How To Take Charge Of Your Life's Story: One Mom's Journey

Tammy and 3 great kids with Tammy's parent's, plus Coco in Anna's Grace's lap :-)

It started with one tiny baby...
In 1999, one of our Baby's First Year members, Anna Grace, came for her first portrait session as a tiny 3 month old Preemie who had just reached her birth weight.
Her parents, Tammy and Todd, had not counted on spending months in the hospital before and after the delivery of their first child. With the help of their extended family and a lot of prayers, they took charge of their life's story as Anna Grace quickly caught up in growth and developmental milestones over the next year.

Then the family started growing along with great business success...
Along came Wyatt in 2001 and then, in 2004, Tucker completed their family. It is one of our greatest delights to see a family growing and changing--and having the privilege of creating a nice portrait history for them.
Any mother knows that having 3 little ones within a 5 year span is a 24/7 job, but Tammy was also a part of their family's growing business, Window World. And, boy, did it grow! A small roadside stand Todd's dad had opened in 1995 has now grown into almost over 200 Window World offices in 45 states!

Todd with Anna Grace and Wyatt

With Todd as president and later the CEO, they were busier than most families could even imagine, but they took charge of their life's story once again by taking frequent trips as a couple and with their children. (As a business owner myself, I know that is about the only way you can truly break away from the demands of any business, large or small.) Tammy and Anna Grace were involved in (and winning) horse shows together. Wyatt was quickly becoming a football star at his elementary school and Tucker was starting school and making lots of friends.

Life takes a sudden turn...
But suddenly, their story changed again, when Todd passed away unexpectedly just before his 41st birthday in 2010. Everyone that knew them were shocked at the news. We were heartbroken--knowing the loss this sweet family had to deal with and how it would affect the children.
By this time, they were living back in Tammy's hometown, North Wilkesboro, just minutes from the children's grandparents and other family members and that, along with community support and again, a lot of prayers, is what gave them strength to take charge of their story once again.

Blessings abound...and the future is bright.

Today, Tammy is the Chairman and CEO of Window World and has advanced the efforts of Window World Cares (Window World's charitable foundation that Tammy co-founded in 2008), giving them the ability to present a check in December 2012 to St. Jude's Hospital for over 2.8 million dollars! Since I mainly know Tammy as a mom, I was super impressed seeing her in her role as an influential, successful CEO on the cover of a trade magazine. They had a feature article on Window World being ranked number one in top awards in the remodeling industry. Talk about coming out on top...wow!

And on the homefront...
As we have done since 1999, we created portraits for their family this past fall, but this time we went on location to their home.
When I saw room by room, portraits beautifully displayed all over the walls throughout their home--the warm feeling I had stayed with me for weeks. It was heartwarming to see their whole portrait history as a testimony to the happy family they are.  Even more so, as we spent the day with them, it was pure joy to see how great the kids are doing--at home, in school and their outside activities. Tammy was so excited about a surprise she had for the kids-a family trip somewhere warm over the holidays!

We look forward to hearing the next chapter as they take charge of their life's story... no matter how that story unfolds.

Tucker keeps 'em laughing!

3 Ways to a Merrier Holiday

Whether you are celebrating the birth of a Savior, a holiday season of shopping, time with family ... or just a day off from work, we hope it is a happy time for you.

If it's not:

• take a moment to think about at least 5 things that ARE good in your life
• show kindness to someone less fortunate than you
• call a friend over to watch a funny holiday movie: Elf, A Christmas Vacation, Christmas Story

But, before we begin to decompress from getting everyone else's portraits and Christmas cards ready, we wanted to tell our followers, clients and friends, THANK YOU and Merry Christmas!

Love, 

Anne,
Nolan
and Cooper

Yes, It's Time For Spring Portraits!

Every year we are on "Daffodil Watch" to determine the best time to photograph YOU and your family in the daffodils. With the mild winter weather we have had, we are predicting that the finest display of daffodils will be a week earlier than previous years. How does an On Location session on a Saturday sound to you? The "Walk In the Daffodils" Limited Edition sessions  will be scheduled for Saturday, March 17, 2012. Your portraits will be ready just in time for Easter!

OK, what if I told you there is no Session Fee? That's right...it's FREE!

Don't miss out... There is a great demand for these special sessions and they book up quickly! Call 336.766.8367 early to schedule your preferred time.

We Are Family! ~ NC Family Portraits ~

We had a wonderful fall portrait season with lots of families and just couldn't wait to share them. However, many of the portraits would make their "debut" as Christmas cards or Christmas gifts, so we had to wait until after the holidays to show off our beautiful Anne Grant Photography families.
We will post them here over the next few weeks and also on our Anne Grant ~ The Village Photographer Facebook Page...don't forget to "Like" us!

American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™

Earlier in the year, we introduced you to one of our clients, a new member of our studio family, the Ganzert Family.
Robin Ganzert is from right here in Clemmons, but is the President & CEO of the American Humane Association. This keeps her very busy on a national level advancing the protection of  pets, children and farm animals. As a mom of 3 beautiful children and many pets, including some at her parent's farm in Mocksville, she has a lot of first-hand experience about the interaction and relationships of people and animals.
We recently updated some publicity photos for her and her family, and she was excitedly telling us about the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards. They are down to the 8 finalists out of the 453 dogs nominated from every state in the country.  You can show your love and support for these Hero Dogs by participating in the next round of voting as they compete for the title of 2011 American Hero Dog! No purchase or donation is required to vote, but all votes must be placed by September 30.

More images on the American Humane Association Facebook Page

When we talked with her today, she was in Los Angeles in preparation for the Awards Event on September 30. She is getting to know celebrities such as Betty White, Whoopi Goldberg, Victoria Stilwell, Kristin Chenoweth, and Jillian Michaels who are also involved in the project. She mentioned that even though celebrities have such a different lifestyle and culture than we are used to, that they are really not that much different when you just get to know them as people.
The Hallmark Channel will feature profiles of the winning dogs later on in the fall, but you can be a part of the decision as you place your vote for these wonderful dogs!

Choosing Happiness...Another Victory for Victor

One of our studio families recently added another dimension to the love of family...in the form of an iPhone/ iPad app!
While some folks denounce newer technologies, saying that they are keeping us from old fashioned friendships and conversations, the Pauca family embraces these latest developments to improve on the way they communicate. Their son, Victor, has a rare genetic disorder, Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome that causes cognitive and physical impairments and other medical issues. His father, Paul, (along with a team of programming engineers) developed an application named "Verbal Victor" for the iPhone/Ipad that matches images with phrases so a person who has speech limitations can communicate their thoughts and wishes.
We met the Pauca family in 2006 when it was time for the newest member of their family, Victor, to have his first "real" portrait session. His sisters, Francesca & Sofia came along to be included in some of the portraits. They were so excited about their new brother and played with him like he was their favorite baby doll!

At that time, the family didn't know anything about Victor's condition, but soon after, his developmental delays led them to his diagnosis at age 2.
It is hard to imagine how difficult it was when they found out their child has an incurable condition that would profoundly affect him and the family, but the Pauca family is defined more by faith, love and happy times than a medical condition.

His sisters adore Victor and appreciate the joy he brings

Victor at age 4

In this article from Wake Forest University Magazine that tells more about Victor's condition and the iPhone/iPad app , Victor's mom, Theresa says “It helped us realize that happiness is a choice we make. We could choose to be bitter or to be better. We chose to be better.” That is the real victory for Victor and can inspire us all to make the same choice.

Proud grandparents from mom's side of the family...the Plemmons

Victor is now a pretty big boy, 6 years old in August and has just lost his two front teeth, so his smile has changed somewhat, but as you can see from these images, there is a lot to smile about with generations of love in this family!

3 generations of "Victors"

Think Negative!

OK, before you think we're having a bad day talking about negative things, we are really talking about something very exciting for our long time clients.
We are selling our film negatives from earlier sessions completed before we converted our studio to digital processes in 2003-2004. That doesn't seem like that long ago, but aside from the introduction of color film in the ealier part of the last century, it really amazes me how photography has changed so much in the last 10 years!
On a personal note, as we approach close to 20 years as a professional studio, I am glad to have had the opportunity to experience using film, working in the darkroom and  using a completely manual camera. Although, I love the digital processes we use now, that experience really taught me about how the light entering the camera transforms into a print...in it's purest form.

Anyway, the negatives are yours for only $99 for each session. If you have more than one session, we will be glad to give you a lower per-session bundle price of only $19-$49 each set, depending on the number of sessions.  These are primarily medium format negatives and, of course, they are the only copy available. Our digital images are backed up to several computers and other media, but that is not the case with the original film negative. We will provide you with the only original copy of your images to print or share with other family members...or to simply have for safekeeping in a safety deposit box. You do have the option of having them scanned so they can be saved as you would your digital images. One that we found is @ scancafe.com. Even though we haven't used them personally, their scanning price seems to be the most reasonable.
Just give us a call at 336.766.8367 and we dive into our many boxes of stored negatives to find yours!

Is This The Year For Your Anne Grant Beach Portrait?

Ahhh...the sand, the sun, the waves and those long lazy days at the beach with the people you love. These are such wonderful memories to preserve in a beautifully crafted portrait for your home, your beach house and even your holiday cards! 

This year we have reserved time from our studio schedule to be at North Myrtle Beach June 26-June 30. We would be glad to come to your beach house, another photogenic setting (maybe with a pier or other "beachy" looks) or any location within a hour's drive from the Myrtle Beach area that has special meaning to you. Please call 336.766.8367 to reserve your time for your beach portraits!

Reservation fee to arrange time exclusively for your beach session is  $450.
$300 of the reservation fee will apply toward your portrait order. 
The reservation fee is non refundable, but in case of cancellation,  your reservation fee may be applied as a studio credit.

Anne Grant ~ The National Village Photographer?

A few weeks ago, we received a call from someone needing an updated portrait since she had been appointed in a new position. This is not unusual, since we "upgrade" a lot of business portraits, sometimes several times a week.
However, she went on to tell us she recently became the President and CEO of the American Humane Association, "the nation’s voice for the protection of children and animals." It is quite an honor to portray someone who has reached this level of recognition and success.

We will be telling you more about this worthwhile organization later, as we plan to do a Pet Portrait fundraiser for them, but I want to introduce you Robin Ganzert, Ph.D through the portraits we did at her parent's farm in Davie County. We've had some extra cold weather lately and this was one of those really cold days, so we bundled up and just made it happen since she needed these images right away.

Robin, her husband and 3 lovely children live in Clemmons, as well as one of her sisters, but it turned out that their other sister happened to be visiting from GA, so we made the most of it and were able to create wonderful multi-generational and multi-species(!) portraits. I consider this type of portrait almost more treasured than any other because it is so hard to get the family together..all at one time.

NC Family Portraits, Baby Portraits, Senior Portraits, Pet Portraits...and More!

Just catching our breath...we've been as busy as little elves, creating portraits and some fantastic Christmas cards for some of the nicest people in NC! The more we get to know our clients, we feel so fortunate that our lives can be enriched by these special relationships.
This year has been challenging, sometimes stressful or even difficult for many families we meet, but one thing I have noticed is how those situations can draw people to what is really important. It seems that people are taking inventory of their lives more than ever... treasuring the relationships, memories and the simple joys that happen in families everyday.  It is usually not the most spectacular occasions that bring us our favorite memories of family or friends and we are lucky to get to share in a bit of that everyday...

 

 Well...I could go on and on..that's all I have time for now, but there is more to come...

Christmas Card Preview Sale! FREE Portrait cards..ONE WEEK ONLY!

Would You Like To Be One Of Our "Test Models"?

We heard you!

If you saw our recent survey, you know we are considering offering quick, simple portrait sessions and...Wow... did you have a lot to say!  In the survey, you told us you were busy and sometimes don't need all that we typically offer to have portraits made, so you have gone to the photo chains and have been pretty disappointed overall. Of the respondents, 91.8% said they were interested in seeing us offer a "Quick Takes" style of photography.

 
Now it's time for the next step!

We would like to to hear more of your opinions as we take the next step - conducting a test of this new product. You can be a part of our R and D (research and development) Team!

There will be an opportunity for you to be one of the first to try it out as one of our "Test Models" on  Saturday, July 24, Monday, July 26 (with after work hours), and Tuesday, July 27.

The Portrait Packages start at $129 and we will have Portrait Sheets for as little as $24 each. This style of photography will give you a chance to have quality photography as often as you like...at affordable prices! In addition, you will have the opportunity to purchase low resolution digital files with a purchase of $259 or more. (This is great for scrapbookers, Facebookers or even your digital frame.)

 All you have to do is go to our online scheduling site (See? it's already easier..you can do this at midnight in your PJ's!)

After you schedule your Portrait and Ordering session, we will send an email to let you know what to expect. We'll take care of the rest..you could even come on your lunch hour!

 

Our studio is known for the attention to detail, and all that goes with it, when we create your portraits. For those who have had the Anne Grant Photography experience, the best results come when we spend time planning your perfect portrait before the session. Then there's the session, with unlimited time followed up a week later with all the time you need for making your selections with our portrait design specialist. Our clients appreciate all the time we spend with them when they have made the decision to invest in a custom designed, beautiful wall portrait collection.

But what about the times when you really want something quick and easy?
It may be just a fun idea or only have one purpose, such as:

• Your child in their "First Day Of School" outfit  
• A nice image for your Christmas Card (every mom I know dreads taking their own family pictures for their annual Christmas Card, but it makes for funny stories!) 
• An updated image for your business card
• Something really cool for your Senior page in the yearbook
• A few great images to use on the "important" pages as you are scrapbooking 

        ...And all of the other simple moments in your life!
 
Your response to this initial offering will determine if we will be able to add this type of photography to our current style of customized designer wall portrait sessions, so we look forward to a great turnout!

 

YOU are the Art in our 4th Annual Portrait Gallery Exhibit

This exhibit will showcase some of our best images and we’d like to include you!
The Portrait Gallery Exhibit will be on display March 5-April 1, 2010 at the Lewisville Soda Shoppe located at 6750 Shallowford Rd in Lewisville at The Oaks Shopping Center.
We will be publicizing this event as an art exhibit and YOU are the art! 
In order to create excitement in the community, we will have an Opening Reception on Saturday, March 5 from 10A.M. until 2 P.M. at the Soda Shoppe. There will be door prizes throughout the day, so come by and register to win (you don’t have to be present to win, but the registration will only be available at the reception.)
All you need to do is authorize us to create a portrait from your past session; then you may pick up your new portrait when the gallery exhibit is over.  This beautiful portrait is yours for the special price of only $99 (Reg. $399) for an 11x14 portrait or $149 (Reg. $439) for a 16x20 portrait.
You will want to respond quickly as this tremendous value of up to 75% off retail is valid for ONE WEEK ONLY!
Please call or e-mail by February 16, 2010 to discuss your pose selection. 
This is a great idea for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter or birthday gifts...or maybe just to treat yourself!  
Special Note to husbands: this is what she REALLY wants..and you don't even have to go to the store.  We'll take care of everything for you!
(Special price applies only to images that were previously ordered since 2005. Orders already in progress do not apply.)

Free Family Portrait Sessions on a SUNDAY ???

First, for those of you who know us well and how important family time is to us, you know we are making a HUGE sacrifice to give up a Sunday afternoon to do portrait sessions! But seriously, we want to give the honor due to those who have truly sacrificed for our community.
On October 7, Officer Danny Clark and Sgt. Mickey Hutchens were both shot in the line of duty. As they were protecting our community from a dangerous gunman, we must consider how much harm could have been caused had they not stepped in with their dedication to Protect and Serve. Both received serious injuries as a result of the shooting and Officer Hutchens gave the ultimate sacrifice when he passed away on October 12. When Sgt. Hutchens was laid to rest later that week, we saw the most incredible demonstration of respect and honor from the Triad and beyond.
We want to show our appreciation to their families with an “Honor Our Heroes Benefit.” Like most of you, we feel that there is little we can do individually to make a difference. However, we can offer the talents and time that we have been blessed with and you can join us by scheduling a Family Portrait Session for our “Honor Our Heroes Benefit” on November 8 or November 9. What better way to remember these families than to celebrate YOUR family and preserve those memories for a lifetime in a beautiful portrait.
For this event, there is NO SESSION FEE, but we are requesting a $25 donation to the funds that will assist the families of these brave officers. In addition, we will donate 15% of your portrait order to this fund.
On these two days, we will also have refreshments so you can relax and visit with us or your friends for a while. We may even have a police car or two for your children to tour with the friendly police officers who will also be visiting with us those days (this has to be approved by the WSPD first.)
In order to give you our undivided attention, the sessions are by appointment only. You will want to call 336.766.8367 to reserve your session time SOON so you can come at your preferred time.

Don’t Miss Your Family Portrait Month Opportunity

This fall, Anne Grant ~ The Village Photographer, will participate with an elite group of photographers around the country in a very special family portrait promotion. In September and October, we will celebrate our 5th Annual “Family Portrait Month.” This is a fantastic opportunity for you to update your family portrait with no session fees and special bonus gifts (see below), and at the same time, help to support Operation Smile, which treats children around the world who suffer with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities. Along with other studio members of Professional Photographers of America (PPA), we have pledged to contribute all donated session fees from the “Family Portrait Month” promotion to PPA Charities, which has chosen Operation Smile as its charitable partner. Recording the faces of children and their families is our greatest pleasure. That’s why we believe so strongly in the work of Operation Smile. More than 100,000 children are born with a facial deformity each year in Operation Smile’s 23 mission countries. Thanks to the medical volunteers, it costs only $240 to perform a life-changing operation. Last year, PPA donated over $52,000 to Operation Smile...that’s a lot of smiles! We also believe that “Family Portrait Month” is a wonderful way to teach children the value of reaching out to others. Even small children can understand the importance of Operation Smile’s work, and they are eager to help these special children.

We hope you will join with us in helping to make this vital work possible. Don’t forget that the holiday season is right around the corner, so there’s no better time for a family portrait, which is always appreciated as gifts for family and friends and to send along with Christmas and holiday greeting cards.As always . . . we look forward to creating some truly wonderful portraits of your family.
For this event, we will have evening appointments available on a limited basis and even
TWO SATURDAYS, September 26 and October 17.

What’s more, we want YOU to benefit from this special offer:

NO SESSION FEE ($99 Value)

(We request a $25 suggested donation to Operation Smile for this promotion)

Choose from the following for your BONUS GIFT:

1) 12 Holiday Cards with the purchase of any collection

OR

2) $100 Studio Gift Certificate to use for any future

OR

3) $25 Gift Certificate from Haj-Paj Boutique & Design Studio

OR
4) $25 Gift Certificate at Quest Coffee

EARLY BIRD BONUS:

The first 5 people to schedule a Family Portrait Month session for September will receive a

FREE Designer Market Tote from our new Boutique AG. ($25.00 Value)

Emergency DAFFODIL Alert!

We were taking our dogs for a walk this weekend at Tanglewood Park and as we turned the corner to go the quiet area we like to visit, we were greeted by 6 deer prancing across the road. The deer family stopped to look at us for a while, then we went a little further down the road and saw another welcome sight... the DAFFODILS! It was rainy and chilly, so we weren't even in a frame of mind to be thinking about the session we had last year with this Daffodil Princess. (Please click on images to enlarge them.)

After we did a quick check for next week's weather forecast on my iPhone, we decided that with these early Spring rains and the weather warming up later this week, that Saturday, March 21 would be the peak of the daffodils!

You will not want to miss this chance to have your portrait created in this gorgeous, painterly setting. As a matter of fact, this is may be the perfect time to have the fine art painting done that you have been thinking about!

Please call 336.766.8367 so we can set up the time that is best for you.

We Love Our Buddies!

Despite some rainy weather, the Anne Grant Photography Crew got together with the Piedmont Downs Syndrome Support Network and participated in the 2008 Buddy Walk! This event raises money to support children with Downs Syndrome. Anne & Nolan even brought our studio mascots, Cooper & Otis, and wheeled them around Tanglewood in a wagon! They were outfitted with the latest in Buddy Walk gear - their own personal t-shirts!

Almost the whole Anne Grant team was there (Kirsten couldn't make it due to her childrens' affinity for soccer), and spouses and kids came too! Denise & Anne designed cool t-shirts for us, and even though they are a wee bit girly, Nolan and Ben wore them with pride!

Family Portrait Month at The Village Photographer

For more information on our most popular (and meaningful) promotions of the year, see the Family Portrait Month link on our website www.grantphoto.com/family.htm
This is our 4th year partcipating in this worthwhile event and we look forward to topping the past 3 years in what we can do for Operation Smile. We hope you can join us!

Who's The Boss?

Now this really is a sweet little boy, but he had a little trouble getting warmed up to us during his portrait session. He was absolutely clear that he "didn't want to take any pictures" and when we coaxed him into the camera room, he said, "You're Not The Boss Of Me!" To that I laughed and said, "Oh, but I think I AM the boss of you!" He seemed to think that was funny and we had a great session!

Family Portrait Month Sessions

Here's a couple of the families who made donations to Operation Smile through Family Portrait Month...Thank You!