Here’s another reward for doing what I do…the responses from a bride after viewing their images for the first time:
Hi Roland,
I received an email today that the pictures are up. I looked through them quickly (since I’m at work) and they look amazing! I can’t wait until I get home so I can look through them thoroughly. I almost cried J they are beautiful. I guess just let me know what our next step will be. I assume we’ll have to meet to go over the book? As well as get the disc of pictures. I know it’s going to take us forever to decide which pictures to put in the book. I was wondering though, if you would be able to email us one picture? Michael’s mom would like to use it to put in a few of her Christmas cards. It’s image 226 or 227 of Michael’s family and me. She’s one of those people that gets their Christmas cards out the day after Thanksgiving. I don’t know many other people that are that on top of things. I know I’m not J Anyway, thanks for your help with that and hopefully I will talk to you soon. And thank you again for the beautiful pictures!!
Tonight, I was able to witness history being made - Barack Obama was elected as the 44th president of this great country of ours!
An African American was elected into the #1 office of our great country. A capable U.S. citizen was given an opportunity to serve his country!
The choice made tonight, the decisions made tonight only goes to confirm what I’ve lived through and confirmed over the course of my 17 years of sojourn in this great country. What I’ve lived through are situations where the great people of this country regardless of race have embraced me and given me opportunities to make a living despite my skin color.
When I started working as a photographer in Kansas City, there were only about 9 reputable wedding photographers in the market that offered similar services as I had planned to offer. A young black photographer working out of a one bedroom apartment with desires to create an upscale photography business, all I had was the hope and aspirations that people would overlook my skin color and select me based on my work. 10 years later and with more than 427 weddings under my belt, I can truly say that the hope that appears resurrected tonight had been fully alive all along!
Yes, it was not always like this BUT we’ve come a very long way as a people and we are learning to put our differences behind and work towards the common good.
When my children wake up tomorrow, it would be a new day in their lives and I would be able to tell them that they can be anything they want to be if they put God first and work hard with an unshaken hope and determination!
I had the opportunity to shoot Melissa & Ernie’s wedding on September 3, 2003 and since then, we’ve always talked about doing a family portrait. This year, Melissa asked that I photograph her family with Ernie’s family as a christmas present for Ernie’s parents.
It was quite a reunion considering that Melissa & Ernie now have 3 beautiful children
I showcased Melissa & Lester’s images on Pictage.com prior to delivering their DVD. In preparation for the new season, I’ve been trying out some new packaging…here are some of the images of what Melissa & Lester would be picking up in a few hours and the last email I received from them regarding their images:
Roland-Lester and I can’t express in words the gratitude we feel for the amazing work you did for our wedding day!! The pictures are incredible. They look like they belong in a magazine! You truly captured the essense of who we are and what we felt on that day. Because of you we will be able to cherish these memories for a lifetime! Thanks so much for being a blessing!Melissa and Lester
It’s always a good feeling when you get a referral from a previous client So I get an email on May 19, 2008 from Melissa…
Name: Melissa Walton E-mail: XXX@XXX.COM Comments: Hi Roland- We have crossed paths many times, starting with Danielle Teene’s wedding years ago. Normally, I would be contacting you to refer a bride, but this time it is my turn. God has blessed me with a man who loves Him most and me too. We recently decided to get married this year ( I know it’s short notice) but I didn’t want to ask anyone else before I asked you. Our wedding date is set for Aug 30th. Are you available that day. We would love to have you bless us with your talented lense. Melissa
It’s been an amazing experience working with Melissa & Lester…from shooting their engagement session to the last shot at the reception, they’ve both been gracious and most importantly, they extended me an opportunity to be a part of their day!
My friend Kendall Ivan Mathews went to be with the Lord on May 11th, 2008. As I change my blog layout, I thought I would pay tribute to my friend, confidant and brother!
Kendall and I became friends about 10 years ago. From the very first minute to his passing, I cannot recall a friend that was as devoted, loyal and caring as my friend Kendall. He was content, never angry, always with a smile and hardworking. Kendall never forgets any special events in my life, from the text messages on Father’s Day to the surprise birthday parties; he was always thoughtful always giving of himself even if it meant the shirt off his back!
Like his usual self, he sent my wife a text message at about 3 PM on May 11th to wish her a happy Mother’s Day and not knowing it would be the last time we hear from my friend, by 10:45 PM he had gone to be with the Lord.
I miss you my friend! It’s been very rough coping wth your departure but I believe that I will see you again. I pray that I can be a better person because of all that I learned from you. I pray that I can give more of myself like you did. I pray that I can touch and impact lives in a positive way like you did. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to know you and to be a part of your life for the amazing 10 years we spent together as friends and brothers!
I had the pleasure of shooting Lindsay & Mark’s wedding on April 26th at Kansas City Public Library. Lindsay & Mark booked me to shoot their wedding almost a year ago and we had a lot of fun working together in preparation for their wedding day.
They could not have asked for a better day to get married - the weather was perfect and both locations were unique in their own rights. Not knowing that Mark was into classic cars, I flagged down a driver that was cruising along in a Classic Mustang and asked if we could use his car and the gentleman was gracious in allowing us the use of his car.
