The Galloway School in Atlanta

The Galloway School is situated in the Chastain Park area of Atlanta. This week, Lisa and I were once again contracted to photograph the annual Grandparents and Special Friends Day.















Our assignment was to photograph the children with their grandparents or special friends in a semi-formal fashion. The reading room's red walls took some adjustment with the camera's white balance. My first test on Lisa with the auto white balance function proved to be way off, giving her purple facial features...AAAAHHHH!!!!


After adjusting the settings with a grey card and several more tests shots of Lisa, we were ready to go with 20 minutes to spare before our first group arrived. Our organization on last year's shoot drew high praise from the staff and we knew what we had to do to stay on top of photographing all of the children.

For this shoot, we selected a two light system with our camera tethered to our laptop. Lisa would record the child's name and I would arrange the child with their guest(s) and take the photograph. The images would then appear on the the laptop where Lisa would rename the images to correlate with the grouping.






















We have learned to get to know our equipment inside and out. There won't be any time once the shooting begins. We actually did a full test in our living room the day before to get the bugs out of the system.

We also give distinct instructions on how to pose. The gaffer's tape on the floor quickly brought them to the camera center as well as our learned "people" skills to get the best looking smiles in a brisk fashion. We take 2-3 shots of each group for the ones who may blink without us seeing it.

And sometimes we let them break the pose to have that special moment together.






















We were scheduled to photograph a group every thirty minutes but we only needed ten minutes or so for each group. I looked at Lisa with a smile and asked, "That's it?" We are a good team and I still think I had the easy part today! One person couldn't have finished in the allotted time in my opinion.

We met a lot of wonderful people including a WWII "Bronze Star" war veteran that I could have chatted with all afternoon. Lots of proud families full of smiles...it was a great day indeed! We can't wait for next year!

Randy

Keeping the Sharp Edge

If you follow the professional athletes, you would see all of the hours of practice they dedicate to their sport. Golfers hit hundreds of balls a day. Baseball players are constantly in the batting cages. Swimmers, runners, drivers, and all athletes alike, know that to be on top of their game they have to practice and practice.

The same is true with photographers. The winter months can make us a bit rusty. The reflexes are dampened. And the adjustments of the camera controls require some thought instead of the normal second-nature response. But alas it is Spring!

Like the professional golfers who head for the putting greens after a round of golf, I try to keep the cameras clicking. Using different lenses, different flashes, and maybe different exposure settings, I work on keeping the sharp edge. I am always studing the works of other photographers that I admire and I take inspiration from them. I also like to scout some venues of upcoming weddings and begin planning the event. I drive the countryside when I can to see possible photography locations.

My daughter is great for the practice. Full of energy and full of life, she can be a challenge to follow with a camera. All too often Riley will hear me say, "I have an idea for a photo, let's go to the park!"

I even tagged along on Riley's Easter Egg Hunt this week to practice with the Nikon 300mm 2.8 lens and monopod. The lens is my favorite for baseball, NASCAR, football, and soccer. It is true that the larger the lens takes a bit of practice to get dialed in. On our cameras the lens shoots like a 430mm lens due to the sensor cropping.

I have been taking pictures for over 40 years. I have never grown tired of the craft and I don't think that I ever will. It is my passion. There is always something new and always room for improvement. But it does take practice and practice to keep sharp edge.

Randy

Where the Yellow Flowers Grow

All photographers have a special place where they love to take photographs. A place where they can enjoy just being outside and taking pictures becomes a reflex. After one of the coldest winters we've had in a while, today was the day to go our family's special place. A place with a lake, ducks, a petting zoo, and a large field where the yellow flowers grow.

We first brought our daughter, Riley, here at the age of nine months. We were ready to leave when I saw the field. Lisa saw it, too, and placed Riley in the middle of the flowers and we recorded this image that makes me smile whenever I see it. Riley likes it also.

As I drove there today, we saw the flowers and just had to try it one more time. Two years later than the first visit, but still sporting the same sunglasses. The smile just comes natural whenever she is near flowers. Who says you can never go back there again?



















Lisa got her to run around like little children love to do. What a great family day and the photographs will let us relive it again. Perhap this will be a tradition or a rite of passage for the spring. Are you capturing the moments in your life?






















We have been busy this week. On Sunday, Lisa and I had a booth at the Georgia Bridal Show at the Cobb Gallera Centre where over 400 brides ventured by. We enjoyed meeting and listening to their wedding plans.

Early Monday found me on the road to Charlotte, N. C. to the Joe Gibbs Racing garage for a photoshoot with Max Gresham. Max will be piloting the number 18 car for Gibbs in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Gresham's P.R. man, John Close, was a big help as well as the Gibbs staff. Max is always fun to work with. I really enjoyed the session and the challenges it brought. I detoured on the return trip to have dinner with my sister and her husband. I also visited with my mom, brother, and my other sister. Yes, I am a Carolina boy who joined the boy scouts only for the free trips to the Darlington NASCAR races.

The warm afternoons bring many engagement sessions and portraits in the upcoming weeks. We welcome the spring time!

Randy

New for 2010 and Key Dates Still Available!

We are pleased to announce the addition of something new to our product list: The Press-Printed Memory Book. Some call it a coffee-table book, but whatever you call it, it's fabulous! The book is available as an add-on with our album packages and it is included in The Completely Elite package.

The book has a hard back with a wrap-around photo for the front and back cover and it's hinge design allows the pages to lie flat so you can see the complete album.

Measuring 5" x 5", it is a replication of the 10" x 10" wedding album in press-printed form. It is a great way to travel with your album without having to carry the real thing around with you. Plus, it makes a great thank you gift!

We still have a couple of key dates in June available. If you haven't secured your wedding photographer yet, we still have June 26 available and now, due to a cancellation, we have June 5, 2010 open on our calendar again.

Call (770) 898-4503 or e-mail lisa@randywilsonphotography.com for your consultation. We'd be honored to cover your special day!

Thanks,

Lisa & Randy

Bride’s Choice Awards 2010

We are excited to announce that Randy Wilson Photography has been chosen to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2010 by WeddingWire. This award recognizes the top 5 percent of local wedding professionals from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service and professionalism.

We are truly honored to be chosen for such an award! We are privileged to be a part of each wedding we commemorate and work with such wonderful couples. Thank you to all of our past couples for allowing us to capture your day!

If you are currently looking for a wedding photographer for your upcoming wedding, we would be happy to meet with you to see how we can help you remember your big day forever. Dates are going fast, so call today!
Lisa and Randy

We Welcome 2010!

It has been a great start to a new year. With meetings, bookings, and lots of web traffic, we welcome 2010!

Lisa and I had a wonderful time at the Georgia Bridal show! Thanks to all who visited our booth and gave us the chance to briefly tell about our services. I love how the brides' eyes light up when they talk about their dream wedding.

If you are searching for a photographer for your wedding day, we still have a few key dates available for the 2010 season. Visit our wedding galleries and see if our creative style fits your wedding ideas. Then email or call for availability and set up your consultation. We look forward to hearing about your day!

Happy New Year!
Lisa and Randy

The Georgia Bridal Show

We are pleased to announce that we will be at the The Georgia Bridal Show at the Cobb Galleria Centre this Sunday, January 3, 2010. This one of the largest bridal shows of the year. A great opportunity to meet with vendors one on one.

Stop by booth #65 to meet Lisa and me. We will be delighted to show you our albums, photographs, and packages. Also to hear about your wedding day plans.
Randy