Every year, as part of a mission trip in Guatemala, I am honored to visit the residents at Asilo Refugio Dulce in Monjas Guatemala.
This year I had to opportunity to photograph all the residents and take them printed photos. They were excited to see themselves and have a print.
This gentleman was hanging out behind the building. When we told him we wanted a photo, he wanted to do several. There is no telling what all he has seen. What he has lived through. I know he lived through a civil war in his country. He has seen poverty, and riches. He has lost family. And yet he still finds joy.
A Break for Seniors on Spring Break - 30% off Portrait Collection
March 24-28 aka Spring Break 2014 Seniors will get 30% off any portrait collection with a wall portrait! Plus $10 off their session fee.
Session fees must be paid at the time of booking along with a date set for viewing and purchasing photos.
Call the studio at 479-885-3835 to book your appointment. You may pay with credit or debit card over the phone, or come by the studio to set up your session.
I love my studio. I love the log cabin look. I remember my builder, Perry Cox, a friend of our family coming by with his cute little red haired ponytailed girl one day. So when Perry called to make an appointment for Callie, my first image in my mind was that sweet little girl that I had not seen in a long time. WOW, Callie has grown up into a beautiful, soulful, and intelligent young woman. I loved visiting with her about her mission trips, her faith, and her plans for the future. She still has the red hair, and it is in a ponytail sometimes.
I remember having such a fun time photographing Jordan last summer! I always love talking to teenagers that know how to hold a conversation with adults. Jordan is smart, beautiful, and really responsible. I have known her family for years, and loved visiting with her and her mom about Jordan's great grandmother's restaurant "Tosh's" Her grandmother made the BEST kimchee I have ever had. The funny thing is, I used to go there 2-3 times a week when I was pregnant with my own daughter - the same time Jessica was pregnant with Jordan!
I wish Jordan all the luck in the world, but I have a feeling, she won't need much luck - she will make her own.
I would not trade living in a small town for anything! I went to school with Kyla's family, photographed her sister, and could not wait for the opportunity to photograph her senior portraits for her. Besides being beautiful, Kyla is a sweet girl, that really treats her mom with a lot of respect. That always impresses me! I am sure she will do well in her future endeavors.
I have known Sarah and her twin sister Hannah for a long time now. Another story of living in a small town with good people. Sarah is such a sweet, down to earth person with great musical talents. Her Ultimate Senior Session was a blast.
Hannah has a twin, but they are very different girls. Both sweet, both beautiful, but each has a different style. Hannah's Ultimate Senior Session at Hardgrave Photography included styles from camo to business dress and all in between.
We have decided to take a fresh new approach to Seniors this year. So we have started every senior this year with a preconsultation before we even make the photo session appointment. I need to know what the senior and parent is really looking for in their session. If it is a certian place - that place is going to look better or worse at different times of day or year. We talk about clothing and what photographs best, what to bring, what accessories they will want to remember to bring. We talk about what is important to them - what they do, sports, family, motorcycles, music, ect. It gives me a chance to think about the session and prepare so I can deliver images that will meet expectations. So many times in the past, I have ended up scheduling a second mini session because when the senior got to his/her session, and we actually got to talking, it was not the right time of day, or conditions to set up a shot they really wanted.
We also discuss what products are available, what comes in the Senior Portrait Collections, pricing and payment plans. We have bonuses available at different purchasing points, and we go over what specials are available. We also talk about eligibility to be in the drawing for a $1000 scholarship given by Hardgrave Photography.
With all this done, we can set up the photo session appointment for the the time that is going to work best for the senior's schedule. When it is time for the session itself, all the paperwork and planning are already taken care of, and we can jump right into creating amazing images.
Check out our Youtube Channel to see more of our senior work, then give us a call to set up a preconsult. 479-885-3835.
I remember seeing the cutest little girl about 15 years ago, with dark dark eyes and dark dark hair. I don't even remember where I met the Frasers at, we can't seem to figure that one out, but I do have a vivid memory of Hannah as a little girl.
So when her mom called me to do her senior portraits, I was pretty excited - even more so when I found out horses were involved. The session started at the Walton Fine Arts Center at Uof O, where Hannah has participated in the youth Drama program for many years. Then we went out to her parent's farm, and I was blown away. Yes the property was beautiful, tranquil. And the house was beautiful - but what struck me most was the portraits hanging on the walls. Images everywhere of family - I could just feel the love looking into those faces in family portraits from many many years.
So it was not surprising when she told me her brother Adam is a big inspiration to her. Hannah is homeschooled, so her mom has really been a great teacher. Harding University is where she will be calling home next year as she starts on her journey to a career in the Criminal Justice field.
Hannah got to spend some time in her home country of Guatemala this past year, and would also love to travel to Spain with friends and family.
WHY - First, we are big believers in furthering our own education when it comes to our craft.Second, we wanted a chance to give back to the seniors that trust our studio to create wonderful senior pictures.Third, our own daughter is graduating in 2012, so we have been in the scholarship hunt and know that a $1000 will help someone out a lot with college expenses.
WHO - 2012 Graduates
HOW - Just buy a Senior Portrait Collection (or equivalent), and every image from your purchase will be put into a drawing for the $1000 Scholarship to any college or trade school you attend.
WHEN - The drawing will be held January 1, 2012by a law firm.
The Mayan Calendar is not predicting the end of the world 2012, but the start of a new era. It is definitely going to be a new era in the lives of our seniors graduating in 2012 and going on to start their adult lives. It's just the beginning..
I had waiting on my desk this morning a wonderful surprise - the first sample of our new line of Love Em All albums. Sharon has outdone herself in the beautiful design she put into this album!
Okay, so I think I am getting ahead of myself...
One of our biggest complaints is that there are so many awesome images from a session, it is hard to leave any behind. We have wrestled with this problem for a long time now and have considered several options, one being selling all the images on a disk and letting our clients finish up the work. Let me tell you my own personal opinion on that - most people have good intentions on "someday" doing "something" with those images. What I am seeing happening over and over is that people are getting a disk of images from us or other photographers and they just sit there, not doing anything. I don't think of a disk of images as being a "finished product". In 10, 20, or 30 years who knows all the ways we will be viewing images, but I can bet we will still be wanting to hold them in our hands.
So... we came up with the Love 'Em All album collection. In three different sizes to accomadate any session from 48-180 images, the Love 'Em All's are custom designed to fit the color, mood, and attitude of the subjects. The images are printed on photographic paper and mounted to a durable backing. The covers are premium leather with imprinting to match.
It solves the problem of how to get all the images and be able to enjoy them without wall papering your home with images from the same session.
It is hard to believe it is already the 21st of January! This year came in with a bang with my mom in the Arkansas Heart Hospital and has not slowed down since.
I had some incredible 2011 Seniors come for the 50% off sale the first weekend, along with the sweetest angels. I have been frantically working on a new website to showcase our images and finally after visiting the Zenfolio people at Imaging USA this past week, I settled on a plan and have finished up the new site.
And oh about Imaging USA - it was AMAZING! Sharon and I drove to San Antonio, Texas and along with over 10,000 other photographers from around the world attended classes by some of the top photographers on the speaker circuit today. But even better than the speakers was the expo with literally hundreds of vendors showing their wares and dozens of them were hosting speakers in their own booths. A real treat, now just to implement all that education.
So we have started every senior this year with a preconsultation before we even make the photo session appointment. I need to know what the senior and parent is really looking for in their session. If it is a certian place - that place is going to look better or worse at different times of day or year. We talk about clothing and what photographs best, what to bring, what accessories they will want to remember to bring. We talk about what is important to them - what they do, sports, family, motorcycles, music, ect. It gives me a chance to think about the session and prepare so I can deliver images that will meet expectations. So many times in the past, I have ended up scheduling a second mini session because when the senior got to his/her session, and we actually got to talking, it was not the right time of day, or conditions to set up a shot they really wanted.
HOW - Just buy a Senior Portrait Collection (or equivalent), and every image from your purchase will be put into a drawing for the $1000 Scholarship to any college or trade school you attend. 
One of our biggest complaints is that there are so many awesome images from a session, it is hard to leave any behind. We have wrestled with this problem for a long time now and have considered several options, one being selling all the images on a disk and letting our clients finish up the work. Let me tell you my own personal opinion on that - most people have good intentions on "someday" doing "something" with those images. What I am seeing happening over and over is that people are getting a disk of images from us or other photographers and they just sit there, not doing anything. I don't think of a disk of images as being a "finished product". In 10, 20, or 30 years who knows all the ways we will be viewing images, but I can bet we will still be wanting to hold them in our hands.
