Bill's Blog

Believe it or not, Beyond Photography is prepared for Easter Portraits! It’s always one of the biggest events for our business, and we love seeing the hundreds of kids who come to play.  We’re enthused to be shooting in 3 locations this year, 3 different times:

IN BRYANT–March 11-14.  We’ll be shooting in the conference room of the Comfort Inn at the Bryant exit [exit #123, right behind the Waffle House].  *Note:  this is not the Hampton Inn, for those who came for Christmas photos.

IN NORTH LITTLE ROCK–April 3-4.  We’re proud to be back with our friends at Lads and Ladybugs Children’s Boutique.  Their store is at the top of JFK, next door to Fairytale Floral.  www.ladsandladybugs.com

IN CHENAL VALLEY–March 19-21.  Our Chenal sessions will be more involved than our standard Quick Pics.  For more information, click here.

In Hot Springs–April 11.  We’re very excited to also be back with Pat and Pam at Jack N Jill Children’s Shop.  Their store is on Central Avenue, past the racetrack.  www.jacknjillchildrensboutique.com

Yes, we’ll have uber-cute animals for our Easter photos, but know that  I’ll be creating images with and without the animals.  Here’s a preview of this year’s Easter scene:

If you’d like to see more images, or package information, click here.

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If you hadn’t guessed by the photos and the blog titles, we’re shooting Easter photos with baby ducklings.  I’ll admit, the ducks in the photo above are powerfully cute!  In our vast experience of duck handling, though, we’ve certainly learned that not any ol’ duck is qualified for portraits! Let me take you behind the scenes at Beyond Photography.

We test and train and quiz and discipline our ducks for the absolute finest performance.  Regrettably, our greatest efforts cannot overcome a fowl that is simply a genetic freak.   Do you notice anything odd about the duckling on the right?  I’m sure you don’t.  We didn’t notice either . . . until it was too late! [insert ominous music here]

Yes, Mildred, you CAN have too much of a good thing.  Ducklings are cute when they’re little, and kids think they’re adorable.  The duck on the right, though, grew at an enormous rate.  Only ONE DAY after shooting this image, I snapped another photo of the creature as it strolled past the Arkansas State Capitol:

Capitol Duck

Lest you still think this is cute for a portrait with your child, let me give you another, closer view.  Mothers, please do not let your children see the following photo, bravely captured by a C-130 pilot:

a force to be reckoned with

The cold, steely look of terror in his eye . . . it chills me.  How could any creature have such disdain for all that is good and holy?

Feeling somewhat responsible for unleashing Pandora’s Pet upon our world, I followed the duck as he trekked across our nation.  We went east, east, east, until we couldn’t go any farther on land.  With kids in tow, Sheree and I last spotted the creature near Cape Hatteras lighthouse, Outer Banks, NC.  Never one to miss an opportunity, I asked a lone fisherman to snap a family photo.

OBX

Undaunted, the duck scurried into the Atlantic [after all--he's a duck; they tend to like water].  Where was he going?  How could we stop him?  What awesome force of nature could contend with a duck this size, this fearsome?!  In a beautiful moment of serendipitous epiphany, I knew.  I would contact him . . . .  Without hesitation, I called–

. . .  to be continued . . .