Austin & Sasha | Anderson Gardens Wedding Portraits

Austin & Sasha's Anderson Gardens post-wedding photo session was full of personality and perfect. See it here in the featured galleries:
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Valerie | Senior Portraits

Selections from Valerie's senior portrait session on a farm near Rockford, IL.

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Set Your Photos Free.

Your photos are meant to be shared. And sharing just became a whole lot easier.

I've always loved the accessibility that digital photography brings. And it's never made sense to me that we spend all this time perfecting easily accessible photos only to have 'em end up on one little disc, locked away in a drawer somewhere. Well, that's finally about to change.

Over a year ago a joined a small select group of photographers from around the world (wow we sound much cooler than we are) in Beta testing a new photo sharing system called PASS. While it had potential, the system was brand new and so it had a few bugs to work out. But the developers watched, listened, and then went back to their top-secret-photo-delivery-system-lair and got out the beakers and magic potions - I'm not sure how these things work - and tweaked the system until it was ready.

It's now ready.

I've put the system through the paces with some great clients this year who provided me with lots of fantastic feedback - thanks guys - and I'm pleased to announce that starting now all 2013 clients will be receiving their photos via PASS. (Don't worry, you can still receive them on a thumb drive this year in addition to PASS). You'll get a PASS gallery for one full year. When that year is up, you can choose to extend your gallery for another yeara small fee to PASS (currently $29). Also, If I photographed your wedding in 2012 and you'd like a PASS gallery just let me know and I'll be glad to set you up with one.

Your photos have been set free. Free to share easily with family and friends. Free to post on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and an ever-growing list of social networking sites. And  you can still order high quality prints directly from my website if you choose. Because as much as I believe in the power of sharing your photos, I also believe that there is no match for the quality of a professional print lab when it comes to those few wall prints. I cringe at the oddly tinted faces in some of the big box store photos I've seen...as cool as the Hulk is, you really don't want to be his shade for all time in that 16x24 print on your wall.

Below I've embedded some sample wedding and portrait porfolios so you can see what PASS looks like. But it looks even better in your browser. ANY browser. ANY operating system. Go here: http://ryandavisphoto.pass.us/portfolios/ . Take it for a spin, test it out, sign the guestbook if you'd like - and feel free to pin any of the photos on Pinterest, Facebook 'em, or tweet 'em to your heart's content until you get a feel for the PASS system.

And it's only going to get better.

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Christmas Joy

I took just a few photos over the Christmas holiday festivities - the wrapping of gifts, the opening of them, holiday lights, friends and family enjoying each other's company - but this is definitely one of my favorites from the holiday.

As we sat at our dining room table ready to start our Christmas breakfast, my wife brought out a pan of cinnamon rolls. As she set it on the table, my son looked up from his plate and the huge pan and stared at it with the wide-eyed joy of a three year old about to get a sugar fix. So I grabbed my iPhone as it was the closest camera to me and I really wanted to capture this moment. Here it is.

Hope you all had some of that wide-eyed joy this year.

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Happy Halloween

Remember: First the trick, then the treat!

Happy Halloween from Ryan Davis Photography!

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Erin, Jason & Parker | Rockford Family Photographer

I love photographing families...the shoots are always like little adventures. When I first met up with Erin, Jason, & Parker for our adventure, Parker reached out for me instantly and wanted me to carry him. I don't know if babies have that sixth sense, or if it's kind of like how a dog knows you have a dog by sniffing youor what, haha. But at any rate, there I was, carrying a bag full of camera gear over one shoulder, and Parker in my other arm (Erin & Jason had their hands full with diaper backs and outfit changes). And I knew it was going to be a great session already.
It's kind of funny how natural it's to just scoop up a kid without a second thought...definitely something that having a son has prepped me for. One the great perks of my job as a photographer working out of my home is that my son Felix gets to stay home and "intern" with me...so yeah I can flip that switch and my internal dad scoop-up-a-kid-mode can be ready at a second's notice!
But back to the shoot. I had a blast with Erin, Jason, & Parker at Tinker Swiss Cottage and a couple spots in downtown Rockford. We started out with a photo session for Parker, and mixed in a family shoot too. Can't wait to do it again soon. Here's a look!

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Cora | Rockford Newborn Photography

 I had a great time this past weekend photographing baby Cora and chatting with her parents Drake and Lindsay. Getting to know new families is something that I really enjoy about newborn photography, and to be asked to create those first photos is something that really is a big honor to me.

I usually tell parents to feed their new arrival just before I arrive, because full bellies make sleepy babies, and sleepy babies make great photos. There was only one minor hitch when I arrived for our shoot...Cora did not want to sleep. But Cora did not know that I come from a long line of baby whisperers (I may have just made that part up, but you can't prove it), and so eventually she gave in. And when she gave in, she really gave in...just look and see:

Eventually, I had to break out my amazing baby whispering skills again...

Sleep tight, Cora.

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