Studio News

I just wanted to let everyone know that starting March 1st I will begin charging a session fee. I have debated whether or not it was time for awhile now, but have decided that if I want my clients to take me serious as a photographer than I need to start taking myself serious. I want to thank all of my clients so far who have let me "practice" on them in exchange for not charging a sitting fee. I have learned a lot and have definitely made mistakes. By charging a session fee now, I am in no way saying "I have arrived!" or that "I know everything there is to know." Quit the opposite, I know I still have so much to learn but I am also realizing that my time is valuable.

I am going to start charging a $100 session/artist fee which covers the time I spend at your shoot and the time it takes me to process your pictures. I am also going to include a $50 print credit for you to use when ordering. I know to some, this may seem like a lot and to others not enough. Here is an article about why custom photography cost what it does. While I may not charge what some of these photographers charge, I do feel that I need to start charging more for my time.

So if you are one who would rather go to the mall and have your pictures taken there, please know that I am fine with that! You can get some great quality shots from them and yes, you can spend a whole lot less. I think, however, that my style is different from what you will get there and I hope you come away from your time with me having had fun and maybe even made a new friend of the family.

As a way to say thank you one more time, and to ease you into this new change, I am going to run a special for the next 2 weeks where I will cut your session fee in half if it is booked by March 14th. You do not have to hold your session by then, just have it booked. So if you have been thinking about having your pictures taken but have put it off, now is the time to book it! After March 14th, I will begin my new session fee of $100 with $50 print credit.

So for the next 2 weeks, you will only pay a $50 session fee and get a $25 print credit!

Spokes Model & Regular Session Details

Spokes Models will receive the following...

~No sitting fee {$125.00 Value}
~2 mini sessions {one now and one later in the summer/fall}
~50 Rep cards with their picture on them to pass out to friends
~Proof Book to share with friends and family
~10 web sized/watermarked images for MySpace, Facebook, blog or emailing
~Photographs featured on my website, blog, and advertising material
~$20 print credit for every booked referral
~A few extra freebies thrown in for fun.


Regular senior session prices and info...

Session fee ~ $125
This includes my time, talent and a $50 credit toward your prints.
You will have unlimited clothing changes and up to three different location choices.

Half of the session fee is due upon booking your session in order to reserve your spot. This amount is non-refundable but I will be happy to reschedule for you if you need to. The other half will be due at your shoot. A print credit of $50 will be applied to your order.

I am still working on some cool products and the collections that I will be offering.

It really is too early and cold to begin shooting senior sessions, but it is very important for me to find my reps NOW. I want to get your mini session done soon, so you can have your rep cards and proof books in your hands before school is out. So if you or anyone you know is interested, please fill out the application on the side bar. Remember, I am only choosing 2-3 from each local high school! I have also included a planning survey for anyone planning to book a regular session with me now or in the future.

Soon to be in a New York Art Gallery!!!

I just had to share with you the latest art work from my 3 year old. I am thinking of submitting it to some fancy New York art gallery because I think it is just fabulous!!! This was originally created on my bathroom wall hidden under my sink vanity with chalk. I think maybe he was hoping I would not find it, but I am so glad I did! I just love it! I have refused to clean it off but it is a little low on the wall and a little too hidden to frame so I had to show it off here instead. We call this "Granny & Her Purse". Do you see it?!! How precious is that?!!

I wish it were this easy!

This is my son's solution to his mess! I wish it were this easy to clean things up around here! I asked my boys to clean up their messes and the 3 year old figured this would be the quickest way to get the job done. Since starting my business, my house has suffered for it to say the least. I would rather find new photographers on the internet and draw inspiration from them than clean the toilets. I mean come on who likes to clean toilets? My goal for this year was to find balance with everything and let's be honest, I am failing. I am growing as a photographer, yes, but I am failing on the home front. Do you know how many loads of laundry six people can generate over the coarse of a week? Let's just say - A LOT! (I love watching John and Kate Plus Eight just to make myself feel better!) Anyway, I wish getting things in order was as easy as bringing in a big power tool and bull dozing over it. Oh well, enjoy the photos as I go clean a toilet or two (but I don't have time for three...)









By the way, these pictures were done with my new 50mm 1.4 lense... LOVE IT!

Cool Idea!

This is an idea I saw done by two of my favorite photographer (Kara May & Amanda K). They are both on my side bar and are both awesome photographers. They are two that I found through "Pieces of the Picture" which I blogged about the other day. I think this is the coolest idea and I had to figure it out! I am not sure I did it how they did it but I am happy with how it turned out. I cannot wait to use this idea with some high school seniors.



As I mentioned in the last post, I am now looking for Senior Representatives from all surrounding high schools so if you know of any, please have them contact me. I have also added a Senior Rep. Application to my side bar for anyone graduating next year to fill out. I will be choosing 2-3 from each high school, so... let the bribing begin. If you want me to choose you, you should know I love Starbuck's skinny vanilla lattes! Just kidding!!

I will be posting my senior packages soon and will begin booking session just as soon as it warms up a bit. There are only a few photographers that are authorized to take your yearbook pictures but I can do your fun personalized shots for you. I am working on getting put on the list but for now I will be happy to refer you to anyone of those listed for your yearbook pictures. So until it is time to book your session, go ahead an apply for a Senior Rep. position. If you are chosen, I will email you all the details and explain all your great benefits (in other words... free stuff!)

Even if you are not interested in being a rep., I will be happy to take your senior pictures but only if you are willing to have fun and be yourself! I want your pictures to scream who YOU are. I want you to bring clothes and accessories that represent YOU. Since I will not be doing your traditional posed shots, we will head outside and go to places you love. If you ride horses, guess who will be in the shot with you? If you skateboard, guess where we will go? If you are a dancer, we will get shots of you doing what you love! If you play sports, you can bet we will get some shots of you doing that. Whatever your passion is will meet up with mine (photography)! I want you to look back on your senior year and remember how much fun your pictures were. Remember though, mom and dad have to have a few too! Some different locations I want to shoot at are a railroad, an old warehouse, a field, a covered bridge just to name a few but I want to know where you want to go. Let's make these fun and all about who YOU are!

Thank You "Pieces of the Picture"!!

{Update ~ 3/07/09}

Hey, everyone, I just wanted to let you know that the link to "Piece of the Picture" no longer works. For some reason, the blog does not exist anymore. I just want to say that I did really enjoy it and I wish Tommy, the administrator of the site, all the best!

Thank you Tommy, for the great information and fabulous interviews. Most of the photographers that I follow on the side bar, came from reading your blog. Again, thank you and I pray you and your family are doing well! Maybe in the future we will be reading your blog again and you can bet I will post it here if you ever do decide to blog again! Best Wishes!
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I just wanted to say thank you to the photography website "Pieces of the Picture" for allowing me to be linked to their site. This is a wonderful site that I found for photographers that offers some awesome tips and information. My absolute favorite part about it is the Friday interviews with some extremely talented photographers. Having recently started my own business and being self-taught so far, I love reading about other photographers and how they run their business. I thrive on looking at their images and getting inspiration from what they do and how they do it. I am still trying to define my style and with so many fabulous photographers out there, I am discovering so many differently ways an image can be composed, shot, processed, and presented. I don't want to copy their style just draw inspiration from them as I develop my own. I think it will be awhile before I finally decide what my style is because I love so many different styles! My current favorite is photos with lots of deep, vibrant color and great texture! On my sidebar I have listed some of my favorites (including a link to Piece of the Picture) but remember this is just some. Over the last few days, I have found a boat load of awesome photographers out there that I had no idea existed. I have so much to learn but I hope someday to be half as talented as many of these wonderful photographers. So if you are a photographer or want to be one, I encourage you to check out the link above and just see what the world of photography has to offer. You will be amazed at how incredibly talented some of these photographers are and if you are a client please know I am striving to be that great someday. I know I have a long way to go but thank you for letting me photograph you and your family. I love playing with your pictures long after your shoot. So as I am still building my portfolio, as well as style, please tell your friends about me and let me play some more! I have so many ideas, I just need the clients to use them on! I am currently wanting to start adding Seniors to the mix, so if you know of any High School Juniors who will be graduating next year, please pass on my name. I am looking for several senior representative from all surrounding high schools to enlist to help get my name out there. Don't worry they will get many rewards for their help but so will you if you pass them on to me! Until next time, go check out some great photography!

Here is a picture that was one of the first I ever took with my digital camera. It was the first picture I ever took and thought "Why don't I blow that up and hang it on the wall!" So I guess you could say this is the picture that started it all! I also posted the same picture how I would do it now. Leave me a comment and tell me which one you like better. Do you like the plain one #1 or the one with the texture #2? I am just curious. Some people like the texture and some do not (my daughter for one). As you can see lately, I am really into the texture but I need to know what you think. I will not be offended either way, just curious!

Photo #1


Photo #2

Love is in the Air!

Wow! If anyone drove by Shawnee Park this evening around 5:00, you may have noticed the temperature was a little warmer. Why? I had two people who are very much in love having a photo shoot and let me tell you things got a little heated! I don't usually post two in one day, but I know they are a little anxious for a sneak peek so here you go...
Happy Valentine's Day!

New Location Scavenger Hunt

I had the kids out looking for a new shoot location again and here is what we came up with. I have to go get an antique looking suitcase to take to this location. I think my son holding a suitcase about to jump aboard the train would be so cute. I guess this weekend I am going antiquing...

Happy Valentine's Day Daddy!

This was a fun shoot! It was going to be in the 50s on Saturday so why not schedule a photo shoot, right? Well, unfortunately there was still ice everywhere! I had a shoot scheduled with a family who wanted to surprise daddy with some pictures for Valentine's Day. We got to the park and had to walk over a long, long, long, did I say long, sheet of ice to get to the pavilion where we planned to meet. This is a surprise for daddy, remember, so mommy is bringing her 2 1/2 year old and 17 month old alone to the shoot. Well, what do you get when you have lots of wet, sloppy ice, two little ones, and a stranger that they don't know yet trying to help mommy? A few tears, wet cold pants, and one super mommy ~ that is what you get! The baby is crying, the little girl falls down landing in ice cold water, and mommy handles it all with a smile. I have to say that the little girl was a HUGE trooper! Her pants were soaked with ice water and I kept following her around putting a camera in her face and she still managed to smile and be adorable for the camera.

Because of the snow on every path, we ended up being stuck in the pavilion for all of the pictures but we were able to get a few really cute ones. I hope daddy likes them and realizes how much his family went through to get these for him. Daddy, by the way, gets his turn later in the week. Hopefully the ice will be gone when we do a "Couple's Shoot" for him and mommy in a few days.

I know mommy is probably anxious to see if we got anything out of the day, so here are a few sneak peeks just for her. Mom, I think you will be pleasantly surprised by what we were able to get!

On a Search for the Perfect Location

I need your help! I am putting together a list of cool, fun, beautiful, different, adventurous, urban, rustic locations for my clients. When someone calls me, I want to be able to give them several choices for a great location depending on the look they want. I will take suggestions for indoor or outdoor locations anywhere around the Dayton area. A few of my favorites are...

Shawnee Park
A fun little park in Beavercreek (behind National City)
A cute little park in Bellbrook
Dayton Art Institute
Cox Arboretum
Indian Mound Park on Rt.42
John Bryan State Park
The Market Downtown Dayton
The Greene
Help I need more ...

If you know of another or several, please leave me a comment. Your ideas can be parks, fields, streams, old dilapidated houses, alley ways, playgrounds, flower gardens, cool church steps, brick buildings, barns, cute town streets, anything. Use your imagination! Some places I may need to get permission to be there, so let me know your idea and I will check into that. I am gearing up for the Spring and I want to have many locations at my disposal. I will post all your ideas here and then when someone is looking for a locations, they can come here to see some cool places around Dayton.

My #1 goal is to find an urban location. If you know of a cool, urban location with allies, loading docks, old fire escapes and even a colorful dumpster, I will be forever grateful!


Remember, leave me a comment! Here are two of my favorite pictures at two of the above locations.

Winter Wonderland

I have decided since I keep adding pictures of my kids, that it is okay to have personal photos on here too. I was just using this for my photography business but since my personal life is a big part of who I am, why not put in favorite personal pictures too! If you are tired of my kids, you should be ashamed of yourself! They are so cute! Just kidding. Business is a little slow right now with all the cold weather, so I will fill my blog with some people who matter the most to me!

We have had so much snow lately, I had to put in some snow pictures. I also have been playing with textures and overlays. Some people may wonder why I want my pictures to look dirty ... Well, I really don't know. I think it just looks cool! I am really into the grunge/urban look right now! I have told you already, that I am so anxious to take some urban shoots and as soon as it is warm, I promise I will take some. My daughter is appalled that I want to take her picture in front of a dumpster and graffiti, but that is exactly what I want to do!! So whether or not you are into the grunge/urban look or not, I hope you enjoy the new photos. I have a couple shoots coming up, so maybe soon I will have more to post than my own kids!! But aren't they so cute....