Looking for great wedding traditions from other countries?

http://www.worldweddingtraditions.com/locations/west_europe_traditions/french_traditions.html

This is a great resource.


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First SC Family Portrait Day was Great

We had a whole lot of fun at our first family portrait day here in SC. We utilized the community club house of our apartment complex as a studio. It worked out great.

Vista Sands Apartments

1001 Bear Island Road

Summerville, SC 29483

Right Behind Dicks in the Azalea Shopping Center

We covered the pool table and showed off some of our wedding albums and children's portraits. We served the much coveted Hot Spiced Cider. If you haven't tasted this yet...you are in for a treat. One visitor called it "dessert in a cup". :-)

All in all we received over ten toys in donation for Toys for Tots.

Our next Family Portrait Day will be December 5. From noon until 9 p.m. We will again serve the Hot Spiced Cider. We are shooting against a plain backdrop, allowing our clients to choose from over 50 digital backdrops. We will again offer prints for toys (1 Toy = 8x10) and 5 toys (or $50 donation to Toys for Tots) equals a high resolution CD of two images with printing release.

So come out and join us. You can reserve your spot right online. http://hopehaven.bookmonline.com/schedules

Tis the Season

November 20 and December 11 - Hope Haven Photography will be available for Family Christmas Portraits at Vista Sands Apartments in Summerville, SC. BRING YOUR PET!!!

Address: 1001 Bear Island Road, Summerville, SC 29483 - Located behind Target Shopping Center and Dicks. We will be at the community center right as you enter the complex.

From 8:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. we will be photographing families for their Christmas Portraits.

Sitting fee of $10.00. Want free prints???? 1 Gift for Toys for Tots = 1 Free 8x10 or 2 4x6's or 8 Wallets.

Bring 5 Gifts for Toys for Tots and get your high resolution images on disk for creating Christmas cards. Toys for Tots accept only new, unwrapped toys.

High School Senior Ambassadors Needed

Senior Ambassador Program

• Be someone special in your school! Become a Hope Haven Photography Ambassador!

• Look to your friends and family to help you earn a photography session of a lifetime!

· A Referral* is a paid booking for a Family, Child, Senior, Maternity, Engagement, Wedding, Modeling or even Corporate Headshot session.

· The first student to bring in their high school senior mailing list will receive an $100 visa gift card.

All Ambassadors qualify for extraordinary, Ambassador-Only discounts; including the option to purchase at Hope Haven Wholesale cost any new items being added to the product line, while an ambassador.

It is all about getting you and your friends the best possible professional photography for their senior portraits. Every Ambassador qualifies for very special discounts and extra products.

Each Ambassador is eligible to be entered to win a Laptop ($1000 value), iPod touch, iPod nano and even $250 cash!

For every referral you receive the following:

1 entry to win the $250 visa gift card.

• $100 off their discounted Autograph Portfolio, up to the full price of the album

For every 5th referral you receive the following:

1 entry to win the iPod nano

$100 of Hope Haven Photography Prints

For every 10^th referral you receive the following:

1 entry to win the Ipod Touch

$200 of Hope Haven Photography Prints

For every 20^th referral you will receive the following:

1 entry to win the Laptop (Laptop will be customized to the winner’s preferences up to $1000)

$500 of Hope Haven Photography Prints

Ambassadors can earn a free “Autograph Portfolio” with your 10 best portraits and room for all of your friends to sign. ($800 value!) All Ambassadors need to have their pictures taken between January 1st, and May 1st,. As an Ambassador all you need to do is show off your photos from your free session with Hope Haven Photography. All Ambassadors should be representing only Hope Haven Photography during this time, and their Senior year. Remember….you don’t have to be a model to be an ambassador, all you have to be is outgoing and spread the word.

THE SESSIONS

You will be given the opportunity to be photographed twice. The first session needs to be scheduled before April 1st. It is to your advantage to have your session completed early, allowing you to get your photos in your hands before school is out, giving you the opportunity to show off your photographs and generate interest, before everyone scatters for summer. Your second session needs to be scheduled before September 1st, or you will forfeit your second session.

Your first session will be approximately 1-2 hours and will be shot by two professional, award winning photographers. You can bring up to 6 outfits that will be photographed on location (we can explain the locations during your interview).

Your second session will be approximately 1 hour. This one is special. Why? Well we know what to do to make you laugh and have fun, because we have had time to get to know you. Another bonus is…we can schedule this session at a special location like a beach area, waterfall, etc... giving you something no one else can get. Yeah!

REWARDS FOR TOP AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR:

• The “Top Ambassador” will receive - A NEW iPod loaded with your photos (based on referrals)

REGULAR AMBASSADORS WILL RECEIVE:

· You get two photos sessions for FREE

· You get to SAVE HUGE on your photos

· You can get free products and/or free gift cards

· Parents can save some serious cash off senior photos

· There is NO cap to the amount of rewards you can receive via referrals

· Free Family Session coupons

· Free student business cards to help them earn rewards

· 5 Free i-photos to post on your Myspace, Facebook, emailing, texting, etc…

· Free Locker buddy designed just for you (12x18 poster)

RULES

· Fill out application completely

· Mail your application to Hope Haven Photography, 1305C N. Main Street Box 9, Summerville, SC 29483

· Hope Haven will select the qualified candidates

· Schedule an interview with Ambassador candidates and his/her parent(s)

· Participate in the Promotional session

· Ambassador promotes the senior style program everywhere.

· Prizes will be awarded at the completion of the Senior Portrait Season, November 1 of each year.

Finding the Good in the Bad

How many times have I been angling to take a photograph, only to have something or someone get into my way? I so often get seriously frustrated and grouch or complain, but then upon reviewing the photographs discover that I captured something amazing.

Someone email this story to me this morning and I felt compelled to share.

"The Ant and the Contact lens: A TRUE STORY

Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff. She was standing on a ledge where she was taking a breather during this, her first rock climb. As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked out her contact lens.

' Great ' , she thought. ' Here I am on a rock ledge, hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top of this cliff, and now my sight is blurry. ' She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it just wasn't there.

She felt the panic rising in her, so she began praying. She prayed for calm, and she prayed that she may find her contact lens. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now that she was at the top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of mountains. She thought of the bible verse ' The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth. '

She thought, ' Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me. '

Later, when they had hiked down the trail to the bottom of the cliff they met another party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, ' Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens? '

Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it!

The story doesn't end there. Brenda's father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption, 'Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You. '

I think it would do all of us some good to say, 'God,I don't know why You want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it ' s awfully heavy. But, if You want me to carry it, I will. '

God doesn ' t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
Yes, I do love GOD. He is my source of existence and my Savior. He keeps me functioning each and every day. Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him...I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13) "

PS I have no idea if this is a true story or not, that wasn't the point. The point is we don't always understand why we are chosen to do the things God wants us to do, we are just supposed to do them anyway.

Saddest News

On Monday, I was very very saddened to learn of the suicide death of a former employee. Lindsey came to us fresh out of high school already facing a lot of problems. She had been kicked out of her home, she was pregnant and the father already out of the picture. She wasn't with us long, but she was with us long enough for me to learn how troubled she was.

I feel so guilty and convicted for not doing more to help her. I am sure that God doesn't want us to dwell on the past just as equally as I am sure he would want us to learn from it and move on and grow as people and Christians.

When I spoke to Lindsey's mother this morning, she gave me permission to use her first name and the details of her employment with me to write this letter. So I am asking all who read this to think of the people in their lives, the people who might be more acquaintances than friends, but think of all the people in your life and identify anyone who might be struggling. A kind word, a email, a quick note just to let someone know that you are thinking of them and praying for them might make all the difference in someone's life. I am not suggesting that we can stop all suicide with a note, but it is a start. If you can make your world and the people in it just a little kinder...treat everyone you meet with just a little more care and empathy. What a terrific world we would have.

I typically shy away from preaching, especially my love for God, on such a public forum as my blog, so if anyone seriously objects...I suggest the upper right X....or the red button.

Thank you for listening and may God bless each and every one of you.

New Website

I am very thrilled to announce that we have a new website. It has been completely redone.

We needed to accomodate and recognize the new talent covering the west coast, Samuel Losee our lead photographer for the Pacific Northwest.

Please check it out and let us know what you think! We love any and all feedback!

Hope Haven Photography

Drea McClure

Drea McClure

Naming Files

Have you ever found yourself searching your computer for a particular file, then once found and you read what you named it, you ask yourself..."What was I thinking?"

Choosing the location to save your file should be a pretty easy one. I keep all my photo files on a removable hard drive. This drive is a raid drive with another one. In other words there are two drives (I buy them in pairs) and when I save to one, it automatically saves to the other one. This creates two copies of the file, so if (when) I have a drive failure the other one should be fine. This is not a fool proof method. I also back up my finished files (tiff or jpg) to DVD and store them in our detached garage. This ensures against house fire or theft.

So back to naming the files. I use Adobe's Lightroom to import my files from my camera's memory card. In the import dialog box it will ask me, where I want the file saved and what do I want to name it. This is such a critical step. This dialog box can save you hours of time when used correctly. I name each RAW file brought into Lightroom with a gig specific name, or event specific if it is a family event. For example, the photos I shot during spring break, each file was imported as springbreak2010-1, springbreak2010-2...ect. I also took advantage of the metadata and made sure that each RAW file processed carried my copyright information. Even though this was a family trip, the sale of one single stock photo from this trip is always welcome. I don't want to have to go back and look to see if I attached a copyright if someone has their wallet out so to speak.

Keywords are my most loved items in this window. The keywords can literally be anything. I assign global keywords when I import and photo specific keywords prior to exporting. This covers all the bases. Global keywords for our spring break trip would be "spring" "break" "2010" "charleston" "south carolina" "family". Then specific keywords for specific things in the photos "swan" "alligator" or even "BW" for black and white or "Horizontal" or "Vertical". Prior to exporting your edited photos, simply select all the photos that are horizontal, and apply a keyword, then select all the photos that are black and white and apply a keyword. It sounds a lot harder than it truly is.

So here is the power of this technique. Yesterday I had a call from a person who attended a fund raiser a few years ago, we were the photographers for this event. All he could give me was what the fund raiser was for and the fact that he was the only 4 string bass player with a mohawk. Now, I don't add keywords for physical descriptions of people, but I did for "band" photos verses "audience", so it was a piece of cake to search with the parameters "Band" "Cancer" Benefit" "2008" and I was then able to upload the photos in question and reap a nice reward.

So my computer....yes - it has many many removable drive attached. Once a drive and raid drive are full, I remove the raid copy to ... you guessed it... the garage. This allows me to index and fully search all the photos that I have available to me. Yes, I have 4 (4-port) usb hubs attached to my computer.... crazy? Maybe, but I can locate what I want, when I want it and with reasonable speed.

Interested in learning more? I teach for the PPA's super monday classes held twice a year. Drop me a line or check www.ppa.org for more information.

Nicodemi - Noetzelman Wedding

Nicodemi - Noetzelman Wedding

This was my first time at The Manor in Everett, WA. What a lovely location for a wedding! Christina and Nick, we wish you all the best in your new life together.

Digital Art

I was recently commission to create a painting from a digital image. We worked with the client to create what I feel is a beautiful painting of a lovely dog.

Please feel free to leave comments, as I would love to know what people think of this new artistic outlet.

Officiants – You are in the shot.

I was visiting with a recent bride and groom. They were very disappointed in their ceremony photos. Not anything I did, it was what the officiant was holding. He held basic paper type brochure. It looks really tacky in the photographs. One of my favorite officiants has a plain leather portfolio that she uses as a backdrop to her papers. Everything looks great in the photographs. I wish I had kept track of the number of times that the officiant is captured behind the bride and groom when The kiss takes place, and often has a funny look on their face. Out of respect for said officiants, I do not want to post those photographs, but I hope some of them reading this will take it to heart that it can mess things up. I have included some photographs of what not to do as well as what to do.

Animoto.com

Animoto.com

Apocalyptic Wedding

We had a wedding several years ago that occurred in the early spring. It was set in downtown Seattle at the Chinese Room – on top of the Smith Tower. A lovely venue and it was an absolutely exquisite wedding. Everything was so beautiful, like a fairy tale. The bride wore a rhinestone studded gown that floated around down to the floor, the groom wore his uniform, and there was even a Cinderella shoe on top of the wedding cake. It was so lovely. The bride and groom opted to release butterflies as a symbol of their new life together. However, it was not quite warm enough outside for these 10,000 butterflies to fly, so…they fell. Down on the street below, and in my imagination, to the horror of people walking below.

The Intoxicated Mother of the Groom

Let me set the stage for this story. This was one of my very first weddings. So many many years ago *grin*, white church on a hillside, beautiful setting. Can you imagine this scene. We arrived early to the wedding to get set up to shoot the formals prior to the ceremony and the mother of the groom can hardly stand up. She kept swaying during the shots and I continually had to remind her to look into my lens… "Hello…. Mom? Look over here…. " Finally broke down and used some tried and true methods used on toddlers to get their attention during a shoot. The famous phrase by Sam Puc "Ut – Oh!" Works everytime… even on the tanked ones.

The unplanned nude

I received a call in 2006 for a gentleman to have head shots taken as he wished to become a model for a local University’s art department. We agreed upon a price and a date.

At this time my studio was located in an apartment over the garage on our property and I did most of my shooting during school hours and therefore was alone much of the time. So, in many ways this is a cautionary tale, as this particular situation did not pose a threat but in many ways was a dangerous situation. My client arrived that day as all my other clients do, he was an older man in his fifties and normal looking. I had set up that day for headshots; however, when my client arrived he also indicated he would like some full length shots. My wider lens was over at the house, and he stated that he would change while I went to get it. When I got back to the studio, I had a gentleman without attire waiting patiently for me to return. Nothing….not a stitch.

I (calling on every ounce of professionalism I could muster), kept a straight face and asked him if there was a mistake? Because… he hadn’t mentioned wanting to do a nude session and those are…well (whats 5 times….), yes… more money …. He agreed to pay the difference. I pulled myself together, focused on lights, and posing – keeping to the classical lighting techniques taught by Clay Blackmore, full face, 2/3^rd’s, profile, ect. All the time keeping a straight face and doing a good job.

After he left, I slowing sat down on the floor, wiping the tears from my eyes, laughed myself silly. And for years after this I have often been asked how I could ignore the ‘elephant in the room’, I reply…. “it was NO elephant.”

Lesson Learned – We developed a portrait session contract much like our wedding contract to be certain we have covered all bases with our clients as far as the session expectations. This has helped so much!

Life as a Photographer

I am returning to the original purpose of my blog. When I first started blogging my goal was to share with people what it was light to be a self-taught, fledgling photographer. Somewhere I got off track with that goal, so I want to return to that original purpose.

I want to share with everyone some of the funny and stranger things that happen to me in the course of me photography gigs. I am not a natural writer so maybe this will help me improve that as well. No names will be mentioned so as to protect the 'innocent'. So stay tuned for some funny stories ..... coming soon.

Ending Relationship with Graphistudio

Effective January 6, 2009; Hope Haven Photography will no longer be doing business with Graphistudio from Italy. We have endured horrific customer service and have become convinced that Graphistudio will not be making any positive changes any day soon. Therefore we will be looking elsewhere for an album vendor.

We have begun a search for an excellent album vendor offering good customer service and an excellent product. We are committed to offering our clients the very best in service and products and ask for your patience as we research these companies in full.

We will make an announcement soon as to who our new vendor will be and hope to enjoy a long and productive relationship with them.

Letter from a Client

Dear Denise,

At the time I called to inquire about the possibility of a Christmas photograph that would include my new service dog, little did I know that I was about to connect with an extraordinary woman. The moment your gentle voice told me that you had several rescued dogs, horses, and goodness knows what else at your home, I knew that this inquiry had led me to something - and someone - very special.

But now, I must talk about the photographs you and Sam took. Over the years, I have had a professional photograph taken of our family. Going in for one of these things was generally an awkward, even unpleasant, experience ("smile!", "turn to your right," "turn to your left...") and the results of these uncomfortable and false poses were always apparent in the results. But with you and Sam, it was fun, and the smiles that came through in the end were genuine.

The real test of your exceptional skills, however, came through in the photographs you took of my dog, Morgan. Taking photographs of animals is, I believe, a test of the highest skills any photographer can achieve. Due to the eye reflectors of animals, their constant motion, inability to follow those basic photography instructions ("look this way..."), it is no wonder that we stare in awe at the photos sometimes come to us over the internet or appear in National Geographic showing the beautiful creatures that share our earth in a stilled moment. That is the beauty you captured in my dog.

I had mentioned that this particular animal had big paws to fill since my last service dog had been with me ten years, knew almost without my asking what I needed and was a source of comfort to me as I struggled through illness and chemotherapy. Getting a new service dog meant starting all over again and my heart simply wasn't ready to let go of the past and my feelings for the last one. Yet, within the photos you took of all of us, then him alone, I saw what everyone else was trying to tell me: that he was an exceptional animal, just as loving and beautiful as my last dog and that we were going to be a fine team.

I will treasure forever the photos you took and will always be in your debt for the kindness you showed to me, my husband and, of course, Morgan.

Kindest regards,

P.B.