Recently, my friend Becky hosted a Girls Night Out party with our studio. We had a wonderful time with lot's of laughs! Here are a couple of portraits of the beautiful ladies attending the party!
As most of you who read my blog and know me personally, we had our Thanksgiving last Saturday. The day we celebrate doesn't matter so much to us as being with our friends and family does. We do this so that the kids dad, who has a ton of family to visit on Thanksgiving, isn't trying to shove it all in a few hours. Being able to compromise is important to us also, especially since we need to share the kids.
Anyways, some things I'm thankful for this year:
*4 happy, healthy children
*1 happy, healthy marriage
*lots of happy, healthy family
*lots of happy, healthy friends
*a good relationship with my ex and his wonderful wife
*having a career that allows me to spend time with my family
*also having a career that allows me to make others happy by capturing those memories that are so important to them
*having a roof over our heads
*food in our bellies
*a job that allows us to have these things
*a good, spiritual foundation that allows me to be confident in myself
*love
My fondest wish is that you who read my blog are surrounded by these things as well. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Saturday was the Galax Conservatory of Dance and Theatre's breakfast benefitting the Conservatory's production of The Nutcracker! In attendance was Santa, the Sugar Plum Fairy, Clara and her Prince, and many more characters from this amazing ballet! We encourage you to come and see the production! For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Conservatory's website or call 276-236-2105.
Do you know someone who is getting married, but can't afford to have those precious memories captured? Maybe they have been hit by a layoff and are having to scrape their wedding together. There are a hundred reasons we don't always get the wedding of our dreams, but we settle for the I do's that we can manage.
We are giving away 1 Basic Wedding Coverage Package (up to 5 hours of wedding day coverage and images on CD) to a person who otherwise would not be able to afford to have their wedding memories safely captured. Interested? All you have to do is send me an email telling me who you are nominating and why (thompsons_photography@yahoo.com). Include your name and phone number in your email as well as the person you are nominating.
The last day for entries is December 20, 2008. This will give us time to decide on our winner and let them know for a fantastic Christmas gift! So hurry, get your nomination in today!
Today was Juliana's wedding! So... here are some of our favorites from her bridal session at Cumberland Knob on the Blue Ridge Parkway! She is such a stunning woman and was such an easy person to work with! She wasn't afraid to do anything! 
I was cleaning my cameras today and when I went to load them back up, my kitten, Spots, had decided she didn't want to give up her spot!
This is normally not the forum I would use to talk about this, but I feel I have to. I spent much time before the election doing research all the cadidates, and on that, based my decision on who was getting my vote. Well, the man I chose didn't get elected. Shoot, he didn't even get second place. Anyways, I voted Independent, well Constitution actually.
Anyways, after President-elect Obama appointed his new Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, I did more research and found something VERY disturbing! His Plan.
Emanuel's plan is about "asking" our children to be part of a national service, by spending 3 months of basic training in civil defense and community service. While this may be wonderful if he was actually asking our children to do this, he isn't. It will be mandatory for those between the ages of 18-25. Emmanuel calls for “a real Patriot Act that brings out the patriot in all of us by establishing, for the first time, an ethic of universal citizen service. All young Americans should be asked to serve their country by going through three months of basic civil defense training and community service… Universal citizen service will bring Americans of every background together to make America safer and more united in common purpose.”
Personally, this sounds like socialism rather than democracy. How can it be asking if it is mandatory? And what happens to those who don't do what they are asked? Will they be charged with a crime? Can anyone say draft?
What was our new president thinking?
Well, the old website is officially down! Check back for updates on everything!
Wow! I was so worried that since we were doing them on location that they wouldn't turn out very well. The weather was beautiful, the sky was blue, and Juliana was stunning! Of course the wedding isn't for 2 more weeks. Sooo... you'll have to wait a couple weeks to see them. And I can't wait to show you!
I just wanted to congratulate my son's football team, the Grayson County Blue, on a fantastic 2008 football season! Chase is number 54, can't miss him there in the middle! I would also like to congratulate all the rest of the recreation department teams from Fries, Galax, and Carroll County who all played fair games and displayed good sportsmanship throughout this season! All of you played some awesome games and all of us are very proud of you!
I had the good fortune to shoot another CD cover for local bluegrass duet, Bill and Maggie Anderson. I got to shoot the cover for their last CD, Going Home To The Fold, and let me tell you, they are wonderful! Bill and Maggie create custom guitars, resonator guitars, and straps, as well as teaching lessons and workshops! Thank you both so much for trusting me with something so important to you! 
Hey all! Wow, look outside at those colors! Now is the perfect time to schedule your fall portrait session! I'm free this week, except for the first part of Saturday, for outdoor portraits! Call me at 276-233-4797 to schedule yours now!
Oh, if you have sent me an email in the last 2 weeks and didn't get a reply, post a comment on here and shoot me another email, firey_cowgirl@yahoo.com, as some emails have been going to my bulk!
Angie
We are very fortunate to be offering portraits at Steiff on the Mountain Teddy Bear Festival at the Galax Recreation Center this weekend! With an amazing background provided Bearly a Memory, these will be keepsakes your family will love!
Also, see the 2008 Steiff Product Line, Meet Claire Steiff Meisel, granddaughter of Richard Steiff. Antique & Vintage Steiff dealers from around the globe. Teddy Bear & Animal Artists. John Lamb-Teddy bear Mystery writer with his new book. Good Bears of the World-Auction & Steiff Charity Raffle. Display of Rare & Unique Vintage Steiff items from private collectors, Steiff Videos, Gifts & door prizes, Steiff 125 Karat Bear, SPECIAL EVENT BEARS AVAILABLE. Friday night reception & Saturday night dinner with live music by No Speed Limit. (Reservations required for both evenings)
Portrait Packages:
A $20 - 2 5x7's, 8 wallets
B $40 - 1 8x10, 2 5x7, 16 wallets
C $75 - 2 8x10, 2 5x7, 4 3x5, 24 wallets
D $100 - 1 11x14, 2 8x10, 4 5x7, 4 3x5, 24 wallets
Hours for Steiff on the Mountain:
Saturday, October 11, 2008 (9:00 AM-4:00 PM)
Sunday, October 12, 2008 (11:00 PM-3:00 PM)
Admission Fee: $3.00
Since I'm not doing much this time of year, I thought I would do some research into something not many people think about... games for your wedding reception. I found some cute ideas to involve the bride and groom or your guests.
The Anniversary Dance - Well, not really a game, this is a neat little dance that the DJ announces before hand. All married couples come onto the dance floor for a slow dance. The DJ starts of by asking anyone married less than 24 hours, please leave the floor. Well who gets to leave first? You guessed it, the bride and groom. Then a few months, then a year, then a few year, then a decade, then 15 years, and so on till the last remaining couple is on the dance floor, usually the great grandparents of the bride or groom. And their names are announced, congratulating them on a long marriage and a well wish to the bride and groom for a marriage as happy as these two.
When is Your Birthday? - Don't know what to do with those centerpieces you paid a fortune for? Have your DJ announce the person with the birthday closest to the bride or groom's birthday at each table gets to take it home!
Bride or Groom? - This game is played by the wedding party, with the women forming one team and the men forming another. Each receives two signs, one with "BRIDE" and one with "GROOM" written on them. Ensure the signs are large enough for your guests to see clearly.
Have a list of "who" questions such as, "Who do you think will snore the loudest?" or "Who is he neatest?" or "Who will hog the bed?" The entire wedding party raises the applicable sign in answer to the question. Imagine the varying answers you may get! Choose modest questions that will not embarrass the newly married couple too much in front of close family, co-workers, and young children (especially if they are relatively private people). You know them best!
Can't Touch This - Inspired by the classic children's game of musical chairs, this wedding game requires guests with quick hands and a rhythm for juggling! You will need to create small bags of candy using cellophane and ribbon (or any other trinket) and an energetic song to mimic the up-tempo pace of this game (our title may give hints to a possible song choice).
Have all the participating guests stand in a circle. The objective: at the sound of the music, guests will have to quickly pass the candy around the circle. When the music stops, everyone stops moving. The person with the candy is eliminated and returns to their seat. Let him/her keep the candy as a sweet token for playing the game. This continues and the last person left receives a prize!
Marriage Advice 101 - This is a great game to play at a small wedding reception with close friends and family. Raise the laughometer with this simple yet fun game of "Marriage Advice 101". Provide guests at each reception table with index cards and pens. Their task: to come up with the best marriage advice they can give for the newlyweds. Read out some of the highlights during the night. Award gifts for "The funniest advice given", "The best advice given", and any other category you can think of.
The Guessing Game - This game is fun for the guests as they get insight into how the bride and groom think of each other. The bride and groom sit back to back with one of each others shoes. The DJ or friend of the family asks a question, like "Who does the housework" or "Who wears the pants in the household" and the bride and groom raise the shoe of the person they think does this.
Due to the cancellation of our current website, my studio email is down temporarily. If you need to contact me, please feel free to use my personal email, firey_cowgirl@yahoo.com.
Saturday, we had the pleasure of shooting the wedding of Eric and Karen. This down to earth couple had a simple, yet elegant ceremony in Independence, attended by friends and family. After finishing the wedding party's formals, we went to the reception and did all the important stuff, then I ran off with the bride and groom to get some more formals of just the two of them. I love the ceremony shot with the groomsman having the lapse in protocol (I had to laugh at him)!
It's kind of become a little thing for me to occasionally post tips that I think are helpful. I found out one at Karen and Eric's wedding yesterday.
*Let the person who is making your cake know, see, or have your cake topper. That way there isn't a problem with it when they put it on the cake before your wedding.
There was a little glitch yesterday when the cake topper, a beautiful glass heart etched with the bride and groom's names, just would not sit up straight! It kept wanting to fall over. Well, the problem was remedied, but... to avoid this, make sure the person who makes your cake knows what kind of topper it is.
Problem solved!
Just a note to let everyone know our studio website will be closing. This will be in preparation for the launch of our new website in November. Also, our wedding packages will be changing at the launch of our new site. Anyone currently under contract or who signs a contract by the end of October will not be affected by this change. However, if you have not contracted, or you need to send me your contract, please do so. Your package and price will remain the same. Here is a list of our current wedding packages:
Basic Package... $500
*Wedding coverage begins 2 hours prior to ceremony, covering bridal preparations, ceremony, formals, and reception
*1 15 page 5x5 album holding 30 images or 100 4x6 images of your choice
Deluxe Package... $750
*Engagement or Bridal session is included, a tri-fold folio with 8 4x5 prints and a color or BW imagefor your newspaper announcement and 1 11x14 enlargement
*Complete wedding coverage beginning 3 hours prior
*1 10 page 8x10 album holding up to 50 images or 200 4x6 image of your choice
Premiere Package... $1200
*Engagement sitting in our studio is included, a tri-fold folio with 8 4x5 prints and a color or BW imagefor your announcement in the newspaper and 1 11x14 enlargement
*Bridal sitting in our studio or on location is included, a tri-fold folio with 8 4x5 prints and 1 11x14 enlargement
*Complete wedding coverage beginning when you do
*1 DVD slideshow of your wedding portraits playable on your computer and DVD player
*1 15 page digital montage wedding album in black or chocolate
Elite Package... $1750
*Engagement and Bridal sittings in studio or on location, tri-fold folio with 8 4x5's of both sittingsand your favorite image for your newspaper announcement
*1 16x20 signature board for reception
*2 11x14 enlargements*Complete wedding coverage beginning when you do
*1 15 page digital montage wedding album in black or chocolate
*2 5x5 10 page parent albums in black or chocolate
*3 DVD slideshows of your wedding day images playable on your computer and DVD player
Platinum Package... $2500
*Engagement and Bridal sittings in studio or on location, tri-fold folio with 8 4x5's of both sittings and your favorite image for your newspaper announcement
*1 16x20 signature board for reception
*2 11x14 enlargements, 1 20x24 wall portrait or 1 16x20 canvas portrait
*Wedding rehearsal and dinner coverage
*Complete wedding coverage beginning when you do
*1 20 page digital montage album with a tote bag for carrying
*2 5x5 15 page parent albums in black or chocolate
*6 DVD slideshows of wedding day images*Digital negatives and copyright release
*Picture MP3 with wedding images and music
I've been tagged
Katy tagged me...
so these are the rules...
1. Post the rules on your blog (or email).
2. Write 6 random things about yourself.
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post.
4. If you are tagged, just do it, and pass the tag along.
1. I am deathly afraid of spiders. No, it's really ridiculous! I've screamed so much because of those tiny little ones that you can barely see, that my 4 year old now does the same thing!
2. My goal for 10 years after high school was to be standing in the winner's circle at the Kentucky Derby with a horse I owned.
3. As much disarray as my house is in, I know where everything is and I'm still a perfectionist.
4. Not a day goes by when I don't research something about photography. I'm obsessed, what can I say!
5. I have a ton of workout videos and I hate every one and have only used them once each! Anyone want some?
6. I can't stand the term Yankee in reference to myself! I'm not a Yankee, I'm from the west coast! We are something completely different! GRRRR!
Now to tag 6 people:
Quinn Newton
Melinda
Kelly Hamm
Corey
Heather Pritchard
Misty
Anyone else who thinks it will be fun!
Last weekend was the wedding of Diana and Michael. Through mishaps with the wedding dress and a overly friendly lizard, and the wedding cake, these little trials didn't ruin the beautiful wedding of this wonderful young couple! We went to Cumberland Knob for the formals and back to the reception hall for a fun time! Congratulations Diana and Michael!
I'm also looking for families with expectant mothers and newborn babies to have casual portraits taken in their home!
Again:
*free session
*discounts on prints ordered
*free CD to share with family and friends!
I am currently looking for:
*fun, funky couples willing to try something new and have fun
*former brides, preferably within the last 5 years, willing to trash their dress (are you serious? Oh yeah!)
I'm in the process of creating our new website and need some new portraits to showcase! I have some new work, but need some more! Here is what you get:
*complimentary portrait session
*discount on images purchased
*CD of images to show friends and family
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, email me at angie@thompsonsportraitphotography.com
Okay, so I announced our closing for the end of the year. Well, it hit us alot sooner than we had anticipated. We are officially without a studio.
BUT... I am working from home right now! So have no fear! I am still doing everything that needs to be done, only from home. I am still taking portrait sessions, but I'm only doing location shoots right now. I will be posting some of my work on these location shoots very soon! I've had a couple of shoots that I've done, but I'm waiting for my new website to be up and running before I go crazy showing everyone what I've been up to right now! So if you will all please bear with me... I really think you're going to love it!
Oh!!! One more thing. If you need to get ahold of me, my studio line will be out of order for a couple of weeks! Drop me an email at angie@thompsonsportraitphotography.com and I will get back to you!
Of all the days to make this post, I feel I have to. I've apparently offended some former military with the portraits I took a few months ago of my daughter with the American Flag. To those who I have offended, I am very sorry. The photographer who made it clear to me that I used it as a cheap prop made me see the error of my ways. I will say to him and anyone else though, that it was never my intention to do this and I suggest to this person that while you made these comments to me, you need to go after every other person who has burned a flag, used one as a diaper (Larry Flynt), or so disrespected our flag! To other photographers thinking to use it as a prop, please do not. I know I'm sounding a bit petty, but this persons comments so enraged me, that it took me a half hour to type a reply to him. I come from a military family on both my mom and dad, as well as my biological father's, sides. I have had members in every branch of the military and I fully support our troups! While I completely despise our government for allowing this false war to continue after all these years, I do honor and care for our service men and women! Noone can say I don't. I will not take down the portraits of my daughter, not because of my political views, but because I love my daughter and she had such a good time taking these! And, as I told the photographer/combat vet, I don't make it a habit of using the flag this way. This was a sitting I've done once. And one I will never do again. So to all I have offended by my thoughtless and "self serving" actions, I am very sorry.
Due to the failing economy in our area, and the increase in competition, we have decided to close our studio on West Grayson in January of 2009. I know this is going to be a suprise to alot of my loyal customers.
However... due to the fact that most of our photography is engagement, bridal, and weddings, this is going to be our focus. Our decision was based on how much location time versus actual studio time. Hence our decision to close our studio.
To our dear brides, have no fear! We are still shooting engagement, bridal, and weddings! Our new changes are going to allow us to offer much more to our contemporary brides and grooms than before! And to our former brides, keep sending those referrals our way! For every person who signs with us that you referred, you are going to get a great gift!
To our loyal customers who have kept us going and been our backbone for so long, I haven't forgotten about you. I'm working on something that I think you will love! I'm going to continue to do portrait photography, but I'm going to change the focus into location photography! This is going to make your portraits more personal!
So everyone, check back towards the end of the year when we will be announcing all of the new changes we are making! I really think everyone is going to love what we are doing!
Friday night was Groovin' on Grayson here in downtown Galax! If you haven't been to this fun event, it's a street party held the last Friday of the month on West Grayson St. With live music, great food, and lot's of entertainment, it's a fun and safe way to spend an evening with family and friends! Thompson's was lucky to be able to provide pictures for those wanting a small momento of the evening! And with the proceeds going to Groovin', we couldn't have had a better time! Here are some of the Groovin' volunteers! For more information on Groovin' on Grayson, check out the website here!
We've had such a busy time with the seniors the last 2 weeks, and this young man was another fun one! As a drummer in the Carroll County band, Ray wanted to get a few shots in his letterman's jacket and some in his band uniform. Then we went for some fun shots in the water! Hope you like them as much as we did!
I've been very neglectful of my blogs over the last 2 weeks, with the exception of my little rants on my crazy life blog. But between getting strep throat, the weddings, senior shoots, and some changes going on (I've let only a few people know about those), things have been crazy! But, I promise, I'll have some more stuff up starting tomorrow! I've got a wedding and several shoots to post! So, bear with me... I'm getting it all together!
As for those changes, well, you really need to check back on those. Oh, to all my current and future brides... ignore the closing thing. I'll post more on that later too! If you have questions about it, email me! I'll explain things in more detail!
This article was posted on the Yahoo! homepage. I have to completely agree with it! As a wedding photographer, I see so many of these! Find the original article here.
1. White Is Not Right! It seems obvious and yet so many guests seem to forget. Material that is mostly white with a small pattern is a no. White suits are a no. If there's a question...no. White garb is meant for one person only and that's the bride! Always. End of story.
2. Skip the Shorts Shorts at a wedding? It's just wrong; even if you dress them up with a blazer or a pair of sexy heels. Guys, no matter how preppy you make 'em, and, girls, no matter how stylish Charlize Theron looks in them, shorts just won't do at this affair.
3. Keep it Classy Up-to-there miniskirts, shirts with more buttons undone than not, and bustier tops are best left for a night out with the girls (or that person you really want to wow). We know you're sexy, you know you're sexy, but a wedding isn't the place to show off. Play down the sassy and play up the classy.
4. Coattails Don't Cut It If it's a black tie wedding, men are going to be renting a tux or digging one out of storage, so tap into your inner James Bond. But keep it in check -- a classic or modern-cut style is the best bet. Stay away from extra frills like tails, ruffles, loud colors, or satins which are inappropriate and overly fancy. Even if you plan to be the funny man in a powder blue '70s number, refrain. All attention should be on the groom (and his tricked-out honey, of course). Edit from Angie - And I'm posting this website for those who need an inexpensive tuxedo. Check out myowntuxedo.com
5. All That Glitters Is Not Gold Stay away from anything lamé, sequined, shiny, or glittery. It's distracting (both in person and in those precious keepsake photos). Again, the newlyweds are the star attraction, so resist the urge to be a "shining star."
6. Lose The Leather Leather rocks (where would our shoe collection be without it?!) but it's not the best choice for anything above the ankle on a day of "holy matrimony." Leather jackets and skirts are probably too casual, and leather pants are just too flashy. Even if the bride and groom are hip enough to roll with it, opt for something more sophisticated.
7. Mad Hatters Whether you wear a baseball cap to show your allegiance to the A's, disguise thinning hair, or hide a bad hair day, a wedding (even the most casual summer ceremony) is the last place to don one. Go hatless and hit a home run!
8. Give The Wild West A Rest Bandanas, cowboy boots, and ten-gallon hats all make it onto the list of what not to wear. Unless the betrothed couple has planned a themed bash and requests that guests get decked out in ranch gear, save these goodies for another day, pard'ner.
9. Dress to the Nines Don't be too cool to don your finest fixings. Honor the couple's union by leaving your jeans at home -- even the really nice ones! Unless the invitation mentions a beach barbecue or luau, forego the casual fare and plan on turning it up. It's a wedding after all!
And I'm adding a number 10 to the list, a huge mistake I see alot at weddings:
10. A Tshirt? Leave the Tshirt and blue jeans at home. You're going to a wedding, not playing in the front yard!
Over the weekend, we shot Seth's senior portraits. We followed him to the horse farm where he works for some shots that really said who he was: one of the good ole boys!
Evan is one of those great kids with one great passion. Music! He knew exactly what he wanted his portraits to convey, his love of music! As with most young men, they're not very crazy about having portraits taken, so we were brief, but he loved them, which made mom and me very happy!
Everyone has a guest book that is signed when you walk into the church, right? But what happens to that guest book after your big day? It gets tucked away into a box along with the fancy pen and cake topper, or, if it's lucky, into a curio cabinet to gather dust. How about something fun that can be on your wall for everyone to see long after the vows have been spoken? Our signature boards are a great addition to the items used on one of the most special days of your life! Printed on high quality photo paper and backed with artboard for protection, your guests and friends will be able to write a personal message that is sure to be treasured (and viewed) for years! Our signature boards come in 11x14, 16x20 (our standard size), or 20x24. We can completely customize your board depending on the number of images you want! For more information on our signature boards or our wedding packages, email us at angie@thompsonsportraitphotography.com
It's still not too late to have your senior portraits taken at Thompson's! Prepay your sitting fee a week or more in advance and recieve 24 free wallets! That's a $75 value! And since we only photograph 1 senior a day, you need to schedule quickly! The day you need might get taken by someone else!
Friday, we had the honor of photographing the wedding of Josh & Karla. At Elizabeth Brown Memorial Park in Wytheville, they proclaimed their love in front of family and friends in a casual and elegant ceremony! Driving off from the ceremony in a Virginia Tech golf and arriving later to Enter Sandman by Metallica (loved it!), everyone partied the night away! Here are some of my favorite images from their day! OH! Like the bride's hoodie? I know I did! It's part of Victoria's Secret Bridal Collection!
