If your professional headshot has you wearing a leisure suit, shoulder pads or 80’s hair…or if you barely recognize who exactly that is on your business card, you might need an update. A professional headshot is a representation of who you are…the business you have…and the image you are trying to portray. If you aren’t quite happy with the way you look, take advantage of this opportunity to get an update. Normally $150, headshot sessions are $100 on Wednesday and Thursday, February 17/18 from 8:30am-12noon and 5-7pm. The session includes 15-20 minutes of studio time, online previews and one high resolution, retouched file for use in your marketing/web/promotional materials (along with the rights to reproduction). Backgrounds range from traditional and classic to bright and fresh to dramatic and contemporary. Please email Heidi at heidi@heidilynnephotography.com to schedule an appointment if you’d like to take advantage of this opportunity. 
Professional Headshot Open House – February 17/18
Pretty girl…
At 4 weeks of age, babies start to lose that newborn look. They aren’t as bendy, they are more alert and they start to have a little personality. But I’m often left with no choice but to photograph them at this age and while it can be a little more of a challenge than when they are 4 *days* old, this little girl did perfectly – - she was very sweet and mellow. And she even spared me the poop explosion…of course, Dad was not so lucky…but he took it all in stride…
Reprint Special – To Benefit Haiti Disaster Relief
We have all been touched by the disaster that our southern neighbors have been going through in the past week. For the next week, I will be donating 50% of all reprint sales from past 2009 sessions to the American Red Cross, specifically to benefit the Haitian Relief Fund. These reprints will also receive 2009 pricing, which will be in effect through the end of January. Please email orders to heidi@heidilynnephotography or call 814-777-0473 by Monday, January 25th.
I don’t do weddings…
Nope. Not ever.
Well…maybe. If the bride and groom are really cool. And the ceremony is at 5pm on a freezing cold, December day when there is no sunlight…
Valentine’s Day Mini Sessions
I took a few days off at the end of December after a really busy and fun fall/Christmas season so after some much needed R&R, I am ready to take on 2010 with lots of energy and spirit (not to mention, with a vengeance too!). First up? A fun mini session offering for Valentine’s day! Scheduled for Wednesday, January 20th and Thursday, January 21st, these sessions are 20 minutes in length. You will receive between 15-30 proofs in a online viewing gallery and for Valentine’s Day gift giving, you will receive one red leather 5×5 custom album with 10 images from your session. All additional ordered portraits will receive a 10% discount. The cost for this mini session is $250 – - if you have had a recent session and would like to take advantage of the special album pricing with the images from your previous session, you may order the album for $200. Please email heidi@heidilynnephotography.com to book an appointment for the 20th or the 21st.
The 12 Days of Christmas – Days 11 and 12
I could begin this post by saying that I’m ’safe’ with days 11 and 12 and that I don’t have to apologize for taking nearly two weeks off from the original 12 day blogging streak. I could say I’m safe because the 12 days I started blogging with aren’t the actual historical 12 days of the Christian Church…they are the ones I chose to blog on leading *up* to Christmas. But in truth, the 12th day of Christmas is the feast of the Epiphany…January 6th. So I’m pretty safe…and I don’t have to apologize.
But that isn’t why I’m not going to apologize for missing nearly 2 weeks. I’m not going to apologize because…I just needed to take a break. A break from my camera, my computer, my office, my studio. When I opened my new studio 6 months ago, I quickly became overwhelmed with the entirely new business model into which I had jumped. It has been drastically different from the business I started 6 1/2 years ago, and to say I’ve had growing pains is an understatement. As all working parents do at some time or another, I’ve struggled to keep all of my balls in the air. Not only has my business struggled with a variety of inefficiencies, but I have struggled to stay present with my kids, I’ve let my running routine and yoga practice slide and my house is just plain filthy. This is all because as any self-employed person knows, it is all too easy to let your business become your life. My business is me…it is my vision, my motivation, my passion. But, I just can’t let it be my life. Because those other things (most importantly, those cute little girls) are just as important.
The struggles I’ve had are actually good. They are good because it has made me realize my weaknesses and where I can improve. I think that for me, the biggest thing will be to compartmentalize a little more. For one…I will only schedule shoots/ordering appointments/consultations on Wed/Thurs/Fri (with an occasional Saturday). The lion’s share of my workflow is not when I’m actually with my client…it is all of the backend work. So if I am able to have more structure to my week, I can have solid days of editing/ordering and solid days of client interactions. Another thing that will help tremendously…handing off more tasks to my illustrious assistant…she has mad organizational skills…I should have her live with me!
My business has changed, yes. But my main purpose for holding that camera in my hand has not…I love the connections that I make, and I love the personalities and moments that I capture. I can’t imagine doing anything else…
The 12 Days of Christmas – Day 10
My trip to the Philippines was incredible in so many ways. I am so grateful to have been given such an experience – - truly once in a lifetime. Digitally sharing the book that I created does not have the same impact as it does when you are sitting and turning each page, but hopefully you get the idea…
12 Days of Christmas – Day 9
Yep. Today is Monday…December 21…day 9. It isn’t Tuesday the 22nd, day 10. Trust me. My blog…I make the rules.
One of my favorite kinds of sessions are the ‘day in the life’ sessions. They are 3 hours long…which is a long time to be ‘on’, but it is really a lot of fun. I get to know the family…I get to see the laughter, fun…and yes, sometimes tears. The final product of these kinds of sessions is a coffee table book – - a ’storybook’, so to speak. A book that tells the story of the family, on that given day and time. It is a different style of shooting from my ‘portrait’ sessions, but we all have such a great time with it. This fall, I was lucky to share a ‘day in the life’ with a family that I’ve photographed many times before…so I had the advantage of already knowing them. I won’t share the entire book…just a few 2-page spreads…but I love the gift that this family now has – - a piece of their history.
The 12 Days of Christmas – Day 8
I decided that my photo subject of today’s post was going to be all about clothes. Because today, ONCE AGAIN, the sinister executives at Gap, Inc. managed to get me to purchase more clothing by enticing me with more of the crazy, ridiculously good sales they’ve had. So it got me to thinking about how one of the perks of my job is seeing how many cute-clothed kids walk through my door. I love it! And it is good for me because my kids aren’t really in the cute-clothing phase anymore…it is a struggle to have to get them to put in a plain barrette or to wear something other than Crocs. Ok, maybe I’m making them out to be worse than they really are, but the Gymboree days are definitely gone for us!
But as I started to go through the past couple of months of blog-neglected sessions, I quickly got overwhelmed! Do I choose all girls because I have girls? Do I choose all boys because I don’t have any boys? Do I choose only those in color? Do I choose those only in b/w. Do I choose those with last names that begin with L? Ay ay ay…I think I’ll choose those that have 3+ kids! I’ve got three…and it is a challenge! So to those parents with more…I salute you!
The 12 Days of Christmas – Day 7
To say that moving into my new studio has created growing pains is an understatement of grand proportions. Ask my kids. Yes, this is the busiest time of year…and yes, all new businesses have growing pains. But the guilt gets to me…and my kids are the first to let me know that I work too much. So yes, some changes for HLP will be made in the new year…my sanity demands it! But they will be positive changes for everyone…me, my kids, my clients…it’s all good!
Today was the first day in a long, long time that we did nothing. We’re talking sleeping in…a big fat breakfast of eggs, sausage and pancakes…the kids sledding…me baking… I even sat down to read a book! Gasp! I still have plenty of work to keep me busy, but now I feel like I can be a little normal…and my kids can have me. ALL of me.
So we all know that the cobbler’s kids go barefoot, right? The cobbler spends all day making and fixing shoes, but his own kids…well, he just doesn’t have the time to work on theirs. The same can be said for photographer’s kids…and mine fall into that category. Now, if they were excited to get their photographs taken, maybe I’d do it more often, but they often whine and moan about having it done. But when they got off of the bus a couple of weeks ago, I made them brush their hair and put on cute clothes…and after the screaming subsided, we ventured out into a snowy field and I tested out my new camera…
by admin
no comments
add a comment link to this post email a friend