Posts Tagged ‘Gilbert’

New Memories With An Old Truck | Gilbert Family Photography

New memories with an old truck, just what we captured on a recent family photography session.  When booking the appointment, our client, Julie, mentioned she wanted us to photograph her family along with a prized possession:  her Dad’s restored 1946 Chevy truck.  We drove with anticipation to their Gilbert home, excited to include such a treasure in these family portraits.

As you can see, we had quite a ball!  Julie had been thinking for quite a while about including their green gem in a family photograph, and it was a thrill for us to make it happen.  Julie and family were so pleased with their poses, they decided to choose this one for their custom holiday card.


 The Chevy certainly charmed us as well, and we wanted to know more about it.  Julie told us her Dad used the truck — which was originally red! — on his farm in Ohio.  He had it for about 20 years and used it daily to haul feed and farm supplies.  In 1993, Julie’s Dad worked together with a friend to restore it.  He liked the the color green and chose it for his truck’s new look.  In 2007, two years prior to his death, the entire extended family gathered around the truck on the farm to take a family portrait.  We love how this family now has not one, but two, portrait heirlooms!

At the time of Julie’s Dad’s death, he had three classic vehicles.  Julie and her two siblings each chose one to keep in their own immediate family.  Julie chose the truck and had it transported to Arizona where it now resides mostly in the garage, save for the occasional spin around the neighborhood!

We dug a bit deeper on 1946 Chevy trucks and were interested to learn….The 1946 Chevrolet truck was an interim model pickup carried over from the 1941 and 1942 model years. When the United States entered World War II, civilian vehicle production was halted and all vehicle production was converted for military uses. The 1946 trucks, from the era now dubbed the “Art Deco” period of Chevrolet trucks, provided buyers with new, light-duty pickups with 1941 styling until Chevrolet could gear up for full truck production in 1947.

Many thanks to Julie and her family for the honor of capturing new memories with an old truck!

 

FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGH THE YEARS | GILBERT PHOTOGRAPHER

Like branches on a tree we grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one. Each of our lives will always be a special part of the other…

When Bethany and I began Lamar Studios in 1993, our mission was to take beautiful pictures and create lasting family remembrances.  We’ve accomplished what we set out to do and have taken thousands of heirlooms-quality portraits.  Yet, at the time, never could we have imagined what ultimately has been our greatest reward:  The privilege and honor we feel from  families who have trusted us over and over again with their family’s portraits.  It has been such a joy to see children and families grow through the years, and we are deeply grateful when families call on us time and again for their fine portraiture.

The Hagens are one such family.  We photographed them when the kids were younger, and they returned for their daughter’s senior portraits.  Recently, we welcomed the Hagens back again to our Gilbert studio for another family photography session.  We captured these pictures in the park-like setting of our outdoor studio and utilized one of our many sets in the shot of the siblings.

Thank you to the Hagen Family and all the families who continue to trust Lamar Studios with their portraiture.

Business Headshots | Phoenix Executive Portraits

Small business is said to be essential to America’s bustling economy. Here at Lamar Studios we love doing Business headshots. It helps our clients look professional. Instead of putting up an old grainy photo that a friend took on their website, for example, they can post something professionally shot and edited.

What are a few ways a business headshot can be used?

  • Website or blog
  • Business cards
  • Advertising to give a face to your name/business
  • Resumes, when applying for jobs
  • Social networking sites
  • Press releases
  • Company brochures

The components of a good business headshot?

  • Professional makeup/hair
  • A relaxed expression that shows your approachability
  • A flattering pose
  • A well-fitting suit and/or blouse
  • A solid color like gray, blue, green, purple, red, or beige

Overall, just have fun with it! A business headshot will undoubtedly help put a face on your business and draw in new clientele. Here are a few examples of great headshots we have done here at Lamar Studios:

Business Headshots    

 

 

 

 

Studio Portraits | Performance Photography

 

 

 

Recently we had the pleasure of taking portraits of Andrea. Andrea is an aspiring singer. To put it in perspective, while she was giving us a taste of her singing voice in our studio, Mrs. Lamar came running down the stairs in amazement. This young lady has some pipes.

Fortunately for us we love when people bring in what they love so we can capture it. Along with several shots of Andrea gripping the mic, we also got some intimate shots. She is a beautiful girl with an even more beautiful voice and a pleasure to photograph.

Andrea graduated from Valley Christian High School this May. She hopes to pursue a career in singing and by what we heard, she will most likely succeed. Sessions like these are always a joy and produce really creative shots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Studio Portraits | Chandler Musician

    Here at Lamar Studios we photograph patients for Doctor Blacker, an orthodontist whose office is in Chandler. Recently one of our clients, Sara,came in just after getting her braces removed. Having her braces removed wasn’t the only thing she was excited about because she also brought in her guitar!

   And of course we at Lamar Studios love when someone brings in a prop! It helps represent the kind of hobbies or interests they have. Sara brought in a couple different guitars. One had bright pictures of the old west pasted onto it and the other was a more classic looking acoustic. This allowed us to color splash the bright guitar and make the rest black and white in one of our shots (seen below), which made the guitar’s colors pop and make a cool, unique picture. All in all, she took great shots and gave us a lot to work with.

   Finally, this photo shoot gave Sara the opportunity also the use the shots for her aspiring music career. In the lobby of the studio she played a couple tunes for Jon Lamar’s little girls while they giggled and enjoyed the music. Sara says she enjoys writing thought-provoking, poetic music that makes someone look inwardly. In the end, she now has some great shots if she chooses to promote her music and who knows, she may be the next Joni Mitchell!

 

Studio Portraits | Outside and Inside the Studio

On this photo shoot we shot our subject, Tori, outside the studio and inside. There are advantages to both, that is why by doing both we gave her many options to choose from so that she was most satisfied with our work.

Shooting outside the studio gives us the advantage of having options we don’t have inside:

    •  Natural light. Natural lighting brings the skin tone out more evenly and results in a cleaner shot.
    • Opportunity to find an optimal location. In this case, a rustic wood fence or  an old tractor will give Tori’s portraits a more hometown, down-to-earth vibe.

The ability to choose the location and use the sun’s natural light are two advantages to shooting outside. Nevertheless shooting inside offer’s its own advantages as well.

    • Indoor shots are more intimate. For example, using the black and white filter on Tori’s studio shot of her sitting in a chair draws you in and gives the picture a classic look.
    • Also, the ability to manipulate light in the studio makes the shot have those extremely deep and ever so light tones so that the tones are rich and evenly distributed.

All in all, Tori’s shots came out great. With the use of outdoor and indoor lighting we were able to capture her in a great light. Also, with the use of a black and white filter make the picture look classic and with the onsite rustic fence give the picture that homey feel.


Indian Dancer | Photography

Some photo shoots are routine, but every once in awhile we have the pleasure of getting to go outside the norm. In this case, Anjli and her family welcomed us to shoot in their home and fed us after, which is a rare treat! Anjli was preparing for her Bharatanatyam Arangetram. This is an ancient Indian dance, signifying Anjli has graduated from the art of bharatanatyam, and this means she has trained under a respected guru (teacher) for around 4 to 6 years. The dress worn is incredibly intricate and beautiful as you can see. We shot for a couple hours while she got into specific poses and expressed varying emotion. It was a great experience and her family was very gracious to cook for us and invite us into their home.

Wild Horses | Senior Pictures

Recently, I did a senior photo shoot with a wonderful young lady named April. She brought along her horse and I took photos of her in a grove near studio. As you can see, it turned out spectacular! The horse behaved and so did my subject. It was plain to see her and her animal companion had a real connection and I believe it translated on to the pictures quite well. It can be a challenge working with animals but they are such a part of the family that I love when they are included.

Her parents loved this shot so much that they are making a large canvas wall hanging of this one and another. What a great way to preserve the memories of their daughter and her love of horses.

First Communion Portraits | Gilbert Photographer

We recently photographed Abby  for her First Communion portrait.  Her mom has brought her other children in for First Communion pictures in the past and it’s always fun photographing them.  Abby looked so grown up in her white dress and she was a natural in front of the camera.  I could tell she was having fun!  Before we know it, we’ll be taking her senior pictures.

Arizona Mountain Biker | Senior Pictures

I love it when people have a passion for some sport or hobby. It makes it fun to photograph when they are eager to share that passion with me so I can capture some notion of them. Nick is one of the top mountain bikers in Arizona in his class. We shot everything near my Agritopia studio since I didn’t know he was bringing his bike and gear. It would be fun to go on location some day and get some action shots too.

These are a few of the ones I like.