Photographer/owner (Dale Jansen)
Sometime in 2004 I decided to turn a passion for photography into a business. Serious Photography has been in the family for generations. My grandfather (Ernest Jansen) ran a successful photography “sideline” business for years (his mainstay was tool and die). He won numerous awards and recognitions over the years. My grandmother (Adell Snyder) was a serious amateur photographer and world traveler. Before Adell passed away, she donated nearly her entire library of slides from her world travels to a local library (many, many thousands) along with detailed trip notes.
The affect these two individuals had on my own photography endeavors seemed to play out as a deep love and passion for the still capture. I remember vividly the frequent family get togethers where the evening would end with a slide show from the latest trip or photography project. Far from being the stereotypical boring shows you hear about and some people rightfully dread, these shows always held our interest because they were good.
I completed formal training in photography in 2005 through the New York Institute of Photography. The courses were an excellent way to formalize and organize the things I knew, and fill in the blanks with the things I didn’t know. I recommend the school to anyone interested in Photography, whether you plan to make money with it or not.
My traditional educational background includes a Bachelor of Science from Western Michigan University, where I majored in Computer Science and Music, my minor was Math. Art in some form has always been a part of my life; I currently play in an eighteen piece big band (we also do weddings, the reception part, that is).
I’m currently interested in many areas of photography. I have experience in wedding photography, senior portraits, children, babies, pets, landscape and nature, glamour, some commercial and architectural photography, and plenty of experience with the full spectrum of digital workflow.
I have a fairly extensive portfolio of prints that can be viewed by appointment.
Photographer/assistant Pamela Jansen
My primary assistant is a graphic artist with a day job as Director of Graphic Arts at Amway and freelance work in arts and photography. Her Photoshop skills have been invaluable, I often tap her knowledge when my own pretty decent skills at Photoshop are being taxed by a particularly interesting project.
Her educational background is a four year art degree from Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, and her work experience has always been in one of the many facets of graphics artistry.