The Gift of Family

I photograph families during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. There has never been a season that I have not been overwhelmed by the wonder and beauty of God's gift to us all, family.

So this Christmas, hold your family close. Celebrate the bright and beautiful eyes of your children. Revel in the stories of childhood from days gone by. Remember your mother's smile and those delightful meals she prepared every holiday season. Recall how your dad did his best to assemble toys and play those magical electronic games with his children. And, recall God's gift of family, His Son, so that we could share in His eternal family.

The angels brought the news of Jesus' birth to shepherds in the field so long ago, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10-11

That First Silent Night, God sent His only son to us all. Celebrate God's Gift of Family this Christmas!

Oh, The Times They Are A Changin'

Bob Dylan penned and sang this song when I was a much younger man. The times were changing in the 60's and 70's. The Vietnam War and the the deaths of Jack Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King changed everything as we new it. A huge cultural revolution forced everyone to think about who they were and where America was going. It happened again in the 80's with the oil and gas bust, overwhelming numbers of mid-management jobs being lost and the beginning of American jobs going overseas to a growing global economy. Just as we are starting to get in touch with one another again, war, housing and oil have done it to us again. We'll tighten our belts and overcome this too.

Photography is changing too. At the SWPPA conference being held in Arlington this week accomplished speakers and photographers are all trying to grasp what these changing times hold for the professional photographer. One of the messages I heard from nationally ranked photographers was a call back to the basics. The principles of professional portraiture have not only remained the same but have become a more important part of separating the professional photographer from the flood of digital camera owners. I clearly remember that the 35mm camera of the 80's was in every home and created quite a stir among professional who used view cameras and medium format cameras exclusively. I got my start in photography school with a 35mm camera. It wasn't long before I owned a medium format camera too. The basic principles of portraiture that separated the professionals from the avid hobbyist were the artistic principles drawn from masters artists such as da Vinci and Rembrandt.

So, one more time the call for the 21st century professional photographer is toward artistic education, training and creative growth. The tools are different in some ways but the message is always the same. Professional growth is a process pricked by the ever inward desire to have made a small difference in the beauty of eternity.

Senior Portraits: A One Time Opportunity To "Put Your Best Face Forward."

Your senior year is a wonderful experience. There is only one shot at it, so here are some ideas that will help when it comes time to take your Senior Portraits. Have fun, live a little and look your best for generations to come.

Both my boys when they were seniors enjoyed their one time experience to the max. Over the years, a portrait surfaces of their "punker look" (the 80's spiked hair, funky clothes and all) for their children to enjoy. Their children are amazed that the person in the photo is really their dad. I'm proud of my boys. They both are doing well in their careers and have wonderful families. Their portraits are receiving rave reviews too.

However, the times and styles change and sure enough the old photos will surface and be enjoyed, create well intended giggles and lots of conversation forever. So, enjoy your senior year "for once and forever."

I will list some portrait guidelines that have proved themselves time and time again. These guidelines will be offered in several installments and will apply universally to all types of portraiture. They are taken from an article by Marathon Press. If you would like to see the full article, please visit my website at: http://www.paulmarlinphotographer.com/ and click FYI. On the right side of this page you will see the article "Put Your Best Face Forward." Click, enjoy and create beautiful portraits.

For your close-up or head and shoulders portraits dress in something simple both in style and color. Boys can choose a suit, sport coat or sweater. For girls, a plain dress, sweater or blouse with a simple neckline is best. Years of experience have taught photographers that the following guidelines will help in creating a portrait that depicts the “real you.” Guidelines have been creatively modified and turned out well, so think things through and enjoy this opportunity to “Put Your Best Face Forward.”

1. Both boys and girls should wear long sleeves to keep the eye from being drawn to the flesh of the arms instead of the face.

2. Proper clothing allows the face to dominate the portrait, with all other elements being secondary. Against a medium or dark background, colors that photograph best are medium to dark tones of green, brown, rust, wine or blue. Darker shades are slimming.

3. Colors that approximate flesh tones such as beige tan, pink, white and yellow overpower the face. These colors also drain color from the face and make the wearer appear usually pale.

4. Bare shoulder or tops with “spaghetti straps” and "tank tops" often make the subject look heavier and take the eye away from the face.

5. Especially bright colors such as red, orange or pink overwhelm the face because of their intensity.

6. Stripes plaids, checks and bold prints also draw the eye away from the face and do not photograph well.

Go Ahead - Break The Rules. It's All About YOU! Be Creative and Make Beautiful Portraits for your children and their children to enjoy for lifetimes!

Catch Me If You Can

My wife and I have learned some lessons as a family the hard way. The only family portrait we ever had made was with a photographer that came to our home. He returned with the proofs and we selected a portrait that we liked. We were to pay when he returned with the finished portraits. As a young family, we were excited about receiving our family portrait. Regrettably, the photographer was unable to return with our portraits because of personal problems in his own family.

Over the years, the time just never seemed right to have a family portrait taken again. Mostly, we just never thought about it. We took a few snapshots of our children with the compact cameras of the day but sadly never got around to processing them.

So, in the end, we have a few school pictures of our children and "that's all." We have no family portraits at all.

The word, "someday," resounds in my thoughts from time to time. As a grandfather, time has taught me one of life's hard lessons: "Someday" is Today. Time passes all too quickly. Children grow up, move away, begin making a new life and raising their own families. If I could, I would go back and have those portraits made of my children and family, but that's no longer possible.

Life's hardest lessons can be a burden or an opportunity. I choose to pro-actively take the opportunity to make a difference. Taking portraits of children and families for me is more a "calling" than a business. If there is anything learned from my own personal lessons, it's that I continually take the opportunity to encourage my family-at-large to "make the time" to have portraits taken of their family and children. I will spend the rest of my days grasping for memories, each moment, every expression my family has to offer as if my life depended on it in the form of a photograph. It's just that important! (Alright, take a deep breath. Paul.)

My grandchildren will call out to me, "Catch Me If You Can - Granddad." The truth is they really do mean it. Proudly, the two boys in the children's portrait are my grand children.

Wedding Portraits - It's All In The Planning

What photography style is the best for my wedding? Every photographer has their own preferred style be it: Traditional, Photojournalism, Illustrative or Creative. It's All In The Planning!

Traditional photography is any formal or informal portrait of the bridal party, family, and friends that is close-up or full length, as well as candid photographs of key events at the wedding. Most brides choose this mixed version of photography for their wedding day. The nice part about traditional photography is that, ultimately, you have a set of professional portraits of your family and loved ones. The disadvantage of relying only on traditional portraiture is that your pictures may lack the energy, passion, and the raw emotion surrounding your wedding.

Wedding Photojournalism has become a very popular style of wedding photography and is essentially a series of candid photographs covering the events of the entire day. Wedding photojournalism is said to appeal to the bride and groom that want a series of unique photographs designed to "tell a story" or narrate the wedding day. Photojournalism means photographs that are not posed. All photographs would be taken without any instruction from or awareness of the photographer. There are drawbacks to wedding photojournalism since there is usually no pre-planned "shot list." The resulting images can be unpredictable because the images reflect only the wedding photojournalist 's response to events as they happened.

Illustrative photographers think in terms of design elements, composition and backgrounds. Good use lighting is said to be a trait of this style of wedding photography. The photographer provides subtle direction and the couple and bridal party are encouraged to interact with one another. This results in a more spontaneous feel. The disadvantage is that your images may look like the images one sees in magazines.

A Creative photographer takes advantage of engaging camera perspective and the lure of natural lighting provided in the scene to create aesthetically pleasing portraits. This type of photographer creates his or her artistic impression of your wedding day. While these effects can help create a modern photo collection, the drawback is that ten years from now, your photographs may look dated.

Of the many approaches to wedding photography, the good photographer does not limit himself to one photographic style. Rather, a combination of styles (traditional, photojournalism, illustrative and creative) come together to create one personalized style representing the lasting partnership being formed by the bride and groom.

The value of a Wedding Pre-Planning Consultation cannot be overlooked. The goal is to fashion a vision of what the wedding storybook will become. The entire wedding party will feel more at ease on the wedding day and truly enjoy being involved in the creation of original wedding images. Each collection of wedding images then becomes unparalleled in its ability to chronicle the adventure, the epic drama and the romance of this most wonderful day.

Valentine's Portrait Sessions For All Ages!

Valentines Day is just around the corner. The studio is offering “mini sessions” with Paul that will capture the perfect expressions for your loved ones. Our theme this year will be a fire place hearth, real roses, and smiles all around. Bring your favorite outfits, stuffed animals, sports gear and/or accessories (memorable hats, chairs, jewelry, favorite blankets and family items for props). Years from now everyone will remember the wonderful expressions and great time experienced during the portrait session. This portrait session is great for brothers, sisters and sweethearts of all ages! Portraits will be ready if taken and ordered by February 6th.

Limited Sessions Available • Call Today! • 325.201.4146