It’s for your own, it’s for your own clear view
It’s for your own efforts to hold on to what’s true
My comfort and my glory are shaken when I see
That my life’s not a story about me

Love you guys!

What is a moment?
What is artistic photography?

So many brides come to me and their first question is how many hours, when I ask myself how many moments?  Brides ask how many pictures, and I ask myself how many of my pictures, can change your expectations of pictures, teach you about the wondrous human spirit?

In artistic terms it’s a picture that asks the viewer what is going on, asks the viewer to ‘wonder’ about the hand.  In composition class we’re taught to look for ‘closure’ whether the elements of a composition are touching or not touching, as it determines whether there is ‘peace’ or ‘tension’.  In this incredible photograph I am able to combine both features of closure in a tender asking mood that invites you to live in wonder with the photograph.  Most people strive for open eyes in pictures – but I’m striving to give you more than usual in my pictures. Here in this picture I ask you to connect with the peace created by closed eyes and contrast it with the tension of mother’s hand just lifted from touching her son and let your heart open up in the process.

Can I meet your expectations? in pictures – sure, but you can hire a lot of photographers that will do that…open yourself up to the experience of fine art, and be prepared to look deep into your wedding images!

Blair was excited to meet me on the wedding day after all the phonecalls:

Excited to be a bride:

Her Dad has obviously been proud for years:

Beach weddings are romantic:

But I always have to remind people how extreme the wind and sea-spray is! Levi hold’s down the sand with his studly pose while Blair floats over it like the pixie she is:

The eyes have it:

And so does the kiss:

This small family focused destination wedding at a beach house on Sandbridge Beach, Virginia Beach VA was shot in a total of 4 short hrs

Cheers with a shot of 1800 Reposado to my playah Trey! and hugs to my sweetheart Danielle!! Thanks guys for such a great day.

The wedding day team was:

• Second photographer: Stacey Doyle – Providence RI wedding photographer
• Wedding Planning by Meridith - tricia huddas & co events
• Gown by White on Daniel Island
• Ceremony at the Blufton United Methodist Church
• Bridal Hairstyles and makeup by Tara’s at Fountain Center
• Tequilla table by: Patron, Don Eduardo, Hornitos, Herradura, 1800 Reposado, and Centenario
• Ceremony Violin by Diamond Violin - Na You Yang – 843.304.6680
• Tent Dinnerware Lighting Rentals by Amazing Event Rentals – Jake Morton
• Tables, Chairs, Linens & Floral – Ooh! Events
• The Heritage Steel Band – Willie Cohen
• Party DJ - Andy Pinckney – Hilton Head Entertainment
• Event Catering by Lori Craven Catering

But some things, you just can’t buy…

A tender, encouraging kiss from the bride’s father – moments before she walks down the isle – is not something you can buy, but it’s something I deliver for my clients.

I can’t sell you this picture – because it’s one of a kind. But, you can be sure that I will be looking out for these moments you can’t buy as I shoot your wedding photography. I try my best to tenderly observe all these moments that are yours, to make them immortal in the images. When my clients ask “What is a wedding photojournalist?” my best answer is that they are interested in “One Moment” and it shows in all the pictures. My prayer is for clients who live tenderly, whole heartedly, and are willing to live out these moments before my lens. Are you my next client to observe and capture?

The Citadel with all it’s traditions, proud and powerful young gentlemen – certainly catches the eye of pretty young ladies – and before you know it weddings are planned. Fill your wedding images with the emotion, pride, tradition, humor, love and fine art that our photographers capture at every event. For information about weddings at The Citadel’s Summerall Chapel, contact The Citadel Wedding Coordinator.

To get full information on our packages and pricing, simply check your date

A question I often hear from brides is ” Have you ever been to the ________ before” and while I’ve photographed over 250 weddings in a 10+ year career as of this writing; my career has evolved to a wildly decentralized clientele.  And I like that, I appreciate that, and I rise to the challenge of exploring new locations every time I go out to shoot.  I explain how my internal psyche and temperament make it good for me, but let me expound on a few of the tricks where the video left off with this image:

The venue is unimportant, the place isn’t either – the feeling is everything

I’ve shot 6 or 8 weddings at this venue, but it’s the trust I’ve built with my clients that shows through in the creation of their images

Why? do you want a picture of what it feels like to fall into the arms of your beloved at the end of the night…then choose me to shoot your wedding and we’ll find these places, places of comfort and stillness in your relationship that we can make pictures to document

Logistically, it’s nice if you’re staying at the same place where your reception is happening.  And logistically, I’ll help you find side alleys and funky spots…if you have a more mischievous side, we can express it:

I look forward to adventure of exploring your personality, and making a space for you to express it!

It’s a theme we blog about as we observe love being made real in the ceremonies and events that we photograph.  Today’s theme is about grandparents.

And hugs.

I suppose that the quality of the hug is a nice visual clue as to the quality of the relationship, and our bride shares tenderness and joy with her grandma and we capture it in her pictures.

And we’re there to capture it in the funny moments too – here grandpa is intent on showing the bride his moves, while the groom is all grins with grandma.

Grandpa must be pretty good too, as the bride shares a laugh at his verve and twirling moves.

Grandpa was a true character, I know because I was seated with him for dinner and he boasted about how great his grandkids were the entire meal.  He also gave all the credit for his snappy outfit, and coordinating colors – to his wife’s shopping ability.  Totally cracked me up, but I hope it’s a decent illustration of how I get into the story of your wedding day. I share stories and laughs with the guests and those close to you so that I have some inside knowledge and personal rapport when it comes time to get the shot that describes your relationship with those at your wedding.  I hope this has been a good illustration of why most of our clients don’t ask for a lot of group pictures because they know that we will be shooting the meaningful pictures that illustrate your relationships the whole day long.  So your close relationships will be documented both in candid photos – as well as posed.

Here are are few questions I answer a lot:

Q: Why do you travel SO MUCH?

Mostly because the cost of advertising is one of the highest costs of doing business in an industry that has 100% turnover in clientelle for each job.  So, since I have been photographing weddings for 10+ years, my satisfied clients are living all over the country – so satisfied that they recommend their amazing experience to their friends – and it’s more cost effective for me to travel to them – than to try and aquire a new customer through other means.  Also – I love it!  I love being in new places and working with new people – so it is not stressful to me like it is to some people. So if you are looking for a photographer willing to go to your New Zealand mountain top wedding-I may be one of the few willing and able.  One other related reason, is that I am very active in my professional network so photographers who wish to give potential clients a list of references, may send my name – and as I know photographers from Maine to California – I get a few more weddings out of my neighborhood.

Q: What will you do if you’re sick or can’t make it?

I will call someone in my professional network to fill my place.  So far in well over 200 weddings I have never missed a single one.  I invest in my health and fitness as the best insurance for my job.  In one wedding in the last 10 years my second photographer was sick, and I was able to find two well qualified photographers to help me fill the spot of second photographer.  In two other weddings where I had the equivalent of a head cold, and still photographed the entire event, I hired a second photographer at my own personal expense to cover the wedding with me just incase I got tired or wasn’t as sharp.

Q: Was this in January 2011?

Yes, to all my NY clients watching this – I spend my winters in the South because a week gone by without running 20-30miles and my body gets itchy and scratchy and while today Feb 1, 2012 there is a historically massive snowstorm covering from Oklahoma to Maine – I’ll be headed to the gym in a single long sleeve shirt.  And if cramps hadn’t ended my interview so quickly – I would have teased you all about it! :p

Thanks for watching and reading! I look forward to being your photographer soon!!!

“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do” – Rumi

In this theme we bring up a single image, and discuss it…

would having this image from your wedding be enough?

As an accomplished photographer of 10 years, the basic observation is not enough – as I seek to shoot images tied together in slideshows lasting 10minutes and longer, and designed together in albums 50, 60 and 70 pages long.  Once in a while the preparation, determination and focus unite – and I receive the blessing and satisfaction of capturing One Moment fully

One tear,

overcoming the bottom eyelid,

a perfect illustration the heart of the bride,

overflowing with joy on her wedding day.

I’m not sure if such a perfect moment exists in each wedding day, but I work to be observant and sensitive and tender and clever enough to notice The Moment of your wedding.

Thank you guys for an amazingly fun and golden western NY fall day!

• Bridal Hairstyling by Shear Style in Mayville NY
• Wedding Ceremony at the Hall of Philosphy Chautauqua Institution
• Wedding Reception at the Athenaeum Hotel
• Wedding cushions, necklaces, and details by Amy & Her mom, DIY queens!
• Reception musical entertainment by the live band Hometown Sweethearts
• Slideshow track A ‘The Light’ by The Album Leaf
• Slideshow track B ‘Indiana Sky’ by Josh Garrels

Thanks so much for choosing me and trusting me with your photos, memories and event.

Look at how they shine for you.

Thanks Tony and Laura!
Great job again Denise and Molly, good to see you after a while away!

Carla Garrison talks about her gallery’s wedding services, primarily the ‘Borrow an Artist’ program where an artist paints live at your wedding or event.

The Green Rice gallery is also open to hosting your special event in their 2400 square feet of meeting space amongst artist studios and fine art exhibits. (click for full info)

I’m sure you’ll see what fun and energy Carla brings to the gallery, I’m sure you’ll be pleased working with her whether you host your wedding at the gallery or she helps coordinate your artist borrowing!  Thanks for the great chat Carla!  If you know of an interesting, artistic or notable vendor or wedding professional who would like to sit down with Neil and tell some stories…please nominate them in the comments!

View more posts from our theme: “Where Art Lives” or see the multimedia presentation on how to make your art intersect with your life.

Read all of our Wedding Photography Reviews at

Read all of our Wedding Photography Reviews at

http://www.alltimefavorites.com

My favorite quotes from Amy:

• “There’s perfection in imperfection”
• “Paper is sexy”
• TOAST (listen till you get it)
• “I didn’t care if I got married”
• “I wasn’t the Bridey Kind of bride”

Subscribe to our podcast to receive automatic notification of new episodes.

For more inspiration about Making Your Love real in art, view our themed posts about ‘Where Art Lives’.

Neil & Leisl -

Thank you, once again for truly capturing hte heart of our special day.  It is thanks to you that these special moments have been immortalized.  We look forward to sharing the albums/photos with our families for years to come.  I can’t imagine that we could have found anyone else that could have told the story of our journey more accurately.  Your talents are a gift and we appreciate your sharing them with us.

WIth much gratitude -

Tom & Kelly

Thanks guys – we are so grateful to have you as clients!
For those of you that haven’t been following our blog very long, here’s a summary of their journey:

• Kelly & Tom’s save the date cards
• Snowy Organic Signature Journal
• Kelly & Tom’s Buffalo NY wedding album

Here’s a close-up shot of Heather’s menus at her reception held in Del Frisco’s wine cellar, the menu designed by Neil.  However the story start a year infront of their wedding…

…with their Chirstmas card and save the date combo.  Here is me holding their limited edition Christmas card, custom designed by me:

Heather and Drew were overjoyed with the complements they received from family, friends and even the rescue organization that they got their dogs from that they had me do their save the date cards as well.

From the save the date postcard which used photographic imagery, Heather decided to take the rest of the suite minimalist to match her wedding decor and theme.

Save the date on the right, menu card on the left.  The paper stock is a pearlescent metallic finish that even though chocolate brown, give a shine to the color.

And here’s what it looks like in the placesetting!

Heather wanted a monogram to tie the pieces together, and with 10 years of design experience I didn’t find that hard to accomplish with style.

The name tags and menu blended in wonderfully with the rich chocolate color scheme.

The Invitations

The invitation design used a fashionable panorama fold on the left of the 5×7″ card.

Inside, flowing blocks of text communicate the details to the guests.

Here the response card design is shown front and back (back side blurry) as it was printed in creme white and slipped into the invitation’s fold.

Response card text.

So if you would like one less vendor to work with, if you would like to have the design elements continue from your save-the-date card through to your album.

Just have us do it – contact us above and we’ll get to work on your engagement shoot and talk styling!

Answers will be graded!

Seriously though, leave your approach – or comment if you’ve got a jucy story about ‘attracting’ just the right guy; or falling for a crazy girl.

What do I need a sensual journal for?

Handmade 6×8″ Sensual Journal – buy now

To make a mark, to express your love!

As we point out in our ‘Sense of Touch’ gallery (password=touchable) we work to capture this touchable sense in our pictures and wish for you to enrich your lives with our art.  To that end we introduce the erotic journal product for you to fill with the photos from your session and your own writings, markings and musings.  We hope this product enriches your lives and continues the dialog that a boudoir photo session can create between loving partners.  We hope this journal stimulates your bonding experience and heightens the interaction of your relationship.

More detailed photos:

Handmade 6×8″ Sensual Journal

Portrait Session with Neil – good for any concept, pinup poster or sensual portraits $300

Boudoir Portrait Album Package gets you a custom printed private book $600

Lux Boudoir Photo shoot: hair and makeup included, book and iPod slideshow $900

I’m here in the Church Hill neighborhood of Richmond.
Have meetings with Clients for a Uganda wedding tomorrow.
Keeping my heart eyes open to all the possibilities the world has for me.

Here a SimpleViewer Flash gallery should be displayed. Click here to open the post in your browser to see the gallery.

Here are a couple of my favorite spreads:

If you’ll give me a moment to talk about the elements of design we use in our albums – in this horizontal spread, I cropped the images in a tight panoramic 1:5 format to show the tight moments of the bride and groom placing the rings on each other’s fingers. The tight spacing and blurred edges allow for a quick ‘read’ of the eye across the page. That emphasis is heightened by the horizontal bars of color running through the background of the image at the grooms eye height and the bride’s ring height. The lines tie together the separate pictures with implied continuation of line that I ‘felt’ between the photos while laying them out. This extra amount of care and attention brings your album to life telling the visual stories of your wedding.

In this spread we use the design element of a light vignette to tie together and soften the overall page design, can you see the subtle darkening at the coreners?

And if you’re looking for a creative photographer, look at how we tie the action of the day into the album design! We’re wiling to see the whole day for what it is, without presuppositions about what wedding photography ‘should be’ – so we notice the littlest things that make your wedding yours! (did you notice the bee on the clover in the above spread? – I know it’s hard on the web, but we noticed it and shot it!)

Enjoy your album Kelly and Tom.

Gretchen was excited to host her wedding day in her childhood neighborhood in Rochester.  She has taken all her Sacraments at Blessed Sacrament as well as attending school there.  Gretchen’s excitement and energy beamed the whole day.  Thanks so much for having me there guys – enjoy your slideshows!

Gretchen and Dan’s helpers are listed here:

• Church of the Blessed Sacrament
• American Association of University Women – Perkins Mansion wedding reception
• Reception Catering by All Occasions Catering
• Flowers by the (always fun) Jimmy Catalano, Edgerton Floral Company
• Ronda  Wedding gown by Pronovias

The above slideshow is in flash, you may download the podcast show below; here are a couple favs if you can’t do either!

Heather had a lot of great help putting together her wedding:

• Samantha did Heather’s makeup – www.PotionBeauty.com
• Wedding Ceremony music by the Carolina Chamber Players
• Lake Norman waterfront wedding site at Jetton Park
• Wedding reception in the wine cellar room of Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse Charlotte
• bridal bouquet and decorations by Huntersville Floral Design
• Desert from Cake Expressions by Lisa
• Wedding hairstyling by Bella Lago Salon & Spa, Mooresville, NC
• Wedding dress shopping and fitting by The Lily Rose, Cornelius, NC
• Wedding Planning and ceremony by Patrick and Dottie Maloy – Calm Blue Water

Leave your comments below!

Today’s small dream,
was ignited by a child
who didn’t want to be photographed
“no flash photography allowed”
she spouted over and over again
looking at me out of the corner of her eye
each time
hoping
running away to be chased
covering her face
for the excitement of being exposed
who knows how needy she was to be noticed
how much her heart needed to feel beautiful
but she brought beauty into my world
with a giant yellow leaf

Sneak peak for Christina and Nick who were married again today in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris!

Congratulations guys!

Pauline plans weddings in the Richmond VA and Brooklyn NY areas, as well as authors the blog Wedding Overdose.

Here’s the wedding details for all you planners out there:

• Flowers by Fioravanti Florist
• Ceremony location, reception location and catering, wedding cake design all by the Burgundy Basin Inn
• DJ entertainment by Go Sound Systems
• Wedding dress was the Chiffon Empire Dress BR1007 by David’s Bridal

Thanks guys for having me document your day!

I’m more than glad to fill you in on the details:

• Nikka ceremony at the Islamic Society of New Jersey
• Wedding Preparation at the Satler Hotel
• Wedding hair and faces done by Makeup On Demand
• Wedding Ceremony at Sage Hall Cornell University
• Wedding Reception at the Williard Straight Hall Memorial Room
• The suburb and memorable menu was prepared and presented by James from The Heights Cafe & Grill
• Wedding cake and desserts by Sincredible Pastries
• The floral arrangements and wedding table decorations made by Michaleen’s Florist
• The mastermind helper and planner Tara Reimer from Terra Rosa
• Order prints and see the complete set of photos at www.MakeLoveReal.com

Thanks guys!

• Wedding Ceremony downtown Lake Placid NY at the Adirondack Community Church
• Wedding Reception at the Lake Placid Club Boathouse by Crowne Plaza
• Flowers and decoration by Trillium Florist, Tupper Lake, NY
• Wedding cake by the Lake Flour Bakery, Saranac Lake, NY
• Slideshow music free courtesy of Amazon.com
• View slideshow without music
• Login to Make Love Real.com to view all the photos and order prints

Penny and Will held their wedding near their first and favorite vacation spot – Lake Placid NY.  Penny and Will are silly and full of love for life and each other while they brought their friends and family together to celebrate this shared love.  Will was excitedly explaining to me how he wanted to drive to the top of Whiteface mountain to take pictures between the ceremony and reception and I was hesitant to make any promises knowing that the weather on top of a 5000ft mountain in the last days of May in Northern NY is as likely to be snow as sun.  Again this day the universe smiled on me and gave us good weather while on the summit of Whiteface Mountain.  Here are a few of my favorites from up there.

When we first came up a cloud was rolling up the mountain, while the sun was still shining over the cloud giving us a mystical and unique light!

The temperature on the summit was a brisk 45 degrees with a stiff 20-25mph breeze. As the cloud rolled over the summit we were momentarily lost in fog and then rested just under the belly of the cloud.

Will and Penny were surprised when I told them on the way to the summit that it would be great to be hit by a cloud, and they were even more surprised when it happened. My wilderness experience in the High Peaks has taught me about the amazing ecological conditions these mountains reside in. If you are yearning for a mountaintop wedding ceremony, Whiteface mountain just North of Lake Placid is an amazing summit. You can drive to within a few hundred feet of the summit and then take either the elevator or stairs to the top. But here is the panoramic view:

The Adirondack Park is really just a big swamp with mountains interspersed amongst it, and this picture captures that quintessential environment with the bride and groom.

Thanks so much guys for bringing me back to the Adirondacks for your great wedding day!

Real Estate doesn’t have to be stale!  Gun show by @BeeRealty – .

So the question is – how many bales can these guns pop?

Personality Portraits for Real Estate Agents by Neil Cowley – Charlotte Real Estate Bar Camp

Find your personality portrait shot today at www.MakeLoveReal.com – should be ready Sunday May 17th.

The wedding took place at the  Glengoyne Highland  whiskey  distillery and we all enjoyed the generously poured high-quality scotch!  wowsa!!

Congratulations Gerry and Jenny – thanks for bringing me to your wedding!

I had an  awesome  time visiting the clubbing scene in Glasgow and partying till 3am – at that latitude the sun rises at that hour and I got to experience my first Celtic ‘time between’ with a beautiful sunset departing Gelengoyne, and a sunrise after dancing all night through the packed clubs of Glasgow.  

I had the kids play with the phones to tell me which their grandma would like best, and after a little waiting the show  definitely  impressed my 10 year old son, who wasn’t thinking he really wanted to be there till he saw guys flying upside down…

Yea that’s a meter of air on top of an adult male with his arms outstretched, so probably a solid 12ft off the ramp, 20ft off the ground.

And here’s what Morgan said about the card:

Thank you so so so so soso much I am so excited to have our beautiful wedding in the paper for all to see! I also meant to tell you that when I sent out our thank you cards, I have never gotten more compliment on anything inmy whole life! My one friends husband had gotten it while she was at work and he put it up on the fridge and when she got home that night and saw it on the fridge she thought it was a jewellery ad! SHe had to look a few times before she even noticed it was me! Another friend thought it was an ad from Nordstroms! Everyone said how gorgeous the photo was. Thank you so much for that!  

For the back of the card I found an authentic antique postcard and scanned it to give the piece a unique believable look.

Carefully captured.

We ask ourselves as visual storytellers, ‘what is the story’?  here it is, in a single moment – captured perfectly as Mindy walks down the isle and John sticks out his  tongue  at her.

I revel in the moment, and capturing this gives me great pleasure – both to work for clients who understand individual expression, and to work so hard to really capture it for them.

There’s a lot of competition in the ‘wedding photography’ market these days, but as I’ve been observing weddings since 2003 – these nuances are easily noticed to my experienced eye.  The WPJA gave me a top 5 in the nation ranking in 2004, and aging has only made me more sensitive to these moments – aware and able to capture them.

It’s a theme we have rolling here, it’s an answer to ‘what is a photojournalist’, ‘what is a visual storyteller’?

In today’s installment it’s also an answer to ‘How do I get good photojournalistic pictures?’ and how we as intense artists like to burrow into your life to tell these stories….let me illustrate so you can help me find these stories and threads to make your pictures come alive with your own family’s stories. You see I wouldn’t have known to look out for this, had I not ridden to the ceremony with the bride and her father in the classic Rols Royce limo:

In Courtney’s father’s hands is a plastic sandwich baggie of candy:

They are laughing sharing memories of how he would bring candy in his jacket pocket to keep his children occupied during church services.    Courtney’s not to old to demand a few sweets!

So when it comes to the real church service, I know what to look out for….

Grandpa handing out the candy, and grandson eagerly filling his cheeks with it.

These pictures are not technically masterful, or emotionally poignant – but simply show the care and consideration of a grandpa, and a photographer.

Maybe I should remember to sneak some gummy bears into the service to remind me to keep my eye on the story!

So when you’re filling out your wedding information forms, or something pops to mind on your wedding day – share the details with me so I can best be informed of what your family relationships look like.

Piedmont Hunter Jumper Association Horse Shows

A lovely spring day for riding and it was amazing to see this little girls launching the horses over the jumps.  Quite a lot of bravery and skill.

Here a SimpleViewer Flash gallery should be displayed. Click here to open the post in your browser to see the gallery.

A couple of my favorite design layouts feature the close combination of related photographic moments:

I can’t wait until my next Toronto wedding photojournalism assignment!

If you’re wondering why I’m not answering e-mail, slow on voicemails read on – if you’re not ok with my sillyness – don’t read on!!

This is my photographic family – from these minds my career has been molded – and to whom I give my highest gratitude:

FW7 from Vladimir Chaloupka on Vimeo.

Did you catch my multiple cameos?

Each year in North Dallas TX we gather for the most intense, most personal, and most life changing photography workshop on the planet – Foundation Workshop. It was out of this workshop that my wedding photography career was born – and I have been returning for the last three years as a Mentor to the students of the workshop.  The team leaders are Huy Nguyen, Brooks Whittington, Amy Deputy, Greg Gibson (my team leader in 08) and Tyler Wirken (my team leader this year – blonde  spiky  hair in the hotel room edit scenes).  

Recognize that shadow? my opening presentation

There are two unique things about the Foundation Workshop – first, the students shoot assignments like newspaper photographers.  Second, the student to staff ratio is 1:1 to ensure a crazy, intense, and personal level of instruction and connection.  I was  privileged  to lead off the workshop with a talk on creativity kicking off day one’s four lectures and team building  exercises.  Day’s two and three are full shooting days for the participants to shoot assignments.  While day 4 had a dinner deadline to edit all the photos into a short slideshow for a presentation after a  celebratory  dinner.

This year Team Wirken started the week off with a very silly hotel room bonding experience.  After which our team member’s took on assignments like the South Fork Ranch – where Dallas the TV show was fashioned shot by Stacy Doyle.  A chocolatier who just opened shop – shot by Duncan Kerridge.  A local  Veterinary  hospital in Plano shot by Dan Shuman.  An organic tree farm shot by Jerry Yoon. Finally a family caring for their father stricken by Lou Gherig’s disease shot by Joseph Allen.  It was a real  privilege  to be able to speak into these people’s lives and I hope I’ve made a positive impact on their shooting, thinking and feeling pictures.  My role as a mentor is to visit the team members in the field and help them gain new perspectives, think new approaches and generally push them out of their comfortable ways of shooting and thinking.  Then we take it back to the editing suite…..and talk about all their mistakes all night!

Stacy Doyle shooting at the Dallas TV show museum

Duncan at the Chocolate shop above and Dan at the Vet below

Really – it’s just plain brutal honesty about almost every picture.  Tyler Wirken our team leader has a graphically driven taste for images and he can see every compositional flaw within seconds.  He also has the mental energy to talk about it for 6 hours straight!!  A totally revealing experience for the participants and the staff alike as we warm up our creative brains by realizing all the things we should do better!  So as you see in the video a lot of sitting around and talking – that’s us critiquing our work.

If you’d like to see a still image slideshow by  David Pullum and Anna Kuperberg our official staff photographers there’s the link!

So many great ideas flying around and I’m sure what I picked up will improve my creativity and deployment of Make Light Real – my creative journal.  Thanks everyone for sharing!!  And a big thanks to Carlos of Area 15!!!!

I was able to give an ‘Avatar Reboot‘ to anyone who would step into my little photo booth.  You can download your free shot from Flickr on this link<–

Your headshot is free, and I appreciate the link love to http://makelovereal.net – friend me on Facebook – or Twitter!

Here’s the show!

Many of you ask what I do with the head shots, well I make business cards…

Click here to have your headshot made into full color 2 sided Business cards

A totally professional image on your business card has stopping power and makes you memorable to your business contacts – even if it’s only on the back side.  Out of all the business cards I was given at BarCamp only Jose’s card used a memorable image!

Many of you were asking if I photograph families and the answer is I sure do, mostly in a candid way.

Click to purchase The Neighborhood Portrait Package – photographed by Neil or My wife and you will  receive  1 8×10 and 3 4×6 prints of the same image selected from a viewing session at our studio.

Embed the show in your own site or blog….

Embed it in your own site:

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Or use this iFrame

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This time Charlie contacted me about somehow merging the message of he and Courtney’s wedding song into a print for her office desk.  So the constraint was an 8×10″ image – and the challenge was to personalize it.  To emphasize the personal touch, I suggested Charlie write out the lyrics in his own handwriting – and I only used a little font in the design of the overall image.  The song lyrics are very fitting for ‘making love real’ and how art can participate  in marking a relationship:

[Verse 1:]
There’s no combination of words
I could put on the back of a postcard,
No song that I could sing
But I can try for your heart,
Our dreams, and they are made out of real things,
Like a shoebox of photographs,
With sepiatone loving,
Love is the answer
At least for most of the questions in my heart ,
Like why are we here? And where do we go?
And how come it’s so hard?
It’s not always easy,
And sometimes life can be deceiving,
I’ll tell you one thing, its always better when we’re together

[Chorus:]
MMM, it’s always better when we’re together
Yeah, we’ll look at the stars when we’re together
Well, it’s always better when we’re together
Yeah, it’s always better when we’re together

[Verse 2:]
And all of these moments
Just might find their way into my dreams tonight
But I know that they’ll be gone,
When the morning light sings
And brings new things,
But tomorrow night you see
That they’ll be gone too,
Too many things I have to do,
But if all of these dreams might find their way
Into my day to day scene
I’ll be under the impression,
I was somewhere in-between
With only two,
Just me and you
Not so many things we got to do,
Or places we got to be
We’ll sit beneath the mango tree now

Yeah, it’s always better when we’re together
MMM, We’re somewhere in-between together
Well, it’s always better when we’re together
Yeah, it’s always better when we’re together

Mmmmm Mmmmm Mmmmm
I believe in memories
They look so, so pretty when I sleep
Hey now, and when, and when I wake up,
You look so pretty sleeping next to me
But there is not enough time,
And there is no, no song I could sing
And there is no combination of words I could say
But I will still tell you one thing,
We’re better together

Contact us to have us design a multimedia art piece to help mark the love in your life!

The boys all got to try the various aparatus – but Eben got a big candle to light for his birthday.

Eben held the candle to a nice  balloon  filled with Hydrogen from the  Einstein’s  corner demonstration.

The boys thought it so cool that I could capture the explosion with my camera that I thought I’d offer them this:

The last bang had  Magnesium  in it for an extra sparkle!

Boy oh – we have a 10 year old now.  All my clients that have been thinking about buying an album now’s the time so we can start that college savings program!

She’s got a great sense of style and its fun watching her put it all together.  The kids were so excited to give her the Geode from one of their trips over Christmas break and she knew right were it would fit.

My wife just scheduled a time with a busy mom to help her decide which portraits and what type of frames would be best to build their family portrait wall.  So if you get stuck in presenting your photographs, look at some of these ideas – or call My wife at 585.354.2642 to go over your style and decoration needs.  My wife is available for appointments all across the Mecklenburg area including Charlotte, Lake Wylie, Lake Norman, and Fort Mill.

I love your style My wife ~

Bedtime stories with Neil & My wife in HD.

Browse our site from the top – following the numbered sequence :

1. Meet Us (intro to our services and thinking)
2. Enaging Products (a rundown of all the things we make)
3. Click for a Contract (packages and pricing)

But I’ve been keeping my brain filled with the Holiday spirit of Peace with these tunes.

Today’s presentation comes from a site called Noise Trade – you have two options to get the music:

• share 5 of your friend’s e-mail addresses recommending the album to your friend (not spamming them)
• pay what you want, from $5 to $20

First is a group called Sojourn, with a collection called Advent Songs tinged with a light Americanna rock/folk blended between male and female vocals.  Hearing Joy to the World re-imagined is refreshing and engaging way to share Christmas with your friends, and not have them tune it out – like in all the department stores.  The big band rockin ‘What Child Is This’ brings the rock-opera flavor to your christmas party!

Second up is a compilation album out of Nashville with that Wilco or Dylan’ish flavor of stripped down rock/folk.  Their arrangement of Silent Night, mixing vocals in the round and stripped down rock vibe –  definitely  makes you pick up and listen again.  

Last weekend I was doing some painting to Sufjan Stevens “Songs for Christmas” which used to be free but at $15 for a 5 disk set is an absolute christmas classic for me.  So if you’re looking for a big selection of holiday music like you’ve never heard before – that set is  definitely  for you!

One last collection for your Christmas joy – this direct folk sound on ‘The Bewildering Light’

What say’s “I love you” more than a mix tape?

Custom mixed cd – or even tricky series of e-mails with MP3′s attached?

Mix up trackes from these  Free Albums on amazon.com:

• This Is How I Roc: 2008 Yep Roc Label Sampler: MP3 Downloads: Various Artists
• Light In the Attic Label Sampler: MP3 Downloads: Various Artists*
• Vanguard Records And Sugar Hill Records: The Amazon New Music Digital Sampler: MP3 Downloads: Various Artists
• This is Daptone Records…: (modern authentic motown! Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Sugarman 3, Mighty Imperials
• P Is For Panda Mix Tape Vol. 1: MP3 Downloads: Various Artists
• Very Best of Naxos Early Music: MP3 Downloads: Jeremy Summerly
• Badman, Has It Really Been 10 Years?: (Innocence Mission, My Morning Jacket, Hayden)

If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for your favorite wedding photographer artist who just gifted you 6 disks of free music, an Amazon card is perfect!

I would like to get a complete set of Sigur Ros, and the new Helios album!

If you’re considering hiring a portrait artist, we work in two distinct styles:

1. the candid life moment  
2. expressive fine art.

It’s up to you how your have us shoot your session or blend the results for a completely unique portrait session.  You don’t have to go to a different studio or photographer for a fine art canvas painting.  Read more to see the retouch stages:

When you  commission  a portrait from Make Love Real – you can help guide the creative process and it’s results that hang on your walls!

- take a look through my  images in a 3d space!  You really want to click the button on the top right!!

Come back next week, and you’ll see a  different  portfolio of images loaded from my flickr stream.  Enjoy this funky portfolio view and see what images you discover!