Black & White Photography

Holiday Hours

2011-12-17T08:29:00.000-08:00

At Black and White Photography, we want to let you know that we are grateful for the opportunity to help you document life’s precious memories year after year. It is an honor to be in your life and a pleasure to serve you and your family. Happy Holidays from Black and White Photography.

Holiday Hours:

For the Holiday 2011 Season we will be closed from Thursday December 22nd till Tuesday December 27th. We wish you all a wonderful Holidays season!

2011-10-22T11:54:00.000-07:00

Holiday Dead Lines

2011-10-05T10:33:00.000-07:00

New Product

2011-09-10T10:01:00.001-07:00

Holiday Cards

2011-09-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

Fall Outdoor Session

2011-09-10T07:44:00.000-07:00

Fall Promotion

2011-09-10T07:37:00.000-07:00

2011-01-05T09:05:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day Special!
Bring your sweetheart in for a Mini Session and a
5 x 10 Mini Storyboard with Easel ( 3 images )
They are great for dad's desk or mantel !
All for only $ 50
January 31st - February 7th
Book your session now, they are filling up fast!

I'd like to introduce my newest addition

2010-09-04T12:31:00.000-07:00

Anthony James
born July 2nd 2010

I'm officially back from maternity leave!
Thanks to everyone for your kind wishes! We are really
enjoying the newest member of our family.

We have been Nominated!!!!

2010-08-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

Nominated for best family photographer in Chicago, IL. Vote now!

We need your vote to be awarded Chicago's Best Family Photographer!!!
It easy, just click on the badge above and vote for Black & White!

Contest ends August 31st... so place your vote today
Thanks for your support

The Countdown Begins....

2010-06-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

I can't believe our little man is almost here! Its time for me to hang up my camera
and prepare for our newest arrival.... I am officially on maternity leave from now
through July 31st. We are beyond thrilled to be meeting our little guy and cannot
wait to share his first photos with you.

I am particularly excited to introduce the newest member of our team,
Amanda Frantzen of Frantzen Photography. She will
be filling in for me during my leave! You can view her work on her website
www.frantzenphotography.com. We worked together for over 8 years photographing
children and families, she is a very talented photographer! I feel very blessed that Amanda is joining our team at Black & White Photography over the summer!

We will be introducing a few new policies to streamline our work flow:
* We will only be available for scheduled appointments, if you need to order, pick up or come in for a photo session, please call first to schedule an appointment.

* Due to our limited hours, all orders placed after June 1st will automatically be mailed to the address provided.

* We will be taking credit card numbers to reserve appointments and we require a 24hr notice if you are unable to make your appointment. No shows will automatically be charged a sitting fee.

Hope everyone has a wonderful, safe summer!

We've been nominated!

2010-05-12T08:39:00.001-07:00

We've been nominated as a potential nominee for the 2010 Nickelodeon Parents Picks Awards!
We can use your help to make the nomination official by nominating Black & White Photography
online everyday until June 15th!!!
Just click on the link below and vote for Black & White!!!!
Thanks for your support!!!!!

For Family Photographer
in Chicago

We've been nominated as a potential nominee for the 2010

2010-05-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

For Family Photographer
in Chicago

Happy Mommy's Day!

2010-05-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

Priorities
I hope my children look back on today ,
And see a Mother who had time to play!
Children grow up while you're not looking,
There'll be years ahead for cleaning and cooking,
So quiet now, Cobwebs; dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.
...Unknown Author

Introducing our new slideshow

2010-03-29T11:25:00.000-07:00

limited introductory price of only $50!!!!!

2010-03-12T12:23:00.000-08:00

Communion Special

Come in for a 25 minute communion session
and receive a 4 sheet mini package
and a custom DVD of your session set to music.

A great way to remember your very special day

only $150 per person

call to reserve your appointment today
773-467-9908

Our Easter Bunny Is Back!

2010-02-27T10:19:00.000-08:00

Make an appointment during the month of March
for a mini session with our adorable little bunny!
Our spring special includes both the mini session(2 poses)
and either 25 4x5.5 fold-over Easter cards or
a 4 sheet mini package for $65

Call to schedule your appointment today 773-467-9908

2010-01-16T09:49:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day Special
Mini Portrait Session
Two different poses of your little sweetheart.
Choose from either ten 4.5x5 foldover Valentines Day cards
or (3) 4x6 portraits
Only $35

BEING A MOTHER

2009-10-26T12:58:00.000-07:00

I received this story in an email the other day and thought I'd pass it on from one mother to another...

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me
to take another woman out to dinner and a movie.
She said, 'I love you, but I know this other woman
loves you and would Love to spend some time with you.'

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my Mother, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner
and a movie. 'What's wrong, are you well,' she asked? My mother is the type of woman who suspects
that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.

'I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you,' I responded 'just the two of us.' She thought about it for a moment, and then said, 'I would like that very much.'

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's.
'I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed,' she said, as she got into the car. 'They can't wait to hear about our meeting.'

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant,
was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.

After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half-way through the entrees, I lifted my eyes and saw Mother sitting there staring at me.
A nostalgic smile was on her lips.

'It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small,' she said. 'Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor,' I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, 'I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.' I agreed.

'How was your dinner date?' asked my wife when I got home. 'Very nice, much more so than I could have imagined,' I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her. Sometime later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place Mother and I had dined. An attached note said: 'I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but, nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me.

'I love you, son'

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: 'I love YOU' and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till some 'other' time.

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby... somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother, 'normal' is history.

Somebody said you can't love the second child as much as you love the first... somebody doesn't have
two or more children.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery.... somebody never watched her 'baby' get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten... or on a plane headed for military 'boot camp.'

Somebody said a Mother can stop worrying after her child gets married.. somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home... somebody never had grandchildren..

Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her... somebody isn't a mother.

Pass this along to all the GREAT 'mothers' in your life and to everyone who ever had a mother.

This isn't just about being a mother; it's about appreciating the people in your lives while you have them... no matter who that person is!

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes...
your destiny.

'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet
is fighting some kind of battle'.

2009-09-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

Come in for a mini Halloween session during the month of October

Receive a mini Halloween session and receive a custom 5x10 mini series

with easel- $50

Book your appointment today

773-467-9908

We've been nominated!!!

2009-05-12T09:38:00.003-07:00

We've been nominated for Best family photography in Nickelodeon's Parents' Picks Awards! We need your help to win! You can vote for us once a day, every day, from now until
July 15 at
http://www.nicksparentspicks.com!
Thanks for your support!
For Family Photographer
in Chicago

8 ways to look your best in every photo

2009-04-22T14:23:00.000-07:00

by Jim Franco on Yahoo news

You don't have to look perfect to take a perfect picture. "The most photogenic people are not necessarily the most attractive," says wedding photographer Denis Reggie. "They're just not intimidated by the camera." Here's how to overcome intimidation and prevent a fake smile, double chin, and more.

1. Appear less posed. "Engage the photographer in a conversation about some topic you both may find of interest," says Los Angeles-based head-shot photographer Michael Calas. If your mind is focused on something other than the photo, you'll appear less rigid. You can also lean against something, interact with a pet or a child, or intertwine your arms with someone else's. Also, never keep your hands right by your sides, says Chuck DeLaney, dean of students at the New York Institute of Photography, in New York City. Clasp them in the front or in the back, or hold on to a glass or your eyeglasses to help relax your body.

2. Fake flawless skin. Foundation and translucent powder are quick fixes, but it's equally important to get as much light on the face as possible. If you're indoors, pose near the closest light source, like a window. Also, use a flash inside and outside because "the light of the flash will bounce off the skin, illuminate it, and conceal facial imperfections," says Jim Janis, Walgreens photo-finishing specialist in Chandler, Arizona. Finally, make the most of your scenery. "Photographs taken on a white sandy beach or a snow-covered surface tend to be more flattering because the reflective qualities of those surfaces help de-emphasize wrinkles and pockmarks," says Reggie.

For the quick fix, see Real Simple's favorite foundations.

3. Avoid a double chin. Pay attention to the camera position. "If the lens is at your eye level or above, you're in the right frame," says Calas. "If the lens is below your eye level, then you run the risk of looking like you have an extra chin." Bend your knees so you're at least on an even plane with the photographer assuming it's not a full-body photo. If you're significantly taller than the photographer, sit in a chair and look up toward the camera. Finally, project your chin out an inch or so more than you normally would. You may feel a bit awkward, like a giraffe, but "you'll have a long, thin neck in the photo," says Suzy Drasnin Orduna, owner of the Beach Ambience Studio & Gallery, in Sag Harbor, New York.

4. Keep eyes open. If you tend to tear up or it's really bright outside, close your eyes and have the photographer count to three. On three, open them. "Works every time," says Janis. If you're outdoors, remember that noon is the worst time to take a photo, because that's when the sun is harshest and you're more likely to squint. Head out at 4 or 5 p.m., when the light is more amber.

Stave off a sunburn (at a low cost) with these budget-friendly sunscreens.

5. Minimize unfavorable features. Turn your head. Most people have asymmetrical features (for example, one eye is larger than the other or the right ear is a bit higher than the left). So DeLaney suggests posing with two-thirds of the face in view and the remaining third turned slightly away from the camera. That way, facial asymmetry is not as obvious. This particular angle also has a slimming effect, as it draws the eye up and down (forehead to chin), not left to right (eye to eye).

2009-04-22T12:38:00.000-07:00

A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.

Mothers Day

2009-04-22T12:28:00.000-07:00

Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-14T13:30:00.001-07:00

St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time - a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic. ~Adrienne Cook

Happy Birthday Rosie

2009-02-20T11:30:00.001-08:00

Happy 7th birthday Rosie.

Meet Ryan

2009-02-20T11:04:00.000-08:00

This little cutey is a member of our simply
baby plan. What a pleasure to photograph
such a beautiful baby. It is so fun to watch
our little ones blossom over the year!

THINK SPRING!!!

2009-01-17T12:24:00.000-08:00

I could not be more ready for spring to arrive! Although it may not feel like it outside, spring
is just around the corner. Book your appointment soon to have your child's portrait taken with our adorable baby bunny!! Our bunny will be arriving March 13th