Baseball Highlights...How we roll...

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Moving Forward...

So we are easing back into the school routine~ wondering how to get everything done each day that needs to be...a pretty common problem these days I think! The boys both love their teachers and their class, we are so blessed to be able to send them to such a wonderful school! In E's class each day they are given a subject or a sentance and have to write a journal entry about it~ I can already tell I am going to be inspired just by looking at the topics! I have a thing for quotes that are meaningful, or that tell a story so one from this week was: "You have a brain in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose." I just love that! You can apply it to so many things whether it is work, love, right or wrong~ very profound I thought for a 5th grade journal entry! Ok, just one more: "Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently." Fabulous!

So E's baseball team are 11u now and the tournaments are cranking up! We have had game withdrawal since Cooperstown so we are all chomping at the bit to get back to it! They will be in Lake City this weekend, should be fun! They are all growing up so much and keep getting better and better, we are constantly amazed! Just wait till they all grow into those feet and legs, wow! E's age is his shoe size~ 10 & men's 10 shoe, a little scary! But wish us luck they are going to be fierce! Go Canes!

And now a word about football...wow! G played last year for the first time and loved it~ so he is back at it at school, 8th grader now. He is bigger and stronger, but still not one of the biggens~ so no line thankfully~ those boys have been going up against the varsity in practice, yikes! Can I just say I have never seen such muddy boys in all my life! And what comes with that is the dirty/smelly, blackest laundry you have ever seen. I could pour the water out of his shoes last night, it is just crazy! Our school is building a stadium/field at our home field this year so we can play home games at home~ it is a huge deal for the school and will be very special to everyone, we can't wait! I love that both boys do sports, though it makes our schedule crazy, it is so much fun! We are so proud of them both!

from the heart, Teresa

Summer time fun....does it get any better?

Getting ready for Back to School.....already!

I can't beleive it is already time for back to school...I have to say it makes me sad, we have loved our summer so much!! E has played travel baseball all throughout and we went on the trip of a lifetime to Cooperstown, NY for the big Field of Dreams tournament~ his team did great, we were so proud of them! And then to NYC for a couple of days, it was amazing! And G has been training for football at school through out the summer, and got to go to the YMCA camp for a week which he loved! Let's just say we are going to have a big adjustment to make to start waking up early again, we have all been sleeping in....and loving it!

Today we made the annual trek to the uniform store...which brought the reality of school next week all the closer! There are some wonderful things going on at our school~ they are in the process of building a football/sports stadium so we can have our Football games at home~ the kids are so excited! Then off to the mall after baseball to shoe shop for G, that would be for a men's size 12 please...for my 13 yr old...E is a size 10 at 10 yrs old...I think we may be in trouble if their shoe size keeps increasing with how old they are...neither one will play basketball either...maybe one day!

I tell you what I do love about back to school, it may be crazy, but the school supplies...I absolutely love to go buy school supplies, I love everything about it, even the list we get to mark off...weird I know!

So we will continue to try to squeeze every ounce of fun out of our last days of summer~ and of course finding time to work as well, thank goodness I'm a night owl...we have friends coming over tomorrow & I think I am going to try to take all the boys to the Jaguars training camp in the morning, have never been but think they would love it! We had a big group at the Sun's game Sunday night and they had a blast!

Enjoy the rest of your summer~ treasure every minute!

From the Heart...Teresa

Why does Custom Photography cost more?

One of the things I would like to do with this blog is to share my thoughts and a peek behind the scenes of why things are certain ways, pricing, policies etc. Sometimes questions come up, spoken or unspoken and I think it is really important to educate clients about why what we do as custom photographers is so valuable… I came across an article written about just such a question from a great website dedicated to exactly that…article below.

We must, as artists, be able to give our clients insight in order to help them make informed decisions and for them to feel good about what they are investing in for their family now and in the future.

I am so blessed to be able to put my whole heart into the Art that I create for people~ in my eyes what we do is valuable beyond compare. To all my wonderful clients…thank you for “getting it”~ there is nothing better than the thank you cards I receive after my clients have their portrait orders…they make all the hard work worth it and I am so thankful to have been a part of their lives.

I have dedicated part of my website to these wonderful clients~ click on the tab that is labeled: Heartfelt to see what I mean! You guys ROCK!!

When I started my business I was so very fortunate to have a mentor that sat me down and told me that not everyone would be my client, and that was ok, sometimes that is as important a lesson as any~ because generally we all want to please people~ but some people will understand what you do, others won’t and that’s ok, those clients will find what they want elsewhere. I have built my business to be experience based meaning that I want each client to have their absolute best experience ever, and to know how special they are! From beginning to end we strive to be different and go the “extra mile”! From always having fresh flowers, candles, music, even some fresh baked goodies~ to customer service above reproach~ professionalism and service oriented~ my clients know there is nothing I wouldn’t do for them! It is this relationship we build as we plan and work together that bonds us and brings our hearts together as we create Art they will cherish of those in their lives that they love the most!

So just in case you ever wondered about cost, the article below has some good insights…

From the Heart, Teresa

“Why Does Custom Photography Cost More?”

“ The digital revolution has brought amazing flexibility and ability to control various factors during the image taking and making process. Photographers, the hobbyist, the professional, the amateur all benefit from this ability to manipulate pixels. However, with flexibility comes a price. Digital camera equipment is still considerably more expensive when you factor in its’ lifespan, the need for additional resources for processing those images, the time it takes to get a usable image and the effort that goes into creating a work of photographic art.

We all know that you can go to the local Walgreen’s and pay a $1.99 for a print - as a client you may wonder why you may pay upwards of $50, $70, $90 for a custom photography print. Photographers hear this statement every once in awhile:

“How in the world can you charge $60 for an 8×10 if it costs me less than $2 to print at x store?”

The truth of the matter is the answer to this question is multifaceted. Much of the cost of a photographic print produced by a professional photographer has a lot to do with the time, equipment costs, artistic vision and reputation of the photographer not to mention expertise and the usual costs of running a legitimate business.

The COST of TIME

Approaching it from a time standpoint, let’s imagine that you have hired a photographer who has work that you love. This photographer is traveling an hour to your destination to photograph your session. Here is an example of a time break down:

• session prep time (30 mins - 1 hour, includes equipment and back up equipment checks + vehicle checks)
• one hour travel time TO session
• 15-30 minutes prep time at client’s home
• 90 minutes-2 hours with client photographing subject
• one hour travel time FROM session
• 30-45 minutes uploading time from digital cards from camera to computer
• 30-45 minutes time spent backing up the original images
• 2-5 hours editing time to present you with a diverse gallery of edited images
• 1 hour prep time getting ready for ordering
• 2-3 hours time with client for ordering images
• 1 hour sorting through and checking order
• 30 minutes-1 hour prep time for delivery
• 30 minutes-1 hour getting order shipped
• any additional phone time or time needed for add on ordering, shipment issues, quality issues

In this example, the time spent per client can range from just under 13 hours to 19 hours - dependent on the photographer’s level of service. This is time dedicated only to ONE session. When the photographer charges $150-$300 for the photo shoot (aka SESSION FEE) you are not just paying for the two hours of session time, you are paying the photographer for 12-19 hours (or more!) complete time for your session.

The COSTS of Maintaining a Custom Photography Business:

Regarding equipment costs, a good quality professional camera with a selection of good optical quality lenses and digital storage mediums and computer set up can run from $10,000-$30,000 costs dependent on the photographer. Even though you can purchase a really good quality digital SLR for about $2100 there are still other costs related to photography. A good lens for portrait photography can run from $900 to $2500. A dependable computer system with software loaded for business and creative usage can run $2500 to $8000 dependent on the photographer.

Then come lab costs for specialty products. A good photographer knows the lab is integral to their success. Photography labs dedicated to the professional photographer often cost more and offer a range of products that allows the custom photographer to continually offer new, innovative products for you, the discerning client.

Discussion other costs of running a photography business could take awhile so we’ll skip many of the intricate details. There is of course much more: including costs of running the business, taxes, studio rental/mortgage if the photographer has ownership of a dedicated studio, vehicular costs, costs of advertising/marketing, costs of sample pieces that the photographer will likely bring to your session, etc.

APPLES to ORANGES to BANANAS:

Often times clients will mention to their photographer that X studio in the mall/department store only charges $19.99 for an 8×10 “sheet” or they may mention other things related to discount photography chains. The fact is those discount chains make their money on volume, not on customized 1:1 service. In February 2007 leased photography retail space by a rather well known discount department store that started in Arkansas closed down 500 of their portrait studios across the nation? The reason is simple, you cannot make money on 99¢ “professional” prints if you do not sell enough of them. Interestingly enough - those same studios that offer the loss leader packages often charge much much more for their a la carte pricing (as high as $40-50 for an 8×10). The whole reason the big department stores began offering portrait services in the first place was to get you, the savvy consumer, in through their door so that you could spend more money with them in other departments. Your “PORTRAITS” are considered the “loss leader”.

Going to a chain studio, as a consumer, you don’t have the benefit of 1:1 attention for 2 hours at your home where your child is allowed to explore, play and be comfortable in their home environment, nor do you get the experience that many custom photographers are known for or the lovely captures of natural expressions. You simply get a bare bones, “SAY CHEESE” experience. Keep this in mind when selecting a photographer.

REPUTATION/EXPERTISE of the PHOTOGRAPHER:

Being in demand, being well known for quality work, having a good reputation often costs time on the photographer’s part. Their expertise comes at a cost, their time learning their craft and learning the intricacies of lighting and the commitment put forth on their end to create a persona about their business that oozes professionalism. A great number of photographers go a very long time from the time that they purchase their first good camera to making money at the business of photography. Many photographers, when first starting out, rush in thinking that the business will be easily profitable in no time, how expensive could it be to get a camera and use it to create their dream? They often neglect to factor in the cost of business, the cost of equipment, software, back ups, etc..

Being of sound reputation, a better professional photographer knows that they must always reinvest in their business to create the reputation of being top notch. To create good work good equipment, reliable equipment, back up equipment is a necessity. The photographer who desires to be known as better/best/unparalelled reputation-wise knows that the most important thing they can do for their business is reliability and dependability. This is how reputations get built. Good work often is a wonderful side product of building that good reputation.

I hope this (lengthy) article helps shed some light on WHY a custom photographer is a better choice for your family’s memories. The photographs that are produced as a result of the professionalism and dedication that your photographer has will be cherished for a lifetime (or more) and great thought and consideration should be placed into hiring who is right for your family’s most precious investment.”

This article was written by Marianne Drenthe, reproduced with permission from the website it was featured on: http://www.professionalchildphotographer.com

Thoughts about Investment...from my website...Experience Button

INVESTMENT OPTIONS...

Dinner & a movie for the family... $100
Newest electronic gadget... $250
Tennis shoes for 4... $300
Big Screen TV... $1,000
New couches... $1,500
Stock market... $ yikes!

Portraits of those you love the most... PRICELESS!

There is one investment that is a sure winner in these unsure economic times~something that will only go up in value as the years go by! Something you will treasure always...

Invest in what you value most~ your family!
Priceless personal art~ live with it and enjoy it everyday, it will enrich your life!
A very smart investment in something that will last forever & become an heirloom to be passed down to generations!

It all comes down to priorities...what you value & decide to invest in.
Preserve your family history~ you will be so glad you did!

Complete Portrait Pricing available upon request...

Sessions start at $ 225 and includes a Design Consultation Appointment, an hour or more for the actual Session, and an Ordering Appointment a week or two after ~ along with the time & talent of the photographer.

Gift prints start at 40. and Canvas Wall Art starts in the 700's. There are no minumum order requirements~ you purchase whatever your heart desires after you have viewed your images. We take all major credit cards.

The only complaint I ever hear is too many good ones to choose from...I'll take that any day~ sure beats the alternative! You will never regret investing money in your family...you will be so glad you did!

I love what I do & I love my clients~ I am truly blessed to get to share in their lives! Thank you for taking the time to see what I do~ hope to work with you soon!

from the heart, Teresa