From the Haugen Heart

Alison and Brian Click on the link above to see the slide show.Alison and Brian were so much fun to photograph!

Wedding video

1. A color scheme is the first priority with group portraiture. There is not one color scheme that is the best and only possibility. Take a look at the room in which the main portrait will hang and select colors that will harmonize with that room. You don't want a portrait over the mantle that clashes with the room! Here are some ideas. • Dress everyone in one family of colors. For example, light to medium blues (like denim) work well with many decors, compliment any skin tone, and are easy to find in most closets. White or pastels can be wonderful, particularly at the beach or with a lighter background. • If you are challenged getting everyone to agree on one family of colors, try for muted tones, like blues, grays, and browns. • With large family groups, consider separating sub-family groups by color. This works best if clothing styles match closely. (For example, everyone wears blue jeans and each sub-family group wears a different colored shirt or sweater.) 2. Solid colo...

I just got a Facebook message asking about family portraits from a friend who has never been to our studio before. "WooHoo! That is so cool," I am thinking, but once again I need to explain the different options. Then it occurred to me that there are probably other people out there that are curious about how it all works but are afraid to ask. "How much is it going to cost?" is naturally one of the first questions. The real answer is that everyone is different, makes different choices about what they want, and therefore invests widely varying amounts of money. That answer is not very helpful, however, so here is some info that will tell you what is involved and help you make some decisions. There are two directions you can go. The first and most popular option is called our Signature series which includes a portrait planning consultation, custom portrait session with lots of choices, and beautifully finished, fully retouched prints. The session itself can be in th...

Sometimes I feel so ordinary. I really love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, making turkey pot pie for my family, building a fire in the wood stove on a cold winter day, and even doing laundry. Sometimes, I think I could be quite content filling my days with the simple pleasures of these everyday things. But...would I be truly happy? I do have an inner drive that pushes me to do more. To be more. It is a push for Excellence with a capital Ex . I have always pushed myself to give the best that I have to each client, to enter print competition, to stretch beyond what I know and am comfortable with. And now, to teach and help others to stretch and learn, to see the world more clearly as they follow their photography passion through MyPhotoMentor. Now I will be teaching live classes in addition to online. They will be great because they MUST be. 2010, here I come! Miriam

This story was in my email in box this morning. You might think it touching or you might find it sappy but there is a basic, important truth in it that bears repeating. Here goes: A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. “Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.” “That doesn't have anything to do with it,” he replied. “Happine...