August 2010 comes to a close

As August comes to a close, I want to touch on a couple items that have been brought up to me over the past few weeks.

1) NO, it is not the end of Senior Season. If you haven't captured your senior images yet it is not to late, remember, graduation is usually in May which is several months away. So we still have time to capture your session and seniors can earn their personal DVD slide show of their Senior Adventure ask me how. Each school has their own deadline for yearbook submissions. Some schools have deadlines in September, others in October, November and I even have a few seniors that have schools with February 2011 deadlines. I cannot change the deadlines of your school so the yearbook images may or may not be included. Please do not let this determine if you are having your senior pictures captured, its not about a yearbook its about your senior year and Katherine Payne Photography offers the absolute best Senior Adventures around. Even the standard session is an adventure, so give a call and see how we can add to your Senior year with an exclusive Katherine Payne Photography Senior Adventure. Right now, the session fee is crazy affordable if you pre-invest $200 towards your finished images, your session fee is $50. Yes I said $50. If you don't think that is affordable, please drop me a note, I want to hear from you. Even if you went to the Mall Photography Outlets, you won't see them taking you on an Adventure with "REAL" natural backgrounds, not paper or muslin. Now I'm not going to just give it away, you must ask me for the promotion and pay a minimum of $200 towards your finished images by the day of your session. Seniors also earn free wallets. (If you are redeeming a Senior Rep Referral Card, talk about a good day, your session is free when you pre-invest.)

2) NO, not all my images are being uploaded to facebook or myspace. If you really care to know and if you have questions about this, please feel free to contact me personally and I will be happy to share with you all the reasons why you only see limited images and limited clients on my facebook page or the Katherine Payne Photography facebook site. Its not personal its business.

So enjoy the brief sneak peek at Brittany's senior session which we spent the entire day together and captured 4 times the number of images you see in this clip.

Take Care and keep seeing the light.

Voices of Reality Show - Internet TV Programming

Hello again,

On August 13, 2010, I was a guest on the Voices of Reality Internet TV Program
http://www.voicesofreality.com/
representing Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. With me Lindsay Hannagan from HQ and two of my very special Mom's and friends; Rachel Hall and Brianna Campbell spoke with our host: Kasha Fauscett. Please visit the site to replay the feed. It has 3 parts:


Part 1: http://www.livestream.com/voiceofreality/video?clipId=pla_fbbce2ed-df5a-424c-925a-547abfe2e2dd&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb
Part 2:
http://www.livestream.com/voiceofreality/video?clipId=pla_91ea4cfe-9173-42fe-8493-6c0d4ba28ad8&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb
Part 3:
http://www.livestream.com/voiceofreality/video?clipId=pla_c70e01f6-17b6-4735-b0df-cb1151deaca3&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb

This was our first experiencing working with Voices of Reality and meeting the staff/crew and Kasha. I feel we were able to share the mission of Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. Please feel free to contact me personally if you have questions or if you would like to get involved in the program as a volunteer.

This Friday's program with Kasha is about Teen Suicide and she will be joined by a couple of Moms who lost their daughters to suicide. Please visit the video of Brianna who's Mom will be talking with Kasha this Friday, August 20, 2010:
http://photos.clearmountainproductions.com/Videos/Brianna/12727987_e55tq#916591788_vVfEP

Please tune in this Friday at http://www.voicesofreality.com/ to help support this local Colorado group.

Voices of Reality have graciously agreed to partner and work with me and the Denver Group for the upcoming Help-Portrait event on December 4th so I am thrilled to make yet another wonderful connection with a great group from Colorado.

Keep seeing the light.

Profound Thoughts

Sharing some profound thoughts. Sometimes as a professional photographer I get asked a variety of questions, requests and also demands. As I mentor young and upcoming photographers I am met with similar questions and because of this, I am going to share some of my thoughts on a few business thoughts. I am confident that for the most part Photographers are Artists and they want people to enjoy, love and ultimately want their images, so much so that some photographers are known for giving away their images either free or at little cost. Now this isn’t a bad idea if you want to be a hobbyist photographer, and advance some of your skills. However; there is a stigma that comes along with not charging for your work and like it or not you may find yourself in a position which will feel like forever as being known as the “Cheap picture person, photographer, artist, creator (you pick the title, it still is the free or cheap photographer at the end of the day)”. It is extremely hard, if not sometimes impossible, to break out of the stereotype of giving away your images without any regard to your talent once that opinion is set in concrete. That doesn’t even touch on the issue of giving away your digital files to be modified or compromised, that is simply a slap in your face. It takes time to learn and perfect your craft, it takes money to purchase quality professional cameras and lenses (and yes you can purchase a digital SLR and set it to AUTO and shoot in JPG, but that doesn’t make you a professional photographer or an artist) it also takes money to continue your ever growing education, supporting professional organizations in the industry such as PPA, WPPI, etc. (I’ll only add one thought to think about, do you go to a doctor that isn’t board certified or doesn’t hold a license to practice medicine?). Ultimately the “Free/Cheap” photographer is damaging the Professional Industry and not only leaving a forever scar on their potential professional future but the overall integrity of quality portraiture and professional images. I could spend so much time on this that it could bore the frost off of a frozen steak but I’m not going to. My point is simple, you get what you pay for, the experience and ultimate final images are forever and I prefer to think of myself as an image maker and story teller, not a picture taker. Be proud of what you are getting, the piece of art which is being created personally for you of you or your family is not to be taken lightly, it is an heirloom in the works. If you go to an auto dealer, don’t expect your car purchased at “Bullwinkle’s Used Car” to roll out like a new Cadillac Escalade. It just doesn’t work that way. My clients do not go to auto dealers and say “show me the cheapest thing you have on the lot”, they educate themselves in what they are looking for and shop appropriately. Have you ever thought of going to a quality auto dealer and if they have a “cheaper model”, do you not want to ask “WHAT’S WRONG WITH IT”.
Now on the flip side of that coin, I’ll tell you I do want people to love my work and ultimately I make many avenues available so that Katherine Payne Photography is affordable even when it doesn’t appear to be possible. Between my promotions and referral programs, my return clients find updating their wall portraits a matter of routine. I do offer web share/digital files so my clients can share their personal images on Facebook or MySpace or their personal blogs with limited restrictions. I am also willing to sell my digital files on an individual image basis if that is something my client is looking for. I’ve kept an open door to listening to all possible questions and sometimes the answer is yes, so I guess in closing, the best advice I can give is if you want it, need it or desire it, you must first ask for it. My crystal ball doesn’t read the minds of potential clients so make the call, start the dialogue and start a lasting relationship capturing your images and writing your stories.

Look forward to hearing from you!

Best Regards Always

Katherine

Christmas in July - New Promotion Hits the Web

Everyone has heard of Christmas in July and my new promotion is just that. When was the last time someone gave you $500.

This new promotion is awesome. The promotion is easy, when you make your initial $200 investment towards your finished prints prior to your session date, you qualify for the standard session at $50.00 (Standard Session $350, so that is a $300 savings) and for a limited time you also qualify for 2 for 1 prints. So your $200 has a potential $400 print value. That breaks down to your $250.00 investment, easily becoming $750.00 in value and there you have your $500.00, what an exciting deal. This deal is not available on Super Senior Sessions, Ultimate Senior Sessions or Weddings. The 2 for 1 prints are for ordered prints, and cannot be used for Canvas Wall Pieces or Albums. This promotion will run through October 1, 2010 and then it will be pulled, without exception and will not return until 2011.

A few thoughts to consider if you are thinking about using this exciting offer. This is the perfect time to capture your images for Holiday Cards and Gifts so when you are ready to start your holiday shopping, you have one more exclusive gift idea to consider for those special people in your life and on your gift list.

Do you know someone who is expecting, what an awesome gift to give a Maternity Session using this program which will not only allow for priceless maternity images, we include with every Maternity Session a complimentary New Born Session, where within 2 weeks of the new baby coming home we capture priceless images. Here again you have some amazing professional images to use when creating your unique birth announcements, available exclusively through Katherine Payne Photography.

We have lots of sessions available to select from: Family, Children's, Maternity, New Born, Couples, Pet and much much more. The possibilities are endless, if you need some more ideas please feel free to contact me personally I would love to share how we can capture your memories to last a lifetime.

So in closing, "Santa Claus is coming to town.♪♫♪...Santa Claus is coming to town..♪♫♪...Santa Claus is coming to town....♪♫♪......" Happy July and Happy Holidays.

Keep seeing the light....

July 2010 - Update and Thoughts

The past 8 weeks have frankly been a blur. On May 18th, my Mom went into home hospice and her journey was complete on June 4th just after midnight when she went home to be with the Lord. We had her funeral on June 8th and my daughter gave a beautiful eulogy of my Mother's Dash in her eyes. The poem "The Dash" by Linda Ellis was a piece that my Mom personally requested we remember during this time. It is a story of a man who is speaking at a friends funeral and refers to the dates on a headstone, the date you are born and then a dash and the date that you die. The dash is the "important" stuff, its the nuts and bolts of your life, the good, the bad, the crazy, the pain, the excitement, all that is in your life on earth. I become overwhelmed with emotion when I try to express what I am feeling about her passing but what I will say is I do miss her and most of all I miss being able to "give her a call" for all the silly stupid things a daughter calls her mother for.

In an effort to get back to business if that's the PC way, I'm looking at my travel calendar and trying to work out the details. So look for my travel log for dates that I may be in your part of the world. I am sifting through the missed trips since January and will hopefully get those stops back on my books.

Subsequently, I have not updated my blog or the website with new promotions yet, they are coming. This short post is to give a quick note to let you know that I haven't forgotten, just haven't found the energy to sit and contribute. I am still honoring the previously posted promotion which allows for the session to be included when you pre-pay towards finished prints, I expect to change the promotion before the 15th of July so if this is something you are wanting to take advantage of, give me a call.

I have just a couple of spots left for Senior Partners/Reps so if you are interested in being one of Katherine Payne Photography's Senior Partners or Reps please don't delay I really don't like telling people no.

So I'll close for now with a thought in honor of my Mom.
If the dash between the dates is the "important stuff", don't let that pass you by, embrace every opportunity, love one another, especially tell them you love them and believe me, Photographs and Portraits do capture your memories that last a lifetime, take time to schedule those lasting memories.

Keep seeing the light!

May 2010

Wow........sometimes it becomes difficult to talk and share the thoughts that race through my mind. As many of you know, I am facing the end of life with my Mother. She is now on home Hospice and as expected, not doing well, each day has struggles and the sadness continues and the stress mounts.

I'm continuing to work and also spend some much needed valued time with my family, I cannot stress how important these special times are. My grand daughters are the brightest spot in my heart. I'm very lucky to have the opportunity to spend as much time with them as I have.

I am continuing to honor the prepaid special which includes the session fee when clients prepay $150.00 towards their finished print orders. This is an incredible deal so if you are looking for a way to have professional images there is no better way.

I am still waiting for the winner of the "Climb the vine" silent auction certificate.

I will be interviewing for second shooters so if you are interested in working with me on a professional level, please contact me privately.

Senior Reps/Partners will be finalized for the class of 2011, so if you want to be considered as a Katherine Payne Photography Senior Rep/Partner and will be graduating in 2011, I still have a few openings for this awesome experience, so don't wait, contact me soon.

Congratulations to my awesome Seniors for the Class of 2010. YOU ROCK!

I'm going to close this post with hope that all your days are bright and sunny and full of love. Take a moment to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you, although we all know the journey we will ultimately make alone will someday come, when those days approach it is never an easy journey.

Keep seeing the light.

Mothers Day Weekend

Good Morning Saturday, Hello World and Happy Mothers Day to all Mothers. I've said it before and I will continue to say it, everyone has a mother, don't delay tell her you love her. Your Mom may live up the street, in another state, on another continent or even in Heaven. Take a moment to pause this weekend and think of your Mom and send her your love. As many of you know my Mother is in her final journey and this Mothers Day I feel the pain of a broken heart. We are all preparing for her leaving and all the complex stages we are experiencing just magnify the pain with bitter sweet prayers. Life is always so busy, so full of responsibility and obligations that they all take precedence over our days, nights, weekends and holidays.

Fortunately, I have found some release in writing in a journal thoughts of this journey. Waking at 3:30am with sadness and adding a few words here and there to release my tears. Spending some me time capturing some personal images and looking at possible print competition options for some of them, using the creative energy to offer some peace during this very chaotic time.

This post came with apprehension because I always hope to share valuable insight into specials, promotions and upcoming workshops, field trips and Safari's along with some housekeeping items. So for those who are reading looking for those tidbits, here you go. I am still offering until Monday Night any session booked "In Honor Of Mother" will receive special pricing for prints, and webshare images of selected images ordered. It could range from a little to a lot of savings, its up to you. We do not have to capture your images before Monday, we just need to schedule it.

Lost ----- The individual who purchased the Silent Auction item for "Climb The Vine" a certificate valued at over $1500.00 has not validated their certificate. We need to hear from you. Your first session needs to be captured before the end of June to take full advantage of this awesome certificate so don't let the time fly by get in touch with me.

I am finalizing my east coast trips so if you are planning to see me out there, awesome. I'll keep you in the loop with my travel plans.

Keep seeing the light.