Holiday Deadlines

We're gearing up for a busy season of holiday portraits and I don't know about you, but I'm ready for cooler temps and changing leaves.

Don't wait until the last minute to book your holiday session. All Portrait Packages include a Planning Meeting and a Design Appointment, so keep in mind that the entire process often takes 3-4 weeks (and that doesn't include order production time). We have limited availability for sessions based on the following deadlines.

• October 31st - Deadline for regular-priced Portrait Sessions (after this date, any holiday portraits will be subject to a 25% rush fee)
• November 15th - Deadline for all Album orders.
  
• November 21st - Final deadline for all holiday Portrait Sessions
• December 1st - Final deadline for all orders for holiday cards, framing, jewelry/ornaments, Wall Collections, Collages, Fine Art Canvas and Fine Art Metal
• December 8th - Final deadline for all single enlargement orders

Holiday Portraits at holiday time. The holidays are a perfect time to photograph your family because everyone is in town! Our natural at-home portrait sessions incorporate everyone from newborns to great-grandparents, and everyone in between. Large family? We love capturing the essence of family relationships and no family is too large for us. We structure our sessions around fun holiday activities like decorating the tree, wrapping gifts and playing games. Contact the studio to schedule your session.

* If you need to schedule or order beyond these dates, we will try to accommodate you the best we can, but rush charges will apply.

NEW - iPhone, Blackberry, iPad Custom Skins

Introducing SKINS! What's a SKIN? It's a durable 3M vinyl that transforms any phone/PDA into a one-of-a-kind art piece. Select your photo and we'll create your customized skin just for you. What's better than being reminded of your favorite people everyday and showing them off to everyone you know?!

The skins are low-profile and won't interfere with docking, charging or any other accessories. They don't leave any residue behind so when you're ready for an update, simply peel off the old one and replace it with a photo taken during your most recent session.

All orders placed between now and November 1st are eligible to receive a FREE custom iPhone, Blackberry, or other cell phone/PDA skin.*

iPhone/Blackberry/all other cell phone skins = $75 value
iPad skin = $100 value

*Free with a minimum order of $700. One per family. Orders may not be combined. Promotion is only valid at Design Appointment.

Book your session now by contacting the studio at 404-nine six six-7272.

Mother's Day Gift Conundrum Solved

Is your spouse looking for the perfect Mother's Day gift? Is he afraid to ask what you may want for fear that he may spoil the romance of the day? Are you tired of the last-minute gift he gives every year?

May 9th is the day and if you want to drop a little hint, pass him a link to our website! www.saraphotography.com We offer gift certificates for portrait sessions, sterling silver jewelry and much more.

Click here to purchase a gift certificate.

Registration is now open - Portrait Day 2009

The day has finally come after months of planning and a year since the last event. Portrait Day 2009 registration is now open!

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Join us at the park... dance among the trees, twirl in the grass, bring a picnic and enjoy a beautiful day while Sara Speert Photography photographs stunning images of your family.

This year's Portrait Day will be held on October 24th, 2009 from 9am to 6:30pm. Mini-sessions will be held all day and offer a wonderful opportunity for holiday or annual family portraits at a great discount.

Our goal is to capture the natural and real emotions of your family, and create custom art for your home with images that will make you laugh and bring tears to your eyes.

Click here or on the image below to learn about all the details and register. This event will sell out so register now. Registration deadline is October 7th.

Thanks to our amazing clients & friends - Pete, Jenny, & Jack, and Dan, Rachel & Joshua for their beautiful pictures featured on this year's Portrait Day flier.

It's back to basics

The economy stinks and everyone is feeling the crunch. (As if I needed to tell you!) As we all try to make the best of this stressful situation, I'm reminded how important our families are. Remember how fun it was to ride bikes as a kid, go to the park, play a boardgame and do so many things that (hello!) cost little or nothing at all? It's those times that many of us remember most vividly because it was fun to be with our families without all the distractions. It's time to get back to basics and back to our families.

In honor of our kids, our husbands and wives, our parents and siblings, and the importance of refocusing our priorities, we have something really special for the first 5 people to contact us.

50% off our most popular ABC Storytelling Portrait session

The session includes:
A planning session at our Decatur studio
A 2-hour session at your home or local park for 3 people (additional people are $25/each)
An online slideshow of "photographer phavorites"
A Viewing/Ordering appointment at our Decatur studio
A Portrait Website for one month
And a $50 credit for the Viewing/Ordering appointment

Regular price for this package is $300 but this "back to basics" offer brings it to only $150.

So if you've been putting off scheduling a portrait session, carpe diem! This offer will only last as long as it takes 5 people to contact us.


And now for the fine print:
Portrait session must be scheduled for May 2009.
Travel beyond 20 miles from Decatur, GA will be an additional charge.
Prices for enlargements and other gift shop items are subject to current pricing.
This offer is not applicable to currently contracted work with Sara Speert Photography.



email: sara (at) saraphotography (dot) com
main: 404-966-7272

Portraits in Baltimore - registration open

Registration is officially open for Portraits in Baltimore. We will be in Baltimore (my hometown!) May 30 - June 3 and we have sessions available for newborn, baby, children, family and couple's portraits.

For more information, click here.

Register online now.

Because we are limited to two sessions per day (one in the morning and one in the late afternoon), slots are filling up quickly.

Contact the studio with any questions. info (at) saraphotography dot com.

Christin & Jason - engagement portrait

Christin and Jason are getting married in a little over two weeks on Santa Rosa Beach, FL. I am really excited to photograph another beach wedding and especially to document their intimate ceremony with only 20 people. The celebration will continue a couple weeks later at Barnsley Gardens so that's where we decided to go for their engagement portrait session.

They are so in love and excited about the wedding, and I loved being able to capture some of that emotion. I'd never been to Barnsley Gardens before and I really think I could have spent a week with C & J photographing them all over the grounds. From the ruins and the lush gardens, to the wide open fields and hiking paths, it's a photographer's dream. Good thing we'll be back there again for the reception. :)

Click the image below to watch the slideshow. As always, this slideshow can be purchased in widescreen DVD or downloaded to your iPod by clicking the link at the bottom of the show.

Sara Speert Photography, engagement portrait photographer

The Final Hours

The Gift Certificate sale is almost over. This is the last chance to save on portrait sessions, wedding packages, wall art, fine art canvases and more.

Know one of our clients? This is the perfect holiday gift. They can use the gift certificate to purchase anything they want.

New client? Use your gift certificate toward any portrait, event or wedding package, or any of our Gift Shop items.

Looking for a unique holiday gift for your wife or mother? Use your gift certificate for a beautiful sterling silver photo necklace. She'll love you for it!

The 20% off sale ends at 6pm today. Contact the studio at 404-966-7272 or place your order here.

Holiday Special

Because you're so special, we're offering a special especially for you.

Gift Certificates are on sale!
That's right!
20% off all Gift Certificates
of $100 or more

The fine print: Sale ends Friday, December 12th. Gift Certificates will be mailed within 3-4 business days of purchase or you may pick them up at our studio by December 19th. Gift Certificates expire 6 months from date of purchase. Gift Certificates may not be transferred and have no cash value. Call the studio for more information 404-966-7272.

Holiday Card Designs

With all the beautiful weather we've been having, we've been getting a lot of calls and emails about our holiday cards. So I thought I'd post the catalog of designs. I've posted the full catalog in the sidebar on the right, so feel free to take a look and contact us for information about ordering.

We have a great selection of new designs that we are really excited about. Please keep in mind that all of these can accommodate custom text and many designs offer different color options. The sky's the limit. Changes start at $25 per change per design (excluding inputting your family's names - there is no extra charge for this.)

For current clients, you're welcome to choose pictures from your most recent portrait session or event. For new clients, if you'd like to book a session in order to purchase cards, the deadline for all portraits sessions is November 15th. November 22nd is the deadline for all holiday cards and gift orders.

Who can I talk to??!

We are getting SOOO close to the wedding! Only 10 days left. My last day working will be this Saturday so if you need to reach us about scheduling a portrait session, placing an order, inquiring about our wedding photography, or general questions, please contact my fantastic assistant, Jessica. Jessica (at) saraphotography.com. She will be happy to answer any questions you may have until I return on November 3rd.

A couple more posts to come before then....

Best of Atlanta

Creative Loafing's Best of Atlanta results were announced last week and we won Best Local Visual Arts Blog again! Woohoo! Thanks to everyone who voted!

Liz & Jeff - Engagment Portrait

Nick and I have been taking dancing lessons for our wedding in.... 16 days! Wow, I have so much to do! Anyway, we love our instructors. They are so fun and great teachers. So when they told us at our second lesson that Jeff had proposed just days before, we were so excited. It's been fun comparing wedding planning notes with Liz and sharing in all the excitement. So when they asked me to photograph an engagement session for them, I instantly said yes. They are planning to use one of the pictures from this session in their wedding invitation. Good luck with that you guys! There are a bunch of really great ones and I don't know how you'll decide!

Since they were dance partners before they started dating and haven't stopped dancing since, we had to include some fun pictures of them dancing together.

Enjoy the slideshow! Click the picture below to view it.

See you at the next lesson!

Portrait Day 2008

Click here to RSVP for this event.

Register early, by August 20th, and receive 50% off any single package of holiday cards (25 card/25 envelopes).

Final registration deadline is August 29th.

The Traveling Wedding Album

I heard from Courtney and Michael after they received their wedding album a couple weeks ago. Their destination wedding in St. Augustine, Florida was so beautiful and fun. I am so flattered by Michael's comments about the album that I wanted to share his thoughts with you, my wonderful blog-readers.

Courtney let me (yes, I had to get permission to take it away from her!) take it to work, daycare, the bank, post office, Zaxby's, the UPS Store, Shane's Rib Shack, and a few other places where people know me on a first name basis yesterday...everyone LOVED it! I really am still in shock over how you were able to capture each and every feeling and moment that we had that day/night!

How cool is it that he took it everywhere. I bet the UPS Store employees were ready to pack it up and ship it for him when he walked in!

It seriously makes my day to hear such great feedback from clients after all the work and love I put into their photographs and their album. So thank you, Michael and Courtney, for the awesome feedback!

View their wedding album here.

Monica & Morris's Engagement Portrait

So a few weeks ago I posted a few of my favorite images from Monica and Morris's engagement portrait. I thought I'd share the slideshow that was on display at their reception. Showing slideshows at weddings is something new I started offering last year. Thank you Alecia! At first I was a bit concerned that showing pictures at the reception would distract guests from the festivities. But I found that it actually enhances the celebration. As everyone gathers around our laptop, I've seen such a range of emotions - smiles, tears, laughter, surprise - and then they go running to another guest to share the fun. I think it eases many couples and their parents to know that the pictures are turning out amazing and they can just relax and enjoy themselves.

I now include these slideshows (often images from the wedding day or the engagement portrait) in every wedding package, time-permitting.

Enjoy!

RSVP Deadline for October Portrait Days Extended

We've extended the deadline for October Portrait Days in Piedmont Park. Contact us by this Wednesday the 17th by phone or email to schedule your appointment.

Appointments still available on:
Friday, October 26th, 10am - 5pm
Saturday, October 27th, 10am - 3pm

Join us for beautiful and fun portraits of your family, kids, baby or hubby. Stay after your portrait is complete to meet other families and enjoy some food and drink. It's guaranteed to be a fantastic time.

Call us at 404-966-7272 or email us at sara@saraphotography.com to schedule your appointment.

Introducing "Portrait Days" in October!

Announcing the first "Portrait Days" at Piedmont Park...

October 26th and 27th

Join us for fun and casual portraits in the park with your family, kids, baby or hubby at a fantastic discount.

No need to stress at the last minute this year to get your family's holiday card done. Have fun with us on Friday or Saturday, choose your holiday card design and paper and we take care of the rest. How simple is that?!

When: Friday, October 26, 10am - 5pm and Saturday, October 27, 10am - 3pm

Where: Piedmont Park, we'll send detailed directions when you set your appointment

How long: 30-minute session per family

Who: You and your fantastic family! No pets please.

What to wear: Solid colored shirts and jeans, OR Halloween costumes!

How to sign up: Click this link or call us at 404-966-7272 to schedule your appointment. Deadline for signing up is Oct. 12th.

Investment: $200 for 15-20 images delivered on your personal Preview Website for 30 days, and fifty (50) 4.5x5 holiday cards with envelopes ($150 savings!)

Wine Lovers

Krisitian and Bryan were married a couple years ago and chose a beautiful destination for their small wedding. Krisitan and I have been in touch since the planning stages of their wedding and when she emailed to see if I could do a portrait of them, I was so excited to finally work with them. It's funny how small the world really is. Kristian works at the corporate offices for PPA, the professional organization for photographers that I'm a member of and Bryan works at AutoTrader.com where I have been photographing events for three years. It's fun to find those connections - I guess we were destined to work together.

We met at Piedmont Park after the threat of rain all weekend panned out to no rain at all. Love the weather forecasters! Since K & B love wine, we thought it'd be fun to bring along a bottle and blanket to picnic in the park. Nothing like wine to take the edge off being photographed. :)


At the end of the portrait, we looked out onto the lake and saw a family of geese crossing the water and a family of ducks at the edge feeding the ducklings and mamma. Dad stood guard while they all ate. I love how Bryan expressed the adorable scene. "Dad's taking the family to the store and waiting in the car with the motor running." So cute.



Here's the slideshow!

Gearing Up

I'm gearing up for some really busy weeks ahead. This weekend I am photographing three portraits - I think that may be a record for me. It's funny how all three portraits represent different milestones for each family.

The first is a maternity & family portrait - the third child for this growing family. I'm so excited to photograph little hands on mom's belly!

The second is a family who I photographed last February. Trip is so adorable, so full of energy and is so expressive. Here are a couple of my favorites from that shoot (before I had the BLOG to post pictures.)


And the third is a portrait for a great couple that got married a few years ago. I was going to photograph their wedding, but they decided to change their local plans and have a very small destination wedding. Just so you know in the future, I love destination weddings and I'm happy to follow wherever your plans take you! So they wanted to get some great couple's portraits since they were less than satisfied with their wedding pictures. I am especially honored to photograph them because Kristian works at PPA (Professional Photographer's Of America). You know she could have asked any photographer so it's super cool that they've asked me to photograph them.

Next weekend, my parents are coming to visit to help us make a final decision about the venue for our wedding. I am excited to confirm the date so I can start doing other things. I think I'm most looking forward to the cake tasting! Mmmm....cake. I wonder how difficult it is to get an ice cream wedding cake. That would be the best.