From my eye to yours.

Facebook stole my blog

2009-05-04T12:33:00.003-05:00

I've lost my motivation to blog because I put daily thoughts up on Facebook now. I'm keeping the blog. you never know. but become my facebook freind, and we can keep in touch.

Tony

The new look

2009-03-03T06:33:00.001-06:00

I decided to make this a more encompassing blog hoping to reinergize my photography, and seem a little less self absorbed on facebook.

Prices will not go up!

2008-09-21T21:01:00.002-05:00

I've decided not to raise my prices for the 2nd year in a row. I am real happy with the type of Bride that hires me. I seem to get the young professional types that work for a living, and appreciate their vendors, and friends for that matter. These are the type of people I like to work for, and hang out with. I would rather shoot 3 fun weddings for $1200 than one silver spoon high end wedding where the bride doesn't appreciate what she has for $4000. I know I'm at that point in my career where my work can compare to some of the best in the midwest. I could raise my prices, but I'm having fun. That's worth a lot to me.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Calamus lake

2008-07-29T16:49:00.002-05:00

We went to the lake last weekend. Lake Calamus is the most amazing white sand beach you will ever find not on the coast. Great time.

Tony

Travel Fees

2008-07-21T16:24:00.003-05:00

Saturday I had my second wedding in a row in Lincoln. Leslie, and Ryan got married, and it was outstanding. The church was beautiful, the couple was beautiful, the park was beautiful, and the reception had great food, and music. Leslie, and Ryan have to be two of the easiest people to get along with ever. I doubt they will ever have an enemy. Leslie was breathtaking. I knew she would be the day I met her. While I was at the reception I was talking to the DJ, and Videographer, and they were talking about how gas prices effect their bottom line. I have to admit the thought doesn't even cross my mind. I keep driving my paid for 1990s Nissan with 150k miles and not even think about gas prices. I am shooting a wedding in Valentine Nebraska in a couple of weeks, and I have no fears about gas prices. My prices will not go up next year due to gas prices, however I may need to retire my old Nissan. I'll buy another old reliable car, and pay cash so I don't have to worry about the price of gas.

Congratulations Ryan, and Leslie! Ryan is a lucky guy.

Tony

www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Sundays

2008-07-18T06:55:00.002-05:00

For 8 of the past 10 years I have tried to dedicate my Sundays to God, and my family. In the last 2 years I started shooting a few Sunday engagement sessions, and family sessions. I've decided I need to go back to my old routine. I will not be working on Sundays, and I will limit my Sunday Shopping, and spending to allow others to have work free Sunday's.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

The hardest part of the race is the first step

2008-07-16T22:30:00.002-05:00

I forgot the first day! I have to train myself to write every day I guess. No problem. Just small daily thoughts, and a picture.

Todays thought/question:

Does it feel natural to be running around all the time working, etc.....? I have been so busy lately, and I'm worried it will do some kind of un natural harm to my kids. I'm praying about it. The good thing is I love my work. It feel more like play most days.

The title of this picture is: BBBbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Daily image

2008-07-14T10:48:00.002-05:00

I am going to begin posting an image nearly daily, along with some random thoughts. I just think it will help keep my blog fresh.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Jodie and Dustin

2008-07-14T10:39:00.002-05:00

Saturday I had the pleasure of shooting the wedding of Dustin, and Jodie. A few years ago I was lucky enough to shoot Brian, and Judy's wedding. They have a lot of friends. Their friends have consistently called me to shoot their weddings. They are all a blast. This wedding was no exception. Jodie's eye's sparkled, and made my job easy. Thank you for asking me to capture your day. I'm honored.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Amy and Tim

2008-07-14T09:16:00.002-05:00

Friday night I had the pleasure of shooting the wedding of Amy, and Time. What a great time. I especially enjoyed myself because I got to shoot at my church, and I got to see my Long time Friend Father Joe. Amy has the most amazing smile, and she was smiling the entire night. Thanks again Amy for choosing me, I am honored.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Kim and Casey

2008-06-15T23:08:00.002-05:00

The most unique wedding of the year may go to Kim, and Casey this year. Their ceremony was at the Double D ranch out on highway 66 near Ashland. It was a blast. Very laid back. Kim was so beautiful. Thank you for having me document your day.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Chris, and Dominique

2008-06-08T21:22:00.002-05:00

Last night I had the pleasure of shooting the wedding for Dominique, and Chris. A beautiful couple. Chris forgot his tie, and had to use the "backup" in the bag. It was pink, and it looked great. Dominique had everything, and everybody prepared as well as any Bride I have seen. When her day came she relaxed, and let her preparation take over. She didn't even get angry at Chris for wearing the wrong tie. Thank you for asking me to document your day.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Sandy and Jose

2008-06-01T22:19:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of shooting the wedding of Sandy, and Jose. It was beautiful. The thing that stands out to me was Jose's toast. I got a big lump in my throat. He basically said "he was always unsure if what he was doing in life was the right thing. Even when he was young, and foolish. He said at this moment he realized everything he did was the right thing because it lead him to Sandy". Pretty powerful stuff. Thank you for asking me to document your day.

Tony Petersen
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com
402-680-1032

Summer break

2008-05-23T15:10:00.003-05:00

My daughter is fun. She finished her last day of school today, and she came home, and did this. My dog is so lazy he didn't even move while she dressed him.

Tony

Slow spring for me

2008-05-12T12:12:00.004-05:00

A couple of you have noticed that I had a much slower spring than usual. You are correct. The reason for this was the price change I made last winter. My phone didn't ring much for a couple of months, so I went back to my old price structure. Now I'm booking for next spring fast, and furious. In the long run I'm happy I did it, because it helped me focus more album designs. Things start picking up again for me now, so no worries.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Christina, and Jeff

2008-05-11T20:12:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of shooting pictures for Jeff, and Christina. Christina is so cute! She went from "To nervous to eat", to doing tequila shots in the trolley. I had no idea she was going to be so much fun. You guys are a great couple. They say rain on a wedding day is good luck. You two should have a LOT of luck in that case. Thank you for asking me to document your day.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Nebraska Sunsets

2008-04-30T14:44:00.002-05:00

For those who think Nebraska is boring, and ugly you're so wrong. We have some of the most spectacular sunsets on the planet. This time of year the bare trees enhance the horizon. As the summer moves on they get even better due to the humidity in the air. Even in the winter we get great looking sunsets. I would estimate they are worth watching at least 75% of the nights. The other 25% of the time we have clouds. Last night I shot this picture in Lincoln. It's terrific.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Lori and Tommy

2008-04-20T22:11:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of shooting the wedding of Lori, and Tommy. This one was special to me. I had to swallow hard a few times during the ceremony. I have been in the business for over 20 years now, and I have never seen more genuine love between a man, and a woman. They aren't distracted by materialism. Their relationship will always be the number one thing in their lives. They inspire me. God works in interesting ways. Now they are role models for the rest of us. The stone that was discarded is now the corner stone. Or something like that.
One other thing I need to mention: If you ever get invited to a family party, wear something washable. Full contact partying! You will be expected to participate. Great time!

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Free essays if you are serving in Iraq

2008-03-31T21:55:00.003-05:00

I just watched a news story about parents in Iraq. It's heartbreaking. They are missing so much. I want to try to try to close the gap a bit. I want to offer free childrens photo essays to anybody who is serving overseas in the Omaha area. That includes Bellevue. I'm really good at creating photo essays of kids because I have been blessed with the ability to somehow get inside that "safe zone" kids put up. I'm not doing this for money, or publicity. Here is how it works. It's real easy. I come to your home, and photograph your kids, and or you doing everyday activities such as bath time, feeding time, just playing with the favorite toys, etc.... The best times in life as a parent are everyday activities. I post the images on my web site, for all of the world to see. It's amazing how moments can be shared now. This free service is not only for children. I can do essays on siblings, parents, etc...... It is for any loved one fighting terrorism any place in the world. If you, or somebody you know would like to do something like this please, please call me. I really feel like I can contribute something to peoples lives, and my country by doing this. Please call, you won't regret it.

I pray for an end to this, and all wars.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Engagement session clothing

2008-03-26T08:27:00.003-05:00

My wife, and I took our engagement pictures 20 years ago. We still have one of the pictures on our dresser in the bedroom. I've seen it everyday for 20 years. They tend to be around for a while. Therefore, I'm going to give you a few tips on choosing the right clothing. The rules are pretty simple. The most important thing you want to consider when choosing clothes is: Are these clothes a distraction? When people look at your picture what is there eye drawn toward? You want people to notice your face (Eyes, smile) first then move to your clothing. If one of you wheres a red shirt, the eye will usually go to that red shirt first. I'm not saying "no red shirts". Bright colors look great . Especially on dark skin. If you have a great tan, red is a good color. However, you should both wear bright colors so one of you doesn't get washed out of the picture. When in doubt earth tones always work. Black, white, brown, tan, blue, green.
Look for things that are trendy, and will look funny in a few years. Watches, and eyeglasses, yellow wrist bands, jeans, etc.... You know what I'm talking about. Someday your kids are going to be laughing, and pointing out how "2008" you look. Remember, these collars looked great in 1978.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Wedding dress bustle

2008-03-21T09:57:00.002-05:00

A wedding dress can be very heavy, and clumsy to carry. I think a good bustle is very important. I've seen the bustle break, and the Bride has to carry it around all night long. Not cool. Before the wedding double check your bustle, and have a practice bustle with somebody who is at the wedding, and you may even want to ask you seamstress to put in an reinforcing hook, or two. Good luck.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

The magazine style album!

2008-03-18T11:06:00.005-05:00

here are a few shots of the new magazine style album. It's a really cool album. It comes with a custom dust jacket, and all of the pages I design fit in one album with no extra fees. It's a great alternative, or add on to the Graphi albums.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

The Rockin image events are here

2008-03-04T14:44:00.004-06:00

I've been inspired to do a monthly portrait event. I think it will be great. I will go on location to some non typical portrait locations like Rosenblatt stadium, and Memorial stadium in Lincoln. I will be doing some traditional locations as well such as the Old Market, and a Sunset out at Lake Zorinski. I'm going to be limited on some of these shots due to the availability of the location. We will have fun.

Tony

Engagement pictures in February

2008-02-26T12:50:00.002-06:00

It can be done. I met Angela, and John in the old market passageway Sunday morning. It was pretty cold out, but nice and warm inside for us. The pictures turned out great. It helps when you you have 2 good subjects.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Weight loss motivation

2008-02-25T14:45:00.003-06:00

What happened to my motivation to stay thin? I know exactly what it takes to be thin. I just don't have the motivation. For most of my life I have been fairly athletic. I played high school football, and basketball. I've run 1 full marathon, and about 10 1/2 marathons. I've done small triathlons, I enjoy lifting weights, and I love cycling. Until about 8-9 years ago I would maintain a fairly strict diet which would allow me to easily compete in the kind of activities I enjoyed. Now I seem content sitting at the kitchen table with my laptop, and a bag of chips, or cookies, and milk, etc... The problem is I really enjoy winding down at the end of a day that way. It's entirely in my mind. I finally get the kids to bed, my wife is in bed already as she gets up at 4 AM for her 5:30 shift. Then I start my unhealthy routine.
___________________________________________________________________
I recently heard of something called "the crowbar effect" . It's a technique in which you try something drastic to change a habit, or ritual. I'm going to try to go to bed by 9PM, and get up at 4AM. Maybe that will be the crowbar I need.

Songza

2008-02-13T21:32:00.002-06:00

I'm having a great time with my new Internet discovery. www.songza.com is my new toy. It's a free listening service. Just type in the song, or artist you want to hear, and BAM there it is. It's got a few bugs, but it's free. You can create a play list which is cool. At the very least you can listen to a Song before you buy it.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Another album choice

2008-02-11T14:18:00.001-06:00

I've found a company that will host, print, and bind my designs at a very reasonable price. Here is a link to the first sample I have coming in: Chrysalis and Dan .
So far they are extremely easy to work with. I am using the same 2 page spread design I use with the Graphi Albums. I have to tweak each image to fit the format, and the seam is more visable than the Graphi album, but at $175.00 it's a really, really great album.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Till Debt do us part.

2008-02-07T10:00:00.000-06:00

According to a Gallup Poll 54% of all divorces are due to money problems. I guess that makes it the number one cause of divorce. I think young, newly married couples are especially vulnerable to money problems. Money, and possessions are easy to count, and therefore have become the number one status symbols in our society. However I don't think I will be thanking God for my possessions, and money on my death bed. I think the things you will be most grateful for will be your relationships. Dave Ramsey has been a great resource in my life. www.daveramsey.com . I listen to his podcasts a couple of days a week, and I've read 2 of his books. I think he could be a tremendeous help to a newly married, or engaged couple. Check him out.

Tony Petersen
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Snow day pictures

2008-02-05T21:50:00.000-06:00

It's been snowing all day, so we stayed in. These pictures were taken at around 8PM. The first picture is my terrific Daughter on the computer. Probably Barbie.com . The second picture was taken from my sons bedroom window while he slept. I steadied the camera against the window pane.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

My favorite eguipment

2008-02-01T11:46:00.000-06:00

People are often shocked at my equipment at the weddings I shoot. They often come up to me, and say "I have that same camera". My favorite wedding day camera is the Canon Digital Rebel. When I first started going digital about 6-7 years ago I was trying all of these high end Cameras. They took great pictures. I was having a lot of fun with them. Then I bought a rebel to use around the house. It was so light! It has a plastic body, and the new ones are just smaller in diameter. Yet I defy you to see a difference in image quality. All of the canon lens' fit on the rebel. I often shoot an $800.00 camera with a $2000.00 + lens on it. The real key is choosing the correct lens for what you're trying to convey in the image. My favorite combination is the Rebel with the canon 16-35. I feel like the way I use that lens has helped me brand my pictures. I couldn't live with out it. Just remember the brush doesn't make the artist a good artist.

Tony

www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

The numbers are in

2008-01-29T13:07:00.000-06:00

I just looked at the numbers for this month on my web site. Leisa, and Blake's gallery had over 64,000 hits. Individual pictures in the gallery received that number, not the gallery itself being hit 64,000 times. Still a very good number. I guess people like what they see.

Tony Petersen
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Color Vs Black and White

2008-01-25T09:13:00.000-06:00

As I'm shooting a wedding I can often tell whether the final image should be displayed as a color, or black, and white image. I often shoot knowing the shot will look better as either one, or the other. In the Old days of film shooting we would only deliver the best rendition of the image. Now I deliver both color, and black, and white for each image. Black, and white is great to draw people attention to the subject. No distracting red objects in the background. On the other hand a great sunset, fall colors, and the brides flowers all disappear on black, and white. So what should we do? Call me, and ask me which way you think the image is best presented. I think that is a better solution than only delivering one, or the other.

A few questions I ask myself when I'm choosing between black, and white, or color:
1. What is the thing my eye is drawn to?
2. Is this what you want to show.
3. Where will I display the image?
4. Does the the wall need the color?, or does it need a point of interest?

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Movies

2008-01-12T13:11:00.000-06:00

I see a lot of movies. I have a son with some pretty profound special needs, and sometimes the only time he slows down for the entire week is at a movie. There fore I go 2-3 times a week.

My Favorite movies of 2007:
1. "Across the Universe" - A musical with Beatles songs....Forget about it. No goofy special effects, or annoying camera shake. Just great sets, great lighting, and above all great music!
2. "Ratatouille" - Not just for kids. Great storyline. Patton Oswald is a genius.
3. "Superbad" - I kind of hyperventilated the first time I saw it because I was laughing so hard. I guess I'm still a teenager at heart.
4."300" It's a guy movie.

Honorable Mention:
Hairspray -Very fun
Diehard 4 - good action
Shrek the 3rd - Keep them coming if they are this good

Disappointments:
"Bourne Ultimatum"- Why do they have to keep the camera moving all the time like that? I think it's to make up for deficiencies elsewhere.
"Simpsons Movie" - I laughed, however it was no better than an episode on FOX. I felt duped.
"The Bee Movie" - Jerry Seinfeld has his first bomb.

Last word: "Pirates of the Caribbean" Pretty good. I don't get the hype. I haven't seen American Gangster, or Country for Old Men. Those have gotten rave reviews.

I intend to give more reviews as I see them.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Maggie and Matt 7days later

2008-01-04T14:46:00.000-06:00

I'm working real hard to find a system to edit, and post weddings as fast as possible. Under 1 week is going to be my goal this summer. I am posting Maggie, and Matt's images 7 days after their wedding. I think I can tweak a few things, and get it to 5 days. Maybe faster!

What a beautiful Bride Maggie was. The Politos throw fun weddings. I'm so glad they had me capture the day.

Thank You
Tony Petersen
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Sangaria wine dance

2008-01-03T12:51:00.001-06:00

Wedding DJ Denny Alliano (DA the DJ) does something called the Sangaria wine dance. It gets crazy! The bride, and groom go out in the center of the crowd with 2 bottles of wine. They toast each other, take a drink, and pass the bottle to another man, and woman. Grandparents get as crazy as the wedding party. Leisa, and Blake did it last weekend. I'm sure everybody is still talking about it.

Tony Petersen
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Why wedding albums cost so much

2007-12-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

Somebody Please start a high end wedding album company that is as easy to use as Shutterfly. I've ordered a few personal albums from Shutterfly.com . It's so easy. You send the the image just as you created it, and they print it the way you've sent it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The wedding industry albums are no where near that easy. You have to leave 1/16th of an inch on the outside of the image, you have to split the image precisely down the center. The image has to have specs of 600x300 dpi, and 300x300 after you finish. That includes the 1/16th of an inch extra. It makes me dizzy. Oh, and I forgot some of these companies are overseas, so they emails you get describing what you need to fix need to be translated. By the team you finally get it right you realize you are making about $3.00 an hour after all of the hours you've put in.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have to raise my prices. I'm on a quest to find the professional album that is easy to use. It's my problem until the brides have to start paying more for the albums. Next time I won't complain so much.

www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Behind the name Premier Productions

2007-12-18T09:23:00.000-06:00

When I started working in the wedding industry I knew I wanted to be diverse. I wanted to learn as many aspects of the industry as possible, and I really enjoyed taking it all, and making it into a big production. At my peak production level I would Photograph the wedding, do a slide show after dinner, and then become the master of ceremonies, and DJ the wedding. I love working my tail off, and getting the satisfaction of seeing everything come together beautifully.
In recent years I've chosen to focus on Photography only. It has been great, but I've had the feeling I should be doing more. I didn't feel like I was delivering a "Production". My skills as a wedding photographer are as good as anybody in town, but I want to work harder.
An Idea hit me in the middle of the night 2 nights ago. I couldn't sleep. I had to keep getting up, and write my ideas on a note pad as they came to me. I got about 3 hours of sleep that night, and amazingly I wasn't tired at all the next day. I was too jacked up I guess. I will be announcing the changes to my service after the first of the year. Don't worry, I've retired from the DJ business. Let me just say it will be a production again.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Children's Portraits

2007-11-28T16:40:00.000-06:00

I am taking a new approach to children's portraits. I've discovered people want a faster, easier process for portraits. I've come up withe the fastest, coolest new way to shoot them. I've chosen the perfect lens's to go into the house, and shoot stunning portraits using available light, capturing the child in his, or her essence. It's so much fun. I shoot the kids in the tube, eating, sleeping, and just being a kid. The best part is there will be fewer tears, and less frustration at portrait time.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Adding Video

2007-11-14T12:59:00.000-06:00

I am adding a new videography service this year. I will announce prices, and services after I get a couple of weddings under my belt. I don't see a lot of videographers at the weddings I shoot. I think the reason for that is I don't offer it. I think if I offered it more Brides would have a video. I made this decision after watching my wedding video from 1988 recently. I'm so glad I have it. Many of the people on thevideo are no longer living, and it's really great to see them how they were nearly 20 years ago. My plans are to focus on lot of guest footage, and get all of the events. I want to give away something that is timeless. I think the trendy fades, swipes, and titles will look very dated in 10-15 years. Therefore I intend to keep it very basic in a documentary type style.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Children at a wedding

2007-11-01T11:14:00.000-05:00

Don't be afraid to invite a bunch of Kids to your wedding. Kids make it fun. It's so much fun to watch the kids faces during the cake, cutting, and the garter removal. They are often seeing it for the first time. The eyes get huge. Sure...there will be a few parents who don't watch the kids close enough. It all evens out. There will be a bunch of parents who are watching kids who will step in, and help. Have no fear. Invite the kids.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Portraits in the park

2007-10-31T13:39:00.000-05:00

This Saturday may be my last chance to do family portraits in the park. The session is $100.00. You get ownership of the master disc to use as you wish. Call me to make an appointment.

Tony
402-680-1032
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Heartland of America vs. Elmwood

2007-10-16T20:47:00.000-05:00

We are nearing the end of the busiest season for engagement sessions. I have done a lot at Elmwood park in the last month. A bit of a departure from my usual Heartland of America. Elmwood has better fall foliage, and it is far more manageable on a windy day. The sessions go much faster since the area of the park we use is much smaller. However Heartland has better sunsets, and lake, and a really cool fountain. Fall is the only time of the year that Elmwood can compete with the beauty of Heartland. So unless it is fall be prepared for me to suggest Heartland.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Update

2007-10-15T12:33:00.000-05:00

I did what I swore I wouldn't do...I let my blog updates get way behind. Well it's time to get caught up. The past month has been a whirlwind for me. I suffered through the passing of my Grandmother, and my only blood related Uncle. I was also lucky enough to go to Italy with my Father as a stand in for my Mother who was dealing with my Grandmother, etc... The trip could not have come at a better time for me emotionally, however my work flow has seriously suffered. I apologize to all Brides waiting to see album designs. I have managed to do a good job of posting full weddings, but I have not been able to get caught up with album design. So bear with me for a couple of weeks, and I will get caught up. I will also begin talking about recent weddings again. I look forward to getting back on track.

Thank you
Tony Petersen
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com
680-1032

Trash the dress

2007-10-09T20:34:00.000-05:00

Kind of funny. Trash the dress.

Tony

www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Malena, and Noah

2007-09-09T20:17:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of shooting pictures for the wedding of Marlena, and Noah. Have I mentioned I always think my most recent wedding is my best work. Well.... I just ran through most of the pictures, and I'm so pleased with the way they turned out. I even double happy about that because Marlena, and Noah had a very intimate wedding. I was one of the only vendors they had. If I didn't capture the day nobody was going to. I want to thank them for trusting me. 1316 Jones Street is a very cool place to shoot. Marlena has one of the brightest smiles I have ever seen. I would love to hijack Noahs Ipod for a day to download all of his great music. Once again.. Thank you for having me.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

New prices for 2008

2007-09-07T12:52:00.000-05:00

I'm very happy to announce a new pricing structure for 2008. As much as I love the new albums, and the great designs it is becoming very obvious to me that not every bride wants an album. My bookings have dropped drastically. The only thing that has changed are the albums being added to the package. There fore I am going back to the old style package that offers the album as an add on. I think the most important thing every bride wants is the web gallery, and the master discs. The new package will now include a cool little portable 5x5 proof album with the image printed right on the page Brides can just stick in their purse (If it's a decent sized purse) without worrying about pictures falling out all over. I will still be showing my future brides the very cool coffee table style albums, and hoping they will buy them. Now it will be your choice. For those of you that booked me with the "album in" packages you will be happy to know the packages are the same price if you order the album as an extra.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Jen and Chad album pages

2007-08-30T22:31:00.000-05:00

I'm finally able to work on album creation. It's such a great feeling when I'm near the end of creating one of these albums. I feel like I've created something that people will be looking at when I'm 6 feet under. I guess it's a legacy. These albums are so cool.

Jen and Chad

The album I will be putting them in.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

The old market wedding convention

2007-08-28T14:19:00.000-05:00

Last weekend We went to the Leahy mall on 11th, and Farnam Street to shoot some pictures. It's such a cool setting for pictures. The thing that is killing me lately is every Bride has the same idea. This summer has been crazy down there. We all seem to arrive at the same time, then they all go to the same pub. It's sort of funny to walk in to the upstream, and see 3 brides in the same room. I don't have a solution for the overcrowded park, but I recently went to a place on 11th, and Jones that was pretty cool, and we were the only wedding party there. I don't remember the title. It had "Wine" in it. Nice place.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Laura, and John

2007-08-26T20:16:00.000-05:00

Saturday I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Laura, and John. Not boring. I didn't expect it would be. I met John a couple of years ago. He was the groomsman wearing the afro wig. I laughed a lot. The groomsman humping the limo door, and the groomsman walking into the reception with the toilet paper hanging out of his pants were memorable. Laura was beautiful all day. What a great smile! Thank you for including me in your day.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Kim, and Mike

2007-08-05T22:14:00.000-05:00

Saturday I had the pleasure of shooting the wedding of Mike, and Kim. We had very typical August weather. Very hot, and windy. I was not the only photographer there. Mikes Dad got some interesting choices of shots of me throughout the day. Very funny. I mean like HA, HA funny. Kim managed to pull of looking fantastic regardless of the temperature. I feel honored to have been chosen.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Ashlee and Pete

2007-08-05T22:05:00.000-05:00

Friday I had the pleasure of shooting the wedding of Ashlee, and Pete. I loved the location. They got married at the Champions Club near 140th, and Maple Street. I wish I owned that building. It's pretty cool. Congratulations to Pete for getting such a fun, and beautiful Bride, and also for doing it before you turned 30 (by a couple of hours).

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Bride and Groom Spot light

2007-07-28T22:26:00.001-05:00

Check out this first dance:

Bride and Groom Spotlight

Tony

Mandi and Joe

2007-07-22T22:49:00.000-05:00

Friday night I had the pleasure of shooting pictures for the wedding of Mandi, and Joe. This job is so awesome! We got to go out on the field at Memorial stadium, and shoot some fun shots. What a great time. Mandi has the biggest smile. Joe is a Lucky Guy.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug

Mindi and Colby

2007-07-08T21:29:00.000-05:00

Last night I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Mindi, and Colby. They had one of
the most popular dates in years. Mindi's Dress was so cool. Colby has a million dollar smile. I
didn't hear any "Yahoooos" last night so I am going to assume there were on big winners in the
scratch off games at the tables. Great idea. Thank you for including me in your day.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

I look scared.

2007-07-06T12:09:00.000-05:00

I have a lot of fun at the weddings shoot. I get right in the party, and dance right along with the guests many times. Last weekend one of the Bridesmaids decided she wanted to try her hand as a wedding photographer. She asked to use my camera. Assuring me she wasn't drunk. Note to all party animals. If you have to keep repeating that you are not drunk......you probably are. let's just say she was feeling little pain. I showed her how to wrap the strap around your arm, and away she went. She got right out in the midlle of the beer soaked floor, and got some pretty decent shots. Most were extreme closeups. I tried not to act worried, but she had about $3700.00 worth of camera, and lens out there. Here is a shot she took with me in the background looking worried.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Amy and Brian Teaser

2007-07-06T12:06:00.000-05:00

My album creating software has not arrived yet. Therefore I will only be posting album teasers, until I can get working on the new software. Here is a sample of what I will be creating for Amy, and Brian.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Amy and Brian

2007-07-01T22:15:00.001-05:00

Every week I shoot a wedding, and say to myself. "That was the most fun I'll have this summer" Then I say to myself "Those are the best wedding pictures I've ever shot". So if I sound redundant it's because that is how I truly feel. This week I had the pleasure of shooting Amy, and Brian's wedding. It was a great time. I danced more than usual. It was a great party. Kay showed she still has some wiggle in her. What a great union.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

2007-06-29T16:35:00.000-05:00

I just posted a couple of slide shows for Kelly and Joe, and for Laura and Joe. A lot of Joe's . Fun stuff.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Teasers

2007-06-29T10:46:00.000-05:00

This week I discovered I needed to upgrade my software that I design my albums with. I can't make a new design until I receive the disc. Therefore I just made a couple of teasers until I can design a full album for these weddings. Next week will be crazy.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Pete and Ashley Engagement session

2007-06-26T22:27:00.000-05:00

People who have their engagement sessions this time of year get the best light of the year. The light at dusk is sooo cool this time of year. It also helps when you get a couple as good looking as Pete, and Ashley. I shot a lot of pictures last night. I can't wait for your wedding. It will be fun!

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Erin and TJ

2007-06-25T06:02:00.000-05:00

Saturday I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Erin, and TJ. This will probably go down as the most unique wedding of the year for me. I've never shot a wedding at a race track. It was so cool. The couple said I do, and then drove off in TJ's crazy fast car. Somehow Erin managed to keep her dress white all night. Cool Grooms cake! Check back later this week for more images.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Chrysalis and Dan album posted

2007-06-18T16:05:00.000-05:00

I've posted the new pages. I received some new album samples today. Unbelievable! The new albums are the most innovative thing in wedding photography now.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Jen and Chad

2007-06-17T21:54:00.000-05:00

Saturday I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Jen, and Chad. You guys have a LOT of friends. Wow! They all know how to have a good time. Look up "fun wedding" on Wikipidia, and you might see a picture of you two. What I'm trying to say is "it was fun!". I appreciate you asking me to capture your day. Check back in about a week, and a half to see more pics.

Thanks
Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Amanda and Chad

2007-06-17T21:49:00.000-05:00

Friday I had the pleasure of Photographing Amanda, and Chad's wedding. You two were probably the most relaxed couple I've shot this year. Nothing was going to rattle the 2 of you. Guess that's why everything went so smooth. The Kids were great, and there were a lot of kids there. Thank you for having me. It was a great day.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Chrysalis and Dan album

2007-06-15T13:06:00.000-05:00

I've been working on the album for a couple of days now. I'm about 1/2 finished. I am heading out to shoot a wedding so I probably won't be finished with it until Monday. Here is a teaser pic. Check back Monday for the entire design.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Kelly and Joe album design

2007-06-13T22:16:00.000-05:00

The design is up for Kelly, and Joe's album. It's a great story teller.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Chrysalis and Dan

2007-06-10T23:37:00.001-05:00

Saturday I had the pleasure of shooting the wedding of Chrysalis, and Dan. I really appreciate that I was chosen to shoot this wedding. It was a blast. The groomsmen were funny. The Church, the town, the drive to Manning, and especially the couple were stunning. You guys know how to party. May your bucket runneth over.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Kelly and Joe

2007-06-10T23:27:00.000-05:00

Friday evening I had the pleasure of photographing Kelly, and Joe's wedding. Kelly was such a striking beauty. Joe is one of those guys who has never had an enemy. I love shooting at Saint Margaret Mary's. You guys are very popular. You were so busy greeting people you barely had time for a dance. A great night!

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Album Demo

2007-06-07T15:45:00.000-05:00

I've recorded a demo for my Cornerstone wedding albums. Check it out.

Tony

www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Amanda and David

2007-06-03T22:53:00.000-05:00

Friday evening I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Amanda, and David. Yes Amanda you can stop pinching yourself now. It's real. There is a lot I could say about this wedding. It was great. There were a few "first times" for me. I got to ride in a fire truck with the sirens on. I felt like a kid. The thing I choose to focus on are David's vows. He is much more complicated than he lets us in on. After he pronounced them I think I just stood there with my jaw open. amazing. Amanda looked more beautiful than I have ever seen her. She really enjoyed being a Bride. Thank you for allowing me to record your day.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

I forgot to mention.....

2007-06-03T21:41:00.000-05:00

I posted Mindy, and Matt's album design this week. It really tells a story. I'm a lucky guy to be chosen to record so many of life's highlights for so many people.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

I sample the cake

2007-06-02T15:44:00.000-05:00

I know it's probably tacky to see the photographer walking around stuffing cake in his mouth at a reception, but I have to admit I do grab a piece of cake after it appears most guests have had a chance to get some. I was at Amanda, and David's wedding last night, and let me say if you I shoot your wedding, and you have a cake from Petitts pastry I will be happy. I've tasted a lot of cakes, and that one shoots up to the top 5 easily. I'll post a few pictures tomorrow night on the blog.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Mindy and Matt

2007-05-27T23:02:00.000-05:00

Last night I had the pleasure of Photographing the wedding of Matt, and Mindy. Rain was predicted for the entire day, but God decided to give us a beautiful day. Mindy, and the ladies were beautiful, and classy. Matt, and the guys dressed up like the village people, and did the sprinkler. Very nice! It was a great day. I am honored to have been chosen to photograph your wedding. Thank you.

Tony Petersen

www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Laura and Joe album

2007-05-25T15:16:00.000-05:00

I have just completed the album pages for Laura, and Joe. It's a beautiful album. I think the pages really do a great job of showing how much fun we had. Thanks Laura, and Joe for including me in your day.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Laura and Joe

2007-05-20T21:53:00.001-05:00

Saturday I had the great pleasure of shooting the wedding of Laura, and Joe. Joe is a lucky guy. Laura has one of the biggest, brightest smiles I've ever photographed. Great weather. Great party. Great couple. Thank you for having me.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Booking calander

2007-05-17T08:16:00.000-05:00

These are the dates I am booked as of today:

2007:
May 18
May 19
May 26
June 1
June 8
June 9
June 15
June 16
June 23
June 30
July 7
July 20
August 3
August 4
August 11
August 25
September 15
September 22
October 6
October 20
December 28
December 29
December 31

2008:
May 10
May 31
June7

Kim and Mike engagement pics

2007-05-17T08:05:00.000-05:00

We went to Walnut Grove park to get these great pictures. This was a fun session. Mike is never serious, and neither am I so it's a miracle we got all of the shots we did. You can see how relaxed they were. Great looking couple.

www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Introducing the fine art Black and White album

2007-05-11T08:54:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to announce a new album option. I will now create a fine art Black, and white album for each wedding, as well as the my standard Premier album designs. The fine art albums will have one image per page designed to be a piece of art you can display in a prominent place in your home. Each page is designed to look like the prints you would see on the walls of an art gallery. It's like having an art gallery on your table. The best part is you are the subject. It's so cool. I will use colorful leather covers to contrast the Black, and White. The Prices will be the same as the my other albums.

Tony Petersen
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Katie and Drew

2007-05-06T23:06:00.000-05:00

Katie, and Drew turned their engagement session into a true Family affair. It was great. a real whirlwind session. Katie, and Drew are crazy about each other in case you haven't noticed.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Payment plans available

2007-05-01T22:03:00.000-05:00

I want to make it as easy as possible for young couples to afford my pictures. I think the worst thing a newlywed couple can do is bring a bunch of wedding day debt into a young marriage. .Therefore I am going to put my money where my mouth is, and start offering interest free payment plans. I can set them up for as much money as you would like to finance. I will only set them up for 3 months beyond your wedding date. So if your wedding is 7 months from now I can set you up on a 10 month payment plan. If you are buying a $2000.00 package you would pay $200 a month. Please call or email if you would like to be set up on this plan.

Tony Petersen
402-680-1032
tonypremier@juno.com
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Sarah and Mark album

2007-04-30T16:12:00.000-05:00

Sarah, and Marks album pages have been posted. Great looking couple!

I didn't shoot a wedding this weekend. I attended a wedding as a guest for the first time in a few years. I left my camera at home, and danced with my wife, and daughter.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

New service announcement

2007-04-23T11:09:00.000-05:00

I am happy to announce I am now going back into the business of shooting senior portraits. I stopped doing them for a few years because I wanted to focus my attention on weddings, and to be honest with you the old "portraits only" style of shooting didn't get me as excited as the story telling ability of wedding photography. I came up with a Eureka moment last week. I am now going to shoot the seniors in the same "Day in a life" style. I'll shoot them with the intention of documenting everything that the senior fills their day with. I plan to include music, hobbies, Friends, school, jobs, cars, pets, parents, grandparents, etc.... in a non portrait style. I will more, or less follow the senior around for a few hours, and describe who the person is. I will also mix in some portraits, but it will be fun, and fresh moving from portraits to journalistic.
The seniors will receive an album that will describe who they are. The wallet sized pictures they hand out will be replaced with a business card with information on the back such as myspace page addresses, blog addresses, email address, etc. It should be fun. I'll be posting pricing, and booking information soon.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Sarah, and Mark

2007-04-22T20:58:00.000-05:00

Last Night I had the pleasure of shooting pictures for the Wedding of Sarah, and Mark. Incredible! I can still get emotional at these things. The combination of Sarah's Father as the officiant, Mary's incredible singing, and a weekend of watching Marks Family throw complete support on this marriage was enough for me to get choked up more than once during the ceremony.
"RICK FLAIR" WWwwoooooooooooo!!!! Sorry. For those of you who weren't there you won't get that part. Thank you for having me as your photographer. What an honor.

Tony Petersen
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Announcement

2007-04-19T11:13:00.000-05:00

I'll be announcing something regarding expanding my services with in the next 2-4 days.

Tony

Engagement pictures

2007-04-19T11:05:00.000-05:00

Spring has officially arrived! I shot the first spring engagement session of the year last night. It was beautiful. Kelly, and Joe are a handsome couple. We had a great time at the Heartland of America Park. We had a pretty decent sunset. They looked great in front of it. As the humidity kicks up, the sunsets get more colorful. Thanks Kelly, and Joe.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Nate and Jen

2007-04-15T21:37:00.000-05:00

This Saturday I had the pleasure of shooting wedding pictures for Nate, and Jen. They were so obviously having a great time. Here is a lesson for all Brides. Things started off kind of interesting. The guards at the gate at Offut Air Base wouldn't let me in because they couldn't find my name on the list. The Groom, and his groomsmen spent the next hour trying to get guests in the gate. This type of thing could destroy a Bride. How did Jen handle it? She was smiling, and laughing. Nothing was going to ruin her day. She had a beautiful wedding. When her cousin hugged her, and knocked her veil off she laughed harder than anybody in the church. In the end she was a beautiful Bride with a Beautiful wedding. The pictures tell the story. Look at her smile!

Tony
www.premierProductions.smugmug.com

Wedding album design for Dan, and Heather

2007-04-12T11:16:00.000-05:00

Another design is finished. It's so fun reliving the day. I hope you guys didn't freeze in Saint Louis on opening day. I'm sure you had a great time.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Love this picture

2007-04-10T10:04:00.000-05:00

As I sit here, and edit Heather, and Dan's wedding pictures I find myself cracking up with laughter. You can't really tell in this picture unless somebody points it out, but the Trellis is going down. Right over the cakes. It was in slow motion. we saw it happening, but there was nothing we could do. No real harm done. Very funny moment. I loaded them out of order, but you get the idea.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Kevin and Kate album design

2007-04-09T15:20:00.000-05:00

I've just finished the new album design for Kevin, and Kate. A little behind schedule, but last week was spring break for my kids so I was thrown off schedule a bit. Tomorrow I'll be working on Heathers album.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Limo's gone wild

2007-04-05T11:37:00.000-05:00

It seems every year the Limo companies have to come up with some crazy new idea to top the previous year. They went from the standard limo to the "Stretch" limo, then to the "Bus" type limo, then the "Hummer", now the Nascar limo. I can't wait to see how they top each themselves next year.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

You've got to loose control

2007-04-04T10:38:00.000-05:00

Here is the picture of the Bride that has no fun on their wedding day. They are the Bride that doesn't trust anybody to get stuff done for her on the wedding day. It's the Bride who comes out, and moves the guest book table 6 inches to the right, then re-ties the bow on the 3rd pew, then has a major fit because somebody forgot the fancy lighter she bought for the candles, and now they have to use matches. She sends her brother to her house to get it, and now we have to worry if he will make it back on time. Ladies.....don't do it. Have your meltdowns, and compulsive moments the 2 weeks leading up to the wedding. Then let go on the wedding day. Trust your plans, and enjoy the beautiful moments. It will never happen again.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Heather and Dan

2007-04-01T20:54:00.000-05:00

Saturday I had the pleasure of Photographing Heather, and Dan's wedding. Heather had the most uniquely beautiful dress of the year. The Limo was crazy huge. They had a 40 minute drive to the reception so it was a good choice. You guys proved once again that the parties in Nebraska City are as fun as they get.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Kevin, and Kate

2007-04-01T20:48:00.000-05:00

Friday Night I had the pleasure of photographing Kevin, and Kate's wedding at Saint Margaret Mary's Church. Kate was such an elegant Bride. It was obvious that Kevin realizes he is a lucky guy. It was fun to be around the Tarsney family again.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

New album design

2007-03-30T13:25:00.000-05:00

I just posted a new design from the wedding last weekend. I have a new technique designed to help cut down on the edit requests. I now make 60 pages, and you can choose your favorites to go in the album. They really tell the story in an amazing way. What took me so long to figure this out? I feel the final product I deliver is worth 4 times the standard proof book I was offering in the past.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Rebeca, and Steve

2007-03-26T15:06:00.000-05:00

I had the honor of shooting the rare Sunday wedding of Rebeca, and Steve yesterday. It was a very, very classy wedding. The church, and the ceremony was majestic. Rebeca was beautiful. I was a little worried that the pigeon trapped in the church would drop a load on the couple. That would be a first for me. It was apparent from the toasts how much people love them. Thank you for having me. Check back later this week for album pages, and pictures on my web site.

Tony Petersen
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

New album posted

2007-03-23T20:58:00.000-05:00

I finished another album design today. Now I look at my old proof albums, and wonder what I was thinking. These things tell the wedding day story so fantastic. I make slide show with them also, but I am having web site issues trying to get them to load, and play at a high resolution. I'll figure it out. It just may take 60 hours on the phone with a guy from Pakistan. Check out the new pages.

I shoot a wedding Sunday. I'm totally stoked to get back in the weekly groove.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

The calm before the storm

2007-03-21T20:23:00.000-05:00

This weekend is sort of my official start to the wedding season. Things will get pretty crazy. My brain will be in the "wedding mode", and I will have more topics than I can write about. So get ready to be bombarded with fresh blogs nearly daily.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

I need your input

2007-03-13T20:47:00.000-05:00

I love it when Brides give me images they like. You can email them to me, or just print them off, and give them to me at our last meeting. This is how I grow as a photographer. I let you do my research. search the internet. Go the west coast, East coast, and every place in between. Nobody knows the latest trends better than the Brides. I have no ego about what is right, and what is wrong. You are my boss. Please act that way.....in a nice way.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

A day in a life Childrens Photography

2007-03-09T13:03:00.000-06:00

I am having a blast shooting these children. Documentary style photography is so rewarding to me. Here is a partial album of Sarah. I did these in about 70 minutes. I'm used to having at least 2-3 hours. Here is the new information page.

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com

Moms revenge

2007-03-07T14:00:00.000-06:00

I don't know if this story is true. I got it from a fellow photographer. I enjoyed it.

Jennifer's wedding day was fast approaching. Nothing could dampen her
excitement -- not even her parents' nasty divorce. Her mother had
Found the PERFECT dress to wear and would be the best dressed
mother-of-the-bride ever! A week later, Jennifer was horrified to learn
that her father's new young wife had bought the exact same dress as her
mother!

Jennifer asked her step mom to exchange it, but she refused. "Absolutely
not. I look like a million bucks in this dress, and I'm wearing it," she replied.

Jennifer told her mother who graciously said, "never mind sweetheart. I'll
get another dress. After all, it's your special day." A few days later, they went shopping
and did find another gorgeous dress.

When they stopped for lunch, Jennifer asked her mother, "Aren't you going
to return the other dress? You really don't have another occasion where
you could wear it." Her mother just smiled and replied,
"Of course I do, dear. I'm wearing it to the rehearsal dinner the night
before the wedding."

Tony
www.premierproductions.smugmug.com