Full Steam Ahead

As the year comes to an end, we all tend to reflect on the good, the bad, and the worse. Today, I reflect only on what is to come. No looking back. No turning around. No regrets.

No.Regrets.

Not a single one.

I can't wait to share my ideas for 2014 with all of you. Lots of changes, new beginnings, and amazing projects are in the works. And while I'd love to share about them all here, right now, in this moment, you must wait. Just a little longer. Promise ;)

So I leave you with this. The most "LIKED" MHP image of 2013. Definitely deserving of this title!

Words can't express how thankful I really am for each and every one of you, but thank YOU.  

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

May you be greeted with nothing short of peace and love in 2014.

-XX-

Megan

Passion is Energy

Here we are again. February. The shortest month. My most boring month. The do nothing, long, cold, blustery Kentucky days of February. Well, I guess there's Valentine's Day. That's a pretty good day. But all of the other days are usually big, blah, boo days. Until this February. TWOTHOUSANDTHIRTEENFEBRUARY. You, are rockin' it for me this time.

The first weekend of February 2013 brought me three shoots. Three completely different shoots. The first, a massive art show event. MASSIVE. And gorgeous. Gorgeous like I've never seen, gorgeous. In a venue that I am so deeply in love with now, I actually sent my hubby a text containing the sentence "Can we get married again and have our wedding here?" So many shiny happy people coming together to raise funds for the education of children. Not just for their education, but for a program that I am equally in love with. The school I was fortunate enough to spend my last high school years in. The school of thought. St. Francis.

Next up on my February 2013 line up was a spur of the moment, semi-unplanned, throw together quickly engagement session. Well, okay, it was planned. But not for this date. Not any date, really. Just an outstanding appointment marked "When it snows". And it snowed! It snowed 2 days in a row, actually, leaving a perfect, soft white blanket around the city. You know how sometimes snow gets that nasty, brown, sludgy, mud tinge? Well, there was none of that. Just white. Beautiful, quiet, white snow. Oh, and hot chocolate. And a beagle. And this sweet, sweet couple who are set to wed in September of this powerful year.

And to complete my first weekend in February, I got to skip, jump, run, and make silly faces. This, my friends, is where I feel the most like myself. On the floor, crossing my eyes, playing peek-a-boo, and laughing with a goofy two year old. This particular two year old just happens to be my first newborn session newbie. She's also my cousin's little lady, so the fact that she's got my genes and stuff just makes it that much more fun! And while she attempts for 10 seconds to act shy, she just can't hide her silly side---Much like myself :)

 So what I'm leading up to here in my enormous review of my weekend is this:

While I am trying my hardest to focus on one aspect of my work, I just can't yet. I have had one of THE BEST weekends ever with my camera. And I'm not ready to give up on the mega events. Or the couple falling madly in love in front of my lens. Or the silliest clients ever. They are all a piece of me and a piece of my work. My passion.

"Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you." 
- Oprah Winfrey

Happy Monday, World.

It's Monday morning. This is usually everyone's blah day. Every once in a while it's a rough start for me, but usually it's my day of rejuvenation. I feel refreshed and clean. I purged all of the laziness over the weekend and I am coming in strong. So strong today that, before 8:30am, my dishes were finished, the laundry was folded (and started again), everyone was fed and presentable, and we had time for extra Monday morning hugs before school. And now? Now it's 9:15am and I'm sitting at my computer, coffee in hand, working on a blog post. HELLO Monday morning. You're not really all that bad.

As promised, I will attempt to blog all of my 2013 sessions. Although this one was actually in the last days of '12, I want to get that head start. Just like my Monday mornings. Coming in strong.

 This Momma said there was no way she was going to be in a picture. She hadn't planned on it ahead of time, so all she could do was refuse. Well, that's just not acceptable ;) Be ready. Makeup or not. Clean clothes or not. You will be appearing in one way or another. And I'm SO glad that she did!

 Happy Monday, World.

Don't follow the herd

I was never really a fan of resolutions for the new year. Really. It's almost like setting yourself up for a disastrous failure. Every. Single. Year. Come mid-March (or February), 9 out of 10 resolutions are forfeited and forgotten. Take this blog, for example. I do great in the beginning and then I hit my busy seasons and all is lost in blog land (not this year though, right?!). So, while I do enjoy making a new task list for the year, these resolutions are for the birds.

I have been doing this photography thing for a while now (actually, since like middle school, but we won't count those years). My first paid session was in 2010. And for that session, I earned $20. Guys, I was THRILLED. Seriously. I just scored $20 for having a BLAST with a family who I already adored. And I look back at those now and, in all honesty, I didn't do a terrible job. Obviously, there are PLENTY of things I would do differently now (I won't make a list). But we all have to start somewhere.

After a few years, I have raised my prices a couple of times (Sorry. No more $20 sessions). In 2012, I made a huge decision to not just give over your digital images with your session fee. MANY of you stuck with me through the changes, and I also met several new clients. And for this, YOU ROCK. I always give credit where credit is deserved, and that goes to my 2012 bunch.

While thinking over the changes I'd like to make for the business this year, and making my 2013 task list, I had some serious doubts about the way my pricing works. I know lots of photographers are offering packages. Many do a print credit. Some even do a point system. This, my friends, is all WAY too confusing for me to keep up with. There is enough swirling in this brain already. I have no room for counting, adding, documenting your "points" (Cheers to those of you who can handle this!). So my best answer to keep things simple for myself, and you, is to not change. Why do I have to change things? Just because everyone else is? Well, I've never been one to follow the herd.

So there you have it. NO PORTRAIT PRICE CHANGE IN 2013!!!
It's official. CHEERS ;)

2010

2012