Happy 2013!!! | Charlotte NC Wedding Photographer

I’ve been saying that changes were coming for 2013, and boy are they! Let me go ahead and list them all:

1) I’ve been trying to find the *perfect* look for what I want, and I think I’m finally content here haha! Check out the new background- love? Oh, love. It’s all about finding your brand!

2) I am teaming up with The World Race!! You are probably like, “The wha?”
The World Race is an organization that my cousin is currently participating in. When she was trying to raise money, I was thinking of creative ways to help get her the funding she needed. Each person has to raise over $15,500 on their own to cover the costs of everything for about a year of travel. These people will go to a third world country every month to do missionary work, and it is so NOT a life of luxury. I have the most respect for everyone that does this because these guys go through so much, yet they do everything they can to help others. I’m talking about bathing from a bucket of water, using the restroom equivalent to an outhouse (except not as nice), sleeping on the ground, and seeing/helping out some of those that need it most in the world. They can’t do it without the support of friends and family, so I’m going to be donating a portion of ALL wedding packages to help out the people that are in need of funding. I will also be portraying one racer per month and their story so that you all have the option to donate anything you’d like directly to them!

3) I will now be offering THREE different wedding packages to better fit your needs! Each of these are completely customizable and provide my clients with an unforgettable experience 🙂 On top of that, I will include a FREE engagement session with each package now!

 4) Referral Gifts!! You know I just LOVE referrals for my weddings! Love love love love love. LOVE. In the past, I would thank those that referred a wedding my way by gifting them a free mini session… but after thinking about it, I want to increase that thanks by giving away both a mini session AND an 11×14 metallic print wrap! That’s a $175 value! The more weddings you refer, the better this gets. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your help with getting my name out there and allowing me to do what I love most.

5) Mini sessions! Serious part here… These are changing. I will only offer them the same way I have in the past ONCE this year, but they are changing for Christmas. They say you live and learn, right? The first Christmas I offered these, I was just starting out and had several families do them. I was not crazy super overloaded though…. but this year I was. That sounds great, right? Well, let me explain. I began advertising these in October because I wanted to make sure I got everything taken care of for those that wanted these for Christmas. A few weeks before Christmas, I began getting TONS of sessions in. Don’t get me wrong- I LOVE every family, but when I also have a part time job where I’m working at least 4 full days a week on top of trying to juggle everything else in life, I get worn OUT. I have always said a 2-4 week turnaround, which is pretty darn good for many photographers, but I had so many emails asking where their photos were just days after their session. I get this a lot, and I understand that people are anxious, but I am only human here, and I do have a life I need to take care of too. Professional work and editing takes SO. MUCH. TIME. I do not outsource- I look through every single image and edit them. I was staying up until 3-4am almost every day trying my best to get these out, and it made me realize the lack of care I was able to put into these sessions from all the pressure people were placing on me. The part that takes place AFTER a session is the hardest, and that’s what people don’t see. My breaking point came when I had one of my best friends that I had not seen in quite a while flying in for dinner for just that night, but before he arrived I received two emails from clients that not-so-kindly demanded their images. Instead of thoroughly enjoying our small bit of time together, I couldn’t help but think, “I need to get these sessions done.” I need balance here.
I want to treat every client as if they were my only one, but that isn’t possible when I have ten sessions needing to be edited completely within a week just to get them out to people before Christmas Day. I don’t want to treat people nor my sessions that way- a rushed factory style of pumping out DVDs is not my thing, and it has to end. I need balance between work and personal life, and I truly have not had that this holiday season. That being said, mini sessions will start in October, but will end the last day of November. If you want a mini session after that, you can do that, but there is no guarantee they will be ready before Christmas. I hope you all understand why this change is taking place.

6) Pricing changes! I haven’t exactly increased just yet- I simply combined all packages with their DVDs. I have not had a session where a DVD was not bought, so this is just taking it one step ahead and doing the math for you!

7) Workshops! Wait, what?! No, I’m not yet ready to host my own photography workshop, but instead I’m working on an inspirational type… stay tuned for more on this! I am thoroughly excited here.

I also have new interns coming in 2013, and I’m excited to see where this year takes me! I have made some incredible friends throughout this journey of 2012, and it means the world to me to be supported by so many. Thank you!

Meanwhile in Charlotte, I got a shipment of easels today. It was the first delivery guy Molly got to meet, and I think she will forever recognize the sound of this truck. I can’t say she’s scared though because look! Mr. UPS man brought her TOYS. SO. MUCH. PAPER. It is pretty hard to photograph a moving dog when you have nothing but a small lamp lighting the room, but here are some photos of her playing in all the paper and then realizing I was photographing her. Don’t mind the mess of the office- we had a lot of shipments arrive, and I haven’t been around long enough to actually put them all away.

Also, now that I’m caught up with everything, blogs will begin again as usual tomorrow! Happy New Year, everyone 🙂

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