March 11

That is our first wedding of the year. YAY! Im super excited for 2008 because we have some awesome weddings coming up. Several people have requested info and we have booked 4 weddings the past two weeks. Not sure why, but traffic for weddings increased in the past two weeks.

Along with referrals, we have several new clients and I am super excited to work with them. Also, if anyone is getting married July 28th call us or email me. Lets talk :).

Brenda guessed the "What is it" game. I guess I made it too easy lol because she hit it on the second photo. I had a few other guesses come in via email. Just a reminder, I need to know who you are so if you win I know who to give the prize to. See below:




I will get you a gift card via email. Thanks!!

What is it? Part 2

Winner receives a $25 gift card to iTunes.

So, what is it?:


I will post the next zoomed out version tomorrow.

Wildlife photographer

I had the pleasure of meeting a very awesome photographer Dusan Smetana.

Dusan (pronounced Dushan) is Slovakian. He is famous for his wildlife and outdoor photography. I love the outdoors and hunting. One of my friends brought in some people from Cabelas (my favorite store by the way), and along came Dusan. We sat at the lodge and talked about wildlife, photography, and his journey to the USA. I had a great time.

On his website, the first and 3 photo under hunting is some shots he took while in Western Nebraska. Pretty awesome stuff.

Post 100, NICE!!! Blogging strongly, and to celebrate here is a little contest. I like to call it... "What is it?" Sometimes, after being utterly exhausted from proofing, Kat and I play it. Fun!

So, what is it?:


I will post a zoomed-out version every day until someone guesses it. The winner will receive a $25 gift card to iTunes. Post your answers in the comments section.

Input needed

I would like your input. Through trial and error we are finding several ways to communicate with clients. Some find our prices easy to read, while others question what is in included. We want this process to be really simple and understandable. No confusion = better communication.

So I ask you, which one is easier to read and understand?




In either case, do you understand what is included in each package? We want to fine tune our wedding photography so it is simple for our clients. Which reminds me, please contact us if you are planning a wedding in 2008. We would be happy to talk :).

3 more senior sittings

Over the past month we had a few more seniors come in. I totally forgot to post the photos until now! So sorry!

The first one was the most recent and includes the very cold snow drifts we have had lately. So cold...

Ok, Im going to be honest...

Do not hire or allow your friend (or anyone that is not a professional) to photograph your wedding. I heard this from several brides last Tuesday. I am not trying to bash your friends capabilities. And if your friend does do great work and has the equipment, then more power to them (everyone needs their big break). But overall, everyone loses when you hire your friend. Let me explain.

First off, professional photographers use the appropriate equipment. Not only am I talking about the awesome cameras, but the lenses, flashes, cards, and all other "after the wedding" equipment. This is the what we do and we will spend the money to get the right equipment. Do you think a 1st grade teacher would succeed teaching college english?

What happens if your friend falls short of your expectations? If would bring uncomfortable feelings between you and your friend. Plus you would not feel your wedding photos were good and they would probably end up in a storage box for many, many years.

All wedding photographers that we know of also offer albums in some way. This is the absolute best way to display your gorgeous photos! Would you want photos of one of your most important days in a album that someone bought at Wal Mart for 5 bucks?

If wedding photography rates higher than a 7 on your wedding list, then go for a professional. You will not be let down. You need to find a photographer that works well with YOU. Ken and Nate offer two different styles based on their personalities and approaches to weddings. Sometimes clients are interested in something else that we cannot accomplish and we will refer them to another professional.

I could be wrong in several cases. And if you do hire your friend and it works out then thats awesome!

Speaking of bridal shows

(Clicking on a photo will enlarge it). Our strongest advertisement is word of mouth. Over half of Spectrums clients are referrals or returning clients. However we also feel that we need to get around the local scene to show off our stuff. There are tons of people out there that know we photograph for the public schools, but they know nothing about our senior or wedding photography.

Next Tuesdays Bridal show will be flooded with wedding vendors and information. Its a good tool because you get to actually touch, see in person, and taste what is out there. I encourage all future brides to attend. They also hand out free gifts!

We will be displaying tons of images from 2007. We also handed in several free gifts that will be given away during the show. Its a pretty cool environment. If you plan to attend, stop by our booth to say hi!

Happy New Year everyone!

We are so blessed, excited, happy and greatful for all of our awesome clients. Ken has been photographing for over 30 years, and each year gets better and better!

I apologize for not keeping up the past week. Along with trips to Colorado, we spent time with family and friends. I hope everyone had wonderful Christmas and a safe and exciting new years.

We have so many new things coming in 2008. Be sure to check us out at the 2008 Bridal Show at the Hampton Inn. We will be displaying our new 8x12 albums along with plenty of brochures to hand out. Not to mention Ken and Nate will be on hand to talk it up with everyone!

Check this photo out: