Please bear with me while I find the right person to properly design this webpage. Until then a small sample of my work can be viewed at Flickr. Keep in mind that Flickr is more of a social website and the works that you see there will not be representative of my capabilities.
A little bit about myself:
From about the age of four or five, I can remember getting into trouble for taking my Grandmother’s Kodak and Polaroid cameras out of the closet, and using up all of the film and accompanying flash cubes. The problem wasn’t that I was using the cameras, film and flash, it was that I refused to take the standard cookie-cutter portraits. There was the standard way to do it, and according to my Grandmother, you did it that way or "you're just wasting my film."
My interests in photography have primarily been based on a life-long attempt to capture visions within my imagination. I tend to shy away from standard shots that can be taken from the worn path of everyone who came before me. There is nothing wrong with those shots, I just want to find a way to look for something different, and try to share the results with everyone interested. I think in reaching for shots beyond the limits of what is considered normal, I'm finding more of who I am, what I'm looking for, and what I have yet to learn. That being said, every-day normal is perfectly acceptable to me, so long as that is the end product someone is looking for.
I shoot 35mm film, digital, and occasionally medium format film. I currently use the Sony A-700 primarily, along with a Minolta film body, Konica-Minolta Digital Body, Seagull 107G, and anything that I can get my hands on. I have recently acquired a few toy cameras that are producing some fun results, like the Holga WPC, which takes wide angle pinhole shots, and the Daylab 3.25x4.25 Polaroid pinhole.
I have a strong passion for photographing things in their natural environment, without too much manipulation. I would much rather see something fully unexpected and in a natural setting than to see something forced into the frame, lacking genuine emotion. While respecting my interests in seeing something natural, I also understand that I'm not shooting pictures for myself. I'm taking photographs with someone else and hoping that we, together, can find the best possible shot that best fits what we are after.
I shoot from the hip, I shoot on the move. There is a lot of energy behind the camera, and it will show in the end product. The current subjects are most often nature, urban architecture, public candids, runners in road races, animals, and have only recently discovered the joys of portrait photography.
If you’re interested, tell me the story behind the pictures you’re looking for, and we can try to capture them together. I'll do my best to capture your imagination with my camera.
I'm also listed in The American Child Photographers Charity Guild. There are NO FEES for this service. I will make time for you a priority should you contact me for a session.
Contact Information
Auberon Photography
via e-mail: mail@auberonphotography.com or merlin.elsner@gmail.com
Portrait Services
What will a photographic experience cost?
Basic Portrait Package - $200
Basic Package Includes:
Up to two hours of photo session time
No limit to number of photos during session
No limit to the number of clothing changes
$100 credit toward reprints and enlargements
Reprints & Enlargements
Single 4x6 reprints ..................................................................................................$4 each
5x7 enlargements.....................................................................................................$14 each
8x10 enlargements...................................................................................................$19 each
11x14 enlargements.................................................................................................$49 each
16x20 enlargements.................................................................................................$89 each
Wallet prints (reprints of single image, per set of 8)………............................................$17 set of 8
Digital file delivery (up to 50 high-resolution images from portrait session)..................$199
Photo Mounting - Available for 5x7, 8x10, 11x14, and 16x20 or larger prints.
Mounting involves the use of special acid-free adhesives and mounting board to give final prints a rigid backing that protects prints and readies them for immediate framing. Mounting helps ensure a long-term, smooth appearance for displayed prints. Large prints should be mounted and small prints may optionally be mounted.
Mounting cost
$5 for 5x7, $10 for 8x10, $15 for 11x14, and $25 for 16x20 enlargements. Photo “mounting” and photo “matting” are not the same. I currently do not provide matting services.
Economy Package - $69
The Economy Package includes:
Up to one hour of photo session time
100 photos during session
3 clothing changes
Reprints & Enlargements
Single 4x6 reprints ..................................................................................................$4 each
5x7 enlargements.....................................................................................................$14 each
8x10 enlargements...................................................................................................$19 each
11x14 enlargements.................................................................................................$49 each
16x20 enlargements.................................................................................................$89 each
Wallet prints (reprints of single image, per set of 8)………............................................$17 set of 8
Digital file delivery (up to 20 high-resolution images from portrait session)..................$115
What will a photographic experience entail?
Generally speaking, I'd like to get to know the person just a bit before we take any photographs. We'll meet together at a mutually agreed upon comfortable location and talk. This might take 10 minutes, it might take 2 hours. Whatever it takes to make sure we both go into the photo session with a clear understanding.
A photographic experience will take up to two hours, but generally averages one hour. If we haven't found the right shots, we'll do it again on another day, at no additional cost to you.
I have no restrictions on clothing changes or on the number of individuals that can accompany you to the session. Whatever makes you feel more comfortable.
a little bit more about myself:
First and foremost, I'm a full-time father of two children, ages 2 and 4. They keep me rather busy, but in my free time I do a few other things:
- My daughter and I are slowly but surely writing a children's book.
- I'm an avid distance runner, although I'm no longer very good at it, and can't say that I was in the past. I've run a few marathons, a few dozen 5Ks, a few dozen 10Ks. Some decent times here and there, but my specialty was always the 400m.
- I'm an ordained minister through the Universal Life Church. So that there is no confusion, I am ordained through both chapters (ULC.net and themonastery.org) I'm working on developing a blog about my philosophy concerning services that I am able to offer.
- I am a self-taught massage therapist. I'm not just some person with a massage table looking to make a quick buck. Because of my obsession with running, I have studied human anatomy and the various massage techniques appropriate for runners. I intend on finding the free time (and capital) to earn my official certificate from the BLUE HERON ACADEMY to further legitimize the services available.
- I also happen to shoot for RUNMICHIGAN.COM, and hope to see many of you out there at your local road race or track meet.
- I also coached the sprint squad of a local high school track team from 2000 through 2004, retiring in time for the birth of my daughter. As a track coach I took the philosophy that all life does not center around track, rather that a coach must find the proper school/life balance for each athlete. Pushing beyond that proper balance only leads to trouble.
- I'm a volunteer emergency responder for the City that I live in. We usually arrive on scene before paramedics/firefighters/police, and help out in anyway that we've been trained for, from gas line breaks, to CPR/AED, crowd control, traffic control, emergency medicine dispursement, etc.
- I'm also employed full-time by a local institutional investment firm as the Compliance Officer. We are located in the Royal Oak, Pleasant Ridge, Huntington Woods vicinity.
- I do as much volunteer work as I can. Lately I've been doing things in the background for a variety of organizations in the Metro Detroit area.
As you can see, there's a lot of things going on, but I always seem to make it work out for the best, and keep things going full throttle. I'll slow down when they toss my ashes off the side of a mountain.