Our Story

You’ve heard about our “Back to the Academy” workshop, right? You might be asking yourself “How did this academy come about in the first place? Haven’t you always just taken portraits?” 

Truth is, unless you’ve asked one of us specifically how we started this crazy thing, you probably don’t know the story. Allow me elaborate!

Five years ago, in the spring of 2011, I had been homeschooling my three girls for many years and my oldest was nearing the end of her 7th grade year. The assignment for the end of the year was to do a project of 100 years of something. My 12 year old chose hairstyles. And, the rest is history (quite literally!)

You tube has developed quite a bit since then but there were still a few videos on how to do retro hair. With a combination of my already existing love of vintage style and the techniques offered in the videos, it began.

After just a month of trying and perfecting styles from the faux bob to victory rolls and studying the clothing styles that matched, I began offering workshops at the Blennerhassett Hotel.

The workshops were so much fun. Swing music and dress-up, hair demos and makeup application, champagne and chocolate fountains!

After just a few months, I met the BEST business partner and friend a sassy gal like me could ask for, Andi (awesome) Roberts! In January of 2012 (National Spaghetti Day) and hatched a crazy plan to offer the women of the MOV both, an experience AND incredible photos! And, just like that, we began to grow a most magnificent tomato garden!

We’ve done a few little classes here and there but I am THRILLED to offer a full workshop and include the expertise from our whole crew! Two make-up artists, two hair stylists, two photographers, and two wardrobe stylists!! Get one on one attention and get all your questions answered!

Enjoy a leisurely day in the our Parlor, snacking and sipping, laughing and learning and ending the workshop looking fabulous and taking your spot in front of the lens! Back to School has never been this sassy!

RESERVE YOUR SPOT

 

 

 

July 29, 2016March 2, 2017 by hottomatopinupacademy8 Categories: Community, GDHT, Legacy, Portrait, Power, Real TalkTags: back to school, Hot Tomato, Marietta, Ohio, Photography, Pinup Leave a comment

The BIKINI Project

The Hot Tomato crew has been in a full tilt bikini discussion all Spring! We send selfies of our current stock and share links to cute ones on sale. It’s become a little bit of a habit with some…(Jocelyn, I’m looking at you!)

You see, once you have been running with this saucy crop of tomatoes for a while, your view of an acceptable body, well, becomes such a non-issue that you’re not even sure how to complete a sentence about it!

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Wayne Dyer

Body acceptance doesn’t stop with you. When you learn to love the skin you’re in, ALL bodies become beautiful! You are no longer comparing yours to someone else’s or waiting for it to be a different size or shape! Your body, in this moment, is absolutely perfect *EVEN if it’s undergoing a transformation. Plus, you will ONLY improve upon your shape from loving it. It will never be hated into a shape you desire. Get ready to CELEBRATE it!!

Tess Munster KILLING IT in a stunner of a bikini!

The Goal: Everyone that books a summer session (available dates below) will have the option to add a bikini shot to their session, free of charge, and be part of the Hot Tomato 2017 All Bodies Bikini Promo with our whole staff!

The Dates: 

June- 17th and 18th, 24th and 25th

July -7th, 8th and 9th and 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th

Aug- 19th, 20th and 21st

BEGIN HERE to get on the BOOKS!

 

 

 

June 11, 2016 by hottomatopinupacademy8 Categories: ContemporaryTags: bikini, Contemporary, empower, Hot Tomato, Hot Tomato Pinup Academy, Marietta, MOV, Ohio, Photography, Pinup, Self Care, sexy Leave a comment

Card-Carrying GDHT’s

Chances are pretty good that you first heard about Hot Tomato from a friend… ya know, that cute, sassy, rebel type. See, it’s this great part of the human experience to immediately feel compelled to tell your besties that they simply MUST do the awesome thing you just did!

 

Get a fabulous massage? Have a scrumptious dinner at a fancy restaurant? See a heart-pounding action thriller on the big screen? What did you do next? You told a friend to make and appointment, book a reservation and get in the popcorn line!

 

“Clients adore the referral cards! Anything that gives their girlfriends that extra push to come and do a session, makes my job a piece of pie!”-Jesse Hyde

 

We’re so grateful that you’re doing this bit of legwork that we threw in some Hot Tomato credit as a little wink and the gun to all you sexy Hot Tomato alumni. Here’s how it works!

You get 5 of these cards after your session. (We give you more if you run out.) We write your name and the year on each one and tuck them into a cheetah-print box. You hand them out to your sassiest friends and when one of those cards finds its way back to The Parlor and your friend books her Hot Tomato session, bam, you both get $50 in the Hot Tomato bank!

The sassiness has to start somewhere!! If you want be be the first Hot Tomato among your friends and you’re ready to jump in with both feet, click here and let’s start the conversation!

We can’t wait to meet you!

 

 

May 2, 2016 by hottomatopinupacademy8 Categories: ContemporaryTags: Contemporary, Hot Tomato, Hot Tomato Pinup Academy, Marietta, MOV, Ohio, Photography, Pinup, referral, sexy Leave a comment

CAN it, Sister!

“I can’t.”

“I just can’t.”

“I can’t find any clothes!”

“I can’t ever find time for me.”

“I just can’t shed these extra pounds.”

“I’d love to do a shoot but I can’t afford it.”

“I can’t possibly relax when I’m being photographed.”

“I can’t imagine what I would do with sexy photos of myself.”

Well lookie there! A pyramid of can’t in the pale website! See what I did there? It was a reference to Alan Jackson’s Chattahoochee song. I’m not saying it was a good one.

March 6, 2016March 6, 2016 by hottomatopinupacademy8 Categories: ContemporaryTags: Contemporary, Hot Tomato, Hot Tomato Pinup Academy, Marietta, Ohio, Photography, Pinup, sexy 1 Comment

Anna: Repeat Offender

The most delightful surprise for me since creating Hot Tomato is the number of clients who come back..not just once but over and over! This isn’t just a bucket list item for many in the area. Booking time with Hot Tomato has developed into a long term relationship with an extended group of support, encouragement and self care. It’s a way to celebrate their adulthood through all of its transformations!

Meet Anna. I met her when I was helping Andi greet clients for a Roberts Family Photography Holiday Mini session day. She arrived with her family for holiday portraits and I recall her being kind and reserved, very polite and maybe even a little shy! This gal turned out to be one of our VIP firecrackers! A stunning model, an adventurous spirit and a wonderful friend!

February 10, 2016March 6, 2016 by hottomatopinupacademy8 Categories: ContemporaryTags: All Women, annasweets, Contemporary, empowering, fun, harley quinn, heels for combat boots, Hot Tomato, Marietta, Ohio, parlormaid, Photography, Pinup, portraits, sexy Leave a comment

Vintage Valentine

“I’ve always thought of accessories as the exclamation point of a woman’s outfit.” ~Michael Kors

When Hot Tomatoes LOVE a business, everyone knows it. So, it’s time to give a big ol shout out to Heirloom Finds!

We first heard about this hidden gem looking through the sponsor list for the 2014 Sparkly Ladies event. I was intrigued at that point but totally sold when I opened the swag bag to find serious bling.

In the Spring of 2015, Hot Tomato shot a commercial modeling session for the brand.

 

February 2, 2016March 6, 2016 by hottomatopinupacademy8 Categories: ContemporaryTags: bling, Contemporary, gift, heart, Heirloom Finds, Hot Tomato, jewelry, locket, Ohio, Photography, Pinup, statement pieces, Valentine, Valentines Day, West Virginia Leave a comment

Mary Mary

A Bloody Mary is a cocktail containing vodka, tomato juice, and combinations of other spices and flavorings including Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, beef consommé or bouillon, horseradish, celery, olives, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and celery salt. It has been called “the world’s most complex cocktail“.

http://www.chowhound.com

Well, Hot Tomatoes happen to know a lot about complexity not to mention spice!

Want to mingle with all the spicy tomatoes this coming Friday? GOOD! Because there is one heck of an event hitting the Marietta scene on Jan 29th!

Doors open at 6:00PM. Get in line.

Music starts at 9:00PM. Cover the dance floor. Cherry on Top

This is a first come-first served situation!

Tickets are available on SupremeTicket.com ($10 in advance, $12 day of show)
Tickets include 6 Bloody Mary tasters submitted by our competitors and admission to see the phenomenal rock band, Cherry On Top!!

Six entrants will been chosen to compete and the competitive force really came out as some really unique, spicy concoctions poured in!

Popular opinion will narrow the field down to three and the winner will be chosen by our own Hot Tomatoes!! (I mean, who better right?)

Once the whole gorgeous panel has sipped, slurped, poured, chugged and sipped again, a napkin will be politely applied to red lips and a winner will be announced!

THIS lucky individual will receive a 2016 All Event Pass, have their drink featured at The Galley bar and have the very appreciative attention of a sweet smelling, corset clad group of sexy ladies!

We are looking most forward to welcoming all of our favorites through the door to clink glasses and engage in a popular past time…judging the worth of a tomaoto-based cocktail!

SEE YOU THERE!!

“The Bloody Mary is above all other cocktails is my personal favorite. Sweet liquor concoctions are for the very young, the very old or those lacking passion.” Madame

We asked a brilliant group of friends to write a haiku about the saucy beverage. Here are a few of our favorites!

A Bloody Mary…
A fine drink for all people,
Tomato and spice.
Courtney Alden

When the nights too hard
Refresh with Bloody Marys
Morning after bliss.
Deb Cannon

Tabasco,Chilies!
Celery, onions and booze!
Good on a snow day.
Gil Moore

Tomato puree of heart.
And horseradish tease.
With bacon and pickle please!
Brianna Bodie

O Virgin Mary
Art thou envious of thy
vodka-soused cousin?
Dave Gill

Thanks, Doves!

See you all FRIDAY!!!

January 25, 2016March 2, 2016 by hottomatopinupacademy8 Categories: PortraitTags: bloody mary, cherry on top, cocktail, competition, Contemporary, galley, haiku, Hot Tomato, Marietta, Ohio, Photography, Pinup, recipe, vodka Leave a comment

Dear Santa..

Copy this note. Paste it EVERYWHERE. (Don’t even pretend like you don’t deserve it or think that it’s not the right time) You’re on the Naughty list and that’s exactly where you should be!

Oh, and do we ever! How’s this sound?

We immediately connect you with our Concierge, Jessica Kufel. She will familiarize you with the process and walk you through our gorgeous downtown studio. Together you will plan your session. The options are seemingly endless yet, not at all overwhelming when coming from her!

When you arrive for your session, you are a Queen! A friendly attentive team will play the music you love, lay out your outfits and all accessories, keep a sparkling beverage in your hand at all times, apply delicate pigments to your face and wind your locks into bouncing silky waves!

You dress. We are in awe. With the transformation complete, you are ushered into the first shooting space that your photographer and her assistant have arranged just for you. Ask any client that has shot with us ever, any remaining nerves are checked here! This is the magic.

*FLASH*DAZZLE*FLASH*

December 9, 2015March 6, 2016 by hottomatopinupacademy8 Categories: PortraitTags: 21, blackjack, Christmas, Contemporary, gamble, gift certificate, Marietta, Ohio, Photography, Pinup Leave a comment