Memory Portraits

First off, I'm happy to report that I'm actively photographing these days, and really enjoying it. Though I've been slow to post, I've had great opportunities to share some moments with friends and capture a few beautiful scenes between all of the other things in my schedule.

Back in September, in the middle of a last-minute move between apartments, work, and trying to keep up social obligations, I had a birthday party. In the past, I've put tons of time into planning music, food, and an all-around intensively good time. This year, the main attraction was more for me than everyone else.

... I took everyone to a set-up outside (between their socializing) and took pictures of them. They are very similar to the portraits I did in Bruxelles, and I think I've settled on the way I like to remember. Straight on, and with some personality.

With paying jobs queued up, I had to put editing on the back burner, but I have most of them edited. Below are a few of the beautiful people in my life here in Texas. I'm closer to some than others, but I really do appreciate the small and large contributions people have made to my life since I got here.

Merry Christmas - Family Head Shots

I can't remember the last time we had formal pictures done of family members, aside from my college graduation (workin' the silly hat like a boss and all).  When I updated my head shot, I got a request from my mother to get a similar shot of my brother and send prints for Christmas.  Done and done... although I suppose I could have smiled better.

Now entering the sparkly world of blogging...

Hello, and welcome to the first photo blog post! Supposedly introductions are in order (or thus etiquette mandates), so prepare for a bare-bones version of my photographic history:
As a kid I was always a bit artistic, but I never touched the camera. That was Dad's or my brother's job at any family function while I ran off to play with my Uncle's cat. Out of curiosity, I put my first roll of B&W film through my dad's old Minolta one summer when I was 16 and found myself intrigued. That fall I enrolled in my first college photography course... and never left their program. I completed two years of classes at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio, before moving on to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and beginning their four-year photography program where I currently study.

The following images were all used in my application to BYU's program and represent where I was three years ago; most are silver prints from my time at Lakeland, the last was created just for my application, and all were taken with a film camera.

Stay tuned for examples of recent work...

Andrea Cerveny