New Website and Blog

This is the final post on this blog. Our new blog is located at our new website: http://www.saraphotography.com.

Please visit us there and redirect any bookmarks to the new site.

Welcome to the world, new website and logo!

Born: May 18th, 2011 at 1:15am in Decatur, Georgia and the world over
Weighing: 12 pages and 7 galleries
Width: 978 pixels

I knew you were ok when, instead of waiting for your cry, all your links worked! I breathed a big sigh of relief and knew all the months of waiting were worth this one moment.

I hope you love the new website. My hope was to create a site that was easier to navigate (and one you could see on your smartphone), prettier to look at, more dynamic with a Facebook connection, and contained a lot more information that you would find, well, informative. As with every website we've had, the toughest decisions were choosing images to include. Thanks to everyone who allowed us into your homes and your lives to capture such beautiful moments. Your smiling faces, warm hugs and silly laughter make this new home one we are ecstatic to live in!

Subscribe to our new blog here.

Atlanta Newborn Baby Portraits - SpokesMAMA Contest

Only 7 days left to apply to the SpokesMAMA Contest!

This first contest is for expecting moms whose little ones will be arriving between March 22 and June 22. Don't miss this amazing opportunity for beautiful portraits of your newborn for free.

And just because I don't like posting without a picture, look at this scrumptious little guy. His newborn session was done when he was a mere 6 days old.

SpokesMAMA Contest Begins Today!

What is a SpokesMAMA? She's a mom who loves her kids and adores professional portraits of them. She loves the candid and artistic style of our photography and the emotions that it captures. She is active in her community, meeting with other moms at mommy groups, church/synagogue groups, at daycare and school, and online. She frequents Facebook and Twitter, parenting forums and listserves for her neighborhood. She thinks our portrait photography is awesome and may or may not already be a client.

Apply to be a SpokesMAMA

As a spokesperson of Sara Speert Photography, the winning SpokesMama will represent SSP to her friends and family. She'll take every opportunity to share the photos that were taken during her sessions and talk about her experience with SSP. She'll use social media, printed fliers, email, etc. to refer other like-minded families to SSP. (Printed pieces will be provided by SSP)

Be our SpokesMAMA, spread the word about SSP and help us grow!

In exchange, if you are chosen, you will receive a free ABC Storytelling Portrait Session package which includes a Planning Meeting, a 2-hour session, a Design Appointment and a $250 credit for anything purchased at the Design Appointment. This package is valued at $500. AND you will also receive 25% off your second session during your year-long tenure as a SpokesMAMA or a $125 discount off your chosen Growing Baby Portrait Package that will be completed during your year.

Apply to be a SpokesMAMA

This contest is for newborns. In order to be selected, you must have a baby who is 2 weeks old or younger in the month of March 22 - April 22, 2010. CHANGE: NOW OPEN TO BABIES BORN BETWEEN MARCH 22 AND JUNE 22! (If this does not apply to you, join our mailing list - we will be holding contests for families with older children soon.)


Contest ends on Thursday, March 18th.
Winner will be chosen on Monday, March 22nd.

Apply to be a SpokesMAMA

Good luck!

Improving the Awesomeness

It's been a long 5 months....ok, not really. It's just that I've been working on a lot of new projects since January. Kinda like a total business overhaul. June 1 will be my 6th anniversary so it was really time for some changes. I've learned a lot in these 6 years and while I have been making changes along the way to accommodate the requests I've received, this time it's a big change because so many things have been enhanced.

Today is the day that the new price list is being released! I know, not something you are really all that excited about, but you should be! We now have wall art collections, an inspiration guide to help you think about the creative and attractive ways you can display your favorite images, enhancements to the Coffee Table Albums with something totally custom-made (and unlike anything you've ever seen), and so many more things. Not only are there new concepts and products, but it looks beautiful too! Here's a little glimpse.

If you'd like information about any of our services, concepts or products, please contact us. Here's our main website - click on the contact page.

June 1, 2003 - Day 0

Sunday was a BIG DAY for me. It's hard to believe but Sunday, June 1st marked my FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY. It's been 5 years since I took the plunge and started Sara Speert Photography back in 2003. My memories of that day are somewhat vague but I do remember exactly how I felt that morning I woke up without a job to go to. Let me rephrase that, without a job to go to with someone else as boss. It was a REALLY exciting and invigorating moment because I had been unhappy with my full-time job for sometime, but it was also really scary. The thought of not receiving a bi-weekly paycheck was terrifying. But I guess not terrifying enough not to take the risk. I was definitely naive to the reality of what I was about to take on, and it's probably a good thing that I didn't know all that I was about to face because I may not have done it. Since then, I've realized that I have to think a while before making big decisions. the pros and cons, whether I can actually picture myself succeeding, blah blah blah. So I have a feeling I would have been swayed by the fear of the unknown and of failure, and never begun.

Good thing I didn't! The last five years have been amazing. I have learned so much about stretching myself artistically, technically and about how to better run my business. I have also learned a tremendous amount about myself, about balancing personal time and work, and how I handle stress. (And after 5 years, I can safely say that I have perfected all these things...... yeah, right.)

I have also learned how amazing the photographic community is. When I first started pursuing my then hobby for photography, I found that there were a handful of pros in the Atlanta area who truly enjoyed sharing their experience and knowledge but overall, most kept things close to their chests. When I first moved to Atlanta and decided photography may be something I'd like to pursue, I opened the Yellow Pages to "photographers" and found an ad for a photographer in Roswell, GA. Little did I know that a simple cold-call to him would open up a world of opportunity and a chain of events and decisions that have led me here. John Haigwood was so generous to open up his studio to me. He offered advice, his experience and opened his darkroom to me so that I could work on my technique and art. At the time, he was still operating from the basement of his home and his wife and kids were so great to me.

I remember John's daughter was having a birthday party at their home and John asked if I'd like to come by to take some pictures and play with some of his amazing lenses. I took a photograph then with the first wide-angle lens I'd ever used of his daughter enjoying her cake with a flurry of kids and families around her all there to celebrate her birthday. It is still one of my favorite images for the moment it captured and how the angles of the ceiling "point" at my adorable subject.

Early images like this one convinced me that photography was not only something I enjoyed, but it was something I did well and really could be a career. Thanks to John for his vote of confidence in my talent and perseverance and to the countless other photographers and family and friends who have shared ideas with me and taught me so much.

Here's to 5 more!

Brand New Website!

YEAH! The new website is here! It's sleek, elegant and easy to navigate. It took a long time to complete it, but I couldn't be happier with the results. I hope you enjoy looking through some of my favorite images and learning more about the studio. We've grown a lot in the last 3 1/2 years and it's so good to see the website reflect the caliber of photography and customer service we provide. Thanks to all our clients who graciously allowed us to use their photographs on the site.

Leave a message on the new message board at the right. I'd love to hear your thoughts about the site. (FYI, don't hit [Enter] until you're ready to post your comment.)