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Photography Workshop in Shreveport, Louisiana


I am pleased to announce that we have scheduled another "Learn to Take Better Pictures" workshop in Shreveport Louisiana on April 9, 2011. Photography workshops are such an important part to learning photography as they present an opportunity to learn inside and outside of the classroom. I have tried to fashion my workshops from what I think will be of greatest benefit to my students. I base the itinerary, topics, and the way I present the information from the many workshops I have attended, trying to take out all the things that I didn't find very helpful, and amping up the things that I found to be awesome.

One thing is for sure. My workshops are fun, I allow lots of questions, and I focus on making it very real and tangible. I don't give out information that I don't think will be very helpful. I also don't have a problem sharing what I know because I believe that there are so many clients out there, and so many weddings to shoot that there is no reason to be guarded with what I know.

Perhaps the best thing about the workshop is the fact that we do a hands-on photoshoot. Many times I've been on workshops where there is a model and you kind of stand there and just watch what the instructor is doing. During my workshops I go to great lengths to explain what I am doing. I give opportunities to those that want it to practice on the models and I give tips that will help that photographer to improve their technique.

Come to have fun, come with a lot of questions, and learn to improve your skills! If you're interested in a workshop in your area please email me at jason@jlpros.com and we can come to your area next!!

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Great Alaskan Adventure Day Four

Our Great Alaskan Adventure continued as we picked up our camp at Savage River and left the campground and headed back to Riley Creek to pack up on supplies as we would be without utilities etc. for three days once we started camping at Teklanika. The rule with Teklanika is that once you've passed from the paved area (you go through a Forest Ranger Checkpoint) you can't go back in. You have to have what's called a Tek Pass which is something you have to pay for and it's a three night minimum.

So on the road back to Riley Creek I stopped on the side of the road and captured this three shot panoramic called, "Road to Denali" that is just breathtaking. Once we had all our supplies and a hot shower we headed back up the road and towards Teklanika (Tek for short). The cool thing about having restricted access to Tek is that there are so few cars, mostly only a small amount of tour buses and other campers so the wildlife is more abundant and you are able to get out and take pictures as you'd like.

On one stop where I was taking pictures of a caribou the boys got out and were checking out their Denali Junior Forest Ranger Guide. The other funny thing is that the Caribou will just walk in the middle of the road as you can see below!

We got the Tek campground, found our spot and headed out to the Teklanika River which is a beautiful braided river alongside the campground. We took a nature walk (they warned of bears and wolves) and had an amazing time. Some of the boys decided to draw pictures as I took them while Kara was in a silly dancing kind of a mood. The other really cute thing was that we bought all the boys small digital cameras for the trip and I caught a picture of Michael taking a picture of me!

We headed back to the campground and at last fulfilled one of the boys biggest requests which was a good old fashioned campfire. We had dinner inside the RV earlier so the campfire was all about hot chocolate and roasting marshmallows over the campfire. My son Kevin then grabbed my camera and took some family pictures of us which was awesome. All in all a wonderful day in a truly amazing place. I don't think it got dark until close to midnight! If you haven't been to Alaska, you need to go!!






















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Wedding Photography Tips- #1 Finding the Right Photographer

Top ten tips for bettering your wedding photography experience

Tip #1- Finding the right photographer

Having shot weddings all over the world from Rancho Cucamonga, California to Sydney, Australia and a lot of places in between I have seen and experienced a lot. We have shot weddings that only included the bride and groom (no guests) to weddings well over 600 people. We’ve done weddings that lasted a total of only 30 minutes to weddings that have lasted three days. The advice I give below would apply to all the different wedding types that I’ve ever done. I publish this article that will be done in a 10-part series for the sake of all wedding brides and grooms out there in the hopes that it will improve their wedding photography experience.

Finding the right photographer- fall in love with the photographer, not their packages. While it’s undeniable that finding a photographer that fits your budget and gives you what you’re looking for in regards to deliverables is very important it’s not as important as finding a photographer that fits your style and passion. I always tell all of the brides and grooms that I meet in a photo consultation, “You only leave your wedding with two things, your spouse and your wedding photography. Make sure that you have made the right decision on both before saying, ‘I do.’”

Remember that hiring your wedding photographer isn’t the same as buying a car. You can’t sell it if it doesn’t work out to your satisfaction, there are no lemon laws, and you will not have multiple chances in your life to find the right wedding photography for you. Almost all of us have bought a car we regret buying. But after you’ve sold it and it’s gone it usually turns into a funny story of the “bad” car you bought once upon a time. Talk to any bride who’s hired a “bad” wedding photographer. There is no laughing, usually only tears. The moral of this story, take the time to find the right one for you.

Good photographers including us at Jason Lanier Photography do what we do because we truly love it. When we find clients that sincerely love our work we will almost do anything we can to be able to provide the opportunity to shoot their wedding. Flattery goes a long way and as long as we can make the numbers work for both of us, we will find a way to shoot your wedding.

I know I’ve found the right bride and groom when I ask them, “If we can make the financial part work, would you like us to shoot your wedding?” If the answer is, “Yes,” then I know that the vast majority of the time we will find a way to make it work for both of us.

Good photographers should also make sure they are a good match for the wedding couple as this will lead to a much more successful photography experience. I always tell my prospective clients, “You will spend more time with your wedding photographer than anyone else on your wedding day. So make sure you like them before signing on the dotted line.”

Last but not least is certainly the package portion of the conversation. Item #2 on the “Top Ten Tip for Bettering your Wedding Photography Experience,” will speak at length about packages and determining the deliverables that work for you. But the only thing I want to mention about the pricing and package portion in this article is that if your photographer is more concerned with how much money you have and hasn’t even asked you the name of your fiancé for example….you’ve found the wrong one. Photographers should be just as focused and dedicated to finding the right clients as all wedding couples should be at finding the right photographer.

While this advice might seem simple it is also unbelievably true. Being a wedding photographer I can’t help but use marriage metaphors when I speak and write. But finding the right photographer is truly like finding the right spouse. Once you’ve found each other you both know, and saying yes just seems so easy.

For any questions or comments please feel free to email me directly at Jason@jlpros.com.

Item #2- Understanding Wedding Photography Packages and finding what’s best for you will come out later on my blog in October 2010.

Sincerely,

Jason Lanier

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Join us for our Test Drive on October 30th at the Hotel Menage!!

Please join Jason Lanier Photography and a host of other wonderful wedding professionals for our Test Drive event on Saturday October 30th 2010 at the beautiful Hotel Menage in Anaheim California right next to Disneyland! Registration is FREE and is open to those couples looking for a wedding photographer for their big day.


Our Test Drive events are very popular and have filled up to capacity every time we have done one. So if you are interested please register now and don't delay. To learn more about our Test Drive events and the specials we are offering please visit our website dedicated specifically to these events by clicking below:


Hotel Menage

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Tony and Jen- Gershon Bachus Winery

Jason Lanier Photography is excited to release the wedding sneak peek of Tony and Jennifer married September 18, 2010 at the Gershon Bachus Winery in Temecula, California. The wedding was absolutely beautiful as these two tied the knot in front of friends and family with just perfect weather. The Gershon Bachus Winery is a gorgeous venue that offers amazing picture opportunities inside and out....they even allowed us to pick grapes from their vineyards for some cool pics! The wedding was shot by myself with my assistant Shannan Elliott. A musical slideshow presentation is at the bottom of this post!



























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Take a Test Drive Event with Jason Lanier Photography at the Fallbrook Hacienda!

I wanted to send a big "THANK YOU" to all the couples that showed up yesterday at our "Take a Test Drive" with Jason Lanier Photography at the Fallbrook Hacienda on September 11, 2010! We had a wonderful time shooting so many gorgeous couples who were all SO in love! We also ended up booking so many great weddings for next year and are so grateful to our couples for making the event such a success!

Our next Test Drive event is next Saturday September 18, 2010 at the Christmas House in Rancho Cucamonga. If you are an engaged couple looking for a photographer for your wedding and would like to "Test Drive" Jason Lanier Photography please contact us today!!!
Priscilla and Angel
Lindsay and Garrett
Korie and Levi
Patricia and Josh
Melissa and Josh
Deron and Sophia

Rodney and Jessica
Vanessa and Rodney

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Press Release- Take a Free Engagement "Test Drive" with Jason Lanier Photography today!



Choosing a photographer is a very challenging choice. Do they do good work? Are they nice? Are they a good match with me and my fiance? Are they professional? These are some of the questions brides and grooms ask themselves in bridal fairs, at home looking at photography websites on their computer, or when meeting with a photographer. It's hard to choose, especially when there are so many choices and photography is a substantial investment.

Jason Lanier Photography is proud to announce our new "Take a Test Drive with Jason Lanier Photography" program. Launched in September 2010, the "Take a Test Drive" program allows our potential clients the opportunity to meet us and have a 20-minute engagement session with us.....for FREE! During these events the couples also have the opportunity to take advantage of Jason Lanier Photography discounts and specials up to 30% off that are only offered on the day of the event.

Couples who attend the event also are afforded the ability to book their wedding date for only 10% of the package price. We also accept credit cards and offer 4-step payment plans making it easy for our clients to manage their finances before a wedding which we know can be tough.

How does it work? We schedule the "Take a Test Drive" events on certain weekend days at venues throughout the year. During the event we will have several Jason Lanier photographers shooting from our company, each couple receiving their own shoot and photographer. Each couple is scheduled for a 30-minute time slot, 20 minutes for shooting and 10 minutes to review our specials and ask us any questions they have.

After the shoot the images are uploaded to Pictage where each couple has their own gallery to view the images. Couples who book with us on the day of the event receive ALL the images from the shoot, whereas couples who choose not to book with us will receive 5 images from the shoot.

Frequently Asked Questions:

*Is this program open to everyone? Yes and no. We offer this for couples who are sincerely looking for a photographer. Please don't book a time slot if you already have a photographer or are not getting married.

*Do I HAVE to buy anything? No, each couple receives 5 high resolution images from the shoot regardless of whether or not they buy anything from us.

*What's the catch? This seems too good to be true. There is no catch, we simply feel that you will book us after you have had the opportunity to work with us....it's that simple!

*Can I do a "Test Drive" on another date if I'm not available for the day of the event? Yes, but only on a date for another "Test Drive" event. We cannot provide this service on a one-on-one basis. If you would like to do our standard 2-hour engagement shoot we would need to book you for that separately. If you aren't available on the event date don't worry, we usually schedule one per month.

*Do I have a license to use the images from the shoot, are they high resolution? Yes, you have a license to print, copy, and share the images from the shoot that you receive, and they are high resolution.

*Are the specials available after the event? What if I need time to decide but I'm not ready to make a decision on the day of the event? We will provide a list of specials to each of the couples that are scheduled for the upcoming "Test Drive" event BEFORE the event so they know the prices and the specials that we offer on the day of the event. This is kind of like the specials available to customers the day after Thanksgiving...they are only available during the day of the event. Clients do however have the option to call us and book the specials after they leave as long as they do it on the date of the event.

*Will you still like me if I don't book you guys? We don't get this question a lot because we book so many of the couples that come. But for those that decide to not book we give a sincere hug and thank them for coming....no hard feelings at all!

For more information please visit our website at www.jasonlanierproductions.com or call us at 213-494-7744.

We look forward to you taking us on a "Test Drive" soon!!!!

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Press Release- Jason Lanier Photography now offering Apple Ipad Wedding Albums!

Jason Lanier Photography is excited to announce that we are one of the first wedding photography companies to offer the Apple Ipad for our wedding photography clients. In this day and age it only makes sense for our industry to evolve so that we can suit the needs of our clients. Today's brides and grooms are asking more and more about how we can help them integrate their beautiful digital images from their wedding into their everyday lives.

The Apple Ipad Wedding Album offered by Jason Lanier Photography allows our clients to share their images from their wedding within weeks (not months like traditional albums), with all of their friends and family. Our couples love being able to take their images and the slideshow we give each of our clients and share with co-workers as well. Our couples also enjoy the fact that their Apple Ipad Wedding Album also serves as a regular Ipad, meaning they can enjoy all the fun and exciting things that Ipad's do everyday for millions of people around the world.

While there will always be a need to provide (as we do) albums such as flush mount, coffee table, and other traditional album types, digital photo albums are the way of the future and are here to stay.

The Apple Ipad Wedding Album by Jason Lanier Photography comes complete with:

  • All the developed images that are included in our client's package.
  • Beautiful slideshow set to music and movement of the wedding day.
  • All shoots conducted for the wedding client including engagement, fantasy shoots, bridal, and groom portrait shoots.
All Apple Ipad albums are brand new, in the box 16-gb wifi Apple Ipads.

We are honored to serve each and every one of our our clients and can say that the response to our Apple Ipad Wedding Albums has been overwhelming. We look forward to continue to find ways to lead the wedding photography industry as we strive to provide the best experience for our treasured brides and grooms.

Sincerely,

Jason Lanier

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Great Alaskan Adventure Day Three- Our First Bear Experience

Day Three- we woke up in the morning at the Riley Creek Campground (which is very nice), to freezing cold weather inside the RV from BNBRV (BNB RV). The heater stopped working after only being on for 40 minutes, and that's after running the generator as we should have.

We got up and went to the Denali Park Visitor's Center and found out about their awesome Dog Sled Dogs and tour. Denali is the only National Park that uses the dog sleds for real purposes, and they've done so for nearly 100 years. We got to pet the dogs, and then the Park Ranger did a demonstration by running a 5-team dogsled around the grounds on dirt (the sled had wheels). The most awesome thing was how all the dogs (around 4o dogs) yelped and begged to be chosen as the 5 dogs for the demonstration, they really love running. Our boys got pictures with the sled and then we took off to spend the night at the Savage River campground further inside the Denali Park.

While driving inside the park towards the campground we passed a marsh and got out to hike and take pictures. When we got back inside the RV we drove up the road a mile and got our first great look at true wildlife. There was a big moose literally on the side of the road, and traffic stopped both ways to take pictures. I got out of the RV and grabbed some shots as shown below of the moose grazing in the wild...it was awesome to see something like that (and not in a zoo), but in real life.

We made our way to the Savage River campground, got everything situated, ate dinner, and at 8pm (still light outside for hours to come) then the boys and I went on one of the most awesome hikes of our lives. We went down to the river and for about 20 minutes I tried to keep everyone dry, especially because it was cold outside. When I determined that we weren't going to be able to go where we wanted to go and stay dry, I told the boys to forget about and we were going to go wherever we wanted to do whatever we wanted to do...which as you can imagine they absolutely loved.

The sky outside was absolutely magical, full of clouds and pastel colors. We passed through the braided river many times in different places and then started hiking up a bluff to get a better perspective on everything. While stopping to take a picture of the boys I heard a sound I will never forget, the huffing breathing sound of a bear! We knew we were in bear country and I had some bear pepper spray that we'd bought in Alaska, and all the advice we'd been given was to make a lot of noise and not surprise or startle a bear. If we managed to keep some distance and let the bear know we were there, the high probability would be that we would have no problems.

The boys froze and said, "What do we do?" Even though it was a little scary I felt like we couldn't get a good view of where we were (and the bear) if we didn't continue to head up the bluff. So I told the boys to keep saying loudly, "Hello, Bear!" We slowly but surely hiked up the bluff with our eyes peeled for anything that moved. When we got to the top of the bluff there was nothing there, the bear had left. I was glad that it happened though because it was a good experience for the boys to practice some bear safety.

At this point it was after 9pm and we were about 2 miles from the camp. We started heading back and this time we took even less care in crossing the river as we all got soaked. The boys even got their shoes stuck in the mud which was hilarious. As we neared the end of the hike around 10pm we were treated to the most wonderful sunset of deep magenta reds and pinks in the sky. The pictures below weren't enhanced at all regarding the color...I'd never seen that in a sunset before and it was the only color! We got back to the campground around 10:30pm and got ready for bed. It was literally one of those kinds of days that I will never forget as a Father....absolutely wonderful. When my boys are all grown and gone some day....I will always reflect upon this great day......

















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Great Alaskan Adventure Day Two- BNB RV SCAM

We woke up in the morning cold but determined to start our Great Alaskan Adventure without delay. I got up with the boys and went to meet the guy from BNBRV, Bob, the only guy working there to get things straightened out. When I mentioned the issues as shown below of broken cabinets, the refrigerator cabinet bulging out, the refrigerator stinking, the blinds being bent and broken, the table where we eat and convert to a sleeping bed was busted, the upholstery was filthy, there were springs sticking out of the bed, the shower was dirty and walls were peeling, the vehicle had 121,000 miles on it, and that the vehicle wasn't even one of theirs (found the registration), his response was, "Well, we don't have any other vehicles, so you are stuck."

Realizing I didn't have many options available to me because I had already prepaid I asked him, "What about what was said on the website of 'Hand picked, self contained, clean, late model class "C" motorhomes with memory foam beds and LCD/DVD Flat Screen TV's' where is the RV I paid for?" His response was, "Don't have it." I told him I wanted a refund or discount if I wasn't able to find another RV. He said that would be fine but I'd have to talk to the owner of BNB RV Pete Harkovitch. I asked where Pete was and he said, "Out of the country." I then said, "I have triplet boys and we are going to be driving a lot of miles...I needed that TV/DVD." He responded by handing me three Coby portable DVD players that are cheaper than the toy ones you'd buy as a joke for someone.

He then proceeded to ask me for a credit card to cover the damage waiver. I gave him my American Express and he said, "Do you have anything else? They charge so much that we hate to use them." I responded, "It's a damage waiver, you shouldn't charge anything unless there is damage." He responded, "Well, you never know." At this point I was convinced that he planned on charging the card but I knew AMEX would tell him to stick it so I let him authorize, not charge the card. I stepped out of the office and called a few other RV places, but on short notice there was nothing available, so I was stuck.

Determined not to let these idiots at B&BRV ruin my vacation I reluctantly took the "Majestic" (the name alone for this piece of crap still makes me laugh), we grabbed sleeping bags, and some pots and pans, and we left. We went to every RV's favorite store, Walmart, and stocked up for the two weeks ahead. I even had to buy a power inverter and power switch just so I could plug in the boys TV's...what a joke. After I had a 4-alarm heart attack (we spent $1,100 in Walmart) we took off to the beautiful Denali National Park which was about a 6-hour drive away. The drive was beautiful as we passed Mt. McKinley and headed to Riley Creek campground which was at the base of the Denali National Park. The campground was a dry campground, meaning no hook-ups, but we had an RV...what could go wrong, right? Bob assured me we had enough propane to last us the trip and the heater would work through the night. So we went to sleep dreaming of our first real day exploring Alaska in Denali...we couldn't wait....

This is what their own website says about the RV's they rent.
This is what we were supposed to get!!! The picture's even on their website...what we got was below...

Busted cabinets..


Refrigerator cabinet bulging out...

Blinds bent and broken...
Table busted...we couldn't put any weight on it...couldn't eat on it..
Upholstery was filthy, not fit to sit or sleep on...needed extra sheets to cover the grime...
Got cut on my arm on this spring during the middle of the night...
Shower walls peeling and dirty..
Power inverter I bought just to run the boys' DVD players.

Car had over 121,000 miles on it!!
Wasn't even a registered vehicle to BNB RV, probably borrowed it from their uncle.

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Our Great Alaskan Adventure Day One- BNB RV Bait and Switch


We had prepaid $3,052 and they required it in advance for the 11 days we would be there, so about $300/day....not cheap but necessary for my landscape photography project that I'm doing. We got a taxi ($20) and arrived at BNB RV at 1:30am where they had arranged to leave the RV with the lights on and heater running with our name on the RV window. When we arrived we saw an old 2001 Majestic RV with our name on it....only 1 other RV was in the lot and it looked worse than the one we had.

Exhausted and a little cold we climbed into the RV only to find that the lights worked but the heater didn't....and they didn't leave any blankets or sleeping bags in the RV like they were supposed to. It was also missing any TV and many things were broken on it. The upholstery was filthy and it smelt like a Moose had died in it. With no other choice, we bundled up the best that we could, locked the doors, and made it through the night assuming that this must be a temporary set up for the night until our 2008 Winnebago Chalet arrived in the morning. We were frustrated the heater didn't work and there were no sleeping linens or blankets....but we were so excited about being in Alaska that we hoped for the best and assumed everything would be worked out in the morning....a cold but exciting start to our Great Alaskan Adventure!

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