Candace Hart Photography: September 2008

SMILE!!! Look Who's 3 Months!

This is little Miss "M"

I was invited to her Birth back in June.

For those that read my blog often, You remember her!

She is now 3 Months old!!

AND SO ADORABLE!!!

I'm trying to catch u from a busy busy week!

9 sessions and a wedding in 1 week.

WHEWEEEE!

I have never been so happy to sit in front of my computer and "rest"!

:)

It's a Lady bug!

Here is your sneak peak Mom and Dad!

Enjoy!

:)

Little Santa!

I just had to post these quick from last nights session!

I hope you enjoy Aunt D and Mom!!

I will get to the rest this week!

:)

Little Miss Priss!

I don't usually share 2 of the same pose but this was my favorite and

I couldn't decide which to keep.... So here ya go...U decide! Leave a comment and let me know which you like best!! Be kinda like a vote!

This little doll was in yesterday and I got to use my new hat again!

I love this hat! I will be purchasing more!!

Enjoy!!

NILMDTS Foundation

...With the Month of October being recognized as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, The Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Foundation holds its Annual Fund Drive for six weeks starting in mid-September and ending in October.

President Ronald Reagan enacted Proclamation 5890 in October of 1988 to recognize that each year, approximately a million pregnancies in the United States alone end in miscarriage, stillbirth, or the death of a newborn child. Reagan stated, "A national observance offers us the opportunity to increase our understanding of the great tragedy involved in the deaths of unborn or newborn babies. It also enables us to consider how, as individuals and communities, we can meet the needs of bereaved parents and family members... " To read the full Proclamation signed by Reagan, CLICK HERE.

If you are in a place to make even a small contribution to NILMDTS, please know that doing so will continue to allow the organization to provide improved resources, training, communication, and other tools necessary in support of our amazing contingent of professional photographers who provide the gift of free remembrance portraiture to families in need.

Our next project we are working on is an online, interactive webinar version of our Formal NILMDTS Training taught by Co-Founder Sandy Puc' allowing anyone in any country with access to a computer to complete the course online. Donations help make programs like this a reality!

Your Donations Support the Organization in Many Ways - * By supporting the continued education of our volunteer photographers * By allowing us to further our outreach to hospitals and hospices across the world * By offsetting the costs associated with outreach efforts including Formal NILMDTS Traingin Seminars * By supporting the Family Forum which creates a productive and supportive haven for healing * By supporting the Photographers' Forum which provides a helpful environment for our member photographers to express their feelings and receive advice on the various issues that they face in this noble work * By supporting the day to day operations of our Headquarters Offices

I WON"T DO IT!

Isn't she a doll.... So tiny and such a sound sleeper!

So Every time we set this little one up for a pose

she would tuck her chin in and hide her face...

I WON'T DO IT! I love it!

Enjoy Mom and Dad!

Officially Fall

So today is the first day of fall.
I like fall for 1 reason and 1 reason only....
The leaves look cool for Fall photos.... LOL
Yep! That's the only reason!
So if you are wanting to do fall or Christmas photos and you call today thru friday I will give you a free 8x10 but you must mention my blog....
call 309-734-0137
or email
candacehartphotography@yahoo.com
Thanks

Congrats A and J!!

Just had to share!!

Wasn't she pretty!

Check out Etsy

So I have a newfound love!
It's www.etsy.com
Just thought I would pass along the fact that I love it there!!
Check it out when you get time.
Thanks
Candace

Newborn Boy needed

I have a few newborn boy caps I need modeled for a designer.
If you have a newborn boy, are expecting one soon or know
of someone please let me know.
2 free 5x7's for your time!
Email me at CandaceHartPhotography@yahoo.com
Thanks
Candace Hart

Another Senior...

This young Man was in for His senior images.

I really liked this one for some reason.....

It was hard to pick just 2 to post for a sneak peak. Enjoy!

Why are Professional Photographers so expensive?

(Written by a fellow photographer in California)

In this digital age where everyone has digital cameras, scanners and home "photo printers", when people upload their photos to a local drug store website and pick them up a few hours later, we hear this all the time - How in the world do Professional Photographers charge $55 for an 8x10 when they cost just $1.50 at the drug store?
Here's why.
Simply put, you're not just paying for the actual photograph, you're paying for time and expertise. First, let's look at the actual time involved. If you don't read this entire page, at least read this first part.
For a two hour portrait session:
- one hour of travel to and from the session- two hours of shooting- 30 minutes of setup, preparation, talking to the client etc.- 30 minutes to load the photos onto a computer (2 - 4 Gb of data)- 30 minutes to back up the files on an external drive- 3 - 4 hours of Photoshop time including cropping, contrast, color, sharpening, saving a copy for print and a copy for the internet and backing up the edited photographs - 2 - 3 hours to talk to the client, answer questions, receive their order and payment, order their prints, receive and verify prints, package prints, schedule shipment and drop package off at Fed Ex.- For local customers, we also print a set of all of their photos, and meet them at our studio to review the photos and place their order. Meeting and travel time averages 2 hours.
You can see how one two hour session easily turns into more than ten hours of work from start to finish. So when you see a Photographer charging a $200 session fee for a two hour photo shoot, you are not paying them $100 / hour.
For an eight hour wedding:
- I won't bore you with the details, but an eight hour wedding typically amounts to at least two to three full 40 hour work weeks worth of time. Again, if they are charging you $4,000 for an eight hour wedding, you are not paying them $500 / hour.
Now for the expertise.
Shooting professional photography is a skill, acquired through years of experience. Even though a quality camera now costs under $2,000 taking professional portraits involves much more than a nice camera.
Most Professional Photographers take years to go from buying their first decent camera to making money with their photography. In addition to learning how to use the camera itself, there is a mountain of other equipment involved, as well as numerous software programs used to edit and print photographs, run a website etc.
And let's not forget that you actually have to have people skills, be able to communicate, make people comfortable in front of the camera - and posing people to make them look their best in a photograph is a skill all by itself.
Think of it this way - the next time you pay $X to get your hair done, a pair of scissors only costs $1.50. But you gladly pay a lot more to hire a Professional.
What about the cheap studios at the mall?
Please don't compare us to the chain store studios. But if you must, consider all of the time and work that we put into our photographs, compared to what they do. Good luck getting a two hour photo shoot at a chain store. Not to mention they won't come to the beach! And of course, look at our work compared to theirs. You get what you pay for.
The truth is, most of the mall and chain store studios lose money. In fact, in 2007 Wal-Mart closed 500 of their portrait studios because of the financial drain they were putting on the company. What the chain stores bet on is that you'll come in for some quick and cheap photos, and while you're there, you'll also spend $200 on other things. They don't have to make money, they are just there to get you in the door.
Conclusion
We hope that those who have taken the time to read this page will have a better understanding of why professional photographs cost so much more than the ones that you get from your local drug store.

Little Angel "A"

Isn't she adorable!!!
Enjoy Mom!!

Need Ideas!

OK So I have the Chance to Photograph a band from Peoria for their album.

They want something totally off the wall and so far out of the box it can't even be seen....

This is not my type but they really want me to do it.

So I need some ideas!

Send me any ideas or thoughts you have and I will give you a $10 credit for each idea that the band likes and wants to try.

Rather it works or not, if we try it I will give you a $10 credit.

I have until October 19Th and we will be shooting in Monmouth and Peoria....

All Ideas welcome. They are a hard rock band....

Not my style so this should be really interesting but it is a big deal for me if it turns out!

Email your suggestions to candacehartphotography@yahoo.com
or post a comment!
Thanks
Candace Hart

and whats a post without a picture!!

My oldest DD Decided she wanted a hair cut!

Thanks for looking :)

I love this song!

This song has been a favorite of mine for a long time. I finally found it on youtube and thought I would share it. I know it is not photography related but with 9/11.... It just works!