Vicki Madden Photography

Here's the deal, pickle

Conversing with the two teenagers that are at my house today, Paige and Olivia, they are giving me suggestions on how to make studio pricing clearer. Paige says that her friends are asking, "Hey your Aunt Vicki, what is this and what is what? and how do I....?" Her response? "ummm I dunno" Yes, she is still in training.

Usually in the professional photography world we don't want to slam prices right in front of your potential client. As artists, we photographers would like to think that you are choosing us because you see our vision. You get where we are coming from, you appreciate a beautiful catch light and elegant pose. That you can tell we have educated ourselves, school ourselves, honing our skills to produce a not notch quality image. I realize however, that's not always the case. Sometimes with me, price is the factor. I get that.

I just built a home last year. I acted as my own contractor. There were lots of details, lots of pricing options. I had never done any of that type of thing before. I decided to hire people I trusted, knew I could count on and were master's at their craft. It was a labor of love and now that we are finished I'm thrilled with it. However, when I was building I knew what I wanted, and then I would see what I could afford. I could see how it works the same with senior portraits. I have tried to base my session on all price ranges.

So upon the request of my beautiful niece Paige Michelle, let me take you through the step by step of how to book with our studio.

FIRST!

Okay well first lets look at Paige.

Hair and Make Up by Crystal Edwards

Isn't she beautiful? As her Aunt I have to say that but you can go ahead and say it too. It's true.

 

Okay back to pricing. So here we go.

Step one. Decide which session you want to book.

Our two most popular are Master's Choice and Senior Experience. Don't be shocked the pricing of the Day With You,  and Master's Choice, read the fine print. With those two sessions you receive digital negatives AND a proofbook with all your edited images. 

About 8 to 10 days after your session I will upload your proofs to my web site. You then have 14 days to place your order on-line. Sometimes you need help ordering. It's a lot to decide! I get it! So that's when you come to my house, we sit at the table with a glass of sweet tea and cookies and we order.

Here are a few examples of collections you can purchase. Now if you need to mix and match something, and work on a custom collection for you that's okay too. I do this all the time. Sometimes you need more wallets than 8x10's or you need a 16x20 but only 2 8x10's. I get it. I smell what your steppin in. I get where your coming from. I'm here to help!

Simple as that. Don't be overwhelmed, we can do this together. After your order is placed it takes anywhere from 8 to 14 days for the order to arrive, be packaged and ready to go.

Then around April, you call me up and say you are ready for those Graduation Invites, we design some cool stuff together and then print them up.

So that's it in a nutshell. First select the session you want, second proof, third order.

One more look at Paige before we go....

Hubba hubba

 

So when your ready to book your session, give me a shout!

 

Take fun pictures of fireworks

REPOSTING

Taking pictures of fireworks is one of my favorite things to do. I shoot it just for me, nobody else. I get creative, relax and just have fun with it.

I've had several people ask me about pictures with fireworks. I'm not going to pretend to know everything about my camera. What I do know, I'm more than happy to share, but I have so much more to learn! If truth be told, most of what I know today has come from trial and error. Luck is luck, but luck turns to skill when you get lucky and then can reproduce that same luck again later.

It's best to use a tripod with any of these techniques. Any movement of your camera while your shutter is open will result in blurry images.

We like to use these firecrackers called strobes. They rapidly flash off light. It has the same effect on creating an image that a flash would have. A flash freezes the action, so a strobe firecracker, every time it flashes, freezes the action as well.

What's fun is talking your family into running around the strobe. Even better when you instruct them to "dance like Indians" and even BETTER when your in town in the FRONT yard! (Town was Vera, but still it's TOWN! Someone could drive by. Maybe.)

Now doesn't that look like fun? The trick is to get them to run around at just the right pace so you can catch their movement, but not so slow that your leaving the shutter open for too long and have a too bright image. (Investigate here) I don't remember if I had a tripod for this shot or not. I'd have to say no because of where I was. Since the strobe is acting like a flash firing rapidly,  your subject can still have a little blurriness to them and the image will turn out okay. However with night fireworks a shake of the hand would show.

Here are the settings on my camera for this shot.

Shutter Speed:            .25 sec (1/4)

Aperture:                     f/1.8

Focal Length:                50 mm

ISO Speed                    320

Looking back on these settings I am surprised to see my Aperture (f-stop) so low. That's a lot of light to let in! I was struggling with being over exposed and this would be why.

Now for night time fireworks.

This shot was taken at the Vera fireworks. (The great town of Vera mentioned again!? What? You don't know where Vera is? Please you are missing out!) I did use a tripod and a remote shutter release.

Here are the settings on my camera for this shot.

Shutter Speed:            4.5 sec (9/2)

Aperture:                     f/13

Focal Length:              31 mm

ISO Speed                   200

Here are the settings on my camera for this shot.

Shutter Speed:            5.1 (51/10)

Aperture:                     f/14

Focal Length:              50 mm

ISO Speed                   200

Something you might look into is a mode on your camera that is called BULB mode. I have a Nikon, and I get there by rolling the shutter speed so low that eventually it can't go any lower and will read "BULB". This means that as long as your finger is on the shutter release the shutter will be open. The only downfall to this is there is sometimes a shake from your hand that will effect the image. It's a fun mode to play around in. I'd love to see what you come up with!

I used BULB mode for this sparkler shot.

Here are the settings on my camera for this shot.

Shutter Speed:            6.3 sec (63/10

Aperture:                     f/22

Focal Length:                31 mm

ISO Speed                    200

This night we drew cars, flowers, houses and tried to spell our names. Spelling your name is harder than it looks. (Investigate here Towards the bottom)

I did some quick research for you and found a few articles that might help explain how this is done. 

Digital Photography School is a huge source of learning for me. I found this article about how to photograph fireworks.

This is a good article on photographybay.com about getting fireworks shots without having a tripod.

I'd love to see what you come up with. If you post to flickr please shoot me a message and let me see what you created. 

Have a safe and blessed 4th of July.

Always listen to your Mama.

 

Lets do the dance

Every now and then I am hired to shoot a 2 year old. It's always an eventful session. (remember this one?) So parents of 2 year old children, it can be done! Just not normally done in a studio setting. It takes me awhile to get warmed up and remember how to... ummm manipulate isn't the right word.. to lets say, communicate with a 2 year old. You can't just tell the sweet little darlings what your needing out right, you need to suggest it.

OR if all else fails refuse them to do something.

DO NOT STAND THERE AND SMILE! and what will they do? Stand there and smile.

DO NOT LAUGH and then.. yes they laugh.

DO NOT KISS YOUR SISTER and then.. yes kissing sister will follow.

Now are these great parenting tips on dealing with a strong willed two year old? Heck no! But I'm sending these sweet little angels home, and their parents will have great images for a lifetime.Worth the trade? Hope so!

Speaking of sweet little angels. Would you take a look at these two?

Sweet little faces. Their Mama, Randi Rai, works at Jacqueline's Hair Salon in Hominy. If you need a haircut head that way she's great with those scissors!

Grabbing some boas and a camera we went for a walk around downtown Hominy. They have the neatest little docks and doors in their alley's.

That's when Kyan introduced me to "HeyYa Dancing". She's Native American and her Mama takes her to Pow Wow's where she gets to dance with the adults. Kyan says normally girls dance "soft" but on this day she wanted to dance "like the boys do."

**note, I'm sure there is an official name to this dance but quoting the words of a two year old**

First you start out with a song. (This image makes my heart melt)

Then you dance. While dancing you need to stomp your feet and sing "HeyYa", the louder the better. Her little sister, Kaysn, picked up on the dancing quickly. They stomped every porch and doorway we stopped at in Hominy.

At the end of every dance Kyan would stomp five times and then scream. She's not mad, she's signaling the end of the dance.

So sometimes sessions are not to get a formal portrait with two pretty little girls sitting down with ankles crossed and smiling sweetly at the camera. Sometimes it's about letting kids be themselves and catching those moments forever. Kyan and Kaysn's heritage will not be forgotten. They are learning from their elders and showing people like myself who know nothing about this type of traditional dance. When they are grown they will have these images, Sisters dancing together on the docks of Hominy. When life was carefree and fun.

These are the days we should always remember.

 

Mama June turns 98

Sometimes you get a request to cover a birthday party, event or sports function. It's one of the favorite parts of my job. I try to blend in, take pictures undercover. Catch moments of laughter, tears and kisses on the forehead. I leave with a feeling of contentment. Watching a family love and honor one of their own, it's the way things should be done.

This sweet lady, June, turned 98 years old and I was asked to be there to document her birthday.

 

This is for you!

Where was this party? At the beauty shop. I pictured ourselves as a new fresh cast of Steele Magnolias. Laughing, drinking fancy tea, boas and good cake. Just to make it extra classy we threw in some Simple Simon's pizza and called it a party!

 

This was the first time I had met Mama June, I'd heard stories of her but never met her in person. I know that she's thrilled to get her own clicker to the garage door, that she's going to live to be 100. Ask her why she is going to live to be 100 and she will tell you, "To piss off my kids." Now that's funny!

 

When I'm 98 I want feather boas and to be as happy as she is!

 

When she walked into the salon it was a surprise for her that it was not just the day she was getting her hair done, we were celebrating! Cake, balloons, fancy tea, and matching napkins. (matching napkins are a big deal people!) She was thrilled!

Crystal wanted me to take June's portrait, a serious sit down and catch some good light shots. June wasn't too hip on the idea but went along. I mean almost nobody LIKES getting their picture taken right?

 

Here she is getting a hug from her daughter

 

Mrs June said she didn't take very good pictures, but when I showed her my favorite on the back of my camera she, and I quote, "Well now that's not bad. I want one of those. Save it." Then later she pulls me to the side and said, "I am getting that one, the one your saving, for my kids." She liked her portrait. It made my day, week, month!

 

Mrs. June this one is yours!

 

Mama June, it was a pleasure to meet you. I will be there to document your 100th birthday. Count on it! Your life has touched many I'm sure and I'm grateful to count myself as one of them.

 

Welcome to the world Jayli Lindsay Dawn

My cousin Cassie had her first baby early this morning. Ahh to be a new Mama again. So scary and exciting all at once.

Our Grandma would have been so excited at the birth of Jayli. Having given birth to 16 children herself, she loved babies. I can still hear the squeal she made when she seen them for the first time. How she would rock them in her soft Grandma arms and sing Grandma's little bitty baby boy/girl. Being at the hospital today with Cassie made me miss my Grandma because I know she would have rejoiced over this second generation grandchild just as she did when her first grandchild was born. Keeping Grandma's memory alive Cassie and I talked about Grandma and how much she loved being pregnant and she loved newborn babies. She would pinch their cheeks (either set of cheeks) when the opportunity arose.

We are a family who loves babies.

So today I welcome Jayli Lindsay Dawn into the world. Congratulations Cassie and Justin. Your little world will be sweeter than you could have ever imagined.

And it begins....

I wanted a photography studio. I couldn't do this gig in my basement I needed a place to work away from laundry, phones and sweet family.

I bought a 12x30 building on skids. (little more about it here) With the help of family and friends we redid the insides to be as classy as a 12x30 building on skids can be. It was a lot of work. Brian, Austin and Olivia finished it the week I went to Ohio to study under Larry Peters. Mind you Larry and his crew do fantastic portrait work. I still do not have a studio. Had only shot in a studio once and it wasn't even my studio!

There is a fine line between faith and stupidity. I was walking the line. Flew all the way to Ohio, first time to fly alone, get a rental car, drive another hour to the destination, find hotel room, then the next day walk into a room full of strangers with big fancy cameras.

What the crap was I thinking?

I hid out for a week, made several friends, and tried to learn all I could.

Came home to find my studio finished. Olivia had hung the few backdrops I had, Brian and my Uncle Don had finished the trim, Jim came over to finish electricity. All they needed was a photographer.

I wanted to head to Africa to start documenting the life of African people. I'll admit it now. I was scared.

So skip ahead 2 years, lots of bad lighting, bribing my children to sit in front of the camera so I could practice butterfly lighting and learn the difference between broad light and short light.

Just finished my dream home we build on family land. (talk about a dream will ya!) That studio on skids? Moved it right along with me. Came across this teaching called The Beauty Campaign.  Had to pay a pretty penny to join and then go through training but I bit the bullet and did it. I'm so glad I did.

Skip past all that to June 9, 2012. Beauty Campaign day at Vicki Madden Photography Studio. Beauty Campign is not just about what you look like, it's about what you feel like, what your perspective on life is, it's about you inside and out. There is a little workbook that you work through, answer some questions that are only meant for you. Then when you get in front of the camera, you are ready, confident and we create a beautiful portrait for you to have forever. (when I type the word forever I hear this)

So June 9th, 2012 with the help of a fantastic make up and hair artist Crystal and Jacqueline, my BFF from High School Tresa, my sweet daughter Olivia, we pulled off a day many of us will never forget. 9 ladies, hair, make up and portrait in one day. I didn't plan this event with the intent of "Live the life you've imagined". I just followed my heart, did what I knew how to do and hoped for the best. Half way through the day, after crying with 3 ladies over their portrait experience I realized. I am living the life I've imagined. This is the day. The day I decided to buy that expensive little sign, the day I watched the Simone's create a portrait, the day I bought the building and created it into a studio. This is the day all this has been leading up to. I can't wait to experience it again.

So these ladies came to me with an open heart. By deciding the come to the studio that day they were saying to themselves, their spouse, their children, "I am worth this day." Forever their family will have these portraits of them. I look back on portraits I find in my Grandpa's attic and I'm thrilled to have a face to a name of ancestors. These ladies will have that. We have recorded them on this day, they were changed and made to realize that they are valuable and unique. I pray they began to love themselves exactly where they are. They are truly beautiful women.

Here are my favorites from the day.

 

Let me say that when you come to participate in the next beauty campaign, and I sincerely hope that you do, your portrait will not be displayed on my blog, facebook or any other place without your permission and approval. The images I capture and the experience is for you. They are only shared upon your request.

So, I have come full circle. I'm living the life I imagined and am so blessed I could burst. Maybe it comes with age, almost 40 brings clarity of mind perhaps? Whatever the reason I'm thankful.

Thank you for sharing this with me, for reading to the end of this long blog post. For those of you who know me and encourage me I'm grateful for you.

Peace out.

 

Live the life you've imagined

 

Attending a photography conference a few years ago I found this little wooden sign. I picked it up, read it, seen the price tag and put it back down. A few booths later I was still thinking about those words. I ventured back to that booth before I left the showroom floor and bought the expensive little sign.

Life the life I've imagined.

That's a tall order you know. Because if I do take this challenge I have to actually life my life, not just live each day and be grateful, which is what we should all do, but really live my life. Live it with determination, dream something, go for it and then when I am in that moment, live it. Realize that I'm there and cherish it.

It's a big responsibility really. Think about it.

At the time I didn't know what this challenge meant. Did it mean having dinner on the table every night and sitting down to eat as a family? Because I want to live that life. Did it mean always having my purse and my car clean? Because I'd LOVE to live that life too. What about being physically fit and healthy? Please I'll take that life too. I just knew I was getting ready to make some changes.

Lots of these changes made were only in my perspective of things. If you were to observe me you might not see the changes because they were stirring inside me. I quit gossiping, I started my day off with worship music and listened to the bible teaching on my way to work. These things changed me a little at a time. I started walking down my driveway twice a day and drinking more water. See, small things.

Now I could have moved to Africa to document the tribal life of the African people. Because, I really want that life too!

Baby steps baby steps baby steps

So at the time of finding that little sign I was a beginning photographer (still am in most circles) and didn't have a studio. Did I want a studio to shoot in? Shooting on location was fun and challenging.

Then I attended a class by Joseph and Louise Simone, When creating a portrait they had grace, style, tenderness. The lighting had to be perfect, they were skilled artist and I soaked up every single minute in their presence. I watched them create this portrait.

I wanted more!!!

The next week I bought a building that we would turn into a portrait studio and I started the journey towards learning how to create a portrait.  I wanted to create an experience that was unforgettable. Something that would change the perspective of the subject. I wanted to create a portrait not just take a picture.

The purchase of this bulding led to the day I knew I was living the life I imagined. I had come full circle. I'll tell you about that next week.

This kind of feels like a soap opera. "Like sands through an hour glass so are the days of our lives" I'm funny. Admit it.

 

2012 Pawhuska Queen

Please, allow me to introduce you to Calli Newman.

She is the 2012 Pawuska Round Up Club Queen. She will be running for Cavalcade Queen next month. Cavalcade is something to witness, if you've not been, add it to your bucket list.

Calli came to me needing some head-shots for promotion to turn into the Cavalcade Program. The lovely and talented Crystal Edwards make up artist extraordinaire set up camp in my kitchen and made this pretty girl into a knock down gorgeous lady. I love transformations.

Calli did you feel beautiful? Because sister, you were rockin it!

Horses, tiara, sunset, beautiful lady and laughing. Can a evening get any better? Oh yes it can! Add some sweet tea, we did that too! So there you have it, it was a perfect evening! 

So now Miss Calli goes of into the sunset to win try her best to win that Cavalcade Queen title. Good luck Calli, win or lose you will look fantastic trying!!!

This is my wish

Senior frenzy is almost over. For the last two months I have been shooting about 6 seniors a week. That is a lot for my little studio and one man show. I'm so grateful for the work and pray for more work to come my way but also I'm grateful for this little break. I don't have any seniors scheduled for the next two weeks. I'm glad to be able to focus on my own high school senior who is graduating in just a few days.

What an amazing journey these kids take. As a adult, I can look back and offer words of wisdom but really do they listen? Did I listen 20 (cough) years ago? Sure I gave eye contact when these words of wisdom were spoken to me, sure I appeared to be listening but really I was bigger than the world and nothing could touch me. Or so I thought.

I didn't have big plans for continuing my education. I wanted to go to New York Institute of Photography, I thought about going to Okmulgee Tech and continuing my education in graphic arts technology. Then I met Mr. Brian Madden and I couldn't think about anything else but him. Oh young love. Totally messes with us doesn't it?

I'm proud to say that my son, Austin, has big plans after graduation. We have toured the Stillwater OSU Campus and he's very excited to be going there in August and plans to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I wish I could tell him my words of wisdom and they somehow sink into his little soul and he never forgets them, that somehow I can tell him the things I want him to know to protect him from the hurts I've had in my life. If only.

You can be book smart, even know all of your states and capitals AND your multiplication tables (I know neither of these without google and a calculator) But life experiences teaches us so much. Life teaches us that it's okay to try something as long as you try your best. It's okay to fail at that trial, it doesn't mean you are a failure it means try something else. It's okay to love someone more than they love you, it's okay to cry, okay to be mad, okay to confront mean people. Eventually you learn to stand up for what you believe in, even when your the only one in the room who believes it. You learn it's okay that some people thing your wrong, as long as your living your life the best you can that's what counts.

If I could project some sort of wisdom onto my son it would be these few things.

• Learn to accept conviction.
• Without Jesus nothing is possible. That statement is exclusive and I realize the politically correct thing is to not be exclusive, but make a stand, speak your mind.
• Don't hesitate to do good, just do it.
• When you decide to love someone, respect them even more than you love them.
• When your faced with a crisis, how you react in that crisis is character telling. Stay calm. First and always pray.
• Live with in your means. Force yourself to budget and ask yourself with every purchase is this a want or a need? Never spend more than you make, stay away from credit cards and always put at least $10 in savings even when your broke.
• Most of all, life your live with your heart wide open. Hold nothing back, live a creative life full of possibility and dreams.

So this is for my baby boy. Being your Mama has been one of the biggest joys in my life. Also has been the most challenging thing I have ever done. You were not an easy toddler. Hard headed and almost un-trainable. Somehow by the grace of God we got through it and your daddy and I are so proud of the man you've become.

"While your out there gettin where your gettin to, I hope you know somebody loves you.."

 

Please stay tuned

I have this list. A list that grows and grows and grows. Not really a physical list, but a mental list. Things like, get cobwebs from corner of bathroom, drink more water, get caught up on housework, call customers, make bank deposit, balance checkbook. It goes on and on and on.

Always on this list is blogging every session and always I say, "When I'm finished with....." Or "Who really would read that anyway?"  Or, "My grammar is terrible I'll show the five people who might read this blog that I really am a dummy." or like now, my daughter walks into the room and distracts me and I forget what I am doing.

However, this morning I'm sitting at my new house, eating breakfast and reading the Barnsdall Times. Everything is (was) quiet and I think to myself. "Now is the time to do it. Blog for heaven sakes!"

It's been a crazy last 6 months. Building a house, running two businesses, moving a business, two teenagers and a husband. Yesterday the kids and I packed a horse trailer full. (No we don't need to rent a UHaul! We got class I tell ya!) We moved beds, towels, almost everything in the kitchen and pantry. Once we got it put away, Brian pulls in with a truck load of the same. (Let me say his packing and our packing are TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT THINGS!) So we worked like crazy putting everything away, took showers in the new shower, turned off the new lights and crawled into our new beds to rest.

This morning my first thoughts were a bit melancholy. We moved into our old house when Austin was one, it's the only house Olivia has ever called home. Last night we changed our home location. We now live here and not there. This is now our home. This is where my kids will come home to from college, bring their spouses, their babies. This is our new home. I feel in some way we need to honor our old home in a special way. We raised two kids there, lots of laughs, tears and slamming doors. Lots of cooking, movies, mowing yards, climbing trees. Maybe we have already honored it by living there and loving there.

Looking forward instead of back I put a breakfast casserole into the oven. Brian and I stood on the back porch and listened to the turkey's and when Austin woke up I told him like I have a thousand times in his life, "Don't talk so loud you'll wake up your sister!" It's changing, and it's staying the same. Home is where my family is.

So now that my life is calming down and feeling a tad bit more organized I plan to get to that mental list of things to do. I plan to drink more water because my new fridge has filtered water and ice IN THE DOOR and I will do my best to blog every session.

Because every post on a photographer's blog should have a photo I'll post one of my Austin. He's graduating in just a few weeks.... that's another post.