Photoshoot with the Students at 5 Elements Martial Arts

Picture days for sports teams and clubs have been a fun part of my business over the last couple of years and I recently added another great club to the roster of teams that I have worked with.

5 Elements Martial Arts is a Karate Dojo in South Calgary and I had the pleasure of working with a number of their athletes to create individual and team portraits. They posed in their favorite forms and I also had most of them doing jumps, kicks, and punches to create some cool action shots.

Here are a few of my favorite images from the session, including a number of the custom products that I created for them. Magazine Covers, Trader Cards, 2012 Calendars, and Fridge Magnets are just a few of the products available to the team.

Image Featured on SmartBride and MSN.ca

The image above was featured today in an article over at the SmartBride Boutique website about wedding dress “Trash the Dress” photography sessions.

(You should go there now to vote for your favorite image!)

“Check out our new round of Trash the Dress photos on MSN.ca. From digging graves to crazy food fights, these brides opted to have some serious fun with what will likely be the most expensive dress they’ll ever wear.”

The image was also included in a companion article in the Lifestyle section over at MSN Canada.

“With all the engagements over the holiday season, and more coming with Valentine’s Day, we’re showcasing some brides who decided that great photos and an afternoon of laughs was worth ruining the most expensive dress they’d likely ever wear!”

SmartBrideBoutique.com: Trash the Dress Photos: Vote for your Favorite
MSN CA: How’d She Get Up There?! – 11 Amazing ‘Trash the Dress’ Photos

The Story Behind the Image

You may remember this image (or you should because I show it off all the time!) from a Wedding Dress “Trash the Dress” photography session that I did with my friends Lauren and Eddy a couple of years ago. To make a long story short, we hiked to the top of Cirque Peak in the Canadian Rocky Mountains for a photoshoot. The hike is a 16km round trip to the top of a 10,000 foot peak, and it is extremely difficult! Eddy and I carried lots of photography gear and Lauren carried her wedding dress in her backpack. She changed at the top of the mountain and we had a fantastic photoshoot.

If you want to see more pictures and some video from the trip here a couple of links you might like to follow:

Original ‘Trash the Dress at 10,000 Feet’ Blog Post
Slideshow and Behind the Scenes Video

Free Desktop Wallpaper

As a little bonus for my friends and followers every month I provide a free image for use as your desktop background wallpaper on your computer. Each beautiful photo is a picture that I have created and it always includes a calendar overlay for the month. I know that I’m always looking for a calendar and having one on my desktop is very convenient!

This months wallpaper image is from a recent trip to Winfield, BC (about halfway between Vernon and Kelowna) to visit my parents. There is a beautiful park near there home that we often take the kids for a walk and to play at the playground. It had snowed the night before and I saw this maple leaf perched up perfectly on top of the fresh blanket of snow. I love the strong contrast of the red leaf against the bright white snow. Enjoy!

Download

To install the image as your desktop background, simply click on the link below that corresponds to the file resolution you would like to use. When the larger image appears in your browser window right-click on the picture and select “Set as Desktop Background…”.

For some browsers (Google Chrome for sure) you may have to choose “Save As…” to copy the image to your desktop first. You can then right-click on the file on your desktop and choose “Set as Desktop Background…”.

I’m experimenting again this month and have provided a much wider variety of wallpaper sizes. Please let me know how these work for you??

Desktop:
800×600 | 1024×768 | 1280×720 | 1280×800 | 1400×1050 | 1440×900
1600×1200 | 1920×1080 | 1920×1200 | 2560×1440 | 2560×1600 | 3360×1050

Tablet (Apple iPad, Blackberry Playbook, Samsung Galaxy Tab):
Horizontal | Vertical

Apple iPhone 2, 3, or 3Gs:
Horizontal | Vertical

Apple iPhone 4 or 4s, and most Android Phones:
Horizontal | Vertical

Enter to Win a Free Portrait Session

NOTE – If you don’t see a contest entry box below this paragraph, you are likely reading this in your RSS Feed or email. You need to come directly to the Riverwood Photography Website to enter. If you are on the website and you still don’t see the entry box it just means that too many are trying to enter at the same time. Just check back in a few hours – the contest runs until February 29th.

Entering is easy!

1. Just sign up, in the entry box, with your email address and join the contest. This is the only step you need to do to qualify. Double check that there are no typos as this is how we will contact the winner too.
2. Earn additional entries for tweeting, sharing and liking the Riverwood Photography Page on Facebook. Just follow the steps in the box to earn more chances!
3. Continue to spread the word for the duration of the giveaway, on social networking sites, forums and your Blog because you’ll receive one entry for every person who clicks on the links you’ve shared,and five entries if they join the giveaway. The bit.ly link shown is unique to you. Save it for the full month and use it whenever you want to increase your chances.

By entering via email, you agree that Riverwood Photography may use this email address to contact you in the future through our mailing list, AND hopefully to say “You’re the Winner!” But don’t worry, we’re anti-spam and won’t share your address with anyone else.

It’s that easy! This giveaway ends February 29th and the winner will be announced on March 1st on the Riverwood Photography website.

Contest Details

• The prize includes a Free Lifestyle Portrait Session including a small print package with (1) 8×10, (2) 5×7′s, and (8) Wallets. Also includes a free BONUS Framed 8×10 Print.
• There is no obligation to purchase anything else, but retouched images will be available in an online gallery for your review and purchase within 7 days of your session.
• The session may be done anywhere in Calgary. You can choose a location, or I can suggest a few great options.
• The winner will be asked to sign a model release and watermarked images from the session will be posted on the Riverwood Photography Page on Facebook and on the Riverwood Photography Website. You will be welcome to share these images with your friends or use them for your profile picture.

Important Dates

• Contest opens at 12:01 AM on January 20, 2012 and closes at 11:59 PM on February 29th, 2012, Mountain Standard Time.
• Portrait sessions must be booked by April 31st, 2012 and must be used by July 1, 2012.

P.S.

Do you want to stay informed of our new promotions? Please sign up for the Riverwood Photography News mailing list. Newsletters will go out approximately once a month.

Custom Facebook Timeline Cover Images

I’m starting to roll out some new templates for my portrait photography clients to use on Facebook as their Cover Image for the new Timeline feature. If you don’t know what that is, you can find some information about Facebook Timeline (and turn it on) at the following link:

Introducing Facebook Timeline

Facebook Timeline is currently optional, but very soon everyone will be converted over and will have to use it.

One of the really nice features about Facebook Timeline is that it features one very large header image at the top of everyone’s profile. This can be any old picture, or you can use a custom designed cover image featuring multiple images and text that you want to display. I have a number of Facebook Timeline Cover Image templates already available (see the gallery below) and I will gradually be rolling out more and more over time.

Custom Cover Images can also be created using your favorite pictures from any past portrait session and using almost any of my custom greeting card templates as a starting point. So if you don’t see exactly what you want in the template gallery then feel free to have a look through the greeting card templates. They can all be easily modified, so feel free to ask!

Availability

Facebook Timeline Cover Images are now available in the Client Area for ordering. Note that these are custom products (rather than direct downloads) and they generally take a couple of days to prepare. The ordering process is simple… Choose your template, add your preferred text, select your favorite photographs from your previous portrait session, and submit your order. I will prepare your custom Facebook Timeline Cover Image and send it to you via email. Easy peasy!

Special Offer – FREE Facebook Timeline Cover Image

Here is a limited time special offer for all of my past Calgary Portrait Photography clients; I would love to see my images on your Facebook Timeline, so please send me an email by January 31st at 11:59 PM with the subject “FREE Facebook Timeline Cover Image“. I will create a coupon for you and reactivate your old gallery so you can select your images.

Note that free products will include the Riverwood Photography logo and/or my contact information.

Sample Image Gallery

Here are a few sample images using the templates I currently have ready for use. Facebook Timeline Cover Images can be created using almost any of my custom greeting card templates, and all of these templates can be easily modified. So if you don’t see exactly what you want here, please feel free to ask.

I prepared the above video as part of a presentation that I did last week for some of the other local small businesses that I work with and I wanted to share it here as well. It is an animated slideshow that shows off some of my favorite photography from the last year. I did so many photography sessions all over Calgary last year and it was really hard to narrow it down to just a few images.

I’m close to the end of my second full year as a full-time professional photographer and looking back at all the things I’ve done and the people I’ve met is nothing short of amazing. I love the work that I do and I’m so glad that I took the opportunity that life presented me with and ran with it. Thanks to all of you for supporting me and my business!

I know I’m not really supposed to quote myself, but this is how I said it last year when I did my first “Year in Pictures” video, and I think it says it all perfectly:

“Thank you to all of my clients and friends for allowing me to come into your lives, to participate and to observe. I will cherish every memory, and I look forward to working with all of you again soon!”

For more information about the types of photography that I do in the Calgary area, please use the following portfolio links:

• Lifestyle Portrait Photography
  
• Studio Portrait Photography
  
• Maternity & Baby’s First Year
  
• Pet Photography
  
• Wedding & Engagement Photography
  
• Headshots & Business Portraits
  
• Commercial Photography
  
• Sports Photography

Meet Chris and Debbie. They are the Fosters. Although they don’t actually work together they both needed new business headshots and they scheduled an appointment where they could both come into my studio to have them done at the same time. They plan to use their new headshots on their company websites as well as on their social media accounts.

If you need a new professional business headshot in the Calgary area you can learn all about the process and the types of portrait sessions available, and see some portfolio images over at my dedicated Calgary Headshots website. Note that I take clients at my home studio or I can meet you at a location of your choice. On-location shoots can be done using surrounding environment, or I can bring a complete portable studio to setup in your home or office.

This is a Business Portrait I created for Denise Neilson from the Simon D. Hunt Realty Group in Calgary. Denise came in for a headshot sessionrecently with a couple of other members of her team. She was never completely satisfied with the image we created that day, so I invited her to come back into the studio for a retake. I’m not happy until my clients are completely happy!

The rink is ready, the players are ready, all the equipment is out. But where’s winter??

I just wanted to say a quick thanks to all of the friends, family, clients (new and old), business associates, suppliers, partners, and anyone else that has done anything to support my business in only its second year of operation. It has truly been a fun and wild ride and I am so glad that you came along with me to enjoy it!

Business really took off this year and I owe it to all of you for your help, your support, and your trust in me. I am so thankful for everything that you have all done for me and I’m really looking forward to the coming year. It looks like the economy is only getting stronger in Calgary and I’m sure that it’s going to be another great year to be a Portrait Photographer in our great city, and I’m excited to see all new challenges that come my way!

Happy New Year!