Paul Douglas Studio

Changing of the Guards

2011-07-14T05:32:00.000-07:00

In our world of photography, our Senior Class of 2011 has just now come to a close. What another great year that we have had photographing such an amazing group of young men and women! We thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each and every one of them. They are all so different, unique, and special in their own way. We feel very privileged that they gave us the opportunity to photograph them and capture them in a way that will be documented for life. We met dancers, cheerleaders, hunters, athletes, singers, musicians, a Salutatorian, and a Valedictorian. The one thing that they all had in common was that they are good citizens and they will succeed in life's journey. Thank you to all of our graduates. We wish you the best that life has to offer, so go get it !!
Now it is time for the Class of 2012 to start their Senior year. We are ready and so are they. They already have the "Go Getter" attitude because they have their appointments for their Portraits made and are anxious to start their last year. What will the Class of 2012 bring us? Our guess is, another GREAT group of young men and women who are unique, different, and confident enough to just be themselves. Follow Paul Douglas Studio and you too will get to meet the next group of great citizens from our area.

Congratulations Class of 2011

2011-06-17T07:44:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year when a group of young men and women, who we refer to as Seniors, are experiencing a major milestone in their lives......Graduation.
It is times like these when we come to the realization of the importance of photographs in our lives. P.D.S has partnered with a Senior Class and will present a video montage for their family, friends, and classmates to view and enjoy at their class night ceremony.
The photographs collected by the Senior Class of 2011 will give them the opportunity to reflect back on the good times and help them to remember specific events or moments in time, that may have been forgotten.
This video will give the community a chance to get together and share a few laughs and possibly even shed a tear or two.
Paul Douglas Studio sincerely commends and congratulates each and every Senior from every school district in Chautauqua County on their final high school achievement.

On The Other Side

2011-03-14T08:26:00.000-07:00

The other day at the studio Doug and I were testing our new lights and backdrops.
We needed a subject to stand in front of the camera, so I decided to take my turn.

Immediately I was concerned about my hair, what I was wearing, and how was I going to pose myself.
What do I do with my hands? Do I smile, or not? I felt awkward and a little embarrassed.
Wow, this is hard! Wait, why am I feeling this way, I work here!

I commented to Doug," Now I know how our clients must feel when they first come in."

Then I realized what the major difference for me was. I was not prepared for a photo session and
I didn't have the experienced support that is always given by us to our clients.
We schedule time to meet with our clients a head of time and ask them to bring in their wardrobe.
We provide them with suggestions on clothing options that will compliment their features and flatter their shapes.

As professionals, we utilize our experience and education when lighting a subject. This is another way to flatter our subject or create a specific mood for a portrait that we are creating.
We research poses and locations before our client arrives for their shoot.
During the shoot we spend time working with them on how to pose themselves and advise them on what they should be doing with their hands and etc.
We make them feel relaxed and comfortable in front of the camera and we give them the time it takes to shake off their nerves and/or embarrassment.

What amazes us the most is that our clients pull it off every time!
They become comfortable in front of the camera, they start to relax, and they end up enjoying their entire session because they see the great results that we, together, are achieving.

S0, the next time I am asked to stand in front of the camera, I can only hope that Paul Douglas Studio will be there to take my picture.

TECHNOLOGY AT IT'S BEST !

2011-02-27T10:02:00.000-08:00

A very cool App for smartphone, iPhone and iPod users !

This App will provide you the quick access to Paul Douglas Studio with a scan. Keep a look out in the very, very near future for more listings that will be executed by PDS using this technology. This will allow any Smartphone, iPhone and iPod user to store our URL and follow our upcoming events that we will have regarding our studio.
This will enable our followers and clients to access our page quickly through this awesome technology.
Let us know what you think about this as the options are unlimited. Also, lets see how many others will follow PDS in using this method.

It's Hip To Be Square!!!!

2011-02-07T09:56:00.000-08:00

One of the "hot sellers" in senior portrait products today,
is a portait that is SQUARE.

We are stepping out from the traditional sizes and looks!
We are now offering a new, modern, up to date wall portrait.
The square portrait, along with other sizes, are now available in a Float Wrap.

Float Wraps are created by wrapping the photographic print around masonite to create a thin wrap.
The print is protected with a laminate and padding is added between the print and the masonite to give the front of the Float Wrap a raised, elegant look and feel.
The back of the Float Wrap is complete with black paper backing and a black 3/4" thick gator board block that allows the float wrap to extend out from the wall.

Before and After

2011-02-07T08:31:00.000-08:00

What can PDS offer you that a variety of other photographers can't?

We have the skill, knowledge, and technology to see beyond.

Here is an example of an image, that was taken in our studio, of a two year old girl. An image of an old door that we found in an alley was used as a backdrop. Old pieces of wallpaper were used as the texture and design element that was added to the chair. A digital matting was created and placed around the image and a few girlie swirls were used to embellish the print.

This allowed us the ability to provide our client with a wall portrait that was unique and adorable.

Hence the portrait name..... A "door" able

BEFORE

The Evolution of the "Family Portrait"

2011-02-07T08:17:00.000-08:00

Family portraits have evolved into something more than just a "stacking"of family members in a standing or sitting position! Our families took the time to meet with us and they shared a little about who they are. With that information we were able to create a variety of amazing wall portraits.

We, along with our clients, had a great time!

The Start of a New Year-2011

2011-02-07T07:54:00.000-08:00

Paul Douglas Studio has finished up with yet another busy year. We are so lucky and fortunate in this job! We have the opportunity to meet a lot of new people, our clients, and continue to serve our "ever faithful" repeat clients. We are so happy that we made the decision to expand to the front of our building in order for us to be able to better serve our clients. We also introduced new products for our customers and they have been received extremely well.
Our goals for the upcoming year is to debut our new, updated website (we are working on this right now), Continue to update our products in order to meet and exceed our customers expectations, and share more information in regards to PDS and what is going on through the use of this blog. We will also continue to keep our creations posted on Facebook for all of our friends to see.
Once again, the one thing that we look forward to the most, is continuing to meet the great people of this area and be given the opportunity to provide them with beautiful memories and portraits that will be apart of their lives forever.
Thank you to all of our supporters in the year of 2010.

To Ponder

2010-03-01T10:39:00.000-08:00

"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten!"

WOW, what a powerful quote!

The only thing left to say is...... choose a photographer who is committed to providing you with the best quality work and quality products.
Your new beginnings, milestones, special days, and precious moments can not be recreated.
They can however, be captured and presented to you in a manner that you will be able to happily cherish for a lifetime!

To Smile or not to Smile? That is always questioned.

2010-02-21T11:12:00.001-08:00

We are always asked..... why do you love and create portraits that do not have smiles?
Our answer, because it is not always about the smile!

We have a strong passion for the "Art of Photography".
Our style and mission is to provide our clients with portraits that evoke emotion, create a mood, tell a story, and capture the true inner and outer beauty of our subject in a natural way.
In order to achieve this it is not always suitable for the subject to be photographed with a smile.
It is not our style or mission to greet a client at the door for the first time, ask them to sit down in front of a camera, request a "cheesy" smile, snap a few images in a restricted amount of time, hand them their proofs and hope that they can find one that they like, not to mention having them envision the ones that they may love.
This is why we are committed to providing our clients with the time it may take to relax and get to know their place in front of the camera. This time enables our clients the ability to tell their story, create their mood, and yes, maybe even capture their natural smile!

A New Bride, A New Trend!

2009-09-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

Today's modern bride is stepping out beyond tradition and embracing a new trend in wedding photography. You may or may not have heard of the up and coming modern trend....
"Trash the dress." As fashion and brides evolve over time, so does the evolution of what is tradition. The large majority of brides are making the choice to not wear their mother or grandmother's wedding dress for various reasons. Because of this change in tradition, today's bride is asking herself, "What will I do with my wedding dress when my wedding day is over?"

We at Paul Douglas Studio have seen an increasing popularity amongst our bride's to allow us, their photographer, to create amazingly, stunning portraits of them in their dress in a very unconventional way. These images are great wall portraits and are included in her custom designed wedding album.

Here is an example of our most recent trash the dress shoot.

Friends Don't Let "True"Friends Get Traditional Senior Portraits!

2009-09-18T04:40:00.000-07:00

One tradition that is synonymous with entering your senior year is "Senior Portraits". At Paul Douglas Studio we have taken this opportunity to evolve the senior picture tradition into an experience that allows our senior clients a full "fashion/personality/individualized shoot". We provide a free consultation with our senior client. We choose wardrobe options and we spend the time to get to know a little bit about them and what makes them unique and different from everyone else. After our consultation and the defining of one's style, we research the locations that will be used to create a mood and a backdrop that represents our senior client. We also take this opportunity to create a "Concept" portrait. A "Concept" portrait is a unique, timeless, artistic, one of a kind portrait that is chosen by PDS and created specifically for our client. Here are a few of our recent examples......

Pettiskirts Are Back!

2009-06-19T10:07:00.000-07:00

For the first two decades of the twentieth century, petticoats fell out of fashion.
Then, in the 1920's chiffon dresses with several sheer petticoats layered underneath became, yet again, fashionable . With the Great Depression in the 1930's, WWII with it's rationing and general shortage of materials, brought an end to the petticoat once again.

The year 2009.... Although the traditional purpose for the petticoat is no longer in fashion, the general decision, with minor alterations, including ripping and/ or usage of bright or non-traditional colors, are back in style .
We, at Paul Douglas Studio, have colorful pettiskirts available and ready for you to photograph your infant, toddler, or tween in them.

Custom Photo Cover Coffee Table Books

2009-06-19T08:56:00.000-07:00

We are now offering a new and exciting product for our clients.

Do to the overwhelming and wonderful repeat business from our existing clients, we are challenged to look for quality and creative options on how to display the variety of artistic images that we provide to each of our clients.
These options need to be appealing to our customers and at the same time the products that we offer need to represent the image that our studio is striving to portray.

Every photo session that we shoot we create a variety of custom designed, large print options for our clients to choose from.
Because we have received such an incredible response to our unique, customized, large prints we realized that we need to provide another way for our clients to present and display their portrait selection from their photo session. So, we now offer a Custom cover coffee table book for our clients as a new and exciting option.
This book is designed especially for you, by us. The book has a custom designed photo cover and will incorporate the images that have been processed and created just for you.
This book will allow you the convenience and portability to share your images with your friends and family and you will have a keepsake that will last a lifetime. Here are a few example pages.

Dare to be rare

2009-05-18T08:53:00.000-07:00

written by: Karen Belmondo
Over the past couple of years I have seen an increase in women who are asking themselves......Why shouldn't I be photographed at this time of my life?

When you were born your parent's probably took pictures of you and they proudly shared your pictures with everyone. For thirteen years you were photographed and published in the school yearbook and you probably had your senior pictures done professionally. Now you find a mate and you start to "document" yourself with the one you love and eventually when you get married you have your pictures taken with your spouse on your special day.
If you are in any way like me, you now enter into motherhood and the cycle starts all over again with photographing your new family. You find yourself getting involved in everyone else's life and activities and little by little you lose your identity as a woman. You find yourself waking up and looking in the mirror and you realize that time is marching on and we, as women, are not getting any younger, but are a lot wiser and at a point in our lives where we have made both personal and professional accomplishments.

So, why aren't we making the decision to "catalog" this amazing time in our lives? Why are we so afraid? Why do we feel we are not beautiful enough to document the prime of our lives for future generations to come or just for ourselves?

"The rarest thing in the world is a woman who is pleased with photographs of herself."
-Elizabeth Metcalf-

Not your typical senior portrait!

2009-04-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

Another award winning senior portrait. This portrait named "Nocturnal Jester" was also entered this past weekend into the PPSNYS print competition held in Albany ,NY at the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center. This print also received the Distinguished Blue Ribbon of Honor along with a "Court of Honors award. Our senior model had no idea as to what was happening to her, but she was willing to go along with our vision for a non-traditional portrait. We provided her with the clothes and make-up but she provided us with the perfect pose and attitude needed to pull a picture like this off. Thanks again to our amazing senior model! Another great, fun, senior shoot and some awesome portraits to go with it. Enjoy them , w e do.

A 2009 Senior girl 's portrait receives award

2009-04-01T06:05:00.000-07:00

A long, cold day shooting in the alley way in Brocton, NY creates an award winning image.
"Door Belle" was entered into the PPSNY print competition in Albany,NY this past weekend.
The portrait received a Distinguished Blue ribbon of Honor also the "Court of Honor". We thoroughly enjoyed our shooting day and would like to thank our senior girl for allowing us the time it took to achieve this amazing portrait that we love.

What a great time for all!!

2009-04-01T05:38:00.000-07:00

We were given the opportunity to shoot three sisters that had a wonderful relationship. We spent quite a few hours at the lake photographing them together along with individual shots of each of them. We feel that it is so important to take the time to document your life and important relationships. Not only were we able to provide them with beautiful photographs but we all created an experience that will be remembered for a life time.
Here are a few of our favorite moments...