The cost of wedding photography

The other day I was reading another photographers blog about under pricing your work to get the job.   A few weeks ago I actually gave the lowest quote EVER on formal wedding portraits and was turned down.  They were thinking of spending less than the quote I gave them.  Now I do believe that I am a pretty darn good photographer and I have pretty decent equipment and I think (my own opinion of course) that my customers are going to get the best possible customer satisfaction. 

Personally I would like to believe that I go above and beyond.   You know why I do it though; because I LOVE it!  I honestly can't stop myself.  Taking photos is my 3rd love with my hubby and son taking 1st and 2nd.  So what does all this love of photography have to do with money?

Let me explain why I gave the cheapest wedding quote.  Twelve years ago when my husband and I got married, we could not afford to pay for a photographer.  The cheapest quote we got was $1200.00.  Our family provided many photos for us, but nonetheless they were not "professional".   When I decided to be "professional" I wanted to be affordable but I need to make a living too.  I do have limits and let me say this--- I am NOT the cheapest, but I do offer a couple cheaper wedding photography package.

Why?  Let me answer that for you.  Everyone.  Everyone should be able to afford professional portraits. What makes me different from the photographer who's cheapest price is $1200.00?  Nothing, I just want to make sure that everyone can afford to have a professional photographer at their wedding.  Even if it's only for a couple hours.

I am guessing at this point your (hopefully) wondering well what are the prices?  I am still working on that and I actually went over the new wedding prices with some customers and they felt that they were fair prices. 


 
What are the prices?  You need to call or email and set up an appointment so we can get together.  I will bring my portfolio for you to view and go over the prices and what is included with those prices, but know this, there is a price for every budget.

Tutus and Leg Warmers.........

I mentioned the tutu's earlier, I finally had a chance to get a photo of the other tutu which is as equally as cute!

 

My little niece is going to do her 3 month photos in the rainbow colors!  It's going to be soooo cute!

Here are some other tutu photos from a couple of ADORABLE little girls, 

Some fall tutu photos would be absolutely adorable! 

I found it and that too!!

So by accident, we were going out to dinner and I was looking at this landing and I thought, that would make such a cool place for photos.  I didn't have my camera, but I took a few shots with my phone to share with everyone.

Now the cool thing about this location, it could be for a couple of shots or for a whole shoot.  It has that much potential! This would be a great senior location and you could do a one location shoot. 

This weekend was relvoling around me making it to Norton Shores for the craft show where Two Tutu Ladies were going to be selling their adorable tutus!  Well I promised to go rain or shine, and it was raining of course.  Not just a little rain either it was pouring rain!  We ducked into a tent that was selling food items and when it slowed down, off we went to find them or her I should say.  Nonetheless I found the tent containing the tutus!  I got two, one baby size and one toddler size and I already had one that's a little bit bigger than toddler size.  So now I need to schedule some tutu shoots!  I plan to add more to the collection, but for now I have to spread the word about tutus!!

This is the baby tutu, and I have matching leg warmers!  Can't wait to put a baby in it!!!
More soon!!

Results of Photograpers Choice

Last month I came up with a new offer for my wonderful clients called "Photographers Choice".  This deal consists of us meeting at an agreed on location, at which point we will hop in my car and drive around to these pretty cool locations I've found around Hillsdale.  This deal will result in AT LEAST 4 locations--I have many more than 4 in mind--With this package the proof book is also included as well as an on-line gallery.

So on July 24th I had my first victim!  It was so much fun!  I really can't wait to do it again!  Here are some of he photos from our adventure:

So why?  Because I keep finding all the awesome things that would make good spots for photos, but it's not a spot for a whole photo shoot.  It may be just a door or an old bridge.  The good news is it's all in Hillsdale and I will do the driving.  This is a great deal for Seniors who usually like to have more than one location, but anyone is welcome to do it!  

Truthfully I CAN NOT wait to do it again, it was so much fun!  And we got some pretty awesome photos as a result!  You are welcome to go on over to my facebook page and check out more of the photos from Brandon's shoot:  http://www.facebook.com/

August Coupon

Print this coupon for you discount photo shoot.  This includes a regular photo shoot: up to two hours, resulting in 15 to 25 photos. One location.   Proofing online.
Push the print button and get your photo shoot scheduled! 

It's been decided...

For quite some time now I have been dabbling at the thought of changing the name of my business.  To what I had no idea, but not Amy Howe's Photography.  I had heard that you have better success not naming your company your name.  At this point though it's kind of late because those of you who have used my services or follow my work recognize me as Amy Howe's Photography.  Finally, after quite some time, I have decided on my logo: 

It probably won't always be the color but this is what I like right now and if you know me well enough you know that I am most likely bound to change it, the color not the logo! I really like this. It came to me in my new business card:

When I ordered these I thought I want to try something new, I usually get glossy because I like shiny stuff, but I thought; this time I would try the pearl stock. Excuse my language, but these new cards are "bad ass"! If you haven't got one you need to catch up with me and schedule a photo shoot. You know what I am going to do to see how many people are paying attention:

Go ahead and print that bad boy and call me up for your 10.00 photo shoot(just click it--it's a link). It must be printed for me to accept it,  but I want to share with those of you that haven't been able to make it out to the locations I have been set up at.   So tell your friends and family what I have going on!
This is crazy and there must be a catch!  No-I am not a telemarketer, I am just trying to gain new customers and cut people a break during these hard times, believe me, I understand. 

On that note, I finally gave in and joined Zenfolio.  If you would like to visit click here .  What is that?  It's where I can upload photos, and you (the customer) can purchase them at your own will and on your own time and as you wish.  There are a couple packages on there, people want packages but no one ever says what they would like in them so if you would like a package tell me what your photo sizes are and I will put it together.

You may have heard that back in April I went down south to do the photos for my little (much taller than me) brother (in law)  What a beautiful wedding.  It was so nice down south.  If you would like to see those photos click HERE!!  Here are a couple of my favorite shots:


Didn't I make them look they should be on a cover!!! I know I shouldn't have favorites, but I do, and these were not the only two, there was a whole bunch that were my favorites! Go over to Zenfolio and take a look for yourself!
That's all for tonight.   

Un-stapled

As I heal, I thought I would share this experience with everyone and some photos I've been playing with.


Starting before surgery; people keep asking me how I found out I had this ovarian cyst. Suffering from bronchitis and being on antibiotics I thought my internal system had suffered and I was having some lower right abdominal pain. My husband said we should go to the ER and just see what they say, it could be nothing. Ha ha ha! They did a chest X-ray to be sure I didn't have pneumonia.  Lungs were clear!  I did forget a piercing which was pretty funny and now my cousin knows more about me that I am sure she didn't want to know.

That done, they had to determine if I was prego---negative----they decided a CT scan was in order to see how my appendix looked.  The results, my appendix wasn't visible because of the 9.8cm cyst on my ovary.  The lower right abdominal pain was caused by said cyst pushing on my appendix!

Scheduled an appointment with the obgyn, surgery was scheduled for the 16th of March.  This terrified me!  No one could understand why.   Being very independent, and preferring to do stuff on my own, the thought of having another "c-section" did NOT appeal to me.

Diving head first, I decided to finish up my Real Estate Pre-licensing course and get my state exam done!  This would definitely keep my mind off the surgery!   Then we took the snowmobile vacation and I got everything done around the house.

The morning arrived. I showered and followed all the pre surgery requirement, including NO food, NO drinks, NO anything!  Starve and be thirsty!  I get it, I could puke, but come ON!  Getting ready for surgery was very nerve wrenching, I was trying really hard to keep it together and keep a positive attitude.  The funny thing is, I never thought anything would go wrong during surgery, I full heartedly trusted my Doctor, nor did I ever even think that this could turn out to be cancer.  I felt that if it were something so bad, it would have been pointed out by the blood test taken in the beginning.  It was simply the thought of having surgery, and not being able to move around on my own.

I really did love the man who administered the anesthesia, he was so nice and so good about telling me what was going on.  I think he was the reason I ended up getting comfortable.  They shooed my husband out and that's the last thing I really remember after the spinal being administered.

Recovery!  That's when my memory returned!  Although the nurse kept telling me I wouldn't remember and her name was BRENDA!!!  LOL!  I had to wait an hour before they would let me see Chuck, but I held out and stared off into space, and twirled my fingers, was totally amazed that I could NOT feel ANYTHING below my belly button!  This was all new!


A room at last!  You know, one of the nurses that was with me when my son was born was my nurse the first day!  This is where the story takes a turn, the feeling started to return to my legs, slowly and tingly BUT I could not get out of that bed for 12 hours!  It was not a good time for me.  Oh and something made me itch like crazy!  They had to give me allergy medicine.  Now I was really irratable, because I wanted to get out of that bed!  Not going to happen until 2 a.m. they said!  So from that point on I just went to sleep, it was the only way I was going to get through this "laying around time".

I did get up around 4 a.m. b/c the nurse had to come and take my vitals.  At this time I could have a drink.  Things were looking up, and other things were HURTING like crazy!   After a bit of walking around and a few drinks, I slept until 8 and my wonderful Husband arrived just in time to hear the Doctor tell me I could go home if I wanted to!  Um, let me get dressed!  I had planned to stay until Friday, but hey I would much rather be in my own home, even if I couldn't do anything with out help!  Luckly for Chuck and myself, I slept most of that day away, in my own bed.

It's funny what you learn about yourself and your significant other in these situations.  I always knew my husband would always be there for me, I never doubted it, but I didn't realize how much closer we would get.  He was truly worried for my well being.  He wouldn't let me do anything!  NOTHING!  I am more than grateful for him and I have told him daily how much I appreciate him and how he has taken care of me.  Though I am sure he will be glad when I start doing the laundry again, but  I think he secretly likes taking care of me.  Yesterday when I was able to drive, he seemed a little sad about it and reminded me of the "major surgery" I had!

Today it's been a week and though I am still quite sore, I am healing.  Hopefully this will be the beginning of a new and improved body!  I've got my fingers crossed :)

Scarlett=Pink

Before I get going here, I don't have to post the larger size photos anymore!  There are options that allow me to post them small and you the viewer and reader can click them to view them larger!  Why is this even important?  My blog will load faster, since pictures tend to slow the process down.

Here we go!!  You might be thinking why does she keep saying scarlet equals pink?  So from the begining.  I wanted to buy a new backdrop and I personally like muslin; -it's easy to travel with, easy to clean and light weight, but when you purchase them, they tend to cost a pretty penny.  When I was searching the internet trying to find a muslin that I wanted, I found a do it yourself page.  Guess what--half the cost to buy muslin from the fabric store--BUT I have to dye it myself.
What could go wrong with that?  I've died stuff before.  You know, I am sure that I didn't do something right or I should have gotten unbleached muslin, but hey what have I really got to lose?  I picked out my color--Scarlet---I do like red.  The directions said put it in the so many gallons of water and the Internet directions said to add one cup of salt and boil the water because the hotter the water the better the color, ha! The result:

You can see that I got more pink than scarlet! So I've gotten another bottle of "scarlet" and the resulting color will be the NEW muslin for the studio, which I will share when I get done (hopefully this weekend)!

My little dog Woody modeled on the temporary pink muslin:





Even though my muslin didn't end up being the right color, I got some pretty awesome shots of my little doggy.

Hopefully I will have some time tomorrow so I can tell you about the MOST AMAZING snowmobile trip we just returned from!  Stay tuned!

Here's what went down!

Holy Moly!  There has not been a blog from me since September!  Sorry about that.  Things got busy and blog got put on the back burner.  I thought about blogging but then I got side tracked which happens to me,  shiny stuff, oh right blog!

Since I last left you, I have received a new camera!  For Christmas I got the 7-D that I was drooling over and let me tell you I am in LOVE with this camera!  I still don't even know all the stuff it does, BUT I do know it takes AWESOME photos!  Let me share:
 click it for a full view


These ladies were the first people to be shot (teehheee) with my new Canon 7-D


Most of you know about the huge ice storm that hit Hillsdale.  I spent some time outside taking photos to share--








This one is a little sneak peak of why scarlet equals pink?

On that note, I will leave you wondering and giving me good reason to come back and blog again tomorrow!

Beauty.........

So as I was wrapping up the photos from the Camden Pageant (a little late, I know)  there were a few that I thought were really worth sharing.    Before I entered into this gig of shooting the pageant I had no idea what entailed.  It's a lot of work, not for me as much as it was for the moms and the girls.  Now mind you, I have only been to this one pageant, I am sure that they get harrier in the bigger pageants, but this was a pretty big deal.    These girls worked hard and so did their moms and families, so when I found some of these shots that I caught I just wanted to share.



This was one of my favorites, though I have no idea what she was feeling, she was just so adorable.
This was my second favorite

--I loved her dress and her expression--
There was a lot of waiting around time for the girls.

At the end, a LOT of excitement






I hope I get to do this again next year!   By the way, I am so glad I have a son!!!