Bridal Shows 2009

Bridal Extravaganza & Bridal Fest !

The local bridal shows are coming up in January and February. Both offer the opportunity to meet wedding vendors. Both have give-aways, and fashion shows. As you're cruising around these events try to shop with your local vendors, we appreciate your business and we have a local name we have to live up to, so you know you'll receive the best possible service.

Sometimes people will go to Dallas, Little Rock, or OKC to shop for their dresses, shoes, jewelry, or photographer. What they don't realize is that the very same dress can be found from a local shop like Always and Forever Bridal. If you shop locally you'll receive excellent service and you'll probably spend considerably less for the very same, or better, goods and services. Unless you want to be able to say you got your dress or photographer from Dallas, then be my guest and spend more. :)

Bridal Fest is Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009 at the
Fort Smith Convention Center.
There is a door fee. It runs from 1:00-4:00.

Bridal Extravaganza is Feb. 15, 2009 at the
Holiday Inn Convention Center.
There is no charge for brides.
It runs from 1:00-4:00 also.

I've booked 3 May dates just this week, so if you're interested in a specific wedding date you should make an appointment with your vendors of choice and get those deposits down before the bridal shows.

Christmas Cards

I'm not scheduling any more Christmas Portraits for cards, but thinking forward to next year, I can do Valentine cards with your wedding or engagement photos.

Next fall plan to book early for Christmas Card Portraits. Think about September - November for a portrait session to ensure you can get your Christmas photo taken, processed and back to you in time.

Christmas Portraits

Christmas portrait studio, December 7th-9th, at the Spiro Library,
to benefit the library!

There will be no sitting fee.
If you're interested in setting up an appointment,
contact Glenda at 918-962-3461.

What Makes a Great Photographer?

My opinions about really good photographers of people:

They spend time with people

I spend time with my clients. I like to know something about them
and I think that creates relaxation and the freedom to "be real".
No "deer-in-the-headlights" smiles.

They know the secret of "seeing"
"Great camera" doesn't equal "great photos". Artists know about "seeing". Seeing what is in front of you and capturing it interestingly is the most important part of photography.
A really good photo is a piece of artwork. All the training and technical skill in the world won't help if you don't have the eye for it.

They are creative, but not too trendy
I'll try almost any neat shot or photo treatment once. I'll even leave your flowers color and the make rest of you black and white, if you really want me to. (I'll have to say that I'm not crazy about leaving only the eyes colored. It's sometimes a little scary looking.)
I'm always thinking about a new angle or interesting shot. When I watch old movies I get ideas that I only hope I get to use someday.

They believe in Post-processing
I've seen comments by young ones about how they think a truly good photographer should get a good shot and NEVER really need any program to edit photos. I'm sorry, but that is just ignorance.
No woman wants to buy a photo of herself that doesn't make her look her very best. Think "maternity, aging, sunspots, yellowed teeth, forgot my lipstick"-type photos. All of us over 30 need a little help. Maybe under the eye, maybe nothing at all, but there should at least be color correction, cropping, and such going on. Capturing the photos is only half of the work.
I spend hours working on wedding photos after the big day is over.
Here's a look at my workflow after I take the photos home with me:

• Load onto the computer
• Make back-up copies
• Color correct all photos, if needed
  
• Take anything out of each photo that doesn't belong by way of cropping or editing: tape which was on the stage, makeup off groom's jacket, pimples, trash, clutter, other people....you get the idea.
• Then comes the fine editing: smiles, smoothing, fine tuning....other stuff I cant tell. ;)
• Hours and hours of burning final disks, setting up orders, album design, delivering.

Andria and Jake Got Hitched

They were married in Howe and had their reception
at the Kerr Mansion

For their first dance they did a surprise fun dance
after a few seconds of their slow dance.
It was really cute.


I hope they put it online like this couple did.

Someone please tell me if I ever get in the way of the videographer.
I don't want my posterior immortalized on film.

Kelly's Album Pages

Here's one of Kelly's 2-page spreads for her 10x10 album.

Wedding Album

Cassey and Alex's wedding album is ready to view online for anyone who is interested.

Here's a 2 page spread. I think it turned out nicely.

Petit Jean State Park

Tiffany and Michael married at Petit Jean
because that's where he proposed!



Tiffany and Michael are such a sweet pair.

I'm so glad to have met them and done their wedding photos.

What a neat place for an outdoor wedding.
How many people have a waterfall
for a background at their wedding?


I've done a few weddings in the mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma this year.

My New Car

My New Car.
I LOVE this car.

Just kidding, it's not mine, but isn't it cool?!

I've always had a thing for British cars.

I can dream, can't I?

Check out the neat-o accelerator pedal.

Do you think Santa might squeeze it down the chimney?
Oh yeah, I don't have a chimney. Rats!


Here's the other one I want.
Wonder if I have any long lost, rich uncles?
Lets' see, I'll drive the red one on Sundays and Mondays,
and the green one the rest of the week.

Choosing a Photographer Wisely

When choosing your photographer consider these things:

1. Do you want great photos, or barely passable?
Your photos will be your memories of major family events and milestones. Sure, you could probably have Uncle John, or your friend, who has a "really nice camera", take your photos and end up with something. Or you might end up frustrated and sad, like a lady I know. She ended up with NO decent wedding photos. That's right, they were ALL out of focus or too dark. EEK! I can't even imagine the disappointment.

2. Money well spent?
Count the cost carefully, but not so carefully that you get a bad deal in the long run. See #1 above.

3. Really look at the photographer's work with a discerning eye.
Are the photos really their work? Can they show you something besides what they have on the internet? Is it quality work? Are there any weird crops, or funny shadows on people's faces? Any strange color casts, such as a yellowy tinge to the whole photo?
Is their style what you like?

4. Do they have references? (Here are just a few)
If they don't have any, or don't want to show them to you, there's a problem.

5. Personality/Character?
When you talk with them, do you feel you could work well together?

6. Is this the photographer who will actually be there?
Believe it or not, big companies will send whomever is available, not necessarily the person you meet.

7. Contract?
Who needs a formal, old contract? You do, if it's your wedding we're talking about!
A good contract is fair to both parties. Read it.

Wedding in Fort Smith

Leah and Matt were married at the
First United Methodist Church in Fort Smith.

Woo-woo!

Cute flower girls practice their smiles.

Sweet Sisters

Beautiful Bride

Leah's family has all boys.
They were so adorable coming down the aisle
with their wagon, but some just wanted their mommies.

Nice Newlyweds

Senior Portraits

Senior Portraits are being taken everywhere this fall, documenting an important milestone. People can opt to buy photos through a large, impersonal company, or they can do business locally through the many, talented, individual photographers in our area.



Photographers like us work very hard to get to know and please our customers because our business depends on word of mouth. Usually we are much more affordable and flexible than "the big guys", offering budget packages and, on-location shooting, which isn't possible with the larger companies. They'll make their money this fall. Will you get your money's worth?

Savannah

David and I took a trip to Savannah.
Our first ever, extended vacation without kids.
I promised to post some cool photos from our trip.
There are so many, it's hard to choose.

Here's a cute pirate girl from The Pirate House Restaurant.

What a neat place!
A small building attached to the current Pirate House
is said to be the oldest house in Georgia, dating to 1734.

Lauren, I mean, "Captain Ginger Thrace", gave us the tour.
She's pointing out 274 years of settling.

She's an actress. You can check out her info here Lauren's Space.
Be careful if you go to the Pirate House,
she might Shanghai you or make you walk the plank. ;)



Here's Tim, the so cool pizza maker, from Vinnie Van Go Go's.


He can really toss the dough.



Here's a large one.


Check out the flour on the window.

Thanks for the great pizza, Tim!

Kelly and Brandon

Kelly and Brandon married atop Mount Magazine.


It began to rain just as we started pre-ceremony portraits outside.
Spirits were as dampened as the beautiful flower
arrangement suffered severe wind and rain damage.

Arrangements were made to move inside for the ceremony.
Chairs were moved, and change of plans discussed.
Just before ceremony was to begin,
someone's prayers were answered,
and the clouds held their peace until right after the vows.

Earlier this year Creenna and Jesse were married at the
Mount Magazine Lodge.

Motorcycle Safety Course

I shot photos for Ed Upchurch's motorcycle safety course.

Ed and Paul teach a Basic Rider Course for former or new riders, and
an Experienced Rider Course for veteran riders
to improve riding skills.



He will be getting a brand new website soon
with some of those photos.

Ed

Shawnee is receiving her MSF completion card.
Those who pass the course can show their card at
driver's testing and receive a waiver of the road test.
They still must pass a written test to receive the
motorcycle endorsement on their driver's license.

Paul

If you were in this class, you can see all of the best photos

on my real website at CharleneDay.com on the proofs page.
I'll be emailing your best photo to you, just be patient with me.

Lauren and Taylor Married!

Lauren and Taylor's wedding was in Central City near Fort Chaffee.

Taylor is a real cowboy.
Lauren is a kindergarten teacher.
They'll be making their home in Texas.

The reception was at The Oaks in Fort Smith.


Chaffee suffered from a terrible fire in January.
Here are someone's photos of the buildings.

My grandfather helped build the barracks around 1941,
my uncle brought POWs into Chaffee during WWII,
and I worked on Chaffee a few years ago.
Probably everyone in the area
has some history with the place.

Cassey and Alex

Cassey and Alex's ceremony was in Paris.

They're going to have pretty kids.

I can show some of Cassey's bridal portraits now.

Natalie and Steven

Natalie and Steven were married out in the boonies.
No really, they were.
It wasn't too difficult finding them
because there were plenty of signs
outside Sallisaw leading the way.
Plenty of God's beautiful scenery for photos too.

Silly Guys

Sleepy Boys?




Sallisaw was the home of the fictional Joad family
from "The Grapes of Wrath".
I personaly liked the movie much better than the novel.

I intend to read "The Stricklands" by Edwin Lanham.
Lanham's novel is said to describe 1930s Oklahoma
in a more detailed, more acurate account than Steinbeck's novel.

Andria and Jake

Andria and Jake are a nice couple who are
tying the knot in September.

We took engagement photos at the Runestone Park.
There's some debate on whether the runes are authentic.
I like to think so. I think it's entirely possible that those
Norsemen came down the Arkansas and Poteau Rivers.
No one living today was actually there to know
what the depth of the rivers was in 1012 AD.

More pretty silhouettes.

Heavener was originally named Choctaw City.
If you're not from the area you might think it's pronounced
"Heaven - er", with a short "e" sound,
as in the heavenly abode with an "er" on the end,
but that would be incorrect.
It's pronounced "heave - ner" with a long "e" sound,
as in "watch out I'm going to..."

Erin and Albert's Wedding

Erin and Albert had their ceremony at Robber's Cave State Park
at the lodge. It was hot, hot, hot, but a gorgeous location.
The guys looked a little melted,
but the ladies looked cool and beautiful.

If you've never participated in a dollar dance at a reception
you've missed out on a good time.
It's a fun way for each guest to spend a little time with the couple,
bless them with a little extra money for their honeymoon,
and twirl around the dance floor with them.

You can even dance with your dad.


Better than a boring, money tree any day.

I've heard of brides who decided not to have the dollar dance
and people lined up with their dollars anyway.

Sometimes the people closest to the couple give larger bills.
That's nice!