Photos By Madman, Family and Pet Sets

You're the Star sets:

For most family, pet - as well as for advertising purposes, the best pictures are almost always obtained with nuetral backgrounds. They make sure that the people or pet are the subject. That's why most of the best pictures, showing the people you love, are taken with the white (mostly) and black (secondly) backgrounds. After all, your family is supposed to be stars of the show. In the same way, advertisers what their product to be the star, not some fancy background.

A busy background seldom brings out the best in people. Instead, very careful and minimal use of appropriate props and leading achieve the "wow!" factor in Photos By Madman photos. A great idea is to bring along a favorite toy or stuffy for kids, or if Mom or Dad have a job with fun outfits (baker, policeman) or accessories (baseball player, ) bring those along to personalize your session.

We have lots of wonderful props for this (and the other) sets including chairs, stools, benches, blankets, stuffed animals ranging from tiny to star with your hamster or young child, to large life sized dog.

There are admittedly some times when a themed background and additional props add to the "punch" of the shot. For this reason, in addition to the "You're the Star" backgrounds and props, Photos By Madman studio has the following:

Christmas set:

The Christmas set is actually a collection of props including a green and a white Christmas tree, train (to go around the tree), boxes of presents (good for small kids & pets to be inside peeking out, and more. It is all set up with the snow white background. Perfect if you want Christmas themed pictures - best taken in the summer to have time to select and get reprints in time to mail for even your International friends. If you only want a few Chrismas themed pictures that's OK. The Christmas set cleans up for other pictures in about 5 minutes. If you have particular favorite ornaments that are big enough to show up in the pictures, you can bring them to be included as well.

Western set:

Howdy Partner, this is Alberta! ... and the Photos By Madman studio is only about 20km from the Greatest Outdoor show on Earth, the Calgary Stampede. In the Photos By Madman studio there is a full western set made from early 1900's hand hewn wood taken from a barn and blacksmith shop 1km west of the 22, about 40km west of Didsbury. This set was of course specially designed to accomodate many of the unique poses you've come to love in a Photos By Madman session plus a few new ones created specifically for this theme. Of course there are plenty of props to go along with this set including Ropes, benches, sickle, brass keys, hats & boots and so on. Of course, if you have some of your own antiques that you'd like to personlize the set with, bring them along! If you play the bango or non-electric guitar - bring it long to. Don't forget to bring your western dud's including hats, boots, bandanas. If you bring a gun, please make sure that you have the legal paper work taken care of properly and please - double check to make sure it is not loaded (check the chamber too).

Other sets & location shoots:

Of course there is all the outdoors and location shoots available ranging from very close (just outside the studio) to far-a-way places. Let me know what feelings you are trying to create and I'll suggest some settings, or tell me the set you have in mind. The Balzac Rock Garden (4 miles away from the studio) is an excellent choice in good spring, summer and fall weather.

Of course, for corporate photography including "still life" and "art reproduction" I have setups in the studio for this as well.