Upstate NY Photographer: Crockpots Saved My Business

I joke that crockpots save lives, they save marriages and now...they save businesses. 

I'm not kidding.

Live saver.

If you have had a baby you tend to agree that the "witching hour" of all infants happens between 4-7 pm. It's like a switch comes on and mayhem ensues.  Those hours still seem the busiest of the day, even though I don't have a cranky baby anymore. (phew).

Enter: my crockpot.

She's quiet and unassuming, but she saves lives and businesses in a slow and steady 8 hour period. 

I do search out various recipes and I do believe just about anything can be made in a crockpot. Pinterest, betty crocker who cares, there are a million recipes out there and many can be frozen and taken out on a whim. 

Therefore as late afternoon approaches and I'm still editing weddings and packaging products I only have to endure the brilliant aroma pulsating through the studio as my crockpot pumps out life for dinner. 

Perhaps my relationship with my cooking appliance is a little intense, but at dinner time, when the world is going crazy, I hear music and the gentle placing of plates on my dinner table...in record timing. 

I made a cream of ham soup the other day. My friends LOVED it!

3 Ingredients:

1 honey ham (squeeze that thing right into a crockpot)

take out half (if its a huge ham and freeze the remaining for another batch)

leave half of the juice and add 

1 Can cream of chicken soup

Then add milk until you get the consistency you want. I added one full can of milk. 

Yes. That simple. You can even add potatoes if you want to go crazy with four ingredients.

Therefore, while dinner is simmering, I'm creating:

Upstate NY Photographer: The One Thing I Dislike To See....

The one think I hate to see is a stressed out, miserable "wishing I eloped" bride weeks before her wedding.  ugh!

There is no magic formula, there IS a certain amount of stress that comes along with planning an event for a couple of hundred people on top of the fact that you are emotionally challenged with all of the excitement and nerves that come with marrying your sweetheart.

Enter Kelly.  I was the lucky photographer who photographed Kelly and Dimitri's wedding last summer at the Inn at West Settlement In Roxbury, NY. (http://amberjphoto.com/2013/09/11/the-seriously-amazing-kelly-and-dimitri-a-roxbury-ny-wedding/)  Something immediately stood out with Kelly.  She was laid back, organized and her wedding details were remarkably unique.  Her bohemian style catered to the couples' creative and artistic side without straying from their individuality for the sake of pulling off a great wedding.

Kelly fell in love with planning her wedding and after a little encouragement is offering her planning services to brides. 

That's right, a wedding planner in the making and may I say, a crazy good one at that. 

I am fully behind brides finding someone to take the reigns of their wedding day or at least share them.  Honestly, how many of us are truly equipped to plan a party for an average of 150 people, complete with invitations, catering, music, place settings, favors, photographers, travel accommodations and the list goes on and on. 

My point is this: your wedding day has one million details to adhere to and sometimes the focus of the getting married part starts to blur.  I love the idea of a bride being able to go out for a cup of coffee with her maid of honor while her wedding planner is addressing and mailing invitations, browsing stores for ideas and recommending florists.  I breathe lighter even thinking about it!

Kelly, though she is stationed in Manhattan is fully equipped to take care of your upstate NY wedding.  Just give her a try. You will see. 

www.kellyliberis.squarespace.com

Additionally, I believe in her SO much that the first bride to contact me about her services, gets her for free. 

Upstate NY Wedding Venue: Have You Heard About Them Yet?

I was sitting across from one of my fall brides during our first consultation and she was excitedly telling me the details of her 2014 fall wedding.
It was her vivid and obvious love for the venue that peaked my curiosity. "You will just love it, I can't wait to go back"

Welcome

I decided to check it out for myself.  I needed to see it before the wedding anyway so I could see where and what I would be dealing with photography-wise.

Good first impression: 1. Quick response time to my email regarding the inquiry to come see their place.
2. Punctuality. Deanna (their event planner) was ready and waiting when I arrived.
3. Personality: Every single person you meet is friendly, knowledgeable and ready to make sure Sixty State Place is a place to remember.
4. Personal touch.  Melissa ( you'll meet her) had her hands and brain in all your visual enticements throughout the entire place. She found a way to bring her personal love of detail to life.
4a. As a photographer, this place has tons of texture, lighting and backgrounds to enhance the best of the best in wedding photography.
5. The venue: Needs no words...this is where I use images. Enjoy the renovations to this luxurious bank turned stellar wedding/event venue.

The ceiling goes forever and has so much original detail

authentic and original

details, details

crisp, clean and modern

visually enticing ballroom

warmly lit rooms off the main room give guests tons of comfort choices

this room is ideal for a bridal suite. LOVE IT

did I mention details?

Everything to love about this room

Heading downstairs to MORE rooms and amenities

Yes, they DID ! . How crazy cool is this?

Seriously....

Crushed glass for your bar area (I die!)

Caterers...be in your glory please!

DJ's... everything can be hooked up via USB!

Even the bathroom floors have detail! Pressed pennies!!!

Oh yes...those are deposit boxes with some swag

Down the hall to the bridal suite

So come see for yourself. :)

If you are looking for a venue, look no more. For more information feel free to visit their site at www.sixtystateplace.com

I Promise To Fail...Yes, You Read That Right

What kind of photographer promises to fail?  This one. I read that line in a fascinating article last week and I wish I could reference it, but my memory fails me (see I fail all the time!)

The fear of failure derails some people. For instance, my son Andrew is an amazing basketball shooter (yup, bragging!) He has been encouraged by dozens of people to enter a free throw shooting contest at a local college. He. Refuses.

At first I was annoyed, the kid makes 9 of every 10 free throws. Then, I saw me in him. The fear of failure. What if everyone sees him miss? What if everyone decides he ISN'T as good as they thought?  He won't put those fears into words, he's 11. But, I know it. I feel it. It's exactly what he is thinking.

In work, it's the same. We only promote our good selves. Instagram and Facebook can attest to that.

But, get this. I fail. I don't always capture what I want and I don't always like what I do. In that failure though, I am getting better and better. In fact, I've learned to embrace the times I don't execute to perfection because it's time to get better.  I may even share some things on here that I don't like, just so you can see - I'm striving, every day, to be better.

Lighting, posing, colors, framing, - they have all had their moments of failure.  In those moments, a better photographer has emerged. Failure is the key to success.

I promise. I will fail.

(Now if anyone has an inkling as to how to talk to my son, about this...I'll gladly hear it!)

Photography: A business filled with questions I'm not sure I can answer...

This month I have received a number of emails and messages containing business questions.  "How do I?" or "What did you do when...", "Your business does what?"

I'm honored and overwhelmed, but I honestly can't answer them all and still keep my sanity, so I really hope this doesn't sound harsh.  But, you really do just have to figure it out.  When I first started I asked 2 people a few questions. One person was a very good friend from my college soccer team who did portrait work in Indiana and one dear friend who lives in Lynchburg.  Both took the time to work with me a little . My college friend was awesome and the other photographer I met through a mutual friend and we have since become lifelong friends. (Yes, I said lifelong girl, you aren't getting rid of me). I appreciate their time and I try to give back when I can.

Despite their amazing input (and I only asked them once!) I still had to figure it out for myself.  Lynchburg and Indiana are a far cry from Upstate NY. So here it is, I love your questions and ideas but everything boils down to a few basics.

1.  I live in an area where the demographics are impossibly tough. What works for me isn't going to work for someone living in a major city. I live in the mountains, my clients come from Manhattan, small country towns and the Upstate NY capital region...three completely different demographics. You have to figure this out for you.

2. Business is not glamourous. I read business books. I have exchanged my Nicholas Sparks for a few marketing and small business reads. No romance there baby!

3. Webinars. I take courses, I read, I follow blogs, more blogs and more blogs and then I stopped following so many and picked 5 that I really gleaned from.

4. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, Pheed, email - it's a social media storm out there. It's easy to get lost in the #'s and the @'s and you may retweet when you want to delete, but most clients want to see you on some platform or another.  My seniors and brides don't follow me in the same places.

5. Specialize. Be you. Stop following a million other photographers. Do what you do best. If you don't know yet, keep searching and then specialize.

6. I don't follow other photographers. I really don't. I follow a few close friends I love and I show my support for others by "liking" pages, but I don't follow. Why? Because I don't really need to.  Without sounding harsh, I don't care.  I have to focus on what I am doing. If I am focused on what everyone else is doing, I start comparing and thinking and insecurities rise up and that is not good for me or for my clients.

7. I will always look to be better. I have more to learn and that will never stop. Do the same.

8. Be kind. There are other people you should network with and then there are others you shouldn't, know the difference and surround yourself with people who are excited to see you succeed...and be excited for their success as well.

9. Family first. Clients second. Set limits. ( still working on this one)

10. People are overwhelmed with the amount of photography businesses popping up all over the place. I actually know people who have left the industry for something more elite because  everyone is jumping in.  So, be fair to your clients and to others in the industry. Be insured, be good at what you do, know your LIGHTING, be experienced, be honest.

11. Our Pastor at church has been talking a lot about passion and so much of what he says can be translated into every aspect of our life. Be passionate, be passionate about your faith, your family and if this business is what you want...do it with passion.

I'm sure there a million other points, but this is my general overview.  It's just something we all have to work through and figure it out.  :) Good luck and thanks for some great questions.

NY Photographer: A Wedding Planner Isn't Out of Budget and It Can Save Your Sanity (and a few precious memories)

STRESS: So here is the scenario. It's the day of your wedding. It's THE day. However, you are still running around checking on the cake, your mom is straightening up the flowers and your bridesmaids are still scurrying  to finish the centerpieces.  The groomsmen are running a little late (sorry guys) and you can't find that box with the rings.  Your mom misses you getting into your dress because the caterer had a few questions and some guests were arriving early and needed to know where to put their gifts.  The DJ comes, but isn't sure where to set up and the photographers are wondering where those darn groomsmen are.  The bride isn't ready yet because she is still making sure her flowers have arrived and the guests have some sort of cocktail hour ready to go at 4 p.m. I, as the photographer, have even set down my camera at times to help get things situated in the mayhem of last minute needs.

SANITY:This scenario can be completely eliminated by having a wedding coordinator on the premise to handle ALL the last minute odds and ends. They make sure the DJ is set up, gather the groomsmen, and they handle the one million questions.  A wedding planner doesn't save your sanity, they save your memories.

INSTEAD: While the wedding planner is telling the florist where to go, you have a moment look at yourself in the mirror and realize you are getting married! While the wedding planner is helping the caterer and the DJ, you and your mom have a few moments to cry, hug and say one more I love you.  While the wedding planner is touching up your tables you have some time to giggle and laugh with your girlfriends as nerves settle down.  While she is busy gathering up the groomsmen, the photographer catches a few precious moments as your mom helps you into your dress and for the first time her little girl is a young woman.

Let's face it, for the most part most of us have never planned an event larger than our children's 10th birthday where we had 20 kids over and literally questioned ourselves a million times as to what we were thinking.
Planning a wedding is no small task and for brides and their families it's the first time ever tackling an event larger than a semi-big party.  So it's time, it's time for brides and their families to seriously consider a wedding planner.  You just won't regret it. 

BUDGET: Many people opt out of this idea because they feel it doesn't fit their budget and it's a luxury they can do with out.  I say, a wedding planner is not a luxury, it's truly a gift to give yourself and your family so you can remember your wedding day for what it's meant to be remembered for and nothing less. 

My Mom and Dad Never Told Me No….

Did you know that when I was in 7th grade I swore I was going to learn French and live in Paris where I would serve as a missionary and save the world…didn't know the world needed saving from Paris did ya?

I also believed I was going to be a novelist. Write all day, create stories and make a living off of it.

Then I said I was going to play collegiate level soccer, not only that, I wanted to play Division 1 soccer. The fact that I was coming from the second smallest school in NY state never bothered me.

I was also going be a journalist, then a detective at some point. I wanted to be an artist, I just couldn't draw.  My grade school best friend and I wrote our books, stapled them together and created our own library *nerd alert.  Who wouldn't want to check out OUR books!?

I aimed to go to college in the south, 10 hours away from home.  This little country girl? Making that kind of move? please. 

I also wanted to own my own business one day, then I swore I would never own my own business…

I was also pretty sure I would publish a book of short poems, coach the women's' national team , have a family and create an invention. 

I am sure there were more dreams and ideas I had through my childhood, but with every new idea that came into this creative brain, my mom and dad never said no.  They never told me that it was a far cry to go from Jefferson, NY to Lynchburg, VA and play soccer.  They never told me that writing and publishing my own novels was a pipe dream to many and really would never amount to much and that I needed to get a real job.   My mom never stopped me from reading my stories aloud in the kitchen while she cooked, my dad never said running my own business was a ridiculous adventure and tough to be successful at.  They never said I was too much of a people pleaser to be a coach and they never said that going 10 hours away from home would be hard and a culture shock.  

They never told me no.  They guided me. They prayed for me. They didn't fluff me up when I didn't deserve it, they showed me where it would be a hard choice and where things might get difficult.  They just never told me it couldn't be done.