Dennis M. Swanson

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:27:00 +0000

This mornings 9 month portrait of Lexi

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:35:00 +0000

Last week I had the pleasure of creating Kristal and Michael's engagement portraits out at the Cal Poly Arboretum. Despite the cold wind we got some great shots and I am looking forward to shooting their wedding at the Cambria Pines Lodge.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:36:00 +0000

Charlies Angles - Yesterday I had a fun studio shoot with three lovely ladies for a title company ad.

noreply@blogger.com (Studio 101 West) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 04:39:00 +0000

Models Wanted

Attention High School Juniors!

We are looking for a few more of you for Studio 101 West’s Ambassador program. Right now we need one more representative from several of the schools in your area.

Atascadero High School
Templeton High School
Paso Robles High School
Morro Bay High School
Arroyo Grande
Coast Union High School

If you attend a smaller school, private school, or one in another town, please let us know if you're interested in this program. We have opportunities for many other schools.

As a Studio 101 West Ambassador you will get a FREE portrait session and a supply of Ambassador Model Cards with your portrait on them to hand out to your friends. For every 2010 senior that brings us your card and has Studio 101 West take their portrait, you will receive $20 and they will get 16 FREE wallets. It's a steal for you and your friends!

Hurry! Openings are very limited and the application deadline is April 20^th

Step One: Check out Dennis' senior portrait photography (www.studio101west.com). If you don’t love his work, please don’t apply. We want models that are excited about our photography.

Step Two: Download the application and fax, mail, or email it to us as soon as you can.

Step Three: If you are accepted we will contact you to make your portrait session appointment. At that time a deposit of $25 will be needed to save your appointment time. Your $25 deposit will be applied to your print order. Approximately 3 days after your session you will need to come to the studio to preview your portraits, place your order and chose the pose for your Ambassador Model Cards. If you have a Facebook account we will also provide a way for you to share your portraits directly on your page!

Step Four: Hand out your cards to all your friends. Tell them about Studio 101 West and your great experience us. The more friends you send to Studio 101 West, the more CASH you will make! If you send us 5 or more 2010 seniors who make their appointment with us, you will also receive a FREE Buddy Portrait Session. A buddy session is a photo session with you and two of your buddies.

The ambassador program is only open to 2010 graduating high school seniors. You must provide us with a signed model release and agree to represent Studio 101 West exclusively.

Cash payments will be totaled and paid on or before December 31^st 2010.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 18:52:00 +0000

Just added to all of our 2009 wedding packages a free Flash Slide Show that you can show all of your friends. Put it on your blog, post on Facebook or MySpace, or oder a DVD! See Patric and Joellen's wedding at Atascadero Community Church and Eagle Castle Winery.
http://studio101west.com/patrick_joellen

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:04:00 +0000

Had a great baby session yesterday, here is little Lexi at 6 months.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 23:39:00 +0000

I just added a new feature to my blog. Now you can get updated every time I update my blog by clicking on Followers at the bottom of the page.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:35:00 +0000

My senior portrait sessions in downtown San Luis Obispo are usually a lot of fun. Last week I had a great session with Tyler Nix who brought two of his friends along.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:54:00 +0000

New wedding website in progress.
I am in the process of building a new wedding site, for a sneak preview go to: http://studio101west.com/slide_shows/studio101west09/Index.html

Remember, its a work in progress but feel free to make comments.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 23:36:00 +0000

Mammoth got its first good snow last week while we were there for some family time. I took my brother in-law snowshoeing up to the top of Panorama Dome to get a good view of Mammoth and the surrounding area and while the view was great,we found that the real beauty was at our feet. There had been a tremendous wind and snow storm the night before that had formed these amazing patterns of swirled ice and snow.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 05:57:00 +0000

Last week I photographed this awesome house in San Luis Obispo for the architect Bill Isaman of Bill Isaman Designs.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:20:00 +0000

Hospice of San Luis Obispo County is a great organization. They were a huge help to our family 16 year ago when my father was in the last days of his life. They never charge their clients and are funded completely by local donations and fund raising. Last year they started a new fund raiser called the Avila Beach Concours d'Elegance, featuring fine Italian automobiles and classic cars. The three day event consist of several car rallies, evening events and a car show at the Avila Beach Golf Course. Last year myself and two other photographers donated over $7000.00 worth of our time and services shooting the three day event and I heard they raised over $60,000.00. This year we added videographer Jack Hutchinson to our team and together donated over $10,000 worth of our time. Its a great cause and a fun event to attend and photograph.
Friday nights event at Margarita Ranch included steam train rides, wine tasting and dinner and dancing in the barn.

Saturday mornings rally started at Avila Beach and toured the Paso Robles Wine Country.

This is a Pope, one of my favorite cars at the Councours on Sunday.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:26:00 +0000

I love unsolicited testimonials. Here is one from a wedding Kacey and I shot a couple of months ago in Lompoc for a fun couple, Cliff and Wendy Culver.
"Dennis,
Thank you so much for the awesome job you and your assistant did--we loved the pictures and even more, we loved how relaxed and smiling you both were the day of the wedding. We've heard lots of stories about photographers who were so anxious or demanding that the photography became the most difficult part of the day, but the two of you helped us to relax and have fun and that really shows up in the pictures, which is exactly what we wanted. So, thanks again and you will be getting an email with our album choices soon."
Wendy Culver

To view all of Cliff and Wendy's wedding photos go to: http://www.pictage.com/562105

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 21:16:00 +0000

Some photos from a recent Shell Beach senior portrait session with Lia

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:40:00 +0000

Its Senior Portrait Time
Here is a slide show of an Atascadero High School senior portrait session at one of my favorite beach locations.
Just push the play button and rock on.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 21:28:00 +0000

Mammoth Mountain Bike Park

For my son Zack's 17th birthday we invited some friends to our family home in Mammoth for some mountain biking. A full pass to the Bike Park gets you a gondola ride to the 11,000 foot peak of Mammoth Mountain. First your breath is taken away by the scenic vistas, then by the many close encounters with rocks, trees, stumps, roots, loose pumice and steep cliffs at nearly every turn as you scream down the mountain as fast as you can. After 3 days and nearly 40 miles of riding the mountain and nearby trails we all escaped major injury but made some memories that will last a life time.One day we rode to Hot Creek and came across what I believe to be a young elk, but the markings are not typical of an elk or dear. It was about the size of a full grown buck in Atascadero. If you can identify it better let me know.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:13:00 +0000

I did aerial photography over the Central Coast this morning and afternoon in a very unusual aircraft. It was a 1975 French Alouette helicopter. With the doors off it was quite an exhilarating ride. We got some great aerial photographs of some coastal real estate after the fog lifted in the afternoon, and we didn't crash. Thats a good day.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:48:00 +0000

20th Year Party
Thanks to all who came by the studio last Friday to help us celebrate our 20th year in business. It was a great to share that milestone with so many friends, clients and vendors. There was plenty of food and drink and time to tour our newly made over studio. I have to especially thank my wife Deborah who did much of the work along with some close friends who put together some very tasty food and Cerro Caliente Cellars who had some wonderful wine to taste. We had such a great time we may have a similar event in the near future

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 03:00:00 +0000

20 YEARS OF RIDING THE ECONOMIC ROLLERCOSTER IN THE ARTS

Focusing on Their Creative Passions is the Forefront of Business
as Studio 101 West Celebrates 20 Years in Business

Many businesses are having a hard time with today’s economy and few can claim twenty years of success in doing what they love. Husband and wife team, Deborah and Dennis Swanson, have done just that. They have spent the past twenty years crafting their passions of photography and graphic design into a business that promotes other businesses and makes a fine art of wedding and portrait photography. Dennis claims that their survival during many turns in the economy is because of their diverse clientele, the fact that they work hard to stay on top of the latest trends and technology, and the fact that many businesses tend to spend more time and money in marketing during slower economic times.

Studio 101 West provides photography for businesses, including architecture and product photography as will as wedding and portrait photography. Graphic design services are available as time allows.

On Friday, August 8th they will be hosting an Open Studio to celebrate 20 year in business. All their clients, vendors and friends from the past 20 years are invited. There will be wine tasting, appetizers and lots of Dennis’ latest work on the walls to enjoy.
One of the many free photo cards that will be available at our open studio night.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:04:00 +0000

High Adventure Week In The Sierras
I just spent 5 days on a high adventure trek up near Pinecrest Lake, in the Northern Sierras with the Boy Scouts. We went canoing, mountain biking, and hiking. We also explored a "haunted" logging camp and learned to appreciate good food. It was in logging territory so not much of an inspiration for scenic photographs but it was an adventure.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:01:00 +0000

Friendship Is The Mother of Invention
My son Zack and his buddy Grayson made a sailboat out of a canoe with a tarp and things they found in and around the lake. They dubbed it the Black Perl then went in search to find the wind on Huntington Lake. It was very smoky that day from some far off forest fires.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Thu, 22 May 2008 20:39:00 +0000

I shot this photo in April but now that everything is brown it looks even better to me. From the top of Cuesta Ridge you can see Highway 101 below a field of California Poppies. I was on a bike ride with my son and his friend when we came upon this amazing view. I had to get off my bike and hike a bit to actually get this perspective and the boys of course road on without me. Some times you have got to stop and smell the roses as they say, or in this case hike down and take in the full view. And to think I almost left my camera in the car.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:39:00 +0000

Wedding at Eagle Castle Winery
I had the privilege last Saturday of being part of the wedding of a great couple, JoEllen Chunn and Patrick Davies. The wedding reception was at Eagle Castle Winery where Patrick is a wine maker. What a fun evening and a great place for a wedding. Here is a short slide show of a few of my favorites.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:17:00 +0000

Swanson Animal Rescue
This is our latest rescued animal, a very young wild bunny that my daughter Matisse pulled out of a cats mouth. It weighs about 3oz and must be bottle fed every 2-4 hours. Matisse (12) has been very good at taking care of it so far. In the past few years we have rescued cats, dogs, a morning dove, a crow, a turtle, a pony, and even a turkey vulture. We don't go looking for lost or injured animals they just seem to show up in our front yard. Right now I am trying to convince Matisse that the bunny would be happier if it was set free,
Dad.

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis M. Swanson) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 05:12:00 +0000

Avila Beach Engagement Portraits of Emily and Nick
Friday morning I had the fun job of creating Emily and Nick's engagement portraits in a great session at Avila Beach. Thanks Emily and Nick, we got some great shots and I'm really looking forward to photographing your wedding in June.