A new year always makes me want to change things to become better… a better wife, a better mother, and just an all-around better person. Organizing; making new schedules; changing some things to make my family’s life better has been the focus of my January 2012 so far.

The new year also seemed like a great time to make some changes with my business… to make it better.

I began with a new name, Jana DeArmond Photography, a new logo and a new blog. (Did you notice?) I’ve also changed my pricing structure and I’ve changed the services I’m going to offer. I want my business to be better. Because by my business being better, my life can be better; thus helping me become a better wife and mother.

I want my clients to have better portraits, and I want to provide the best service and products that you’ll cherish for many generations. Educating my clients will also become a big part of what I am adding to my services.

Photography has been my passion for several years now. I have spent many, many hours learning all about my camera and how to make it do what I need it to so that I can achieve the results I see in my mind. I have also spent many hours learning editing software so that my final portraits will have the clean, fresh look that I believe is timeless and not trendy. I love to research new products that I can offer to my clients. In addition to the many hours I’ve invested in learning, I have also financially invested heavily into my equipment and products. I’ve also invested a great deal of time into finding out what type of photographer I want to be and the style I want my portraits to have.

I have never been, nor will I ever be a “shoot and burn” photographer. This means that I do not come home and just burn your portraits to a CD and then deliver them to you. I spend a lot of time after your session editing and enhancing your portraits, then uploading them to your online gallery, and then displaying them on my blog and on Facebook. I absolutely love creating the beautiful collages and albums of your favorite images from your session and I believe many of you adore the final product.

Finally, in order for my business to be better for me and my family, I have realized and decided that my business needs to be treated more like the business I need and want it to be, and less like my hobby. For the past several years, I have paid income tax on my earnings, I have purchased insurance on my thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment, and I have had a lot of other business expenses.

To my past clients, I hope I can continue to provide your family with beautiful, timeless portraits; and to my new and future clients, I am anxious to meet you and work with you. I want you to be thrilled with your decision to hire me and with the products I am able to create uniquely for you.

My sessions will now always include a proof book of your portraits; the CD of your edited and enhanced images; and a print credit. Included in your session fee is also an online gallery for you to share your portraits with friends and family, as well as provide you a way to order your prints. If you’re interested in a collage and/or album, I will also custom design and create these beautiful products for you and add them to your online gallery for purchase.

Book your session in January or February (to use between now and September 30, 2012) and receive $100 off your session fee (Use the code 100offin2012). Session fee must be paid in full and a date set. Session fee is non-refundable. Book a family session here. Book a Senior, Engagement or Bridal Session here.

I also have several specials that I will run throughout the year, and I would like to share my new educational information with you. If you’re interested in these, please sign up for my newsletter by clicking here. I promise that you won’t want to miss out on some of the things I’m going to share!

I hope to capture your life in print soon.

If you are interested in a MiniSession, it must be booked and paid for asap or your spot will not be reserved. Fees paid are non-refundable.

All sessions include the following:
Pre-session consultation to help you plan what to wear and you’ll learn how much that contributes to great photos;
A great location that will help capture your family’s personality;
A fun session where we will laugh and have a great time capturing true smiles and fun moments;
Capturing memories for your family to cherish for a lifetime;
CANDY!!!;
My time (after the session) editing and enhancing your portraits; and
My time ordering and delivering your precious portraits.

Sessions will be held at a beautiful location with huge trees, leaves on the ground, a log and tall grasses… perfect for fall portraits!

Sessions are 25 minutes long and are $150 (plus tax) and include a $100 print credit and the CD of the images you purchase. Collages, Accordion Albums and additional portraits on CD will also be available for purchase.

Session Times are 4:30, 5:00, 5:30, 6:00, 6:30 on Saturday and Sunday. Click here to schedule and pay for your session. Session will not be scheduled until payment is received.

If you prefer a full session, please let me know and we’ll get that scheduled, too!

Please let me know if you have any questions (janadpix@gmail.com or 316-4749) and I hope to see you all very soon through my lens.

And, what is blog post without some lovely pictures? Enjoy these beautiful families from sessions last fall:

Purchase a Beauty Campaign Session for them and provide them an experience that will totally change their lives! I promise it will be an experience you’ll never forget and one that will totally change lives.

A Beauty Campaign Session is SO much more than just a photo session. It is a journey… an opportunity… for busy moms (or any woman!) to take some time for themselves while re-discovering their true beauty. It’s an opportunity to shop for something special just for them… it’s an opportunity (through the homework) for their family and friends to let her know how much they love her and care for her. It’s an opportunity to be pampered and to have beautiful portraits of themselves to have for themselves and their families forever.

Click here to read the amazing journeys and see the beautiful portraits of women who have completed a Beauty Campaign Session.

Beauty Campaign Sessions include the photo session and the CD of all the high-resolution, edited portraits. Beauty Campaign Sessions are specially priced at $100 for an individual, or $175 for an individual and a friend, now through Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8, 2011. (Sessions can be scheduled anytime through December 31, 2011) Call me at 806.316.4749 or email me at janadpix@gmail.com today to purchase the gift certificate for the beautiful woman in your life. Help celebrate HER!

Click here to purchase a Beauty Campaign Session for one individual.
Click here to purchase a Beauty Campaign Session for two people.

This workshop will begin with how to organize your photos and get them into Photoshop Elements. You will also learn how to keep your photos organized by using tags and collections. (Have you ever wanted to find a specific photo on your computer and had no idea how to locate it?) This will make it easy, peasy!

Next, you will learn how to do some basic edits on your photos to make your photos look spectacular. You will also learn how to “fix” some things in your photos.

Finally, you will learn how to share your photos with family and friends… both online and in print. Also covered will be how to create digital scrapbook pages and albums.

You will need to plan to bring a laptop with Photoshop Elements already installed. I will be using Version 9 (the latest version). You can purchase it online at adobe.com, macmall or you can get it at Best Buy. There is a $20 mail-in rebate right now.

I will also share a lot of information with you about where to find free (and some not free) downloads online to use with Photoshop Elements to create lots and lots of goodies.

This Photoshop Elements Workshop will be held Saturday, March 5, from 10-3 and will be $200, or $175 if you register with a friend (on March 1) and will include lunch and snacks.

Registration will be on Tuesday, March 1, at noon, and there are only 10 seats available. Your seat will be reserved when the form and payment are received. Email me at janadpix@gmail.com with any questions that you have and I look forward to seeing you soon!

Copyright (C) 2011 janaDpix photography All rights reserved.

If not now… then when?

Everyone is so very busy with all of the responsibilities they have in their lives. Work, home, family, groceries, laundry, activities… etc… it all takes so much time to keep caught up with everything that needs to be done. It doesn’t ever seem like I am “caught up”… but I am always busy! I’m sure you feel the same way.

Life’s responsibilities leave little time for the things we “want” to do or extra little things we always say we “need” to do, but things we don’t always get to.

Like family photos.

Family photos are one of the things that is sometimes very hard to find the time or make the time to have done. You have to schedule the time when each family member doesn’t already have something planned; then you have to shop for clothes; you worry about your hair and your weight and your wrinkles; then you have to choose your favorites.

I know… it is not an easy thing to do! I experienced just this when my family had our portraits made this past fall. It’s easy to say you’re too busy and you’ll do it next year; or you’ll do it when the weather is warmer, or cooler, or less windy; you want to wait until you lose those 20 pounds; or you want to wait until your 2-year-old will “cooperate”.

And, I must say that when it came time for our photo session, I changed my mind about all our outfits the day before our session, the weather was a bit chillier than I had hoped for, and my 3-year-old was not in the mood; but you know what? I absolutely love my family photos.

Let me encourage you to NOT wait any longer! None of us are promised another day. Your family loves you for who you are… wrinkles, extra pounds and all the things we see as imperfections. Pictures aren’t to capture a “perfect” you; they are to preserve memories. If the 2-year-old only wants to eat candy and play with their favorite toy, who says a perfect picture is only them perfect posed looking right into the camera? Believe me… my 3-year-old does NOT like to sit still and look exactly into the lens when I am taking her picture. Does this mean those pictures of her playing aren’t to be treasured? The photos of her being herself are my favorites and will be my favorite memories of her personality. And, how many of you moms take all of the pictures of your kids, so you are not in any of them? Don’t you want your kiddos to have a picture of them with their Momma?

You may not have another springtime or fall to have a family picture with all the members of your family. You never know what is going to happen. Cancer is evil and it seems to be all around us. Car wrecks and accidents happen each and every day.

If something were to happen to a member of your family and when death does occur… wouldn’t you wish for and don’t you cling to favorite photos of you together? And, it’s not always the posed, perfect photos… most likely it is of a favorite time or event.

If not now… then when?

I have worked hard to come up with some awesome specials that have to be booked by February 14, 2011 and held by December 31, 2011. If you’d like to know about them, sign up for my newsletter by clicking here.

I would love to capture precious moments for your family to cherish forever. I do some posed shots, but we will also laugh, eat candy and have fun as I will capture a lot of the personality that your family has. I don’t want to just be a photographer. I want to be the photographer you turn to; the photographer you trust with your memories; the photographer that your kiddos get excited about seeing; the photographer that helps you preserve these special times in your life.

Contact me today to schedule your session. Email me at janadpix@gmail.com.

If not now… then when?

Basic, beginning photography terminology and skills will be covered. Lighting and composition of images will also be discussed and presented. It is always a lot of fun and everyone learns a lot.

Contact me at janadpix@gmail.com with any questions and click Beginning Photography Workshop Registration to register. Hope to see you there!

Click here to view pricing and information for 2011.

Click here to view information on the many MiniSessions I have scheduled for 2011.

Click here to view information on a Mother’s Day and Father’s Day theme PhotoBook.

Click here to see information about my next photography workshop. Click here to see the sale price! Register and bring a friend!!!

Click here to see the savings on ALL of these Sessions for this weekend ONLY! Sale prices end Monday, November 29, 2010 at midnight, central time.

PLUS!!!
For each full session you purchase this weekend (the 45-minute, $150 session; or the 2-hour, $250 session), you will receive a FREE 12×12 collage ($25.00 value) and a $25 gift card for prints from your session. This includes the Beach Sessions and the Fall Palo Duro Canyon Sessions.

When you purchase 3 MiniSessions, you will receive a $35 gift card redeemable for prints from your sessions. With the sessions already being on sale this weekend and the gift card, it’s like buying 2 MiniSessions and getting 1 FREE!!!

CHRISTMAS CARDS!
If you’d like to order Christmas Cards from your 2010 Fall Session, they’ll be on sale for $40.00 (plus shipping and tax) for 25 custom-designed Christmas Cards. Click here to view samples. Just email me at janadpix@gmail.com to let me know what you’d like to order. I’ll design it and let you know when it’s in your online gallery.

Christmas Presents.
If you’d like to order Accordion Albums from your 2010 Fall Session, they are already on sale for $25. Click here to view samples.

FINALLY…
Link to this post on your Facebook Wall and then comment here that you did and I will give you a FREE 8×10 print from your next session. Help spread the word about all of these great sessions. I greatly appreciate you helping me to build my business so I can continue helping families document special memories in the lives of their precious families. I am so very thankful for all of you… my wonderful clients.

Now is the time!!!

Announcing a Summer Portrait Special…

A $150 session fee includes a 1-hour session, a $150 print credit, a CD with your 10-15 favorite images and 50% off all prints, albums and cards. What could be better than that?

As always, I really appreciate you passing the word along to friends and family who need to update their family photos, have Seniors that need Senior photos and graduation announcements, or who are having a new baby. All referrals will receive a FREE custom collage from your next session.

Contact me today as availability is limited, especially the weekend dates. I look forward to hearing from you! Or, click here to pay your Session Fee and reserve your date.

Session Fee is non-refundable. Session must be booked and paid for by July 31, 2010 and session must be completed by August 31, 2010.

A $75 session fee includes a 20-minute mini-session of mom and the kiddos, a super-cute, custom-designed accordion album brag book, one facebook image and 50% off a la carte items.

Refer a friend and you’ll both receive a free 8×10 from your session.

They are held closed by a magnet. This also makes them perfect to stick on your refrigerator!

Contact me today to book your session, so we can plan your accordion album!

We’ve all heard the funny answers that kids give to serious questions, right? Well, how would you like to have these answers included in a book with photographs of the kids, just for mom! Contact me today to reserve your spot, and I’ll provide you with a list of questions that you and the child can choose from and answer together. Then, after the photo shoot, I’ll combine their answers with their beautiful portraits into a custom-designed 8 by 8 soft cover book (that comes gift wrapped!) for mom to cherish for many, many years!

Here’s just an example of a sample album. I have several different designs that I have created and yours will truly be a one-of-a-kind custom book.

If you’re kiddos are too old for the questions, we can substitute “notes” to mom or stories you’d like to include. Please share with my any ideas that you have. I’ll help you make this Mother’s Day really special.

$95 includes your 30 minute photo session, an 8×8 soft cover custom-designed book and 50% off a la carte items. Click HERE to reserve your spot.

Sessions must be held before April 30, 2010. Refer a friend and you’ll both receive a FREE 8×10 photograph from your session.

Your Easter photo shoot will include 20 minutes of shooting, 24 high-quality, glossy 5×7 cards (with envelopes), and a facebook image of the photo on your card for $95. Also, your session will include 50% off all prints and albums.

Limited times available, click here to reserve your time.

Here’s a sample slideshow of what your photos could look like!

I shot these images as a second shooter for Allison Davis.

Contact me for pricing information. I work with all budgets and offer all kinds of extras like DVD slideshows, awesome albums and much more.

If you know of anyone getting married, I offer lots of fun incentives for referrals!

These are (2-sided) 5×7 flat greeting cards. These are not printed on photo paper; these are true cards. The front will appear as you see it and can be re-arranged vertically or horizontally. These include a back with your personal greeting.

These are available in the Christmas packages, or you can add them on to your order. Cards (including envelopes) are $2 each and are available in packs of 25 and are on sale through October 31.

$99 Christmas Special… 25 Custom Designed 5×7 Christmas Cards, (1) 8×10, (2) 5x7s, (1) Sheet of Wallets (8) and an Internet sized digital file.

$149 Christmas Special… 50 Custom Designed 5×7 Christmas Cards, (2) 8x10s, (4) 5x7s, (2) Sheets of Wallets (16) and 2 Internet sized digital files.

*Additional prints and cards can be purchased.

My calendar is being filled fairly quickly, so contact me to book your time. My schedule will be limited for September.