Monday, August 30, 2010

When is good enough not good



When good enough is not good enough

Some things I have been thinking…

With the growth of digital photography it seems that everyone is becoming a photographer. Even the newest phones capture digital images with enough quality to produce excellent prints. All the tools are now affordable. And, one thing is becoming our new picture normal – good enough is good enough. Yes, today folks are settling for OK images.

With the ease of use and instant satisfaction that today’s digital camera provides, it appears many people today fail to appreciate the knowledge, skills and artistic touch a professional photographer can give them. Instead, many folks today lower their portrait expectations. Is good enough really good enough when your key memories need to be captured. For example, many parents are less than pleased with their high school senior’s pictures AND yet fail to invest in a professional photographer to get quality portraits. Is good enough really good enough?

Capturing an heirloom portrait is more than positioning people and clicking a lot of times. Quality portraiture is painting with light. It takes experience, insight and talent to create a portrait that brings tears of joy. These qualities do not appear by accident. Rather, these qualities are acquired over time by craftsmen who are dedicated to creating only the best.

When good enough is not good enough, please consider a Professional Photographer in East Tennessee. You can find their membership at: http://ppetn.com/ppetn-members. These professionals are dedicated to perfecting their art and giving people their very best. And, if I can be of service, please call (865) 777-5683 to schedule a free consult.

Thursday, August 12, 2010



Children grow so much during the first year of their life. It seems they are constantly changing. Portraits are a great way to capture all of these changes. Years from now, we want you and your child to be able to recall these changes with a fondness that can still evoke the emotion of that day.

We offer several programs to suite all of your family portrait needs.

We have the Bonding Before Birth Program that is geared toward new or expecting parents.

In this program you come into the portrait studio and we capture mom and dad during the last trimester of pregnancy, our primary focus of course is mom's tummy, often though we get dad involved in this session by placing his hands on mom's tummy or we capture dad kissing mom's tummy. This is a great way for new parents to really bond over the pregnancy.

We also have a Baby's First Year Program that is a compilation of 5 portrait sessions over the first year of baby's life. The first session usually takes place about 2 weeks after the baby's birth. I n this session we focus primarily on the new baby, we also incorporate mom and dad's hands into many of these images.

The next session is when the baby is 3 months...by this time the baby is usually holding their head up and we focus on expressions.

The third session is when baby is 6 months... in this session baby has usually discovered their feet and can do some images on their tummy.

The forth session is when baby is 9 months... by this time the baby usually can sit up with little or no assistance and may even be learning to crawl and becoming mobile.

The fifth and final session in this program is when your baby reaches 1 year...by this time your child should be able to stand with little or no assistance and has developed a vocabulary. Their personality and expression has become apparent.

If you are expecting a child or would like to have portraits taken of your baby please call our studio at 865-777-5683 to schedule a complimentary Getting-To-Know-You consultation. You may also view our past work on www.broylesportraits.com

Saturday, August 7, 2010

20 Portrait Tips for Seniors



We are still scheduling Senior Portrait appointments. If you would like to contact us regarding your Senior Portraits, please call us at 865-777-5683.

I found the following article on http://www.lifescript.com/Life/Family/Kids/Senior_Pictures_Top_20_Portrait_Tips.aspx and thought that it would be helpful to Seniors who have not yet had their Senior Portraits taken.

High school senior pictures are an American tradition that has been around at least since World War II. These timeless photos taken by a professional photographer during the high school senior year capture teenage freshness as it’s poised on the brink of adulthood, ready to begin a career or enter college.

Because senior portraits are so meaningful and last a lifetime, seniors will want to prepare for the big day by getting suggestions for poses and clothing from friends, parents and the photographer.

Below are the top 20 portrait tips to help you plan for a photo session of senior pictures.

1. Plan several outfits to bring.
2. Keep your clothing visually simple.
3. Give consideration to color.
4. Use clothing to accentuate your best features.
5. Go easy on the jewelry.
6. Apply makeup normally.
7. Bring powder.
8. Go with practiced hair styles.
9. Guys need a fresh shave.
10. Don’t worry about blemishes.
11. Don’t worry about braces.
12. Stay away from tans.
13. Help your glasses avoid glare. In most cases your optician can remove
your lenses for your portraits at no cost.
14. Make sure your hands are presentable.
15. Practice your facial expressions.
16. Work on your poses.
17. Personalize your photos with props.
18. Bring someone with you.
19. Become comfortable with the photographer.
20. Only take the photo if you’re feeling your best.