St. Louis Photographer » A Journal by Holly McCaig

For those interested, and I did get a few requests after we had already started, I have a second round starting this Monday, March 8th. The Successful Senior Model Program has been so helpful to our first group. I have enjoyed answering their questions and giving them some inspiration to get their own program going. I can’t wait to see how they proceed! If you would like to participate in our next round, read the description and how to sign up at Pink Ink Studios. (And, yes, I retired a TON of products at Pink Ink over the past couple of weeks. I’m making room for new designs!)

And, because no post should go without a photo (Taken March 3, 2008 – two years ago with snow on the ground):

A few weeks ago, I shot a commercial job for Laurie Solet Boutique – for their Spring newsletter. It was fun doing commercial work. Products don’t fidget and models know how to work it. I could get used to that. I didn’t have to do the retouch work, and since I passed it all off to their designer, this week I finally got a chance to pick a few of my favorites to retouch for my portfolio.

Avery, our model was great to work with. She had legs for miles – which meant, I had to get up on the step ladder a few times. It was a great experience for me. And, being able to introduce a little of what I saw and learned from this shoot into my high school senior sessions will be great.

Oh, and the products were cute, too. I had my eye on a certain handbag – but Laurie made sure I didn’t hide it from her before she left. I was a joy working with this team. Visit Laurie Solet Boutique in Clayton or their newer, Town & Country Location. Hair and makeup by Makeup by Elisabeth. Fabulous.

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The other night I shot a few quick images of products in the studio for my senior price guide. They aren’t the best images…I really need to schedule a product shoot day with better light! But, I wanted to share how much I love these products. Honestly, they are the three main products I sell, other than prints.

Gallery Wraps. HELLO! Every one that comes in the studio and experiences them first hand knows they rock. I honestly can say I prefer to sell them over framed prints. Why? They are timeless. They never become dated like a frame can. And, if you change your decor, you aren’t having to reframe your images. I just love how amazing a group of them can look together. I would love to consult with clients about some designs we have drafted, or their ideas, before their shoot. We can look at that and shoot for that end result. Gorgeous!

Books / Albums. I offer a few styles in albums and I think my Basic Album, the little ones on the bottom of this stack, are the best sellers. They start at $250 and are 7 x 7 inches in size. Perfect for my senior clients when you want to collect as many of your images in print form as possible. It looks great on a bookshelf or on your coffee table. The perfect keepsake. I also sell the larger, more elaborate lay-flat books with the thick pages. Square or vertical and in various sizes. The possibilities are endless. If you love all your images and can’t afford to buy them in print form, consider an album or book!

Greeting Cards. Whether it’s for Christmas, a birth announcement or grad announcements, this is a great way to stay away from the norm. Custom designs are the way to go! And, they can compliment your images so much better than store-bought images. Pre-designed collections are just the cost of cards, starting at $2 per card (with envelopes) and custom-designed collections are also $2 per card plus a $75 design fee. I especially love this graduation announcement I designed for my high school grad client.

So, there you have it! The three products I love to offer my clients. We can offer you so many options in products, but when I stopped to think about it, these three stood out to me most. And, they are the things I would buy if I were my client. In fact, I better get to ordering some new wraps for the house!

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Olivia and her brother came into the studio for an extended Valentine Session last night – extended just means we needed some more photos than what my mini session allows for. And I tell ya, these kids! When you don’t have to ask them to do a thing, but they just do their thing…makes for one easy night! While I have a lot to go through from the session, I did notice these as I was backing up my raw files and had to quick storyboard to show her mom on Facebook:

I seriously love everything about these! I love my faux brick wall, the wood floor, the tutu and headband…and especially the “attitude” – way adorable!

More from this session next week!

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(image from mpixpro.com)

Gallery wraps are my absolute favorite items! They look timeless and never dated. Plus, they are always ready to hang! When clients come into the studio, they automatically fall in love with the ones on my walls. They are wrapped around a 1.5″ wooden stretcher frame and make an amazing gift for someone (or yourself).

You can take 15% off any 2009 session Gallery Wrap order – applies only to sessions that you’ve previously ordered from. You can save up to $189 on your purchase! Sale ends January 30th, 2010.

To take advantage of this, please contact me with the session you’d like to purchase from, and I’ll re-instate your gallery and give you a special coupon code.

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