Why Does Custom Photography Cost So Much?

Many of you have probably seen these posts floating around, but I thought I would do one of my own with some of my own costs/opinions thrown in. :) This will cover a little bit about why custom photography is "so expensive", as well as some other FAQs.

Why is custom photography so expensive?? ~ Well, it's not! Of course "expensive" is a relative term -- what I would spend on something you may not spend, or vice-versa. We all put our values on different items. It's not important to me to have a brand-name shoe. I'm okay with cheap knock-offs. You, on the other hand, may *LOVE* your Sperry's and feel as if knock-offs aren't as great. That's fine!! There's nothing wrong with that. Speaking in photography terms, the custom photographer IS the Sperry. We are custom, high-quality, and comfort. The knock-offs are amateurs and chain studios.

What is an amateur photographer? ~ An AP is someone who is just starting out and/or who does not know much about photography. Amateurs do not have much experience or knowledge. (Stop here -- I am NOT saying anything negative about amateurs! We were ALL amateurs once!!!) If you desire a custom photographer but do not have the budget for one, an amateur may be the way to go. However, please realize that you will not get miraculous, gorgeous results with someone who does not know how to work his or her equipment. You will, however, get an inexpensive session with your family for a quick, easy way to document a milestone or memory.

What is a chain studio? ~ Think Picture Me!, Sears, Olan Mills, JC Penney, or any other chain store that happens to have a studio inside. These studios typically do not hire photographers. They hire high school or college students. The manager or someone in charge sets up the camera for the day and the "photographer" literally does nothing except pull the trigger. They pull poses from a sheet of "approved posing" that the studio uses on everyone that walks through their doors. The result? A photo that looks just like everyone else's, but with your face in it. These photographers are not trained on the best angles to bring out your favorite features and can often use such horrid angles that everyone in your family ends up showcasing added chins that you know you don't have. Chain studios are also good for a cheap, quick fix. However, they aren't as "cheap" as they appear, as the "photographer" is very well trained in sales and can talk you into spending hundreds upon hundreds on those 10 chins.

Why do some photographers just shoot & burn? ~ "Shoot & Burn" is a term many of us use to describe a photographer who shoots a session and then runs home and burns the images to a CD to pass back along to you. They do this because (I think) they think it is easier and cheaper for them to burn to a CD. They could not be more wrong about this!! When they hand out a CD, they are giving their work away. That knowledge, expertise, and style are thrown out the window the second those photos hit the CD and become printed at Walgreens or Snapfish (I won't even mention Wal-Mart -- yikes). Also, while we're on the topic, let's discuss copyright. Many amateurs give "good deals" -- $50 sessions with CD that includes "all copyrights". This is a ridiculous notion. Copyright should never, ever be given away. I will sell my copyrights gladly, but I highly doubt any of you would want to pay the price that I would ask for selling it!! A copyright belongs to the person who took the photo. If your photographer tells you that he/she is giving you "all copyrights", he/she is essentially telling you that you LEGALLY own the photos. This goes beyond being able to print them. This means that if your photographer uses the images on his/her website, you can sue him/her for copyright infringement. If he/she uses them in any samples, you can sue. This is why I never, ever give my copyright away. I took my images, I'm proud of my images, and I want to be able to use my images on my website, in samples, and in professional photography competitions. Now, a print release is all you need with a CD. This gives you the right to print the images, but the copyright remains with the photographer so you may not edit, alter, or otherwise use the images for contests or otherwise.

Why don't you like burning CDs? ~ I do appreciate the ease of CDs. I appreciate that CDs give my clients a chance to archive their own images for future purposes when I may have already archived their photos or no longer have them on down the road. I do not, however, appreciate the quality (or lack there-of!) of images that are printed at consumer labs. Consumer labs include Snapfish, ArtsCow, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Rite-Aid... anywhere that does not ask if you are a professional photographer before they print your images is a consumer lab. My computer monitor is calibrated with my professional lab's printer. This means that when I process my photos, they will print EXACTLY as I see them on my computer screen. My vision for that image is complete and perfect for how I wanted it to be. When printed at a consumer lab where the printers aren't calibrated as often and their "techs" are similar to those chain studio "photographers", there's no telling what you will get. You may wind up with a green wedding dress in your photos. I would much, much rather your most important memories be preserved with professional prints. CDs are great for archival, but horrible for printing. Professional papers, inks, calibration, and printer techs make a world of difference for your final print.

So... why exactly is custom photography so expensive? ~ Simply put, this is my job! I have to pay for my camera, lenses, lighting, computer, back-ups, website, office supplies, daycare/babysitters, samples, displays, flyers, business cards, and time. This is all just to break even!! After I break even, I like to also be able to support my family (don't you, with your job?).

To break it down, here's a rough idea of what I do for your one session:
~ gas to and from session
~ babysitter during session
~ time e-mailing/calling you to talk about your session
~ time during the session
~ expertise (you don't want all of those chins!)
~ style (every photographer has his or her own style... they are as unique as fingerprints!)
~ processing photos (could take days)

All in all, I will easily spend over 24 hours on your one- or two-hour session. Take out all of my expenses as listed above and then figure up what you would make at your paying job for 24hrs of work.

Now... is custom photography expensive? :)

Many photographers realize and acknowledge that custom photography is not for everyone. However, if you value and appreciate the luxury of having a custom photographer come to your home so that you don't have to get your newborn out in the cold... if you appreciate a custom photographer listening to your ideas and implementing them during your session so that you have a totally unique and "so YOU!" result... if you realize that the custom photographer's style is one that just cannot be matched by an amateur or chain studio... then custom portraiture is definitely for you. This is an investment that will last a lifetime!

one of those days...

I'm having one of those terrible, no-good, bad days. Nothing has gone "wrong", per se, but I've just come to a slump. I figured that I might as well blog about it -- you know, get those feelings aired out, get some opinions, yadda yadda. :)

I've had a great year, photography-wise. Portraits rolled in faster than I could get them done at some points!! You guys are AWESOME. As the year closes, I'm thinking of things that I want to do for 2011. Some goals, not resolutions. Just the word "resolution" makes me think "yeah, THAT's never gonna get done!" I have some basic ones that most photographers will relate to -- faster processing times, more organization, bigger, better everything. I have some others that are more personal. Many of you have heard me say "Why would I want to do studio work when I've got the world at my fingertips?" I still hold that to be true. I would much rather be out in the "wild" than restricted by four walls. However, the past few months have given me the urge to have my own space. I would love more than anything to have a space just FOR the space. I would love a place to meet clients in, store props, and do my work so that when the work day is over I really can leave WORK and come HOME!! I have this problem with separating the two. Sometimes you'll find me at the computer at 2am, working. Why? Because I just can't get the work out of my head long enough to go to sleep. It's a curse. :P

I want, I want, I want.

I want to do more video+photo slideshows. I want to incorporate these with weddings, especially. In the near future I hope to restructure my wedding packages to include these slideshows. I've had great fun playing with my slideshow software, building up my music library, and watching slideshows on big screens, so now it's time to unveil that to you all in a big, big way!!

As much as I HATE CDs (you've all heard the rant), I do want to include a CD of proof images with some sessions and weddings (depending on the package chosen). This would include very low-resolution images large enough to be used on the web and for viewing, but not large enough to be printed. My intention is NEVER to be a shoot&burn photographer. I want for your product to be a 100% quality professional product from start to finish. I feel like handing a CD over for you to print at Wal-Mart completely ruins your professional experience. Professional custom portraiture is all about the experience, from the initial consultation to the delivery of your amazingly gorgeous professional print. If you are to receive a CD and print at Wal-Mart/Snapfish/CVS/etc, you will likely get a print that has been tampered with. You may get one that has been "color corrected". You may get one printed from a printer that isn't calibrated, or from a high school student who doesn't know anything about the correct exposure or color -- all he knows is how to press the "on" button. I don't mind selling CDs to print off 4x6 images for scrapbooks, passing out to friends & family, etc, but I do feel that the prints hanging on your wall should be of a professional quality. Why else would you come to me? :)

Back to the studio thing, I'd love to have one for proofing sessions. That's a good dream to have!! I want to be able to set up a proofing session with you approximately two weeks after your session, sit down in my comfy studio, turn the lights down, and see your reaction as you're seeing your baby's sweet expressions larger-than-life and true to color. I have offered in-home proofing for this reason, but I find that many aren't interested in in-home proofing (even when you get a discount for ordering during your proofing session!).

In 2011, I want to book more weddings. This past year has been a great year, portrait-wise, but I LOVE weddings. I love the happiness, the joy, the love. I am usually smiling non-stop on the day of a wedding and it's truly because of how ecstatic I am for the ones saying "I do". I hope in this time "off" during the holidays that I can re-vamp my wedding structure and come up with loads of new goodies. I just need a brain breather and some time.

I do love all of you, my clients, friends, and mentors. You help push me to be better!!! Don't worry about all of this; I just needed somewhere to let it out. I'm still chugging along and this will all just force me to be a better photographer to reach my goals and dreams.

Regal

As some of you know, I am a part of an online community of "momtogs" who are absolutely amazing. Some are just beginning in their journey, some have been at it for as long as I've been alive, and others are somewhere in the middle. Some of these ladies add "designer" to their name among the other many things that they do on a daily basis.

One of these awesome designers called for a Beta tester today, and guess what? I'm the tester! :) She sent some fantastic templates my way to test out and give feedback.

Here they are -- complete, of course, with my logo and images!!

All in all, I'd say they are easy to use and look fantastic!!! What do you think? I may be re-vamping my blog yet again to accommodate these beauties.

To see more of this designer's work, visit her website at http://www.artfire.com/users/AboutYouDesigns

painless.

This is a word I'm hearing more and more lately and I LOVE it. Many moms & dads leave sessions with me breathing a sigh of relief and saying "Wow... that was painless!" That is the best compliment I could ever receive, and ultimately it is my goal for all sessions.

I strive for sessions to be stress-free and nothing but fun. Your children will be encouraged to play, to laugh, to tickle, and to run. We get some posed shots, but how many of you can say that your children naturally sit and pose all day long? They don't!! They're kids -- they are meant to run and play. My goal is to capture that childlike innocence and to show each child's individual personality, even if that personality is off-the-wall kooky or subdued and shy.

Many of my clients say that they dread photo sessions. They don't want to go through the process of finding clothes, fixing everyone's hair, making sure they're there on time, regulating who drinks what so that they don't spill grape juice on their gorgeous white dress.....

Don't dread coming to a photo session!! Be excited. This is like a playdate for all of us! You may be surprised when you find yourself saying "I'm not stressed at all!" It happens more often than not. ;) Let me help you pick out your child's clothing; bring several outfits if you're unsure! If your little one isn't sitting still and saying "cheese", chances are he/she is doing exactly what I want him/her to do!! Just relax and I promise that at the end of the day you will end up with proofs like these:

dude, check it!

Yes, I just said that. Just keep reading; act like you didn't see it.

I'm making some biiiiig changes around here!! I'm really stoked about them, as I think they will benefit everyone in the long run. Most of the changes involve the post-session process.

First of all, I will be doing away with the majority of Sneak Peeks. *GASP* I know, I know. Don't worry -- I will still provide 2-3 of my favorites immediately after your session as normal!! I will just have to force myself to cap off the sneak at those 2-3 rather than 10, 15, 20... ;) After you have viewed your proofs and placed your order, I will then include more to your Facebook folder to show to your friends.

Then comes the second change! As I upload more to your folder in Facebook, this is when I will do my blogging about our session together. I have a new format for showing pictures off in my blog, and I want to utilize it!! It's a fun way to show off your session, as Miss Kaylee here will show you:

The next thing that will be different is proofing all together! I am now offering in-home proofing at no additional cost. If you would like, I can proof your session in your home so that you and the grandparents can all sit down and view the proofs together at the same time on your tv screen!! This allows everyone to see them all at once, as well as seeing them much larger than what they are on the website! You will literally gasp at the sight of your little one's bright eyes as they are displayed larger-than-life in front of you. With in-home proofing, you also get a distinct advantage in seeing *exactly* what a 20x30 print would look like on your wall, as I will bring several different samples with me. You will have me all to yourself to help you decide what portrait combinations are best for the space in which you are living! In-home proofing will also receive a 15% discount on all orders placed during the proofing session. I will then place your photos online for any other orders as well.

If you decide that in-home proofing is for you, let me know at your session! We will schedule a date then for your proofing and you can begin to let close family members know (please, no more than 5-6 people at in-home proofing to keep things less chaotic!). If you choose not to have in-home proofing, I will put your photos online as normal.

For now, I'm signing off. I hope you are all as excited about these changes as I am!! Change is good -- it moves us forward. ;)

What now?

You've booked your session and you're SO EXCITED!!! ... What now?

Now you get the dreaded task of picking out clothing for everyone to wear. Yikes! I hope that you'll be excited about this part of the process as well by the time you finish reading and viewing the images below.

Choosing clothing should be easy! I think we all put way too much thought into it. First of all, I want your personalities to shine. If you have a little one who is a bit bolder and brighter than the rest of the bunch -- dress him or her in bold, bright clothing!!! A good suggestion is to start with this family member FIRST. They get the main brunt of the pattern/color, and everyone else can base their clothing off of this first outfit.

Matching is an old tradition for family portraits, but it's one that has pushed its way out. If you must match, think about matching colors OR styles -- not both simultaneously! Think about Spring portraits where dad is in green, mom is in pink, daughter in purple, and son in blue, but all are in jeans and the shirts are all knit. This is a good way to coordinate! Below I've included a white & khaki image that will show you how to coordinate two basic colors in several different styles. The result is much more pleasing than the typical white & khaki portrait.

I've featured everything below from neutral to matching to bold and contrasted, but I hope you will see how they all "work" when placed together. Next time, I'll show you some of my favorite clients' wardrobes so you can see these schemes working out "in the wild"! ;)

Happy shopping!!

www.daniellemccannphotography.com

Up! Up! and AWAY!

Oh my. If I told you everything that we faced during this session, you'd laugh at how ridiculously challenged we were! Instead, I'll just share the images and say that this family is utterly amazing and deserves more than the chocolate bar and grape soda that they received! :)

Oil Spill

Many of you know that I took a trip to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, AL in June. I've been wanting to write this blog post since before I went on this "vacation". However, when I came back home, I wasn't sure how to write it. I'm still not sure, but I'll do my best. Please take the time to soak this all in and watch the slideshow at the end of the post. It's long, I know, but worth it!

At the time of our vacation, the infamous oil spill was on day 51. News headlines included titles such as "The Ocean Is The Key To Our Survival" and "Top 10 Questions Still Unanswered". My husband, family, and I all went into this vacation with a positive attitude; after all, nothing can waiver our love for the Gulf Coast!!

My first day spent on the Gulf was awesome. This isn't any different from any other vacation we've taken, I thought. We were staying in the bay, which was a different experience for us (we usually stay directly on the beach), but it was gorgeous. We had a beautiful view of the bay bridge and couldn't smell or see oil anywhere. There was definitely a feeling hanging in the air that something wasn't right, but it wasn't enough to even muffle the sounds of laughter and splashing coming from our condo's lazy river and pool area. Ahhh, beach. Do you smell the salty air?? No scent of oil at all! Such a relief.

Day 2... a little different. I noticed once the excitement of being "at the beach" wore down from Day 1 and the little feeling crept in when I heard and saw more helicopters and planes flying over that were "patrolling", so to speak, rather than carrying those awesome banners that we all love so much. "DOC'S SEAFOOD LUNCH SPECIAL!" wasn't as prominent these days. Still, seeing those banners occasionally made me smile. I was on a more heightened alert for anything out of the norm. This day, I saw Black Hawk helicopters, volunteer buses, and boom in the bay. For lack of better wording, it felt like Orange Beach was getting ready to fight a war.

Day 3... same as Day 2. Preparation, waiting. Enjoying the pool and lazy river at the condo. Still have not seen oil (but also have not been to any beaches). At this point, I was thoroughly impressed with all of the locals that we had come in contact with, whether through the condo, restaurants, or grocery shopping at Publix. They were all extremely nice, chipper... normal for the coast. There was a general feeling of "you can't get me down" resonating through every friendly smile, every coastal resident who was still working and still enjoying what they do.

On Day 3, my sister and niece decided to parasail. I personally would probably pee my pants being that high in the air, and although that's partially acceptable over a large body of water, I'd like to keep my dignity slightly in-tact. :) I did, however, volunteer to let my sister take my new "toy" camera (powershot d10 -- waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof, awesome camera!) into the air (1200ft... gulp) and I would happily keep my tush in the boat, nearer to the ground as God intended, with my "real" camera. ;) This parasailing trip was the first event of the trip that made my heart stop and my stomach churn. I'd like to blame some of it on motion sickness, but I don't think it was that at all.

As we left the bay going out into the ocean for the trip, we passed another parasailing boat. We were traveling slowly, and our captain looked at the other boat, waved, and said "See any of the red stuff out there?" The other captain waved and said "Not today!!" Our captain smiled and said "Good! That's really good." We ventured on, passing a marine police boat. He smiled and waved to everyone, just as if it were another gorgeous day on the Gulf. It was, wasn't it?

As the bay opened into the Gulf, I felt overwhelmed. Boom was everywhere, clean-up boats were everywhere... There was no oil in sight and the beaches were almost entirely bare. Viewing the beach from the ocean was incredible. Some of my sister's parasailing shots from the "toy" camera are in the slideshow. You'll recognize them, being as they are taken from 1200ft in the air and I get no more than 4ft above ground. ;)

Day 4... I decide I'll go to the beach by myself. I grabbed up my toy camera and went to "investigate" the situation for myself. I stuck my toes in the sand and came out with tar ball covered feet. I put my camera in the water for a few shots and ended up with tar all over it. I spoke with a couple of older gentlemen who were enjoying the beach as I was. I watched two women setting up for a wedding, while a third sat on the boardwalk and cried. I want you to understand from this description that the beach was NOT covered in oil. There were tiny tar balls all in the water washing ashore, but no oil sheen. The largest tar ball I saw this morning was approximately 3in in diameter. The rest were smaller than a dime, but they were most definitely sticky and everywhere.

When I decided that I couldn't take it anymore, I walked past the woman sobbing on the boardwalk and approached the showering area. I turned on the water -- a very futile attempt to wash myself off -- and a local florist (presumably for the wedding taking place that day) came up behind me to use the shower as well. She said "Oh hon, you have oil all over your dress!" I replied "I know, but my dress is replaceable." Then the waterworks started. I began crying as this woman just said "I know... I know..." teared up a little, and walked off.

Day 5... My days began to run together. I couldn't remember how long I had been there, or how long I had left in my trip. We enjoyed our normal "beach" activities -- the outlet center, the great food. Will & I decided to embark on a new tradition -- Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. We took a mile-long hike there and really enjoyed the scenery!!

Day 6... Last day. The day went as others had and as they usually do at the beach... laze around, get sunburned (I mean "tan" for those of you who aren't pale Irish like myself!), and eat at some great seafood joints. That evening, my husband and I decided to go for a stroll on the Gulf State Pier. We had neglected to go despite the fact that it was on our "to-do" list long before we packed our bags to head down to the Gulf. This was probably the most sobering event of our trip. The weather was absolutely perfect that night -- the type of weather that you dream about when you close your eyes and try to whisk yourself away to the ocean. Warm with a cool breeze, waves crashing melodically against the shore. It was beautiful.

When we got to the pier and paid our way in, the two men at the desk appeared to be having a heated discussion. One man saw my camera and said "Are you taking pictures out here?" I was unsure whether or not to tell him yes, but I did. He said "Thank God... Can you take pictures of the BP workers sitting on their butts and send them to the news stations??" Sure, of course I can!! We walked down the pier and I took shots as promised (truth is, I had already taken some of the "workers" before we spoke with the guy). We watched the wildlife for a bit and saw a school of manta rays, some amberjack, and a 6ft long bull shark! They all seemed to be swarming the pier. Boom was stretched around the pier and tied off. Most of it was pitch black from being supersaturated with oil.

Walking back to our car, we stopped to talk to the gentleman who had asked me to take pictures of the workers. I assured him that I did have pictures and that I would send them wherever I could possibly send them. We began talking, as Southerners do, and found out that he grew up less than an hour away from where we live. He talked about life up there, life in the Gulf, and how that night was his last night working for the Gulf State Park because of this oil spill. He didn't know what to do, where to go, or who to turn to. This man began to cry. He was infuriated at those workers who were employed by BP, making $18/hr to sit on their butts while a select few scraped the surface of history's worst oil spill. BP said that their workers were told to rest due to heat exhaustion and other such illnesses. What I witnessed that night was pure laziness. During the two+ hours that we spent at the pier, the same five people were scooping tar balls off of the beach. The other fifteen or so (!!!!) were sitting in lawn chairs drinking sodas and laughing it up. This was only one station, yet we could see 6 others from the pier. All appeared to have the same problem.

When we left the next day, I had a new-found love for the Gulf, its people, and its wildlife. The time I spent there that week will stay with me forever, and I am so grateful that we didn't do as many did and cancel our trip. Seeing this tragedy on the news and seeing it on person evoked two totally different viewpoints from me, and I'm thankful for both. This world of ours is breakable. She's going to die one day. We need to treat her and her children with a little more respect.

I hope you enjoy the slideshow. Please take the time to pay attention to the stories told with each image -- the locals helping each other out, the wildlife, the beauty. This is what we need to save.

Shooting My Own Child. {Florence, Alabama Photography}

"Shooting" my own child is always a million times more difficult than shooting other children. Why, I'll never know. After speaking with tons of other mommy photographers across the country I've realized that it's the same for all of us. It STINKS!

Anyway, Charlee "modeled" a couple of dresses and a headband for me today for two different companies -- Crochet R Us and Crafting with XOs. I'm seriously in love with both of these ladies' products, so you should go check them out and see what they can do for you!! These dresses were custom-made by Jessica at Crafting with XOs, and I know she'd be more than happy to custom make one for you! Crochet R Us is a teen entrepreneur who knits all sorts of amazing hats, headbands, and accessories.

WAHOOO!!!!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU www.fiverr.com!!! If it weren't for this website, I wouldn't have the funds or the patience for a new blog layout. I've been procrastinating on this, and let's face it... my blog was looking like a junk yard. Not the pretty kind that I like to take portraits in, either!! Thanks to fiverr.com, I found someone who was able to whip together this awesome new blog template for me for... you guessed it... $5!! I wish everything in life were so easy (and cheap). :)

Now that my new fantastical blog is up, expect me to be BLOGGING again!!!!!!! (And again... and again...) I'll be here so much that you'll be sick of me. Be sure to add me to your blog following list to reap full stalker advantages (like blog discounts and giveaways!!).

Any of you who need blog work done, please visit www.belensdesigns.com. This is the brain behind my new blog design. :)

You have the CUTEST kid EVER!!!!

If you've ever been told this, or if you just KNOW your kid is the cutest kid EVER and you happen to live in the Shoals area... have I got a contest for you!!!

Danielle McCann Photography's Cutest Kid in the Shoals Contest is kicking off RIGHT NOW!! If your cutie is 12yr old or younger, send a picture of him or her (or them!) to danidmccann@yahoo.com ASAP. Include name(s), age(s), and hobbies. Entries will be accepted until March 1st. I will then place entries on my Facebook Fan Page (located here) for voting.

Winners from each age category will win a free session along with an 8x10 and a DVD Slideshow of your little cutie in action!!! Please enter each child only once, but you may enter as many children as you wish. :)

Slideshows {Florence AL Photographer}

I've been toying with slideshows lately in my "down" time. (I laugh at that... really, does a business owner get any "down" time?) I finally decided on a software to purchase, so be prepared to see DVD slideshows soon as package add-ons!!

These will also be included in the large Baby's First Year package. Wouldn't you love to get a DVD for your baby's first birthday that includes your maternity, newborn, 3, 6, 9, and 12mo sessions on it? I know I would!!

Don't forget!!!!!!

Doll Houses.

I had the pleasure this weekend of going to the ImagingUSA Expo. ImagingUSA is a great convention for photographers with all sorts of classes and tips, along with the expo that has hundreds of vendors set up with the latest products and offers. It was my first time to ever go and boy did I LOVE it!!!!!! I've got some awesome new products to offer you guys along with some great new ideas. :) It was held at the Opryland Hotel & Convention Center.

If I still played with doll houses (hey -- my daughter will start playing with them in a couple of years, so that thought isn't too far off!), I would want an Opryland Hotel doll house. On the inside would be gorgeous decorations, waterfalls, restaurants, and pathways you could get lost in. I would have a gazebo for my Barbie dolls to get married in, a gift shop for cute country Christmas ornaments and things, and of course a coffee shop.

I love that place!

Catching Up!!!

Ahh. I haven't had a chance to post photos in a while. I know it doesn't seem like a while to you guys, because it's been within the week... but trust me, I've got a lot to catch up on! Hopefully within the next couple of days I can get all of these posts caught up, all of my sessions caught up, and be ready for my 3 sessions and one wedding this weekend. :)

So... tomorrow, be prepared for bridals, newborns, one wedding, and siblings. Then look forward to another wedding, senior portraits, and a couple's session by Monday!

The Cat's Outta The Bag!!!

That secret that was up my sleeve is unfolding so quickly and so nicely that I just HAVE to share it with you guys!!!!

Several of my fellow photographer moms from CafeMom and I are involved in a huge project. We're creating a photography magazine. This magazine will appeal to photographers and fellow moms alike. It will contain tips for pros, tips for moms, professional photos, and reader photos. It will give you insight on what it's like to be a photographer, how we do it, and what we love about it. You will see gorgeous portraits, funny snapshots, and everything in-between. I really do think it will be a WONDERFUL thing for everyone!!!

If you have your own business and would like to advertise with us, we have very low advertising rates!! The first issue (coming out June 1st) will be about weddings. Does your business relate in any way to weddings? Photography? Props? Handmade items? Or, are you LOOKING for a wedding photographer? We have photographers all over the US, and many are willing to travel to your location. Let us know, and we will send you advertising information!!! E-mail at breakfastclubphotography@gmail.com and one of our lovely women will get back to you with all of the advertising information you need!

The end of February as we know it.

My life has been all too hectic lately, and I thoroughly apologize for not being here for you like I should have. It's like losing your dog when you were seven and forgot to chain him up and you weren't sure why he ran away... does he not love me anymore?

Okay, okay, enough of that. :)

Really, I've dubbed February as being dead to me. From now on, we will have no Februaries. I have alerted the media (kindof) and they are (maybe) thinking about doing away with Februaries all together. When you open your 2010 desk calendar, please note that the month between January and March is now called Daniery. I feel like this will be a tribute to my hardships in the month of February, and it will serve me well.

I'll spare you with the horrid details, but let's just say that technologically, February spat on me... again, and again, and again. My cable went down (what does one DO without the internet and cable for a week!?), my computer went nutso (still kicking out the bugs), and then Will's laptop died when we were relying on it because my computer was with our trusty repairman, Garret Cox (please look him up if you have any computer issues!)... so, essentially, another week without a computer/internet. My phone will no longer let me check voicemails, so to the approximate 35 of you who have left your lovely voices on my machine... I do so apologize.

Now it's odd that this has occurred in this special way, but my bad luck streak started on January 30th. It ended around the approximate date of March 1st. Coincidence? I think not.

To all of you Valentine's Day lovers, I may consider keeping the holiday around. I may consider keeping Black History Month. I may consider any other random holidays, birthdays, or special agendas you all have. But above all else, February will be Daniery and will be a tribute to the technologically challenged. It will be a crime for internet to shut down and a blasphemous act for computers to crash. It will be a glorious month filled with business, wealth, and cell phone voicemails... Simply because this year, it was exactly the opposite.

March has brought about several sessions and other miscellaneous events for me.
2nd (yeah yeah, it's already passed) - I delivered proofs to the daycare that I did spring portraits for in the last week of Daniery
7th (today!) - family session
8th - Charlee's party at my mom's
13th - daycare portrait orders are due and can be placed with my lab
14th - Charlee's birthday party at our house (you're invited!)
15th - our friend Emma Grace's birthday party
16th - NKOTB concert (I'm a dork)
17th - headshots
18th - meeting with a bride
19th - LHP session (www.littlestheroesproject.org) <--- GO THERE!
20th - 8 year old twins session
22nd - boudoir session for two best friends
29th - MY best friend is coming to visit from Orlando for the remainder of March and some of April!

So, as you can see, March has already chalked up to prove itself superior to February. Now that we are at the end of this post, dear friends, I hope you will not be offended when you never hear or see the word "February" anywhere near me. :)

OH NO! You missed it!!!

The Christmas deadline, that is. :) From now until Christmas, I cannot absolutely 100% guarantee that your photos will be in for you to give as gifts on December 25th. However, if you have a family get-together on the 30th, well... I suppose that's a different story all together!!
If you haven't had your holiday photos made, take advantage of my $30 mini sessions going on until December 31st.
Once January 1st comes, I've got a brand-new price list hitting the scene! It's fun, it's fresh, and it includes more packages and more options for you!!

"tutu too cute"!

I started making tutus for Charlee a little over a month ago (or two? I don't know... time has flown). I've made TONS, because I want to be able to offer TONS to my clients with little girls. :) Here are some....

I love me some Wa-Ho!

Waaaa-Hooooo!
Okay, seriously? Looking at my friend Jenna Brie's blog this morning, I was intrigued when she posted a link for a Waffle House Wedding. It's a train wreck. Go watch it.
"Hey y'all, come on out to the Wa-Ho for our nup-chew-als. It's gon' be a great ol' time with a greasy patty melt an' a waffle cake. Mmmmmm..."
Really.