Shootsac + Etsy = LOVE

If you are a photographer, then hopefully you know what a Shootsac is....and maybe you even own one! If not, then you HAVE to get one of these bags! Heck, they are even awesome enough for all of you non-photographers to carry around your stuff!

Jessica Claire (one of my absolute favorite wedding and portrait photographers) is the mastermind behind these fashionable camera bags. She thought of everything! Not only is it functional, but it is also fashionable (very important for a gal like me!). Each bag can be made more personalized by adding a removable cover --- trust me they are all to die for!

I got my first Shootsac in October with the boroque cover and instantly fell in love! I even let it revolutionize the way I shoot. It allows a lens-switcher like me a more portable alternative than lugging around all of my heavy gear, which in turn helps me to create better images. Get one and you'll see what I mean!

Recently, I found myself longing for spring while I browsed the Shootsac blog. So I decided to place an order for a new cover. Isn't it gorgeous?





Then on an impulse I decided to check out Etsy (for no particular reason) and I saw some awesome little bags created out of the same material as the new cover that I ordered! How fun! Of course I had to get them too! I now have Shootsac Accessories! Here they are together... Aren't they a perfect match??





The smallest of the bags is padded and the perfect size for the new iphone that I will be getting very soon. This a great way to keep it clipped to my bag so that it is accessible and keep it protected from any wedding craziness that may occur.

The bigger bag can be used as a clutch on my off days or for carrying my cf-cards, cash, gum etc....plus they zip up so everything is safe and secure. See how they hook conveniently right to my Shootsac already....they belong together!!




I hope Jessica starts making these kinds of things to coordinate with all of the covers--and if she is reading this (lol) I will even hook her up with my girl I found on Etsy!

I can't wait to get use these on my next photo shoot! Yay!

Digital Negatives! Now What?

So if you're like me you love taking pictures, and you have zillions of images on your hard drive or on one of the many cds cluttering the office. So what is the next step? How do you turn those digital files into something that you can display proudly in your home?

Load them onto your computer
In case you haven't already--load those pretty things onto your computer--what good are the files if they are not being used!

Back up your Files
Most importantly you need to make copies of your images and store them in a safety deposit box or give them to a relative to hang on to. "Ooooohhh Mommmmm???!!!! In fact if you have the time them why not burn a few copies! Its never a good idea to have only one copy of your priceless memories on hand. There are far too many hard drives that crash, tornadoes, house fires, you name it that leave people with no way to get those pictures back.....so better safe than sorry. (hate to be a Debbie Downer!)

Pick out your Faves
The easiest way to do this is to create a new folder on your desktop and drag your favorite images into that folder. I am a MAC girl--so please forgive me if you cannot just drag your images to a folder on PC---but then if you can't, I have ask why not?? I suppose then you can export the files into the new folder that you created. If you need help with this step ask any 12 year old, and they will roll their eyes at you a few times and then most likely take pity and do it for you. he he!

Go to MPIX.com
Finding a good professional lab is very important if you want quality pictures that last a lifetime! I have nothing against Sam's, Costco, Walmart, or even the Drugstore chains, but they are just not committed to pro-level quality that you will get with a real professional lab.
Mpix.com is a division of Millers Professional Imaging, an awesome lab that tons of pros use. Designed to cater to consumers, they have a wide array of product from your standard prints to canvases and photobooks.
FYI: A lot of their products make really amazing gifts!

Order Fun Stuff
Sign up to become a customer--upload your photos--pick your products and then in about 2 days they'll be at your door. How easy is that!


Their are many other pro labs that also offer the same kind of services to consumers, but by far Mpix has the best selection and the best price....but feel free to do you research and let me know if you come up with more to add to my referral list!

LOVE IT :: Leona Lewis

Wow! I just found an amazing singer that I am going to jamming to all day (while I am still sick)! So what if its the same song over and over again.
She's totally hot--I better hide her video from Drew! hehe
Leona Lewis rocks! Check out her new video below---"Bleeding Love"

LOVE IT :: Pearls Events

Brides: Are you still stressing about all the little details instead of snuggling with your valentine? I think it may be time to hire a professional to stress for you....and this time I found someone local! I just stumbled on a wonderful blog belonging to Aletha Vandermaas with Pearls Events and I realized that she is located in the Grand Rapids area! Yay!
I'll even post her contact info to make it easier for you to pick up the phone and get some help!

• email : aletha@pearlsevents.com
• office : 616.452.8561
• aim : alethajo81

No more excuses! Now go and cuddle!

LOVE IT :: WeddingWire.com

Look out knotties! There is a new wedding site in town and its the cat's pajamas! WeddingWire may be relatively new to our area, but it certainly is quickly picking up speed to become one of the most popular wedding planning sites around. WeddingWire was designed to be a place for engaged couples, newlyweds, and vendors to be able to connect with each other by offering social networking, local vendor search, comparison shopping, and wedding planning tools.
If you are one of my past brides: you can go and rate me and your other vendors too!
Go check it out and see what you think!

LOVE IT :: story of stuff

For the past few years I have been more aware of the huge negative impact we are having on the world that we live in. Even though I knew it was my responsibility as a human being, I did nothing. Then I sat back in horror as I watched Al Gore explain what we are really doing to our world....and I knew we needed to change now!

Having children makes me want to become even more active in preserving the world and turning my negative impact into a positive one. So this last year my little family began to do its part---we started to recycle (thanks to my insistent husband), used the proper light bulbs, decided to conserve electricity and water as much as possible, lowered our thermostat (this one is a big battle for me--I hate to be cold), decided to plant a garden this spring, and I have committed to becoming a mostly-paperless office during 2008 and beyond.

Even with all of these changes, its still not enough....and I get the feeling that I could always do more.....instead of finding more responsible ways to reduce our waste--can't we stop creating so much waste? As I look around me even now--there is just so much stuff that I have no idea where it came from or how it got here--not to mention why I needed it in the first place...it certainly has no use to me now, other than collecting dust in the corner.

This holiday season hit me harder than usual with all of the useless things that we buy for each other. Its not that I am ungrateful for the "stuff" that my friends and relatives went out of their way to purchase for me...its just that I really don't need anything, and frankly my children's toys have more space in this house than all 4 of us do. Each Christmas we receive enough toys to occupy a small village of children...yet we only have 2 kids. Wouldn't it be a better holiday tradition to simply give back to the community and skip the presents, or to just get together and enjoy each others company? Would I be an awful aunt/sister/daughter/mother/wife/friend if I emailed everyone a Christmas card this year letting them know that I donated $$ toward a great cause in their name---and then showed up empty handed at family functions? I think not...and luckily it is becoming cool to be eco-friendly and more active on our communities. Why Madyson's cartoons on PBS are even sending out the message so effectively that the other day she insisted that she go out in the snow and save the planet --- starting in our own back yard. What happens when its not cool anymore? Will we go back to the old way again....yikes!

So with all of that in mind (sorry for the rant) I recently stumbled upon an awesome 20 minute video and website dedicated to changing the way we live as consumers--which in turn could change our lives for the better.

Check out some of the teasers below and go to storyofstuff.com to watch the video. I would love to hear your ideas on more ways to change, anyone know about composting?....leave me a comment below and we'll change the world together!

Viva la revolucion!

LOVE IT :: New Years Eve!

I cannot believe that yet another year has flown by! Yikes--how DID that happen! There's always so much that I mean to do and yet I never find the time. For some reason though, I get the impression that 2008 is totally going to rock my sox! My business is booming and I cannot see what life has in store for me in the next 12 months.

Since I am a huge list maker and very goal-oriented I thought I would share some things I want to do in 2008:

1. Have a huge 30th birthday party in Vegas ( October 26th--you are invited if you can make it there!)
2. Book a destination wedding in one or more of the following places** :: Hawaii, The Dominican Republic, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Bali, Puerto Rico or South Africa
   
3. Accept only 20 weddings ( I only have about 5 more spots left!)
4. Launch some awesome new additions! Sorry these are a secret for now!
5. Add a few employees to lighten my load (NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS)
6. Have a Date Night with Drew once a month
7. Hold an open house for my clients to say thank-you!
8. Make time to shoot for myself
9. Hit the Gym like I mean it this time!
10. GIVE BACK!
11. Attend a 2 workshops to expand my creativity
12. Meet some more awesome local photographers and have lunch!
    

I hope you all have a wonderful and SAFE New Year! Thanks to everyone who has made this last one so wonderful!

LOVE IT : Wedding Designers

If you know me then you know that I love blog-stalking and I love weddings! So you can imagine how thrilled I was when I came across a post on another blog that is ultra-informational for anyone who may be planning a wedding.
I borrowed this image from the Blue Orchid Designs blog:







Blue Orchid Designs is located in Arizona and is run by a seemingly wonderful entrepreneur name Liene. She not only has tons of resources on her blog (which she neatly organized into posts labeled 30 Days to Plan a Wedding ), but she's also so wonderful with words that even if your not a bride its fun to read!

Leine may not be practical to hire if your wedding is in Michigan, but I highly recommend fitting an event planner, or wedding designer of some kind, into your budget. I witness so many brides, mothers, wedding party members, and family running around frazzled on the big day so I can see the value in having someone else take care of all of those "little" details. This will free up your time to focus on what to pack for the honeymoon and you'll maybe even have time for a mani/pedi and massage on your wedding day. My best advice is to relax and live in the moments that lead up to your wedding. It all goes by so fast--so just hire someone to let you be a princess and not a frazzled-DIY-bride. Heck - your family will even thank you!

Who's Your Daddy??

ok, well I could care less who your daddy is, but I do want to know who you are so I found a wonderful way to poll everyone who visits my blog. I love having visitors and my webstats are telling me that I have quite a few! How wonderful that so many people feel compelled to read my rambling and maybe they even enjoy my work.

Don't forget--I love comments on my blog! If you take the time to view and and like what you see then feel free to let me know.....its like a long-distance bear hug that leaves me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside! You do want me to feel all warm and fuzzy, don't you!!???

Say hello to MEEZ!

So I was blog-stalking some of my favorite photographers nationwide and came across this fun time-waster! I created a virtual ME...I know you'll love it!
Attention Brides: Anyone planning an Elvis themed wedding---better yet a Vegas Wedding--let me know cause I'm your girl!



Go to MEEZ.com and make your own! Just try not to spend hours on there..it can be addicting.

Taylor Grey V 2.1

Ok--I am so excited to spill the beans on another new surprise! My website has had an major overhaul! Its so pretty and fun! I am totally in love with it!
So please go check it out and keep in mind that I was way too excited to get it up and running and I still need to add pictures to the galleries. I am knee deep in weddings to edit and albums to design so I will update that as soon as possible. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

The New Taylor Grey Photography

Oh and check out my new slogan: "The Fine-Art of Love".....another part of my wonderful new shiny persona. Don't you love it?!!!

Taylor Grey V2.0

So--you all know I have ADD with my marketing ideas, logos and websites! Well, most of that comes from me not having a bunch of experience with the business side of things. I am just now getting my feet wet--and let me tell you business is hard, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I thrive on being creaitve and learning more about photography, but honestly you are nowhere if you don't know how to run you business.
I also like to change because I know my taste is slowly evolving as I am growing more as a photographer, so naturally my business needs to grow to reflect who I am and what I am able to offer my clients. So let's not look at this as a change, but an improvement!

So, in honor of my rapid growth, I have put together a new logo. This one is much more fresh and clean and even comes with its very own nifty trademark (courtesy of lil ol' me!)

On the way are a few more changes to be announced very soon! Let me know what you think!

Tag, I am IT!

So, I in the past year I have had the amazing opportunity to be part of an online community of professional photographers who are always willing to help out in any way. The old school way of thinking that other photographers are just more competition, is well on its way out the door! Now a new breed of fun and talented artists are emerging (very quickly I might add). Being a photographer during this transition is completely wonderful! I love these people--even though I have yet to meet them, they have contributed so much to what I know today!

So---on to the game of TAG! Somehow, somewhere, this games of tag was started within the online community of photographers.....and now Dan Watkins has tagged me! The rules: I must post 8 things that most people would not know about me. So here goes:

1. I used to never leave the house without make-up before I had children--and now 2 kids later, I rarely take the time to even brush my hair! Something must be done about this!

2. I graduated from College with a B.S. in Psychology, and dreamed of getting my Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology, but life had another plan, and then it opened my eyes to what I really love to do----PHOTOGRAPHY!

3. I love veggies! I was a vegetarian in starting in 10th grade up to the age of 18. I have always been a bit grossed out by meat (where it comes from and how it is processed) YUCK! I have been thinking of becoming a vegetarian again--and buying only organic foods.

4. I have an odd fear of falling from heights....it gets worse as I am get older. Even thinking or talking about being on a cliff makes me jittery (my palms are sweaty right now!)

5. I love to sing but I have stage fright! I actually think I have a good voice, but that is what scares me! You have all heard that from American Idol rejects, right?
I'll just keep it to myself.

6. I love sweets! If I could eat cake, cookies, pie, chocolate etc...3 times a day everyday, I would be pretty content---but then I would need some veggies now and then.

7. I have 2 kids, and both of them I had naturally--I was more scared of someone stabbing a needle in my spine for the epidural than the actual childbirth. I think I am a scardy-cat!

8. I love to dance to some pretty obscene RAP music--its my guilty pleasure. Sometime I will load up my iPod and dance around the house with the kids! Who doesn't do that though??!

Hope those were fun for you to read--I feel so vulnerable now. Re-reading those makes me feel as if I look a wimp!

ok, now I am going to TAG some people! Hmmm...how about Gary Fong (going for the big guns!), Kari Douma, Steven Fox, and I'll tag more later!

A Few of My Favorite Things

So this is a bit of a "get to know ya" post. I realized that I talk about photography all the time (much to the dismay of my family and friends). So here is a little list of my favorite things:

• Tazo Chai Tea
• Sweet Wines : Lambrusco, Soft Red Wine, Riesling etc..
• Sunshine & Hot Weather
• Sundays (Our Family Day!)
• Blog-stalking (we must have this in common!)
• Shaking it! (usually to some profane rap song!)
• Local Coffee Shops
• Interesting People (interesting=crazy, it's the psychologist in me)
• Celebrity Gossip (I love to hear when Britney goes crazy!)
• True Religion Jeans (wedding present from my sweety! They make my butt look niiice!)
• Yummy Candles
• The Body Shop
• Carrabba's Italian Grill(Try the Crab cakes and the Chicken Bryan! YUM!)
• My husband playing the guitar (gotta love a music man!)
• Madyson's Art Projects
• Harrison's little chubby feet
• The smell of spring
• Weddings
• CAKE!
• Going to Tea Houses (Looove them--they are so girly!)
• Dressing up to go out with Drew (this rarely happens, but I Love it anyway!)
• Exclamation points!!!!
• Cooking & Party Planning!
• Massages (especially after carrying around my equipment for 15 hours--I really need a full-time assistant!)
• BIRTHDAYS! (Basically I want to be made a total queen for the day where people bow to me and do whatever I wish--not asking too much right?)
• Finding ways to simplify my life
• Travelling
• Limos (gotta travel in style! ok I've only done this once--but it rocked!)
  

Hmmm...my list is getting longer and longer. Maybe I'll save more for later! Everyone deserves a bit of mystery!

Caio!

Who is Taylor Grey?

Hi everyone! My name is Kerri Banyas and I am a photographer and owner of Taylor Grey Photography. Don't feel bad if you can't figure out why I named my business after "Taylor Grey".
I receive phone calls all day asking for "Taylor" and though it seems to confuse some people at first, it is quite a beautiful name with a beautiful story. (Atleast to me!!)

The name was thought up by wonderful husband (who has also been responsible for basically naming both of our children). After completing a degree in Psychology and narrowly escaping a life in human services, I decided to turn my hobby into something more and head out on my own as a professional photographer. I was getting all of my affairs in order to declare myself a "real business" and I could not come up with a name. I didn't like naming it after myself---it just didn't seem to flow. I also couldn't think of a name that didn't sound corny or contrived. I had basically given up when Drew just came home and proposed pushing our children's middles names together...and I loved it! It sounded very beautiful and it brought a different feel to my business than my own name seemed to. I also loved that it involved my kids because they are the world to me!

So here I am, owner of a rapidly growing photography business with a beautiful name and I wouldn't change a thing (except maybe my own name now--LOL)!