I have been working on ways to make my business better and easier for clients...And for myself. I have learned this past year about many ways to make things faster. If you are one of my wedding clients you know how slow its been. I feel like i have been in front of my computer for more than half the year. With that said i want to explain the new Client Proofing.
What is Client Proofing?
This is where you view your images and decide on which ones you would like to order
In the past i have been editing every picture to a T. Only to have people order a handful of the different images. After speaking with an instructor and also other Photogs i realized i have been doing it all wrong.
How does the new Proofing work?
If you visit my website Amanda-mariephotography.com you will see a client proofing button at the top. Click on that button. There will be a place for you to insert the password i provide you with. Here is where you will view your images. Next you will decide on which images you would like. Some will be full edited to show you what a final image looks like. When you order you can choose to have black and white, color or even a hazy tone. I will then fully edit all the photos you choose.
How does this make things better?
This makes it so i can get your pictures edited printed and back to you faster...Woooohoo everyone loves that.
More changes are coming for 2011. You will be able to choose and also order your pictures in the same spot. There will be bigger collection options and SO much more! Stay Tuned!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Journeys are Hard
With the winter coming i think i am feeling the affects of winter depression. It happens this time of year to me. I start to feel claustrophobic and cold. Two things i sincerely despise. I have the RV itch really bad too. I have put so much energy into trying to figure out how we are going to do this. Its still quite some time away but i am just wishing so hard. I have been visiting some on Craigslist and other places but i feel like i am just torturing myself. On a more positive note i have been doing so well at saving my pennies for this. I just want so bad to be out on the road teaching my children about real things. Having real rich experiences that cost next to nothing. I know the right one will come along at the right time. I just wish the right time was now. I have never been a patient person. I wont pretend that i am.
On another topic we have been doing pretty well at changing out food thinking. I have totally given in and eaten some really nasty stuff. Only to feel guilty and yucky sick moments later. BUT we are learning and getting there.
I feel like i am taking so many new journeys that may be overwhelming me. So i have tried to just focus on a couple of things at a time. Honestly, its not working HAHA. I cannot help it. I long to know new things. I am an over analyzer. I need to learn the begeezus out of everything i learn. And well it works for me.
Its late and i should be sleeping. But all i can do is sit here and think and wish.
On another topic we have been doing pretty well at changing out food thinking. I have totally given in and eaten some really nasty stuff. Only to feel guilty and yucky sick moments later. BUT we are learning and getting there.
I feel like i am taking so many new journeys that may be overwhelming me. So i have tried to just focus on a couple of things at a time. Honestly, its not working HAHA. I cannot help it. I long to know new things. I am an over analyzer. I need to learn the begeezus out of everything i learn. And well it works for me.
Its late and i should be sleeping. But all i can do is sit here and think and wish.
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| I always feel weird taking pictures of myself. But i felt an updated photo was seriously necessary |
Party Time with Miss "M" | Charlotte Michigan Child Photographer
Miss "M" turned 1!! She celebrated in Charlotte Michigan at Grandma and Papa's house. "M" Mommy and Daddy actually live out of state and came back for a visit. I was very excited when her momma called for me to photograph her birthday party. Check out her celebration below. I think she had a pretty special day complete with lots of family, friends, gifts and CAKE!
Thanks Again for having me!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Playing Catch Up!
I have been going off on tangents about so many things on here. I am feeling guilty i have not shared any photos of all my beautiful clients. So here is a catch up post on the wonderful people i call my photography family.
These are just a few. I think i may have to do a second catch up blog. Shame on me for not keeping up!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Learning, Journeys + Rants
Oh life how fast you go!
I have been feeling so overwhelmed these days. I have started so many Journeys at once. I am assuming this is where the problem stems from. Not to mention the fact that i think i took on WAY too much work for my first year. Am i regretting that? Absolutely not!! I am just disappointed with my turn around time. Mostly with Weddings. I have learned so much this year though. I am making big changes for next year.
I am so thankful for the wonderful clients i was so blessed to learn on this year. They have all been so patient and understanding. I guess i miss judged the amount of time that goes into weddings. I have also been learning some ways to streamline my work flow which has helped tremendously.
Work has slowed down with the colder days that have been arriving. I was a little nervous for that to happen in the beginning. But now i am basking in it, as i am getting caught up on so many edits.
These past couple months have been hard on my body. My body has not liked me. I had some heart issues last month and took a decent fall this month. The heart scared me. Scared me so bad all i wanted to do was hold my children. I was too afraid to do anything else. I drove myself crazy with thoughts of what if... I then ran straight to my insurance agent and did the responsible life insurance thing. It didn't make me feel any better.
As for the leg. It still hurts, a lot. But its been a blessing. I have tackled so many edits in my comfy chair. It feels good.
The new life Journey we are on will come in many blogs. We are aching for change. Jeremy and i are no straight line thinkers. We have always been different. Even before we met each other. We long to just be ourselves. But we find that mainstream society is trying to hide us in the cube if its thoughts and ways. We just see life a bit differently. A bit more sacred and on a timer. I don't believe in status quo. I don't believe that "Things" make the person. We are conditioned to believe bigger is better and more means more important. I wont lie i myself have been caught up in those thoughts before. But it always leaves me feeling yucky. Every designer must have bag i purchased, i just felt dirty and fake. The sad thing. Most of THEM were fake. I don't need to make up for a poor childhood with bags and shoes. And by "poor childhood" i am referring to money, not memories. I have great memories but my mother was a single mother for a long time. Therefore that meant we didn't get everything we wanted.
I have found a number of blogs that have been so awesome in helping me head in the direction i want to go. I would love for you to experience them and support them as well. Check them out! Who knows maybe you might find a new way of thinking too. And the list goes like this HappyJanssens, The Organic Sister, and RowdyKittens. There are a few more but my eyes are closing on their own right now. Time to sleep. Thanks for reading my rant.
I have been feeling so overwhelmed these days. I have started so many Journeys at once. I am assuming this is where the problem stems from. Not to mention the fact that i think i took on WAY too much work for my first year. Am i regretting that? Absolutely not!! I am just disappointed with my turn around time. Mostly with Weddings. I have learned so much this year though. I am making big changes for next year.
I am so thankful for the wonderful clients i was so blessed to learn on this year. They have all been so patient and understanding. I guess i miss judged the amount of time that goes into weddings. I have also been learning some ways to streamline my work flow which has helped tremendously.
Work has slowed down with the colder days that have been arriving. I was a little nervous for that to happen in the beginning. But now i am basking in it, as i am getting caught up on so many edits.
These past couple months have been hard on my body. My body has not liked me. I had some heart issues last month and took a decent fall this month. The heart scared me. Scared me so bad all i wanted to do was hold my children. I was too afraid to do anything else. I drove myself crazy with thoughts of what if... I then ran straight to my insurance agent and did the responsible life insurance thing. It didn't make me feel any better.
As for the leg. It still hurts, a lot. But its been a blessing. I have tackled so many edits in my comfy chair. It feels good.
The new life Journey we are on will come in many blogs. We are aching for change. Jeremy and i are no straight line thinkers. We have always been different. Even before we met each other. We long to just be ourselves. But we find that mainstream society is trying to hide us in the cube if its thoughts and ways. We just see life a bit differently. A bit more sacred and on a timer. I don't believe in status quo. I don't believe that "Things" make the person. We are conditioned to believe bigger is better and more means more important. I wont lie i myself have been caught up in those thoughts before. But it always leaves me feeling yucky. Every designer must have bag i purchased, i just felt dirty and fake. The sad thing. Most of THEM were fake. I don't need to make up for a poor childhood with bags and shoes. And by "poor childhood" i am referring to money, not memories. I have great memories but my mother was a single mother for a long time. Therefore that meant we didn't get everything we wanted.
I have found a number of blogs that have been so awesome in helping me head in the direction i want to go. I would love for you to experience them and support them as well. Check them out! Who knows maybe you might find a new way of thinking too. And the list goes like this HappyJanssens, The Organic Sister, and RowdyKittens. There are a few more but my eyes are closing on their own right now. Time to sleep. Thanks for reading my rant.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Working on Our Plan
I have been preparing and researching for our Dream Trip. I know it may seem excessive to start preparing now, but i think its really important. I started a binder with folders. I have a list started for many things like, Places to visit, Places to do Photo Sessions, Ways to make and save Money, Free Parks and Parks referred to and just any other helpful tips. The Making money part is one area i have been focusing on. The main sources will be from our skills. Jer = Construction stuff and Me = Photography stuff. I am working on some other ways too.
*I started an Etsy account to sell prints and other crafty items. It should be up in the next few weeks with items. i will post a link here then.
*Another way is affiliate accounts. I signed up with Amazon as an affiliate account. See image below. I could not figure out how to move it. Also at Zulily has some pretty awesome kids stuff and deals on it. So if you feel like showing me some love. Zulily is a great place to get gifts.
*I signed up as an Ambassador for Barefoot Books.
These are awesome books and gifts for kids. You probably already know about barefoot books but didn't realize it. Check them out!!
*Our Donation Button. I am not one to beg for money but i felt this could be a great way for our family and friends to send gifts in the future. We will be limited on space so sending material things will be hard. And also i love to visit random blogs of people doing cool stuff and sending them a couple bucks to their dream or cause. I think everyone should have a donation button. I see so many cool blogs by people i feel like i know and would love to send a gift to.
So this is where we are so far on the monetary part of the trip. This has been a repeat question by so many. I thought this might help explain our plan a little. Also keep in mind that it doesn't cost nearly as much a month to live on the road as it does to live in our home.
If you have a suggestions or ideas on this please please leave a comment below. I am all about other cool ways to raise funds to keep us going.
*I started an Etsy account to sell prints and other crafty items. It should be up in the next few weeks with items. i will post a link here then.
*Another way is affiliate accounts. I signed up with Amazon as an affiliate account. See image below. I could not figure out how to move it. Also at Zulily has some pretty awesome kids stuff and deals on it. So if you feel like showing me some love. Zulily is a great place to get gifts.
*I signed up as an Ambassador for Barefoot Books.
These are awesome books and gifts for kids. You probably already know about barefoot books but didn't realize it. Check them out!!
*Our Donation Button. I am not one to beg for money but i felt this could be a great way for our family and friends to send gifts in the future. We will be limited on space so sending material things will be hard. And also i love to visit random blogs of people doing cool stuff and sending them a couple bucks to their dream or cause. I think everyone should have a donation button. I see so many cool blogs by people i feel like i know and would love to send a gift to.
So this is where we are so far on the monetary part of the trip. This has been a repeat question by so many. I thought this might help explain our plan a little. Also keep in mind that it doesn't cost nearly as much a month to live on the road as it does to live in our home.
If you have a suggestions or ideas on this please please leave a comment below. I am all about other cool ways to raise funds to keep us going.
