Intimates of CA v.2

So I've been playing with this little device called a wireless trigger for my camera. And of course with this lovely new tool I'm working on some self portraits. Now my friend Amanda is bugging me for some more intimates to show up on the blog and while I have shot a bunch lately they are not ready or approved for showing just yet. So your stuck with me instead.

These are pretty much unretouched. Taken during a break in the Saturday sessions in the kick arse hotel room.

Girlfriends

Some more girlfriends who came in for some images together.
CA

H Family

I'm starting to catch up on blogging all the families that have been in the studio. Here is the H family I photographed the littlest H when he was just born, it was good to see them again.
CA

H family

Rachel and I became good friends after working together for a short time at my other job. I met up with her and the two "kids" for some family portraits. After a little getting used to the camera they were as cool as cucumbers and even followed me outside to be blown away in the wind!
Maria

Brooke + Jason

I think I should start a contest to see who travels the farthest for their engagement shoot with me! Of course Brooke and Jason would win thus far, as they came en route from Florida! Their wedding is in Sioux Falls this summer, and what fun it will be! The entire time we spent together I watched them laugh and giggle with each other... quite contagious really! I can't wait to see the two of you again soon!
Maria

D Family

Once again one of my fab wedding couples got prego on the honeymoon. Audra and Jake said I should put a clause about that in my Agreement. They weren't the first this happened to.

Meet the new addition. Such a cutie.
CA

J's First Communion

I had the pleasure of photographing J's first communion at Holy Spirit Catholic Church with the fabulous Father Morgan.

While I've photographed a lot of catholic weddings with full communion it was very different to photograph an actual Sunday mass. Fortunately I had a wonderful family to focus on and Father Morgan was more than accommodating. J did a wonderful job remembering everything to do and he looked mighty handsome in his suit.

Father Morgan during mass.

First Communion

Receiving his certificate

Some portraits of handsome J

And his adorable little sis.

Ok off to bed, this is a very tired CA coming at you from MN where I just got done from a full day of intimates. More to come on that

M & J

These girlfriends came in for some fun images together. They were a lot of fun!
CA

Here is their upper east side WASP photo.

H Girls

The H girls came in a few weeks ago, but since these were a surprise for dad and Brookings is a small town I waited to blog them. We had a great time and they are all lovely!
CA

The Traveling Shovel

The Traveling Shovel made it to South Dakota and had to get in on some intimate sessions. E and C were wonderful subjects, so patient as I worked the shovel into the intimate sessions. I wanted the lines of the shovel to add to the lines and shadows of the human body. And also hide the "important" parts.

Here are a few of my favs. Which one should I blow up BIG for the house?
CA

The Traveling Shovel Site

An afternoon out

The boys and I headed out into the sun a couple of evenings ago. I was playing with my new lens and enjoyed the frogs that just came out and were warming up in the sun. The boys all three of them enjoyed the warm weather and just being outside.
CA

love this one.

1000

Intimate with C

I've always been an advocate of empowering women. Never thought I would do it through photography and definitely not through these sessions, but lately I have been getting some amazing notes and thank you and some just brings tears and smiles to my face at the same time...

A note from C I got after sending her her book layout to proof:

Cory Ann,
The book looks so awesome... you did an amazing job! I was hesitant for months before I booked the session, but am so happy I did. There are a lot of things that I am not, but looking at these photos makes me think... maybe one day. Truly beautiful photos (written with little tears in my eyes :) Please feel free to use any of these photos... I hope they encourage others to break out of their shell :)
C


C thank you for the note, I'm very glad you loved your session and images. C is one beautiful lady and here are some of her intimate images.
CA

Blue Sky

It's finally been a bit blue instead of white around here.
CA

Crayons

Another random image for you.
CA

From Garritson HS

One of my past brides, who I get to see about once a year at least as all the friends continue to get married, is an art teacher at Garritson HS. I came in and spoke to the class about Copyright laws, we discussed music, graphics, art and type. The graphic design class was about to start a new project and it was good to cover this material prior to it. It's been a while since I taught HS. I'm definitely rusty. They were fun though.

Happy to help Lynsay, hope they are enjoying the computers and you see some ac ellis tees pop up every now and then.
CA

Cory Ann-
Just wanted to send you a BIG THANK YOU from me and my Graphic Design Students. They had fun and I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to talk about copyright with them.
Thank you-
Lynsay

light post

A couple of random images from the other day.
CA

From Jeannie

Jeannie a fab photog friend in IN sent me this wonderful note and gift of art prints. Thank you Jeannie I love them and can't wait to frame them in my home. Jeannie you can come and visit me any time, the spare room has your name on it!
CA

The note reads:
CA-
Hey woman!
I wanted to (finally) repay your kindness of sending me that t-shirt - I love it, esp. to sleep in, it's so soft. : ) And also for your unselfish way of sharing ideas and business strategies on the forum.
I was just on your blog today and I am totally inspired by your portraits. Simple, great lighting, "real" poses and expressions.
I do hope we can meet one day. I'd love to make it up to SD to shoot and hang with you.
Thanks again.
Love, Jeannie

How could I not smile upon opening the envelope and seeing this sticker?

Some art prints and a really nice note...

this red print on the left is my favorite.

From SDSU Preschool

I donated an old iMac to Ayden's school. Their PC kept having issues and quit working I thought they needed a little apple in their lives. Here are the nice notes they sent me.
CA

From Masondra, Jordan and Koen

A nice note from some of my early favorite clients. We had the pleasure of having them stay with us in our home while they showed their handmade leather books at a local show. Love you guys - for all you locals look for them at the Brookings Arts Festival this summer when they come back. We are excited to have them.
CA

Miss M take 2

A couple more images of M, this time in our baroque concept.
CA

Flippin' Cool

I love this.

CASA + Party Shots

Yes I finally have figured out a downloadable web gallery. Woohoo, party shots are up!

Party Shots is a new offering from AC Ellis Inc. We've thought about it, tested it about a year and a half ago and thought and researched and finally tested it one more time at CASA Fire and Ice 2008.

What we do is come in and set up an area where your guests can get images. This is a great entertainment option for your wedding, prom, reunion, dance, corporate parties and heck any reason to have fun and get images. One perk is you can choose to have your gallery downloadable where you guests can check into their gallery, like below, and simply download the files for their own personal printing. Easy, fun and at no additional cost to them or you.

Anyway here are a few images and here is the link to see them all.

CASA 2008 Web gallery: expires 04.18.08

And our friends Amanda and Jed (yes they started out as clients and you've seen them on the blog before) who drove all of the way from Iowa City to hang with us.

South Dakota AC Ellis Party Shots, Photo Booth

Old Sanctuary + CASA

Post one of the recap from the CASA Fire and Ice Event...

The Old Sanctuary has been steppin' up. Since I first shot in there they have put hardwood on the dance floor, painted to cover up the pink, replaced the carpet, hung drapes, upgraded the bar area, upgraded the sound system, remodeled the upper balcony, hung extra rods for decorations and redone the bathrooms. At least these are the things that I can see and notice on a regular basis.

Basically it looks good! And here it is in it's grandeur right before the Fire and Ice Event. The centerpiece decorations are by Bloomingvilla, The light posts, and palm trees, etc are from Party Depot. And how it's all put together - lots of help and especially work by Julie Wermers, Darilyn Odegaard and Nikki Berreth. These ladies know how to put on an event.
CA

Todays Texture

A texture I shot today - well yesterday

K Kids

A couple from an older kids session. Something different for mom.
CA

L kids

I'm going to overload you with a bunch from this cutie because it may be a while before I get to all the other sessions I need to blog.
CA

Back

A little something from today to hold you over until I post more from this project.
CA

ok one more....

ok one more....

South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Iowa Boudoir / Intimate Photographer

Project Childhood

Project Childhood is a new organization to help unify photographers and help celebrate childhood.

It has just recently been launched in conjunction with April being National Child Abuse Prevention Month and is starting off by holding a contest. The contest is to help motivate photographers across the country to go out and donate their talents to photograph a family or child that otherwise cannot afford a portrait session and to also donate prints to them. The images created will be posted on the site along with the charity of their choice.

Many photographers across the country are already doing this and I think this is a great opportunity to encourage more. I recently wrote Chris (the founder) an e-mail to let some of the other ways that photographers could contribute and he surprised my by making me the first featured photographer.

I haven't entered the contest myself, may be doing that soon, but in the meantime I have donated 6 sets of templates for the winners of the contest. I'm excited to see the featured photographer listing because it also highlights an organization I've been helping for about a year now, East Central CASA. CASA and I are close neighbors and it is a pleasure to work with the staff. This year I contributed with donations for their largest fundraiser the Fire and Ice Gala. It is a wonderful event that highlights the children and raises money through ticket sales and a live and silent auction to fund the organizations efforts to support and promote court-appointed volunteer advocacy for abused and neglected children so they can thrive.

This years gala was Saturday night and it was a success. In case any photogs out there are wondering how to help other than offering their photography talents you can do many things. Purchase tickets and bring people who will contribute, donate items for live and silent auctions, donate art prints for auctions, create experience or educational packages that can be donated. Things we also did this year included donating our new Party Shots (photo booth) as a form of entertainment, I laid out the program for the event, donated supplies to decorate the event, time to help decorate the event, images from past sessions were used in a slideshow during the event to highlight happy healthy children and families and last for each ticket that was sold for the event we donated a studio portrait session and a 7x5 print. This was over 200 gift certificates totally more than $14K worth of services and was a great opportunity to make the low ticket price of $55 dollars seem like a good investment as each certificate is worth $70. There will be another post coming up with images from the event...

So anyway check out project childhood, CASA and other local charities and see what you can do to help abused and neglected children. Sorry for the long read, hopefully it was worth it.
CA

Becky + Justin: 01.05.08

Becky and Justin were one of Cory Ann's weddings for January. As I said before, I love that people take a chance and do something different in our winter months! Now, if there was only a wedding the weekend we had the big snowstorm in March....
Before Becky and Justin's wedding, I was instructed to visit the men as they prepared for the day at a house in Brookings. Now, I had the address, and I had directions, but no one told me there were two houses with the same street number AND the same house number!! Needless to say I picked the incorrect house, knocking on the door of a very nice older gentleman, who was obviously NOT the groom! After explaining my situation, he was very helpful and pointed me and my camera just up the street to the correct location. I'm glad that I wasn't the only one that got a kick out of my mistake!

Thank you to the namers of the streets of the city of Brookings, for keeping my life full of surprises!
Maria

Libby and Derrick

Libby and Derrick traveled down here to do their engagement session with me a few weekends ago. We had a great time, as we got to shoot in one of my favorite locations, the Washington Pavilion. Maybe I'm just biased because I spent a lot of time performing on the Great Hall while at college, but this venue kicks butt! There are so many creative opportunities and wide open spaces! Libby and Derrick were great about letting me lead them throughout the building and into nooks and crannies!
After I got my workout pushing furniture around at the Pavilion, we drove to the location where Derrick proposed. We froze our butts off, but it was well worth it! Plus, it's always fun to watch your photographer walk through the snow in just her socks! (And here I thought that was the norm...)

Thanks to the two of you for a great afternoon!
Maria

Intimate Tour

Finally AC Ellis Intimates are hittin' the road and traveling to a city near you. Four 2008 dates are announced and we are taking bookings now. Sessions are limited so don't wait.

So what's so darn special... well you are of course. But your are going to have the opportunity to get intimate portraits done by one of the industry leaders in intimate photography. Yep I'm talking myself up. Pretty good at making up hype aren't I. Anyway you get me photographing you, with out the travel in some of the best hotels I can find. It will be an experience to remember!

I'm super pumped for our first tour stop in Minneapolis at the lovely Chambers Hotel. I have reserved a suite and plan on treating you to a wonderful experience. I think we'll start the weekend off right with an AC Ellis GTG. So all you past clients living in the city. I say we have some fun. I'll post more about that later. Anyway. Sessions have already been booking, but there are openings, and if need be I can add days.

I'll add this listing to the right of the blog for future reference and I'll be sure to post more info as more dates and such become available.

MN ladies here I come.
CA

The Chambers

South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Iowa Boudoir / Intimate Photographer

Ayden

Ayden came into the studio after a session yesterday. I love the real laugh here versus his cheeseball grin.

And then he took the camera and got me working. I must teach this boy about horizon lines, it makes me dizzy to look at too many like this, but hey he enjoys it.

Laura Grad Card

Another fun card designed by Erin.

Reese Card

A lovely card designed by Erin.
CA

Carrie and Jason

I traveled up to Brookings in one of the cruddy little snow storms we recently had to shoot Carrie and Jason's engagement session. We had a great time and lots of laughs! Thanks for keeping the dreary day bright!!
Maria

Carrie makes me wish I had blue eyes.....

And yes, so does Jason!!

Intimates of M

M said I could show off her intimates. Another lovely lady. More to come on here, this is just her cotton shoot. One lucky groom is going to be surprised.
CA

South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Iowa Boudoir / Intimate Photographer

Kelly + Heath Thank you Card

A clean and simple card by yours truely.

J Family

Genes are strong in the J family, not only do the kids strongly resemble dad, but darn it if you can't tell they look like their cousins too. This is Erin's brother and sister-in-law and you can sure tell their kids are related.
CA