ferguson photographers

Queensberry Hand Made Albums

2010-09-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

When I watched this video by Queensberry Albums, it reminded me of a documentary I saw recently on how a Rolls Royce automobile is built; one piece at a time by incredibly skilled craftsmen. Every detail is meticulously assembled and examined for perfection by an individual.

Queensberry is no different. These days we lose touch with many of the products and services we purchase. Transactions are handled online, not by visiting the workshop and meeting talented people face to face. With all the latest technology, we (I) usually assume whatever we're buying is mass-produced in a big factory in China.

Book binding is an age old craft, and when it comes to a hand made album, some techniques have changed very little if at all. Take a moment to watch this video. There's something strangely comforting about seeing real people working with their hands to create something so beautiful.

We proudly offer Queensberry albums as our "Rolls Royce" wedding album, because when it comes to something as priceless as your wedding memories, only the best will do.

Vintage Super 8mm Movie Filming in Arizona

2010-08-31T12:47:00.002-07:00

We've got some exciting news! But first a recap: over the summer we launched Arizona Wedding Studio, a new division of f.ferguson photographers featuring an outstanding team of our best associates, offering great photography at a very affordable price. The response has been terrific!

Now, it's f.ferg's turn to unveil something new. This Fall we are rolling out a new set of wedding photography collections, designed for the ultimate in wedding day story telling. f.ferguson photographers is positioned to give our clients something no one else in Arizona can offer: a multimedia presentation of your wedding day with motion picture film by Ciné Vérité Films.

Ciné Vérité Films is the only cinematography studio in Arizona exclusively using real motion picture film to create artistic, vintage-style wedding films. Throughout your wedding day, we film beautiful moments using meticulously restored vintage movie cameras and Super 8mm film. The footage will be combined with your still photographs and music to create an emotional and moving story of your day. The production will be delivered on DVD, and you will also receive the original film reels to keep in your family archive.

This new addition is included in our Complete Coverage Collection, which also features:

Pre-wedding photo shoot (fashion, bridal, engagement)
Full day wedding coverage
THREE photographers
Three assistants to wait on us hand and foot (white gloves not included)
The very special Cocktail Screening Party after the wedding
...and much more

We have also added more features as standard items to our Basic Collection, so you get much more in an all-inclusive price! Contact us today, and experience the rare and unique look of movie film.

Are Digital Photographs Forever? Part 2

2010-08-13T10:46:00.001-07:00

Thanks for reading part 1, or at least I hope you did! :) It was meant to get you thinking, and hopefully gave you some useful information. There are many ways to skin a cat, so the system you implement needs to work for YOU. In this post, I'm going to talk about the second most important thing to do with your photos after backing them up.......MAKE PRINTS!

We all get overwhelmed with the sheer number of images we take (and can't possibly delete) so the thought of deciding which few to make prints of may seem daunting. It's really not that bad, and I'm sure you'll know which ones are print worthy when you see them. The real challenge is just setting aside the time to do it. Again, just like backing up your images, prints are the tangible results of the memories you've been capturing. You'll want to have prints made to pass down the generations, and yes, you should remember to write who, when and where on the back.

Ordering prints online is so easy, my mom can do it! (but not my dad) You can shop around for your favorite lab, and set up a free user account. It's important to remember to set your camera to the correct resolution for prints. If you are using a point and shoot, I recommend putting it on the highest resolution, and least amount of compression. A good print resolution is 300 pixels per inch - a 4x6" print would be 1200x1800 pixels. I still have to point out to my mom that photos need to be much smaller for emails (72ppi) - a 4x6" image on the web would be 288x432 pixels.

Most image editing software will allow you to resize an image for print or internet, but not all are sophisticated enough to let you add keywords or metadata. As I mentioned in Part 1, The DAM Book has a wealth of information on organizing and storing digital images. The cool thing about software such as PhotoShop, Lightroom, and Aperture are that they allow you to edit the metadata of each image.

Metadata is information stored withing each digital image file, such as who created it, the date, location, contact and copyright information, and much more. There is also a section for adding keywords. These can be any words that describe the photograph, which will be useful when you have thousands and just want to find a few from the lake, for example. You might add key words separated by commas such as: lake, boat, water, summer, etc..... Then, when you catalog your images using a cataloging application such as Microsoft Expression Media, you can type your keyword as a search term and it will quickly pull up the few images you are looking for with those words. Another advantage to editing your metadata is that you can you can enter a description of who is in the photo, and any other relevent information - it's kinda like writing on the back of the photo!

I hope this information has been helpful, and got your gears turning. Please leave comments and/or email questions if you have any!

Are Digital Photographs Forever? Part 1

2010-08-03T13:16:00.001-07:00

When was the last time you went digging around in your closet to find something, and came across that shoebox full of old photos passed down from your parents and grandparents? Did you forget what you were looking for and just sit down on the floor and leaf through the prints, revisiting fond memories? Hopefully grandmother was good about writing dates and names on the back!

Photographic prints are an integral piece of our family history, and serve as a great reminder of faces and places when memories grow dim. Most of us would consider these photos priceless, and list them among the top five things to grab from a burning house.

Now we find ourselves in the digital age, and we produce photos by the thousands, daisy-chaining hard drives to keep up with production. I'm sure you get the gist of where this is going......hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Data loss and equipment failure is eminent, and could strike at ANY moment.

As professional photographer, I am responsible for safeguarding against this, but after seeing how my parents manage their digital photos, I realize many people are not so diligent. Understandably, implementing a truly effective system for data backup can be confusing and expensive, but you owe it to yourself and your family to do something about it. If it's not already at the top of your to-do list, let's put it there now!

GET ORGANIZED: For extremists and professionals, I recommend The DAM Book to get an understanding of how to organize your file system so that it can easily grow over the years and make it easier to find files when you need them. A simple approach would be to place your family photos in a series of folders such as FAM_001, FAM_002, FAM_003 and so on, starting a new folder once it reaches about 4.5GB. By limiting the size of the folders, you can easily back them up to a DVD (which hols about 4.7GB) Once backed up, change the folder name to FAM_001_DVD, FAM_002_DVD.....so it will be easy to recognize that they have been backed up. It would be wise to make two copies of the DVD and keep one in another location, such as a safe deposit box at the bank
BACK IT UP: Don't rely on yourself to remember when it's time to back up. For PC users you could try AllwaySync, and Mac users can use Time Machine and/or SuperSuper! You'll want to use a good quality external drive with plenty of space. I use Time Machine AND SuperDuper! in conjunction to back up my Mac. Time Machine is good if you just need to go back in time and undo some changes you've made, but SuperDuper! makes an exact BOOTABLE COPY of your system drive, so if your hard drive crashes, you'll be able to boot up from your external and keep on truckin'.

In our studio, in addition to what's mentioned above, we also have a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device in use as our 'working drive' - not to be used as an archive. The beauty of this machine, (ours is ReadyNAS Pro by Netgear) is that it becomes a central data storage location for several users. It's like having all your computers connected to a single external hard drive. Plus, since it holds six hard drives (any size up to 2TB each - yes, 12TB total!), if one fails, you simply pull it out and replace it, without ever shutting down. It automatically rebuilds your data on the new drive.

The bottom line here is that backing up your precious digital photography is an important responsibility you mustn't ignore. In my next post, I'll talk about making prints and key-wording images.

Santa Monica California Engagement Photos

2010-07-15T23:16:00.000-07:00

I drove over to Santa Monica last weekend and met up with Jessica and Brian to shoot their engagement photos. It's always fun to shoot in a new location, and get some fresh angles. Even though it was the middle of July, we were all pretty much freezing!

I highly recommend traveling somewhere with great scenery for your photographs if at all possible. Not only is it nice to just get away, but you'll have a good variety of images, and something unique to show your friends.

Arizona Weddings Magazine

2010-05-27T17:26:00.003-07:00

We spent the better part of three months trekking around the state to find iconic Arizona locations to feature the top contestants in the Miss Arizona Beauty Pageant 2010. We traveled south to Tombstone, Tubac, then back to Phoenix,Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, The Superstitions, and Glendale, finally finishing up in Sedona. Adam and I would go a day ahead of the crew and models to scout, then get everything set up and ready for their arrival.

Several of our scheduled shoots were canceled due to rain and snow, but we persevered and made it happen. The Sedona location with Brittany Brannon, and transportation by Pink Jeep Tours, was probably the coldest day of shooting, thanks to fresh snow and a howling wind. Brittany worked under the most extreme conditions of the project, and never once lost her smile. All of our models were fantastic to work with, and for some it was their first time.

We'd like to thank Arizona Weddings Magazine for allowing us the opportunity to create these beautiful images, and continue our long friendship with the magazine. To see more, please visit our Facebook page.

'Sedona Rouge' won second place at the 2010 AzPPA print competition in the wedding division.

'Urban Chic' won third place at the 2010 AzPPA print competition in the wedding division.

'An Evening Affair' won first place in the wedding division at the 2010 AzPPA print competition, and the Kodak Gallery Award.

New Logo and Rebranding

2010-05-26T22:09:00.000-07:00

Good news! Our site has not been hacked! You've probably noticed a new logo in some of our online locations and new print advertising which has recently come out. We are rolling out a fresh new look, including new logos, new Facebook fan page, and a new web site.

Of course, timing events like these to happen all at the same time was our utmost intention. Regretfully, some things are just beyond of our control! Nonetheless, we will continue working day and night, and anxiously await the moment we can announce to you the launch of our new web site.

Wedding Chronicle Readers Poll

2010-03-26T11:07:00.003-07:00

Thank you to everyone who voted, and even those who didn't. We are humbled and honored to receive this award.

Fox News Arizona Wedding Feature at Stonebridge Manor

2010-02-12T15:51:00.003-07:00

Although Fox New forgot to give us credit, the images and album used in this feature are ours.

Royal Palms Wedding Photography Phoenix

2010-02-03T17:13:00.010-07:00

We've been anxious to share these photographs with everyone, but wanted to wait until Karen and Ken saw them first at their private Cocktail Reception in our studio. Needless to say, after two bottles of bubbly we were having a great time looking at their images on the big screen!

It's so much better to see your images for the first time when they are projected in high resolution on a giant screen, as compared to a low resolution computer screen on the internet. Join our Facebook Fan Page to see their album!

Prescott Arizona Portraits

2009-10-28T21:07:00.003-07:00

Want a change of scenery? Let's head out of town for your portraits. Arizona has some incredibly beautiful locations for photography. Let us help you plan your portraits - we're happy to offer tips on locations, styles, clothing, home décor and more....just ask us!

Fall Family Portraits

2009-09-25T11:53:00.002-07:00

It's time to schedule your family portrait session for holiday gift giving. Now through October 30th we are taking $50 off your portrait session! Remaining spaces are extremely limited, so call now to schedule.

If you'd like to receive our new packet with prices and detailed information, please send us your mailing address. Come in to the studio for a free design consultation and we'll help plan your session to coordinate color and style with your decor to create a beautiful piece of art to display in your home.

Queensberry Albums

2009-08-27T09:36:00.005-07:00

At f.ferguson photographers we pride ourselves on offering only the finest albums and products available to the industry. It's a philosophy that we have lived by since the studio opened. We truly believe that the story of a beautiful life-changing event like a wedding should be told in an equally beautiful hand crafted album to be shared with future generations.

Our Premium line of Queensberry wedding albums, hand crafted in Auckland, New Zealand, are absolutely the best of the best! Turning the pages of one of these albums is like strolling through the halls of an art museum. The thick page leaves and sumptuous textures are nothing less than luxurious.

One of our favorite features by Queensberry is the Duo Album. Perfect for the indecisive bride or one who loves something a little different from the norm, it's the combination of a fine-art matted presentation with a modern twist of flush-mount style pages mixed in.

We could go on and on about these books, but you really should see one for yourself! Stop by sometime and we'll be delighted to show you. In the meantime, you can visit their web site for a taste of what's available.

Killer Wedding Reception Decor

2009-07-15T13:34:00.008-07:00

Wow! This was an exciting wedding to shoot at the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale! We love seeing a bold and creative use of color and design at the reception. As you can see, it makes for some very striking images.

The bride and groom's Sweetheart Table

Accents found at the roof top cocktail reception

Trista and Jason's Album v1.0

2009-07-06T17:14:00.015-07:00

Here is the first version of Trista and Jason's album from their wedding at the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale. Please share any feedback with us, we love to hear what people are saying about our work!

Competition Awards

2009-05-18T23:08:00.005-07:00

We had a great time this weekend at this year's AzPPA Convention in Tempe at the Fiesta Inn. Professional photographers from all over the state met for seminars with some of the top names in the business, and to enter their best work from the year in the print and album competition.

As always, there were a lot of amazing images submitted. (glad I'm not a judge) For the second year in a row, Fred won Top 10 AZ Photographer (ranking #4 this time) and took first place in the album division. The images below are the winners.

"Krysti and Keith"
1st Place Open Wedding Division

"Trapped in the Inferno"
1st Place Open Illustrative Division, selected for the Traveling Loan Collection

1st Place Album Division - "Molly & Jeremy Lowden"

Wedding Portraits at the Royal Palms Resort

2009-04-24T14:05:00.011-07:00

Yolanda and Pablo contacted us recently to help them with a problem. The photographer they hired to photograph their wedding turned out to be inexperienced, and delivered very disappointing images which they were embarrassed to show their family and friends. We were very happy to help them out and create some impressive imagery that they would be proud to show off!

The bride and groom stayed at The Royal Palms on their wedding night, and hoped the first photographer could capture some of the ambiance of the resort, but it never happened. Thanks to The Royal Palms Resort in Scottsdale for so generously allowing us to re-create Pablo and Yolanda's wedding portraits.

In case you were curious, these portraits were created months after the wedding. It was necessary to purchase flowers and rent a tux again. Think of the time, money and heart-ache that would have been saved if the original photographer had done his job properly.

Note the beautiful edge lighting on the bride and groom. We pride ourselves on this type of attention to detail, and go out of our way to use studio lighting on location to add impact to our images.

Our use of background lighting here provides separation between the bride and the otherwise black hole behind her. The light on the palm and shadow on the wall add visual interest, and is reminiscent of Hollywood movie lighting.

f. ferguson photographers
Scottsdale Arizona Wedding Studio

Phoenix Engagement Session

2009-03-26T13:49:00.009-07:00

Lighting is our specialty, and it really shows in this engagement session with Kimberly Byrne and Brendan Dekker. Our studio's team of photographers come from a background in commercial and fashion photography where auxiliary lighting is critical to creating a professional photograph. Many newcomers to the profession today are not equipped with this expertise, and are limited to using only available light.

Parada Del Sol Rodeo

2009-03-02T14:34:00.009-07:00

We were fortunate this past weekend to have received a couple tickets to the Head Honchos VIP tent at the Parada Del Sol Rodeo at West World in Scottsdale. We were up close and personal with all the exciting action.

Wigwam Golf Resort Bridal Show

2009-02-19T10:10:00.004-07:00

It's bridal show time again at the Wigwam Resort from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm this Saturday February 21. Please stop by and visit our booth, we would love to meet you and hear all about your wedding plans!

Phoenix Children's Hospital

2008-12-30T21:48:00.006-07:00

What a memorable Christmas for me this year! Not only was it cold and rainy, which I absolutely love, but my wife and I had the privilege of making some very special photographs Christmas morning instead of opening presents.

We joined Santa at PCH while he made his rounds passing out toys to some very brave children who were too sick to go home for the holiday. I wish we could have done more, but we are grateful to our new friends in the Child Life Center for allowing us to come down and help some families in need.

DJ Service Commissions Rock Band Style Images

2008-12-11T23:39:00.001-07:00

The Music Doctors professional DJ service contacted me recently to create some photographs for their new web site design. They wanted the images to be reminiscent of a classic rock band album cover. It was a fun change of pace, and these guys are really a class-act!

Scottsdale Wedding

2008-11-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

Krysti and Keith were married at the Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains on Nov. 8th. They booked one of our complete wedding photography collections featuring a DVD montage and our premium Queensberry coffee table album, plus everything else you'd expect from a first-class studio.

Wigwam Bridal Show

2008-11-13T10:19:00.000-07:00

Come join us this Sunday, November 16th at the Wigwam Resort for the annual Bridal Walk and Trunk Show from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm. RSVP here for free admission and enter to win the Authentic Arizona Wedding Giveaway!

The Wigwam Golf Resort and Spa is ready to make your dream come true on April 4th, 2009 and would like to offer you the chance to win your dream wedding.

The wedding package will include:

Ceremony Venue
Flowers
Photography
Live Entertainment
Décor
Custom Cake
Reception for 100 people
And much more...

The winning Bride & Groom will be announced on Monday November 24th, 2008 on MIX-FM, KISS-FM and at wigwamresort.com/weddings.html.

Four Seasons Scottsdale Wedding

2008-10-22T22:21:00.001-07:00

Molly and Jeremy's wedding at the Four Seasons Resort near Pinnacle Peak in Scottsdale was and absolute blast! Everything went smooth and was extremely organized thanks to Some Like it Classic Wedding and Event Design, who we had the privilege of working with.

We love making images that look classic and timeless. My wife took this beautiful portrait of Molly while I was shooting from a different angle.

This photograph is an example of how we use professional lighting to add impact to our imagery.

Stonebridge Manor Wedding

2008-10-08T21:10:00.004-07:00

Time to Schedule Family Portraits - $100 off!

2008-09-15T12:27:00.000-07:00

We are offering a special Fall Family Portrait promotion of $100 off our regular portrait package. In addition to that, we are giving a $200 credit to use toward prints and wall portraits.

The holidays will be here before we know it. Portraits are perfect for holiday gifts and cards. Contact us today to schedule your session before our calendar is full. Schedule by Oct. 30th to receive discount!

Fall Family Portraits

2008-08-23T13:33:00.003-07:00

It's hard to believe that the Fall is almost upon us, and it's time to start thinking about family portraits for the holidays. Don't wait until it's too late...schedule your session early! We will bring our studio to your home, or one of our favorite outdoor locations.

This image was painted by hand using a digital brush and tablet. Images like this look especially great printed on a large stretched canvas.

Molly & Jeremy's Engagement

2008-08-06T21:21:00.000-07:00

We closed out the season with a bang just before the heat really set in! Molly and Jeremy chose the Japanese Friendship Garden for their engagement shoot. The park is closed to the public during the summer, so we rented it just for M & J and had the whole place to ourselves. We are looking forward to a fantastic wedding this fall at the Four Seasons!

Special Project with Ciné Vérité Films

2008-07-19T18:35:00.004-07:00

This movie was a joint effort with our sister company Ciné Vérité Films. We have created something brand new using some very OLD technology. We are so excited to debut this new prototype, and hope you will leave us your feedback after you have watched it.

Ciné Vérité Films creates high-end artisan style wedding films using only genuine Super 8 and 16mm motion picture film in meticulously refurbished vintage movie cameras, NOT video!

To produce this special montage, we have combined high tech digital images from f.ferguson photographers with motion picture film clips from Ciné Vérité on location in Maui, Hawaii to create a one-of-a-kind wedding show you will absolutely love!

Kristine and Joe

2008-07-19T18:29:00.003-07:00

Kristine and Joe's wedding was at Ancala Country Club in Scottsdale. We lucked out with an amazing sunset that evening!

Carole and Jason

2008-07-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

Villa Siena

A Behind the Scenes Look

2008-06-04T22:02:00.004-07:00

Here's a couple shots to show you a behind the camera look at a real on-location modeling shoot. There's a whole lot more to it than what you see in the photos, such as a truck full of gear, a generator for the lights, a permit from the city, several assistants and so on.
Reflectors and umbrellas are valuable tools to control and modify the light as we use them to give the subject a more three dimensional look and create separation from the background. An umbrella creates a wrap-around effect with the light so that the transition from highlight to shadow is soft and gradual. A reflector is a quick and easy way to use the sun as an additional light source.
In the photo above, the light on the left has a grid spot attached to create a narrow beam of light which adds interest and a little drama to the background. It also helps to keep light from spilling on areas where you don't want it.
This location was a bit of a hike to get to, especially with all the gear we had to bring. It's hard to tell how high we are in the photo, but we hiked up one of the buttes in Papago Park. It was well worth the effort, as we got some great shots at sunset. It's impossible to predict what situations will arise at a location like this, but it helps to be creative and improvise a little. Arriving prepared for surprises is key.

In addition to the main light being held, there is a fill light just to my right on a stand, and one more small battery powered flash on the ground lighting the rock wall behind our model.

Fitness Model Dana Wilson

2008-05-14T14:02:00.020-07:00

That's Adam showin' her how it's done

I had the opportunity recently to work with aspiring fitness model, Dana Wilson. Dana is an independent Certified Personal Trainer out of Gold's Gym in Scottsdale. She also owns her own personal training company, LifeBalance, Inc.

We hit the streets of Downtown Phoenix for some urban-chic images and then moved to Papago Park for some fitness / lifestyle images at sunset. My good friend Adam of ACME Photography and my wife Sara assisted me on the shoot.

Dana is creating a portfolio of images to start her modeling career. In addition to placing 1st in her class last summer in her first figure competition, and 12th last month in Seattle at the Emerald Cup, one of the hottest events on the National Physique Committee card, she aspires to one day grace the cover of Oxygen Magazine.

We had a great time working with you Dana, and look forward to helping your modeling career with some amazing images!

Michelle & Pete get Maui'd

2008-04-19T00:17:00.007-07:00

Congratulations Pete and Michelle! In spite of the airlines losing their reservations and then going out of business the next morning, P & M had a picture perfect wedding. Thank you both and your families for allowing Sara and me to be a part of your amazing day!

Nothing says love like a post-nuptial dip in the Pacific! (By the way, I went in with them -- have swimsuit, will travel)

Scenic Hawaii

2008-04-18T13:19:00.005-07:00

While in Hawaii last week shooting Pete and Michelle's wedding, I had a little extra time to do some sight seeing. The photo below is the splash from a whale. They are very active this time of year, and can be seen relatively close to shore. Too bad I couldn't catch one mid-air!

WPPI 16x20 Print Competition

2008-03-29T10:16:00.005-07:00

This unusual image received an Accolade of Excellence in the Photojournalism Humor category at this year's WPPI International Print Competition in Las Vegas. The image of Emi Takahashi titled Hang Loose was created with Kodak T-MAX 3200 film while she was getting ready for her wedding in Honolulu, Hawaii. The image was hand printed on fiber based paper by Robert Cavali of Still Moving Pictures in LA. Those edges aren't Photoshop, baby!

I hadn't thought of entering this image in a competition, but Robert made a print and sent it to me after stumbling upon it in the darkroom while printing another image of this wedding I had sent to him. Well, the judges liked it too. Thanks Robert!

$16,000.00 Wedding Album!!!!!

2008-03-25T16:45:00.004-07:00

Yep, that's right! If the album is 16K, can you imagine what the wedding cost? Considering the groom's wedding gift from the bride was a new Ferrari, I'm guessing it was a bunch! The diamond studded monogram on the cover is set in a solid gold plate and surrounded by genuine ostrich leather. PictoBooks is pushing the envelope this year with custom designed albums in all price ranges.

Well, it wasn't all glitz and glamor at this year's WPPI convention and trade show at Paris in Las Vegas. With dozens of seminars, parties, print competition and gargantuan trade show, there was no time to stop for a breather before it was time to come home.

The trade show is always my favorite part of the convention. It is a photographer's paradise as you can imagine. It is exciting to be among the first to see the year's newest and hottest products, gadgets, and of course, new wedding albums! Can't wait for next year...

Awards Won at AzPPA Convention

2008-02-18T21:18:00.007-07:00

Spread from "Tara & Jeff"

"War Hero"

"Family Pride"

The AZ State Professional Photographers Association held its annual convention and competition this weekend. Pros from all over the state came together to attend seminars, learn valuable tips to enhance their business, forge new friendships and compete in the print and album competition.

I had an especially good weekend, winning first place in the wedding album category and receiving the Kodak Gallery Award for Photographic Excellence for the album.

In addition, I received two third place ribbons for print submissions, and was recognized as one of the top ten photographers in Arizona.

The album and both prints were also placed in the AzPPA traveling loan collection.

Ski Trip

2008-02-05T12:40:00.011-07:00

Sara and I went skiing with a couple friends to Sunrise in the White Mountains. The ski conditions are the best they've been in years, and we had an amazing time! Saturday was cold, but sunny. Then a storm rolled in on Sunday and we had blizzard conditions all day. We made it down off the Rim Sunday evening just in time, as cars were sliding into the ditch and the road was nearing closure. No worries in my trusty Prius, however. What a great car! (and lots of room for ski stuff too)

The bleak remains of the Rodeo-Chediski Fire

My space suit from the NASA surplus store

moments before zero visibility

Gina Alexander - Hollywood

2008-01-23T14:32:00.000-07:00

We are very excited to be accepted by the original creator of the photo handbag, Gina Alexander Hollywood, as an authorized photographer and distributor of their popular high-quality purses!

These fun and stylish handbags are carried by many celebrities including: Oprah, Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Ripa, Halle Barry, Brandy, Sharon Stone, Sarah Evans and many, many more!

Check out our Gift and Accessory Boutique in your event gallery to see the entire collection.

New Photo Gallery System

2008-01-05T13:43:00.000-07:00

As some of you may have already noticed, my online event galleries have a new look. I have integrated the whole gallery and ordering system into my website so I can handle orders personally now instead of sending visitors over to Pictage.

I now have the freedom and flexibility to offer a wider variety of items as well as the ability to offer print packages and quantity discounts. All that means you save money!

One of the coolest new features is the Gift Registry. Now you can create your own registry and invite your guests to give you the gift of photography. Guests deposit money into your account and then you can spend it on prints, albums or anything else we offer including upgrading to a bigger photography package for your wedding!

If you have any feedback, good or bad, we'd love to hear it!

Scottsdale Horse Show

2007-12-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

My wife Sara spent the weekend at West World in Scottsdale (home of the Barrett- Jackson Auto Show :) showing her Arabian horse Kizzy, or Kizzard Lips as he is better known. His real name is TAL Kisz Thegirl, but that's way too long!

Sara has been showing horses in Dressage for most of her life. Dressage can be likened to ballet on horseback, but Sara jokes that for the spectator, it's about as fun as watching paint dry!

If you ever have a chance to watch it in the Olympics, you'll see that it is a beautiful and VERY challenging sport. The arena is marked with letters around the edges and the rider must memorize a specific pattern to ride along with cues to give the horse at certain points. The horse is highly trained to respond to the cues by changing his gait, and this is where the ballet part comes in. It is awesome to see the horse skip and cross-step almost as if they are dancing.

The rider's cues are supposed to be unnoticed by the judges, which helps in getting a higher score. You can see Sara in the clip below.

Fire and ISES

2007-11-29T15:36:00.000-07:00

Last night we attended a fun event at the Inspirador in Chandler called Fire and ISES hosted by the International Special Events Society. The Inspirador is a cool new event venue that just opened in historic old town Chandler. In addition to being a great venue, they also feature an art gallery and a bridal boutique.

An open air patio at the Inspirador

Painted in just minutes by Michael Ostaski of Art Explosion

Fred & Sara Ferguson

Phil & Gwen Waring of Arizona Ministers

Jason and Julie Levy of Sophisticated Shindigs with Phil Waring

Jessica and Scott

2007-11-09T11:01:00.001-07:00

Another beautiful wedding at Stonebridge Manor, Mesa, Arizona, USA!

Cassidy & Joel's Engagement Shoot

2007-11-04T11:06:00.000-07:00

Sandra and Erik

2007-10-29T11:22:00.000-07:00

Sandra and Erik were married on October 27th at FireSky Resort in Scottsdale.

The Mystery Castle

2007-10-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

Sara and I loaded up our bikes in the truck on Sunday and headed out to explore areas of Phoenix we had never been or spent much time in before. The first stop we made was one of the most unusual places I have ever been.

The Mystery Castle is on the slope of South Mountain overlooking a beautiful vista of desert hills, farmland and the skyline of downtown Phoenix. It was built in the 1930's by Boyce Luther Gulley who suffered from tuberculosis, and his daughter (now in her late 80's) still lives there and gives tours. The Castle even has its own wedding chapel! If you ever get a chance, check it out.

Inga & Johnny's Wedding at Sassi

2007-10-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

Inga and Johnny live in Florida, but they joined their family and friends at Sassi in Scottsdale for their wedding. It had been raining off and on all day, so they waited until the last minute to decide if the wedding would be held outdoors. Luckily it was, and Sassi had their first guest-standing wedding!

New Website Launched

2007-09-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

After what seems like an eternity, my new web site is complete! The new flash-based site is a fresh build from the ground up. So many websites these days basically look alike, especially in the photography industry. That's because they are set up in a template format so all you have to do is drop in your pictures and change the color scheme.

Working with an awesome team of web designers at Viper Dezigns, we came up with an entirely different concept, and probably broke a few rules along way. Please check it out and let us know what you think!

What Legacy Will We Leave Our Grandchildren?

2007-08-20T22:26:00.000-07:00

It is rare that you will find me stepping atop my soapbox....well my wife might disagree, but at least I don't do it in public!

As often as I reminisce about the good ol' days, I must admit that we are living in some pretty amazing times. The technology that we have at our fingertips is mind boggling, and most of us are doing a pretty good job at keeping up with it.

But being a photographer, I can't help but stop every now and then when I pass by the mantle over my fireplace and look at the seemingly ancient photographs on display of my parents and grandparents as young adults and newlyweds. Of all the photographs I have collected, both past and present, these are by far the most treasured that I own.

Which leads me to this leap atop my soapbox. What legacy will you or I leave our grandchildren? What photographs will adorn their mantle? I'm talking about that timeless image of a young man or woman in their prime, dressed to the nines sitting for a real portrait.

I fear that in this day and age, the heirloom portrait is a thing of the past. We are trapped in a photographic vacuum. All the hundreds or even thousands of digital images we are taking risk the ultimate fate of never being printed, and lost forever. And in this click-happy culture, aren't we really trading quality for quantity?

My friends, I am as guilty as they get. But with every new day, there's fresh hope. Let's look beyond today and take a moment to prepare for the future. Please don't let your roots and family history go unrecorded. We've got plenty of wacky and spontaneous snapshots to last a lifetime. Let's leave our kids something they can really treasure; a classic, timeless, real portrait of you.

Nancy and David's Unexpected Wedding Guest

2007-07-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wished you could predict the weather on your wedding day? This is obviously a major consideration when deciding what month to have the wedding, and whether to have it indoors or out.
Well, that's why Nancy chose to have her wedding on April 28th at Grayhawk Golf Club. You can't do much better than a sunny spring afternoon in Scottsdale, AZ ....or can you?

T-minus 1 hour

Pausing for a refreshment while shooting N & D with their classic car, we noticed the eastern sky getting a little dark.

Hello Haboob....Ha-what?

Sara, always trying to be helpful, thought she might try to hold back the winds

Well, no worries. Everyone set back to work once it was over to clean up the mess Mr. Haboob had left behind.

Nancy and David didn't let it spoil their day. It was nothing a good cigar and a glass of red wine couldn't fix!

Who Says You Can't Have Fun Turning 50?

2007-06-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

I was recently hired to photograph a surprise birthday party. It was a surprise all right, in more ways than one! All the guests were dressed in white, and the birthday boy had no idea so he arrived in his trendy black suit. He definitely stood out from the crowd, but not nearly as much as the two drag queens!

The guest of honor (in black)

That's me with...actually, his name wouldn't pass the board of censors. Nor would the rest of the pictures from this party!

Alex and Anna's Dream Wedding

2007-06-01T11:29:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was chosen to shoot Channel 3's "Dream Wedding", where a lucky bride and groom were chosen from over 200 entries to win an all-expenses-paid wedding ceremony and reception at the Castle at Ashley Manor in Chandler.

From the first glance to the last dance, the wedding was flawless, and they couldn't have been a more deserving couple! And talk about color...It was everywhere, from the hors d'oeuvres to the bridesmaids dresses, to the table linens. After a fantastic buffet dinner, Anna and Alex dazzled their guests with their own choreographed dance routine. Kudos to all the vendors involved for a job well done!

Brad Perry up to his usual antics. He blindfolded Anna and Alex so they wouldn't see each other before the wedding.

Olivia Fierro checks out Alex's new bling!

Surprise.....You Won!

2007-05-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

Channel 3's Olivia Fierro along with the participating vendors surprised Anna and Alex at their Tempe home with the announcement that they had won the Dream Wedding. The announcement was live on Good Morning Arizona.

Watch My 1 Second of Fame in this TV Commercial

2007-05-02T09:50:00.000-07:00

Some of the vendors who participated in the Dream Wedding giveaway were asked to go down to the Channel 3 studio to be in the commercial. What do you think of my Oscar-worthy performance????

Graduation in Chicago

2007-05-01T16:06:00.000-07:00

My family traveled to Chicago this month for the graduation of my nephew Mike Johnson from Columbia College. He graduated with honors and is heading out to LA to begin his career as a film director. We ate some incredible food there and I had some much needed time to play with my camera.

My always smiling wife Sara can hardly contain her joy at finally meeting her cartoon hero Mr. Square Pants