Envision Photography

Jeremy & Molly

2010-05-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about the new blog! Its still a work in process, but its coming along.

Anyways, I accidentally posted the "rough" draft of the following music slideshow on here last month. So I decided I would put the finished version on here too.

Jeremy and Molly make a wonderful couple. They truly are forever friends. I could tell that in just the way they make each other laugh. They are planning a July wedding. Enjoy!

New Info

2010-05-11T19:03:00.000-07:00

Soon, very soon...this blog will no longer exist. As I am getting ready to launch a new website, I'm thinking of creating my own blog so this one won't be needed. I'm still trying to figure out a few things, like how to import past blog posts to another site.

If you'd like to keep up with our family, my personal blog is: Mama Rich's Journal.

If you have a personal website or blog, let me know by leaving a link in your comment.

I look forward to keeping up with you! Have a wonderfully smiley day! :)

The ART of photography

2010-04-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

Those who truly enjoy and participate in photography know that it is not a quick, overnight miracle and then you're instantly great at it.

It takes years of learning, education, and experience...and then continued years of learning and experience. Of course there is talent and equipment involved too.

So, the big question in the photography world is: what defines the difference between a picture and a piece of art? or whats the difference between picture-taking and photography?

Its funny when you discuss a client's images with them, and they single out an image that you just passed by.

Thats because in this digital age and media saturated environment, images are becoming more about who or what people value...and less about quality.

This kind of makes me think of the "Wal-mart" and "Target" example. Sure, lots of people will buy groceries or home supplies from Wal-mart because of the low price. But those same people who save money by shopping at Wal-mart, will choose to spend a little more on buying apparel and accessories at Target because of the difference in quality.

There certainly are defined differences in quality.

Don't be fooled. Its not just about the quality of photographic images. This includes: presentation, timeliness, products, and customer service.

With this in mind, lets keep shooting to raise the awareness of the ART of photography; to uphold a standard; to educate and prepare the future generations; and to serve our communities with our time and talent. This quite frankly, could be the difference that people are looking for.

Happy 1st Anniversary!

2010-03-15T12:04:00.001-07:00

To our friends, Forest & Amanda!!! We hope that your first anniversary is special and is followed by many more years of celebration unto the Lord for your marriage union.

Link to a Giveaway

2010-03-11T12:55:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to Kristin Rachelle Photography. She is a newborn photographer in San Diego, CA. She is giving away two (1 boy and 1 girl) newborn hats like the ones posted on her blog.

To check out the giveaway and view her blog, CLICK HERE.

You'll have to scroll down the page and click on the most recent post titled "a contest...booooyah" to see the page with the giveaway.

A good way to begin March...

2010-03-08T09:03:00.000-08:00

March seems to have brought with it warmer weather. Last week on Thursday and Friday, the temperatures were above 40. That is jacket weather in my book. It is also the cure for cabin fever!!! We hit the playground both days and enjoyed the warm sunshine as well as the few spots of snow still left. It was refreshing! If you can't tell, Anna and Micaiah love to swing!

As for photography stuff, we are diligently working on the new flash website. We have had to go back and tweek and change some things so it is taking a little longer than expected. I am so proud of Brian for taking on this project. It has been such a fun experience to learn new things and work together as a team to get it done. But it also showed us how different our styles of design are.

I'm really excited to have been chosen as a volunteer photographer for the city of Prairie Village. I'll be coordinating with another photographer to provide coverage of events, activities, and local facilities throughout the year. It will be a great experience! I am continuing to look forward to all the great things this year will hold.

As for March madness, my favorite thing about March is....Shamrock shakes! :)

2010-03-01T14:40:00.000-08:00

The beauty of simplicity. Three in One. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Glory!

How bright a light that all three give off when they are together!!!

Video: 4 year old Mama!

2010-02-19T20:53:00.001-08:00

In celebration of Anna's fourth birthday, we videotaped her doing one of her favorite things: playing with her baby alive doll. She is so sweet and so silly. She is a very comical girl, even when she isn't trying to be funny. It is truly a priviledge to be her mama and watch her grow. I thank the Lord for her and for the grace that she brings to my life. She had such a great time celebrating her birthday by making her birthday cake, spending time with our friends the Hardin's, and playing at Power Play. Anna is a beautiful young girl that is so precious. Happy 4th Birthday my baby girl! Enjoy!

The Dream Works Christmas Party

2010-01-29T11:44:00.000-08:00

A new year full of new things!

2010-01-29T11:22:00.000-08:00

2010...A new year full of new things! This year has already been filled with many new ideas, decisions, and of course fun! Its funny how ideas spur on making decisions and how decisions can change the course of a journey. We are thoroughly enjoying this part of our journey--photography. In fact, we are so excited for all that this new year entails for us. As we've grown, we've changed, and as we've changed, we've decided to make changes. For us, a big decision has been to change the name of our business. We have also been at work building a new brand, designing a new flash website, perfecting our niche, and learning lots all along the way. Within the coming months, we will no longer be using this blog. Maybe I'll keep it going and just post our family and personal photos/events. I know I need to get better at posting more frequently. I'm hoping that as things transition, I'll have more time to do things like this.

Thank you LORD for leading us, changing us, and giving us wisdom. You make all things new!

Review: Zenfolio (Professional Photographer Magazine Web Exclusives)

2010-01-15T12:29:00.000-08:00

Recently, I've been doing research to find a new gallery hosting site. I've enjoyed using Smugmug but there are a few options that I'm specifically interested in gaining, like adding music from my Mac to a slideshow presentation and the format and presentation of slideshows. So I was pleasantly pleased to come across this article about Zenfolio. I've heard of it before, but with some of the updates that they are releasing, I'm even more interested. You can read the article by clicking the link below:

Review: Zenfolio (Professional Photographer Magazine Web Exclusives)

I hope to make a decision by next month about which gallery hosting site to go with. If you have any suggestions or info, please feel free to share.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! :)

Rich Family Christmas card

2010-01-10T13:54:00.000-08:00

Here is our family photo Christmas card. Our warmest wishes to you and your family during this holiday season.

Baby Brandon

2009-11-13T13:04:00.000-08:00

I have never met a newborn baby who didn't like laying on their tummy after being filled with food until I met Brandon. This little boy made it clear to me that he was not going to stop crying unless I took him off of his tummy. Oh my! As soon as I rolled him over, he was as calm as could be. I guess it had to due with the lights flashing. He was mesmerized by those. After that he never hinted at getting upset again and even flashed his dimply smile! His mom was especially thankful for that because his dimples are one of her favorite things about her baby boy.

Micaiah's first birthday

2009-10-22T13:28:00.000-07:00

So, its been a long while since I've posted anything. I have to admit that I'm not really good at this blogging bit. I enjoy writing, but lately (like in the past 3 years) I just can't seem to find the time to do it. Theres a lot of changes going on in my life, the business, and even the seasons. For some odd reason, the song by the Beatles keeps coming to me, "to everything turn, turn, turn...there is a season turn, turn, turn." It is in these times of change that we find ourselves either growing or withering; floating or sinking. Right now, there are so many different areas of my life that are facing change. I know that it is only by the grace of God that keeps me afloat some days. For now, I'll leave you with this, Micaiah's first birthday portrait. It is a milestone that will soon be remembered as a memory. My love goes out to both Anna and Micaiah for enriching my life. Happy birthday little buddy!

Codi

2009-10-01T13:51:00.001-07:00

Meet Codi. She is a high school cheerleader who is considering modeling.
For these two images, I processed them using a warming photo filter, due to the intensity of light upon her pale skin tone. It really brought out her beautiful complexion. Enjoy!

Sarah

2009-09-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

Meet Sarah. She is a college student and model. We had the pleasure of meeting her and helping her build her modeling portfolio. It was a great time!

Promise rings

2009-09-18T13:29:00.000-07:00

Exploration at Ernie Miller Nature Center

2009-09-12T08:36:00.000-07:00

Here are a few images from our exploration at the Ernie Miller Nature Center in Olathe, Kansas.

Amphitheater

2009-09-12T08:32:00.000-07:00

Panorama in the evening

2009-08-10T21:17:00.000-07:00

Here is Panorama part two!

I definitely like this one but the first one still has a special place in my heart.

Enjoy!

Panorama of Kauffman Stadium

2009-08-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

This panorama is of the KC Royal's Kauffman stadium.

It is also our first Panorama which was a lot of fun to complete.

Personally, I love this photo!

Maybe because it is my first...

KC Royals

2009-08-08T07:21:00.000-07:00

Here are two more from the game.

I think the first one would be a great advertisement for Canon.

Enjoy!

KC Royals

2009-08-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

We had the oppurtunity of going to the KC Royal's hall of fame game a few weeks ago. Thanks to The Dream Works for providing the tickets. It was an awesome experience to have the seats that we did and to share in the energy of the game. The last picture is of an autographed hat which was signed by some of the Royal's hall of famers. We will never forget about the home run ball that we were 12 inches away from catching until the guys' face in front of us intercepted it. Ouch!

More at the Plaza in July

2009-08-05T21:39:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more from the Plaza. You will see from the third picture that Micaiah has chosen to fly rather than to crawl. It goes to show that faith and praise are perfected through the mouths of infants. Even at nine months he still refuses to attempt to crawl. He will only lift his arms and his legs in an attempt to allow the wind to lift him up off of the ground. Maybe we can learn something from him!!

At the Plaza in July

2009-08-05T21:25:00.000-07:00

These are pictures that were taken recently at the Plaza of Kansas City, MO. There is only one of Anna due to her preoccupation with everything around us except for the camera. She is not one for pictures anymore. You either catch her when she is being her random self or you wind up with one cheesy little smile.

City gazing

2009-04-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of Kansas City, Mo which was taken from our friends' condo. It was taken during the winter months from the top floor balcony. I really like this shot because it makes the city look clean and inviting. Pictures have the ability to immortalize the ideal while hiding the reality.

The Reprimand

2009-04-21T20:01:00.000-07:00

These are photos taken a couple of weekends ago at the Legends. Anna does a great job at demonstrating how we all are when we are captivated by something. We don't consider the consequences or what it will cost us to satisfy that captivation, we just go for it. That is why Amber has that disappointed yet empathetic look on her face when Anna realizes that she is wet and cold.

Amber in the West Bottoms

2009-03-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

Here are some more from the 'West Bottoms' of my beloved. Her beauty is a delight to capture! As the weather gets warmer you can expect to see even more from this location. Enjoy!

Anna in the West Bottoms

2009-03-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

Here are a few that we captured of our beloved daughter at my new favorite location, the 'West Bottoms'. What was once over run by gangs and violence has now become a hot spot for the avid artist. It has also awakened in me that boyish desire to explore :)

The Sketch

2009-03-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Here is a picture of our beloved daughter that we took over the weekend. The top picture is the original, obviously, and the bottom is a 'sketch' version which I learned to create via the attached link. A good friend sent the link, so I thought that I would give it a shot. Enjoy the result. Thanks JM!

http://jeff-flowers.com/how-to-turn-a-photo-into-a-sketch/

Winter fun!

2009-03-04T14:13:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of Anna playing in the snow that we got over this past weekend. This was Anna's first time playing and sledding in the snow and she absolutely loved it. We had a blast. I think that we are both looking forward to when Micaiah and Mama can join us!!!

( Watch out for those snowballs, Mama :)

Victoria 1-year old

2009-02-24T19:20:00.000-08:00

This session was a pre-birthday party for 1 year old Victoria!

The high-key lighting helped in bringing out the bright beautiful colors of her attire and the icing!

It was a lot of fun watching her enjoy her very first cupcake too.

Victoria isn't walking yet, but I'm looking forward to capturing more precious moments of this little girl as she grows up.

Anna's workout

2009-02-21T10:18:00.000-08:00

These are some pictures of Anna filming and producing her first workout video.... in her new and favorite pair of shoes, "crocs".

Beautiful Boy at 3 months

2009-02-19T19:12:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pics from a session with my two favorite boys!!!
There is so much natural beauty and wonder in the eyes of a child.
My desire was to capture that...what better way than in the arms of his Papa.
I had a hard time deciding whether I liked them in black and white or color so I thought I'd include both. Oh, and that last one...he will appreciate when he is much older!

Micaiah's first roll

2009-02-10T20:23:00.000-08:00

See it here...this is Micaiah's first roll!...Live and in color.

Yes, we caught it on camera (but don't ask us how).

It happened on January 30th, 2009.

Oh, and he is teething at three months too...so how come the doctors told us that he would be a little behind since he was a preemie?

What do doctors know anyway??? (except for you JM!) :)

Anna's 3rd Birthday

2009-02-08T19:45:00.000-08:00

Greetings everyone, here you will find the pictures that we took of Anna's third birthday weekend. We had a great time together. Anna chose which cake she wanted to have for her birthday and even helped Mama make it. She had a blast! We took her to a local park to play during the day since it was 70 degrees outside. We then took her to a local community center where she played at the indoor kid's waterpark. She is almost able to swim all by herself. She loved it and thought it was the best. Trust me, you didn't see her face. Her one present? A carseat! That's right. And she loved that too. We have discovered that its not about presents but about time. We halted the busyness and spent our time pouring our love and affection into her heart. She didn't even realize that birthdays are about presents... go figure. Where did that notion come from anyway? Don't worry though, she does have toys... It was so good for all of us to spend that quality time together. Before we know it she will be 13!

at the park

2009-02-08T15:08:00.000-08:00

at the park

2009-02-06T20:51:00.000-08:00

Today was a warm and windy day...perfect for a visit to the park. It turned into an interesting venture to try to take pictures of a young girl with a ton of energy who did not want to stop for a second while holding a little one in my arms. Nevertheless, I did not give up! I did not give in to the temptation to quit!!! I persevered and got a few really good shots.

first blog

2009-02-03T13:12:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the wonderful world of

Envision Photography Inc.

Brian & Amber!