SMALL payday loans VERY CHEAP

I apologize for the last-minute post, but I wanted to let everyone know about this weekend’s photo fundraiser event! It’s only once a year and this second annual event is coming up this Sunday, April 28, 2013!!

I will be offering quick photography sessions at Barnard Park in Glennville on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no appointment required. You just show up anytime between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. and “click”, it’s done!

This is a fundraiser for Tattnall County C.A.R.E.S. (Cancer Association Relief Effort and Support) and 100% of the profits will be donated to that organization.  Last year, through photos and donations, we raised $2,012 in that one day!! Here’s the check …

Last year, the event was held on Easter Sunday, but this year I couldn’t do that day because I was at the hospital with my boyfriend who was having surgery … guess what for??  Colon cancer! Yes, I’m sure cancer has had an impact on each family in some way or another. I, myself, am a breast cancer survivor and a recipient of Tattnall County C.A.R.E.S. funds. This is your opportunity to get an awesome new family photo AND help out this great “LOCAL” organization that is able to benefit so many people who are struggling with the fight against cancer.

This is the absolute lowest-priced photography I offer all year long. If you’re worried about price … it doesn’t get any better than this!!   Each package is only $40 and there are TEN packages that you can choose from.  And after taxes, photo printing and packaging, I’m estimating Tattnall C.A.R.E.S. will get approximately $27 from each of the $40 photo packages sold. This is a HUGE opportunity to help raise funds for Tattnall County’s volunteer cancer organization.

Need a new family photo?  Want a new photo of the kids?  Grandma been begging you for pictures? In high school and want a high quality photo with your best friends, boyfriend or girlfriend??

NOW is your chance!!

Okay, because I’m starting to sound like an Infomercial here (it’s just hard to convey how GREAT this opportunity is), I’m gonna stop with the sales pitch for a second and list the packages for you. There will be a form on site, which you will fill out and select which package you’d like to go with. Remember, each package is $40. Doesn’t matter which one you choose! I love some options, don’t you?

Package A:  one 8×10, two 5x7s, two 4x6s, eight wallets

Package B: one 8×10, two 5x7s, sixteen wallets

Package C: four 5x7s, sixteen wallets

Package D: six 4x6s, sixteen wallets

Package E: five 5x7s, eight wallets

Package F: ten 4x6s

Package G: six 5x7s

Package H: three 8x10s

Package I: one 11×14

Package J: forty wallets

Now, because this is a QUICK photo and not a full photo session, you’re getting ONE pose, which I will choose. I know, it’s gonna kill you to let me choose your photo for the package, but trust me … I got this! lol! Really, I want you to be super happy with your photo too, and bursting at the seams to show it off to your friends!

Your photos will be back within two weeks and depending on your choice of location, they will be dropped off for you to pick up from either The Glennville Sentinel or The Tattnall Journal. If you happen to be from out of town and you’d rather me just mail it to you, it’ll be an extra $2 for the mailing fee.

Your $40 per package will need to be paid before your photo is taken on Sunday. I can accept cash, check (made payable to Photo Shop by Allison), or credit card.

Like I stated earlier, no appointment is necessary. Just grab your bunch and show up at Barnard Park between the hours of 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday, with your $40 in hand. Easy!!

If you’re still just not sure of when to come, then come early! The outdoor light is normally much better in the early morning hours than the noon or early afternoon. Either way though, I’m gonna work hard to ensure that your photo is awesome!  Here’s a few photos from last year’s event …

Get your SMILE on and I’ll see you guys on Sunday!!

And, if you’d really like to volunteer a few hours and help out, just give me a holler! I’ve only planned for myself and my mom to be at the park, so a couple extra hands would be A W E S O M E !!

Thanks so much!

Allison Cobb
912-237-0126

You know, I love being able to provide tangible, photographs to my clients that they can HOLD, share, enjoy, display, and look back on. Sure, I do sell digital images too, but I’d much rather a client walk away with actual prints or products in their hands. SO many times, I’ll hear of a client who purchased a disk of digital images who never even had them printed. They have the disk “somewhere” at the house … probably in a drawer or box or piled on a shelf with books and papers. Obviously, they didn’t get around to having prints made to display in the home. SO sad.

Over the last few months, I’ve had some high school senior parents ask me if I did senior folios. At first, this image immediately popped in my mind and made me cringe …

Ewww. I don’t know why I don’t like these, but I never have. It’s just not something that I wanted to sell.

Fortunately though, senior folios have come a LONG way over the last few years. Now, they are a work of art and completely customizable! Much more my style!! Since I had a few parents ask about them, I decided to use my photos of past clients to order a few samples for the studio. They came in earlier this week and let me tell ya … I LOVE them. The colors are awesome and the construction is top-notch, but what really sells me is the FEEL of them! LOL! I know, I’m one of those dorky print media types who just goes crazy over the feel of paper or the material I’m working with. When it comes to albums, I want a high-quality thick page, luxurious covers, etc. In my wall prints, I want them mounted on something that will last the ages, nice and sturdy. Even my packaging materials for standard prints have to be up to speed. Just last night, I was trying to explain the difference to my mom in the standard everyday plastic photo envelopes and the “premium” plastic photo envelopes. (A night and day difference to me!)

These new folios rank right on up there with luxurious albums, sturdy mounted prints and premium envelopes! They are soft to the touch, like the finest leather (but not), and just a pure joy to hold in your hands. I’m not even joking!! Once you get one of these, you’ll just want to carry it around with you everywhere and it’ll be torture having to leave it on display on the shelf! Trust me. Mine are at the studio, but I just want to run right up there and bring one back home with me. LOL!

Here’s a few photos of my first samples I got in this week ….

I’m selling the senior folios in two sizes … 8×10 ($225) or 5×7 ($165) and they come in a standard lustre or metallic finish (metallic is $10 extra). The folio templates I have fit 6-7 photos. Every template can be customized with colors and fonts. Each one will be unique to your senior! These make wonderful gifts for grandparents and SO much nicer than handing them a couple of single 5×7 or 8×10 loose photographs! You’ve really got to see them (and hold them) to appreciate the quality!

If you are interested in senior photos (or any family portrait session for that matter), I invite you to give me a call or send an email. I’ll happily set up an appointment for you to stop by the studio and look at the samples I have available and talk about your individual photo session. I love what I do and I appreciate all of you taking the time to stop by the blog! Thanks so much!!

Allison

There were many vendors on site, all who gave a donation or a percentage from their sales that day. There was good food, entertainment, a 5K fun run, games and activities for the kids, and a balloon release at the end of the afternoon. Everyone seemed to have a good time and everyone enjoyed being able to help contribute to the funds raised for Micah.

I had the photo booth on site, even though the wind made the whole canopy and booth seem kinda iffy at times! People came and had their photos made. One strip of photos went to the customer and the second identical strip was glued onto pages for a book for Micah. Everyone took time to sign their names and write little messages to Micah. It turned out to be a wonderful personalized scrapbook from the community for this family.  All of the proceeds from the photo booth were donated to the cause … $280.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to take part in the photo booth and to sign a little message for Micah!! I know the family will treasure it for years to come. Also thanks to my mom, who is always there to help in any project I come up with, and to my boyfriend who helped me haul all my stuff down there and back again!

For those of you who did take part and haven’t yet found your original photos to download, the link is http://allisoncobb.zenfolio.com/micah

For more information on Micah or to follow his story, you can visit his Facebook Page.

Following are the pages from the scrapbook and all of the wonderful messages ….

I realize this is a “photography” website and all, but since I’m the only paid employee of the company, it’s also my personal website!  And I’ve decided that when I find something I’m really excited about, I’m gonna share it with you guys. Of course, knowing me, there’ll be photography involved in anything I post. lol.  And a few lols and smiley faces too!

Okay, so anyway, on to the post! I heard that Local Organic Moms (LOMs) had a booth at the Southern Women’s Show in Savannah a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t get to go to the show, but I have a friend (an old Tattnall Countian you guys may know), Dusti Smith Stoneman (who is now a photographer in Savannah), and she was promoting them on her Facebook. Local Organic Moms is a new company, based out of Savannah, that delivers fresh-from-the-farm veggies, fruits and other goodies right to your doorsteps! The farm is located in Soperton, GA, and this guy above delivering my first crate of goodies is Phillip Jennings. He’s involved with the business and his son, Phil, owns the farm and greenhouses. Although I don’t yet know all the information about the company, I’m gathering that it’s made up of several partners. One of them is Michelle L. Morris, another photographer in Savannah. I don’t know her personally, but I’ve seen her work and it’s really good! She’s done some photos for Dusti before.

Speaking of Dusti again, her husband, Wes Stoneman, is the owner of RetroFit Custom Design, and he makes custom furniture pieces mostly from reclaimed pallet wood. Those are his wooden crates that the veggies are being delivered in! Cool, huh!?

It’s a gorgeous arrangement of vegetables and fruits and all of it is 100% organic! Now, I’m not a health-food nut, and I don’t claim to be. BUT, I do love food, and I love good-for-you-food too! I’m all about some veggies (and some fruits), but I hate having to go to the store and buy them AND normally our local selection is sometimes not that great. Or maybe it’s me. When I go to the store on purpose to buy veggies, I almost ALWAYS buy the same things (and normally opt for the frozen microwave stuff cause it’s easier). It gets boring. With this delivery service, I have no idea what will come. It’s exciting to see what’s in the crate! And, the stuff arrives at your house within 24 hours of being picked on the farm. It doesn’t get much fresher than that, folks!!

(One little point that Mr. Jennings clarified was that the bananas were not from Soperton. That was one of the first questions my boyfriend had when I mentioned I had signed up with a company who would be delivering fresh veggies and fruits “even bananas!” He had asked me where exactly were the banana trees in Georgia. lol. Anyway, those bananas ARE organic, but they come from Florida.)

Now, if and when you sign up with them, you do get a nice in-depth questionnaire about what stuff is available and if there’s anything you absolutely do not want to receive. For instance, if peppers give you heartburn, then you’d probably not want to waste crate space on them.  Over the next couple weeks and months, Local Organic Moms, is planning to offer additional local/organic items such as grass fed beef, grass fed bison, organic poultry, butters, breads, free range eggs, cheese, soups, sauces, and specialty items tailored to babies and toddlers. These will all be optional “add-on” things to your veggie crate delivery.

There are three different crate sizes and two delivery options.

The crates come as …

1. Tiny Crate (10 lbs) for $40
2. Economy Crate (20 lbs.) for $55
3. Family Crate (30+ lbs.) for $75

You can opt to have your crate delivered weekly or every-other-week. And, you can easily change your mind anytime you like and switch crate sizes, frequencies, or cancel at any time. No contracts or anything yucky like that!

Here’s an excerpt from their email they sent out when I signed up …

I decided to go with the Economy Crate and have it arrive every-other-week. Today, Phillip Jennings called me on my cell phone to tell me he was about 25 minutes away and just wanted to make sure we were home. You know I was excited then! I knew it was being delivered today, but the phone call put a “time” on it and made it “real”!  He brought out my crate of goodies, took a minute to pose for the photo (lol) and told us about some of the goodies in the box. I asked him if he had any other deliveries in Glennville and there was just one other. He said most of the larger routes were around Savannah and he told me that actually, according to the schedules, my crate was the very first one delivered out of all of them!

Now, of course, I had already prepped my boyfriend that if the veggie crate arrived and I wasn’t home, not to mess with it yet. I wanted to photograph it in its entirety and then piece by piece! Happily, I was home!! I thanked Mr. Jennings again for bringing it by and took it to the backyard, along with my Canon camera and 50mm lens for some photography fun!

Tonight I got home and my boyfriend had already cooked some of the veggies into a stir-fry and it was AWESOME!! Yum!!

I love the service, love the convenience, the quality, the selection …. just loving everything! Local Organic Moms is going to have a full website launch sometime in mid-March, but they also have a Facebook page up and running, so go by and check them out. I would invite you guys to dinner to try out the goodness yourself, but you know, it’s only the mid-sized “Economy Crate” and I gotta make it last!! lol!

This particular tutorial takes six of your photos and automatically formats them into a cube pattern that you can cut out and glue together. I’m thinking it would be a cute idea for homemade Christmas ornaments or a centerpiece arrangement for a birthday party or maybe even on the guest-book table at a wedding!

So you pick out six different photos and you have to size them to squares beforehand. For this one, I created a custom name-plate to be used as one of the sides. My photos were all just over 4.5 inches square with a resolution of 300. I saved all six files in a folder.  Of course, I also downloaded the cube creation “action” from the website. The link is right HERE.  They have a download button for regular Photoshop as well as for Photoshop Elements. Once you download it and install it, it appears in your Actions palette and looks like this …

You just click on the name of the action you want to use (I used PAPER CUBE with 6 images) and then hit the play button at the bottom of that window (the little triangle). It automatically starts its stuff and all you have to do is select the photo you want to use each time it asks you to! It’s super-duper fast … as all actions are.  Once its finished, here is what the completed image looks like …

Then all you have to do is print it out on an 8.5×11 inch regular sheet of paper. I used a premium matte photo paper, which is heavier than regular copy paper. Cut it out, fold it on all the lines and then glue or tape where indicated. Taa-daa!!! Cool, huh?  Here are some finished photos of the 2.5 inch square paper cube….

So adorable!

The wedding itself was held in Collins and the reception in nearby Vidalia. Everything was beautiful at both locations, which provided for lots of gorgeous photos. I’m not too good at “narrowing them down” so you have a lot here to enjoy. If you were able to attend the ceremony, you’ll be reminded of all the fun. If you missed out, it’ll feel like you were actually there! lol!

Thank you to Haley and Steve and their families, for allowing me to photograph the wedding day. It was an honor!

Cancer is all around us. Everyone has someone they know who is affected by it. And it sucks. (and I don’t toss that word around every day either)

I am honored to be a new photographer for Magic Hour Foundation. They provide free photography sessions and images for cancer patients! I’ll tell you more about them in a minute, but first I wanted to give you a little back history on myself and why I chose to be a part of this wonderful organization.

I, myself, am a cancer survivor! After my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer early in 2011, I made an appointment with my doctor and asked her if I could have a mammogram. While I was only 34 at the time, she agreed that we could have a baseline mammogram done … so I’d have something to compare to when I turned 40. After two mammograms, an ultrasound and a biopsy on my right breast, my surgeon called me at 7:00 a.m. on Monday, June 6, 2011, to tell me the biopsy was malignant. I had breast cancer. Four days before, I had celebrated my 35th birthday.

I normally would have waited, like most everyone else, until I had turned 40 to seek out a mammogram. I never felt any lumps or noticed anything different. I never thought about “cancer” while having the mammogram. But, with my paternal grandmother’s recent diagnosis, and the fact that my maternal grandmother had breast cancer (twice) and died from pancreatic cancer, I just wanted to get started on the process of collecting and comparing my own mammogram results. Glad I did!

When I was diagnosed and then knowing that I would have surgery and then chemotherapy and radiation, one of the first things I wanted to do was have photos made. Normally I am the one taking photos of other people. But right then, I wanted to have photos made before cancer changed the way I looked. I was going to have a double breast reduction in addition to the lumpectomy and I knew that chemo would result in hair loss. We had a family vacation coming up at the end of June 2011 in Michigan and I was scheduled for surgery the first week of July. One of my many favorite photographers I follow is Nicholas Viltrakis, who happens to be located in Cincinnati. After convincing my boyfriend to allow us to veer slightly off the normal route up to Michigan, and then working it out with Nicholas’s schedule, it was set!  We met up with him at Ault Park in Cincinnati and had a ton of fun taking photos, laughing and talking photography. Nicholas is full of energy and the whole event was awesome … even my boyfriend enjoyed it! lol. Here are a few of those images of myself that he took.  :)

I had my surgery in July and then because of another issue, ended up going to the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Tulsa, OK, for a second opinion. They were fabulous and I was there for ten days. During that time, my sister also came over from California, and again, I was ready to have photos made. This time we just “hired” mom to get them done. I hadn’t yet had my first chemo treatment … that would come at the end of the visit in Tulsa.

The point in all of this is that it is good to document your life. This is the only life here on earth that you will have. Yes, cancer is a terrible thing and for some people, it leads to their journey out of this life. But whoever you are, there are people around you who love you. They love you for who you are and the memories they have created with you. They don’t care if you’re a few pounds overweight, lost all your hair, or have some other issue that you’re not entirely proud of and ready to show off in front of the camera. Every photograph is an opportunity to remember. I went through hair loss myself and wasn’t excited to have photos made either. But I did document a little bit of that timeframe in my life and have some photos of me with very short hair (after it had grown back a tad), in my wigs and other items covering my head. These are all memories … not great ones, true, but they are a part of my journey and who I am. This one in the center middle row is the most recent one of me.

I wanted to join the Magic Hour Foundation as an opportunity to “give back” to others. So many people were beside me as I went through my cancer struggle. They offered words of encouragement, prayers, thoughts, financial contributions, advice, and many other things. It was wonderful to have that support. I’ve been there and now I want to help others through their cancer journeys.

This is written in the Magic Hour brochure:

What is the Magic Hour?

Our Vision

Our Mission

People can qualify for a donated portrait session if they are currently receiving treatment for cancer or have been cancer-free for under two years. You can also nominate another person who qualifies. There is a form on their website where you can sign-up or share nominations.  Donations are also appreciated to keep the organization going.

For more information on the Magic Hour Foundation, just click on the logo below to check out their website!

As almost all of you know, I am passionate about my photography! Of course, I have a business and I photograph lovely people and get paid for it (which is a real bonus, lol) but I also just enjoy my own personal photography projects. Even when I grab up my camera at the house to take a quick shot of a flower or bug in the yard, you can bet I’m gonna do some kind of photo adjustment in Lightroom. I would never dream of NOT using Lightroom or Photoshop to enhance my photos a little bit. ANY photos that I take.

It’s really no different from film photography years ago. When you’d take a photo on film, you had to send it to the lab or run it by the one-hour drop-off at the nearest store. Those machines are designed to process that film into prints. They are calibrated to produce a print from that negative and hopefully render it in beautiful color or rich grayscale tones. Something had to be done to make that final image and the same is true with digital photography today. Somewhere along the way, those images need to be processed. True, almost all of the digital cameras today offer processing right there in the camera. You can set your camera to make a black-and-white photo, sepia photo, vibrant color photo, etc. But, to take it a step further, don’t allow your camera to make all the decisions for you … allow your creativity and final vision to take form!

Lightroom is a program designed to organize your photographs, enhance them, and help you decide on ways to show them off. It’s a one-stop photo developing spot right in your own home!! These photos were enhanced ONLY in Lightroom. There’s no “photoshopping” involved. See the difference. It’s easy to do. And I’m gonna show you how to do that in my one-day-only Lightroom class Saturday, March 9 at my studio in Glennville!

I know you have lots of questions and that’s why I developed this detailed Q&A section below. If you’re already convinced you want to take part, then by all means, don’t let me slow you down!! If you scroll all the way to the bottom, you will find a link to the sign-up form. The cost for the day is $80 and you can pay that through Paypal, as soon as you submit the form. This class is limited to 12 people and lunch and door prizes are provided, as well as handy dandy take-home sheets to help you out when you get back home!!

Class Pre-Requisites …

1. I have a digital camera

2. I enjoy taking pictures

3. I have a computer

Yes, there are only three simple things you need to have in order to potentially benefit from this personalized Lightroom class! I know, easy right? But, I know you have a ton of questions about it all, so I thought I’d just get down to the business of answering them so you have a chance to decide if you’re gonna set aside your Saturday to learn stuff.

I Have A Question …

Q. So, you say it’s a Saturday, huh?

Yes, I’ve randomly just outta the blue picked Saturday, March 9.

Q. Hmm, well, that might work. I dunno … it’s a few weeks off. Can I decide at the last minute?

Well, no, sorry … you see, I picked a day hopefully far enough in advance that you might could make plans to attend. I’m going to register people in advance so I can make plans about seating requirements, class materials, food, door prizes …

Q. Door prizes?

Well, you know, I like to give stuff away. But, more on that later … aren’t you interested in what it’s all about?

Q. Oh yeah, I mean you’re gonna teach me how to make my photos look better right? Some program called Lightroom. I’ve heard of it but don’t really know anything about it.

Yes, it’s called Lightroom and it’s made by Adobe … the same folks that make Photoshop and a ton of other great programs. Lightroom is kinda like the gatekeeper of all your photos. It’s what you use to get them on the computer, fix them up so they look wonderful, and then push them out the door to some fabulous afterlife … like printed copies, books, email or the internet!

Q. So, you can make my photos look wonderful? Have you SEEN my photos?

Hahaha, well, I’m not teaching camera skills in this class so I’m assuming you have something in your photography repertoire that is acceptable. And yes, I know all about assuming.

Q. Well, I mean, my photos are OKAY but they’re not like professional or anything.

Well then great! That’s the whole point! With Lightroom, you can give them that extra little uummpphh they need to make them sparkle and snap!

Q. But I just take photos; I don’t know anything about fixing them on a computer or whatnot. My camera card has like a zillion images on it.

Oh lordy, if that’s the case, then you definitely need this class! You gotta get those photos off the camera and share them with the world!! I’ve seen people lose hundreds and hundreds of photos off a card that went bad, and you don’t want that to happen do you?

Q. No

Okay then.

Q. But I’m like a TOTAL beginner to all of this so are you sure that this class is gonna help me get control of my photos??

Yes, I feel pretty confident about it. I’m prepared to take you by the hand and walk you through the whole process from the very beginning to the very end.

Q. But that might take a while! You’ve never tried to teach ME anything. LOL!

Well, that’s true, but I’m up for the challenge, which is why I’m limiting the class to just 12 participants and not putting a time limit on the day.

Q. No time limit??

Nah. You see, I LOVE talking about all this stuff so I figure I’ll just hang out with you guys and keep on talking until I’m sure that everyone “gets it”. I don’t want someone to walk out of a two-hour class and feel like they wasted their time and money.

Q. But sometimes when I get home and get in front of my own computer, I’ve forgotten everything that I learned!!

Yeah, I realize that brain-overload happens. I’ve been there myself. But, in order to prevent that from happening, I’m gonna have some great study sheets for you to take home! And, as a class alumni, you can always call me or email me if you get stuck and have a question.

Q. Really??

Yes, really.

Q. Great!!! Well, I’m ready to sign up … I wanna be one of the 12! What do I do? Where do I go? You want some money? I’m ready, ready, ready!!

LOL! Well, I’m loving the enthusiasm! I know how you feel. I love learning some new stuff to help me out too! But, there’s some things you probably need to know first….

1. Lightroom (version 4) isn’t a FREE program. You would have to buy it if you decide to use it. At the time of this post, you can purchase it on Amazon for about $120. Or you can buy it straight from Adobe for $149. If you are a teacher or student though (and can provide the required paperwork), then you can buy it from Adobe for $79. Yes, that’s a full working copy of it, however, when another upgrade comes out, you won’t be able to upgrade with the teacher/student edition. You’d have to buy it again outright.

Adobe does offer a 30-day free trial period though. So you can download the full program from their site and try it out for 30 days in order to determine if you want to purchase it or not.

If you are a member of the new Adobe Cloud, then Lightroom is one of the downloadable programs. If you’ve never heard of computer clouds and have no idea what I’m talking about, just forget this last paragraph! lol

2. Your computer will need to meet the requirements needed to run Lightroom. If you have a dinosaur computer (I’d say like 5-6 years old) and you’re not looking to buy a new one anytime soon, then this class probably isn’t for you. Here’s the minimum requirements you need to run Lightroom. And remember, minimum means slow, so it’d be much better if you exceeded these requirements …

Windows

Intel® Pentium® 4 or AMD Athlon® 64 processor
Microsoft® Windows Vista or Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 or Windows 8
2GB of RAM
1GB of available hard-disk space
1024×768 display
DVD-ROM drive (if installing from DVD)
Internet connection required for Internet-based services*

Mac OS

Multicore Intel processor with 64-bit support
Mac OS X v10.6.8, 10.7, or v10.8
2GB of RAM
1GB of available hard-disk space
1024×768 display
DVD-ROM drive (if installing from DVD)
Internet connection required for Internet-based services*

3. Obviously, you need a method of getting your photos from your camera and to your computer, like a card reader or something. I’m hoping that you already know how to do that part.

Q. Okay, great!! I think I’m good with all those things, especially considering I can just TRY Lightroom for 30 days for free. Speaking of money, how much is this class going to be anyway?

It’s $80 per person.

Q. Hmmm, why not $30??

Lol, well, I like the $80 figure better, personally. Plus, I am dedicating my entire day to helping you out with your photos. And, I’ll throw in snacks and your lunch. If we stay until dinner though, that’s on you!

Q. Oh man, if we stayed that long, I’d have to bring my kids up there.

No can do. lol! This is going to be a total learning environment, so no kids or pets allowed. You can just take off whenever you need to.

Q. So where’s this class going to be held?

It’s going to be in my photo studio in Glennville. I’m located in the back of McLeod Properties (between Badcock and Jennifer’s School of Dance) on Hwy. 301 N. You can just drive around back and park out there in the grass or whatever. I have a door back there with a little magnetic sign.

There will be tables and chairs for all 12 of you and I’ll teach the class from my computer, which will be projected onto a large screen so that everyone will be able to see what’s going on.

I’m not about too much “formal” anything, so we’ll have easy access to snacks and drinks, bathroom, etc. And when you have a question, you can just let it out and we’ll take care of it right then.

You don’t have to bring a computer or camera to class, but if you have a laptop and have Lightroom installed before the class and want to work on it some while you’re there, then that’s fine.

Q. So you’re gonna have lunch for us too?

Yes, I’ll provide the lunch right there for anyone interested.

Q. What are we gonna eat?

I don’t know yet but we’ll go with the majority vote method. I’ll have options on your sign-up form and whatever gets the most votes, we’ll go with.

Q. Well if you don’t have an “ending” time in mind, when does the class start?

I guess I’ll say 9 a.m. That’s way early for me, but I know you guys will be eager to get started. So 9 works for me!

Q. You kinda just seem to be throwing ideas around. Have you ever actually taught anything before??

LOL! Well, not in a classroom-type setting, no I guess I haven’t. I have given personal one-on-one classes before though in Lightroom and Photoshop. And I’ve attended a lot of classes myself in photography-related stuff, read a lot of books and watched a lot of tutorials online. Does that count?

Q. Well, yeah, I suppose. But you don’t have any certification or degree or anything?

No. Just my own real-world practice and learning. But I do love to learn stuff and I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned. But conferences and seminars get very costly! I highly recommend Photoshop World to photographers I come across. I’ve been to it twice and it is totally awesome!! But, you better be ready to shell out at least $1200 for your ticket, hotel, food and gas. And that’s staying in a “cheap” hotel too. LOL!  Of course, there are other classes too and in fact, there’s one coming up in Atlanta that I will probably attend myself for $99.  But, with me, you will be getting that one-on-one extra special time and you won’t have to go far from home to get it … and if I pick up a tip at the Atlanta class, I’ll be sure to share it with you guys!

Q. Hahaha, nah, I’ll just stick with your $80 informal class on Lightroom …. as long as you’ll stay there and make sure I know what I’m doing! And feed me.

Yes, yes, I promise!

Q. Okay, well this has been a good long time talking about the class already and I just want to be signed up already!! What if I’m unlucky number 13 and sign up too late?

Oh, I’m sorry then! Truly I do want everyone to be able to attend that wants to, but I just don’t have the space in the studio for too many people and I want it to be really easy for everyone to learn what they want to know. I’ve been in classrooms of hundreds and hundreds and you sure don’t get those one-on-one opportunities!!

If there’s a huge rush of people and lots of tears shed, then I may offer a second class. We’ll just see how it goes.

But, hurry okay? Cause I want you to be able to make this class on Saturday, March 9!!

Click this button and fill out the form to sign up and pay the $80 registration fee. If you don’t have a paypal account, you can still use the registration form but you need to be calling me ASAP with a credit card number or something. The first 12 PAID attendees are the ones getting in the door. If you don’t have my phone number, it’s 912-237-0126.

Their wedding ceremony was held in Statesboro under the gazebo at Snella’s Place. I had photographed a wedding there before, so I was already familiar with the venue.  The sun was incredibly bright during the ceremony, but we were fortunate to have great weather all that afternoon.  Both the bride and groom smiled and laughed during the ceremony (which I loved) and there was even a funny moment when the bride began to place the groom’s ring on the wrong hand. You gotta love those moments in wedding ceremonies!  I loved being able to capture those memories for the couple to share!

For the reception, Hayley had wanted me to bring my photo booth and I was very excited about using it for the first time at a wedding reception. I’d have to say … the guests LOVED it! The photo booth stayed busy the full two hours plus, and was handled quite efficiently by my “trusty unpaid assistant” … Mama.  The bride and groom got a copy of all the photo booth strips of the guests and I’m sure they’ll be laughing over those for years to come.

Thank you, Hayley and Nathan, for allowing me to share your special day! I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I did taking them. Sharing the story of the wedding day is one of my favorite parts … although I will admit, it’s tough to narrow down those images. Good luck on selecting the images for your album! lol.

(Also a special thank you to Amberly Foster Photography for recommending me as the wedding photographer! I appreciate it and will certainly return the favor one day for you, too.)

Here’s a special look into Hayley and Nathan’s wedding day …

I’m not sure how it happened but several years ago when I ordered my first wedding album for a client, I found Kiss Books. I can’t remember if I stumbled across them at a trade show or someone’s blog post reference, or through an email. I just found them … or they found me! I haven’t used any other company since then for my wedding albums. When I recently started ordering albums for high school seniors, families or baby photographs, they remained my choice in companies.

Kiss Books are a high end product. They aren’t “cheap” and because of that, I haven’t got an arsenal of samples in my studio … although that collection is growing steadily!

In addition to the extremely high quality of their albums, there are also very limited choices when ordering and THAT is one of my favorite things!!  I know that sounds odd … you’d think the greater number of choices in covers, designs, sizes, options, options, options, the better, right? Heck, no!  If you haven’t ordered professional photographs lately, then you don’t have any idea how HARD it is to narrow down your selection of what you actually want to order. Imagine being a bride and having to make all the wedding day decisions, the colors, the flowers, the dress, the invitations, the cake, the order of the ceremony, what people will eat, what people will attend, who’s gonna throw a fit if they’re seated next to one another etc. etc.  Then on top of that, you have to narrow down several hundred photographs to just 100-150 for your album. OMG, you love every one of the photos though! THEN, when your brain is about to explode from all the decision-making, you have to decide options for your wedding album … plain cover, leather cover, metallic cover, acrylic cover, cover with a see-through photo frame, cover with an imprint …. plain pages, coated pages, thick pages, foil lined edges, plain edges, square corners, round corners …. I know, you’re thinking, “Where does it END??!?!”

It ends with keeping it simple and that is the motto of Kiss Books. Simple.

Kiss has three easy options:

1. Pick a color (8 to choose from)

2. Pick a size (4 to choose from)

3. Pick a cover (2 to choose from)

I love Kiss Books. I love the quality of the book and how it feels when you hold it and look through the pages. I love the ease of ordering and the packaging when delivered. And I love the smiles on the faces of my client when they hold their book for the first time.

Obviously I’m gonna be a loyal Kiss client for a long time.  My eyes light up when I get an email from them letting me know my book is moving along through the printing and binding process. When they send out the tracking number for the package, it’s a habit for me to check the location a couple times a day, waiting and watching for it to get closer. And when I know it’s on the UPS truck for delivery, well I go into “stalker” mode as I watch the clock, check the driveway and anticipate the arrival of that big brown truck.  It’s like Christmas every time … and it’s not even MY album … it’s going to one of my clients.

Yesterday I received yet another wedding album and of course, I met the UPS driver halfway down the driveway! It was all I could do not to take that box right to the kitchen table and open it up! I was trying to restrain myself so that I could photograph it and share it on my blog.  Here’s the box, which waited patiently for me as I cleaned off the coffee table, set up my lighting equipment, changed the lens on my camera and checked the flash output.

When you open a box from Kiss Books, the inside is a bright, welcoming white and the album is wrapped tightly in a heavy clear plastic around another cardboard insert fitted inside the box, so you can be assured that book isn’t bouncing around in there as it travels across the United States. Taking off the heavy plastic wrapping, you’ll find your album wrapped in it’s own protective plastic. There is also a note from the company and a fabulous cloth bag, which the album is put in to deliver to the client.

This particular album order was for the 10×10 leather album … my favorite! The couple chose a blue cover because the reception was held at Georgia Southern University, where the bride was a graduate.  The leather album has a super soft, luxurious padded cover and the thickest pages you’ll find in any album. You aren’t gonna bend these pages!

And maybe the best part of all in regards to the album, is the full-spread pages with no cuts or gutters in the middle. So wonderful!  I love being able to feature a full-size photograph all across the page and not have it interrupted with a border, cut, staple, etc. The bend line is so fine that you can barely tell.

Because of being able to layout photographs all across the two pages, there’s a lot more room for creativity and for showcasing the images.

Kiss Books are lifetime guaranteed. The leather ones are heavy and solid. It’s gonna last you forever and the simplicity of it will be fashionable for years and years to come (probably not so much a metallic or acrylic covered ablum). And these books look fabulous when displayed on your coffee table at home! Obviously!

I am very proud to put my name on these albums! I love them! Thank you, Kiss, for an awesome product!  And, thank you also to each one of my clients who allow me to order them one of these incredible albums. It’s gonna be an item your family will cherish for many, many years!!