What to Wear Wednesday: Senior Guys | Jackson, MI Senior Photographer

Everything from casual to dressy all in one post! The easy part about guys is you can literally change your shirt and dress up or down. Most of these pants are similar, so you could stick with one pair and just switch a few things around to get three versatile looks.

Now I don't expect anyone to rush out and buy these items, but they're great for giving you ideas of how to put together a portrait wardrobe.

 

Senior Guy by nattyjphotography featuring a buckle belt

Penny W. Stamps Speaker Series: Sally Mann

The University of Michigan School of Art and Design puts on a speaker series every Thursday night for free at the Michigan Theater in downtown Ann Arbor. They range in topics and people from photographers, to designers, to film directors, and so much more. Today the speaker was Sally Mann. For those of you who don't know who Sally Mann is, she is a pioneer in the photography industry (Sally Mann's website bio). I remember learning about her in my History of Photography class, so it was surreal to be able to hear her talk. I don't know about anyone else, but if someone is in a history book, I feel like they're typically unattainable; one because usually it was so long ago that they're deceased or two because they're just so famous that why would they bother with coming to such a small town when there's plenty of bigger cities to speak at. So when I heard that she was coming to Ann Arbor and I could see her for free, I jumped on the chance to do so.

While they were introducing her, they had talked about just how hard it was to get her to come and talk, they had been asking her for six years!! And she didn't turn them down because she was too high and mighty, she turned them down because she had too many things going on at home to be able to leave. She declined once because it was winter in Michigan (she's from Virginia) and she had too many animals to tend to, to be able to leave. That's awesome!

From the moment she stepped on stage it was almost magical. I immediately got goosebumps and a huge smile from ear to ear. I probably looked like a 12 yr old meeting Justin Bieber hahaha. Sally just has a presence about her, she's incredibly intelligent and humble. She spoke about the portrait series she's working on at the moment and read an excerpt from her upcoming book If Memory Serves (working title). It was great to hear her own doubts in her work and how she overcomes that. You think with being as recognized for her skill as she is, that she would be confident in her photography, but she second guesses herself just like any other artist out there.

Afterward there was a short Q&A. People asked what she printed her new series on and she still uses film. And then someone asked what she thought of the digital age. Her answer was awesome for this, she prints using a glass negative and accidentally dropped one of them, she scanned it and had her assistant stitch it back together, then sent it off to have a new negative made! So Sally said that it's great to have those options around because in the past it would just be ruined and there would be nothing she could do to save it. Then she went in the hall to sign books. Unfortunately, the girl in front of me in line bought the last one of Sally's books for sale, so I didn't have anything exciting for her to sign, but I had on of my business cards with me and she signed that; which I still think is cool regardless of what it is. Here's a crappy webcam photo of me with my Sally Mann autograph.

For a list of upcoming guests from the Penny W. Stamps Speaker Series, click here.

What to Wear Wednesday: Primarily Girly | Jackson, MI Children Photogrpher

Just because it's fall doesn't mean that you can't dress your little ones in some really colorful and playful outfits. All these you can toss a sweater over or add some leggings so they don't get chilly. I just love this play on the primary print colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, & black). So what are you waiting for? Call to book a portrait session for the little girly girl in your life.

Now I don't expect anyone to rush out and buy these items, but they're great for giving you ideas of how to put together a portrait wardrobe.

Baby Holiday by barbarela11 featuring a plaid dress

Michigan Renaissance Festival | Jackson, MI Photographer

If you remember from last year (2011 post), I LOVE the Michigan Renaissance Festival that goes on annually in Holly, MI. The sights, sounds, and smells are a sensory overload! There's so much to do there and all kinds of fun performances to watch. This year we sat and watched a man balance a bench on his chin, the Ded Bob Sho (I definitely recommend this one if you're going to go. And get there early, he always has a full house), and lastly the jousting. The food they have is so savory and rich; my favorites are the turkey drumsticks and ginormous pickles they have. The drumsticks are so huge, I had left overs for lunch the next day!

I couldn't decide which version I liked better of this man, but I'm leaning toward the b&w. Every year I go, I see him and never have had the courage to ask permission for his portrait. This year, I did, and I'm so glad because his presence and the effort he puts into his appearance at the festival is just astounding.

Mother Nature | Jackson, MI Portrait Photographer

A couple coworkers and I decided to have a fun shoot this past weekend. Jena and Amber modeled, along with Desi the horse and Tagus the dog. These are only a few of the photos I captured, I still have a lot more to go through and edit, but I wanted to share these because we had SO much fun. We spent almost 6 hours shooting at various spots on the property. And these ones were only from the first location! When we were leaving to go to the last spot, there was a really bright rainbow going all the way across the sky. I didn't have a wide enough lens to capture the whole thing, but you can see a piece of how awesome it was at the end.

Keep checking back on the blog because I will be posting more of the images when I finish them.

What to Wear Wednesday: Rebel in Red | Jackson, MI Photographer

Want to stand out in your senior portraits? Wear red! This outfit would be awesome if you don't want to go with the standard sweet senior portraits. Perfect for an urban setting or maybe out in the woods making you the center of attention no matter the background.

Now I don't expect anyone to rush out and buy these items, but they're great for giving you ideas of how to put together a portrait wardrobe.

When in Doubt wear RED by annacrisf featuring red handbags

Holiday Deadlines | Jackson, MI Family Photographer

It's that time of year again to start thinking about sending out those holiday cards and getting family portraits, a perfect gift for any grandparent. However, there are some important dates that you need to know to make sure that you receive your prints in time and aren't scrambling at the last minute (like I usually am haha). Book your portrait session early to guarantee your spot and get ahead of the game.

Important Holiday Dates

November 1 - Last day for a full portrait session to be photographed & guaranteed before the holidays.
November 15 - Holiday Mini Sessions (details to be announced later).
November 21 - Deadline for holiday orders. Must be placed no later than noon.