Maternity

I had a chance to do maternity photos for a wonderful young lady.  You may recognize her because I also had the chance to do her senior pictures a few years ago.

She had a senior picture taken at this same tree.

A lot of you may know that I usually bring my son with me to my shoots.  He is developing quite the eye, but he also provides the comic relief.  He has made so many of my clients become more relaxed by him being there.  Sometimes, there are some hilarious out takes.  This is one of them.

To book your maternity session call 614.859.0831!

Beautiful Baby!

I love birth photography, but I love newborn photography more!  I aim to get natural shots.  Unfortunately, I didn't get of Clara with her mommy because that is me.  I didn't feel like setting up the tripod with a 3 year old running around.  Hope you enjoy the photos!  

I adore the rolls in this photo!  

And the rolls in this one!  

If you need newborn photos it is best to have the photos within the first two weeks of their life.  I would suggest calling to set a tentative booking early.  Then nail down a date once your bundle of joy  arrives.

Right now bookings in February 2015 are 20% off!  Be sure to Like my Facebook Page to stay current on specials that I am running!

Call 614-859-0831 to book sessions!

Holiday Photos A Bit Delayed

I know that it has been a long time since I have done any posts.  Most of you know that I was quite sick during my pregnancy with my daughter.  She was born a month early on December 17, 2014 (pictures in another post).  Due to the fact that we weren't sure how her arrival was going to play out we had an unusual Christmas.  We did bare minimum.

Now that she is here I am finally getting around to editing months worth of photos that I have been taken. Sadly, I have not taken nearly as much of her as I should have.

Here are some from our Christmas decorating.  Most of the decorations didn't go up.  We essentially had a tree, and that was it.  We weren't even sure that was going to happen!  We always do popcorn garland on our tree.  My son (4) always looks forward to helping.  So here are a few.  Enjoy!

I am currently taking bookings for the upcoming months.  I am offering 20% off for the rest of February for any session.  On April 1st our prices will go up a bit, so be sure to get your sessions in before then!
You can call me at 614-859-0831 to book your session today!

You can also like me on Facebook to keep up to date on current specials.

Black Friday Cyber Monday Deal

I have decided to offer 20% off gift certificates to use towards any photographic package.  

Why should you take advantage of this deal?

• Gift Certificates make a fantastic gift for any wife, mother, grad, dad, and grandparent.
• They are valid for a year from date of purchase. 
• Photography package prices are going up in April, but if you have a gift certificate I will still honor the original package price.  

What you need to do:

• Check out my pricing page to determine which package you would like the gift certificate for.  (packages can be combined, or I can create a custom package for your needs)
• Use the contact me section on the right hand side of the page to let me know which package you would like the gift certificate for.  Please leave your paypal email address in the message.
• Let me know if you would like the gift certificate mailed or emailed to you, and who to make it out to. 
• I will send you an invoice to pay via paypal.  You will need to pay for the gift certificates by December 5th to get the discount.

I will ask that you please give me the contact information for the person you are giving the gift certificate to.  That way if it comes close to the expiration date I will have a way to contact the person for scheduling.  

Free Mini Session Giveaway!

Well, I said if we got to 100 likes I would give away a free mini session.  We hit that goal this afternoon!  If you want to win, fill out this form and in a week we will find out who the winner is!

There are 3 different ways to gain entries in the drawing.

Be sure to read the terms and conditions. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday's second session

Family.

Where life begins.

And love never ends.  

Saturday was filled with lots of fun during this session.  It was a cute family of four that loved soccer.  The parents figured their two sons wouldn't cooperate for photos very long, so they brought along a soccer ball to play.  I love witnessing parents playing along with their children.

Mom chasing after the boys to get the ball. 

I think this is my favorite picture from the shoot.  It's just so fun!  

We wanted him to play in the leaves, but he didn't want to.  I just love his scowl!  Children's photography can be challenging because kids don't always do what you want, but then you get gems like this.  These photos will help you remember the kind of child you had when they were little. 

Now that Winter (and a baby) is approaching, things should be slowing things down.  To help keep momentum for my business during these Winter months, I have decided to offer a free 30 minute mini session when my Facebook page reaches 100 "likes".  So if you haven't done so already, pop on over and like my page!  

Also, you will want to keep your eyes open around Thanksgiving.  I plan on offering a special offer around Black Friday/Cyber Monday that you won't want to miss!  

Saturday's Family Session #1

Saturday was a busy day for us.  We had two family sessions scheduled for the morning.  I brought Derek and our son with us because I wasn't feeling good.  Our son came because he had just had surgery, and we didn't want him staying with a sitter.  I really do love tag-teaming with Derek!

Here are some of the photos from the first shoot.

This little man turns two next month, so I was able to take birthday photos for him.  

I love his facial expression here.  

He kept saying "abra cadabra!"  His parents don't know where he learned it.  

I think this photo is so fun!  

I love his eyes!  

Gift Certificates Now Available!!!!

I am proud to say that I have decided to offer gift certificates for photo shoots.  Initially I didn't think it work out well, but I have given it much consideration.  My husband has tried to give me a gift of a photo session for Mother's Day one year, but it never happened.  His intention was there, but we just never had anything set.  I think this happens to a lot of people out there.  So, I decided that I could offer a tangible gift for you to give to someone.  Then that person will have a year to use it.  

Here are the dollar amounts that I am offering:

• $50 gift certificate:  I think this would be ideal for mini sessions.  These mini sessions are good for birthday/school photos of children.  Holiday pictures.  Basic couples photos.  It would be ideal for any grads in your life.  It would give a grad a great chance for those cap and gown photos.  
• $75 gift certificate:  This would be ideal for maternity photos and family portraits.  
• $100 gift certificate:  This would be ideal for engagement photos, senior portraits, and bride and groom.

All gift certificates can be used towards any other session than what is listed, but it would give them a concrete gift.  

All gift certificates would expire a year from the date of purchase.  I will do my best to keep track of who has gift certificates to use.  Upon purchase I will get the purchasers name, phone number, and email.  I will also get the name, phone number, and email for the person receiving the gift.  That way I can follow up with the client if it is nearing its expiration date.  

In April my rates will be going up.  For those that have purchased gift certificates, they will receive the old rate to line up with the amount of certificate purchased.  

All gift certificates will be paid via PayPal account.  That way I can do everything electronically.  

The purchaser will have the option to receive the certificate electronically via email, or to have it mailed to them.  

Large Family Session

Family

Like branches on a tree 

We all grow in different directions

Yet our roots remain the same.  

I had the opportunity to photograph a large family.  Initially I had been contacted about doing a session for a family of four.  Then it morphed into the entire extended family.  I was really nervous about the job because it was the largest group I would have ever worked with.  

So many things can go wrong!  Everyone could be super stiff, and not look at the camera.  Fights could break out.  Different people may not want photographs with others.  So many things, but luckily this family was wonderful!  They knew just what to do, and they were so natural!  

It should be noted that my husband Derek came with me to the shoot.  My son had jumped on my belly (currently 7 months pregnant) twice the day before, and we spent the evening in the hospital.  I knew I didn't have it in my to run around, so Derek came to do the running.  It was a lot of fun having him there to tag team with.  It made us think about getting a second camera to make it easier.

Here are some of the photos from the shoot that I love.  More can be seen on my Facebook page.

Here we have the three beautiful sisters.

Mother and son.  The little boy insisted he wanted a photo with his mom.  They were sitting in folding chairs, so I didn't have high hopes for the photo coming out well.  With a little cropping, it turned out fantastic!  

Grandpa with his granddaughter.  

Sisters.  These two didn't want to cooperate much, but they were so cute!

I love everything about this picture!  The background is pretty.  Nice smiles!  Then you get the kids personalities shining through.  Perfect!

The family chose to have their session at Orange Township Hall Park.  I had never been there before, so I was pleasantly surprised at the different background choices we had available.  There was a cute little log shelter there.  I didn't have much hope of the group shot turning out because I thought it would be too dark.  We used a flash, and it turned out a lot better than I expected!  I really like it!  

Here we have all 15 members of the family.  

Grandparents with their grandkids.  

All 15.  

I have a lot of things planned for my business in the next few months.  I am planning a special for Black Friday this year.  Be sure to like my Facebook page to be kept up to date on everything that is happening!

Visit to the Zoo

At the moment, I don't have much family photography to show off.  The next few weeks will be busy for me.  When that time comes I will have plenty to show off.  For now, I will just show off a few photos that I took today.

The Fall foliage is starting to peak.  

 These birds are Lorikeets from the Columbus Zoo.  I particularly love the second photo because of the details in it.

I am able to provide pet photography.  Feel free to contact me at 614-859-0831 to book a session!

As a reminder, I am entering my final stage of pregnancy.  I will personally be lessening the sessions that I do starting next month.  However, my husband Derek can pick up when I can't do a session.  So far I have been able to all my sessions, but eventually that may not be the case.

Discounts for Mini Sessions

Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year.  I love all the colors of fall combined with kids in costumes.  In honor of Halloween I have decided to discount my price for a mini session.  Normally it is $50.00, but I am dropping it down to $40.00.  This price will be valid through the end of October.

Here is what you will get:

• A 30 minute photo shoot for one person
• You choose the location of your photo shoot
• A CD with edited images
• A print release that allows you to print your own photos

This package is perfectly priced to capture your little ones in their cute costumes!  To book your session feel free to call at 614-859-0831, or contact me through this page.  

Be sure to like me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.  

Meet the Bardsley Family

I know that I have been quiet on the blog lately.  I have had some health issues surrounding my pregnancy, so that took priority.  Now I am having more good days, so I am able to get back into the swing of things.  I have had a few photo shoots during the down time, but those have been kept quiet to surprise other family members involved.

Here is one photo shoot that I can tell you about!  Meet the Bardsley family.  They are such a fun family!

They purchased an hour photo shoot with me at a charity auction a few months back.  It took a while to get schedules lined up, but we finally got it scheduled.  The day of the shoot came, and it was sunny most of the time.  Then when the time of the shoot arrived, it started raining.  Luckily it was short lived, and the cloud cover gave us a nice setting for pictures.

Here are some of my favorites.  It's so hard to pick just a few favorites to post here.  I posted more on my Facebook page, so you can see them here.

Like what you see?  Book your session with me!  Call anytime at 614-859-0831 to schedule, or contact me through this blog.

Best time to schedule senior portraits

The best time for Senior Portraits

Many seniors wonder when is the best time to schedule to have senior portraits taken.  Ultimately, it depends on your own personal preference.  Here is a bit of a guideline to help you decide when the best month for you would be.  Before scheduling, be sure to check with your school to determine when they need your photos. 

As a bonus, I am offering a $25 discount if you book a session before August 20, 2014.  Instead of $100 for an hour, it will be $75!

 

June

June is one of the best times of the year for senior portraits for a myriad of different reasons.  Since school is out you will have a greater chance of scheduling a daytime appointment.  Plus June weather is usually really nice.  Not too hot, humid, and lots of light.  The colors can be amazing too.  Lots of green grass and flowers. 

July/August 

July and August are also great months for senior portraits.  Although the afternoons can be quite hot, the outdoor backgrounds are full of summer colors and beautiful settings.  The month before has given some students the suntans they desire.  Unfortunately, seniors go back to school in August which can make it more difficult to schedule an appointment.

September

In September, the weather starts to get cooler.  It can become difficult to schedule an appointment because seniors have to balance school, jobs, sports, school, and homework.  Also, daylight hours start becoming shorter. 

October/November

October provides lots of fall colors as the weather changes.  The fall leaves make wonderful outdoor backgrounds. 

December/January/February

December through February most of the fall colors are gone and there are no longer leaves on the trees. This time of year is ideal for portraits indoors or outside in the snow.  Outdoor session in the cooler temperatures have to be done quickly to avoid red noses and cheeks.  However, sometimes Ohio winters can be full of surprises and would make for a perfect session. 

March

By the time March rolls around time is running out to get portraits back in time to be in graduation announcements.  The outdoors still have not become green yet and avoiding rain becomes a challenge.

April and May

April and May bring green outdoor backgrounds once more. Seniors get really busy with end of the year activities. By this time of year you need to have photos printed quickly in time for graduation announcements, and yearbooks.  This would also make for a great time to have family portraits done before seniors go off to college. 

Double Header

This weekend I was able to do two different shoots.  The first was for a family with a newborn.  Baby didn't really want to cooperate much, but I like that I was able to capture real moments.

2 weeks old

Older brother (4 years old)

Poor little guy wasn't having the tie....

Older Sister (almost 2). She didn't want anything to do with the grass.  

My second shoot was a special one.  It was for a family of eight.  It was for the Mom/wife for her Mother's Day and birthday.  It was a lot of fun!

All the kids.

I love this photo.  I think it's so sweet!

The three older sisters.  

Stud!

Don't forget to enter to win a free session!  Ends in 3 days (May 9, 2014)
a Rafflecopter giveaway