Incidents and accidents

I just got my first call about a session today (everyone else e-mails). She said she’d seen my display at the boutique and picked up my card. She called wanting a session for her 5yr and 18month grandbabies. I told her the session fee, she didn’t blink. She wanted a ‘portrait on canvas’ to give to her daughter for Christmas as a surprise. I told her the price of the canvas, she didn’t blink. We talked about what I do and where we might shoot, how to keep it a surprise, and she said she would go buy some little white dresses from the boutique just for the session. I call her next week to finish booking and get her deposit.

Yay for decisive clients! The canvas will be an awesome gift for her daughter.

This beauty is only 9 days old! She was born August 18th at 12:11pm at 6lbs, 15.6oz and 20 inches long. I had a last-minute newborn session with her yesterday. My first girl newborn too! Congratulations to Justin and Melody and new baby Aria.

I just hung my first store display today! A pair of 16×20’s side-by-side at the door as you walk in, then a modest 10×20 storyboard in each of the 4 rooms. The store owner is thrilled with them and grabbed a long-time client and steered her around by the arm to look at all of them while I was there.

My last two maternity clients were amazing. Not only are they gorgeous, but they’re both nearly mommies! One of them is a mommy already since Saturday, the second is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow morning. Melody’s baby girl weighed in at nearly 7 pounds, but poor Claire will have a 10+lb boy tomorrow by cesarean. I was thrilled to be the pro photographer for both of their maternity pictures, but I also get to be at least one of the babies’ photographer as well (maybe both!). Did I mention how much I love my job? Hopefully I’ll have some newborn pictures to share soon! I’ll have to leave you with some of these two ladies’ belly pictures.

This has been just killing me lately. I need to vent.

Correct use:
1. Possessiveness.
ex: The hat the boy has is the boy’s hat.
The car’s tires.

2. Denoting missing letters.
ex: You are coming over later. You’re coming over later.
Can Not - Can’t

NEVER:
Plurals!!!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read “photo’s” this week. No!
No for too many car’s.
No for a load of banana’s.
No to answering phone’s.
You don’t take photo’s.
You don’t visit store’s.
You don’t visit for the holiday’s.
You don’t buy Christmas tree’s.
You should never have a list of thing’s.
I don’t have multiple cat’s.

::cry:: End of my rant.

Driving to the game last night;

Me: Honey, I love you. (sip of Diet Coke)
John: I love you too honey.
Me: (sip of Diet Coke)
John: You okay?
Me: Yeah, just stressed. (sip of Diet Coke)
John: Well, I think you’re beautiful, and competent and __
Me: *BUUUURRRRRPPP*
John: ___ as graceful as a water buffalo…

Larken’s newest baby, with a still undecided name. The sweetest thing on 4 legs besides my Stump.

I’m so cranky today.

I’m generally worried about business. I worry that I’m some no-talent hack and that’s why I’ve got a few clients who can’t seem to get orders in. I worry that I’m not creative enough to cut it. Another photographer in town and I are idly thinking about partnering up on a few things to send each other some business, but I’m worried I’ll just be sponging of of her because she’s been in business longer. I don’t know what I can equally contribute.

I want a new website. My current business site can only handle pictures 550px across, and I just don’t feel like that’s large enough to really draw the type of high-end clients I want. I love the PhotoIdentities sites. They’re running a $300 special on a forum I’m on, but August has been dead and we’re broke apart from what we’ve saved to get to NY. I’m not sure if NY is going to happen, and I could just cry about it.

John’s still gone 3-4 days a week taking care of his mother’s broken foot. I’m tired of being alone at night. PMS makes it worse this week.

Lots of people I know are having babies soon, and it’s inevitable that I think about babies. I’m scared that one day, I’ll want kids. I’m not so scared of the kids themselves as I am the fact that we can’t possibly afford it if I did want some. We’re not married, John’s still in school and my job’s not stable. I’m terrified that somehow I’ll screw up and wind up pregnant anyway and we’ll be faced with the question to keep, abort, or adopt it out.

I donated a newborn session to a local Maternity fair’s silent auction. I set out a display on a table easel, a set of cards, a portfolio for people to look through and a gift bag that held the auction win details. Whoever won the auction took everything but my cards, including the damn portfolio. What the hell? Who needs a folder full of photos of other people’s kids?!? I haven’t a clue who won it, or if I’ll get it back. I just hope it wasn’t a competitor looking to steal my stuff. I got inquiries from another ‘pro’ photographer a while back and I know she just wanted to know my session policies.

I need to stop whining and sign off.

Mom sent me a gift card to the Pyramid Collection for my birthday. It was to splurge with, she said. I found a shirt I loved, but it was crazy expensive at $80. The most expensive shirt I’d ever considered buying.

Now, the most expensive shirt I’ve ever bought. Yay!

Oh, the battery ran out before I could clean the mirror and take more, but I did clean it.

Yay for new cards. These are paper this time, front and back of each.

Cards I will hand out to moms with boys.

Cards I will hand out to moms with girls.