Jimmy McDonald Photography Blog

senior photos

HEY CLASS OF 2011!!! Your senior year in high school is a very exciting time in your life.
This is the perfect time to document the young adult you have become over the years through a professional senior portrait.

One hour sessions are $40.00 and your photos are posted to an online gallery for you to build your own print package.

I had the pleasure of experiencing another baby’s first.  Not only was this Camden’s first photo shoot with me, but it was his first time sitting on grass.  It’s interesting to watch a baby’s reaction when the parents sit them down on something other than the familiar blanket or crib.  Some babies are not sure if they should touch it and others can’t get enough of it in their hands.  Not only is this fun to watch, it’s entertaining to see the parents trying to get the baby’s attention and smile for a photo.  I’ve been fortunate to photograph Camden and other babies who will give me a few quick glances for the photo before turning their attention to the fluffy green blanket of grass.

Categories for this year’s contest include: Color, Black & White/Sepia, Special Needs, and Humorous.

First, Second, and Third places, as well as two Honorable Mentions, will be announced for each category! Cash prizes for these winners include $2,000 for First, $1,000 for Second, $750 for Third, and $500 for each Honorable Mention. Grand Prize Winner. The cash prize will be $5,000 for this lucky winner! All cash prizes will be given to the families of the winning portraits.

Contest Rules

• All portraits taken January 1- June 21, 2010 are eligible for entry into the 2010 Baby & Child Contest.

• Children age 12 and under can be entered into the contest.

Call or email prior to schedule a photo session for the contest. The session fee is $40.00 for up to an hour of photography. All edited photos will be posted to an online gallery for print purchasing. The parents of the child will select one photo file to be entered in the contest. Winners will be announced during the month of July.

Jimmy McDonald Photography

Rockingham, N.C.

(910) 995-3569

jimmy@jmacphoto.com

www.jmacphoto.com

Cameron enjoys shooting photos almost as much as I do.  I also doesn’t mind posing for a few shots when I ask him to, and sometimes you will see him tagging along with me while I am shooting photos.  He has his own little digital that he carries and he knows how to use it!

CHILDREN’S THEATRE: Richmond Community Theatre presents the Children’s Summer production of “Poultry in Motion”. Public invited. Two performances on Aug. 1 at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Admission is $5 at the door.

Richmond Community Theater
Down Town Rockingham

P.O. Box 635
Rockingham, N.C. 28380
(910) 997-3765

Let me begin by defining these two types of photography.

Contemporary Traditional Style

Traditional photography provides for more classically posed images and a great deal of photographer control and interaction with the subjects. Wedding formals, team shots and group shots arranged during a party are considered traditional. These photos are typically preplanned and everyone is aware of the expected results.

Photojournalism can be defined as photography intended to tell a story or convey information about a topical event or events. The photojournalistic style of photography focuses more on candid and unposed images with little photographer interaction. The photojournalist approach to candid photography is becoming popular as a unique style of photography.  Photojournalism styles vary from one photographer to another. We each see events through different perspectives and this variance can be captured with the camera. You may be surprised at the results from three different photographers standing together shooting the same event.

Photojournalistic / Candid Style

Although, I enjoy shooting traditional photos, my favorite style is photojournalistic. Capturing natural emotions and actions during events can be somewhat challenging because most of the time you get one chance. You have to be aware of what is taking place and anticipate what will happen next. Sometimes people have a natural reaction to either provide a fake “cheese” or turn away from the camera. A decent zoom lens with good lighting allows me to capture a moment without being a distraction.

The combination of both styles has become increasingly popular with wedding photographers during the past decade.  The advancement of camera and related equipment has allowed greater flexibility and efficiency for photographers to be versatile in shooting styles.   These styles continue to evolve has photographers add a contemporary or creative touch to their techniques.

Brian and Elizabeth exchanged their vows at the historic Leak Wall House in Rockingham, N.C.  The gardens are very beautiful and provide a wonderful setting for weddings.  More photos from Brian and Elizabeth’s wedding can be viewed by clicking here to visit their gallery.

Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds recently celebrated their 50th anniversary with a dinner planned by their two daughters.  As I mingled and shot photos of the guests, I heard many kind words spoken about the Reynolds.  It was neat to watch and listen to friends and family reminisce about the “good ole’ days.”   Congratulations to Mema & Pops!

Once again Sara agreed to model for me one evening last week.  When I am shooting for fun and practice I like to see how many poses I can get within an 60 minutes.  It’s a fun challenge for me to direct and capture various shots within that time frame.  Sara has posed for me several times during the past few years and she makes it very easy for me to get a ton of shots in a short period of time.   Thanks Sara for another great photo shoot!

I’d also like to thank Jamie for letting us use her front yard for this shoot.  I am pleased with the results.

The entire collection and previous photos can be viewed at http://www.flickrpictures.com

I had a great session with the Gainey kids a couple of weeks ago.  The youngest sibling was pretty much done after the first 2 poses.  Fortunately he played along for a little while longer so I could capture a few more shots of him.

I enjoy shooting receptions/parties and capturing people having a good time.  This reception took place at the Fair Barn in Pinehurst, NC.  It was built in 1917 for use at the Sandhills Fair, one of the major country fairs in the Southeast from 1915 through 1925.  The facility is very beautiful and provides some great shooting opportunities. This was my first reception of the season and I am glad that Stephanie and Melvin asked me to shoot for them.  The D.J. did a great jopb of keeping people on the dance floor. Everyone appeared to have a great time dancing and socializing.   Congratulations to Stephanie and Melvin!