New Studio Caters to Pinup, Vintage, Retro Instincts

Betty Grable in the '40s. Marilyn Monroe in the '50s. Raquel Welch in the '60s. Now you can join them.

In a quiet stretch across Haddon Avenue from Haddonfield Commons, Amanda Little offers clients the opportunity to create lasting photo memories of bygone days. 

Sometimes her work has a decidedly sexy component, a la fishnet stockings and lingerie. Or it might be the image of a French maid, with cute frilly cap and a very short apron and just a hint of a naughty pout.

It can be found in a swing skirt or a 1950s fruit-printed house dress, complete with children and husband already at the kitchen table, just waiting with forks at the ready for a taste of macaroni and cheese.

Always it's with full makeup and high heels (unless the subject is dressed like a mermaid.)

But you don't have to bring your own stilettos to learn that a visit to Bombshell is where imagination runs rampant.

There's really only one rule 

Clients may be a bit shy when they begin a session (which can run to four hours), but soon easily follow Little's pointers on posing. A model herself and Marilyn Monroe lookalike, she's worked as a cosmetician and stylist since she was 19, and has a knack for easing away self-consciousness.

When children are in the photo shoot—yes, children are welcome, and so are pets—often the setting is a tiny Alice in Wonderland cottage; nearby is an 8-foot tall mushroom with a bright blue crown that fits into that theme.

Prices range from $250 to $500, and that includes makeup and wardrobe. With appointments usually booked online, Bombshell has no set shop hours. There's really only one strict rule, says her husband, Mike Little, who designs sets for the shop: no nudity.

“If you're looking for nude shots, you're not going to come here,” he says, although the illusion can be created with a satin drape over a strapless bra.

Only time-sensitive skin is exposed for the photos is in pregnancy shots, where mothers-to-be proudly display their rounded abdomens, usually swathed in soft satin or fur.

Turning back the clock

Bombshell has been at its present location for 14 months; the business is in its sixth year. Initially, the location included a small boutique store, which today is crammed with photo shoot props.

Many of them come from Craigslist, like the pink 1956 Frigidaire that was purchased from a Pitman basement. In the 1950s kitchen area, with aqua and yellow lino tiles, it's next to a Fortune stove recovered in South Philadelphia. The stove works but the chocolate-chip cookies on the pan probably wouldn't pass a health inspection.

If you don't see the photo accessory you're dreaming about, don't be afraid to ask: the basement is crammed with items.

“Craigslist is always an adventure. We never know what we'll find that we can use,” says Mike Little, a plumber who now works on the corporate side of water-heater manufacturing.

Most of the clients choose to pose on one of his sets, and prefabrications range from the tiki hut to the boudoir. This time of year, Santa's workshop is a hit, especially if you're designing Christmas cards.

Amanda Little can provide many wardrobe choices, or will recommend stores or websites form which to purchase special items. Children bring their own clothing for photo shoots.

“There's too much size variation and the kids always want to wear the costume at home,” she notes.

Lots of choices, lots of ideas

Weeks before Christmas and Valentine's Day are the busiest, Amanda Little said. Women will buy a photo package for their honey, or men will purchase a gift card so their girlfriend or wife can set up an appointment. 

Bridal parties also are a hit, say both Littles, with sessions running for about three hours for three to six women. Save-the-date photos are becoming popular for couples announcing a future wedding. It's a fun thing, they say, especially when couples plan the setting together.

Clients leave with 50-100 digital photos from which to choose at leisure. Once final choices are made, Amanda Little fine-tunes and correct the shots.

An individual photo shoot takes about two hours, including makeup. To take four photos for a calendar could double the time “depending on how long it takes to change costumes.

"Sometimes it's hard to get the garters and corset on,” she says.

For information on pricing, to view what's available and to make an appointment, visit bombshellpinups.net. The studio is at 411 N. Haddon Avenue and the phone number is 856-429-1309.