Baby Photography

Hello there,
I know that I have not updated my blog in a loooong time. But, I assure you, I have good reason. My husband and I welcomed our first child, a baby girl, into the world six weeks ago. She is beautiful and wonderful and also a lot of work!
I have been home with her since she was born. Up to this point (and from now on) she has been my creative outlet. I am always looking for ways to photograph her around the house and I keep my camera set up on a tripod ready for that special moment.
So, after spending a lot of time admiring her and capturing her through my lens, I have decided to add newborn and baby photography to my portfolio and to my available services. If you or anyone you know has recently had a baby and would like to book a photo shoot in their home or at the studio, please let me know. This is such a special time and they grow and change so quickly. You just have to capture them while they are so little and new.
Here are a few photos of our quickly growing and changing baby doll!

Christie McQueen
christiemcqueen@gmail.com
http://www.modernecapturestudios.com

Actors and Models – Headshots and Comp Cards

Acting and Modeling is a business, which means you need the right tools to succeed. Professional photos, as well as marketing materials (headshots and comp cards) are necessary for you to be successful in the pursuit of your career.

Actors need heashots. Models need comp cards.

Modeling is a form of acting. Agencies and Art Directors often like to see a models’ versatility. It takes time to create a WOW comp card that will help you on your way to getting booked for work.

1. Time to plan the outfits that suit your style

2. Time to plan and bring props for environmental or action shots to show your versatility and your ability to fit into various roles.

3. Time to capture a spectrum of expressions to show your adaptability.

4. Time to capture images that will showcase your charm.

Modeling isn’t always about how sexy or beautiful you are. Modeling is about your style, your versatility, and your ability to fit the look requirement that is necessary for the client to sell their product(s). Plan to work with your photographer before the shoot to plan your comp card. This will take time, but it will be worth it.

Planning your comp card:

1. It is important to know what type of modeling you can do. Freelance models have more flexibility, but should focus on a main category they think they will receive the most work in. High fashion models should have high fashion images in their books. Swimwear models should have swimwear images. Lifestyle models should have environmental and lifestyle images. Be realistic. If you are too short for fashion, stick to commercial /print and lifestyle images.

2. Use magazines as inspiration for the type of images you want in your portfolio. This will help the photographer and you to plan the type of photo session you want to set up.

3. Meet with your photographer before the shoot to discuss the direction of the shoot. You should look at pictures together, talk about concepts and themes and discuss the looks you are going for. From here you can agree on locations, outfits, a date and a time.

4.You should have your hair and make-up professionally done to guarantee the best images.

5. After the shoot you will pick your favorite images to use to put together a modeling portfolio or comp card.

6. Retouching is highly recommended to perfect the final images that you are going to use. It is amazing what a little bit of eye brightening, teeth whitening, and skin softening will do to bring the attention straight to you.

Christie McQueen
ModerneCaptureStudios.com

Class of 2010!

Senior Ambassador Perks
*Free Ipod Nano * Free Photo Session * Free Ambassador Cards * Photo Credits *MySpace and Facebook Branded Images

Here’s the scoop. We need 10-12 senior amabassadors to promote ModerneCaptureStudios.com at your school here in Orlando. The concept is simple. You want free senior pictures. We want your friends at school to come to us for their Senior Pictures. So we give your session free of charge plus we load you up with other free stuff. Then, you show your friends the great pictures you got at Moderne Capture Studios. You are the envy of your friends for getting such great pictures. Once the envy has fully set in, you tell your friends that they too can look amazing in their senior pictures and you hand them one of your Ambassador Cards. This is seriously a win-win situation for everyone. You win because you get stunning pictures for free. Your friends win because they know where to get the best senior pictures. And we win because we’re getting more customers.
Think you’re up for it? Email christiemcqueen@gmail.com for an application today!
Requirements:
1. Passionate Seniors!! You must have an outgoing personality with a desire to promote our photography and you must be part of the 2010 senior class here in Orlando, FL.
2. You must refer minimally 2 seniors who book us. The more seniors that book us because of you, the more perks you get. 2 is the minimum. The ambassador with the most referrals wins an Ipod Nano. Can you do it?
3. The rest is up to you. Be creative. Share your ambassador cards with close friends and really talk us up.

When: The deadline to apply is March 31st, 2009. Senior Ambassador Photo Sessions will take place during April.

Where: We have some great go-to places, including downtown, in-door and out-door at the studio, but it’s up to you. Where do you want to go?

Why:
*Senior ambassadors receive a fun, free portrait session. (value $250)
*Free student business cards to hand out to referrals
*free images to post on your myspace and facebook accounts
*5% off your portraits for each referral (up to 60% off)
*The top producing ambassador will win an Ipod Nano

Choosing a host for your photography website

At the beginning of this year, I set a goal to update my website and add a blog. For the past 4 or 5 years I have been using Smugmug to host my website. I pay for the “professional” site and have been able to customize the appearance through css and html.
In January, as I thought about re-doing my site, I considered changing web hosts. I thought, maybe there is something better out there? So, I started looking for companies that offer “templates” for creative professionals. And, I went on a lot of other photographer’s sites to see who they use to host their sites.The best two photography geared, template based web hosting companies that I ran across were bludomain.com and showitfast.com. Both sites offer really cool templates for photographers, plus added bonuses like a shopping cart, private viewing galleries for clients’ pictures, multiple portfolio galleries, and links to your blog, plus you can play music on your site. You can set up the shopping cart for client galleries to take print orders and accept credit card payment using your paypal account. However, then you have to actually place the print order with your own print lab and handle shipping/mailing the product to your customer.
While the thought of using a website design template is probably wonderful and was very tempting, I decided to stick with smugmug.com. I have been very happy with their customer support – they respond to all of my questions quickly and they are friendly – it’s like they actually appreciate having me as a customer! (a novel concept these days) They are always upgrading their services, they offer gallery templates, private galleries, a shopping cart for my clients, they accept credit cards for me, they process the print orders through a professional lab and mail the orders directly to my clients.
Plus, I love the story behind how Smugmug got started. Two regular guys, a father and son, in Northern California who love photography started the business. The company really does resonate a family feel, even though they have grown into a large and very successful company. And, as goofy as this may sound, I feel like part of the Smugmug family, as I have been with them since nearly the beginning. I love smugmug and can’t rave about them enough.
So, if you do decide to go with Smugmug, I want to give you a $5 coupon to get you started. Just enter my email address christiemcqueen@gmail.com or my personal coupon ( LB6eUx3avzLNg ) in the ‘Referred by’ field on the signup form.
If you have found other websites that you would like to recommend, I would love to hear about them. Or, if you just want to say “hi” I’d love to hear from you, too!
Best,
Christie McQueen
ModerneCaptureStudios.com

Looking for ways to network your business?

Ok, business this year has been a little tougher than usual. However, after doing much online research, I have learned a few ways – that are really paying off for me – to market your business and meet new customers. I have also found a few great websites that I’d like to recommend.
To keep a consistent flow of customers calling you and inquiring about your service, you have to dedicate a little bit of time EACH WEEK to prospecting. Even when you are busy!!

Here are a few things you can do for you business:

Daily: Read Industry Blogs, post on 1 related blog/site, and always sign your post with your full name and a link back to your website. This is beneficial to you in several ways. For one, it is nice to know what is going on with other people/companies in your industry. Two, it introduces you and your business to new people. Three, the more related sites that link to your website, the higher your site’s popularity, and the more visible your site becomes on search engines.
Weekly: Attend a networking event. Meet new people. Follow up. I went to my first-ever networking event two weeks ago. I was not looking forward to it. I don’t like to stand up, introduce myself, and give a 30 second elevator speech. I feel like no one really listens to you anyway, as they are all thinking about what they are going to say when it is their turn. However, I met a group of women at this event, who I have since stayed in contact with and have even been referred a job through one of them! I placed a bid on the job yesterday!
I am going to this week’s networking event tonight. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
I would love to hear your stories about what works for you and what doesn’t work. Feel free to post a comment or email me.
p.s. check out my recommended links

Christie McQueen
http://www.ModerneCaptureStudios.com

follow up: Last week’s networking group
I attended an Art Group meeting at my church, NorthlandChurch.net , where we have a membership of over 12,000 believers. I expected the Art Group to be filled with young creative professionals – designers, photographers, artists, etc. Boy, was I wrong. When I walked in and sat down among 10 -15 mostly retirees who were primarily painters, I felt like I didn’t belong. But after sitting with them and listening to them discuss the book “The Creative Call” by Janice Elsheimer, I was humbled and inspired. This group reminded me gently that I am an artist. Even though I am a photographer for a living and often feel the pressure to be successful and perform, the driving force behind this self-imposed pressure is the desire to live up to my God-given talent. I may not have made any business contacts that night, but I left the meeting feeling free-er, happier, and blessed.
Thank you Art Group for reminding me that God is in charge and that he blessed me with this ability for a reason.

ModerneCaptureStudios.com

http://www.meetup.com
http://marketing-mentor.com

Hello world!

Well, I said I was going to do it by February 1st … re-design my website and start a blog! I still have much to do to personalize this blog and add content, but I am thrilled and proud to have gotten this far!

I have spent the first month of this year planning, researching and mapping out my business plan for this year. This is a big year for me, not only is it my second year in business as a studio owner, I am expecting my first baby in May! (She is kicking away at me as I write this!) Along with planning for the new business year, I am preparing to be a new mom. Am I stressed? Not so much. Am I overwhelmed? Yes! I have only been sleeping 5 or 6 hours a night for the last week. I just feel like there is so much to do!

Soon I will be adding pictures of some of our senior ambassadors from last year. We had a lot of fun photographing them for their senior portraits and the pictures all turned out great.

I also worked on a challenging product shoot this week for Conceive Magazine. I will show you some of those images and talk about what I learned from the shoot.

Christie