21 Kallio Path ~ Pembroke, MA
meet the artists ...Susan and Mark are a married couple,
working together to create portraits that adorn
homes throughout the country.
susan whiteSusan started her photography apprenticeship at age fifteen. She then went on to study her art at the New England Institute of Professional Photography. In 1975 she opened her first studio in Quincy, MA.
Ms. White won her first award for excellence in photography at the 1977 Boston Phoenix photo exhibition. Since that time, she has won first place blue ribbons in the Duxbury, North River, Pembroke and Norwell Art Association juried shows. She has earned the Cape Cod Times "award for excellence", as well as top honors from the Professional Photographers of New England. Ms White has been accepted as "gallery artist", at both the South Shore Art Center in Cohasset and the prestigious Copley Art Society on Newbury Street in Boston.
She recently earned both the degree of "Certified Professional Photographer" and "Master of Photography" from the Professional Photographers of America, the largest international organization of image makers in the world. These degrees are awarded to a chosen few for superior photographic competence demonstrated through national photo competitions and continued advanced education.
Her work has been displayed in many one woman photo exhibits and art shows. The Fuji Film Company has recently entered Susan into the elite group of Fuji Masterpiece Award recipients in the outstanding children's portrait category.
beth gilcoineAnother super important part of our studio “family” consists of Beth, a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia, who oversees our art department as well as assisting Susan with all the portrait sessions.
mark o'connellHaving been born and raised in Taunton, MA, I began my photography career at the age of sixteen, working for the local paper as a sports photographer. I photographed my first wedding at the age of only seventeen, which officially started my professional career. While attending the New England School of Photography in Boston, I specialized in portraiture and commercial photography. Opening my first professional studio in the mid seventies, I strengthened my skills providing professional images for weddings, children, family, business professionals and high school seniors. You could say that I have done a bit of everything professionally since that time.
The first time I picked up a camera it was my simple Kodak Instamatic 100 when I was 12 years old. I was fascinated with it and wanted to learn the process to go from film to making a print on my own. Luckily my parents saw it as a way to keep me out of their hair and helped me set up some space for my first darkroom. I didn?t realize it at the time but those first few years helped me know that my passion for this craft allowed me to have a unique voice and to share a piece of myself with those I photograph. I guess I keep going with the idea that my next shot will be my best one yet!
Accolades of course! I guess this is the place where I tell you all the stuff I?ve accomplished over the years if you want to know those kinds of things.
I have been awarded numerous awards for my images in both national and state PPA levels, including a Court of Honor award presented from the Professional Photographers of New England. Valuing the importance of continued education, I am a member of Professional Photographers of Massachusetts, Professional Photographers of Cape Cod (where I serve as website development coordinator) and an alumni of New England Institute of Professional Photography. I was recently honored with the National Award from the Professional Photographers of Massachusetts for many years of contributions and service. Over the past years I has been giving seminars to other professional photographers, sharing many tips and tricks I?ve gathered over my career.
Oh, and what I like to eat and watch . . .
They tell me that people like to read about this so here is a couple of tidbits. Big lover of ice cream, and chocolate, and fried foods. But since my body and my lovely wife told me that I would pay dearly for those transgressions, I have had to give those up and settle for lean meats, fish, vegetables, and yogurt. They are not really bad as I had imagined. Oh, and my favorite tv show was 24.
So, if you?ve gotten to the end of this, thanks for listening!
© all images copyrighted by photography by susan white & mark o'connell ~ site design by mark o'connell
