Old time photos and Grandpa

So this last few weeks I have  been trying to do some stuff that I keep putting off.  Here are some photos that I have played around with.  They are all from my Grandma.  They are prints (about 4x4 or 5x5 in size).

This first one is my Grandpa (far right) and his brothers.  Grandma's handwriting on the back says it is from Memorial Day weekend 1958.  Look at how tall Grandpa was!  I must have my height from Grandma's side!!

Here is an image of my dad and his brothers.  (my dad is appropriately "in the middle")  After scanning these images, I tried my hand at a little restoration.  Photoshop is pretty cool and very powerful...I just don't know much about restoration!

Here is another.  It is Grandpa and two of his kids (my uncles) from June of 1963:

Here is one with Grandpa and my uncle Gary.  I turned one black and white to  mess with it:

Here is one of Grandpa from a trip around the Olympic Peninsula in 1947!  I miss Grandpa!  He was my favorite person in the whole world and he passed away almost 5 years ago.

Here are a few photos of Grandpa the summer he passed away.  He was playing with Rob in the back yard other wise he would have never let me take these photos:

ONE PENNY SALE

Alright, it has been about a week or so since I have posted anything.  Not for any real good reason...and none of my readers (all 7) have said anything so I am guessing that even they are not reading! 

Any way, a few times per year we try to purchase frames from Aaron Brothers.  They offer a sale where you buy a frame you get one for a penny!  And that sale is going on NOW (until the 24th).   If you need frames now is your chance!

Check them out! 

http://www.aaronbrothers.com/

Friday night basketball

My Alma Mater is Auburn High School.  It is also the high school where I used to teach.  About half of the school's population (or more) went through the middle school and some of the students were in my class or played sports on teams I coached. 
Tonight after taking gymnastics photos at Cascade, I went to AR vs AHS (alma mater).  Boys played first and girls after.  I take photos of BOTH AR teams but none at AHS, but because of the fact that I know kids at AHS, it was a great night to watch basketball! 
In game one the boys played to a PACKED house at AR and the AHS team won by 4 in a close one.


In game two, the girls played. And, like with the boys I take the AR photos, but I know the girls at AHS from teaching and coaching. Three of the girls on the AHS team were in my class as 7th graders and a few others were not in my class but I still know.

McKenna and Heather were two of my favorite students.  It is cool to see them growing up and playing sports.  They didn't want to talk to me during the game, but I understand.  (Heather at least said "Hi Mr. Vandegrift"...but it was while she was standing on the block during a free-throw...what a goof ball!)

I did take photos of AR, they were the reason I was there.  I was working on something for the girls coach.   AR won pretty easily...they are the number one team in the state after all!

Seeing former students (in the stands too!), makes me want to go back to teaching!!  I miss the relationships that I have with the kids...and the steady day job!  Although it is pretty cool to be at a basketball game as my scheduled work for the day!

New pricing structure!

With the turn of the calendar, we are getting ready for taxes, evaluating our business practices, etc...
Like Treena and I, our clients have busy lives and we understand that.  However we have found over the years, that when clients are not pressed for purchasing photos, they will go weeks, months...and if you can believe it...YEARS without ordering the prints from their session.  It happens in weddings, portraits...just about all areas.  We have even had a bride a groom get a divorce before they picked up any photos from the wedding!  Crazy stuff!
Well, in an effort to keep current, we are going to change our pricing structure to address the issue of slow orders.  In our wedding contracts we have in place a "do it or we'll do it for you" clause and it had worked wonders.  So, in out portrait and sports side we are going to add an incentive to order. 
Here are the basics:
Prices for all prints are going to remain at current levels for orders placed two weeks from the session.  If you do not order prints within two weeks from the session the prices are higher.  That is to accomodate the extra work involved.  Example:  Current price for 8x10 is $35.   Under the new structure, the current price is good for two weeks, then the price goest to $80.    That way you can take as long as you like to order your prints, it will just cost you more if you take longer.

This new pricing structure will be in place shortly. 

If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to ask!

School, sports, etc...

So, it is the new year and winter break is over.  The kids had to go back to school today and I had to start working again.  A long time family friend came over to view her grandkid's photos from November (when she was back east).  She also told me how I NEEDED to be on Facebook. Jonathan and Abraham with grandpa at the park: 

Sports are starting back up again.  Megan and I had fastpitch practice tonight.  The team had taken off a few weeks for the holidays but are now back to two days per week for the season.  Sheesh, I would have given my left...ahem (you get the idea)... for the ability to play baseball all year long!!  When I was 18 we played our school ball season (18 games) then played 20-some games in the summer. 

website address:  http://www.acersfastpitch.org/

Check out the team when you get a chance!  They are 10 years old, but they are still pretty impressive!

As if that is not enough, Robbie's basketball team practices two days per week and starts playing games next week or two.  Not to mention that Megan is playing basketball too!   Luckily the business is pretty slow this month. 


Lastly, there is less then two weeks until Robert Cray!!  http://www.robertcray.com/ or http://www.snocasino.com/ to get your tickets.  Don't plan on talking to me if you go though.  I slip into a music enduced coma while at the shows!