Ana's iPhone photography tips - now on IGTV!

I’ve been doing something lately that brings me JOY.

The Covid-19 lockdown has lent me the time to nurture something I’ve always loved but always given the back burner - GIVING iPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY tips!

I’ve always offered phone tips for my Instagram community and portrait clients, but using your phone is more valuable than ever since we’re all at home without the ability to hire a professional. It brings me so much satisfaction to empower YOU to get the HIGH I know I get when I know I’ve taken an awesome photo. The feeling is addicting!

Here’s a video on How to do Ana’s secret Up-Angle trick to level-up your photo storytelling. A sample photo is below! (shot on an iPhone 11 Pro Max)

(Here’s the pop-socket I mention in the video!)

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Abbi Marie Yoga

The objective for Abbi Marie’s photographs was to show the beauty and inner calm of a life lived with a full heart, a life in which “I AM ENOUGH”. For Abbi, this manifests in her yoga practice but also in her world view. We engaged many different elements of her professional dance background to counterpoint the forward-thinking and easy flow of her present and future in the wellness space. Catch her at a Y7 studio near you!

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My own wedding!

Here's a fun thing - thanks to my friend Shannen's beautiful photos, my wedding last October was just published on Martha Stewart! It's been so wonderful this week to go through and re-live the love we packed into that room. I feel so full and happy every time I look at these!

Shannen - your talents amaze me forever and always. 

This photo makes me laugh so hard! I LOVE New York. 

This photo makes me laugh so hard! I LOVE New York. 

The AG Print Shop is Live! | Ana Gambuto

I travel a lot, and I love-love adding to my travel photo archive. After getting inquiries on Instagram about buying my travel work printed, I decided to open a print shop online! I was planning a newly re-vamped website anyway, to include branding with my new married name, Ana Gambuto.

My bestie Julie then had a brilliant idea - and kindly offered her home - a prosecco party to launch the print shop! Julie's beautiful apartment and fabulous taste was integral to my curating a beautiful (pink!) neighborhood happy hour to look at the work, large and all over the walls. 


As a child on the coast of California, I spent my days experimenting with art and imagination.

As an adult, that sense of exploration feeds my love for big cities, new friends and travel.

The works in this collection are all deeply meaningful to me. There's a thread of beauty--often mystery--and always a sense of possibility. From my heart to your walls! 

There's prints in three sizes, framed or unframed. 

**Photos at the party were taken by my beautiful friend and photographer Sandy Soo Hoo!

There were pink cake truffles from the Milk Bar, beet-cured salmon bites from Poppy's, and my favorite-ever prosecco from Waterfront Wines

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The Gambutos thank you for coming! 

The Gambutos thank you for coming! 

BABIES! | Brooklyn Photographer Ana Gambuto

I've been a professional photographer for fourteen years, and I've photographed all kinds of stuff. My favorite-favorite lens candy though, will always be your weird, hyper, spectacular, drooling, messy little baby-kid person. Here's a few favorite baby photos I've taken,  new and old, that make me smile ear to ear!

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The 1-year-old CAKE SMASH! | Brooklyn Photographer Ana Gambuto

Recently I've had a lot of requests for a special kind of photoshoot - and it TICKLES me good - the CAKE SMASH to celebrate a one-year-old's birthday!

Ooh-lala! Baby pink ruffles on three tiers, created to perfection by Nine Cakes.

The first year of life is so much fun, with new milestones early daily. There are rites of passage left and right, though often, babies reach their 1-year mark having never or rarely eaten sugar! What better way to break in those new teeth than a camera-ready crowd of cheering people initiating baby into the world of The Sugar High! 

The key is to place the cake down, and then... give it time! It takes sometimes 10-15 minutes for the little one to figure out the whole cake situation and how fun it can be! 

How cute is this puppy-themed cake? Betsy at Nine Cakes does it again! 

It can also be a good idea to get down to just a diaper before the grand cake smash begins!

Clear the floor, it's about to get a sugar-crusted coating. 

This gorgeous little number is from Ovenly bakery!

The Women's March on Washington | Brooklyn Photographer Ana Gambuto

On Saturday I marched on Washington with my new sister @isabellagambuto and about 800,000 of my female humanity-positivity-solidarity-sisters. What an incredible and overwhelming wave of joy we rode together, refusing to sit quietly in our place, refusing to accept the unacceptable. TOGETHER! Here are even more photos, up today on Cup of jo!

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My new sister Isabella (I just married her brother!) makes these wonderful embroideries. She handmade all her jacket's patches! Visit her Etsy shop here. 

We hopped up here to get a better view!

And finally, here is a video I made during my day of marching. I am so honored to have kept stride with each of the beautiful strangers I met! Onward, ladies! (The next step is 10 Actions in 10 Days, learn more about that here.)

Making Signs for the Women's March | Brooklyn Photographer Ana Gambuto

My friend Ashley is an artist. She makes incredible crafts and art works by hand, with just paper, pen, and paint. She and l realized we were both going to the Women's March together, and we decided to throw a sign-making party for our community! 

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We gathered and purchased supplies, and Ashley painted us a party logo sign. We sent out a bunch of emails, and the response was fantastic! Kids and adults alike showed up to make signs to march for Women's rights here at home in NYC or in Washington DC. Some people weren't even able to attend a march, but wanted to make art anyway. We figure everyone will need posters and buttons to wear for the ongoing resistance!

Ashley created some button designs to start us off, and then people could also use a circle template to make their own buttons!

Ashley created some button designs to start us off, and then people could also use a circle template to make their own buttons!

Tristin and Tyler came to the party! They're always out and about helping their community. 

It started crazy snowing outside during our art party! It was so pretty to watch the flakes out the ninth floor of our workshop. We rented the beautiful space by the day from Breather, and had a great experience! It's a nice way to hold a short gathering in NYC when there's too many people to be at your own house.

Selfie!

Just a few of the buttons we made!

Who runs the world? GIRLS!

A Sign-making Party for the Women's March on Washington! With Artist Ashley Page Norton and photographer Ana Gambuto.

We're so proud of our work and we had a blast just hanging out and making things with our community. See you at the March, or if I don't, I stand with you wherever you are! 

Ali Forney Center | Brooklyn Photographer Ana Gambuto

Tonight my friend Sole and I hosted a dinner at my house. Food, feels and a bit of action. Sole cooked a beautiful meal, and we all sat down together.

We watched a five minute video on the Center, telling us about Ali, the youth whose light shined so bright that he inspired the work of helping generations of others.

Donations go in the basket! The sign is a handy prop left over from my recent wedding.

December 2016 feels crazy. There's been one wave after another of change in the the world, and one development is crazier than the next. This week as each new cabinet member gets announced feels especially nuts. It feels like being flattened between two whooshing subway trains, barely able to grasp the scope of one disaster before the next barrels toward you. It is easy to feel paralyzed. 

One thing that felt important was connecting with others. Last night we had some really great conversations about our fears and concerns, the steps we've taken to enact change, and the different histories and personal experiences that brought us together. 

We thought, let's do something super-local, to benefit our community. The massively unknown future our country faces has stakes that are too high to stay still.

We asked each guest to bring $40 bucks or so, and we'd provide the dinner. The whole pot goes directly to the Ali Forney Center

Our mission is to protect LGBTQ youths from the harms of homelessness and empower them with the tools needed to live independently. -Ali Forney Center

They provide shelter to young people who need it. Enough said. That's why we chose them.

There are many groups of people who are in grave danger of losing their rights in the coming months, and gay youth are high on that list; these are, for the most part, kids whose very identity has brought abuse and violence upon them, often by their own parents, who have kicked them out or made them feel unsafe. 

I think about all the good fortune in my life, the basics of which are having been born white, heterosexual, and with a culturally acceptable gender identity. I was loved and cherished as a young person in my home.

Home is supposed to be a safe place, the safest place you know. What if that essential part of your life is the very part that shames you and kicks you out in the cold? I quite literally can't imagine it. I'm aware of my incredible good fortune, and I vow to act on behalf of those who don't have that luxury.

We raised $1,000! I am proud of our efforts and uplifted by the conversations we had last night. One little step at a time!

Sole Anatrone, chef hard at work!

Sole and Ana!

Sole and Ana!

To read more about the Ali Forney Center, or to donate. CLICK HERE

(post not sponsored, this was a labor of love).

Tomorrow, I get married

Tomorrow, I get married and I'm totally ready. I'm filled with anticipation and butterflies, but in the very best way. How will I group hug so many of my loved ones at once? Will I remember to thank everyone I cherish? 

I'm on the edge of this huge life change, and doing a tiny moment of reflection. I'm looking forward with a huge surge of gratitude and love for where I've been, and eager on my tiptoes for all that is to come. Tomorrow, I marry the love of my life.

Tomorrow, a Gambuto!

Jessi Arrington's Human Rainbow

As soon as I heard, I dressed in RED and literally ran. I ran all the way from my house in Brooklyn Heights to the Brooklyn Bridge, and I was so early to the Human Rainbow event that I was literally the first one there. Me and the NY1 guy, who was there to put the rainbow on local TV. 

Jessi Arrington has always loved rainbows. In the wake of the tragedy in Orlando, she decided her colorful instincts could be put to an incredible good use. She planned a beautiful moment of community. People spanned the Brooklyn Bridge, arm in arm, wearing all colors of the rainbow.

We're going to link arms and show the world that love is brighter and bolder than hate. Every time. Even now. Tuesday, June 14, dress solidly in one bright color of the rainbow, and show up at the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge at 6:30pm.

Click over to the Human Rainbow page to hear Jessi talk about the project much better, in her own words. I know for my part that it was a moving experience to dress up, walk alone onto the bridge, and smile and hug hundreds of strangers. It feels good, and it feels important, to celebrate love.

We figured out how to find the actual middle!

We figured out how to find the actual middle!

(selfie)

(selfie)

Hello from Japan!

I am so excited to be in Japan. It's been at the top of my bucket list for a long time now! So far, this beautiful, organized and super-polite country has NOT disappointed. (alternate headline: my matcha green tea obsession continues!)

Color Psychology with Fiona Humberstone in Manhattan

Branding your business can be daunting. But when you work together, it gets easier! Fiona Humberstone, the Brand Stylist, leads an intimate crew of creatives through an enlightening, fun and thought provoking workshop in Manhattan. 

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The Brand Stylist, Fiona Humberstone

Fiona is a passionate teacher. She is warm, enthusiastic and a great listener. But you're well served to do more listening than talking! She's overflowing with knowledge to share.

This workshop was a brilliant day for me, because I got to "audit" it while I documented it! 

Aren't these hanging green things amazing?! They're kokedamas! I need them all over my house. Need! Eco-florist Gloria B. Collins created these gorgeous green miracles, and I'm absolutely in awe of them. 

The food was divine as well! Catered by Poppy's in Brooklyn.

The food was divine as well! Catered by Poppy's in Brooklyn.

I'm now obsessed with confetti shooters! 

I'm now obsessed with confetti shooters! 

Good Light Studio was a beautiful location for a workshop! 

Good Light Studio was a beautiful location for a workshop! 

 

 

Clinton Hill's 5lb. new resident, and his puppy | Ana Gambuto Photography

 

I am so excited to share these photos of baby Kaden! I've known K's mama for many years, and she's a total NYC bad ass, having worked for every A-list photography production house in the entirety of New York City over the last 10 years, AND being my hilarious, loving and beautiful friend. 

Introducing baby to pup can be stressful... or just hilarious! 

Introducing baby to pup can be stressful... or just hilarious! 

Photography on a a rainy day in Clinton Hill is never dull with a cutie like this!

Fall Family Shoots with Ana

I'm excited to bask in the golden glow of the changing leaves on the East Coast this year. My family portrait shooting season is cut short this year due to a big, juicy travel trip coming up, so I'm making the most of the sessions I get in October! I'd say the leaves are cooperating nicely.

Connecticut always gives us the truly postcard-worthy Fall experience! 

Connecticut always gives us the truly postcard-worthy Fall experience!