Personalize your portraits

When we photograph a client, we strive to portray his or her personality. Portraits should tell a story; whether it's an emotion, a personality trait or a specific hobby. It's a way to document the present to preserve for the future. Technology has given us new tools over the years to create truly one-of-a-kind images. Discussing with our clients what they would like as an end product gives us an idea of how we can personalize it to become a unique creation to display in their homes.

Fall is upon us

It is already nearing the end of August and a new school year is quickly approaching! We have noticed early signs of fall this year such as the sumac changing color and some of the leaves beginning to turn yellow. Outdoor fall sessions are very popular for families and seniors, and they're booking up fast! We have several locations with beautiful color around the area to photograph at. Usually the second week in October is our last week for outdoor photos; with the early changes it may be sooner this year. To capture the beauty of the fall colors, an appointment should be scheduled soon.

New babies

We have photographed many newborn babies through the years; this has become a very popular session! Capturing the tiny hands, feet and expressions is such a great way to document the new baby's first few months. This session can be done anytime during the first year, but many prefer to do it shortly after birth. Marti recently photographed this session and we were thrilled with the infants expressiveness and the warmth captured among the family members.

Be Unique

There are may ways to give your photographs a unique touch. Different clothing styles and choices of backgrounds or locations give you endless possibilites. Adding special effects to the finished image can also set it apart and add creativity. In this session, many of the finished images were in color. The young girl's shirt had beautiful decoration at the bottom, which made for a great selectively-colored portrait. What a great way to add variety to your wall!

Families

August is just around the corner! It's hard to believe summer is going by so quickly; fall will be here soon. Now is a wonderful time to update your family portraits. We have many popular outdoor locations for family groups, as well as several indoor backgrounds. For the 2010 graduates: we are still offering the buddy session FREE when you schedule your senior portraits to be done in August. Family portraits are wonderful heirlooms and gifts to give for special occasions throughout the year.

Seniors.....Online!

We have tried something new for seniors this year, and we've had wonderful feedback! If previews are returned on time, we email the images you order from for use on your website or mp3 player. It has been a great way to share senior photos with friends and relatives who live a distance away. We are excited to offer this incentive to the class of 2010!

Tornado!

We had some excitement toward the end of the day yesterday. As Marti was assisting a client ordering and Charlotte was showing a family their slideshow, the sirens began to sound in Spicer. Marti peeked outside and noticed the clouds rotating just to the west. All of us quickly piled into the bathroom (the safest place in the building) and anxiously waited through the storm. As we ventured out, we noticed only a few brances from the weeping willow in back had been taken down. Amazingly, that was the only damage here!! Buildings just down the road, as well as the baseball field, sustained much more damage. Many homes in the area were also affected. We certainly feel lucky! Neither of us were able to take any photos during the storm, but seeing the images and footage on the news was incredible. What a day!