Back to working on business

Working on my photography business again. I have made a lot of new adjustments to my website. Have my new price guild in place and have a professional lab now to doall of my printing. Plus now I am able to offer a lot items for pictures.
I have also started the photographers club which is growing slowly but it is growing. We are going to Devil's Den on the second of May.
My job is getting more hours now but I am doing more photography. I have even done my portfolio so now it is ready for viewing.

Today was just a great day to go and take pictures. I walked down to Tillies park and got
some birds and other things today.


I have also decided that I will also start doing soccer photos again. This is something that
me and my husband can do together. So if you have a game coming up e-mail me at karens-photography@live.com.
Oh by the way my husband does speak spanish if that helps.

update for photo club

Dates have been set.
Meetings are the second saturday of each month at 1 pm at sweetbay coffee next to creekmore park.
Photo trips will vary due to contest dead lines. This is different kind of club instead of just club members seeing the photos we will be entering contest such as with bedfords video. All photos that are entered on the clubs site.

Fort Smith new photo club

I am starting a photo club for the Fort Smith, Ar area. I know there is a club already here but like a lot of others I can not make it on the week nights. So I am starting my own club no fees unless we grow to big and have to rent a place. We will meet once a month and also have a monthly trip.
Our first trip is April 4th to the Little Rock zoo.

Spring is here!

Spring is here and now is the best time for fellow photographers to go out and shoot. If you are like me it is more fun to go out with others. Since my children are grown it is only me and my husband. I want to find others in this area that want to go out on weekends to different places and take pictures.
I am planning a trip to the Little Rock zoo it will be in the first 2 weeks of April. Will post it as soon we figure out which weekend is open.

So glad spring is coming

I am so glad spring is coming. I don't do cold very well. It is so good to see all the spring flowers and things turning green. Time to go outside and get the yard ready. Also time for going and taking pictures of nature. So many people just rush around and never stop to see God's hand at work. You might ask what am I talking about right? Look around and really look at the details in nature. Have you ever just really looked at the inside of a flower? There is so much details there even in the what we consider weeds it is so amaseing to see that even the smallest flowers have a lot of detail.
God is the maker and designer of all. Most people can only dream of being as creative. Think about it he even made a animal that is part duck part beaver and it is a mammal but lays eggs.

Life in these times

When I was young we would hear stories on how hard times where for our parents. Things where so hard but guess what they made it the best that they could. They still had a roof over their heads and food but not be like what we ate but they did have food.
In these times we are not used to having a hard time. Things were much better for us as we grew up. Kids now would have a hard time in our youth. I will tell my stories of not having a phone and we only had 2 channels to watch no game systems no computers or anything like this. They will look at me like I am crazy then ask "so what did you do?" When I was 12 I would get up before school go milk the cow and goats feed the chickens,geese,rabbits.pigs and all the others. Then be at the bus stop which was at the end of our long driveway at 7am for our long drive to school. When school was over and we finally got home got to do it all over again. In the summer there was even more to do and you did not just call your friends and chat all day since we didn't have a phone we had no clue what happen to anyone until it was school time again.
Children in todays time all have cell phones several game systems computers and other electronic items. They also don't have to work for them either. So to me all it has done is make a lot of lazy children who think ok if I break it they will buy me a new one. When was the last time you had a 1 on 1 talk with your child no phone calls or fighting over the game? I do know tho that with all the gadgets we have now that some children will grow up and be someone great. with all the education that can be learned with computers, but on the other hand the same can be said for all the violet games that parents let their young children play it can get them in trouble later. There is a reason there is an age on these games. If it has mature on it ask yourself is your 6-7 year old mature? If not get ones that will help them grow.
If we all pull together like in the older times life can get good again. No one likes hard times but they are a fact of life. Think of it like this if we only had good times how will you every appreciate when you have bad times.
Well I guess I have said enough on this. When all else fails look in your bible for the answers they are there.

church today

I love going to Evangel Temple here in Fort Smith. Unlike a lot of churches I have been to this church treats everyone as family even if it is your first time. When we started going to ET it was about 4 years ago in that time we got married there re-dedicated our lifes to the Lord and it our home now.
We love the people there and our pastor who I will never know how he does so much without putting himself in the hospital. Let me explain some he does so much for the church and he also is in the fort smith office for ward 3. Also he goes out on police rides visits the sick and so much more. he really has the Lord on his side the rest of us just can't seem to make this much time and we don't have the energy to keep up.
Today was a great service it was about trusting the Lord with all. you know how you seem to stress over the things in life right? Well he pointed out that there is no need because when we go meet the Lord it won't matter. You will be saying I was worried about that?
He also told of a young boy who at a church camp was called in the ministry only to die before he left the camp. It was a accident that happen while playing basketball. He was wearing a T-shirt that said Dying to go it brought tears to the ER people and to this day they still talk about him. This boy even in his death is still saving people what about you?
I love my job that I have and you want to know why? I get to witness everyday to customers,workers of the stores we are in and also to my fellow workers. I my not be the best at reading everyday but I do spread what I can to whoever is around me. They tell me all the time they can tell I am a christen just by the way I act around people. Can people see you are a christen? If not my I suggest to find a church close by you that you can feel at home with and learn to change your out look on life. You take baby steps and one day people can see Jesus in you too.

I am back from my trip.

This has been a busy week for me. My job took me to Nevada and Carthage Missouri then back to Sallisaw Oklahoma. This was my first out of state and over night stay with this company. Lots of driving and once you are in the store time seems to fly. Was so glad to get home and see my husband tho.
We have been married now for only 3 1/2 years and he has never came out to meet me at the car before. It was so nice to have him come and give me a kiss and hug. You never know how much you miss someone until they are not there.
Got my paycheck and already spent most of it. Since I do the driving it is very important to have good tires and change the oil. So that is what I did yesterday got better tires and did an oil change also changed my wiper blades. Today I changed my spark plugs now that was fun. Never seen so much to move just to get to the plugs. Yes I do my own car up keep. I think if you own a car you need to be able to work on it too.

Finding your way

Sometimes it is hard to know where you stand. It has taken along time for me but now I have a good life. Not a lot of money just a great husband we are building a life together. Our life is not your normal life and you might be asking why. Very simple really when you mix races and throw in another country on top of that nothing is normal.
My husband is from Peru which is a very interesting place just by itself. He does speak english/spanish sometimes we have trouble but it is just that he might not know the word or term nothing major. The life he lived back in Peru is nothing like it is here. When he was there he worked for the airport in security here he works in scrap metal big change. There they still raise the kids to respect everyone and treat them as they wanted to be treated. That was something that takes getting used to. I had prayed to God to send me someone that would be there for me and not drink or smoke I had also asked if it was alright if you could also send me someone who loved to cook...LOL I got what I asked for.
Now we have our own home and just like everyone else just trying to make ends meet. I have been out of work since July finally got a new job on Jan. 10,2009 . I am now working for RGIS inventory. I knew that this year I would be traveling but had no idea why now I do. With this company we travel to stores sometimes 6 hours away. It is really good since we work 3 days and off 4 so it gives me plenty of time to also do what I love. Which is my photography.

Tulsa,Okla pictures

Yesterday while I was in Tulsa I went downtown and walked around and took some pictures. When I used to live there it was one of the things that was something to do.
I have looked around at other places but this place is one that has so much detail in the buildings. This took me back 30 years in time. The only difference is when I lived there I would do it when it was warm. These pictures where taken in 29 degree weather. So these where fast pictures so my camera did not freeze up. Come check out the pictures.
http://karensphotography.pho.to/albums/tulsa/index.htm

Tulsa

My husband got to go to see his sons after about 11 years. He left on friday and comes home today. Found out we could save over $200 just for driving to Tulsa airport. which is fine with me I love Tulsa.On friday my friend and I went around and looked at the thrift shops and ate at whataburger. The last time I had a whataburger was when I lived in Texas. Forgot how big they are. Well today is sunday and my other friend is going with me today.
In Tulsa today I am wanting to go downtown and get some pictures of the buildings. When I lived there 30 years ago I loved walking downtown and looking at all the buildings. When a lot of these where built they took pride in what they looked like. So much details and no one really ever looks up at them. It will depend on the weather when we get there.
Today they have put up winter weather advisor up. Will see when we get there. First stop will be the flea market then maybe downtown if not then this spring I will be getting my pictures.

making plans to go full time with my photography

I am only doing this inventory job until I get the money to get the items for my business. My main thing I will be doing is children photography. Not like anything you have seen around at wal-mart, jc pennys or sears or any others that do this. My children photography will be with digital props. You might be saying why digital props well that is a easy one to answer.
With digital I can add the children into screens or objects. For example I have put a one week old baby in a mail box this can been seen on my website and on my youtube.com/karensphotography2
I will be on top of all the children photographers in this area.
I will do wedding photography also on the weekends. I want to save the bride and groom money on the wedding cost but yet give them more of their cherish moment. A wedding is once in a lifetime thing. Most brides have dreamed of their wedding since they were young. Yes this is for the women while we were dreaming the men on the other hands we dreaming about cars and things. It is very important to have the wedding you want since this is the only one you will get. Weddings are costly unless you do a lot of it yourself. If you just have a family member take the pictures you might end up with just a few shots that you will show off the others will be put in a shoe box. Don't want to show the ones with the heads cut of or aunt lucy all blurry do you. Check out my work and I do have prices there for you to see. No hidden charges like other studios.

Travel

My part time job is a lot of traveling so I will get to see more around this area. We do inventory from west of Little Rock to Missouri to Kansas and part of Oklahoma. So I will start writing about my adventures to all the places around here.
I am the type of person who believes that a wife belongs at home at night with her husband. My job will take me over night sometimes. Good thing it is part time. More to come later.

my big fund raiser has been put off

After all of my planning had everything then it happened. I got sick and it is still going on. So now I have to put it off will not take the chance of making other people sick. My hands and feet are staying cold so trying to stay covered up.
We did get the money for the ticket and he sold his PS3 for money to eat on. Now he will get to see his sons.

2009 is going to be my year.

With God's help this is going to be my year. He has given me the talent to be a photographer and I see that this year will be my year. In my dreams he guilds me to where I should be.
I love going out and finding new places and things to shoot. Spring flowers are my favorite time of the year. The birds are every where people are no longer trapped in their homes because it is too cold to be outside. The best part is now the children can go outside and play.
I do have a job now but it still gives me the time I need to go shoot games or whatever I choose.

I am having a fund-raiser so my husband can go see his son

My husband has a chance to see his son for the first time in over 10 years. His son lives in Peru and will be going back in a couple of weeks. We do not have the money for him to travel there but his son is in New York and he only needs enough for a plane ticket to go. The plan is to leave on Friday 23 and come home on the 25th. I don't want it to be another 10 years so this is what I am going to do.
I will do a complete photo shoot of you or whoever you choose and put all the pictures on a printable CD for only $50 that is a big savings since you will be able to share the pictures as much as you want.
Hurry the price will go back to $75 after this week. So contact me asap to set your appointment.
karens-photography@live.com

Photo Shoot

Had a wonderful photo shoot yesterday. Love making people have a good time. I just have a small studio and it was really fun getting everyone in but we did it. You can see the shoot on my event page on my website www.karens-photography.net
I also started the new job last night it was a lot of driving but it was not to bad. Long day but I still put my customer's first.

Morning time

It is monday morning and as usual I get up early watch my 2 favorite shows monk comes on at 6am then crossing jordan at 7am. My husband has left to go to work and I get up and come to my office and check my e-mail. Today I finished my website(www.karens-photography.net) the newest tab in it is for the wedding planner that I work with. Now it is almost 9am and it is time to figure out what needs to be done for the day.
Have a big pile of clothes that needs to be ironed and dishes to do. Sometime today after it warms up some have to go out clean my car and put up some cards. Tomorrow I have a photo shoot here and then since I have a part time job now have to go to the rogers walmart store and pick up people and drive 3 hours away to do inventory in a store. Have to be there at 4pm so won't get back until early in the morning I do like this part. My place is to be here with my husband it is too hard for me to sleep in the day time. We will see how it goes this is just a temp job to me. I will be getting my business going fast soon. The first of the year is the hardest to get started in.

In church today

Our pastor talked about obsession today. If everyone got obsessed about telling people about God just think how that could affect the world. People all over have problems no matter where you are from and no matter if you are rich or poor. God is always around us and the one thing that people have forgot in these times is TRUST GOD.
As said in the good ole time all the families lived by the bible. Families where closer and yes even the children knew to mind the parents. Teenagers would talk to the parents about their problems. People prayed together. I want to know what happened and no corny answer of well times have changed. Times are always changing no exuse there. Families should do things together if there is a problem don't you think it don't affect everyone around you? It does think about it when you are upset you take it on who ever is close to you. Learn to talk about it and take it to the Lord. Here we are again number one rule Trust God.
God has given me all of my talent.I plan on using it as much as I can. After today it really makes more sense to me why I have so many dreams about doing photography. I dream it, live it and learn something new everyday. Now I am helping others learn how to do use their gifts. My other gift is being there for people by listening to their problems. When you think you have it bad and feel like you can't take it find someone to listen. Great movie to watch and yes it is an old movie is :It is a wonderful Life. It is about a guy who gets stuck in his home town and he really wanted to see the world. He takes over the saving and loans and his uncle loses the money that has to go in the bank that is where the trouble starts. He tells his angel that he thinks that it would have been better if he had never been born. He gets to see what happens and not going to give it all away this is a pick me up movie when you feel down.

Bridal Fest in Fort Smith

Today is the braidal fest in Fort Smith. My friend and I are planning on going today. We both need more customers she is a wedding planner so we are working together. I have 100 postcards with my info on it so going to go pass them out. Nice looking ones so maybe they will hang them on the frig and they will call me for their photo needs.

Early morning

It is cold morning and no plans of warming up much today. All I can think of is grabbing my camera and going out to take some pictures. Can't tho have to go to a training session for new job. Not to sure about this job either. When a job takes you away from your family it is not a very good job. With all of our bills tho I have no choice need to get some money back in my checking and saving account.

My dream of photography will not be placed on the back burner again! This is what I have worked so hard for and I dream of it. All of my thoughts go around photography ask me something other than computers and photography I might not know what you are talking about.

Told my husband last night that maybe I should teach the basics of photoshop. Had a training session last night and it went really good.

What is your dreams?

Everyone has a dream just sometimes it takes along time before you act on it. Does not matter what it is. Have you noticed that you end up putting your dream on hold because life throws you lemons.

I was raised up and the only option I thought I had was to get married have children and that was life. I have always love photography and art. I would sit for hours drawing whatever was around me. Even made a cartoon only to be told by my father "why are you wasting your time it won't pay, they only give jobs like that to men".

If you are a woman then you know if you was told this too. It is a hard thing to over come and long road to your own dreams.

How do you know what you dream is right? Here are some questions for you.

When you wake up what do you think about?

Do you have dreams of what you should be doing?

Do you find yourself reading a lot of magazines or books or even on-line about your dream and not even know it?

If you are a artist do you see beauty where ever you are?

Do you see things that normal miss?

God has given everyone a talent you just have to figure it out.

The story of a photographer trying to get their start

It is a hard road to start sometimes nothing seems to go the way you think they should. You get your camera learn how to use and all the tech stuff. Then you try to get your business started and no one likes to give you a chance to see how good your stuff is.
It all started when I was young first camera I had ever used was a 110 camera. It was my moms and she always wondered why she never had any film and where did these pictures come from. She is gone now and I have all the pictures now what a story they tell.
I now have a small studio in my home. I am going to do children photography here and of course weddings on location. I love doing photography so much I have a yahoo group to help out other photographers and wedding planners.
Until this business gets off the ground tho I am having to go back to work but got a job where I am off on weekends. I refuse to give my dream up again. It is hard when you have to keep putting it off because you have to many bills.
Check out the new baby on my website www.karens-photography.net

New changes to pricing

I am now doing 200 pictures on a printable cd and a DVD with all the pictures. Value of over $850 for only $500. You can use the picture cd anyway you want.

If you book now you will get free engangement photos on the cd too.

I now only do my secure invoice for payment unless you live here in Fort Smith, Ar then you can pay check from local bank or cash. This is do to getting over $20,000 in fake checks.

Payment details : $250 down (non-refunable) balance of $250 due no later than 3 weeks before wedding. For all out of towners add the $500 plus $2 per mile. Example it is 100 miles away it will be $700 total payment.

Do you have a small business?

I am looking for people that are trying to get their small business started. Get your business ad listed for a whole month in a full color free magazine for only $50 and up. Also it is a full magazine online so you are getting listed twice for the same money.Since this is a free magazine more people will pick it up. If you need a pick me up make sure you get your copy of The World of Gospel.
www.theworldofgospel.net
Check it out then get back to me before there is no more room for your ad.

New baby in the family.

Yesterday I took my step-mom to go see her great-grand baby. Not sure who had more fun but I think she won hands down. The place we where at was a very small house so not very nuch room to set up. We all had to take turns holding the baby she was just so cute.

I have most of them published to my website still have some more to edit. They will be added later today.

Fort Smith New Magazine

The world of Gospel is a pretty new magizine for the river valley. Finally something that is not all about the bad things that happen. This is a God send to a lot of families in this area. New feature coming up will be classifies for only $40 a month for 4 lines. Wow that can help the small business person get started.
I will be listing my business with them. I love photography and love helping people. God has put us here to help our fellow man. As with my yahoo group I am helping new photographers as much as I can.
Everyone has a story be it with the birth of a new baby or your wedding everything makes you life the way it is. If you help someone even if it is just listening then do it.
For more info on the this new magazine go to http://www.theworldofgospel.net/

New Idea

For everyone that refers a bride to me and I book their wedding. They will receive half off of all their enlargements. For example 8x10 reg. price is $10 each they can get them for $5.00. This adds up to a lot of saving to them.
Now you say so what is in it for me right. Here it is you will get your name in a drawing for a free package value of $60 includes 3 (8x10) 2 (5x7) and 4 (4x6). No one will be a loser for everyone that helps me you will still receive a 8x10 (free).
Drawing will be on 2-14-09

Goals

Well just like everyone else I have st my goals. Nothing major but in order for my business to really get a lift it has to be done.
Short term
1. Order products to pass out and then actually do it.
2. Place an ad a day for my wedding photography.
3. Get out there and meet new people.
4. Lead people to Christ while doing my business.

6 months
1. Be the go to person for wedding or children photography.
2. Have placed over 100 ads.
3. Have a e-mail list of at least 100 people.
4. Have a big yahoo group helping others.

1 year
1. Have a wedding at least every other weekend.
2. Have children here most days for pictures.
3. Have enough money to take Fernando home for christmas.
4.Have my dream business.

Getting new customers.

I walked to the park today and found a birds nest that fell from a tree. It was such a wonderful day here it is Jan 3,2009 and 77 degrees. Won't be that tomorrow tho. The picture I made was just a fast one so there are spots that need more attention but I still think it is cute.

I make all of my own digital props. This is the fun part for me.

Anyway I am getting much better walking up to people I don't know and start talking with them passed out cards and have a family coming here tomorrow. She is due in a couple of days. After she has the baby they are going to come back for more.

Should be going to London soon to shoot a wedding too. I have a lot of people that are wanting my service and dates are filling up fast.

Life goes by so fast.

As life goes by it only shows you that it is so true "life is so short". I say this from experience it seems like just yesterday I had my children now the youngest will be 25 in a few days now. Where did it go , it went so fast.

Spend as much time as possible with them when they are young.

I love doing weddings and children photography. Either one you get to play. If you are really good then you can make anyone around you smile and have fun. This is a God given talent not everyone is given this. Have you noticed how you choose a photographer and then the event comes and they act like a stick in the mud.

Take it easy it is better to be happy and LOVE what you do then to be stuck in something you hate.

My photo business

I have started my own photography business. I am only going to do weddings and children photography.
Why only do these? That is easy when you do a lot of differnet types then you are not learning more on what you want to do. Think of it like this you want to fix engines ok there are so many kinds of engines but which do you really want to do.
Do you have fun at what you do? Yes I do. When doing weddings I go table by table and you always have the ones that say no they are the funniest to do. I get them laughing and then get the pictures. With children we play kids love to play they don't like to be posed. I let them be themselves and you can see it in the pictures.
Click on my website and see for yourself.