Big news! We have a brand new website and blog!
It's been several months in the works, and we're SO glad to announce that it's finally at point where we're ready to announce it!
Please click on over to our new blog: http://handmphotography.com/blog/. All the archives are there, and this typepad blog will be disappearing before long. Be sure to update your bookmarks and/or feed readers! See you on the flip side!
I'm so excited about this year's Christmas cards! (And very excited to finally be posting about them, too! Picking the images to go with the cards is always fun, but takes forever!)
So anyway, here's what you need to know:
Here they are...the 2010 Christmas cards!
Card 1 (flat card only)
Card 2 (folded option)
Card 2 (flat option)
Card 3 (flat card only)
Card 4 (folded option)
Card 4 (flat option)
Card 5 (folded option)
Card 5 (flat option)
- Heather Maynard, Athens, Georgia photographer
So, remember when I said I had 20-something sessions to post on the blog? I'm not saying I'm caught up, but here's one from the Seaside beach sessions back in...July, I think it was?
I think I've established that I love the beach, I love shooting at the beach, and can I please move there now so I can shoot there daily? I guess then it might lose its appeal, huh? Or maybe not.
I would definitely love to be at the beach if it meant I could see these kids again! Emi and Kai were awesome - smart, witty, Adorable with a capital A and so much fun! They weren't too keen on waking up early to have their photos taken, or going to the beach (they don't like the sand!) or dressing up. But I promised fun, and fun we had - racing, climbing trees and playing Simon Says!
Unfortunately, their dad hadn't made it into town yet, but we did grab some shots with Mom, who was also up for some fun!
The kids hate dressing up, so I suggested that they appease their mom (and me!) by dressing in the clothes she had picked for them first, and then change into clothes they chose. I think it was a good compromise!
I have to end with these two silly faces! Hope to see them again!
- Heather Maynard, Gulf Coast photographer
I've had LOTS of requests for mini sessions, so I thought now, with Christmas coming up, would be a great time for some.
I know, I know. Christmas?! Is summer even over yet? But we all know how it goes - school starts, then suddenly it's Halloween, then Thanksgiving and then, oh, wait...is there still time for Christmas cards? So, actually, now is a perfect time to start thinking about them!
So here's the deal. Instead of setting just one or two dates for mini sessions, I'm opening several weekdays up for them over the course of a month.
Mini sessions will be held in the morning (around 10 a.m.) or evening (around 5 p.m.) on select weekdays from October 11 until November 18. Please call for available dates (there's a limited number - and they're likely to fill up fast!).
There will be three location options in the Statham area (including a studio option, urban option and a natural setting).
The session fee is $85 (due at booking) and includes:
Keep in mind that this session is not a typical session and is meant mainly to capture a limited number of photos for your Christmas cards (but, of course, you'll have the option to purchase prints and products from your session). Since we're limited to 20 minutes, it may not be the best fit for very young children, and we'll stick to either family photos or photos of just children. If you're looking for outfit changes, individual photos of your children and several different types of shots, a regular session is probably a better fit for you. If you're unsure if this type of session would work for you, feel free to call and we'll chat about it!
You are going to LOVE the Christmas card designs this year! I'll be showing those on the blog early next week! UPDATE: View the 2010 cards here.
And on another note...holiday scheduling!
If you'd like to schedule a regular session and you want either Christmas cards or photos to use as holiday gifts (they DO make awesome gifts!), the last date we can hold your session and still have your prints/products in time is November 30.
The last date for ordering Christmas cards, prints, or products (excluding books) will be December 4. The cutoff date for ordering coffee table books is October 31.
To book your mini session (or a regular session) just email or call us at 678.316.7906 as soon as possible! Hope to see you soon!
- Heather Maynard, Athens, Georgia photographer
Yep, I'm going to say it again. We have really great clients. We seem to attract laid-back, easygoing clients (and we're SO thankful for that). One group you might not expect to be so laid-back is the parents of newborns. Limited sleep + new baby isn't exactly a recipe for easygoing-ness. But the parents I've been around lately have definitely been on the laid-back side. And I know it's not because they're getting plenty of sleep. Must just be because they're awesome. Lily Ashton's parents definitely fit into this category.
This little girl decided she couldn't wait any longer and she came a good three weeks early! And she's such a sweet, tiny thing!
She's a lucky one, too, because she is blessed with such a great family. She's bound to be funny, smart and oh so adorable (well, she's already got the last part down!).
Her big brother, Cole, is already showing what a great big brother he can be. And Lily Ashton is already showing how much like her brother she is - I saw SO much of Cole in her little face, even down to the facial expressions she made. It was crazy to see just how similar they already are!
I can't wait to see Lily Ashton grow up over the next year and to see Cole more often. Not only is a great big brother, but he's also a fun (and impeccably behaved!) kid. We played all kinds of games while Lily Ashton was eating and had lots of fun!
- Heather Maynard, Watkinsville, Georgia newborn photographer
After such an amazing newborn session, I figured it was really too much to ask for a great second session with Soleil. I mean, a good session, sure, but a session as wonderful as the first, unlikely. But then Soleil showed up all bright-eyed and smiley and proved me wrong. Which I didn't mind at all.
Not only did she show off those bright eyes and a gummy smile, but also some little leg rolls! Is there anything cuter than chubby baby leg rolls? And so different from the tiny preemie she was at the newborn session!
I love their outfits because they look so effortless, but still so cute! It's as if they were headed to the park and I just happened to be there with my camera. And those green sunglasses? Love!
I had to include the next one. Not because it's a great shot of Shannon, Laura & Soleil, but because Soleil's big dog-brother, Jasper, really cracks me up. Doesn't he look like he's thinking "those crazy humans!"?
- Heather Maynard, Athens, Georgia baby photographer
JP stole my heart at some Easter mini sessions a couple of years ago. He was sweet, shy and had the most beautiful blue eyes I'd ever seen.
Fast forward two years, and JP is now a big brother to Sheppard - Shep, as JP calls him. JP is still sweet, not so shy and still holds the record with those baby blues. (You'll see.)
I have no doubt that they're going to be having lots of fun in their house in a couple of years with these two boys! Sheppard was a champion sleeper at our session, and JP was a great helper. I'm going to attribute both to the fact that they have really great parents!
Anyone who's ever been part of a newborn session knows they aren't the quickest sessions ever, often taking two or three hours. I love for parents to watch as I take photos, but I'm just as happy for them to take a little break if they need it! But Sheppard's mama and big brother JP sat and watched the entire session! We had so much fun oohing, ahhing and giggling at Shep's sweet faces. I was so impressed that JP sat there through the entire session, quietly and happy. Sheppard has such a great role model in a big brother!
I hope to see this sweet family again soon!
- Heather Maynard, Athens, Georgia newborn photographer
I get pretty lucky when it comes to baby sessions - usually they're pretty happy during the session (and it doesn't hurt that I try to work with mom and dad to find their happiest time for the session - I'll take a happy baby over good light any day!). But sometimes (and such is the case with Addison), you don't have to hope for luck.
This sweet girl is always, always a happy baby. She never fails to give me sweet, gummy smiles and any sad faces go away in about two seconds. Seriously. Happiest baby ever. (Although not so fond of the hairbows...but I think she might have just been messing with her mama.)
Luckily, Addi's grandparents have a really great place where we met up for this session. Those sunflowers were amazing! (And, by the way, they're going to open their property up for weddings and events. Let me know if you want their information.)
Addi started taking steps right around the time of this session, so I know she'll be all over the place by the time we do her next session in a few weeks. Can't wait to see this family soon!
Perfect place for a picnic -
- Heather Maynard, Social Circle, Georgia baby photographer
I'm so, so excited to share these books with you! We've offered coffee table books for a long time, but we've switched vendors a couple of times - we're always looking for ways to improve upon the products we offer (in quality as well as the number of options) without making it too confusing.
While attending WPPI earlier this year, we were on the hunt for a new album/book vendor. I've always been a little more of a coffee table book kind of girl myself, but I'd considered adding an album option for weddings.
Looking at the albums (and there were so many beautiful ones) reaffirmed why I prefer a coffee table book - they're not so bulky and heavy, and they really live up to their names. They can actually sit on your coffee table (or a shelf) and look like part of your decor. And that's something we love to give our clients - a piece of art that fits in their homes. And what do most people do with a big album? Put it in a box in a drawer. That's not what we have in mind when it comes to showcasing your photos!
So we were walking the aisles of the trade show at WPPI, overwhelmed by the options (there are two giant tradeshow floors with literally hundreds of vendors). And then we saw them - "the ones." These were the books we would offer our clients.
We've actually ordered a few for clients already, but we finally got around to ordering our samples. We are in love with them and we know you will be, too. I normally wouldn't say this, but photos don't even do these books justice - they're so perfect in person!
The hard cover books are available in 12x12, 10x10 and 8x8 (we're still waiting to order a 12x12 sample). Each book is custom-designed to include several photos (that you choose!) and tell the story of your wedding or session on beautiful, glossy pages. The pages "lay flat," meaning the book doesn't have that huge bump in the middle, and we can create beautiful, two-page layouts.
We also have little 5x5 books in hard or soft cover. (These don't lay flat like the others, but make great gifts or flip books!)
This is the 10x10 book. This one's actually a wedding guest book, which is one of our very favorite items. We love that you can ditch the boring old guest book or the giant framed print with the signature mat for a fun guest book that highlights your engagement photos.
Each book is custom-designed to include several photos from your engagement session on matte pages. We leave plenty of room for your wedding guests to write messages to you (instead of just a plain ole signature). Or we can change it up and make it playful by writing questions for your guests to answer, like "What should the couple's first pet be?" Fun, right?
And the 8x8...
Perfect example of the "lay-flat" pages -
And the cute little 5x5...
As a side note to brides, if you're dead set on a traditional album, we can do that, too. But most of our brides love these!
- Heather Maynard, Athens, Georgia photographer
