Kameron Bayne Images :: Signature Photography :: Studio News

Tonight was Millard North’s Prom, and we got to send off Kameron’s brother, Jordan, and a few of his friends.  There was a mob of parents armed with camera’s and camcorders.  It was like paparazzi at a red carpet event with a steady stream of flashes…  We were glad we got a few of our own shots before we got there!

We grabbed some quick shots in a Wal-Mart parking lot, complete with a shopping cart and an umbrella (cause it was cold and rainy again).  We also had fun experimenting with a promo idea for our new favorite coffee shop, Fox Hollow Coffee on 115th and Blondo.  We’ll be creating and displaying new artwork featuring their coffee cups in fun and different ways.  If you get a chance to stop by, we highly recommend their coffee (and smoothies!).

This Friday (April 25), we are donating a complementary session and tabletop print ($250 value) to benefit the March of Dimes held at Excelsior Home & Design in Lincoln, Nebraska.  The March of Dimes is an organization “dedicated to improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.”

Earlier this month, we had the honor of being involved with another charity: the Fourth Annual Barristers’ Ball.  The Associate Executive Director of the NSBA, Sam Clinch, said the event was a great success.

“We had over 370 lawyers attend the barristers’ ball and over $80,000 was raised for the NSBA Volunteer Lawyers Project. The proceeds will help support VLP’s community outreach legal clinics.  These clinics are operational at several locations.  In Omaha the clinics are held at the Latino Center of the Midlands, the Southern Sudan Community Association and the Urban League Family Resource Center.  In Lincoln the Clinic is at the Lancaster County Self-Help Desk.”

At the moment, Holly lives overseas so her visit to Omaha was short lived and very busy. Unfortunately the weather didn’t want to cooperate with the small window we had. It was rainy and gloomy and predicted to get worse (snow!). But we were able to work with what we were given – thanks to  David Turner and a story he told me about his first magazine shoot – we grabbed an umbrella and got some unique, beautiful and interesting images!

I love that my wife cooks for me – it’s a beautiful thing.

For Dan and Janine, Iowa City is the backdrop to their dating memories so we traveled to get some images in their favorite spots. We had an amazing time – the weather was beautiful – a bit cold, but hard to notice in the midst of so much activity. And the company was great. Without a doubt, you two have been our most creative and adventurous couple yet! Thanks for contributing so many ideas – I love the results! And I guess so do a few regional PPA judges – one print from the session won an honorable mention award at the Heart of America (affiliated with Professional Photographers of America) print competition. More on that in a later post.

For our signature session senior portraits, we can find all sorts of unique and different looks all without leaving your very own home. Claire is an artistically minded young woman with a lot of spunk and a sweet heart. We had a great time with her – meeting people like Claire is one of the many reasons why we love our job!

It’s funny how those “ah-ha” moments happen when you least expect them – like watching the latest Rocky movie…  The character of Rocky is fascinating to me – he’s a man who once had fame and fortune and was on top of the world.  But as he’s aged, life has taken its toll.  He still has people saying hi to him on the streets and asking for his autograph but the money’s all gone. He grieves the death of his lovely wife, Adrian. On the surface, he seems painfully unaware of his own irrelevance – the world has moved on but he appears to stuck in the past “living backwards.”

But what appears on the surface turns out not to matter in the least; Rocky has something figured out about life few of us get to taste. He is truly free from the opinion of others – not in the way that devalues others – but in the way that can keep us from ever knowing ourselves, forming our own opinions and convictions, and taking a stand in the world.  Over the years, Rocky has become a remarkable man; he’s simple and far from perfect, unpretentious, humble, gracious, yet strong and confident while also being vulnerable and real and wise.  This kind of strength is only possible for a man who gives up trying to be what he thinks everybody else wants him to be, a man who stops pretending to be something he is not, a man who is so comfortable in his own skin his very presence invites us to take another step in becoming comfortable in ours.

In this scene, he speaks to his son in the only way a father who loves can. Rocky calls his son out of his own insecurities without blaming or criticizing him, and calls him to something bigger by restoring his identity. Here is a father leading his son to life.

A few years ago, Denise opened her own counseling care center and provided me with some valuable life coaching – I can’t say enough good things about the power of someone helping you to discover a positive vision and direction for your life!  And now the time has come to update Denise’s website with some fresh new images.  Here’s a little more info about her and her work…

Denise Nebeker is a licensed mental health professional, nationally certified counselor, and a Life Coach specializing in relationships and goal development. In addition to her Counseling and Life Coaching practice, Denise serves as adjunct faculty at Grace University’s Graduate School of Counseling in Omaha, Nebraska. She is an international consultant for the missions agencies of Campus Crusade for Christ, Word Made Flesh, and Mosaic Community Development. Certified in Critical Incident Stress Management, Denise works locally as a therapist for the National Crisis Care Network. She holds memberships in the American Counseling Association and the American Association of Christian Counselors.

Denise is a truly remarkable individual – she gives so much to so many people through out the world, and she gives from a place of honesty, humility and wisdom. I’m thankful to have known her for several years, and even more thankful to call her friend.