A few weeks ago we had the honor of documenting Brian + Lauren's amazing wedding in Chicago just before Thanksgiving! Combine an amazing couple who love to hang on each other, the wonderful Paat family that I've had the opportunity to work with for the past several years and then the wonderful ceremony site of Holy Name Cathedral in downtown Chicago with the reception at the Crystal Gardens on Navy Pier, too awesome! Ha!
Brian + Lauren were just in this morning to view their images in the studio with a slideshow and she said it was like watching a great movie! I'm glad the images we documented are so loved! It's easy with such beautiful and joyful "actors and acresses!"
Shel and I are loading the car pretty much as I write! We're off to document a wedding at the Chicago Cathedral Saturday and then down to Ohio for a little turkey time with my grandparents. So the studio will be having limited hours starting today, Friday Nov. 18.
Our wunderkind graphic designer Ben will be available for pickups on the 18th from 9:30-11:30 and 1:30-5:00 and then on Monday the 21st 9:30-11:30 and 1:30-5:30.
Joan will then be in and available for both phone calls and pickups on Tuesday the 22nd from 9:30-11:30 and 12:30-5:30. We will be closed starting the 23rd and back to normal hours Monday the 28th. We'll be checking email periodically so please feel free to contact us through there as well.
Rochester Downtown Association is starting up the ArtWalk again this Thursday from 5-9pm and we're excited to once again open up our studio for it! So this Thursday night, come get some fresh air and check out a piece of the arts being offered around Rochester! We're playing it easy on the first one and will be hosting Michelle's work in the first floor of our building. We plan to host other artists at the studio in the future. If you are some type of artist (audio, visual, surreal) or know of any that would like some show time, please contact the studio. If you're looking for a map of the ArtWalk, head here!
Michelle has also been asked to show her work at the "9:1 Artist Collective" at the Civic Center Theatre Friday night! So check out Shel's work and the work of 8 other local artists there starting at 5:30 and swing over to the studio for the concert! Here's some additional info with this show:
Please join us for this free and fun celebration of the arts in Rochester!
* View pottery, stained glass, photography, oils and acrylics created by local artists -- and displayed in a gallery-like setting. Artists include Jay Koski, Dawn Sanborn, Robin Kautz, Susan Waughtal, Tim Cnossen, and Michelle Fagan.
* Hear poetry and prose read by area authors, including Pam Whitfield and Jennifer Koski.
* Hear original songs performed by Bob Sanborn.
* Enjoy a cash bar, and order off a menu prepared by Chef Johnny Mangouras (aka Chef Mango).
For more information, contact jenniferkoski@gmail.com.
There you go! Have a great week everyone and I hope to see you around some of these events! Shawn
One of my favorite scenes from Kung Fu Panda is the opening and closing credits where it's not your typical animated characters but the very flat animation done in multiple layers, kind of like old school Super Nintendo games! I've always wanted to try editing photographs in that way for display on a computer but haven't made the foray yet. Soon however as I've taken my first baby steps after seeing a "cinemagraph" online a couple months ago and then again yesterday morning. So just before wrapping up our shoot with Alexa yesterday, I created some images for the sole purpose of creating my own motion picture!
What do you think?! After creating this one, I definitely have other ideas for future ones! Until then, I'll have to be content with our tabletop "Super NES" style studio324 display! Just ask to see it the next time you're here, I think it's pretty cool!
A little while ago Fagan Studios was featured in the Rochester Chamber of Commerce's monthly magazine, the Chamber Advantage! I've been shooting the covers for the magazine for a couple years now so to be featured on it was pretty out of the norm for us! We had some fun with the shoot though mixing some digital photography along with a little old school photo booth style! Head here to see the magazine as a pdf.
We've been hopping with seniors and weddings recently so I hope to post some of those here and more up on our Facebook book page. I photographed a senior today and will be doing something a little different with a few of her images so keep your eye here on the blog for that!
We're also underway with updating all the images on our website and adding a mobile site too for phones and iPad type devices! It's a busy summer!
I hope you've all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! Shawn
Yet another gimmick in my mind to try and get me blogging more! Ha!
I was driving the other day (actually it was last week and I wanted to do this last Friday but of course, fail) and several things popped into my mind of cool items, videos, music and what-not that I came across or thoroughly enjoyed. I thought it'd be a fun and different thing to post, you can get a little feeling for what's inspiring me, and frankly wasting some of my time too! Hopefully I'll do this every Friday and I'd love your feedback too! What would you like to see more of from our blog here?!
Over the past few years, I've come to love Impressionist painters' works. John Singer Sargent is definitely one of my favorites and I've started looking into others. I recently stumbled upon some of Velazquez's work and after reading about the above painting, the unheard-of-to-me composition of the piece, the way the light works within it, the connections created between the subjects and the viewer... it all blows me away.
I think my love of these masters' works is going to have a major impact as Shel and I look to reinvent what it is we do with our photography! To me, so much of a photographic portrait is in the eyes. That tells a huge piece of the image's story to me. Now I'm seeing the combination of eyes, lips and especially hands now! I'm excited!
2) LISTENING
LCD Soundsystem
FYI: this isn't the official video of this song, but it's entertaining none the less, ay?!
I can't get enough of this song! I've heard it on the world's greatest radio station a few times and one morning Shel showed this to me. I instantly had to buy the album! I have a number of their other albums but have been dragging my feet with this one for some reason. Now it's on constant rotation wherever I'm at! I had it pumping in studio324 this morning as I set the space up for a wedding which will be happening here tonight!
Their last show is April 2nd so if you're still looking for a birthday present for me, tickets to that show would be greatly appreciated!
3) READING
Whenever someone asked me what book I was reading, I felt like I always had to start with, "It's a lame name but a wonderful book, ok?!" "How to Win Friends and Influence People" is also the first book I've finished in MONTHS! I enjoy reading but rarely dedicate time in my day to do so. I'm working on changing that habit. Plus I always start books while I'm in the middle of others! I think I have three more that I'm halfway through! Anyway, if you're a business owner, a pastor, a dad, a mom, an employee, a human being, you should read this book! It's a wonderful read but the lessons, many of them common sense, but so much common sense is lacking today, are priceless. There are dozens of items that I apply just to the raising of my kids! Seriously, the best $9.98 you can spend on a book.
Here's a quick lesson that's easy for me to remember for one thing and that I'm applying as I too sometimes get to short tempered or impatient with my boys: When you're training a dog, the animal learns best by giving it praises, not by berating it. It desires your praise. It wants to make you happy. It loves the reward of doing what's good. Sometimes with kids, I'm too quick to get upset about something wrong they did and to short in the praises I offer when things they do are great! So I'm working on completely flipping that around and being quick to praise and build up. I've been doing it for the past two weeks and have seen an amazing change in how my youngest, Jonas, gets ready in the morning for example!
4) WATCHING/LEARNING
Shel and I saw Blue Man Group when they came through Rochester a couple years ago and of course had a great time! One of the, "songs" I guess, we saw them perform had to do about how the eye works. I honestly had no idea that the human eye worked very much like a film video camera from years ago, more or less!
The other day Ben, one of my graphic designers, and I were talking about this kind of thing and I thankfully found the "song" on YouTube. So here it is for your enjoyment and education!
5) SUPPORTING
Last week studio324 hosted an event supporting kids in NY and Africa through the organization 100 Cameras. They give cameras to kids who then document where they live and what they do. I love it when my boys pick up a camera and start shooting. It's of course technically never perfect but it's amazing to see what they basically see, and how they see it! I love how raw images created by kids look. So from the images created by these kids around the world, prints are then made and purchased. 100% of the profits then go back to support the communities where the images were taken. Awesome!
Do you have $25 to spare and could use some new art in your home or office? Head to their site to purchase a print!
(Along those lines, watch the astonishing documentary "Born Into Brothels." Similar concept. Wild that fellow humans live in such situations. The movie won an Oscar a couple years ago.)
Well, that'll wrap up this Friday's post! So what has inspired you this past week?! What has made you smile? Comment below and have a wonderful weekend!
Be sure to check out the below post to get the details on our senior model/rep shoots! If you're in the class of 2012, we're still in need of a few more models. It's a great way to earn some free shoots and products while getting discounts for your friends too! Head here to apply and get the details!
So the winter is winding down and we're off and running with seniors from the class of 2012! Every year, time just keeps on cruising by faster and faster. Seems like we just sent off the 2011 senior portraits to all the yearbooks and here we are starting with a new class! Well, as usual, I'm pretty pumped! After a lethargic and ridiculously cold winter, it always feels wonderful to get behind the camera working with "seniors!"
I met Alexa back when she was probably in middle school through our church's youth group, the Gate, so it's wild to be creating her senior portraits! Again, time blazing flying. I'm pretty sure Alexa would be the definition of joy though! Always with a smile on, always the one with the bubbly energy!
I can't believe it's almost spring already! We've seen the temperature swing close to 80 degrees, the snow is melting off of the ski hills too soon, but I am grateful that it's no longer "Russian Roulette" when turning a corner on the street!
With the spring comes a new year of seniors and I'm super pumped to get this year's going! We've busy working behind the scenes here on updating our website, blog and a ton of other things so keep your eyes open for that!
So we're in need of a new group of models and representatives from the upcoming class of 2012! If you or someone you know might be interested, please pass the word along! We need students who want some free shoots and discounts on their senior portraits and products! No perfect size, no perfect look, we just want people who are awesome, fun, outgoing, and love the quality of Fagan Studios work! Click the link here to apply! http://bit.ly/12models
Here's to a few more feet of snow before spring!!!
The idea behind Help-Portrait is simple: 1. Find someone in need 2. Take their portrait 3. Print their portrait and 4. Deliver their portrait.
From 12-3pm on Saturday December 4, Shel and I along with a group of other volunteer photographers are heading down to the Boys and Girls Club to do our portion of Help-Portrait in Rochester! If you're a photographer, we'd love your help! If you're a hair or makeup stylist, we'd love your help! If you like to smile, we'd love your help!
Contact us through Facebook if you need more info! If you know of people that could benefit from what's going on, please invite them to stop down at the Boys and Girls Club this Saturday!
and I felt like putting something a little different together! A few weeks ago I had the privilege of working with Jilian on her senior shoot! She was a blast, great outfits, looks and all that! But she also brought along a random bouquet of flowers. We did a few cool shots with them and then at the very end, well, we were done with them! I've been wanting to try something along these lines and pulled it off photographically with the soccer flip-throw that was up on our mall kiosk and Facebook. So a little different approach here and one that can only be appreciated on the web as compared to a final print!
Have a great weekend everyone and remember that sometimes, you just have to throw down!
