Photography in Business Marketing

"Men must live and create. Live to the point of tears."

Albert Camus

As a natural student of business administration and marketing, some of Mark's most rewarding work comes when adding his photography to local business' marketing campaigns.  This part of our business grows every year and we find ourselves in a very comfortable niche.  Our pricing plans are well thought out and flexible for each business' needs.  The "everytime is different" situations fit Mark's personality and creativity like a glove.  In the past week, ANU by Naturals has been out to the studio photographing their product line on mannequins and love models, Chris Grettum of State Farm Insurance was out for a head shot, and Mark photographed a KCHO event and multiple Enloe Medical Center events.  It always adds to good conversation when people ask "So, photography huh, do you primarily do weddings?"  We can tell how well anyone is listening when we reply "Yes, yes we do weddings, and a lot of other stuff as well.  Schools, sports, portraits, and last month Mark photographed a knee replacement surgury."  That usually gets a great response.  

We've worked with Enloe Medical Center for a number of years on their campaigns.  They'll utilize still images within their video commercials or on follow up mailings.  The images below were used to market their joint replacement program.  It is inspiring to hear the patient stories and see what they've been able to overcome.  There are so many possibilities and options with medical care these days, it's a good time in history to live a full and active life.

And on that note:

SHOUT OUT

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."

-- AESOP

April 30th.  Time to mail in our assortment of tax payments.  Sales Tax, Employee Tax, even the "Special Tax" for Fire Prevention living out of town.  I'm sure my DMV renewal is next.  As much as I dislike mailing out large sums of money for taxes, I'm also very aware that our employees have saved our sanity this year.  We are so thankful to have some breathing room with 2 fully functional and trained employees.  When you own a business there are countless small details that must be attended to each day.  For years, Mark and I managed those details in our spare minutes, never really able to give enough time to any one thing.  Now we find ourselves relaxed as it's not only up to us.  We have other people who can do it. 

So, a HUGE shout out to Nikki and Kerri who have made our lives so much easier!  Rather than "taxes due day", I'm considering this, "thankful for so much help" day.  They have posed for countless "test shots" while Mark dials in lighting, and I know I could find a collection of pictures of them, much to their dismay.  However, I'm sure they'll appreciate these pictures below of our younger workers much more!  

Also, a huge shout out to the people who come out and work events with us.  Their positive attitude and great work ethic help us retain business and make our clients days easier as well.

All of this adds up to more mornings walking this favorite office dog for me:

  

And it restores Mark's creativity which is so important as he finds himself jumping from one shoot to the next this week.  He'll bounce from on location commercial work:

to baby shoots in the studio:

to family portrait work:

to team pictures for youth atheletes:

back to the studio for professional head shots:

and back out on location for weddings:

THANK YOU!

Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.

Voltaire

Harris Family Adventures

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” 

~ Mark Twain

We talk about our shoots with our kids out hiking, on trips, at the beach - all the good places that you rarely have a professional photographer at your disposal.  Well, Katie and Andrew decided to have Mark join them on their hike out the Iron Canyon Trail.  What perfect timing.  Green grass and trees of spring and the bending river below.  

Welcome Chloe

Here's a sneak peak at a newborn shoot Mark had fun with a week or two ago.  Mark went to the clients home for this shoot and it was a great choice for this new family.  Chloe was comfy at home and being in comfortable surroundings led to a very productive shoot.  

Love is life. And if you miss love, you miss life.

Leo Buscaglia

Absence

I knew when we started up with the blog that this would happen.  Periods of absence, sometimes long periods of absence.  It's probably the biggest reason we've put off blogging our work for so long.  But of course, in our absence, we've been busy!  

First and foremost, busy chasing these 3 wonders of ours around and lamenting over how time flies.  Every year, April flies by.  It's one of the best months of weather around here, and it goes by way too quickly!  So, Mark and I have been enjoying the days packed full of spring photo shoots, chasing these 3 around from baseball to soccer to softball, watching them whip out great grades in their classes, and remembering the tooth fairy.  It's a nice rhythm when we are all busy at the same time, good job to our kids and ourselves!

"Enjoy this moment, 

for this moment is your life"

CSU Graduates

Spring is the season for CSU Chico graduate shoots.  So much so that Mark was able to secure the gown and sash a couple of years ago so that our grads always have the option of that shot.  I'm sure he can dig up a cap as well, although for photo shoots most prefer not :).  (How do you style your hair under those things?) This is Marisa, an engineering grad next month, and working with her has been a blast.  Mark found some new areas oncampus and was able to highlight her experience here at Chico State.  

Grads will pay for the hour session fee ($75), swap the cap and gown for a few different outfit looks and wander the campus showing off their favorite spots to Mark.  Then we will create custom graduation announcements with a collection of photos and usually mom and dad are ecstatic to have updated pictures of their young adult.  Truly a way to please the parents as you head out on your own into the real world, always a good plan! 

"Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step."

Lao Tzu

Congratulations Marisa!