There is no way I would have believed you if you told me back then that I would return 16 years after graduating to pass along my wisdom. As a Wedding Photographer, no less!

The panel discussion was lively. With all different creative artists on the panel, I was struck most by how similar our stories and struggles are.

Panel Discussion Topics:
1.     What is the biggest misconception about life after graduation?
2.     How has your creative work changed? Did you notice a shift in perspective or belief after you were out of school?
3.     What do you do to make money? Do you make a living selling your creative work?
4.     Were you prepared for the realities of finding opportunities? (i.e. employment, exhibitions, clientele, access to studio space/equipment, etc.)
5.     Explain the significance/importance of networking.
6.     How do you come up with a pricing structure? What do you charge people for your work or your services?
7.     What are your goals for the near future? And for the long term?

The highlights that I hoped the students would walk away with were:

* You don’t have to afford your own work

* Someone wants whatever you are selling – Find them

* Create trends, instead of following them

* Join professional organizations to learn pricing, marketing, business and networking

* Try to be humble, yet don’t hold yourself back

The panel artists were:

Peter Pincus http://peterpincus.com/

Mahlon Huston http://www.mahlonhuston.com/mahlonhuston.com/HOME.html

Andrew Cho http://www.theandrewchoartshow.com/index.html

Bradley and Sarah Butler http://thebutlerstudios.com/

Romy Hosford http://romyhosford.net/

Myself, Heather McKay http://mckaysphotography.com

Thank you Bradley Butler for inviting me to participate. I hope that someone found some value in whatever I had to offer the discussion. At the very least, it was nice for me to meet the other artists and some students afterward!

Was there a favorite nugget that you received that night? Any insights since? What do you wish you could share with someone else??? Please use the comments below to continue the discussion!

The last time that I was in New Orleans was in 1997, for Mardi Gras, so this was quite a different trip. The days were sunny and a perfect 72 degrees. As you can imagine, we all walked a lot and photographed all of the little vignettes of the French Quarter, cemeteries, the trolley car and more.

Thanks to everyone who gave me great tips on where to eat and what to see while there. I even tried fried alligator! Thank you, Chris, for the extra photos of me….

The professional highlights of the trip were:
* Cheering as my good friends, Patrick Luke and Deb Woodard, received their Craftsman degrees. Many of you know Pat, as he is my super awesome Second Photographer/Assistant/Lighting Guru for some weddings.
* Cheering as friend, Dana Shaffer (of Fort Plain), received her Masters degree.
* Cheering as my biggest fan, Chris Kogut, received a Silver Grand Imaging Award for her International Print Competition successes.
* Attending classes about marketing my Certified Professional Photographer designation, and an intimate class by Allison Rodgers about running successful charity events.
* Mentoring several newly minted Professional Photographers.
* Finally figuring out how to make Twitter work for business/networking.
* Photographing the streets with other talented Photographers.
* Getting out of the trade show without buying ONE thing, yet made new connections for Greener Photography.

Congratulations to Chris, Pat, Deb & Dana on their hard work and recent awards! It was an honor to be there as your cheering section. Sitting in the awards ceremonies made me so proud to be a PPA member. Below right, we are using the Flashlight App on the iPhone to light Chris so I could take a picture! Fun!

Personal highlights of the trip:
* seeing a bicycle tricked out with Mardi Gras beads!
* strolling through an old cemetery near sunset
* walking every day
* having a latte and beignets at Cafe du Monde
* getting my Tarot cards read in Jackson Square
* making so many new friends
* walking around the streets with a beer!
* meeting a Photographer at the French Market who did a movie documentary about train hopping and their culture (Cure for the Crash). The soundtrack uses all hobo bands. I purchased the soundtrack and the movie and received a free photograph as a bonus! The soundtrack, “Listerine on Sundays” is amazingly good. Luckily, it is all music that I am really into right now.

Fun Fact: One of my past Portrait Clients, turned Professional Photographer…. Kiera Slye came to the convention with us to learn how to start and grow her business. She is sharp as a tack and will be very successful. We’ve met several times over the years, because I’ve known her Grandfather since I was 19 or 20. As I’ve been thankful for my early mentor, I’m happy to now be able to mentor someone else….

Cure for the Crash Trailer

The images will be on display until January 30th, so head on down to the Owl House for a drink or meal to get a little better sense of what the skateboarding culture has to offer. Proceeds from the show will go to building the Rochester Skate Park.

* Fun Fact: The image of Vin skateboarding the Denver Skatepark only shows about a third of that skatepark and the Denver skatepark will be HALF of the size of the Rochester Skatepark…

Monday January 9th there is a FREE photo show and Roc City Skate Park fundraiser at our neighborhood restaurant The Owl House. JANUARY 9th!

Help support the Roc City Skate Park Project, Local Businesses and Local Artists. Boris Sapozhnikov, Heather McKay, Michael Carnrike, Josh Saunders, Lea Rizzo, Erich Lehman, James Haschmann, Casey Haley, Alan Presutti, Alex Gagne

http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story/Trader-Joe-s-Coming-To-Rochester/wHeu2M8ZSkCHQf4WGK7vyA.cspx

Because I’m a hippy and eat hippy food, but I’m also sorta cheap… I’m very excited to have the store in my town. Every time I visit a city that has one, I have to go buy something. Anything. Last month when I took the train to Boston, I went to Trader Joe’s in Cambridge for food to eat on the long train ride home.

Why do I talk about this on my BLOG? Well, branding.

Trader Joe’s has figured out branding. I’ve never even lived in a town with Trader Joe’s, but I’ve always wanted to. YEARS before I was able to actually set foot in a store, I wanted to.

That is amazing. How does a company build a brand so strong and focused that it permeates markets that it isn’t even marketing to? One phrase… word of mouth. And not in the ‘Alec Baldwin talks about his Mom liking Wegmans’ sort of a way… but regular people talking about the super simple part of their lives: groceries.

I’m in a particularly competitive market myself and am always brainstorming ways to stay ahead of the competition, and I think Wegmans press release said it best:

“Wegmans does not normally comment on competitors.  However, I can tell you that when  new competition moves into any of our market areas, we have a plan… to continue focusing on what we feel we do best…”

This is important, and actually what myself and a bunch of Photographers were discussing last night at our October Greater Rochester Professional Photographers meeting… how to define exactly what I do and who my client is, and then run with it. Staying true to my brand and the clients I want to attract is hard work, but what will allow both Trader Joe’s and Wegmans to thrive in the same plaza. They are very different grocery stores and they have different business models, products, customer service, ambiance, etc. I’ll use them both and love it.

Here is a recap from Heron Hill (they mention me – woot woot)

The wind whipped through the tent at Heron Hill Winery, but it held steady. The crowds braved the volatile weather and I met some of the nicest people in years. Actually, I haven’t participated in a wedding show in about 5 years, and I was never a fan of them. This one was wonderful though. Small enough to be able to spend quality time with each couple as they moved through and there were NO annoying/loud/nutty fashion shows.

We got there early and were able to make my little 6 foot table into a small mock of my living room (not very fancy, but it worked). People entered my space, had a seat and relaxed while looking at my albums and canvases. A select few couples had a one-on-one meeting with me to discuss their exact needs. This was WONDERFUL.

Steve and I had a ton of fun, stamping people’s hands as they entered my booth (like a night club). I even took a few pictures with my vintage Ansco Titan Camera…. and many people were excited to see a film camera representing!

* The number one thing I heard at the show was “I’m looking for a photographer who doesn’t just take pictures, but knows how to create them”

* A favorite moment for me was looking around the show and seeing a potential Groom that looked like he should be one of my clients. Later, he walks into my booth with his Bride who had booked me the week prior!

Thank you to all who came to see my wares and who filled out the entry for the raffle prize!! It was great to meet you all and I appreciated you taking the time to get to know me.

Meagan Rice is the winner of the two wedding planning books that were raffled off! Congratulations, Meagan!! It was great talking to you about your Belhurst wedding next year!

You know who else it was great to meet? These people: The Walker Cake, Co. from Corning! In talking with them, I found out they are engaged!

Anyway, thank you to ALL of the couples who stopped by to say hello. I hope that you found some helpful information for your wedding planning needs and got a good idea of what quality photographers are in the area! There were at least SIX Photographers at this event and I thank the ones who hired me or will be hiring me!

Lastly, a special thank you to Kara and the folks at Heron Hill for putting on a quality show!

Heather McKay, a Rochester NY photographer is one of those people that you just don’t ever forget.  I had the pleasure of meeting her in person at WPPI when we were doing some usability testing and customer feedback sessions on our new web galleries.  Before this I had only “met” her through Facebook but upon meeting her in person I felt as if we had known each other for years.

Heather started McKay’s Photography and said it took her, “years and years to finally fall into weddings.”  She has been a photographer since she was a child… she use to dress people up in silly costumes just to take their pictures for fun. Over the years she moved into Fine Art photography and swore off weddings.  “I wish I realized earlier that there are other people like me that don’t want the traditional wedding photos of the 70′s and 80′s,” said Heather.  It wasn’t until a friend of hers was getting married, and seeking wedding photographers that Heather started making the transition. Her friend’s wedding is where it all began!  As Heather says “My goal has always been to photograph wedding as a photojournalist and as a friend. To capture the essence of the person, as only a friend would know how.”

Now she is happily shooting weddings and meeting some amazing couples.

Want to learn more about Heather McKay and McKay’s Photography?  View her website, subscribe to her blog, like her on Facebook, add her to your LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter.  Don’t forget to view her sample gallery and prepare to get inspired!

PS – Bring out that box of tissues – there is a moving story down there…  Seriously, get that box out, you are going to need it.

Describe your personal style.

A mixture of Eddie Bauer and Anthropology. Very functional, with a hint of modern trends. Someone recently described my work as artistically real.  I like that.

What photographers inspire you?

Sebastiao Salgado, Joe Buissink, Gary Isaacs, David Williams, Julia Margaret Cameron. Toronto is churning out some amazing wedding photographers right now.

What gear or gadgets can you not live without?

My Fuji S5 cameras, Aperture and my camera bag. I guess I like the underdogs.

I would buy 20 more Fuji S5s if I could.  Aperture is the key to my album and print sales. My camera bag, which is actually a high end diaper bag, is the BEST camera bag I’ve ever owned.

Name a person, place or thing you cannot live without.

Everything is temporary.

I guess my health. I’m really active and can’t imagine not being able to move my body.

How does your studio set itself apart from the multitude of new photographers out there?

By trying to invent the next trend, focusing on pure quality of image without gimmicks, quality time with each client and selling wedding albums.

I do lose weddings because I don’t provide the digital files with wedding coverage, however I think this is the biggest disservice to my clients and their eventual offspring. Not to mention photographer’s bottom lines. My customers are SO happy when they get their heirloom wedding album. It is one of those things that you don’t know you are missing out on until you go through the process.

What is the biggest challenge you have had in your business so far and how did you overcome it?

I have had just one nightmare couple. Just one in 9 years! They taught me SO much about what I needed to have in writing and how to be preemptive. I would not be nearly as successful (with super happy couples) had it not been for them.

All of my success with albums is due to the chaos these people brought into my life. Now, my couples cry tears of joy when I deliver their final wedding album and they send me thank you notes! I even got a thank you note from a bride’s Grandma this year!

It is hard to explain here how important the album process is. For my business and for my couples. If it wasn’t for this couple, I wouldn’t have the backbone I have today with my policies and procedures. You live and learn, right?

What is the most successful marketing strategy you have implemented in your business?

I was a very early adopter of Facebook and it brought me a lot of business before other photographers caught on. Now I try to get as creative with it as possible and make it as easy as possible for my past clients to refer my studio.

Recently, my blog comments were switched over to Facebook commenting instead of standard WordPress comments. This has increased the comments dramatically and I just read an article about Google’s new ranking system where interaction is now key. Staying on top, or ahead, of these changes is important for staying relevant and ahead of the curve.

How does DigiLabs Pro help your business?

Oh, in so many ways. I was soooooo unhappy with my previous gallery host and spent months searching for the replacement. There has been nothing but puppies and rainbows with DigiLabs Pro ever since. My print sales increased immediately upon transitioning.

Currently, the albums are super hot with my couples. We are totally digging the Marina line.  One Grandmother of a Bride offered to buy the couple a new coffee table to put the album on!

What I love is that DigiLabs handles their business like I do…. Just enough of what is hot & trendy with keeping things as simple as possible.

Tell me about one of your biggest disasters from a shoot.

Well, there are several mini disasters that happen each year, right? My first ‘real’ wedding (where they found me through advertising) was the biggest. From start to finish, curve balls were thrown at me. It taught me EXACTLY what my strength and weaknesses were.

One situation, that taught me a lot, was from 2009.  I was photographing a wedding in a giant art gallery, Artisan Works. This place is huge (50,000 square feet!) and the lighting changes every 4 feet. On camera flash is a must. Of course, all of my Nikon Speedlights started to malfunction. Walking the distance to my spare camera bag/batteries/flashes is a hike and the DJ is announcing important events on the other end of the main room. Meanwhile I’m frantically trying to trouble shoot the different flashes, batteries, charging batteries, etc. Luckily, my Qflash was working, so I just used that. This was stressful for several reasons, but mostly because I typically take several candid images of each guest. Not really an option at this wedding.

It was time to leave and I was feeling this itch to stick around because the bride and groom were exiting to sparklers. I sucked it up and stayed late. After the couple left, I quickly photographed the guests with sparklers. The last shot of the night is one that will stick with me, and the family, forever.  It is of a 13 year old boy and his brother with fistfuls of sparklers and huge grins on their faces.  Four days later the 13 year old was hit by a car and perished. This is the last image of him – and an image of pure joy. Had I not stayed late and finished what I perceive to be my job (getting images of guests), this family would not have this image to remember their son, full of life. This was a reminder that though the rings and shoes are nice, the guest list is the MOST important detail….

What word of advice can you give to other (seasoned or new) photographers?

I know you hear this all the time, but be yourself. Do as much research as possible on business, posing, lighting, composition, design, marketing and taxes. And then infuse your personality in there. People do want whatever it is that you are selling… you just need to find the right people. If you do your homework and get your ducks in a row, everything will work out just fine.

To view the original post, click here: http://blog.digilabspro.com/2011/08/03/photographer-of-the-month-mckays-photography/

Heron Hill Winery invites you to spend a Sunday afternoon on Keuka Lake for your Finger Lakes Wedding Planning at an exclusive Bridal Showcase. Visit with local vendors, mingle with other bride/grooms-to-be and enjoy a glass of wine while savoring the breathtaking vista views of one of the Finger Lake’s premiere Wineries. The wedding showcase will be held in the majestic event tent overlooking beautiful Keuka Lake. All registered brides-to-be can enjoy a complimentary wine tasting. The Blue Heron Cafe will be featuring a full menu and musician Bruce Holler will be playing on the terrace.

August 28, 2011

1 pm – 4 pm

Heron Hill Winery

9301 County Route 76

Hammondsport, NY 14840

Heron Hill Winery offers tent wedding ceremony locations overlooking gorgeous Keuka Lake in NY’s Finger Lakes region. The Winery is also an environmentally responsible wedding location that is focused on sustainability and green/eco-friendly weddings.

To register for this FREE event, please visit this link: http://www.heronhill.com/Weddings—Events/Register-for-Heron-Hill-Wedding-Show

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

McKay’s Photography stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud McKay’s Photography for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that McKay’s Photography is among the very best Rochester NY Wedding Photographers within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/mckays-photography-rochester/d11f7de324e80638.html.

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire.com, the nation’s leading technology company serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 local wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives local businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. Businesses that join the WeddingWire Network appear on WeddingWire.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), ProjectWedding.com and Weddingbee.com (both part of eHarmony), and Celebrations.com (part of the 1-800-Flowers family of brands, NASDAQ: FLWS).

That’s what a group of involved citizens and small business owners are doing. Together with the City of Rochester’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Human Services, as well as the New York State Department of Transportation, the Citizens Planning Group is working to build and maintain a skatepark for skateboarders and BMX riders.

McKay’s Photography is taking part in the Rally for Roc City Skatepark to raise money for a world class destination level skatepark in downtown Rochester. Much like a walk-a-thon or other fundraising effort, this sponsorship qualifies MP for the following:

* Minimum to skate/ride $100. Ride with and meet the pros and receive a t-shirt.
* VIP Access Minimum $500. Ride, meet, skate and have dinner with the pros and receive a hoodie.
* Rally hardest and raise the most in sponsorship dollars and ride in the Red Bull MXT vehicle with Red Bull Athlete Zered Basset on Sunday to skate your favorite skate spots with a professional photo shoot!

(MP is donating this qualification to ride with the pros to a younger, less fortunate rider!)

MP’s goal is to raise $500. Please make a donation of any amount by visiting my FirstGiving page (by June 1st):
http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/mckaysphoto/rallyforroccityskatepark

You can donate online with a credit card. All donations are secure and sent directly to “CENTER FOR POPULAR RESEARCH EDUCATION AND POLICY” by FirstGiving, who will email you a printable record of your donation.

Please send my page to anyone who might like to donate!

The planned location of Roc City Skatepark is at the heart of the city, beneath the east side of the iconic and award winning Frederick Douglass/ Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge. Pending New York State Department of Transportation approval, this spot boasts plenty of room for varied skateboarding and BMX disciplines with areas on either side of the bridge for a more outdoor feel. Not to mention excellent shelter from the elements and our fair city’s unpredictable weather.

A concrete investment.
Nothing rides like permanent, concrete rails and ramps. But more importantly, a cast-in-place concrete skatepark is low-maintenance and long-lasting. Which is why nothing less will suffice for this project.

The Rally for the Roc City Skatepark will feature an indoor and outdoor skateboarding and bmx biking experience, exhibitions by pro skateboarders, contests, physical activities in which children can participate, family activities, music, delicious food, a parent oasis area, silent auction and VIP event. The Rally for Roc City Skatepark is being hosted by the Friends of the Roc City Skatepark and is a fundraising event for the planned skatepark in the City of Rochester.

Please help McKay’s Photography raise money for this much needed project in Rochester!

Tonight, McKay’s Photography is sponsoring Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone, in Little Theater 1 at 7:00 PM.

“They play ska, rock, punk and funk – they are Fishbone!  Defying easy labels, the members of this legendary band met in high school in Los Angeles and set out in 1979 to do their, decidedly, own thing. Along the way, they managed to influence musicians from Gwen Stefani of No Doubt to Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who are all featured in the film.  To the amazement of everyone interviewed Fishbone never managed to make it big.”

http://film360365.com

Other highlights of this year’s festival are:

Julie Taymor: Susan B. Anthony Award

The 360 | 365 George Eastman House Film Festival announces Oscar®-nominated and Tony Award®-winning director Julie Taymor is the 2011 recipient of its Susan B. Anthony Award. The ceremony will be at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 29 in the Dryden Theatre at George Eastman House, followed by a screening of her 2010 film The Tempest, which she directed and also wrote the adapted screenplay. Tickets are $15 and are on sale now.

Buddy Squires: Golden Lens Award for Cinematography, presented by Kodak

6:45 p.m. Thursday, April 28

Buddy Squires, whom many call “the visual poet,” is best known for photographing the films of Ken Burns and is a founding member of Florentine Films. He has earned several Oscar® nominations and Emmy® awards for cinematography, as well as for producing and directing, plus several additional leading cinematography honors. A program featuring Squires’ work will be screened followed the award presentation. The festival’s film roster includes a screening of Strangers No More (2010), the current Oscar® winner for Best Short Documentary, for which Squires served as cinematographer.

Movies I’m excited to see:

The Troll Hunter, The Lie, Rollout Cowboy, Second Story man, Adult shorts programs, The Tempest, Tracker, Windfall and Wrecked.

http://film360365.com

Brock Yates: Rochester Film Legacy Award

This is a new award established by the festival, to honor a filmmaker or film supporter based in the Rochester area whose passion and dedication embodies Rochester’s proud film legacy. Screenwriter Brock Yates, who resides in Wyoming in Wyoming County, has been chosen as the inaugural recipient. His film scripts include Smokey and the Bandit II and The Cannonball Run. This award was given during a sponsor’s reception in advance of the festival.

Eco-friendly wedding guest books and albums with green ink jet printing process and bamboo mounted prints are the newest addition to McKay’s Photography’s already environmentally friendly line of products.

* Even if you don’t really care about the state of the environment, you will love the look and feel of the paper in this guestbook, as it feels like felt and is easier to write on than the previous product I was using. The pricing is the same too, so extra bonus!

* The sustainable wedding albums are printed on fine art giclee ink jet prints with a hand sewn binding and several cover options. I love them. And I love the sustainable cover made of pineapple leaves… that used to be burned until someone thought to make paper out of them!

* As for the bamboo mounted prints, this doubles as a cutting board if things go south…. (KIDDING!). I saw these when I was at WPPI in Vegas and fell in love with them. The pricing is the same as my canvas prints…

McKay’s Photography is the premiere Eco-friendly wedding and portrait photographer in Upstate NY and the only Photographer in the Rochester area that is both PPA Certified and Greener Photography Certified. Click here, here and here for more info on what makes McKay’s Photography a green business in Upstate NY.

My talk was about the importance of offering heirloom wedding and portrait albums. With the advent of digital, photographers have started giving away the digital files… no one would have done that with film. The issue I have with this is that the digital files usually just sit on the computer. Technology changes so fast that digital files don’t last very long and you need multiple copies. Photographers are doing a HUGE disservice to their clients by not actively offering or selling albums to their clients. I tried to give them a game plan. How to plan out what albums to offer, how to price them and how to sell them easily.

Here is feedback I received: “WONDERFUL!!!!!!  This was MUCH more than I expected.  Heather is an energetic, expressive speaker and her sales tips were very helpful.  I feel much better able to sell albums now.”

In my opinion, I got off to a slow start because I was surprised there were so many people in the room and then when I got on a roll, I talked really fast. One attendee told me later that my talk and one of the national level speakers were his favorite! My print lab sponsored my talk (with new album samples) and I was happy to hear that he saw a ton of traffic to his trade show booth because of my talk. So was my standard album company too. these two companies already work together for printing and binding, so next year they are having their booths next to each other.

The rest of the convention was great. My good friend and assistant, Pat Luke, also spoke at this convention and he did amazing as usual. He is down to earth and funny. I also attended a Ladies Brunch and was honored to be part of this group. One of the women commented that 20 years ago the Ladies Brunch was just to keep the wives busy with fashion shows while their husbands attended the convention and bought new toys.

It is a truly monumental task attempting to put into words our appreciation towards and admiration for Heather McKay of McKay’s Photography.  To make the task a bit more manageable we will focus solely on our experience with Heather as our wedding album designer.  We must say though that we could rave for days about her professionalism and exceptional skill that were evident throughout all of our experiences with her.

One of the factors that makes Heather’s work stand head and shoulders above the rest is her ability to capture beautiful images with her camera.  Other photographers nowadays rely heavily on technology and Photoshop, while Heather is able to actually capture moments with her camera and not fabricate them later on.  She tastefully uses Photoshop to enhance her images, not to create the image.  No one wants to look at their wedding album and think “That’s not how I remember it!”  Nothing can take the place of natural talent, years of experience, and passion.  Heather possesses all of these things.  Nothing is more timeless than a beautiful photo.   Heather produces beautiful photos every time!  She has the rare ability to stay current while remaining timeless.

Heather worked closely with us while making our album to make sure that we were getting exactly what we wanted.  She shows her sensitivity to her clients’ economic situation by never trying to up-sell.  There were never any hidden charges.  Everything was completely upfront and honest.  It is reassuring to do business with someone who is so trustworthy and who truly has your best interest in mind.  She makes sure that the client feels comfortable and knows exactly what they will be getting for their money.

None of our meetings with Heather were constricted by a time limit.  She always allowed us to stay as long as we wanted to discuss our ideas and questions.  Most people today are all about making money and that means meeting with as many clients in as short a time frame as possible.  This is not the case at McKay’s Photography.  She cares about her clients and it shows by the amount of time she is willing to spend with them.  She truly listened to what we wanted and it was all reflected in the end product.  From specific pictures we wanted included, to the background color of pages, to the formatting of various pages; she managed to capture exactly what we wanted!  Even though she did all of the work, she made us feel like we were part of the process too.  Our Wedding Album reflects all of the things we love and admire about Heather’s work, yet she made it feel undeniably ours!  That is no easy task!

It goes without saying that we became misty eyed when Heather presented us with our completed album.  It is something that we will treasure forever.  The bride and groom would naturally be pleased with an album featuring themselves on their special day, but what would the tougher critics aka our parents think?  They were nothing short of amazed.  We heard a lot of “We have never seen anything like this!”  My mother said it is “Absolutely the most beautiful wedding album ever!”  In complete seriousness my Grandmother offered to buy us a new coffee table for the sole purpose of displaying our Wedding Album!  If those aren’t the words of a satisfied customer, I don’t know what is!

People who opt not to get an album and only receive the digital files of their wedding images are missing out on a truly breathtaking heirloom.  Heather told our story through her pictures and our album.  Going through each page brings back a flood of happy memories.  I put wedding pictures in my own small album immediately after the wedding.  When I look through that album I do not get the magical feelings that I get when I look at the masterpiece that Heather created.  She is nothing short of a magnificent artist.  She created our most valuable possession that will be treasured throughout our lives.  Some people are hesitant to spend significant amounts of money, but believe me when I say that it is a small price to pay for a priceless piece of art.  Heather’s work speaks for itself and it says all of the right things!  She has lifelong customers in us!

Brandon & Stefani Dilmore
Married May 22, 2010

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** At McKay’s Photography, if a customer purchases a wedding album between January and April, they receive the digital files as a gift from the studio. (minimum $1000 purchase, completely ordered/designed/paid between Jan-April 30 to qualify)**

This is a huge honor for me to be invited as part of the Greener Photography organization. We will have a booth in the trade show, next to Rice Studio Supply (the vendor for all of my packaging!).

Greener Photography will be participating in and teaching several short classes at several booths including ProDPI, Bay Photo, Rice Studio Supply, White Glove Books and more. As the current GP Education Committee Chair, I will also be working with the committee to finalize several programs in the works and networking for speaking opportunities.

My secondary focus for the trip will be to network with the other vendors that I currently use for my albums and work on getting a sponsor for my upcoming program in March. I am teaching on Album Sales and Design at the Photo North East Convention. My vendor loyalties vary well may change this weekend, with a switch to all green vendors. We’ll see, since I’m happy with the ones I currently use and there are a few green options in there.

Lastly, I plan to have a ton of fun in sin city with old and new friends alike! One fun thing planned is a special tour and photo shoot for Greener Photography Members of the Springs Preserve, The Springs Preserve is a 180-acre cultural institution designed to commemorate Las Vegas’ dynamic history and to provide a vision for a sustainable future. The Preserve features museums, galleries, outdoor concerts and events, colorful botanical gardens and an interpretive trail system that meanders through a scenic wetland habitat.

So, if you are trying to reach me, I’ll be MIA until Wednesday! Email will be the best form of contact and I will check it each day from the road…

Since I have several such weddings, I’ll be re-posting their weddings here to really give them a massive shout out. For either starting a trend or for being totally ahead of the curve! These are all still some of my very favorite weddings that I have photographed. From the people in them, to my performance as a whole. I still look back on these images with pride in my work and as a reminder to get back to the purity that I once had.

This first installment of Vintage McKay’s Photography Weddings, comes from my infamous Cinema Wedding! All of my current customers has seen the giant album of this wedding and have marveled at all of the great ideas. From the Ice Cream bar instead of a cake to the vintage B&W photo booth guestbook to her birdcage veil and ostrich feather centerpieces. All of these things were extremely difficult to find and I’ll let Jodi chime in here about the process…

The wedding ceremony was at the historic Cinema Theater on Goodman Street and the wedding reception was at the historic German House in the South Wedge. This was at a time when most weddings were in churches and hotels. The only publicity the wedding received was an article in the Irondiquoit Post: http://www.mpnnow.com/lifestyle/x1819880821

Jodi was so cutting edge that we even did a boudior pregnancy session, before either of those things was popular.

Both the wedding and my images were geared around an old vintage hollywood wedding theme and I even shot film and used a Holga camera at times!

Here are a few images of their wedding day… from 2007!

13 Jan, 2011 - MomentVille.com, one of the worlds leading wedding websites, has just announced that McKay’s Photography has been selected for the 2011 Wedding Professional Hot List.

The annual Wedding Professional Hot List recognizes excellence within the wedding industry, as determined by reviews from tens of thousands of brides and grooms. McKay’s Photography was among the best reviewed vendors in their area in the past year.

“The Wedding Professional Hot List recognizes best of class wedding professionals.” said Geoff Evason, MomentVille’s CEO. “Highlighting the success of the top wedding professionals is an exciting way to spread the word and help newly engaged couples find the right professionals for their own weddings.”

About McKay’s Photography
Heather McKay treats each wedding as a unique event and her photography allows your individuality to shine through. As a Photo Journalist, she stays hidden and unobtrusive during sentimental moments, while keeping the atmosphere fun and energetic. Heather captures the world with an artist’s eye and professional candor.

About MomentVille
MomentVille.com offers engaged couples and wedding enthusiasts a one stop place for planning and sharing a wedding. Offering personal wedding websites, wedding planning tools, a gorgeous gallery of wedding pictures, a searchable list of reviewed wedding vendors, and lots of helpful and inspiring wedding content, MomentVille helps newlyweds with all aspects of their wedding. For more information contact media@momentville.com

Super Special Early Bird Holiday Print Special

Order prints & gifts THIS weekend, and you will receive never before seen LOW print prices! Visit http://www.mckaysphotography.com/blog/ to view the active web galleries and place your order.

** This offer is only good until midnight on Sunday, November 14th, 2010!
There will be no further print sales for 2010, so order those holiday gifts NOW (pretty please)

Print Prices
4×6   – $5

5×7   – $10

8×10 – $15

11×14 – $45

16×20 – $75

48 Wallets (2×3)  – $20

Custom Photo Products

Single Digital File - $25
Individual image file with reproduction release for printing. File will be emailed. Image will be color & density corrected. Wonderful for creating your own holiday cards!

4.5×5 Folded Cards (48) – $80
Press Printed folded cards. One image on front with simple text inside (use special instructions to write greeting). Great for holiday cards or basic personalized stationary! (available in packs of 24 only)

NEW for 2010… Holiday Gift Tags – $50
100 – 2.75″ x 1.10″ cards/gift tags/ornaments. Printed in full color on both sides. Back will say “to” and “from” unless otherwise noted. Up to 5 different images! (Images need to work well as a rectangle/panoramic)

** All galleries from 2010 are active and have the special pricing. Prices WILL return to normal on Monday morning. Please email with any questions that you have.

** No other discounts will be combined with this offer.

Coach Pat Stark and the U of R will be sending out images from the event shortly, however if you or someone you know would like additional prints then the images will be online in a web gallery soon. Available will be a 10×15 framed print of the entire Track group, as well as additional 8x10s and other sizes including holiday cards. There are a lot of really good portraits of the Track alumni and those will be sent to Coach Hale.

Here are just a few of the images from the event….

A few neat things about these is that they are laser engraved, so there is no die setup charge. The wooden ones are neat-o because the logo looks burned in. They even have some bamboo cases for packaging and little cotton pouches. You may recall that I had offered some before, however the company I was using gave me defective drives. Not one of the purchased drives actually worked! So the timing on this contest couldn’t have been better for M.P. and Pexagon Tech!

On my customer’s end, these drives are much more convenient since you can:

• Reorganize the files however you would like (divide into folders, etc)
• Directly plug into your USB-able TV for a slide show
• Share the images across multiple computers for easy backup
• Portable
• Longer lasting than a DVD that is easily scratched