[Love] Packaging Love

When my packages go out to my clients direct from the studio, I like to know that thought have gone in to them being collected. Afterall isn't it nice when you get something that you feel is almost like a gift too?! So for 2014, we will be trying to make YOU feel even extra special.

Showing our USB Packaging, our Branded USB Sticks and Box, the Print License for your images, and then the bag it comes in with your name on the tag.

I personally am a sucker for going into shops and love the packaging that goes into it. Especially when its a boutique shop, sometimes it feels like there is more care for you than shopping on the high street when your items are just plocked in a bag with your receipt.

Above is the packaging for some of our larger products. The Canvas itself is a 20x16 Canvas which fits beautifully in our white bags. We are currently on the lookout for packaging to fit even BIGGER products...

Our prints are lovingly wrapped in our Blue Tissue Paper for protection before being placed in one of our card print folders and specially wrapped ready for collection. Perfect for sizes up to 12x8

We hope you love our packaging as much as we do!

[Tips] Using Google Calender....

I blooming love my google calendar. And that is what I use for sorting and planning my entire LIFE. Because I find it so easy to do. but its all in one place. My Sessions & Weddings are also synced with my Availability Calender which is available to view on my website.

I find it pretty easy to set up - but when I do show screen shots of my diary in photography groups, I do get asked how I make all the colours etc. And they are all seperate "calenders" in one but the only one that is public is the "blue" or my "booking" one.

Setting up a new calender is easy - click on "my calenders" and then click "create new calendar" and then this is what you will see...

The Calender Name is whatever you want it to be. Here is the list of mine that I personally have



So, that is your calender set up - but now you want to make it pretty colours? Click on the box at side of the Calender name, and then you will see this screen.

So you can give every calender a different colour key. So that when you plan something into your diary for a different type of item, then you are sorted. Sometimes even if it is just for reference planning - being colour coded can make things a lot easier.

So when you go to put something into your calender, you can then make the calender changed so it shows under that calender. All my booked sessions go under "Weddings and Shoots" and are set for Specific times, unless it is for a Wedding which is an all day event.

So when I am diary planning, and making things like this - I can look at my month at a glance. When I have "one session" planned in for a day, or thats the most I will take on a day, as soon as someone books for that day, I then change it to specific time and put it to "Weddings and bookings" Calender so it shows on my Website Availability Calender.

I personally find it so easy to track and sort, and I totally find the colour key even better. For sometimes I do understand that things may need to be swapped around. But its all about work/life balance.

Hope that helps. Comments are welcome!

[Info] Copyright - what it really means...

I  thought I would write a post regarding copyright. I see a lot of people asking about copyright – and even photographers giving images that are copyright free... Oh the wonderful world of copyright can be quite confusing.

When I take a picture, regardless of what I take a picture – the copyright belongs to me. There is nothing that I can do about this – this is the law, and the laws are there to protect us just like to protect music artists etc.

The law states that as a photographer – this means we have the legal right to use, sell and edit the images.

When I see photographers say that they “give copyright” or “copyright free” images, then this means in theory, you could use the images to set up as a photographer, edit the images and sell them to make profit. However, I’m sure that if you did this they wouldn’t be happy at all! But by giving “copyright free images” this is basically what they’re saying you can do with them...

So, what does it actually mean when you get “copyright free” images. It means you can print them, you can put them online, on facebook, share them with friends, make cards and Christmas presents etc but you can not sell them – and you can not edit them. Wait – you don’t want to do that to the images – then you are in theory being “miss sold” what you are buying.

Regardless a lot of photographers will call it “Print License” or “High Resolution Images” or “License to Print” which are exactly the same as what is listed above. You can print them anywhere, you can put them online, share with friends, make cards or Christmas Presents – but can not sell them – or edit them.

It is very confusing when words are banded around with their wrong meaning! So make sure you understand and you know what you can or cannot do with the images you purchase.

[Studio] No Sneak Peeks!

As always when it gets to this time of the year - the sneak peeks on facebook become less and less. A lot of the sessions that I am getting booked for are for Christmas Presents. So we have to keep everything top secret!

However, here are some of the lovely images from our Christmas Mini Sessions that I was allowed to share on facebook. 

[Awards] Wedding Industry Awards 2014

Like with many awards or competitions, whether it is online, or in person, for photographers, dresses or the general public in a "bonny baby" competition, or even down to the Xfactor. As soon as the winners, or finalists are announced, you hear a cry of "fixed" and "they didn't deserve it" and no matter what - it is always the same no matter how "see through" the voting process is.

Last week on facebook, I saw someone slating the "Regional Finalists" saying that "If you see someone announcing being a regional finalist it means they've paid £50 for it"

This isn't true in its entirity.

When a business enters into the Awards, they pay £45-£50 depending on whether we register within the first few days of the website going live for the registration and voting process to get the discount. Like an Early Bird discount.

So, why do we pay? Because the organisers hold the awards ceremony at the end of January. They also have several different people who take on interviewing regional winners to find out why they have won etc. And the voting process is very indepth with its algorithms.

The feedback that we as suppliers get from these particular awards is amazing, and some would say "money can't buy" so really £50 for true and honest feedback, on yourself as a supplier, business person and Wedding supplier, is amazing. And all whilst your bride and grooms know that the feedback will be anonymous (unless of course only one of your couples votes for you!) But the "votes" are scores. The customer has to score you out of 10, then there are averages and then if you score higher than a particular % for the area/supplier category, then you are a regional finalist. If you fall under this you are not a regional finalist, regardless of you paying your £50.

You receive your anonymous feedback, the minute you are "no longer in the competition" and to me, this is the bit I love. Absolutely.

So, yes I paid £50 to enter these awards, and yes my clients voted for me, and yes I scored high enough to be a regional finalist.

Thank you.

[Wedding] Sarah & Richard at Waterton Park Hotel

On Saturday 16th November, I had the pleasure of photographing Sarah & Richard's wonderful wedding day. Sarah arrived at her dads house from the Hairdressers (40 minutes late but apparently everyone who knows Sarah knows this is normal! Ha!) And she looked absolutely stunning, and so natural!

Sarah and Richard had hired a gorgeous white Cadillac, after finding lots and lots of pink ones. And granted it was quite cold at the Church, Sarah and her Dad arrived with the roof down! How proud does Dad look of his little girl! 

 

The service was held, at St Thomas' Church at Thurlstonland

The reception was held at Waterton Park Hotel, and held in Walton Hall with it being the only Wedding on the Saturday. It felt so much warmer in Wakefield than outside the church! Sarah & Richard had origionally met me at the Spring Waterton park Wedding Showcase.

The cake was beautiful and simple, and the room looked absolutely beautiful! With a lace and white rose and parisian theme. Just gorgeous.

 

The light outside was fading very fast, so we rushed outside to get some gorgeous couple photographs of Sarah & Richard.

 

Luckily, the weather held out, so that we were able to get these totally romantic photographs. I just LOVE snow-y photographs no matter how its made...

I stayed with Sarah & Richard and their families until after the first dance, where they had live music and plenty of dancing! 

Thank you for letting me share your special day! 

[BWN] My Butterfly - Butterfly Wishes Network

Not even 1 year ago I joined a growing network of photographers for the Butterfly Wishes Network. 

The Butterfly Wishes Network was set up to allow families, with children, who have life limiting illnesses, to be teamed with a photographer. This was to make sure that the families had beautiful images to treasure always – for free of charge.

I had the opportunity to photograph the beautiful little Ava, who has a couple of different heart defects that were diagnosed when Ava’s mummy was 20 weeks pregnant.

View Ava's Photo Video over on the Butterfly Wishes Network Facebook Page

Ava came to visit me on a Thursday, the day before a hospital checkup. She was a little grumpy, but she was gorgeous nonetheless.

Who would have known that the day after she would be admitted to the hospital and end up with emergency heart surgery, and, the doctors didn’t think she would make it.

Luckily, Ava, my little butterfly, is a fighter and recovered well and is back at home with mummy and daddy, but unfortunately, not all butterflies make it.

That is why – the work we do as photographers, and the work that the Admin team behind the Butterfly Wishes Network, is so important, because the images we capture can never be replaced. 

Spread the word to all mummies who has a little one who has a life limiting illness, or just spread the work about the AMAZING work that the Butterfly Wishes Network does!

[Baby] Seb's Newborn Session with Siblings

Today I'd like you to meet Seb, and his big brother and sister. Our shoot was fab, and just look how doting his brother and sister are!

When I photograph Newborns and their Siblings, they are the shots we try and get first. When baby is feeding, or being settled, I do try and get some shots of the siblings on their own too!

Big Sister

 

Big Big Brother

[Baby] Hannah's Newborn Session

Look at this gorgeous beautiful little lady who came to visit me - Hannah was as good as gold!