It is evening on December 31st and as I look back on 2018, I have much for which I am grateful. Most of all, I am grateful to the people who stood before my camera and allowed me to make their images.

Especially my wedding couple. You trusted me with your special day, a day with no “do overs,” and I hope I captured those moments that you can revisit with happiness and laughter. May your homes be blessed, may your lives be joyous!

But now I am looking ahead to 2019 and I am excited! I have taken a step in my business that I look forward to promoting and expanding.

Welcome to the Studio

Sometimes opportunity finds you and last September, it did in the form of a chance meeting at Aubreys. I was photographing Rep. Bill Dunn’s campaign kickoff when I fell into conversation with Justin Bailey, of Bailey & Co. Realty. He mentioned that he had an empty studio for rent in the historic Groner Building in the old train depot in downtown Powell. Call me crazy but I felt as if someone - God? My mother? Diane Arbus? - tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Do it.”

So, I did.

Oh, I am still a wedding photographer, and if you know anyone who is engaged to be married, have them give me a call. We’ll sit down over a cup of coffee to talk . . . in my studio (man, it feels good to say that).

But I want to expand my services. I started this business offering portraiture, but I want to take that a step further. When I look at the state of photography today, I see a lot of mini-sessions or photo shoots in the park, but what I don’t see is good, classic portraiture in a studio setting. The kind of portraiture that was born from the time when people were honored and commemorated by sitting for an artist. It is not meant to “capture a moment” - it is meant to capture the person.

For the photographer, it means developing and improving skills in lighting and composition. A common remark I hear when someone sees one of my studio portraits is “It looks ‘painterly’!” It does because it is, in the sense that I try to recreate the light that the masters used, painters like Rembrandt or John Sargent Singer. I study their paintings and use my camera and lights instead of brushes and paints.

Does that mean I will not be doing on location work, such as senior pictures or engagement sessions? Not at all - but I still try to bring that look, even if it is outside.

So, Let Me Make You an Offer

To celebrate this new step for 2019, to welcome you back to the studio - and I say “back” because this is how it was, this is classic - I have a special offer.

Now is the chance to get introduced to studio portraiture and create a piece of art for your home. It is not too late to think ahead to holidays like Mother’s Day, or milestones to come like graduation or First Holy Communion.

And do not think a portrait is just for one person. Let it be you and your kids. Let it be brothers. Let it be best friends. Let it be your pet (yes, why not?).

I am so happy to have a home for my work. Come on by - there’s a cup of coffee waiting and we can talk about doing something wonderful for you in studio.