Element Portraits Blog

Danielle representing CFHS

Beth Burrell — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 15:59:29 +0000

I photographed Danielle last week, what a blast she is! enjoy!

workshops in my studio

Beth Burrell — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 15:48:04 +0000

My personal workshops are the only workshops where I will talk business…in depth… nothing is held back. Some things I will touch on..

- proven marketing techniques and why they work. I will discuss my successes, and my failures and why.

- creating a buzz for you and your business.

- how to keep your clients coming back.

- This year, I will have some of my clients come in and discuss what I do well AND what I can do better. (…yes.. this will be painful! haha!) I think others can learn from my mistakes.

- We will shoot both indoors and out (weather permitting..) in natural light 100%.

- In addition to photographing along side of me, you will watch me shoot, and you will not only see the images I capture right on my LCD, but you will see me upload them that very same day. I will show any editing from beginning to end. No questions are off limits.

- because everyone’s situation is different, I will give a 15 min one on one with each participant where they can talk about anything they would like.

- a personal critique of your work.

…and much, much more.

Class are limited to 18 ppl. Spaces are reserved when your retainer is paid. The cost of the workshop is $800 and it will take place in my studio. Continental breakfast, and full catered lunch is provided on both days.

If you’re interested, email me at elementportraits@cfu.net for the registration forms

** please note that this workshop is not for local photographers.

What it means to be a Photographer!

Beth Burrell — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:40:50 +0000

Sometimes I feel the art of photography is taken for granted. There are so many people with digital camera’s nowa-days, and the word “photographer” is over-used. Many people who have the ability to take good pictures will soon call themselves professional photographers.

Photographer – noun

a person who takes photographs, esp. one who practices photography professionally.

So the word can be used loosely to describe anyone who takes photographs. Many of my senior and family portrait clients would agree that I set myself apart from the rest. I do this by controlling the viewable quality that is perceived as coming from my studio. A lot of times I will release photographs on social media sites such as Facebook or my Blog. This allows our images to be seen by thousands of people within minutes. It’s also nice to see comments and feedback on your images which then assures me that I’m still doing an amazing job.

Other clients can tag the images or albums and recommend you to their friends. In my opinion, it is the most economical and efficient way of advertising in the 21st century.

I love children’s photography because I love capturing a young life that is blossoming right in front of you. Children portraits are a challenge because kids are so wonderous, full of life and ALWAYS moving. I like to take the lifestyle approach to photographing children in their every day environment or outside. I want to capture that special moment in time, show their persoanlities, and what they were like at this certain age.

Senior Portraits is my all time favorite! and what I love the most. I have been commissioned to create some amazing senior portraits that define my style as well as thier persoanlities and what they are into in their high school years. The expression, the attitude, and always their personality, that defines who this young adult is. My clients are typically looking for something different and unique when they come to my studio. I invest a lot of time and money in making sure I offer something different to my senior clients.

For instance, even when I have several students coming from the same school, I always take then to different locations because I want them to have a different look for their senior portraits. I do this because I understand that each person is different, and unique in their own way, and no two seniors have the same interests or wants!

The effort put into the capture of each image, and the work put in after the image is captured is what makes a professional photographer. Know the difference when hiring someone to capture a piece of family history!

I have worked hard to carve out the nitch in this industry. I have worked closly with my lab so that I can offer creative and unique products that other “photographers” do not have. I want to remain “The Studio” to go to!

I want to be known as the ”professional” photographer who goes above and beyond what you, as a client expects. I want to be your photographer for life! I am here. I have a physical studio store front and I am not going anywhere!

2011 Senior Model Anne RA

Beth Burrell — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:19:15 +0000

Anne is representing Cedar Falls High School. She was a blast to work! We had a great time and I love those blue eyes!

Seniors, Seniors and more seniors!

Beth Burrell — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:15:23 +0000

Kristen is a beautiful girl who plays the Sax and loves to scuba dive! She is representing West High School! She would like to be a doctor when she graduates from college – great goals for a great girl! enjoy!

It’s 2011 High School Senior Portrait Experience!

Beth Burrell — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:05:24 +0000

I have had some really amazing high school seniors this year! All of the beautiful or handsome and so much fun to work with! Kids that I know have a bright future and will be going places in their lives! Here is a group post of my seniors to date! I am not going to lie..I am horrible about blogging, but I felt like everyone needed to be represented here! This is Allie – and one of my 2011 Senior Models as well as a dear friend of mine. You are an amazing young lady and I think you may be one of the most caring people I know! xoxo

Photography Class in Santa Maria California!

Beth Burrell — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:59:09 +0000

My husband I just returned from Central California in the heart of wine country. I was teaching a photography class at a fellow photographers studio – Luis Escobar…A wondeful photographer that I met in Arizona in March when I was teaching a photography course earlier this year…

This is a completely differnt experience than any other seminar that we have ever done, as it was held in a beautiful vineyard with over 1000 acres of vineyards. The owners of the Vine yard = Tres Hermanas even arranged a mini rodeo that allowed all the photographers who wanted to photograph a “real” cowboy roping the calves. I got a bit creative with my images I think…and throughly enjoyed all of my students! I hope they learned a ton!

Here are some fine art images…enjoy!

ps – remember these images are copyright by Beth Burrell and Element Portraits. It is NOT ok to copy these images! Please contact if you would like to purchase any of the images that you see! Thank you!

Please Vote for me!

Beth Burrell — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:33:02 +0000

http://lovealocalbusiness.intuit.com/fan?b_id=20064

Please click on the link to vote for me! I think I deserve this grant so that I can grow my business to make my studio better for my YOU, my clients!

Thank you!

Beth

Outdoor Maternity Session

Beth Burrell — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 20:28:03 +0000

I loved this session. Amanda is due in August and decided to come and see me to document her first pregnancy! I think we had so much fun together and I hope that she will give me to opportunity to photograph her new baby when she comes in a month or two.

Beth Burrell — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:34:14 +0000

Hello friends! It’s here! Summer Mini Sessions at the studio! Friday July 9th only! Sessions are $195. This includes a 20 minute session for 1-3 kiddos, and a $150 portrait credit and at least 10 beautiful images to choose from. Because of limited availability, sessions will be scheduled on …a first come, first serve basis. Message or email me to reserve your spot!

Katie Hulme = ADORABLE!

Beth Burrell — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:16:33 +0000

Meet Katie. Ohh, she has the prettiest eyes I think I have ever seen…and I think we had a blast together. I love to photograph seniors. It is awesome honor to get to know them, learn about what they have planned for their future and learn about what they love to do! Miss Katie is a cheerleader at Gladbrook Reinbeck High School and will be attending UNI after she graduates, then on to Iowa to be a doctor! She has some great plans for her future!

Beth Burrell — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:42:58 +0000

A Portrait Session with my Children

Beth Burrell — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 15:52:37 +0000

You know, my mother in law recently asked me for some pictures of my children, so this is one of the reasons I thought I would get the three of them photographed together as well as individually, however, I often feel like I never have any images of my own children, so recently on a day when I had nothing planned, I decided to photograph them. Some times I print off the images and some times I dont…I think I will with this session.

My oldest daughter Victoria, is moving out of our home in August and heading over to the University of Northern Iowa for college and living in the dorms. Its an odd feeling that I cant define in my heart right now. In some ways, I realize that she will only be about 2 miles from our house and that she will be over lots (or at least I hope) for dinner or doing her laundry or what ever, but then there is another part of me that can not fathom not having her a part of my every day life. I can’t remember not living with her and I know when I go to her room to make sure she got home ok at night, she wont be there - The bonus is, is that there will be less laundry to do, but other than that I can honestly say that I will miss her!

Michael will be a high school senior this new school year. He has become such a handsome and wonderful young man. He is truly a thoughtful guy who I think goes above and beyond what is asked of him. I am not sure what his plans are for his future. College, maybe a technical school. I am not sure but he is an amazing young man who has a lot of great things going on in his life!

Katie will be going into 6th grade this fall. Where does the time go? We have alot in common Katie and I. I think she not only looks like me, but she also shares the love of all animals as I do. Our shared love of horses is beyond any other bond that we have I think as both of us would love to have a horse and be able to ride together as well as care for it. Katie also loves her trampoline class. I totally see her being the cheerleader, the scholar, the best friend to many as she is the sweetest girl I know…

When it rains – let there be puddles!

Beth Burrell — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:45:00 +0000

Because it has been pretty much non-stop rain here in the Cedar Valley, I decided that after our portrait session with the Flanagan Family that we would let the kids relax a bit and reward them with some fun. Kay bought matching rain boots for the kids and we let them stomp, run and even sit in the puddles in the alley that I love to use.

I think the kids throughly enjoyed themselves and I am pretty sure they have never experienced a portrait session like this one! I love to give the ultimate experience at my studio. So, if you feel that you and your family would like to have an ultimate experience, you can email me at elementportraits@cfu.net

Front Page of the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier

Beth Burrell — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:27:28 +0000

http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/article_3b601349-0474-5102-9bb1-4b40f7b98e2f.html

This is what I found on the front page of the newpaper this afternoon! I am totally stoked about this as I have been putting images in Dr. Holahans office for the last year. I have co-marketed with several local stores this year and Cedar Valley Orthodontics is one of them!

So, if you are a Holahan patient, you get a free portrait session for your family! Just leave a comment here or give me a call

319-239-3736

A Family Portrait Session

Beth Burrell — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:57:03 +0000

a friend posed this question today on her facebook wall: what is holding you back from booking a family photo session?

quite a few women (moms) quickly commented that their weight is holding them back, which made me really sad. and a few posted money, which i understand but i also believe that there’s enough photographers out there to cover everybody’s budget.

this all led me to thinking about the perfect time.

is there ever a perfect time to have photographs taken of your family?

i am posting on my new blog today about an awesome article i read, which had the overall theme of taking the time to slow down and appreciate life and the everyday beauty that surrounds us. in a swirly kind of way, i feel what i shared there and what i’m sharing here is totally intertwined.

it’s so easy to say –
i’m too fat.
i have too much going on.
we’re too busy.
maybe next year.

but i just want to say STOP IT! we need to take the time to appreciate the value of family portraits, if not for ourselves (because we’re too fat or whatever), then for our children. in 20 years, your children are not going to say, gee, look how fat mom was, no…what they are going to say is “look how happy our family is”.

I do not think that people who look back on these images actually understand the importance of being photographed until something that is life changing happens.

It could be your child graduating from high school, like what recently happened to my family with my oldest daughter – Victoria. She is my love, my life and as i was going through all of her baby pictures on up to her middle school and high school senior portraits. I watched before my eyes how she had grown up so quickly…it was like time had passed in the blink of an eye.

Victoria was 5lbs 13oz when she was born. She wore preemie clothing home and I could hold her in the crook of my fore arm. She is now 5’10″ and off to college she goes this fall. Thank Goodness, I didnt wait to loose those extra 5 lbs for our family portraits. Thank Goodness I had her photographed on a regular basis when she was younger until I started my own photograhpy business back in the film days…Thank Goodness she is healthy and happy.

Don’t wait to have your loved ones photographed. Contact me to document every important time in your childs life…