The Night Shoot

Recently, we got another opportunity to work with model, Nicole, but this time around we decided on a night time concept shoot. We have been wanting to do a night shoot for a while now, but we couldn't decide if we wanted to move in the direction of a glamour or urban overall look. Nicole was able to give us a little bit of both looks all in one session!

The night of the shoot, the air was very crisp and windy, but despite the elements and a host of other challenges, we got it done. This first shot actually inspired the entire shoot and was the birthplace of the creative concept. I envisioned the look and called on a couple of models I knew could make this happen. Nicole accepted the call. She was a trooper throughout the cold wind and constant adjustments to the lighting. She definitely delivered!

These next two shots were taken inside of a moving elevator overlooking the city, and in my humble opinion, they came out absolutely stunning! Not easy, but definitely worth all of the effort and people traffic we had to contend with. Totally worth it!

For this shot, I was going for a more playful, flirty, urban look. Once again, Nicole step outside the box and gave me exactly what I was looking for with a fresh face, especially considering how late it was when we did the shoot. 

 
We ended the night shoot with some simple head shots. All in all, we had a great night of shooting! Looking forward to many more creative concept shoots for 2014. Stay tuned...there is DEFINITELY more on the way!

Thanks so much to each of you for taking time out to visit our blog! Keep up with what's happening next with the Team at Photography by Sean Ponder. "Like us" on Facebook or "Follow us" on InstaGram at PhotographybySeanPonder. Find more of our work and access all of our social networking sites on our website at www.PhotographybySeanPonder.com.

Until next time, be blessed and Happy Holidays!

Angela

The Creative Director

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www.PhotographybySeanPonder.com

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The Story Behind the Photographs

It has been a while since we did a session with our kids and this week we decided to get a quick one in...so here goes!

Having children, there always seems to be an interesting story behind everything we do, and this shoot was no different. For the most part, I'm generally pleased with the outcome, especially considering the painstaking efforts we make just to get a good shot from each of our kids. While our eldest huffs and puffs, our little one just whines about having to get his picture made. I really don't think they take our photography work seriously yet. Both of them are truly characters in their own right. On the one hand, we have a son who thinks he's cooler than his parents, and on the other, we have a son who actually still thinks his parents are cool. Now I will stop right there and leave it for all of you to decide which is which. I'll wait...

Now back to the blog... =0)

My thoughts behind the direction for this shoot were simple. I wanted to showcase our sons' true personalities, while getting shots of them representing their favorite sport. We also wanted to play on the color of the images, as well, finally agreeing on more of a "washed" look in the final edits.

I think we are all still a bit amazed at the fact that Sean nailed the shot of the "floating basketball". It turned out great! This was the first photo our son added to his InstaGram page and it was an Insta hit! He is coming into his own and developing his own unique sense of confidence and style. I love watching him as he transitions from a quirky kid, to a handsome and very mannerable young man. One who has had several teachers refer to him as, "a likeable leader, who has the ability to influence his peers". Yep, that's the stuff that really makes you proud!

 

The next shot of our eldest was very endearing... God first, then family, then BASKETBALL, and in THAT order! All else pales in comparison. Those are three things in his life that he always makes time for... right now anyway. I'll embrace it, because I know that very soon, he will be adding a few things to that list. 

We drew inspiration for our little one's shoot right out of Sports Illustrated. The shot with the gloves and the attempt to create the word "Nike" was all his idea. This 4-year veteran of little league football enjoys trying to out do his big brother when it comes to just about everything. He reads and studies every book he can get his hands on about football and basketball, including information on players, the colleges they attended, their positions, and their stats, in an effort to engage in conversations about both sports on an advanced level.
 

Well, what can I say about this photo of our 8-year old? He is Mr. Personality! He rarely shows this side of himself in public, but in the comfort of his own home, he really lets loose! This is who we see, ALL the time... and I absolutely love it! BRING IT ON!

Now back to the debonair one... the final images are photos I pushed for our 14-year old to take. I drew inspiration for this set from the Men's Fashion Magazine. Although he is not very fond of modeling, he has grown to be really good at it, so I continually encourage (ok, maybe push a little) for him to cultivate the gift. We have no idea just how far it could take him. One thing I know for certain is that children will never realize their full potential, without our support as parents. Parental support affords them great opportunities and a wealth of confidence. It is our responsibility to make sure they get it. As far as The Ponders are concerned, regardless of their endeavors, supporting our kids 100 percent is not an option; it's a standard.

Thank you so much for visiting our blog. You can find out more about us and our style of photography on our website at www.PhotographybySeanPonder.com. Like us on FaceBook and follow us on InstaGram and Pinterest!

As always, be blessed!

Angela
The Creative Director

Visit us on the web!

www.PhotographybySeanPonder.com

www.behance.net/PhotosbySeanPonder

The 2013 "ADONIS" Photo Shoot

Well, as of late, my creativity has been in overdrive, and several weeks ago, I came up with the idea of doing an “ADONIS" themed concept shoot. I went to work doing some research to determine what an “ADONIS" should look like, and when I found some examples, I was immediately ready to toss the idea out of the window. I mean honestly, who on earth could I get to pose for this shoot? Even more… how was I going to convince Sean to even take the shots? I had my work cut out for me, because the latter would be my GREATEST challenge yet!

As good fortune would have it, my husband has really come to trust my creative vision, and as long as I coordinated the entire session, he would shoot it. Mission #1, ACCOMPLISHED! Now, all I needed to do was find our “ADONIS". I turned to FaceBook as a resource to see if any of my connections fit the description, but then I worried about actually approaching someone about doing the shoot. Talk about a bad case of the nerves! This was not your typical photo session.

It was a little after 6 AM one morning, when I logged on and the very first post I noticed in my newsfeed was by none other than Timothy Knott, Certified Fitness Trainer, and someone both my husband and I know personally. JACKPOT! I had found our “ADONIS!" Now, I needed to figure out how I was going to present the opportunity to him. I guess I had to take a page out of the Nike handbook and “Just Do It!” I sent him a message and told him what we were trying to do, and with little hesitation, he agreed. His last words were, “See you on the 16th.” Mission #2, ACCOMPLISHED! The rest… is now history.

Introducing our 2013 "ADONIS", Mr. Timothy Knott, Certified Fitness & Strength Training Expert and owner of 3P Fitness, in LaVergne, TN. Just to give you some background on him, Tim has always wanted to be fit and healthy. He has been working out and trying to eat right since he was in his twenties. He began his journey by giving tips on form and types of exercises that would target certain parts of the body. Eventually, after having to refuse to train several people because he was not certified as a personal trainer, he decided that this was what he loved to do, and made the decision to do it full-time. He really wanted to help people become healthy and fit, as well. Tim became certified as a personal trainer and since that time, has truly enjoyed helping others reach their fitness goals!

Tim states, "Success to me is never giving up until you see your dream come to pass." We wish you all the best in your endeavors, Tim, and congratulations on being named the 2013 "ADONIS!"

If you're interested in starting a challenging program that really WORKS, or if you just want more information, stop by 3P Fitness at 5168B Murfreesboro Rd, in LaVergne, TN, email Tim at 3PFITNESS@gmail.com or call (615) 775-2358 today! You can also visit the website at 3pfitness.yolasite.com. Now, who will be the next "ADONIS"?

(Have a small business and are in need of some highly effective promotional images? Contact Photography by Sean Ponder to book a photo session, and YOUR business will be featured in this blog!)

Thank you so much for visiting our blog. You can find out more about us and our style of photography on our website at www.PhotographybySeanPonder.com. Like us on FaceBook and follow us on InstaGram and Pinterest!

As always, be blessed!

Angela
The Creative Director

Visit us on the web!

www.PhotographybySeanPonder.com

www.behance.net/PhotosbySeanPonder

2013 Black & Gold Scholarship Gala

Recently, the men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Omicron Sigma Lambda (OSL) chapter, hosted their first annual Black & Gold Scholarship Gala at the Doubletree Hotel in Murfreesboro, TN. The excitement generated in the weeks prior to the event exceeded expectations and it turned out to be a grand affair! The event was a huge supporter of local artists, as was apparent upon entering the venue. Guests were greeted by an array of beautifully, handcrafted original paintings on display in the corridor and along the hallway.


As guests proceeded down the hall, you could hear the inviting sounds of local live band, Chris Simmons and Friends drawing you into the ballroom and eventually, before the night was over, onto the dance floor! It was an evening of elegance, as attendees arrived adorned in tuxedos and beautiful evening gowns to attend this long awaited, upscale scholarship event.

Chris Simmons and Friends, Local Live Band

Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in attendance at the Gala.

Members of the Omicron Sigma Lambda Chapter, Murfreesboro, TN

This event was hosted in honor of two award recipients, Malcolm Dorsey and Dallas Taylor, who received scholarships from The OSL Foundation, on behalf of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Omicron Sigma Lambda chapter. The requirements for scholarship candidacy included a GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale, an essay, and must have either attended a high school in Rutherford or Putnam County, or are planning to attend Middle Tennessee State University or Tennessee Technological University. The candidates must also be male to qualify for this award.

Brother Tony Beard, Chair, 2013 Black & Gold Gala and Vice President, OSL

Brother James Mason, Chair, 2013 Black & Gold Gala

Brother Warren Isenhour, District Director and Brother Steven Simms, Comptroller, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Brother Chauncey Howard, President, The OSL Foundation

   

Later in the evening, guests danced the night away to the familiar grooves of veteran DJ and fellow fraternity brother, DJ Reggie Reg. A fabulous time was had by everyone, and all for a worthy cause... to award two deserving young men scholarship funds so that they may continue to pursue their educational endeavors. The night's presentations were memorable, the entertainment was great, the dinner was excellent and the ambiance was unforgettable. This event was truly a touch of class.

Brother Reggie Mason

Brother Steven Simms, Comptroller, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Brother Brian Jeffries, President, OSL

Brother Tony Beard, Vice President, OSL, Brother Brian Jeffries, President, OSL, and Brother Robert Vick, Member, OSL and Undergraduate Chapter Advisor, Kappa Xi

For more information about The OSL Foundation or to stay up-to-date on upcoming events hosted by the OSL chapter, be sure to go out and "Like" their page on FaceBook.com.

Thank you so much for visiting our blog. Find out more about us and our style of photography on our website at www.PhotographybySeanPonder.com. Be sure to check back in for more blog updates!

Blessings,

Angela
The Creative Director

Visit us on the web!

www.PhotographybySeanPonder.com

www.behance.net/PhotosbySeanPonder