TSG Has a New Blog! (Michigan Wedding & Photographer)

Our blog has moved! It looks virtually the same but, it's not. :)

Check it out HERE and sign up for the RSS feed while you're there!!

See you on the other side!

Happy Holidays!! (Michigan Wedding & Family Photographer)

My Grandmother

These are my Grandparents, Edward and Dolores. While my single mother worked 7 days a week, seemingly around the clock, to provide our two person family with life's necessities, my Grandmother cared for me. I remember watching Bill Kennedy At the Movies with her and Sir Graves Ghastly on a small black and white television (though she did her laundry and cleaning while Sir Graves graced the screen). I remember how much she loved General Hospital (though I never really caught on to that whole soap thing) and late night snacks of frozen Snickers bars and Vernors floats. MMMM....and Lorna Doone cookies - oh, how I loved their crispy, buttery goodness. I also remember our walks together. Sometimes just around the block, but often to the park, and generally to the cadence, "left, left, I left my wife and 49 kids" (the only words I can recall). I remember her stories of the Great Depression; boiling chicken bones for broth, turning in found old rubber tires for money to buy food, and drawing lines on the back of her legs because she couldn't afford seamed stockings. But most of all, I remember her undying love and her unselfish way of putting everyone else's needs above her own.

She's the one thing in my life that has remained constant. She went to church every Sunday, sent birthday cards every year then called to sing to you on the phone, and spent her days always giving of herself to those in need. She asks for so very little and deserves far more than she's received. Even now, in a battle for her own life against an extremely rare form of cancer she, somehow at peace, prays not for herself but for her family instead. I will pray - enough for both of us. And I ask that anyone reading this to please, please, please take a moment and send up a prayer for my Grandmother that, whatever be God's will, she receive all of the rewards in heaven she so rightfully earned here on earth. For if I have inherited just one tenth of this woman's love, devotion, strength, patience, sheer will, and humanity I would have received a gift far greater than anything I could ever wish for.

I love you, Grandma...

Confessions of a Workaholic (Michigan Wedding Photographer)

It's October. OCTOBER. The 10th month of the Gregorian calendar which is frighteningly close to the 11th month when the air begins to smell very different, Bing Crosby's holiday classics hit the airwaves, and I attempt to get all of my Christmas shopping done before Christmas Eve (for once). And here it is the 22nd...someone light an aromatherapy candle and hand me a Xanax!

Yep, you guessed it. I've been busy. Busy as heck shooting weddings and sessions. Busy answering email, answering the phone...answering my husband. Busy giving kisses and hugs to my son and husband as I send them off to bed before settling down to edit and busy getting more kisses and hugs in the morning, dressed in the same clothes as the night before. Do I miss having a personal life? I sure do. And, what's more, I feel guilty for missing out on the lives of those I love. Such is the life of a workaholic and I know I am not alone.

Big changes are coming for 2010 and in an attempt to find the proper work/life balance that eludes me, I am limiting the number of wedding and portrait commissions I take on. I was surprised to learn, quite recently, that 60 per year is not the average number of weddings a professional photographer accepts. Why didn't someone tell me that years ago????? Perhaps they did and I just missed it. I tend to dance to the beat of my own drum so chances are I wouldn't have listened anyway. I know I inherited my hard head from my Mother who inherited it from my grandfather; thus the beauty of the double helix. Well, that is changing and I look forward to spending more time honing my craft, connecting with my clients on a deeper level, and, last but not least, walking thru life with those who have so lovingly supported me and patiently waited for me to make time for them. Change IS good.

All of my clients are anxious to see their images and believe me, I dance and sing each time I wrap up a wedding or session and hit the upload button (and god willing it will never make YouTube). But, it all takes time and since I can't seem to find someone to share in the wonderment that is editing, it takes alot of my time. To those who patiently await the first glimpse and to those who wait no so patiently, I appreciate your anxiety. It means that you care about your images, which is why you hired me in the first place, right? ::Wink-Wink::: I, too, care - I care allot, which is why I don't just slam thru a thousand of your precious images slapping them with basic, universal adjustments or overused and outdated photoshop actions. These are your moments; snippets of your life as seen thru my eyes and that makes them just as special to me. I may not offer the fastest turnaround but when it comes to personal attention you can rest assured that I'm delivering my promises. And I hope that in the end that kind of care and attention is worth waiting just a bit longer for.

Here is my current edit roster which consist of weddings and sessions from AUG thru OCT - if you don't see your name here please let me know. The hubby may have slipped decaf in the carafe to aid in getting some much needed R.E.M. (the sleep, not the band). :)

Walter Wedding
Boffi Wedding
Galli Engagement
Sanchez Wedding
Nickola Wedding
Fraley Wedding
King Wedding
Kelly Wedding
Kugler Wedding
Mavrellis Wedding
Leja Wedding
Fisk Engagement
Sumner Wedding
Bradley Wedding
Abdal Wedding
Long Wedding
Palin Engagement
Erhard Wedding
Caverly Wedding
Jelinski Portraits
Foust Wedding
Hanson Wedding
Kidwell Wedding
Abela Engagement
Owens Engagement
Garafalo Engagement
Alka Jain Portraits
Muench Portraits

Make that two Xanax and a bottle (read case) of organic red wine, please!!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

We are blessed with so many wonderful couples and families this season; I am truly humbled. We realize that you fabulous people are awaiting your previews and we cannot wait to get them to you. Work is keeping me on the go and since I do all of the post processing, personally, I sincerely appreciate everyone's patience and understanding during this, our busiest time of year.

On the Burner:

Melissa + Chad's Wedding
Jennifer + Paul's Wedding
Jennifer + Robert's Wedding
Kim + Phil's Wedding
Cindy + Patrick's Wedding
Alana + Pete's Wedding
Lauren + Andrew's Wedding
Cindy + Rick's Wedding
Anne + Brian's Wedding
Christie + Jeffrey's Wedding
Jennifer + Laurence's Wedding
Kelly + Larry's Wedding
Andrea + Andy's Wedding
Rachel + Daniel's Wedding
Melissa + Alex's Wedding
The Jelinski Family
Noor + Senan's Engagement
The Beevers Family

Congratulations to all of our most recent newlyweds and hugs to our families and engaged couples. We LOVED every minute spent with you and that love will continue to pour into our work as I put my personal touches to your finished images. :)

Now, on to Andrea + Alejandro's Wedding!

Skin on Skin: Boudoir Parlor meets Tattoo Parlor (Michigan Boudoir Photographer)

I was beyond excited when a past boudoir client emailed to tell us that her fiance (now husband) wanted to use one of her photos as inspiration for a new tattoo. I nearly fell out of my chair when she emailed us to share the finished work, artfully crafted by the uber talented Matthew J. Hockaday at Avatar Studios in Clarkston, MI. Now THIS is hot! Thank you so much for sharing, Sharon. This is so far beyond cool and I could not wait to share it with the world!!

SUPPORT MICHIGAN: Mirror Dog Productions, The Dreamin' Big Event, Sunday, July 12

We are proud to be a sponsor of this fantastic charity supporting the United Way of Southeast Michigan.

CLICK HERE to find out how you can be part of Michigan's economic renewal and show off your talents in a casting call for the film "Fair Chase" to be shot here in Michigan!

Embracing Individuality: Free Wedding Photography - WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

We had so many great applicants but, in the end, we had only a handful with wedding dates for which we were not already booked. Anyone that knows me is well aware that I put love first before all else and it is that same crazy obsession that prevents me from giving just one couple free wedding photography. That said, I am excited to announce that we have TWO winners for our contest. BOTH couples will receive our services for 10 hours on their wedding day + a complete set of professional, first edition prints of their entire image collection for FREE (for skeptics, that translates to zero denaro and there is absolutely no catch). We are in love with our craft and the people that invite us into their lives and we cannot wait to work with our two lucky couples.

So, without further delay, the winners are...

Leanne Summers and Robert Smith

AND

Monica Xiong and Tommy Her

Huge hugs to both couples whose love stories melted our hearts!! Please send an email to dionne@theshootinggallery.com to claim your fantastic prize. Thank you to ALL who entered. We are humbled that you took the time to contact us and we wish you all the happiness in the world!!

Channel 4: Vote 4 The Best (Michigan Wedding Photography)

I am incredibly honored to have been nominated once again for the Channel 4 Vote 4 The Best Guide! Click HERE to cast your vote and feel free to leave a little love in the comments box. We finished in the top 5 for both 2007 and 2008 and I would be ecstatic if we could make it a three-peat. :)

A sincere, heartfelt thanks to all of my past and current clients for taking the time to vote and spread the word. You are my inspiration and the reason I continue to chase my dreams.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen

Wise words - Have a listen.

A Stimulus Package of a Different Kind (Michigan Wedding Photography)

Because we're all watching our pennies these days, we'd like to help you hang on to yours. 

Announcing The Shooting Gallery's own 'Stimulus Package':

Up to 10 hours of personalized coverage by Dionne Haglund
Unlimited images
Unlimited locations
Complimentary engagement session
Edited files on DVD with printing permissions
$2,695

Over the next several months I'll make random blog posts announcing eligible dates. The first couple to submit their retainer and signed contract gets a hug from me (that's the way I roll) and the promise of amazing images and a fun experience! Very simple. Way cool. 

RANDOM BLOG POST: ::snicker::

Couples with Friday or Sunday weddings in the month of July, 2010 are eligible. Once the dates are gone, they're gone. If you're interested please get hold of us right away. We look forward to talking with you!

The TSG Stimulus Package: Because love never fails and we're all in this together. 

We've Been Blogged: Vintage Glam Weddings!

We are both very excited and honored that the awesome wedding of Christy & Pat made Vintage Glam Weddings blog today! This is especially exciting for me as anyone who knows me is quite aware of my love for all things vintage and my obsession with the decadence of 30's. If you've not yet laid eyes on this blog you're missing out on the best vintage eye candy around!

Check it out!!

TSG Embraces Individuality - FREE Wedding Photography

Are you the kind of couple that dares to be different? Do your visions and plans for your wedding truly embrace your individuality and stray from the norm? If so, read on...

We are offering our services FREE of charge to the couple that refuses to settle on “status quo” for their big day! Email us at dhaglundtsg@gmail.com and tell us all about your unique arrangements for your big day and if your wedding stands above the rest, we'll be in touch.

Entries are due by June 30, 2009 and the winner will be announced July 6, 2009.

The Nitty Gritty:

- Wedding date must be in the month of Dec 2009 or any month in 2010; eligibility is based on our availability.

- Wedding location DOES NOT need to be in Michigan. Hey, we're always looking for an excuse to pack our bags so if you're having a destination wedding in our outside of the U.S. we're more than ready. Our services remain free of charge though all hotel and travel expenses must be covered by the bride and groom. A pretty good bargain any way you slice it! ; )

- For MI based weddings we will provide the couple with up to 10 hours of continuous wedding day coverage with two photographers (myself and a trained associate), an online gallery of your images for 120 days, and your complete collection in 4x6 professional print. You are welcome to purchase additional prints, albums, edited digital files, and other product as you wish.

- Destination weddings come with even more perks which will depend on when we arrive and depart from your location. Just let us know your plans and we'll fill you in on all of the extra cool stuff (and it really is cool).

We look forward to hearing from you!

In The Pipeline

Just a small update to let everyone know where I am in the editing process and what I've been up to. Despite the harsh weather I've definitely not been in hibernation. I admit those darned "Snuggie" commercials nearly have me convinced to take the plunge. My son is convinced I need one so that I can be cozy and warm while I'm working at the computer. I think he just wants me to get one so that he can steal it. : )

Blog Update - Boy do I have a lot of updating to do here. Andrea and I are working very hard to get clients their images and albums and, unfortunately, I've not been able to post as much as I would like. I will update the blog just as soon as possible, I've just placed a higher priority on getting product into the hands of our fantastic couples and families.

Jan Boudoir - prints are expected in house Wednesday and we'll get hold of everyone once they're prepared and ready for pickup.

Jenn and Adam - Colony Club, Detroit, 1.31.09

Jessica and Dominick - Expectant Parents

Enzo and Chiara - Two at Two

Shannon and Craig - Dearborn Inn, 2.21.09

Jeff, Krishna and Kaylee - Expecting Baby #2

Jeff and Tanya - Expectant Parents

April and Lai - To-Be-Weds


We're also working on new and exciting product coming your way in the Spring/Summer of 2009. SO excited about that! 

Dare to be Different

There are times when you just need to break free from the rules to allow yourself to remember why there are even rules at all.






For many, the process of editing is just as much an expression of a photographer's style, talent and vision as the image capture itself. It is another tool an artist may elect to use to convey to the world what it is that he or she sees or wants others to see in their image, their art. While wedding photography has come a long way it is still a wedding that we're photographing and we need to be mindful that we're not just creating art for our own amusement; we're there to capture and preserve the history of a couple, a family, and its relationships that spans generations. As I look back on the first time my mother shared with me pictures of my grandparents before they were married, at their wedding, and as their family grew from one to five children, I remember spending a considerable amount of time soaking up the details of every photo. Who was in the image? Where was the image taken? What made this moment so special that they took the time to take the picture in the first place? I mean, think about it - it was a far more expensive and laborious process years ago as our parents and grandparents will attest. While I absolutely love black and white and vintage toned photographs I have to admit that I really wish, at times, that I could see the colors in older prints. Colors of clothes, of cars, and buildings...of the icing on birthday cakes, wrapping paper and balloons. The colors of life.

Digital photography has come a long way in a handful of years and processing has made leaps and bounds as well. We play and we experiment as we add, enhance, or even remove color while striving to make an image "our own". Old becomes new again when we mimic the look of processes of bygone eras such as daguerreotype or polaroid. I, for one, enjoy this process, which is an exploration in and of itself, and I revel in the possibilities this digital age gives to us. But, amidst this explosion of creativity I am reminded of the way I felt as a child while staring at those black and white images wondering what the world looked like beyond light and shadow, texture and depth. It is for this reason that I believe we should give our clients the best of both so that they may explore their world not only thru our eyes but remember and preserve it as it was thru their own.

So to the world I say, go forth and create. Learn the rules and then by all means, BREAK THEM - break them whenever you feel the desire. This truly is how we grow and compel one  another to become better artists. But never forget the responsibility we have as professional wedding photographers to preserve as well as to create. : )

Katherine Rose

I love this series!









Katherine and her parents, Kim and Chris (really cool people). I photographed their wedding in 2007 and during the process we became good friends. BONUS: Chris, a lover of photography, is now one of my associate photographers. I really do meet the most awesome people. :)









I LOVE BABIES!! : )

Wedding Wire Award: Reason to Smile

Press Release:
WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that The Shooting Gallery Photography has won the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards™!

In its inaugural year, the Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and honors vendors from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. This year’s recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding vendors from across the US. That means The Shooting Gallery Photography is one of the very best Photographers!

Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.

“We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry.”

I would like to thank our past clients for speaking on our behalf and helping us win the 2009 Bride’s Choice Award! I give greater thanks for the honor of working with each and every one of our couples and their families. Receiving praise of this magnitude is the icing on the cake and further fuels my passion, motivation and devotion to becoming not only a better photographer but a better human being. Much love to all of you...I am truly blessed.

Dionne Haglund

Arizona!

I'll be posting more images from the actual convention later once I've shared them on DWF (Digital Wedding Forum) but I wanted to post a few that we managed to capture just for fun. We spent most of our time in class while in Arizona but we did manage to venture out a bit our last day there. What a gorgeous place...and the weather...I nearly cried at the airport knowing what we had to come back to.

The first pic I took from the roof top patio attached to our villa.


The hubs took this shot of me whilst testing his new found skill..."foofing". Don't ask. While I understand and like the technique a great deal the term leaves much to be desired. And, yes, that is red wine in that glass. Organic, non-sulfite red. FOOD of the GODS. ; )


My Rock Star Hubs. Can you see all the yick in the air? I shook a hand towel and to my dismay it was snowing in Arizona.


Goofing around, as usual. Good times. ; )




Playing with our iPhones and long exposures. Weeeeee!


On the road again...


Just off the road...we pulled over to snag a shot. Black is slimming, no? Say yes. This, by the way, is my hiking outfit. Ballet flats are perfect for scaling rocky, cactus and brush filled inclined pathways. Of all the pairs of shoes I managed to pack, sneaks were not one of them. Duh.


















This is the position I was in to snag the shot above. I so need an Indian name, like "Squats in the Brush" (which, by the way, was very prickly).


At 5' 4" this is the only way my legs will look long.






I chased this little hummingbird around for awhile before he decided to stay put long enough for me to grab a shot.

Bride & Bloom Magazine

Tifany of Gourmet Invitations has a beautiful ad in Bride & Bloom magazine that I am so proud to share. I photographed the image for her in May of 2008 during an exclusive Gourmet Invitations shoot which features her fabulous paper art along with her very own clients as models. Jen and Charlie from A Moment in Time Wedding & Event Production provided all of the gorgeous florals, which she did happily even on such short notice. To see the ad and learn more about the shoot and the wonderful professionals that helped make it happen, check out the Gourmet Invitations blog post!

Goodbye 2008 - Hello 2009

The holidays are over and the new year is underway. 2008 was an exciting ride both professionally and personally and I cannot wait to see what 2009 has in store. To all of my past, present and future clients, I thank you for honoring me with the distinct pleasure of being part of your lives and your spectacular memories. I look forward to working with each and every one of you, to making new friends, and to creating some amazing images in what I hope will be our very best year yet!

Now, down to business. :) The following weddings are on the roster and we're working to get each client their image collection as quickly as possible along with working on album design which ramped up around the holidays when we received an influx of orders. Rest assured; we're on it and we will contact you once the editing and design process has been completed.

WHAT'S COOKING:

12.3.08 - Rama
12.6.08 - Northup
12.21.08 - Mace
12.27.08 - Haag
1.2.09 - Simoni
1.3.09 - Hartsig


Happy New Year!!!!!