logo
  • Home
  • About
  • Wedding Photography
  • Portrait Photography
  • Blog
  • Pros
  • Contact
  • Facebook
twitter @mikelongphoto twitter updates...
#thingsoverheardinmystudio #533 "Oh my God, I touched it, I touched it...." # 2012/02/04
rss
rss

Archive for the ‘News’ Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Live from PPOC Nationals, Mont Tremblant!

May 11, 2010

Hello from cold and (kind of ) snowy Quebec!

I’ve had a great time here with my Canadian friends, and met some awesome new ones! Hung out last night with David Beckstead (hands down winner for best business card ever!) who is a true rockstar photographer.

My presentation yesterday was fun, although being translated was weird! At least the translator was a good friend of mine, Julie, and her daughter, Joelle, was one of my models – so much fun was had!

Video coming later today, here is the first image I’ve processed from the live shoot of Joelle. My other model, Melissa, was equally awesome and I’ll work some images of them both next week.

This is my last day in Canada before heading home – traveling slows down now for wedding season…phew!

KitchenRoomd

Tags: David Beckstead, international speaking, Mike Long, Mont Tremblant, Nationals, Pindora, portland pin-ups, PPOC
Posted in Commercial, News, Photography, Pin-Up, Pindora's Box | No Comments »

Announcing Daddy and Me day – Father’s Day Portraits for Portland

May 6, 2010

DaddyAndMeBlast

Our Limited Edition portrait sessions are an ideal way to capture the bond between Father and Child..

Our popular Daddy and Me Limited Edition session is held at the studio. Dress in your Sunday best for a memorable portrait
Daddy and Me will be shot on May 23rd

Create a nostalgic portrait of you and your children with our popular
Daddy and Me Limited Edition session.

session fees $49
packages starting at $99

Call or email the studio NOW to book your spot – these sessions won’t last long, I know that Dads want a cool and timeless portrait for Father’s day this year!

Tags: Daddy and Me, Father's Day, Portland portrait photography, portraits
Posted in Babies, News, Photography | No Comments »

Announcing Pinned-Up: Los Angeles

April 6, 2010

Yup – it’s workshop time! This is a big one (that’s what she said!).

This time, I’m headed to California – Los Angeles!

Pinned-Up. A full on, two day assault on your senses, featuring:

•Live Model Shoots
•Posing Instruction
•Lighting Instruction
•How to Promote Pin-Up photography
•How to Create that “Pin-up” look and feel.
•Hands-on Coaching, and
•Unbelievably intensive Photoshop Demonstration and Training

I’m in negotiations with my pin-up muse, and the girl who got me on the road to pin-uppy fun, Cherry Dollface, to be one of the models.

For more info, including registration, click here.

Sponsored by Mama Shan’s Digital Goodies, NoBSPhotosuccess, Friday Photoschool, Shootsmarter and Animoto.

pinnedupAd2

Tags: Los Angeles, Pinned-Up, workshops
Posted in Commercial, News, Photography, Pin-Up, Pindora's Box, Retouching | No Comments »

Announcing Mommy and Me day!

April 5, 2010

April 25th is Mommy and Me day at the studio!!
The Limited Edition portrait sessions are an ideal gift for Mother’s Day (great for Father’s Day gifts too!)

5 reasons to book a Mommy and Me portrait session:
1• It’s Mother’s day – treat yourself! (or your wife!)
2• Because you love your child
3• You want a stunning portrait, not a snapshot.
4• You will not find better prices for the best Mommy and Me portrait.
5• Kids grow up fast – they won’t be this age forever!

Session fee $ 49
Packages start at $ 99

Sessions on April 25th

Call 503.381.7828 now
to schedule your appointment.

Recommended ages 7 months to 7 years.
Our special Limited Edition pricing will be in effect, and availability is limited.

mommy

Tags: Mike Long, mommy and me, North West, Oregon
Posted in Babies, Featured, News, Photography | No Comments »

Katchlight redesign!

March 4, 2010

If you’re reading this post, then chances are you’ve noticed the new front page for Katchlight.com?! I’ve spent the last week having a spring clean and refresh of this site, hope you like it!

Since this is brand new – please let me know of any bugs that you find (or spelling mistakes too!)

Have a look round using the links at the top and enjoy!

Tags: webdesign
Posted in News | 1 Comment »

2009 year in review

January 11, 2010

2009 – review…

So – here we are in a new decade! I planned to write a nice end-of-year wrap up to post just before New Year’s Eve, but I’ve been so busy that it got put off till now! I’m writing from my hotel room in Nashville, where I’m showing Pindora’s Box at the PPA Imaging USA trade show.

2009 was a great year for Katchlight and Portland Pin-Ups, and 2010 is going to be even better!

Here’s a brief rundown of my the last 12 months of my life – both professionally and personally.

The biggest thing to impact me in the last year was the arrival of my son, George! Alison and I are over the moon with the little chap, and his brother Henry is a very proud sibling! It’s challenging for sure having a 3 year old and 3 month old, but I’m sure once they are older it’ll all be worth it. I have to send a massive cyber kiss and hug to my wife, Alison, here – as she is a stay at home Mummy, and works harder than anyone I know. I couldn’t ask for a better Mother for my kids, and thank my lucky stars every day that I found her!

I shot more weddings last year than any year for many – and ended up with 20 on the calendar…and each and every one of them was not only great fun, but also allowed me to meet fantastic, romantic and wonderful people. I honestly haven’t had a year like that in my wedding photography career – I love shooting weddings anyway, but each one just got better and better – so to each of my couples from last year – thankyou for being awesome! I’ve helped create some memories for them, and made some great lifelong friends too.

Portland Pin-Ups has been my baby for a few years now. It started out as a creative outlet for me to relax after long wedding days, or retouching the latest Adidas campaign, but during the last 12 months it’s taken a life of it’s own and is now starting to gain National attention. It’s taken me on journeys around the country to meet amazing people, it’s helped create a stunning product for photographers to help them with their pin-up work, it’s spawned a new career for me speaking and presenting workshops, and it’s going to send me off on new journeys this coming year too. After I return from Nashville I’m off to present a few workshops in Canada, then it’s off to Chicago to speak at the NoBS Inferno and back to Canada in May to speak at the PPOC Nationals. This is a huge honor for me, and I’m equal parts excited and petrified in equal measure!

The pin-up side of my business has also led to some great commercial work, most recently producing an Animoto ad and tour images for Sandy Puc’. This really came home to me here in Nashville when I walked in and saw my images of her on many of the stands in the trade show. When her tour starts later in the month, the pirate images will grace the tour bus too!

2010 plans are now behind schedule due to my traveling, but I already have some wonderful couples lined up for weddings, and plenty of travel and touring on the horizon too! Pindora’s Box is only just beginning, and Mama Shan and I are planning our next products in the line.

In the next few days I’ll be posting my favorite images from last year!

Here’s the 2010 – should be a cracking year!

Cheers

Mike.

Contact Me Pin-Up Portfolio Stuff for photographers
k

Tags: 2009 review, photographer, Portland Wedding Photography, Retouching, Sandy Puc, World's Best Pin up photographer
Posted in Commercial, Engagement, News, Photography, Pin-Up, Pindora's Box, Retouching, Seniors, Wedding | No Comments »

Alicia and Tim – Portland wedding photography

November 22, 2009

My last wedding for the year – Alicia and Tim! They had an amazing wedding, with a really cool bunch of family and guests. We started at The Nines in downtown Portland for some classy portraits, then we all headed to The Secret Society for the ceremony and party. It’s days like this that I truly love my job – weddings are a passion for me and I enjoy being part of a couple’s happy day, and this one was full of fun, emotion and romance…perfect!

My 2nd photographer for the day was the great Joel Bock – a fantastic photographer and cool to hang with too!

Alicia had her make-up expertly finished by Nicole Wagner – I’ve worked with her on several weddings and she’s always wonderful!

Here are a few of my faves as they came off the cards.

IMG_4820

IMG_5069

IMG_5342

IMG_5589

Contact Me Wedding Portfolio Stuff for photographers
k

Tags: bridal, photographer, Portland Wedding Photography
Posted in News, Photography, Wedding | 2 Comments »

Announcing two workshops in the great white North!

November 15, 2009

No Limits: North (The Canadian Invasion)

Mike Long (co-creator of Pindora’s Box) and Andy Armstrong (creator of Design House) are teaming up for an invasion of Canada this January. No Limits: North (the canadian invasion) is two-stop tour of workshops in Canada.

Stop one:

Where: Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario at Tina Weltz’ Calla Studio (about an hour from Toronto)

When: Sunday, January 24th and Monday, January 25th

Price per Participant: $299 (USD)

Click here to register

Stop Two:

Where: Humboldt, SK at Alison Berk’sImagin Photography Studio (about an hour from Saskatoon)

When: Saturday, January 30th and Sunday, January 31st

Price per Participant: $299 (USD)

Click here to register

In 2009, Armstrong and Long teamed up for a workshop called “No Limits” in Portland, Oregon. In 2010, the duo is taking the show on the the road to the North. The first two-day workshop is being held in Greater Toronto on January 24 & 25, 2010. The second two-day workshop is being held in Humboldt, SK on January 30 & 31.

jpg_900

This two-day, intensive photography and photoshop workshop will feature:

  • Live Model Shoots (both days)
  • Posing Instruction
  • Lighting Instruction
  • How to Promote Fashion/Glamour/Boudoir Work
  • How to Create that “Pin-up” look and feel.
  • Hands-on Coaching, and
  • Unbelievably intensive Photoshop Demonstration and Training

At “No Limits” you’ll learn how to break the rules and create images that blow your clients away! You will not want to miss this opportunity. Sign up today.

Mike

Mike Long is a professional retoucher and photographer. He is co-creator of Pindora’s Box (an amazing set of tools for post-production and pin-up work) and the owner of Katchlight Studio in Portland,Oregon. His pin-up work has taken the Portland area by storm, and his photoshop skills are unreal. Mike is originally from Great Britain and can show you exactly how to create images that wow your clients.

Andy

Andy Armstrong is a three-time international award-winning photographer who makes his home in Knoxville, Tennessee. He has covered weddings in the Southeastern United States, the Greater Boston area, Denver, Colorado, Kingston, Ontario, Canada and even St. Croix. He works with models on a local, national, and international level. He specializes in fashion/glamour work, but does not limit himself to a single genre.

In 2008, Armstrong released his Design House software for photographers and designers, and he his second release (Design House Library Vol. 2) to the public. With more than 15 years of graphic design experience and a growing photography business, Andy Armstrong understands the needs of and teaches concepts for the modern digital photographer.


Please Note:

The rate of $299 is an early-bird special rate and is only good thru 12/15/2009. The rate will go up to $325(USD) on 12/16/2009. Get registered now and save!

This workshop is limited to the first 30 people who register through this site. No additional seats will be added. Hotel Accommodations must be booked separately and are not the responsibility of Design House, Andy Armstrong or Mike Long. Andy Armstrong, Mike Long and Design House reserve the right to refuse registration for any reason at any time. After booking, this registration may not be cancelled and will not be refunded. You may transfer your space to another participant if needed, but the transaction for transfer is not the responsibility or Design House, Mike Long or Andy Armstrong. In the unlikely event that this workshop must be cancelled, you will receive a complete refund. After registration, you will receive a confirmation email and receipt. As we move closer to the workshop, you will receive more No Limits: North information via email.

k

Tags: Canada, photoshop, workshop
Posted in Featured, Misc, News, Photography, Pin-Up | 1 Comment »

Nashville Workshop…first image

November 13, 2009

Here is the first image that I’ve retouched from my recent trip to Nashville to teach an international group of photographers. This is Kourteney, and she’d never done pin-up before! She was great fun, and good sport and everyone loved her. She stayed for the rest of the day, and agreed to model for us later on when we had our ‘shoot-out’ in the evening!

More to come from both Kourteney and our star model too!

I had a great time in Nashville, and teaching photographers is going to form a large part of my future plans for Portland Pin-Ups…especially combined with Pindora’s Box, which photographers can use to make their pin-ups look awesome too. I’m in the final stages of planning my first 2010 workshops, and am planning on heading out of Portland again. First destinations will be released soon. If you want to host me in your city, get in touch!

09-1103-Inferno-009

k

Tags: photographer, Retouching, World's Best Pin up photographer
Posted in News, Photography, Pin-Up | 1 Comment »

Pindora’s Box Glamouring Edition

November 12, 2009

For immediate release: Mama Shan and Mike Long introduce Pindora’s Box Glamouring Edition for photographers

Complete set of tools and training for masterfully creating beautiful pin-up photographs and illustrations

Nashville, TN November 1, 2009 — From digital artist Mama Shan, and photographer and retoucher Mike Long, comes a unique set of tools, training videos and a one of a kind Virtual Room to help pin-up photographers create works of art.

The Pindora’s Box Bundle contains over 230 Photoshop® actions encompassing workflow, retouching, color enhancement, artistic and illustrative. A unique approach to skin smoothing is included, using the MADIMS system to accurately smooth any size of image.
The Virtual Room enables photographers to shoot against a white or gray background, then using the Virtual Room create a limitless number of versions with wallpapers, floors and walls all fully customizable.

The included training videos, all HD quality, show lighting, background and camera settings for a pinup shoot, and also cover every action in the bundle as well as advanced retouching methods.
Membership to a support site is included with purchase, giving buyers a direct connection to the creators and access to the resources created for Pindora.

For additional information on Pindora’s Box, contact:
Mike Long or visit www.portlandpinups.com / Mama Shan www.photoshopmama.net

About Mama Shan and Mike Long:
Mama Shan Canfield has been an artist and teacher for over 10 years, and creates Photoshop® actions and tools to help photographers.
Mike Long has been a retoucher and photographer for over 15 years, and created the Portland Pin-Ups studio brand.

cover2

k

Posted in Featured, News, Photography | 1 Comment »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

All content © 2010 Katchlight / Mike Long