Christine and Mark’s November Wedding

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Aaron McGregor Photography

Some people fear the idea of getting married during the winter months. This was not the case for Christine and Mark. Sure, it may have been a little brisk, but they were bathed by love and the warm sun. Their wedding had it all: gorgeous people, romantic settings, elegant details and even a puppy!

As mentioned in a previous post, 2013 was a very busy year. This is the first post in a series of weddings that we photographed. If you find yourself wanting more than what this collection can offer you, please visit http://www.amcgregorphotography.com. I hope you enjoy!

The Magical Cookie Snatchers

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Aaron McGregor Photography

Very few things compare to the magic of Santa Claus. It is really beautiful to envision a miniature sleigh being pulled by a team of flying reindeer. Throw in a little moonlight off glistening snow for good measure and you are on your way to sheer fantasyland. Reading “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore to my two-year old son has awakened some of those childhood memories. The poem weaves a wonderful tale composed of rich language and wonderful metaphors. All of the elements contribute to this classical piece and inspire us even today, 190 years after it was penned. Of course, the “fantasyland” I am referring to is only a figure of speech for the purpose of this letter. Let it be known, and rest assured, that there are a ton of examples that Santa Claus does exist and is very real. Never doubt that!!!

In keeping with a classic tradition, my wife Heather and I brainstormed ideas for a Christmas photo of our son, Emmett and mastiff, Ruben. We knew we wanted to create a timeless image so we fused a little bit of Norman Rockwell with some Clement Clark Moore. The props and set design were drawn up and the scenario of a child eating a cookie beside his loving companion was conceived. Overhead lighting and a warm glowing tree in the background was a requisite for the illumination. Now we were ready to take a photo that required the collaboration between two of the most uncooperative and unpredictable subjects – a young toddler and a hungry dog.

Heather and I really wanted something reminiscent of an innocent, yet naughty little boy sneaking a bit of Santa’s cookies. We also thought that our obedient mastiff, Ruben would try to sniff the plate of cookies that were placed right in front of him. The scenario that was inside our minds never played out since Ruben actually went for the cookie that Emmett was eating! Happy accidents are one of the joys of photography. I have included a few of the images that were from this session and a few other images from clients. I hope you and yours have a Very Magical Holiday.

http://www.amcgregorphotography.com

The Magical Cookie Snatchers

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Aaron McGregor Photography

The Cookie Snatchers

Heather and I really wanted something reminiscent of an innocent, yet naughty little boy sneaking a bit of Santa’s cookies. We also thought that our obedient mastiff, Ruben would try to sniff the plate of cookies that were placed right in front of him. The scenario that was inside our minds never played out since Ruben actually went for the cookie that Emmett was eating! Happy accidents are one of the joys of photography. I have included a few of the images that were from this session. I hope you and yours have a Very Magical Holiday.

http://www.amcgregorphotography.com

Senior Portraits & Cyber Marketing

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Aaron McGregor Photography

How do people do it? In this 24/7 world where sleep never rests, we are expected to produce at maximum capacity AND write a weekly blog? When I entertained the idea of writing a blog, I thought that it was going to be a piece of cake. All the reasons to “drive more traffic to your site, get a better SEO ranking, people will love hearing about photo sessions and techniques, etc. etc. etc.” Well it has been 8 long months since that first blog, and I have produced only a handful. Yay me. This brings me back to my opening question, “How do people do it?” It is difficult for me to maintain a prolific blog in the height of summer and into autumn. So please excuse the timing of this blog, since Tessa’s portrait session occurred FIVE MONTHS AGO!!!

Tessa called me after searching the internet for a photographer to take her senior portraits. She requested to have her portraits taken at Cedar Creek Park along the scenic Youghiogheny River. In keeping true to pleasing clients, my prices are very reasonable and competitive for professional photography: they can change into as many outfits as they bring and two 8x10s & two accordion-book keepsakes are included with every portrait session. This fee also covers travel, editing, online proofing, mailing out reprints, etc. A photo session typically lasts an hour.

Tessa had a great time. She was completely into the photo session and the environment truly expressed her love for nature. She brought a change of clothes and the session lasted a little over an hour. There are many things that have changed since I first started my business. Pleasing clients, taking photos and marketing yourself were the main priorities. I loved getting new clients based on referrals from past clients the same as I love getting those referrals now. It is the best compliment anyone can receive. However, the marketing landscape has changed with the explosion of the internet and search directories. It is almost incomprehensible what a small business owner must do to keep afloat. As of today, I have zero reviews of my business on Angie’s List, Yahoo, Google or the fifty thousand other search directories. Who has time to create an account, sign in and write reviews in this 24/7 world? I don’t blame people for not writing reviews. Honestly, I have never written a review, and I have received excellent service as well as horrible service in the past. To stay on track with marketing Aaron McGregor Photography in this cyber world, I will be posting more blogs over the winter about photo shoots that occurred in the summer and fall! I am sure you are chomping at the bit to see more blogs about weddings, portraits and pet sessions. I know I will be writing them over the next 24/7s!!!

http://www.amcgregorphotography.com

The Loyalty of a Hearing Impaired Dog

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Aaron McGregor Photography

Samantha was thrilled to know that she could help out her favorite Animal Rescue Group raise some cash when she heard about my August Special, “Cold Hard Cash for the Dog Days of Summer”. She wanted to book a photo session with her boyfriend and their puppy-dog, Ali. Samantha wanted to help out the rescue group where she adopted Ali. “He is such a sweetie pie,” she said, “he is a white American Bulldog, with a lot of energy. He is our baby!” I responded that my sister owned that breed and he was such an affectionate companion. She wanted to know if I could get a few photos of him by himself at the park and they would love to get a family portrait as well. Terrific! I always ask the parents if they want a family portrait during the photo session. We just needed to book the time and day when she said, “Oh, one thing you might need to know about Ali. He is deaf. Will that be a problem?”

This was going to be a new experience for me. I knew I had to rely on the use of visual cues in place of oratory ones. My typical approach to a pet session consists of rolling around on the ground while squeaking, meowing, clicking and rolling my “R”s like Chewbacca. Samantha told me that Ali responds to sign commands. That is great! Sometimes my mastiff responds to sign commands for sit and stay a lot better than verbal commands. Some people drop off a hearing impaired dog at the pound because they don’t have the time to train them. All dogs love to please their owners. In addition to snuggling and protecting, the best way for a dog to prove their loyalty is by following your commands. Dog Obedience 101 teaches that if you by put a treat in your hand and raise it above their head, the dog will respond by sitting. Rewarding and praising every time results in classical conditioning… thank you Ivan Pavlov! Training a deaf dog may need more patience on behalf of the owner, but the reward is the same: a loyal companion that takes pride in pleasing their owner.

We had an awesome morning at South Park. Samantha, Mike and Ali choreographed a beautiful dance together. You could see the happiness in Ali’s eyes. It was evident that he loved to please his people. After he obeyed one command, he was eager to perform the next. This symbiotic relationship between dog and owner is the epitome of true love! In addition to receiving an original work of art, Samantha helped out Biggies Bullies with a monetary donation. It is awesome to know that there are still people like Samantha and Mike in this world that are willing to train such a unique companion and donate to an great cause. http://www.amcgregorphotography.com