A disappointment with a local venue...

Last weekend my baby sister, Samantha, and her fiance, Eli came to town. They were in town to meet with the venue that they were planning on booking for their wedding reception in March 2015. I meet them at the location and we shot some Engagement photos. We were fighting the rain and got some great shots at the venue and then headed out to Wolff Park in Binghamton for some more. I also had one more location picked out but the rain did not agree with us... So, we ended the shoot for the time being. 

We met up later that evening with our sister Becky at the mall to look at some dresses. We started at one store that they both had seen dresses they thought would be good, but the dresses did not work at all. We decided to try a couple more stores and ventured into one that we did not originally plan on. There we found our dresses! The two other girls in the wedding party, who live out of town, were able to get them as well. 

We have been doing good with checking things off the to-do list until we ran into a road block... We thought that the reception venue was all set, unfortunately not... so let me share this story-

Samantha and Becky have been speaking with this venue since February with everything seeming very promising. When Samantha & Eli meet with them last Saturday she requested to leave a down payment and the venue said "let me get the contract all drawn up firs"t. She received an email from the venue later that week explaining that unfortunately someone else employed there (the person that they have been speaking with is supposed to be the only person who can book receptions) booked another couple for the same date and accepted a down payment... Thus resulting in Samantha having to find a new location. He did apologize and explain that the person that booked the reception was spoken too. Oh, and the date was booked TWO WEEKS prior to Samantha & Eli meeting with the venue! 

To be fair to the other couple it is not their fault and they did put a deposit down. However, Samantha had met with the venue in March and expressed that she was wanting the venue just wanted Eli to see it. All this was under the assumption that she was defiantly booking the venue and even stated that she wanted to leave a deposit on Saturday.  During the meeting on Saturday the gentlemen did not even know that it was already booked and told them not to leave the deposit as he wanted the contract written up first. 

We all feel that he should have spoken with the other employee and explained that she would have to call the other couple and refund their deposit as she is not allowed to book the venue and that she did not know that the gentlemen that is allowed to book the venue had arrangements made with another couple for that date.

I will not list the name of the venue but I have no problem sharing a photo taken there, which I really hope that my sister decides not to use any of the photos taken there for their save the date cards. Also, when I do share their engagement shoot I will not be posting any images taken there other then the one in this post!

It is a shame that we won't be having the reception there as we got some great photos there. I chose an image that did not give away the exact location but if you have been there you can tell from the photo where it is. In the back ground is Whitney Point Lake and receptions is not the main business of this venue.

I know that everything happens for a reason. I'm sure this happened because there is a better venue for them. I think that we are all just disappointed because we under the impression that the venue was defiantly theirs. I really wanted this venue for them when we seen it at the bridal show. I wanted it because it gave them something different then any other place- a great backdrop for photos. But that is just my photographer side and we will find the right location for them and even better photo location. 

I love you guys, Samantha & Eli, and we will make your day everything that you want!

Troy High School Senior Graduation Party -2013

In June of last year I also had the opportunity to play paparazzi. Troy was graduating high school and his mom asked if I could come to the party and capture photos of Troy with all his friends and family. For a teenage boy he was great and I followed him around as he talked to all of his guest and captured photos with him and everyone. Here are a few of the images that I was able to capture that day. Some with his family and of course the close friends.

 Some shots with the family!

 The neighbors!

Some more shots with the family!

A shot with Mom, Dad, & the Sisters!

Head Shots- Gertrude June 2013

In June I had the opportunity to meet Gertrude at a wedding that I was shooting. She was in the wedding and all dressed up and asked if I could shoot some head shots of her. I accepted and we ventured outside and took some great shots in a row of trees. The reception hall had a wall of windows so we ventured back inside and did a few more of her in front of the windows.

Here are just a few of the the images that I took of Gertrude. 

Horseshoes & Saddles Photography

Last weekend I had a wonderful opportunity to take photos at a horse show. The show was in Owego, NY at the Skyline ring. A friend of mine, Whitney (I gave you a sneak peek of her wedding last summer), helped me have this opportunity as she is involved with Skyline and horseback riding. Since, this was a new adventure for me and there were going to be three shows, one of which I am not going to be able to shoot, I asked another friend of mine, Emily, to help out.

So, bright and early last Saturday morning we loaded up and went to Owego. We had a great time and got a lot of great shots. We have created the following Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/horseshoesnsaddles.  This is so we can post the alums for all the riders to view and be able to order their images. Something really great happened from having this opportunity... From creating our Facebook page, we had a women contact us from Horseheads, NY asking us to shoot a Dressage show (a fancy type of horse show where the horses dance), and we did not have photos posted yet! I am so excited that I had the opportunity to be able to try this new adventure!

I wanted to share this new adventure of mine with everyone and give you all the opportunity to check out our Facebook page. Here are a few candid photos that I took of one the riders. 

Brooklyn 9 Month Shoot! Binghamton, NY

This little sweetie grew so fast in between this shoot and her 6 month shoot. We met a nice summer weekend at a location we have used multiple times for this family, but we love it. We used some of the same spots and I try to throw in a few different ones. 

This first collage is done at a spot that we took some of Mommy for her maternity shoot. You can see those images here: http://kgrussellphotography.blogspot.com/2013/01/swartz-maternity-shoot.html.

There was actually a spot in purple flowers, that I stuck Mommy in the middle of, that I was hoping to do with Brooklyn. I thought that it would be cute to have that spot used again with Brooklyn in the middle of them just as she was when she was still inside Mommy! However... the flowers had not bloomed yet, we were about a month off.  So, we decided on the ferns instead. I had also shot some images of Big Sister alone in this location during the Maternity Shoot.

A shot with Daddy and with the whole family.

When Big Sis Haley was 6 months we did her session at the same location. We did a similar pose to the one below. You can see that session here: http://kgrussellphotography.blogspot.com/2010/07/hailey-mae-6-months.html.

Some of the recreating scenes are a little off, as Haley is a December baby and Brooklyn in a September baby. Some of them we did the location by the season and some we did by age.

 Some sisterly bonding...

I love the bottom one, both of the seem absorbed in their own things. I love shots like these. They always tend to be my favorites. Its the ones that didn't go with what you were planning but it is so sweet, cute, and captures the subject's true self

Another Family shot. This was also a spot that we had used in the maternity shoot. Remember you can see that shoot by following this link: http://kgrussellphotography.blogspot.com/2013/01/swartz-maternity-shoot.html.

Taking a little time for a picnic in the Herb Garden. The arc that Brooklyn is under at this spot was also used in the Maternity Shoot. Follow the link above.

Another one of my Favorites is the image below. I love the sassy expression on her face and her whole stance.

A quick snag of Big Sister. It really seemed that she did not want me to shoot just her that day. But I did snag a few cute ones. The one below I love. She was in that goofy grin stage and the expression in her eyes is mischievous...

The photo below is another one the we recreated. This one was done at the same age. This outfit once belonged to my little girl and was a gift from a friend of both mine & Stacey's. I passed this on to Stacey for Haley and she held on to it for her next little girl.  You can see Haley's session here: http://kgrussellphotography.blogspot.com/2011/02/hailey-9-months-full-post.html

Check back for this little cuties 1 year shoot! 

Tomorrow is the day. I will be shoot my first ever Horse Show. (I guess looking at the time in just a few hours I will be shooting the show. Just enough sleep after finishing this post). Make sure you check back to see a few images as a Sneak Peek.