Attention all you professionals out there: We are offering a special during Professionals Week so you can update your look for 2010! Professionals week is the last week of February, the 23rd through the 26th and when you call and schedule your 15 minute session during Professionals Week, you receive your session and 5-8 images on a CD ready to use for advertising and marketing media for only $199, saving you $50! So call us today to schedule your professional session! 970-259-9255 We can't wait to work with you!

Also, if you would like a complimentary makeup consultation for your professional portrait, call Renee Gotcher at 970-259-3953.

Katie Branson, a former high school senior client, and now a friend and an aspiring photographer, came into the studio today for "photography 101". We played with my new lights and Katie took this portrait of me, which I love! Thanks Katie - so fun! Can't wait for more lessons!

Finally, here are a few images of our finished work from the studio remodel! We worked on this for over a month! The initial phase only took 1 week, which included knocking out 2 walls, tearing up carpet and putting down hard wood floors, painting, new electrical work, new doors, installing our new projection system, moving in furniture, installing our new backdrop system, etc! Then we had to wait on my desk and our brand new lights and light hanging system. Everything seemed to be backordered and it snowed a few times which slowed down our shipping. So, we finally received almost everything and spent last weekend installing our lights - so cool! We invested in Westcott's spiderlites and I LOVE them! We purchased a track system to hang our lights so they hang from the ceiling - no more light stands to trip over - with scissors so they pull up and down easily. I am just so excited! Stay tuned for images with our new lights and come by to check out the remodel in person! Thanks to everyone who has complimented us - our space has been called gorgeous from everyone who has seen it so far - so come check it out!

I am so excited for this event, the Ladies Night of Indulgence at Thrive! It is going to be so fun and I hope to find a few minutes to participate in a few indulgences myself. We will be offering "post pamper" portraits and I have found a few wonderful ideas for Valentine's Day gifts with these portraits. Your sweetheart would love a portrait of you, I'm sure, as well as all your friends and family! Check out these adorable custom Valentine's Day cards on which we can put your portrait! If you've already had a portrait taken with us and would like to use one of those portraits on these cards, that is totally great too! Just give us a call so we can get these to you by Valentine's Day! 970-259-9255

Matt and I had a booth at the Wedding Expo this past Saturday and our portrait from the photo booth contest is in the top 7! Which means that if we get the most votes we could win a great advertising package! So excited! So, please vote for us - just go the Durango Wedding Expo Blog (click here) and leave a comment that you vote for #4. Thank you!

This great article was emailed to me and I wanted to share it with you - especially before you attend the wedding expo tomorrow! It has a great perspective of professional wedding photography, which should help with your decision making at the expo. Come by and see us - we are right inside the front doors and we'll have a great deal when you book during the expo. Plus, Matt is giving a seminar that will give you great tips about planning your wedding photography. So, check out this article and we'll see you soon - can't wait! thanks!

We just returned from a 6 day "business vacation" to Imaging USA 2010! It was in Nashville this year, which was so fun! Great music and believe it or not, snow! Schools were closed for days due to the 1/16 of an inch of snow on the ground - which is a lot for Nashville - just not quite what we're used to. Imaging USA is put on by PPA (Professional Photographers of America), which is a non profit we belong to. SMS (Studio Management Services) is a branch of PPA that puts on workshops for photographers to teach us everything from the business/accounting side to the sales/customer service side, to the marketing side. We attended their 3 day workshop and learned as much as I think I could learn in 3 days. Then we stayed for the 3 day convention of classes and the largest expo/trade show! We spent hours browsing products/services and I can't wait to share with you what all we've added to our business! But first, I had to show you the marketing piece one of our vendors displayed in their booth at the expo that we designed! I'm sure you remember that blog post - I was so excited they wanted to show off our piece - so here it is, right in the middle of the show, among pieces designed by some of my favorite photographers - very proud! The other highlight of the trip was our "room mate" we shared our hotel with, Joshua Albanese. Check out his site when you get the chance - he's amazing! He actually used his camera during the trip, so check out his blog as well to see more! We had a great time, but are very excited to be back in the studio - we've missed all of you!