J Photography Reviews & Ratings | Wedding Photography | Michigan - Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and surrounding areas

Saturday, February 21, 2009

The Neon Boneyard

If you read my last post, you know that I was headed to Las Vegas for the WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International) Convention.  I did finally make it there and had an amazing time soaking up everything.  The classes were great and I met some great photographers.  We took a couple hours to shoot some aspiring models at the Neon Boneyard, a sign graveyard soon to become a museum.  Here are some of the ones that I took featuring a funky bride, goth couple, traditional bride, retro groom and a couple of gorgeous teens.

















The fabulous photographers from WPPI Vegas '09!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Viva Las Vegas!!!

So my solo adventure to Las Vegas hasn't been quite what I was expecting. In fact, I'm not even there yet! I'm sitting in a hotel room in Houston.

When I boarded my flight to Cleveland in Grand Rapids, I was supposed to board a connecting flight to Vegas. But, as I sat waiting, they announced that they were overbooked and looking for volunteers to bump to another flight. It was worth $300 in flight money & a free dinner! So why not? Thus, the trouble began.

I was rushed to the other flight to Houston for which they were holding the plane for me. Feeling pretty proud of my navigation abilities thus far, I managed to board and enjoyed a three hour flight. Once I arrived, I used my food voucher for a nice dinner (my third for the day). I quickly made my way to the gate...........only it was completely void of life! Panicking, I made my way to customer service and was informed that the gate had been changed and was at the other end of the airport! There was no way to make it there in time. I jumped on a transport cart with some others that were in the same situation, and after several detours, arrived at the gate only to be turned away. I dragged myself to yet another customer service rep and pleaded my case. She sympathetically explained that I would have to wait until morning for the next flight....

So, here I sit, in a hotel room, graciously paid for by the airline, with another meal voucher. It really does pay to use manners. I can't say that the people behind me, whom the customer service rep threatened to call security on for their use of foul language, were as lucky! I have no luggage or clothes, but God provided everything I need, including a place to sleep, basic toiletries and even the good sense to pack some contact lens rewetting drops which I used to soak my lenses inside of the caps to my pill bottles!

My next post will feature some exciting shoots I'm doing in Vegas. For now, I leave you with a gorgeous sunset from the plane on the way to Houston this evening.....


Sunday, February 8, 2009

Happy Birthday

My family is one of winter birthdays.  We have nine in the first three months of the year.  Today was my mom's 74th birthday.  We had the entire family over for pizza and cake.  



I ordered this phenomenal birthday cake from Sweet Cakes in Comstock Park.  It was unbelievably yummy!  Chocolate with layers of cherry cream filling with chunks of cherries, surrounded in buttercream filling and then completed with a layer of chocolate ganache.  Wow!

While we were waiting for the pizzas, I took my handsome nephew, Josh, down to my studio.  He has studied film and photography and is a very talented artist as well.

And then we got a couple of cute ones with his girlfriend, Pickle.  


Next weekend:  my son's second birthday, Valentines and off to Vegas to WPPI!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Influential Friends...

I credit my "toe-dipping" into the photography business to my former Creative Memories upline, Barbie (on a side note -- I have a Barbie collection, how perfect is that?).  Anyway, Barb also dabbles in photography, although is taking it up once again, professionally.  Today she stopped over with her beautiful 7-month old, Irelynn, to play in my studio.  We literally spent maybe 15 minutes there, but I managed to snap a few cutes ones of this little angel.  

P.S., If you are a scrapbooker, consider looking Barb up.  She's a FABULOUS consultant and extremely helpful if you have no idea where to even begin.  Not to mention, she will feed you extremely well if you attend one of her workshops!  




Tuesday, February 3, 2009

America's Cutest Kid Contest!


Is your child America's Cutest Kid?

J Photography is participating in the National Charity Model Search to select "America's Cutest Kid" and to raise funds for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a national charity that provides bereavement photography to parents suffering the loss of a newborn.

We're looking for cute children ages 18 months to 14 years old to model for a portrait to be entered into the contest!

Models Search Special:

$50 entrance fee, which includes a 45 minute model session and one image submitted to the national gallery.

Finalists will be determined by online votes.  Anyone may vote.  Each vote is $1, and all proceeds from votes benefit the non-profit Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.  Grand prize national winner will be determined from the 50 city finalists.  Winners selected by photography and modeling industry experts.

If your child is selected the national winner, you will receive many prizes, including a $5,000 US Savings Bond and a Canon Powershot G10 digital camera!  If you're interested in entering your child(ren), please call the studio at 616.723.7685 or email jodijarka.jphotography@gmail.com.  For more information about the contest, go online to www.sandypucmodels.com.

Monday, February 2, 2009

A Classic Wedding

The fabulous duo of J Photography & TAK Photography teamed up yet again for a lovely winter wedding.  The bride chose very classic colors:  red, black & white.  I LOVE this color combination. I love red.  The venue of the reception was at the Grand Volute in Lowell and it was built with the idea of photography.  The light was AMAZING.  I picked a dozen pics to share with you a little of their special day.... 













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