Cameron and Kalie ~ Bridals

What a fun couple!!! Thank you Cam and Kalie for dealing with the HEAT!!! We will do anything to get a good shot, deal with many bugs by the water, a water snake charging the bride, me sitting on my 6'6'' husband's shoulders over the water (where the snake just was) to get a better angle. We had a great time. Can't wait for your wedding you guys! The count down is on!

Here is my favorite from the shoot! Gorgeous couple!

Baby Noah

This is a sweet 1 week old baby boy. He is the strongest little baby I've ever met; especially for only being a week old.  It took a little work to get him to go to sleep, but he was a very content baby regardless.

His big sister has quite the big blue eyes!  Gorgeous right?!  She was in awe of her new baby brother and wanted to show us his nose, belly button, and would keep trying to calm him down when he got fussy.  She is adorable!

I can't get enough of these last two of her.

Jesse & Brittney

This was a fun shoot!  Brittney and Jesse were so easy going, up for anything,  not to mention a very good looking couple!  They came in matching jeans (pockets matched) and I am now trying to convince my husband we need matching jeans and it's not going over so well.  I had a very hard time picking out a few favorites... I think I went a little overboard.  Can't wait to shoot your wedding!  

(ok, so can you tell I can't decide what logo type stamp to use on my photos?  I've done 3 different ones in the past couple months.  It's a dilemma... I'm very indecisive.)

Sneak Peek for the Hawkins

This is the wonderful family that won the Ellery McBride Raffle shoot!  Thank you so much Hawkins for your help for this sweet baby girl! ...and we got a fun shoot out of it too!  

I wasn't quite sure how it was going to go with 4 kids, 3 yrs old and younger.  Surprisingly, it was pretty easy (for me, maybe not the treat giving, dancing, smiling happy moms that helped).  These kids were very mild, quiet, and are so super cute!  I love the location they picked too.

Such a handsome little man surrounded by all girls!

ENJOY YOUR SNEAK PEEK!

PROMO ENDING:

To find current promotions that I have, go to the website under pricing and info, and click on promos.  

The 50% off a CD promo ENDS July 1st!!!  It has been going for more than 6 months and I think it's time to switch it up a bit.  Here's the catch: if you read at the bottom of the promos, it says if you have your shoot scheduled, then you can take advantage of all current promotions.  

So if you know you want Christmas pictures done, or if you are having a baby later this year, make sure and get those on the books BEFORE July 1st to take advantage of the promo.   

Also, if you are a facebook fan or Twitter follower, you have already known about this since June 1st!  Click on the buttons on the side bar so next time there is a contest or a promo, you will get to know about it before everyone else!  

Photography and pricing Information - Great Read

 This is a very enlightening post about photography that is well worth a read if you have a minute.  I do get this question often so please take some time.  I did get this off of the professional child photographer blog, and I think they worded it perfectly.

Why Does Custom Photography Cost More?

February 27th, 2008 by admin
Professional child photographer


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 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.

Ellery McBride Fundraiser

Get out your cash everyone! Tomorrow is a fundraiser for sweet baby Ellery. If you haven't heard her story, please go to her mom's blog and read all about her. We are having a fundraiser to help her parent's with her medical bills and to help her get a helmet for her head!

The fundraiser will be at Habit Salon on the North West corner of Val Vista and Southern. Get your haircut, eyebrows waxed, a massage, and many other things with all the money going to the Ellery McBride Fundraiser.

There will also be a raffle that will be going on and Ashley Madsen Photography will be involved! Go get a certificate for a shoot and 8x10 with all money going to Ellery McBride.

Read more about the Fundraiser here

Read more about Ellery's family here!

Cash is the only thing taken for the raffle and all the goodies you can get! BRING YOUR CASH! Fundraiser goes from 9-5, and haircuts are first come first serve! Come early and get your name on a list!!!