A Tuesday Quickie Post

One of my goals for 2014 is to be more active on my blog. I am working really hard "behind the scenes" right now on branding and marketing this business, and the blog is a great outlet for having people get to know the real me. I have been spending some time watching Alex Beadon's videos about marketing your business (she is amazing!), and in her video series she asks the viewer a thought-provoking question: "Why do you do what you do?", in terms of your business. It seems simple, and in some ways it is, but I delved deep into "why" last night as I sat jotting down notes and ideas.

My work as a photographer has two sides. One is the wedding side, which has been my love and my passion for many years. I feel comfortable and happy when working in the bridal world, it is at the very core of who I am. As I thought more and more about what really drives me to photograph weddings though, it got even more personal. It saddens me to say that I do not love my own wedding photos. My husband and I planned our wedding in a short amount of time on a very tight budget, and getting a seasoned wedding photographer just was not in the cards if we wanted to also feed our guests (the food was incredible, by the way). I don't have any large prints at all, and the prints I do have are small, tucked away in an album. If I could go back and do it all over, I would have found a way to make a photographer a top priority for our wedding day. I don't want any other brides to have that regret, which is why I pour so much love and energy into each and every wedding that I take part in. I truly want every client to LOVE their wedding photos, and to have the opportunity to share those memories with future generations.

The second side of my business is families - capturing moments and memories to treasure. I love working with small children, mainly because I have my own, and the time of them being little goes by so quickly. It is wonderful to be able to preserve an image of a child at this very second and know that when you look back on those photos years from now, you'll remember exactly what they were like at that moment in time. Styled portrait sessions are a blast, but it's those real, true-life moments that keep me going.

As I was brainstorming and writing down ideas, I realized that there is yet another aspect of this business that I am itching to break into, and one that is possibly closest to my own heart. As a woman and a mom, I know what is like to be busy, constantly putting other's needs ahead of your own. It is a rare moment when I (and most women, I imagine) can take the time to feel pampered and special - beautiful, even. That is why I have been researching glamour/beauty photography a lot lately, and hope to have the opportunity to delve more into that art. I love the idea of giving other women the opportunity to get dolled up with professional hair and makeup, feeling comfortable with their own bodies and selves just as they are, and capturing that for them to truly see how gorgeous they are to everyone who loves them. If you are interested in learning more about booking a special introductory rate for a beauty session, please click here to contact me.

This business is incredibly rewarding, and I am so pumped to see where this year takes me. I am so grateful to my friends and past clients for their continued support, and I know I couldn't do it without you all! Warm and fuzzy hugs everyone,
Elysha

Vermont Wedding Association Bridal Show

It wasn't my first rodeo, but it was my first as a professional photographer. I have worked many bridal shows before as a stylist, when I worked in bridal retail. That was a whole different angle though - from deciding what gowns to bring to the whirlwind of dressing models, that aspect of a bridal show is very behind-the-scenes. Yesterday I got to be front and center at my own booth, meeting brides and their friends/families face to face. I much prefer the new angle, I must say.

There was plenty of prepping ahead of time involved, even though I only signed up to do the show a week in advance. I had many ideas for my booth, some of which I will have to save for a future bridal show, but I am quite happy with how my booth turned out. With the amazing help of my assistant Kerri, we pulled off a booth that was exactly the vibe I was going for: simple, modern, and elegant. Our location was slight torture (in a good way), with the Holiday Inn's catering team serving up some delicious appetizers to our right, and Silver Spring Ice Cream directly in front of us with their mouth-watering hot fudge and to-die-for maple lemonade. We got to enjoy some samples though, and having a party with Silver Spring doing sundaes and lemonade is on my bucket list now!

After walking around the venue quickly before the brides got there, Kerri and I were more than ready. I love meeting new people, and meeting potential new brides is high on my list of favorite things. I get excited just thinking about all the different ways each couple executes their special day, and the idea that I may get to capture those details is what keeps me doing what I do. Although the afternoon was a whirlwind, with every bride trying her best to make it to every booth in order to enter the prize drawing, I feel like I made some great connections.

I am really looking forward to hearing more from the brides that I met at the Rutland bridal show, and I cannot WAIT to draw a winner for my raffle! Brides from the show, if you haven't done so already, please remember to like Sweet Events on Facebook and follow me on Pinterest to finalize your raffle entry. You still have a couple of days before I announce the winner on Thursday, January 30th, of your choice of an engagement session or a bridal beauty/boudoir session. Good luck everyone!

Happy 2014!

I have been writing this post in my head for weeks. After a full year of "building" my business, I am ready to move forward with some positive changes that reflect my growth as a photographer and as a businesswoman. I have made lists, asked my husband his opinion on dozens of ideas, and researched, researched, researched. But, truth is, it's hard for me to pull the trigger on some of my ideas. Fear of failure is high on the list of why it's hard to publicly proclaim these changes. However, if I don't change, I don't grow, and ultimately that is my goal for this new year - to grow this business, to grow in my skills, and take Sweet Events to the next level in order to fulfill my dream as a career photographer.

Well, that all sounds pretty heavy. It really isn't though - I think all of the changes are positive, and are meant only to enhance my clients' experience and final product. Here are some of the things I have been pondering and deciding on for the new year:

1. Simplifying "packages", both for portrait sessions and weddings. Lots of options can be terribly overwhelming, right? Moving forward, I will have one fee to hire me as your photographer (a session fee for portraits, and a booking fee for weddings). That fee includes my time, editing, and expertise, and I am no longer giving away a disc of images with my fee. Instead, clients will have the option to purchase print/product packages at different price levels, or a larger flat fee for a disc of edited images. This was the biggest leap for me, as I know and understand wanting that disc in your hand so you can view the photos from your session anytime you'd like. Please don't fret - I always do Facebook (watermarked) preview albums so that you can share on social media, plus I have upgraded my website to include password-protected online galleries, so you will be able to view the images for a limited time from any computer/mobile device. This brings me to...

2. Emphasizing availability of prints and products to clients. I have two main professional printing labs that I work with. They are tops in the industry for customer service, quality of product, and longevity of product. I have taken a lot of time to research printing options, and the outcome was clear - my labs are miles and miles above the quality of home printers, big box kiosks, and consumer websites. I am putting together a portfolio of prints from different sources so you can see and touch the difference at our initial consult. I am also pleased to offer some top-notch products that will be enjoyed for years and years to come, including canvas gallery wraps, high-quality wooden frames, photo cubes, and cell phone cases. I get excited just thinking about opening up packages with these beautiful products in them!

3. Offering Lifestyle portrait sessions. This one was easy. I love opening images from my camera and seeing true life moments captured. Styled and posed portraits are great - it is fun choosing locations and backgrounds and having everyone looking their best - but there is something special about looking at a photograph and knowing that even decades from now someone will remember or understand the significance of that moment. Want some proof? Check this out:

4. Developing my brand. I know my style, I know what I like, and I love to design. It has taken some time to figure out "who" I am as a photographer and further develop that into what my business looks like to potential clients. This means creating continuity throughout all of my marketing, from website to business cards to social media. It is something I am continually working on and hope to have a better handle on in a few months. Check in with me this summer, hopefully I will feel a little more accomplished by then in this personal goal. ;) 

And finally,

5. Reaching out to other photographers. There are so many creatives out there, some with a dream to simply learn their camera better so they can take great snapshots of their families, some who are on this same journey as me, attempting to fulfill a dream of a photography career. And everyone on this path deserves support and encouragement. That might mean helping someone figure out what all the buttons mean on their camera, or it might mean developing a business relationship with other professional photographers in order to help each other learn and grow. There are clients enough for everyone, and instead of feeling panicked and competitive, I am going to embrace the fact that there are many talented photographers around and we can all learn from each other. So if you have a photography question, please do not hesitate to ask me. I can't promise I'll have the answer, but I will be happy to try to help!

I am excited to begin this new year with a concrete list of resolutions and changes to make in my business. I have so many ideas to follow through on, and wonderful clients to support me along the way. Cheers to you, 2014!