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SPOTLIGHT
Luke & Christian
"David definitely has a way with children and dogs."
Sarah Doran had long admired the Sutton Studios portraits she'd seen at Evanston Athletic Club and Green Bay Animal Hospital and thought many times of coming in for a portrait. When her nine-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback Luke was diagnosed with leukemia, she seized the opportunity to get photos with Luke and the children.
"We loved the experience that we had - David definitely has a way with children and dogs. Luke definitely seemed nervous at first but David seemed to calm his fears."
Sarah and her husband Richard also brought their two girls, ages 8 and 5, along with Christian, who is 2.
"In that picture, Christian is giving his 'tough guy stance' with his favorite wool cap. All three kids (as well and Richard and I) really enjoyed our time with David and would definitely recommend him to anyone."
Our framing partners
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REFLECTION & REFRACTION
Just one word. Plastics.
 I have a new favorite eatery here near the studio. They make excellent sandwiches, hand-cut their fries, customize every order, and serve it all up with gracious enthusiasm.
Most significantly, though - for me lately - they don't give me any plastic to feel guilty about. They wrap my burger in paper, put the fries in a little cardboard dish and drop it all into a paper bag. When I'm finished eating, I'm left with just a tight little ball to dispose of.
I have long disliked plastic because it so often substitutes for materials I have a deep affection for, like leather, wood and steel. I enjoy these materials in part for the way they feel in my hands, but also because they change with use. They evolve and gain character with time because they undergo "biodegradation." That is, they decay.
Plastic doesn't. I recall learning as a teenager that plastic was non-biodegradable and therefore "less desirable" environmentally speaking, but I had only a vague idea what "non-biodegradable" meant.
That changed recently after I caught a news report (Living On Earth on NPR). The reporters told of a virtual island of plastic trash and debris in the Pacific ocean, 800 miles north of Hawaii. The report described the island as roughly the size of Texas.
A few days later I began to doubt my memory. The size of Texas? It seemed unlikely. So I Googled "plastic island the size of Texas." It turns out this island not only exists, but according to some estimates it measures twice the size of Texas.
The report went on to tell of albatross chicks in the area dying of starvation because their stomachs were crammed with plastic trash inadvertently fed them by their mothers, who collect food for them by skimming the surface of the water - where the plastic floats.
Biologists and scientists are just beginning to learn the extent of the impact of that non-biodegradable label (more here). They're finding the plastics we threw away in the 60s and 70s still floating out on the ocean. As one marine biologist put it, "Every bit of plastic that has ever been made - except for the small amount that has been incinerated, and it's a very small amount - still exists." A lot of the plastic that's not entombed in landfills washes away with rain into our streams and rivers, eventually making its way to the sea.
The discarded plastics cause problems at both macro and micro levels. While plastic doesn't break down, many plastics break up into smaller and smaller pieces. Researchers have found tiny bits of plastic entering the food chain at many different levels.
In twenty-first century America, plastic seems to be everywhere. We manufacture things we'll use for mere minutes from materials that will last for hundreds of years. Even things that are meant to last - my curbside recycling container for example - don't last that long, but they'll be around on some level virtually forever. Our grandchildren won't be able to use the bins that line our streets, but they will absolutely have to deal with the plastic from which they're made.
As I type on my plastic keyboard, read from a plastic screen and send electrons out over plastic covered wires and cables, I listen to music playing through plastic speakers and struggle to think of ways to reduce (however marginally) the amount of plastic I'm responsible for in any given week. Paper or plastic? I'll take paper. Coffee to go? Paper cup and no lid, please. Buying music? I'll download rather than buying the CD. Bottled water? Forget about it.
These efforts seem trifling. I'm reminded of an image from Buddhism which likens the path to enlightenment to a mountain being worn down by the wingtip of an eagle that brushes against it as the eagle flies over. The eagle flies over but once a year.
I realize my efforts may have negligible effects, but I have to start somewhere, do something. Today I'll start by avoiding the franchise down the street. The food is good, but served on a disposable plastic plate accompanied by plastic utensils (which come wrapped in plastic film) and handed to me on a plastic tray. I just can't stomach it any more.
David Sutton |
COMMUNITY FOCUS
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New PAWS adoption center
Be sure to visit PAWS Chicago's new state-of-the-art adoption center when it opens in September. Featuring naturally-lit suites and playrooms for homeless dogs and cats (instead of cages), this new facility strives to ensure the health and well-being of its animal residents through frequent human contact and high-tech solutions for disease prevention. It has also been designed to welcome its two-legged guests with a warm and inviting atmosphere for education, adoption counseling and training. Several generous PAWS supporters and Sutton Studios clients have sponsored rooms at the center, and asked for portraits to display in them. We've developed a special display style, just for PAWS, that not only complements the decor of the center, but can withstand the rigorous cleaning required to keep the rooms safe for their occupants!
 New albums
We are pleased to announce that we have added photo albums to our product line! Order 12 or more same-size prints, and we'll bind them into a beautiful album for you. These leather-covered, library-bound, matted albums beautifully showcase your photos and make attractive coffee table books and great gifts. They come in three different sizes (5x5, 8x8 or 10x10) with a variety of cover choices. Call or email us to place your order today!
 Behind the scenes
Take a few minutes to watch Sutton Studios' first ever documentary film featuring David's trip to Bristol, Wisconsin to photograph horses at Sunflower Farms!
The film was shot and edited by our own Julia Moreno-Perri.
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