Nicole Locke Photography

The Peck Family | Michigan Family Photographer

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 20:07:00 +0000

14 people, 6 of them under the age of 7? Noooo problem! They requested to be photographed in front of Grandma & Grandpa's waterfront cottage. It was a beautiful morning for photos, and the kids received an instant reward for being so patient - the park is 50 yards from the porch!

The Parr Family | Michigan Family Photographer

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 20:04:00 +0000

For the second year in a row, I've had the pleasure of photographing this adorable family. I love giving them the most awesome Christmas card pictures :)

Shaker | Port Huron Northern | Class of 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 19:29:00 +0000

This guy cracks me up....I thought I would die when he walked out in that blue morph suit and yellow shorty-shorts!!! Not only is he a comedic genius, he's also a talented tennis player, and very active in student politics. Shaker for President? Maybe some day!!

Austin | Marysville High School | Class of 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 19:49:00 +0000

Like most of my senior guys, Austin's mom had to draaaaaaaaaaaagggg him in to have his pictures taken...but in the end I think he had a little bit more fun than he actually thought he would ;)

The Boehler Family | Michigan Family Photographer

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 19:38:00 +0000

One of my bf's from WAAAAY back in the day at good 'ole Yale Public Schools (and Mommy to my son's future bride!), Trisha's family is near and dear to my heart. I'm so glad we finally got our schedules to match up for pictures and a little cookout :)

The Kirchoff Family | Michigan Family Photographer

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 19:31:00 +0000

As a family gal, I do not condone or support domestic violence. So when the Kirchoff family approached me and said they'd like to recreate a family heirloom photo involving a bride, a groom and a baseball bat...I was concerned! However, this family has nothing but love for each other, and they are FUNNY! I hope they enjoy the updated version of the baseball bat photo (see below)...

Alex & Savannah | Class of 2013 | Lapeer East High School

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 21:00:00 +0000

How often do you get to photograph twins - TWIN SENIORS! Alex and Savannah had drastically different styles, but we were able to incorporate a little bit of both of them into their portraits. Yay!

Tim | Class of 2013 | Crestwood High School

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 20:56:00 +0000

Hoo-rah!!! Tim is a very upstanding gentleman and is enlisting in the Marines! Mom & Dad couldn't be more proud :)

Cheyenne | Class of 2013 | Port Huron High School

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 19:01:00 +0000

ARGH! These adorable PH girls are killing me! Cheyenne is such a funny, bubbly, crazy gal. We had a blast on our 'tour de PoHo'. Nobody can rock the hot pink pants like this girl ;)

Sydney | Class of 2013 | Port Huron High School

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:56:00 +0000

Sydney's Mom requested one thing: that we capture Sydney's *adorable* dimple! We did, and soooo much more. Everyone's favorite image from the session is sweet Sydney sitting in the swing in her backyard...they sure do grow up fast, don't they?

Jacob | Class of 2013 | Marysville High School

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 18:48:00 +0000

Jacob! He totally had the quiet artist vibe - and he's an awesome drummer. Despite the wind blowing over both of my lights stands (grrr) we had a great time and got some pretty awesome pics!

Katie | Class of 2013 | North Branch High School

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 20:16:00 +0000

Katie! Came all the way from North Branch and it was pouring down rain!!! One of her wishes was to be photographed near a waterfall. Because of the rain, the waterfall was turned off - but we asked nicely and the operators turned it on *just for us* and we enjoyed a 15 minute break from the rainfall. Right on cue, the rain returned and we headed for cover to finish the rest of her session. Mud, sand and soggy shoes - but it was awesome and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Jestine | Class of 2013 | Port Huron High School

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:45:00 +0000

This girl has the coolest eyes I've ever seen! I've never met anyone with TWO DIFFERENT COLOR EYES! Plus, her personality is sooooo fun and catchy. We had a blast at her session. Despite Mom's doubts - we were able to drive the minivan down the woodsy path - and get the nature images that Jestine adored <3

The Hoeksema/Day/Kirchoff Families

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 21:08:00 +0000

Steve and Debby have been married for 40 YEARS!!! In honor of this momentous occasion, their amazing children surprised them with a family photo session. Family photos are MUCH better than a paperweight or flowers, don't you think????

The Erhardt Family

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 20:49:00 +0000

Awww, Sean surprised his lovely wife Cheryl with a surprise vow-renewal on their 10th Anniversary. How sweet!!! It was a blessed day that they shared with their friends and family - and I was able to capture some family portraits to commemorate the day :)

Christina | Class of 2012 | Port Huron Northern

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 20:03:00 +0000

Ever have a day where everything you touch seems to turn to gold? Um, yeah, that's about how I felt during this session. Christina is such a natural beauty, and soooo easy to photograph. We had an amazing time, and even made a new friend. Well, at least we think there was someone sitting in the Border Patrol SUV the entire time we were there. Maybe?

Editing??????

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 18:42:00 +0000

If you have ever been to a custom photographer, you may have wondered why it takes a week (or more) to view your proofs. So what’s the hold up? (Well, besides being a wife and mom in a very active household)??

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what happens to your images after I leave your session. This process it followed with every single image that I share with you, and images that are not up to my high standards will not be shared :)

First of all, I load the images into my computer. This takes a while because I shoot in RAW format, which basically lets me make the decisions of how the image will be processed (instead of the camera when shooting Jpeg), so the files are very large.

Next, I cull (sort and find the good ones) your images in Adobe Lightroom. I then create a folder of the ‘good’ ones, and open them individually in Adobe Camera Raw. Because I am not limited by Jpeg, I am able to tweak the exposure, white balance and any other little nuances of each particular image. I then export them as TIFF files to a separate folder.

Now we’re cookin!!!! Each TIFF file is opened in Adobe Photoshop, where I remove blemishes, undereye circles, enhance the eyes, whiten teeth, and all the other magic I do. This can be time consuming (usually 5-10 minutes per image) but the results are WORTH IT.

Then it’s back to Adobe Lightroom for some cropping and vignetting (if necessary) and exporting the files as Jpegs to a separate ‘proofing’ folder. Then and only then can your images be uploaded to your Gallery, or shared on Facebook.

My entire editing process takes 4-8 hours per session, depending on the type of session and subject...Time that is well spent if you ask any of my super-happy clients :)

Nicole

Brian | Class of 2012 | PHN

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Wed, 30 May 2012 20:55:00 +0000

I've known Brian for quite a while (his mom and I are good friends) so I was excited to have the opportunity to take his senior photos! Mother Nature wasn't quite cooperative, but we were determined, and prevailed with some EPIC photos....

Allison | Class of 2012 | PH

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:40:00 +0000

Have I told you how much I love photographing Senior Models? Allison was such a gem to work with! Her personality really shines, especially when we really got her to smile :)

2013 Senior Models!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:25:00 +0000

The wait is over! We're finally ready to announce our 2013 Senior Model Program!!!!!

Pretty cool, huh? And did we mention the iPad drawing??? On October 1st, we will draw a winner! Some lucky guy or gal is going to win THIS awesome 16 GB New iPad!

as if that isn't enough, we're also including a custom skin from SkinIt.com - you can choose from any of their designs, or have a custom skin made from your Senior Model session!

But wait, there's more! How about 50 bucks to stock up on new Apps? Yup, that's included too!

So how to you get in on this AMAZEBALLS OFFER? Book your Senior Model Session with Nicole Locke Photography before September 30th, 2012, and then tell ALL of your friends! The more referrals you have, the better your chances you have of rockin' this awesome custom iPad!

Don't delay - I only accept 3 sessions per week, so there are limited spots available this summer!

Sarah | Class of 2012 | PHN

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:40:00 +0000

Ah, pretty Sarah - a breath of fresh air in her sweet dresses and flower hair clip. We met on the first nice day we'd had in months. It was a little chilly, but totally worth it, her images are gorgeous! Thanks for hanging out with me, and helping me deflect the blue-haired vagrant that was creepin' on your session :)

Alex & Andrew | Class of 2012 | PHN

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:25:00 +0000

Not your typical Senior Models, Alex and Andrew were the funniest seniors I have ever photographed. It was off-the-wall slapstick humor the entire hour they were with me. They abused props, experimented with strange poses and even tried on a few children's hats. I had a blast guys - keep on keepin' it real!

Wall Portrait Sizing | a Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:42:00 +0000

Unsure of the size you need for your wall portrait? Consider the following image. While 8x10 portraits may seem large when placed on a desk, they are dwarfed in comparison to a wall in an average home. Here's a little trick: cut a piece of cardboard or paper in the size that you think you will need (don't forget to add a couple of inches to account for the frame. Tape the cardboard on your wall for a couple of days. If it seems too small, try the next larger size.

It's much more cost-effective to order the correct size than have to re-order your image in a larger print :)

Gabriel | Age 3

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:03:00 +0000

Gabriel is 3! He's also the big brother of little Alena (featured HERE). Full of spunk, Gabe is a future photographer that just LOVES cameras....touching them, not smiling for them! Happy Birthday buddy :)

Update on Alena: she is doing very well! Here's their first family pic since her surgery:

Paul | Class of 2012 | Northern

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Locke) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:01:00 +0000

Mom decided she wanted some beach photos, so on the first 75 degree day of 2012, we met at the beach and snapped a few. Ahhhh, a taste of summer!!!