Buck Portrait Studio - Blog

Senior Portrait Tips

2011-08-05T09:10:00.003-04:00

Here are some tips for ensuring your high school graduation portraits turn out amazing!

1. Bring examples of things you'd like to try in your portraits. Magazine clippings, year books, catalogs or anything else with examples of poses, styles, or effects. We can combine these ideas with our own and create a truly unique portrait that captures your personal style.

2. Give your hair time to grown in after a cut. Don't get a fresh cut the day before your portrait session, a minimum of 5 days is needed for the cut to look natural. The same goes for tanning, don't get a fresh tan the week before your session, and definitely don't get a sun burn.

3. Makeup should be applied normally. Use a mirror as a guide, if it looks good in the mirror it will look fine for your portraits.

4. Simple, solid outfits work best, especially in the studio. More formal attire is also very common in the studio. Outdoor poses work well with jeans or khakis and simple solid shirts, especially muted colors. Blue, green, tan, and many more work better than glaringly bright colors such as white, yellow or red or anything neon.

Follow these tips and make sure to get a good night's rest and your graduation portraits will be something you'll be proud of for years to come.

Austin Foreman - Lewis Cass Class of 2012

2011-07-28T13:24:00.002-04:00

Had an epic marathon senior session with Austin this week. Took over 450 shots over the course of just a couple of hours. We started out with some casual poses in the studio followed by some sports shots on a black background for some montages. Then we headed out to Lewis Cass to get some shots on the ball diamond and football field. Got tons of great shots, the lighting really worked with us and we finished up just as the sun went behind a big cluster of trees. Not to admit defeat, we went inside the locker room and took another dozen or so shots at his locker. Very productive day and tons of great shots to choose from, check out FB or my gallery for more samples.

Pet Food UK

2011-07-22T15:25:00.002-04:00

Got a message from a buddy asking if I could plug his new pet food store in the UK. Pet Supermarket has everything for your pets, they've got all the top brands including Royal Canin, Burns Dog Food, James Wellbeloved, Iams Dog Food, and Hills Science Plan. If you're a pet lover in the UK check them out and send him some business!

Scott and Sarah Shepler

2011-07-22T07:19:00.003-04:00

Did a double portrait session for Scott and Sarah Shepler this week. Turned out really nice, for some reason Scott didn't like that the lights were out in the studio and he was just generally not into the whole process, so we sort of took it slow and worked with him, then after probably 20 minutes of playing with toys and talking about pictures, he jumped up on the chair we had and started posing like a little pro. I've never seen anything quite like that, it must be fascinating to hear what's going on inside little one's heads.

Kokomo Shopper!

2011-07-21T19:14:00.002-04:00

Ok, this is cool! Just found this site, hasn't even launched yet, called Kokomo Shopper that is planning on having over 500 coupons from local merchants. They launch August 15th and I for one cannot wait to use it. In today's economy saving money is almost as good as earning it, so coupons can go a long long way. Check it out, it's going to be an amazing resource.

Down Week!

2011-07-18T11:38:00.003-04:00

Got a bit of a slow week this week to recover from the fair last week. I have a lot of tasks to get caught up on including some phone calls I need to return and some orders that need to be placed. Then I'll be using the rest of the week to work on some designs that are in the queue. Next week I'll be fully rested and ready to tackle the sessions that I booked at the fair.

2011 4H Fair

2011-07-16T17:34:00.003-04:00

I had an absolute blast last week at the 4H fair. I got to talk shop with all of the my other photographer friends and I got to answer questions about my work with several hundred customers. Over 300 people entered my drawing to win $25 gift certificates. I selected 10 winners and they are as follows:

Meghan Schroder
Tina Spencer
Della Livesay
Jessica Spradling
Jeff Fording
Kevin Vasquez
Amanda Birkenstaff
Amber Maggart
Vicki Miller
Jaime Zaragoza

Thanks a million Cass County, I will see a lot of you in the coming months for portraits, everyone else I'll see you next year.

Sculpture Trails in Solsberry Indiana

2011-07-06T10:15:00.006-04:00

Just found the website of an awesome outdoor museum here in Indiana, Sculpture Trails. They have over 60 large scale sculptures deep in a hilly forest. All through the month of July they will be featuring sculptors working at casting new works. They even have after dark exhibitions which sounds amazing! You can also carve your own work and cast it yourself to take home. What an awesome way to spend a summer day.

Busy weekend.

2011-06-29T08:33:00.003-04:00

Had a super busy weekend with multiple portraits on each day, did a super super large family portrait in the studio and this really nice gift portrait for an upcoming anniversary. Add in a couple of babies and you've got yourself a weekend. Check out my facebook page or gallery to see more of our samples from the last couple of days.

Coupon Site

2011-06-22T14:11:00.003-04:00

Just started using this new coupon site for portrait deals. Local Pinch has deals for all sorts of local businesses from Yoga Studios to Closet Organizing Companies. My current deal is a studio portrait session with no sitting fee and a $50 gift certificate for just $25. Buy it right on Local Pinch's website and then give me a call to schedule your session. Don't forget to check out the other deals when you're done.

Kelsey and Michael Miller Wedding

2011-06-22T07:00:00.004-04:00

Had a great time last weekend with Kelsey and Michael. I especially loved the tuxes and the bright colors everywhere, it really made their portraits pop. Check out the rest of their pictures in my gallery or on facebook. I'll be starting the design work on their coffee table book here pretty soon so stay tuned for that, I am very excited about that, there is nothing that gets the creative juices flowing better than designing a digital wedding album.

Tanner Prentice, LHS, Class of 2011

2011-06-04T12:46:00.003-04:00

Here is the final Grad Show for Tanner Prentice. Make sure to check out the third section, it's quite good.

Kristie Wright School of Dance 2011 Recital

2011-06-03T10:02:00.005-04:00

Had a great time watching the dress rehearsal last night. Took about 1700 shots which are available for purchase on my Proofing Site. I will be at the first performance tonight getting shots backstage and of the dancers from the sides of the stage. I'm going to spend all day working on cutting up the formal portraits from last week so I can get them back to Amii no later than Monday.

Laura and Brent Engagement Session

2011-05-31T11:36:00.005-04:00

Had an awesome time on my first outdoor portrait session of the year. The weather was amazing and we took our time strolling from spot to spot getting lots of different poses. They got lots of really great shots, more are posted on my facebook page, but this one of them kissing around a tree was my favorite from the day and I just had to share it here on my blog.

Jewelry?

2011-05-24T14:48:00.004-04:00

Was researching jewelry photography on the web today and found Jody Coyote. Not only is the photography really excellent, but the jewelry is amazing. There seem to be a million people making jewelry now adays and it always looks like the same old stuff, but Jody Coyote is really unique. Check it out!

Kristie Wright School of Dance

2011-05-23T16:58:00.002-04:00

Had another awesome time photographing the dancers from Kristie Wright School of Dance in their recital costumes. It was a long day, took over 400 portraits, but there really were no snags at all, the day hummed along beautifully. Working on edits now, will probably take me 3 or 4 days to get everything ready for print, then it should be about 2 weeks after that.

Amazing document repository!

2011-05-16T15:09:00.002-04:00

Needed to find the manual for my camera today to look something up and found an amazing site called PDF Stack. They seemed to have every imaginable document you could think of. I found the manual for my camera, then found almost every manual for every other camera I've ever owned. I found the manual for my current studio lights and also the older ones I used to use. Very impressive assortment of documents. I highly recommend checking this out, super handy resource.

Excellent gift site

2011-05-16T13:29:00.004-04:00

Just found an awesome site with hilarious gag gifts called Fun Slurp. I am definitely getting a package of dill pickle flavored mints. That's the most hilarious flavor of anything I've ever heard of. Of course the WTF stamp is going on my must have list as well. Check it out if you're in the market for unusual items especially if you have a hard to buy for person with a birthday coming up.

Class of 2011 Slideshow

2011-03-05T11:27:00.004-05:00

Just finished my 2011 Senior Sampler video. A little bit later this year, but busier times are here and I have to squeeze tasks in whenever I can. Check it out on FB:

Senior Slideshow

Real Estate Photography

2011-03-02T10:38:00.004-05:00

Was looking on the web for some awesome examples of real estate photography for an upcoming gig I have and found Beacon Hill. Really gorgeous shots of the insides of their cottages. The lighting is amazing, it makes it look like the lighting is all natural, but I'm sure it's been artificially lit by strobes. My three favorites are:

http://www.beaconhill.co.uk/curlew-cottage-northumberland.cfm

http://www.beaconhill.co.uk/larch-cottage-northumberland.cfm

http://www.beaconhill.co.uk/beacon-hill-cottage-northumberland.cfm

Alyse 1 Year Portraits

2011-02-28T09:07:00.002-05:00

Another catch up portrait. Took this earlier this year and while we had lots and lots of great portraits to choose from, this one definitely stands out. Mom definitely bought more of this pose than any of the others. Just thought I'd share it.

Landis Grandparent's Day

2011-02-24T21:40:00.003-05:00

Had a blast tonight at Landis' Grandparent's Day. Photographed around 80 groups and everyone did really great, only had about 3 groups that took more than 1 shot to nail it. It got super busy there in the middle, but unless we do tickets with prearranged times I just don't see how we can keep everyone from jumping up and getting in line at the same time. No one had to wait more than 2 minutes though, and we actually got everyone done 15 minutes before the event ended. I literally have never seen that happen before, so that's a major victory. See everyone next year!

Awesome source for photo posters!

2011-02-24T07:19:00.006-05:00

Just got in my first samples of some posters from PhotoOnline Roller Banners . The print quality is awesome and I love the heavy duty paper they are printed on. These are really excellent samples of my work, any business needing a new tool for promoting themselves should really check out Poster Printing UK and consider printing up some of their promotional posters, it's well worth it. They sell the stands too which is something I'm thinking about trying for my booth this year at shows. They even have design services to help make each poster the best that it can be.

Kyle Ayers Senior Portraits - Logansport High School Class of 2011

2011-02-23T20:25:00.002-05:00

Had a great studio only session for Kyle's senior portraits last week. We got some really great shots. This super dark black and white one is my favorite. I love how he is just popping right out of the shadows. I posted more in my gallery and on facebook, so if you want to see more check it out.

Been swamped!

2011-02-23T20:22:00.003-05:00

I'm so far behind on blogging I don't really know where to begin. I've had a super busy winter season so far. Definitely my most busy ever. Have had lots of kids, plenty of families, a couple of offices, and have some events coming up really soon. This is a shot of the Gellinger children from last week. We had a really good time and they all did really well. I'm probably not going to get fully caught up on posting the images I've missed, but I'm definitely not going to let myself get that far behind again, so stay tuned for lots more great portraits.

Great start to 2011

2011-01-24T08:03:00.002-05:00

Usually January means pack up the camera, it's not going to be needed for about 2 more months, but this month has been great. Lots of babies and children, an entire office staff, and a couple of large family portraits including the Shidlers. We had a blast Saturday photographing them and everyone was excited because apparently this is their first family portrait in a very very long time. I love when I'm able to provide portraits for people that have put it off for such a long time. It reminds them how important portraits really are, and that's a cool thing to be a part of. If this sounds like your situation, give us a call today and schedule a session, we did a full family, 3 smaller family poses, all of the kids, the kids seperately, just the grandparents, the grandparents with their kids, and probably a few others I'm forgetting in exactly one hour. It's completely painless I promise.

Yael and Andy

2010-12-22T15:27:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Yael and Andy, their wedding was truly a joy to be a part of. Everyone there had a wonderful time and I wish them the very very best for their life together!

Satchel Gray - Lewis Cass Junior/Senior High, Class of 2011

2010-11-04T08:21:00.003-04:00

I'm really neglecting my blog now that I'm using FB for news and updates. I feel horrible since I've been a regular blogger for 4 years. I hate to treat my blog this way, but FB really seems to be the internet hot spot now, and you have to go where the people are. So here is a catch up post. Satchel's portraits were several weeks ago, but I wanted to post one here for everyone in the blogosphere to enjoy. His portraits came out great, and we had a good time down town making them. It was a spot I've used a couple of times in the past, but I tried all new poses and, of course, Satchel brought something new to each shot, so each shot came out really unique and cool. Overall it was a great photoshoot.

Rebecca Rombold - Logansport High School Class of 2011

2010-11-04T08:13:00.004-04:00

Great 2 part session with Rebecca this week. We did a really fast session at France Park right before her shift at work and got some really cool shots. I love this shot, the lighting on her face is so perfect and the desaturated effect really works with her expression. Then in the studio we did another 3 outfits and got lots of really great shots. She even brought her snake, which wasn't really that easy to get in the perfect pose. It was so wriggly, I think out of the 15 shots I took of it, only 3 or 4 actually had the snakes head in the shot. I posted my favorite snake shot up on FB so you can check that out if you want. If you want to see more from Rebecca's shoots just check out my gallery or FB.

It looks like the senior season is winding down. My schedule is finally starting to lighten up, so if you are still needing senior portraits give me a call, we should be able to fit you in within a week, and if you're not wanting to brave the cold weather we can just do a studio only senior session starting at $15.

Misty Gearhart, Caston High School Class of 2011

2010-09-22T07:57:00.004-04:00

We had a really good session out at France Park for Misty's senior portraits. We did shots all up and down the waterfall, then we wandered out to the lake, and finally climbed up the cliffs for some cool shots. The water out there is really green and eerie, it made for some interesting backdrops. Then we came back to the studio and did some casual shots as well as shots in her volleyball uniform. I'm currently working on a montage for her, as soon as I get it finished I'll upload it here. Still very booked up, 2 weeks is about the earliest I can schedule anything, but the weather is just about perfect right now, and the leaves will be changing soon so there is plenty of time to get your senior portraits done.

2010-08-30T14:56:00.002-04:00

Had a lot of fun with Brent last week for his senior portraits. He had a really good sense of humor and we both hammed up a bit. We left plenty of time to make some great portraits. This one of him sitting in the wheel of his dad's John Deere tractor is my favorite. I saw the wheel right off the bat and I hoped it would work for a good posing tool and I just couldn't be happier with this shot. One of my best senior portraits this year. Check out my gallery for more of Brent's portraits.

Alicia Gaby - Logansport High School Class of 2011

2010-08-26T11:20:00.003-04:00

We had a lot of fun in the studio and down at Little Turtle Waterway last night doing Alicia's senior portraits. We tried some fun new things including laying down on a picnic table, and we got tons of awesome portraits. It was a gorgeous night too, a nice cool breeze was blowing and the sun was up, but wasn't really making it hot, so we all stayed very comfortable as we were shooting. It's uncomfortable for me when it's hot, but it's tragedy when the subject of my portraits is sweating, so I'm happy to bid farewell to that hot streak. There's more samples of Alicia's portraits on my Facebook page check it out if you want to see more.

Senior Portrait Tips

2010-08-20T13:35:00.003-04:00

Here are some tips for ensuring your high school graduation portraits turn out amazing!

1. Bring examples of things you'd like to try in your portraits. Magazine clippings, year books, catalogues or anything else with examples of poses, styles, or effects. We can combine these ideas with our own and create a truly unique portrait that captures your personal style.

2. Give your hair time to grown in after a cut. Don't get a fresh cut the day before your portrait session, a minimum of 5 days is needed for the cut to look natural.

3. Makeup should be applied normally. Use a mirror as a guide, if it looks good in the mirror it will look fine on film.

4. Ask your optometrist to remove the lenses from your glasses if possible. Reflections are very common on glasses and can be very time consuming to remove. Avoiding this problem is the best way to ensure a great portrait.

5. Simple, solid outfits work best, especially in the studio. More formal attire is also very common in the studio. Outdoor poses work well with jeans or khakis and simple solid shirts, especially muted colors. Blue, green, tan, and many more work better than glaringly bright colors such as white, yellow or red.

Follow these tips and make sure to get a good night's rest and your graduation portraits will be something you'll be proud of for years to come.

Tanner Prentice - Logansport High School Class of 2011

2010-08-20T13:21:00.003-04:00

We had a really good session for Tanner's casual session. We'd already gotten a ton of portraits done at the ball diamond in his uniform, so these were the more fun shots that showed off his every day personality. It was really a great session, a little warm, but nothing we couldn't handle. We hit a brand new location that I've never used before and got some really unique shots. I'm working on adding some personal shots of his baseball career to his slideshow now, plus his mom told me she wants to incorporate some shots she hasn't even taken yet that will showcase his senior year of high school. I don't know about you, but I love that idea, this is going to be an awesome keepsake.

Kasey Fenstermaker - Logansport High School Class of 2011

2010-08-09T10:54:00.005-04:00

We had a really nice portrait session yesterday for Kasey's senior portraits. We did 2 outfits outdoors and 2 more at the studio. We got a really amazing amount of variety, which is always great, and every portrait turned out really well. I strive to make it as hard as possible to decide which portraits to order by making every shot amazing, and I have to say Kasey and her mom have got their work cut out for them, they have 200 really great portraits to choose from. I uploaded my favorites to Facebook and my gallery, check them out if you want to see more.

School is back in but now is the perfect time to get senior portraits made. It's cooling off, the leaves will be changing, and you can't exactly go to the beach anyway, so call today to schedule your session, 722-3333. Check out my gallery for all of my latest seniors, tons of new stuff added every week.

Nia's Senior Portraits LHS Class of 2011

2010-08-02T08:25:00.003-04:00

Had a great time with Nia last week doing her senior portraits. She is training to be a neo-natal nurse, and wanted to have a few shots taken in her scrubs. I thought they turned out really nice, almost look like professional headshots. We did a nice formal outfit in the studio, and then a couple of casual outfits out and about Logansport. We were out until about 9pm, and the light was becoming really really scarce at that point. We got some really great stuff though, it was a fun photo shoot.

Sweet Family Portrait

2010-07-29T10:24:00.002-04:00

Had a great time photographing the Sweet family last night. We sort of rushed in, got the shots, and rushed out, due to the heat. It was pretty stifling, but luckily film usually doesn't show how hot or cold it was, so their portraits turned out amazing. We did three different poses, and they were all good, but this one is my favorite from the set.

Availability Update

2010-07-08T14:42:00.002-04:00

I regret to inform everyone that my next 2 weeks are fully booked. I do not have a single opening for a portrait of any kind. I will be manning my booth at the Cass County 4H Fair though every evening the week of July 12th, so I'd love to talk to you. My schedule opens back up the week of the 26th. Sorry for any inconvenience this might cause, and I hope I can help you with your portrait needs sometime after that.

LeAnn Hileman - Logansport High School Class of 2011

2010-07-08T08:30:00.003-04:00

Had a really nice portrait session this week with LeAnn. She is my first 2011 graduate and we really kicked the season off with a bang. We got a ton of really beautiful portraits at the new fountain downtown, then we moved around and got some urban shots in an alley off of Broadway. We finished up with some sports themed shots back at the studio. It was a very productive day, if not a really late one, I think we finished up around 9:30pm. Luckily it was not a school night...

Fun session with Elyse

2010-06-24T09:04:00.003-04:00

Had a nice session with Elyse last night. Got some really cute shots. I think our next session together is going to be great, she's almost sitting up now, so next time we'll definitely be able ditch the posing seats and other things that block her outfits from the camera. I think she'll be much more willing to offer up the smiles too if we don't confine her to some silly baby holding device.

New coupons for July

2010-06-18T11:09:00.002-04:00

I just posted 2 new coupons for the month of July. Check them out to save money on the portraits you were going to have created anyway!

Buck Portrait Studio Coupons

New coupons for July

2010-06-18T11:09:00.000-04:00

I just posted 2 new coupons for the month of July. Check them out to save money on the portraits you were going to have created anyway!

http://maps.google.com/coupons/page?oi=lbc&did=0_16906647248086714159&hl=en-US&gl=US

Crazy couple of weeks

2010-06-04T21:01:00.002-04:00

I've been very busy with portraits for The Kristie Wright School of Dance the last couple of weeks. I've had orders trickling in for their costume portraits pretty much nonstop, and the last 24 hours I've been organizing the 1100 shots I took of the dress rehearsal for their recital. It's been a real blast and I've learned a lot about photographing dancers. Here is one of my favorite shots from the dress rehearsal, there were tons to choose from but this one jumped out at me the second I saw it on my screen.

Cane's Slideshow

2010-05-08T11:20:00.003-04:00

Just finished Cane's slideshow. The song he chose to go along with his portraits was perfect. It turned out amazing, I think he's really going to love it.

Jon's senior portraits

2010-04-29T08:17:00.004-04:00

Had time to get Jon's studio portrait done last night after baseball practice. We did a couple of casual poses in street clothes and then spent a good long time doing portraits in his baseball uniform. They turned out really great and I'm working on a blended montage as we speak, so I'll get that posted as soon as it's finished. As far as scheduling additional senior portraits, graduation is so close, if your session isn't booked in the next 2 weeks your enlargements won't be in in time. If you're still hoping to schedule, please call today and we'll find a space in my calendar that will ensure you get your pictures by graduation.

April Senior Special!

2010-04-13T14:38:00.002-04:00

I know it's really late for the 2010 graduates and way way early for the 2011 seniors, but anyone wanting to save money I have a blast from the past for you. For the rest of April I will shoot your senior portraits for the same price I charged when I first started in 2004. $60 will get you 2 lo...cations, either my studio and somewhere else, or 2 somewhere elses, anywhere in Cass County. You also get 4 outfit changes and 60 days online proofing. Once your portraits are made, mix and match my $12 units and make your own package, no minimum, buy only as much as you need. If you still need senior portraits done, this is your chance to save some money and get world class portraits. Just book your appointment in April to get the $60 sitting fee, we can shoot your portraits any time you like.

LCM Class Portraits

2010-04-08T10:25:00.003-04:00

It was a fun day shooting Little Children's Ministries'Class portraits. I can't think of any issues, everyone did really well. We got a shot of every kid, and I'm currently going through and choosing the best 2 of each kid for proofs. I'll get these on order as soon as I can.

New Coupons for April

2010-04-01T17:01:00.003-04:00

I just created a new batch of coupons for April. If you know someone needing senior portraits, children or family portraits, or if you know someone getting married in 2010, pass this link on. I'm giving away enlargements, coffee table books and waiving my sitting fee. If you need portraits made, might as well save some money and print the coupons out.

Click here for savings

Emily's Portrait Session

2010-03-29T09:22:00.002-04:00

Only one portrait session this weekend, but it was a great one. Emily did really well and her portraits turned out amazing. We did this outfit for her Easter portrait, and then she changed into a couple of other dresses and posed with her favorite dolls. They had matching dresses, so it was really cute. Not very many portrait sessions on the books this week, but I've got a bunch of wedding albums to prep for printing so I'll be working on that for the next couple of days.

Gracie and Matthew

2010-03-22T08:19:00.003-04:00

We had a really nice and quite fast photoshoot on Saturday for Gracie and Matthew. Gracie was so anxious to get done so she could watch Schooby Doo and play with my daughter that she asked after every frame "Am I done now?" It was cute, and it may not have been fast enough for her, but we got done pretty quickly. Matthew took a bit longer, but only because he was on the move. I'm starting to wonder if I should build a picket fence around the shooting area to keep the little ones in. We ended up convincing him to stay put long enough to get some cute shots.

Luke and Levi

2010-03-17T12:04:00.003-04:00

Nice brother's session last night. Levi is 6 months and did a great job. Luke is 2 and he had his own ideas of how the session should go. We were able to convince him to participate long enough to get some good shots though, so it was a win/win. He had a blast riding the tractor around the studio, and mom and dad got a nice 2 year portrait of him.

Scott's 9 month portrait

2010-03-15T11:44:00.003-04:00

Had a very busy Saturday down at the studio including a session with Scott. He did really great, we was standing like a champ so we had more options for posing then a normal 9 month old would have. He wasn't super enthused for his first outfit, but the time we put him in jeans and a t-shirt he was feeling really comfortable and this shot really shows it, I love his expression here.

Caleb's portrait

2010-03-12T15:33:00.003-05:00

Had a really fun portrait session with Caleb this week and used some of my rock and roll gear to create a really cool look for him. We used a big speaker cabinet and a guitar case I had to give him a really cool portrait. My schedule is finally filling out now, I've got a week to two week lead time on scheduling a portrait, so if you're wanting a portrait made in the next month, call and schedule now, or you might have to wait until April.

Schedule is filling up...

2010-03-03T08:34:00.003-05:00

My schedule is starting to get back to normal. I've got photo shoots roughly every other day for the next 2 weeks, and by the time those are over, more shoots will be set up. If you're needing any portraits made, give me a call at my studio and we'll set something up. Here is an adorable shot from last night's shoot with the McVay family. We spent about 2 hours doing all sorts of combinations. We did each kid alone, all the kids together, an entire family shot, then we added in a cousin, and then shots of the cousin alone and him alone with his mom. It was really great, the kids all got to help pick out backdrops and props and everyone had a really great time, especially when it was time to look at the pictures on the proofing computer.

Crazy week!

2010-02-24T16:42:00.001-05:00

It has been a madhouse around here the last week or so, and the next couple of days finishing things up is going to keep me on my toes. I've got a few samples up of the shots I've taken over on my Facebook page, but I just wanted to take a minute to post Elyse's first portrait. It was a really nice session with 3 outfits, and aside from the end when we tried to strip her down naked, she was extremely cooperative. Apparently being too cold is the one thing she won't stand. I'll be sure to crank the heat for her next session.

2009 Senior Slideshow

2010-02-21T22:49:00.003-05:00

I've been working on a slideshow that recaps my entire 2009 High School Senior Season and I'm very happy to announce that it is finished. So get yourself a bowl of popcorn, sit back and enjoy the show.

Baby Sam

2010-02-08T11:41:00.003-05:00

With the studio going unused most nights we decided to go ahead and get our 9 month old's portrait done. He did really well, he was very willing and gave us a handful of cute shots to choose from. This one is my favorite from the bunch, I really like his pose here, a lot of times babies on their bellies stay too low, but Sam loves being on his belly so he was propped up as high as he could go and that really made the shot.

2010 Bride's Choice Winner

2010-02-01T15:25:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that I was chosen for the Bride's Choice Award at www.weddingwire.com. I was given this award because I received the highest ratings from my brides in 2009. I want to thank all of my 2009 brides for giving me the opportunity to be part of their wedding day and I really appreciate the awesome reviews I got on www.weddingwire.com. Thanks again, and bring on 2010, let's go for 3 years in a row.

Free Senior Portraits!

2010-01-27T10:25:00.002-05:00

Anyone who hasn't had their senior portraits taken yet can now take advantage of my FREE senior only studio session. Just book your session in the months of February or March and you'll receive a 2 hour studio session with up to 4 outfits for absolutely free! All you pay for is your proofing choice, either online, CD-ROM, or 3x5 proofs, and then choose your enlargements. Remember, I'm the only studio in town that lets you make your own packages, no minimums, just buy what you need, and save big!

Wedding Bookings

2010-01-18T09:11:00.003-05:00

I've been talking to a lot of brides about their 2010 weddings and it seems that one area that people are wanting to save on is the length of time they need a photographer at their wedding. Last year I stayed over several times, one wedding was a 14 hour day once you factored in all of the driving. If you are interested in purchasing one of my packages, but don't want me available for the whole 6 hours included, you can deduct $75 per hour for each hour you don't need. This is a really quick and easy way to custom tailor my packages to fit your wedding day. If this doesn't work, give me a call, we can create a one of a kind wedding package just for you.

Last portrait of the year!

2009-12-30T09:12:00.002-05:00

Well, it's been an amazing 2009 and we had a great little session with Ethan to end it on a good note. We had a lot of fun watching him meander back and forth through the studio. He had some serious tasks to accomplish, moving stuffed animals from the basket to the shooting area and it was really funny to watch. We squeezed a couple of good shots in between trips and most importantly he seems very comfortable with the studio now, so we should be good to go for his next portrait.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-28T09:19:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and is looking forward to the new year. We've currently got a huge rush for family portraits at the studio. Since I know everyone's family is in town I'm extending my hours and booking multiple sessions per day, so if you're hoping to get a family portrait with someone who hasn't been in town since last Christmas, give us a call and schedule your appointment today.

Chelsea's Senior Portraits

2009-12-21T08:18:00.002-05:00

What a fun portrait session. The falling snow looked great, it streaked across the background giving this familiar railroad bridge a whole new look. We worked fast to make sure no one got uncomfortable, or wet, and to ensure my batteries held out long enough. We ended up taking about 100 shots, but we were only outside for about 30 minutes total, so that's a really fast pace, much faster than I normally shoot. We got some really cool shots with the bridge and with the curved bit of track on the other side of the road. Three of my favorites are in my senior gallery, and stay tuned for the montage I'm designing for Chelsea.

2009-12-03T10:08:00.002-05:00

Well, he made us work for it, but we got a couple of really cute shots of James last night. He was really more interested in running around and hiding under blankets, and hey, who could blame him, but the few times we got him over to the shooting area, we were able to focus and get some good portraits made.

Holiday Season

2009-11-30T14:35:00.002-05:00

Well, Christmas is upon us and due to a very busy senior season I really haven't had much of a holiday portrait season. If anyone is interested in getting holiday portraits taken just call me at my studio, but unless you work fast to place your order enlargements probably won't be back in time for Christmas. For the few people that I have taken portraits get your orders in quick or it may be new years day before you receive them.

Currently in Mexico

2009-11-16T21:35:00.003-05:00

If anyone needs to get a hold of me fairly quickly I'd suggest email, I'm not going to be checking my phone messages at the studio until Monday the 23rd. If you want to schedule a session leave your name and number, I'll be booking people in the order they call, and with the holidays upon us, I have a feeling there is going to be a mad rush for portraits for photo cards. Call soon or you may lose your spot.

2009-11-13T08:25:00.002-05:00

We had a really fun creative studio session last night for Kane's senior portraits. We did a lot of really cool poses with his guitars and we even broke out the fog machine towards the end. As usual we fill the entire place with fog and set off the smoke detectors. It took a good thirty minutes to clear the place out. We got some really good shots though and the smoke didn't overpower Kain in any of them which can happen fairly easily if you're not careful. It was a really good session and I would say this probably concludes the senior portrait season for the year. It should be mostly family portraits and children for the rest of year.

Newest Senior Slideshow

2009-11-11T10:52:00.002-05:00

I know these portraits are from last season, but I felt Nathan's portraits deserved a slideshow, so here it is!

Shepler Family Portrait

2009-11-09T08:18:00.003-05:00

I'd say this officially begins the holiday portrait season. We had a really nice, fairly short, portrait session Saturday morning with the Shepler family. Little Scott really ran me ragged trying to get a smile. I tried every trick in my arsenal and I just couldn't get anything above a little smirk. Next time though, I've got a bag of feathers with his name on it. We'll get a smile no matter what.

Tessa - Class of 2010

2009-11-07T23:07:00.003-05:00

Here is my latest High School Senior Slideshow. I'm really enjoying making these, they're really time consuming, but they are so much more exciting than my old slideshows. If you've had your portraits taken by me this year and want to order one of these, all you have to do is provide me with the music you want included. For licensing reasons you need to own the music I use, so give me a CD and I will do the rest.

Senior Slide Show

2009-11-06T10:24:00.002-05:00

Here is a slideshow of about 30 of my favorite shots from Stephanie's portrait session earlier this week.

Stephanie's Senior Portraits

2009-11-05T10:01:00.001-05:00

We had another awesome studio session last night. We tried some really cool things and got some of the most dramatic shots I've ever taken. I really love this red background with her black top. Very cool. There are more of her poses in my gallery, plus a couple of fun behind the scenes shots from this session on my FaceBook page. Check it out!

Morgan's Senior Portraits

2009-10-30T08:26:00.001-04:00

We had a nice long studio only senior session last night and we worked in a lot of new props I've acquired over the last couple of months, and we used a couple of older props in interesting new ways. We got some really outstanding shots, but this one blows me away. You can bet you will see this shot again, most likely printed up as a 16x20 and hung up at my studio.

Kyle's Senior Portraits

2009-10-27T16:28:00.004-04:00

I hope this isn't the last outdoor senior portrait I take this year, but with the way the weather is going I'm thinking this might be it. If that's the case though, what a way to end the season. We nailed the exact right time for perfect fall colors and every single pose was just perfect. I was really really happy about how everything came together.

Britney's Senior Portraits

2009-10-26T10:30:00.002-04:00

After a really fun session down at the dam we spent a couple of hours in the studio doing some really nice casual shots. We also spent some time in her cheerleading and Berryette outfits, and got some really cool shots. I'm working on a montage for her, I'll get that posted as soon as I finish it.

2009-10-19T08:40:00.003-04:00

This is a portrait session for the record books. We hiked down to the dam, spent about 15 minutes taking 38 portaits, and then hiked back to our cars. You get in, you get the shots, you get out, that's they way to do it. We tried 2 different poses, one with the dam as the backdrop and one with this pool, and they both turned out really nice, but the kids' expressions in this shot are perfect. Aside from there being so much green in the background as opposed to the beautiful fall color present everywhere else, you just can't ask for a better family portrait.

Levi Kamden 3 weeks old

2009-10-12T09:32:00.004-04:00

Here is little Levi. We had a really fun session with him. He was awake a lot more than you would expect from a 3 week old. We stuffed him into all sorts of little sacks and made him do all of these really cute things. This is a really excellent shot of him though, his toes sticking through the bag are really great. This one is getting printed up nice and big to hang up down at the studio.

LAA 2009 Photography Competition Winners

2009-10-08T19:47:00.003-04:00

Best in Show: John Troxler Bleeding Heart
Judges Choice #1: John Troxler Bleeding Heart
Judges Choice #2: Deb Saine Red Rose
Creative Imaging Award: David Bowles Contemplation
Virgina Lewis Award: Kaylee Ervin Skylight

Advanced
Landscape/Architecture
1st John Troxler Cloudy Reflection
2nd Ann Weigand Just Another Indiana Icon
3rd Ann Weigand In the Desert
4th Wallace Dibble Long Way Home

Nature
1st John Troxler Bleeding Heart
2nd Jack Burger Lupines
3rd Jeremy Ashcraft Adult Swim
4th David Bowles Contemplation

Open
1st Ann Weigand A Simple View
2nd Jeremy Ashcraft Frontier Christmas
3rd Don Hershberger See-Through Still Life
4th Don Hershberger Aftermath

People
1st John Troxler Trackside with Andrew
2nd Dale L Sullivan Spanish Fiesta

Amateur
Landscape/Architecture
1st Beth Johns One Room School House on Walton Road
2nd Jud Barr What's Beyond
3rd Philip Reismiller Springmill Sunrise
4th Marta Ulrich Deutsch Garden

Nature
1st Deb Saine Red Rose
2nd Phillip Reismiller Rose Breasted Grosbeak
3rd Judi Barr Patterns in Ice
4th Harriet Murdock Rincon The Elegant Egret

Open
1st Donald Weikle '48 Buick at Vera Mae's
2nd Judi Barr Rusting Red
3rd Donald Weikle Lights!
4th Phillip Reismiller Into the Wild Blue Yonder

People
1st Marta Ulrich Grace
2nd Carla Baker Cousins
3rd Clint Andrew Brown Eros
4th Marta Ulrich Carter

Youth

Open
1st Natalia Martin Flowers
2nd Rachel Sims Mexico Beach
3rd Kaylee Ervin Roller Coaster at Sunset
4th Joseph Shafer Karly and the Horse

Little Children's Ministry

2009-10-08T10:54:00.002-04:00

Had a great day photographing everyone at Little Children's Ministry yesterday. Everyone did really really well, there were a few children last time that were quite shy that did a complete 180, and smile as big as they could. That was really great to see, and aside from the fact that a full 50% of the kids had runny noses the pictures turned out great. Don't worry parents, the runny noses will be taken care of in your enlargements, it just means a little bit more work for me.

LAA 2009 Photography Show

2009-10-05T08:43:00.003-04:00

Ok, the show has been hung, it looks amazing. There is some really awesome work this year. I have a couple of favorites that I saw while hanging, but it's anyone's guess how the judging will go. The judges are both arriving today, Angie at 10am, and John and 2pm. They'll get me their scores and I'll punch them in tonight, so we'll be able to start working on the documentation for the show tomorrow and of course writing the checks!

I also wanted to announce the Photography Show Facebook page. We'll be able to post pictures of the winners, talk about the winning images, and keep track of important dates. This will also be a great way to keep people updated on rule changes as there are probably going to be some major changes in 2010.

So if you're interested in the LAA's annual photography show, click the link and become a fan:

LAA Photography Show Facebook

Facebook Fans

2009-09-30T08:47:00.003-04:00

Thanks a ton to all of my fans over on Facebook. I'm up to 36 fans in a week. That's not too bad at all. I think all of my new customers from last week signed up which is just awesome. I'm loving the feedback that I'm getting on my work and the updates I'm giving. Based on this reaction I'm going to keep it going, but I have no plans for stopping this blog any time soon. They both seem to serve their purpose. If you want to become my fan on Facebook just click the link and hit the "Become Fan" button at the top.

Facebook

2009 Wedding Highlights

2009-09-28T09:27:00.002-04:00

Here are some of my favorite shots from my 2009 weddings. It was a really great year, I had more fun this year than any other year since I started. I met a lot of really great couples and I hope they'll be customers for life, especially once the little ones start arriving. Congratulations to all of my 2009 newlyweds!

Teresa and Chris' Wedding

2009-09-28T08:52:00.003-04:00

I hate to always mention the weather in conjunction with my work, so I'll keep it short this time. The weather was gorgeous! This was a Saturday for the record books, the only thing better than working on a day like that is not working on a day like that. The wedding itself was very nice and both sides of the wedding party was a lot of fun. I had a really good time and I could tell everyone else was having a blast. The reception was a riot, the DJ was playing a custom playlist hand picked by the groom, tons of classic 70's pop, Glenn Campbell and Gordon Lightfoot to name a few. I'm not sure if it was the playlist or what, but the dance floor was filled the whole night. Everyone from flower girls on up to grandmothers was out on the floor rocking it. That's the best thing to see at a reception, it's very disappointing when no one dances and it can make a wonderful day end on sort of a flat note. I also need to mention, I've never been to Culver Cove before, and this place was amazing. It's a bit of a drive, but totally worth it, I wish more couples from this area would use that facility for their receptions. Congratulations you guys, I wish you all the best.

Free Wallets!

2009-09-21T15:49:00.002-04:00

Got your attention didn't I. I'm very excited to announce the introduction of Free Wallet prints. If you choose, you may order up to 10 sheets of wallets from your order and get them absolutely free. The catch? Of course there is a catch, I will include my logo on the front of all free wallets. These wallets will serve as promotional pieces for me, getting my name out to your family and friends. These wallets are available to all of my current high school seniors, they're already turned on in your online proofing store, just select the images you want and add them to your cart. I'll add them to your order and you can hand them out at school. You save money and I get a little bit of added publicity. Win/win!

Justin's Portraits

2009-09-21T08:59:00.002-04:00

Justin gave us some trouble this weekend now that he is fully mobile he is a hard little guy to keep in front of the camera. We tried all of the regular tricks and nothing kept in up there, well, the duct tape worked, but it made him mad and his face got all red. Of course the adults ultimately won, we got plenty of really cute shots of him, it just took a little bit longer than normal. Next time we need to figure out how to properly motivate him, chocolate perhaps? No, probably cold hard cash...

Facebook Page

2009-09-18T09:47:00.002-04:00

Ok, I finally did it. I set up a Facebook page for the studio. This should be an interesting experiment if nothing else. Check it out at:

Face Book Page

Add yourself as a fan, the more the merrier!

Liz's Senior Portraits

2009-09-18T08:47:00.002-04:00

We had a really great session last night for Liz's senior portraits. We got a really good variety of shots in just 2 locations. We started at her church and got some really nice shots in front of the stone work and cross at the front of the sanctuary. Then we swung over to the high school where she posed on the long Logansport High School sign. We drove around to the little cabin and then eventually walked into the Berry Patch. We did stay a little too long at the High School because by the time we go to the railroad bridge, the sun was completely behind the trees. I think in most cases the extra darkness would have been an issue, but the moodiness really worked for these shots. Liz's choice of top, the vintage guitar, and her expressions really worked well with the darkness, it gave these shots a really edgy feel. I even like the single strand of hair across her eye in this shot.

2009 LAA Photography Show

2009-09-17T16:24:00.002-04:00

The LAA's annual Photography Show is fast approaching. Photographs will be received on Friday October 2nd from 11:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday October 3rd from 9am until noon. We are very lucky to have two excellent judges this year, John Parker of Weddings by Parker and Angie Turnpaugh from the Pharos Tribune. I hope everyone is planning on entering,it's always a good time at the reception talking to the other photographers in the area.

Busy Week

2009-09-14T11:36:00.003-04:00

This has been a really busy week. Had a photo shoot every night except Friday and I spent all day Friday placing enlargement orders. I think this is the last portrait that needed to be uploaded to the gallery. Super cute Scott's 3 month portrait. We were chugging along very nicely, mom brought 3 outfits and we were ready to put on the second one when he fell fast asleep. We ended up scratching outfit 2, and moving straight on to outfit 3 which as luck would have it was pajamas. So that worked out pretty well.

New purchase option

2009-09-11T11:43:00.004-04:00

I'm very excited to now be offering single pose packages. If you are needing several units of the same pose you can order one of 3 packages and save 10, 20, or 30%. You still get to choose the sizes you want, you can mix and match whatever works best for you, so if you need 5 8x10's you can save 20%, if you need 5 sheets of wallets, and 5 sheets of 5x7's you can save 30%. It's a really great feature and you can mix and match these packages into your order anyway you want, and if you just don't want to buy several prints of the same pose just order the units ala carte, my normal volume discounts still apply so either way you can save on the order that fits your needs exactly.

The packages themselves are Small, which includes 3 units of your choice for $30, Medium which includes 5 for $45, and Large which is the best value with 10 units of your choice for only $80.

If you have any questions about these great new packages don't hesitate to email me, I'd love to go over it in more detail with anyone who is interested.

Jordyn's Senior Portraits Part 2

2009-09-11T11:36:00.003-04:00

We had much better luck with the weather for our outdoor session last night. We spent around an hour out at the golf course and aside from a couple of errant golf balls it went really well. We got some really nice shots including this one up in a really funky pine tree. There were of course issues with sap, I think Jordyn got it on her shirt and pants, and after I touched a branch I couldn't put my camera down, but it was well worth it to get such great shots.

Kelley's Senior Portraits

2009-09-09T11:06:00.004-04:00

We had a great time doing Kelley's Senior Portraits last night. We started out at a family friend's house where we posed in and around her gardens. It was a long drive, but well worth it because this was a photographer's dream. Tons of color, lots of depth, plants at all heights, low, middle and high. The only problem was the mosquitoes. They were thick, at one point there were so many on my lens that I couldn't hold my camera up. Unfortunately, Kelly got bit a couple of times so it's going to mean a bit more Photoshop, but that's also worth it for the gorgeous gardens we got to photograph in.

Reduced Proofing Prices

2009-09-09T09:49:00.002-04:00

I'm very very please to announce that due to a recent reduction in the prices I pay per image for my online proofing I'm making 2 exciting changes to my prices. First off, I'm lowering my High School Senior sitting fee to $100. The cost of my online proofing was one of the main reasons I raised my price to $125 and I'm really happy to be able to lower now.

Secondly, I'm going to double the amount of proofing included in all of my wedding packages. Instead of 90 days, I'm going to make it a full 6 months. This will give all of my happy new couples a couple of months to look and enjoy the pictures, and then a couple more months to get serious and place their orders. 90 days just never seemed to be enough and almost every bride ended up paying more for a couple of extra months. Those days should be behind us now.

Jordyn's Senior Portraits

2009-08-31T10:29:00.003-04:00

We got rained out last week for Jordyn's portrait session. We had planned to go out to the Logansport Country Club but it was just a really soggy dreary day. This is only the second time I've had to postpone a session this year so I'm not going to complain too much about it. We used the time wisely though and got some really excellent studio portraits. Here is one of my favorites, super simple, just standing in front of a backdrop, but it's a really really strong portrait. I think we're going to get some really good stuff for the next session, so stay tuned and I'll be sure to post one from her outdoor set as well.

Senior Portrait Tips

2009-08-17T09:06:00.001-04:00

Here are some tips for ensuring your high school graduation portraits turn out amazing!

1. Bring examples of things you'd like to try in your portraits. Magazine clippings, year books, catalogues or anything else with examples of poses, styles, or effects. We can combine these ideas with our own and create a truly unique portrait that captures your personal style.

2. Give your hair time to grown in after a cut. Don't get a fresh cut the day before your portrait session, a minimum of 5 days is needed for the cut to look natural.

3. Makeup should be applied normally. Use a mirror as a guide, if it looks good in the mirror it will look fine on film.

4. Ask your optometrist to remove the lenses from your glasses if possible. Reflections are very common on glasses and can be very time consuming to remove. Avoiding this problem is the best way to ensure a great portrait.

5. Simple, solid outfits work best, especially in the studio. More formal attire is also very common in the studio. Outdoor poses work well with jeans or khakis and simple solid shirts, especially muted colors. Blue, green, tan, and many more work better than glaringly bright colors such as white, yellow or red.

Follow these tips and make sure to get a good night's rest and your graduation portraits will be something you'll be proud of for years to come.

2009-08-17T08:38:00.003-04:00

I really have had more than just this 1 session this week but it's been so busy I just haven't had any time for uploading new shots to my gallery or blogging. I'll try to get caught up on my newest photo shoots this week but for now this is John. We had a really great session on Friday. I was really worried about the heat it was just awful at 6pm when we started at the studio, but by 7pm when we were ready to roll to the outdoor location there was this great breeze that took the edge off the heat. As long as we kept to the shade, which of course I always do just for exposure purposes, it was almost perfectly pleasant. It was certainly not too hot to be out in photographing so we were able to spend another hour or so getting more shots along the river. I really had a good time and as time went on I could tell John was starting to really get into the posing. It always makes me really happy to not only create great portraits for people, but when they have a good time with the process it's the ultimate experience and it's what I strive to do for every client. I was really really glad to see John having a blast.

Ashley and Michael's Wedding

2009-08-10T09:00:00.003-04:00

Don't you just love this shot? Ashley mentioned this idea she had almost as soon as we started doing the photography on Saturday. I didn't understand exactly what she meant until we got outside and saw the long row of evergreens. This turned out really cool. I'm always happy when my clients bring their own ideas to photo shoots, you get a much fuller selection of images when there are multiple people being creative. And creativity is obviously one of Ashley and Michael's strong points, the ceremony was very traditional, but the reception was, I guess the word is "off the hook." They entered the reception to an ESPN style roll call ending in bursting through a paper ring with their initials on it. They had a very elaborate 3 part first dance starting out traditional, turning into a line dance, and finally ending up as a hip hop number. And of course, they kicked the night off right by singing the first karoake song. It was a good time that's for sure.

Amy and Travis' Wedding

2009-08-03T09:18:00.003-04:00

I don't say this very often, but I wish I would have been a guest at this wedding and not the photographer. Everything was just gorgeous, the tent, the landscaping, the decorations, it was all really beautiful. The service was very lovely, and then it was obvious the affection that all of the guests showed for this couple throughout the entire night. I followed them around for 2 hours after the ceremony capturing their interactions with their guests. Finally Travis turned to me and said, "Did you get something to eat yet?" And I replied, "No, I'll eat when you eat." He said they were on their way to the buffet right then so I followed them around for another hour and they were still talking to friends and family and having a great time. I finally saw Amy get a plate of food around 9pm, but I don't think she ever had the chance to eat it. They were having so much fun, they forgot to eat. Now that's what I call a wedding.

Be careful everyone

2009-07-30T11:19:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to post up some emails I've been getting from a guy named Kelvin Jones. He contacted me about a wedding job for this summer here in Logansport, but he claimed to be living in the UK. I found that very suspicous, but I replied back trying to be as open minded as I could.

Hello,

Hope you're having a nice time! I am getting in touch with you
concerning our wedding taking place this year in Indiana . My name is
kelvin Jones from Ireland (currently working and living in London,
United Kingdom). I am coming over with my fiance Daffy Morris who's
Trinidad & Tobago by nature but has actually naturalized in London.

We'll be starting a new beginning together 'cause my Wife to be just
got a job in Indiana .We will be getting married on the 21th of July,
2009 and we have decided to get married in The States since we're
moving down and pretty know our new home would be wonderful and a
good location to raise kids.
more so,am making arrangement for transportation for getting you
down from any where you are in the state..so you shouldn't bother
about the location....all will be put in place by me....
We will be needing a good Photographer to take care of the picture
aspect of our wedding occasion both ceremony and reception for our
guests' convenience because we require the best for memories photo's
for our children and as a matter of fact we have made a good budget
for an outstanding event. Please let us know if you can help plan a
wonderful occasion.

Regards
kelvin Jones

I told him I would be happy to help him out and I asked him some basic questions about what he was looking for in his wedding photography. He replied back with this:

Hello Ryan Buck.....
It's such a great thing to hear from you so soon, hope you are
having a wonderful day 21 st the day we choose ,i hope you dont have
any problem with that and really can't wait for the D day..

We will be arriving Austin. on the 6th of July,2009.The ceremony and
reception will be taking place at a venue and the venue will be
secured the same week we arrived. we want it to be the last thing to
do here ,The wedding ceremony will be at 4pm while the reception will
followed immediately,we would like to rush things up here because we
still have our various job/business (s) intact and would like to spend
more time with our family and loved ones before coming because we
might not have enough time to do so in the nearest future which is why
we can only be available for a face to face consultation on our
arrival if it will be okay by you.

We want the best picture for the memory of our children and families.
I went through your site before decided to contact you and we like to
secure the photography aspect before the next vendor,we will need you
for about 6 hours for that day .

I will like to inform you that the payment for your services charge
will be done via certified cashier check.so you get back to me with
your details.....
full name;
address;
mobile no;
I will be looking forward to your prompt response asap . I will be
waiting for your swift response to my email asap. Do have a great day.

Regards.
kelvin Jones

At this point I was 99% sure this was a scam. I replied back one more time asking for some more information and before I knew it he said he had mailed the payment to me at my studio. We hadn't even discussed the package he was interested in. So I ended up receiving 7 $500 American Express Traveller's Checks. This was far far too much money so I knew that he was going to be asking me to send a portion of this money through Western Union to another person and that's when I got this final email:

hello,
how are you doing.....i just want to inform you that the check was sent to you from my company via Ups with tracking number...A371 242 7996 and it will be delivered today.
The company sent you the whole amount of funds that i am expecting from them ( $3500 ) they wanted to issue out for the wedding to you, so you pls kindly deduct your service deposit payment as soon as you get it cashed in your bank and you send down the remaining balance via western union to the wedding planner,this money is meant for the part payment of my wife wedding gown and my suit,videographer,venue and also for other miscellaneous expenses for my wedding.i know you know how important this mean to me,so you will have to help me get the money sent to him as soon as you get yours.
i will be waiting to hear back from you as soon as you get the check so that i can send you the details of my wedding planner and you can help me to send the money to him asap.....
THANK YOU
Kelvin Jones

So after this I emailed all of these messages to Yahoo and they banned his email account. I just wanted to warn people that these sorts of scams are still happening, please be careful and remember if it sounds too good to be true, it most definitely 100% is not true. I actually get one of these about once a year, photographers make great targets because we deal mostly in services, we don't always meet our clients ahead of time, and our costs can be quite high. You would never send $3500 to a plumber in another state, but this is not out of the question for a photographer. So to everyone, especially other photographers, be vigilant, don't become a victim yourself.

Little Baby Sam

2009-07-29T08:38:00.003-04:00

Why is it when you plan on doing a nice, easy, sleeping baby portrait session, the baby never sleeps, but when the parents want to have shots of their baby awake, alert, looking at the camera, and maybe even smiling, the baby can't be awoken for anything short of nuclear war? We got pretty lucky, Sam was not asleep in this shot, he just closed his eyes very briefly and I snapped. It worked out perfectly, but this is the shot that almost never was. Not to mention he's a bit too big for our crocheted baby sack. I really like how this turned out though, so all of the extra work was well worth it.