Thursday, April 2, 2009

Time for beach photos! Free sessions!


Over the years we've had the pleasure to photograph children, couples and families at the beach. There's nothing like a nice walk out to the light house on a warm spring afternoon to get the inspiration flowing. If you haven't made a portrait out at Morris Island Light, or if it's been a while and time for a new portrait, now is the time. Yes, I know the economy is tight right now so my gift to you is a complimentary session for you and your family. You read correctly - call our studio before April 30, 2009 and arrange for your complimentary session to be completed before May 29, 2009! The session is on us so all you pay for is the portraits! How's that for a stimulus package? Give us a call today at 843-769-5020 and visit us on the web at www.gissendanner.com

Gissendanner Photography - Kim's New Blog !
















Hi everyone! Welcome to our new blog. We've just updated the website also with a brand new look! Check us out at


In the coming month we will be making many exciting changes at Gissendanner Photography. We are now offering many new and exciting product lines and we are teaming up with several new labs to achieve a fresh look. We will now be offering on-line purchasing from our brand new online site at:


Since 1997 we have been producing high quality professional photography for our discerning clients in our current location. In reality I have been doing professional photography since the 70's. We thank all of you who have been faithful clients over the years - we've had the privilege of documenting your lives and watching your families grow. We've seen babies turn into teens and teens become brides. It has been a pleasure to be part of your lives.

Today we are here for you as strong as before and we hope that you will continue to allow us the privilege of photographing you and your families. The downturn in the economy has produced a plethora of photographers in Charleston. It seems that many untrained, poorly equipped people are advertising photography services. Many of these wannabes don't know how to use the equipment they own and they have no experience to be charging for professional photography services. Many of these people have come and gone over the past year or two and most assume they can make a fast buck on the weekend for "snapping some pictures". The unfortunate part of this is that clients looking for quality photography are now often taken by inexperienced wannabes with glitzy websites. The end result is a mediocre product being sold fo a mediocre price.

I was in a camera store recently to pick up some lens cleaning supplies. I couldn't help but over hear a conversation between a girl at the counter and a store clerk. The conversation went something like this.

Customer - " Yeh the weddings are going pretty good, I'm booking a lot of brides."
Store Clerk -" How's that new digital camera working out?"
Customer - "Great it does a good job. Sometime soon I want to come in with it so you can show me how to work it, right now I'm just using it on automatic mode which get's me by"

Recently another client told me about a person they knew that was advertising weddings and claiming to be a wedding photographer - it turned out that this person had created a website with photographs she had shot a friends wedding. She was now using a little creative deception to make people think that she had experience in hopes of booking some weddings. Unfortunately the wannabes have hurt the legitimate photography businesses across the country by competing with bonafide photographers.

Websites are springing up right and left and it often seems that consumers don't know how to sort out the true photographers from the part-timers. Please research the photographer before committing to photography with someone who has less experience than you may have. We have many fine photographers in Charleston who have been in business here for many years. I encourage you, if you don't use us then please at least patronize someone who knows the difference between an f-stop and a shutter speed. You'll be glad that you did and you may help a real photographic artist stay in business and feed their family!

Thanks again to all of my wonderful clients for your continued support!

Bride's Advisor Charleston Book


Congratulations to Suzzette Latsko and Dianne Shaver for their newly published book, Bride's Advisor Charleston. The book is written for couples who are planning weddings. With the book you can become more informed on how to work with a wedding event planner or you can use it as a guide to plan your own wedding. This is an incredible book, well written and adorned with beautiful photographs from many talented Charleston photographers. I was flattered when Suzette and Dianne ask to use one of my trademark images (shown left) for the cover. (The beautiful bride is Allyson Smith) I have been involved with photography in many books and magazines over the years but I must say that this is truly a gem. When I opened the book I was very touched at Suzette and Dianne's acknowledgment which reads "We wish to thank Kim Gissendanner of Gissendanner Photography for his truly beautiful cover photo and for setting such a high standard so that this book is more beautiful than we could have imagined.
It has been wonderful working with Suzette and Dianne - I wish them the best and I have high hopes of working with them sometime in the near future. The book is available in Barnes and Noble Bookstore locally and is also available through their website at:

http://www.bridesadvisorcharleston.com

Brides and groom to be - do yourself a favor and purchase the best wedding planning guide that Charleston has ever seen!