A Thunder Valentine...

So, I saved my son's Valentine's photo booth session for last, because I was having a hard time thinking of a boy version... But, I finally thought of something that he was excited about... Thunder Basketball.

I hope you enjoyed these, and remember... The Valentine's Photo Booth is OPEN now for only $50 for a thirty minute session! Call or E-mail for any details...

A Vintage Valentine...

Today it was my youngest girl's turn in the Valentine's Photo Booth. I did a more vintage approach with her shoot. It was not going so well at first until I agreed to let her eat an apple while we shot the photos. It ended up being a nice addition of color in the shots, so it was a good compromise! Enjoy!

Valentine's Photo Booth is OPEN!

I love outdoor, natural, sunlit photo shoots. But, I have to say, I enjoyed this fabricated (still sunlit) Valentine's Photo Booth shoot with my daughter very much as well! The bright colors just made me smile the whole time I was editing. I am gonna post a few...

 and then give you the link to my online gallery so you can see the entire slideshow... Here is the link...
www.houseonahillphotograpy.zenfolio.com

 If you are interested in having a small session ($50 for a thirty minute session, which gives you all the rights to the photos on a CD, or you can have me print them for you) in the Valentine's Photo Booth, please email me @ houseonahillphotog@yahoo.com (the dinosaur is optional, and actually the whole set is totally customizable to your own preferences)

New Photo Products...

   I have had the opportunity to photograph several sports teams and my own children play on several different teams. So, I am always keeping an eye out for the best product to make available to these kids and their parents. Products that will be great keepsakes, and make the kids feel really proud of what they have accomplished during the season. All of these products would work great with non-sports photos as welll!
   The products that I have picture here are...

1. The Wall Cling... (the baseball with that cute blue eyed boy inside)
      These walls clings are pretty dang cool. They stick and re-stick to flat surfaces as many times as you want! You can post them on your child's door, on the fridge, on a mirror, wherever!
2. The Button... (with that beautiful softball player on it)
       Wear your little athlete proudly on your shirt or pin this button to your sports bag, and watch their little faces light up!
3. The KeyChain... this product needs no explanation... who doesn't like cute keychains?
4. The Magnet... (the basketball action)
       A magnet is a convenient way to always have your awesome photos on display!
5. Trading Cards...
       These cards are 2-sided and glossy. They can display fun facts about your kids and their season!
6. Statuette...

      This one I am so excited about. This one I made of my son when he was about to score a goal during his first season of soccer. When he saw it he smiled SO big and asked me when he gets to put it up in his room. You could also order individual photos of your family members as statuettes and display them on your mantle, I think that would be so cute, and I just might have to do that myself!


   Let me know if you are interested in any of these products or for setting up a shoot! Thanks for checking them out! Hope to see you soon!
   

New Business cards...

   I just ordered my new business cards from "mpix.com." It is a great site to use for printing needs. Yellow has been my favorite color for I do not know how long, so it is dominant on the front and then all the details that people might need about my business on the back. Also on the front is an adorable baby girl, (and yes, I had her mommy's permission to mass produce her precious face on my cards) that I had the opportunity to take photos of a few months ago. Here is what the front looks like...
 

Man, I love yellow! and beautiful baby eyes! I am so open to any suggestions of where I could put these things to advertise for my business. To get a bit personal and deep for a moment: As a new small business owner it is hard to know sometimes how much to push and how much just to trust that what business will come, will come! I am a believer in Jesus Christ, and I trust in Him. And that means that I believe that if this business is going to be a success, it will be because I have placed it in His control and trust that He will make it into what He wants it to be for me and my family. All of that being said, I sometimes have a hard time knowing how much "self-promotion" is good. As a small business you do have to do the "leg work" so to speak of getting the word out about your business. But, also I trust in the Lord and that He will do what He desires for me and my family through "house on a hill photography." Thanks for letting me share! 

New Website/Online Portfolio...

          

I have been working on my online portfolio and webpage for about a week now, and I am now ready to share it with you all! I am sure that in the next few weeks I will get on three times a day and change the the creative elements of the page, like the colors, font, music, ect. That is just the way that I am. Creative minds, you just can't give us options, we will utilize them ALL. This new online portfolio/gallery will allow me to have a place to post proofs for clients to look at, advertise for my photography business, and allow everyone to see what my photography is all about. I hope you can take some time to stop by today... Enjoy and let me know your thoughts here on my facebook page...

House on a Hill photography

or

sign the guestbook on my site...

Zenfolio | house on a hill photography

Thanks so much for all of your support in this, and I look forward to what this new site will open up to me in the coming year! Enjoy!

Backing up, and going forward...

I spent my whole day yesterday putting every photo that I own, from my macbook onto my external hard drive. Today, I cleared my hard drive of all images on my macbook. This sounds sad, but seriously it was one of the scariest things that I have done in awhile. I know, I am going to have to put a few back onto my hard drive, especially my photography photos, and I hope that all works without a hitch. It is scary to put away the past and move forward (to get real deep on you all of a sudden), but I think it is all for the best.
I hope, like I have stated in previous blog entries, that 2012 holds lots of new photo taking adventures. I am so excited about that. I recently got excepted to be a part of a "photographer only" printing website. They have so many modern and amazing products in their catalog, and I cannot wait to bring some of those products to life with my photos, and then deliver them to all of you good people. So, my hard drive is backed up, (on that precious piece of metal called an external hard drive) and I am looking ever so forward to what all is to come.
Welp, I would attach a photo to this post, but I have NONE. Man, I gotta get a few back on here, my cleaning was too zealous.

Lightroom 3 gives new life...

So, I should probably be paid for what I am about to say, but I will work for free this time. I bought a new macbook back in late 2010. The computer that I previously was using was an old restored mac desktop. SO, I had to start the process of emptying the desktop of all old photos and putting them on my new macbook. I realized today that I had missed almost all of 2010! So, I am transferring photos today, slowly, a few files at a time using my ipod. (Yea, I was not even talking about "mac" paying me for this blog entry, but maybe they should too!) It is a tedious task, but a rewarding one. As I am watching my 2010 photos file into my macbook, there are some REALLY good photos that I have not seen in over a year!

 So, I recently purchased a new photo editing software called, "Lightroom 3." Most of you have heard of it I am sure. It is amazing. So, as my 2010 photos file in, I am doing a little fresh coat of editing on a few of them. I am able to really digitally restore a few fuzzy one, and brighten, and bring new life to a few mundane! I love it. Love me some Lightroom 3. (insert cash register sound here) Anyways, I wanted to share a few with you guys so you could see what I am talking about. Since my last post was about my Valentine's Photo booth idea, I will show you my Valentine's shoot from 2010... Enjoy!

Valentine's Photo Booth...

So, I mentioned on my facebook page that I am working on an idea called" "house on a hill's photobooth". The idea is that I will set up a background, (most likely here in my home) based on the season, or closest holiday. I will shoot my own children in the scene, post the photos, and then invite you all to participate in the fun! The small shoots will most likely run about $50 for a thirty minute session (for 3 or less people, add $25 for each additional person) I have a Valentine's photo booth in the works as we speak! I will leave you with a few examples of the Valentine's shoot I did last year of my own kiddos. More details to come about "house on a hill's photobooth 2012". yay!

Two thousand and twelve photos...

Two thousand and twelve photos. When divided by 75 (the average amount of photos that someone will get with a one hour session with me) that is 26 sessions. SO, that is my goal this year, to book and shoot 26 sessions and deliver 2012 beautiful memories to people. THAT would be amazing! It is quite a lofty goal, but I thought getting 30 "likes" on my photography page in one night was a big goal, and I ended the night with 64 "likes"! If you have not visited my facebook page, you can follow the link below:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/House-on-a-Hill-photography/220078684741151

I have no idea what 2012 the year or 2012 photos will look like for House on a Hill photography. Maybe some Seniors, babies, families, sports teams, engagements, bridals, weddings,  and just over all fun photos will all be in the mix, that would be awesome. 

Will you invest in some beautiful memories this year? 

Feel free to contact me with any questions... and I will be seeing you through my lens in 2012! 

 (OK, that last part sounded very "stalker", I intend to stalk no one unless they ask me to do so.)

  I leave you with a photo of myself that my awesome cousin Jessica shot for me this past weekend. You can "like" her photography facebook page as well... here is the link: 

http://www.facebook.com/jessicarambophotography

Hey Seniors!

Alright, all you Seniors out there...second semester is beginning, and that means next stop... SPRING BREAK! and then just a few weeks more and GRADUATION! I am telling you this because you should get some senior photos done! And I would LOVE to be your photographer. I absolutely remember every moment of taking my Senior photos and then the day that I picked up the proofs. LOVED that time of my Senior year. I would love to be a part of that with YOU! You can scroll down to the bottom of this blog page to see my pricing. I would love to hear from you! My contact info is on the right, book your session today! Happy Second Semester Seniors!