by Brian Speers, Candid Color Systems, Customer Development

(photo left) Jack E. Counts, Jr., President of Candid Color Systems, presents the Customer of the Year Award for 2006 to Gene Mangiante

The Eden Roc Resort was the setting for the Candid Color Systems (CCS) annual awards presentation at the CCS Winter Seminar in Miami Beach, and Gene Mangiante, a CCS customer from Memphis, TN, was awarded the highest honor as he walked away with the Customer of the Year Award for 2006.

Accustomed to winning awards at the annual prize presentation, Gene has had a lock on the Fastest Growing Customer award for the past three years, and, in fact, walked away with that award again this year. A CCS customer since 2002 Gene has shown steady—and double-digit—growth each year since he began sending his work to us in a variety of photo markets.

Gene’s business is diverse in many ways: Sports, weddings, school portraits, corporate and campus markets make up the greater part of his business. But what makes his enterprise distinctive in many ways is that he operates companies in three states; Tennessee, Florida, and Mississippi. Each of these operations functions independently with their own employees, and with a recipe for success that is challenged on a daily basis. Gene is exceptional in staying ahead of the curve with regard to business practices, and is a risk taker when it comes to innovation and business acquistions.

In addition, Gene’s contributions to CCS and other customers have been notable for the amount of hours he has spent beta testing new software. His assistance has helped tremendously in improving the direction and the content of many CCS software programs over the years. We are proud to announce Gene Mangiante as CCS 2006 Customer of the Year.

by Anna Asbury, Account Manager

It’s that time of year again. The trees are greener, the temperatures are warmer, the kids are winding down another year of school, and invitations begin arriving. I’m not talking about weddings; it’s the much anticipated class reunion invite! For many, class reunions are a source of excitement and a great reason for old friends to reminisce. For some, class reunions create anxiety and fear, and an overwhelming sense that you would rather be anywhere else on earth than the reunion. There is no need to fret!

Attending a class reunion is a great way to take stock of where you are now and what steps you have taken to get there. It is also an opportunity to consider where your life will lead you next. Remember, everyone has experienced ups and downs in life, take this opportunity to learn from each other and connect over fond memories of days gone by.

This milestone is a perfect opportunity to hire a professional photographer! One popular photo many reunions request is a group shot of every classmate in attendance. It isn’t too often that your classmates will all be in one room together. Some reunion committees will even purchase one for each classmate as a party favor, which is a great way to ensure everyone will have something to fondly remember the party. Discounts are available for bulk orders like this.

Candid photographers are also ideal for this type of event. Our candid photographers circulate throughout the event, photographing groups and couples as they are enjoying the evening. This creates a fun, laid-back atmosphere where people enjoy having their picture taken! From here, the images are placed on our website within 24 hours for everyone to view and order at their convenience. This has proven to be a fun and easy way to add value to your event and create lasting memories for your classmates.

To book a photographer for your class reunion, call Anna at 901-767-6555 x 107.

by Michael Spikes, Operations Manager

When you hear “Bling”, it usually refers to jewelry of some sort. But what I mean by Spring “Bling” is during the Spring time, mother nature pulls out all her jewels in the forms of flowers, greenery, and various wildlife. It would be a crime to not stop and take notice of all this and even capture it with a photo or two. Below are some tips for getting the best shots of nature’s bling.

1. 1. Birds – They’re a flighty bunch. In order to get great shots of birds, I would recommend using a telephoto lens, the longer the better. Many pros shoot with a 400-600mm lens or longer. However, these lenses are very expensive and can be quite heavy. You can still find some great deals on zoom lenses that go up to 300mm and don’t weigh more than a few ounces. When photographing birds, use the continuous shooting mode on your camera. This way you can shoot multiple photos just by holding down the shutter button. You can even use it to take photos while a bird is in flight.
2. 2. Flowers – Tip toeing through the tulips is terrific, taking time to take pictures is better. When photographing flowers, I like to use a macro lens. A macro lens allows you to get real close to your subject while filling the frame. This helps to simplify the composition. Shooting a flower while it is backlit can help make it more dramatic by revealing the veins of each petal. However, I know some who shoot fields of flowers with a wider angle lens to show patterns of color and an overall scene. Experiment with both, and see what you come up with.
3. 3. Landscapes – Trees, hill sides, rivers, and fields make great places for photos. Using a wide angle lens will help capture a large scene. Watch the weather and sun for the most dramatic effect. I personally find that landscape photography is deceptively difficult. So many elements have to be in place. But with a careful eye and ready camera you can pull it off.

For me the real reason for spring is to get out and breathe some fresh air, shake out the winter blues and enjoy the weather while you can. Pretty soon it will be time for the Summer swelter; hmm, doesn’t sound as good as Spring bling.

by Anne Mangiante, Office Manager

Woohoo for summer!! With warm weather approaching day by day, every seventeen year old is beginning to think about the senior portraits that they will take over their summer break from school. For those of you who may not have known this was a service we offered let me tell you a bit about our system.

Most importantly, our clients begin booking their sessions for the pose that will grace their yearbooks forever. As well as the yearbook pose, we also offer cap and gown portraits and any additional clothing changes they may want on a variety of backdrops. Most of the seniors we photograph have not had professional portraits since they were babies. It is a great way for parents to have memories of their child before they go off to college, which is often far away from home.

Once our clients have been photographed, they receive a custom proof book of all their images from the session within one week of the initial photography. The next step in the process is ordering! Each client is able to make an appointment with our staff to discuss size options, cropping, and custom retouching to create a final product they will cherish for years to come. Once the order is placed the client can expect their photos to be ready for pick up in only one week!

I always like to provide my clients with some helpful tips for senior portraits and I would like to pass them on to you for anyone you may know having their portraits taken this summer.

• Stay out of the sun at least one week to your session to prevent burning. Tan lines can be retouched through our office just in case!
• If you have extra portrait sessions, bring props that tell about who you are! (Ex. Sports equipment, musical instruments, collectables, uniforms, etc.). These items will help make your portrait sitting a memorable experience!
• Don’t forget to bring makeup and hair brushes for quick touch ups before your pictures
• Practice your smile!! This is a major factor in your session!

• Gene Mangiante, President
• Michael Spikes, Operations Manager
• Anne Mangiante, Office Manager
• Anna Asbury, Account Manager
• Bob Miller, Florida Manager - Flash Foto