Every once in a while life throws you a curve.  Being a photographer, dealing with all types of people and all types of personality is a given.  What folks don't also realize is that we also have to deal with all types of weather as well!  Last week, of all days, mother nature decided to throw the mother of all curve balls!  

This was my third event in my 30 year photography career that I had to deal with a huge snow storm.  Last year, after several years of a no snow winter, I gave up my 4 wheel gas sucking SUV and got a front wheel drive Honda.  Heck, I thought, it doesn't snow that bad anymore here in the Philadelphia area.  I personally think that God sent this snow storm to me just for a good laugh.  I saw the weather report on Wednesday and started to give it a closer watch day by day until Saturday morning.  With every report, the snow report would increase drastically.    So, on the Saturday before Christmas, I employed my trusty husband and his four wheel drive truck to drive me to the job!

I've never missed a job in my whole life and never plan too.  I knew going into Collen's house, that she would be nervous about the snow.  So, my attitude was upbeat because I felt that no matter what, this was her special day with her special man Craig.  She admitted that she had a moment in the morning about the weather and decided, like me to enjoy the day no matter what.  Surprisingly enough, only about 15 folks didn't make it with snow reaching about a foot deep.

Here are some wonderful memories of the day:

Snow continues to fall......

Her Christmas tree had  beautiful heart decorations on it.

 
What a smile on this girl!

More snow!

Craig holds onto Collen's hand during their first dance.

Mom gets emotional while dancing with her son.

A quiet moment between Colleen and Craig.

I guess it is time to trade in my year old front wheel drive car and go back to where I started!
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It was a great day in Philadelphia today to see Channel 6 News Anchor Jim Gardner awarded the Philadelphia Public Relations Association Gold Metal Award at the Ritz Hotel.  This award is given to someone who has left a lasting impact on our community and brought national recognition to Philadelphia.  A great celebration luncheon with Philly Mayor Nutter and the Action News family Lisa Thomas-Laurey, Vernon Odom, Cecily Tyson.  Thanks to my good friend Laura Reale of Reale Public Relations for snapping a photo of Jim and I yakking it up!  Congrats Jim!  A well deserved award to a great Philly anchor for 33 years!

How can this be?  48 hours ago it was 67 degrees!  And now, it is snowing?  This is weird!  This is the view from my studio window. 

 Watching people is the best sport! Pssss... don't tell my boss!

When my daughter called and said she got tickets to Martha Stewarts book signing in King of Prussia two things entered my mind.  1.  Ashley was fighting a severe case of laringitis and 2.  I was swamped with work.  Throwing caution to the wind, we took a few hours off and headed out to see her.  We were #28 and #29 in line.  The older woman in front of us had 4 books for Martha to sign.  I brought my Canon G-9 point and shoot. 
Seeing Martha arrive with her "peeps" was like watching a rock star enter the building.  We waited until the divine Ms. M was seated and the line began to move.  During this time, a man was making his way along the line with a video camera.  Almost to the point of annoying, he kept focusing on us!  Since I had a wedding the night before, this early morning appearance on any video was not making me feel too comfortable!  I asked him who he was shooting for (thinking it was the King of Prussia Mall) and he said a future episode of Dateline!  Yikes, I had better re-apply my lipgloss for this!

Okay, back to the line story.  So, Martha asks this older woman "why all the books"?  She said they were for her children for Christmas.  Then the woman says "I don't cook, I eat TV dinners.".  I thought Martha was going to have a heart attack.  Martha asked her to try one of the recipes in the book.  The woman then responded that they were too hard!  OH NO!  You have insulted Martha Stewart!  At that time, my daughter Ashley was next in line and Martha asked Ashley if she had ever eaten a TV dinner.  Martha replied that she had not even tasted one in over twenty years!  (I guess not even in prison.)  Ashley mentions in her scratchy voice that the desserts are usually good, which gets a warm reaction from her peeps.  Meanwhile, I shot a few pictures of Ashley getting her book signed with my G-9.  After I got my book signed, her assistant came over to us and asked us if he could take our photo.  Apparently Ms. Martha uses the G-10 Canon and loves it and wants to put us on her blog!
So, here we are at on her blog and also getting Ashley's book signed by Martha! 
You just never know what will happen in Lere land!

Ashley telling the divine Ms. M about the yummy desserts included in TV dinners!

Oh Martha!  If you only knew I buy box brownies!

I have a few few short rules in life.  Mostly though, they have to do with doing the right thing, following the rules, being honest and being kind to people.  It sort of my "Golden Rule".  I love photography and donate my time endlessly to organizations.  For me, it's not what you end up money wise, but how one has helped along the way.  I always laugh and think that when my time comes, and I am standing at the front of the pearly gates in heaven, I will have a list when asked what have I personally given back.  Honestly, though, I love to donate my services to organizations to raise needy dollars for things I believe in.  Usually in exchange, the client will get my services for  free and a portrait in return.  In 2009 so far, I have donated my services for close to 210 portrait sessions.  Yes, that number is correct.  I do fundraisers for schools that why the number is that high. 
When the fundraiser is completed and the clients have ordered their portraits, almost most of the time, a wonderful thankyou is followed by the clients.  They are so grateful and appreciative that it warms my heart. But of late, I have noticed a pretty good percentage of those who feel that they are "owed' more than the average folk.  These are the people who tend to want an extra appointment to view, to change things around in a package, to sit for an hour and a half deciding and then leave and want to come back at a later time, to want massive retouching and in general, step over the line.  At this time, I have to step back and and take a huge breath and remember the pearly gate thing. 
But what I really want to say is this these people who think they deserve more is this:  "We are at war.  Our sons and daughter's are dying for us so that we can live comfortably here.  Just before you came in, I had a mom who was crying because she could not afford her house anymore because of the massive strain her handicapped daughter has put  their finances.  So, I'm sorry you are upset that I photographed some of the photos in a vertical format instead of horizontal, or that we cropped the photo in the proof a little tight.  But in the overall picture, is it worth screaming at us for something so trivial?"
Thats right, I said "overall picture".  So, when life gets you down, you have to step outside and look at what God has given you and realize that yes, indeed there are some out there who want more than others and not to let it get to you. 
Right now though, on this Sunday morning, my plan is to take a giant breath, refill my coffee, and enjoy a few minutes of fall. 

Today I did one of my family portrait days.  For those who are unfamiliar with this, I offer my services and the services of my staff to a school for a day of shooting families.  There is a small fee that is given to the school in turn for an 8 x 10.  I donate my services and my staff as well.  The school gets a hefty amount of money and a portion of the reprints ordered are given back to the school. 
So, how does my studio benefit?  Well, it is great exposure for us and it gives those who normally could not afford the services of a professional photographer a chance to experience some fun great portraits.

Today however, I as I was my assistant Megan had just put the finishing touches on a great kids pose, I almost was knocked over by the dad taking the photos of his kids with is Blackberry.  So, not only am I donating my time, but paying for my assistant Megan, Elizabeth and Gary to work with me the entire day to raise funds for this very large school district.  This dad felt the need to sneak some photos of the kids behind (literally) my back! 

I have been a photographer for close to 30 years now and are always amazed as the things you see.
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Every few weeks I get asked the same question.  "What camera are you using?"  This same question has been coming my way for close to thirty years now.  Each time, I give the answer the person who asks the questions says something like... "Uh huh."  Here's the secret folks......... THERE IS NO SECRET!  Do they ask football players what kind of football they use?  Do they ask plastic surgeons what type of knife they use?  By buying the same football, does that make you a better athlete?  Yes, it is years and years of training, education and more education.  But there is something else.   A very good photographer (Darton Drake) that I draw inspiration from says this:  "Its not whats in your hand that makes the image, but whats in your heart and soul!"

You have to love what you do.  Heart and soul.

As I mentioned in a previous post, husband and I drove down to North Carolina to visit my son for a few days before the start of both of our crazy business season.  The weather was just beautiful!  My husband loves to fish and being down the shore is his perfect fishing scenario.  I just brought my Canon point and shoot and captured some of these.  Enjoy!

Jason

Do you think they look alike?

This is so cool.  You throw this net out and catch these little fish to be used as bait! 

Here is the three of us. I am looking hot in a string bikini!  (Okay, thats a lie, but I think I am on to a new form of portraiture!)

Jason's new tattoo.  Am I happy about this?  Don't ask.

Jason showing off his guns!

With every portrait session, we always ask for feedback from our clients.  Criticism is always hard, but in the long run, it makes you better in so many ways. 
Here is a recent note from a long time client.  I posted her Holy Communion image last month and received this testimonial.  Thanks Sandy!  Love you guys! 

                                                                                                                       June 19, 2009

I can’t say enough about Donna Lere.  Our family first discovered her about 5 years ago.  We were searching for a photographer to record a moment in time for our children.  We wanted the images to be timeless and unique.  My husband saw Donna’s work at an exhibit in Newtown and knew he had found the right person for this task.

Our first set of pictures has that timeless feel and we never get tired of looking at them.  Just recently we went back to Donna to capture the importance of our daughter’s first Holy Communion.  We didn’t want the typical posed looking shots commonly seen.  Donna once again exceeded our expectations.  The photos we have of our daughter really reflect the reverence and beauty of this special occasion. 

Donna is a true artist.  She not only captures the essence of the person she is shooting, but her eye for detail, lighting, setting, and mood is evident in every image she creates.  She has a way of putting you at ease and bringing out the best in her subjects.  I know we will continue to rely on Donna to record all of the important moments in our lives.

Sandy McGuigan

Newtown, PA

Beautiful Tara!

My favorite time of the week is Sunday morning.  I love to get up early when the neighborhood is still quiet, perk up the coffee and read the Sunday paper.  My house has two large rooms of which you could call "living rooms".  Sunday paper reading is reserved for the room that faces the backyard and the morning sun.   

As I sit with my hot coffee in one hand and my local paper in the other, I occasionally look out the back sliding glass door and watch the birds saying good morning to each other.  Okay, I am really wishing that I was looking out at the beach, but my garden works for now!  Reading the paper, I listen to the neighborhood come alive as the kids come out, the mowers start and the bird chirping gives away to the sound of weed wackers.  Aahhhhh......   Some people love to meditate.  I love the calmness of a few hours on a weekend. 

Whatever it takes for you to get your head together is priceless.  My dream is one day having my Sunday morning coffee on a patio facing the beach. I can visualize the ocean and hear the sound clearly in my head even though the beach is an hour away.  One day I will live my dream and life will be complete.  It's hard to think that Sunday mornings can get any better..... but it will!  What is your dream Sunday morning?