Meet Brandi Nellis of Brandi Nellis Photography.  Pounds is pleased to feature Brandi in our Signature Portrait Series.  Her distinctive style is so candid and natural, there’s no chance of kids becoming camera shy during her sessions.  While some photographers try to pose children, Brandi might just hand them a Popsicle.  Then, she’ll capture the pure joy in their smiling faces.  When it came to her own portrait session, Brandi tells us it was LOL fun too.  Read all about it in her Behind the Scenes interview.  To find out why Brandi is such a loyal Pounds customer, see her testimonial in her Community Profile.

Pounds Community Profile:  Brandi Nellis, Brandi Nellis Photography

Who was your portrait taken by and why did you choose that person?
My photo was taken by Nicole Whelan.  Nicole and I met last fall when we both donated our photography services to the Austin Down Syndrome Association Gala.  We hit it off that night and have kept in touch since.  She actually called me about a month ago to see if I would photograph her and her husband and in return, she would photograph me with my hubby.  While we were shooting, I had her take a few of me by myself for this campaign.

How did you decide on that location?
I picked South Congress in Austin because I have always wanted to photograph there and I haven’t been able to yet.  I decided to have MY photos taken there because it’s a funky and colorful place (like me.)

What is distinctive about your style of photography and what makes this your Signature Portrait?
I love photographs of people laughing…really laughing.  I love to capture when dads are tickling their kids and the kids are laughing so hard they are almost crying.  It makes me smile.  This is definitely a wide-open mouth, laughing shot and I like to laugh…a lot.

Did anything funny or interesting happen during this shoot?
We had a blast the entire shoot but I think Nicole got especially tickled when my husband got in on the act.  We just celebrated our 10th anniversary and I’m actually quite proud to say that we are still in love and still have some chemistry after all these years. Sometimes it comes out in goofy ways and we didn’t notice how we looked, but Nicole thought it was so funny.

How did you feel in front of the camera and did you learn anything that will help you when you are photographing other people?
It feels a little awkward being in front of the camera especially since I’m usually behind the lens but with my goofball personality I’m usually hamming it up in no time.  A few times I wanted to grab the camera out of Nicole’s hand and do it my way but I didn’t.  Yes, I did learn to work on body positioning that day.  We were really working to make my hips look thinner.   All I have to say is thank the Lord for Photoshop!

Pounds is pleased to present Cliff Ranson of Ranson Photography in our Signature Portrait Series.  We think you’ll agree that Cliff’s image is a great example of portrait design.  The lighting, colors, and  textures create a moody effect that really draws us in. We love how he chose clothing that would complement the background.  If Cliff was a rock star, this photo would be great on the cover of a CD! We can see why this is one of his favorite locations for Seniors.   Read his Behind the Scenes account of this very cool image.  But first, check out Cliff’s profile to find out why he is such a supportive member of the Pounds Community.

Pounds Community Profile: Cliff Ranson of Ranson Photography

Who was your portrait taken by and why did you choose that person?
This photo was taken by Hector Guerra. He has been a close friend since about 1995, and has photographed about 300 weddings with me.

How did you decide on that location?
This is a location I use quite often with Seniors.  It is an alley in downtown McAllen.  I have always liked the contrasting black with the blue.

What is distinctive about your style of photography and what makes this your Signature Portrait?
It is a portrait that would typically result after a consultation, knowing that the clothing would fit the environment.

Did anything funny or interesting happen during this shoot?
We had to use available light because the wind was blowing about 40 mph, so my portable softbox would not stand.  We did not have any others to assist in holding it up.

How did you feel in front of the camera and did you learn anything that will help you when you are photographing other people?
I don’t generally throw myself in front of the camera, but I will regularly show my subject what I am after by demonstrating myself.

The Pounds Community is pleased to feature Lewis and Carol Kincheloe in our Signature Portrait Series. When we asked the Kincheloes to participate, they headed off to one of their favorite locations with an unusual prop in tow.  Even though their session seemed vexed by the weather and the cancellation of their photographer, they produced an outstanding image by virtue of their can-do attitude and their creative vision.  We asked them to tell us what happened during the shoot and how their portrait illustrates their signature style.  See our profile of the Kincheloes.  Then, read on for the Behind the Scenes details of their amazing portrait.

Pounds Community Profile:  Lewis and Carol Kincheloe of Positive Image Photography

Who was your Signature portrait taken by?
We were rained out on our original session day. We finally had a nice evening and decided to make it a self-portrait and just set the camera on self-timer.

How did you decide on that location?
We have so many interesting locations in our area. This was the background we used for our son Travis’ graduation announcements last year.

What is distinctive about your style of photography and what makes this your Signature Portrait?
If I have a senior that comes in and doesn’t want to be here or seems nervous about being in front of the camera, I’ll have them sit in the barber chair.  I’ll spin them around and do a few shots and get them laughing. This usually loosens them up and lets them know we’re going to have fun during their session.

Did anything funny or interesting happen during this shoot?
We only had about 15 minutes of daylight remaining for the shoot. We were unloading and setting up in the street as fast as we could.  Once we started, I had to run back and forth to grab the tripod when a car was coming. We had three or four cars that just kept doing a loop around the block wondering what the heck we were up to. I think we ended up with 11 shots to choose from.

How did you feel in front of the camera and did you learn anything that will help you when you are photographing other people?
After I chimped the first shot, I saw I was just standing there with no pose, no expression, and no energy.  It reminded me of why we are the professionals and the importance in placing people in the right spot, in the right light - and our job of helping to set the tone or mood for the image.

Meet Kelly Moore Clark.  Kelly is one of the featured photographers in our “Signature Portrait” series.  She stepped in front of the camera to have a portrait made in a location and style that she uses for her customers.  The Community team combined the image with a short profile and her comments on why she is a Pounds customer.  She also gave us a Behind the Scenes account of what happened during the shoot.  We’d like to thank Kelly for participating in this project.  And now, we are pleased to present this unique portrayal of Pounds Community member, Kelly Moore Clark:

See Kelly’s Profile

Who was your Signature portrait taken by?
Brandi Howard.  She’s my best friend and my assistant.

How did you decide on that location?
It’s my back yard

What is distinctive about your style of photography, and what makes this your Signature Portrait?
I would say my “signature style” is daring, fearless, edgy and fun.  I like the fun colors in this photo.  We found the chair at a junk sale.  Purple is my signature color, so we couldn’t pass it up!

Did anything funny or interesting happen during this shoot?
My shoes were covered in red mud!

How did you feel in front of the camera, and did you learn anything that will help you when you are photographing other people?
I’m usually pretty confidant in front of the camera, but I still have the nerves that everyone gets.  My goal is to photograph every one of my clients the way that I like to be photographed.  I work really hard to find people’s best angles, and make them look as great as they do in real life (and sometimes better!!)