Linley

I had so much fun with Linley Johnson when I did her bridal session at NC State. I had never even been to State's arboretum and it was beautiful with lots of places to take photos. But, we really had fun when we hit the Free Expression tunnel on campus. We didn't even try and avoid the pedestrians and skateboarders; we just used them in the shots as they whizzed by. Thankfully, Linley was not obsessed with keeping her dress spotless so we had a great time challenging each other with what we could do next. The composite photo from the tunnel is mine for the studio and Linely has a gorgeous portrait from the arboretum for her wall. All those tunnel shots were just screaming out to me for a video so it's included here.

Tradition

A lot of what is done in photography is related to a tradition in one form or another. Weddings, other celebrations, coming of age photos whether it's one year old or 18 years old. It used to make my father so happy to be able to connect the branches of a family's tree through his photos and, as I get older, I find that I get a great deal of satisfaction from doing the same. I just finished some photos for Jessica Pope Henderson of her baby in the family christening gown which goes back several generations. I was also working on restoring some old photos that my father took of Jessica, her twin sister and her brother in the same christening gown some 20+ years ago. While I was searching the old negatives and the old files to print all the photos they wanted, I thought it would be nice to share some of this family through the years. It's a privilege to be trusted to take photos for anyone; it is a compliment to have families come back over and over again through the years.

Senior Season

It's hard to believe but we're back at that time of the year when we start senior portrait sessions for the Class of 2011. We actually have had our first two sessions within the past week so I thought it was time that I got some information out there. We've kept some of our sessions the same as we've been doing for years and have changed a couple of others. It you want complete details on the sessions and a copy of our price list, send me an email to conwayphoto@mchsi.com and I'll be happy to reply. I'll also be posting some samples from the three types of sessions to my Facebook page over the next couple of days. We look forward to getting to know the newest high school seniors.

Meagan & Patrick

Northeast Seniors

Hard to believe but graduation will be here before you know it and we need to tie up some loose ends. If you want to buy a copy of the senior class photo that was taken at Deberry's Mill, see Ms. Davis at school before April 30 with $5.00 for your copy. This is a special price that is only available until April 30; after that date, an 8x10 will be the regular $15 price. Call us if you have any questions.

A Night on the Nile

The photos from the Northeast Academy prom are being delivered to school this morning and I've got the website up. You can see all of the photos at http://conwayphotoshop.com/prom/. If you would like to reorder photos, you can do so using the online ordering system or by calling or coming to the studio. If you would like to order a group 8x10 at the special, "this week only" price of $5.00, see Mrs. Barnes at school with your money. Only group photos ordered this week will be sold for $5.00. You can order from us here at the studio any time after that at the regular price. It was a beautiful "night on the Nile"; hope you enjoy the photos.

Tah Dah!!

Madison came in for her one year old photos. She has been a beauty since she was born but now the personality is really coming through. Along with her gorgeous wardrobe and the fun "stuff" from her Minnie Mouse themed birthday party, she showed us all her wonderful one-year old skills. Our favorite was "Tah Dah" which, when you say it to her, she repeats it and strikes the cutest pose ever. These are a few of her "tah dah" moments and you can see even more of her shots on Facebook.

To See . . . or Not To See.

Is that the question? Now that my wedding season is in full swing, I thought I'd write a minute about one of those continuing questions for brides and grooms -- whether or not to see each other before the ceremony. I'm sure that as long as there are weddings, there will be a difference of opinion on this issue. Many brides and grooms like the traditional which is not to see each other before the wedding. This has been the tradition for many years and takes us back to a time when the bride and groom didn't even meet each other until their wedding day. And, of course, there is always the sentiment that "I can't wait to see his face when I walk down the aisle". I'm not knocking tradition or sentiment -- in fact, I'm a big fan of both but these days many brides and grooms are less traditional than they've ever been and this is reflected in their wedding.

Since we all know the way it's been done forever, I'll just share a few points on why some brides and grooms choose today to bypass tradition. Brides and grooms can elect that their first sight of each other on their wedding day be on their own terms and without an audience of family and friends. I've seen couples meet in a private room in the church or wedding venue or brides who choose to walk down the aisle to meet their groom who is waiting at the front of the church. Sometimes they allow me to be the only other pair of eyes around (complete with my camera lens) so I can capture these special moment and sometimes they choose to be completely alone. I've had some couples who allow ed their parents and/or wedding party to be there and some couples who didn't. Either way, it's their option and they don't have to worry about what everyone else is thinking or feel nervous that a lot of people are watching them. They can share a few private moments, exchange gifts if they want to and have an opportunity to share what is in their hearts. My years of experience tell me that this is probably the last chance they will have for privacy that day. Once they've taken all the time they want, they are free to do whatever the schedule of the day pushes them towards. One of the benefits of meeting before the wedding is that it is then possible to do ALL the photographs prior to the wedding. Your photographer will be able to take his or her time and get those really special shots that it is sometimes hard to take when you're in the time crunch of trying to get to the reception. It may even give you time after the wedding to drop by another great location to take some more photos that you would normally not be able to do.

I firmly believe that everything about your wedding is YOUR decision. It probably sounds like I wish all brides and grooms would take all photos before the ceremony and I do appreciate the benefits of this. But, I've been doing this a long time and I like to think I can think on my feet and work quickly when I have to so I never push it or require it as some photographers do. But, give it some thought and plan your wedding YOUR way.

A couple of final fun thoughts. For the past few years, many brides and grooms have tried to sneak around the "seeing each other" question by having a little greeting through a door. If you choose not to see each other, this can be kind of fun as the photos of Rosanna and Marcus show above. I've also posted several other sets of photos of brides and grooms and their "encounters" before the wedding on my Facebook page with an explanation of how they happened. Give them a look if you like. And . . . one of my favorite bride comments of all time came about one day in the studio about 10-12 years ago. I was doing a pre-wedding portraits session of the bride and groom together because they wanted their formal portrait to include both of them. Several of the bride's friends had been giving her a hard time about this and told her that she shouldn't do it because it was "bad luck." She told us that she finally set them straight by telling them that "there are a lot of things that may break up a marriage but I don't think 'bad luck' is one of them!!"

Beach Weekends!

I've looked through my late spring/early summer wedding calendar to set up some times for photos at the Outer Banks. I've got the specific dates on my Facebook page and I hope to be able to take 4-5 appointments per day. Appointments will be in the late afternoon/early evening at a spot to be determined later. I like to stay in the Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills/Nags Head area if possible because it's more convenient to most of you. Send me an email or message through Facebook for more information. I'm looking forward to seeing you AT THE BEACH!!

The Massive Project Begins . . .

Once upon a time . . . there was a young man with a passion for photography. There was nothing in his background as a small-town, farm boy that should have fed this passion but you can't argue with destiny. He farmed to pay the bills and support his family and worked at his passion nights, weekends, whenever he could. He was a child of the Depression so hard work was familiar and, throughout his life, he thought a 15-hour day was pretty normal. He encouraged his wife to learn to hypo and dry photographs and to learn oil coloring, and he trained his two children as photographers. He loved it all.

Of course, I'm writing of my father -- a craftsman, a perfectionist, an artist. I'm proud to follow in his footsteps and to carve out my place in the business he created. I've had several friends who have pointed out to me in the past few years that I'm "sitting on a gold mine." They are referring to the fact that I possess practically every negative taken by my father, my brother, and me from the mid-1940's to the present. I have no way to estimate how many there are but it must be in the hundreds of thousands of negatives -- maybe a million or more. Many times throughout the year I'll be contacted by former customers to pull their old negative file and make prints for them. Just this week, I scanned and created digital files from bridal portraits my father took in 1951. And the "gold mine" my friends are speaking of is not the money I make off of projects like this but by the fact that I have the ability to help people remember those split-seconds in their lives that were meaningful -- a gold mine of memories.

Our old negative files are organized . . . and they're not organized. It depends on how you look at it. If you know WHEN photos were taken, we can usually put our hands on the negatives pretty easily. Most people remember their wedding date or the year a child was born but a lot of times our minds can play tricks on us when remembering the correct year or month for other events like family portraits, school events, etc. It's been in the back of my mind for a couple of years that I ought to come up with a better way to access the boxes and boxes of negatives I have. Lynn and I talked on Friday and I finally decided that I could debate it forever and not make any progress so we could just jump off the cliff and start the organization even though we know it may take a couple of years. So . . . on Friday, Lynn began entering negative files into a data base that we will be able to search by the name of the client regardless of year. Once this process is complete (and it may take forever), we should be able to search by name and get the year the photos were taken along with the file number for the negatives. She started with the most difficult box which is all the negatives taken by my father prior to 1950 (after 1950, he began numbering his envelopes and entering them into a yearly ledger book). Of course, we're getting sidetracked as we always do when looking at old negatives. Lynn found several family names that she recognized and that she just HAD to take a peek at. There are also many document copies (marriage licenses, army discharge papers, etc) that my father used to do for people before there were Xerox machines which I find fascinating. One of the most interesting discoveries was in the envelope labeled "Little Linda Johnson." Since Lynn and I both know Linda (now Linda Parker), she opened the envelope to see the negatives and actually found not only an old proof from the sitting but what must be my father's first price list. I've scanned them both for you to see and it absolutely amazes me what his prices were. Not even considering the inflation aspect, I know how much time and effort goes into producing an 8x10 black and white print. I understand better what all those 15-hour days were for.

So the project has started. How long it will take is anyone's guess at this point and Lynn and I may have white hair before it's done but we're going to try. As time goes on and we get a rhythm to our work, I also hope to create a reasonably priced way to scan these old negatives and sell them as digital files. I know as I get older that I really appreciate my family history in photographs and I suspect many of you are the same. I'll be sharing some of our special "finds" in The History Channel album on my Facebook page.

Background Fun

One of the speakers I heard at the photographer's convention showed us a fairly simple method for switching out backgrounds. I'm still an amateur compared to him but I've enjoyed playing around with it a little bit. I thought Camren's photo that I originally shot on a nice white background would look good on a gorgeous sky. There are some more samples on my Facebook page.

My First Photo

I bet you thought you were going to see the first photo I ever took. Sorry . . . but I don't know what that photo would be. Probably it was one I took with my father's old Brownie camera at summer camp. No, this is the first photo OF me. Lynn was looking through our old files searching for a negative for a client and ran across the envelope in my father's handwriting that said "Carol Hedspeth -- First Photo." I HAD to take a look. Of course, I have seen these photos before but it has been a long time and they seemed to mean a little bit more to me today. I take so many baby photos and know how special it is to do that. It struck me that my father was WAY ahead of the times. These days photographers sometimes go to the hospital for photos during labor and to the homes of new babies for complete sessions. Daddy was ahead of time snapping this photo on the day I was born in the old Roanoke Rapids Hospital. Of course, I LOVE the photo with my mother. I showed it to her and she was telling me how thrilled she was to have a little girl . And, as with lots of old photos, it's so interesting to see the little details that might have been overlooked in the past but are now so special. I see my mother's little suitcase on the table behind her and recognize it as the same one she still uses today when she takes a trip. In the photo with the nurse is a beautiful bouquet of roses in a "Proud Papa" vase that Mr. Sandlin -- a local florist in Roanoke Rapids -- sent to my parents. He and my father had worked together at so many weddings and I still have this vase today. And, it wouldn't be my father in those old photography days without having flashbulbs in his pockets, and he had obviously pulled a few out of his pocket and left them on the table. I would love to know who that nurse is holding me. Lynn and I have studied the photo a little this morning and commented on the fact that she is obviously young and unmarried -- no wedding ring but a class ring on her left hand. If any of my Roanoke Rapids friends can identify her, you'll win my heart. And possibly a great, big gift certificate.

The History Channel

I've often thought that I ought to spotlight some of the tens of thousands of negatives I have in my father's files because they are such a wonderful, rich history of our area. (It may even be millions of fnegatives because I have no way of counting them.) I just know that they go back in organized fashion to 1950 and there are many more that were pre-1950 that are not very organized. I'm going to occasionally pull one out and scan it and share it on my Facebook page under "The History Channel" photo album. I'll show you the one I'm starting with because it's one of my favorite photos. These stylish ladies are the the charter members of the Conway Womans Club taken some time in the mid to late 1950s. I can recognize many of these remarkable women and, of course, I'm especially proud to see my mother and my dear Aunt Pat Hedspeth in the group. Those of you who are Conway folk will enjoy trying to recognize more of them. And keep your eye out on the Conway Photo Shop Facebook page. I'm going to make it my goal to try and add at least one photo per week.

Graduation . . . just around the corner

Graduation will be here before we know it. I picked up some fun ideas at all of the conventions and workshops I've been to lately and thought I'd show a few. The photo here is the class shot of the Northeast Academy Class of 2010. We were a little later than usual taking their photo this year so everyone was pretty cold last week out at Deberry's Millpond but we got it done. You can check more of the senior products on the Conway Photo Facebook page.

Look Out for High Tide!!

It's been a rainy winter and the ground is soaked but this is a little bit crazy. I found lots of new toys and ideas at the photographer's convention and this "water-y" effect is one of them. I was playing around with it a little this morning and wanted to share a photo. I've got more of them on my Facebook page. So, step over the puddles and come on in to Conway Photo.

School's Out . . .

School's out . . . or at least it is for me, for a while. I've had a wonderful couple of months -- learning and being inspired. It's almost like I'm back in college which was great. In January and February, I was fortunate enough to attend a national convention (absolutely awesome) and three different state-wide meetings -- two in NC and one in VA. I have heard some dynamic speakers -- real experts and innovators in their fields -- and have been inspired to work on TONS of new projects. I hope I'll be sharing some of these with you soon and I hope I'll get back to a more regular schedule of blogging. I feel like I've neglected my blog a little bit lately because I've been trying to get my Facebook page more organized. Hope you continue to check out what's new on both!!!

Fashion Statements!!

Of course I love the little boys that come in for photos but I've really got to hand it to the little girls for their fashion statements. A sampling of a few from last year will give you the idea.

This christening gown was several generations old and was so fragile you could almost put your finger through it. Doesn't she look like an old-fashioned doll?

Miss Blair is wearing a very special christening gown. It mas made by one great-grandmother and she is wearing a circle pin that belongs to her other great-grandmother.
Of course, a girl can't be in fancy christening gowns all the time. Blair is making a definite fashion statement with this chapeau!

I love little girls in ruffly bloomers!

Isabella & Leah put on their boogie shoes! or is that tap shoes?

But I think Avery wins the prize. It's not every little girl who has a camoflage jumpsuit along with her own personal duck call!

Beautiful Black & Whites

It's been so cold lately that doing outside portraits would have turned my clients into popsicles. I had a great time doing these groups. We stayed nice and warm inside and got some wonderful photos. You can enjoy a more complete gallery of these photos on my Facebook page. Become a fan today to keep up with all the new photos and videos being added.

Madison

I've been pretty busy lately (which is GREAT!) but I feel like I've neglected my blog so I'm trying to get back in the habit of writing. I was working on this order of little Madison and thought I'd share. I blogged about her last year when she was just a tiny baby and came in with her parents. She is still a precious, little girl with skin like a china doll. I was taking a few photos near the end of the session with her mom and thought that this one was just beautiful. There is such a special connection between mother and baby in that photo and I just love Madison's little hand reaching up to her mom. There are a few more photos from this session on the Conway Photo Shop Facebook page. Be sure and sign up to be a fan to catch all the latest news and special offers.

Fairy Princess

I've already posted this photo to my Facebook page but I've had so many comments on it that I thought I'd blog about it as well. Harriet Byrum brought her little Avery and her nephew, Lane, over last week for some long overdue photos. Lane is always a sweetheart and Avery is just as cute as she can be but she was not doing EXACTLY what her mommy wanted that afternoon. She had a beautiful dress for some photos with Lane to give the grandparents but she was also in a little bit of a wandering mood when we were trying to do these. Harriett had been promising her the fairy costume at the end of the session and she finally put her in it to get her in a "happier" mood. She is so adorable but her costume was a little big on her and her wings were a little floppy. We tried clothes pinning her into it but Avery wasn't much in the mood for our attempts. I finally got her to sit down because her princess dress didn't look so big when she was seated and, for some reason, I suddenly because the kids' version of a stand-up comedian. Everything I said to Avery was funny. She giggled, she laughed, she practically flapped her wings. There were far too many for me to choose ONE that I liked so I just put together a lot of them.

Junior Miss Tribute

Our best wishes to Jordan as she participates this week in the North Carolina Junior Miss Scholarship Program. I love working with these girls every year and wanted to put together a little tribute to all of them.

Little People, Big Eyes!

I feel like I've been so busy rushing around with "end of the year/beginning of a new year" stuff that I haven't given much time to my blog. I saved lots of photos before Christmas that I wanted to share but couldn't because they were gifts. I was looking through them and trying to find a way to group several of them together and it struck me (once again) how much I love looking into the eyes of children. Everything is there -- beauty, innocence, curiosity. Whether it's a formal, studio portrait in their nicest clothes or outside in their jeans, nothing is sweeter than those big eyes. Here is a recent sample.

FREE Wedding Photos

I noticed a Facebook post last week written by one of my former brides. She was encouraging everyone to post some of their wedding photos on FB. I'm going to make it easier for you by giving you some photos. Check out the Events on the Conway Photo Shop fan page on Facebook for details. It's only available to my Facebook fans.

Facebook

I know there are a lot of Facebook fans out there. Those of you who are already my friends on Facebook probably noticed that I spent a lot of time last weekend setting up the Fan Page for Conway Photo Shop. There was a Conway Photo group page before but the fan page will allow me to do lots more like add photos and videos and announce special offers. So, I'm inviting everyone to join me on Facebook at the Conway Photo Shop Fan Page. I've already uploaded some video favorites as well as several photo albums and even designed a little logo for my Facebook fan page using my buddy Carter's photo. Hope to see you all on FB.

I've Come a LONG Way!!

I've had the photo to the right in my blog folder for months and was just waiting for an opportunity to use it. As far as I know, it's one of the first photos of me taking a photograph. I was about 11-12 years old and was with my father at a wedding in Ahoskie. He was helping me set up a photo of the bride's mother straightening her veil and someone else took a photo of the whole scene, including me. My photo turned out just fine -- my father was a wonderful, thorough teacher -- and the rest, as they say, is history.

I thought it was appropriate to share that photo today because I just got home last night from the PPA 2010 Imaging Conference in Nashville, TN. I've been a member of the Professional Photographers of America for years but have always been much more involved in my state association, the PPNC. I believe in professional organizations primarily because I think meeting with others and attending classes and sharing information is the best way to grow. (I'm also a member of WPPI and NAPP). This conference exceeded my wildest expectations and I've come home with my brain literally churning with ideas. All of the speakers were world class, the trade show had extraordinary products, and I loved being in the company of so many other dedicated professionals. The speakers were so esteemed that I hardly knew which programs to attend. I emailed my talented young friend, Allison Satterfield of Sandfoot Photography, from the conference and told her that I was in a wedding orgy. In one day I had been to classes by Yervant, Joe Buissink and Denis Reggie. The names may not be ones you recognize but, in the photography world, these are some heavy hitters. I also went to a dynamite program by Jane Conner-Ziser on facial retouching so look for MY fabulous new photo soon on my Facebook page. I'm going to use every little tip she gave us to make my own photo remarkable. I'm looking forward to getting back to work now and using some of my new ideas and skills. By the way, my husband took the photo of me above between sessions at the Gaylord Opryland Resort which is a whole 'nother story!

Do You Want "Good Enough" Wedding Photos?

Santa collaborated with some nice guys and put quite a few engagement rings in Christmas stockings this past holiday season. We usually spend a good part of January on the phone with prospective brides and grooms talking about wedding photography. Planning a wedding can look like an overwhelming challenge when you start looking at your budget and where and how to economize to have the wedding you've always dreamed of. I wanted to take a few minutes to discuss the importance of photography in your wedding budget plans. Twenty plus years ago when I first got seriously involved in wedding photography there was a saying all of us photographers were told to spread. It was, "from the moment your wedding day is over, the only things that INCREASE in value are your wedding rings, your photographs, and your love for each other." It sounds a little corny these days to put it in those terms but I think there is still quite a lot of truth in that statement. I think brides and grooms are often put into the position of thinking that because Uncle Charlie, their friend Sally, or whoever (add your own name) has a pretty good camera and takes pretty good snaps of the kids or of the soccer game or the family cat that they can certainly take photos for a wedding. After all, doesn't everyone know what a wedding is and what photographs should be taken? It's certainly true that today's digital cameras have come a long way and can produce really good results in the hands of competent pro-amateurs. As someone who has photographed over 1,000 weddings, I can tell you that there is more to it than having a good camera. There is even more to it than having a good eye or a bit of talent. I read an excellent blog posting from a photographer friend of mine who had discovered an article on the importance of wedding photography. I wanted to share the article for everyone who is in the midst of wedding planning because I know how important these photographs are. You don't get a second chance if something goes wrong. You have to be aware of what's going to happen when, where to be to capture the special moments, and how to deliver the best possible product to the couple who has trusted you with one of the most important days of their lives. I hope you read and digest this if you are considering whether or not an advanced amateur may do a "good enough" job for YOUR wedding. If the differences in the photographs that are discussed in this article AREN'T important to you, then you probably will be happy with "good enough" and can put your budget towards some other element of your wedding that is. I don't mean to sound like I'm preaching but I take my responsibility as a wedding photographer seriously and want all of you who are planning a wedding to get what you want.

When you can't choose just one!!

I promised once the holidays were over that I would share some of the interesting photos, etc. I created that were to be Christmas gifts (couldn't spoil the surprise before the gift was opened). This grouping of three 20x20 black and white composites was one of my favorites. These three handsome guys are brothers and I did an outdoor session back in the fall that yielded some great photos. It was just too difficult for their mom to pick one shot so I designed custom composites of each. They looked great with a linen texture finish and simple, elegant black frames. I'm think they were a hit under the Christmas tree for dad, and Lynn and I have been promised a trip to see them hanging on the wall with a glass of wine thrown in for fun.

Historic Day for Roberts Chapel

It was a cold day in Pendleton on Sunday but the chill bumps were worth it to have the official groundbreaking for the new building for Roberts Chapel Baptist Church. A lot of church members had put in some long hours planning the new building and I was excited to be asked to take a few photos. All of the photos are on a website for anyone to see and I plan to keep this website active indefinitely. There are so many people far and wide who want to see the process of building the new church that I plan to keep the website open and hopefully will add photos to it through the weeks and months that will document the process. I'd love input from the community of cameras out there since I probably be won't be going through Pendleton every week. If you take some good photos of the process and don't mind sharing them, send them to me in an email and I'll add your photos and mine to the website as the weeks and months tick along. The loyal and excited congregation of Roberts Chapel members everywhere can check the site and hopefully feel a part of the rebuilding.

2009 -- A Very Good Year for Weddings

2009 has come and gone and I just photographed my first wedding of 2010 so I thought it was a good time to look back through the year in weddings. I've never done this before so it was a treat for me to take a quick look through the files of all the weddings I photographed last year. Weddings can be large or small, elaborate or simple but they all hold wonderful memories for those involved and I always feel privileged that I have been allowed to be a part of such a special day. Once again I photographed weddings all over the place but mainly within about 50 miles of Conway which covers parts of NC and Virginia. It was a year of fire trucks (3 weddings), unique cakes (a possum cake and a Batman cake among others), and probably the smallest wedding I've ever photographed in terms of people involved. In fact, I was called into service not only as photographer but as a witness on the marriage license because I was present and over age 21. I'm often asked (usually by men), "aren't all weddings the same; don't you get tired of doing this?" The answer is emphatically "NO" and "NO" -- with an exclamation point! They are definitely not all the same. I looked back through these photos today and remembered each bride and groom, the excitement and emotion, the special elements that made each day memorable to me and for everyone in attendance. And I definitely don't get tired of doing this. I am a hopeless romantic who gets excited every time the processional music starts and who many times will shed a tear right along with the brides, grooms, moms and dads. It is a blessing to love what you do for a living. It makes striving to be better every time a pleasure and not an obligation. Hope you enjoy the photos. You can see all of these (plus a few more) at a slower pace at http://conwayphotoshop.com/2009.

Happy Anniversary to Nancy and Tommy

I just wanted to add my wishes for a Happy Anniversary to Nancy and Tommy Flythe from Seaboard. I've said before that I always think of "our" brides and grooms as family and look forward to all the happy moments in their lives. Nancy and Tommy's daughters threw them a surprise anniversary party and Lynn wanted to create a special gift for them since she is a good friend and Seaboard neighbor. We pulled the negatives from their wedding (I don't think we know whether it was my father or brother who photographed the wedding but I'm guessing it was my father by some of the poses). We had a great time looking back through them and selecting one that would make a nice B&W photo. Weren't they a sweet couple? Here's the photo we picked from their wedding along with one from their daughter Jamie's wedding a few years ago.