Return-Path: Received: from HOSTESS.GRAPHICS.CS.CMU.EDU by K.GP.CS.CMU.EDU id aa28416; 10 Sep 96 16:55:04 EDT Date: Tue, 10 Sep 96 16:54:30 EDT From: Paul.Heckbert@HOSTESS.GRAPHICS.CS.CMU.EDU To: bovik@cs.cmu.edu Subject: portrait photographer recommendations The following are collected recommendations of portrait photographers, particularly for small kids. (see also older notes in Bovik's database under entertain/photographic). First is my query, then a number of responses, some edited slightly with my comments in brackets []. -Paul Heckbert ======================================== From: ph+@cs.cmu.edu (Paul Heckbert) Newsgroups: cmu.misc.parents-network,cmu.cs.general Subject: portrait photographers Followup-To: cmu.misc.parents-network Date: Wed, 4 Sep 96 16:36:19 EDT I am looking for a portrait photographer to do nice photographs of my kids (1 & 3 years old). We tried the Sears $19.99 route a few years ago and got OK photos, but nothing great (my wife and I could duplicate that quality ourselves!). I'm willing to spend $100 or $200 to get top or near-top quality. In the Computer Science Department's Bovik database, I found recommendations dated from 1989 and 1990 for: Cooper Studios, Squirrel Hill Eddie Sumrok Photographic Studio (2 recommendations) Jonas studio (2 recommendations) Tereza Maria Pupeza but none of these recommendations were very specific. If you've used a portrait photographer in the area, could you please tell me: What kind of photographs they did for you? (B&W / color / props ...) Were they good with kids? (if appropriate) What did you like/dislike about them? How much did they charge? Dis-recommendations can be as helpful as recommendations. Please respond by email to ph@cs.cmu.edu and I will post summaries. thanks -Paul ======================================== From: Brian_Noble@cs.cmu.edu Date: Wed, 04 Sep 96 16:57:41 -0400 This recommendation was in bovik's misc database, under the weddings class. It's from '92, and from someone who's opinion I generally trust. Date: Tue, 29 Sep 92 11:52:53 EDT From: David.Kosbie@KOZ.GARNET.CS.CMU.EDU To: bovik@K.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: Photographer (wedding,children) - Do you have a WEDDING upcoming? - Do you have KIDS that are just adorable (aren't they all)? - In short, do you need a PHOTOGRAPHER? A *great* photographer? Well, do we have the guy for you!!!! His name is John Kitchen, 421-3553, and he did our wedding, and he did a *great* job, and he charged us a VERY reasonable rate, and -- get this -- he GAVE US THE NEGATIVES!!!!!! Honest. He specializes in young children. He's *AMAZING* with young children (when you go to his house/studio, there are photos everywhere...). But he also does weddings. He was very professional. Never did anything rude or even intrusive (unlike MOST wedding photographers). He was also very efficient -- the formals took maybe 15 minutes (and turned out great)! He also got great shots of every memorable moment throughout the day. From our pre-wedding research, we found alot of sheisters and shoddy photographers out there -- you won't have to worry about this from John. If you need a photographer, I very highly recommend John Kitchen, 421-3553. [His business is called I Simon Photography -ph] PS: Not that it's important, but I have no incentive in posting this except to help keep a good photographer in business. Give him a call! ======================================== From: Deirdre Wheeler Hutchinson Date: Wed, 4 Sep 1996 17:27:01 -0400 (EDT) Frank Heny did our wedding this summer, and we were really pleased with everything. He is also a long-standing friend. He used to be a Linguist (my field) and then quit academics and started his photography business. As part of our wedding photos, he did individual portraits of several members of my family and everyone has been very pleased with them. I imagine he would work well with children, and I have heard him tell stories of heading out to the park to photograph families... I have no clue what he might charge, it won't be at the low end of the scale, but... Frank Heny Photographer 5850 Ellsworth Ave (near intersection at College) Shadyside 363-8918 ======================================== From: Marcie A Wallace Date: Wed, 4 Sep 1996 18:14:53 -0400 (EDT) Somewhere, probably under wedding photography, the photographer whose studio is named "I Simon" was recommended [see bovik msg about John Kitchen above]. We interviewed him and saw his portrait and wedding samples. He does wonderful portraits and specializes in families and children. When we have children, I would definitely hire him to do a family portrait. We ended up not going with him for the wedding because his wife was pregnant and due the weekend of our wedding. He assured us that if his wife was in labor and he couldn't make it to our wedding someone would be there to cover for him, etc., but we were a little nervous, so we kept shopping. The studio seemed to be him and one other photographer (who might have been part-time). Two or three times during our one hour meeting someone called to ask when their pictures would be ready, so he might not be the fastest at getting the photos back to you, but his work is great. For the wedding, we went with Cooper Studios. You deal entirely with the 3 generations of women who own the studio for all aspects of the job except the actual taking of the photos. For the wedding, the photographer was supposed to call the week of the wedding and introduce himself, but the first we heard from him was when he showed up at the wedding. They apparently have a number of photographers who work for them. I don't know much about their portrait work. --Marcie Wallace Ritter ======================================== From: Cam Miller Date: Wed, 04 Sep 1996 23:39:16 -0400 I just had a converation yesterday with a woman who is attending school (the Art Institute I believe) - is studying photography - and her specialty is hand-colored B&W portraits of kids. This is something very different from the usual color print film. I don't have kids, but if I did, I'd be checking this out. I have no vested interest in giving her business -- I just think this is a lost art form and was glad to hear that someone was interested in it. She also loves kids. She is the wife of a relatively new faculty member in ECE -- her name is Cheryl Fedder. Her number is in the F&S directory under Gary Fedder [268-8443]. If you don't find what you're looking for at an established studio, or just want to check out something different, it might be worth your while to look at some of her work. ======================================== From: "Helen J. Borek" Date: Thu, 5 Sep 1996 10:01:17 -0400 (EDT) Now this dates back to my marriage...1981...but Cooper Studios did a lousy job on the pictures...maybe portraits are a different story. But all photos were out of focus and lacked detail. I have been using Heydorn Photography since 1981...Pati Heydorn reshot my wedding portraits...yep...another tux rental. She has done family portraits, my daughter's misc pics throughout the years, etc....and family pet photos. I highly recommend her. 523-4577, Jeannette, PA. ======================================== From: Ellen Borison Date: Thu, 05 Sep 1996 10:19:48 -0400 Try to find a copy of Pittsburgh's Child -- a free tabloid. I've seen it at our daycare, at our community center, at used children's clothing stores. The covers are always photos of children by a woman named Alicia. I spoke with her for a long time once, when I was considering having a professional photo done of my daughter (haven't decided whether to do it or not). If you like her style, you might want to give her a call -- Yellow Pages under Alicia Photography. Her rates are in the range you spoke of. There is a moderate sitting fee then you pay big bucks per photograph. I don't especially like the convention -- I'd rather pay a bigger sitting fee and then get the photos at a small markup over cost. Other photographers also advertise in Pittsburgh's Child. ======================================== From: Terri_Stankus@cs.cmu.edu Date: Thu, 05 Sep 1996 11:54:59 -0400 A friend of mine, Leon Richey is a free lance photographer and has done done some work for Erik Krotkov and Lynne Reder (both here at CMU). As I recall they were both very pleased. Leon will come to your home and basically shoot what you want. He's also done some stuff for/of me. If you'd like to see it, I can bring a couple in. p.s. His home number is 521-4335. ======================================== From: Lynne M Reder Date: Wed, 4 Sep 1996 23:00:07 -0400 (EDT) Leon Richey was recommended to me by Terri Stankus. We were happy with his coming to our house. We had a lot of people over (a family reunion of sorts) and he took tons of different group shots plus informal/spontaneous. He even got stuff framed for me cheaply when I requested that service. I thought he was very good and easy to work with. He may have a studio but I needed someone who could come to me. He is now in real estate but I'm sure he'd free lance. ======================================== From: Adam Beguelin adamb+@dao.nectar.cs.cmu.edu Date: Thu, 5 Sep 96 15:42:37 EDT Our wedding photographer was great. Tell him Adam sent you. He might be a bit pricey but it was worth it. From my wedding database: Ron Richards 381-9600 ======================================== From: "W. L. Scherlis" Date: Fri, 06 Sep 1996 17:09:13 -0400 If you want the best, I can recommend Karen Meyers (731-8608), who does top-quality B&W photos. She does mostly commercial work, and is near the top of the scale for quality and distinctiveness. Good with kids. Not inexpensive. Her studio is in the Strip. ======================================== From: Roger.Dannenberg@cs.cmu.edu Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 13:09:59 -0500 (CDT) We had a picture of our son taken by Jonas. I think it was a little beyond the $100 to $200 range, but it's a wonderful photo. We had it done in color. What I liked: it's a nice family business, tasteful props (Richard sat on a beautiful chair, no Sears-type printed backdrops of the farm or anything). We also had a recommendation for someone at the Silver Eye gallery. ======================================== From: Mary.Jo.Dowling@IUS5.IUS.CS.CMU.EDU Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 12:41-EDT Alicia Photography at 366-3632 seems to do nice work. They are the ones who do the covers for Pittsburgh's Child Newspaper every month. I have not used them yet, but based on the work they do for the magazine, they seem very nice. ======================================== recommendation from Marsha Poster, CMU Child Care Center The Child Care Center is happy with the photographer Mario from Freeze Frame, and we've used him for several years for individual and group photos. 404 First St, Heidelberg, 15106, 279-0777