About Me

I have always had a passion for capturing moments on film. Film, what's that, guess that means I'm old. Now I have decided to make a business out of it. I have shot many pictures over my lifetime and would like to share some with you! I love traveling to Florida as our family has a condo in the Ft. Myers area. Most of my wildlife photos are from Florida and Wisconsin. I also have a small studio in my home and can do portraits, senior pictures, pets, children, and small family shots. We can also go to a local park and get some outdoor shots.

My Approach

Senior portraits are a once in a lifetime opportunity as well as a treasured keepsake for family and friends to remember for years to come. I believe in customer service and want to make you happy and will do my best to make that happen.

What to Expect

Fun! We will talk about what your looking for and look at some templates you may want to choose. Then schedule a time for the photo shoot. I also include Facebook timeline covers of your choosing so you can show off your pictures on your Facebook page.

My Resume

Just learning as I go over the past 40 plus years. Many online courses over the years. I have had two of my wildlife photos published in a local Ft. Myers FL newspaper as well as the photo below on television.

Questions or Comments

For inquiries into my work or my availability, please use the contact me tab at top of page. I thank you for your interest, and I will do my best to get back to you soon!

Chris Smerz  Photography LLC

4464 West Bradley Road, Brown Deer, Wisconsin 53223, United States

Phone 414-405-7726 Email csmerz@wi.rr.com Please leave a message if I don't answer and I will get back to you as soon as possible via text or phone. Thank You!

THE STORY

I took this picture at our local 4th of July parade the summer of 2014. Had my camera and 400mm lens on a tripod just out to get some practice. So here comes our local Milwaukee sheriff riding a horse. He looks right at me and I started snapping pictures. I thought it turned out so nice that I would post it on his Facebook fan page thinking he might like to see it. About a month later I see this picture pop up on television. His opponent in the primary election was using it against him stating Milwaukee doesn't need a cowboy for sheriff. So after a few emails and phone calls it was actually an independent group that used the picture. So after searching the internet for some contact information I finally got in contact with someone. They stated it was deemed fair use by their lawyers as it was on a public website, but then asked me what my rate was for use. So then I found some photography forums and started asking questions. I got some rather interesting comments about suing them and how much I should ask for. Turned out to be quite the debate about how images are used on Facebook. So I originally asked for $5000.00 and they came back with $1000.00 and I agreed. It took about a month and a couple of phone calls but I finally got my check in the mail. YEAH!