JENN

HAPPY NEW YEAR
As this year's chapter ends, a new one full of possibilities and new challenges lies ready to be written.
I have pages full of resolutions and promises written inside my head ready to fill a whole new year's chapter in my Life's Book.

To ALL my family and friends, clients and colleagues...
here is wishing you ALL a very happy and safe New Year!
I hope all your new chapters have only happy endings!
~Jenn

photo: "My Journal"©JB

PHOTO

Family Portrait 101

I recently photographed a wonderful family, with a few grandkids.
This little girl wanted her special photo to be in her fairy dress.
She liked being photographed. She was adorable.
That's what I encourage when shooting families... everyone be themselves.
Let's go do something fun together as a family when we go for our shoot.
If it's too cold out, or rainy, let's cuddle on the couch, or in a nice corner near a window.
The possibilities are endless, because each family is unique.
I love my job!

photo: "Fairy Princess"©2008 JB

ETSY STORE

I am so excited to announce my NEW online store!
photojennics.etsy.com

Check it out, buy something, let me know what you think.
Spread the word.

~AND~

Come to an
ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR
December 6th & 7th 2 - 6pm
@ the PUSHKIN GALLERY
2 Federal Street, downtown Greenfield, Mass.

Check me and 25 other Western Mass. artisans out, buy something!
Hope to see you there!

photo: "Front Door"2008 ©JB
ALSO for sale at my store photojennics.etsy.com

Thanksgiving Day

BIG APPLE
I was pretending I was a kid again in New York City this Thanksgiving.
The whole family went to the Big Apple to go to the Macy's Parade.
We went the day before to do some sightseeing.
Where do you bring a 5 year old, a 7 year old, & a 17 month old?
We took the subway to Central Park and went to the Zoo. The snow monkeys made us laugh.
It was dark so we went to Rockefeller Center. It dazzled them with all the lights & the skaters.
Then we went to the Upper West Side to see the preparation of the balloons for the parade.
We all "ooo'd" & "ahhh'd" at their sizes.
It was a REAL test of patience, for both kids AND parents.
Lots of people! Lots of waiting in lines!
Soon lots of feet were hurting, and eyes were droopy.
Nothing is done small in the Big Apple.

photo: "Ronald Balloon,Night Before Parade"2008 ©JB

PHOTO of the DAY

PHOTO DAY
Photo: "Bike In The River"2004 ©JB

IT'S A NEW DAY

OUR PRESIDENT

PHOTO-Wedding Photography

WEDDING PHOTO 101
Here I offer some helpful hints when hiring a wedding photographer... hopefully that being me, of course.
Meet with her first...
Ask to see her portfolio in person, not just a few clips on a website.
Check out her personality...
Is she polite? Proud of her work? Presents herself AND her work well?
Is she someone you would like having at your celebration, taking pictures of you, all your family & friends?
Check out her style...
Is it very formal posing, with lots of lights, assistants... a production?
Does she do a photojournalistic approach, with simple camera flash, natural lighting, informal poses... my style of work, by the way.
What do you want...
Do you want a lot of fancy and formal looking photos?
Do you want a more casual and natural look?
Look at a lot of photographers...
Go to Bridal Fairs. Look at photographers' albums. Take brochures. Ask questions.
Find the right fit.
Hopefully the right price will be there, too.
But most important...
Can you stand being photographed by this person for your WHOLE wedding day celebration?
Will you get what you hoped for in the end?

photo: "Waiting To Wed" 2008 ©JB

PHOTO

HIRE ME

ad photo & layout : ©JB

Labor Day

HAPPY END OF SUMMER
Labor Day weekend is here.
Drive safe ya'll, wherever you may go.
Hang in there Louisiana for another huricane.
Be good & brave new students.
Stand tall parents & guardians.
Smile! Smile! Smile!
I'll have my camera if you may see me out and about.
P.S.= Check out the AWE Project in downtown Greenfield store windows. You won't be disappointed. I'll be putting up my & Gregory's (my son) work at Magical Child & Valley Tees on Monday morning. Come say "Hi" if you'd like. (Gregory will be in school, starting first grade this year.)

photo: "Tractor" 2008 ©JB

JennBurdick photography
I am a Western Massachusetts portrait & landscape photographer.
Trained as a fine artist, worked 10 years as a photojournalist, & 6 years in NYC advertising.
Owner of Jenn Burdick Photography, specializing in portraits, weddings, & celebrations.
All photographs are for sale.
Contact Jenn.

photo illustration: "Self Portrait" 2008 ©JB

PHOTO

PHOTO DAY
"Another amazing opportunity, right outside my back window!"
~Jenn
photo: "August Sunset" 2008 ©JB

PHOTO-Wedding Photography

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS
The Bride & Groom's Portrait
Here are some questions I like to ask the bride and groom when I first meet with them before their big day:
What is the theme of your wedding day?, What are you into?, What interests do you have?, What do you do for a living?, Do you have any hobbies you do together?
I ask these questions so I get to know them as people instead of just clients. It's a good way to break the ice when I first get together with them, instead of those uncomfortable silences that happen when they are looking at my portfolio.
It can also inspire them to include their interests into their wedding day festivities... like arriving on their motorcycle to the ceremony, including their pets, or having their flowers they grew together in a garden as an alter bouquet.
After the ceremony, when the wedding party and family have been photographed with the new couple, and the crowd is off to the reception, I give myself about 20 to 30 minutes with the couple to photograph just them. It gives them the chance to decompress, and just be together, albeit with me. Almost every couple I have photographed appreciates this time "alone", and I get some really wonderful shots. Sometimes they are reluctant to leave to go to the reception. One bride told me " I feel so great at this moment. It feels like time has stopped just for us." I knew I was doing the right thing!!

photo: "Jack & Windy" ©2008 Jenn Burdick

OBAMA

YES WE CAN !

Barack Obama in Berlin Germany this week speaking to a crowd of over 200,000 !!
This tightly cropped photograph just blew me away !!
This man amazes me, too !!

PHOTO

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

"Sometimes I find my best material in my own backyard." ~Jenn

photo: "Motorcycle Tire Swing" ©2008 Jenn Burdick

POETRY

Ode To The MiniVan

It is both a blessing & a curse,

My mode of transportation.

One not of choice,

For who would choose 

A look of a Soccer Mom?

But a choice of need.

Necessity of motherhood.

The Blessing of being able

To transport a brood,

My bevy of angels,

My sweet little devils.

photo & poem: "Ode To The MiniVan" ©2008 Jenn Burdick

PHOTO-Wedding Photography

This is an example as an un-posed formal I got from a May wedding recently. 

The bride was standing in front of me, waiting. 

I crouched, & snapped wide.

Did some photoShop. Great new trend. I do it a lot these days. It's fun!

Clients are really happy with it's artistic quality.

I am, too!

photo: "May Wedding" ©JennBurdick 2008

Here I Am

I'd like to introduce myself...
I'm Jenn, I'm a photographer, illustrator, proud mother of two, girlfriend to a wonderful guy, a daughter, a friend, and someone who just might have too much to say at times. And maybe, just maybe, someone would like to hear what I have to say.
I have my own wedding & portrait photography business. I am the photographer, designer, business manager, and go-getter. I'm a documentary-style shooter, so I don't fuss with big lights, big hair, or big productions. I shoot to capture my clients' story, not to make the story up. A lot of people appreciate that way of photographing. I do it pretty well, too.
I have illustrated some children's books. Nothing published as of yet. But a lot of fun to do.
 Ever since I was 3 years old I was drawing and painting. I had one goal in mind when I grew up = to be an artist. I put pressure on myself, for I didn't concentrate on anything else in school. I didn't get great grades, and focused only on what I wanted to do, and not on what might make a decent paying occupation someday.  I went to an art college & received a bachelor's degree in photography. 

I still go with the motto = "Do what you love to do! No one can tell you you're doing it wrong!" I still do!

photo: "My Mommie" ©Gregory Poitras 2006