"Seated"

First of all - thank you to the Figge Art Museum of Davenport, IA and the Quad City Arts for putting on the art show this December/January.

For those of you who know me - I can wind up in the strangest and funniest situations...this picture resulted from a wrong turn on the wrong road on a trip back from Michigan.

I saw this place and just had to stop! It was an eclectic shop of sorts and 5 minutes turned into 2 hours browsing rows of old wagon wheels, pumps, shutters, and...seats.

This print hung in the Figge Art Show this past December/January and I am encouraged to find the Quad Cities supportive of the arts. They work hard to put these shows together.

Thanks for looking -Mark

"Seated".

Kolten - 2009 Baby

Newborn children are just the greatest little miracles.

Watching new parents is also one of the most exciting things I get to experience in my studio.

It blows me away.

What a great expression...

An even better expression!

Welcome to life, Kolten Dean.

-Mark

Baby Brayden

Brayden and his folks are a wonderful family.

Just for fun, I'd joked with them when we were taking 'naked baby' pictures

"I've never had it happen yet, but now

would be the time he decides he needs to go #2!"

...there's a first for everything!

Smile a little today. -Mark

Snitker-Kelley Wedding

I photographed this wedding in Pella, IA last May. These are just a few of the

pages from this bride's wedding album.

The Pella Opera House had incredible windows.

With a May wedding - the famous Tulip City

was in full bloom.

Wedding Dance Ideas

In need of ideas for your wedding dance? According to this video - you'll need 4 practices a week for an entire month to pull this off. Hope you laugh as much as I did.    -Mark

Happy Valentine's Day

So - I read this joke in a magazine and just had to pass it along...

Joe figured out a way to remember his wife's birthday and their wedding anniversary. He opened an account with a florist and told him to send flowers to his wife on those dates, along with a note signed "Your loving husband". His wife was thrilled by the attention, and all was great until one anniversary. Joe came home, saw the bouquet, kissed his wife, and said, "Nice flowers. Where'd you get them?

I'm not sure I'd try this as a way to woo your spouse :) -Mark

REO Speedwagon

Sometimes it's fun to pull out older prints just so you can see what and how you were shooting. 

I created "REO Speedwagon" in 2007 and it's been displayed in my studio ever since. I guess you could say it's one of my favorites!

Capturing shots of older generations is just one of my passions. I hope you enjoy looking as much as I enjoy sharing. 

-Mark

Courtney - 2009 Senior

I love shooting seniors! Here's a look at 2009 graduate, Courtney.

We were all over the place - there are so many

fantastic shots you can get if you only look.

Enjoy! -Mark

Welcome to Mark's Blog

Mark is now Facebook Official
Mark's Place is opening up a whole new world by uploading pictures to Facebook and Blogger. *All pictures used with permission. Now you can tag yourself in our Facebook albums and share your pictures with any and all of your friends. I'm even uploading videos featuring your pictures, complete with graphics and music.

In case you haven't checked out my new facebook page, link, there are some incredible new pictures and videos now online. If you had your BC Dance pictures taken with me, I hope you've tagged yourself by now...enjoy your preview!

Each week, my blog and Facebook will be holding picture of the week contests where any viewers can cast their vote for the winning photograph. The winner continues into the next week until another winner is chosen or the photo continues as number one until the end of the month where the grand prize winner will receive...ah! No use spilling the beans yet!

Why Blog?
Have you ever wondered how to plan for a wedding? Maybe how to "wow" your friends with your senior pictures. Or even if trying to creatively photograph your children was really worth the effort? As a veteran of over 20 years of photography - have I got some tips for you!

The point of my blog isn't to clutter up your already busy life with a lot of useless information - we all have way too much going on to read junk mail. Mark's Blog is a place where I offer tips and tricks, answer your questions, and let you know first about what's happening at the studio.

First responders to my "Call to Action" posts (a post containing time sensitive material and limited availability) will receive added benefits and gifts that could include the cost of your session, print enlargements, or even discounts on new products. Who doesn't like that?

What Are You Here For?
Although we're all tired of hearing about how the economy is tightening everyone's purse strings - the fact is, for most of us, it's true. Now, more than ever, we're thinking twice before plopping down our money for something we want and I'm not interested in creating that something. I'm here to capture an experience and an emotion that you just don't want - but need.

And if you're looking for ordinary - you're in the wrong place.