Diane Jarvis-Schuller

Have you ever noticed how many sayings there are using the word “shoulder”? Put your shoulder into it. Shoulder the burden. Giving the cold shoulder. Put your shoulder to the wheel. A chip on your shoulder.

There’s a reason why I’m talking about shoulders and I’ll get to it shortly. This photo seems appropriate. It’s one of the men’s suit coats hanging on a tree with no shoulder in it — I love taking the detail shots like this. Now on to my reason for all this talk about shoulders.

I’ve been dealing with a shoulder injury recently. It’s not so serious that I need surgery but it’s darn painful doing certain things. One thing that hurts like the dickens is using the keyboard and mouse on the computer. For that reason, I’m going to be really quite slow in my designing and editing work for the next while. It also means I will be spending far less time anywhere near the computer. I’ll continue to check emails each day and will return as many as possible but the more I’m away from the computer the less I will aggravate my shoulder. If you need to contact me, please send a note through the contact form or email me directly. Thank you for your understanding.

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Photographs Never Forget!

Weddings are fun to photograph and I know how excited the brides & grooms are for each wedding to see their photos afterward. I’ve been very neglectful in getting images up this year. Here are just a few from a colourful September wedding photographed in Jubilee Park in Grande Prairie here in Alberta. This couple and their delightful wedding party were not only handsome & beautiful but a pleasure to spend the day photographing. The guys even climbed a tree for some photos — their idea!

This one above could easily be titled, “Chillin’” — that’s what ring bearers do, isn’t it?

Did I not tell you how pretty these ladies all are!

Really cool guys.

Handsome couple.

As I mentioned, there was fun during this photo shoot as well. The entire party climbed on a narrow ledge, the guys climbed a tree, the ladies ran across a busy road then marched right up to Tim Horton’s, caught a photo of the bride ‘running away’, the entire wedding party were great sports in tossing leaves, and so much more. Lots and lots of images for this couple to remember their special day.

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Photographs Never Forget! Keeping memories alive with custom portraits & albums.

Custom albums are the ideal way to tell the story of your wedding day. Any professional photographer involved in wedding photography considers an album an important element of the full service. The sad thing these days is that so many couples purchase a disk of images with the intention of printing their own photos or making their own book. I’ve talked to several photographers and individuals and have learned that most couples simply put a few photos on their Facebook account, then keep the disk stored in a drawer or corner somewhere. What’s even more unfortunate is that, because life gets busy or other priorities take over, that book is never created and most couples never print any of their photos. What a shame.

A professionally designed album of your wedding day is a tangible item you can open anytime and reflect upon the memories and special moments of that special day. A quality album lasts for years becoming a treasured family heirloom that can be handed down and shared with future generations. Think about when you flipped through your parents wedding album and then consider your own children doing the same one day. Disks fail and, especially if prints are never made, what a shame to have those once-in-a-lifetime moments gone, except in memory.

If you’re looking for professional photography in the Grande Prairie area, or any location/destination, contact me to discuss availability and details. I’d love to photograph your special day, capturing moments and your personal story that will live on in your custom wedding album.

If you are one of those couples who have a disk hidden under a pile of papers somewhere, contact me to inquire about getting those images in a beautiful custom album or custom hardcover book. You have a choice of the custom designed flush mount albums or a more traditional type of matted albums in different styles you can choose from with prices starting at $400 and up (2010 prices). I also offer Portrait Books or traditional albums for parents, family, or friends at lower price points. These other albums and books make a memorable and classy thank you gift for those who shared in or helped create your special day. (Albums and books come in a wide range of sizes and cover options — even a mini is better than none at all.)

The following is a photo collage demonstrating a 20 page 10″x10″ wedding Book (the flush mount albums have full spreads whereas the books are individual pages). This also shows how multiple photos can be incorporated to better tell the story of your special day, although using fewer photographs better showcases your favourites.

A WIDE variety of styles and designs are available from plain & simple (featured above), modern, or traditional options. Quotes or captions may be incorporated. With some of the designs, colour blocks to match the wedding colours are another option. There are many possibilities and each album is entirely unique — custom designed to your desires.

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Photographs Never Forget! … Keeping memories alive with custom albums and portraits.

I can’t help but post just a few more images from the July 17th wedding (located near Bezanson). I really enjoyed myself and being around such warm and fun-loving people must have been part of the reason for that. Sandy & Travis live on a lovely acreage and I love that they also included horses in their ceremony. As all the guests arrived, there was a pair of draught horses hitched to a large and comfy wagon to transport people from the vehicle parking area up to the ceremony location. Once one wagon full of guests was delivered to the ceremony site, the horse drawn wagon headed back to pick up another group of people.

The bride arrived by a lovely horse drawn carriage and, after the ceremony, the bride and groom were taken back to the receiving line area in that same well appointed horse drawn carriage. The Patterson’s horses were beautifully groomed, their tails plaited with flowers coordinating with the wedding colours, and also had hearts (in the wedding colours) applied to their barrels (that’s the side of a horse). Here are a couple images of the bride and groom as they were being driven away from the ceremony site to the receiving line area.

And this one I added a vintage touch, especially because it reminds me of riding off into their new life together as husband and wife (instead of riding off into the sunset ).

If you have followed the previous posts of this wedding, you’ll know that this couple and their friends and family are definitely a fun-loving bunch. See!

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Photographs Never Forget! … keeping memories alive with custom albums and portraits. (I’m looking forward to putting the album together for this fun and loving couple!)

I promised to share some of the wonderful images taken by my second shooter, Kristen Bass, from the July 17th wedding (please check out her website). I am so pleased with them so here are a few teasers. You’ll see that she had a fun group of guys to work with as they got ready before the ceremony. The groom doesn’t appear to be very nervous …

And the groomsmen were having an equal amount of fun …

Look at the great job Kristen did with these ones. Although in this one with the cars, one of the guys has his eyes closed or squinting, I couldn’t resist because of the great stance taken by the groom! She created & captured some unique moments.

I love this one.

I am very confident in recommending Kristen whether as a second shooter or primary photographer. I was quite fortunate to have her work with me for this wedding.

I had the pleasure of photographing Sandy & Travis’s wedding this past weekend. What a wonderful day being around such warm and loving people — Sandy & Travis, and their families as well. Beautiful people.

While I was at the bride’s parents home as the bride and her ‘ladies’ were getting ready, I had a creative second shooter busy with the groom and his groomsmen. I’ll show you a few of her amazing photos next week when I’m back in town but in the meantime, if you’re in need of a very capable second shooter, check out Kristen’s portfolio on her website, KAJ Photography. I’ll write more next week.

And here is the handsome groom getting the very first glimpse of his beautiful bride.

As you can see we had incredible weather. In fact, I got heat stroke, but no one knew of course — there was an important day to chronicle!

So many wonderful memories for me of that day so I know Sandy & Travis will be able to relive their special day through the many photographs taken that day. I’ll trickle a few more next week sometime. Both families are really talented on the dance floor as well, not to mention some fine singing and guitar playing. Weddings are so joyful!

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Photographs Never Forget! … keeping memories alive with custom albums & portraits.

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.}

Earlier this week I shared two tips for those are are planning a wedding but I posted them over at Facebook and forgot to share them here! So, for any of you who are planning a wedding or know someone who is planning a wedding in the near future, send them here for these great tips.

The first one I shared with S & T whose wedding I will be covering in July. I’m sure you’ve been to weddings where you can’t for the life of you find the wedding location or the reception location. Here is a great customized solution you can include with your wedding invitations:  Wedding map custom design by a very talented gal at Etsy is the solution to that problem. This is a great solution for those who are involved in planning other events or fund raisers as well. Check it out!

The next tip is a very useful yet brief article written by a wedding photographer — a pro. This is written specifically for the general public providing you with valuable information when selecting a wedding photographer. Read “Tips from a Wedding Photographer”. And one more written by an Edmonton wedding photographer on Choosing Your Wedding Photographer. It’s highly unlikely you’re going to find a quality photographer through Kijiji or Craigslist.

Providing tips to clients and the general public regarding photography or photo-related issues is going to be a regular feature here and in my monthly newsletter (sign up by clicking on the envelope icon at my website on the main page). Sign up so you don’t miss any future tips. I also have some tips in the archives (check the “Categories” tab above) under the heading “Photography TIPS”. Let your friends know about this as well by using the “email a friend” tab below and to the right.

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Photographs Never Forget!

What a wonderful Saturday I enjoyed capturing this couple and their family in Edmonton. It was actually their 10th wedding anniversary and they renewed their wedding vows. What a beautiful and loving couple they are. Oh and two darling boys as well.

Thank you Dave & Marcie for entrusting me to capture your special day. I hope you enjoy your sneak peek and I wish to thank you and your family for such a wonderful day and evening! I can hardly wait to show you the rest.

ALBERTA RESIDENTS, SHARE THIS POST: If this post receives 15 or more comments (from different people), the client receives a free 8×10 print! (To make it easy, you can use the [email a friend] link to share this post with friends or family.)
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Diane is an on-location lifestyle photographer in Alberta using natural light to capture your special memories. Visit Diane Schuller Photographs to view her portfolio.