Diane Jarvis-Schuller

Art is another way of keeping a diary. Each diary and its contents mean something different to every reader or viewer.

Who says livestock and horse photography can’t be considered fine art?! Bah humbug, of course it can. This exotic looking Scottish Highland cow is a prime example of how a photo can be transformed into fine art. Plus, when printed on canvas or fine Hahnemule art paper an image such as this becomes a beautiful work of art enhancing anyone’s home or office.

Sometimes simplicity is the key to high impact.

This draft [draught] horse study is one of my favourites after being turned into a work of art through mixed media including photographic texture. I can imagine this printed on canvas, enlarged to beyond life size, and hung in a prominent place on someone’s wall in their home or office. What a conversation piece! {{NOTE: I have recently opened up an online storefront where you can purchase prints, matted & framed, or canvas gallery wraps of some of my work. You’ll recognize some of these images at my shop. Feel free to share the link with friends.}}

Some of you may recall my recent post discussing the value of purchasing original works of art. Whether you consider something from me or from any other artist, when you support original works of art, you are making an investment that you can treasure for years to come but also supporting the future for all artists. Some things are well worth saving for — art is one of them.

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Diane can also create original fine art from photographs of your pets, horse, or livestock. She also creates fine art from a wide variety of subject matter. Get in touch and find out more.

The creative act lasts but a brief moment, a lightning instant of give-and-take, just long enough for you to level the camera and to trap the fleeting prey in your little box. ~Henri Cartier Bresson

I hit the front page! It’s not the Globe & Mail or the New Yorker but it’s the front page of the Hythe Headliner! You have to love local newspapers — and the editor of course. I know that the editor of the fund raising book my photo was selected to appear in, sent press releases out to local papers for all of the artists and photographers whose work appears in the 2010 Paws for Charity Art book, but it’s pretty exciting when one of the papers picks up the story!

I promised you that throughout 2010 I’ll be promoting this book because it’s a fund raiser after all and for such a good cause. There are so many of us who are touched by cancer in one way or another. I survived cancer, I lost my amazing & loving mother to cancer, and many other relatives too. Cancer is all around us. I hope you may consider purchasing a copy of the book — I don’t get anything from the sales of course — all profits go directly to cancer support. If you’d like to see a preview of the book, click to visit the 2010 art book.

Anyway, I couldn’t resist letting you know my news, hit the news  My copy of the book should be arriving any day so you can expect yet another post when it arrives.

Back to business. I’m encouraging anyone in my service area (Grande Prairie but the entire central and northern Alberta regions plus Edmonton) to consider purchasing a gift certificate as the most amazing Mother’s Day gift ever! Imagine how excited your mom would be to receive a gift certificate for a custom photography session dedicated just to her?!! Even I would LOVE to get that as a present. Also, I have a super duper deal coming up. You won’t believe how great a deal it is for a custom photography session. I’ll make you look great — that’s a promise — and we’ll have a good time while we’re at it. I’ll announce the special soon. Stay tuned!

Need a meaningful Mother’s Day Gift idea? Give the gift of memories by giving a gift certificate for a personal photo session with you and mom! Or ask about gift certificates for mini-sessions (with a mini price tag!) Leave me a note or use the contact form at my website. Everyone will be jealous that you gave the best gift!

Gift certificates come in pretty gift wrapping. It’s all done, just add your card.

“Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.” ~ John Lennon

I’ve spent the better part of the day working on a custom flush mount album. I’m still learning how to be proficient at creating these gorgeous products so it takes me a lot longer than it takes others. I’m also so darn fussy about the details that I tend to “measure twice; cut once” over and over again. I’ve made some of these in the past but, because I don’t make them frequently, I am rusty each time I begin again. The end result is always so beautiful but boy-oh-boy it takes me a very long time to create them. So here is a preview of the one I created today. It’s a gift for my husband.

Unfortunately to put together my mosaic of each spread, I was not able to get them all in order no matter how much I fiddled with my software. So here is a peek at what the full page spreads basically will look like. I did not include the cover but when the album arrives, I’ll take photos of it for you. I added a light black stroke around each spread so you could see what the 2-pages look like opened up. (I also see from my preview here on the web that they look over-sharpened — the album itself definitely is not over-sharpened but it’s late and I wanted to post this sample for you.

Here is a separate sample of the first 2-page spread so you can see it a bit closer.

So what is a flush mount album anyway? Press Printed Albums are flush mount albums with thick lay-flat pages and no middle gutter.

Unique to Press Printed Albums, the inside pages are printed on either Art Watercolor, Art Linen, Art Recycled, or Pearl press paper and adhered to heavy black cardstock. The ones I’ve ordered so far are all on the gorgeous Pearl finish. This allows each spread to lay flat with a thick and rigid look and feel. Pages are printed as full spreads and not cut so imagery and design elements are not lost in the center of the book! Press Printed Albums are available in fixed lengths of 20, 40, or 60 sides (10, 20 or 30 spreads) and are available in 6×6, 6×12, 8×8, 10×10, 12×6 and 12×12 sizes.

All Press Printed Albums are available in a full line of cover materials including floral, mineral, suede and book fabrics, as well as many leather options including vintage, alligator and standard bonded leathers, and as a premium genuine black leather. The very popular custom photo covers are also available with Lustre or Metallic photographic paper, and Fine Art Canvas or Metallic Canvas. All cover materials can be padded as an option. All covers are wrapped around masonite providing a heavier, more substantial album. Photo custom covers are made with a photographic or canvas print that is laminated and adhered to the masonite cover.

I have shown photos before of the press printed books & albums. I’ll be sure to take photos of this one when it arrives. See what a beautiful keepsake you can have from your photo session when you hire a custom photographer? Although the press printed albums are most popular for weddings, newborns, and graduation, ANY occasion or any time is ideal for such a quality keepsake. These are quality heirlooms you’ll be proud to display and pass on to family. {Don’t forget Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are coming up very soon.}

For your viewing pleasure. Classic car with vintage texture. Photo from a previous photo shoot.

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Diane is an on-location Custom Photographer. She takes great pleasure in photographing people, places, pets, and hobbies such as classic cars!

Diane’s website ||  Diane’s Facebook photography page

Hey, was I ever over-the-moon excited yesterday when I opened the mail! I continue to add to my samples and the most recent one to arrive is the tricked-out photo box. This is no ordinary photo box and each one is custom designed for you, using a photo (or photos) from your session on the cover. The image I used is simply one I took of my lily garden.

As you can see from my photos, this is a classy looking box, sturdily built (and not made in China), custom designed, with a lovely cloth lining in black. The wide ribbon is intended to make it easy to lift the photos from the box to prevent damaging them. For the sample I created a design that would demonstrate that the image does not have to fully cover the front, it can wrap around (or not), and there are a multitude of design possibilities. What is not as discernable in the photos above is the finish I ordered this one in: metallic. It is absolutely gorgeous and gives the photo — the entire box really — a pearl like glow. Oooh, if you could see or touch one you’d swoon. They’re a bit pricey if you compare them to the mass produced, cheaply made-in-China boxes found in all the box stores but you’re comparing apples to oranges. Bear in mind these are fully personalized, made in North America, and put together with quality materials and workmanship. I’m going to do my best to provide them at a reasonable price just so you can have one of these beauties.

They come in four sizes: one that holds 4×6 images up to 100 photos; for 4×6 photos that holds up to 250 photos; one that holds 5×7 images up to 100 photos; and one for 5×7 images that hold up to 250 photos. They’re ideal for the person who wants all the photos from the session, or for parents with a newborn (and we know how much parents love photos of their newborns), graduation year, for weddings, or  anyone who wants to have a beautiful heirloom box to show off and pass down to future generations. I also think they would make a lovely gift item for any family member or friend who might want to fill it with their own photos — a going away gift, a gift for the grandparents, or a special friend.

I’m working like a dervish trying to get all kinds of jobs completed ahead of time before I head out for a combined business/pleasure trip next week. I’ll include a post to remind everyone that I’ll be away and when to expect me back. For now, I’m hoping to update my website with some of the new products I’m offering. Wish me luck in getting to that too!

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Visit Diane’s website to view more products and her portfolio. Don’t forget to become a fan on her Facebook Photography page to be the first to learn about casting calls, promotions/specials, and other special announcements.

Or at least one they won’t return?

Custom modern portraiture is the answer. Whatever your story is, Diane Schuller will reveal a chapter in your life through custom images. When you purchase a Diane Schuller photographic session as a gift, the end result will be an invaluable personal work of art for the heart and home of the recipient. Gift certificates for a custom photographic session are easy to give and are thoughtful to receive! Whether the recipient is your spouse, an elderly relative or parent, a newly engaged couple, your brother or sister and their family, your best friend, or perhaps an employee at the office, you can be assured the person you gift this to will declare this as the “perfect gift” — the best one under the tree this year!

For every gift certificate ordered during the month of December 2009, I will include a complimentary 8×10 for your gift recipient as well.  All Gift Certificate orders are available for pickup or shipped within one business day (please note: I am out of town every weekend between now and Christmas).

To up the ante even more, I have a special offer during Double Gift Certificate Week: December 15 – December 21, 2009.  Purchase a Diane Schuller Photographic Session Gift Certificate during Double Gift Certificate Week and receive a second gift certificate of equal value (up to $150). The second Gift Certificate is valid for future sessions to be completed by June 30, 2010.

Use the Contact tab above to order the perfect gift today.

“Photographs may be more memorable than moving images, because they are a neat slice of time, not a flow. Each still photograph is a privileged moment turned into a slim object that one can keep and look at again.” — Susan Sontag

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Photographic session Gift Certificates are also ideal as engagement gifts, wedding gifts, baby shower gifts, birthdays, anniversaries, retirement, Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, and they’re also great as a gift from staff as a going-away gift for your favourite co-workers.

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AVAILABILITY: I am open to traveling and often do, but prefer if there are two different bookings scheduled (it could even be one of your friends & their family or one of your relatives). I will reduce my session fee if you get one more family/couple/individual to book with me to do their session either before or after yours — contact me for more details.  I often drive to Edmonton and am available at all places in between as well (between Edmonton – Grande Prairie). I live an hour north of Grande Prairie and often service Dawson Creek, BC as well.

As I was so proud to announce a couple months ago, I am a participating member of Think Pink Photography. It’s an amazing program gathering up photographers to offer free photo sessions and 10 free prints to the brave women and men who are battling breast cancer or who have recently been survivors of breast cancer. October is set aside as breast cancer awareness in both the USA and Canada. I’m taking this opportunity to remind my wonderful readers and clients that I am the only participating photographer in central and northern Alberta. There are no strings attached — this is purely a pink opportunity to help breast cancer patients and survivors to celebrate life and to have something positive to focus on. If you know of anyone in this position, please put them in touch with a Think Pink photographer in their area.

This is the coil bound brag book I offer clients. This one is a sample I use to take along on photo shoots so clients can see what they look like. As with everything from my new supplier, the quality is excellent. On the front I made a cover by using my standard marketing postcard. Over that is a clear acrylic cover to protect the first image.  The brag book can be bound either on the short side or the long side (as this one is).

The back of all the brag books come with a thick card stock in black. It can stand up plus withstand lots of carrying around and showing off whether carried in purses, briefcases, or just handed around to friends and family.

Each page is professional-grade photographic paper with a lustre finish. This sample is the 5×7 so the images will have either a black or white framing around them so the coil does not cut through the image itself. With the 4×6 brag book, there is no frame around the images so the coil does go through each image.

This is what each individual image looks like. I offer these brag books in a 20 image version, but extra images can be added for a small fee. I also offer a Mini Brag Book that holds 10 images yet also comes in the 4×6 or 5×7.

I find that most clients have a difficult time deciding which images they will narrow down to for ordering prints. This way a person can have multiple images in a real affordable presentation. They also make great gifts for family members including senior citizens — who love to show off photos of their family. Next year I plan to begin a program for high school seniors similar to what is done in the USA. In the US they call these teens, “seniors” but I’ll use a different term (just have to come up with something creative & appropriate) because here in Canada when we say seniors everyone automatically assumes our beloved golden agers. For the teens I will be providing each with one of these brag books from their session, as well as offering them prints. The uses are only limited by the imagination.

These brag books are for everyone who has had a photo session whether it’s a family, a couple, newborns, you and your pets, or a business. For any clients who placed orders during 2009, I still have the proofs archived so it’s not too late to order some for Christmas presents!

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Diane is a natural light, on-location lifestyle photographer serving Grande Prairie plus Edmonton and areas. Visit her newly revised website at Diane Schuller Photography.

Yes folks, he’s mowing the lawn and wearing a winter down-filled parka — it’s that cold! He spent several hours mowing wearing a sheepskin lined jean jacket but finally had to go get his down parka for the final few hours of mowing. Even a breakfast of homemade Belgian waffles and maple smoked sausages was not enough to keep him warm. That’s life north of 55.

There is a wee bit of colour cast from the parka on his face, but most of that redness is just from the cold — I purposely didn’t want to remove it in Photoshop. Notice that the leaves on the trees have begun to pop open in the past few days. Sneak peeks coming up soon from the weekends photos shoots.

For those in the Grande Prairie and northern Alberta area, don’t forget about the Father’s Day Gift Certificate sale. I can take photos of your dad doing chores around home, or simply hanging out with mom and the kids.

Diane is an on-location lifestyle photographer serving Grande Prairie and northern Alberta/B.C. Visit Diane Schuller Photography.