Prochazka Photography

Moving Day!!

2008-12-10T09:58:00.001-08:00

Today's the day! I've got my new blog moved to my server, so come visit! All new posts and information will now be at www.prochazkaphotography.com/blog. It's a great new design, with more space for slideshows, larger images and best of all, it's easier to update! See you there!

Merry Christmas from the Prochazkas...

2008-12-07T08:56:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Ahhh... the holidays are here!

2008-11-25T08:46:00.000-08:00

If you haven't guessed already, I'm taking a bit of a break for the holidays! It gets pretty crazy around here with Christmas coming (soon!) so I decided to take it easy this year. Don't worry, I'm still accepting print orders and booking sessions for January after everything calms down. 2009 is booking up fast for weddings so if there's a date you're interested in, please let me know!

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season! I'll still be posting here (pictures of our various Christmas adventures - we're headed to the Polar Express this weekend and I can guarantee there will be a lot of pictures from that!)

We're Back!

2008-11-20T15:19:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful trip we had! We went to Bermuda to celebrate our annivesary (and the kids stayed home - thanks Nana, Papa and Grandma for watching them!) The water was gorgeous, the weather was perfect (high 70s and sunny!) And what made it even better was hearing about all the snow they were getting at home! We stayed at Cambridge Beaches, which I can't recommend enough! Everyone was so friendly and the service was excellent. Plus the rooms had amazing views and were huge! So if you're planning a trip to Bermuda any time soon, check out Cambridge Beaches. I told Drew that I'm glad we booked this trip a long time ago since it was before the economy started to fall apart. We definitely would have held off going if we had waited to book it just because it seems like the whole world is in flux right now. But I'm thrilled we got to go - it was worth every penny!

Now we're home and getting back into the routine of everyday life. Here are a few of the pictures from our trip (I know, there's a lot, but it was really wonderful!)

Christmas Orders...

2008-11-12T11:12:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder that all Christmas orders must be placed on or before November 20, 2008 in order to guarantee Christmas delivery. This includes print and custom card orders.

Also, I will be on vacation until Tuesday, November 19. I will return e-mails and phone calls when I get back.

Sarah & Greg

2008-11-02T06:58:00.000-08:00

Halloween night... Could you think of a date that would be more fun for a wedding? I don't think so! This wedding was an absolute blast! Patti (Sarah's mom) contacted me a few months back and asked if I'd be interested in covering the wedding and of course I said YES!! She told me the reception was costumed, so I couldn't wait to see what everyone came up with. I love Halloween and the idea of a Halloween wedding sounded like a great time!

And I was right! All the ghosts, goblins and witches came out for the event (heck, even that creepy Burger King dude made an appearance!) Everyone was in character (as you can see from the pictures!) In the wedding party alone there was a devil, Jack the Ripper, Jose Cuervo, a couple of winged creatures, a mobster, a sportsfan and a witch! I got a real good laugh out of watching the Ninjas serve coffee! That's something you don't see every day!

Thanks for letting me be a part of your day, Sarah & Greg! You were made for each other and I have no doubt that you will be together for a very, very long time!

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-01T12:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm a bit late posting this. But better late than never, right? Yesterday was a but of a crazy day for us here. Colin's pre-k class had a halloween party, then we went out to do trick-or-treating before I had to leave for a very cool halloween wedding last night. Phew! But we made it through - and more importantly, the kids got tons and tons of candy! They're still working off the sugar buzz. Tonight I am shooting my little sister's sweet 16 party, so they'll get a chance to dance it off! It's been a busy 2 weeks here for sure!

The kids always crack me up on halloween. You would think they had never had candy before. The way their eyes light up when people put candy into their bags is just hilarious! You can always tell when they "get it" too - all of a sudden they look up at us like "so all we have to do is go up to a house and people actually give us candy??!!" And then they literally run from house to house from that point on.

Meg couldn't get enough of her lollipop!

The kids actually sat down together!!! *shock* Not the best spot for a pic, but hey, I was just happy to have them still for a second! And see the bruise/cut on Meg's nose? That's courtesy of Colin. The other day when we had all the snow the kids were having snowball fights and Colin threw a snowball at Meg that had ice in the middle (he had no idea). Needless to say it hit her square in the face and she's been sporting a nice bruise and some cuts. Poor little girl!

Eating cupcakes at his halloween party

Meggie loved the masks! This mask is for Kourtnie's party tonight!

Congratulations Jessica & Joe!

2008-10-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

What a fun wedding this was! The ceremony was beautiful, the bride radiant and they were surrounded by all of their friends and family. I can honestly say I have never, ever seen such a long conga line! I really believe all 200+ guests joined in with it. It rained (and "rained" might be putting it lightly - it poured and that combined with the wind made for some nasty weather), but that was ok too because it became part of the day. The umbrellas became props and the rain soaked windows added atmosphere. Jessica & Joe had a beautiful day despite the weather - they made it beautiful with their smiles and laughter.

One really special touch was the fact that Adrienne, Jessica's sister, hired out the Roberson Mansion for pictures after the ceremony. We had a ball going from room to room and picking out different scenes to play. It was a perfect indoor place to shoot!

Here's a few of my favorites from the day. Enjoy!

CONGRATULAIONS TARA!!!

2008-10-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

I just got an e-mail from Tara's mom telling me that is the 2008 Homecoming Queen! Congraulations Tara! I'm so excited for you!! (And look for a little something special in your order!) :)

Here's beautiful Tara from her senior session...

Abbie & Tim

2008-10-12T05:05:00.000-07:00

This couple was truly made for each other! Add to that the fact that they were cracking each other (and me!) up during the entire shoot and you can imagine how much fun we had! We walked around town a bit before deciding to take the session into the woods. They are getting married next fall and I'm so excited about it! If the e-session was this much fun - imagine what the wedding will be like!

Here's a couple of shots for you!

And my favorite!

Beautiful Brooke...

2008-09-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

Remember Tara, who I had the pleasure of photographing about 6 weeks ago? This is her neice, Brooke. In her senior pictures, Tara had an orange bracelet on in support of her sister's little girl. When we started talking, Tara told me how Brooke had been in and out of the hospital since birth, due to heart, lung and digestive issues.

Since our kids were all preemies (and then Teagan was rehospitalized at 3 months with meningitis) talking about hospitals, procedures, and terms all brought it back and I knew I wanted to do something to help. Even with great insurance, having a child in the hospital usually means that you're spending every penny you have driving back and forth to doctor appointments, visiting the hospital, eating out - there's not much left at the end of the week for luxury items like photography. So I asked Lisa if she'd like to bring Brooke over for a free session. She was thrilled and I am so happy to give this family something to treasure.

And without further ado... here's your sneak peek, Lisa and Jay! Hope you love them! It was wonderful to meet you and your precious little girl. She really is a little miracle!

Meghan & Justin

2008-09-26T04:04:00.000-07:00

What a sweet couple! They are expecting their first baby - a little girl - and are SO excited about her! With just a little over 3 weeks to go, they came over for a maternity session. Just a couple of my favorites so far!

Little Miss Unnamed...

2008-09-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

We happened to be down on the island for a wedding when we got the call that good friends of ours had just had a little girl! They already have 2 boys and hadn't found out what they were having before she was born. So we were thrilled to hear that the baby was a girl and that both mom and baby were doing great! This morning on our way home, we stopped at the hospital quick to say Hi and meet little girl (she doesn't have a name yet!)

Introducing Miss V.

Meeting her cousin

Snuggling with Grandma

K & R are thrilled to have a little sister! They can't wait for her to come home with mommy!

Grandma with the big brothers

A Pirate Looks at Four...

2008-09-15T07:44:00.001-07:00

We had a pirate themed birthday planned for all our family yesterday. We all had fun watching the cousins play together - they are riots! Colin got a Pirate Ship, which was a huge hit (Colin was the captain, so he made sure we all stayed in our seats in the "ship").

Anyway, the party went great. The rain held off (thank goodness) and we had fun! I'm glad to have the planning over with! So here's a few pictures of Pirate Colin turning 4!

Colin's mean pirate face

The girls finally got to play with the pirate ship - Meg even got to wear the hat!

Kissing Cousins!

Colin's pirate cake (I made it myself!)

And finally everyone got to take home a carmel apple. We went apple picking Friday so that we'd have fresh apples for the favors!

Our Baby Boy Turns 4!!

2008-09-14T04:38:00.000-07:00

It really is true what they say - that once you have kids the time just flies by. Our son is turing 4 today - actually, not technically until tonight. 6:29pm. 4 years old! He's brought so much joy to our lives and we're very blessed to have been entrusted to raise him. Ok - that's all I'm going to say before I get really sappy!

Colin's 4 year pictures (this took some major bribing, but we got a few that I love!)

And my favorite! There's a story behind the scooter. When we were up in Maine vacationing we went into a toy store. Colin found this scooter and fell in love with it. As soon as we left the store he said "Did you see that scooter, Mom? Wow - that was the coolest scooter ever! It's beautiful! And it rides great!" He spent the rest of the vacation going on and on about it. So as soon as we got home we ordered it and hid it in the garage. Or so we thought. Last week Colin went in the garage to get his fishing pole and came out saying "What's in the box, Mom? The box with my scooter in it?" I told him it was for someone else and he didn't mention it again for a while. Then an hour later he asked if we were ever going to let him open his scooter since he saw it in the garage. So we called Daddy at work to ask him if it was ok to open the scooter (I wasn't sure if he wanted to be there to see his reaction). When Drew said Yes, it was ok, Colin ran into the garage and came back staggering under the weight of the box. He was SO excited! Little sneak!! :)

Theresa & Eric

2008-09-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I was called by a friend of mine (who is also a photographer) who told me she was having extreme back pain and ruptured disks. Ouch! She had a wedding booked in September and asked if I would step in and shoot it. I had the day open, so I agreed and I'm so glad I did!

It's really rare to see the kind of love that Theresa and Eric show to each other. Most of the time I rarely hear much about love during the day (as strange as that sounds). The brides and grooms are usually so busy getting ready and caught up in the day that they don't usually talk much about it. But not Theresa and Eric. A few minutes after I got there it was obvious that they were destined for each other. They are so in love! And best of all, their children all got along beautifully. It was such a pleasure working with them!

So here's a few of my favorites from the day! I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed shooting them! They got married at the Desmond Hotel in Albany, a gorgeous hotel that was really unique!

Here's one that I just loved, but for the rest you'll have to watch the slideshow!

Jo-Anne & Jeremy

2008-08-25T14:17:00.000-07:00

This was such a fun wedding! Jo-Anne and Jeremy are just adorable together and I don't think there was one person at the reception who wasn't dancing (at the very least dancing in their seats!) I'm still not quite sure how 180 people fit into the little church! Lots of love though - spilling out all over! I have a feeling though, that shortly after we left, the party got pretty wild!

Like I said... 180 people squeezed into this church!

Miss T take II!

2008-08-16T07:49:00.001-07:00

Remember the session we did a few weeks back that got rained out? This is the 2nd part of it! We met at the high school and got some really fun shots! The one of her on the sign was her Dad's idea! Love it!

The orange bracelet is to support her niece who was born with heart and lung problems, but is doing great today!

The redhead strikes again...

2008-08-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've all heard about the urban legend about redheads and their temper right? Well it's not a legend - my daughter Teagan is living proof that there's truth behind the myth! When she's happy she's the happiest child in the world, but when she's not... watch out!

And having a photographer for a Mom means that a lot of those tantrums are caught on camera. But this one struck me as being particularly funny.

I was knitting some hats for the girls (I have to start early because I have a tendancy to get halfway through a knitting project and put it down for months and I wanted the girls to have hats before May.) I finished them a few days ago and wanted some pictures of my little project. So I put it on Meg and she was more than happy to model for me...

Then I put it on Teagan and it all started ok...

But then the tears started coming...

And it turned into a full out tantrum...

Until the Hershey Kiss made an appearance (this happens to be a Lemon Creme - Yum!)

And then all was right in the world again (notice the kiss wrappers scattered around the floor!)

So the moral of this story... when you want your kids to behave for pictures, BRIBE THEM!!! (And yes, Meg did get her hershey kiss when she was finished with the picture.) But just a word of advice - if you do choose chocolate to bribe your children, make sure it's white chocolate. Otherwise when you get that beautiful smile you're looking for, their teeth will be coated with brown chocolate! (Same goes with oreos - only the golden. Otherwise you'll have a lot of pictures of your child looking like Austin Powers. Trust me - I've made that mistake before!)

We're back!

2008-08-09T17:37:00.000-07:00

Did you miss me? We just got back from our week long vacation to Maine. It was great - secluded and very relaxing (if you can call any vacation with 3 toddlers relaxing). The kids all survived the 12+ hour car ride and only needed a few bribes along the way in the shape of toys and promises of ice cream once we reached our destination.

Of course I took a million pictures during our trip. We rented a house in Hancock (what a coincidence, huh?) overlooking Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor. The scenery was beautiful and we even got to enjoy the wildlife (whales, porpoise, seals, puffins, crabs and lobsters - all of which the kids loved!)

In fact, I have so many pictures that I can't share them all at once. So I'll share a few of my favorites tonight and then I'll put together a slide show for a subsequent post.

Maine forest

A lobster fishery (is that the right term for it?)

Petit Manan Island (home to many Puffins)

When the tide went down there were thousands of starfish right outside our house!

This was the view from our house - Acadia and Bar Harbor are on the right. I loved how the rainbow was reflected in the water.

And finally, my husband took the camera and got a picture of me at Acadia National Park. The kids and I were checking out the rocks on the beach.

A quick peek a Miss T...

2008-07-30T07:34:00.000-07:00

I guess you could say this is part 1 of 2. We got rained out during this session, so we're meeting in 2 weeks for more. We're headed out for some fun, funky stuff for next time. But here's a few from this last session! (And yes, her skin really is that perfect!)

I can't wait for next time!

What an honor!

2008-07-28T16:28:00.000-07:00

I got a call recently from a fellow photog. She said her entire family would be in town (something that doesn't happen too often since they live in Utah) and asked me to do group shots of them. It was such a fun shoot - I don't usually work with such large groups (and they can be pretty unpredictable!) But they were really up for anything and we had some fun!

The girls together

6 of the 7 grandkids - and my favorite shot from the shoot!

The kids (there were 7 total) hadn't seen each other in a few years so they had a ball playing together!

I was really honored that they chose me (it's always nerve-wracking taking pictures of other photogs!) If live in Utah or you just want to check out some of Catrina's work, here's her website: http://www.kneesandtoesphotography.com/

Luscious Lily

2008-07-12T07:13:00.000-07:00

Seriously - this little girl is so adorable I just wanted to kiss her chubby little cheeks all day! I love babies - especially when they are so cooperative! (And yes, she was a great little model - happy to hang out in the fluffy beanbag or play with her mommy!) Here's one that I absolutely love, but if you want to see more of my favorites, click on the slideshow!

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

2008-07-10T04:59:00.000-07:00

You may not recognize the name of the organization, and I hope you never need to. Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS) was organized in 2005 after one of the co-founders lost her little boy. Their mission is to provide bereavement photography free of charge to parents experiencing the death of an infant or small child through illness, trauma or stillbirth and to help them begin their healing journey. Over 5,000+ photographers worldwide volunteer their time, energy and talent to this noble service.

My own personal interest in NILMDTS began last year when my best friend lost her son Noah preterm. They couldn't find a phtographer to come to the hospital to photograph his birth, so they have pictures that her husband took on his cell phone to remember him by. I think about that a lot and wish I lived closer so that I could have been there for them. But maybe I can help another family going through something similar.

The NILMDTS organization is primarily for babies past 25 weeks gestation, but also helps families with terminally ill children of any age. You'll receive an on-location photo session with your child, retouching, a DVD of the images and a slideshow - all at no cost to you.

Hopefully you'll never need to use the NILMDTS team, but if you do, we're here for you. For more information, visit www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org.

Kourtnie & Scott

2008-07-08T15:03:00.000-07:00

Aren't they adorable? They were best friends from pre-k through first grade, when Scott moved away. He recently found her through MySpace and they've been together ever since! Talk about a fairy-tale story, huh?

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-06T05:36:00.000-07:00

Ok - so the 4th was a couple of days ago! We've been so busy here that I didn't get a chance to post these the other day. Better late then never, right? We have had a great holiday weekend. Lots of parties and picnics with friends and family! The kids have had a blast too - the like nothing more than getting to hang out in the water all day. Meg has decided that my sister's jetski looks like a giant bumblebee - and what's more, she claims it's "my bumblebee" now. So it looks like we'll have to get a jetski for Meg when she gets older. :) Here are a few snapshots from the weekend I wanted to share!

The girls enjoying ice cream cones in their wagon

Teagan's attempt at playing badmintton

Colin loved squirting his sisters with the squirt guns!

Colin jumped on the jet-ski as soon as they brought it down to the lake!

And the girls climbed on as soon as Colin got off!

I've also had a few people e-mail me with questions about my point & shoot camera. I use a Canon A720IS. As you can imagine I did a lot of research before buying one and this one came out on top (I should also note that I'm a canon girl - I think their products are great and like that I can swap cards between cameras.) The A720IS is reasonably priced, has manual controls and isn't so small that it would get lost easily (yet still fits into a pocket pretty easily). It also has some of the best image quality available from a P&S. Of course it's still not close to a dslr, but there are times I just don't want to lug my giant cameras around.

A day at the horse show...

2008-06-30T07:20:00.000-07:00

Scouting some new locations...

2008-06-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

I had some fun today with the kids and some new locations. And a new lens too (doesn't that always make playing more fun?) I'm loving the woodsy look. I have a model that I'm trying to meet up with for some fun shoots sometime this week, but for now the kids are my guinea pigs!

Looking for Senior Reps!

2008-06-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

be Are you a senior in high school, graduating in 2009? I'm searching for some Senior Reps to be my spokesmodel for your school. These lucky seniors will receive a free session, rep cards to share with their friends, and $25 credit for every referral that completes a session with me! Plus I'm working on some awesome Senior Collections and have some great things in store! These slots are very limited and only one per school will be accepted, so call or e-mail today!

To apply to become a Senior Rep, e-mail me at kim@prochazkaphotography.com or call me at 607-467-1005!

Gorgeous Summer Mornings

2008-06-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

I don't profess to be a nature photographer. But when I woke up this morning and saw the mist rising off the lake, I knew I had to take out my camera and get a few shots. I love summer mornings like this where you feel the sun trying to break through the fog on the lake. It's one of the best things about living on a lake.

Maria & Donnie

2008-06-15T07:11:00.000-07:00

The weather certainly didn't cooperate for Maria & Donnie's wedding. At 2pm on the nose the heavens opened up and it started pouring. But they were very good sports about moving their outdoor wedding under cover and everyone stayed dry (for the most part!) The rest of the afternoon was on and off rain, but we still got some great shots outside! It was really hard to pick my favorites but here are a few of them...

Have a great honeymoon in Jamaica guys!

Missy & Rob

2008-05-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

I was so priviledged to get to photograph Missy & Rob's wedding yesterday. They are such a beautiful couple and truly seem like they were made for each other. Rob's good friend Ward officiated, which gave the ceremony a really sweet, funny touch. It's always nice to get to know the brides and grooms that I'm working with and I really got a chance to be one of the family last night. Plus, they're just adorable, aren't they? And I know you said you don't need luck, Rob, so I won't wish the 2 of you good luck. But I will say that I hope that you and Missy have a wonderful, long life together! Thank you for letting me share in your day!

"Is it time yet?"

Isn't she adorable? I couldn't resist taking a few shots of her!

3 of the bridesmaids

After a cloudy morning, the sun broke through in time for the ceremony

Missy's a beautiful bride, isn't she?

The first dance

Happy Mother's Day Special!

2008-05-05T07:19:00.000-07:00

Being a mom is one of the most difficult and yet most rewarding jobs you will ever have! So for all my special moms out there I want to offer you a Mother's Day special. Now through May 12, you can book your session for only $75!! And best of all, you can use it any time through December! So take advantage of this special - as my way of saying thank you to all the special moms out there!

Thank you!

2008-05-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to thank everyone for their great comments about last week's wedding! I have been getting so many e-mails from people telling me how much they love the images! I've also been getting a lot of questions about my wedding schedule for the rest of 2008.

Right now I'm limiting weddings to one per month. They are very time intensive, and I want to my brides and grooms to get my undivided attention for that month. I will still be booking portrait sessions as usual.

I am booking up fast for the rest of the year, but still have a few wedding openings. Right now July, August and September are available. But they will book quickly (especially since the summer is such a busy time for weddings.) The introductory special of 25% off regular wedding pricing applies if you book before the end of June. Please contact me to create a custom package for your wedding!

If you're interested in booking your wedding, please call me at 607-467-1005 or e-mail me at info@prochazkaphotography.com.

Congratulations Kristie & Bruce!

2008-04-27T09:44:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous couple, right? They were up for anything - and we got some really great shots because of it! I'll never forget the look on Bruce's face when I told him we'd be shooting in the men's bathroom! You'll have to go to my site to check them out though... just go to www.prochazkaphotography, click on "weddings" and then on "featured wedding".

I'm published!

2008-04-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I was asked to photograph a Beaver Mountain Log Home in Ulster County, NY. The photographs were beautiful, so I wasn't too surprised when I got a phone call from the publishers asking for permission to use them in their book. It's called "The Best of Today's Log Homes" and is available at your local bookstore or online at Barnes & Noble!

Here's a few of the images featured in the book!

Kim Prochazka Weddings is now LIVE!

2008-04-14T16:43:00.000-07:00

Just go to www.prochazkaphotography.com, click on "weddings" and voila! You're there! It's a work in progress, but you get the idea! I still need to add some galleries and a resources page for my brides and grooms. But at least it's a start!

The new splash page!

And snaps of the site!

Let me know what you think! You can leave comments at the bottom of this post, or drop me an e-mail info@prochazkaphotography.com. I'd love to hear from you!

Girls gone wild!

2008-04-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

Ok, so not exactly! But it got your attention didn't it? :) The countdown is on - Kristie and Bruce are getting married in 18 days, so we had to treat her to a bachelorette party! We didn't do anything too wild - just took her to Manhattan for some shopping, great food and a broadway show. We went to see Young Frankenstein, which was absolutely hilarious! We were in hysterics for most of the show! And of course, since no trip is complete without pictures, here are a couple snapshots from the day!

All of us outside the hotel (our driver was nice enough to take the pictures for us!)

My sisters and I being silly in the limo

For Lori...

2008-03-20T10:43:00.000-07:00

One of our family friends owns a floral shoppe in Hancock and asked me to take some pictures of her flowers for her bridal wall. Her flowers are gorgeous and I was honored to be asked! Here are a few from the first go-round!

THINK SPRING!!

2008-03-07T12:58:00.000-08:00

With all the icy weather lately, it's difficult to believe that Spring will ever get here! But eventually the snow will melt, the sun will come out and we'll actually be able to leave the house again!

Right now is the perfect time to start thinking about booking your Spring sessions! The calendar is filling up fast for April & May, so if you want to get your session in, now is the time to book!

This Spring and Summer will be really exciting, as I'm now offering studio sessions in addition to on-location shooting. We're finishing up the studio space now and it will be ready for Spring sessions. So when you book your session you'll be able to choose from on location (which means that I'll meet you at your home or a local location and we'll shoot there) or here at the studio in the beautiful Catskill Mountains for studio portraits and outdoor shots by a beautiful lake.

To book your session call 607-467-1005 or e-mail me! I can't wait to work with you!

And if you're looking for some adorable hair clips like Teagan is wearing, visit Lil Sugarplum. Tell Monique that Kim sent you! She has some great spring clips, bows and headbands, which coordinated beautifully with the kids' spring Gymboree clothes!

Oo la la!

2008-02-24T17:02:00.000-08:00

This was such a fun maternity session! A gorgeous mama with a beautiful belly. Does it get any better than that? I just love working with expecting moms. They just have this beautiful glow about them! And this was especially fun because she was up for anything!

Check out this hot mama!

Introducing...

2008-02-18T16:40:00.000-08:00

... The Inspire Guide!

In the past few months I've had a lot of clients ask for suggestions as to how best to display their gorgeous images. I thought it was a great idea, so now the Inspire Guide is available to all my clients! Now during your proofing session, you'll get the opportunity to look through the book and find something that inspires you! Each page has unique wall designs and lists the sizes that make up the collection. I'm very excited about this! I think it's going to be a great tool to help you fill your walls! Check out a couple of these great ideas...

I'm back!

2008-02-11T08:50:00.001-08:00

Phew! What a whirlwind trip that was! The convention was amazing - the talent of the speakers was really incredible. We spent about 15 hours each day in class, with the classes averaging 5 hours each. But it was well worth it and left all of use motivated and inspired by everything we saw and learned. I picked up so many exciting ideas - and I can't wait to share them with each and every one of you!

Here's a few pictures from our sessions... It's good to be back!

Welcome to Sunny Florida!

2008-02-10T04:45:00.000-08:00

With all the rain we got lately, the ProPhotogs convention down in sunny Florida was just what I needed! So Thursday morning (very early morning - 2am) I got up to make the trek. It's been a great few days and we've all had fun! The speakers here have been absolutely incredible and very inspirational! I'll share a few pictures over the next few days. Right now I'm running to catch a plan back home and have been told under no circumstance am I to leave the sun here. I've been asked to bring it home, so I'll do everything I can to do that!

Here's a picture to leave off on... On Thursday the Space Shuttle took off. We all ran outside to try to catch it, but it was too cloudy to see (we could hear it though!) My roommate (the fabulous Tammy Ward) captured this image of me with my other roommate, Kristina.

Ok - back to New York!

For Justin...

2008-01-27T14:22:00.000-08:00

Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.

I always knew the words, but I don't think I could ever really appreciate what they meant until this week. My friend Justin was killed in Iraq last Saturday. I knew he was deployed and thought of him (and his brothers and sister) quite often. All 4 of them are in the special forces of the military.

Growing up in a small town, everyone knows everyone else. My graduating class was just over 50 people, most of whom had brothers and sisters that were in my younger sisters' classes. I went to school with Justin's older sister Amanda, so knew Justin by association. My family would always go over to his family's farm and buy hay from them for our horses. And in the way of small towns, we were all friends and just figured we'd all grow old together.

Justin enrolled in the military in 1999, shortly after graduating high school. He then was accepted into the Special Forces as a medic. He loved what he did and was always in the middle of the action if there was any. He was one of the bravest men I know - always putting other people first and helping as he could. The news of his death last Saturday shocked our community.

His funeral was today and while it was very sad, it was a celebration of sorts. Speaker and speaker stood up and told stories about Justin - mostly funny stories, but some that really spoke to the heart. I doubt there was a dry eye in the house after it was finished. I know mine weren't.

So the next time you see someone in the military, take a minute and stop and thank them for their service. It doesn't matter what you think of the war itself, or what political side you're on. The fact is, these brave soldiers are out there risking their lives for our freedom and will continue to do so as long as they are needed. I know the events of this past week have really shaken our entire community and made me fully appreciate exactly what our brave men and women are risking. It really hit home.

So Justin, as you look down at us, please know that you are a hero, in every sense of the word. You'll be missed but never forgotten!

This picture just gave me chills when I proofed it. They gave out flags at the funeral and Colin was SO excited to see it. He kept making us put our hands over our hearts. We went outside to play and the flag came along. Colin kept glancing up at the sky as if he was looking at angels that none of the adults could see. I know Justin was looking down on all of us that day and will always be around.

Winter fun!

2008-01-07T06:57:00.000-08:00

We took the kids out for some sledding today and just wanted to share a few snaps...

Meg's going to be driving the snowmobile herself soon!

The girls on their sled...

And this is what happens when Teagan falls off the sled...

A sweet little boy...

2008-01-03T11:46:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the world little M!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2008-01-01T16:57:00.000-08:00

Welcome 2008! I just need to say how excited I am about this year. There are so many wonderful, exciting things in store!

And to celebrate the new year, I have a really exciting special offer that I'll be sharing in the next few weeks. So make sure to check back! You won't want to miss this!

May 2008 bring you and your family many blessings!

Merry Christmas!!

2007-12-25T08:01:00.000-08:00

The presents have been opened, the Cinnamon rolls have been eaten and the Sammie-dog is asleep under the dining room table. We had a great morning! Hope your Christmas is wonderful and Santa brought everything you asked for!

Here's a favorite from this morning... Gotta love it when the present is almost bigger than the girl!

Mmmmm... cake balls

2007-12-23T14:40:00.000-08:00

Ok - so they might not sound like anything special, but I can assure you that these little treats are heavenly! And easy to make too!

So here's how you make your own!
1 box of cake mix (whatever flavor you like best!)
1 container of frosting (or make your own!)
Almond Bark or Chocolate for dipping

Make the cake as per the directions on the box. Bake until done. Let cool. Take cake out of pan and put into a large mixing bowl. Add frosting to the cake and mix together until you get a dough-like consistancy (the amount of frosting you need is different depending on how moist the cake you baked is.) Put the dough in the freezer for 15-30 minutes. Take out when the dough is cold and form into 2" balls. Put balls into freezer for an additional 30 minutes (this will help the chocolate adhere to the balls and because they are frozen they will be easier to dip.) Melt chocolate. Dip 1 ball at a time into melted chocolate, making sure to evenly coat. Garnish with whatever you like!

The fun part is deciding what type to make. For Christmas this year I made devils food cake with chocolate icing. I crumbled some candy canes and added that to the dough. Then I dipped some in white chocolate and some in milk chocolate. I sprinkled the remaining crushed candy canes over the chocolate coating before they cooled. The options are totally up to you! You could try spice cake with cream cheese icing and white chocolate and walnuts (yummy), chocolate cake with chocolate icing and dark chocolate or vanilla cake, vanilla icing with milk chocolate. The options are endless and it's really up to you and what you like! Enjoy!

Tips for taking better pictures...

2007-12-17T11:41:00.000-08:00

I get a lot of e-mails asking for photography tips, and since I have a little free time while I enjoy my break, I thought I would take some time to answer some. Try these out and let me know if they help you create better images!

Tip #1 - Get down on the child's level
This is probably the most important thing you can do to improve your snapshots. If you get down on the floor, you will be on the same level as the child. Not only will this make your little one happy and get their attention, but you will also create more of a connection with the camera. I only rarely take a picture from above the child's eye level, and usually that's when I stand on a ladder and shoot from above.

Tip #2 - Try turning off the flash
Nothing says "snapshot" like using your on camera flash. It gives most kids a "deer-in-the-headlights" look and unflattering shadows. But next time you are taking pictures, try turning off the flash and look at the difference. The red eye is gone, the shadows are more flattering and softer. As long as you have sufficient light (especially next to a window or doorway) you should get good results!

Tip #3 - Capture the little details
As your taking pictures on Christmas morning, take a minute to notice the details around you. The bow that the kids stuck on the dog's head. The doll that your daughter won't let go of. Your son with icing all over his face from the special cinnamon rolls. It's those moments that really matter. Don't ask the kids to look at the camera - just shoot. Those are the images that make it into our family album.

The Christmas Belll

2007-12-11T11:58:00.000-08:00

We've been reading "The Polar Express" every night. So Colin was thrilled when in our Christmas Decorations he found a bell. He keeps telling us it's a bell from Santa's Sleigh. He is absolutely fascinated by it!

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-04T18:47:00.000-08:00

With Christmas is just around the corner, holiday orders have been placed and now I'm taking a little break! The rest of December will be spent making Christmas cookies, decorating the tree and just generally enjoying the holidays with my kids, husband and the rest of my family! Appointments will be available again during the first week of January. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!

Sneak Peek!

2007-11-24T18:04:00.000-08:00

We had been planning this shoot for months. Their whole family was together for Thanksgiving and wanted some portraits of them. They are going to be very, very happy! Here's a couple of my favorites of the cousins together...

And one of the grandparents with their grandchildren

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T12:52:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone has a wonderful day and takes the time to give thanks for all the wonderful people in their lives! It has been a very busy year in the Prochazka household but we have been very blessed. We have a beautiful, healthy family. What more could you ask for?

Such a cute couple!

2007-11-20T05:06:00.000-08:00

This is their first child - can you tell? They are so cute together and are just glowing with excitement! I'm excited for them - they have so many wonderful milestones coming up! They don't know if the baby will be a boy or a girl, but I'm thinking boy! What do you think? Here's a few of my favorites from their session.

Some new card designs!

2007-11-12T09:43:00.000-08:00

I've had a lot of requests lately for some modern Christmas Card designs. So take a look at these gorgeous cards!

You can find the full list of these funky cards here: Modern Christmas Cards

All Christmas Cards are printed on you choice of archival watercolor, linen or pearl paper. Available in 2 different styles: 5x7 flat (with a photo, greeting and message on one side) and 5x7 folded (with a photo and greeting on the front and message inside).

Pricing:
5x7 flat $2 per card (including envelopes)
5x7 folded $3 per card (including envelopes)
S&H and tax are additional. 25 card minimum order

My new site is LIVE!!!

2007-11-08T11:52:00.000-08:00

I am SO excited about this! For the last few weeks I've been working with a great company to design a new website. It's now ready to view! There are some really great new features, including larger photos, testimonials, an in-site proofing slideshow and much more! You can visit it at http://www.prochazkaphotography.com/ Enjoy! And I'd love to hear what you think of it! Feel free to drop me a note!

A teaser...

2007-11-03T17:25:00.001-07:00

Remember this beautiful family? I had the priviledge of doing maternity and newborn sessions with them. They asked me back to do some Christmas photos for them and got some gorgeous shots! Here's a few...

Just in time for Christmas...

2007-11-02T07:31:00.000-07:00

Luxury leather photobags by Babycakes! Show off your photos to to world with a custom photobag! Your gorgeous bag will be created using your favorite photos from your session! To see the full line of bags available, browse the Babycakes Website

Photo courtesy bags by babycakes

Christmas is 2 months from today!

2007-10-25T17:59:00.001-07:00

I know, I know... It's not even Halloween yet - how can I be talking about Christmas already? But in the world of photography, Christmas planning starts in September. Which is when I started scouting for some really great Christmas card designs. The cards that we're offering this year are absolutely gorgeous and look even better printed! Your family and friends will love receiving these!

To see the entire line of cards, please visit our Christmas site at http://prochazkachristmas.blogspot.com/ You can order these by e-mailing me with your card design and the photo you'd like to use. These are only available to our clients. All card orders must be placed by December 1st to ensure delivery before Christmas.

A quick peek...

2007-10-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

Introducing "Vintage Holiday" Cards!

2007-10-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

This Christmas, share your special photos with friends and family with these upscale luxury Christmas Cards! Here's a quick peek at one of the cards - there are 8 different designs to choose from!

All Christmas Cards are printed on you choice of archival watercolor, linen or pearl paper. Available in 2 different styles: 5x7 flat (with a photo, greeting and message on one side) and 5x7 folded (with a photo and greeting on the front and message inside).

Pricing:
5x7 flat $2 per card (including envelopes)
5x7 folded $3 per card (including envelopes)
S&H and tax are additional. 25 card minimum order

Made for each other!

2007-10-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

This is how we started the engagement session...

So I knew we were going to have a good time. This is my sister and her fiance'. I really had a hard time keeping these 2 serious! They just kept cracking up (which is a wonderful thing!) Here's a few more of my favorites from their session! I'll be shooting their wedding in April (and I can't wait!!)

Check out these eyes!

2007-10-06T06:20:00.000-07:00

We had a really fun session last night! This is the baby of one of my maternity clients and he is absolutely adorable! He was so easy to work with and just a doll. I'm still proofing, but couldn't resist posting these few...

Miss Meghan

2007-10-03T13:06:00.001-07:00

She had just gotten up from her nap and I couldn't resist. It's rare that I get Meg to sit still for longer than 10 seconds any more (she's almost worse than Colin at this point because at least I can bribe him!) So this was a nice treat for me!

Announcing Mini Christmas Sessions!!

2007-09-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's already time to start thinking about Christmas! All Christmas orders must be placed by December 1st, so booking your session now will ensure that you get one of the remaining dates. This year I'm also proud to announce a few Christmas mini sessions!

Limited Edition Christmas Mini Session:
$300
Come to our beautiful Hancock, NY location and get your Mini Christmas Session! Session includes 45 minute session (for up to 5 people), 2 8x10 prints, 2 5x7 prints, 25 custom Christmas Cards (designed with photos from your session) and a custom photo ornament.

These gorgeous handcrafted wooden ornaments are only available through these sessions! Only 5 mini sessions are available and will go fast! Please call or e-mail for more information!

(Photo courtesy of Little Whimsy)

A couple more!

2007-09-23T16:40:00.001-07:00

I'm really loving this one! This would look gorgeous as a large print with a shabby antique frame!

A traditional studio shot!

An adventurous engagement session!

2007-09-23T06:13:00.000-07:00

This couple was up for anything! They were great sports - even though it meant getting into the creek and sitting on rickety docks over a lake! We had fun and I'm loving the shots we got!

MY SISTER'S GETTING MARRIED

2007-09-21T16:33:00.000-07:00

WOW!!! She just told our family! We are all SO excited! Kristie and Bruce are getting married late next year. Wow. They'll be coming over for some engagement photos soon and you'll be sure to see them! We're all so happy for them!

Congratulations Bruce & Kristie!!

2007-09-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

Here comes the Bride...

2007-09-05T14:51:00.000-07:00

We had a beautiful day for these shots! The weather is finally cooling down a bit and the sun ducked behind a cloud just at the right points in the session. Plus Bridget and her mom were great to work with! Here are a few of my favorites so far!

Smile!

2007-08-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

A little Cowboy...

2007-08-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

Surgery is over...

2007-07-18T16:43:00.001-07:00

Thanks for all the prayers and good wishes! Everything went SO well this morning! Colin went into surgery at 7am for an inguinal hernia repair. He was in surgery for 30 minutes and the Dr. said everything went perfectly! We were released by 11am and home by noon.

Colin seems to have bounced back amazingly well. He's in no pain (although some of that is thanks to the Tylenol) and is up and around (as much as we're trying to keep him down and quiet). About an hour after surgery he was back to his normal self. Tonight as we were putting him to bed he said he had a really fun day and asked to go back to the hospital tomorrow! LOL! Full recovery is 4-5 days so we have to try to give him quiet projects until then. He goes back for a check-up in a week.

Thanks again for all the prayers sent our way! It was really as simple as surgery can be and I know Colin had some great guardian angels looking out for him!

Peek-a-boo!

2007-07-09T15:45:00.001-07:00

I have to start by saying it was almost impossible to pick favorites from this shoot. I was giddy going through my images and each time I had found one I loved, the next one I loved just as much. Here's a quick sneak peek of my latest session. It was a maternity session, but once we got there we quickly realized that it was just as much about capturing the family as it was maternity.

The pregnancy glow...

2007-06-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

You know how some women just glow when they are pregnant? They just have that beautiful round belly and look so good with it? Well my maternity client last night was like that! And she has a beautiful family! Here's a quick peek into their session!

I always have such a hard time finding my favorites, but so far I really love these!

Bad hair day

2007-06-19T07:43:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when you combine a little boy, a water table and a nap! :)

Meggie...

2007-06-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

After resolving some computer issues, I'm back! This is one of those times when I'm really thankful for external hard drives and CDs that I backed all of my information up to.

Just a cute picture from today!
Meggie in her Lil' Sugarplums hairclips! Some of the only clips we've found that actually stay in the girls' hair!

Those eyes...

2007-05-02T06:59:00.000-07:00

It looks like Spring may be here to stay! I know - it's May and Spring should be here. But it has been so crazy here weather-wise. 2 weeks ago we got a huge snowstorm and it seems like it has been chilly and rainy since (except for 1 or 2 nice days). But the forecast for this weekend is beautiful - I hope it stays that way!

Fun at the Beach!

2007-04-20T17:41:00.000-07:00

My best friend, Linea and her family visited us at the beach on Thursday. We had such a great time and even fit in a photo session! She has an absolutely gorgeous family (and brave too - the water was SO cold, but they jumped right in!) Here are some of my favorites from the shoot...

Hippity Hoppity...

2007-04-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! We spent it with family and friends and got to see some people that we hadn't seen in a while, so that was nice. We found out our close friends are expecting a baby in December, so that was exciting. And our friend Ryan came over for a bit and had a ball playing with the Silly Putty that the Easter Bunny left for Colin. It's always great to see your friends playing with your children! Here he is giving Meggie silly putty bunny ears...

Happy Easter~

2007-04-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's April and snowing. What happened to our beautiful weather?

Hope everyone has a very nice Easter! We'll be celebrating with family. It will be really great to see everyone!

Here's a nice bright picture to keep you feeling good...

My 3 month old nephew sent me these. Wasn't that sweet of him? He's learning how to treat ladies well from birth! :)

A boy and his toys...

2007-04-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

What do they say about a boy and his toys? That they get bigger every year? What happens when a 2 year old starts out wielding a cordless power drill? I suppose that means soon enough he'll want really big toys huh?

A beautiful family...

2007-03-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

A few more...

2007-03-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

I think I'm going to have a hard time sorting through these! Here are a few more...
I love this one because it looks like she's a ballerina getting ready for a production...

A sneak peek...

2007-03-22T15:50:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of doing a session with a beautiful family today. The little girl is absolutely beautiful and her Mom and Grandmother are gorgeous too! So it was a fun shoot and with subjects like that, how could I go wrong? Here's a sneak peek of our session...

Colin and the doughnut

2007-03-21T07:10:00.000-07:00

More fun with backgrounds and tutus...

2007-03-18T07:07:00.000-07:00

Meghan woke up from her nap today in such a fun mood that I couldn't help but get some pictures of her! I just love her little attitude! It's really amazing to me how very different she and Teagan are. You would never know they are twins!

2007-03-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

The kids in color...

2007-03-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

We've had a few warm days here and I'm really looking forward to Spring! It's exciting to think about all the Spring sessions coming up. The warm weather inspired me to use some color on the kids....

Fun, Fun!

2007-03-02T19:02:00.000-08:00

What fun we had today! I got to do a session with some friends of mine, who had a little boy just a few weeks ago. He's still so new and little! I forget how little newborns are! We got some really great shots of him and his big brother...