About Take Action Photography
Take Action Photos LLC just celebrated their tenth anniversary (2010) in business with the opening of our fully-equipped New Studio, located in Frankfort, MI.
We specialize in Portraits of; Families, Children, Babies, Senior, Business, also Weddings, Special Events and Sports Action Photography.
We have on-line proofing/ordering capabilities and a full line of new photographic products available. We are able to display slideshows on-site and have on-site printing capabilities upon request.
We are members of the Professional Photographers of America, Professional Photographers of Michigan, Benzie Area Chamber of Commerce and Frankfort-Elberta Chamber of Commerce.
We have done sports action photography for over 10 years for all the Traverse area schools: T.C. Central H.S., T.C. West H. S., East Middle School, West Middle School, St. Francis H. S., SEAS Middle School, Frankfort-Elberta H. S. We do the area Pop Warner Youth Football Games, and Lacrosse games, T.C. Blues Rugby, and Red Wings Training Camps.
Some of our many Special Events we have covered over the last couple of years include: HGTV”s Carter Osterhouse playground building and dedication in T.C., The T.C. Film Festival, T.C. Schooner Festival, T. C. Chamber Annual Dinner and Chamber Golf Outing, Frankfort ‘Shiver by the River’ Snowmobile Races and Winter Festival, Women’s Winter Tour at Crystal Mt., Frankfort Fall Festival and Easter Egg Hunt, MDA Motorcycle and Ride and Telethon in T.C., Ride for Life in Benzie Co., T. C. Zonta’s Breakfast with Santa, PMOH Auxiliary Holiday Ball, Golf Outings and Annual Meeting/Luncheons, Special Olympics Basket Ball Game with Benzie Sheriff Dept. among others. We like to give back to our community.
With over 22 years of photographic experience, Jessica Rastelli began her love of photography when working on her high school yearbook and developing B & W film. She pursued a business career in college, but minored in photography…always with the hopes of having a career in photography. That career was encouraged by winning a Kodak Student Photo Contest.
While shooting some motor cross races, capturing all the action, she was offered good money for the images she shot. Her brother told her there were companies in Arizona who printed on-site at similar races, and she should consider it. Well, she did. Starting with one camera, one laptop, one LCD screen and one printer, along with her mother, Susan, we began shooting local hockey and high school sports and grew quickly in size and reputation. We were soon lugging two laptops, two LCD screens and three printers---not to mention tables, chairs, the Blue Tent, paper, ink, photo books, and samples, to the high school and elementary sporting events. We were known as the “picture ladies”. We were even interviewed by Vic McCarty on 9 & 10 TV, because we were the only daughter/mother team and the only women in the area that shot action sports. Jessica shot the games and Susan, downloaded, edited and printed the pictures. It was hard, physical work but we enjoyed it. The Year Book Staff loved the images that we donated each year.
In 2010 Jessica was blessed with the birth of her baby girl, Maya, a true miracle for her. Jessica is a Juvenile Diabetic since the age of 10, and thought this day would not be possible. It was a very difficult process, but it turned out wonderful! Maya is a very beautiful, healthy little baby and the family is ‘over the moon’ in love with her.
Because of Maya, we decided to open a home-studio, so Jessica could raise Maya and run her business more easily. We have not done as much action sports this past year. Since our Studio is in Frankfort, traveling to T.C. every day…in all kinds of weather and with late hours…is difficult. Therefore, we are concentrating on Portraits: H. S. Senior, Family, Children, Babies and Business, along with building our Wedding Business. We will continue shooting Events such as the Traverse City Film Festival, The Women’s Winter Tour at Crystal Mt., Shiver on the River in Frankfort, and other fundraising/community events.
We miss the excitement of High School Sports, the athletes themselves, their parents, coaches, athletic directors, the Local TV Sports News Crews and Record Eagle Photographers. We have watched the kids grow up since elementary school little league baseball, hockey, soccer and Pop Warner to graduate from high school. Many times the kids would stop by our table at the games after they graduated to say hello. We loved that and miss it. We have images of our top athletes who have gone on to stellar careers in College and even Olympic teams. One parent told us; “You don’t just take pictures…you make memories!” When we read the sports pages and see that one of “our athletes” is making the news, we are proud to have known them, and been there in the beginning…where it all began.
Jessica shot the Red Wings Training Camp for years. Jessica had her Insulin Pump autographed by some team members. She knows the team’s security guards and photographer well. She is an avid fan and follows the team closely. She even won two tickets with great seats, a couple of years ago…she was in heaven!
We continue to do Pop Warner and Lacrosse through the YMCA, and may add more school sports in the future.
We are always studying new methods and trends, updating our techniques, equipment and products to keep up with the ever-changing photography market. We are doing what we love and it shows in the quality of work we do.
