K. Garcia Productions Week - Specialty Shoots

 During the month of December, the Section 36 blog is celebrating "Photography Month" with weekly posts about photography. Monday started the month off with a feature on a photographer who has meant so much to the success of Section 36, Kelsey of K. Garcia Productions.

Readers of this blog know how important Kelsey has been. A single post didn't seem to be enough. Therefore, Section 36 Forevers is holding "K. Garcia Productions Week" as a way to try and show the world Kelsey's contributions. The K. Garcia Productions photos shown here on Section 36 Forevers have also done a pretty great job of showing all the different types of pictures she specializes in. Whether it's headshots and portraits, or fashion, or pageants, or marketing...they've all managed to find their way onto this blog. Today, though, we're going to focus on her "Specialty Shoot" photographs. Sometimes the standard photo shoot just won't do. You need a theme, or a hook, or a special element. Kelsey certainly excels in those types of shots as well. What do I mean? Let's look as some examples that have graced the titleholder profile pages of this blog.

Kelsey has had some fun photographing with a smoke bomb...if that's what it's called. It really adds a dramatic effect to the pictures. These pictures of Allie Curtis, Meghan Rubadou, and Nicolette Peloquin all use the smoke, but all have different feels. It always amazes me how that happens.

Another specialty of Kelsey is "arcade shots". She's a master at using the different colors and light levels available in an arcade to their full potential. Like with these pictures of Allie Curtis and Lyndsey Littlefield.

What? Yup. Those are pictures in a milk bath! Be sure to check out Kelsey's YouTube channel for the behind the scenes video of this shoot. Didn't the pictures of Sara Achorn and Meghan Rubadou turn out amazing?

As you can see, Kelsey really has a lot of fun with her shoots. Which is great, because we all then get to enjoy her work. Thankfully K. Garcia Productions has been sharing so many amazing images like these with all of us at Section 36.

I can't wait to see what she shares next!

K. Garcia Productions Week - Marketing Photography

 During the month of December, the Section 36 blog is celebrating "Photography Month" with weekly posts about photography. Monday started the month off with a feature on a photographer who has meant so much to the success of Section 36, Kelsey of K. Garcia Productions.

Readers of this blog know how important Kelsey has been. A single post didn't seem to be enough. Therefore, Section 36 Forevers is holding "K. Garcia Productions Week" as a way to try and show the world Kelsey's contributions. The K. Garcia Productions photos shown here on Section 36 Forevers have also done a pretty great job of showing all the different types of pictures she specializes in. Whether it's headshots and portraits, or fashion, or pageants they've all managed to find their way onto this blog. Today, though, we're going to focus on her "marketing" photographs. If you have a brand, or a business, or a product...the right picture of it can help potential customers see you in the proper light. It it a wonderful way to expand your brand, especially in the right hands. Kelsey certainly does that. What do I mean? Let's look as some examples that have graced the titleholder profile pages of this blog.

You've seen this picture before, perhaps because it's one of my favorite pictures ever. This picture was taken during a photo shoot K. Garcia Productions had with Bridget Oei. You probably remember Bridget from her visit with Section 36, and the fact that she finished first runner up to Miss America 2019. Bridget has this Section 36 sweatshirt and she and Kelsey surprised me by including the outfit in the shoot. It's just absolute perfection. As a marketing shot, it has everything. An amazing model showing off the merchandise, and the background color really helping everything pop. Can't imagine loving it more.

Here are a few photos Kelsey took for Duke's Bakery featuring the amazing Meghan Rubadou. Whether it's straight forward shot showing how you use...or in this case eat...the product, or using the product with a little bit of whimsy pictures like this get people to see what you have to offer. Kelsey does a great job of bringing out the best in whatever there is to offer.

As you can see, marketing photos can really be just about anything! Especially when those photos are taken by Kelsey. Thankfully K. Garcia Productions has been sharing so many amazing images like these with all of us at Section 36.

Wait until you see what comes next. 

K. Garcia Productions Week - Pageant Photos

During the month of December, the Section 36 blog is celebrating "Photography Month" with weekly posts about photography. Monday started the month off with a feature on a photographer who has meant so much to the success of Section 36, Kelsey of K. Garcia Productions.

Readers of this blog know full well how important Kelsey has been. So much so that a single post didn't seem to be enough. Therefore, Section 36 Forevers is holding "K. Garcia Productions Week" here on the blog. It's a fun way to try and show the world all of Kelsey's contributions. The K. Garcia Productions photos shown here on Section 36 Forevers have also done a pretty great job of showing all the different types of pictures she specializes in. Whether it's headshots and portraits, or fashion, or business they've all managed to find their way onto this blog. Today, though, we're going to focus on her pageant photographs. What do I mean? Let's look as some examples that have graced the titleholder profile pages of this blog.

Pageant photographs can be done on location, and maybe even on the spur of the moment. This great shot of several titleholders ready to run certainly shows that. If you look closely, you can see a couple visitors to Section 36 in this shot. Therefore, you can find this pic on the Section 36 Forevers profile page for both Jordan St. Onge and Jillian Zucco

This gorgeous picture shows how Kelsey captured the elegance within Bridget Oei. You probably remember Bridget from her interview with Section 36. 

I love this shot! Photographing titleholders and planes isn't something I would have thought of, so it's a good thing we have K. Garcia Productions. Love the contrast of the green gown against the backdrop. You again probably remember Molly Andrade from her interview.

Showing pageant girls in their element. Lyndsey Littlefield, now Miss Massachusetts, is also a Spartan racer. So, of course, picturing her working on an obstacle is the perfect way to show who she is. Once again, you probably remember Lyndsey from her interview.

Another great location helping to make a great pageant photo! Again, I hope you remember Allie Curtis from her interview with Section 36.

As you can see, pageant photos can really be just about anything! Especially when those photos are taken by Kelsey. Thankfully K. Garcia Productions has been sharing so many amazing images like these with all of us at Section 36.

One other segment of pageant photos that Kelsey excels at is taking pictures during the competition itself. Oddly, none of those photos have made their way on to Section 36 yet. And, that's a big "yet." Kelsey will be photographing at Miss America in just a couple weeks, and you'll be able to see those photos right here on Section 36 Forevers!

I can't wait! 

K. Garcia Productions Week - On Location Shoots

During the month of December, the Section 36 blog is celebrating "Photography Month" with weekly posts about photography. Monday started the month off with a feature on a photographer who has meant so much to the success of Section 36, Kelsey of K. Garcia Productions.

Readers of this blog know full well how important Kelsey has been. So much so that a single post didn't seem to be enough. Therefore, Section 36 Forevers is holding "K. Garcia Productions Week" here on the blog as way to try and show the world all of Kelsey's contributions. The K. Garcia Productions photos shown here on Section 36 Forevers have also done a pretty great job of showing all the different types of pictures she specializes in. Whether it's headshots and portraits, or fashion, or business they've all managed to find their way onto this blog. Today, though, we're going to focus on her "on location" photographs. When your stepping outside the studio, a good photographer can combine the right location with the right shot to make the perfect picture. Kelsey certainly does that. What do I mean? Let's look as some examples that have graced the titleholder profile pages of this blog.

Starting off with a few great shots of the current Miss Massachusetts Lyndsey Littlefield. The first shot beautifully shows the then Miss Lakeville posing with a lake. Brilliant. The second shot perfectly plays the colorful wetsuit against the water in the background. The third shot takes an urban background and uses it to show the essence of Lyndsey, working with an obstacle. you probably remember Lyndsey from her interview.

How do you know I'm not a professional photographer? I would never ask a model to pose in front of a bike rack And, if I did, it would never turn out close to as good as this first shot of Allie Curtis. The second shot perfectly combines an over the top costume with the perfect backdrop. I hope you remember Allie Curtis from her interview with Section 36.

Speaking of great backdrops, this shot of Jillian Zucco uses one to perfection. I love the way the color of her outfit mimics the color of the lighthouse against the sky. You might remember Jillian from her interview with Section 36.

Photographing titleholders and planes isn't something I would have thought of, so it's a good thing we have K. Garcia Productions. Love the contrast of the green gown against the backdrop. You again probably remember Molly Andrade from her interview.

This shot just works on so many levels. I love the look in the eyes of Nicolette Peloquin, casually sitting in her chair in the middle of the road. I hope you remember Nicolette from her interview.

As you can see, pageant photos can really be just about anything! Especially when those photos are taken by Kelsey. Thankfully K. Garcia Productions has been sharing so many amazing images like these with all of us at Section 36.

Wait until you see what comes next. 

K. Garcia Productions Week - Headshots and Portraits

During the month of December, the Section 36 blog is celebrating "Photography Month" with weekly posts about photography. Today started the month off with a feature on a photographer who has meant so much to the success of Section 36, Kelsey of K. Garcia Productions.

Of course, readers of this blog (and its social media accounts) know full well how important Kelsey has been. So much so that a single post didn't seem to be enough. Therefore, Section 36 Pageants is holding "K. Garcia Productions Week" here on the blog. It's a fun way to try and show the world all of Kelsey's contributions. The K. Garcia Productions photos shown here on Section 36 Pageants have also done a pretty great job of showing all the different types of pictures she specializes in. Whether it's pageant photographs, or fashion, or business they've all manages to find their way onto this blog. Today, though, we're going to focus on her portraits and headshots. What always amazes me is the ability of a photographer to take something that seems like it would be generic to me, a picture of someone's head, and somehow transform it into a unique work of art. What do I mean? Let's look as some examples that have graced the titleholder profile pages of this blog.

Nothing generic about this one, right? This picture perfectly encapsulates the personality of Meghan Rubadou.

This amazing headshot appears on Alexis Ferreira's interview. It's a simple, beautiful shot.

This incredible shot is of Megan Sylvia. Her fierceness just jumps right out of the picture.

A great portrait can be taken on location too! This shot of Allie Curtis perfectly incorporates her surroundings...and her smile.

Another one that is definitely not generic. This beautiful portrait lets you look deep into the soul of Lyndsey Littlefield as it peeks over the angel wings. Just incredible. 

As you can see, a lot can be done with a portrait when it's in the right hands. Thankfully K. Garcia Productions has been sharing so many amazing images like these with all of us at Section 36.

Wait until you see what comes next. 

Angelina Amerigo is Vlogging about her Life with the Miss Heart of the Lakes crown

 If you’re like me you’re fascinated with behind the scenes stuff. I’m the guy who sits on “It’s a Small World” and wonders about the ride’s electric bill. Or what needs to happen to allow you to perform at Fenway Park. Or what it’s like competing at Miss America. 

So, I was beyond thrilled when Angelina Amerigo announced she was creating a new vlog series chronicling her time with the Miss Heart of the Lakes crown. Here’s what she had to say about the project:

After working on this idea since I was crowned I am excited to share this with all of you! Welcome to my new series of videos all about my Miss Heart of the Lakes title! A fun fact about me is that besides singing, dancing, and acting another passion of mine is videography and editing! I wanted to start a series of videos all about what it is like to be a state title holder, along with being a part of the Miss America 2.0 organization. I thought this weekend was a great time to start! 

Yup that absolutely drew me in. After watching the first video, I was hooked! Check it out for yourself. 

So many wonderful details in there! How does she get ready for an appearance? What’s all the stuff nobody sees while she’s there? How tricky is it to juggle life as a titleholder?

Fantastic. 

After watching that video, I’m sure you’re going to want to subscribe to Angelina’s YouTube channel to make sure you don’t miss the next one. Or the one after that. In fact, the whole channel is filled with videos you’ll want to see. Check them all out. 

What do you hope she vlogs about next?

Marissa Tilley, of Lady Black Tie, Visits Section 36 Forevers!

Marissa at showroom grand opening
November 201

Section 36 Pageants has another visitor! Marissa Tilley is the owner of Lady Black Tie, a formalwear showroom in Andover MA. Since so many of her gowns have been worn by prior visitors to Section 36, I was excited that she was willing to visit with us to discuss her showroom, how she got into the business, and where she hopes to go from here. Hopefully you’ll enjoy this as much as I did.

So, let’s see what happens when Marissa Tilley visits Section 36

What was your first venture in fashion and formal wear?

Marissa Walking
Fall 2015

When I trace back my interest in formalwear, I would say the seed was planted when I was 19 years old. I was in the right place at the right time; I got invited to walk the runway in New York Fashion Week Fall 2008 for Couture evening gown designers. I had only a few days notice to attend the casting and I had never modeled before. I had to show up looking like I belonged, so I had a photographer snap some artsy photos of me wearing one of my prom dresses in the woods. I used these photos to print out a comp card. (Long before Instagram, having a comp card was a must for modeling!). Before I knew it, I was cast and a few days later, I was on the runway in New York Fashion Week. I walked in 9 different shows my first season and wore the most glamorous formal gowns. I continued to come back to NYFW almost every season through my 20's - always walking in stunning couture gowns. I would say this experience left me with a romanticized impression of the formal wear niche. Almost 10 years after my very first runway show in September 2008, here I am opening my own formal gown business in November 2018!

How did you come up with the name “Lady Black Tie”?

I wanted a name that was simple and also summarized what we do. The best business names are the ones that are simple. When I first thought of “Lady Black Tie” I typed it into search engines and all that came up (at the time) were random articles in Vogue and other magazines titled ‘How to dress for a black tie event” and not much else. So I thought, "Wow, no retailer has taken advantage of this space on search engines?”  I searched social media and nobody had taken the name there either. I liked how simple and succinct the name was. We sell black tie attire for ladies. So, I filed a trademark on it and claimed all the social media handles.  Voila! We have a name.

What do you like about your showroom location in Andover MA?
Opening shop in Andover was significant for attracting in-store

Marissa
Spring 2016

visitors when we first opened. I opened the store strategically just before prom season in November 2018 so I could have two solid months of heavy social media marketing before Prom shopping rush in January. Downtown Andover is very charming and it's also convenient to drive to. Most of our prom customers are located within a 30 mile driving radius from Andover; with the bulk of our business coming from customers who live within a 10 mile drive from us. A lot of major highways and roadways connect around Andover, so we won a lot of business from Mothers and girls who found it convenient to drive to our store first; before trekking to the other side of the North Shore (where other Prom stores are located). The roadways make it inconvenient to get over to where the other stores are. Our location was a contributing factor to our early success. 

How do you decide what styles/brands of dresses to carry?
Lady Black Tie carries a lot of unique designers and styles that you don't really see in other local formalwear stores; this was intentional. We work with American and Australian designers. The American designers we carry are very fashion forward, keeping pace with the ever-evolving consumer demand that is influenced by what's trending on social media at the moment. As per our Australian influence - I spent 2 years living in Sydney, Australia and my family is half Australian so my husband and I travel there every year. Australian fashion is positively different to what is trending in the US market. Our customers responded very well to the styles we'd bring in from Australia so we just kept reordering over and over again as the styles would sell out so quickly. Our customers really love that they can  shop for styles with us that they can't easily find anywhere else nearby.

What has surprised you the most during the six months or so Lady Black Tie has been open?

Marissa
Fall 2008

Honestly, our website’s unexpected and incredibly fast growth. It only took a few months in business before our monthly web sales started outperforming our storefront’s sales. I didn’t expect it would be this way so soon and I feel lucky to be in this position.  At this point, I’ve doubled down on what's working and we’ve been investing a lot into our growth online because it’s where the potential lies. Someday our storefront will eventually hit a peak for the amount of business we can bring in (limited to customers in driving distance). Whereas our website can grow far beyond that and at a much faster rate.We have shipped dresses to all 50 states and all providences in Canada. We’ve shipped to Europe, Australia and some parts of Asia by now. The success with our online sales changed my perspective on how I originally planned to invest in and operate the business. Maybe I’ll change my mind on this statement; for now, I’m thinking we may keep our storefront small and just keep expanding the online business. We're not even a year old and we're already exploring renting warehouse space for inventory and operations. It's been fantastic.

What is your favorite part about owning Lady Black Tie?
There are two things I love about owning Lady Black Tie . 1. Every day is entirely different and equally exciting. You don't always know what you're walking into and it isn't always predictable. 2. Owning your own business is incredibly freeing. Even though I put in a lot of hours - far more than I did in my boring corporate jobs- it doesn't ever feel like 'work' when I'm here. I remember in my stint in a corporate job, I'd find myself looking at the clock often to see when the day would be over. I never get that feeling at Lady Black Tie because I'm doing what I love every day. 

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That’s definitely the goal!

As always, I want to give huge thanks to Marissa for doing this interview. I’m glad we were able to make it happen. I also want to thank her for providing the pictures to accompany the interview. I loved the look back at her getting her start in the industry.

If you looking for a formal gown, know someone who is, or just enjoy looking at amazing fashion, I encourage you to check out Lady Black Tie. You should follow all of the Lady Black Tie social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) as well as check out the official website. If you’re in the area, you should really swing by the showroom on Chestnut St in Andover MA. It will make picking out the perfect gown even easier.

And, if you talk to Marissa don’t forget to tell her you saw her on Section 36 Pageants!

Thanks again Marissa!

How to Find the Perfect Dress with Help from Meghan Rubadou and Lady Black Tie!

 I know.

It's daunting.

You need a dress for a competition, or an appearance, or a dance, or a party. None of the ones you have really seem to work. You need something new.

Of course, there are only about 36 million different combinations of colors and styles of dresses to choose from. How on earth do you begin?

Luckily, Meghan Rubadou is here to help. You probably remember Meghan from her interview with Section 36 not long ago. She teamed up with fellow friend of the blog Lady Black Tie to make a video to provide some pointers before you get started. You should definitely check it out!

 

If you're looking for a dress of your own, you should certainly start with Lady Black Tie!

April is Donate Life Month

 I'm sure you all remember Section 36’s wonderful interview with Miss Vermont Julia Crane. During her visit, she discussed many things, including her platform of Organ Donation.

Since April is Donate Life Month, I thought it would be a wonderful time to mention that interview as a way to begin to learn about the benefits of organ and tissue donation.

I also know that Julia has several events planned this month celebrating Donate Life Month. So, I highly encourage you to find her on Instagram to make sure you don't miss out on anything she has planned.

You'll be glad you did.

A Sale for Opening Day

 The Major League Baseball season officially starts today! Are you excited? Can you feel it? The baseball on the field? The sun shining down on you wearing your Section 36 shirt? 

Wait, what's that? You don't have a Section 36 shirt? Well, you'd better hurry up! As luck would have it, I'm here to help. Because there's a sale!

Today through Sunday, the Section 36 will be on sale! Don't miss this opportunity to show your support for the blog all season long! 

So, head over right now and select something that you like. But, don't delay. The sale only runs through Sunday! That's right only a few days before prices go back to their regular levels.

Click Here Now!

And, as always, when you do get an item, send me a picture wearing it for me to share with the world! The blog, Facebook, and even Instagram!

Like Bridget did! (With some help from K. Garcia Productions)

This sweatshirt is on sale!

Like Kylee did to show off her amazing new tank top.

This tank is 27% off!

Or like Erin did with her tank!

It's still 27% off!

(Yeah, that tank top is my best seller!)

Or Nicolette, who went with a great t-shirt!

This t-shirt is 30% off!

Or like Allison did!

This t-shirt is 30% off!

But, first you need to buy something you like. There's a lot to choose from.

What will you get?

The available style and color combinations are practically endless!

Which is your favorite?

Love Better

You remember Section 36's fantastic visit  with Miss Greater Rockville Sylvana Gonzalez, right? During the interview, she mentioned an upcoming Love Better event that she was excited to host. To go along with that, Sylvana will be expanding on the goal of the event...promoting the vow to Love Better. The best thing for you to do is to follow her on Instagram so you won't miss any of the updates. But here is her latest post, in her words. 

“Everyone deserves healthy relationships. The problem is that while we’ve all felt love, we’re never taught HOW to love. By learning what healthy relationships look like and practicing these skills in our lives, we can strengthen our relationships and teach others to do the same. Making the world a healthier place starts with you, and how you love in your relationships.” - A direct mission statement of the @join1love foundation

Over the last year I have come in contact with men and women alike who stand as survivors, voluntarily sharing their truths of their toxic experiences with domestic violence. As we approach the #LoveBetterGala this #May8 I will be sharing what statements were made in our relationships, that made us vow to #LoveBetter. In doing so we will shed light that domestic violence is not just physical - but emotionally, mentally and spiritually draining.

Like I said, an important topic that I'm glad Sylvana's bringing more attention. So, definitely go visit her Instagram to learn more. And if you have a story of your own to share, leave her a message (with her account, or right here in the comments). 

I know she'd love to hear from you.

Happy Engineers Week!

Yeah, I know. The week is almost over, so I’m a bit late. But, there’s a reason I decided to mention it today.

I hope you’ve all been enjoying the interviews I’ve been fortunate enough to conduct with Miss America (and other organizations) titleholders. I’ve always thought it was fun to talk to these baseball fans and see what they had to say. You may have noticed that many of them have platforms dealing with science and engineering, which is fantastic. One of them (at least) is even currently a civil engineer. Emily Mahana interviewed with me last year when she held the Miss Upstate New York crown, and talked about her platform getting girls interested in engineering. With Engineers Week this week, I thought it might be fun to expand on that. So, Emily was nice enough to create a video talking about Engineers Week and, especially, Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day...which happens to be today! (I told you I had a reason.) So please watch Emily’s video below… View from Section 36: Emily Mahana shares her views on Engineers Week”!

 

I hope you enjoyed it. (Notice the logo in the background?) With any luck this will be the first in a series of “View from Section 36” videos. Gotta put that YouTube channel to work!

Making Hoops For Miracles

I'm sure you remember Ashley Marsh from her visit with Section 36. Well, she is now involved in a fantastic event. She is running a basketball camp for charity! Check it out.

Here's the press release from the event:

Miss New Hampshire hopeful to hold basketball clinic fundraiser Feb. 3

Laconia native Ashley Marsh is running for the title of Miss New Hampshire 2019 this April in Derry. She currently holds the title of Miss Isles of Shoals, and has been competing in the Miss New Hampshire scholarship program for the past three years, earning over $16,000 towards her higher education. She’s currently a graduate student at Springfield College in Massachusetts, studying athletic counseling with a goal of becoming an athletic director for academic success for a Division I institution. 

To be eligible to compete for the title of Miss New Hampshire, Marsh and the other 28 candidates must raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. All money raised will go directly to the nearest network hospital, Boston Children’s. Marsh has visited Boston Children’s for the past two years for their Princess and Prince event, where she helps with arts and crafts, paint nails for that patients, and plays games with them. 

Marsh is hosting a basketball clinic with all funds raised going to her Children’s Miracle Network hospital account. The clinic, Making Hoops for Miracles, will be held Sunday, Feb. 3, with two different sessions. Session 1 is for ages seven to 10, and runs 10 a.m.-noon. Session 2 is for ages 11-14, running 12:30-2:30 p.m. The clinic will be held at Gilford Hills Tennis and Fitness Club, and Brewster Academy’s assistant coach David Hersey, along with players from his team, will volunteer at the clinic. 

The cost of the clinic is $25, and limited spots are available. To sign up, email ashleymarsh1011@gmail.com with the child’s name and age.

***

That's all the details. Doesn't it sound like a lot of fun? You should absolutely contact Ashley as soon as possible to reserve your spot. It's sure to be a great time, supporting a great cause!

What could be better?