The Denver Pet Expo is this weekend!
Come visit us at the Denver Pet Expo taking place this weekend (Aug 18-19)! It was a busy day today setting up our space for the event (with our amazing trusty assistant) and we are excited to be displaying some of our new favorite dog portraits at this event. From what we could tell while setting up there are going to be lots of other great vendors with dog related products at this expo including dog food, treats, toys, beds, leashes, and services including dog training, boarding/walking, veterinary clinics and more!
Be sure to stop by the Mark Stevens Photography booth when you visit the pet expo and enter to win our grand prize dog photography session (a $450 value).
Dog Portrait Day!
Last weekend we partnered with Brekke Veterinary Clinic in Castle Pines for a special invitation-only dog portrait day for their clients. It was so much fun to meet all these beautiful dogs and their families!
This was the first time for many of these dogs to have a professional photo shoot and many of the families were surprised and excited to hear that Mark offers full family photography sessions with dogs.
If you've thought about having pictures taken of your dog(s) and your family, then look no further! Mark works with all dog breeds and levels of energy/obedience. He offers both studio session at his South Denver photography studio and outdoor photo sessions at multiple locations around the Denver area for your convenience.
And, if you live in the Castle Rock or Castle Pines area and need a wonderful veterinarian, then check out Brekke Veterinary Clinic! They are amazing and their clinic is absolutely beautiful.
Special fundraiser for Inside the Orchestra
We are always on the lookout for local non-profits to support who make a difference in our community. It's no secret that we are passionate about causes who help kids and dogs and we learned about an organization over the winter that we've come to love. The mission of Inside the Orchestra is to bring orchestra music to young children in the greater Denver metropolitan community, cultivating music appreciation and enhancing their education through an engaging first-hand experience with the orchestra. We attended one of their "Tiny Tots" programs a few months ago and were blown away with how much the kids loved it and how the orchestra performance with completely designed with small kids (with even smaller attention spans) in mind. The children were encouraged to get up and move throughout the performance and it was just as fun for the adults as it was for the kids!
Inside the Orchestra is looking to raise enough funds by June 30 to send 1,500 local Denver low income kids to an orchestra event (their fundraising goal is $15,000). There are numerous long-term developmental benefits to exposing kids to music at an early age. "Music is a language, and children are oriented toward learning language. Music evokes movement, and children delight in and require movement for their development and growth. Music's melodic and rhythmic patterns provide exercise for the brain and help develop memory." Music also helps improve academic skills, develop physical skills, cultivates social skills, refines discipline and patience, boots self-esteem, introduces children to other cultures and other benefits! Inside the Orchestra is the only organization of its kind in the Denver Metro area that brings music to at risk and low income children.
How can you help? Now through June 28th, book an indoor studio photography session or an outdoor photo session in the Denver metro area with Mark (reserve a session by 6/28 to use by 9/30) and 100% of your session fee will be donated directly to Inside the Orchestra when you mention this fundraiser. You will also receive a $100 credit towards heirloom wall art from your session. Book your photography session with Mark today and help Denver kids at the same time!
Holiday Mini Sessions - Reserve your spot!
Join us for holiday mini sessions in studio November 19th or 25th. There is no cost to participate (a credit card is required to reserve your session). Sessions are limited to children ages 1-18 and/or well behaved dogs. This is a great way to get holiday-inspired pictures for your Christmas cards or gifts for family members.
Because of the proximity to Christmas we will only be offering digital files. Options begin at $150 and spots are limited. Book your mini session before November 12th and you'll also receive an additional 20% off holiday cards.
Call (303) 562-5536 for more information or to reserve your spot!
TBT - Dogs in the Snow
We saw our first snow of the season in Denver this week and our 3 dogs were so happy to play in the snow! This picture was captured after a big (surprise) October snow 8 years ago. Taking action shots of dogs is a lot of fun for Mark and it's amazing the expressions and details of the dogs that are captured from that moment in time. I always love seeing our furry mop of a dog in action with all his fur flying!
Get your 2018 MaxFund Calendar!
They are here! After months of work and generous support from sponsor businesses, we have the perfect holiday gift for your animal lover friends. The 2018 MaxFund No-Kill Animal Shelter and Adoption Center calendars have just arrived. Calendars are $15 and 100% of the purchase price goes to help Denver area dogs and cats in need. This year, by popular request, the calendar features both cats and dogs from MaxFund. Some of these animals are still waiting to be adopted, so please contact the shelter if one of them catches your eye. Pick up your calendar at their Puttin' on the Max Gala on Oct 14th or at the shelter after that.
We love BIG art!
It's no secret... we love big art that is scaled appropriately for your home. And this portrait of Giant Schnauzers gives a new meaning to "giant!" This brother & sister pair came up from Castle Pines to visit us and they were so much fun to work with. Among their family's favorites from their session is this picture of the two of them together with their perfect head tilts. They ordered this picture as a 40x40" canvas for their family room and it is going to be stunning once in place!
TBT - Those baby teeth!
This handsome guy was just learning to run when we met his family for their outdoor photo shoot in Lone Tree. He had the absolute cutest smile with only a handful of baby teeth and he was full of laughter that day. Fast forward a few years and this boy is starting to lose those adorable baby teeth. We're looking forward to seeing him and his family in the studio soon to capture how much he's grown since the last time we saw them!
TBT - How time flies!
It was so much fun to have this family back in recently! This picture was taken from their session when their little girl was only about 16 months old. And now she's in school! This was one of their favorite pictures from that family photo shoot because it captured "them" as a family at that time. She was a total daddy's girl (she still is!) and she was a goofy baby who loved to make her dad laugh and be silly with her.
Book a photo session for your family with Mark and you'll get a big variety of poses - from somewhat posed to fun, in the moment pictures that really let your family's personality shine through. This is a unique opportunity to see your whole family as you really are and it's something you'll treasure for years to come.
Come Support Hope Farms Project on 9/30!
We are excited to be attending the Fall Festival fundraiser this coming weekend (9/30) for Hope Farms Project! The founder of Hope Farms Project has been our client for many years and we've been to the farm several times over the years photographing her family with their horses. This is a wonderful organization and we're honored to be a part of this day to help them raise funds for new fencing. At this special event you can snag a mini photography session with Mark + your favorite print for only a $50 donation to the rescue. If you don't come dressed or ready for pictures at the event, then you can book a studio session for a later date (either a mini session or full photo session for your family at our studio or a full outdoor family session) and Mark will donate 100% of your session fee to Hope Farms Project. This is a great family event that supports a good cause - come to see the farm animals, listen to some good music, sample the offerings from the food trucks and update your family picture! The event runs 11 am - 5 pm and Mark will be there to take photos on site from 1-5 pm.
About Hope Farms Project:
Hope Farms Project is a family oriented program offering a variety of programming that is individualized to accommodate each person’s needs and interests.
Our career development program is focused on increasing successful employment for folks experiencing disability or traumatic brain injury. And for people who just want to spend time on the farm caring for animals or tending the garden, we have a place just for you.
We firmly hold that anyone, regardless of ability or disability, should be able to experience the life they choose for themselves. We believe that interacting with nature and animals can enhance our well-being and quality of life.
Our clients learn about nature and animals through study and hands-on experience. They learn how to build healthy relationships based on trust and respect. Clients learn how to care for themselves by first caring for something other than themselves and they explore their potential through physical work, cognitive endeavors and emotional connections.