International Charity Model Search Contest!

Hi everyone!

It's been very busy here with so much going on! Holiday Portraits are in full-bloom and we have that really great Charity Model Search going on right now. Why not use this special opportunity to get that family portrait done! You know...the one you have been putting off? The one that has been on your "To Do" list? Yeah that one!


If you think you have North America's Cutest Family, get on down here and let's make your family portraits, enter them into the competition and see if the rest of America agrees!

Even if you don't think you have the cutest family - (and who would ever think that???) come in for your session anyway? What do you have to loose? Time?

Call or e-mail to book your session now! We are filing our calendar very quickly! Take advantage of this very special $49 price...it may never be this low again! Besides, by coming in and entering the contest you are helping raise money for the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep foundation (www.nilmdts.org) and that is certainly something to feel great about!

Thanks and good luck to all of you who have already entered! If you win the car...I want to take it for a spin! :-)

Until next time!

"Discover the beauty.....

Thanksgiving Day / Black Friday Thank You Offer!

Diaz Digital Discoveries would like to thank you for being one of our clients! We want you to know that we appreciate each and every one of you and we strive to provide you with the best possible experience whether you come to us for a wedding, portrait session, or special event. So we are celebrating Thanksgiving this year with this special offer to ALL of our clients. How do you know if you are a client? If we have ever photographed you or someone you know (like at a wedding) AND if you have placed an order with us in the past, you are a client and you qualify for our special Thank You offer.

Today & Tomorrow only, we have this special deal for you! Get in on it before time runs out! It will not be extended. Offer begins right now and ends at 11:59pm on Friday November 27, 2009.

LARGE PRINT & LARGE FRAME SPECIAL
20% OFF all Prints (size 11x14 and larger.)

20% OFF all Frames (size 11x14 and larger.)

BUY a large Print & matching size Frame in the same order and receive a $25 Gift Card to use on any future order with us. Our Gift Cards never expire.

To take advantage of this offer simply do the following:

Send an e-mail to us at: info@DiazDD.com
In the Subject Line, type in the words "YOU'RE WELCOME"
In the body of the e-mail, specify the following:

Event: (for example: MILLER WEDDING or GMDS PICTURE DAY 2009)

Your Name:
Address:
City, State, Zip
Phone:

That's it! Then you can enjoy your Turkey Day today or Shop 'Til You Drop tomorrow and this special deal will be activated. We will contact you to get the details of your order and process payment.

Please Note: This offer is only valid after completely following the instructions above and only available to our previous clients who have ordered from us in the past. It's a great time to get this item off your TO DO list and hang your beautiful wall portraits during the Holiday season.

Thank you all very much for being our clients!!! You are the reason we stay in business and your referrals keep us going!

If you know someone who is newly engaged, getting married or a family who has been putting off that portrait session for some time now, send them our way! We will provide them with our very best professional and personal service... and as all of you already know....a little bit more. :-)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

"Discover the beauty in your world"....this Holiday season!

Ed Diaz

Thanksgiving Day Special Offer!

Extra, Extra, Read All About It!!!!

Well, not right now...but thi$ Thur$day we are having a great $pecial offer for ALL (ye$ all) of our client$. I'd love to tell you what it i$ now, but I can't!

Check back on Thur$day and make $ure you are near a phone! You're gonna want to get in on thi$ very limited time offer! :-)

$tay Tuned!

Here's Our New Video Slideshow

Hello fans! We are happy to present to you our new video slideshow which features samples of our wedding and portrait photography. Click on the link below.
Enjoy!

Diaz Digital Discoveries

Posted using ShareThis

The 2010 International Charity Model Search Begins!

We are participating in the 2010 International Charity Model Search Contest to select North America’s Cutest Family and to raise funds for the non-profit Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Foundation. (NILMDTS.org)

Are your loved ones North America’s Cutest Family? We’ll give you the opportunity to prove it! Many exciting prizes will be awarded, and the grand prize winner receives A New Car!

Photo sessions began on November 1, 2009.

The contest begins on January 1, 2010 and expires on April 4, 2010. Voting ends on April 8, 2010

Call us today and take advantage of our Model Search Special!

Model Search Special:
Your $49 entrance fee includes a 30-minute model session and one image submitted to the national gallery.

Finalists will be determined by online votes. Each vote is only $1 (no limit on the amount of votes you can cast), and all proceeds from votes benefit Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS.org).

Grand prize international winner will be determined from the 52 city finalists. The winners will be selected from the finalist gallery by photography and modeling industry experts. The winning family also receives a session with the renowned portrait artist Sandy Puc’ and international recognition.

Call us at 508-216-5898 or send an e-mail to: info@DiazDD.com now to book your model session and enter your family in this exciting contest!

*Contest open to residents of the US and Canada. For more information, visit http://sandypucmodels.com/.

Skydiving, Connecticut Parachutists, Ellington Airport

Here are some Skydiving photos of our trip to Connecticut Parachutists at Ellington Airport in Ellington, CT. As any parent would usually do, I asked my daughter Kayla what she wanted for her 19th birthday. Well, she already has a car, a laptop, a blackberry and an iPod. So her answer was simple...I want to go Skydiving.

Now, I'm all for living on the edge and everything, but at this stage in my life I was over wanting to jump out of a plane...or so I thought. (read on)

I offered to bring her to the airport, pay for her to jump, and take pictures from the ground up, but she would have none of that she said. I would need to go with her or she didn't want to go. So, guess what daddy did.....yup.

Now that wasn't the hard part! No way, the hardest part for me was having to diet and keep a close eye on my weight if I was planning to jump. You see, they have a scale there and a weight limit for jumpers...and of course I was over the limit.

So, I had to diet hard and fast in order to meet the requirements.

Some people are passionate about certain things. Me? I'm passionate about food and photography. So it wasn't easy and I didn't have more than a couple of weeks, but I was on a mission. The things we parents do for our kids huh?

Well, I reached my goal and was able to jump with my daughter.

The feeling of pure adrenaline, excitement, fear, and the many other ones that I experienced were nothing short of awesome! What a great feeling that was. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I'm glad I was able to share it with my daughter.

I also must say, I didn't think the day could possibly get any better!
Then, it did.

Later that day, while checking the statuses of all my Facebook friends, I saw a comment that Kayla had posted on her wall for all of her friends to see. It said "Went skydiving with my dad. Just got back. Best day ever. Dad is my HERO.

I can't imagine that those last words she said are heard much by us parents from our teenaged children, but when I read those words...I got all choked up. My 19 year old daughter thinks I'm cool!

And for however long that thought inside her head lasts in real time, which I imagine won't be so very long, I will forever hold those words deep inside my heart, because for me, jumping out of a plane to hear those words was so worth it. Would I do it again? You betcha! Only if she comes with.

International Charity Model Search Contest

DIAZ DIGITAL DISCOVERIES is participating in the International Charity Model Search Contest to select North America’s Cutest Family and to raise funds for the non-profit Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Foundation. (NILMDTS.org)

Are your loved ones North America’s Cutest Family? We’ll give you the opportunity to prove it! Many exciting prizes will be awarded, and the grand prize winner receives A New Car!

Contest begins on November 1, 2009 and expires on April 4, 2010

Model Search Special:
Your $49 entrance fee includes a 30-minute model session and one image submitted to the national gallery.

Finalists will be determined by online votes. Each vote is only $1 (no limit on the amount of votes you can cast), and all proceeds from votes benefit Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS.org).

Grand prize international winner will be determined from the 52 city finalists. The winners will be selected from the finalist gallery by photography and modeling industry experts. The winning family also receives a session with the renowned portrait artist Sandy Puc’ and international recognition.

Call us at 508-216-5898 now to book your model session on or after November 1st 2009 and enter your family in this exciting contest!

*Contest open to residents of the US and Canada. For more information, visit http://sandypucmodels.com/.

Engagement Portraits Are Important!

How Important is an Engagement Portrait?

Your engagement is the official beginning of the life you’re about to share with each other. Your engagement portraits show everyone that you plan to spend the rest of your lives together.

Another reason to do engagement portraits is so you can share the portraits with members of each family. They can also be given as gifts to show your appreciation. This is especially handy if there is a major holiday between your engagement session and the wedding.

However, I feel one of the most important reasons to do an engagement portrait is so we can get to know each other better. I want to learn how the two of you mesh, how you relate to each other. That way on the day of the wedding, when you will be a little nervous, I can watch for and photograph the “real you!”

Just as important is, I want the groom to see that photography can be fun. Many guys feel that this photography thing is going to be a pain and that they are going to feel awkward. When he sees that I’m not going to push him into weird poses that make him feel uncomfortable, then he will looking more forward to the wedding photography. I can also get to know him and his personality so I can capture it on the wedding day.

What should you wear? This may sound silly, but if you dress alike (same colors) people won’t look at the clothing but look at both of you. The clothing will add to the feeling of the portrait. It is just as important as the background selection.

And we are here to help you, so if you have any questions, just ask.

The most important thing to do is relax and enjoy your time together during the first official photographs of your wedding experience! Have fun with it! Some of the best images are the ones that happen naturally.

Call us today to schedule your Engagement Portrait session and get ready to have lots of fun and get some really great images.

October is Family Portrait Month!

We have had the honor over the past years of being a registered Family Portrait Month / Operation Smile participating studio. This year our goal is to raise more money than we did last year and in years past.

Our studio, together with other members of our national affiliation, the Professional Photographers of America (PPA Charities) donate money each year for Operation Smile; a worldwide children’s medical charity whose thousands of volunteer health care professionals treat children and young adults suffering with facial deformities such as cleft-lips, cleft-pallets and more.

During the month of October we will be booking family portrait sessions and you’ll have several opportunities to have your family portraits made, while at the same time helping to raise money for these children.

We have cleared our busy schedule for the whole month of October in order to accommodate as many families as possible in this very short time. Why not help us help these children with this simple yet life-changing operation.

We are booking appointments for Family Portrait Month right now and every year our appointment book fills fast, so don’t delay! Call today to book your family portrait session with us. We book appointments on a first come, first served basis, so the sooner you call to book, the more flexibility you will have on choosing an appointment date and time.

Our studio session fee is $100 and will be donated entirely to Operation Smile from every family portrait session we have. All appointments are reserved upon full payment of the session fee. For faster service and to ensure your appointment, please call us and have your credit card information ready.

Family Portrait Month sessions will be limited to 50 minutes instead of the normal 60 minutes to allow time for families to enter and exit our studio with greater ease. We ask that you please be on time (not too early & not late).

Any additional donations to Operation Smile will also be greatly appreciated! For as little as $240 you can help provide a cleft lip surgery that will transform the life of a child. For clients who do not wish to have a family portrait session but still wish to donate, a check for any amount may be mailed to us Attn: Family Portrait Month. For more information about Family Portrait Month visit:
www.FamilyPortraitMonth.com.

Thank you very much to all who have donated in the past years and to all who will donate this year. You are helping to give a child their smile!

Sincerely, Ed Diaz

All donations need to arrive to us by October 31, 2009

Send to:
Diaz Digital Discoveries
38 Dudley Rd.
Oxford, MA 01540-2218
Attn: Family Portrait Month

The Original Wedding Expo

Hello blog fans!

We had a very good turnout at the Original Wedding Expo in Sturbridge last weekend! There were lots and lots of couples in attendance and many of them stopped by our booth to check things out! They also stayed awhile to watch our slideshow, check out our sample wedding albums, guest books, proof books and some other fun and unique items that we offer.

We love offering unique, hard to find items that we come across and new and interesting ways to show off your images. Whether they are from an engagement session, a wedding, a baby or family portrait or any of the many other types of photography we offer.

Thank you to all of you who stopped by to speak with us! We hope you liked what you saw and that you contact us soon, as our schedule fills up very fast, especially after a wedding show.


My darling wife Cathy is in the photo here, a snapshot I took of our booth. She is the best! I couldn't ask for a better partner, in business or in life.

We are currently booking for 2010 / 2011 / 2012 weddings. Take advantage of those Expo-Only specials that we had to offer! Remember, all offers expire on November 30th. Reserve your date now, as we do not double-book our days. We look forward to helping make your wedding celebration beautiful, memorable and FUN!

Until next time...I know, I know...I've haven't been keeping up with my posts! It's been a really busy few months with lots of engagement sessions, weddings, high school seniors and new babies to photograph! I will try to do better and keep you more up to date more often. Thank you for reading and keeping up with us. :-)

Shaker Farms Wedding, Westfield, MA

I had a great time photographing Steve & Maria's wedding at Shaker Farms in Westfield, MA.

It was suppossed to be an outdoor wedding, but the rain changed those plans. We made the best of it though and I feel we got some great images anyway.

Thank you Steve & Maria for choosing us to capture your wedding celebration images.

Good Luck and best wishes!

The Original Wedding Expo, Sturbridge, MA

Getting Married?

Book your wedding photography with us and take advantage of some really great savings during our 1 day only Wedding Expo Sale!

We will be at The Original Wedding Expo held at the Sturbridge Host Hotel in Sturbridge, Ma on Sunday September 20, 2009 11am - 3pm for this One Day Only event.

It is sure to be a lot of fun. There will be multiple Bridal Fashion Shows and other attractions that will surely inspire you and get you in the planning mood! We will have a $$$ off drawing and many other really great incentives to get you to stop, meet us, speak with us a bit, view some of our work and see what we are able to do to make your wedding celebration extra special!

There will also be some special Expo Only discounts and some Bonus items as well.

I can't share the details with you here, but if you stop by our booth (Booth #42) we will fill you in on all the exciting happenings coming for 2010 and beyond.

When you get to the Sturbridge Host Hotel, look for our large banners, like the one above! Then come on over because you are headed in the right direction.

2010 is going to be a really exciting & great wedding year! We hope we can be a part of your special day! See you at the expo! Visit: www.originalweddingexpo.com for more details and to register for this event.

Directions to Sturbridge Host Hotel.

Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center is located on Route 20. From the North, East and West, take the Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90) to Exit 9, Route 20 West. From the South, take either Interstate 84 or Route 131 to Route 20 West. Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center is located on the shore of Cedar Lake, just past the first set of traffic lights.

Stephanie & Greg - Engagement Session Video

Wachusett Mountain Wedding

I recently photographed a wedding at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area.

Thank you to Andreia, my assistant/2nd photographer, for helping with lighting and several other images throughout the day.

Iain & Danielle, along with the rest of their wedding party made it a fun and memorable experience for me. I hope I made it just as memorable for them also.

I love the unique aspect of this venue and the striking views and images you can get from being on top of the mountain.

I love it when the whole wedding party has fun! We work hard to ensure that everyone has a good time and it shows in our images.

Thank you both Iain & Danielle! Enjoy your images, have fun and relive all the happy memories as you are choosing favorites for your wedding album and your walls.

Beauty Discovered.

We Love Our Fans!

We love having new Facebook fans!

If you have a Facebook account, search for Diaz Digital Discoveries and become a fan.
We update our images often, keep you posted on new happenings and even offer Digital Camera Classes that will help you take better photos with YOUR own camera! You'll be updated with our specials, discounts and more! To get the insiders benefits, follow the link below.

If you haven't become a fan yet, just follow this link and become a fan today:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Oxford-MA/Diaz-Digital-Discoveries/112165429895?ref=ts

For the latest and greatest scoop on what's been happening.

Thanks!

Gina Mandella Dance Studio - Picture Day 2009

I had a really great time photographing Picture Day for Gina Mandella Dance Studio.

There are lots of very talented dancers there and they have some of the best costumes I've seen.

Here are only some of my many favorite images from Picture Day.

I already can't wait till next year. Each year the dancers attain greater skills and technique and continue to fill the front window of the dance studio with the many trophies they earn.

It is certainly a pleasure to watch all these dancers grow and increase their skill levels.

I can't wait to enroll my daughter in Dance lessons and see her in these great costumes.

Until next time. Enjoy the images.

Our New Online Store is up and running!

Anouncing our new Online Store where you can order prints, gifts and other great novelty items using your own photos! Fast and Easy ordering! Get all your favorite photos off your PC and onto T-shirts, Mugs, Calendars, Books, Mousepads and more...visit new our new online store at

http://shop.rocketlifeproduction.com/eac22ce95d443bdb652163cdc285f377/

Ron and Valerie's Cape Cod Wedding

I had the pleasure of photographing a Cape Cod wedding recently. It was an intimate and beautiful celebration! Valerie got ready at the Oceanview Motel in Centerville, MA.

The ceremony was held at Osterville Baptist Church in Osterville, MA. The reception was held there as well. After the ceremony we went to Dowses Beach in Barnstable, MA for some photographs of the wedding party and the newlywed couple. We had lots of fun with the wedding party and got some cool images in the short time we were there.

Back to the church for the reception which included a grand entrance and some fun events and dancing. Their cake was beautiful and looked delicious!

I had a great time during their wedding and my daughter Kayla assisted me for the first time at a wedding. She was very intuitive and knew right where to be the whole day, helping me capture some great images all day. Thanks so much Kayla! Great job!

Funny Story about this wedding:

I now have a new title to add to my current list of qualifications. "Emergency Wedding Photographer". Let me explain a bit.

I was contacted on the evening of Easter Sunday, April 12th by an old friend, inquiring about her future sister-in-law's upcoming wedding. She wanted to see if I was available to photograph their celebration. You see, up to that point, Ron and Valerie had not elected to hire a professional photographer to capture their wedding celebration.

After speaking with several friends who had chosen the same, and regretted their choice afterward, they listened to others advice and decided to go with professional photography. There was only one problem. Their wedding was on Saturday, April 18th! How would they find the right professional photographer when the wedding was in only 6 days?

Word-of-mouth was the only way!

Fortunately (for me), I was available that coming weekend and happy to photograph their wedding! Neither Ron nor Valerie had visited my website or seen any of my images. There would be no time for us to meet in person, since the last few days before a wedding are very hectic and busy. They would have to rely on my friend Maria's recommendation and they did. So, I spoke on the phone with Ron and Valerie, got the details for the ceremony, reception venue and we came up with a last-minute plan to make their wedding celebration one that they would cherish for many years.

It was certainly a pleasure to be able to capture their wedding images and be part of their special day! Ron and Valerie: the love you both have for each other clearly shows through your images. May you always feel that love when you look at each other and your images. Thank you so much for choosing us...and a special thank you to my friend Maria for your recommendation. It's people like you who keep us going, doing the work we absolutely love! I can't wait to be part of your wedding celebration this coming summer and capture your memories as well. It's going to be a blast! I just know it!

So, if you or anyone you know is in need of Emergency Wedding Photography, contact me. I can't guarantee that I'll be available, but if I am...I'm always packed and ready to go on short notice! Until next time...

Beauty Discovered.

Harry and Emily's Wedding

Hello to all my blog fans! I'm sorry I have been slacking with my blogs lately. I am working double duty to try to catch up on my posts. Stay tuned for more really soon!

I recently had the privilege of photographing Harry and Emily's wedding celebration. It was a beautiful and intimate gathering of friends and family.

The ceremony was at the Brookfield Unitarian Universalist Church in Brookfield, MA and the reverend, Sara Ascher officiated. The ceremony was beautiful and filled with inspiring words for the loving couple and anyone else within earshot.

The reception was held at the West Brookfield Town Hall and Johanna Barry, Executive Secretary for the town hall is a very pleasant and accommodating person! The second level of the town hall has a facility that is available for events and it was a wonderful place for this reception.

Excellent food was catered by Sue and Donna of Everyday Homemade in New Braintree, MA.

It was a pleasure to be part of this special day for Harry and Emily and I am glad to be able to have provided them with many memorable images of their very special day.

What's more...Harry and Emily took the time to write me a note with one of the finest testimonials I have received recently! Their words are truly priceless to me and will help future clients get an idea of the level of service that we at DDD provide. I can't thank them enough for writing what they did. If you want to read their wonderful testimonial, visit my website and click on the INFORMATION tab.

Thank you Harry and Emily for choosing us for your wedding photography! It was a great pleasure to meet and serve you both. Best of LOVE to you!

Beauty Discovered.

Model Portfolio Session Video

Beauty Discovered.

Graduation Announcements

Class of 2009, now is a great time to order your senior graduation announcements. We make custom designed announcements for your upcoming graduation party.

If you came to us for your senior portraits last year, we can use those images, or better yet, we can hold a "mini session" and get all fresh new images of you and put together some really great cards and other products to get the word out to your friends and family.

Even if you didn't come to us last year, we can still do the mini session and get some great new images of you to use for your custom designed products.

Contact us today about designing your custom graduation announcements and scheduling a mini portrait session.

You'll get the word out about your party and share some great new images with your family and friends.

Our new wedding highlights slideshow is online.

Hello all.

I am very pleased to announce the launch of the first Diaz Digital Discoveries wedding photography highlights slide show. It is a collection of my favorite images from some of the previous weddings we have photographed.

We decided to post the slide show online to help spread the word about our business. You can help too if you'd like! Check out the video and if you like it, share it with your friends and family.

The link to view the slideshow is: http://shareitvideo.com/watch.php?k=963356138615313.

Post it on your facebook or myspace profile and forward the link information to others you know who may be getting married soon and may be looking for a photographer.

It will help us greatly and I will be most appreciative!

Anyway, enjoy the show and check out my other blog entries for more information on these captured weddings. Feel free to post your comments.

Updating your portrait options this year.

We are in the planning stages of updating our studio this Spring. We also plan to begin the development of our Outdoor Portrait Environment. This will be a great addition to our existing studio space.

Our clients will soon have the option of having an indoor studio portrait session, an outdoor session or both, without having to travel far.

As soon as the rainy season stops, we will be activily working on getting the outdoor portrait environment completed, so it will be ready in time for the green grass and warmer weather.

When we are all done with it, I'll be posting some before and after photos. Stay tuned!

Saint Joseph School Annual Public Auction

This Saturday, March 28th, help us raise money for the Saint Joseph School Annual Public Auction which benefits students educational enrichment in Math, Science, Technology and more.

The annual auction will be held at Point Breeze Restaurant, 114 Point Breeze Rd., Webster, MA this Sunday, March 28th beginning at 6PM.

6PM: Cocktail Hour
7PM: Dinner

There will be a Chinese Auction, Silent Auction, and a Live Auction throughout the evening.

We have the honor of donating two really great items that will be auctioned at this event! Come see what they are and place your bids!

Saint Joseph School located at 47 Whitcomb St. in Webster, MA is committed to excellence in education and Catholic spiritual development. In a safe and secure environment, the school provides a curriculum that integrates faith, academics, and gospel values to meet the ever-changing challenges of the twenty-first century.

Come help us help Saint Joseph School and win one of the many great items available during their annual public auction this Saturday evening.

Thanks so very much!

Come see us at the Bridal and Prom Extravaganza!

We will be at the Bridal and Prom Extravaganza held at Point Breeze Restaurant, 114 Point Breeze Rd., Webster, MA this Sunday, March 29th.

The show starts at 11:00 AM and runs until 4:00 PM with a bridal fashion show, prom fashion show, ballroom dancing demonstrations, hip-hop dancing demonstration and more.

There will also be several giveaways throughout the day with music and other fun activities.

Stop by our booth and say hello! We would love to see you and speak with you about your upcoming wedding day plans as well as what we can do to help make the most of your day.

For more info, contact us.

See you at the show!

It's Never Too Late To Find True Love

I recently had the honor of photographing Linda and Richard Mawhinney's wedding and I wanted to share some images and a sweet story with you all.

Linda has a heart of gold and like me, she's a hopeless romantic.

When we met at a restaurant about her wedding day wishes, we had a great time getting to know each other over coffee. The three of us were laughing so loud (she brought her sister Barbara along) and having great fun that we lost track of the time. I got to find out a little more about her love story and I was very happy to know that this was going to be her very first wedding. Why you ask? Because she had been "holding out for Mr. Right and he finally arrived." She found Love...the ultimate gift!

We had fun during their wedding and it was a small, intimate and beautiful ceremony. When they were just kids, Linda made Barbara promise that she would be her M.O.H. She kept that promise, which meant very much to Linda after all the years of wishing and waiting. I'm very glad I was able to be a part of it.

I think it's important to follow our dreams and the pursuit of happiness...be patient and good things will happen...keep the faith...yeah, I kind of sound like my mom now. But I do believe this is true for everyone!

Linda and Rich, thanks for choosing us to photograph your wedding. It was a pleasure. I'm glad you liked the images and your wedding album.

Best of luck to you both!

Beauty Discovered.