Tag Archives: winnipeg photographer

Family of 5! (Winnipeg Family Photography)

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I hadn’t done any photography sessions for over a month. That has been my choice. I don’t feel safe having people in my home studio with Covid cases being so high. I have a husband who has lymphoma and I want to be extra vigilant about exposure, especially with the new variants. My husband is fine right now and we want to keep it that way.

Now that we have warm weather and the leaves are out on the trees, I will do sessions outdoors. The session that I am featuring today was done on my property and the family shown lives right around the corner from us!

I love the picture below. Our neighbour’s dog, Gypsy, saw us outside and came over to visit. Gypsy was excited to give me hugs and kisses and didn’t want to leave. Usually, I welcome Gypsy, but in this case, I needed her to move, but the whole interaction gave us this wonderful picture!

Fun Candid!

After Gypsy left, we were able to get a posed image.

Beautiful Family!

I loved photographing these 2 beautiful girls; aged 6 and 8. Aren’t they lovely?

Lovely Sisters!

PINTEREST (Winnipeg Photographers)

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I’m relatively new to posting on Pinterest.

 

 

http://pinterest.com/photodiva86/

I love finding quotes and photography stuff. My latest quest is to find iPhone Apps for Photography. I played quite a bit with my iPhone while I was in Calgary and came up with some great images. Pinterest in a great way to keep track of things that you want to go back to and look at later. You can create boards and group stuff together to make it easier to find later. I love seeing what other people are finding and reposting if it’s something that I might like.

I see Pinterest like having a magazine to read whenever you have time. And the thing is: you get to put whatever interests you into the magazine. Pretty cool!

Some stats on Pinterest:

 

The Price of Photography or what is the value of a portrait (Winnipeg Photographers)

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One of my Facebook friends shared this blog post written by a photographer and I wanted to pass it on to you. I think that it speaks to why our work as photographers is so valuable and important.

Please read it. And think about the author of the letter is saying. We often hear that people’s most valuable possessions in the event of a fire or other disaster are their photographs. Prints of memories that cannot be replaced. How much are they worth to you? And what is the quality of those photographs?  Good questions to ask yourself. Read what this mother has to say.

A letter on my door step. portraits are more than paper.

 

There will be no portrait photos in this post.  This letter wasn’t mailed – it was at my doorstep when I got home a couple of months ago.  I read it, I cried, and read it again – probably a hundred times by now.  It wasn’t easy to read – and honestly, as much as it validates what I do for a living – I wasn’t sure I was going to share it either – Until today, when a past client said that my print prices were too expensive.  If you choose to read through the letter, you will know why I’ve finally chosen to share it.

July 2nd, 2011

Jeanine – 

Today I am writing for a couple of reasons.  I have some quiet time at the moment and need to get a couple of things off my mind.  I will leave this for my husband to deliver to you when he is ready.

You photographed my wedding, you photographed my first pregnancy and my first baby.  I contacted you awhile back to photograph my 2nd child and family.  After getting prices and realizing I would want all of the pictures as we love your work – I decided against spending $500+ – which is what I normally spend for portraits and prints with you..  Please know it is not because I don’t value your amazing eye, or how much we love the experience.

That week that I decided to NOT do a session with you, this is how I spent some money.

On Sunday I called and cancelled our session.  Monday I went out and got my hair cut ($39+tip), and colored ($65), Thursday I had my nails done ($24), my family went out to dinner at a somewhat expensive restaurant for no particular reason costing us $79 + tip.  This was just 4 days since canceling our session, already totaling over $200 for un necessary things.  My nails only lasted about 2 weeks, my hair is gone, and seven weeks passed when I got the phone call from our doctor.  It was not something I expected and the cancer has spread very quickly.  I will be leaving my husband, my 6-year-old girl and my now 2-year-old – not by choice.  It is very hard for me to talk about it which is why I need to write you.

I watch your Facebook page and your posts about the value of a photo and if I could give back all of those things that I purchased this few weeks after I cancelled my session with you, knowing what I know now, and have that session, well… I would do it in a heartbeat. 

Now my time is done and there are no more chances for me.  The next time someone cancels a session – my wish is that you forward this letter to them.  Time is fragile, it is gone before you know you had it.  If you charged $200 for one print it wouldn’t be enough for what it is actually worth.  I cringe to think that my priorities were a manicure over a memory to pass onto my babies and husband.

My love and thanks for what you have given us from past photos.  I am so sorry that I did not see it as more than paper until now.

Karen L.

A boy and 2 dogs (Winnipeg Child and Family Photographer)

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I had fun running around St. Johns Park yesterday with a mom, 2 dogs and a 2 year old boy. It was fun but also a challenge to get all them all in the same picture. Dogs and 2 year old do not like to sit still. Luckily I had some plans before I went.

Plan #1 was to have the dogs sitting with the  child and mom. That didn’t work very well because dogs and child would not stay still for long.

Plan #2 was to have the dogs and the little guy walk towards me on a signal with no leashes on the dogs. That  didn’t end up working very well because the dogs wanted to run towards me and got to me in 2 seconds.

Plan #3 was to have child and dogs come towards me but to put the dogs on their leashes. I ended up with some great shots and had fun doing the shoot!

Digital vs. Prints (Winnipeg Photographers)

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So you’ve had your shoot and your gallery in online. Now you have to choose which prints you would like, or which images you would like in a digital file. Whether you choose digital or prints  largely depends on your needs as there are advantages to each. Many clients are purchasing a DVD of their images, rather than buying individual prints.  If you buy a DVD of your images, you’ll be able to email the pictures to family and friends and to print them yourselves. If you choose a quality lab, you’ll end up with many great prints at a lower price. On the other hand, if you order the prints through a photographer, you’ll be assured that the colours are all correct and that the prints are cropped in the best way possible. If I get prints back from the printer, and don’t like the colour, or the brightness, I will get them reprinted. It is extra work for you to go through this process. And it might be a little intimidating if you haven’t done it before.  It’s important to me is that you are happy with the end product. If you do buy the DVD and have trouble getting the prints done, let me know. I’d be more than happy to help.

The other question that people often ask me, is which image would make a better print. It really does depend on you and on who is getting the picture. Grandma might like a more traditional pose, whereas you might love a fun, unusual one. Go with the one that moves you. Go with the one that you are first drawn to. Over analyzing and studying the images may just lead to more confusion. Go with the picture that brings out the personality of your child. I love this picture of N. Is it traditional? No! Is it him? Yes!

Here’s another one that tells you a lot about this little cutie who was having so much fun dancing!

Go with what moves you. Go with the one that makes you say “Ahha that’s my little girl,” when you see it. And most of all, have fun with it!

Brown Eyed Girls (Winnipeg Children’s Photographer)

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Today I met 2 brown eyed girls;  L is 3 1/2 and E is 6 1/2 months.  L loves to dance and to entertain her little sister. I really enjoyed meeting them and their mom this morning. I’m looking forward to working on the rest of  your pictures.

Here is a preview of some of them:

Following My Bliss and Just as I am Exhibition (Winnipeg Family Photographer)

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First the bliss:

It is miraculous. I even have a superstition that has grown on me as a result of invisible hands coming all the time – namely, that if you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track…and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you…don’t be afraid, and doors will open…

Joseph Campbell

I recently came across Joseph Campbell’s words in a post by Robert Provencher http://westmountphotography.com/ on his facebook page. Rob is a marketing guru and runs a successful photography business. Campbell is a philosopher who I had never heard of but will read because  his words ring true for me. I hope that you find some meaning in them as well and that all of you are able to follow your bliss.

Second the exhibit by Rodney Braun called Just as I am. You will find the details of the exhibit at this link:

http://cre8ery.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=201&Itemid=34

It is called Just as I am because Rod photographed people just as they were; that is nude. I was at the opening of his exhibit and was very impressed. The pictures are all in sepia tones and are beautifully mounted and framed. There are 88 of them! An astounding amount of work went into this exhibit and I think it was worth every minute of it. We are so used to seeing the perfect body in advertising and so it is refreshing to see people who are real and not afraid to be seen as they are. The pictures are powerful but the words that people wrote about themselves, which are written under their pictures, gives the display an almost spiritual dimension. It is spine tingling. It is real. It is beautiful. Rodney is following his bliss and it is written all over his face and in his work. See his exhibit if you possibly can.

And here I am at the exhibit:

Free Photo DVD (Winnipeg Photographers)

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“Can you believe it” special offer.

For the first time ever,  for one week only, I am offering the 10 image DVD free with the session feel for all babies under one year of age. That’s right. You pay the $100 session fee, or the $75 session fee for newborns under 2 weeks old and you will receive a DVD of your favorite 10 images at no extra cost.  But you need to book the session in the next 7 days. The session does not need to be in the next 7 days, but you need to book it.  The session needs to be before the 1st of April. That’s it. Simple.

Call me at 962-3424 or email me at chrismcwilliamsphotography@gmail.com

Please note that this special cannot be combined with any other offers.

Here’s Anya to tell you about it:

Don’t delay. Book it today.

Christina

January Photo Contest Entries (Winnipeg Photographers)

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I wanted to share my entries for the January Open Competition at the Manitoba Camera Club. Open means that you can submit images pertaining to any subject.

I am going to show you the images that I entered. The judging was last night and I am on the Judging Committee, so I know how I did. I am wondering what you like the best of these 6 images. On Tues. night  the winners will be  announced and I will let you know how these images did.

Have a look.  Let me know which ones are your favorite. I am looking forward to hearing from folks.


Bridge in Canmore, Ab

Church in Morley, AB

Graveyard

Runner

Steyr, Austria

Sunset at Delta Marsh, Mb

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