Fall Family, Christmas & Card specials! Doing Press Release Portraits the Right Way. {Okemos/Lansing, MI photographer - children, family portraits}

Producing a monthly newsletter - how easy is that?   Seriously - just write up some stuff and post it out there.
Well, if you've ever been responsible to produce one, you have no idea.  Every month you have to come up with some relevant news and write about it in a hopefully somewhat clever way.  You then have to make sure to include the timely specials, feature new images, save it in 3 formats and post it to no less than 6 websites.   Oh, and on time - hopefully - every month.
There have been times when I have a plan for the day and then realize it's the 5th of the month and I haven't done a newsletter yet.  Drop everything!
This post is case-in-point.  Done last week, October's news is finally getting to the blog.   No, I don't post every month, but I wanted to this month to feature a couple of things. 
First, we're having our annual Fall Family Sale - save 20% off family portrait packages for session done in October!   This is a great chance to get that family portrait you've been meaning to do - and maybe even get a few Christmas presents - And save some $ in the process!   We're open to idea - so please give Rosalyn or Kathi a call and we'll help you plan the perfect portrait.
Secondly - Press Release Portraits - Please, please, please - do them right or don't do them at all!   I have seen So Many business cards or websites featuring a photo of someone taken against a wall (cement block, even), with bad lighting and bad shadows.   Or, they've taken it themselves - maybe even outside - and removed the background - badly - using their rudimentary Photoshop skills.   Pardon the pun, but is this the image you want to put forth to your clients?  Do you want them to think you take the cheapest, easiest way to do your business, or that you take the time to do things right?   Trust professionals to give you the professional image you need to succeed!   Call us with your questions and ideas and we'll help you achieve the right look for you.   In a hurry?  High and low resolution images can be ready in just a few days!  Call 517-349-3340 today!

Box Sessions - Exclusive to Okemos, Michigan and Beyond?- {Lansing Photographer, Okemos Studio, Box Portraits}

    What is that old quote?  Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration?  It's true.  What's a good idea if you don't actually do something about it?   Here is a perfect example:  Our Box sessions - inspired by an article about another photographer halfway across the country, we decided to make our own to offer this crazy, fun, unique portrait idea.
    Thankfully Ron has a great talent for building things and he came up with a design and built our box, all within a relatively short time span.   Really, probably one of the quickest ideas to come to fruition at the studio, ever!
    What is the Box, exactly?  Well, I guess you could call it a Cube, too.   But, it's just as the name  suggests, it's a big wooden box that people can climb right into.   It fits 4 people, as you see below, and could probably fit 5 if there were enough little people.  :-)   Pets are always welcome to the studio, too, if you want to include the entire family!
 

Pinterest - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly {Lansing Photographer, Michigan, Okemos Studio - children, family, senior portraits}

I'm sure you've all heard of Pinterest - the online bulletin board where you people can post helpful hints, recipes, decorating ideas, and of course, portrait ideas.  it's a great way to waste time, but feel good about the ideas you get - personally, we've tried a few new recipes that my family has enjoyed.
But, when Pinterest goes wrong, it can go very, very wrong.  My friends like to routinely post "Pinterest Fails" on my facebook page - of images that have inspired a parent to do a portrait, then they try to do it themselves, with disastrous results.
Take this image: How hard could that be, right?  Just put the baby on her belly while she's sleeping, and just snap away.  Well, what you don't see is that, if I recall correctly, I have a bean bag on my lap, one of my hands is underneath her bum, and the other is under her arm, trying to keep her head vertical.  And I'm not even the one taking the portrait!   The other photographer is squatting with her back against the wall, trying to capture just the right angle and expression.   SO Easy!!

So, Pinterest has its uses, its benefits and certainly can be very entertaining.  But, not everything should be a DIY project!

Now that that's been said - guess what!  We're on Pinterest!  We often get requests for clothing suggestions, outdoor ideas, etc., so we've created a few boards for inspiration.  It's a work in progress, but hopefully it will be a good source of information for a successful portrait session!  No Fails Here!   Follow us here:  http://www.pinterest.com/okemosstudio/    See you soon!

Why we do what we do {Children Photographer Okemos, Lansing, Senior Portraits}

Sometimes I have days where I say to myself "THIS is why I am in photography", which is what I thought when this little doll, J, came in on Friday with her grandmother and parents.  She is as an absolute delight!  Her smile reflects her personality - funny, sweet, and just oh, so precious!   We were so lucky to be able to spend that time with her - and create some images we're rather proud of. :-)

To make this experience even more special, her grandmother told me that she had her senior portraits done by us, and her father and son both had portraits by us - so J here was the 4th generation of the family to be in our studio.  The fourth.   She said when she wondered where to take J for her one year portraits, of course she thought of Okemos Studio!   She said it was great we were still here - and that's because of our quality.  I think she felt fortunate - when we were the ones to feel fortunate to have such an amazing time photographing this little girl.

THIS is why I do what I do.

Senior Season has begun! Class of 2105! {Senior Photos, Senior Portraits, Lansing, MI Photographer, Okemos MI Photographer}

Ok, we're ready - Class of 2015 Senior Season.  Bring it.

We know what you're thinking: "Senior Season?  Already?  But I don't graduate until June of 2015!"  Oh, yes, we know, but your yearbook portrait is due in the fall!   This means it's best to be photographed during the summer before senior year begins.

So, here it is -summer and time for senior portraits.   And truly - the earlier in the summer, the better.   Remember what Back To School is like?   Or fall sports practices?  Summer is a short 12 weeks long, or less for some schools.   It will go by fast.   Book your session now and get one more thing off your list of Summer Accomplishments.

Sure, you could wait until you start your Summer Reading List (late August, perhaps?) to book your session, but then you'll be in a time crunch!  And trying to read "Anna Karenina" in the dressing room? And subject to our fickle Michigan weather in trying to get your session done before Labor Day.   That's a pain.  Trust us.  We've been doing this a long time.  Call soon, you won't regret it.

Do it now - Call on June 4th and you can get 16 free wallets when you're photographed in June (if you order by July 15)!   Combine that with our $75 in discounts and rebates for our Deluxe or Favorite Sessions and you can Really save some big bucks.

And who doesn't mind saving some big bucks?

Do it now - summer's a great time.  See?