Friday, April 30, 2010

Freebie Friday - Kid Session!

ATTN: Mommies and Daddies...It's Freebie Friday! The first parent to comment on my blog wins a Child Portrait Session from Marcia The Art of Photography.

Winner, you have 5 days to connect with me, after that your prize is null and void. Make sure you leave your full name, email address and daytime phone number in your comment. I promise I won't publish your contact info on the blog. If you don't leave your contact info you cannot win so make sure I can reach you!





Here's the fine print:
Up to 3 children!!!
Child session location is Scottsdale, AZ only.
Child Session must be completed by April 9, 2010

What you get:
Pre-Session Consultation
Child Session
Viewing Session to select your images
Personal Website for one month
3 Artist Choice watermarked images to use on Social Media to share with your family and friends.
1 5x7 of your choice.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Green Wedding Friday - A Discussion Between Photographers


A few weeks ago I found this remark on my Facebook profile: "What does one do to become "Eco Friendly"? Is there a test or something?" It was from a local photographer and I referred him to the website GreenerPhotography.org to get started. While it's important to work toward lowering our carbon footprints, I believe it's vital to discuss where this is going and why it's important.

My friend Angela Simpson owner of Angelina Rose Photography and I have lately been discussing these issues and I wanted to share our discussion with you.

Is Green Photography a trend or a movement?


Marcia: It is definitely a movement, as an industry more of us are seeking to waste less, recycle more. in the past year I have seen more choices in the use of soy inks, recycled materials for albums and innovative packaging that can be re-used by the consumer after the photos have been delivered.

Look at what we've seen in the general community in just the past few months in terms of going solar, recycling, etc. As the people around us look for ways to conserve, recycle and re-use, it is only natural that they will want to extend their efforts to seeking businesses that support their beliefs about protecting the environment.

Angela: As we become more aware of the environmental impact our actions make upon earth and its inhabitants, I believe it’s vital to start making changes and offset our carbon footprint any way possible. It is a fact that weddings are among the events that make a huge impact on carbon emissions and waste issues. If we think about it, everything that goes into creating the atmosphere of a wedding; details such as materials, party favors, catering options, flower arrangements, transportation, etc. leave behind tons of wasted product and food. A good percentage ends up in the garbage.

With the step towards an eco-friendly wedding, we are able to offset some of that carbon waste by using natural and recycled product to reduce our footprint. More and more brides are getting creative and personalizing their weddings. I think making their wedding a green wedding provides an alternative option and narrower focus on what’s important to them and cutting out all of the unnecessary things like paper aisle runners and cheesy traditional cake toppers.

It was only a matter of time before the eco-conscious people starting thinking about their carbon offset for weddings as well as their daily activities. I think green weddings are a movement.

Having a Green Wedding is more expensive than a traditional wedding, True or False?

Marcia: I believe you can actually save money by having a Green Wedding. Think about the tenets of this, "reduce, re-use, recycle" and you can quickly see the savings. The average cost of a wedding gown is $1505 for a garment that is used once. Purchasing a pre-worn gown can save as much as 70% and borrowing a gown from a friend might be only the cost of shipping. Some photographers offer direct downloads as a part of their package or an adjunct, saving the families money on reprint costs. Every part of the wedding has the opportunity to find savings either by re-using, consolidating or re-purposing.

Angela: If people continue practicing green alternatives, I feel that having a green wedding will become very cost efficient. I think we’ve already seen that the more thought one puts in to their wedding day, the more personalized things become and having a wedding outside, for instance, whether in your backyard or at a park, already saves on electricity and venue fees.


Do you believe that Green Photography stays in the studio?


Marcia: No. At least for me it has been a lifestyle. Along with selling digitally and offering eco-friendly products and re-useable packaging, we compost, recycle as much as we can, consolidate trips in the car and I work in natural light as much as possible. Future plans include going solar and making the home/workspace more energy efficient. Is there room for improvement? Well, yeah, I'm still REALLY bad about soft drinks in individual plastic bottles, but at least they are recycled ;)

Angela: Over the past 3 years I have steadily transitioned my business standards to match my personal eco-conscious lifestyle. So, no, I do not feel that Green Photography stays in the studio. Everything I do on a daily basis reflects just as much in the to-do's for my business .
I work by day so there's no dependency on artificial lighting, my light bulbs are CFL's and I am currently finishing the switch to all energy efficient track lighting.
I route out my car trips and plan stops here and there as needed. Since I live outside of downtown Phoenix, a trip to the post office then leads to a meeting with a client that leads to a stop at the grocery store on my way home.

I refuse, recycle, and reuse a whole lot and have reduced the amount of CD's and DvD's that I use down to an absolute minimum. Yes, I recycle CDs as well. =)


How do you see Green Photography benefiting the public?


Marcia: Green Photography offers a way to create high quality family heirlooms in a lower impact method to the environment. Families can now have their personal history books created with post consumer product, soy inks, made by companies that work as hard to utilize eco-friendly production methods as to create beautiful products. Every step we take as individuals helps the whole.

Angela: With the use of digital imagery, information is passed through the internet at warp speed. With Green Photography, we get immediate results and reactions to the importance of a message. It's there to be shared with the entire world.

If we had waited around for the recorded images to come back from Haiti and processed a week after the massive earthquake, relief would not have made it there in time.

We started with Green photography when the first digital camera came about.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Wedding 101: Destination Engagement!


Remember when he asked you? Remember where you were? Don't you wish a photographer had secretly been there? Or, how about this...your best memories are together at that vacation destination, or the cabin you spend summer weekends at. Well, how about making new memories at that special place and creating captivating engagement photos at the same time?

Destination Engagement sessions are gaining fast popularity as couples want to capture that place that is as special as their love and many photographers are happy to accompany you to your favorite place for an expanded engagement session that includes their favorite locations. Transporting your wedding photographer to your special place is often a great way to create a collection of images for display at your wedding that will have the WOW factor you are looking for.

Imagine walking down the Vegas strip with the lights of Tinseltown as a sparkling backdrop or sitting amongst the trees along Oak Creek in Sedona. Maybe he (or you) popped the question on a sidewalk cafe in Santa Barbara or over coffee in Tucson. The place that became special because of an event is the perfect place to make your engagement pictures amazing.

Or, maybe you both are passionate about an activity you share, road tripping on your motorcycles or hiking the Grand Canyon. Again, taking your photographer with you for a little photosafari can make your engagement photos one of a kind.

Talk with your photographer about the possibilities for this unique experience. Considerations may be weather, travel rates, permit fees for using certain locations and of course how to dress and any props or accessories to bring. Also, talk about the kind of products that will work for you. If your photographer knows that your ultimate goal is a coffee table book, then her approach might be different than if the goal is three 24x30 vertical prints that are going over your couch. Make sure that you do this session far enough ahead of the wedding to be able to have the products you desire in time to show off at your wedding. Production times vary, but some items such as custom albums can take several weeks, so keep this in mind as your booking this session.




Your investment in this session may be part of your wedding package, an upgrade, or a la carte. Usually it will be based on expenses that the photographer will incur for travel, perhaps additional time as it may be an expanded session (half day, full day) and special products like a coffee table book or print collection.

Breaking out of the box to do your engagement session away from home will give you images that not only show your love, but show it in great travel style.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Meet Me Tonight At The Boojum Tree Open House


Yup, I'll be there, will you?

I love shooting here. It seems like every time I'm here there is something different to see and photograph, the staff is really nice and they make my job really easy. I get the best couples at this site. This is a gorgeous event venue in North Phoenix, a rainforest in the heart of the desert.

Come by from 6pm to 8pm for guided tours and then hang out with me and the other vendors. Maybe there'll be cake. Check it out, you'll love it. And if you do love it, book it, dates sell out fast here.

Friday, April 09, 2010

INTRODUCING::Bellies and Babes




I'm so excited to announce a new line, Bellies and Babes, maternity to 1st year photography - creatively capturing the moments when a couple becomes a family and baby adds just one more ;-D Until May 15, take advantage of special introductory rates for single sessions as well as Baby's First Year Plans.