A Bit 'O Business

What? A backdrop?! Artificial lighting?? Well, it seems I am now also doing corporate business portraits. Why? Because everyone just loves to get this done? Let's be honest, it's a CHORE for most people. I know this first hand because my husband, who is a wonderful business man, has not had his picture retaken for the company since 1993, give or take a few years, and a few pounds, and a few pair of glasses.
This is actually quite fun for me. I like the set up and I'm offering a great deal with an extra opportunity to get a FREE PHOTO SESSION.

So, here it is:

**For only $60, I'll come to your office and take corporate business pictures of up to 5 people. $80 for 10 people, $100 for more than 10 people.

**Each person will receive a disc with 3 images to choose from. Images will be completely edited, with choice of background colors.

**Every person who participates will get their name in a drawing for a FREE photo session! Drawing to be held on March 31 - my husbands birthday.

**Every person who participates will receive 30% off any prints if they schedule a regular portrait session that day(Family, couple, kids, senior, etc...).

Now that is a FANTASTIC offer. It's easy for your office, because I COME TO YOU and you can get several people photographed at one time. So quit procrastinating and set up your appointment today (Greg...)!

This offer is good until April 1st. It's a perfect time of year to get a fresh new look for your business cards or brochures. Just contact me and we'll set up a time...

Michelle

Isn't that the most gorgeous hair you've ever seen!??? Get this, it's real. No fake color... real. I've been thinking as I've looked through her images today, I'm so glad we didn't wait until Spring to take these. By that time, the colors of the season would be here, and I actually think it would compete with the vibrancy in her own unique coloring. Even though we were thinking we could get this in before the snow melted away, we were instead faced with 50 degree warmth and a nice overcast day (great for photos)! Michelle is a special young lady, and I'm so glad I got to take her photos!

CS4 vs iPhoto

I am learning, learning, learning. After much frustration, I have finally figured out that there are certain photo editing tweeks that I have performed in iPhoto, that look great while editing within iPhoto. But the moment you click "Done" those edits are lost. They don't get transferred to a printed image at all. Basically, iPhoto does not do what it is supposed to do. So, with that, I migrate over to Photoshop CS4 where I belong anyway. There I can reduce all that grainy noise, remove spots, and add a person into a shot because they inadvertantly wandered away during the photoshoot. (How does that happen?)
So here is a before and after image... can you tell the difference? One was done with the iPhoto (free with the purchase of my Mac) and the other was edited with Photoshop CS4 (NOT Free at all)!

{{This is fun, I may have to make a contest out of this...}}

Winter Walk

Sometimes I miss the convenience of living in town... a quick run for milk, a drop by visit of a friend, and generally less snakes and stuff. But not this day. On Wednesday, we all woke up to a blanket of icy fog, and I was fortunate enough to have a stay-at-home morning to do laundry. And like all good photographers, or otherwise procrastinating homemakers, I opted for a walk among the glorious crisp white trees and fields. Days like this make me never want to get in the car... (especially since it's a Toyota).
The picture in the middle was taken with my new 50mm 1.4 Canon lens. See how the ice crystals on the tip of the branch are clearly in focus, while the rest is all blurry? Well, that's on purpose, folks. It's called "Bokeh." While my composition may be a little off, I love playing with that depth of field. It's so precise, that a pic of my dog's face can have her nose in focus, while the eyes get blurry. We want to avoid that, so it takes practice. Practice. Practice... I do love the results, though. I'm also learning about White Balance, and studio flashed set ups. You have to be a constant learner to make it in this business. It's technical. It's Art. It's people. It's JOY to me. And it's why I'd rather venture outside instead of hopping in the car to go to WalMart. **Sigh**, that's where I'm headed now...

London Wedding... Brad and Sarah

I can't describe in words, probably because I'm a visual person, how incredible this trip was to London! First of all, it was my sister's eldest boy getting married, second, he married SARAH. They are truly smitten with each other, a pure joy to be around, and I am blessed to have been a part of their big day.