Please update your links, bookmarks, and feeds accordingly!
We are in the middle of our 2008 Real Couple of the Year wedding photography contest, but do not be worried--this site (and the poll and its link) will be active for at least until the end of the contest. The voting can be found in either location, and is governed by a central location--votes on either blog will be reflected on both, so it shouldn't effect the contest at all.
The contest is a little bit easier to find on our new blog--click on "2008 Real Couple Contest" right below the header to go directly to the voting page.
I was interviewed by the very cool Pay it Forward last week--a website designed for photographers to give back to one another. I couldn't believe that they wanted to interview me! But, that lapse in judgement aside ;) , they are a very cool organization. If you are in the photography world, be sure it check them out!
To read the Real Photography Pay it Forward interview, click here.
Inspired by Cindy and John, I've created a Real Photography Facebook group! If you're on Facebook, we'd love you to join the group.
We are amazed by all the voting! Our finalists are better at motivating voters than the presidential candidates! (Of course, if voting in elections was as easy as pushing a button on a website, I think a lot more people would vote!)
We are watching the back end of the poll and our site stats to make sure that everything checks out, so please encourage all of your friends and family to continue to follow the rules and only vote once!
I also finally have a new picture of myself, thanks to Nic! Nothing says "there are geeks in the neighborhood" like going out for a family walk with two cameras!
Whew! We received a ton of entries yesterday! (Here I was thinking Coloradans were shy--it turns out they're just last-minute contest entry-ers!) :D
We had so many entries, and all of them were amazing, that it was very difficult to select the finalists. In fact, we had to bump up the number of finalists from four to six.
We felt like we knew each couple after reading their emails, so have decided that everyone has to win--at least a little bit. All of our entrants will receive either a free engagement portrait session or $300 off our wedding coverage. We thank everyone for entering and are sorry that not everyone could be finalists!
The Voting - ONLY VOTE ONCE
The poll is designed to only allow one vote per
computer. Any couple suspected of cheating will be disqualified, so
please follow the rules!
Voting will close at midnight on March 15th.
The Finalists...
Cindy and John – 23 August 2008
We quickly connected with Cindy and John’s story. Our relationship also began in college with
our Air Force training (ours in ROTC rather than the Academy) and we had lots
of long-distance times in our own relationship. And if that wasn’t enough to pull at our heart strings, Cindy and John
are tanker pilots…and I have had an unusual love affair with tankers ever since
my Aircraft Maintenance tech school (other maintainers thought I had it sweet
working at Langley with F-15s and F-22s…and all I could dream of were KC-10s)!
My name is Cindy, and I would like to
share my love story with you. My fiance, John, and I are both first
lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force. We are both KC-135 Stratotanker
pilots, and as such conduct air refueling for other jets. That probably
makes us the highest paid gas station attendants in the world!
How We Met (or "The Usual He-said, She-said")
John and I met a few years before we even considered dating
each other, as freshmen (actually we were called "fourth class cadets")
at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Though I had worked hard
to land a congressional nomination and appointment to the Academy, my
first real exposure to the military and life away from my small
hometown was a bit daunting. But I'd been running on sports teams
basically my whole life, so joining the Academy's cross country and
track teams was my release. I found that running was the same no matter
where you were. It was at one of the first few practices that I met
John.
John was born and raised in central Florida, near
Orlando. He was the tall, dark haired, stunningly handsome, and
confidant guy you'd expect to meet in a beach town. I figured there
would be no chance he could ever be interested in me. Years later he
told me that I had caught his eye during those first few practices as
well--me in my short running shorts and spaghetti-strap sports bra--but
of course I had no idea at the time.
Time passed, and we
became teammates, mere acquaintances--because I could never work up
enough courage to really talk with him outside of practice. The next
summer, my boyfriend-at-the-time failed to pick me up at the airport
upon my return from summer leave at home in California. While I was on
the phone with him, furious and stranded, John walked up to me in the
airport and offered me a ride. I was embarrassed, but took him up on
the offer. He was very pleasant and friendly, but I was sure he was
laughing on the inside at me and my awkwardness. He tells me now that
he had enjoyed talking with me so much, he decided then that he was
going to date me someday.
Over the next two and half years I
ran into him at various times. Every time we'd meet he would stop and
ask me about things--classes, running, my family, my boyfriend--and he
genuinely seemed to care. I'd always walk away thinking he was so sweet
and sincere. Of course in my head I was swooning over the fact that he
actually remembered my name! He says he was always scheming on how to
take me out on a date. He wanted me to know that he cared, and to make
sure that I didn't forget about him. At long last, he asked me out, and
we just clicked—chatting through our first date for more than seven
hours!
Fast-Forward (or "Insert Complications Here")
Two years later, the military put a stumbling block into our
otherwise ordinary development as a couple. We were both in pilot
training, and it was time for each of us to make some career decisions
about first, what type of airplane to fly and second, where we each
wanted to live for our first assignments (about four years). I came
upon decision-making time first and though we were very much in love,
we decided I should ask for assignments based on my personal
preferences and we'd figure things out with us down the road. My first
choice: Fly KC-135s in Mildenhall, England. And sure enough, I was
granted orders to England as a KC-135 pilot! I was so excited.
Seven
months later—more secure in our relationship and ready to commit—it was
time for John to request his first assignment. His request: KC-135s to
Mildenhall England, in hopes of following me. The tanker was not
actually his favorite, but it might make it more likely for us to be
stationed together. As we waited to hear the results of his assignment,
I packed up my belongings, shipped them to England, and bought a plane
ticket in preparation for my departure. Much to our dismay, John was
given orders to fly KC-135's, but in McConnell, Kansas. Instead of
Great Britain, he would be living in the Great Plains. Now he was stuck
flying a plane that would not have been his first choice, and we
wouldn't even be living on the same side of the Atlantic.
He
had sacrificed a lot for the chance of being with me, and so I decided
it was time I do the same. I requested my orders be changed to Kansas
in order to be with him. John of course did not want me to give up
England--he knew how excited I was for the assignment--but life with
him in Kansas would bring me more joy than life alone in England.
I
moved to Kansas in October, with the two small suitcases I had planned
on flying with me across the ocean. With all the rest of my belongings
already being shipped to England, I had no furniture and was even
borrowing shower towels for months, but I knew I had made the right
choice. Things started to fall into place in December. My belongings
finally arrived back from their voyage to England (my couch is now more
traveled than I am) and I settled into my new place. Then on Christmas
Eve in my hometown, John asked me to marry him!
Our Wedding (or "Happily Ever After … Mostly")
We will be sharing our vows in front of
friends and family back where it all began—in Colorado at the Air Force
Academy, in the beautiful Cadet Chapel on August 23, 2008. (If you
haven't seen it before, the Chapel is simply gorgeous--every
photographers dream;) ) I couldn't be happier with the way things have
turned out, but there are still many obstacles in our future.
Long
term, even though we are stationed together now, every re-assignment
brings with it the risk of being separated. The needs of the Air Force
will always trump the desires of the wedded members. We are thankful
for our good fortune so far, and will never take it for granted!
Wedding-wise, planning is kind of difficult. With my family living in
California, his family in Florida, me in Kansas and him in Oklahoma (he
won't be moving to Kansas until a few months from now), all
arrangements must be made via email and phone exchanges. As if that
were not difficult enough, I will be deploying to the desert in a few
weeks in order to do my part in the War on Terrorism. I've heard of
brides planning weddings from Iraq, but that's never how I imagined my
wedding planning would go. I just keep thinking about heading down the
aisle in my elaborate white dress (I'm thinking elbow-length gloves
would go well with his crisp, navy-colored mess dress uniform, right?),
with the colored light streaming in through the Chapel's modern windows
spanning the height of the majestic spires—and John ahead of me. With
him by my side, I'll always be home.
OK, so it's a bit cheesy--but what's a bride without her cheesy love story? This one's mine! Aubree and Zach - 5 July 2008
We loved Aubree's creative approach to the contest--could it get any better than a poem? I love where she uses "berserk" to rhyme with "work." That's a bride we want to hang out with!
We met at our church. Zack was the cute boy who I stalked. One time after Mass, in front of me he walked.
He got my e-mail address and set up our first date. We rode our mountain bikes and Mexican food we ate.
Starting on that day about a year and a half ago, we’ve been inseparable as this short poem will show.
We watch movies and play soccer, play board games and go run. We take road trips and vacations; we’re always having fun!
Zack plays guitar-me, violin; we’re both in the church choir. Soon enough we realized of each other we’ll never tire.
So things became more serious after Zack said, “I love you.” I started to believe this man was my lifelong dream come true.
Atop Kenosha Pass on a mountain bike ride was where Zack proposed. I’ll admit I cried. Now he travels to New York each week for consulting work. It’s hard when he’s away; sometimes I go berserk.
Meanwhile I teach sixth grade helping kids learn to read and write, and work on wedding plans, making sure the details are just right.
On July 5th we’ll be married at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church. And there with friends and family, I’ll end my husband search.
Afterward we’ll party at Mount Vernon Country Club, toasting, drinking, dancing, and eating all the grub.
Zack can’t forget the date. There will be fireworks each year. Hints of our anniversary will always be quite clear!
But how will we remember the moments of that day? We’d love beautiful photographs without having to pay!
So we’re entering this contest in hopes that you will feel that we’re the couple of the year and want to see our love is REAL!
Sarah and Dan - 20 September 2008
Who wouldn't like a couple that has a picture of themselves shortly after sunrise?! (That's right, I said "sunrise" not "sunset.") I loved that Sarah's well written entry had a theme. I happen to be sucker for a good theme (just ask my friend Laura who recently suggested that maybe Will's second birthday party didn't need to have a theme...)
There has been an uncommon thread throughout our relationship…rocks. As unromantic as this sounds, bear with us and we will explain.
Sarah is a Colorado native, born in Salida and raised in the Denver suburb of Thornton. Her education led her to the Colorado School of Mines where she earned a Masters degree in Geophysics. Shortly before graduation, she accepted a job that kept her in Denver.
Dan was born and raised on the southside of Chicago. He attended the University of Illinois where he earned a Masters degree in Architecture. A few years out of college, he was drawn to the natural beauty of Colorado and accepted a transfer to his company's Denver branch office.
Luckily for our story, Tracy, one of Dan's co-workers, is also a good friend and college roommate of Sarah's and knew we had similar interests in rock climbing and outdoor activities. Tracy thought we would make a good couple so she organized a low key group ski trip to introduce us the first weekend Dan moved to Colorado. Needless to say, Dan was not aware of the plan. But Tracy's plan was successful and we went out on our first date two weeks later.
Our love of the outdoors (and rocks) has taken us on several exciting adventures. It began with weekend camping and climbing trips in the Colorado mountains and has extended to the beaches and volcanic islands of Maui, Hawaii, to the rock arches and canyons of Moab, Utah.
Fittingly, our most recent vacation was to the red rock desert of Sedona, Arizona and the magnificent Grand Canyon. While hiking through Boynton Canyon in Sedona, Dan completely surprised Sarah with a different type of rock. A beautiful ring and a marriage proposal amidst the canyon walls made for the perfect beginning of our engagement.
So, as rocks have emerged as a common theme throughout our relationship, it is very appropriate that our wedding ceremony will be held at Red Rocks Park on September 20, 2008. Among the rocks formations, with the support of our loved ones, we will share our love for each other as well as our unusual thread.
The picture attached was taken on our vacation to Maui when we hiked the Haleakala crater after watching the sunrise.
Matt and Megan – 25 October 2008
Matt and Megan have your traditional “boy meets girl, boy dates girl” story…except with a thirteen year gap in the middle! We love their plans for a colorful Pittsburgh themed wedding!
First, let me point you in the direction of our wedding myspace page as it has a lot of information posted.
Matt (29) and I (soon-to-be 29) met in eighth grade when we both lived in Pittsburgh. We were friendly, but not friends, not in a relationship, just acquaintances. In tenth grade, my family moved to North Carolina and that was that.
13 years later and out of the blue, Matt wrote me a short, cute note reaching out to me on MySpace (note posted on our page). That note sparked and off we went. Four months later, Matt moved from Tampa to Denver. That was 2006. He proposed just last month and now we're planning our --
October 25, 2008 wedding!
We will be married at Trinity U. Methodist Church in downtown denver at 4:30p in the afternoon. Directly following, we'll party down at The Curtis Hotel!
Our colors are orange, navy, cream, w/ red, maybe some purple and of course, brown. (ha ha ha.) Pretty much all. The reception room will be filled with hundreds of balloons, we'll have huge photographs of places in Pittsburgh blown up and framed around the room. There will pretty much be an underlying Pittsburgh theme all around (mini steeler footballs for the escort table...??) Table cards named after areas in Pittsburgh (Squirrel Hill, etc.) Place mats will be vinyl that we spray paint orange because --
My fiance, Matt, is really into indie music. He'll probably set his turntables up, bring his records, and let anyone play. In addition, we'll have an iPOD playlist and we're asking people for song requests on our r.s.v.p. card so the floor will be lit up all night.
And I'm the kind of girl who WILL be dancing like a total freak all night. We were in Orlando for a family reunion a couple weeks ago and I stopped the dance floor in 3-seconds flat and formed a dance circle. I am very, very goofy.
First dance will likely be a mash-up off Marvin Gaye/Mary J. Blige's 'All I Need.'
Bernadette and Haydn – 6 September 2008
I fell in love with Bernadette at her consultation . Her infectious good humor, down-to-earth
personality, and impressive knowledge of what’s IN in the photography world
right now endeared her to me immediately! I can’t wait to meet Hadyn at their engagement shoot! (Bernadette and Haydn have already booked us
for their wedding—we can’t wait!)
If you ask anyone that knows us what we are like- either individually or
as a couple- a few words you may hear would be: goofy, funny, pranksters,
silly, or mischievous. Growing up, I have always been the comic relief in my
family. I am always laughing and doing things to make others laugh as well.
When dating though, I never found anyone who “got” my sense of humor- let alone
match it.
When I met Haydn though, I knew I was in for a dose of my own medicine!
He grew up the same- always making people laugh, playing practical jokes with
his twin brother, etc. We started laughing on our first date and haven’t
stopped since. We have had what some may call a “whirlwind” romance. We knew
within the first two weeks that we would get married. After 3 months we were
engaged. Our friends and families were completely supportive because anyone who
spends time with us as a couple gets it- we really were made to be together.
Humor is one of the main parts of our relationship. I truly think that if
you can laugh together, you can get through anything. This became immensely
apparent to us recently when I suffered a back injury. Since my accident, Haydn
has become the sole provider in our household- working two jobs while I was on
bedrest. After working 75-80 hour workweeks, he comes home and takes care of
everything around the house- no easy feat at our residence either (we have 2
dogs and 2 cats).
His number one concern is always how Im feeling and how I am doing that
day. He makes sure I have my medicine, and that I take it with food so it
doesn’t upset my stomach. He runs a bath for me and helps me in and out of the
tub. He has taken his vacation hours from work to drive me to and from dozens
of doctors appointments so he can be there every step of the way. He’s had to
dress me, put my shoes on, etc. My independence was completely lost and I
depended on him for mostly all of my basic needs.
Most people would look at this as a chore, or get tired of my asking for
help all of the time.. Especially on top of working such long hours and having
to do all of the housekeeping. Not Haydn. Not only has he taken such good care
of me, but he has made sure that we have kept our sense of humor throughout the
entire process. When he knows I am in pain or depressed from being housebound,
he will do whatever it takes to make me laugh and cheer me up. Whether it be
something simple like a funny card, or one of his more elaborate tries to make
me smile- such as making up and singing a funny song, dressing up in a goofy
outfit, etc- he always succeeds and cheers me up. In fact, a few times I had to
tell him to stop because it hurt to laugh that hard!
I am currently on the upswing of my injury. It’s a slow process but I am
getting better. I can do a few more things every day, reclaim a bit of my
independence. This experience has taught me two very important things- #1 that
laughter truly is the best medicine.. And #2 that I am the luckiest girl in the
world.
As we move towards our wedding date on September 6th and we plan the details,
we both have agreed that photography is the most important thing to us. We are
planning an incredibly fun and personal day. We don’t care about elaborate
centerpieces or fancy invitations. We are looking forward to a day that is
truly just about love. Our love for each other and for the incredible group of
people that we are blessed to call our friends and family. To have wonderful
photographs of this immense love that we feel would truly be a dream come true
for us.
Clare and Vern – 7 September 2008
When I read Clare’s
email, I knew she would be in the finalists. I love that their love story is different from your traditional fairy
tale. It begins in heartbreak, but, as
things always do, shows that situations work out for the best, even if it’s
hard to believe at the time!
Our story is unusual. Vern was a friend of mine. He was married to my friend, a girl who was in the same theatre company with me. I have been friends with them for four years. In 2007, my friend (his wife) told me that she was romantically interested in a man in our theatre company. I tried to help her as best I could—I recommended that she and Vern go to couples counseling, that she tell him what was happening. She said she didn’t want to do that. She told me she had decided to leave him. And she did. They had been together for fourteen years, seven of which they had been married.
At the same time that was happening, I was in a relationship with a man who was a playwright and film director. We had been having problems because he was never around—always out of town, going to London, New York, Chicago, Amsterdam, you name it. I had tons of free time, and so I started hanging out with Vern and my friend Steve a lot. Steve and I were trying to lift Vern’s spirits, get his mind off of how sad he was. One day, on September 7th, Vern and I hung out alone. He took me on a motorcycle ride, which was so exciting! I told him I had never been on one and he totally surprised me with it! After that, we sat on his porch and talked till the wee hours of the morning. I realized when I got home that night that I was starting to fall for Vern. I broke up with my boyfriend. I went home to visit my family in Colorado. Before I left for Colorado, I got a letter from Vern in the mail. He said that I had put a hundred stitches in his broken heart. He signed it “with new and true love.” When I came back, the first thing I thought was “I have to see Vern.” Everything in me was pulling me to him. I went to his house straight from the airport.
From that time on, we have been inseparable! He lent me the book Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut, and mentioned that he didn’t think that kind of love existed in real life, until he met me. The book talked about “the nation of two”—the small world, and the only world, for the husband and wife in the story. I adored the story; it was perfect for us.
I started sending him postcards when I was in Colorado, and I still continue to do it, even though we live in the same town. He writes me songs, I write him sonnets. He comes to see my plays; I go to see his band play. We support each other. We believe in each other.
We will have a small wedding in my high school English teacher’s backyard. My parents are going to make chili and cornbread and we will have a string quartet. We are getting married a year to the day of that first motorcycle ride—September 7th—the first time we were alone together. It turns out that love doesn’t work by the rules, and that it takes you by surprise, and that it sometimes comes from the most unexpected places. Vern is the best man I know, and when I say forever, when I say that I will love him for the rest of my life—I mean it with all my might. He is the greatest and most unexpected gift of my life.
This is a drive by posting...we're very busy right now with wedding meetings!
There are two days left to enter our Real Couple of the Year contest. We are booking lots of '08 weddings, but everyone is too shy to enter the contest! We currently have only three entries...and there are four spaces for finalists! You're practically guaranteed a spot in the finals if you enter!
It's time to begin the search for Class of 2009 Senior Reps! If you know anyone that is currently a junior in a Colorado Springs high school, send them over! (Double-click to see the full size ad)
The thing about photographers' kids is that they tend to be a little neglected in the photograph department. Sure, their mommies and daddies take pictures of them, but when it comes to actually printing them out or doing something with them...well, the photographer is too busy ordering and printing and framing other people's babies.
Around Halloween, I was feeling really overwhelmed by the idea that 2007 was going to go largely un-scrapbooked and then I came up with an idea--why not create a year in review coffee table book that housed all of the great and hilarious photos of 2007 and then I could scrapbook them at my leisure, because their need to be printed, recorded, and shared would be met.
I was planning to offer this service to other photographers equally overwhelmed by their own photos until I decided that there are plenty of busy non-photographer moms that would also like to partake in a "send your photos to Traci, get back a finished book" service.
I ordered the albums on New Years morning after finishing off the December page and writing the note at the back--the perfect way to start a new year. And today, a box of the albums arrived (the grandparents' late Christmas presents will be arriving soon)!
The albums
Photographers have all sorts of secret spectacular album vendors, and these albums come from one of them. These are not printed by blurb or Shutterfly or Snapfish--they are printed by a high quality professional album vendor. They are hard cover books and the pages are protected with a varnish coating. They come in an opaque slipcover. There is a vellum page right before the title page that adds a little extra somethin', too:
How it works
You'll send your photos on a disc to me. If you have never done anything but download them, check a few and see if the EXIF data shows the date. If it does, you're golden--just pull out the pictures you'd like in the birthday spread (and stick them in a folder labeled "birthday"), repeat the process for Christmas, and send me your disc.
If you would like to be more hands on (or your pictures don't have the date in the EXIF data) send a disc with 17 folders--one for each month of the year, one for the cover picture, one for the title page, one for the birthday spread, one for Christmas, and one for the closing page.
You'll also need to send (either on the disc or by email) the text you'd like for the closing page of the album.
Number of photos
The spreads in the book average around 15 pictures. Some have more, some have less, so I'll arrange the design order to work best for the number of photos you have in each month. It's okay if one month only has 3 pictures and one has 20. I don't recommend sending more than 20 in any given month, or some will likely be left out.
Journaling
For the purpose of my own book, which I wanted to be as quick and painless as possible, I limited the journaling to the final page--a brief recap of our year and my thoughts about Will. You are welcome to submit journaling for each spread, or just one or two in particular. If you include journaling, don't include more than 15 photos for that month.
Other Album Topic Ideas
These albums would also make great gifts for graduating high school students. Instead of devoting each page to a month, each spread could be a grade. Vacation pictures also make great coffee table albums.
Pricing
Hard cover 7x7 books are $250. Hard cover 10x10 books are $350.
Duplicates
The albums make fantastic gifts for grandparents and godparents. Duplicate 7x7 soft cover albums are $65, 7x7 hard cover albums are $95, and hard cover 10x10 albums are $175.
Shipping
Shipping for the albums is included in the price. Albums will be shipped via USPS media mail.
Deadlines
My album vendor takes approximate five weeks to deliver the albums to me. Your album will arrive about two months after I receive your pictures. Please keep this in mind if you are ordering a gift. If your timeline is tight, I can provide an online version of the album to show the recipient if the actual album can't make it in time.
Ordering
To order, please send an email to me: traci@realphotography.com
Today I am very excited to announce something that we have been planning for months!
To celebrate the launch of our new wedding site, we're holding a big contest!
The winner will receive free wedding coverage!
The winning couple will receive our regular wedding package that includes two photographers, full event coverage, an engagement portrait session, and the high resolution digital files from both.
Who can enter?
Any couple whose wedding will take place in 2008 in or near Colorado Springs, Denver, or Pueblo.
How do you enter?
Email a picture of you and your fiance along with a few words describing your wedding, relationship, engagement story, or whatever it is that we should know to traci@realphtography.com Please include your wedding date and location in the email.
Can you nominate a worthy couple?
Absolutely! Just send us a picture of the couple and a description about why you are nominating them! In the event that they are chosen as finalists, we will contact them to make sure they agree to the contest rules and consent to having their picture and story shared.
When is the deadline?
Valentines Day: February 14th at 11:59pm Mountain Time
How will the finalists be chosen?
Four finalists will be chosen by Real Photography. The finalists' pictures and emails will be posted here on our blog by 20 February 2008.
What will Real Photography be looking for?
We'll be looking for a fun couple with a sincere love story, unique wedding, sense of humor, or all of the above! You do not have to have a sad story or climb Mount Everest or overcome amazing odds. Just tell us who you are and make us want to be at your wedding!
How will the winners be chosen?
We will open a poll to let the world vote for a winner. The voting will close at midnight on 15 March and the winners will be announced shortly thereafter.
Fine Print
1. By entering the contest, the couple agrees to allow their email and picture to be used publicly by Real Photography. 2. The winner must agree to our standard wedding contract which includes a release allowing their wedding photos to be posted online. 3. Couples that have already secured the services of Real Photography are eligible to enter. In the event that the contest winner has already hired Real Photography for their wedding, all deposits and payment toward the event will be refunded to them. 4. The finalists will be chosen by Real Photography based on the couple's statement. The decision is arbitrary and final. 5. Real Photography will do everything within their power to protect the integrity of the voting process to determine the winner. Should any couple attempt to to undermine the voting process or cheat in any way, they will be disqualified.
I got two pieces of good news today, which happily offset the bad news that my toddler added "child-proof door handles" to the list of things he can outsmart.
The first piece of good news is that our portrait site is fixed, up, and running.
The second is that two of our photos will be published in an article about travel photography! One is mine, and one is Nic's, so it couldn't be a more perfect way to start 2008. (Unless, of course, they were both mine and I could do the neener-neener, I-rock-more-than-you dance.)
We've added a new type of session to our portrait site--a mini digital files session. It's a scaled down version of a full session, with 30 minutes of shooting time instead of the normal 1-2 hours. You receive 12 retouched high-resolution images from the session on a disc as well as the reproduction release (allowing you to print the files whenever you want from any lab or home printer). It is $350 (which includes the digital files), and includes 50% off our a la carte print prices. It's limited to families of five or less. If you have any questions, email me: traci@realphotography.com
I've started offering design templates for photographers. I have loved doing all the designing that came with rebranding, and decided that just because mine is done doesn't mean I have to stop!
I've also got something coming in the next couple of weeks that I'm really excited about...a solution for people who can't find enough time to scrapbook all the pictures they generate in a year!
Stay tuned for the newsletter later today and a sneak peek at a big secret...if you know anyone who is planning a wedding in Colorado for 2008, you won't want to miss it!
I found a fun and funky new album company that will be supplying my albums this year. With six textures and over 50 colors to choose from, everyone will have one to match their decor!
I, of course, opted for aqua and orange.
And pictures of something I've been meaning to share for a while--our new (well, not so new anymore) sample gallery wrapped canvas. (The fact that the walls in our office are orange shouldn't really come as a surprise...)
After weeks of waiting, I finally got my wedding photography website last night! I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning waiting for it (like a little girl waiting for Santa) and then the next couple of hours plopping all of the pictures and text I'd been preparing for the last couple of weeks into their assigned spots. It made for a late night, but it was so worth it. ;)
I'm so excited to be "live!" It's hard to know who's more excited, though--me, or my friends/family who no longer have to hear me complain about how long it was taking to get!
Our portrait site is up again. It's not our usual fancy one, it's an older version, but it will do while I beg and plead to get our usual site fixed! I also have it on good authority that our new wedding sites will be following shortly!
The biggest change for 2008 is that we're now offering the digital files with every session for $500. To mark this change, 2007 clients can get their session files and reproduction release for $250 until the end of January. I'll be sending out an email to 2007 clients later this week.
Our main portrait photography website continues to be down. If you are looking for your online gallery in the shopping cart, click here. If you're looking for 2008 pricing or session info, hang tight--it should be back next week. In the mean time, feel free to email me: traci@realphotography.com.
If your New Years resolutions include one about writing thank yous for Christmas gifts, here's my favorite way to do them:
Take a picture of the gift recipient enjoying his gift, use photo editing software to add a thank you message, and then either print or email the picture.
Will's godfather sent him a gift that only those truly far away can send--a singing, vibrating teddy bear. Nic's mom, sister, and brother-in-law were in town with us for the holidays, and we spent a while trying to think of a suitable revenge for Chris...until we had to acknowledge that the joy Will got from the bear was worth having "we are the champs" play non-stop in our minds when we tried to go to sleep.
While our main portrait site continues to be down, I have been able to get our new Real Photography shopping cart/portrait proofing galleries up and running again. Click here to access it.
The main website will be down today for maintenance. UPDATE (3pm 28 Dec): I overestimated my website building skills and appear to have given the old site the programming equivalent of a probably fatal gunshot wound to the head. Cross your fingers for a post-Christmas miracle.
In addition, my email will change from traci@traciturchinphotography.com to traci@realphotography.com
(hit F5 on your keyboard if you don't see the changes--they'll pop up and they're pretty.) :)
In the next couple of days we'll be switching over from Traci Turchin Photography to Real Photography. I hope you like this sneak peak at our new branding! We've been working on this for a couple of months and it's exciting to see it all coming together.
The main website: www.traciturchinphotography.com will still work, but it will shortly be redirecting you to www.realphotography.com
Our portrait site is in the middle of its update and our wedding site should be available in a week or so (my goal of the 1st might not be so realistic with all of my supporting businesses moving slower this week).
Here is a peek at the cover of one of our new marketing pieces...
And our new website "splash" page, which will hopefully debut shortly...
Nic and I will be shooting a wedding tomorrow and unable to go out shopping...so this is the best way we know to make up for it--holding our own little 24 Hour Black Friday Sale.
(To snag either of the following deals, send an email to traci@traciturchinphotography.com between 12:01am and 11:59pm Friday. I'll get back to you this weekend with details, an invoice, etc.)
Christmas Cards - Save 35% (open to all 2007 clients) Snag a box of 25 folded (greeting card style) 4x6 custom Christmas cards for $40. (The cards include envelopes and will be made using image(s) from your previous session.)
January 2008 Sessions - Save 75% Book a January 2008 session and enjoy a reduced session fee of $25.
(Your request must be sent by 11:59pm Mountain Time for the special Black Friday pricing to apply.)
Congrats to the Stilwater family, whose adorable boys (or should I say, fireman and chick) won the Halloween contest!
A huge thanks to everyone who entered and everyone who voted. The competition was close!!
I'm currently working on a few ideas for the November contest--the details of which will of course be in the newsletter that goes out on the 15th. If you have an idea for a contest you'd like to see us run, shoot me an email at: traci@traciturchinphotography.com
I'm recovering from a busy weekend and have pictures to share from two sessions just as soon as I finish getting caught up.
UPDATE: The poll has been fixed to prevent duplicate votes. The vote count for #4 will be corrected by 205 votes to account for a grandmother's enthusiasm. :)
Thanks everyone for the great contest entries! It wasn't easy to narrow them down, but here are the top four in no particular order:
#1
#2
#3
#4
To everyone who sent in an entry--thanks for sending in your photos! It was a very tough decision--there are a lot of adorable kids out there!
And now it's time to vote! Vote for your favorite in the box below--duplicate votes will not be allowed and could result in disqualification. Voting closes Friday at midnight mountain time.
Just a heads up that I only have two spots left in 2007. My pricing structure will be different (yes, that's just a fancy way of saying "higher") in 2008.
I hope you had a wonderful Halloween!
Here is my favorite from our five jack-o-lanterns...
He was such a Charlie Brown pumpkin that when I saw him at Safeway yesterday I knew I had to bring him home. It was Nic's idea to play up the fact that it can't support his own weight, though, so Nic gets the kudos for the pumpkin that was called "the coolest of the night" by a group of teens.
And our dragon trick-or-treating for the first time...
(Last year I went all out and made his costume months in advance. I had promised myself that I would do the same thing every year--spend hours cursing and hunched over my sewing machine.) But when I saw this dragon costume at Old Navy for the ridiculously cheap price of $25, I caved in a big way.
I went digging through my files to find photos from last year so I could compare my big boy to my little baby...and even though the comparison was exactly what I was looking for, it's still hard to believe that a year ago he looked like this:
(Photo from my buddy Erin Roe)
And speaking of costume photos--I've just got one entry so far, so send me your Halloween costume pics! I wanna see them!
This will be a reminder for the newsletter subscribers, but if you're not on my newsletter list, it's time for our October contest, and this time it's open to everyone in the US!
GRAND PRIZE: An 8x10 print of your choice, photoshopped to perfection by me.
DETAILS:
Any holiday that involves candy is okay by me, so this month we're
celebrating Halloween with a costume contest. Send in a photo, and you
could win an 8x10 print of your choice.
Send in your favorite
Halloween costume photo by midnight 3 November, and I'll post the top
four on my blog. (Send to traci@traciturchinphotography.com) Everyone will vote, and the winner will be announced
in my November newsletter.
To collect your prize, pick out an
image that you'd like to have in an 8x10 and email a full resolution
copy to me (you must own the copyright or have a reproduction release
for your chosen image). I'll work some photoshop magic on it, and send
it off to be printed! (If you've had a session with me this year, you
can choose an 8x10 from your session images.)
Since this prize doesn't require that you be local to Colorado Springs, it's open to anyone in the US!
THE FINE PRINT: 1. Winner (or TraciTurchinPhotography) must own the copyright to his/her 8x10. 2. The contest is open to everyone within the US. 3. By entering the competition, contestants automatically give TraciTurchin the right to use their image and name on her website traciturchin.typepad.com 4. Deadline for entries is 3 November 2007 at midnight Central Time. 5. If TraciTurchin receives fewer than five entries, the contest will be void and no prize will be awarded.
I just listed this one on ebay. It came free (after rebate) with the new camera I was ordering, but we already have way too many expensive printers in this house (and now that I use the professional lab for most of our personal photos it's even sillier), so this one's gotta go.
Christine, Matthew, and Christopher Gray (and their two mini schnauzers) are the winners of my September contest for a free session!
I photographed Christopher in one of my very first portfolio building sessions, so it will be nice to get him in front of my camera again!
What I didn't know last time is his mom's amazing recovery story. Four years ago she had multiple brain surgeries (following life-threatening seizures) that left her completely paralyzed. She had to learn to walk and talk all over again. Her husband (who is in the Air Force) proposed to her while she was still in the hospital. She was released after three months, but still had a year of rehab to complete.
Even then, they weren't in the clear. While Christine was pregnant with Christopher, the doctors expected him to have Down Syndrome because of her medication. Luckily Christopher was born without Downs and he's a happy little guy who is almost walking!
They haven't had a portrait of their new family yet, so I'm excited to capture this happy time in their life as a way to celebrate all that Christine has conquered!
I am currently booked through mid-October. (If you have a "photography emergency", though [eg--a newborn] please let me know and we'll try to work something out.)
I've added a couple of neat features to the sidebar.
The google icon at the top will add a link to my blog on your google homepage.
The "subscribe" box is a way to have new entries emailed to your inbox instead of having to check for updates.
The visitors map is probably my favorite addition--it's a fun way to see where my readers are checking in from! Some of you are hanging out in pretty exotic locals!
I've also added a Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep banner on my main website splash page. My application to their affiliate photographer program was recently accepted and I am now one of their volunteers.
NILMDTS is a volunteer organization dedicated to helping families cope with infant bereavement by providing free photography services. If you know someone who is affected by stillbirth, SIDS, or other infant death, visit the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep organization website to find volunteer photographers in your area. Every photographer provides the digital negatives, and most include DVD slideshows. There is absolutely no cost to the family.
