Lesa Van Meter ~ Shadowlands Photography

New client, Shadowlands Photography in Fort Wayne, IN, had a great first-time experience with KOBO. See her first album with us and learn more about the talented Lesa Van Meter. Here is our recent interview:

How would you describe your first experience with KOBO to someone who has not tried us?

I am very hands-on with my photography clients. I work hard to understand my clients' personalities and compatible product needs. So, as a first time KOBO customer, my 3 primary concerns revolved around the timeline of design process, the "listening ears" of the KOBO designers and the quality of the end result. Because I've always designed my own albums from scratch, my fear was that when I would receive my 1st round of proofs they might need several rounds of edits prior to showing the album to the client. I was truly blown away when I opened up the proofs. Sherry did a fabulous job of laying out an album using photos that fit my clients' style and showcased my photos in a way I have been unable to do myself. The "Wonderful World of KOBO" really IS all it's cracked up to be. Now, we all know that saying and doing are 2 very different things. KOBO promises that "each album is individually and uniquely designed to best enhance the photographic story of the day." There is no question in my mind that they delivered on their promise and that they brought my artistic vision to life through their album design services. Using KOBO album design services saves me priceless time and energy, allowing me to get out and shoot more instead of being stuck behind my computer.

Tell us about a recent favorite wedding...

Oooh. Tough question. Can I choose all of my weddings from this summer? Ha, ha. Ok...2 weddings I shot this summer really stand out. One in Huntington's Sunken Gardens (http://shadowlandsphotography.blogspot.com/2009/06/martin-lindsey-fairytale-wedding-at.html) and one in an amazing backyard in Defiance, Ohio (http://shadowlandsphotography.blogspot.com/2009/07/adam-brandis-outdoor-wedding-in.html). First of all, let me say that I LOVE photographing outdoor weddings. Both weddings were outside and both couples paid meticulous attention to detail, chose outstanding colors, dressed to the nines, added tons of their own personalities to their day and were tons of fun to work with.

How did you become involved with Operation Smile and Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep?

I became involved with Operation Smile (operationsmile.org ) through my membership in the PPA. Every October, my studio participates in Family Portrait Month. FPM is sponsored by PPA Charities (ppacharities.com) and is a tool to raise money for Operation Smile. The PPA invites participating photographers to donate a portion of their session fees to Operation Smile. Each year this incredible organization of more than 6,000 volunteer doctors, nurses, dentists, and specialized health-care professionals, perform free reconstructive surgeries for children suffering with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities. More than 100,000 children are born with a facial deformity each year in Operation Smile’s 26 partner countries. Operation Smile is a wonderful charity because of its ability to positively change the lives of children around the world.

NILMDTS (nowilaymedowntosleep.org ) is a beautiful organization which was founded in April 2005 by Sandy Puc' (one of my heroes) and Cheryl Haggard. I am one of nearly 7,000 volunteer photographers in The Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation (NILMDTS) which administers a network of photographers in the United States and 25 countries. At a family's request, a NILMDTS Affiliated Photographer will go to a hospital or hospice location and conduct a sensitive and private portrait session. The portraits are then professionally retouched and presented to the families on an archival DVD or CD that can be used to print portraits of their cherished baby. Our entire network of affiliated photographers donate their time and talents to our families and we are proud to be able to offer our services at no cost. The soft, gentle heirloom photographs of these beautiful babies are an important part of the healing process. They allow families to honor and cherish their babies, share the spirits of their lives, and to grieve and acknowledge the life of their child. To pretend the tragedy never happened is a worse tragedy yet. I love Psalm 139:15-16 which states "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Every day of life is precious and ordained, no matter how few or how plentiful.