Holiday Family Portraits

We had an excellent Holiday Family Portrait session yesterday!  We shot on location in this family's beautiful home.  It was a lot of fun and everyone was in the holiday spirit.  Here's a sneak preview of their session... Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!!!

Hanukkah is almost over and Christmas is just a week away, so...

Wish you were here...

...and, to be honest... I wish I was too...

The weatherman is threatening snow, rain, and unsettling windchill all over the country -- overall it sounds pretty unpleasant... so I think it's time for another dose of paradise!

Taken at the Coppermine Ruins of Virgin Gorda at sunrise, I think this picture captures the other-worldliness of this place.  Hiking around with no other company than the occasional goat, we felt as though we had stepped back in time.  There is an amazing peacefulness that is provided by sites like this one in Virgin Gorda -- you aren't in the USA, so you aren't bombarded with litter, caution tape and people.  Moments like this one are part of what make the British Virgin Islands one of my favorite places on earth.

There is no such thing as a bad sunset in the Caribbean.  As a photographer I have never been so impressed by the variation and diversity of colors, cloud configuration, and subject matter in one location.  This was shot from one of my favorite locations in BVI -- a secret road mentioned in our last posting.  In the distance you can see the Dog Islands, Scrub Island and Great Camanoe.

This shot was taken at sunset at The Baths in Virgin Gorda.  I had just climbed up one of the house-sized boulders to get a fresh perspective of The Baths, when I spotted this ray of light down below in the middle of a cluster of boulders.  It took some squeezing through several narrow openings between boulders to get into this little cove.  I snapped a few shots, and within a minute the sun continued on its path and the shaft of light disappeared.

This shot, featuring a lobster trap, tall grass and Beef Island in the distance, was taken at the Yacht Harbor in  Virgin Gorda.  The Yacht Harbor is a fantastic place to relax, take a walk and meet people -- both locals and visitors to the island.  There are many shops and a grocery store to visit, and Bath & Turtle is a fantastic place to grab an informal breakfast while you observe the morning activity at the harbor.  We even made friends with the resident dog, who was happy to receive scratches from us all morning, pausing only to chase a lizard or two.

To help with the winter doldrums, here is a glimpse of my mental happy place...  This shot was taken from my favorite beach in the world -- Mahoe Bay.  Just steps away from our room at Mango Bay Resort, the water was calm, warm, and full of diverse wildlife.  The promise of returning to the peaceful beauty of this place has gotten us through two dreary New England winters, and will get us through the great white empty this winter in Illinois.

Remember, through the snow, the sleet, the rain, the wind, and the bitter cold -- paradise is just a short flight away.  If you can't make the trip right now, or even if you can, check back soon for more pictures of our time in paradise... stay warm, and happy holidays!

On Location in the Virgin Islands

   We just returned from an AMAZING visit to the Virgin Islands.  This was my third trip to the area, but it was the first time I focused entirely on photographing the beautiful and diverse locations throughout the islands.  Even though we always pack light, I made sure to bring as much photo gear as I could carry to prepare for the wide variety of lighting conditions and subject matter.  Over the next few weeks I'll be posting some of my favorite images from the trip -- so make sure you check back throughout the dreary days of winter :-(  for an island pick-me-up!

The excellent view of St. Thomas from the Island View Guesthouse.  We spent a night in St. Thomas, USVI on our way to the British Virgin Islands, and couldn't have hoped for a better place to stay.  The owners, Ron and Beth, were very friendly, kind and accommodating.  It was the perfect place to rest from traveling and get into the Caribbean mood.

A pelican takes flight on Mahoe Bay -- on the beach at Mango Bay Resort

The pelicans - sometimes as many as eight - would dive into the sea headfirst scooping up great mouthfuls of water and fish.  They showed no concern about landing within five feet of swimmers and routinely splashed us during their fishing attempts.

A garden at Rosewood Little Dix Bay.  This resort was founded by Laurance Rockefeller in 1964.  The resort features beautiful beaches, luxurious amenities, and a number of restaurants and bars.  We took a short walk around their property and really enjoyed their gardens.

  I took this photograph outside our room at Mango Bay Resort.  I used my 50mm lens for the clarity and nice background blur that it always achieves.  The interesting fuzzy effect occurred as a result of moving my camera from the air-conditioned room to the humid outdoors right before capturing the picture.  There was a little condensation on my UV filter and it provided the softening effect.  It was one of those happy accidents.

The Baths of Virgin Gorda are one of the most iconic locations in the Caribbean.  We arrived there shortly before sunrise to avoid the crowds and were rewarded with unobstructed views and a rainbow (one of many during the trip).

This photograph is a perfect example of why The British Virgin Islands are a photographer's paradise.  During our 7 day trip, we didn't miss a single sunset.  This is one of my favorite views in the world -- taken from a secret trail that few know exists and even fewer visit.

The Coppermine Ruins are one of the best sights in Virgin Gorda.  We spent a lot of time climbing around the rocks and ruins.  This photograph was taken in the very early morning, at an extremely slow shutter-speed while my husband painted the ruins with light.  This effect allows for perfect exposure of the sky and sea, while also bringing out the detail and texture of the ruins, which would have otherwise been in silhouette.

This is just a small sample of the 3,000+ images I shot during our visit to the Virgin Islands.  Check back for more amazing photographs of the most beautiful place on earth...  Thanks for visiting!  

Changing Seasons, Changing Landscape

While everyone I know laments the oncoming winter months, I've been taking every opportunity to reexamine the midwestern landscape through black and white photography. Fall color is vibrant and beautiful, but it isn't until the leaves are down that it becomes possible to really examine line, form, shadow and light. Shots like these are why I think its worth it to brave the cold and get outside...

Stay warm and check back for more images from our adventures!

Tiger Tales Contest Winner

Jordana Wright Photography recently ran a contest through the Tiger Tales blog at the Paris Cooperative High School for a free Senior Portrait Session! Yesterday, we had a fantastic photoshoot with Megan, the contest winner. Check out the sneak preview of her session...

Paris Seniors, there is still time to squeeze in a Senior Portrait Session, but the yearbook deadline is fast approaching! Contact us ASAP to schedule your session!

Many thanks to Mrs. Sherer and Tiger Tales for helping us run the contest!

Dear Santa...

Canon has been coming out with all kinds of new fun gear recently, and at the top of my wishlist is the CanonTS-E17mm.

"Photographing buildings and/or interiors in tight quarters can be unnerving, as any architectural photographer can tell you. In urban surroundings, there's usually a limit to how far you can back up before you bump into a wall, another building, or step dangerously into oncoming traffic.

Back in the day of shooting architecture with larger-format view cameras, wide-angle optics in the range of 47mm & 58mm bailed us out, and often with dramatic results. With the advent of quality full-frame DSLRs, the optical choices for shooting architecture and studio imagery requiring lens movements with wide-angle optics have been limited to 24mm which, while adequate for many applications, still doesn't cut it when shooting in tighter quarters..."  

          - BHPhotoVideo.com

Click the picture to check out the info and demo that B&H put together about this thing:

Not only is the lens amazing, but watch the video to hear an incredible New York accent...  Did I used to talk like that???

So what do you think?  Is this lens amazing or what?  And how many cookies do you think I'd have to leave Santa to get in the game?

Chicago Headshots -- $195.00

We are excited to announce that we recently started offering Headshots in Chicago for actors, musicians and dancers!  Many of our friends are performers, so we understand how difficult it is to afford headshot sessions and prints.  Fortunately, we are able to provide a fantastic service at a really reasonable rate.  Headshot sessions are by advance appointment only and discounts are offered for multiple bookings -- so organize your friends to get a group rate and give us a call!

The Basic Headshot Package ($195.00) includes:

• 1+ hour of shooting
• 3 looks
• 3 retouched images (full bleed or border with name)
• Online Proofing
• DVD with all images in RAW and JPEG formats
• a full set of 'facebook' sized images 

Add-on Options:

• 1 retouched image for $25
• 3 retouched images for $60
• (50) 8x10s for $45
• (100) 8x10s for $80
• Bulk 8x10 orders available

For more information, or to book your session, call (217) 686-4366 or email!

Indianapolis Museum of Art

We're always looking for new things to do and places to explore around here.  We decided to expand our Midwestern horizons last weekend and visited the Indianapolis Museum of Art... It is an amazing museum with beautiful grounds, an extensive collection of art, and FREE EVERYTHING!  Free admission, free parking, free access to the grounds (over 100 acres).  The museum is very large -- you certainly can't see it all in one day.  One complaint I always have about museums is the quality of the food.  Lets face it, once you're there, you don't want to leave to go get lunch, and the options are usually limited to wet sandwiches of questionable origin.  The Indianapolis Museum of Art features an excellent restaurant with very reasonable prices and a nice selection of gourmet food.  Overall, the Indianapolis Museum of Art is an excellent way to spend a day.  Also, if you're considering getting Fall Family Portraits with Jordana Wright Photography, I highly recommend the grounds at the museum as a location!  
This is my favorite shot from our excursion to the museum -- check out some more shots after the jump...

Jordana Wright Photography Updates!

The new and improved website!

So we've been hard at work to revolutionize JordanaWright.com.  We're happy to announce that the website is up and running, and features a more user-friendly, informative approach.  Take a look around, we think you'll love what we've done with it!

Alyx's Senior Portraits!

We had an amazing Senior Portrait Session over the weekend with a very active and accomplished local Senior. She chose a location that was very special to her family, and the results were excellent. Check out the sneak preview of Alyx's portraits! Enjoy!

Class of 2010, its not too late to book your Senior Portrait Session!

Fall color will be at its peak in 2-3 weeks, so book your Family Portrait Session today!

Lauren's Senior Portrait Session

Happy October! We're definitely starting to get some Fall weather around here and we're looking forward to doing some portrait sessions featuring beautiful fall color.

Last week we had an excellent Senior Portrait Session with Lauren, our new Paris High School Senior Ambassador. She was a fantastic model for us -- we got some really amazing shots! As an Ambassador, Lauren can provide information to both her high school and the community about Jordana Wright Photography's Senior Portrait Sessions. If you know Lauren, make sure you ask her all about her experiences at our photo shoot -- and help her earn amazing print products by signing up for your portrait session with Jordana Wright Photography! We're really excited to have her on-board!

Here is a sneak preview of Lauren's Senior Portraits. Enjoy!

Contact us for information about booking your Senior Portrait Session.

It isn't too late to book for a session featuring beautiful Fall Color!

The Honeybee Festival

Last weekend I attended my first Honeybee Festival in Paris, Illinois. This year was the 29th year of the festival. My husband used to attend every year as a kid -- even marched with his school band for a few years. The festival ran from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon and included a parade, live music, demonstrations, contests, a car show, delicious food, and lots of local arts and crafts vendors.

We started our Honeybee experience with a pancake breakfast on Saturday morning, hosted by the Kiwanis Club. They used a massive rotating griddle to serve up pancakes to the community. After breakfast, we joined the crowds lining up on Main St. to watch the parade. Here are my favorite pictures from Saturday's events:

BVI Expedition

One of the wonderful things about owning and operating Jordana Wright Photography is getting to plan and design exciting new company programs! Starting in 2010 we will be offering 1 week photographic expeditions to the British Virgin Islands. The itinerary includes plenty of sunrise and sunset photo shoots at a variety of National Parks and other historic locals, as well as lots of rest and relaxation time! It also features luxury resort accommodations, a day-sail aboard a catamaran and professional photography materials and instruction. The anticipated start date is May of 2010. Contact Jordana Wright Photography to get your name on the waiting list now! Participation is limited to 6 individuals per tour!

Fall Color, Windmills and Sting...

The soy field behind our house has turned this amazing vibrant yellow. Everywhere I go, the corn is turning brown, the soy is yellow, and the leaves are just starting to show a hint of orange. I never really understood about the "amber waves of grain" I sang about in grade school until I saw the Midwest. Its incredible. One interesting side effect of waking up to a bright yellow soy field every morning is that I perpetually have the song "Fields of Gold" by Sting stuck in my head...

"Shadows in Dudley"

"Grain Elevator"

"Yellow Soy"

On a recent trip to Bellflower, IL, we took a detour to photograph a large cluster of windmills. Some people dislike the way windmills look on a horizon, but I think they blend with the pattern of planted rows of soy really nicely. They're beautiful in their own way -- and who can argue with clean, abundant energy?

"Windmills 1"

"Windmills 2"

Engagement Session!

Here is the sneak preview for a recent engagement session. Mary & Alan are getting married next summer, and to commemorate their engagement we had a photo session at Spohr Gardens on Cape Cod. Congratulations guys! Enjoy!

Contact us for more information about Engagement Sessions with Jordana Wright Photography!

Brett's Portrait Session

We had a really fantastic portrait session last weekend. Brett was an amazing subject -- he came prepared with excellent outfits, a gorgeous guitar, and a really positive outlook!

Here's a sneak peek of some of the shots we got:

You can check out more of Brett's pictures on our Facebook Page! Take a look and become a fan of Jordana Wright Photography to get updates about the exciting things going on around here!

Seniors, you can find out more about Senior Portrait Sessions with Jordana Wright Photography on our website: www.JordanaWright.com!