Phil White Photography

Inside Out Salon in Eagle Idaho

2012-03-08T11:46:00.002-08:00

Today we are celebrating the ribbon cutting to Inside Out Salon in Eagle, Idaho. For the last two years, we've watched Dawn Maglish make this journey of faith and perseverance to her dream of a not-for-profit salon with the proceeds going to fight human trafficking here in Idaho, in the U.S. and abroad. Fox 9 was there to cover this story, check out the story and video here.

Hansen family

2012-03-05T22:00:00.000-08:00

The Hanson's had a Fabulous Fall Family session! We appreciated the privilege to capture these memories of this time for them with their newest addition. They are such a special family to us as we have watched their oldest daughter grow through the years. Now we have a new little boy to keep an eye on as well! They wanted to take this opportunity to share a few of their favorite photos with you all!

Boise Double Take, now available!

2011-12-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

If you have been following our blog, last summer we did a photo shoot in front of the Idaho State Capital of Miss Idaho 2011 Genevieve Nutting. The project was for a book entitled "Boise Double Take" which has just been released this weekend! Our image is featured on page 55, and we're thrilled with how it turned out. For those who enjoy local history, you'll find this to be a wonderful book, filled with images, stories interesting facts about early and present Boise. Many thanks for allowing us to be in this book, and congratulations Rich Binsacca and Gate House Publishers on the release of "Boise Double Take". Get your copy today!

Something for Veteran's Day...

2011-11-11T11:23:00.001-08:00

Today I find my heart filled with gratitude for the men and women who have served in our armed forces. I can't help but think about my wife's Grandfather who has passed on a few years ago. He was a Pearl Harbor survivor, and his experience was such that he mostly refused to talk about it. It wasn't until later in life that he finally came to terms with some of the horrors he experienced, but even then was reluctant to talk about it. One thing he did talk about was the fact that his ship was in dry-dock and the ammunition for the ship was in a box car at the ammunition depot couple of miles away. Him and five other shipmates ran to the depot to find the boxcar with the ship ammunition and pushed the boxcar all the way back to the ship so they could finally engage the enemy. I was quite amazed at the fact that these six guys could move a loaded boxcar by hand over that distance...his reply was, "You'd be surprised what you can do when people are shooting at you..." Evidently the horrors he saw after the battle defied description. I later heard some of the details from other family members he has confided in over the years, it was little wonder he didn't want to have to relive those things. To Navy Chief Petty Officer William Klaes and the thousand of others who bear scars of their service and gave their lives in service to our country. In sincere thanks, I salute you.

Emily H. From Newport, Oregon, Boise Photographer

2011-11-06T18:52:00.000-08:00

We were truly delighted to have been able to photograph Emily's Senior Session. We became acquainted with Emily and her family while we were photographing her older sister's wedding here in Idaho. I got a message earlier this year asking if, we were coming back out to Oregon sometime soon... and would we be interested in taking Emily's Senior Portraits? Long story, short...we headed out to Newport in September. The weather was very kind to us during our stay, and gave us a nearly perfect day for Emily's Session. You couldn't ask for more than that...

Newport and Oregon's Central Coast, Boise photographer

2011-11-02T12:21:00.000-07:00

Here are some images from my all-time favorite place on earth...the Oregon's Central Coast. I have a couple of blogs up and coming that show some of the highlights of this trip featuring a Senior Photo Session and couple of awesome places to eat in Newport, Oregon.

We have frames!

2011-10-26T17:20:00.000-07:00

We now have custom framing added to our line of products, just in time for the holiday gift season! With 40 designs to choose from (more coming soon), they are the perfect addition to any Wall Art purchase! We've worked with these guys over the summer and they have really been great, and we're proud to carry their line of frames! We also now have software where you can preview your image along with the frame as it would hang in your house. More on that later

The "Old Phone" ringtone...

2011-10-24T07:48:00.000-07:00

I heard it a while ago, something that I hadn't heard for long time, in fact I couldn't tell you the last time I heard it. Perhaps it was on an old movie or TV show, a rerun of the original Twilight Zone, but honestly I couldn't remember the last time I heard it in real life. The sound has been replaced by a plethora of Tweetles, Twitters (not the social media), beeps and various opening riffs of famous songs. I'm talking about ring tones. Like any other person who at least pretends to be up to date with technology, I have a Smartphone strapped to my hip all the time. I generally find a ring tone that I don't find distasteful and after a few months I get so tired of it that I'm forced to search for a new one. But one day I heard it...coming from a cell phone no less. It was the sound of an old Ma Bell telephone. Two bells with a clapper in between that for almost a century exclaimed that someone was calling and wishing to talk with you. Although the old Ma Bell ring is certainly not soothing, for some strange reason it's not repulsive (to me) either. A week ago my phone went through an update and for some reason that I cannot explain, I decided to look through the list of ringtones that hadn't changed since I got it. But this time was different, the list of ringtones had tripled and as I scrolled down through the pages, I found it! It simply said "Old Phone" and I chose it! Now my high tech Smartphone sounds like an old telephone when it rings. My family has weighed in on the change...my daughter thinks it's annoying, my wife just rolls her eyes and my son thinks it's funny. For me, it just makes me happy.

2011 IPC Bronze Medalist. Boise Photographer

2011-10-21T12:34:00.000-07:00

Goin'Solo

Knew A Little Girl Who Had a Little Curl...

Letting off Steam

The Master's Way

Very exciting news this year! I earned the Bronze Medal in PP of A's International Print Competition.

My print competition entries have also been accepted into the General Collection of Professional Photographers of America's 2011 International Photographic Competition. These images will be on display at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, January 15-17, 2012, in New Orleans, La. This exhibition is held in conjunction with Imaging USA, an annual convention of professional photographers and several photographic associations.

A panel of eminent jurors from across the United States selected the top photographs from more than 4,000 total submitted entries at Gwinnett Technical College in Georgia. Judged against a standard of excellence, over 1,500 images were selected for the General Collection and just over 600 (15 percent) were selected for the esteemed Loan Collection—the best of the best. The Loan Collection images will all be published in the much-anticipated “Loan Collection” book, and over 200 selected General Collection images will be published in the “Showcase” book by Marathon Press.

Images titled “The Master's Way”, “Letting off Steam”, “Goin' Solo” and “Knew a Little Girl Who had a Little Curl”, my entries will be in New Orleans at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center alongside other photographic works from PPA’s photographic competition and traveling and special invitational displays. These images constitute one of the world’s largest annual exhibits of professional photography gathered simultaneously under one roof.

Boise Idaho Commercial Photographer/ Miss Idaho 2011 Boise Double Take

2011-08-04T10:04:00.000-07:00

Watch for the book "Boise Double Take" due to be released in late 2011. Rich Binsacca has been working on this book which features a "than and now" look at various locations throughout Boise. One image was an image of Miss Idaho1962 Irene Ammons posed in front of the Capital Building at the Stuenberg memorial. The idea was to take an image of current Miss Idaho 2011,Genevieve Nutting that pays homage to that historical photograph. Although the setting is the same, we did a variety of images that ranged from the exact pose to a more modern pose and lighting pattern (shown above). I thoroughly enjoy Idaho history and it was certainly an honor to be part of this project.

Silverlake Shootout

2011-03-13T22:30:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Silverlake Photo for opening their design studio in Twin Falls, ID for the attendees of the Professional Photographers of Idaho annual Conference. They had several models, studio bays and of course a full selections of their incredible backgrounds at disposal. I think I have to do some backdrop shopping now...

Boise Idaho High School Senior Photographer/ Anne

2010-09-10T22:12:00.000-07:00

What an amazing journey it's been working with Anne this summer. She was so excited about working on her Senior photos that she started before her Junior year was up and pretty much wanted to everything. We did a casual studio session, a vintage light session, an outdoor session and last but not least, we trashed her prom dress in a friend's pond. What a fantastic set of images we captured of this truly wonderful girl.

Boise Idaho Wedding Photographer/ Andrew and Sarah

2010-08-19T20:15:00.001-07:00

Andrew and Sarah were married this June at the Boise Botanical gardens. The couple is a very relaxed pair, certainly a breath of fresh air in a fast-paced, "get is done now" world. They were a joy to photograph.
This wedding was the maiden voyage of some new off camera radio triggers I recently purchased, which were pressed into service just in time. The off camera flash really tamed what can be a very difficult venue for family group shots...particularly in the mid-afternoon. We got some awesome family photos and it worked out well for the bride and groom too...photographs that would not have been possible without it.

Boise Idaho Wedding Photographer/ Richard and Becka

2010-08-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

Here is a wedding from a few months ago, I happen to be a little behind...well... a lot behind on my blogging.
I became acquainted with Becka several years ago, I am good friends with her parents and I also took her High School Senior portraits. The wedding was held at the historic Capital City Christian Church in Boise...quite frankly I never tire of the stained glass in that building...it's just amazing!
There was a lot of laughing, singing, dancing and fun throughout the day. This was a joy to photograph!

Boise Idaho High School Senior Photographer/ Justin

2010-05-19T17:12:00.000-07:00

Justin is just about to graduate this spring and is looking forward to serving in the military after High School.

Boise Idaho High School Senior Photographer/ Mike

2010-05-08T09:48:00.000-07:00

We greatly enjoyed working with Mike on his Senior session. Mike will be graduating this year and will be attending Boise Bible College in the fall.

Boise Idaho Portrait Photographer/ CarolBeth

2010-04-23T21:24:00.000-07:00

This is a publicity shot for a local musician who I have known personally for a very long time. CarolBeth is very accomplished classical pianist...but also is a pretty cool keyboard player and can mix it up playing in any band she chooses to. This is a photographic tribute to a very good friend...

Goodbye Boise Blue Art Supply

2010-02-14T07:39:00.000-08:00

Boise Blue Art Supply will close it's doors in the next couple of weeks. After 71 years of serving the art community, the iconic art supply store succumbed to the pressure of economy, online retailers and "big box" stores.
When I began to study art back in the early 1980's, I learned about Boise Blue and began to make regular treks to Boise so I could see what art related item I was missing, and I always found something I needed. When in college, I spent a lot of time there finding things to complete my assignments. Even after college I get a job working in advertising design and publications ...guess what? I was there...a lot! Even today, as a Photographer, I would go a buy mat board and other framing related articles because they had a huge selection and a staff who really knew how to pick the right colors for your print, and they always had the right item to solve your problem. Nobody else in town had that. And now, nobody will.
It's almost like losing a Grandparent, so many memories attached to that place, it was always good to me, I always found exactly what I needed there and I wonder what life will like without it. It is part of an institution that is fading away in our country, the small business.
I walked through the store yesterday looking at the shelves that were beginning to empty out. There was no "Going out of Business Sale" happening, but the store was full of customers, buying their art supplies there for the last time and grieving with the staff over the loss of Boise Blue.

Boise Idaho Commercial Photographer/ Hairstyle model shoot

2010-01-26T16:32:00.000-08:00

Once in a while a project comes along that promises to challenge me. About 2 weeks ago I got a Facebook message from Toronto Canada from Dawn Maglish, a student of cosmetology who was in Toronto at a conference to further her education. The message stated that she was entering a national hairstyle contest. Her mentors advised her to hire a professional photographer as her designs were really strong and she just needed someone to who could illustrate her designs to the panel of judges in the best possible fashion. She was going to be back in town in a couple of days and she would only have a few days to get the pictures taken and submitted for competition.
Although my entire career has been dedicated to portraiture, I've admired model photography for some time. Yes, I admit, I watch America's Top Model every time it's on. I read Vogue, Elle and In Style magazine in order to keep up with the current trends of the fashion world. I have found this to be a very important part of the photography business.
I'm finding that a fashion vibe is starting to infiltrate my work and I'm actively finding ways to incorporate it into my High School Seniors and Wedding work. Now there was no incorporation...it was going to be all about fashion.
We scheduled a couple of appointments to accommodate the model's schedules and went to work. Rule number one: everything else fell secondary to the hairdo. Secondly: the light had to illustrate the point of the hairdo. Either the coloring, the styling, or both. Nothing important could be allowed to fall into shadow. Thirdly: the picture is all about fashion, and using traditional portraiture or just snapshots were not going to get these hairdos noticed.
It was great to work with Dawn, she has the makings of a great hair stylist, and I look forward to working with her again in the future. It was also great to work with the models, Melissa, Julie and Bailey. They were great to work with and very patient as we fussed over the light and the hair.
In the end both Dawn and I were pleased with the results, it was a great session! Dawn got all three of her images for competition, and I think I have another competition print for PP of I this year. Yeah...it was that good!

Recurring training

2009-08-09T13:34:00.000-07:00

At the end of June I attended a workshop put on by my good friend Master Photographer Dave Newman. Dave has operated Newman Photography in the Salt Lake City for 30 years and is how a certified instructor, writer and lecturer.
You can learn a lot from someone like this...and I did. Here are some photos I took during the class.

New logo...

2009-08-05T19:49:00.000-07:00

After a great deal of thinking, we came up with yet another logo. This time, I think we are settled and have found the identity we have been looking for.

The original logo had a very fashion-like look to it, but also looked like it belonged to an architectural firm. The next generation was an exercise in getting a P and a W to look like they belong together, but something was lacking and they still were not playing nice.

We had to do a lot of soul searching to really find a symbol that indicates what we are about. Our style embraces both contemporary and classic portraiture with a strong emphasis on overall image design. Our logo now embraces both the creative element as well as pays homage to photography as a discipline and structure. We believe that photographic structure without creativity is boring, and that creativity without structure is just chaos. Knowing and practicing both are the key to the images we create.

I think our logo now reflects this balance.

We are not finished yet, be watching in the next few weeks as you will see changes come to both the blog and the main website. It's going to look really cool!

Boise Idaho Wedding Photographer/ Livin' the dream...

2009-06-03T21:08:00.000-07:00

As a boy I spent many hours daydreaming about flying for the Armed Services.  My favorite television program at the time was “Baa Baa Black Sheep”, a TV series based upon the famous Marine fighter pilot Gregory “Pappy” Boyington and the VMF-224 “Black Sheep” Squadron.  I never missed an episode and during the summers I would set up my “Corsair” (lawn chair on a picnic table with a broom handle to fly with) and fly endless missions, shooting down the enemy and landing at exotic locales.  Always the hero.  But the military pilot dream ended before it began.  I wore glasses, and military pilots didn't wear glasses.

All those memories came flooding back when I met Sarah and Brock.  Brock is a fighter pilot for our Armed Services and that's about all I can say about him.  In my mind, he's living the dream.

Despite his enviable career, the real dream for Brock is Sarah.  Brock shared with me the story of how he proposed to Sarah.

Brock wanted to surprise Sarah with his proposal of marriage and was looking for the perfect opportunity to pop the question.  His opportunity came when one of his missions was canceled due to bad weather, and Sarah just so happened to be there when he got word of this.  With the blessing of his commander, Sarah got the tour of airplane in sort of a pre-flight manner.  The tour ended up on the wing and Brock knealt down to finish his pre-flight of the jet and said something to the effect, “...and finally and most importantly, I have to always make sure that this ring is securely attached where it belongs,”  and holds up an engagement ring.  Hearing not a sound, Brock looked up to see Sarah's legs wobbling beneath her as she stood near the edge of the wing.  He quickly reached out and wrapped his arms around her legs so she wouldn't fall.  Pre-flight complete... and Sarah said, “yes”.

Here are some photos from their engagement session, they will wed in July.

City of Trees Pipes and Drums

2009-05-24T21:34:00.000-07:00

There is something both comforting and haunting about the wail of bagpipes. It's really hard for me to put into words the feelings that they stir when I hear them. Feelings of happiness, sadness, fear, comfort and nostalgia...all circulate within this sonic whirlwind that the bagpipes generate. It's truly an awesome experience for me to hear them. No other instrument moves me in the same way.
City of Trees Pipes and Drums is a local band that is dedicated to promoting this wonderful tradition. They've played in a variety of venues throughout the Boise Valley and are becoming well known and well sought after. So much so that they are in the process of releasing a CD of their music.
They were in need of a formal group shot, which I was able to provide for them right after their recording session. The shoot went very well, but at the end I told them that the last frame was a "free-for-all" and they eagerly participated. Ironically, the free-for-all shot seems to be the favorite of the group...but it's the formal shot that will grace the cover. I plan to be first in line to buy my copy...order yours at www.boisebagpipes.com.

Professional Photographers of Idaho 2009

2009-03-22T06:45:00.000-07:00

What an incredible week! Think about drinking from a fire hose... that was what the PP of I conference was like. The theme for the conference was called "Week of Legends" and the conference lived up to it's name. There was so much good information and so many good speakers, it was hard to take it all in completely. I learned some cool things about location lighting from Doug Box, some great Photoshop tricks from Eddie Tapp and was inspired by David Beckstead with his unfettered creativity in his work. I also got spend some time with Steve Mackly and Dave Newman and got a lot of helpful information and advice.
This conference also marked my very first Print Competition where my work was scrutinized by a panel of experienced and distinguished judges. Honestly, I didn't do too bad for a rookie who had never seen a print competition before. Out of five prints entered, two were scored as Merit Prints and the other three did pretty good as well...ooooragh!
One of my best friends also lives there in Coeur d'Alene and I was able to spend some time with him and his family. I don't think I could have asked for a better week!

Getting ready for PP of I

2009-03-01T18:54:00.000-08:00

This year will be interesting. This will be my first Professional Photographers of Idaho print competition, and quite honestly, it's stressing me out. By nature I'm somewhat of a perfectionist and I know that what I enter is going to be scrutinized to a level that I rarely experience. It's all good, it's a part of perfecting one craft...but trying to put what you feel is best forward is a daunting and humbling experience when you know that the judges are good...really good...and they know what good is. The results...watch the next blog.

Boise Valley Judo

2009-02-28T10:48:00.000-08:00

Boise Valley Judo is hosting their 71st annual tournament on March 7th (10am?) at Vallivue Jr. High in Caldwell. In 1937, BVJ founder Maseo Yamashita (8th Dan) brought Judo to the State of Idaho and has been a driving force for the promoting and teaching of Judo all these years. Yamashita Sensai is no longer with us, but his legacy lives on at BVJ. Although technically I'm an inactive member (Nikkyu...2nd degree brown belt), I'm still regarded as part of the family and help out every year by doing some photography for the club around tournament season. I suppose I should go back and finish getting my Shodan (black belt).

Father/Daughter Dance

2009-02-13T19:35:00.000-08:00

For the last four years I have had the privilege of being the photographer for the ECC Father/Daughter Ball. It really is somewhat of a charity that I'm involved in every year as the proceeds go to support the ECC mission program which is certainly a good thing.
Outside of that, probably one of the most endearing elements of this events is that it reminds me of why I'm a Portrait Photographer. For the past 4 years I've watched several toddlers become little girls, several little girls become teenagers and several teenagers become young women. How cool is that?

The New Year

2009-01-03T08:15:00.000-08:00

It's been an eventful year at the studio. This last fall/winter season marks the 2 busiest quarters in the life of the studio. About the time that the economy got bad, business got good. Hmmmm.....
2008 was the year we launched the website with great results. I labored over the decision of where to host it, and how to host it for months and finally bit the bullet in January. I can't imagine life without one now! It's very much like a retail store on the web.
So what about 2009? I plan to expand my aviation image collection as I'm finding many enthusiasts who really dig pictures of airplanes, and there is a commercial market for aviation images as well. I plan to continue developing the portrait and wedding element of the studio, more equipment, more products and (hopefully) more clients. Stay tuned, more to come....

Amy and Lance get married

2008-11-28T19:54:00.000-08:00

You may recognize these two...their engagement session shows up just a little while ago.
Amy and I go back many years, in fact I took her Senior portraits several years ago. It was an honor and privilege to now be the photographer at her wedding.
I hope to be photographing their family for years to come...

A tale of two birds...

2008-11-11T20:01:00.000-08:00

Looking back over the summer, I recall a really fun project that I was asked to photograph.
Pat and Mike met in the Air Force and have been really close friends ever since. They fly Cessna 182 "straight tails" (for those of you who have no clue what a straight tail is...it's a Cessna built before 1960...tail is straight rather than angled back compared to the newer versions), they hunt together, fish together and fly together. Both of their Cessnas recently got a new paint job, and they hatched the idea to compose an AOPA article featuring the story of two ex- Air Force pilots and their airplanes and the friendship that has endured over the years.
So, a warm summer morning of photography, friends and formation flying...it doesn't get much better than that!
I'm looking forward to reading that AOPA article...

Meagan

2008-11-10T19:49:00.000-08:00

What else can a proud Uncle do but photograph his niece for her senior year of High School? Meagan is a most remarkable young lady. Her quiet strength, I'm convinced, will pull her through anything she sets her mind to. She has drive and motivation that is most inspiring, and no doubt will serve her well.
If you can't tell, she's also a country girl to the core.
Her future plans? Rumor has it that she wants to become a Doctor.
Go Meagan!

In concert with Scott Riggan

2008-11-09T16:37:00.000-08:00

In September Scott Riggan wowed a crowd at Eagle Christian Church with a concert promoting his new album "Clouds and Fire". A local radio station, KTSY promoted the event and the auditorium was nearly packed with Scott Riggan fans. It was a lot of fun to be the event photographer!
This album is truly a remarkable project for Scott and a very personal one, as this album he filled with music that he likes. He told me a while ago that he was tired of writing music to impress music promoters and record labels...this one he decided to write what he liked and just simply go with that.
So far his reviews have been outstanding, and for me personally, I think I'll probably wear my copy out as I truly enjoy listening to the music.
Check him out a www.scottriggan.com, and check out his music at www.indieheaven.com.

Amy and Rick

2008-11-09T15:42:00.000-08:00

"I want a picture of my daughter and her husband in front of the waterfall." It's the kind of request that separates the photographers from the weekend shooters. There is only one spot that this photograph can be taken, Amy and Rick would be in full sun, the waterfall would be completely in shade. Normally, you'd either one or the other, but I had to get BOTH...and I did. Many thanks for the very helpful groomsmen who teetered on the railing holding reflectors and diffusers in just the right spot to make this shot possible.
There was an elegant simplicity to this wedding, it reminds me of how weddings were conducted many years ago...a gathering of close friends and family under a grove of trees. It was truly awesome. Congratulations Amy and Rick!

Bob and Nissa

2008-11-09T15:18:00.000-08:00

Truthfully most wedding days are at best (barely) controlled chaos. Not the case with Bob and Nissa's wedding. I have honestly never photographed a wedding that went like clockwork as this one did. Nissa spent a great deal of time, effort and energy making sure that things would go well on their wedding day...and it paid off.
Bob is a local musician in the Boise Valley, now playing bass for at least 3 different bands. Nissa is a Business Manager for a local investment firm. Both have a deep love and respect for nature (it's not often that I get the request to photograph Blue Herons at a wedding). Definitely an inspiring couple.
Good luck Bob and Nissa!

Amy and Lance

2008-10-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

For those of you who enjoy love stories. Here's the Hollywood version...
Boy meets girl.
Boy and girl become High School Sweethearts.
Boy and girl break up before graduating and go their separate ways.
Boy and girl separately encounter many difficult trials in their lives.
Boy and girl eventually overcome the difficulties of their lives.
Girl moves to the other side of the U.S.
Girl graduates from college and moves back to Idaho.
Boy and girl rediscover each other.
Boy and girl decide to get married.
For any of you Hollywood directors out there reading this blog and looking for a good love story...I'm sure Amy and Lance would happily entertain offers. Contact me for details.

Busy, busy, busy...

2008-10-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy few months here. I have dozens of unfinished blogs and more to post that I haven't started yet. I think it's a good problem to have...it beats having all kinds of time to blog and nothing to blog about. I promise to get caught up here...soon.

Elisha and Amanda senior portraits

2008-10-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

Two sisters that are as much alike at they are different. Both are Seniors in High School despite their age difference due to their homeschooling background. Basically they started homeschooling at the same time...thus they finish at the same time. How cool is that?

Their fondness for the arts are reflected in their portraits! Both are also active in world missions having served and supported several missionary outreaches in Mexico and Asia.

Reason number 562 to hire a pro wedding photographer...

2008-08-28T22:10:00.000-07:00

Some time ago a digital print order came into a photo lab facility and the photos were a total loss. It was someone's wedding and the files were overexposed, there were severe color problems, and noise. To fix these images in Photoshop would have taken weeks! One of the technicians made the comment that this bride was not going to be very happy. The other responded..."reason number 562 to hire a pro to photograph your wedding".
This is a true story and it happens with alarming frequency.
Conventional wisdom would say that most of us can bake a small cake with a pile of frosting on top, but very, very few of us could bake and decorate a wedding cake. Most weddings require a large venue (building, park, etc...) of course there is the wedding dress, tuxes, minister, rehearsal dinner, reception food, DJ, Limo and finally the honeymoon...oh yeah...the photographer. The budget has now hit critical mass and is threatening to explode, and it is then the advertisement comes on TV; the miraculous Brand X camera that shoots beautiful photos all by itself! The potential Bride and Groom look at each other and think, 'Uncle Joe has one of those cameras...and he takes good pictures!. We could save a bunch of money!'
Uncle Joe and his miracle camera is recruited for the task. The big day comes and Uncle Joe (wanting to do a good job) takes photo after photo and in the mind of the bride, she can envision hundreds, maybe thousands of photos just like what she sees in the Bridal Magazines. Little does she know that Uncle Joe is shooting under conditions that he is not familiar with, there is no such thing as a miracle Brand X camera, therefore many of the photos will not turn out on that basis alone. Uncle Joe (wanting to do a good job) spent some time the night before reading his instruction manual so he could figure out what else his miracle camera can do, and having tried out these features for the first time...on their wedding.
Somewhere in some photo lab, a technician will be watching these photos fall out of their printer and they will shake their heads in despair, there is going to be a very disappointed bride and groom...and they think to themselves, they should have hired a pro to photograph their wedding.
You see, when the reception is over, the dress will hang up in the bride's closet, rarely to be seen again, the tux goes back to the store, the cake will have been completely eaten, the limo makes it's way to the next wedding and the friends and family will have gone home. All that remains are the photos.
Photos are our identity, our heritage and our memories. Shop carefully and wisely for an experienced photographer, and make the appropriate investment in remembering your wedding.

Paul Jr.

2008-06-27T12:24:00.000-07:00

Paul is one of the most remarkable young men I've had the privilege to meet. Underneath his quiet and polite demeanor you'll find an ambitious young man.
An accomplished guitarist, he makes an appearance on at least 3 albums that I'm aware of and has played for numerous bands throughout this area. He has traveled extensively in China and how many times he's been there...I've lost count. His first excursion was to play in a band that was doing a cultural exchange in the Hunan Province.
Paul has already started his college career and is also studying in addition to medicine Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic and plans to translate some of the original texts of the Bible to English as a project.

Clouds and Fire

2008-03-07T13:58:00.000-08:00

Watch this year for the release of "Clouds and Fire", a new album by Christian artist Scott Riggan.
Scott and I have been friends for few years now and we spent several months with the graphic artist hashing over what his new album was going to look like. At first he was thinking of a '70's era illustration, then starting thinking about photography instead. The idea behind "Clouds and fire" was the Biblical account of God leading the Israelites through the wilderness of the Sinai peninsula by a pillar of clouds by day and a pillar of fire by night.
We talked about all kinds of possible illustrations, Scott wearing a parachute and falling through the clouds leaving a fiery contrail in his wake (get it, clouds and fire...yeah, Scott didn't like either). Scott with this backpack next to a campfire in the desert, resting after a long day of walking. It seemed that the journey that Christians travel was the predominant theme in our discussions.
One evening, he was telling me about some b/w photography he had seen of some musician doing just everyday stuff. Making scrambled eggs, hanging out watching TV, sitting by his stranded car in the middle of nowhere...and that's when it hit me...stranded car!
The idea was complex, but not obscure. The Israelites were on a journey that they had no control over, just a pillar of clouds and fire, and the God who was leading them to a promised land. The stranded car is the universal symbol of how we are NOT in control of our destiny at all times, and that our journey is not always our own.
We found "nowhere" somewhere between Middleton and Emmett, Idaho. It was the perfect location and yes, the Pontiac GTO was fully functional and not really stranded. (Thanks Kent!)
Check him out at www.scottriggan.com, and check out his music at www.indieheaven.com

PMA 2008 Las Vegas

2008-02-03T21:11:00.000-08:00

PMA 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. I went with the expectation of learning more about what the photo industry was doing, and quite honestly I did. It has been 10 years since I attended the PMA convention and many things have changed. I saw an industry scrambling to reinvent itself in the wake of the digital age, some products and services looked interesting, many did not. One thing that seemed to me was striking was the fact that fewer and fewer people are making prints. This affects the print/processing industry the photographer, and sadly the one who didn't think it was important to make prints.
It seems seductive in this way when you can take a photo and park it on a hard drive free of any charge except for the cost of PC it lives on. Two problems exist...one, when the hard drive fails the photos disappear. Two, if you save your images on CD's or DVD's and put them in a trunk for your descendants to find in about 100 years, guess what? Technology will have moved on and there will probably not be anything to play those carefully saved and stored CD's and DVD's. Again the images are lost. A modern example would be Betamax tapes, 5" data disks, 8 track tapes...well the list could go on. What was "state of the art" of yesterday is unusable today. The ONLY way to preserve those memories is to make prints!
The visible image has been around for centuries! You can find them painted in the caves of Bordeaux France, the frescos of Rome, the oil paintings of the Renaissance, the photo of Matthew Brady. Never underestimate the power of the humble print.
The photographic industry is in the business of memories. Your local photographer and your local photofinisher are both committed to the same thing; providing the best quality images for you and your family to enjoy. Of all the personal items you can invest in, the only thing that will have any meaning to anybody will be the photos in the photo album.

Jenny and Tavi

2008-01-26T15:20:00.000-08:00

On January 12, Jenny and Tavi got married. The church was amazing being a great example of Romantic Style Architecture complete with an amazing amount of stained glass on every wall! Not only did I have an attractive couple, but also perfect surroundings to make for an amazing wedding session! Best Wishes Jenny and Tavi!

At long last, I'm finally on the web!

2008-01-23T21:54:00.000-08:00

Just a week ago, I launched my first website. It was really a decision of whether or not I was going to take my photography business seriously, and finally I felt my cash flow was such that I could take on yet another expense. I've done pretty well via word-of-mouth, and many meetings at local coffee shops while potential clients pour over my laptop. It was time to get serious and start growing.
I love portraiture and the beauty that lies within each person I have the privilege of photographing. I enjoy the fun and spontaneity of weddings, the elegant bride, the dashing groom and all the other extras that play a part in a wedding.
I love travel, I find myself returning to the Oregon Coast with camera in hand often. The grace and power of that mighty section of coastline is an inspiration that I never tire of. One of my current projects is to have a definitive image of each and every lighthouse on the Oregon Coast so keep watching my galleries for images I will offer up for sale. I also frequent China, which is a rich land of contrasts between the ancient and the new.
Almost as much as I love photography, I love aviation. Put the camera and the airplane together and Phil just doesn't want to go home anytime soon. I hope this year I will be able to fill the aviation gallery with exciting images that can be purchased.
I am very excited to be here out on the web and please come back often to check out the website and blog.