Commercial site

Check out our new commercial site. Over the last few years we have done more and more commercial jobs. Working with ad agencies in Indianapolis and Mississippi as well as here in AR. We have done jobs for Microplane, Savoya, The Capitol Hotel, Health X, Conway Regional, and many more. I love the challenge of a commercial shoot. If your business is in need of great commercial photography give us a call.

Sonshine

I recently spent a weekend with Brooke & Barbara photographing 400 ballerinas. For almost ten years, I have been photographing the Sonshine Dance Academy. After the first couple of years we decided to make this event a fundraiser for YoungLife. Giving the proceeds from this job to YL has been one of the most satisfying things we do. The school has tripled in size and so has our donation to YL. I hope in the future to find more events we can do as fundraisers. If you are a photographer, I encourage you to find a job or event that you might turn into a fundraiser for your favorite ministry or charity. Please check out the link to the younglife homepage. I am convinced it is one of the most important organizations in any community.

Common Question

If there is one question I here asked more than any other it is how often do I recommend people get there portraits made. We do not offer any special packages with portrait plans until your kids graduate. Although many of my photographer friends tell me how great they are. I think it is simple, when you look at your portraits and then you look at your children or family and they don't really resemble one another it is time. This is what I try to do. When the kids are young that will pretty often and as they grow older not as much. There are some milestones that I recomend like at least two to three times in there first year and again when they are two and three. Agian, if its been a while, right before what I like to call the awkward years 10 or 12 is a great time for a family portrait as it might be the last one you do for awhile. And if your family is growing up, the last ones graduating high school [don't forget the senior pics] that is a great time for a family portrait. That could be the last time your family is just your family without in-laws and grandkids. Anyway hope this helps some of your questions on when to call. Of course I would say if you are reading this blog then its a good time to make an appointment.

We're Back

Sorry it has been so long. It has been a crazy month and there is much to tell. The biggest news is Brooke is engaged which means we will be heading to Aspen CO. in October to shoot her wedding. Brooke has only been back with us since September and has been a great asset we are happy for her but will be very sad to see her move. Her fiance Warren is in Massachusets. Anyway that is the big news. We are about to wrap up school this week and get into the summer plans. I promise to get more posts online next month.

Billingham Bags

Melissa got me a new camera bag for Christmas. It's made by Billingham. I absolutely love it. Billingham makes a classic camera bag but with modern technology. Part of the experience in everything for me is getting ready, planning, packing & storing. I love containers. Having a camera bag that I love is a must. There is something about the look and the materials and the overall aesthetic of these bags that I have loved from the first time I saw them. Check out there website at www.billingham.co.uk

Artist in Residence

My sister-in-law Heather Mainord, who is an outstanding artist, is the featured article and on the cover of Women's Inc magazine. Heather has a solo art show next month at Local Coulor gallery in Little Rock. We did these shots of Heather at her home and in her studio that's behind her house. If you love good artwork, check out Heather's website and her show on April 25th.

New wedding video

I have been playing with some of the programs that are on my MacBook Pro. I recently created a website for the APPA convention "IMAGINGARKANSAS" using iWeb and most recently this video of some of my favorite images from weddings that Barb, Brooke and I have photographed lately. The Apple programs are so easy to use it has been a lot of fun playing with them. If you are a Mac user check out some of the programs in iLife 08 the are really cool. I hope you enjoy this video.

Artfully Arranged

I thought writing a post on how to hang and arrange portraits in your home, as well as framing options would be helpful. There are several great ways to group portraits together in your home. If you are not sure what is best for you here are several examples of some great ideas. The first is a group of different size prints ranging from 20"x20" down to a 3"x5" print. In this example the frames are all different but have a unifying theme with color and size.
This grouping is an example of nine frames of the same size with different size mat openings. Images in this group range from casual to formal and individuals as well as family groups.








This grouping is an example of a collection of very different images some color some B&W and a variety of sizes. The unifying theme is they all have the exact same frame.
Sometimes there are several images that we love but we can't hang all of our favorites on the wall. I always encourage people to take those few favorites and get smaller prints 5x7s or 8x10s. These are perfect for dad's office or a bedside table.

Finally, for some of our best clients, their walls are full in the living room. I often hear " I don't know where I'll put these. I don't have any wall space". I usually recommend moving some of your older images to more private spaces like a bedroom a hallway or an upstairs landing. This allows you to keep your most current images in the your most used rooms, places where you and your guests can enjoy them.
There are many ways to enjoy the images of your family for years to come. These are just a few options. In this post you can see the impact that a grouping can have in a room. These groupings range from large to small and have black, wood, silver and gold frames. No matter what your style, there is a great way to incorporate photography of your family into your home if is artfully arranged.

Rosemary Beach

It's time to start planning those summer vacations again. We have set our dates for our annual trip to the beach. Rosemary Beach is once again our destination. If you are planning on going this August we will be wrapping up the summer with a week at the beach. Rosemary Beach is 30 minutes from Destin so call the studio if you will be in the area and would like to capture those vacation moments at the beach.

Imaging Arkansas

If you are a professional photographer or just an enthusiast the "Imaging Arkansas" APPA State convention will hold something for you. If you are a pro in AR and not a member of the APPA I cannot say enough about the importance of membership in your local Association. Most photographers I know would credit a lot of their success to the educational experiences and the relationships they have through professional associations. Melissa and I are members of Arkansas (APPA), Ozarks (PPO), International Christian Photographers (ICP), Southwest Photographers (SWPP), Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and The American Society of Photographers (ASP). I can honestly say our best friends in the photography industry have all been met through attending seminars and conventions with each of these associations. This year the APPA convention is especially important to me because I am on the Board as well as the Convention Chairman. If you ask me this is the best slate of speakers & activities we have ever lined up, of course I did invite them. If you are interested in photography but not a professional you can check out the trade show and the print exhibit. I would encourage you all to check out the IMAGING ARKANSAS website for all of the details. Of course anyone with questions about any of these organizations or the upcoming convention feel free to give me a call.