w gallerie's Weblog

Isn’t pregnancy Beautiful?

illustrativeimages — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:58:43 +0000

I LOVE LOVE LOVE pregnant women. I love the roundness of their bellies and the soft curves. Being a mother myself, I know how easy it is to feel self conscious as your body transforms in so many miraculous ways. Celebrate it, Celebrate LIFE!

This is my favorite image from a pregnancy session for a client who is also a dear friend of mine. I met her when she was still in High School, I photographed her wedding and her beautiful boy’s first year. She’s driven alomst 2 hours one way for countless sessions with me and she is one of the people I will miss most when we’ve moved to Alabama.

Isn’t she lovely? Isn’t she beautiful?

Big Softies!

illustrativeimages — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:52:24 +0000

One of our trademark looks at w gallerie is “big softies” where the skin is super soft and creamy and the eyes and other details have a sense of sharpness. It is an amazing look for senior girls.

It gives you a magazine cover look, and is a technique we use on all girls. Even in browntone and black and white it is beautiful!

Remember we only have room for 10 seniors in Iowa, (there are currently 7 spots open) and 40 seniors in Alabama. Call to reserve your time. 319.266.3618 or From Alabama 256.426.5198

New VINTAGE look for 2010

illustrativeimages — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:35:21 +0000

At w gallerie, we’ve developed a new technique at our sister site. http://www.digitalphotocandy.com/actions.html that gives your images an amazing old school vintage look. Combine it with a grundge overlay for an even more custom look.
The image above of Bailey is as it was out of the camera. Below the colors are softer and more muted and the addition of the grundgy overlay gives it an edgier look. I can’t wait to use this technique on our images for the class of 2010! In Iowa and Alabama.

This image of Jena is the before. Very pretty as it is.

And this is the after. Part of this technique also darkens the edges so the focus is where it should be…on you!

I love the way these images look. Just another tool in our belt to make your images unique and a true expression of you. Let us know what you think.

Why are you moving?

illustrativeimages — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 09:06:20 +0000

We are getting this question A LOT! We currently live in Cedar Falls, Iowa where the people are warm and wonderful, but the weather is not. In order to live the life we have always imagined and dreamed we knew we had to be somewhere warmer.

Our business in Iowa is incredible and if it was feasible we would continue to run it from a distance. Starting over in a new state 12+hours away is a little scary, but I knew deep inside, if we were to preach to our children that they could do, be and have anything that they wanted (with old fashioned good hard work of course) that we had to practice what we preached. How could we tell them to dream big and go for it, to create the life of your dreams when we were unwilling to do it ourselves?

So in mid July of 2009 we are relocating to Huntsville, Alabama. We chose Huntsville, (Not because we have family there, because we do not) but because Woody did an art show there several years ago and he liked the area. That led us to research and eventually visit and when we visited we fell in love with the area. We know that people from Iowa are wonderful, but Huntsvillians (I hope that’s a word) give them a run for their money! Everywhere we went for the week we were there, we questioned anyone we came in contact with and the one thing that we heard over and over was, “This is the best place to raise a family.”

This is not to say that we are not a little scared and overwhelmed by the whole process. It’s not easy to move your household, children, and business with no support to a totally new area. But every day I say a prayer and I know that God will open the doors for us.

Our two monkeys (playing in the snow pictured above) are the reasons we live our lives the way we do. Every decision we make is for their best interest. We want them to be proud of us! By the way the snow in the first picture of Zelle (upper left) is really that high. This winter we had over 3 feet of snowfall. We’re hoping that this is the last year we’ll need snow pants!

So, thank you to everyone we’ve worked with from Iowa, you have made this decision so hard for us to make, and we can’t wait to meet all you folks in Huntsville. We know that our family will flourish there and we can’t wait to meet you and your families. w gallerie.com

What should I Bring?

illustrativeimages — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 11:39:31 +0000

At w gallerie, we like to have lots of options. So our advice is to bring it all! Hats, sunglasses, the stuffed animal your boyfriend won at the fair, anything and everything that is uniquely you!

Bring layers in your clothing. Jackets and coats or puffy vests are always fun to change up an outfit and bring variety to your session.

If you are doing an illustration with Woody, bring everything you would need to do your activity. If it’s sports related, all the uniforms, full pads, helmets, shoes and balls required. If it’s dance, all your costumes, props, toe shoes anything you need to dance at a recital. Some illustrations will require having an opponent to tackle or wrestle with etc. During the consultation, Woody will make suggestions as to what needs to be brought to really create something unique for you.

Try to stay away from stripes, plaid, and excessive pattern. Having too much going on in your clothing takes the focus away from you and clothing trends can tend to date your images, so the more solid the better. Add colors in layers and definitley bring accessories to personalize your images. Take our advice here and we can create something that is a perfect expression of who you are!

Shannon & Brad

illustrativeimages — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:32:46 +0000

It’s always a great thing when you get the chance to work with a couple you’ve know for a long time. In September we photographed their wedding in Grundy Center, Iowa. Shannon loves lavendar (me too!) and since the day was cloudy and the storm clouds were threatening, she turned lemons into lemonade and got umbrellas for everyone.

I have to say I was a little nervous, seeing how dark the sky was getting, but it held off for a few minutes in order for us to get some fun outside portraits with the wedding party.

Brad is an amazing father to his children Nick and Hannah and they were a part of the wedding party. Really great kids, so well behaved. You should be so proud. Nick is quite the dancer. He whirled Hannah around and around the dance floor at the reception.

One of the funniest moments was at the reception when guests were clanging the glasses wanting Shannon and Brad to kiss. They just stood up and pointed to the wall behind them. Where one of the engagement portraits of them kissing was on the wall. Pretty clever guys!

We love you and wish you all the best!

Pastor’s Daughter

illustrativeimages — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:14:34 +0000

Hannah from West High came to us for senior pics last summer. Since Woody is personal friends with her dad (Pastor Scott from Westminster Presbyterian) he made this special image of Hannah especially for her parents. The Cross of Light blends into one of Woody’s Christ images. It’s a little tough to see with the web resolution, but in print this image is amazing. See more of Woody’s Reflections of Christ portfolio at http://www.woodywalters.com

How to Choose a Photographer for Your Senior Pics

illustrativeimages — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:10:57 +0000

There’s only 7 Appointments Left for 2010 Iowa Seniors. Call now to reserve your time 319.266.3618.

How do you make sure your senior portraits are truly unique?

Choose a studio that will give you personalized service. That will take the time to get to know you and what you are about and not look at you as just another number.

Set up a time at the studio to look at the photographer’s work and to talk about the possibilities. The studio you choose should spend about an hour with you talking about the session, being open to your ideas and most of all excited to work with you.

Price should not be the only concern when choosing your photographer. This is an end of an era and documents a time in your life when the future is so bright and all the possibilities are just ahead of you. You deserve to have not just a session, but an experience that will be memorable and images that will show the many sides of your personality.

What Sets Us Apart

illustrativeimages — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 10:53:06 +0000

If you are on the hunt for the wedding photographer of your dreams, you are probably a little (or a lot) overwhelmed at this point. There are so many options and trying to compare apples to oranges is a nearly impossible task.

So here’s a list of w gallerie’s unique features to make your life a little easier.

1. We are a husband and wife team. Woody comes from a fine art background. See some of his amazing fine art photographs at http://www.woodywalters.com/. He sees things in shape and form. He looks for unique perspectives and angles in every shot. I am more touchy feely. I’m all about the soft close up, romantic swept away images that capture how you feel about each other. When you blend these two styles together the results are almost magical.

2. We are the perfect mix of posed (artistically not stuffy standing at the altar) and photo journalistic images. AND we can change our coverage to meet your wishes. Woody captures the “emotional, as it happens” and I work with the couple, the wedding party and families. I also have a love for the details. Close ups of the favors and the invitations. We cover the ceremony and reception together, from two totally different vantage points.

3. Our coverage is always two award winning wedding photographers. It’s myself and Woody at every wedding, which is why we only have room for 20 each calendar year. A lot of studios advertise 2 photographers, but there is usually always a primary and an assistant who just runs around and tries to get anything. Both of our portfolios are award winning and can stand on their own, but we choose to work together for the most amazing results.

4. Finally our albums are designed by hand, no templates or cookie cutter designs here. They are painstakingly designed and handcrafted at the best album company in America. Your wedding album is a treasured family heirloom that should stand the test of time. One day your own daughter will be pouring over it when she’s planning her own wedding.

Don’t take chances with YOUR photography

illustrativeimages — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 10:01:58 +0000

If you’ve talked to your married friends, they will tell you to invest in quality photography. Skimp on something else, but DO NOT TAKE A CHANCE HERE.

During the last five years, there has been a huge influx of wedding photographers in the marketplace. Most of them have no formal training at all. Most of them do not know basic concepts like composition and lighting. They have just purchased a camera with acceptable megapixels and do it for extra money on the weekends. They do not have the computer and equipment resources to processs RAW images. IF YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTURES THEIR IMAGES IN JPEG FORMAT, YOU NEED TO RUN, NOT WALK AWAY. Raw Capture ensures the best possible result from these precious images.

Your wedding is a once in a lifetime event, investing your photography budget with a professional who can deliver top notch photography and custom designed albums is a must. If you look at the investment in memories over the course of your married life, it just makes sense to work with the company who will captures your day the way you always dreamed it would be.