Kerri Banyas Photography » Uncategorized

Koly | Class of 2011 Grand Rapids Senior Portraits | Urban Couture

Kerri Banyas — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 00:10:09 +0000

Koly is one of the most amazing teenagers I have ever met…she is so confident, socially responsible, extremely fun and very aware of how to make the world a better place. We had a lot in common too…like our obsession for Eat, Pray, Love & Urban Outiftters… I love knowing how many amazingly strong young women are taking the world by storm right now….its makes my heart beam with gladness! She rocked her session with her funky personality and that gorgeous curly hair….I was in photographer heaven! Check out my faves:

look at her gorgeous eyes!Koly wanted to wear this whistle from Falling Whistles, a campaign that is very close to her heart geared toward bringing peace to the Congo….such an amazing story! Go check it out This girl is model material! Breaking out her fun personality…Koly….you are the change I want to see in this world thanks so much for hangin’ with me girl! xoxo

Bregan :: Sweet 16 :: Urban Couture

Kerri Banyas — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 05:16:13 +0000

Every summer for the last 3 years my niece Bregan volunteers to come hang with me and help babysit my little rascals (she’s young so the poor thing just doesn’t know any better) and since she’s also inherited a love for photography, I teach her how I do what I do. Seriously…anyone who helps me to maintain my sanity and listens to me ramble for hours on end about nothing is an angel in MY book and they can have almost anything!

I have been taking pictures of Bregan since I was in college and I would make her and her siblings model for my Intro to Black and White Photography class projects (I can almost smell the darkroom now…mmmmm) Its been fabulous watching her grow into such a smart, independent and beautiful young woman…I just can’t believe she is already 16!!! I can’t wait to see what is in store for her…

Here are some of my faves from her Sweet 16 Session (:

My Fancy Schmancy New Brand!!

Kerri Banyas — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 22:13:39 +0000

I am so excited to FINALLY show you all what I have had in the works for months now….my new brand!! I LOVE it! I have been working with Ryan from Second Street Creative to come up with a brand that is truly ME and he ROCKED it! I also decided to change my business name from Taylor Grey Photography (I will miss you *sniff*) to Kerri Banyas Photography…I felt it was time to create a brand that revolved around myself and one that wasn’t as confusing for my potential clients. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve had to explain that my name is not Taylor and yes I am the owner. Taylor Grey was a name that I came up with for about 4 years ago by smooshing my 2 kids middle names together…I loved the way it sounded and what it stood for…but now I just felt it was time for a change….

What we went with was very simple and clean and fun…did I mention I LOVE it!

Here’s my brand board…aren’t the colors FAB-U-LOUS!!

Here’s my fab new Business Cards:

and my Amazing new website:

so make sure to set your bookmarks to www.kerribanyas.com and keep checking back for more fab-u-losity! Aren’t new beginnings fun??!!!

xoxo

Emily & Andrew :: Engagement :: Grand Rapids Wedding Photographer

Kerri Banyas — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 14:23:49 +0000

I knew Emily and Andrew were going to be AMAZING when they found me on facebook and told me they were friends with Kyle & Sarah (remember the record store shoot?)…and I was even more excited when they said they were going to be bringing their adorable little doggie Chanel! She was so precious…I could take pictures of her all day! It was so fun to hang out with them and I LOVE what we came up with….proceed with caution….this post is eye candy city!

Enjoy!!

look at this snuggly little family

Emily…you are a doll!work it Andrew!

Emily’s one request was that they have a couple of shots listening to music like they do at home together LOVE

the sweet life

my FAVE…hands down!

Mackenzie :: Urban Couture Seniors

Kerri Banyas — Fri, 14 May 2010 00:10:16 +0000

I LOVED getting to hang out with Mackenzie…not only is she a very talented ballerina (every girl should get to hang with a ballerina!!), but she is also one of the most fabulous young ladies I have ever met! She adores photography, fashion, and has a heart of gold…plus this girl is as gorgeous as they come…I just know she has HUGE things in her future! Check out my faves from her session:

LOVE the sass in these 2!

she makes this look so effortless

THIS is proof that I must be funny…I am sure whatever I said was pure awesome-ness…or not Mackenzie…your eyes are A-MAZ-ING!!! Rock it out girl LOVE this one GOR-GE-OUS!

I am not a writer.

Kerri Banyas — Sat, 08 May 2010 03:02:40 +0000

There was a time when I used to think I was AWESOME at expressing myself with words. This, of course, was BEFORE I had children, and back then, I thought I was AWESOME at just about everything. That’s the fun of getting older…you get to know your weaknesses and how to embrace them.

Do I still wish I had the talent to effortlessly write amazing blog posts that people rush to read because they are hypnotized by my spell-binding words….YES, YES I DO! Does it mean its gonna happen? Not a chance! The truth is, I get easily bored with the process…I walk away too many times and start doing something that requires much less brain power. This blog post alone is going to take me about 5.6 years to complete! Also, in case you haven’t noticed….I happen to LOVE run-on sentences…and I am addicted to exclamation points…and I use way too many periods instead of just starting a new sentence. AHHHGGG!!

Hi, my name is Kerri and I am an editor’s nightmare

On the flip-side, one thing I AM good at is communicating visually…and that is where my love of photography comes in.

Its so wonderful that I can have an amazing job that I am passionate about and that allows me to express myself! I wish everyone could feel that way about what they do…if you don’t, then I highly encourage you to get to know not only the things that ROCK about yourself, but also explore the parts of you that are not so great…There is so much freedom in being completely honest with yourself and loving who you are anyway

Recently, I decided I just HAD to put together a fun photo shoot just for me…so I could be creative and not always stuck in the rut of the business side of things….and guess what?!!! I loved it….even more than I love caramel lattes with whipped cream and dark chocolate shavings on top…yes, it was THAT fun!

Here’s some of the fab professionals that helped make it happen…I just LOVE these wonderful ladies!:

Makeup: Allison Bower

Wedding Gowns: September’s Bride

Flowers:Kathryn Muma of Arrangements Floral

So here’s your challenge for the week: Go out…express yourself…even if you’re scared out of your mind…even if you fall flat on your face…you’ll learn so much more about who you are (or at least you’ll have some awesome stories to tell!) Just be open to who you truly are…and don’t try to be anything you are not….I know in the end you’ll be thankful you did.

oh yeah…and here are a TON of my faves from my shoot…isn’t this model flippin’ gorgeous!!!!

New Website

Kerri Banyas — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 17:07:11 +0000

I can’t believe how long its been since I beautified my good ol’ website….maybe I’ve been focusing too much on twitter, facebook and my blog…but I thought it was high time to break out a new fab-u-liciously updated version… complete with even sassier images for you to enjoy Here’s a sneak peak:

feel free to check it out!!

www.taylorgreyphotography.com

Taylor Grey Photography 2010 Interns

Kerri Banyas — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:43:33 +0000

I am so excited to announce the launch of our 2010 Internship Program! I will be accepting only 2 interns this year and yes, you MUST be AWESOME to apply!

Here’s the scoop:

Must have a strong interest in photography & business, must be motivated, eager to learn, have excellent communication skills & very reliable, outgoing, friendly & positive. Experience with Apple computers, Photoshop CS4 & or Adobe Lightroom is a plus
Must be able to start April 13th, 2010
Be committed to working 10-12 hours per week…Tuesday-Thursday for 5 months between Grand Rapids and Hudsonville, MI
Must have own transportation
This is an unpaid internship, however school credit can be granted if you are a college student

Duties:

Manage client galleries (prepare, upload, etc.)
Prepare images for blog posts
Package and shipping
Errands to Post Office etc…
Write Thank-you notes
Managing inquiries via online studio management software
Filing, scheduling & organizing
Marketing & Networking
Location Scouting
Help Style & Assist at shoots (when available, not required)

What you will learn:

How to better use your camera & equipment to capture some awesome images
Basics of lighting and composition
Basic Photoshop & Lightroom Techniques
Business: organizing files, marketing, maintaining a website & blog, customer service, managing a studio, as well as pricing & how to find your style plus a whole lot more in between

To Apply:

Email me at kerri@taylorgreyphotography.com with your name, age, photography experience, and a short paragraph about how you will be a great fit & what you will bring to the table Facebook & Twitter messages do not count as an official application.

Applications will be accepted until April 9th and I will be conducting phone & live interviews April 13, 14 & 15

Good Luck and I can’t wait to meet you all!!!

Jordan :: Sweet 16 Session

Kerri Banyas — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:11:05 +0000

This week, my niece came to town all the way from Oklahoma and I was so excited when she said she wanted to have a photo shoot even if it meant she’d be wearing a tutu and tiara….that’s my kind of girl! Jordan also has a birthday coming up in only a few days so of course she needed some fabulous new pictures! I LOVE what we came up with!!!!!

Enjoy!

My Name is: Jordan B.

Fave Ice Cream: Chunky Monkey

Biggest Celebrity Crush: Robert Pattinson

My Dream Job: Pediatric Oncologist (this girl has some seriously awesome goals!)

Fave Website: Myspace

My Dream Car: Yellow Mustang Convertible

If I could travel anywhere it would be: Paris, France & California

My biggest accomplishment: My 3.75 GPA

Song that’s currently stuck in my head: Tik Tok by Ke$ha

I love to spend my free time: Running & Hanging out with friends

2 things I cannot live without: Make-up and my cell phone

15 years from now I see myself as: Rich with a big yellow house and helping to find the cure for cancer

One question I would ask Lady Gaga if we were stuck in an elevator together: If I could be in one of her videos :)

I Heart Faces & Amy Wenzel :: Workshop Giveaway

Kerri Banyas — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:41:39 +0000

One of my all-time fave photographers, Amy Wenzel, has hooked up with I Heart Faces to give away a spot to her photography workshop…and I’ll admit the moment I saw this my heart starting beating faster and my mind started racing…I mean what if I actually won!!??? I can honestly say that being lucky is NOT one of the ways I would normally describe myself.. “Sorry Try Again” has been in just about every one of MY candy wrappers…what gives? Normally I would talk myself out of anything like this and immediately walk away from my computer, but this time I didn’t.

Then I realized entering the contest also meant writing about how I’ve been an inspiration and how I love & serve others in my life and I literally FROZE up. Figuring out the answer to those questions has been my entire focus this past year! I immediately felt drawn to enter…to tell my story…to put myself out there…to allow myself to fail…and then I drew a major blank. What do I say?! I wouldn’t really describe myself as extraordinary. My journey has had its ups and downs just like anyone else and I am not really a fan of tooting my own horn, but rules are rules people.

As I sat to write this, I thought about all the times that I have NOT made a difference…have NOT been supportive & loving and have NOT served others in my life…it is really hard to be that honest with yourself. Sure, I have been there for people…been a good sister….a decent friend…wife & mother…but couldn’t I have done more? Maybe growing up in a dysfunctional world has made me too hard on myself, but this past year has given me a whole new perspective on how to be the person I am meant to be…to go on the journey GOD has in store for me, and to touch the lives I am meant to touch.

One year ago, I had plans, I was going to make something of myself even if it meant some major things in my life fell by the wayside…then GOD stepped in. All in one year, I was completely surprised by baby #3…losing 2 grandfathers…and then devastated when at my 9th month of pregnancy my grandmother was put in ICU 1000 miles away and I couldn’t be there as she passed. Although our outlooks on life were very different…I was the yin to her yang…she and I were beyond connected. When she was gone I felt like a part of me was gone too. As the months passed, I pulled the covers over my head and tried to put my life on hold. It didn’t work. Eventually I had to let go of so much that I had been holding onto. Life is way too short to go on thinking I could control every part of my world…I had to hand it all over to GOD and really put myself out there….which to me was the scariest thing I could do.

The way I am making a difference is not really as outward as it has been inward. In the process I have been able to be a better friend…a much better sister…a more loving wife and a more patient and playful mother. This workshop would be an amazing way to re-invigorate my passion for photography, learn more about how to live my life out-loud….and how to use my passion to see more of the little things that I’ve been missing….when its all said and done those things are all that matter anyway.