Senior portraits are not cheap. In fact, if you are not careful you could easily end up spending more on a series of professional shots than an entire academic year’s worth of school supplies. Generally, a senior portrait session will include at least 15 to 30 poses. From those proofs you will be able to select your favorite images and have prints made. Of course, the greater the selection of outstanding shots you have, the tougher it will be to stick to your photo budget. It helps to consult the photographer about package deals prior to setting up an appointment. … Continue reading →

With family reunion season in full swing, cameras are working overtime snapping shots of multiple generations loving on each other in the summer sun. The special moments made and shared during these annual weekend get-togethers often make their way into albums, scrapbooks and onto social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. However, there are a slew of other ways you can preserve and display the images snapped during these special occasions. Here are just a few: FAMILY TREE Typically during a family reunion, each clan poses for a portrait. However, instead of filing away each shot, consider displaying them … Continue reading →

Remember the days when wedding receptions came with huge centerpieces and a disposable camera at each place setting? Or, if the newlyweds were on a budget, a disposable camera at each table? That was long before digital cameras, camera phones and other recording devices were standard equipment on people. Back then, you snapped photos of funny or emotional moments that transpired at the wedding reception, and then printed them out and presented them to the bride and groom in a scrapbook or as past of some other photo gift, be it a mouse pad, tote, blanket or keychain. Today, many … Continue reading →

March came in like a lion, and like many other months, it’s going out like a cheetah. The month flew by and now Easter and Mother’s Day is right around the corner. This, of course, means I have only a few weeks to create a slew of holiday gifts to give to the grandparents and other beloved friends and family that do so much for us throughout the year. However, instead of boring photo mugs, totes, mouse pads and blankets, I am planning to make more personalized gifts emblazoned with some of the best images I have taken in 2011. … Continue reading →

The shots of entire towns being uprooted and debris moving along city streets and farm fields like a massive wall of ooze in the wake of Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami are forever seared in my mind. The powerful images drew millions of eyes to their TV and computer screens in the weeks since the double disaster leveled northeast Japan. In fact, CNN recently reported that its Japan coverage gained the highest viewership the cable network has seen since President Obama’s inauguration in January 2009. Multiple villages moved by a surge of sea water, residents running for their lives to … Continue reading →

The latest video out of Japan showing raging mountains of debris chasing residents of small towns to higher ground is hard to watch, yet I find that I can’t keep my eyes off of it, and I know I am not alone. In fact, according to a new report, the March 11th earthquake and tsunami in Japan was one of the most recorded disasters ever to be captured on film, rivaling the visual power captured during the September 11th terrorist attacks. These days the world relies on photojournalists (amateur and professional) to shoot compelling photos in order to enhance news … Continue reading →

With the explosion of social media, camera phones and digital photography, photojournalism has become more popular than ever. In fact, these days you don’t need a college degree or professional photo experience to snap or record major events. Look at CNN’s I-reports. The cable news network now accepts video, photos and audio captured on a computer or cell phone from citizen journalists. The best clips are used on the network’s programming and are viewed by millions more on CNN’s website. The problem with having all these “citizen journalists” running around taking shots of current events and looking to have their … Continue reading →

My brother doesn’t own a traditional camera; rather he uses his cellphone to make the most of photo ops, and then he instantly shares the images with me and the rest of our family via email. He also tweets a bunch a photos, which I typically miss since I am anti-social media (little inside joke). With much of the world attached to their picture-taking PDAs it’s no wonder that photo apps are such a hot topic. Wander into photography forums these days and everyone and their brother (literally) is swapping stories about the latest and greatest apps that allow you … Continue reading →

I can’t get Pink’s “Raise Your Glass” out of my head. Only, when I think of my upcoming spring break photo shoot in Chicago, I contemplate changing “glass” to “camera” and using it as my theme song. I’m just a few weeks away from job shadowing a portrait photographer in one of the most photographed metropolises in world. I can’t wait. I love Chicago and getting the chance to shoot outdoors in the Windy City with one of my favorite pro photographers is an opportunity of a lifetime. Of course, Chicago is not the only place in the world that … Continue reading →

Where will you be spending spring break this year? Whereas I would love to jet off to Hawaii to escape Old Man Winter’s chokehold on the Midwest, funds are tight, so we’re planning to vacation closer to home. Sniff. Sniff. Spring is a time of new beginnings and new discoveries. What better time to hit the road with the family and your camera to snap as many photo ops are possible. If you have the time and the funds, consider traveling to the following idyllic spring break hot spots. You don’t have to be a pro shooter to know they … Continue reading →