Senior Portraits at Bentley's

Getting Better At What You Do

This is just a quick post about what is going on around the studio that relates to senior portraits.  No, it isn't too late for senior portraits!  That is the question we always here this time of the year.  Ok, now to get back on track.  A couple of weeks ago the Professional Photographers of America had a convention in New Orleans that I went to so that we could be up on the newest trends for this year.  These conventions and conferences are a great way to stay current on technology, backgrounds and trends in photography and learn from some of the best photographers in the world today.  It is also a great place to meet up with friends.  Something I heard last year that was pretty good was this - "Because of the influx of horrible photographers, there has never been a greater need for good photography!".  Since the beginning of my photography career, I say that because that is what this is for me, education has been a very important thing for me to continue to strive for.  So in that vein this weekend I am off again to a Senior portrait conference at St. Pete Beach, Florida.  This is one of the best that I have found for senior photographers anywhere, and the food is good too.  Another great thing about the timing of this conference is that over the next few weeks we will be having our senior model meetings for our models for the class of 2013.  In the past we have come back with new backgrounds, ideas for new sets as well as exciting new locations and poses.  This year we already are planning some new locations for our Senior Safari's, several new props and sets as well as some fun changes to our model program.  I can't wait to see what kinds of new ideas come home with me after this weekend!

Ybor City, from last years trip.

 

 

Senior Model Information

This is a quick update to all who have already filled out applications for our Class of 2013 model program.  We are currently reviewing all of the applications and will contact you by February 10th to let you know about the meetings.  As of right now we are still looking for models in the following schools:  Apalachee, Archer, Athens Academy, Athens Christian, Dacula, George Walton Academy, Hebron, Jackson County, Mill Creek, North Oconee, Oconee and Winder-Barrow. 

Anyone interested in applying who hasn't already applied you can do so here.  Or check out the blog post below for more information and links, that post even has more images!

Class of 2013 Senior Model Search Is On

Class of 2013 now is your time to shine!  Bentley Photography is kicking off it's Model Search for the class of 2013 and we are looking for you.  If you are looking for a fun way to kick off your senior year, look no further!  Every year we pick a select number of upcoming senior girls from local schools to represent us as Models.  As a Bentley Senior Model you will represent our studio in your school.  You will receive a free model session, business cards and a Facebook fan page set up just for you.  Being a senior model gives you the opportunity to make money, be seen in our marketing pieces, have a really fun model session and get some of the coolest senior portraits anywhere.  Face it, you will be famous!  And all of this is just the beginning.  If you are an outgoing person who is very involved in your school and are interested in applying, fill out the application form here. If you are selected, we will have a meeting for you and a parent to attend that will inform you about the other exciting things you will receive and do! 

If you go to any of the following schools we want you: Apalachee, Archer, Athens Academy, Athens Christian, Buford, Clarke Central, Collins Hill, Dacula, East Jackson, Faith Academy, Flowery Branch, George Walton, Grayson, Hebron Christian, Jackson County, Jefferson, Johnson, Loganville, Mill Creek, Monroe, North Oconee, Oconee, Peachtree Ridge, Prince Avenue, St. Joseph, Westminister and Winder-Barrow. 

If your school isn't listed fill it out anyway!  Only a LIMITED number will be chosen from each school!  Some schools already have a lot of people interested, not all will be chosen.  Be sure and list activities you are involved in. 

Applications can be found here and for a mobile friendly application look here.  We can't wait to hear from you.

Outdoors Now?

Can we still get our senior portraits done outside?  Sure you can.  Will they still have a lot of color in them?  Yes, but not spring or summer types of colors.  Actually some of the prettiest outdoor senior portraits we have done this year have been in the last month or two.  This time of the year we just have to do them in different places, and sometimes this is really good to change things up some.  Downtown is one place that is the same just about any time of the year.  Another place that is good is around our old truck and road trips to some really nice places out in the county.

 

Object Of Your Desire

Every year I seem to do just fine with what I have, and then comes Christmas.  I'm not much of a shopper so about the only time of the year I go to the mall seems to be now.  Not going out and seeing things makes you not desire things but now that I have been out and seen things it leaves me wanting things, lots of things.  How long is the list of things you want this year?  Mine was very short until I started shopping for other people and now it has gotten pretty long.  Some of those have even crossed over to the studio, three new backgrounds over the last month along with a new light that I couldn't live without.

So, with all of those things you are wanting for Christmas, and hopefully getting, how about coming by sometime in the first week of January and lets combine some of your new "stuff" with some of my new "stuff" and lets see what we can come up with.  How does that sound?  Pick one or two of your favorite things and bring them by the studio and lets do a quick session with you and what ever it is.  Oh, and why don't we do it for free!  That's right no session fee.  I get to try out some of the new backgrounds and lights and you get to be photographed with something you got for Christmas while it is still new!  Sounds like a win win proposition to me!

One thing that I forgot to mention is that I will be going out of town several times in January so you will need to call us soon so we can schedule it.  Yes, it seems like every January is "road trip" time, that is why the car is at the top of this post.  You could spend all of January at one convention or seminar of another and this year I will be going to two of them.  Late January you will have to be sure and check back here or on my Instagram or Facebook and see just what all is going on.

Haley, Sports and Models

Competition Cheerleading and Football season are over and basketball is kicking off.  If you were involved in either of those first two sports I know your lives have been crazy for the last few months.  What, you've been so busy you still need to come in for some senior portraits!  Give us a call.  Haley came in last Friday and we captured some great images of her.  Isn't it too late?  Not hardly, school still isn't out and you still don't have a diploma yet do you?  Come on in and let us show you just how good you can look, and how much fun you can have getting your portraits taken!

Class of 2013!  Keep checking back for important announcements about our senior model program that we plan on kicking off in January.  We will have an on-line application and a meeting to discuss all of the details of the program.  We plan on some really fun changes for the 2013 program along with a really exciting "Senior Safari", or maybe two.  As soon as we get everything caught up around the studio for Christmas I will post more details along with a link to the on-line application.

Congratulations WBHS

This past Saturday the Winder-Barrow Cheerdoggs competed at the GHSA state cheerleading competition in Columbus and brought home a State Championship!  Congratulations to the Cheerdoggs and coach Hulsey on another state championship.  I have been to a lot of the competitions this year and it was a very tight race for first between Ola, Peachtree Ridge and Winder-Barrow all year.  After spending the day watching all of the teams once again in the end you knew it would be one of those three teams that would win.  When all of the scores were counted up it came down to just a few points that separated first and second place, but that was all we needed.  A moving experience was when the bus arrived back in Winder Saturday night there were over 100 people on the sidewalk out in front of the school cheering and waving signs to great them.  It was a very moving experience to see all of that support in the middle of the night.

I know how hard you all work and what a fine group of people you all are.  I am very proud of the way you have represented your school and our county.  Congratulations again!

My Favorite Time

By now you should know that this is my favorite time of the year to do outdoor portraits.  One thing about the seasons in Georgia is that you have a long summer and winter, but fall and spring are pretty short.  The fall season is quickly coming to an end, but yesterday we had a session that highlighted just what is so great about this time of the year.  We had great weather, beautiful leaves and even as the light changed throughout the session it just got better for each location.  Ivey had been telling me that she wanted do do her senior portraits in the fall and I think her waiting paid off very well.  She had her locations picked out in advance and we just moved from one to the next until we ended around sunset at a cotton field.  I only wish the day could have been longer!  These are just a few of the beautiful images we captured yesterday.  

Haven't had your senior portraits done yet?  Didn't like the ones you had done?  Give us a call, and be sure and ask about our "bad portrait trade in" special.  Bring one of the senior portraits you had taken somewhere else that you hated and trade it in for one from Bentley Photography that you will love!

What Have You Learned?

That Bentley Photography is the only place to go for senior portraits!  Yeah, I know you know that by now.  This is about something a little different.

 

One thing that I have learned over all of the years is how important an education is.  I know a lot of people are looking for jobs right now and every-time that I see jobs posted I am surprised by just how many require a college education.  October is the time to be registering for early admissions to almost all colleges, and then the question is - have you done it yet?   Every year I am surprised at how many seniors come in for portraits wanting to be lawyers and doctors and they still haven't taken the SAT or ACT yet.  Sometimes I hear this and it is February or March of their senior year.  So let this be your wake up call!  Get signed up for the test if you haven't already, you can click the image above and it will take you to the page to register.  If you think jobs are hard to get now without an education I think you will find that they will be a lot harder in the future.

Now, what have we been doing?  Last week you might have seen my post wanting people to come in for a free session, a free 8x10, a discount on anything you ordered and a chance to be famous.  It was to help us photograph people with some backgrounds for a new background companies website and catalog.  We have had several people reply and have a few more sessions this afternoon to do and one tomorrow.  They sent us two of the backgrounds to photograph and we really like them.  This is one from last week.

We Need Your Help!

We've been chosen by a new, national backdrop company to help them test their backdrops by creating samples for their on-line and print advertising.  But, we need your help!  We've got two new gorgeous backdrops that the company has sent us and we need models to come in for a mini session sometime in the next two weeks.  Normally we charge a sitting fee for our sessions, but for these test sessions the session is free, and we'll provide an 8x10 print as well to say think you for your help.  If you want you can also order some additional prints at a discounted price.  Please contact us at 770-867-2853 and we'll get you on the schedule.  We have a VERY short amount of time to do this photography and get it back to the company for their advertising so don't put this off if you are interested.  You could be famous!