Tag Archives: Orchard Mall

Ryan Is Ready!

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While some people might be blah blah blah-ing about today’s youth on the heels of yesterday’s announcement that “selfie” was named Word Of The Year by the Oxford English Dictionary – that they are self-centered, shallow and whatever else the curmudgeons may say, our latest senior is the total opposite of all of that!  Ryan is the editor of the school newspaper, has his sights set high for college and beyond, and is an engaging and very impressive young man – much like plenty of the seniors we meet!  We love this generation and we love this guy!  He’s the perfect type of kid you would want as a representative of “today’s youth”!

High School Senior Picture

We had a great time with him and for this session the focus was on studio portraits.  We had a lot of fun with Ryan and his mom as well – she hung out for the session and even provided some coaching!  Haha!

High School Senior Picture

Ryan was definitely “ready for his close up” and we would say that he is ready for life – Ryan is just plain READY! High School Senior PortraitHigh School Senior Portrait

Doug’s Rant – An Epic Post About Twitter – November 15, 2013

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I’ll be the first to admit I am not a total expert at twitter, but I know a thing or two.  I tweet under several different profiles and I’ve used twitter for almost 5 years.  I didn’t really get it at first, went away from it for a while, and then came back.  These days I feel like I’m starting to get more out of it than I ever have.

Twitter

Twitter Goes Public, And Why Twitter Is As Important As Ever – Haters Pay Attention:

My initial impetus for writing this was an article that HootSuite (my social media management tool of choice) tweeted entitled the “Top 5 Reasons You Weren’t Supposed to Buy Twitter Stock“.  ICYMI (that’s twitter for “in case you missed it”) Twitter went public and started trading on the NYSE on November 7th, 2013 at $26 per share.  As of this writing a week later it is trading at $43.98 – not a bad start…  Facebook’s IPO by comparison was widely viewed as somewhat of a disaster – not that Facebook is going away anytime soon or in any kind of real trouble, but the point is that for anyone who doesn’t think twitter is a major force they are flat out mistaken.

A Little Bit Of Fun Twitter History

Without going into all the typical boring history-class-type details, this fun and informative article by Ann Handley will give you a peek into the early stages of twitter and how people were somewhat unsure of what to do with this 140 character platform at first.  I think seeing how a platform and the culture of the platform has evolved helps you to use it more effectively.  Ann takes a peek at a bunch of the very first tweets of well known twitter profiles and she reveals how to find the first tweets of any profile you like.  Give it a try!  Here are a few local (Metro Detroit) first tweets for you including ours.  Our first tweet makes us cringe but what the heck….   There’s a learning curve for everyone as you’ll see with some of these.  As for Reflecto‘s first tweet just last year – that’s a true story…

Frameable Faces first tweetDoug Cohen's first tweetReflecto's first tweetOrchard Mall first tweetFirst tweet of the Detroit NewsGM's first tweetFord Motor Company's first tweetHillers Markets first tweetTapper's Jewelry first tweetYoga Shelter's first tweetDan Gilbert's first tweet

Advice From One Of My Gurus

As I said before I’m not sure I’m an expert on twitter, but I think Rosh Sillars is – really I think of him as one of my gurus on all things social media, plus he is a photographer and based in Metro Detroit so I can be sure that his viewpoint is relevant for us.  I just got his new podcast in my email the other day entitled “How Can Twitter Help Your Business?” and it’s worth a listen.  Funny thing is much of what can help your business on twitter isn’t about the specifics of twitter itself but rather your approach to connecting with people and this is true about all of social media.  Don’t forget the social part of social media!!!  Check it out.

A Rant For This Rant, Faves And Tips

Lastly let me share with you a few nuggets of my own before I send you on your way.  You don’t have to agree with all of them and I’m always open to a little healthy debate.

  • I’m not going to get into a whole list of “do’s and don’ts” for twitter here but I just have one big pet peeve “don’t” to rant about which I’ve covered before.  Don’t automate your Facebook posts to automatically post as tweets.  When I see a tweet that has an “fb.me” in it I actually get offended.  It comes off as lazy and often spammy.  It’s one thing to schedule tweets with a tool like Hootsuite to spread them out as long as you’ve actually tweeted them yourself and will be there to reply and engage if someone responds, but it’s another to just automate from somewhere else and not bother actually being on twitter.  My only “exception” to this rule at the moment is Vine – it’s owned by twitter and it’s an easy way to incorporate the 6 second looping videos right into your tweets because of the way they are embedded.  Besides when I send a Vine to post on twitter I’m still making the decision to do it manually so it’s not really automated, whereas a lot of Facebook-to-twitter automation that is out there is done with a setting that is just turned on in Facebook and left on indefinitely…  When I consult with a business or sign on to take over some community management for a brand one of the first things I do is turn that off.
  • Make use of twitter lists to manage your feed based on categories that work for you. This is a great way to set up your own personal topical news wires and manage the volume of tweets that build up as you follow more profiles.  Here are a few of the Frameable Faces lists if you would like to check them out and you will see what I mean – Local Detroit / Michigan, Photography, and Social Media Focused.  A few of my personal lists are Sports, History and Music.
  • There are several ways to connect with us on twitter and we hope you follow all of the Frameable Faces-related twitter profiles.  They are: @frameablefaces, @dougcohen10, @orchardmall, and @Reflect_o
  • Lastly, I think my award to most creative and unique profile on twitter goes to @arjunbasu who writes complete short stories in 140 characters.  I think they’re absolutely brilliant.

I hope you enjoyed this post – it’s not the ONLY twitter “handbook” you’ll ever need but hopefully this will get you started if you’re a newbie and I hope you picked up a little something if you’re a veteran.  Feel free to comment and share and most importantly, go forth and tweet!!!

Rachel’s Session Was Worth The Wait!

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We had been on a perfect weather streak this year for our class of 2014 seniors like never before with no rainouts until the last couple weeks when we were rained out three times.  Rachel’s original day had to be completely rescheduled, but as they say patience is a virtue and we got a perfect day for a great girl who really deserved it on the second try!

High School Senior Picture

A Family Affair

We started at the studio and Rachel’s siblings jumped in for a couple of fantastic shots before we headed out on location.  Lots of fun to see these three together with the girls having some fun with their baby brother…

Sibling Portrait

Then we headed out on location and the conditions were just right.  Rachel looked fantastic in some really nice fall settings – you can see some great fall color in this shot…

High School Senior Portrait

…and here’s a little behind the scenes vine from the session.  🙂

All in all we had a great time together and we think you will agree that Rachel’s session was absolutely worth the wait!

High School Senior Pictures

On A Crisp Clear Fall Day You Can See… Alanah!

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Alanah picked a perfectly beautiful day for her session – it was cold but the lighting and the location were perfect and we had a lot of fun.  We don’t want to embarrass her by saying this but when we met Alanah we thought she was really shy and quiet.  Alanah is another senior we have known for years and we photographed her brother two years ago, but it was not until she became a spokesmodel for us this past year that we really got to know her and discovered that once you get to know her she’s not shy at all!  She’s actually very outgoing and pretty funny!

High School Senior Picture

Her mom had the idea of having Alanah in a boat (you have to give credit where credit is due haha) and she had the perfect spot for us, so we went to the location first since we had great sunlight and an early morning start.  Getting the boat into the water provided a few laughs and the whole scene was pretty amusing as you can see in this vine…

…but it was worth it – the results are great!

High School Senior Portrait

We then got a few other spots and one of our favorite trees turned red earlier than we thought it would so that was a bonus!  We love the way this one turned out and Alanah looks stunning!

High School Senior Picture

We did all of Alanah’s spokesmodel shots in the studio earlier in the year so we didn’t plan to spend a ton of time indoors this time around but we still headed back to the studio to get a couple more and here’s a highlight from those.  We hope you have enjoyed these highlights from Alanah’s session a fraction as much as we enjoyed photographing them and getting to know this adorable young lady over the years!

High School Senior Picture

A Dream 5 Years and Counting!

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5 year business anniversary

Yes that status was 5 years ago!  It’s hard to believe…  Ally’s dream of having a real studio of her own has become a reality and we love doing this together.

Humble Beginnings

Those who were around us and the mall back then might remember that this really started off as an experiment of sorts.  The mall had several vacancies but tenants were starting to move in which at the time was really bucking the trend – this was right in the middle of the Great Recession and Detroit was the epicenter of the whole thing.  Things were quite bleak around here but there were exciting things on the horizon at the Orchard Mall.  As for Ally, the first few months were basically spent just her by herself in this space with a desk, a temporary backdrop, her camera and a banner in the window to see if this could be a viable business…  She had been building Frameable Faces out of the house before this, photographing on location and this was a big next step.

5 year business anniversary

Starting to take shape – Frameable Faces in early 2009 – we had our new sign but no paint, furniture or much else!

The “Rescue”

I was working a dead end job at T-Mobile as a National Account Manager selling BlackBerrys to auto companies who were mostly in bankruptcy at the time.  I knew my days were numbered and Ally convinced me that when the time came that they showed me the door that instead of looking for another job we should pour all our energy into Frameable Faces Photography together.  It was a struggle to be sure growing a new business in a really rough economy, but we had never been happier.  I like to say that Ally “rescued” me from corporate America and I used to use the line that I was “way happier struggling than when I was miserable making money” and it was true!

5 Years Later

So here we are 5 years from that first status update about getting the keys to the empty space in our beloved mall and opening up the studio, and in some ways we feel like we’re just getting started!  We’ve come a long way – we’ve made so many friends and met so many incredible “Frameables” along the way.  We are forever grateful for all of you and we look forward to what’s next!!!  Cheers to 5 years!!!

Our “Mascot” Has Grown Into A Beautiful Young Lady!

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When we first met Mara about 5 years ago she looked like this:

Frameable Faces Mascot

Such a cutie!  She used to dance across the hall from our studio when we first opened our space 5 years ago and she became a fixture at Frameable Faces – we called her our “mascot” and she would get dropped off early before dance class and hang out with us all the time.  I guess you could say that she never really left, and she has grown up and blossomed into one of our spokesmodels for the class of 2014.  For years we’ve talked about the day she would be a senior doing her senior pictures here…  She is like family and she is mistaken for our daughter all the time when she’s here – either that or an employee which prompted her to tweet the following recently:

So we guess you could say her senior photo session was about 5 years in the making, and it was epic!  Sprawled across two days first in the studio and then on location, it was totally worth the wait!  We spent the first day in the studio only since it was cold and rainy out, forcing us to reschedule the location portion of the shoot for another day.  Here are a couple studio highlights from day 1:

Frameable Faces Mascot

Frameable Faces Mascot

When the day came to finish up the session on location it was quite chilly out but at least it didn’t rain.  The outdoor session was fantastic!  Great location with bridges, water, trails and Mara looked beautiful!


We are so proud of our “mascot” and so pleased to present these awesome photos of her!  Enjoy!

Frameable Faces MascotFrameable Faces Mascot

Doug’s Top 10 Songs About Photography

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Is there really such a thing as an original idea?  Plug that question into Google and it seems that most would say no.  The idea to write this post just popped into my head – to write list of top 10 songs about photography.  So I jotted down a couple off the top of my head and then went through my iTunes to come up with my list.  Then I did a little research and it turns out there have been plenty of articles written on this topic.  Heck there’s even a Wikipedia entry on songs about photography!  That’s okay, I can still put my own spin on it, and Wikipedia actually missed two of my picks – one of which is a glaring omission to me and another much more obscure…

Music Fanaticism

Yes I’m a music fanatic and you might even say a music snob…  I started collecting records when I was 5, memorizing all the lyrics I could and having KISS concerts in my basement with my friend Chris.  I played the cello in my high school orchestra, was the guy who made all the mix tapes for all my friends in high school, and now I sing in a rock band.  I used to read through the All Music Guide books all the time and now I just hang out on their website.  Music and photography have a lot in common since they both can elicit very personal and emotional responses and connect us to our past in extremely powerful ways.  With this being the case it’s a wonder that there aren’t more songs about pictures and photography in general, but there are several great ones and here are 10 of my favorites:

The Top 10 Songs About Photography

Pyromania coverPhotograph – Def Leppard – 1983

Those opening three chords are unmistakable – just enough time to crank the volume up for the drums right?  He wants the girl (Marilyn Monroe?) but all he’s got is a photograph…

 

 

Jim Croce - You Don't Mess Around With JimPhotographs & Memories – Jim Croce – 1972

Such a poignant song that Jim Croce wrote not long before his untimely death where he sings about how he cannot believe a loved one is lost as he looks through photographs and thinks about the times they spent together.

 

 

R.E.M. - ReckoningCamera – R.E.M. – 1984

A beautiful song which is said to be about the band’s friend Carol Levy who died in a car accident.  From piecing it together it seems Michael Stipe has made reference to this (?) as the point where he got clean from drug addiction.  “If I’m to be your camera then who will be your face?”

 

The Cure - Pictures Of YouPictures Of You – The Cure – 1990

Robert Smith’s song about finding his wallet in the remains of a fire at his home with pictures of his wife Mary in it.  He even used one of the photos as the cover of the single.  A beautiful dreamy Cure song from an otherwise dreary, murky and fantastic Cure album.

 

Deep Purple - Machine HeadPictures Of Home – Deep Purple – 1972

Okay not about photography per se, but a classic with the word “pictures” in the title…  A song about being in a strange cold place and yearning for home – images and “pictures” in our mind can comfort us from time to time to be sure.

 

 

Echo And The Bunnymen - CrocodilesPictures On My Wall – Echo & The Bunnymen – 1979

This song has the distinction of being the very first Echo & The Bunnymen single and I love it.  An eerie sounding and foreboding tale but we’re not quite sure why…  “The pictures on my wall are about to swing and fall”.

 

 

A Flock Of SeagullsWishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You) – A Flock Of Seagulls – 1982

Unlike Joe Elliot of Def Leppard the lead Seagull sounds like he’d be okay with just a photograph – he wouldn’t spend his life just wishing if he had a photograph to remind him.  More or less a three-hit-wonder (I apologize to any diehards because I’m the first to admit I hate when one of my favorites are slapped with a tag like that), you have to love these guys as a classic slice of MTV 80’s nostalgia.

Wilco - Yankee Hotel FoxtrotKamera – Wilco – 2001 (released 2002)

This sounds like a confessional from Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy who seems to not be feeling too good about himself.  It seems like he needs a camera as opposed to a mirror to look at himself and remind him of the lies he’s been hiding and the echoes in his heart.  It’s a great song that the band recorded and released two different unique studio versions of and both are worth checking out.

Filter - Title Of RecordTake A Picture – Filter – 1999

Sometimes you just need to take a photo otherwise no one will believe or remember what happened later right?  This song is one of those lush anthemic sounding songs that swirls and lifts you up even if you’re not sure why…  and why shouldn’t a song about a guy getting naked and causing a scene on an airplane lift you up…..right?

 

Rush - Moving PicturesThe Camera Eye – Rush – 1981

The last song Rush recorded over 10 minutes long, it’s a two part song that attempts to contrast and highlight New York City and London respectively.  The title apparently refers to sections in the U.S.A. Trilogy written by John Dos Passos.  “The Camera Eye” sections are written in an autobiographical stream of consciousness style.  I suppose taking pictures can be just that – your stream of consciousness as you interpret the world through your lens.

Here are the links to the songs / albums in order on Amazon – where digital downloads were available I provided that option otherwise the CD is linked.  I can vouch for each entire album being amazing by the way (with the exception of Flock of Seaguls – I never owned an entire Flock of Seaguls album).


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Frameable Faces Photography
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Frameable Faces Photography is a small biz retail mom & pop shop of Doug&Ally Cohen located in the Orchard Mall in West Bloomfield, Michigan, United States Of America!
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Ally & Doug can be reached at the studio at tel:248-790-7317 or emailed at mailto:info@frameablefaces.com
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Being “Frameable” is an attitude, a community, a way of life – a life you would want to celebrate and display on your walls for all to see!  Tell us… ARE YOU FRAMEABLE?
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Kyla Gets Her Day!

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This is actually “part 1” of a two-part post since Kyla is a twin and her twin brother Noah will be coming soon as “part 2”.  We split up the sessions due to scheduling but Kyla will make an appearance in Noah’s session when we take a few photos of the two of them together.  We’re looking forward to that!

High School Senior Portrait

Meanwhile this day was all about Kyla and we were more than happy to focus on her for a few hours – what a sweetheart and totally adorable!  Kyla and Noah have another pair of twin brothers, so with Kyla being one girl to three boys it was fitting that she get her own day right?

We started in the studio with the black backdrop – no props save for just a black stool – simple and dramatic…

High School Senior Picture

Then we went outside on location and the conditions were perfect!  It’s been an unseasonably warm October which has been really nice for our seniors.

The backlight on Kyla’s hair was perfect and helped to make for some spectacular images!  We had a blast with Kyla and her mom – another great day with another great senior!  Take a look at a couple of these great shots in a meadow!  Enjoy!

High School Senior PictureHigh School Senior Portrait

Now Appearing…..Erin!

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Erin is another one of our class of 2014 spokesmodels and boy is she a drama queen – as in a fantastically talented stage actor!!!  Anyone who saw her in the stage adaptation of Ragtime last year as Evelyn Nesbit at West Bloomfield High School saw that she nearly stole the show, and this year she will be taking on the role of Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird.  We are so excited for her and cannot wait to see her performance!

High School Senior Portraits

Erin’s spokesmodel session back in March took place exclusively in the studio so we spent the whole evening for her senior session on location starting at the Franklin Cider Mill.  Such a classic locale!

High School Senior Portrait

Next we set out to capture some cityscapes…

Erin’s session proved to include an exquisite flair for the dramatic which you will see in these images as she stepped out into the night.  We used our new Westcott Ice Light for some dramatic lighting after the sun went down (we like to call this powerful little piece of equipment the “light saber”) and as a side note for you photographers Ally will be featured as a guest blogger on MCP Actions with a 2 part tutorial on tips for using the Ice Light soon!  So, as we set out with our “light saber” and while the International Space Station floated across the night sky above us there was some serious beauty going on down here on Earth!

High School Senior PortraitHigh School Senior Portraits

The sky, the moon, the sun and the stars are the limit for this girl – we think she’s destined to be a star herself!  We’ll just be happy to say “we knew her when…”  🙂

Flash of Studio Light, Ray of Sunlight, Glow of Twilight, and Prettiness of Jamie!

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This session had a little of everything – as the sun starts to set earlier later in the year we start getting afternoon sessions that give us beautiful lighting as the sun gets low in the sky and then some dusk, twilight, and evening photos where we can get creative with multiple tools and lighting techniques like off camera flash for example.

High School Senior Picture

As for our senior this time out….  Jamie looked radiant in all the settings and we especially like the photo above with the sun rays cascading over her.  Just gorgeous!

We began the session in the studio for some photos against the black backdrop – we love these!

High School Senior PictureHigh School Senior Portrait

Then we headed out on location – here’s a little behind the scenes vine of the action…  🙂

As the title of this post implies you could say that light turned out to be sort of a theme with Jamie’s session.  The twilight photos are quite spectacular – the sky was clear and we were able to get a shot with Jamie and a sliver of the moon which takes a little bit of advanced lighting technique.  We love the way this turned out!

High School Senior Picture

Overall we had a lot of fun with Jamie and her mom and Jamie did a fantastic job!  We hope you enjoy these!