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SPOTLIGHT
"Obviously stubborn, and just a little bit rotten," is how Lynn Gasaway describes her cat Sam.
When a stray cat had a litter in a co-worker's attic, Lynn and her husband Matt responded. "A couple of his brothers or sisters were rescued when they fell in between the walls of the house. Sam was discovered in the attic." Perhaps due to his strong personality, Sam was the last of his litter to be adopted. He's now been part of the Gasaways' home for 17 years.
Lynn says, "When I saw David Sutton's photos at Sam's vet, I knew that I had to have one of Sam. We're so happy with how the pictures turned out, especially since Sam was recently diagnosed with cancer.
Cats are not the easiest to get to do what you want. But David knew what he was doing and coached us to help make sure we had some great photos of Sam that showed off his personality."
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REFLECTION & REFRACTION
Pet Bisnis
 As the first warm winds weave through our neighborhood in early May I notice two little girls making up games outside. They pause to chat with a neighbor out walking her dog. The lady walks on, and I can almost see the light bulbs go off over the girls' heads. They excitedly set to work.
First they borrow a table from the porch, then a couple of small chairs. One girl runs inside and comes out with paper and pencils. They set up shop at the curb and set to work.
"What are you guys up to?"
The older one proffers a three-by-five business card she's just finished. I see a drawing of a dog and the words, "Pet Bisnis."
"We're starting a pet business."
"What does that mean?"
She looks at me puzzled and shrugs, "You know, a pet business."
Okay then.
The girls hawk their pet business to people passing by and I go back to my weeding. Like many young businesses they're using the marketing resources they can afford - inexpensive business cards and word of mouth.
I check in on their startup a little later and find they've diversified. An open package of Ritz crackers spills out on their table. Each girl has a cracker in each hand and crumbs on her face.
"What's going on?"
"We're selling crackers," says the younger girl.
"I took them without asking," adds the older.
Sounds like they're undercapitalized. A lot of businesses make that mistake.
The next time I check on the young entrepreneurs, most of the crackers have been eaten. They're busy opening a carton of orange juice and lining up plastic cups on the table. Soon they have ten cups lined up with an inch of juice in each cup.
"Orange juice?" I ask.
"Yep. A man said it was too hot for crackers but something sour to drink would be good, so we're selling orange juice." They've corrected their course in response to consumer demand.
Very savvy. Apparently they've found their niche, too. Two cups, emblazoned with dollar signs, each hold a nickel and a penny.
Watching these two young entrepreneurs explore their options and find their niche, I'm reminded of how I found my own, in my own "Pet Bisnis," and I'm grateful for that - even if it did take me fifteen years to learn to do what they managed to squeeze into one warm, May afternoon.
David Sutton |
COMMUNITY FOCUS
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 Movie night
Bring out the popcorn and watch a personalized DVD presentation of your own portrait session! Starting in June, we're proud to offer a new way to share your photos - a slideshow with music, featuring all the images from your session. We'll preview this feature at your print order consultation, and you'll be able to purchase DVD copies as momentos, gifts or crowd-pleasers! In addition, with any DVD purchase, you'll get a free downloadable version for your iPod so you can take your pictures with you anywhere!
Our framing partners
When you invest in artwork, you want it to last. Archival framing materials and techniques will prolong the life of your prints. That's why we recommend our trusted framing partners to help you preserve your Sutton Studios portraits. The specialists at H. Marion Framing (Glenview) and Artists' Frame Service (Chicago and Highland Park) will work with you to find the best way to display and protect all of your artwork so you can enjoy it for many years to come!
 
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