classic (`klaesik)–adj.
“…of the highest class, especially in art or literature,…adhering to an established set of rules or principles in the arts….characterized by simplicity, balance, regularity, and purity or form…of lasting interest or significance….continuously in fashion because of its simple and basic style…” -World English Dictionary
Whew! The last 12 months have brought lots of change to our little company! In May of last year, we converted to digital after swearing for at least 18 years that we would never do it! What happened? Technology kept progressing to the point that digital’s benefits could no longer be ignored. The quality of the digital printing processes and papers began exceeding what we could do with film and film printing. We can now do larger prints in higher quality. We can more easily make books and greeting cards with our images. And, best of all, we reduced our environmental footprint by 50%.
Although we have changed our processes, we haven’t changed much about our look and style in 20 years. In the early ‘90’s, I was a newbie family photographer with a vision to produce photographs which would stand the test of time. I named my company “Classic Kids” because I wanted our photographs to be classic, “characterized by simplicity and continuously in fashion because of their simple and basic style.” You won’t see many props or fabricated fantasies in our work, just simple, beautiful photos in which the beauty, sweetness and energy of our young subjects shines alone.
Digital technology has produced a bazillion new techniques for altering photographs. You see it everywhere, especially with color….the super saturated, the vintaged, the hazy, the metallic, the digitally implanted clouds and sky. All those Instagram filters come to mind. Any photograph can now be jazzed up with a snowstorm, sunrays and sorbet skies. And some of it is beautiful and intriguing and we confess to indulging in that from time to time. Whether any of it will stand the test of time, though, is doubtful. Trends come on strong, and tend to go out with a thud.
With the launch of our new web site and this blog, I have done a lot of reflecting on how we have been so lucky to have survived in this wonderful business for 20 years.
I think it is because we have truly lived up to our name.
-Julie
This photo was taken approximately 20 years ago. Pure, timeless beauty. Raw natural light, 3200 speed film.
Bare skin is timeless. It has been & always will be beautiful on a child. Another 20 year old gem that looks like it could have been photographed yesterday.
These two must be in college now.
The artwork on the left and right is 19 years old. The center piece was added just a few years ago. Looks like they were shot together!
