Walter Goes To Woodstock

Some of you may not know, but one of our very good friends is Walter Ducket. You can find him at www.whattheduck.net. Since HE is a photographer duck, and our "thing" is sending out rubber ducks with every canvas purchase, we've become very good friends.

When he learned that we were planning a trip to Woodstock, he wanted IN on that trip! Seems that his dad knew the dove that modeled for the poster. But we won't get into that story right now. *grin*

On the day we visited, the weather was LOVELY - beautiful blue skies with white puffy clouds. The grass was electric green, lovingly manicured, and everything was fresh and clean. NOT like the rain & mud-soaked Woodstock Aquarian Music Festival of nearly 40 years ago.



One thing that struck me - that I never really thought of - is in that 9 short years - between 1960 and 1969 - how the temper of our music changed so radically - and how it voiced the burgeoning youth of our nation. From sweet "boy meets girl" danceable tunes to folk music to wicked electric guitar - Crazy man! And of course, all of this is inbetween The Bay of Pigs, The Berlin Wall, Cold War, Segregation and Viet Nam.

And over 400,000 people gathered together in the rain for 3 days - and got along just fine.



What does this have to do with canvas? Nothing. Nothing at all. But like my son says - "Peace and love man, peace and love." Can you dig it? I urge you to hit the link in the post below and at least tour the Bethel Woods Woodstock Museum website - so much of our recent history - which grew SO QUICKLY - you'll find ties to there.

Yes, we'll have more pics shortly. The place is HUGE!!! But for now, just have fun with Walter and us.

-----Roxanne

Woodstock was a GAS!!!

This past weekend when we were in White Lake, NY, we had the chance to visit the Woodstock Museum at Bethel Woods. You can click that for the link - it's REALLY cool - and I highly suggest you take a look!

You aren't supposed to take pictures - but of course, I snapped a few with my trusty, OLD SCHOOL 1st generation iPhone (there I go - not letting the MAN tell me what to do!) because they were just TOO awesme not to get.

I'll post later about how really important this event was in our culture - how just going through the museum changes you - really.

Anyway - it's GREAT to be back home - we had loads of fun, and I'll post some images later.

...and I do believe that Walter Ducket made an appearance as well - stay tuned!

------Roxanne

Ava Jane - A Sweet Little Princess

Heather Lickliter has been a customer from the very beginning, and a great friend as well. We've always LOVED her photography - and she was the winner of one of the very first P2C Canvas of The Month awards!

She recently sent in an order, and as usual, beautiful princesses on it. When she called me to thank me for the canvas (we chat all the time), I asked her to tell the tale of these beauties. Ava's story is below.

Our youngest daughter, Ava Jane, is truly a princess who deserves to be treated like a queen. Ava Jane was born on July 12, 2006 with a congenital heart defect that required immediate surgery when she was two days old. After that surgery, doctors realized that Ava Jane’s heart defect was much more extensive, and recommended a heart transplant. After twelve weeks of waiting, Ava Jane received her new heart on October 11, 2006.

She flourished with her new heart, finally having the energy to grow and thrive. Unfortunately, because of her compromised immune system, Ava Jane developed bacterial meningitis in December 2007 and spent her Christmas at Egleston. In order to relieve the pressure in her brain, neurosurgeons placed a shunt in her brain in February 2008. As the effects of the meningitis began to subside, Ava Jane again began to make progress and grow and thrive.

However, the months of the illness delayed her development, and as a two year old, she is more like a nine month old in her motor skills. In March 2009, finally feeling better, Ava Jane began taking some steps with assistance and was quick to scoot around the house, pulling down toilet paper in the bathroom and getting into general toddler mischief. She began to slow down by the end of April and after weeks of inconsolable tears, Ava Jane was admitted to the hospital on Mother’s Day. After running tests on every part of her body, doctors discovered that she had ulcers in her colon, the consequence of the immunosuppressant medicines necessary to protect her transplant. She is beginning to feel better, and armed with answers, medicines are being adjusted and plans are being made to relieve her distress.

Ava Jane is a beautiful, social two year old with a quick to smile and amazing eyelashes envied by all the adult women around her. She truly needs a chance to be whisked away to princess land. As her parents, we realize that our times with her may be shorter than we wish, and we would treasure special pictures of her for our family.

Here's the link to the other photos on our blog: http://www.stylizedportraiture.com/a-very-deserving-princess/

Heather Lickliter http://www.stylizedportraiture.com/

We've Been Blogged - And KISSed!!!

Kevin Swan of KISS Wedding Books is, #1, just a wicked fun guy. We've been hanging out with him and his business partner Shawn Austin at trade shows and workshops for a couple of years now. Have you ever played soccer in a hotel foyer while waiting for the speaker in the room next to you to finish up? We have! They do some of the most WILDLY AWESOME wedding albums you've ever seen. Because they Keep It Simple. Let the image speak for itself.

So, when he came to us asking for a favor, the answer was, in a word, SIMPLE. *grin*

Here's what he said, along with some images -

pixel2canvas: the BEST!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Even though I’ve got mountains of albums to design and wedding images to review, I need to take a time-out to let everyone know how badass Pixel2Canvas is as a vendor.

Roxanne and CB get customer service. Here’s my story for this weekend…

I shot a bridal portrait on Wed and wanted to surprise the bride by having canvases of the images by Saturday. So, Thursday, I call P2C and asked if it can be done. I didn’t have an account or anything, so Caity just said for me to email her the photos and she’d handle everything. They printed everything on Friday, overnighted it for Saturday, and I was able to wow my clients. They totally solved my problem, did it with smiles on, and have been such a pleasure to work with.

Not to mention how completely awesome the canvases look!

I just hung the them in my office (the bride and family want to purchase some of them, but until they come over for that, I’m taking advantage!). Here’s some photos. They’re 20×30, tough to get a feel for the dimensions in the pics.

I’m also showing you another canvas they did for me above my fireplace (photo by Nathan Holritz). Totally custom, totally awesome!

Thanks, P2C!

...our pleasure Kevin!

And for our readers: Go hit their site, KISS Wedding Albums, and his blog and give some love!

What The Duck for June 8, 2009

Quick blog funny - I'll post more later!

Don't They Look COLD???

I got this link from a friend of mine on Twitter today - 

The caption reads, "Couples Mark Baggett and Sadie Whitelock, Danny Duggan and Caroline Clark, and Kirk Elba and Emma Kingshott walk through Covent Garden, London, dressed only in bodypaint, as part of a challenge for round two of GMTV's 'Battle of the Brides' competition.""

Here's the link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/picturesoftheday/2551439/Pictures-of-the-day-13-August-2008.html?image=8

Wow. Hot chocolate anyone??? *grin*

Pixel2Canvas Canvas of the Month is BACK!

We've revamped our Canvas of the Month promotion a bit - and now it's back in full force!

When you order with Pixel2Canvas, there is a little check box to enter your image in the monthly competition. What's the criteria? Just an image that speaks to us - stands out on its own.

We've also changed up the prize. Instead of just winning $50 off your next canvas order, we're now offering a choice of:

1. Old-school iPod Shuffle - 1gb (yes, you can still buy them!)
2. $50 towards your next canvas order
3. $50 VISA gift card - because in these times, maybe you just need some extra spending $$$.

And just WHO is the winner of the April COTM???

Elizabeth Akenhead, of The Birth and Baby Photographer in Bedford, VA.

Her image, "Jack", was great in composition and emotion - what do you think is going on in that doggie noggin of his?

Thank you SO MUCH Elizabeth - your Shuffle has been ordered and is on the way!

Roxanne

Discovering Italy Workshop Tour with Kenny Kim

Discovering Italy - Workshop Tour with Kenny Kim

September 14-21, 2009 - Tuscany and Umbria

Hey Friends!

Kenny Kim is a GREAT friend, uber-photog, and just all around great guy. He recently came back from Italy with Bob and Dawn Davis, and has some of the most amazing shots I've ever seen. He's going to do a workshop for a few lucky photographers - read on and get your passports ready!

Buon Giorno! I recently had a chance to visit Italy for two weeks. During this time, I was mesmerized and blown away by the numerous treasures that Italy had to offer. It was such an enriching experience and during this time, I kept repeating to myself, “If I could only share with others what I am seeing right now...” This motivated me to finally come up with a workshop of my own. This is not a typical “sit down in a classroom setting” type of workshop. You will be traveling with me to various parts of Italy immersing yourself in their culture and learning about their way of life. Best of all, we get to capture all this with our cameras!

Whether you are an avid professional wedding photographer or someone just starting out in photography that’s interested in learning more, you will fall in love with Italy. If you’ve never been to Italy, this photography workshop is the best way to capture your experience and document lasting memories. If you have already been to Italy before, then I do not need to convince you to go back - except to mention that you get to travel back with a company of folks that share the same passion as you: photography! This trip will not just help you discover Italy - soon you will be discovering yourself in the process. It really is a life changing experience.

This is an all inclusive trip (lodging at hotels, bed & breakfast inns inside medieval cities, 9 meals (breakfast & dinner and a couple of lunches), ground transportation, guided tour by a professional native italian, model shooting, plus more) We purposely left out the lunches so that you can explore and sample some of the local foods on your own or together as a group. You are responsible for airfare from your city to/from Rome (FCO).

More details about the workshop is posted on the workshop website: http://store.kennykim.com/italy/

KENNY KIM LIFESTYLE WEDDINGS

800.539.1294 kennykim.com web: kennykim.com

2009 Grace Ormonde Platinum List 5 Star Vendor *****

http://www.weddingstylemagazine.com/directory/kenny-kim-photography/s_l3399c1872.aspx

*WHAT'S NEW*

BLOG: http://blog.kennykim.com

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kenny-Kim-Lifestyle-Weddings/108246585482

TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/kennykim

*FEATURED IN*

Destination Weddings & Honeymoon Magazines, The Knot, Chicago Social Bride, TV Guide, The RangeFinder & KoreAm Journal

Davis Love Story Workshop - Recap

Last week I had the great fortune to attend a workshop by Bob and Dawn Davis in their hometown of Lemont, IL - not too far from Chicago. It was an intensive, 3-day workshop to help people learn about "capturing the light" - and mastering their flash TTL to make their images SING. Then on the last day, Dawn worked her magic teaching about workflow and how she designs the most beautiful albums - and has for the likes of Oprah, Tyler Perry and Eva Longoria, to name a few.


There were 15 photographers, Kenny Kim (buddy and pal o'mine and photog extraordinnaire) who documented the event, Ed Weiland who is a wicked photog in his own right came along to help coach, Anton Lorimer who did wicked videography, and me - the PA grunt.


The first night, we had a "meet & greet" with a fun high-key, crazy, "shake your wiggles out" kind of session - as you can see, Ed, Dawn and I had NO problems getting silly!

Neither did Bob - Now Walter might have gotten a bit dizzy from being thrown around all over the place...

Here we're taking a bit of a lunch break - even ducks gotta eat!

Some might think that the BIGGER people get, the harder it is to REACH or talk to them - let alone getting them to share the story and recipe of their success. NOT SO with Bob and Dawn. They are hungry to share their knowledge - their passion - and let it infect those with a thirst to learn. They believe that the more you share, the more you get in return. I too was inspired to start working some magic of my own and sharing it with my customers and friends when I returned home. It really does work - when you inspire others, you just want more and more of it!

AND OH MY GOSH - YOU PEOPLE NEVER STOP SHOOTING! Holy cow! Both nights we had to push dinner back about two hours because the busy shutter fingers wouldn't quiet themselves! But with the wicked cool cars, airplanes and models, I certainly couldn't blame them. For LOTS more EXTREMELY COOL photos, please visit their blog at www.lastoriafoto.info.

I had to leave a bit early on the last day to get home to my family. I got to show off our canvases with a beautiful lot taken by Ed Weiland (and that one behind Bob was taken by Kenny Kim). Even before I arrived for the workshop, just spending time on the phone with them I began to sense a fantastic new friendship forming. And now, after spending three fun-filled, HARD WORKING days with them, I know that this is a friendship that will last for a long, long time.

Thank you, Bob and Dawn - for your hospitality, mentoring and friendship. And don't forget to get on the Wii for some Yak Sledding!!! *snerk*

Celebrate Dad - With Father's Day Canvases

Let's face it. Dads are usually harder to buy for than moms. I mean, how many polar bear & golf club ties can one man wear in a lifetime?

I have seen a HUGE increase in dads w/babies and just dads in general in photo shoots - why not offer your clients a truly unique and memorable gift for this Father's Day.

The lovely and talented Tina Parker of My Lil' Creations designed these canvases just for us - you can't find them anywhere else. 

And let me tell you a little about Tina - earlier this year (February to be exact) she had brain surgery to remove a tumor that was pressing on her optic nerve. Now, whether you're a graphic designer or not, that's something that you'd rather not have in your noggin. Tina came through her surgery with flying colors, and is back to designing some of the most gorgeous templates for photographers that you've ever seen! She has templates and papers for cards, books and seniors, from girly grunge to sweet babies & seasonal items. You have GOT to run your little mouse as fast as you can over to My Lil' Creations and see all the digital splendor she has to offer! 

Father's Day #1 - 12x12 or 20x20 Gallery Wrap

Here I wanted something a bit more grungy and contemporary - and again Tina came through. The wording is, "My Dad, My Hero, My Friend." And that's my husband, CB, with our son and our beloved Samson. You can choose a vertical or horizontal image - just tell us in the customer comments when you place your order. Photo Credit: Jenny McMasters Photography, Tustin CA.

Father's Day #2 - 12x12 or 20x20 Gallery Wrap

I wanted something traditional but at the same time new and different - which is exactly what Tina has designed here. The wording says DAD SON FRIEND STRONG FATHER BRAVE UNCLE LOVING BROTHER HERO GRANDFATHER - repeated over and over along the bottom. You can choose a vertical or horizontal image - just tell us in the customer comments when you place your order. Photo Credit: Kathleen Miller Photography, Huntington Beach, CA

These are already up on our site - just order through the Special Products page. you don't need to download the template - just upload the image and we'll do the rest! Be sure to place your order by June 12 to allow for shipping by Father's Day!