sjp – Page 16

April 27, 2017April 28, 2017

Paco’s Sol Bistro | Small Business Feature

A day late on our monthly small business feature since yesterday was #BabyB’s second birthday so I wasn’t in the office, but I promise it’s worth the wait for the delicious local business! It’s our date night fav.

The Details: Pack’s Sol Bistro | Paco Greenwell, Owner | In Business: 7 years

Hours: Tues – Thurs, 11am-8pm; Fri-Sat 11am-9pm Mondays 11am-8pm beginning June 5th! | Location: 237 N Main St. Downtown Decatur

Tell us about your business… What do you do? Full service bar and restaurant that features 2 private party spaces.

What makes your business unique/special? Unique, made-from-scratch menu featuring all original recipes.

What item/service on your menu or in your shop do you just LOVE and think everyone needs? Everyone should try the chicken meatloaf or southwest egg rolls. And guacamole if you are a fan.

In what way have you gone above/beyond in the past for a customer? We have made a special food feature for several of our regular guests for their birthday. (Actually did this today) We also have Tervis cups for our most loyal bar regular with their name on them. We have also featured art from several local artists.

What is the coolest thing you’ve ever had a client do for you? When hosting a charity event, some regulars purchased a painting they knew we liked and gave it to us to hang in the restaurant.

What tool/equipment/or other vendor could you not imagine doing business without? My staff! They make it all happen.

What other local business do you just LOVE? Why? I would rather not single out any. We always try to support any and all that we can.

Tell us about YOU… WHY did you choose to do what you do? I love to make people happy. There’s no better way to the heart than through the stomach.

When did you know you wanted to go into this business? I didn’t choose it. It chose me. I needed a job at 18. I started as a server and had my first management job at 18. I just took to it naturally. Thru my time I discovered my passion and ability to cook and come up with recipes. I love the combination of art and science in cooking.

What are you passionate about outside of your business? My wife and I are avid pool players and St. Louis Cardinal fans.

Describe your PERFECT day… 85 degrees without a cloud in the sky, hanging in the pool with my beautiful wife, my dogs, our family and friends. Music blasting, food on the grill and laughter all around.

See the latest news at:

http://www.solbistro.com/

See our other past small business features to connect with more businesses in our area:

See more on our Facebook Page and follow us on Twitter @sjanephotog, Instagram @sjanephotograhy, and Snapchat @sjanephotog

If you’d like to have YOUR small business featured for FREE on the SJP blog (or know a small business we should feature) you can find details HERE!

April 4, 2017April 4, 2017

| The Reset Conference | Parachute Dress Session | Indianapolis IN |

Today I’m excited to show off some of the fun we had in Indianapolis last month when I was teaching at The Reset Conference! While my priority in my business is my portrait and wedding work/clients, I am also really passionate about teaching and helping the next generation and fellow photographers grow in this field. My shooting schedule doesn’t allow for much of this year-round but as things slow down here in the midwest for the yucky weather months January-April I’m able to take on more mentoring clients, host in-studio workshops and even head out of state to teach at a few conferences and this March was no exception.

I’ve spoken at the Reset Conference before as it’s one that was founded right in our backyard (in Champaign, IL) by a couple lovely photographers, Rebekah Albaugh and Kellie Penn, who some of you locals might remember from her time here in Decatur with Across the Miles Photography! This year was bigger than ever, however as I not only was invited to teach two classroom courses but also to host a ‘shoot-out’ with these super fun parachute dresses.

If you’ve been hanging around the SJP blog much you may remember seeing these dresses debut last year for our senior model session at the Decatur Airport. For the shootout we mixed things up just a little with a few new skirt pieces and a fun off-the-shoulder lace shirt for Payton (in pink) which I loved. And we couldn’t have asked for a better location than downtown Indianapolis where these girls not only made an impression on residents but were stopping traffic as cards slowed to take cell phone shots AND we even later found a few taken from the high rise buildings around us!

There really is nothing subtle about a parachute dress….

Payton and Natalie were fabulous and not only were great models but were good sports hauling around these dresses in not so warm March weather.

And guess what guys… you don’t have to be a model to rock a parachute dress on your session, all you have to do is ASK! That’s right, high school seniors, you can add one of these parachute dresses to your senior session to create looks unlike anything you’ve done before….. I’m ready to create something at NIGHT with these DOWNTOWN and maybe with a cool CAR! Who’s in??!?! We’re now booking summer/fall 2017 and filling faster than ever so call asap to get on the calendar.

You can see more of what we were up to at the Reset Conference on the BoxDropsbySJP blog!

March 28, 2017March 28, 2017

| Jamie + Mike Engagement & Family Portraits | Decatur, IL |

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OMG you guys! I cannot tell you how much I’ve been chomping at the bit to show off this snowy session. I’m honored to be photographing Jamie & Mike’s wedding day this year and this gal wanted a snowy engagement session SO BAD and we were almost certain it just wasn’t going to happen for us. After some disappointing snow flurries early in the season which amounted to little more than a dusting that was melting by the time either of us was on the phone to begin planning logistics we both resigned ourselves to hope for a late season snow but things were looking pretty bleak (ie sunny and WARM). I knew how much Jamie really wanted a snow session so I had even started calling around to my photography friends in other northern cities to call me if any snow hit their area and we’d just make a road trip…. it wasn’t looking promising.

But then….. this lovely and random one-day blizzard arrived in true mid-western style! And it was just what we needed! The stars really aligned for this with both Jamie and Mike off work that day already and the opening in my schedule falling right after school these two were able to pick up their little guy and make it over to the park in the midst of a gorgeous snowfall! After that perfect session we’re all so happy we hadn’t jumped the gun and tried to make a session work with a tiny bit of snow because our patience was rewarded with this BLIZZARD!

And from a kid’s point of view how cool is it you get to PLAY IN THE SNOW for your portrait session?!?!

I’m so excited these guys have opted to share their wedding day with me and have me be a part of creating their family legacy and even more thrilled we were able to create exactly what Jamie envisioned for their engagement/family session. We have ONE opening left for a 2017 wedding and are currently booking 2018 (only 8 openings left) so don’t hesitate to call to schedule a time when we can chat about creating your portrait vision. And be sure to pop over to Jamie & Mike’s facebook album to give them some love.

March 21, 2017March 23, 2017

| Halle L | Central IL Senior Portraits |

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I’m thrilled today to show off Halle! The way Halle found me for her senior portraits is a bit of a funny story. She’s gotten a recommendation from a friend to check out ‘Sarah Jane’ and had done a quick web search and found me. She liked what she saw and promptly got in contact to book. It was only once I’d gotten her booked for her consultation and sent directions that she noticed I was in Oreana… turns out the ‘Sarah Jane’ her friend had referred was in her own town but by the time we’d all figured out that I actually wasn’t the right Sarah Jane we’d met and both gotten excited about working together. I’m happy to say (obviously) Halle was actually excited about the mix up and the ability to get images very different from her peers by coming down here to Decatur for her session!

A few hundred miles didn’t stand in the way of her SJP portrait experience and I have SO loved working with her and her mom. I swear the were the most fun on session and their relationship reminds me so much of my momma and I that it was a real treat for me to be a part of their portrait experience.

Wherever you’re located the SJP Portrait Experience is perfect for YOU! I routinely book sessions in St. Louis and Central Missouri as I travel there often but I’m also available for travel worldwide with dates set in 2017 for travel to Kansas City and Knoxville, Tennessee! Contact us soon to book your destination session OR to travel here to do what Halle did and let us create something no one else in your high school will have.

Don’t forget to pop over to Halle’s facebook album to give her some love with your likes & comments and stay tuned to our Instagram (@sjanephotography) feed to see more!

March 16, 2017March 17, 2017

| Lauren A | Decatur IL Senior Class of 2017 Portraits |

Today is Lauren’s day in the spotlight! I had so much fun hanging out with Lauren and her momma on session. This gal is the youngest in her family so the ’empty nest’ days are creeping up fast for this family and we wanted to make sure and soak up the entire experience for Lauren.

We spent a little time downtown to create a few ‘grungy’ looks which seemed especially fitting for her volleyball portraits. After that we worked in some time at Forsyth park to get a bit of a wild nature/field look which was a perfect contrast to my favorite location for her session, her home. Lauren’s family home is on a gorgeous tree-lined lane which couldn’t be more picturesque. Plus, with a backyard landscape fit for a wedding (her sister got married in their backyard, how cool is that) it was a perfect setting for some of her portraits as well. And having part of the session at her home made it very easy to fit in a few props (pumpkins and mums) to create a fall look and her adorable kitty!

I’m working on finishing up her album in the coming days and am so excited to now show you all her favorite images from her session.
Be sure to head over to her Facebook Album to give her some love with your likes/comments and don’t forget you can still apply for the best senior portrait experience as a VIP Senior Model HERE!