Photography & Portraits in Converse

Use this opportunity to upgrade the daguerreotypes that have been perching on your parents’ mantle for the past 184 years. Next to the 8"x10" that is included in your package, display any of the other standard prints that you get for half off, including eight wallet-sized visages ($25, $12.50 w/discount), 8"x10" ($30, $15 w/discount), 11"x14" on matboard ($70, $35 w/discount), and 10"x20" panoramic on matboard ($95, $47.50 w/discount). Now that the acne years have passed, split the cost with some siblings and surprise the folks with an up-to-date snapshot just in time for the early spring holidays like Easter, It's April!, and Mud. All your photos will be uploaded to an online, private gallery for two weeks.

With her trusty camera in hand, master photographer Angela Lynn helps to tell the stories of her clients. She strives to capture the true spirit of each subject, whether a newborn baby, expecting mother, or high-school senior for the 11th year in a row, focusing on natural poses and genuine emotion. After each session, Angela's comrade Sarah gets to work on finishing photos, skillfully brightening prints and designing albums.

A mother of three, Nicole Polcyn specializes in vibrant and quirky images of children. The family photographer collaborates with parents on the ideal location, tone, and wardrobe for each shoot, capturing newborns or siblings roving through a wheat field at dusk or perched back to back on a small boulder. Nicole strives to capture her subject’s unique personality through each on-location shoot and also adjusts her f-stop for maternity, bridal, or engagement photos.

John Garcia first saw the world through a camera's lens at age 11, but it wasn't until he had his own kids that he really became a prolific photographer. He snapped 10,000 photos of his tykes in their first year of life and realized he had a passion for preserving family memories. He decided to extend his services to other clans through J Garcia Photography. Along the way, he diversified his subjects, taking professional headshots for actors and businessfolk or snapping artsy memories for brides or expectant mothers. He also provides digitally retouched images and prints of his work to clients, allowing them to revisit a brief moment in time daily with a simple glance above the mantel.

Brandi Dalhouse—the artist for whom B House Photography is named—has learned much about her craft in the 17 combined years she has spent practicing photography, digital photography, photo manipulation, and photo enhancements. Above all, she has come to understand that the best pictures are those that capture us with our guards down, engaging with our surroundings rather than with the camera. This proves especially true for children and their families; it’s hardly a coincidence that these are Brandi’s favorite subjects. Her wide-ranging portfolio will attest, however, that she also has plenty of experience capturing teens, brides, and pregnant mothers.

As one might expect from someone who places more of an emphasis on her clients than on her own camera, Brandi begins each shoot with a discussion of goals and desired outcomes. The informal tone of this discussion carries over into the photo sessions themselves, which take place at locations of her clients’ choosing, whether on a favorite playground or in front of an ex's toilet-paper-draped house. Within 2–3 weeks after the session, clients can receive a fully edited CD with high-resolution images, as well as a print release for sharing their photos with family and friends.

The bride stood under the photographer’s lights, resplendent in her wedding gown, as her family looked on from a distance. As she and her photographer, M. Chen, prepared for the shoot, she was handed a package—a prewedding gift from her soon-to-be husband. When she lifted the lid, she immediately burst into tears. Inside laid a photo of a great dane puppy—the dog she’d always wanted, which her husband planned to give her on their wedding day. As she ran to hug her mother, Mr. Chen ran after, shooting image after image, capturing the exact moment she fell into her mother’s arms. These quick reflexes have been honed through his nearly 30 years as a sports photographer and professional fly swatter, and he draws on photojournalistic techniques to compose a traditional portrait or snap once-in-a-lifetime, candid moments.

Regardless of specific approaches, he consistently draws from the landscape style of Ansel Adams and the dramatic lighting techniques of Monte Zucker. His work as a photojournalist and private portrait photographer has earned him more than 300 publications in the glossy pages of New York Daily News, Popular Photography, ESPN Magazine, and Professional Photographers of America magazine. When not snapping on-location engagement shoots, family portraits, or boudoir sessions, he passes on his technique through traveling photography seminars, hands-on workshops, and by gently tapping the heads of his students. Though formerly designed only for professional-level photographers, these classes instill confidence and camera basics in beginners. As he frequently finds new class examples and takes feedback from his students, Mr. Chen frequently fine-tunes the curriculum after each seminar.