RouseGallery...The Blog

Hangin' with Hayden

The sky just opened up and smiled on us this day.

It was 85 degrees on the second to last day of September. And here we were, sharing the laughter...strolling through the leaves of autumn...relishing the abundance and purity of the light. From the spontaneous "inside joke" shots to the intense expression frames, we give it our all. And the results are here for you to enjoy with us.

I'll take this kind of day any old time.

R

P.S. Coming tomorrow, a total knock-you-on-your-seat extreme sports portfolio. Just you wait.

And to ramp up the suspense, here's a hint of what's coming tomorrow:

Exploring Indian Summer with Derek

I figure, if you live next to the woods and the creek and the old bridge...and that sense of being outdoors is an integral part of your life and your adolescence, then that's what we need to be capturing in our portfolio.

And what perfect timing. The marigold, amber and scarlet pastels of Indian Summer spreading over the gully like paint oozing from brushes, like so many watercolors running in the rain.

We spent a lot of time lurking beneath the big red bridge like trolls.

Most of all, I fell in love again with the sensibility that we don't have to be overly dynamic or dramatic...extraordinary portraiture begins and ends with the magical sculpting of light, the intensity of expression, the sense of place.

Seeing those elements fuse together to form a congruous whole is a remarkable thing.

R

P.S. Thanx to Derek's younger brother Dylan for the quality photo assisting...only four more years until his senior portfolio!

Gallery 18

We want to take a moment on today's blog to highlight our business partner, Gallery 18 in downtown Minot.

As many of you know, we are hosting the majority of our portrait order sessions at Gallery 18, where our families have access to amazing framing options for wall portraits. To give you an idea of the beauty and versatility of these varied display options, we're featuring the wall portraits here that have been artfully framed and displayed by Shanna at the gallery for your viewing pleasure.

You'll see the display, and so much more, when you stop in at Gallery 18! (18 South Main, Downtown Minot)

Autumn Skies

I'll be on my way back from a quick jaunt to Grand Forks and Fargo as you read this...thot you'd enjoy the images of driving into the sunset!

Am on the way to shoot Derek's senior portfolio, the B cru family outing in the woods, a Friday night lifestyle talent session with Taylor, kids in the country on Sunday night and next week...more families, seniors and...the list goes on!

Catch you on tomorrow's post.

R

Wouldn't you love to have a kitchen like this?!

Several more kitchens to feature here from our promotional project for Muus Do It Best Lumber and Hardware of Minot. First, my portfolio of this beautiful kitchen in north Minot:

And my portfolio featuring this lovely kitchen in farm country...

More kitchens to come soon!

Alycia takes the blog by storm

Check out these awesome new pics of Alycia...or, if you're in the inner circle, "Lyc"! (that's pronounced "Leesh" just so you know!)

At the end of the day, it's all about the lighting in this art form to which I have been called. Playing off the flattering soft beauty of window light, the golden rays of sunlight spilling into an beautiful home setting...or the subtle glow of lamplight is what totally, completely makes the shot. There is nothing more natural, more real or more pleasing to the eye.

You'll see that embodied in the lifestyle modeling portfolio images displayed here.

And you will totally wish you were with us for the chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven!

R

Pretty in Pink... with Keelah

What a beautiful girl.

And, thanks to her, at only fourteen months of age, I was taught the ultimate cardio workout! As Keelah was on the run exploring the world of Indian Summer, I had to stay ahead of her with my D2X...which meant bending down toward her level while walking backwards AND sideways. For 20-30 minutes, I might add. As I told the family that day, I worked muscle groups I never knew I had!

All in a day's work, tho. And a small price to pay for the privilege of capturing the antics of such a lovely little girl.

The results are embodied in Keelah's portfolio:

R

Taylor, Payton, Jayden and Alyssa

I have the perfect recipe for success.

One spacious yard in the country- complete with sheltering trees, rustic fences and grazing horses. One crisp autumn evening with the turning of the leaves spreading over the countryside. And four willing, photogenic young ones romping in front of my camera...gazing at horses, swinging on the playground, throwing footballs, bouncing on the trampoline and going exploring.

No special photo tricks, no intensely dramatic lighting...just the beauty of the natural setting coupled with the natural and spontaneous expressions of the kids.

That's the secret to success. Now you know the recipe.

R

 

Ron Rouse Profiled in Worldwide Magazine

We're pretty excited about the profile of Ron Rouse Photography in "Studio Photography" magazine, one of the most widely-read and respected publications in the photographic industry. Ron Rouse is first of the six photographers featured in the article, discussing the topic of marketing to senior portrait clients in today's marketplace. The online version debuted recently and we've had a ton of hits from industry people visiting this blog through the link in the feature! (welcome to all of you!!!)

Three of our 2007 seniors are also featured in the online version of the story. Amanda from MHS is featured at the very top of the story as the first of all images featured alongside the article. On the home page of the magazine publication, a flash presentation advertises a link to the article and two of the five images on the flash trailer feature Ron Rouse Photography seniors: Liz from the Bismarck Century Centahnas and Dusty from the RHS Panthers. Congrats to our seniors who were selected by the magazine editors for inclusion in this article!

Catch the online feature at this address and follow the link to the feature story:

www.imaginginfo.com

Happy Viewing!

R

Spending the Afternoon with Kasey

What a great shoot. This is only my second shoot with Kasey and judging by the exceptional results, I believe there are a lot more sessions in our future.

All I have to do is ask Kasey to conjure up the mood or concept I'm looking for and she's right there with the expression. It's definitely magic. And an exceptional talent for someone who's in the eighth grade this year at school.

In fact, we weaved the aura of all things school-related into the theme of these lifestyle talent images. So, my day was spent surrounded by library books and backpacks, lockers and bleachers.

Brings back some awesome memories!

R

Professional makeup styling courtesy of Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio and Minot Medical Spa on Central Avenue, downtown Minot