‘What defines a Gene Ho Photographer is that our photography has to be so incredible that it stops traffic.
Now-a-days, we really have to be that good. Our work has to stand out.Â
The second thing that defines a Gene Ho Photographer is that we create an experience so unmatched – that people talk about us.’ -Gene Ho
One of Gene Ho’s photographers has taken the ‘second thing’ that defines a Gene Ho Photographer to heart. Here is the story of Kasey Bruehlman and how far she went to give her bride and groom an unmatched experience!
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“To Tim and Laura: I wish you a life of happiness together!”
A typical wedding blessing. Only this came from legendary Duke Blue Devil Coach Mike Krzyzewski. Gene Ho Photographer, Kasey Bruehlman made this happen with an autograph on her bride’s engagement photo. Here’s the story:
Imagine. Your bride is a huge Duke fan and wants her engagement photos taken at the famed Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Done. All good. Only, Gene Ho Photographer Kasey Bruehlman, took this dream one step further.
Kasey arranged to have the bride and groom’s engagement picture autographed by the legendary Duke Blue Devil Coach Mike Krzyzewski (Coach K).
For NCAA Basketball fans – Coach K needs no introduction. He is a Team USA Gold Medal winning coach. He has four National Championships on his resume.
And Kasey had her bride’s picture autographed by him. Here’s how:
I remember when Kasey first said to me that she was taking pictures of her bride at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
“What? That is so awesome!†– I said…
I thought that was the coolest thing in the world. Tim and Laura somehow arranged somehow to get their engagement photos at Duke University’s basketball area.
So all was good. And then the idea came to Kasey. Wouldn’t it be cool if Coach K himself actually signed their photo?
Ok… full disclosure. That wasn’t the original thought.
To be honest – the first idea we all had when we all found out that Kasey would be at Duke – was, perhaps? That perhaps the bride and groom would actually run into Coach K as he was walking around the arena.
Didn’t happen. As if Coach K spends his spare time just hanging out making free throws at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
So when Kasey went back to the studio – she had an idea. What if she can get Coach K to sign this photo?
The first step was to actually print out the 11×14 picture. When dealing with celebrities – you never want to give them a homework assignment. That is – you never want to create more work for them.
So Kasey had the picture printed out. But she went a step further…
She made a SASE. Yep. A “Self Addressed Stamped Envelope.†That in itself is a lost art. In a world of email and FB posts… we forget that in the “real world†that there is more work to do things than just hitting a “reply all†button.
So the huge envelope came with an envelope inside it. Big envelope the picture in it – and a smaller envelope it addressed back to Kasey.
And in that envelope was also a Sharpie pen to make it convenient as possible.
Then there was the main ingredient. Kasey wrote Coach K a nice personal letter. She let the coach know why she was sending this picture to him. She told him the bride and groom’s story – how they were die-hard Blue Devil fans.
And then Kasey did one more thing. She asked Coach K how it would be “nice to†have the picture signed. What does that mean?
There’s a big difference between “sign this please…†and “Can you please sign this to my friend? Her name is Laura…â€
Why is this important? Because some celebrities are less apt to give you an autograph if they feel the autographed item is going to wind up on Ebay and sold for profit.
So the fact that Kasey asked Coach K asked to address the autograph to “Tim and Laura†was huge.
Mostly – I have to say that I’m tremendously proud of the fact that Kasey is a photographer here at my studio. The fact that she would go over and above to do something special for her bride.
But I it also show the type of person Coach Mike Krzyzewski is. What an incredible man he is and we are thankful Coach K…
Gene Ho
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