One of Our Own - Lexa Brooks

We want to take a moment to ask everyone for prayers of well being and a quick remission for one of our own, Lexa Brooks. Lexa was Diagnosed with Wegener's Disease recently and is in St. Louis Barnes Hospital.

Lexa graduated in 2007 from Sturgeon High school and came to our studio in 2006 for Senior Portraits. We want Lexa to know that we at Mirror Images Photography is praying for a swift remission of her disease.

If you would like to know more about Wegener's Disease, I've found a couple of really informative websites that will give you the short details of what it's about - http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/0200/0214.asp?index=4757 and http://www.medicinenet.com/wegeners_granulomatosis/article.htmWe'd like for everyone to take a moment to send Lexa a note of encouragement, either on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=502982013 or to Barnes Hosital in St. Louis, where you can send her an ecard through their website at http://www.barnesjewish.org/groups/card.asp

Lexa, we are sending all our best prayers to you!

Randy, Sheila and Roman Pauley

The Mirror Images Photography Team

There will be a Benefit Rummage & Bake Sale for Lexa in Sturgeon on Saturday, May 3, 2008 at the Sturgeon Christian Church. We encourage everyone to attend.

Our Sympathies

Randy, Roman and I would like to share our sympathies with the Joel Church family from Hallsville.

I graduated from Hallsville and Joel was just ahead of me in school. I knew Nancy through her husband Joel and through various functions that we have attended over the years in Hallsville and from Youth League Pictures.

Tanner, Austin and Joel, you are in our continuing thoughts.

The Mirror Images Photography Team - Randy, Sheila and Roman Pauley

Easter and Into Spring

Mackenzie is a regular client of our studio and is a sweet and smart little talkative girl. She keeps us in conversation at every session we have with her and let me tell you, she knows her stuff.

This is our session with her during our Easter Promotion and once again she Wow's us with her special personality!

Kids Today

Three super amazing children were the key to this success. These little people were cooperative and fun!!

This was a mom who was exhausted with trying to get their portraits done at a mart store and came to us. We try hard to provide an atmosphere which is relaxed for the children we see at Mirror Images and one in which they can trust us. Randy and I work at being compassionate to their needs as they do tire easily.

We have absolute extraordinary clients walk through our doors and these guys were some of the best!! There's nothing more successful to us than being able to please a person like this mom.

Easter Portrait Special

Something Different

I was asked to comment on some wedding images by a friend, Amber Schmidt, from a Professional Organization I am a member of and when I spotted this, I was so impressed. I had read her blog before I viewed the images, but I guess it didn't sink in when I read about the cabbage leaves.

I think this is just the absolute coolest bridal bouquet I have ever seen. It is from a wedding Amber did of Lisa and Nick in Lexington, Kentucky.

I asked Amber if this was something that was popular in her area and she said that Lisa was the first to ever use cabbage leaves in her bridesmaid's bouquets. They were created by a florist called Ivory Rose in that same area.

With Amber's permission I am posting her image of the bouquet for you all to see. Aren't they just amazing. One could never think something so edible could also be so beautiful and amazing to look at. Feel free to visit Amber's Studio, Schmidt Studio & Gallery, and view the rest of Nick and Lisa's wedding.

Keeping Up!

I haven't kept up very well with the blog and I could proclaim many excuses. We were and still are busy at the studio, baseball games in the summer, an incredible Senior season (which hasn't ended), Professional Organizations to attend, Thanksgiving, Christmas and that's just to name a few. Sometimes I feel like we are on the run every night. Along with that comes a lot of stress and with the digital age having made it's statement, there is a lot to keep up with. I've been keeping up with my Facebook account, tons and tons of exciting albums on there. The blog and myspace has been a shortcoming on me.

But the most important thing that's happened in our life and has taken a lot of time lately is our new grandbaby. Hunter was born on November 7 and is now two months old. We've had him a lot and are becoming professional babysitters as well as photographers. We now officially have five grandkids. We sure are lovin' being Nana and PaPa!!

To the left, there he is fresh in newborn status. I was so excited about Hunter because I got to be in the room when he was born. Pretty darn cool!!

This weekend we will have one of our other grand babies, Mackenzie and can't wait to spend time with her having such fun. Nothing is more special than seeing the wonders that appear on the face of the little ones when they discover something new and fun.

Missouri Heart Gallery

Just a month ago, we were asked by a good photographer friend, Jessica Lamb-Rosa, to participate in the Missouri Adoption Exchange. She herself once had unfortunate family circumstances which bounced her from foster family to foster family. She turned out to be a very extrodinary person and I admire her for wonderful personality and admirable work.

We accepted this challenge and today Randy was very excited to have an exciting session with such a wondeful little girl. He kept telling us what a great personality she had and how many questions she asked and that he really enjoyed this session.

The Missouri Heart Gallery Project is part of The Adoption Exchange and was set up to give children in foster care a spotlight to find adoptive parents.

The Gallery is a traveling exhibit which is showcased in cities across Missouri. Last year the exhibit began in St. Louis and ended in Joplin. In 2006, there were over 2000 children in Missouri awaiting adoption and 70% of them were between the ages of 6 and 18.

We are proud to be a part of the Missouri Heart Gallery Project in hopes that our efforts can benefit in creating a family for at least one child.

Latest Happenings

This has been an interesting and busy few weeks. We were off to classes, seminars and print competitions the second full week and part of the third week of February. We did get snowed out of coming home at the first seminar. While we were away, Centralia received a 1/2" of sleet and four inches of snow.

When we came home, we were glad we stayed the extra time since we saw numerous cars off on the highways and an 18 wheeler who had apparently crossed lanes and hit pretty much head on into a hill. I'll tell you that safety precaution was worth it.

During print competition Randy, once again, did really well winning 1st place in the Commercial category with "Bath and Body", 2nd Place in the Digital Imaging Category with "Brail Reading", Highest Print Case and four merit award prints. Randy also received his Fellowship Degree, which he completed last Spring.

To the left, see Randy receive his Fellowship Degree (the danglie around his neck is the award for that degree).

Wow, the applications for Senior Models for 2008 are coming in nicely and spots are filling up. If you are an upcoming 2008 Senior and would like to be a Senior Model Rep, you will want to take a few minutes and fill out the application soon - click here to fill out an application.

We are pretty excited for the upcoming year. We've purchased several new backgrounds which have rounded out our selections. Soon we will also have new products available and some old products coming off the price list.

Looking for a Few Good Young Men & Women

It is that time of year when we accept our Senior Reps for the next year. A requirement to the position is to be a hard working individual. There are plenty of opportunities to earn your Senior Portrait packages. Many have earned in upwards of $1,000 or more on their portraits.

If interested, click here to fill out a form, which will send to us by email upon submit.

Slots for each school are taken on a first come, first serve basis. Once forms are received, each person will be contacted and a meeting will be set up in which parents are expected to attend. Then we set up sessions!

Website is updated!

I've been working on our website it seems like for weeks. I'm not good at html and to tell you the real truth, I have so much to work on at the office, I really don't want to learn. But, I've been forcing myself to, with my son's help. He sure has taught me a lot! His good grades in his web classes has paid off in school.

It's not a fancy flash site, just straight html. Personally, I am not real fond of Flash sites. Anytime I visit one, it seems it's asking me to download something new. I don't want to have to go to all the trouble of downloading something, just to look at someone's website for a few minutes. I just find it's usually not worth the time, when I can move on to another site which probably has what I'm looking for.

You will find our website is a very image rich environment. So, if you love to look at portraits and see friends you might know, we have over 500 images for you to look at.

To repay me for all my hard work and very late nights up, my son cleaned the kitchen yesterday. Who could ask for a better kid? I am very proud of him, he works as hard as we do and I wish other people would appreciate him as much.

Congratulations on Retirement
to Art Allen at the Chance Foundation

On March 3, 2006, Art Allen had an opportunity to meet, once again, many of his friends for well wishes on his retirement from the Chance Foundation.

Randy and Sheila wish Art the best and the utmost happiness in his retirement as well.

The Chance Foundation supports the maintenance of Chance Gardens located in Centralia, Missouri for which we are grateful.

Donations can be made to the Centralia Historical Society, 319 E. Sneed St., Centralia, MO 65240

Welcome

Welcome to our blog. I will post upcoming events, new services and news about us here.

I'm very excited to be working on this project!

Hope to see you soon!