Appleton Senior Pictures ~ An Appleton Family Photography Tradition ~ M. C. Kinney Photography

Having one photographer for your children's Appleton Senior Pictures is a tradition for many Fox Valley area families. Tracy Van Zeeland at M. C. Kinney Photography has been photographing in the Appleton, Neenah, Kaukauna, Kimberly, Hortonville, Greenville, Menasha, Little Chute and Brillion area for over 17 years and many of her clients have come back year after year to have their senior pictures taken with the similar style and similar look for all their senior images. 

One such family is the Marsicek family. Four beautiful daughters who have all been photographed over the past several years by Tracy. Their mom Kay, loves the look of the drape that M. C. Kinney Photography has provided for the past 40 plus years. The drape, once a staple of yearbook photography is now mostly used for Sorority pictures (for the classic, elegant look) and an occasional Appleton senior session.

Maria, Anna, Laura and Kristy look elegant and timeless in the classic drape.

The girls, while willing to give mom what she wants, prefer a more casual laid back modern look to their images. Which is why with each Senior Session I photograph in the Appleton area, I discuss the wants and needs of both the parents AND the seniors. I understand the importance of making certain both parties get what they want, and that their wants are VERY different. Everybody has different likes and dislikes and what works for one person may not work for another. One of the many reasons my style of photography, and my style of working with people is different depending on the client. Grandma's like traditional, backdrops, greenery, Mom's may prefer casual, focusing on their faces, nice outfits, and the Seniors? Well, their style is all over the place! Trendy, field of flowers, to ultra stylized sports to whimsical fun to quiet elegance to downtown chic and everything in between. And with good communication, I think we deliver.

 Images of the Marsicek girls have been taken at their home, downtown Appleton, 

in my studio and at a local park over the last 10 years.

Each of these young ladies have bright, fun, sometimes shy but always attentive personalities. It was a real pleasure photographing each and every one of you over the years and getting to know your family a little. Thank you for that honor.

Now to get them in for the Free Family Portrait they've earned from their senior session...

~Tracy

Appleton Fall Family Portraits ~ Helping Neighbors from Appleton to Houston

It's impossible to turn on the news these days and not hear of the devastation in and around Houston. Never ending rain, massive flooding, people either holed up in or fleeing their homes. But with this life altering event have been many stories and triumphs of the human spirit, neighborly love and help coming from many sources.

As I plan the dates for this years Fall Family Portraits, I'm trying to come up with a way of helping to raise money for one of the organizations that provide continued support during and after disasters of this nature. Samaritan's Purse is one of those organizations. So as a way of giving back and supporting those devastated by Hurricane Harvey, I'll be donating 50% of the Fall Family Portrait session fee to Samaritan's Purse. Their ongoing efforts will be needed for more than just the next several weeks, but more likely months and even years. And your family portrait will hang on your wall, not just as a legacy to your family, but as a reminder of the good that we as a Nation do when we pull together and help each other out.

Here's an article about why I believe money is more important to send in times of disaster than sending products. But sadly, I alone just can't send the kinds of money that would be of great help. But I can photograph families and through that photography can raise some money to help others. And you can be a part of that and receive something in the giving.

A young family enjoying the fall fields.

Here are the details:

Fall Family Portrait Session Fee is $150. $75 of that will be sent to Samaritan's Purse by October 5th, 2017.

Dates: Any family sessions booked between now and October 4th, 2017 will be included in this special. All sessions MUST be paid for at the time of booking (VISA and MC accepted) and are non-refundable.. This includes all family sessions already scheduled prior to this announcement. Families must be photographed before October 31st, 2017. All sessions are to be done on location at either a park or family home within 20 minutes of Appleton.

Fall colors at their peak!

Fine Print:
Additional fee may apply for distances farther than 20 minutes from Appleton.
Family session fee includes one group image and 2 breakout images. Additional breakout images are $30 each (half of which will also be donated).
Ala Carte Portrait prices off our Regular Family Portrait Pricelist apply.

My goal is to reach a donation of $1000 to the people in Texas who are in need at this time and in the near future. Please help them by helping me help you. And please pass this information on to family, friends and co-workers that are looking for a way to give back. And hit that share button!

~Tracy

Call me at 920-739-4306 to schedule NOW!
www.mckinneyphotography.net

Appleton Sports Photography ~ Appleton North High School ~ GameFace Elite Images

Volleyball, football, cross country, soccer, la crosse, lions, tiger and bears oh my! Appleton high school sports photography is finally here! It's one of my favorite times of the year because there are so many great Appleton sports photography opportunities!

Today was one of those days when I was fortunate enough to photograph a local football player for his High School senior pictures including some of him on Appleton North's football field in his uniform. So far this year, they've won their first two games and he had really high esteem for the rest of the season. At an impressive 6' 6", as a defensive player, he was easy going and enjoyable to work with in the extreme humidity early this morning.

Appleton Sports Photography taken on location at the school football field.

If you're a High School Senior, incorporating your interests into your images is one of the best ways to commemorate what your life is like now, at this milestone in your life. Years from now you'll be able to look back and think "I did that." "I was a jock, a band geek, a computer nerd, a size 6." So many things that you take for granted now, you'll look back on in 20, 30 years and think "those were the days." And having senior and sports photography done by a career professional will be invaluable as time passes.

GameFace Elite Images

Again this year, we're offering the GameFace Elite Images. These are not for the weak of heart. These sessions are a creative way to show off you AND you playing your sport. First, we photograph you in a controlled environment. Lights, intense poses, chiseled features, me (usually) on the ground. Second, I attend one of your local games and photograph you in action. Third, I marry the images together to create one spectacular image. Fourth, and perhaps the most important part, we print this image large (LARGE!!) for you to hang in your bedroom, game room or even in your man cave so you will have it to view forever!

Volleyball season in underway!

It's one all-inclusive price, which can be reduced if your teammates get together for me to photograph multiple students at one event/game. You do not need to be a senior to contact me to do your GameFace Elite Image (I've photographed students as young at 10 for this).

Pricing:
1 Student:  $175
2 - 3 Students: $150 each
4 or more Students: $125 each
Includes 24x16 Photographic Print, Studio Session and Game Session, All Artwork and Design, One Student Per Composite.

Basketball Tournaments are a great time to have this session taken!

Keep in mind, the earlier you schedule this, the more likely I'll be able to schedule one of your games into my schedule.

So, whether you still need senior pictures taken or want to showcase your sport with a GameFace Elite Image, call 920-739-4306 or contact me today!

~Tracy

Appleton Car and Motorcycle Photography ~ M. C. Kinney Photography

License To Cruise is scheduled for Friday, September 29 in downtown Appleton this year and it's the perfect time to showcase your Classic Car with Car and Motorcycle Photography by Tracy Van Zeeland at M. C. Kinney Photography. The technique Tracy uses to enhance your vehicle is called Light Painting. Tracy will photograph your baby over a 3 to 4 hour period and combine the images to create a one of a kind Showcase Piece for your mantle or workshop.

Before image of a Jeep Liberty. 

Combining 25 exposures taken over a 2.5 hour period, the final results 

make an ordinary vehicle look absolutely amazing. 

Typically photographed at dusk into night, these can be photographed at your home (with your home as the backdrop), at an area park or even downtown. If you have a garage workshop we can create the image in your space anytime during the day as long as we can eliminate all light in the room. 

For something extra special to hang, we can add you and your spouse, partner or other family members. This is especially nice if you're going to hang the final image in your home.

These images are printed on metal which gives the riches of colors, saturation and sheen to make your car and motorcycle photography look so real you'll want to reach out and touch it. But don't, cause on the metal, you'll leave your fingerprints. Just kidding, yes you'll leave fingerprints, but you can still touch it. In fact, it's hard not to. The cars and bikes just jump out of the 2D medium and give the subjects incredible depth.

Before image.

 The same bike but light painted using 48 images.

If you'd like to display your Classic Car or Motorcycle Photography at the License To Cruise event at the end of September, we'll need to have your ride scheduled to be photographed no later than Mid September. Of course, if the timing for that is too soon, these make great Christmas Gifts also!

 Before of BMW.

A much more vivid and exciting image of the BMW.

Light Painting is one of the fastest growing sectors of photography today. Cars, motorcycles, airplanes, homes, offices, memorabilia, collectibles, musical instruments, antiques, and a variety of other non-moving objects are perfect for this type of imaging and exactly the kind of imaging I wish to create for my clients. 

Contact me if you wish to schedule now.

~ Tracy

Appleton Senior Pictures ~ M. C. Kinney Photography ~ Tracy Van Zeeland

School is starting next week, or for some in the Appleton area has already started. And based on the hundreds of cars parked at Winagamie Golf Course today for a Cross Country meet with about a dozen area schools, clearly fall sports are well underway. So this begs the question: Have you had your Appleton Senior Pictures done already by Master Photographer Tracy Van Zeeland of M. C. Kinney Photography? Maybe you're scheduled in the next few weeks, I know I'm still shooting and scheduling seniors daily this time of year. But I know many will be missing out on the rite of passage if they don't get in the books SOON!

Katherine is an Appleton Area Senior whose family I've photographed for years. Her session was a mix of downtown images and images taken at her home. 

Many students these days ask, why? Why should I hire someone to photograph me when I have a camera phone with me 24/7? Let me go over some of the reasons I think having a career professional (i.e. ME) take them is important.

First, this is your one big chance to shine. No other image of you will follow you around during your lifetime and beyond as your senior portrait. This is a fact. At every reunion, there it is. At your funeral, there it is (sad but true). When you meet the love of your life, that image will almost assuredly be in a slideshow at your wedding. And just wait until your kids and grandkids get a hold of it. I can guarantee, you're going to want it to be a great image!

Second, with someone that knows how to light and how to pose properly, we can create images that will bring out your best features. I want to have as much fun taking the images as I want you to have getting them taken, so I play at getting you relaxed and enjoying the process. This way, we're able to get great expressions that moms adore (let's be real, they adore you anyway, but they really like to see your teeth...must be the money! and they really like to see you enjoying yourselves).

Third, as a teen that was a bit overweight, had braces for 6 (!!!) years and wore glasses, I can honestly say that my self esteem may not have been as good as it should have been in regards to my looks. I knew that my self worth wasn't attached solely to that (no ones should) but it didn't exactly boost my confidence. But having my Appleton area senior pictures taken by a professional that knew how to bring out my best features really made me realize I didn't look half bad. Now to be honest, my goal is not for you to think you look "half bad." In fact, my goal is make you realize how absolutely fantastic you look and show off your best attributes, whether it's your eyes, your smile, your flowing hair, whatever, my goal is to boost your self esteem and make you realize how wonderful a person you are inside and out.

This beautiful young lady is my Goddaughter Jessie (full disclosure). Along with several of her lifelong friends we went to an area sunflower field to capture some of their senior pictures. We've also photographed her paddle boarding on a lake and at an Appleton area park for variety. 

A fun time was had by all!

I have to be honest, I could go on for hours about why I think Appleton Senior Pictures are important and why I think you should have them done. Let me leave you with this thought, my parents have moved 3 times since I graduated from high school. And every time they move, those images of me and by siblings go right back up on the wall. So thankfully, my mom saw the importance of having someone qualified, competent and fun photographing them for me those many (many, many) years ago. Because every time I walk past them, still to this day, I think how wonderful it was that my parents cared enough about me to have it done right.

Call me - 920-739-4306 or contact me by clicking
here http://www.mckinneyphotography.net/contact-us 

-Tracy

Now Is The Right Time For Appleton Family Photography ~ M. C. Kinney Photography

Parents, I know it's hard to believe but your college students are leaving for their dorms soon and the high school students will be returning to their classrooms over the next couple of weeks. Summer in Appleton,  Wisconsin just seems to fly by these days. First with the weather that seems slow to change to warm days in April and May, then crazy humidity in June, a few good weeks of weather in July and already getting cold again in August. I guess that's just how it's going to be for a while.

I remember Appleton Family Photography 23 years ago, when August was crazy humid and by mid-September the leaves were pretty much already changed and off the trees. Now in 2017, that color change won't happen until mid to even late October. But with that change comes some pretty cold weather. So...waiting for the best color may not be the best choice. Right now the colors are perfect for so many clothing and color palette options for decorating your home. Blues and browns, purples and greens, earthy tones, pastels and even fun, bright colors work perfectly with the green and blues and yellows currently seen throughout the Appleton, Wisconsin area.

The Schmitz family received a complimentary family session after one of their sons senior sessions and before he left for college. The oldest son, serving in the military, also returned home to Appleton for this once in a lifetime family photograph.

I know what you're thinking, we're just sooo busy with school starting, fall sports, closing the cottage for the season, the list is endless of why you should just keep putting family photography off. But I want to share with you some reasons why right now, this week, this month, this year is the perfect time for your family to gather together to be photographed. You see, things happen. We don't plan for them, many times we don't want them, but things happen. Right now there are Appleton Families packing up their newly graduated seniors and driving them around the state and beyond to their new temporary home. And chances are, their family will never be the same. Sure that student might move back for the summer, but the next thing you know, they're off, getting married and starting a family of their own. And wouldn't an Appleton family photography portrait session by M. C. Kinney Photography be the perfect way to remember your family as they are now?

The Schmitz family firmly believes in hosting International students and added their 'brother' from Spain for a few images to commemorate his time spent with their family. 

Another advantage of having Family Photography done this time of year I've already touched on, but is the temperature. If you are considering an extended family photography session or are a young family with small children, it sounds romantic and whimsical to have that done in the fall colors, but the reality is it's cold. And small children don't do well in the cold without coats and mittens.  Their noses turn red, they get cranky, then dad gets cranky...it's not a good thing. But right now, before the temperatures take a turn, it's still pleasant and comfortable for everyone. The children will be happier longer, and that usually means more time to get more variety and turn it into a fun, playful event instead of a rushed, unhappy experience. 

So, please give me a call as soon as you can. I can be reached at 920-739-4306 or can be contacted by clicking on http://www.mckinneyphotography.net/contact-us.

I hope to hear from you soon so we can start creating together;

Tracy

Ryan - Freedom High School Senior Pictures - Appleton Family Pictures - MC Kinney Photography

Congratulations Ryan!

www.mckinneyphotography.net

M. C. Kinney Photography

111 E. College Avenue

Appleton, WI 54911

920.739.4306