you can always check out the services at your local mall or department stores. Companies such as Sephora or MAC offer makeup services to prepare your makeup for your headshot.

  • Let your beauty shows.

You have natural beauty. Sometimes you just need to help it shine through. This natural beauty is what the camera is looking for. One week before your photo shoot, make sure to take care of any tanning, hair coloring, etc. so that it looks more natural as the week passes. Two to three days before, make sure you are drinking lots of water and avoiding things such as caffeine, the sun, alcohol and smoking. The night before? Get rest and lots of it. 

  • Doing your own makeup.

If you choose to do your own, make sure to use a yellow tinted foundation, as white tends to reflect the flash of the camera. Keep your makeup natural. Research tips for enhancing the eyes for emphasis. Stick to matte foundations and lip colors to avoid any reflection from the flash.

  • All about the hair.

There is a perfect hairstyle for each of us – find yours. Make an appointment to have great hair for your headshot session. Get a style that compliments your features and boosts your natural beauty. 

  • For the guys. 

All this prep isn’t just for the ladies. It is important for guys to plan for their headshot photo shoot, too. Make sure you have your hair styled in a way that fits your look. Also, if you intend to have facial hair in your headshot, start growing it well in advance. 

Planning ahead and following these tips can ensure that you have the most successful headshot session.


Visit BOOK NOW page to schedule your Headshot Session with Valentina Sadiul Photography. For more information contact at ValentinaSadiul@gmail.com or call 415.400.9212

Toni Marie Palmertree: "Valentina is an amazing artist and true professional"

ValentinaSadiul-160217-ToniMarie-4349-testimonials
"Valentina is an amazing artist and true professional.  The session was so much fun and she made me feel comfortable by coaching through the session on pose, posture, and expression.
I am a professional Opera Singer and she asked me about the types of roles I will sing.  Since most of my roles are very regal, we focused on creating that type of image. I'm thrilled with the results. There were too many great shots to choose from!" 

Toni Marie Palmertree - Professional Opera Singer

http://www.tonimariepalmertree.com/

http://www.tonimariepalmertree.com/