It was an ordinary day... until this mom called

Yesterday was a great day.

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I was in a really good mood all day… and it started with a phone call I received.

Mid-morning, a mom called to schedule her son’s Senior Portrait. She told me that she was calling because we had done her older son’s Senior Portrait a few years ago, and she wouldn’t think of going anywhere else.

She told me how much she loved the older boy’s portrait, and how happy she was that they had come to us before. She went on to say,

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“There are so many new photographers today — I see them everywhere, all over Facebook; but their pictures just don’t have the ‘look’ that yours do. There’s something about the Portraits you made of my older son that stands out. So many pictures are just snapshots, or frankly just… bad. Yours have a depth that shows my son’s personality. He’s a good looking boy, but you brought out his best features and really captured who he is. 

I never get tired of looking at them.”

Now, am I just telling you this story to brag about my Portraits? (Well, maybe a little…)

But really, no, I’m sharing this because of how good I felt all day yesterday, just because of one phone call.

We really do put a lot into our work. Each portrait is a unique effort and we try to make every single client look as good as they possibly can. We hope that our portraits have a positive impact on the people that see them… but to get that kind of feedback, years later — to receive that acknowledgement and appreciation — really made it worthwhile. A few simple words changed my day for the better!

Think about all the interactions we have each day with all kinds of people — friends, strangers, and business transactions of all kinds… Imagine how great it would feel if someone noticed something you did and simply let you know that it was appreciated!

I’m going to start looking harder for ways to let people know that I notice them and what they do. Not just a perfunctory “Thank you”, but a real acknowledgement of their effort. Almost everyone says, “Nice pictures” when they see their portraits, but the Senior mom who called me noticed what it is that I really take pride in — the capturing of her son’s personality in a timeless portrait — one that she will always enjoy looking at!

Imagine what the world would be like if we all just simply noticed each other and complimented the good work that others do! 

Dangerous Senior Portraits!

First of all, I think we've had enough rain. I know my basement could use a rest.​

Of course, with all this water, it's a lot easier to find great Senior Portrait locations in the various parks around town. Last summer, we couldn't use all of our favorite spots because there was simply no water left in many of the creeks, and it looked pretty desolate in some areas!

Yesterday, we went out to one of the parks along the north bluffs for some great images of Nick next to an overflowing creek.​

​Nick, in an undisclosed location...

Of course, we do lots of Senior Portraits in and around various creeks and rivers,  but most of the time there's not that much danger of the Senior being swept out to sea.

Not so yesterday...

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In the end, Nick survived and we got some really great Senior Portraits that his mom will love!​

Summer is one of the BEST times for Senior Portraits... especially if you are in lots of activities during the year. AND, summer is the time for our Summer Senior Special - If you schedule your 2014 Senior Portrait before school starts, your Session Fee will be deducted from your package order! This could be a savings of $100 or more!

​Please call the studio today (217-228-1385) to schedule yours.

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What if the Weather's Bad?

Today is the last day of school in Quincy, so that means two things here at Coonrod Photography.​

One: Today is my wife Jean's LAST DAY of teaching at Quincy Jr. High... HAPPY RETIREMENT Sweetheart!​

Two: Today is the day that the class of 2014 can begin to call themselves, "Seniors".​

Lots of Seniors like to schedule their Portrait Session in the summer before their final year of school... because that final year is usually pretty full! Especially for Seniors who are active in sports, or music, or theater -- or all of the above!

Most Seniors get outdoor portraits along with their studio session, and the first question they ask is, "What if the weather is bad?"​

Well, of course, we usually just re-schedule... but who says bad weather is always...bad?​