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As a photographer, books are an important aspect to what I do.  I can not stand that I am a year behind on my personal photo album.  I want to feel my photos and have them in a book, not just on my computer.  I am usually adamant about having true photographs in your book, and not inkjet printing.  This new fine art book has finally shown me that an inkjet print, can be beautiful too.

This new book is coffee table style, with lay-flat pages.  There are a plentiful selection of cover options.  The one I just designed is green sea silk.  The pages are made of an indulgent textured felt paper.  The printing is beyond my expectations, and rich.  With the paper, it is completely different looking than a traditional photograph, but still retains true color.  The books come in sizes from 3×3 to 10×10.

These fine art books would make a great addition to any portrait collection, and brides could use them for a little pocket version of their large wedding album, or to give to their bridal party.

When January came around and I had my photography degree in my hand, I wanted nothing to do with this type of job. I called up a temp agency and was brought in as an accounting assistant by a local lighting manufacturer, Zumtobel Staff Lighting. I crunched numbers all day, and was excellent at it, so they hired me full time. I dreamed of getting an MFA in photography, and leaving the corporate world.

To be continued…

This morning, I was standing at the counter eating a cheesy egg on wheat. My daughter took the cat food bowl on her lap, kneeling down, and our visiting neighbor cat came over and ate it from her. It was yet another darling moment that I have not captured. I could have run upstairs and grabbed my camera but my then the moment would have passed. What was right next to me, as it usually is? My phone.

My phone is a four year old Razr, ancient in technology time. I quietly stash it in my pocket in front of others. I look at other phones. I research them. Yet I hold onto my Razr, and I am not sure why. It’s thin and fits nicely in my pocket or tiny wallet sized purse. It works, though that is becoming debatable. What it doesn’t do anymore is take acceptable pictures. Besides being at 99% memory capacity, it shoots at .3 megapixels!

Yesterday, I started going through the photos I have on it, trying to figure out the quickest way to get them transferred to my computer, and realized I do have piles of memories over the last years on this phone. I don’t care if they are pixelated tiny little images, they are moments of my life, and therefore dear to me.

I swear by moments, and the importance they have in my professional photography. Capturing the little intimate candid moments is one of my major strengths as a wedding photographer. That’s it. I have declared it. I will join the modern era and get a new shiny smart camera phone this week. Okay, this month actually, since it’s the new Blackberry, due out in a few weeks, that has caught my eye.

I grew up on my grandmother’s chicken soup. My grandmother passed away over twelve years ago, and for years before that was not well enough to cook. Based on a memory, and some questions to my mom, who had often grocery shopped for her, I decided to attempt to make it.

As I was chopping celery, I noticed a voice-mail on my cell phone. It must have rang while I was upstairs looking at old photos with my daughter, one of her new favorite things to do. It was a bride who I met with earlier this month, checking to see if I was still available for her wedding date. I propped my daughter in front of her favorite cartoon (something I try not to do too often) and returned the call while stirring ingredients into my crock pot.

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about taking my daughter to a meeting with the wedding coordinator at Portland Ecotrust, and how important I feel it is to separate business and family. Emee, a local wedding and event coordinator, commented. She said, “I definitely try to keep mama time and biz time separate too, but it’s not always possible”. Since then I’ve realized that while I do reserve dedicated work/ client time, the rest of my life is typically a blur of the two worlds.

My little one gets dragged along for business errands all the time. Just in the last week alone, I previewed a wedding venue with her by my side, took her to the post office to renew my box, back again to ship a package, and downtown to my hubby’s office so that I could meet with a client in the afternoon. We go to Staples for supplies, pick up gear at Pro Photo, and scout locations all the time.

I get clients from Facebook friends, and tweeting socially. I’m often in the middle of hanging out with my family, and step away to respond to a wedding inquiry. Having worked on-call jobs for years (which is another story) before starting my own business I’m used to the blend of personal and business. I guess I am so used to it that I didn’t even realize that was how I lived.

Is it good? Is it bad? For me it works. For others it might drive you nuts. I think to run a successful small there has to be some blend of the two lives. Especially running a creative business, as a photographer I put so much of myself into everything I do. I can’t imagine my business being a completely separate entity.

So the soup – it’s a bit mushy but otherwise good. Mackenzie even ate a little bit. Does it taste like my grandmother’s chicken soup? Not quite, but when I opened the crock pot lid it smelled just like it, which made me smile. It’s amazing I can remember a smell from fifteen years ago.

As I sit here in my pajamas on this rainy day, about to hit Publish, I hear a sweet little voice, “mommy”, coming from the next room.

When I was pregnant everyone kept telling me to take some hubby time. Go out to eat. Go to the movies. Look into each others eyes while you stay up late drinking hot chocolate in front of the fire. Of course, I am guessing many first time moms-to-be would agree, I was too excited and anxious to really take the advice to heart and enjoy the quiet moments.

Around 35 weeks I got put on modified bed rest, which pretty much means I was supposed to sit on the couch and watch tv, or read a book. I did watch way too much HGTV, and read piles of pregnancy / birthing books. However, I really just wanted to get up and do things, and found the rest very difficult to take. Now with a 21 month old little girl, and a business, I can’t imagine the opportunity to sit on the couch for even a couple of hours!!!

I imagine it’s all very different when you are having your second, like Carrie and Stephen. In their photos, I try to capture who they are as a current family with their toddler Evan.

The first photo, a belly without a face, is one of the exceptions. The artist in me loves it but the feminist in me strongly objects, since it is cold and stark. Of course, back in art school, I would have said that any image that can conjure up enough feeling to make me feel conflicted, and think about it, is good.

We started in Seaside, which was a tad crowded, due to the Miss Oregon Pageant.  We love playing on the swings while looking at the waves crash.  While walking towards a set of swings, I noticed white chairs with little red bows being placed on the sand.  I asked the guy putting them out, and it turned out to be a wedding, hosted by the Best Western Oceanview Resort.  It looked so lovely! 

Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach was our next stop.  This was my first trip there, and I am already planning my return.  After being out for hours already I couldn’t really throw my toddler in a backpack and start hiking like I was tempted to.  Instead we had a picnic and ran around the lawn overlooking the ocean.  The views were amazing.  We could see Haystack Rock, plus lots others, the rugged coast, and even a lighthouse in the distance.  Looking the other direction the fog was still hovering at the top of the treeline.

It was a wonderful chilly gray northwest day.

Since signing up for Facebook a year ago, I’ve reconnected with piles of old friends and high school classmates. Sure, some I don’t really have anything to say to, usually because we weren’t truly friends back then anyway. There are some people that have been great to find and hear how they are doing. I think it also gives us a great way to keep in touch with casual contacts. It’s a quick way to say hi, and keep up with how everyone is doing.

Shortly after I signed up for Facebook, I started a business page. I’m just now really starting to use it, and am in the process of getting more work up. Of course, what I need to is fans! So please take a minute, check out my page, and become a fan.

Sweet Mama $95

• a mini portrait session (30 minutes, 15-20 images in gallery)
• two 5×7 prints
• eight wallets

Sensational Mama $250

• portrait session (an hour, approximately 30-35 images in gallery)
• a 20 page hard bound coffee table book of your favorite images
• an 8×10 print
• eight wallets

Sustainable Mama $375

• portrait session (an hour, approximately 30-35 images in gallery)
• high resolution digital negatives on dvd
• printing rights to images
• an 8×10 print custom framed by Green House Framing

These sessions must be purchased in May but can take place anytime within the next year.  My portrait sessions include a location of your choice, creative editing of your photos, a pre-session consultation via email or on the phone, and a private web gallery.

If these packages do not meet your needs, send me an email with what you have in mind and I’ll create a custom one for you.

But this is about my business. I have been struggling with the question of how as a portrait and wedding photographer I can be green. Does anyone have other suggestions? Please share.

Here are seven ideas I have come up with.

1. Digital Forms -  Create editable pdf forms as an alternative to paper contracts.  Many people will still want a paper version but some will be happy filling out agreements electronically.
2. Bridal Packet CD – When I meet with engaged couples I usually bring a folder for them with information on photography package pricing, wedding albums, ect.  I plan to start bringing a folder to look over together but give them the option of taking it home in electronic form as a cd.
3. Work from home – As much as I can I work from home instead of having a separate office, or going to a coffee shop, even when I really would prefer to get out.
4. Drive a more gas efficient car – This is in my plans for the future but it’s just not practical to replace my vehicle at the moment.  I currently drive a sedan that gets in the mid-20s mpg.  I wonder, is buying a new greener car really greener considering it means buying something new?  Any ideas on this?
5. Offer digital photography packages – I give clients an option to buy a digital package (instead of prints) and I always do proofing online.  If preferred, I offer a watermarked low-resolution cd for proofing, without additional charge, and avoid printing photographs for proofing as much as possible.
6. Albums - I just thought of this.  Maybe some of the album wholesale companies are green.  I am going to research this.  Albums are a beautiful and wonderful keepsake from either your baby’s first year series of portraits, or from your wedding.  I would be lovely to find an environmentally friendly way to offer these.
7. Live Green – Try to live as green of a lifestyle as possible personally and support other local environment friendly businesses.

I feel like there must be more I can do.  Any feedback on what I mentioned?  Any ideas to take it further?