2009 At A Glance...
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2009
What a Spooktacular Halloween at the studios!! We had a ton of fun taking pictures and passing out candy during the Merchants Trick or Treating on Halloween night!!! We had to get in the spirit of the holiday of course, so costumes were a must!!
(and yes our photoshop skills are much better than what is demonstrated in this picture...so no worries.) =)
Also....we have a grand prize winner of the SPOOKTACULAR GIVEAWAY!!! Congratulations to Jenny Tapia!! She has won some treats from Connie's Cakes of Midland, some goodies from Karen's Hallmark, and a $50 gift certificate to Hillier Studio! Thanks to all who participated!
We're now gearing up for Christmas...we're almost all decorated and our backgrounds are ready to go!! Book your appointment today for our new Boutique-style backgrounds in November!
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2009
So we finally found Tony today! With many reminders & threatening phone calls (ok mabye not the threatening phone calls) Tony finally made it to his appointment, yea!!! What a fun 4 hours we had, yes that's right, 4 hours. Ok so we did more talking & eating then photographing, but we had a blast! Tony is probably the funniest high school senior we have ever met!!! So we started off photographing Tony with his car parked in some random person's front yard under one of the only trees left with pretty leaves, then we ventured off to a secret location for some totally under control (not reckless at all) burnout photos & ended our road trip on a dirt road with a cool old bridge. We are pretty sure there were trolls & stuff living under the bridge! We are pretty sure we saw one riding off into the sunset on a unicorn but we were busy trying to save Tony from being hit by his own car, which was amazingly driving itself off the cliff. Good thing Tony has a Black Belt & whipped out some ninja type skills & did some amazing flips right over that car, it was AMAZING! So amazing that we shared a pizza dinner with him to hear all about his life story & struggles & how he changes his hair with every season.... Anywho, I hope you enjoyed reading about our adventure & find the following photos to be nothing less than spectacular!!!
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2009
It's been a while since we wrote a song, and we're feeling lyrically talented right now. (Plus we have this fun pic we need to post)... so here goes:
It's late, it's late!
We haven't photographed a Nate.
We think the name Nate is great
So if that's your name call before it's too late
oh wait...
it's already late.
Which is why we're writing this song
so...sing along!!
Here we go
when we say 'hey'
you say 'ho'
hey
(um.....hello??? anyone out there?)
moving on...
Denny and Kristie's wedding was a blast
It was nice to see some faces from the past.
Hope Travis is doing well with his cast
Wow - I can really type fast. (sorta)
Thanks to Adam for helping us out
Sad we didn't get to see you guys out and about
Saw the Mobile Boogie and thought it was you
But I guess it was a different crew.
Stef's husband is asleep on the couch
she made him spit his gum outta his mouth
he was at the other wedding havin too much fun
screw this rain...where is the sun!?
I think we might have gone crazy
maybe that 's why we're amazy-n
that's right, we make up words
cause we're two cool birds.
Not cool cats...we're too cool for that.
Our blog rocks
We don't wear socks
Feet are getting cold
This song's gettin old.
PEACE!
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2009
Most of the time when we imagine a nice portrait we see a smiling face, but sometimes the most beautiful portraits are a naturally contemplative expression. Of course we love to see our clients laughing and smiling, but it is also good when we capture the elements of a person when they are simply content. Baby Brynn is a great example of this! She had the cutest little outfits and the most innocently natural expressions today! Of course we captured the smiles as well...so we thought we'd share a little bit of both. We just love her and her mommy (and Aunt Denise too!)
One of our Senior Models came in today with his Mini-me! Jakob and his little brother Isaiah are too cute for words in these portraits that capture an adorable brotherhood. They may sneer at them now, but we are certain a few years down the road they will cherish the captured memory of their childhood!
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2009
Every day seems to bring another fun story or two (or three or ten) into our lives!
We started today off with a super nice surprise from one of our recent 2010 Seniors!! Jaimie brought us little goody bags and personalized cards thanking us for her session, and wishing us a happy Boss's Day and an early happy Halloween! HOW SWEET!!! Under the pic of our goodies are some modeling portraits we took of Jaimie for an upcoming ad. THANKS Jaimie!! =) And to all the bosses out there: Happy Bosses Day to you!!
The first session of today was an amaaaaaaazing twin baby session! These little ones have been through quite a bit in the first three months. They are more precious than words can explain, and we were so blessed to have had the opportunity to take their very first professional portraits! We could have taken pictures of them all day (but they had to get to the doctor, and cousin Jenny probably needed a break)!!
Out to Shields we went after that for another awesome session with one of our faaaaaaaaaaaavorite babies...Miss Maggie Mae (as Chris calls her)!! She was adorable as always, and she has definitely found her little legs to be helpful in her running endeavors...lol (...and her outfit was super cute by the way)!! Maggie is preparing for a baby brother to be born in just a few weeks!! Her mommy and daddy are excited, and captured the beauty of the late stages of pregnancy with maternity portraits! Mom is looking stunning!! (Dad too of course). And we can't wait to take the baby's newborn portraits!
People often ask us if we have children...our answer: We have a LOT of children. We see them every few months...we play with them a bit, get caught up on their lives, take their portraits, and then they go home at the end of their session. Sounds funny-might have even made you laugh-but it's true! Each and every child that we photograph, we do so as if they were our own and therefore we take temporary ownership of them while they are here...so yeah...we have lots of children!! Here are a couple more we have recently loved every minute of photographing (Baby Georgia and Baby Andre)!
We are truly fortunate to do what we do! We cherish every session, every client, and every day!
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2009
Today was a fun day of editing, retouching, ordering, marketing, creative thinking...yup...there was lots of commotion in the production room today from Ketchup and Mustard (aka Stef and Chris)!
In the late afternoon we took a break from all of that to meet with some of our awesome clients!!
First, we learned about some REALLY interesting ways to capture your families heritage, and some creative things to do with old family pictures (how fun)!!!!
After that, Lindsey and Caleb came in for some fun portraits...they are the all-American adorable cheerleader/football player couple!! They are so super cute! (go ahead and saw awwwwwwwwww at the pic below!!)
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2009
Last week was a whirlwind of fun! From weddings to babies, seniors and sports, it was a great week filled with smiling faces and captured memories! We spent a lot of time with Kelley and Justin during the week to celebrate their marriage! Their wedding ceremony took place on 09-09-09 at a beautiful wedding chapel in Waterford, and then they celebrated on Friday with a huge reception at Candlelite in Bridgeport. We were able to take portraits both days at multiple locations. They are such a cute couple; and their bridal party, and families are just as great! Here are a few moments from the festivities...
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2009
Fabulous Finds Fridays...
That's the name we have given to our end-of-the-week extravaganzas!
To preface this story we should first tell you that we have actually themed all of our days, so that we have a specific focus for every morning of the week! You see-as you may or may not know, we hold studio/office hours noon to 6pm. That doesn't mean though that we get to sleep in until noon...nope...we meet every day at 9am to work on various things to better our business for a few hours before we open!
So ...
Mondays are 'Marketing Mondays'
Tuesdays are 'Try New Things Tuesdays'
Wednesdays are 'Wild Card Wednesdays'
Thursdays are 'Thinking Cap Thursdays'
And Fridays are 'Fabulous Finds Fridays'
The names are pretty self-explanatory...our favorite right now is Fab Finds Fridays because of all of the garage/yard sales! We go exploring for out-of-the-ordinary items to use in backgrounds and as props. Sometimes we run into other things along our journey that we find amusing. For example, this past Friday we found humor and entertainment in these cows that we literally RIGHT alongside the road (pic below). We could have reached out and touched them. Our better judgment kicked in however and we did not, but we did take a picture!!
Stay tuned for more stories from Stef and Chris's AM Adventures!
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2009
We wrote a blog. It was a beautiful masterpiece. And then it timed out...and was gone forever...sad. We will be writing a new one soon...soon.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2009
It's so nice to see a couple so adorably in love! Sally and Rob have that 'thing' about them that just makes it apparent how much they care for each other! Here are just a few of their many cute, yet edgy and contemporary, portraits from their oldtown session! We <3 them! =)
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2009
What a FUN day!
David, one of our seniors, invited us to his farm to photograph. It was one cool thing after another! There was a pond, and cool old trucks, and antique farm equipment, and HORSES (who we got to pet...I know, I know...we're jealous of ourselves too). David has four German Shepherds, but only one got to come out to play. Chloe was a great sport, and was a very photogenic subject in David's senior portraits! We were so grateful for the opportunity to photograph such a nice guy at such a beautiful location!
We also had tons of fun photographing Cheyenne at the Bridgeport Studio! She has beautiful blue eyes that match her wonderful personality! It was nice to see Cheyenne in 'street clothes'! We have been photographing her in every sports uniform that Carrollton High School has to offer! (Okay so maybe just cheerleading, softball, track and bowling...but that's a lot of sports for one girl!)
Can't wait to see what the sessions the rest of the week will bring our way! =)
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2009
Our latest song.
We work day and night
but we are feeling alright
we're bout to hit the highway
headed to the north side...hey!
We're gonna tear up the lake
with our boat, making some wake
But first we gotta get work done
before we can go have our fun.
But we started writing a song
which makes us stay at work long....er
We hope ya'll enjoy the time
reading our midnight work rhyme!
What what!
Translation: We are taking a day off on Sunday to go up north, therefore we are working into the wee hours of the night to be sure we service our clients in a timely manner! Thanks for another great week...see you Monday!
MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2009
What a BLAST! The kids had tons of fun, and so did we!
The day started with some team building activities and some quick lessons in basic photography. We then took a field trip to the park, and took tons of nature pictures on the way. The kids found crickets, fireflies, spiders, and turkeys (which ran faster than we could snap)!
After lunch we made our nature pictures into coloring book pages. The kids colored them and once they were in their fancy frames, they were beautiful pieces of art. While the campers were working on those, we ironed some of their pictures onto canvas coolers and then they added puff paint to create a customized lunch bag!
The day continued with an indoor photo shoot, in which they were both the photographers and the stars! The next project was a fabric-coverd photo boards, and then CD case magnets.
A few more rounds of the Human Knot Game, Hide and Seek, Telephone, and the TP Game... and then it was time for their parents to pick them up. (Of course there was snack time, Q&A, and other basic photography lessions in between). It was an AWESOME day for the campers and for us! We already have plans for next year's camp...can't wait!
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THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2009
Just photographed Brandi - one of our 2010 Senior Models! It was a blast! Isn't she beautiful! She had great
outfits, and we had fun with some of our new backgrounds! In this particular portrait she's sportin her pose in our dressing room. (Sometimes we get on such a roll that we wander out of the camera room, and utilize some of our other fun spaces) =)
We feel we're off to a good start for the 2010 Senior Season!!! 2010 SENIORS - $50 OFF ANY PACKAGE in April or May!!
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2009
We are super stoked for Senior Season 2010!
(so stoked that we're still at the studio at 10:46pm on a Wed night...lol)
Congratulations to our MODELS: Kya, Brandi, Tori, Sarah, Taylor, Kayla, and Kelsey
We have officially begun 'RUSH'!
ALL 2010 Seniors - GET $50 OFF ANY PACKAGE during April and May!
We have tons of new backgrounds, two and a half studios, and amazing photographers...lol =)
THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2009
If you can answer this story problem correctly, we will give you $100.00 worth of FREE PORTRAITS! (Read carefully). Prize awarded to first correct answer!!!
"If your car breaks down in the middle of a river, how many pancakes does it take to cover the roof of a doghouse?"
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2009
We are picking up the bunnies tonight for their encore Thursday (April 2nd) and Tuesday (April 7th). If you haven't already booked your Spring Portrait appointment with the bunnies...do so NOW...before the appt times are filled! Shields:989.274.9916...or...smile@hillierstudio.com
MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2009
A little about us...
We are photographers.
We are also designers, wives, sisters, daughters, friends, aunts, cousins, business-owners, home-owners, and divas.
We are funny. really. We make ourselves laugh all the time.
Our favorite hobby is sleeping.
We eat peanut butter off of spoons.
We use spellcheck like it's going out of style.
We are married to our husbands, our jobs, and each other.
We like to shop at stores where we can't afford anything.
One of us is tall. One of us is vertically challenged.
We work 24/7 and have had sleepovers at the studio.
We like to dance and sing (I said "like to" not "can")
One of us as a psycho cat. No wait...we both do.
We once video-taped the marriage of a sheep and an ostrich.
We have semi-matching Hollister coats.
We have cookie eating contests.
We like old abandoned buildings, and fancy furniture.
We once spent a whole day picking out the perfect door for a new background.
One of us has gone out in public with TP stuck to her forehead.
We like to play with packing peanuts.
We find bubble wrap amusing.
We like the beach for pictures, swimming, tanning, and sandcatle building.
We make friends with everyone, including our FedEx drivers.
Our children are all furry and four-legged.
We're sisters from other Misters (and Mothers). Yeah.
We make up our own words, and speak in our own language.
One of plays sports. One of us will try if there are cute boys involved.
We eat a lot. No, like A LOT.
We like road trips. And breakfast trips. And Tropical Smoothie trips.
We like pedicures and massage, but never get them because we live at work.
We both have pen collections. Hillier Studio pens of coarse.
One of us might lose her thumbs from texting too much.
We like happy people. Mean people are just...mean.
Our desks are a HOT mess. Wait...where's my keybo
So we had our Senior Model Tryouts last week...omg...we are going to have a tough time deciding who our Models will be this year!
Everyone was so positive and fun and photogenic...who wants to make this decision for us? really? We don't want to have to choose! =)
Those of you seniors that did not apply for the Model Program...did you see our April/May Special!?! $50.00 OFF ANY PACKAGE ! That's a really good deal!
So...call and book, go shopping for your outfits, and tell your mom or dad or whoever how much money you are going to save them! You'll get fab Senior Portraits and you'll be the hero of the family =). See...we're always here to help ya out...lol.
We are now on Facebook!
We appreciate the love of those who have become our fans on there already...and...if you haven't already done so, we'd be ecstatic to see some new smiling faces on there!
http://www.facebook.com/hillierstudio
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2010
Yay!! Another step in the process of Alpha Psi Hillier has been completed! We finished decorating the front room in the Bridgeport Studio (which is the official sorority house)!! It looks great!! I bet you want pictures.....well....this time we're gonna make you stop by and see it!! =) We want to see you, so it's our way of subtle bribery. =)
Speaking of more steps in the sorority process being complete....here's one we're VERY proud of: We have chosen a charity to benefit from sorority support and we have officially partnered with Operation Smile!! For every new sorority member, we will donate $25 to Operation Smile! Besides raising funds for the charity, another of our goals is to spread awareness of this GREAT organization....check it out! http://www.operationsmile.org/about_us/who-we-are/index.html
MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2010
What a fun session today!! Crystal rocked some super fun, super girlie, super cute outfits!! We were inspired by her (and by some recent sale table finds) to try some new ideas for her portraits! She brought the sequins and the mic stand... and we pulled out the gems, pearls, and funky chairs! We moved the production into the dressing room where she brought even more inspiration with her lipstick...she left an impression on us and a diva stamp on the mirror!! Thanks Crystal!
FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010
Many of you have inquired (or have been silently inquisitive) about Alpha Psi Hillier .... For those of you who read our blog, you are privy to the "inside scoop"...here it is:
WHAT: Alpha Psi Hillier is a local sorority that we have founded this year and will be officially active beginning February 1st!!
WHO: There will be 2 chapters of the sorority. The Senior Chapter is for high school juniors who are preparing for senior portraits. The Women's Chapter will be for women 18 and older.
WHY: There were many factors that played into the decision to form a sorority..all equally important. In random order, here are some of the 'whys':
- To step our senior portrait modeling program up a level in order to provide our seniors with more of an 'experience'.
- To provide a program that boosts self-esteem in girls, teens and women of all ages through portrait modeling, sisterly bonds and community and charitable events.
- To open the opportunity for all high school girls to have amazing senior portraits by a professional studio. Senior portraits have evolved and thus the investment has as well. This program provides ways for seniors to earn significant discounts on their portraits.
- To enhance cross-community sisterly and mentor bonds between girls, teens and women.
- To support a charity that reaches people on a broad spectrum...from local international. We have chosen "Operation Smile" as our charity and will donate $25 per new member to the organization, which provides funds for surgeries to children with clef pallet, clef lip and other facial deformities.
- To provide a means for high school juniors/seniors, collage-bound students, and active community members to participate in community service. We will hold several events that will raise awareness and support for Operation Smile and other community and charitable foundations.
WHEN : Once the sorority becomes officailly active on Febraury 1st we will start a Class of 2011 Rush (or recruitment period) that will go through February 28th. Rush will be closed after that for high school seniors until the following year for the class of 2012. Rush for 'big sisters' and women over 18 for the Women's Chapter of the sorority will begin in March.
HOW: If you are interested in being a part of either chapter, please fill out the following form: http://hillierstudio.com/alphapsiform.html
THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2010
It's hard to believe that Valentine's Day is almost here! WOW!
To most people, Valentine's Day is an annual challenge of what to get your significant other. To all of YOU it can be an opportunity to remind your Valentine why they are so lucky to have you.....here's how AND why:
(Info below compliments of Dr. Shristina)
LADIES : As a woman, you have the ability to make your man do things like hold your pink purse while you rummage through sale racks at your favorite clothing store...as he misses the first half of the big game. (It is amazing we have that ability isn't it!?!) One...you need to remind him how much you appreciate that! Two...He does that because he is so gaga over you, he will do almost anything...so you need to occasionally remind him how HOT you still are! For those 2 reasons alone you should definitely consider stepping up the bar and booking your appointment for this promotion: http://www.hillierstudio.com/valentease.html
GUYS: Your woman does a lot for you! There is never a moment that she is not multi-tasking and putting her needs and wants aside for YOU!! She deserves to be pampered, and she deserves to know how much she is appreciated AND how much she still 'gets to you'...A gift certificate for this promotion will definitely tell her how much you appreciate the things she does and remind her how STEAMY you think she is!! Check it out: http://www.hillierstudio.com/valentease.html
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010
We are baaaaaaaaaack!! Well we never actually went anywhere lol, but we have been neglecting to keep you all posted on our blog. But we are not going to let that happen again!!
Where do we begin?! Oh my!! We have sooo many exciting things in the works!
One of the most exciting things in the que is Alpha Psi Hillier...you guessed it...it's a sorority! Why? How? For who? Oh those questions will soon be answered...soon but not today!!
Something else that is almost finalized are our children's events! We have a few new ones this year that are going to be "limited Edition" that are not going to be on the schedule, so you will have to watch the blog closely for when and what those will be!!
We currently have some fun things going on for Valentine's Day...check the website for specials (ladies - there is one especially for you). We will blog a little bit more about that in the next couple days, but if you have questions you know you can always ask!!
Outside of promotions and specials we are working diligently on redecorating our Bridgeport Studio's lobby in preparation for 2011 Seniors, and looking for new props and backgrounds (that's a never ending always fun task!)
So to sum it up, over the next few days we will be knee deep in hot pink and black paint while we finalize plans for the sorority, work with a charity, structure our promotions calendar, and do what we do best...photograph!! (and what we also do best is make friends and socialize with our clients....can't wait to see you all!!) |
SENIOR PORTAITS +
Chances are you've already heard about us already from one of your friends, but find out why you should choose Hillier Studio for your senior pictures for yourself!
COUPLES, ENGAGEMENTS & WEDDINGS +
Following adolescence the path traveled in life begins when you meet that special someone. Let us capture the moments as two become one!
CURRENT SPECIALS +
Entries Will Be Accepted Until February 23, 2012
We are seeking a limited number of models from surrounding schools to represent our studio. We will photograph our premier models in various locations this spring and utilize your images on social media sites, our website, and any other place that we think your portraits would amazing. Refer your friends to us for their senior portraits, and when they book we will give you credits to use toward your portrait order...plus sweet prizes!
Click Here For More Details!
It's so much fun to play dress up! And what better way to dress up then in Grandmother's pearls and hats and high heels! With trunks full of goodies your little ones are sure to have fun dressing up for this photo shoot! Bring your memorabilia, or use ours! Little guys can truly have fun with this as well...old trunks and vintage toys are sure to spark their interest!
Book Your Appointment Now!
Is your little girl a total Tutu Diva? If so, we have just the thing to make her day...a tutu photo shoot!! Only $25 for the session and she is sure to have a blast! We have a TON of tutu sets in stock that you can add on for a discounted price of $25/set (normally $35)...or you can bring one from home =)
Book Your Appointment Now!
What a fun way to kick off the SPRING and EASTER season!! Bring the kids in to see LIVE BUNNIES and have these adorable portraits back just in time for Easter! The bunnies are very photogenic but if you or your child chooses not to include the bunnies, we will still be sure to produce beautiful spring portraits!
Book Your Appointment Now!
Bring your dress, your jewels, your heels and your besties for this super fun photoshoot! What else are you going to do with that beautiful dress you spent so much money on? Better take some amazing portraits with it so you can remember how awesome you felt it in for years to come! $20 per person includes the session, glamour retouching, 1-5x7 per person and one facebook image per person!
Book Your Appointment Now!
This is a beautiful setting for a serene portrait session, PERFECT for a family or couple. We will be meeting one session per night around 8/8:30pm at the Tawas Point State Park. Please be sure your contact information is correct as we will call to discuss more details including: clothing choices, where inside the campground to meet, directions to the beach if you need them and session deposit!
Book Your Appointment Now!
Mark your calendars for our upcoming events and be sure to check back here for the current special to book your appointment. Have questions about the specials you see? Feel free to contact us for me details!
Click Here To Contact Us
Hillier Studio, based in Saginaw, Michigan, produces outstanding images for wedding, portrait and commercial photography.
Our portrait work includes bridal portraits, engagement portraits, high school senior portraits, family portraits,
children and baby portraits, maternity portraits, boudoir portraits, pet portraits and trash the dress sessions.
All portraits can be photographed at either our newly rennovated studio located in
Bridgeport or on location at our multiple mobile off-site destinations.
Our commercial work includes product photography, food photography, corporate portraits,
headshots, passports, modeling portfolio shots, advertising photography, and building photography.
Find Out More About Us!
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