In 1990, I happened upon a hand-tinted photograph done by Wallace Nutting (circa 1900). A small picture of a mother and tiny child under a rose arbor, the roses were all hand-tinted in pink. A simple picture, and faces not even showing, but it grabbed my heart and touched my senses in a way no other piece of art had ever done.

I do not have a formal studio because I prefer to hold sittings outside. I have six acres of lovely country settings for outdoor shoots. I tend to use only 35mm cameras (being the easiest to use for photographing children). I prefer informal settings...bare feet and pale tinted dresses (or overalls) on girls, and denim overalls or jeans (faded is best) on boys. I shy away from any type of "formal" portraits, leaving those instead to all the wonderful portrait studios available. The hand coloring of black and white photographs is approached differently by every
such artist.

I always have my black and white prints sepia toned (a light brown wash that gives an antique/vintage look). This toning softens the look of the photograph, and warms the skin tones. I generally do not hand color the skin of my subjects except for a bit on cheeks or perhaps the eyes if they are bright. Depending upon the photograph, I may not color the background, instead concentrating on the clothing or props used.

I love the look of children being children! This may mean that the best pictures for hand coloring may not be of a child smiling, but perhaps pensive, shy, or busy performing a task (such as arranging flowers or pulling a wagon). Sometimes pictures are wonderful without faces even showing. But even those pictures will bring a smile for years to come -- because they're different -- and in most cases, they're your children just being themselves!

I shoot black and white film (35 exposures) and have the pictures printed on a 16"x20" proof sheet for you to review. The proof sheet is mailed to you within two weeks, and is yours to keep. I keep the negatives on file; after you choose your picture(s), they are custom printed on paper made specifically for hand coloring. I paint directly on the prints using photographic oil paints and dyes. Completed hand-tinted photographs are ready four to six weeks from the time you place your order (orders may be placed by phone or fax).

I have appointments to fit all schedules...days, evenings and weekends. Because photo shoots are held outside, I will call you the day before a shoot for confirmation. At that time we can reschedule if it appears the weather does not want to cooperate!

Photo shoots are done from April to October