Excellence in All Areas

A violin is a beautiful instrument. Put it in the hands of a sixth grader in music class and you get some interesting results. Every once in a while sweet tones will be emitted. Place that same instrument in the hands of a master and your senses will resonate with joy. The same instrument but very different results. Artistry goes well beyond the tools. It encompasses the knowledge, the training, the talent and then the tools. One of Spanish artist Bartolome' Esteban Murillo's finest works was created on a napkin which is now hanging in the Museum of Seville in Spain. Now, while we believe tools are important--we have some of the finest in the state--what is truly important is the hands and eyes behind the tools. Some of the items from our "toolbox" include:

A Certified Professional Photographer

Photography on the whole is an unregulated industry. As a way of defining the true professional, the Professional Photographic Certification Commission was created. This comprehensive process includes written examinations of photographic knowledge and judging of the artistry and merit of the photographer as a whole. Cris sailed through this process and is a CPP exhibiting "an unmatched level of expertise and development." Currently he is working on finishing his Craftsman and Master's degrees.

A Full Service Studio

Top of the line studio lighting, extensive backdrops, textured walls, studio sets, fabrics, a wind machine and great music allow you to look your best--from traditional to black and white relational to high fashion looks.

Three years ago we made a deliberate decision not to open a storefront, but instead to build a studio behind our residence and create a shooting garden for children. This set up creates the best of both worlds. It is very relaxed and comfortable, yet at the same time very professional. Kids love it.

Top of the Line Cameras & Lenses

We shoot Canon 5Ds (full frame sensors). The cameras are great, but where we really invest our money is in our lenses. Everything in our bags are L lenses (Canon's professional luxury line) Some of our favorites include the EF 85 1.2 ii USM, the EF 70-200 2.8L USM and the EF 24-70 2.8L USM. What does this really mean? Just trust us, it is best. For a long time we joked that our lenses were worth more than our cars.

Redundancy

Really this is most important for commercial shoots, high profile events, weddings and other "You only have one chance" situations. Our backup cameras go 4 deep. Every lenses is duplicated in focal length. For example we have a 200 2.8L USM and a 70-200 2.8L USM. We always have at least two different external light sources in addition to our primary lenses which allow us to shoot in virtually any lighting situation. Rest assured, we have what is needed in any situation. We apply this same principle to backup of sessions. Everything is done twice on two different media.

Hand Crafted Portraits

Some photographers will send your images to CVS or Walmart for printing. Others will use a professional lab which pays its employees minimum wage to "color correct" and "enhance" your images. Their performance rating is determined by how many images they can process in an hour. Because of our background in the darkroom, we can see a dramatic difference in quality when it comes to "prints" versus "portraits." We offer portraits. By investing in the same equipment professional labs use we have complete control of the color, luster and overall beauty of your portraits We are offering old world service and true artistry with every portrait that leaves our studio. At every step, the true artist has complete control. Call us control freaks, but we prefer to think of it as excellence at all levels. After all, don't you deserve the best?