Special Olympics World Winter Games 2009

The Special Olympics World Winter Games 2009 ~ Photo Slideshow from Teri Niedrich on Vimeo.

Larger HD version at

http://vimeo.com/3431548

Diamonds Along the Way.
I belong to an incredible group of female professional photographers from the Wood River Valley, The Digital Divas. We were asked to volunteer our skills for the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2009, hosted by the USA this year in Boise, Idaho. The competition locations included, Boise and Sun Valley, Idaho. We were happy to volunteer our time and we expected a wonderful adventure. We had no idea the diamonds we were about to discover.

I honestly don’t have words to describe the experience. Inspiring just doesn’t cut it. To be completely surrounded by athletes, coaches and volunteers who were purely loving and supporting each other. No politics, no ego, just spirit like I really did not know existed. This was a celebration of our differences and it was a site to behold. Everyone gladly gave it their all.

I was shooting with my new Canon 5d MarkII and it was a great environment for learning..shooting indoors without flash, action photos and outdoors in low light. Love that camera!!! More about that later…

The movie above was made using all of the Digital Divas photos. My partner in crime and I made this with the new imovie 09. Having used other softwares Final Cut, Fotomagico and others..this was another opportunity to learn something new.

Take the opportunity to volunteer and support The Special Olympics. It will be the greatest gift you can give to this wonderful world and to yourself.

Winter Solstice Egg

Winter Solstice Egg Pure Vision Studios Sun Valley Idaho

Can an egg ONLY be balanced on it’s end during a solstice or is it all a hoax?  You might as well ask if there is a Santa Claus.  This type of question requires careful consideration.  Should you say there IS no Santa Claus, you may be saying that miracles do not exist and who wants to be cut out of that action?  We here at Pure Vision Studios say “A Picture is worth a thousand words!” and should you ask if an egg can only be balanced on it’s end during a solstice or if there is a Santa Claus our answer would be:
We BELIEVE.

Wagon Days 50th Anniversary

The Budweiser Clydesdales in Sun Valley, Idaho

As celebrations go inKetchum, Sun Valley, Idahoit doesn’t get any bigger thanWagon Days.

The Big Hitch Parade is the highlight of the celebration. It has grown into the largest non-motorized parade in the West, displaying more than a hundred museum-quality buggies, carriages, tacks, carts, buckboards, and wagons of every variety in existence today. The Wagon Days Big Hitch, historic wagons used to haul ore from the area, are powered by an authentic 20-draft mule jerkline.

Adding spice to the parade is a lively assortment of authentically costumed individuals, numerous breeds of horses, from Arabs to Morgans to Pasos. Plus, professional and scholastic marching bands from around the state and the intermountain west.

This year was the 50th Anniversary of Wagon Days and the legendary celebration did not disappoint.  The Budweiser Clydesdales were invited to join the parade along with the past Grand Marshalls of previous parades.  The event was not only a great tribute to the history of Idaho, but also a tribute to this close knit community, the organizers and voluteers of Wagon Days who truly make this celebration a successful party.

I felt privileged to be be invited to photograph all of the activities of this event, including a ride in the lead ore wagon of the big hitch at the practice session. As I bounced around like a rag doll in the massive wagon trying to capture the moment, my mind raced back to history when these great wagons traveled much more treacherous paths through the mountains.  I was in awe of the skill of Muleskinner Bobby Tanner and his amazing crew.  The mules of his team were world class exceptional athletes by anyone’s standards!

Check out Pure Vision Studios Events and Celebrations Gallery/Wagon Days 50th Anniversary and double click for the slide show.  Here you can see the massive ore wagons, historic wagons and the beautiful horses, mules and donkeys who pull them.  The classic colorful characters of the old west come alive to tell the tale of Wagon Days.

The Wells Fargo Stage, Wagon Days, Sun Valley, Idaho

The Blackjack Ketchum Shootout Gang Wagon Days Ketchum Idaho

Eh-Capa Rider, Wagon Days Parade 50th Anniversary, Sun Valley, Idaho

Pure Vision Studios Contracted by Personal E-ssistant

Personal E-ssistant, an exciting new service also based out of Sun Valley, Idaho has contracted Pure Vision Studios to supply their clients with creative, cutting edge, photographic and digital imaging services. Personal E-ssistant creates and manages blogs, social networking, audio/visual postings and marketplace listings for businesses and professionals.

Pure Vision Studios is really charged about becoming a part of this new “state of the web” service. We know how much time is involved in really working the internet to its potential and are extremely aware of the value of being truly connected. We are certain Personal E-ssistant will become E- ssential to the success of many businesses and professionals both locally and world wide.

Isn’t it great? It is like the old west baby! Trail Blazin’! Who knows where this trail goes to? We don’t.. but we are having a really good time on this ride. We welcome Personal E-ssistant as our partners on the trail.

Visionary Portraits

We love nothing better than being asked to step outside the traditional when it comes to capturing the essence of a personality. These can sometimes be called “lifestyle portraits”. Of course, we prefer to call them Visionary. Sometimes, actually most often, these ideas come in the middle of the night, after pondering the spirit you are trying to capture. There are no rules. At least not from our perspective.

See more portraits at Pure Vision Studios. Who’s work do we love? Annie Leibovitz. See this NPR interview, New Leibovitz Collection Reveals Personal Side .

Also this link to her timeline and photos from temple.edu. The only photo in this series that I do NOT like is the one of the Trumps. Please…I would have loved to see one of him combing his hair in the mirror.

Who’s portrait work do you love and why? Let us know. Send us comments and links (please, no photos) we will post the first 25. Here’s looking at you.

Baby Portraits

What says “Holidays” better than baby Christmas photos? Oh the joy of photographing a beautiful child and creating that “OOOOH How Cute!” moment for the family to treasure forever.

We had a wonderful season shooting family and individual portraits this year. It is a great deal of work, but the result is completely satisfying. The photo above was shot at Pure Vision Studios using a Gary Fong Whale Tale light diffuser. I love this product. The light is soft and natural. It is so nice not to be using harsh, hot lights with the little people. They tend to get cranky.

No Photoshop Cs3 editing required with this photo. We liked the the soft, warm, natural richness and tone just the way it was.

And….ho ho ho he peed all over this lovely blanket shortly after this shot. The show was over.

Quikcamo Product Shoot

Every now and then Pure Vision Studios is introduced to a product that simply dazzles us with sheer genius. Well “Get Yer Game Face On” and check out Quikcamo.

Hunters will appreciate the “Health and Stealth” technology of this camo device. I personally am gave 2 of these bad boys for Christmas. We had a great time doing product shots for these guys and expect to see more (or is it less?) of them in the future.

Pure Vision Studios Launches Blogger

What is new at Pure Vision Studios? Blogs, spaces and faces. Portraits, product shots, mixed media art and the madness of the minions. Leopard, Lightroom, Photoshop CS3, the wonderful world of widgets and wondering if the powder will come again to our beloved mountain.

How did we learn before Wikipedia? How did we search for truth before Google? For the answers to this and many more questions, stay tuned. Coming up next …info on our latest product shoot of the Redneck’s Best Friend. Can it get any better than this?

Is there anybody out there? We intend to find out.