Rock on!

What a difference it makes when the wallboard is installed. All of a sudden it looks like a studio! The drywallers made great progress today, getting all the rock hung. Tomorrow, tape and mud. The painter also came by and painted the ceiling. It is really starting to come together, as you can see.

Our spokesmodel Caroline's outdoor session

We're taking a break today from updates on the new studio to show you a little bit about why we're building the studio in the first place: and that is to create images. Today's heat did not prove to be a problem for our spokesmodel Caroline; she was a real trooper and decided to have her session anyway despite the 90+ degree temperatures. She was very relaxed and we had a very nice session, as you can see. These images are straight out of the camera, with no photoshop work done to them. When they are fully worked, they will look even better. And before I forget, Beat LA! Beat LA! Go Celtics!

Hard at it

Progress continues apace. The walls are up and tight. The electrical work is moving right along. Sheetrock has been delivered. It's really moving right along. I am about to go back for a little more work, then home to collapse.


Here's Walter Miller pulling cable...

Early signs of progress

Emphasis on early. At 6 am, I was at the studio this morning, meeting up with Jeff Dachowski to build walls. I had never worked with steel studs before, but Jeff is an old pro at it and we made quite a bit of progress today. You really can't say enough about Jeff. He brings both experience and a strong work ethic, and you just crank. We have a couple more hours worth in the morning and we'll be done with the walls, and the electrician can then do his thing. This is going great!

Tonight we attended the Taste of Downtown Nashua and after having spent 14 hours on my feet today, I am tired and feeling my age. But we had a fun time sampling the various bits of food from the local restaurants and checking out the boutiques of my new neighbors.

Raw Potential

We got the keys to our new studio today! We are so incredibly excited! Studio Mark Emile is relocating to 69 Main St in Nashua, NH. We will be located directly adjacent to Darrell's Music Hall. Here are a few shots of the new space, inside and out, before the removal of the old carpet.

Jensine and Shallyne

Our spokesmodel Jensine had her outdoor session this afternoon. She brought along her friend Shallyne, who joined in on the fun now and then. We had a good time with the girls, and we think they had a little fun, too.

Kevin and Nathan

Kevin and Nathan recently visited for a session. It was their second try at this session, and much more successful than the first, when the long car ride led to napping children who just couldn't get cranked up for their session. This was a fun time with the two of them. They are adorable, aren't they?

Here's Tyler

Our first guy spokesmodel for the class of 2009 is Tyler. We had his studio session on Tuesday evening and had a lot of fun doing it. Catch up with Ty and talk to him about his experience here at Studio Mark Emile, and score a referral card from him to get your $25 discount on your senior portraits! Check out his portfolio. Now's the time to figure out who you want to create your senior portraits. We're betting you want to express your individuality, and that is our specialty. Be creative. We'll have a blast and create some memorable images.

A Storefront is Coming!

We here at Studio Mark Emile are delighted to announce that we will be moving to a retail location! The days of our residential studio are decidedly numbered. In early June we will receive the keys to our new location, on Main St in Nashua. We are so excited.

There's so much to do! Deciding on flooring, the layout of our space, the lighting and everything else. Everything is happening so fast. We can't wait to open our doors. You, our clients, will be treated to vastly improved amenities, designed to enhance the Studio Mark Emile experience. Enjoy a cold beverage in the comfort of our waiting area. Experience images from your session projected at the exact size so you can choose the right size prints for you. And I am especially excited about our shooting area, which will finally be large enough to comfortably photograph sizable groups.

We're really, really excited! Can you tell?

Meet Gina

Introducing our latest studio spokesmodel, Gina. She is a lovely young lady, and we had a wonderful session yesterday afternoon. If you know Gina and are interested in $25 off your senior portraits at Studio Mark Emile, ask her for a referral card. Talk to her about the fun she had during her session, and what a nice experience it is to have your portraits done at our studio. Ask to see her portfolio. Soon we will be scheduling outdoor sessions for our models; stay tuned for more of Jensine, Caroline, and Gina (and additional spokesmodels as well.)

I've Been Published!

Sadly, few of you will ever see the article. The current issue of Professional Photographer magazine contains my first ever published, paid article. I am stoked! It's pretty fun to see your own work in print, the first time, anyway. I wrote a review of Nik Software's Viveza Photoshop Plugin. I've also gotten my first taste of the limitations of printing in a magazine. It does horrible things to your images! Yuck.

Oh, well. I have my first byline, and I am happy with that.

NHPPA Convention and Print Competition

Last weekend I attended the NHPPA annual conference in North Conway with photographers from nearly a dozen states. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn, improve one's skills, and socialize with other photographers. The speakers are nationally known, inspirational, and incredibly talented, and you learn a lot at these things.

Aside from the programs, there is another really good reason to attend the conference, and that is print competition. Aside from the bragging rights one obtains by performing well in competition with one's peers, print competition is really useful for photographers because the skills one learns in preparing prints for competition are directly applicable in our day to day work. In short, competing helps make you a better photographer. A goal of print competition is to get blue ribbons. The signify a level of accomplishment that is merit-worthy. Here are my entries:
Rag Doll, blue ribbon


Asian Elegance, blue ribbon


Are You Checkin' Out My Butt?!!, red ribbon


Eye Wanna Rock, red ribbon


Girls Live Here, blue ribbon