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 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?

Even while doing all of this at his “job”, he was able to attend daily classes in Lubbock at Texas Tech University (120 miles away) for several years, live in the dorms there for two summers, and work extremely hard to complete his doctorate degree. This was a long four and a half year journey for him. During this time of working, attending classes, writing papers and studying, there was no time for working out or any time of exercise at all, except for the long walks to classes (ha!)… and plenty of time for “snacking on snickers” while studying and “eating fast food on the road” while driving back and forth. DeArno’s focus had become work, school and family time with what time he had left.

Beginning the new year of 2010, DeArno decided to completely change his lifestyle and eating habits and to become more healthy. We didn’t realize his decision would change our entire family’s way of eating and exercising, but we are so thankful for it. DeArno has lost 86 pounds (at the last weigh in), views food as fuel for his body, and works out almost daily at the gym. Together, with our three girls, we go on family bike rides… averaging around 4-6 miles each ride. We no longer buy junk food, and we are teaching our girls to take care of their bodies by feeding it what it needs so that they can grow strong and lean. We eat a lot of salads, fruits and vegetables and the girls love it. I am so thankful and proud!

We have documented DeArno’s progress all along the way with photographs and just this past weekend, we did a short photo shoot of him and his bicycle. Good job, DeArno! I love you more than you will ever know and I am so very thankful for you. You are an awesome husband and father and we are so lucky to have you!

Since January, DeArno has lost 70 pounds. He has an energy about him now that truly matches his personality. We did a short photo shoot the other night, and here is one of my favorite photos.