**CABIN FEVER SALE** February 19, 2010

 

Well, the snow must really have me wacked out with Cabin Fever….  because I am about to offer the biggest sale that PBN has ever seen.  You can blame the snow (or thank the snow!) for this one!

 

I am currently cleaning out the studio as I have to be cleared out by the end of the month.  In the two years I spent at 119 West Pike Street, I accumulated a TON of stuff.  Not sure what I’m doing with all of it just yet… but I digress.  Because I am a digital hoarder -I save up to three copies of every session I shoot-  overkill?  Well, maybe.  But I treasure everyone else’s memories just as I do my own and I would hate to lose anything.  Hence, the 741 CD’s of images that I have on hand, and the 5 (yes.. five) external hard drives that I have in two separate locations.  It is just TOO MUCH.  Hoarding digital images like this was no big deal when I was first starting out, but really… why do I need to keep a family’s Christmas images from 2006 in three locations? Well… for THIS SALE of course!!

Here’s the gist:  PBN is selling digital images in a package!!  Yes.  No need to backtrack, you read that correctly.  And while the sale of digital images is very rare among the independent professional photography world, it is unheard of to sell everything for one teeny tiny price.  But, as the long days of being stuck in my house and endless snow shoveling have killed my brain cells, you may as well take advantage of it.    Here’s how it works:  if you are a current or former customer of mine,  go to my website  (www.portraitsbynatalie.com) and click on Ordering.  A box will pop up and you will click on Online Ordering.  Follow the Cabin Fever Sale link, and complete the process.  For $250.00  (go ahead, backtrack on that one… I can’t believe the price either)  you will receive a CD in the mail of every single image I have ever taken of you, your children, your family, whatever  (sorry– this excludes 2009 and 2010 weddings and high school seniors).  You will receive with your CD a Copyright Release, which basically states that you own the images and can print them, post them, email them, or dance around on tabletops with them.  (you just can not sell them to a third party without my permission) 

 

Yes.  You’ve read all of this correctly.  It is not Cabin Fever seeping into your brain as well.  $250.00 for every image I’ve ever proofed for you.  Consider this:  I currently sell digital images for $95 PER IMAGE.  This sell entitles you to possibly hundreds of digital images (depending on how often you stop by to have your portrait made!)  And yes… I do have some customers that will more than likely end up with close to a thousand images if they take advantage of this.

 

As I see the sun creeping out today… my Cabin Fever will not last forever.  This sale is only good until Sunday, February 28, 2010 and then I will begin to purge old files, never to be seen again.    As this will be a HUGE sale, I will not be able to post images online for you to view before purchasing.  So, as I move out of my very first (but not my last!) studio, I thank you again for continuing to be such wonderful and amazing customers!  Now hurry up and get to the website before I change my mind!

Drama @ Sheetz February 1, 2010

It is only 9:15 on Monday morning, and already I’ve had an odd week.  I was doing my normal MWF routine this morning… get everyone ready for school, stop by the studio to turn on the heat, drop Ally off at Preschool, drop Nick at Elementary school, then off to Sheetz for my large Carmel Vanilla Latte with extra flavor shot and whipped cream (mmmmm…)  I was standing in line to pay for my drink (which I didn’t actually pay for.. it was my 7th latte so it was free! Thanks Sheetz!)  when an older man behind me taps me on the shoulder.  I turn to him, and this conversation begins:

Him:  “Hi”

Me: “Um, hi.”

Him: “You don’t remember me?”  (panic automatically ensues, because I am always afraid that I’ll run into a customer and won’t remember them)

Me: “Um, you know, I haven’t had my coffee yet- could you give me a hint?”

Him:  “JIM ******”  (which he yells as if I’m an idiot for not knowing- I’ve blocked his name to avoid public embarrassment)

Me: “I’m sorry Jim. Where do I know you from?”

Jim: “I’m your COUSIN” (which he also says in the idiot tone)

(at this point, this could totally be true. I have a HUGE family on my mother’s side, most of whom I’ve never met)

Me: “Oh! Well, hi! I’m sorry!”

Jim: “Yeah, I can’t believe you don’t remember me. I just saw you at Cathy’s house at Christmas”

(OK… I don’t know a Cathy, didn’t go to her house for Christmas, so now I realize his mistake)

Me: “Oh, I’m sorry, you must have me confused with someone else. I don’t know anyone named Cathy”
Jim:  “Oh sure you do. It’s me, JIM!”
Me:  (thankfully getting closer to the cashier at this point)  “I’m really sorry, Jim. I”m not who you think I am”

(at the register…. whew!!!)

So then I go to pay (or not pay, rather) for my latte and Jim starts complaining to the cashier in front of him that I don’t know who he is even thought I just saw him at Christmas.  Now I’m irritated.  Not because he’s confused, but because he is SO LOUD and is insisting SO LOUD that my mental faculties are of question.  I ignore him.

Jim: (to the cashier) “How else would I know that her name is LORI ******”?”  (A HA!!!!!!) 

Me:  (to Jim)  “My name is not Lori” (thinking this will end it– not a chance)

Jim: “Oh it is too. Now you are just embarrassed cuz you didn’t remember me”

Me: “Um.. no. I am not Lori. Never have been.  I’m sorry that you got me confused. Take care” (walking away to go to the back of the store to wait for my latte)

..And here is where it gets really odd.  Along comes Jim again (Sigh…) but this time he has a younger version of himself in tow.  I assume this is his son, who looks a bit older than me. 

Jim:  “Now look at this girl…”

JimSon:  “Hey… Lori!!”

(OMG… idiots breed idiots)

Me: sigh….  “Hi. I’m not Lori”

JimSon: “Hey, it’s me Jimbo”  (This name just does not surprise me in the least)

Me: “Sorry, but I don’t know you and as I told him already, my name is not Lori”

Jimbo and his Dad stand beside me and discuss me and why I don’t know them.  Why oh why does my latte have to take so long TODAY???  I try to ignore them, play with my phone for a bit, they go to the counter to pick up their sandwiches and continue to discuss me.  I take a quick sweep of the store to see if there is anyone around that I know. There is a local police officer that I know that I normally see at Sheetz every morning… where the heck is he today??  No luck.  Finally they call my number.  I grab my latte and book it towards the door.  I hop in my van and lock the doors.  As I am pulling out, I see Dumb and Dumber walk out of Sheetz, waving at me.  I actually stop for a minute and wonder if I really am Lori and just have a sudden case of amnesia or something.  Nah.

But I am still so baffled that two people would not take my word that I was not who they thought I was.  Seriously. If someone says “I AM NOT LORI”– wouldn’t you take their word for it??  Yikes.

Well, I hope you all have a less odd day than me!!

Take Care,

Lori  (apparently) 

**Workshop Announcement** January 27, 2010

Saturday, February 20th- “Taking Better Pictures: Transform your Snapshots” 1:00 pm @ the Studio. No Fee– will be taking donations to benefit Flashes of Hope. Will also be having a little “Garage Sale” of props, prints, and photography stuff. Signups required- space is limited- send me an email at portraitsbynatalie@yahoo.com and let me know if you’d like to be on the list. Open to everyone- bring a friend!

 

www.flashesofhope.org

Say “bye bye!” January 20, 2010

Today I began to pack up the studio!  No, no… PBN isn’t closing… we’re MOVING!!  Where?  Hmmm… haven’t figured that out just yet!  But I thought that it was best to make a change during my “slow season”  (if there is such a thing) and I’m really excited about it!

Lots will be going on at PBN in the coming months– aside from not knowing where we will move next, it is my hope to keep this Blog updated as often as possible.  Even if it is just to jot down a line or two to let you know what is going on with my day…  we’ll see how long that lasts!  I’m also going to move my “Snapshot Tip of the Day” that some of you are familiar with from my Facebook page to the Blog.  I think it is so important that parents learn new techniques in taking snapshots of their children, and I hope you can learn some of that here!

I will be spending quite a bit of time in 2010 concentrating on the commercial, corporate, and product side of photography.  A lot of doors in that area opened up for me in 2009, and I am really enjoying learning new things and stretching my creative muscles.  Keep an eye out for samples of some exciting events that I have coming up!

So, that is the update!  Like I said, I hope to blow the dust off of this Blog and bring a little sunshine in!   Oh, keep an eye out too about a “Studio Sale” that I”m thinking of having in the next few weeks.  I have a LOT of prints here of a lot of beautiful children and families that I would like to sell, as well as some props and photography equipment!  Hope you all have a great day!!

**KEEP SMILING!!!**

I’m baaaack!! January 15, 2010

Not that I really went anywhere… in fact, this Christmas season was the busiest that Portraits by Natalie has seen yet!  I suppose that is probably the reason for the longest Blog absence in PBN recorded history! I’ve missed you all! So I am back in the studio today after a very very long break, while we were a one-vehicle family while our car was being fixed.  Let me tell you…. I am SO BEYOND THRILLED to be back in the studio.  Of course, my day has hit a bit of a snag, as there is a water main break in the alley behind my studio, so I have no water here.  *sigh*  But along those lines, PBN will be moving out of it’s current space at the end of February!  I have no plans yet on where I will be moving- I hope to take some time to find something that will work well for both me and my customers.  If any of  you have any ideas, feel free to email me!

So it has been a looooooooong time since I posted any pics.  I don’t like to do Christmas Sneak Peeks as some images are meant as presents, and I don’t want to let the Christmas Card pics be seen here first.  I’ll hopefully post some images of Christmas soon for you all.  In the meantime….. drumroll…..  I’d like to introduce you to Luke!!  These Sneak Peeks are mainly for my Mother in Law who faithfully reads my Blog and has been a bit bored of it since November 11th!!  So, Carol… these are for you!!   

Luke brought his mom Trisha and Grammy Lynette in to the studio this morning.  Luke is 2…. he is very, very 2…    I had so much fun with him, but like most 2 year olds, wanted nothing whatsoever to do with pictures.  Luckily, the weather warmed up for us a bit today, so we got Luke outside.  (Thank you God for the boost in temperature!)  We found a new pet rock for Luke and we named him Bob.  You’ll see Bob in one of the Sneak Peeks as well!  Luke is so precious and I really enjoyed him. Here are some Sneak Peeks:

Happy, Happy Birthday Baby!! November 11, 2009

My beautiful daughter Alyssa Ray is 5 years old today!  Our sweet princess is a fiesty, spunky, dramatic, sweet, motherly, affectionate little girl!  We know that this year will bring a lot of fun and exciting things for her!  We love you, Ally-Oop!!

http://natpopie.myshowit.com/ally/index.html

Miss Molly! November 9, 2009

Yay!  Molly and her Mommy came in to the studio today for Molly’s 3 month shots for the PBN Coo Club!  Molly has grown so much since her newborn pictures, and is just as sweet as sugar.  She’s smiley and giggly and likes to tell stories!  I can hardly wait for her 6 month session!  Here are some sneak peeks for Mommy and Daddy:

**2009 Very Merry Mini Sessions** November 7, 2009

Bobby + Andria October 26, 2009

On Sunday, I enjoyed every second of the beautiful weather, and was beyond thrilled that just ONE of my planned fall sessions worked out!  I went to Morgantown to shoot Bobby and Andria’s engagement session.  This is such a sweet couple, I can hardly wait for their wedding in August!  Here are some Sneak Peeks for you guys!

Surprise! October 26, 2009

Kelly hired me on Saturday night to photograph the surprise birthday party she was hosting for her mom.  It was held at the George Washington hotel.  Everything was beautiful, the food was wonderful, it was such a special evening.  Joan was so excited she couldn’t even speak! Kelly made these amazing carmel and chocolate covered apples for favors… let me tell you…. YUM!  Kelly’s family is so wonderful, and moments like these are truly precious.  I’m so happy and honored that she had me come to photograph this truly wonderful occasion.  Happy Birthday Joan!!