Maria - AC Ellis Associate Photographer

Have you noticed the name Maria popping up? Have you seen Maria with me at a recent wedding? Have you found her super secret blog? Well if you haven't that's ok we aren't all that observant, but if you have... good and now you'll know the scoop.

Maria Lavallee has officially joined the staff at AC Ellis Inc. she is coming on board as an associate photographer. What that means is that she will be booking her own weddings in 2008 under AC Ellis Inc. For all of you who inquired a bit too late and couldn't get me you now have another option.

With Maria you can be assured that you are getting all the perks you get with me. She has been training with me all summer and has been a second photographer at many weddings for both myself and for David Hoffman. I am sending her out to Rhode Island in October to second shoot with another photographer Kristin Cioffi. Maria has also photographed three weddings this summer as the main photographer. She has a wonderful eye and now has all the technical skill to match.

We have compiled a portfolio of Maria's work which is available on the AC Ellis Weddings site, under Maria.

You may also view her work and get a feel for her on her blog - and I'm sure you'll hear plenty about yours truely as Maria likes to shoot me doing weird things. We can all have fun making fun of me. The URL is easy to remember if you can remember mine: www.acellisblog2.com You may also notice it linked on the right of my blog.

And here is a slideshow of Maria's recent work.

So let's welcome Maria to the team!
CA

An image she took yesterday.

Let's answer some questions:
- How did I find Maria?
Maria was an AC Ellis bride in 2006 when I photographed her wedding to Kris. They had a beautiful wedding at the Cathedral in Sioux Falls and a reception at the Minnehaha Country Club. You can see Maria and Kris's wedding blog post here and their
slideshow here. So you know she knows how I work from the other side of the camera. She is prepared to offer her couples the same.

- Who do we call to book and schedule things?
Maria is an employee of AC Ellis Inc. All communication will go through the main office. Maria does have her own e-mail and will furnish her cell to her couples, but all other business matters are handled in the main office. So when you book Maria you get our booking system, our advanced shopping cart, our wide array of products, Erin our graphic designer, and everything else I have been working the last three years to develop.

- Does she have insurance and pro equipment like CA?
All of the equipment Maria will be using is owned, insured and maintained by AC Ellis Inc. You will not get as many neat things with Maria as you do with me, since I'm a bit of a lens whore. But assured you will get fast, good, lenses and cameras that are well maintained. And of course she will have back-up equipment.

- Will Maria cost as much as Cory Ann?
The easy answer is no. Not right away. Maria will be starting at a lower rate.

- Why is Maria less to book than Cory Ann?
Maria is less to book than CA because she will not have the experience that Cory Ann does. Cory Ann has photographed over 60 weddings and has extensive practice and training over the last four years. Maria is new (but with lots and lots of practice). And while she is guaranteed through the business just like CA, you will get different images as there are different people behind the cameras. Also Maria's equipment while professional and all, will be limited compared to Cory Ann's.

- Will Maria shoot in the same style?
Yes she will. I have been training her all summer, plus she's been influenced by my work since she booked me in 2005 for her own wedding. She's a loyal blog reader. You will still get good quick formals, fun well posed portraits, beautiful moments documented, great lighting and the same type of post processing. The slight difference is that Maria has a bit different eye than CA. We think different so her style, while close will eventually develop to be more her own. And this is good - if she starts too get too crazy or something don't worry I'll whip her back into shape. he he. Her style will always mesh with that of AC Ellis Inc. or she will branch out on her own.