meet arcata photo intern kaylyn sims

Kaylyn's a senior @ McKinleyville high this coming year and she was part of their advanced photo class that came to visit us at the end of last year (read all about it here). We love to pass on anything we can to folks that are interested in photography and art. We're not grumpies around here. We don't hoard information. We're not scared to be a part of a community of photographers. So when you give a call or stop in and Kaylyn introduces herself as the lackey or the minion or the slave....it's all in good fun. No really. Okay, mostly in good fun. So far she's a blast to have in the studio and she's workin' hard.

Final week to get outdoors

It's the final week of our summer outdoor family portraiture. The weather is finally good again, perfect for some quality outdoor portraiture. The kids are out of school. Or maybe your teen is heading off to college in two months… this could be the last time in years that the entire family is together. Then maybe you just have a favorite beach or forest spot… even your backyard… where the fam has fun. Ending July 31, APS is running an Outdoor Portrait Promotion, with a half off-discount to our sitting fee (normally $150, dropped to $75). Sure we are partially motivated by the desire to see the sun after a long winter, ditch the studio. But our motives can be your family’s gain. We’ll travel anywhere in the county and our recent acquisition of some high tech gadgets means we can do professional studio lighting… anywhere. Up Fern Canyon. Down on Agate Beach. Your home's backyard, if that's your favorite place. We’re that mobile. studio@arcataphoto.com or (707) 825-1061.

6.7.8.9.

We’re up for most things, so Becky Browning’s request that we shoot her wedding on a Wednesday… well, we didn’t bat an eye. Wednesday wedding even has some decent alliteration, but weekday matrimony is still a bit of a rarity. Then we ran into Maria Vanderhorst of Ms. M’s Catering (another great Arcata business) and she’d just completed… a Wednesday wedding, too. We finally figured out what Becky had engineered – her nuptials at 6 p.m. on the seventh month on the eighth day in the ninth year: 6-7/8/9. Becky and finance Tyler Bruinekool were already lucky with the day: a cool breeze and sunshine at Patrick’s Point State Park’s Wedding Rock. And the wedding did rock. Good friends and beaming parents high above the Pacific… then off for a reception dinner at Six Rivers Brew in McKinleyville. Arcata Photo Studios was also lucky to be in the right place at the right time.

Yeah, we rip artists off...

But, Botticelli’s copyright is, like, way expired. We’re not expecting any calls from Italian attorneys. So we were free to use and abuse his “Birth of Venus” (or “Venus on the Half-Shell” for you Kilgore Trout fans out there) for the latest Humboldt Roller Derby poster. Just like when we stole from da Vinci for the last one. Call it another homage, or something. Thing is, those Renaissance guys spent all that time doting over form and expressiveness. Why remake the wheel? That’s how we roll.

Pictured are, left to right, derbiests Elysian Wheels, Avi N. Flew, LoLa Corolla and ThunderMuffin, all shot in our Jacoby’s Storehouse studio.

Not everybody knows that Arcata Photo Studios also does graphics work under the name APS Images. In the case of Derby, they’re still relatively new and needed the assistance. Plus, we know a couple of the bruisers on the team and were too afraid to say no. And they made us an offer we couldn’t refuse. official league photographers. That said, we’re always happy to hear about and help with design projects for similarly fun events. You don’t even have to be a Medici. 

Arts (exclamation point) Arcata

Man, oh man – it sure was cool getting the studio going one year ago. A prominent location, at center of the monthly Arts!Arcata route, we were genuinely enthused about providing a space to photographers (those second-tier artists!). It was vital – with a cadre of really talented photogs that weren’t typically gaining access to downtown real estate show. We spent the first couple months showing off our own work – then other local people whose work we really admired. Newly returned from interning with Rolling Stone, Chris Tuite had an excellent RAWK! Show. Kim Miller wowed people before heading off to Thailand. Dan and Dana Smith knocked everyone’s socks off. Charles McNally (no relation) was great. And others. For us, the events were not only fun mixers, but helped fulfill our goal of building a collaborative photography community. However, for our favored photogs – new and emerging – shouldering the expense of displaying a show can be burdensome. They’re generally young artists. It’s now less of a surprise why the same painters frequently fill local arts walks venues month after month – their stuff is already framed and ready to go.
However, we’re on the hunt and looking for new and interesting work to display. And APS is finally making headway on our plan to host an annual juried exhibition of local photography.
In truth, this remains a small town, despite hosting a university. But we may be overlooking real talent. We have walls and we pour wine. You have photography that you’re ready to show. Let’s connect… studio@arcataphoto.com.

Arcata Photo Studios Session Videos: Chynna Johnson-McKinleyville High Class of 2009!

Get out

Seriously. The weather is finally good again, lending impetus to some quality outdoor portraiture. The kids are out of school. Or maybe your teen is heading off to college in two months… this could be the last time in years that the entire family is together. Then maybe you just have a favorite beach or forest spot… even your backyard… where the fam has fun.
Through July 31, APS is running an Outdoor Portrait Promotion (OPP for the acronym needy), with a heavy discount to our sitting fee (heavy as in half off. Yeah – heavy like half. That heavy).
Sure we are partially motivated by the desire to see the sun after a long winter, ditch the studio. But our motives can be your family’s gain. We’ll travel anywhere in the county and our recent acquisition of some high tech gadgets means we can do professional studio lighting… anywhere. Up Fern Canyon. Down on Agate Beach. Heck, we’ll shoot on the Arcata-Eureka Airport tarmac. We’re that mobile. studio@arcataphoto.com or (707) 825-1061.