Newborns!!

We just had a ball photographing new baby "G". We photographed her mommy's pregnancy images... only Mom & Dad did not want family & friends to know the baby's gender... so I had to hold myself back & only use the more neutral images that did NOT show the pink ribbons, and what-not.
Now that little "G" has arrived, we photographed her as well... and am amazed how well this session went. I usually try to get the heat up in the studio so the baby stays comfortable, but as cold as it was out, the heat just was heating as usual... and she still did a great job! Mommy is a friend of mine who is starting a new line of baby-photo props so she had a ton of fun stuff she gave me & we used at the session!
We have another newborn any day now we will be photographing as well I am super excited for! A bride & groom we photographed not too long ago are in the hospital today expecting their new baby girl! So I'll head up to the hospital and then she'll be in shortly after they bring baby home for the newborn session. FUN!!!

Tis the Season!

Hard to believe the Christmas season is upon us! Our family had one of the best Thanksgivings ever! We had just our family & Grandma for dinner. Brother-in-law & his girlfriend stopped over for dessert, and a friend stopped by later that evening before she hit the stores for Black Friday. Very relaxing day! Kids made Turkey cookies (the ones with more candy on the to look like turkeys) and had a blast!
Saturday we got our Tree put up, then went to Macy's 8th Floor auditorium to see Santa and then spent the rest of the day at Mall Of America's Nickelodeon park. The kids had the BEST time! Zander is now old enough for ALL the rides... and made me go on many with him! I USED to be a huge ride buff... but the older I get the less I enjoy them. I was screaming SOOOO loud! Zander was laughing his head off at his mom screaming! It was a FUN day with the kids!!! A memorable day for them I am sure! :)

We are currently punching out Christmas cards like mad! Many JUST ordering their cards... so we are trying to get them all to the lab as fast as we can. Still editing a wedding we took a TON of images at, as well as a baby session. So we are still pretty busy on the production end of things.

We are currently running a neat deal for anyone interested... Buy a portrait session by this Thursday (12/1/11), and get one FREE for yourself! Get that hard-to-buy-for person on your list the forever gift of a professional portrait taken of them, their family, their new baby... or whatever. Is good for ANY type of portraiture other than weddings. EMAIL us if you would like one! Kellie@kellieallynphoto.com
only 27 days left to shop! Make it easy on yourself & call us for a gift certificate for a portrait session!!

WINTER

So... Winter is here... well when it snows to me it is officially winter. I hear Thanksgiving is suppose to be nice & warm though. Which bums my son out who was sledding down the hill all day Saturday and wanting MORE snow.
This past weekend was the big Birthday weekend at our house. I turned 29 (again) on Friday (LOL), and our twins turned 4! Where has the time gone? We took the girls yesterday to get their ears pierced and it went very well! Only cried for a few minutes afterwards, then when they saw themselves in the mirror, the tears stopped & they were showing off!
I am currently preparing for the wedding showcase! I started the Buffalo Area Wedding Showcase years ago when I got sick of the feeling I was simply a number to brides who attended the shows. I wanted to have a show that was different, and more exclusive. And coming into our 6th year, I have other fellow photographers often upset they cannot participate. I feel bad, but that was the whole point of this show. We set limits on ALL vendors so that no other business has to feel like they are simply handing out a resume, or their price list to the brides. This means much better networking with fellow businesses and allows more for one-on-one mini consults right at the show for all the vendors. Our photographers are the first to book up, and then as a participant they get first dibs on coming back as a participant to the next show before we allow any new business... and most of the vendors we get do return. It is also nice for the brides too, as many of us who do the show also work together in creating big discounts working with each other so the more a bride books of the businesses who participated in the showcase, the better deal they'll get from EACH of the businesses. A win-win for all!
 So for our booth I am trying to think of something just different.... Accepting any ideas!  :)
We have been getting inquiries from brides who have been referred by former clients, so that is AWESOME to hear! Three since Halloween! We must be doing something right! LOL!!
 So much to do & never enough hours in the day. Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
I Thank God for my family, and for having fellow clientele like you! Have a wonderful week!

WEDDING WEEKEND CRAZINESS!!

OK... so this weekend has been FULL! Plus we missed the Monticello Bridal Expo we try to do EVERY year..but with all going on it was just that much more to do in one weekend. As you may know I am superstitious... and had my 5th grade teacher told me all about 11:11, and to make a WISH... and on 11/11 is an even more lucky day. Well 20 years later this teacher is now my twins God-mother and I had to call her on 11/11 to tell her I would not forget to make my wish later at 11:11. So I had told this story to my friend... who also decided about 29 days before 11/11 she was going to get married on 11-11-11... WHAT!!??  Jessie is my former boss, who has become like my older sister throughout the years. She has held my hand in the craziness I go through with my nutty family , and more. So when I heard she was getting married I was THRILLED... when I heard the date my heart sunk! I was so bummed, as I was already booked to photograph a wedding in Monticello that same day. So I took Thursday off help prepare. Her ceremony was at her new house with the lake as her background setting. Beautiful. I photographed her rings and the details and her new husband's daughter & her boyfriend were photographing the wedding for her. I came back AFTER my scheduled wedding to photograph her reception.
So the wedding we had scheduled to photograph was an AMAZING wedding on Friday for Mike & Laura. This wedding to us in itself was unique as we worked with the Mother of the Groom, and only spoke with the bride & groom once at their engagement session in October. I swear... any one needing wedding decor ideas & assistance contact Mrs. Flaig. In the almost 15 years I have been photographing weddings I have seen a wide spectrum of odd, plain-jane, beautiful and spectacular when it comes to the wedding decor, cake... the whole event in itself. I have weddings where the couples have since become good friends of mine, and some I hide when I see them in a store... ha ha ha just kidding. But this wedding had no detail spared. The ceremony & reception were at the Monticello Chapel and Community Center. At the Chapel they had candelabras, an arch, and the most beautiful glass container for the sand ceremony I have ever seen. Along the aisle rather than a bow, or floral item they had lit candles in hanging bird cages with butterflies. (did I mention it was a butterfly themed wedding-- as was my OWN wedding nearly 10 years ago so that alone brings back my own memories) at the reception they had a candy bar with candy ONLY candies in the colors of the wedding with huge beautiful lanterns lit hanging above that. The ceiling was fully draped with draping & lights. The cake had the butterflies... and even the napkin rings were engraved... I kid you not there were details I have never seen nor thought of before. So much details and everything personalized. It was truly amazing. Then the PRANK... so we are waiting & waiting as all the guys in the wedding party took off, for well over an hour. We had photographed many of the guests, and all the decor while waiting for them...they come back with their heads call shaved with spiked MOHAWKS!!! YES REALLY! mind you.. this also included the groom and we still had yet to photograph the cake cutting, the first dance, and wanted to get more with the grandparents. However this really lit the party up! Everyone must do things in their own way & not be judged. They did their own fun thing & enjoyed themselves and had a BLAST! It truly was a memorable weekend of beautiful weddings!!

WINDY!

Holy Hannah! Have you been outdoors in the wind yet? Jeepers!
Well... I was at a continuing education seminar earlier this month they said the smell of CHRISTMAS envokes a feeling & helps clients feel more at ease, and tend to spend more as well. So I super "smell-ified" my studio. He he he... Boy oh boy I love Christmas! My kids are already having me play the 70's Christmas CD in the truck ha ha ha!! Now at my other job, since telling my boss this little hint I learned, has gotten cinnamon scents to set out... Well now here I am smelling cinnamon sticks listening to the wind howl and want to take a NAP!! LOL!
This weekend is our mini-sessions & we have a bunch of them both Friday & Saturday. I am not a fan of Mini sessions simply because I lack control when I photograph. I had a college professor once say You cannot SELL, what you do not SHOOT. Since then I have been on over shooter. Even switching to digital did not help, just made it worse I swear. Have a wonderful weekend all!

NEWBORN BABY SESSION!

We photographed a newborn baby this past weekend... and it went WELL! As many of you know I do not photograph newborns regularly. Even with 3 kids of my own, babies still kind of scare me. I know they won't break... but I often feel that way... and that is where Jill comes in. LOL her 20+ years of childcare helped me tremendously. This particular newborn is first born baby to a woman I graduated high school with. Funny... I was so nervous to see HER... but it all went well.  I had the studio temp cranked up plus a heater to make it super toasty for baby... however I was sweating like a pig. At that point as I was preparing for the session, sweating profusely I decided we graduated 15 years ago WHY was I worrying about what she thought of me this many years later? LOL... In fact I was flattered that she came to me out of so many fellow photographers out there. There are MANY photographers out there, and MANY who can photograph a newborn like no body's business... and she chose ME! I certainly hope I do right by her decision, and  she likes the images we captured of her new little guy. He is so adorable! As I edit the images, I noticed how perfect his skin tone was- hardly any messing around with the skin tones. He truly IS a cute baby! SOOO made me miss the newborn stage of my own kids. Totally got my baby fix.. and I did not even hold the little guy.

Former customer deal

Well... we are putting together a deal to get past customers back in for updated portraits. If we have photographed you in the past... wedding, high school senior- whatever and are in need of updated portraits taken... THIS is the deal for you!! Maybe we took your SENIOR portraits, and now you have a child, or are about to be married? Just needing portraits for a Christmas card? CONTACT US!  For only $20, you get a mini session (15-20 minutes) and 1 FREE portrait ~ any size you want up to an 8x10!!! PLUS, if you refer someone we photograph we will give you MORE FREE PORTRAITS!!! We also ask you being a non-perishable food item for the local food shelf. Giving Back when we can...
We will be setting up the sessions in the next few weeks depending on how many customers we have come back in. Email me at kellie@kellieallynphoto.com or in-box me on facebook! We would LOVE to photograph your again!

Long over due

I apologize! I have had so much PERSONAL let's just say CRAP going on... I have neglected my blog!

What is new at Kellie Allyn Photography?
Well I went to a continuing education meeting last night that was unenlightening and has given me some new added "oomph!"

personally, here is the scoop...  my family moved to a new community. Our son is in a new school. My 15 year class reunion is THIS weekend and I just cannot muster the courage to GO...  We have a new babysitter.... one we know VERY well.. and is SO much closer that I LOVE it! Zander goes to the before school child care program & we are loving that! SUPER CHEAP!

As for me... I am trying to re-discover my photography. I have many new props & gadgets, but have been soooo busy in other areas in my life I have not been pursuing new clientele as I normally do. We have our fall Mini sessions to get families their 2011 holiday cards.... and will be doing a returning client appreciation session soon as well!
Thanks so much for continuing to follow the blog here at Kellie Allyn Photography!

Busy

Uffda! Ok... my husband is very Scandinavian, and I am a lot Swedish so I can use that phrase. LOL! Well... We did Rockford Prom photos last weekend, a wedding the weekend prior, and one of my former cheerleaders just had a newborn baby & is to come in hopefully tomorrow afternoon for a newborn session.
So I have been stuck in front of my computer.

Working on my computer has been difficult because the hubby has been spending any free moment painting the new house, and then the kids are CRAZY here while I (try) work.
I stopped by the new house today... and WOW. Spencer painted the porch such a neat color it looks amazing! He is over working on the main level large bathroom (we have 4 bathrooms!!) and the master bedroom tonight.

Well... I will post some new pics here of the prom pics I just did, and the maternity pics Jill just did.
Jill's work is pretty nice. I am so proud of her! her editing skills are IMPROVING... I may be able to leave all the editing to her...ha- she will read this & call me up giving me the what-for... ha ha ha!
My goal (not sure how much I have actually filled HER in on this) is to have her be the main studio photographer, and have her photograph the kiddos, and babies, etc... he he he... I like maternity photo shoots... but I am much more risque. I like to do the semi-nudes, and show off that darn belly! But Jill's pics were wonderful... not being risque as I am. It shows our two different styles.
Until next time Buffalo....  ;)

Moving

Well... life has been crazy lately... to put it in a nutshell. We are, officially moving. We found a house too good to pass up.. however it is in the despicable "boonies" that I completely I despise... and even make fun of a guy work with for living out there. Which now, we will be probably a mile or so from him. How will I live without CHARTER?? I LIKE my super-fast high speed internet. I do not want to go back to DSL.. but have no choice. Wonder how different it will be uploading a wedding album to the lab with DSL? (GULP!) The house though is HUGE! We are going from a 1980 sq ft house to a 3600 sq ft house! It has a 3 season porch, a nice deck off front and back. 5 bedrooms. It even has a completely separate entrance to an apartment on the lowest level. Technically a "mother-in-law apartment". Which actually we WILL be having my mother-in-law stay there with us. Eventually I could turn this lowest level into a studio... but no time soon. I LIKE not having my studio NOT at my house. Yesterday I was at the studio all day with sessions & it was nice to get OUT of the house. I worry if I have the studio at my house I'd feel like I was too "Stuck" to my house. The nice thing though is S-T-O-R-A-G-E! I will have a in-home office & craft room! Yay! Maybe someday I'll get back to scrap booking! I have enough Creative Memories stuff I so need to get going on. I am the type of scrap-booker who does NOT believe in any digital scrap booking in any way. I LIKE having the "real" stuff in the scrapbooks... otherwise what it the point?. That is my opinion. I have Zander's 1st report card, his 1st band-aid... etc... I LIKE digital books, just NOT for scrap booking at all.

Anyway... getting off track here. The house is on 200ft of lake shore with a huge bonfire pit by the lake. Have I mentioned my husband is obsessed with bonfires? We have bonfires every weekend with our neighbors until there is snow. Which is fun.

So now we sit & wonder... WHERE do we start with all the packing? I have been selling clothes on craigslist like crazy. Made $350 so far & have TONS more to go. SO perhaps I will be able to get rid of a lot of stuff that way so I do not have to pack it ha ha ha!

Yesterday in studio we did a high school senior, a fun business session, and a maternity session. So we will get some to show soon. Actually I will post the business ones here on the blog today.

Tomorrow, Easter Sunday, we are going to church first, then the kids have a big Easter Egg Hunt tomorrow, then a huge feast. We are in charge of bringing Spencer's famous Cheesy potatoes... that we got the recipe from our neighbor's LOL. Happy Easter Everyone!

APRIL

Hello All! I have been busy with personal stuff lately & have neglected my blog. Sorry. This past Monday I went with a fellow photographer friend to the monthly TCPPA Seminar. It was neat. The speaker was all about weddings, and was showing us ideas & how he shoots into the sun, and also how he has images instantly up on an Ipad for some thing he does. Me.. I am just not that technically savvy. I wish I were. However meetings as these have been helping me... a year ago I had a super old version of Photoshop... and in a year upgraded to the latest, and have learned a LOT. I have another photographer friend who he & his wife are in Elk River who has offered to help teach me editing techniques... I just have to get my butt over to his place.
Currently we are debating on WHICH school to put our son in next year. A house we are leaning toward is in the MAPLE LAKE school district... however he does not do well with change, so debating on Buffalo or Maple Lake at the moment, as Buffalo he'd have hockey & baseball friends at least. He is super excited about the Easter Bunny this year as that darn Bunny hid his basket in a tree branch outside last year... so he is already thinking of places where he may find his basket. 
Well...those of you in or near the Buffalo area saw in last weekend's paper our big color-wrap ad we did. We are having a great deal in High School Senior sessions... Please get the word out! I will also be offering a couple different Family Sessions as well. Details have not been hashed out quite yet.
Please EMAIL me if you have any photo needs or want to set up a session. Happy Weekend all!

SESSIONS UP!

OK... my butt is numb. I have spent nearly the entire weekend at my computer trying to get caught up on photo editing. I am ALMOST done.. and then my website uploader now is giving me problems... and of course they are based on the east coast, and Heaven forbid they have anyone working on a weekend. UGH! Well I got a wedding gallery of over 1000 images up. That is a huge weight off my shoulders. I did not have time to give the pics as much "love" as I would have liked running them through Lightroom... but I did several in photoshop anyway.
I photographed a co-worker's 1-year old... and was AMAZING! Dang every 1 year old should be such a joy to photograph! So as soon as I get my dang web company to figure out what is going on (I am sure I missed some update as usual) I will get their gallery up.
So I have a 2 year old little boy I have left, and hope to get his session edited this week. 
Zander is on Spring Break right now, and he is mad we are not going to some island, because you know, all his friends are all going someplace. LOL! But he is excited to go to the new daycare with his sisters. He has never been, and is super excited to go. So we will see what tomorrow brings.

Monday

This weekend kicked my butt. We went to the Ice Out hockey fundraiser on Saturday night. Left about 11-11:30pm, so not out terribly late. Sunday had to be at the rink by 9-9:30... and humm we were 1st ones there. Got the ice-out cleaned up and transformed the Civic Center into a FUN room for the kids party. We had a stage for them to walk up on for their trophies & awards, bounce-house inflatables, and PIZZA!... did I mention Pizza? We had WAAYY too much pizza. The kids had a GREAT TIME! We were suppose to do all the clean-up tonight, but decided to do it after the party BEFORE our kids' last game... which meant only 3 of us families stayed... which was fine... no complaints. It all worked out WONDERFUL! I am usually sad the end of the season... not this year.. so glad to have it over. Now we get to think it over if we want the girls in hockey as well... or something else. They will be 4 next year, same age Zander was when he started. Ugh... how can they be getting that old already? At the moment, I am totally fizzled out. Could so take  nap at the computer. Ever have those days? Had a guy come all the way from the cities to fix my computer... and was AWESOME! He fixed it in under an hour, and only charged me $60! It was GREAT! So I am keeping his number to pass out to anyone needing computer issues solved. I had to give the guy a hug I was s glad he came out! I know... guy probably thinks I am nuts... but it is the pits to have your computer fail.
Well... I am off to Dunn Bros to get a 'pick-me-up' jolt of caffeine... Enjoy the rest of your Monday!

New Daycare

Anyone in the Buffalo area looking for a new daycare, check out Creative KidZ Family Childcare. She is in Buffalo, and has a few openings left! The owner is a friend of mine & is running a GREAT daycare!

I am so READY for hockey to come to an end. There has been DRAMA with team managers that just should not be, so hopefully next year it will be better! Tonight is the big ICE OUT where us hockey parents get to go spend money, drink, dance & have a great time without any kids! I am excited!! It is open to anyone 21 and over, so if you are looking for a fun time, come to the Buffalo Civic Center tonight!

Tomorrow is Zander's last hockey game, and his end of the season party! We are all looking forward to this as well. The only bummer is we have gotten to be such good friends with other families on our hockey team that we are hoping to get together with them out of the hockey season as well. 

Well, the two sessions we did last week I hope to get sneak-peeks of soon. I am trying my darndest to get my latest wedding finished up... then I have a computer glitch & holds me back! I despise computer problems! I have a guy coming out tomorrow to fix the computer (Thanx for referral Judy!)

Have a great weekend all!!

Last night I went to the Central Minnesota Wedding Association Bridal Panel. WOW do I have things to change. It was great to hear what real brides are doing to find vendors to service their wedding. It was confirmed with a full 6 thumbs DOWN to NOT have any music on the website... which was told to me from Jeremy who went to this Bridal panel last year. To watch all brides give the thumbs down when asked "show with a thumbs up or down, Do you LIKE music on sites you are browsing?" was amazing. One bride admitted to doing a lot of web browsing not just for her wedding... and she said she hears the music, she immediately clicks off the website so she does not get caught browsing the net online. It was great to hear the opinions of these newlyweds! Has my head spinning in several changes that I now want to make! :) It was also great to see several fellow vendors who were at the Buffalo Area Wedding Showcase! EACH one I spoke to HAS gotten bookings from the showcase! So that news for me to hear was WONDERFUL!

Thursday morning... or is it still night?

It is 4:30 am.. I have been up since 3:30. Ugh. This past weekend, we were up in St. Cloud for Zander's Hockey Jamboree tournament. He did good. The last game he played in the tournament... for a mite game was intense. I was hollering & almost lost my voice! It was such a close game too, but they lost by 1. They got to get their medals & had a great time. We stayed in a hotel that many kids were at, so the energy level at the hotel was high. The kids all wanted to live in the pool... AND somehow we got a pool view room. So our twins sat on the table in the window spying on all down below like two birds in a tree. Kinda Creepy... as the would NOT move!
On the way home, Zander of course gets sick. It NEVER FAILS... any time we are in St Cloud Zander gets sick in my truck!
Anyway, Monday I go into work & my back was hurting. Started out just a dull pain, then was so intense I was nauseated. I had to go home. Monday night I was up all night in pain & being sick. Not sure if the sick was from the pain or if I had two things going on. Tuesday I was home , and texted at 7am to say I was not coming in, 10am got a drink of water, and did not wake up until 3:30!

So now what's on the agenda... well we have 3 sessions at the studio this weekend. Two 1-year-olds, and a 2 year old. We have a former BRIDE coming in with her two year old for some pics! We are excited!
Then the following week is the end of the season hockey party. This season has simply went on WAY TOO LONG. I just want it to be over, and have one less thing to do during the week. We did however gain some awesome new friends this season thru hockey. It will be a sad season next year when the friends we gained have kids at a higher level.  It is also neat as I have some friends from high school who just started hockey this year, so it has been fun to catch up with them a bit. Well... Happy Thursday everyone! I am going to go back to sleep for an hour.

the 350 project

We copied this from info@ the350project.net. CHECK IT OUT!!

3:    What 3 independently owned businesses would you miss if they  

       disappeared? Stop in. Sayhello. Pick up something that brings a smile. 

       Your purchases are what keep these businesses around.

50:   If half the employed population spent $50 each month at locally owned 

        independent businesses it would generate more than $42.6 billion in  

        revenue. Imagine that positive impact if 3/4 of the population did that.

68:   For every $100 spent in locally owned independent stores $68 of that  

       returns to the community through taxes, payroll & other expenditures. 

       If you spend that at a nation chain,only $43 stays here. Spend it online, 

       and NOTHING comes home.

1:      The number of people it takes to start the trend... YOU!

Pass the info around!! PLEASE SHOP YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES!

IT IS MONDAY!!

WOW! What a busy weekend! I took today OFF work, to re coop... plus driving kids to daycare I just did not want to deal with in the snow. ha ha ha
Friday evening, Jill & I did a newborn baby session of Emily Kate. I must say, she is ADORABLE! I will get some pics of her up soon. She was 3 weeks old, and eyes open most of the time. As in previous blogs I mentioned we are not... or I am not big into baby sessions... meaning I do not market & go after that business like I do weddings. We had the heater going, and what-not and baby Emily Kate still was not sleeping. OH well, she did perfectly fine with her eyes open. :) Her  Mom may even like those better!???
Then on to Saturday... I had the babysitter come over & watch kids as we went to set up for the Wedding showcase. UGH. Setting up Pipe & drape... so not fun! Thank goodness we had a vendor, Chris with Beauticontrol, and Aaron, my neighbor, plus some good friends there to help us set-up.
Sunday... bum-bum-bum... Jeremy had text me to see if I was going to be there by 7am... yeah right me? 7am? ok, so I got there at 7:20, and HE WAS there by 7... even though our first vendor arrived about 7:45. I had to go get the doughnuts & Coffee for the exhibitors ya know. LOL... But we got everything together. The gym looked AMAZING! The exhibitors came in & set up their stuff, and our "mini-meeting" went off well! So much so, some of the exhibitors said they LIKED introducing themselves & getting to KNOW one & other. We had the models show up & have hair & make-up done.. and the style shows were perfect! the first show we had close to a full house in the audience! We had so many compliments on the style shows, the decor, the added 'little' stuff that brought the whole show together. It is always nice to hear when you work so hard on something. The only flaw was the SNOW! Which in Wright County we hardly had much until we had to take-down. So the weather reporters scared people a bit early & we did not have the brides in as we thought we would... but we just cannot work against Mother Nature. So now we have to get the exhibitors the bride's list, and start planning for NEXT year LOL! Thanks to all those who participated & attended!

Is it Monday yet?

How often do you WISH it were MONDAY? -yeah I didn't think so. For me I am super excited for the wedding show... yet I am looking forward to Monday & it being all over with. I am even debating about taking off work Monday to re coop. Sounds silly... but just the worry of things going right, or not right, people showing up & what-not is enough to cause a stress headache to say the very least. We have a fashion show this year that is all new... so I worry: are the models going to show up? Will we have the stage up in time?
Then with all the advertising... I just PRAY we get in enough BRIDES to make it worth the exhibitors doing the show so they will come back next year. We are bummed... one vendor who said they were going to be in, we never got a final confirmation... she is GOOD, I am not liking not having her in the show. I was hoping to have her help in decorating the show itself. (she won the best looking booth last year) Oh well... perhaps something came up & she is unable to come.  I so look forward to seeing the exhibitors come back that when they can't it is a bummer. I not only network with these exhibitors, but also often become friends with them in a way as well. For me the show itself does not get me much business... because I do not do a ton for my own booth.... for me it is a lot about the networking & meeting other businesses who can refer me. A fellow photographer JUST referred me to a bride because he is booked, and to me that means the world.
Well... anyone reading about me & my so-called like (lol) that knows ANYONE engaged... please tell them to come to the wedding showcase this Sunday, Feb 20th at the Buffalo middle school 10:30-2:30
THANKS!! REMEMBER: Any wedding we book off a referral we will give a FREE SESSION with prints to!

Website music???

Well... I have been 'putzing' with my photography website since Saturday. I was getting so frustrated I had to call my hubby to come get our son. My hubby was putting in our volunteer hours for hockey up at the ice arena, and was scheduled to be there much of the day. My son was plain BORED. Therefore he was driving me CRAZY. "hey Mom, can I go play at the neighbor's?, Hey mom can I build a fort?, Hey mom if I help clean will you give me money?" I admit, my son got my trait & has the GIFT OF GAB... I literally wanted to put ear plugs in he was asking so many questions. So finally he had a temper-tantrum when the neighbor boys were not home to hang out with & I called my hubby to come get him. They both hung out at the arena & had a blast. (Thank-you God, and Spencer!-lol)

So anyway, still dinking around with my website... and I was thinking hummm--- should I cave in & add music to my site? When THEN, I spoke to a friend of mine...!!! He was able to attend a "Bridal Panel" put on by the Central MN Wedding Association last year where, from what I understand, they asked several brides to come in & answer questions to help wedding professionals with feedback from actual brides.  Anyway the thing they said is NO MUSIC on websites! A HUGE percentage of brides are checking websites & doing planning while AT WORK when not suppose to be, therefore websites that have music, they immediately click off of those websites that contain music, so they do not get 'caught' doing their wedding planning while at work. This SOOOO Makes sense to me! I have N-E-V-E-R been a fan of music on websites. If I want to hear music online, I will go to Pandora, Lymewire or YouTube. I despise music on websites. As I am in the same boat I am dinking around while at work (shh) or late at night when kiddos are sleeping... and I forget I have my speakers cranked because I was listening to PINK earlier, and I click on a website... and BOOM! Super LOUD annoying music on a site I am checking out. I try not to use the word HATE, but I do HATE that.
So there done, decision made... NO MUSIC will go on my site. I did find out how to change some things for my site... that I will try shortly to see if what they tell me is true.
So... we had today as the very last day to sign up to be a part of the showcase, and we had 2 vendors sign up! So Jeremy tells me we are at about MAX capacity for room for keeping it all in one room, and not splitting it & having it in two different rooms. So I am SUPER excited that we have all these exhibitors! Many returning from previous showcases, and many brand new! And of course we have our handful of very loyal participants who have been with me since day one! Thank-you to those of you! You know who you are :) Have a good rest of the week as Jeremy & I try to help each other from stressing out over all the last minute details. Hope to see you at the 5th Annual Buffalo Area Wedding Showcase this coming Sunday, Feb 20th starting at 10:30am.

A Saturday update

Well... the girls are liking their new daycare. They get to help feed horses.. I swear Laura is going to have a profession with animals when she grows up. She just thinks every animal is there for her to hug. The girls have more structure than they are used to, and we LOVE that.

Zander had a sledding party at school yesterday & cannot stop talking about it. His teacher went down the hill with him once & he thought THAT was soo cool. I am currently helping out with his classroom's basket they get together for the carnival for the 26th. So any of you willing to make a donation... contact me! If you have a business or what-not that you can donate SOMETHING let me know.

The showcase is coming along. I was recently contacted by the Celebration of Style, which is a wedding expo in St Cloud. It is the SAME day as ours, and we have close to the same amount of vendors in our show as they have in theirs... so we are doing VERY well this year for the showcase. Just finalized with the gal who will be doing the hair & make-up. She apparently is a pro with this stuff, so I am ALL for that. We are having this fashion show as something new this year & I am clueless, and am GLAD to have the help of someone who knows what they are doing :)
Today I am updating the website and working on weddings. We are doing a newborn tomorrow, and Jill has been scouting for new props. Will show pics when ready. Have a great weekend all!

Getting ready

Ho-hum... The show is creeping up which equals S-T-R-E-S-S. So we THOUGHT we had the pipe & drape all figured out... well we found out today that the ONLY color drapes that they carry is BLUE... um no. Blue for a wedding fair is just ugly. So we had to find a different vendor and got that all ordered today. WHEW! So the drapes will be black & white. Much more neutral. I have been on a new ordering frenzy as well. New metal prints, new photo boxes, new bevel gallery wrap... and MORE. Getting the new stuff ready for the show.
PLUS Jill & I are getting excited for our newborn baby session on Sunday! It is a baby girl & we are super exited. It is an area we (when I say we, I mean HER-- LOL) are trying to better ourselves in. We have Emily Kate coming to meet us on Sunday & Jill has been on a mission looking for a few things she wants to use for props.
Until after the 20th I may not be as blogging friendly as I try to be, so please forgive me. I get myself all stressed out this time of year just before the show.  Humm... I hear a warm tropical vacation calling my name... Happy Thursday all!

Tuesday

Well last night was the monthly TCPPA (Twin Cities Professional Photographers Association) meeting. I really do LIKE most all the TCPPA seminars, the only thing I do NOT like is that they run till 8pm. When it is an hour drive home in the dark it is no fun. A friend of mine & I left early... then she found out she WON a prize. Go figures the day we leave early one of us would win something.
The thing I liked about this seminar was I have been being like so many photographers & have been upset by all the "newbie" photographers, or as they call them "THE MOB". It was interesting to hear how rather to get upset... let the "mob" do the consumer thing, and us professionals continue with what we know, and offer the things we can from our professional resources that the "MOB" who has their images printed at the Walmarts & Costcos cannot offer customers. It was refreshing to hear a new take on it... as I admit I am one who let's the "newbies/mob" bother me. So after last night I hope to change my thinking & do as they suggested.


Let's see... what else...OH! For those who have not seen  me lately... I chopped off all my hair! I have never in my life had short hair, so It is a lot for me to get used to. Yes.. I have what a friend of mine says "the mom look". LOL! REALLY??!! To me I feel like I am wearing an old lady curly wig. I have naturally curly hair... and now that is is short... everyone is asking if I had it permed. Um- NO... So it is taking some getting used to... but at least it does not take me an hour to DO my hair. Literally hair is done in about 3-5 minutes. I LOVE THAT!
Well the Wedding Showcase is less than two weeks away! I have Buffalo Royalty & Rockford Cheerleaders, and one professional model all modeling the gowns. So it is all coming together. However I am looking forward to Monday Feb 21st when it is all done. :)

Not keeping up...

Sorry guys... I have not been good on the blog lately. The wedding show is in SUPER-CRUNCH-TIME mode... and WOWIE!! We have had more vendors sign up this week! MANY more! I think I spoke to 5 vendors on Tuesday, and 3 today! We have some of my former cheerleaders, some of the Buffalo Royalty and a few others who will be modeling gowns for us- YAY! So even though I feel like I am stressed out to the MAX... things ARE falling into place.
All vendors have bridal passes to give out, so if anyone reading this is a Bride or groom and would like a free bridal pass, please contact a vendor for a free pass. (sorry passes are only for Brides & Grooms. Moms, aunts, bridesmaids & other friends joining you at the show will need to pay) Hope to see you at the 5th Annual Buffalo Area Wedding Showcase!! Sunday, Feb 20th 10:30am - 2:30pm Style shows at 11:30 & 1:30

A new day

Yep... I have not been being very good with my blogging lately. Oops. We are getting many new vendors to participate in the Wedding Showcase. I have my 4 "guys" all said they'll do some modeling, so now I search for ladies. I have asked the current Buffalo Royalty & I asked the new RHS coach if any cheerleaders are interested in modeling. So now just waiting to hear back from them.
Zander played a mini-scrimmage today inbetween 1st & 2nd periods of the Buffalo Varsity game which was fun!  It was neat to sit with the rest of our team families & the kids hang out & watch the rest of the game too.
We are heading to Maple Lake for "GAME NIGHT" at a friend's house. Game night is always a blast.

Referrals!

So neat... A guy I work with was on facebook, and he said "hey look Kellie, a friend of mine needs professional photos taken..." yet before he was done telling me this 3 people had ALREADY referred ME to this friend of HIS! How cool is that!? Thanks goes out to Marisa, Craig & September for referring me to Dan for his request for a professional photographer. That is so nice! Also makes me think... wow what a small world. This guy I work with his friend is friends with my friends. Neat. This guy needs pics in a few weeks so I will keep you posted :)
Not a whole lot going on for me today so I will not bore you with the weather & what-not. LOL! Have a nice afternoon all!

Just another day

The wedding show is coming up... so I have been on computer since I got home from work getting stuff ordered for the show. We hung out at the Mall of America on Saturday & I got nothing done for the show so now I will be playing catch-up after work. Never did get to Ikea either.The guy I work with said he was there with his wife shopping for her new studio the same day we had planned to go there. I am excited for her! She is building a studio on her property,and is fun to hear the stories of how the building process is going.
  I just saw another local studio's pics online, and her, and my friend and myself... all three of us are going to have matching insides of our studios with furniture from Ikea. All 3 of us have the Ikea white couch. Mine is many years old now so I recently got a new cover for it... but had I known everyone else was doing the same thing I would have bought a different color cover to look a little different LOL. Oh well. Hard to pass up the bargains to be had from Ikea. Great minds must think alike :) I do have to get there before these baby sessions book. I have 3 mommies who are expecting any day now... and I have 4 things I need to get from that store before these baby sessions. Perhaps this weekend after hockey ?? My mom wants to go bummin' around Minneapolis on Friday, maybe I can convince her to head to Bloomington instead. She does not like Ikea though... so who knows.
I want to order so many more things for the showcase... but silly to dump so much money into one show. I had several calls from potential vendors today, which is neat. We are officially full on chiropractors, and photographers, and we are full or close to full on DJs. We are looking for another florist, another cake/bakery vendor, a limo company and any LIVE musicians. I had a bride ask if I knew of any cellists or violinists. I had a cello & violin played at my wedding & oh I so LOVED-LOVED that! We had a DJ for the reception, but had live music played for the ceremony. We also had a butterfly release as they played "Somewhere over the Rainbow" so every time I hear that song now I think of butterflies swarming my fragrant bouquet. We got some awesome photos of that! I LOVED planning my wedding. I wish I could do it all over again. I would have had a bridesmaid have no alcohol, hired our photographer for longer and hired a videographer. That is all I would do different. Well it is late and I am off to bed. Please have anyone you may know who wants a FREE bridal pass to get into the show, or who may want to participate contact me.

Former Cheerleader is going to be a BRIDE!!

I feel so lucky! I just had one of my former cheerleaders contact me about photographing her wedding!

 For those of you who do not know, I was a high school Cheerleading Coach for 5 years. I started at Buffalo high school as a Co-Coach with my neighbor. When I found out I was pregnant with the twins I decided to quit coaching at Buffalo, only to be asked to coach at my Alumni High School at Rockford. It was always my dream to come back to my old high school to coach cheerleading so I could not say "no, I am pregnant"... I just made it work, but was so not what I imagined it would be. I came to Rockford about 5 months pregnant. So I was Co-Coaching with the coach who was on her way out. The next year I was the head coach and boy oh boy was it a LOT of work. I loved being able to teach cheerleading to these kids, but at the same time I looked at them as equals where that's where I goofed & realized should not have done that & should have things different. They need more of an "Authoritative" figure which I was not, I was more of a friend. Perhaps things had been different if my own kids were older... not sure, but it was hard for me to look down at the kids AS kids, and get on them for kissing in the hallways... really? I was not a teacher... I was more looked at from these girls as a "big sister"... probably because I HAVE a brother their age, plus my brother-in-law was the same age as many of these girls, and they knew him as well... so the "big sister" hat is what seemed the best fit. Sometimes I'd even chat with them as if they were close friends.
Well last year I decided with all the things I had to prepare myself for, for my surgery, that I had to give coaching up. I did not even realize how much I was missing by being away from my own kids too. So I did like coaching overall... the DRAMA of high school girls I just was tired of playing... perhaps one day I will get back into it... however KNOWING what I know about cheerleading, I think my own girls will be playing girls hockey lol!
Anyway... I was recently contacted by a former Buffalo Cheerleader who asked me for information about photographing her wedding. I HOPE she books me. One thing on my "bucket list" is to photograph the wedding of one of my former cheerleaders! To me... I am proud to know I had a part of those girls' cheerleading memories (hopefully they are all good memories). I still have a couple of my former cheerleaders who I talk to so it is great to know they thought enough of me as their Coach to still be a small part of their lives a few years later! So this now BRIDE-To-Be will be attending the wedding showcase on Feb 20th. I am excited to see her, besides show her my wedding 'stuff'!!

It is Saturday

Last night we went out to Buffalo Wild wings with some friends... the kids were being too antsy to  allow us have much fun though. When we go there we like to hang out & play that trivia game & just have fun... with  the kids all we could do was eat & go. Not much time to chat with our friends which was a bummer. Laura drank 3 cups of chocolate milk, and then ate none of her food ( I did not realize Daddy had already gotten her a 2nd refill- oops). The twins are 99% potty trained... so they must check out each and every restroom there is, and often. Then me & my germ-o-phobia has to scrub their hands down... UGH not fun! Thank-goodness my friend helped me with the twins. Some days those two girls of ours can really be too much!
We also had a pipe freeze/break in our laundry room. Thank Heavens there is no carpeting in there. We are not for sure, but it appears that the pipe to the outside hose it what broke.. so we had water in the laundry room. We shut off the water & all seems not so bad now. I called the insurance company just in case, and YES it is covered, but is an almost $2000 deductible. OUCH. Our laundry room is a laundry room/ craft room/ storage room. So really nothing major got wet since most things are in plastic totes.
The wedding showcase is looking good too. I had SEVERAL calls this past week from vendors asking to participate in the showcase, so we are still getting more in that is good. We are FULL on photographers and have been for a while yet still get the calls from them to be IN the show. We are preparing though... Jeremy & I were in the Monticello Bridal Expo this past Fall, and there is a DJ in Buffalo who rather than pay the money to BE IN the expo last fall, chose to be a cheap-skate and went and put his fliers on the windows of those in the parking lot. Now, Monticello HAS a city ordinance against this... but Buffalo does not. So we will just need to inform our vendors to be on the look out & help prevent Freeloaders like this guy from doing this. To me I feel that is so LOW, and simply not FAIR to those vendors who are paying money to be in the showcase. He cannot pay the money to be IN the show, but still feels he is worthy to hand out his information? I don't think so. The person who is in charge of the Monti show gave us a head up so we will try our best to not allow him to do this. I do not even think he realizes by him doing that and then leaving a very negative email  when he was called out on doing it he has lost a lot of networking opportunity. He probably had no idea that we TALK to the people who hold other wedding expos... DUH. So we will wait to see what happens. Regardless... the showcase is coming along nicely. I am getting excited for the show... and of course nervous as I plan the show & tend to forget the stuff about my own booth. But I don't mind really, as long as the show is a success for others then it that sense it is a success for me as well. I mean of course I would like to get some business out of it, yes... but the showcase being a success for the vendors enough to have them return each year is what I hope for the best outcome. I hope we do not end up with nasty weather that day.
Today we may venture to IKEA & the mall. There are some photo props & stuff I am needing from IKEA, and the mall is just fun to go to... they have ALL my coffee places there! I can get my skinny cinnamon (only 60 cal) from Starbucks, then get a cinnamon Northern Light -also very low-cal from Caribou.  Ahh... I better not get started talking about coffee... I won't be able to stop... have I mentioned my major Coffee addiction? Yeah it's bad. If I was smart I'd invest in stocks. LOL. Enjoy your Saturday & stay warm! ;)

It's ALL Good!

So... If you saw my post from the other night on facebook (I have since deleted it), you know that someone FLAGGED my Tuesday's blog for being abusive... humm.. I have no clue where anything in my boring Tuesday's blog could in any means be taken as abusive. Go back & read it, it really was quite boring. I am trying to keep up with doing this DAILY, and was writing about how the cold effects me.  Funny, I hear from these seminars how important it is to blog daily, yet the guy I work with tells me NOT to blog daily that people will just hide me. THEN... I asked a current client & she said NO, if she was a new client checking out my photography business she said she LIKES to read that I am a REAL person dealing with real daily things. So since a customer said this I suppose I'd better keep up with it, and those who are sick of me can just hide me. No big deal right?
Last week I realize while trying to be funny I may have been offending newbie photographers... but I was really only trying to be funny not hurtful. I realized this, this past fall. When my friend's husband said some stuff on facebook, and I being stressed out over my sister's benefit and I totally chewed him out.... not realizing he was also trying to be funny & I mis-read what he wrote. I get it now how it is hard to get humor to come across in simple text rather in actual voice. Anyway I was not meaning any harm.


My two FAVORITE quotes are: "photography calls many but chooses few" I read this on fellow photographer's Mike (UM photo) page & loved it!
My friend said to me a few years ago &  have USED her quote ever since: "There are professional photographers with proper training and education and then there are those who think they are photographers with a few good snap shots who declare themselves as professionals".  Do not know why I felt like you needed to hear my favorite quotes, but here they are anyway LOL!!


I was just looking back on previous blogs, and realize all we have for pics here on the blog are WEDDING pics. Weddings by far are the main thing we focus on, and second being high school seniors and families coming in third. I was reminded why I am not all that "into" Newborn pics... Here is the story:
While in college I was working at a Walmart Portrait Studio (against my College Instructor's advice he was very against the in-store type of studios like the Walmarts, JC Pennys like studios) Before getting into this... I must say this job goes down in my book for being one of my worst job experiences I have ever had. Anyway... I get hired on the spot when they learned I was in college FOR professional photography. Then find out had to wear business attire... ok that was fine & dandy until I learned how freezing it was being the portrait studio was smack next to the door as you entered! Anyway... getting off track. After my training I was the studio manager in Eden Prairie, and I was the ONLY one there. My 2nd day on the job and I had parents bring in their new baby. When they come in I read them a spiel about how to hold on to their baby, never take their hand off their baby (the kids/babies are set on about a 3' tall table for posing) Anyway I am sure you can see where I am going with this.. YEP! As I am getting baby all focused in, the baby FALLS OFF the table! The mom totally freaked out at me! Just glad I was never sued. To this day I am not sure what had happened. The parents were told not to take their hands off their child yet some how the baby still fell. Needless to say I did not stay at that job long, and I have been a bit "gun shy" of taking baby photos ever since. I see a few fellow photographer's blog posts of new babies & WISH I was more comfortable doing the babies... maybe someday! Even after my own babies births I am still not too comfortable holding a baby. I mean I do not turn them away when I get people bringing me their babies to photograph... but I do not get these sleeping babies either because I MAKE the parents be much more involved then most photographers allow parents to be I think. And now when I DO have a baby... everything is ON THE FLOOR in my studio. No chances. One baby we have been photographing for almost a year now... SHE is FUN! I think I like this little lady because they bought a big grow-with-me package when she was first born and comes in every three months so we are really getting to know her. So if we could get in more kiddos like her that would be awesome! Jill met me at the studio last night & assured me, as she is a daycare mom that she is more comfortable with babies, so she is on a new campaign to get in a few new babies (one born yesterday at about 4am) from her daycare... so we will see. If she is up for it... I am game ;)

Customer Game

So I recently started a 'game' if you will, with a few customers. Got the idea from a seminar I recently went to. What I am doing is asking them to get their family & friends to "LIKE" our studio facebook page, and leave a comment under the customer's sneak-peaks that we had posted to facebook. The more different people that make comments to their photos, the more they have to WIN.  So far one of our wedding couples are doing very good! They have till Feb 1st to get as many comments as they can. It is also great to read these comments from my aspect. I like to know what others "favorites" are, or are NOT, so I know which images to take more of at another wedding & which images people are not so fond of.

Let's see... I have been chatting with an old college friend of mine lately. I had always thought she & I would go into business together Kelly & Kellie Photography, or Kell2, or the Kell-Es... (We spell our names different & while in a boring college class I used to try to come up with potential studio name for us), When I first got started doing weddings she helped me, and she taught me how to load my 1st hassleblad! While in college I introduced her to a guy I went to high school with, who was also my at the time boss' son. They hit it off got married & now have 3 kids together &  live only like two towns away from me yet you think we have time to meet up? N-O. I laugh that he turned a city girl into a country girl. :)  Anyway... she was busy raising her family & fell out of the photo-world for a while. So lately she & I have been chatting about this photo class, and that photo gadget. It has been fun to catch up with her too. Humm... I wonder if I can just get her into Lightroom & Photoshop & just hire her to edit for me... ahh to find a personal editor that I trust... yeah- wishful thinking I know, I know. LOL.

Anyone else FREEZING?

Is anyone else FREEZING?  So I mentioned I had weight loss surgery... one of the side effects I will have forever is I will have issues with controlling my body temperature. So when I get cold... I get REALLY cold.  Constantly gotta wear 3-4 layers in the winter here.
This past fall, I invested in a mini-heater that I have on at all times! And when my hands get cold is the WORST... because it is like by my hands getting cold it make the rest of me get colder. This is something I'm having a hard time with. Funny I have not found myself real warm since the surgery... just cold A LOT. Even in the summer. So... a day like today in the frigid temperatures we are having here in good 'ol Minnesota even my heater cranked to a steady 68 degrees is only helping a little bit.
Another side effect is hair loss. I have always had long think natural curly hair. Well I said good-bye to that in June as it thinned down considerably NOW my hair is growing back in & I look ridiculous. Cannot seem to do a dang thing with my hair. Today I have it back with a head band but it poofs up so much I look like I am trying to bring back the whole 50's look of wearing a headband. Oh well. I think I just may go in for a short hair cut... then cry all the way home I am sure. LOL.
Well everyone stay WARM out there! May all of your vehicles start as needed! ;) Enjoy the rest of your Tuesday.

Is Monday over yet?

OK... almost a week of daily blogging... how am I doing? Am I boring you? Have I ticked any of you off? Sorry... not trying to upset anyone if I did. I was told my trying to be 'funny' can in text appear offensive. So I apologize if I have offended anyone.
Well... Zander's days of goalie are over... unless there happens to be openings toward the end of the season. He partly liked it, but is beating himself up a bit for "letting too many goals in" but for his 1st time he did pretty well... except the time I took out the camera & was photographing him & he was paying attention to ME! Oops! Yeah, my hubby told me to put the camera down! 
Let's see... a tad bit more about me... When I began my own photography studio, I was working full time as a CNA doing private care for a family. I took care of their mom who had Alzheimer's. I took extensive Alzheimer's classes & truly enjoyed my job. She became like another Grandma to me. When she died in 2006, it was VERY hard on me after working with her for close to 10 years. Hence the reason I did not go back into that line of work. It was too hard to not only lose a loved one, but then I lost my job all at the same time. When she passed away, her family gave me some severance pay (that I was not expecting, and was so very much needed & appreciated)  that is when I opened my studio in Buffalo.  With the economy, my husband lost his job that same summer as I did, so we both were searching for jobs. I had my photography, but it slows so much in the winter that I just liked having a regular paycheck. That way all photo money made, just goes right back into getting new photo stuff. I helped out at my mom's daycare for a while before finding my day job I work now. I work as the Party, Wedding & Event manager at Klatt Just Ask Rental. So still sort-of in the wedding field. My boss then had me take classes to become a "certified" Wedding & Event Planner/Professional (as it is called on my certificate) So I have a little bit more know-how than JUST being a photographer + I can give a discount to my brides for any wedding rentals too! Just a little extra "perk" for my customers.
 My job is fun. I work with a great group of people who in a sense are like my second family. For the most part get along with my boss. I just tell it to her straight up & she sometimes does not like me doing that. Some of my fellow co-workers who are afraid to ask for a raise... I go to her FOR them. I am just the "big mouth" at work.  Totally none of my beeswax. Oh well. The guys I work with humm... they are like working with two pesky brothers. I feel I could tell them anything in the world... yet they find a mouse on a sticky trap... they will A-  chase me with it knowing my ultimate hatred for mice.... or B- if I am NOT there, they send me photos of the icky mouse to my phone! Then giggle at me first thing they see me next. We all eat lunch together... and when someone ACTUALLY brings food from home... they are no fun, unless they bring enuf for all. If we were smart, we'd all do potluck with left overs from home.. but we are not. Our manager is obsessed with TACO JOHN'S. Literally for a while there we wondered if he was gonna turn into a taco himself. When it is nice out, we window-paint each other's vehicles. Our ultimate goal is to always get the manager's truck so he does not notice until he HAS to be someplace... but he'd find time to run thru a carwash I'm sure. LOL. We constantly pull pranks on each other, so you never know what to expect. If I have sick kids... it is a job where they "get" that, and I do not have to worry about my job because I chose to be a decent Mother & stay home with them. So all in all it has its ups & downs, but would not trade it for a minute. (anyone have any good prank ideas... manager has a birthday coming up we are all conspiring about... let me know!)

A fun night, a busy day ahead

Last night I brought my sister with to a benefit for a woman named Mary Lund. I do not know Mary, and only met her last night. She has stage 4 renal cancer. My friend, Sarah, held a benefit for her in Maple Lake last night. They raised over $8,000! We get there & only know Sarah & her husband, so we volunteered to work whatever was needed. It was fun! I met a lot of new people... and come to find out we were spending the evening with some of the "Top Dogs" in Buffalo. The whole room was filled with Wright County Judges, Cops & Lawyers. Even got some free business legal advice from one attorney, and got some business cards from some others. It was a BLAST! Even my sister... who does not ever do anything- she is just a 'homebody' and does not like to go out much had fun! My friend Sarah helped at the benefit we held for my sister who under went several brain surgeries this past fall. So we went to help her with the one when was heading up.
 We were amazed by the things they had at the silent auction. I ended up with a new lipstick pink (i got out bid on the black one I wanted) Jessica Simpson purse, and a new digital video camera & $250 towards a new bed. I got out-bid (thanks to Sarah lol) on all the scrapbooking- creative memories stuff they had... but I left happy. My sister got a huge cuisinart pots & pans set, and some lia sophia jewelry.  All in all it was great! Sarah did a great job in organizing the event- so much so I know she is in the wrong line of work. LOL She could be arranging these things for a living... but I suppose no one really pays for anyone to come do that do they? She did a great job!
As for today it is the middle of January & we NEED to get our Christmas tree down. YES, ours is still up! We just have not had the time to take it down. So plan today is Church/ Sunday School, Hockey game, and come home & clean. We have a lot of people coming to watch Zander play Goalie again today so who knows we may end up going out for dinner afterwards with everyone. 

Hockey day today

I am up! Groggy & only half awake but I am up. I figure if I sit at my computer I will be more productive than falling back to sleep laying on the couch. My girls get up at like 4:30 am E-V-E-R-Y DAY! I having this dang cold cannot pull myself out of bed. SO the girls get up, and when I hear them fighting I drag myself from my bed to the couch. Zander gets up, and is watching the clock until it is a 'decent' time he can go over to the neighbor's house. So it is now 10:30- WOW already? Geesh! Seriously I have been half-awake/half sleeping in a dream like state since they were fighting at 4 something this morning. (I am still taking cold remedies)
Today the plan is: get the kids ready.. very soon actually & get over to the arena. Like most every weekend. Saturdays & Sundays in the winter we LIVE at the Buffalo Civic Center for Zander to play hockey, so if you are inviting us to anything on a weekend we will probably have to decline until March.
 Funny, after the new year by boss tried to tell me I need to start working weekends. I laughed & said "Um NO, I can't I am way too busy". I was not hired for weekends, and cannot work weekends. She then emailed me & said I have to work 1 weekend a month. I told my husband & he was MAD, and told me to tell her if she wants me to work weekends she will have to fire me because we are too busy on weekends with family stuff, and I was hired only to work a few weekend events and that is it for weekends. So I went in & showed her Zander's hockey schedule, & told her the only thing that 'trumps' hockey is a wedding. If she wants me to work regular weekends then she'd need to fire me & find someone new. Needless to say I am still there. She changed the subject & we have not discussed it since. Even if I wanted to, which I don't I simply do not have the time to go in on weekends. I work 4 0 hour days so I only see my kids in the morning as it is... so I am not about to take time away from them on weekends. Now maybe if I was getting paid a LOT more which is not going to happen LOL ;)
 At the mite level we feel we live at the arena ALREADY.... and we already know it only gets worse. More time there as they get older. Today is Zander's 1st day playing GOALIE! Zander is in his 4th year playing hockey, and this year moved up to the "Mite" level.I am a co-manager for his team (yet I often feel like a heel because Jill is such a good Manager, she does not need me... but I managed last year & enjoyed it). Ever since Zander was 4 he wanted to be the goalie. in the mini-mite levels the 4-6 year old they do not have goalies. Now that he is a mite they get a chance to try it out & see what it is all about. We do however, even at this YOUNG age have parents who think they are watching college or professional hockey, and spout out this & that about the goalies. I so hope Zander does well & we do not have to hear anything bad from that Dad. He does not even realize it may be a kid's very first time in the position. My husband, Spencer, said "I better not hear anything or I may have my first hockey Dad fight". IT can be brutal... Yet we LOVE it. Zander played baseball for the 1st time this past summer. He was actually really good at it. Much better a baseball player than a hockey player. Yet the baseball families, are so not what hockey families are. Yeah you get those few Dad's out there spouting their mouth off, and making a fool out of himself... but in the scheme of things, even as young as our kids are you almost become a family with your fellow hockey families. At baseball, heck I had no idea who's parent was who's and who was on Zander's team. It is neat to have another parent holler "Go Zander!" then you go talk to them & say "hey Thanks for routing for me kid". Last year as a manager, I made a point of knowing all the kids names on my team & being the one to Holler "GO Joey" "Good Job Ben!" I think it helped the parents knowing me their manager is routing for their kid too.
Anyway, Zander is nervous about today... but I think he will do well. Like I said he has always wanted to play goalie so he gets his chance today.  I just hope they have the dang heat on in there today. On New Year's Day his team had a double header, which means we are at the arena ALL- DAY... and it seemed to take me that whole night to warm up I had been so cold in there.
Well have a Nice Saturday all!

Friends

So I see I had a text at 7 something this morning. It was from Jeremy telling me he fixed my logo here on the blog & will work on how big the photo is later.  What great friends I have! ;) THANKS Jeremy!  Truly when I sit back after being a whiny baby all week... I have been S-I-C-K, and me & my germ-o-phobia this does not settle well with me...  Come visit me & see my GI-NORMOUS bottle of hand sanitizer, and Lysol wipes, and Lysol spray in case someone touches my phone or computer at work! I so get teased for that! You outta see me wipe down the dang carts at the store! ha ha ha! Anyway I got to thinking in a drug induced state (too much NyQuil) how blessed I truly am! Yes, I complain a lot, but in my day-job I work with mostly all guys... which is like working with your annoying brothers constantly- just wait I have lots of stories to tell about what they do to pick on me there! But to be HEARD there, you gotta whine. I am so getting off track here. Oh well... Where I am going with this, is a few years ago I had hired on a gal whom I had been 'kinda' friends with, our husbands were friends, and she was one of those people we ran into EVERYWHERE. Anyway, shortly after I had my twins, she kept saying how she wanted to get into photography,  and literally would not leave me alone. She then asked me to take her daughter's photos (which to date are still some of my faves no matter how much I dis-like the mom now). Well rather than paying for them... she decided to 'trade' me stuff for them. Which I was fine with I had just preferred we discussed that prior to the session lol.  Well this gal is one of those kinds of people that is hard to say "NO" to, and I am known to be a push over... so that's setting up the story already huh? Well, she had asked me if she could "help me out" in my studio, or at weddings & what-nots. Me who can never say no said "Yes, but there are some papers I make everyone sign".  I explained how much I pay & how she has ZERO experience, so she'd have to work her way up the pay scale based on how she learned & she agreed to that. Well this was in 2008... when we were getting smacked with the economy issues. I had her assist at one wedding, alone, as Alicia had just had her baby & was unable to make it to that wedding, so I was glad to have this gal there to assist. The wedding went well, so I thought. I later had complaints from the mother of the bride & a bridesmaid (that I never did tell to this assistant) Then this gal tells me the same day of this first wedding she worked after we got home that the money she made was just not enough. It was not enough to even take her kids to Dairy Queen with, and she needed more money! At that point I had one more wedding to do for the year, and was not sure about Alicia with her just having had the baby, so I agreed to give her a bit more money as long as she got her paperwork signed & to me right away. This paperwork is stuff I have always had. I got it from another photographer & modified it, and had an attorney give me the OK on it. Just is a basic No-compete agreement.   Meanwhile... She had asked me if she could use the studio to get some "practice". She wanted to take some pics of her kids, and some friends/family. To make a long story short, she assisted on the 2nd wedding... and I had Alicia training  her in, yet this gal felt she did not need to be trained in by Alicia... (I think since Alicia is much younger... not real sure) We got some awesome shots that day, yet later heard from the wedding family about this particular assistant as well about her attitude & they complained about her again. UGH! I was not sure even WHAT to say to her.  "Hey keep your mouth shut & do not give your opinion on a wedding?" I mean really what do you say when it is some one's characteristic/personality that is not sitting well with these people? Things that she thought were OK to blurt out these people at the weddings were taking offense to.  Anyway...  a few months go by & I get a call from my landlord... I come to find out she had been up at the studio much-much more than she was telling me, according to my landlord... and when I asked this gal about the paperwork she said she refused to sign it. In case she found a better job, that offered more hours & better pay they the crap I was paying her she could not sign it. The economy she was not taking into fact obviously as I would normally been able to give her many hours, but just did not work that way. Alicia has been with me since 2003 so I must not be SO bad to work for.I had a bad-feeling about this gal from day-1 that I SHOULD have listened to. My husband even said from the get-go NOT to, that she was too pushy, and would try to 'take over" which in fact was what she was trying to do. When I put my foot down she became upset. So I asked for my studio key back & that we part ways. OH she was MAD! She came into my other place of employment, made a fool of herself & tossed my key at me. And ever since has been bad-mouthing me & my studio. So when I met Jill Fillyaw who is now part of Kellie Allyn Photography... I was "gun-shy" to say the least! But she has been a GOD-SEND! I am not kidding! She also knows of this 1st gal, and she & I both run into her, all we can do is ignore her right? FYI... she wears one of those hats I was talking about yesterday LOL!!  not sure how she is pursuing her photography 'career' now other than I know she is doing sports photos... not real artistic- but she wears the 'hat' anyway. lol.  So now having Jill working, and Alicia on-call, and friends who at 7 am are helping to make my blog look better I realize I am truly blessed! I am blesses to have that person OUT of my life, so better people could enter my life. If you just read this, take a moment to think about your friends. Some I do not talk to as often as I would like, and some I text non-stop. I am not a highly religious person, but THANK-YOU GOD for all my friends today! For those of you in business thinking about hiring that 'person' GO with your GUT feeling! I promise your gut instinct is RIGHT!

Day three and still at it

Yes, I am aware when you get to this blog our logo is like HUMONGOUS... me and my so savvy computer skills am right on top of that... yeah right. I talked to Jeremy who is helping with the wedding showcase (a.k.a. my free computer guru- uh oh I probably should not be saying so or he'll start charging me for all my quirky dumb computer questions... he has all my passwords so I better be careful I'll start seeing new charges on my paypal accounts. LOL). Come on now...  when my computer crashed last fall... and I had to get new software I have been learning new photoshop CS5, Lightroom3... isn't that enough? LOL.
I LOVE lightroom, and at first I thought I was going to HATE it... well at first I DID hate it. I have a lot to yet learn in that program as well. A fellow photographer, Mike at UM photography I met thru CMWA has been so kind, and has opened his studio to me & said he would teach me all about LR. I was so taken back by that! So many photographers are just out there for themselves, and even LIE to you about their knowledge, clientele, their sales, and only brag to you about what they are buying... that when he was so kind I was dumbfounded & had to pinch myself. With the photography field so heavily saturated with photographers, and those who are trying to become photographers it becomes a dog eat dog field.
Jill & I do joke about the newbies, but really you can almost spot a  "newbie photographer" out there in an instant... 1st they wear "The hat" you know, those wanna-be stylish crocheted or canvas brimmed artist hats (Kelly K & Patti I am not talking about either of you here... you both are able to pull off wearing cute hats- you both know the 'hats' the newbies wear that I am talking about), 2nd... find their work on the net and low & behold you will see they have a family posed on a (usually green) couch in the weeds! Now I am NOT saying this is wrong by any means. We simply giggle at how EVERYONE trying to be unique & different is in fact copying each other. I had better shush Or I am gonna get a bunch of smash-mouthing here I am sure. And a few of my fellow friends who do this per request of their clients you KNOW I am not poking fun at you, so do not even go there :)
OK.. Onward to the good stuff... like poking fun isn't the good stuff? HA! I am so Kidding! Now, the Showcase! We are FULL on photographers! Is that good or bad? Well, when I am in charge and only allow a few in that is good. Who wants to spend a couple hundred bucks to be in a wedding show, only to realize "a lot of good this show does me there are 7 other photographers besides myself here" so no, that is WHY is even started doing the Buffalo Area Wedding Showcase, is so that vendors are NOT just a number feeling like all they are doing is passing out their resume to Bride's. IN FACT, I was just at a seminar on Monday, and they said to STOP being a part of those type of wedding shows that allow SO MANY VENDORS PER SERVICE! As a vendor the speaker pointed out that the brides do just seem to walk around and say "Oh you are a wedding photographer? What are your prices? You Might do". Yet as a business, we want more from our customers too. We want to get to know THEM first, we want to be sure we are a good FIT for each other.
 Seriously I think it is best we get to know each other first so we know it is a good "fit" & I can capture the images you really WANT. For example, I know of a fellow studio here in the area that photographed a friend's wedding while  I was on bed-rest with a pregnancy (this photographer does not even know this they never told her this, and neither did I ), but they thought her voice was so high & squeaky & annoying, that, HER annoying voice is what THEY think of now when they look back on their photos- even years later. They said her pics were good, but it is their experience with her is what they remember. I certainly HOPE If someone has a bad experience with us we are told about it so we can try to make it right. I mean yes I speak VERY FAST... so I hope that is not what people remember about me.
 Thinking about this is why I try to get my couples who book with us to come it to DO the complimentary engagement sessions so we CAN get to know each other, & get a feel of how working together goes. 

Back to the showcase... This year we have a website, and facebook page JUST for the show. We moved it to a better location which is at the Buffalo Community Middle School on Hwy 25, across from Walmart... we ARE looking for a few more vendors.  Hoping to still get a Limo company, a tuxedo company, a hair salon, a videographer, and any LIVE musicians. IF anyone reading this knows anyone, please pass the word along.  Thanks for tuning in again today to our blog!

WOW 2 days in a row?

So, Jill, the second photographer of Kellie Allyn's Photography still has not read the "BLOG" yet. he he he. Nothing bad... right? Those of you who had hired me in the past & remember Alicia, she is still around too. She is the #1 assistant, and helps out when we need her. With Jill now as a 2nd photographer she and I then work together as each other's assistants too. At the moment we are waiting to hear back about a possible studio change. We will keep you posted as we get it figured out.
Getting to know Jill a little bit... Jill is ALSO a hockey mom. That is how she & I met! She was my son's team manager a couple of years ago. Jill in now known in our Buffalo Youth Hockey Association is the "SUPER MANAGER". I managed my son's team last year & this year I am co-managing in the shadows with Jill (LOL). Jill has a 12 year old Daughter, Nicole who my twins LOVE... & we also hit up to babysit. Jill also has a 9 year old son, Carter. He is 'the big kid' my son wants to always hang out with, who are on the same hockey team as well.
 Jill is also SUPER MOM. She works for a childcare center, and it so shows in all else she does. I think you can point out a child-care provider a mile away. My sister is also one of these moms. These are the moms who have a suitcase of snacks, & 3 outfit changes "just in case", plus swim suits & the snorkel gear in case it stops raining & they get to go swimming... just to spend the day at my house. Humm.. and when I drop my kids off I just drop off my kids & go... I feel like the pathetic mom compared to any daycare mom! LOL! Jill is THAT great to work with too! When I forget say my bottle of water, she has me covered. Or  forget something back at the studio, she is going back to get it driving mach 3 speeds in her mini van that no cop would ever think to pull over ha ha ha (try to keep up with her I dare you!)  And being a nervous bride... Jill is that person with the calm voice to just ease all the tension away as well. 
OK Now that I have said enough about Jill today & myself yesterday... tomorrow, I will start chatting about the wedding showcase more we are planning. It is already NEXT MONTH! woohoo!!

New Year... New Blogs... Hopefully

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Well... It is a New Year! New things are a happening. First off this darn blog I said I was going to do once a month... that just never happened. So perhaps I can get that going more in the new year. Second, Last night I was to a TCPPA (Twin Cities Professional Photographers Association) Meeting last night & the speakers there were AMAZING... helped they were WEDDING photographers who were fellow NIKON users as well, so I had immediate respect for them. Was so sick of all the canon speakers last year at the meetings. But where I really did not learn anything really "new" from them as far as wedding things go, I have been in business much longer than they were... I did learn that they earned a whole different relationship with their clients because of their BLOG. So I decided I had best get er going & get a crack'in at this. They also say to talk more open & get more PERSONAL in it so people can relate. SO here goes! Where I was actually doing totally opposite. I have my "personal" facebook page, and a "business" page... well WHY NOT let my customers see me for who I really am?  I am a lady with way to many "irons in the fire" I was once told by a fellow photographer. I am a hockey mom, I work a full-time job at a rental store where I am a certified Wedding & Event Coordinator... not that that title does me much good in this neck of the woods, but I like to help brides all I can in their wedding planning.
Me personally... I am a Scorpio.. I am super superstitious. I believe in all the 'hocus-pocus' non-sense- to a point.... more for the fun of it. I have a Grandmother who consults a psychic & reads taro cards regularly so I guess a bit of that rubbed off LOL yet I was raised Catholic & now go to a Lutheran Church... ha! AMEN. I have a 7 year old son, Zander, who plays hockey and his teacher is a former fellow classmate of mine, and we have identical twin daughters, Julia & Laura, who turned 3 in November... (also Scorpios... their bday is the day after mine). I Met my husband, Spencer, when I was 19, and we got married when I was 24... I had to propose to HIM! Ask me & I will tell you "our story". My hubby &I went to the same high school in Rockford, MN, but were NOT high school sweethearts lol!! We met when I was bar tending in Loretto while still in college. We have a puppy that is a mix between a Rat terrier & a Beagle we named Mayzie... and let me tell you she is a HUGE pain in the butt! Potty training (at the time) 2- 2-year-olds AND a new puppy... WHAT was I thinking? CRA-ZY! YEP!
 I went to college in Eden Prairie at Hennepin Tech for Professional Photography. Then went back to HTC for a nursing certificate as I worked as a CNA trying to open my own studio. I worked privately for a person for nearly 9-10 years in her home before she passed away. When she did pass, her family gave me the courage & incentive to finally open my own store-front studio in 2006 (I had been running my own photo biz since 2000). In 2007 I was on bed-rest with my twins and then this economy hit, so I had to take on a full-time job again, and make photography a part-time thing... but it still works. I mainly do Weddings & Seniors, and recently in the spring of 2010 hired on Jill, and will now be having her working on many more new projects we have up our sleeves. We were VERY busy with High School seniors this past year, so we hope that 2011 can only be better! We are involved in TCPPA, WPPI, CMWA, Which in lamens terms are just abbreviations to professional organizations we have become affiliated with.
Kellie Allyn's Photography along with Flamingo DJ, & Klatt Just Ask Rental are also all proud sponsors of the 5th Annual Buffalo Area Wedding Showcase. I have been running this show since day 1. I have had help along the way from many & with out them we would not be where we are today! This year looks to be the best year yet!... I know, I know I say that every year. But I fell that way before each show, because I feel we out-do ourselves each year.. OK. I am done yapping for one evening. Perhaps if I post this now to FACEBOOK we will get more followers! I will get some input from Jill to so u all can get to know us BOTH! Please let us know if  you need any photo services... a business head shot, a wedding, pregnancy, family... whatever it may be!