Family Portrait Session- Sneak Peek!

Great Great Family Session today!! The family is return clients of mine, and they were actually the first paying client I had when I started my business, and they’re still with me.. I think that’s a good sign. It’s amazing to me how much kids change in a year! I always enjoy photographing these cuties, and today was NO different, they had me laughing and acting like a idiot to get them laughing as well! Enjoy!

Galleries, Galleries, Every where I see Galleries!! What a Year!

This year has been my first official year in business as a professional photographer, I made the leap and it was a little scary! But things are turning out great, and the response from clients and fans has been amazing!! Thank you SO MUCH!! With every business the first year it ups and downs, and definitely you learn as you go. There are a few things I’ll be doing differently, but I learned from my “mistakes” and it will make me a better photographer and business owner in the future. My goals for next year are to have a actual processing process for all my pictures, and to have a process for my clients- from bookings to prints in thier hands..  

A few things I learned the hard way:

1. Back up your pictures in more than 1 location.. computers are NOT always reliable.. I learned this after 2 of my computers crashed.. Trust me, your pictures are safe now! I back up in 3 additional areas!

2.  Portrait Galleries will only be on the website for 14 days for viewing and ordering, then they come down. I never get rid of any pictures I just need to keep my site clean and easy to navigate. If you would like to order and need to view them after this contact me please.

3. Wedding Galleries will be on the website for 30 days. As mentioned above, I still have your pictures, just doing some behind the scenes cleaning. IF you would like to make an order after the 30 days please contact me!

4. Marketing, Marketing, Marketing. I’ve learned a lot in this area and still have a lot to learn. But, one thing I would like to say is. No matter where you go you’re representing your business. Be nice, be polite. PLEASE! I like to think I”m a genuinely nice and polite person (Way to go Mom & Dad!!), but it amazes me how many times I have to bite my tongue when talking with other bussiness owners. Remember you’re not just representing yourself, but your business too.

5. Photography Skills. Lighting, Posing, Props, Locations! I’ve learned so much, and can’t wait to learn even more! I”m always looking for locations, props, sweet techniques, and I”m always willing to try to learn new things!

6. There’s so much more, to much to write.. But I can’t wait for this next year, to see what’s in store for me as a woman, a business owner, a photographer, a mommy, a sister, a daughter, and a wife.

Thank you Lord for your blessings this year, and for all you’ve shown me about who I am and who I can be!

I just had to share a few more…

So recently I posted about a wedding I shot, where the Bride & Groom left the Church in a 1920′s limosine.. at that time I’d just started to process pictures and hadn’t gotten to the pictures with the car yet.. so I have to share!! I love them! Plus, some great ones from what I have done of the dance so far!

So here are a few more favorite from Alicia & Michael’s wedding:

Breanna Senior Session Sneak Peek

Tis the Season for Seniors and I love it!! I love when I’m photographing Seniors and they totally go for the shot! I love how they all want a unique portrait and are willing to try new ideas! Breanna was no exception- Breanna is a Senior at Cotter in Winona MN. She plans on going to college to be a Geologist. How sweet is that?! She was extremely nervous about taking pictures and told me many times how she takes horrible pictures. I assured her I’ve heard that many times before, and that we would get some awesome shots. I put on some music, she played with my kitten to calm her nerves, and off we went.. it started off a little slow, then Wham! We got into a synch, and the shots are AWESOME! I hope Breanna and her Mom love them as much as I do. Here’s a few of my favorites so far:

Busy Busy, and LOVING IT!

I’ve been so busy lately, and I’m not complaining. In this economy, and with everyone owning a camera (or so it feels like to me), I count myself so lucky to have the Awesome clients that I do!

I’ve got Seniors on the Calendar, Babies, Families, and Weddings, and I”m booking weddings for next year too. It’s an amazing feeling to have that acknowledgement in my “art” or photography skills.

This past week, I did a session for the first time with Seamless Paper Backdrops, and I”m sold, and maybe a little addicted too.. It’s awesome how much more control I have over the backdrops and how little post processing I have to do (No Wrinkles, Like my muslin).  I shared pictures from that session, but I will share a few others as well at the end of this post. Yesterday I shot a wedding, and it was a great day. I’m totally wiped today, but got great pictures. As a photographer I get so excited about all the little details at weddings, it’s what makes each wedding special and unique. I’m processing today and will have a sneak peek coming tomorrow.. But right now I”m watching the MN Vikings with my family, and craving Papa John’s pizza.. the nearest Papa John’s is 45 min away. Not fair!

As promised, here’s more shots on my seamless backdrops: