The power of complaint

Good and happy Friday everyone!

How much does complaining really fix and how far does it take you? It's something that has always been a mystery. Some say that complaining is a way of venting and letting things out, which makes a very valid point, but is there a difference between complaining and venting? We handle things a little different at Knapp Photography; we try to have a 0 complaint mentality. We'd rather APPRECIATE what we do have instead of complaining about what we don't. We'd rather try to fix our problems at the best of our capabilities than to complain about them and it seems to be working for us! What's YOUR take on the subject? How do you feel about complaining and how do you handle what you're complaining about? Please share with us!

This week has been fun and busy for us! We had an amazing photo shoot with a very talented and beautiful girl. Her name is Zee Gustafson. She's a professional makeup artist and her work is AMAZING! but...she's also a beautiful girl. So we worked up our courage and approached her with the idea of doing a photo shoot with her as the model... and she agreed!! She has been in the industry for quite some time now even though she's 21 years young, which has given her the opportunity to work with MANY talented photographers, designers, models, etc. She came very well prepared, had EXCELLENT ideas and we got to work! We got so much accomplished in a short period of time. We worked with different outfits, looks and even changed background colors. She's such a sweetheart and a pleasure to work with. She works OH SO WELL in front of the camera and has a beautiful smile about 99.9% of the time on her face. The rest of the time she was TRYING HARD to keep a straight face. We had a lot of fun and time flew by! We are very honored to have been able to photograph her, especially because she does NOT let just anyone take pictures of her. We think she has only worked with one other photographer. We'd like to thank her publicly and hope to work with her again in the near future!

We'd also like to wish HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our dear friend and talented model/personal trainer Rafael Manjarres!

We hope you all have an awesome day and an eventful weekend. Remember that a positive attitude puts a smile on your face and a negative one will probably give you a headache!

Thank you once again for reading this here FELICITOUS blog. We hope you enjoy it and if you don't... PLEASE TELL US WHY!

Knapp Photography


P.S. Please enjoy a couple of pictures of beautiful Zee Gustafson

New day, new opportunity

Hello everyone!

This day, as each and every single one, is considered by us a new opportunity to succeed or at least get closer to being successful. We all have the same chance and opportunity to do great with certain exceptions of course. One thing that is for sure is the fact that we have to be in full control of our lives. We can't and shouldn't allow others to take over. How we envision our future is entirely up to us. It's also up to us to change the things that bother us, it's up to us to stay away from the ones that hurt us or make our lives difficult. So take this day and every single one after it as an opportunity to succeed, take control of your life, envision a better future for yourself and stay away from the ones that hurt you. Each day is a new beginning, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TIME!

This weekend was awesome for us! We had an awesome shoot on Friday with Rafael and TeraLynn. We shot outdoors which was a little challenging due to strong winds and low temps, but we still managed to get awesome shots! Then we came to the studio and got some very intense boudoir work done. Saturday, we attended a fashion show at NV Penthouse with talented Alexis Ginn which was a whole lot of fun, and last night we were at Dragonfly to support Angelica Santoyo-Bernal and her fashion show where she presented her new Romance line from her Angel Eyes Designs. That was a BLAST! We met great people, had tons of fun, watched beautiful models do what they do best and, after it was all done, we ended the night dancing away! It was a fun filled weekend for sure!

As always, we thank you very much for taking the time to read this here PHENOMENAL blog and being part of Knapp Photography. We appreciate you very much and we encourage you to leave a comment and give us some feedback or maybe touch on the subjects we talk about =)

Again, thank you and have an awesome week!

Knapp Photography

P.S. Take a look at some of the awesomeness we created on Friday.

Time to shine!

Hello everyone!

It seems as if 2011 is the year to shine for a lot of people and we LOVE that! It seems as if everyone got a new set of batteries this year and they are fully charged! We can feel that energy and vibe everywhere; from the people we talk to on regular basis, to the brand new contacts we make. Most have a goal and they're working ÜBER hard to reach it, we call that AWESOMENESS!!

We have our very own set of goals for this year and everything seems to be going FAWESOME thus far! One of the biggest/hardest moves has been dedicating ourselves 100% to do what we love. It's one we were leery about since we feel the secure income is a must at this point and can't let go off it, but at the same time... IT'S TIME and it's a MUST! So we ask YOU - Have you made such move in your life? Please tell us how it went, how hard it was (cause we know it's never or hardly ever easy) and if it wasn't hard at all what is the thing that made it that easy? DO SHARE PLEASE!

We also run into the other side of things, the negativity, the envy, the crap talking... THE DRAMA. But we handle all that QUITE WELL. WE HIT THE IGNORE BUTTON IN OUR BRAIN and VOILA!! We strongly suggest you do the same. If you need help locating this button, please send us an email to howtogetridofdrama@it'sOHSOEASY.com =) and we'll be more than happy to help!

This week was a chill week for us, lots of editing and catching up on other things. The balance between work and home has been one sided in a way due to the fact that well, it's mostly work we do around here, but WE LOVE IT! We wouldn't have it any other way. It will all pay off, try it! One of the biggest things we do while we work is HAVE FUN! Someone once said "shooting with you is like taking a vacation" Well, it may not be a vacation but it sure is fun!

We did manage to edit some more shots from previous sessions which we're very excited about. And today we have some shooting to do along with business meetings and fashion events to attend. We will tell you how it all turned out.

Have a fun and safe weekend everyone. Remember, do what you love even if it's not full time!!!

Knapp Photography


P.S. Take a look at how we have fun while shooting =)

Love is in the air

Hello everyone!

Today is the day set aside on our calendars to celebrate LOVE!, To be honest with you, at Knapp Photography, it's not any different than any other day of the week, month, year. Here, love is in the air pretty much every day! We love each other, we love what we do, and we love our friends and family. There's a constant reminder of it on a daily basis and we make it known, we're cheesy that way! That being said, we would like to know what makes (if anything) this day special to YOU. How do you celebrate it and who do you celebrate it with? Do you buy flowers, chocolates, make dinner plans or does a hug and a kiss get the job done? Share with us! (and the others that read this here STUPENDOUS blog)

Monday is also a very important day for us. We like the fact that it's the start of not only a new week, but also of new opportunities, another chance to get closer to our goals and create new ones. You must think we're crazy, and maybe we are, but we actually look forward to Monday! Then again, we tend to look at everyday as a new opportunity. You should try it, it really helps!

We had a busy, yet very successful weekend! We shot, we attended events, we spent time with family and even had time to watch a couple of movies and enjoy some delicious drinks! We were able to meet a lot of great people and ran into old acquaintances as well. Last Wednesday, we had an amazing time shooting beautiful Yesenia Hernandez and Becca Choi. Wonder Woman, Analise Ojeda, used that magic wand of hers and POOF! we ended up with awesomeness! Angelica AngelEyes was also kind enough to let us use some of her past designs which was the icing on the cake! Marco Foster also stopped by to hang out and say hello which is always a pleasure. If you haven't had the chance to work, hang out or even meet him, do it, you won't regret it! We also did the shoot with the guys of TrainWreck Symphony and WOW! we ended up with some rockin' shots! Until we got kicked out!

Once again, we hope you don't get tired of reading this, but we mean it. Thank you very much for taking the time to read our blog. We truly appreciate it! We do ask you to let us know you're here. PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT, let us know what you think of it; we truly need would appreciate your feedback!

Have an amazing week everyone and hope you get to do what you really want, and of course... HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Knapp Photography


P.S.  Look at a couple of samples of what we ended up with this past week!

Mood Setting

Hello all!

Today, we all are in an excellent mood. We feel refreshed, we're doing what we love, and we keep the positivity flowing. Our day is pointing in the right direction. Today, we have a photo shoot with 2 models and 1 male model who is completely new to the scene. Analise "Wonder Woman" Ojeda will be here working her MAGIC with hair and makeup, Angelica AngelEyes Santoyo-Bernal will bring a few of her OH SO FABULOUS outfits and we're planning on having a blast!! Someone in our team once said that when we're shooting it doesn't even feel like we're working and DANG IT! it sure doesn't!! We have the time of our lives! That is because we're all doing what WE LOVE. The right music, the right appetizers and yes why not DRINKS, make it ALL BETTER and set the mood right. We truly look forward to every single shoot we do, it's a true pleasure!

Yesterday's shoot at 858 Lounge didn't happen due to scheduling conflict the team at Empire Chicago had, but we're rescheduling and it shall be done soon! We're very excited about that one as well.

On Friday, once again, we work with Chicago's talent, a band who has become our favorite as of recent months. They are TrainWreck Symphony and if you have not heard their FANTABULOUS tunes, then you are missing out! Check them out and support your local talent by purchasing their music on iTunes. They're putting a new CD together and as we all do, they need all the support they can get www.myspace.com/trainwrecksymphonymusic DO IT! you won't regret it!

We know it's hard to follow dreams especially in today's economy, but we, at Knapp Photography, invite you to take a chance and do it. If you already are AWESOME, if not then give yourself a chance and at least try it! Worst case scenario, you'll be right back where you are which we hope is not a bad spot.

Remember, don't do to others what you don't want done to you, play nice. Eat your greens and make each and every single day you live the best.

We thank you for taking the time to read this here SUPER BLOG and share with us our excitement.

Knapp Photography 


P.S. Check out today's image: Miami Vice. Thanks Rafael! 

An exciting week begins

Hello everyone,

We hope everyone had a very fun and relaxing weekend. We sure did! After working, relaxing, having a couple of well deserved brews, it's time to plan ahead for the coming week and get everything ready for it. We have a couple of shoots scheduled which we are very excited about.

We are shooting at 858 lounge for the guys of www.empirechicago.com which is going to be AWESOME! There are so many ideas floating already, and of course we'll give you a sneak preview once we're done with the shoot. This is going to be an amazing opportunity and we hope to get FABULOUS images to add to our portfolio. We're still growing and doors are opening which we're very excited about. Remember, if you know anyone that has any photography needs, send them our way and we'll be more than happy to show you our appreciation. A free photoshoot? an amazing print?? hmmm, inquire within and find out!!!

We're also doing more studio work with two talented models this week which we are completely STOKED about; Becca Choi and Yesenia Hernandez. Angelica AngelEyes Santoyo-Bernal is coming over to the shoot as well as Wonder Woman Analise Ojeda to work her magic in the hair and make up department. It's going to be a blast! Can't hardly wait to get it done and show you what we come up with!

Our spirits are high, the energy is beyond full and our hearts are humble. YES SIREE! We will never get tired to reiterate our appreciation. We thank you all for taking the time to read this here FAWESOME blog, for liking our Facebook page and for checking out our website. Do know our doors are open for friendship and if there is anything we can do to help, all you have to do is ask!

Oh yeah, do you know why the chicken crossed the road?? BECAUSE IT WAS BRAVE!!

 Knapp Photography


P.S. Enjoy a couple of shots from our beautiful city CHICAGO.

Positive Thinking

Hello everyone!

Although our lives pretty much revolve around photography, as everyone else does, we also have ups and downs at Knapp Photography. Things happen that we're not exactly ready for, life throws us curve balls, the unexpected happens, etc. We deal with them as most people would, but what we try to do different is we keep a positive mindset. We try to look at things on the bright side, even if there's not always one, we always try to find it. We attempt to live life with happiness being the main focus, and not money, power or possessions. WE LOVE LIFE. We love our friends and the new ones we make, we TRULY LOVE what we do, we love our families; family is very important. However, we're human beings and at times it's quite hard to keep that positive attitude. Sometimes we get caught up in our issues that we forget to look for that one positive reason of why things happen. That's when family and friends come in and help us get back on track. We always try to surround ourselves by people with similar attitudes and that has definitely helped. We look at other's success and feel happy for them and wish them even better. We want everyone to be safe, happy and healthy. So now we ask, how do you manage the changes, curve balls, unexpected events, etc. that life brings your way? Who do you rely on to put you back on track once you lose sight of what really matters, how many true friends do you have and what do you do to make sure THEY stay positive and happy? Please share with us!

On other events, Angelica AngelEyes Santoyo-Bernal was finally able to stop by and pick up the images of her new fashion line photo shoot. Vacation time and then the storm had prevented her from doing so before. She is so excited (as are we) to finally being able to go through the images and select the ones that will make it on to her website. We truly feel we have found a new friend in her. She's an amazing designer and a fantastic person. One of those that it's kind of hard to find these days. If you have not had the opportunity to work with her, we strongly suggest you do, but one thing, you must keep in mind when working with her (and anyone for that matter) loyalty is very important. We look forward to working with her in the near future! Angelica, HURRY UP AND DESIGN MORE of those beautiful, COUTURE dresses you so wonderfully produce! WE LOVE YOU!

Folks, we so very much and truly appreciate all of your support and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking the time to read this here FANTABULOUS blog of ours. We promise to make our best effort  to get better at it and get more in depth with subjects that affect all of us on regular basis. Again, we strongly encourage you to leave comments and give us suggestions, we're always open to constructive criticism.

Knapp Photography

P.S. Take a look a the new sneak peek of more Ange Eyes Designs and why not, one more of SJ Bowen.

Times are changing

When was the last time you felt like your life was taking a drastic change, and you were pointed in a very different but promising direction? Well, that's how we feel at Knapp Photography. We have gone from being full time wedding photographers, to shooting concerts, promotional, fashion, beauty and boudoir. WE LOVE IT! We're sincerely happy with where life and our abilities are taking us. So, now we wonder, is this supposed to happen often?, do people take different paths in life on regular basis? We would like to hear from you and get feedback.

How about that storm!? We hope everyone is safe and sound. It hit us all hard! But as we say around here, everything happens for a reason. We used our time to catch up even more with editing and other lose ends we had. How did you spend YOUR time? Did it scare you/worry you? We're glad almost everything is back to normal and tomorrow everything is back in working order.

On a different note, we have been contacted by several people interested in our work and we are very excited about the ideas and concepts brought to us. Stay tuned for future samples of what is coming.

Please, we encourage you to leave comments, give us some feedback, we'd love to hear from you. Also, referrals are always very much appreciated. If we earn business through one of your referrals we'll be more than happy to throw something back your way!

We hope you all have a wonderful and fun weekend, be safe, be happy and enjoy the little things!

Knapp Photography

P.S. Look at what we woke up to after the storm.