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justmejanet.com/blog bio picture

Want to know me, check out my pictures!

Truth be told, I am older than your average wedding or portrait photographer, mid 50's..  But don't let that put you off.  Check my pictures here on the blog or on my website and see that I SHOOT YOUNG.

I love people.  And I appreciate all the stages of life and have experienced most of them, at my age, ya know.  I love all the categories of photography I do. Click on the darkened sentence at the end of each paragraph for samplings.  

Children I love because their expressions are new, inventive and  almost always surprising.  Having 8 grandchildren ought to help, don't you think? Check it out!

Seniors are also inventive.  The girls want to look beautiful and the guys, cool.  I want that, too. Having fun, helping them relax and then just sitting back and clicking away.  I always like to choose the location that suits their persona and the locations are varied.    Check out this Senior.

Families have a tough time because there is usually a male in the mix.  Men hate to have their picture taken and it is like pulling teeth to get them to the location.  I get that.  But let me tell you, it's all about relaxing and having fun with the whole experience.  And that is my job.  If your family is having fun, it's painless and the images will turn out great.  I'm all about capturing the memories of the day.  Make it memorable.

Now Weddings...I love the weddings.  A bride all lit up and a groom that can't keep his off of his bride.  It's magic!  A couple in love always makes me and my photography look good.  See!

I hope you can see that I love what I do and I would love for you to ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE with me.  Call 480-510-9780 or email me today. janet@justmejanet.com

 

 

Cut to BIO

Today I am in Las Vegas at the amazing WPPI Convention.  And because of the technology of 2010 I wrote this before I left.  Therefore, “I am here,” is really, “I will be there,” but since you are reading it when you read it, I am not lying when I type, “I am here.”  So there, or rather, here.

I thought is was time I added some pazazz to this blog.   Hense, the new wallpaper and a little something else…

My blog today is going to send you places you’ve never gone before.  To my BIO.  I really thought about what I wanted you to know about me and my photography style.  I actually thought too much about it.  Thought to the point of pain in the brain about it.  You know…type-delete, type-delete, type-delete, etc., etc.  Slash, slash, cut, cut….Whoa, Nellie!  Needless to say, there is finally a BIO up and you may go there as you wish.  There is even a new ‘bio image’ of, yours truly.  At the top of this page go to ABOUT ME and you shall see what is written about me and my style.  If you like it, call me, email me or make a comment.

There is also a new BIO up on my website.  And I have posted some new pictures from recent events on that site, also.  You can peruse that at will.

Enjoy and Happy Monday from HERE in Las Vegas!

Heading to Convention

We’re hitting the road for next week’s WPPI Convention in Las Vegas.  Harmony, my new trusty assistant and up-and-coming hot new photographer is coming with me.  We’re excited!  Seeking new horizons with fresh new ideas and pertinent marketing plans is what I’m after.  We’ll attend almost a week of classes of instruction from photographers from all over the world.  I’ll keep you posted.

Just so I don’t leave you without a picture for the weekend–I’m sure you’ll see the meaning in this one.

March 6, 2010 - 4:15 pm ren - puff twiggs...yoga master! I would know that mtn anyway! I am jealous and want to pack myself in yours or harmonious's luggage and just be with you two. darn!

March 5, 2010 - 11:29 am Susan Munk - I LOVE IT!!! But is it photoshoped?

The Magical Number 4

I was six when, lucky child that I was, I received my first camera.  It was Christmastime, only one gift left under the tree.  My “Aunt Norma” picked up the gift, held it up to my brother, sister and me and said, “This gift goes to the child that guesses the number I am thinking of.”  We had just received so much from Santa Claus and our parents, dare we think there could be more?  Well…I wanted that present. Selfish little girl, wasn’t I?  My favorite number was “3″ and I blurted it out before my siblings could say anything.  The numbers were spoken…  And then Aunt Norma said, “The number was “4,” Janet comes closest so she gets the gift.”  Yeessss! I tore off the paper and held a box, a rectangular box in my hand.  Wow…uh..what is it?  ”It’s my old Brownie.” Norma said.  My dad was a novice photographer.  He’s the one that told me that it was a camera.  My first.  I carried that thing around for months.  With and without film.  It was exciting to me then, to see what a little box could create, what I could create.  And it is still such an amazing thing to me, the creation of such magic images from these boxes.

Through the years my cameras have gotten smaller and smaller until I decided to l make photography my work.  Now they’re getting bigger and bigger.  Just like my dreams. I love that my imagination can match itself through the photographic art.  So I suggest you get cameras in your kids hands, see what they can create.  Let them show you what they can see right before your eyes.  It’s magical!

By the way…my favorite number is now 4.

March 4, 2010 - 4:30 pm Crystal - Hey, my favorite number is 3. No wonder we get along so well. What a great story.

March 4, 2010 - 1:03 pm Susan Munk - That's not fair. I was what, 2? I didn't even know what a number was.

Stars & Stripes & Hard-Drives

I had to transfer an entire hard-drive today to another one because the former was faulty.  It is now the former-device that housed thousands of images.  Now that it has lived it’s life, it is junk.  I have viewed some of the images it held.  In fact I viewed, for over 3 hours, some of the images it held.  I would like to share a certain category with you today.

America, specifically the Stars and Stripes and what it represents.  I’ve taken this moment to reflect.  I want my country to reflect me and my desire to uphold the Constitution and all that the Founding Fathers envisioned when they gathered with the Creator in the creation of this nation.  I don’t want the country that they founded to be the former country that we lived and died to create and preserve.  I can get a new external hard-drive but I don’t want to get a new country.  l love the one I live in today.  As far as I’m concerned, it was a hard drive to build it, let’s keep it built.

Happy Wednesday!

March 3, 2010 - 1:21 pm Jorgi - I love it. I wish I would have had a whole family picture taken when the flag was up!! I love also what you said about our country.

March 3, 2010 - 12:35 pm Susan Munk - Janet the pictures are good, but I love what you said! You have a way of putting words together that become profound statements. I know you love photography, but if you have to ever give that up for whatever reason, become a writer, because you already are one. Love You

March 3, 2010 - 11:37 am Marnie Bushman - Oh Janet I love these pictures. I am so grateful to our country. My kitchen is decorated in American Flag memoriablia. I love it.....

My Mentor

He walks in and lights up the room!  He’s fun, easy, friendly, a great story-teller, honest, creative, relaxed and…brilliant.  He’s Casey McFarland and he’s my mentor.  He’s also my photographer of choice…if you can’t have me..but he’s my friend, ah heck, he’s family.  And he is a highly successful Utah photographer and owner of Casey McFarland Photography.

I knew him before he was born.  His mother is one of my dearest, bestest friends.  I’ve known his dad since jr. high and met his mom in college.  Even had the inspiration to introduce them and they’ve blamed me ever since.  How long’s it been, Elena, something like 35 years?

He’s here now for a visit, some work, a little advice and…let’s just put it this way, where there is Casey, there is laughter.

Casey is as quick as a phone call away for any questions I parlay his way, as I frequently do.  He encouraged me to photograph for profit and here I am.  At least once a year I attend one of his seminars, one-on-one.  And I would like to encourage him to do one-on-one’s with other photographers, for profit.  Let’s see if he follows my advice.

A couple of years ago he, his mother, sister and I went to Ireland for the Destination Engagement Shoot of a lifetime.  Took this image there.

Happy Tuesday!

Master Photographer

March 7, 2010 - 12:55 pm Karen - We love Casey! He is talented, a thoughtful thinker, funny, creative, kind and he has a beautiful and sweet wife. I love the McFarland families!

March 2, 2010 - 10:06 pm Harmony Bryce - You're right! Where there is Casey, there is a good story. And you wanna know why he's family? He gets us... from cousins to concrete and behind camera or in front. Good guy :)

March 2, 2010 - 9:11 pm Maggers - I could not have asked for a better trip, minus the time I crashed the car into the wall and got a flat tire. I am still sorry about that, by the way....

March 2, 2010 - 8:15 am Susan Munk - Now THAT is a prize winning picture!

Mesa Wedding: Aaron & Annie

“What a beautiful day for a wedding,” I heard myself say as I walked outside Friday morning.  Aaron & Annie would be married that day.  I had prayed earlier that morning that I would be able to capture the images that would make them happy, that they would want to share with their children and their grandchildren and the that our cameras would work properly all day.  I have come to rely on prayer on these, oh so important days.  The days when I am responsible for THE future memories of a family.

And then, there they were, ALL SMILES.  In fact everyone was smiling all day long.  It really was a beautiful day.  Because these two were happy and they were not averse to sharing it with the rest of us.  For this I will always be grateful to Aaron & Annie.

Thank you and Best Wishes, always!



March 1, 2010 - 10:47 am Karen - I am lucky to know Annie, the beautiful and sweet person that she is. Do they get any better than her? They both looked radiant on their big day, and I LOVE the pic of her with her neices, that is too precious!

March 1, 2010 - 10:01 am Hilary - You can feel the love radiating through each picture. Beautiful!