Mylee + Matt {Statesboro Couples Photographer}

I am so behind on my blogging!! I cannot believe it has taken me this long to post the session with this gogeous couple! Seriously. They are gorgeous. Both of them. These guys took advantage of my minisession and when it rained us out the first day they came back the next morning and boy was it worth it! The light here in the morning is just dazzling. Or, it could have been the chemistry between these two. Even their names sound good together, don't they? These guys were a photographer's dream. You can't fake a connection like they have! Mylee is one of my best friend's neice and she is just such a lady. I really miss the days when girls were ladies and boys were gentlemen and Mylee and Matt are just such a couple. Absolutely darling, they were. See for yourself!

Norah June is 1 year old!!! {Statesboro Childrens Photographer}

 I feel like it was just yesterday I was learning that Norah was on her way, and it really *was* yesterday that I was there with family and friends celebrating her first birthday.  To say that Norah has brought a lot of joy to this family would be to say the very least, it is so obvious that this is one very, very loved little girl! And how can you not?? With that infectious grin and those kaleidoscope eyes! Norah was a joy to photograph, as always. I think I probably had more fun than she did!! Always easy to provide a smile, and I loved that she was so curious about my camera-- so much so that she even crawled into my lap! (allowing me to get some great detail shots)  Her sessions always fly by, I just feel like I'm hanging out and playing around :)  I'm so, so lucky that I met her mama Alexis and that I get to call her my friend. It means a lot when someone trusts you enough to be a guinea pig, even more that she trusted me again to capture Norah at a year old.  As Evy is rapidly approaching this age, I know that these images will represent a time in her life that her parents wish would slow down, even for just a minute.  Childhood stages are precious and fleeting, and I feel so privileged that I get to watch her grow up through my lens. Happy Birthday Norah June!!

The scary part: Laying it out there.

Pricing.There. I said it. Insert, big, melodramatic sigh here. This, undoubtedly, is the hardest part of my job. Going from my portfolio building price to charging enough to sustain my business and help support my family has been 100% the most stressful part of this process. Really. It's kept me up nights. So many questions: Where do i start? Should I try to beat everyone else? Will i drive away customers? Is it enough? Is it too much? And most importantly...Am I worth it? I would guess most of you have noticed my pricing changing, appearing, disappearing, and now reappearing on my website and blog. I apologize for that. That was my inexperience and fear running my brain. I saw sooo many big time photographers saying this phrase (and absolutely NO offense to those that do this, if it works for you) "Contact me for prices." Hm. Was that the way to do it? That way, yey! I get to meet and talk to people about my sessions, right? Well, now I'm not so sure. You know, I had forgotten the most important part of customer service, which I feel, is something I strive to keep top notch. I had forgotten to put myself in your shoes. What would I be thinking if I happened upon my business and wanted more information about a session? Honestly, the whole "Contact me.." bit would leave me feeling led into a sales pitch. Now let me stress to you, I am NOT a sales person. I cringe at the thought of marketing myself, although its necessary in my line of work- I have GOT to get out there. But marketing is one thing, sales pitching is another. I'm the kind of consumer who likes all my information (or as much as possible) upfront. I like to know what I'm getting into. Call it the control freak in me, who knows. But I figure if that's what I would want, why am I not treating you guys with the same respect? Not fair. So, I'm re listing ALL of my prices, right out there for you to see, and judge and either say, "Hey, I can swing that" or "Is she NUTS?!?" Am I the cheapest? No. I'm not going to try to be. Am I the most expensive? Heck no. Could I afford me? Yes. What I do believe, with all of my heart, and I have to, to charge at all, is that I *am* worth it. I am. You may go to someone cheaper, yes, but I am going to let my attention to detail during your sessions, the fact that most times, i have dedicated my entire day to you (no lines, no clients before or after you-- you are my priority that day),there's no hurried post processing, I treat your photos as if they were my own, and my customer service speak for itself. If I am constantly questioning myself then that means you should to. And I want my clients to always have every confidence that I can and will to everything within my power to deliver images they will cherish. Being an artist (eeek! did I just call myself an artist???) Is a scary business sometimes. not only are you putting your vision out there for others to judge, you're putting what you think your vision is worth out there for others to judge. But as much as you have to trust me to deliver, I have to trust you guys...to... well...trust me. :) So here goes. Thanks for letting me get this off my chest. If you have made it all the way to the end of this schpeel, I consider you a friend. :) Love, Erin

Newborn Session Giveaway: Paying it Forward {Statesboro, GA Newborn Photographer}

So, I've been thinking and praying really hard about this newborn giveaway. I was so excited to win the little lace crown seen below, and I made a promise that should I win the giveaway, I would pay my good fortune forward with a free newborn session. I considered making it a random selection type thing, as most giveaways are on Facebook. While those are great for marketing purposes, it's really been weighing on me to make this a little bit different. Maybe its my sentimental need to extend the holiday season just a little bit longer, but mostly, its about me knowing how it feels to sometimes, just needing something *anything* to go right in your life. Some days, you just need the good Lord to tap you on the shoulder and give you a small nod of encouragement, especially now when economic times are so hard.

I feel like I'm rambling. So let me get to the point.

Instead of people entering for themselves, I want my fans to enter for someone else. I know there are those of you out there who know of an expectant mother or a family of a newborn who just might need something good to happen right now. Maybe they are expecting a child with special needs, maybe they've hit a bump in the road health-wise, or in a slump financially. In any case, its really been weighing on my heart to do a newborn session for a family in need. I know its not a million dollars, its not food on the table or a paid doctor bill. A portrait session is a luxury. But I hope, that by giving them a day of celebration for the new gift in their lives, their spirits might be lifted, even if its just a little bit. So I'm recruiting all of you (semi-local) fans to think about those around you. Is there a family you could think to enter for?

If so, write to me: sixpencephotos@gmail.com It doesn't have to be very long, just a snippet of why you think this newborn and family should win the session.

The criteria isn't very strict, but a few things are needed to be met:
1) This must be a family "in need" not "in want"…. I know you all know the difference ;) But its sort of the defining characteristic of this giveaway.

2) They need to be within 100 miles of where I live (Statesboro, GA, for those of you who don't know). Any direction, north, south, east, west--just not in California. :)

3) The baby must be a newborn. I would offer free sessions for EVERY age if I could, but this is a newborn session, so preferably, pick an expectant mother, or a baby less than 2 weeks of age.

That's it!! The giveaway will last one month, and once I pick a winner, and the winning family is of course notified I will post it to Facebook. I know I have some generous fans out there! So help me out guys! Fans, if you know someone who knows someone, pass this along! Share it on your own FB page by clicking the little fb button below, pin it to Pinterest, talk about it, email it, whatever you have to do but get the word out there! Let's help out a family and treat a sweet baby like the prince or princess they are :)

And the winner is.........

Maci Taylor Cook!!!!!!!!! Congratulations you are the winner of a free session from Sixpence Photography! I want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who entered the contest, it really is a compliment that you guys would consider a session from me to be a prize :) If you didn't win don't fret! I'm strongly considering doing a "first of the month" type drawing every month! Sound like a plan? They are really kind of fun :) Congrats again to Maci!!!! You must get in touch with me within the next 72 hours to claim your prize, otherwise I will draw a new winner. Thanks again everybody!!

Wake up, wake up, wake up....

It's the first of the month!! Ok, ok, I won't lie. I got this idea listening to Bone.(if you don't know who that is, please disregard the embarrassingly blatant display of my age right now) So--What am I giving away, you might ask? That's the most important part right? A FREE session! Yup. Free. Basically gonna hand you a hundred dollar bill once a month. Thats a full 2 hour session, viewing gallery, everything my clients get. Next question---how do I enter? Easy!! "like' my Facebook page!  Already a fan? Well thank you very much! For another way to enter, comment on this post with your name and email address, that way, you get entered into the contest AND you get subscribed to my newsletter (like having an early bird secret passcode for sales, news, etc) want to enter a third time? Share this post on Facebook with friends! (easy peasy--there's a share button right below) And the cycle continues. :) It starts now this very minute until 12 midnight at the end of the week (Saturday). Well, what are you waiting for? Go! :)