Blog Posts

March madness is upon us!  As the days get longer and warmer (thank goodness) everyone starts thinking High School Senior open houses.   If you have not already ordered your Son or Daughters senior pictures for summer open houses and graduation announcements  I advise you to do so.   The closer we get to May the busier we get with orders and so does our lab.  You don't want to wait to the last minute to order!

March is also the time to book your wedding photography coverage.   Our dates are filling up so please call us to secure your date as soon as possible!

A few weeks back Dave and I (Dave is my talented studio photographer)  both had the pleasure photographing the Open House for the business next door to my Studio,  "Sign-A-Rama".  Over a hundred people came out to meet the new owner and check out the businesses new look.   Tons of local merchants donated food.  There was a ribbon cutting and even the ground hog showed up to help.   Here are a few photos from the event...

Congratulations to Applied Science and Technology in Brighton, MI.  They celebrated their 25th anniversary this month! We have been photographing their staff for over 12 years and congratulate them on this major milestone.

Koo Dos go out to the dozen or so boy scouts that crossed over recently at the Pinckney Boy Scouts Pack 391 Blue and Gold Dinner.  I have had the pleasure of photographing portraits at their banquet for  over 5 years now.

I got a new backdrop for the studio this month!   It is a deep red or burgundy color with a little black in it.     Over the weekend  I did a session with  Doug and he graciously let me try out the new backdrop.  What do you think?

Oh before I go...we just up loaded  the group shots from Howell's, Performance Dance Theatres very talented competition team.    They are up in our gallery so if you have a minute take a look.

Thank you so much for tuning in and I do so appreciate your business.

Keep Smiling!!!

Judy Anderson

Boy is it cold outside.  Hope you are keeping warm and having a better year then last year!  One event that can warm almost any one's heart is ARC of Livingston County's Annual Fashion Show and Silent Auction. The ARC uses this fundraiser to raise funds to sent handicap children and young adults to summer camp.   This year it was once again at Crystal Gardens during the Holidays.  I have had the pleasure of photographing  it every year for the past 5 years and my husband photographed it for many years prior to his death.  Many local residents  along with sports celebrities and TV news personalities volunteer their services to model for the show.   This year even Mickey Redmond, Former Red Wing Star and the voice of Red Wing Hockey came out to help with the cause.   It was a fun-filled night that raise thousands of dollars for this wonderful cause.  Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the event...

January is not a very popular month to get married in, but there are some benefits to having a Winter Wedding.  Most of the venues will give you a discount and you can get services like photography, DJ, videographer at a winter wedding discount.  We will give you an extra $100.00 off if your wedding is held Dec-March of the year.  It is something to consider if you are on a tight budget.  If you want to save even more money book your wedding on a Sunday or during the week!  If you are planning a wedding in the next year we are offering a discount right now through March 1st, 2010.  You can get between $150.00 to $300.00 of our wedding packages.  Dates are filling fast so don't hesitate to contact us!

I got a call from a Bride about six months ago. She had someone else photograph  her wedding a year ago and wasn't happy with the results.  She asked if she could book an in Studio Bridal Session in January with Us.  Nicole and Dustin came into the Studio on a Saturday afternoon in January with all their bridal attire from a year ago and we had a ball.  They were a wonderful couple that are just naturals in front of the camera.  It was a great way to spend a cold winter day.  Here are few favs....

Another nice way to spend a cold winter day is at a Wedding!  I had the of pleasure of videotaping the wedding of Aubrey & Ann on Jan. 21st, 2010.  The  ceremony was at one of the most beautiful wedding chapels I have been in.  They were married at the Victoria Wedding Chapel on the shores of a Frozen lake in Waterford.  The Chapel is located in an English Tutor Style Mansion.  It had stone work and fire places! It was very charming.  This sweet couple made it a family affair.  Ann's daughter and son were in the wedding.  Plus, her brother was Aubrey's Best Man.  Ann looked beautiful and Aubrey was so handsome in his tucks with torquoise accents.   The reception was at Crystal Gardens here in Brighton.  This couple's  love for each other was very apparent and the children's love and admiration for Aubrey was very touching.

Thank You For Stopping by!

Keep smiling,

Judy Anderson

Before I say anything else...From my Family to yours "Happy Holidays!. May the new year bring you hope, happiness and love!

On the wedding front we have put a one new weddings up in our gallery this month. We will be adding one more in the next couple of days. Dejuana & Freddie were married on September 26th, 2009. The Ceremony was at a lovely church in Ypsilanti, MI and the reception was at the Ann Arbor Polo Fields. The wedding was absolutely beautiful and reception was a blast! They are the perfect couple! Our second wedding was Fiona & Marc. They were married at Historic Greenmead Church in Livonia. It was a quaint little historic church on the grounds of Greenmead. The wedding party had a Scottish flair If you are preparing for a wedding in 2010 we have special pricing if you book by February 28th, 2010, Dates are going fast so check us out and let me know if you have any questions.

There are few companies in the area hiring. They have sent new employees in to us to have business sessions. This is a good sign that things are slowly turning around in the area. We also had a wonderful time with the hard working staff at Hamway & Stroster Orthodontist office here in Brighton. We photographed their staff and offices to update there new website. If you are a business in need of either employee pictures or business photos for your website just give us a call (810-229-4971). We would be happy to either have you come to our studio or we can come out to your location and take some photos. We do Website Videos Too!

On the Video front... I finished all our Wedding Videos for the year and will be changing our samples on the website to 2009 weddings in the coming months.

Happy Holidays and Thank you so much for your business in 2009!

Judy Anderson

Hi All,

Thanks for dropping In!  Wow it is hard to believe that we are already into November.  This has been the year that all of us will never forget.  With the economy the way it has been it has humbled us all!  So to help you out and give you some great gift Ideas now through Dec. 10th, 2009 we are having  a large print sale.   Save $10.00 on any large print ordered  11x14 or larger! Plus if you book an in studio Family  session between now and Dec. 10th, save an additional $10 off the session fee and get a free  8x10 print!  Who doesn't Like the gift of a current  photo in a nice frame? So take a new family photo while your children still want to be seen with you.  Call 810-229-4971to book a session today.

In Studio News...  We have been so busy processing our fall weddings.   In our gallery you can check out the  wedding of Emily and James.  They were married July 25th, 2009 at the MSU Botanical Gardens and the reception was at Crystal Gardens here in Brighton.  It looked like rain on the way to the wedding, but the sun came out and it was so beautiful. The Gardens provide such a spectacular backdrop for pictures.     Emily and James were the sweetest couple to work with and so in love.  The pictures really show how comfortable they are with each other.  What a great couple.  Two days after their wedding they moved to Texas. We wish them the best!

Lauran & Jonathon are a couple referred to us by one of our brides from last year.  They were married August 21st, 2009 and their pictures are also up in our gallery.  They were married at a very beautiful Lutheran Church in Hamburg and had their reception at Crystal Gardens too! Despite a threat of rain and some pretty heavy winds that day they ended up having the most beautiful wedding.  The grounds around the church provided almost a dream like setting to be photographed in. They were wonderful to work with despite the the windy conditions that day.  They are truly in love and it shows in there pictures.  Again we wish them all the best!

We are now booking 2010 Weddings!  Call and ask us about our 2010 Wedding Specials! 800-227-4686

We are also finishing up the last of our High School Seniors for the year.   We had the pleasure of photographing so many great young men and women from our community and well beyond.   Jackson Armstrong one of the top basketball players at Brighton High came by for a session in October.  Andrew Hennig from Kensington Woods High School came in with his Dad's vintage Mustang.  Caitlin Anderson (Varsity girls Basketball player)  and Josh Burnell (Captain  of Varsity Football Team) both from Father Gabriel Richard High came by for great fall indoor/outdoor senior sessions.   To book a senior session or if you have any question please don't hesitate to call our studio.

Last but not least Family sessions...Fall is one of the best times of year to schedule a Family Portrait  session.  We photograph a little inside and we take photos outside behind our studio (weather permitting).   We have several new Family sessions up in our gallery.  Remember right now you can get $10.00 off the session fee and a free 8x10 if you book a family session between now and Dec. 10th, 2009.

I have so much to be thankful for.  It has been over five years since my wonderful husband  Miro Anderson (he was a great photographer),  passed away.  A week doesn't go by that a client or friend doesn't mention him.    He had unforgettable talent  and personality.  I am so thankful for the time we had together (over 25yrs!), the three wonderful children we have and twenty years in business.  What my degree in photography and video didn't teach me- he did.   Even in these tough economic times we need to stop and take stock in all we have and stop thinking of all we have not.    I would be remiss if I did not thank all of you who put your faith in us and hired us to photograph  or videotape your wedding, your family portrait, your high school senior,  your business portrait,  dance school, etc.,  this year.    Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Sincerely and don't forget to keep smiling!

Judy Anderson

Hi All,

Thanks for tuning in.  Well it has been a very busy couple of weeks.   We have had the pleasure of photographing so many wonderful High School Seniors.  All of them have been so nice and fun to work with.  They are the Highlight of my day.  To name drop a few...Matt Williamson, Brighton High's Drum Major for the Brighton Marching Band came by for a really fun session,   Jamie Rice,  from Pinckney High came in a few weeks ago and we did a great indoor session, but because of rain we just finished her outdoor session at Kensington on Thursday.  What a nice girl with some wonderful ideas!  A Championship swimmer from Howell High , Kelsey Carpenter came in for a session.   On Thursday we had a tall order, 6ft 7 inches tall basketball player at Brighton High,  Bryon Bollin.  Great young man with a bright future.  These are just a few of the promising young men and women we are so honored to photograph.   Brighton, Hartland and Pinckney's Yearbook Deadlines are Oct. 16th, 2009! Howell High's is Oct. 30th, 2009.   If you still need a High School Senior Picture Session we may be able to get you in, but keep in mind we are booked up through Oct. 8th, 2009 (as of Sept. 22nd, 2009.)  You can now check out our sessions & pricing on line.  Just click the senior tab.

September is also a big wedding month for us!  We had three this month.  Congratulations go out to Janene Spencer and Matthew Zweng.  They tied the knot  last weekend at the Best Western Sterling Inn, Sterling Heights.  What a sweet couple and  a fun filled wedding.  This weekend we are in Ypsi and Ann Arbor for the nuptials of Dejuana Meekins & Freddie Jackson Jr..  I can't wait! If there wedding is anything like their engagement session with us...we are going to have some beautiful and fun pictures!    Here is a photo from their engagement session.   

Oh I almost forgot.  We just recently uploaded the proofs from two weddings we shot this summer.  They are up in our wedding gallery.  Just click on the right hand corner where it says "Looking for your on line photos".   We added the  absolutely beautiful outdoor wedding of Kelly & Ryan.  It was shot at Waldenwoods in Hartland.  Ryan's Grandfather was on of the original owners of Waldenwoods,  A great time was had by all and it show in the pictures.  The second wedding we shot was Tohnya and Jeremy.  They were married at a very quaint church in Saline and the reception was at the Holiday Inn, Ann Arbor.   Both live in Miami, but Tohnya was originally from the area and came Home for her  wedding.  They too were so fun and into pictures.  Check out the ones at the park between the church and reception.  Very romantic and sweet!

If you would like information on our wedding coverage and packages please feel free to check out our pricing on line, call, email or stop by our studio in Brighton.

Until next time...Keep Smiling!

Judy Anderson

Welcome to my first Blog on our newly redesigned website. I hope you like the new look of our website. It has been many months in the making and all the credit goes to my web designer Kevin Doak from Crucial Web Development. Drop me an email and let me know what you think.

Since this is my first blog I thought I would bring you up to speed as to just what we have been doing since January. Future blogs will be more up to date and specific.

In March we had the privilege to take pictures and video for Coke Zero at the Final Four Basketball play-offs. It was so much fun and a great honor.

We finished up what we call Dance Season about a Month ago. It has been our pleasure do do the photos and video performances for six different Dance Schools in the area. We start in January with pictures for Glenn's School of Dance in Howell, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN- Dance Mix performance in March (now showing on U-tube). Milford Dance Academy's pictures and recital video in May, Center Stage Dance Company's pictures and recital video in May & June, Ginny's Danceworks (Brighton) dance recital video in June and MGM's School Dance, Flushing MI recital video in June. Hundreds of pictures later and 14 edited video performances later it is officially over until January 2010. I hope to have some performance video up on our video page soon!

Numerous families come to us for family or children's portraits. This year was the year of the dog . We did many portraits this year that included man's best friend. We are one of the few studios in the area that don't mind the family pet in the shot! You can check out some of our resent session in our gallery. Just click in the right hand corner where it says looking for your on-line photos? Then click on Families & Events. While you are there we have some great product photography up Too!

Ahhh weddings! We have already shot 11 weddings this year! We have three more to shoot this month. We have had so much fun at weddings this year. We have just been blessed with the best Brides and Grooms ever! We have traveled to Port Huron, Lansing, Sterling Hgts, Livonia, Ann Arbor, Saline and right here in Brighton. This past week we Photograph a very beautiful small wedding right here in Brighton. Congratulations go out to Cheryl Barrett and Doug Truitt. They tied the knot on Sept. 5th, 2009! If you would like to see how we shoot a wedding. Check out our proofs on line.

Last, but not least...High School Seniors! With only about a month to go before yearbook deadlines we are very busy getting sessions photographed and proof books ordered. We are one of the last studios in town to provide a proof magazine with all their proofs in it. Our clients love it! We had so much fun yesterday Photographing Brighton High Senior, Tyler Boyd . He is one of the Goalies on the Brighton High Varsity Hockey team. He brought all of his athletic gear and we got really creative with it. Last week I had a request from a Howell senior to shoot the outdoor portion of his senior session in a local cemetery. At first I was a little apprehensive, but we were very respectful of the grave sites and found some very interesting places to take photographs. His pictures came out great!

Well there you have it. After 20 years we are still going strong! My future blogs will be much more specific, but I wanted to bring you up to date. Thanks for stopping by. I would love to hear from you so please feel free to email. Till next time...

Keep Smiling!

Judy Anderson