Atomic Cheesecake Studios

Last spring, I was feeling a little down and booked a shoot with Stacey as a confidence booster. I absolutely hate having my photo taken, but after reading reviews, I decided to just go for it.
Since May, I have had three shoots with Stacey. Why? She is super laid back and hilarious, and made me feel completely comfortable the moment I met her. I was so nervous at my first shoot that my awkwardness/​shyness would show in photos and they wouldn’t turn out, but every picture looked AMAZING. Stacey makes you feel completely beautiful as she perfectly does your hair and makeup and helps you choose a flattering outfit. She is wonderful at directing your poses and facial expressions so that all of your photos turn out great.
Her prices are very fair and she can recreate any classic pin up poses, or make your unique idea come to life. If you’re on the fence, go for it. You won’t regret it, and I guarantee you’ll want to come back!

This reveiw is almost 2 years late, but since I have booked my 2^nd shoot I thought it would be fitting to share my experience. I was a little nervous about my hair and makeup because I am an African American with dark skin. I asked Stacey if she had experience with dark skin and assured me that she had worked with all skintypes and had no problem doing so. The final looks for the shoot were amazing and I was flawless walking out of the door. The prep time was fun because she is easy to converse with, down to earth, and just a beautiful inside and out… and will make you feel the same wether you are tall, short, big, small, black, white or anything in between. I assure you will enjoy the experience from start to finish. Not to mention, the final pictures were GORGEOUS!!! I cant wait until my next shoot.

I went for the first time for my birthday back in March, and it was one helluva way to celebrate my birthday! Stacey does an amazing job at making you feel at ease all while looking like the sexy vixen you were born to be. Prices are on point with what you get.
I can’t wait for my next shoot!

I had so much fun at my shoot! I have a chronic illness and spent most of last year feeling sick and unattractive. The day of my shoot Stacey made me feel beautiful and girly again. I NEVER like pictures of myself but these are stunning! She does great hair and makeup and has tons af clothes and accessories to choose from. I highly recommend her.

Atomic Cheesecake is a wonderful example of what can happen when a talented individual makes a living doing what she’s passionate about. This was such a fun experience. I was originally going to have a shoot be a weight loss reward, then thought, «Eh, screw it, I’ll do it for my birthday at whatever size I am.» Every picture I’ve seen features women of all shapes and sizes, and they’re all amazing — fun, gorgeous and classy. I had my shoot 2 weeks ago and had so much fun. Stacey does the makeup and hair herself and has an extensive wardrobe, though I had to bring my own shoes (her supply goes up to a 10 and I’m an 11). It was my first experience with false eyelashes and I don’t think I’ve ever had that much makeup on in my life, but the proofs came out beautifully. You’d never know I have skin issues. I wasn’t comfortable with the lingerie but Stacey suggested a bathing suit. I tried it on warily but those ended up being my favorites, and I’ll have to get one of those suits for next summer! I got the finished pics this morning and I LOVE them. Seriously, go do a shoot and have fun unearthing your inner pinup. It’s worth every penny.

My sister-​in-​law was the one who first brought Atomic Cheesecake to my attention. She had done a calendar shoot and the photos looked amazing! After two years of hmmmming and hawwwing I finally decided to do it, and I’m so glad that I did! It was an amazing experience. Hair, make-​up, and outfit were all included! I felt like Betty Paige or Marilyn Monroe! Stacey, the owner, is a one woman show doing it all as well as editing all the photos. I would love to do this again and go with a friend!

I’ve had this place bookmarked for over 5 years now and kept saying to myself that I was going to bite the bullet and do a shoot one day with Stacey. One Saturday, she posted that she had last minute cancellations for a group shoot the next day — I had a crappy week and needed to do something special for myself and thought now was my chance!
The shoot was one of the most awesome things that I have ever done! The group shoot was themed but if you do an individual session, you can pretty much do whatever you want in terms of wardrobe and backdrop. Stacey has an amazing wardrobe to choose from (and variety of sizes) and will help you pick what will look best on you. That day, hair and makeup was done by the oh-​so-​amazingly-​talented Josephine Love with photos taken by the also oh-​so-​amazingly-​talented Stacey! Seriously, by the end of the day, you will want Stacey and Josephine to be your BFF’s!
My pics turned out utterly amazing (I know I’ve used that word a lot, but believe me… she is AMAZING!) and my hubby loved the hair and makeup when I got back home. Stacey will give you your photos in electronic form before you leave the studio and then you just let her know which ones you would like to be edited and glamorized (although they are already pretty glamorous!). You then get them back in a couple of weeks and can print them out and flaunt to your friends to make them jealous and want to book a session with Stacey ASAP!
Do yourself a huge «I love myself» favor and book a shoot with Stacey NOW!!!
Funny end note: I needed to fill up my car with gas on the way home from the shoot and boy did I get some interesting looks when I jumped out the car in full pinup hairstyle and makeup wearing a sweatshirt and yoga pants.

Stacey does phenomenal work. I had so much fun getting photos here, I would highly recommend this to anyone. Worth every penny.

ACS is a gem that should be considered a must do for any ladies in the Baltimore area. I did my first shoot with Stacey a few years ago, as a gift for my then boyfriend. I followed her instructions and showed up, somewhat nervous and apologetic over my ridiculously thick hair that always makes hair stylists cringe. Not only did she not cringe, but she found me an adorable outfit in less than five minutes, and had my hair and makeup done shortly after. I couldn’t believe what this woman did with my hair. It looked AMAZING. My shoot was loads of fun, and I left feeling like the prettiest girl there ever was. My photos were posted a few days later, and I was in awe. The boyfriend loved the gift, and even though the relationship didn’t last, I still have the photos and use them as sample photos for what I look like in 1950s hair and makeup. I did a summer group beach shoot with her a few years later, and it was just as much fun as the first time. It was a group of five or six girls, and she still made sure everyone of us looked gorgeous. I wore an adorable swimsuit with cherries all over it, and she even created a hairpiece to match out of cherry tomatoes in the crudite platter. Now that’s dedication! I highly recommend this for any girl who loves feeling pretty. Make sure you follow all the instructions on her website to the letter, and you’ll guarantee an adorable photo shoot with pictures you’ll want to show off.

I can’t say enough good things about Stacey’s work. First of all, she WORKS her butt off to make you look hot. I’ve known her for 4 years now and she is constantly upgrading her tools, and expanding her already enormous collection of vintage clothing, lingerie, props, and most importantly her skill set. She comes gifted with a phenomenal eye for composition, but that hasn’t stopped her from developing herself as a consummate photographer, MUAH artist, and photo-​shopper extraordinaire.
The most important thing I can stress is that when you schedule a shoot with her you’ll have a blast, and the pictures will look like you. You’ll be sexy and classy, dressed beautifully, and still recognizable. She uses photoshop to enhance what you’ve already got (and seriously, who hasn’t had a zit that could stand to be deleted from time to time?)
When you sign up for your shoot do yourself a favor and LISTEN TO STACY’S INSTRUCTIONS. She’s smart, and she knows what you need to do/​bring to have your best shoot. She’s going to bring her best to the shoot, the only variable is you. Come well rested, with everything she asks, and have your sense of humor in tow. You’ll have fun, she’ll make you laugh and feel beautiful. I just signed up for my 5^th or 6^th shoot with her, and I couldn’t be more excited. I’ve sent my sister here as well as countless friends — they’ve all come back raving! You will too.

Stacy is awesome and a total pro at what she does. I’ve gotten my own pics done, recommend the experience to everyone i know, and have bought gift certificates for photoshoots. In fact, I just accompanied my sister on her shoot yesterday (bought her a 2-​look package gift cert a while back) and we had a BLAST. It’s such a fun, unique and pampering experience. I’m already thinking about booking another shoot!

Wow. So this is going to be a hard review to write, but only because I don’t think a review of «OMGFANTASTICFABULOUSAMAZINGCOOLAWESOMELOVE» would be helpful or explain why Atomic Cheesecake is so fantastic. If I start to go off on a tangent about why I am desperately in love with Stacy (the photographer and owner of ACS), forgive me, but this is seriously the most amazing thing ever. Honest and truly.
Remember those cheesy «Glamour Shots» studios that speckled the malls in the late 80’s? This is NOT one of those places. Atomic Cheesecake Studios specializes in glorious, high-​quality, fun and sexy pin-​up (
) photography. The studio is fully equipped with outfits (from formal retro gowns down to lingerie) and with professionally done make-​up and hair as well.
But none of this explains why Atomic Cheesecake is SO FRICKIN’ AWESOME!
When my best friend (she finds *all* the cool things), first told me about ACS, I was like «oh yeah, sounds cool» but not really paying attention. But then she did a photo-​shoot and came back with the most amazing sexy cute photos ever! Admittedly, my best friend is voluptuous and sexy to start with, but ACS was able to transform my gutsy, buxom, hipster best friend… into a classy, sexy goddess on par with Rita Hayworth… and dare I say it? Bettie Page.
I immediately booked myself for the next available shoot. If ACS can turn my loud, brash, fat butt into anything resembling what she did for my best friend… well, I would believe it when I see it.
I arrive at the studio (which is in Stacy’s basement — but it’s beautiful decorated and so warm and cosy!), and was a little nervous. Although I’m a total ham for the camera, I’ve never posed for a professional before. I didn’t need to worry. In a flash, Stacy had me looking through outfits and giving her two cents on what would look good on me, and what would accentuate my figure (what? I have a figure?!?). Then she whisked me off to get my hair and make-​up done. All through this, she cracked jokes and get me to open up… and before you knew it, I was telling her the most horrific and perverse (yet funny) stories in my vast repertoire.
Before I knew it, she had me in front of the lights and the camera — and I finally knew what it felt like to be a super-​model (minus the drugs and anorexia). Stacy kindly directed me, («tilt your head», «lean forward, just a smidge», «show me those gams!») and half way through the photo-​shoot, my inner ham came out in full force, and I got to luxuriate in feeling glamourous, beautiful and amazing all at once.
However, this is where ACS is truly amazing. After the shoot, I’m feeling fantastic and wonderful. I get home and rave to my husband about why I had the best day ever. Great, wonderful — the end of right? Two days later, my pictures are available online (where all my «problem areas» have been photoshopped into sleek gloriousness)…and suddenly, this photo-​shoot has just become a gift for my husband as well! Heh.
Since that first visit, I’ve been back numerous times, and each time has been a total gas. The best part? One day, when I’m 98 years old, wrinkly, shriveled up, with a face like a walnut, I am going to pull all of these pictures out to show my grandkids how their grandmother was once a beautiful, classy, sexy, glamourous pin-​up goddess.

Yesterday, I actually took a day off to visit with Stacey Barich, (aka: Action Girl) of Atomic Cheesecake Studios.
It was quite possibly the MOST fun I’ve ever had while partially clothed.
Stacey is an incredibly talented Baltimore photographer who specializes in the art of Classic American Pinup Photography… you know, the stuff that made guys like Vargas and Elvgren famous. Heels, garters, real stockings, girdles, pinrolls, crinolines, leopard prints, peek-​a-​boo faces, and pure glam-​o-​rama topped with a generous dose of Aqua-​Net, that’s what her art is about. And she does it from the ground up. We showed up freshly scrubbed and let Stacey do her magic. All three of us were maxe up into sultry glamour queens from days gone with such expertise that Bette Davis would have been happy to share a PallMal and a gimlet with us.
This isn’t «Glamor shots» mall photography, it’s the real 1940’s and 50’s deal. Authentic makeup and hair. Expertly applied makeup. She actually got my shaggy mop into a proper sausage roll, and then onto a Glamazon extension.
After hair and makeup, came clothing… or lack of it. Stacey offers a huge selection of real, vintage dresses, props, accessories and the complicated undergarments of days gone by. We were actually stunned with the choices offered… and it took awhile to make up our minds. There was just so much to choose from and it was so much fun. We all reverted to girls playing dressup, while Stacey patiently helped us with mix, match, choose and primp, all the while keeping us in stitches.
If this sounds like an ad for Atomic Cheesecake, then good. Seriously, I was SO IMPRESSED with the process and we had so much fun, the photos themselves almost feel secondary in importance. But her photos are to DIE for as well. And there as historically accurate as you can hope for. Real, honest to goodness pinup goodness!
The pics themselves will take about a month before they arrive, but if you look at her portfolio online or on her myspace (
), you’ll see they are well worth the wait.
Stacey of Atomic Cheesecake is a master with a makeup brush, a rat-​tail comb, AND the camera. From prep, to pose, to photo, to final product, her pin-​up photography is impossible to match in fun and visual impact. She’s a modern master of the Pin-​Up. I promise you will not be disappointed.