So I’ve been playing with different looks on my blog. I found a really neat site that has templates for your blog, and some are really really cute. I won’t keep the leaves up for too long. Knowing the weather here, it will probably snow in a week. *LOL* The site is The Cutest Blog on the Block. Go ahead and check them out!

Couple of updates on stuff.

I ended up with dry socket from the wisdom teeth. Just a little bit, the dentist said. I’d hate to find out what a lot is. A week later and I’m still really sore. I’m about to run out of my pain pills. Ugh. But I am feeling better than I was, so I know it’s just a matter of time.

Good news about Grandma! It seems I’ve been behind on updating on her. It’s been a roller coaster ride… When she went back in for surgery, the doctor told us that everywhere he looked inside her mouth, he saw cancer. It was in the soft tissue in the roof of her mouth as well as other places. He went ahead and removed the additional jaw bone as planned. The battle plan they came up with the following days was to do the PET and CAT scans in a few weeks to see if or how far the cancer had spread. If had spread to any of her organs, all they would be able to do would be pain management until the end. But if not, they made plans for a very agressive chemo and radiation schedule. The completly AWESOME news is that they didn’t find any signs of it anywhere else! So that’s what they’re going to do. I don’t know much else about that, other than it’s going to be an extremly difficult treatment, but Grandma is a fighter, and does not want to let the cancer win! To celebrate, my Mom and Aunt Chris took Grandma to Olive Garden for soup and breadsticks. Her first meal in a restaurant for over 3 months! Continue to keep her in your prayers!

I think that’s it for updates!

Guess who had her wisdom teeth removed yesterday? I’d put it off long enough, and needed to get them out. One was really starting to bother me. I had all four of them taken out, and yes, I made sure I was knocked out to do it. Dentists don’t bother me all that much, but I’m a whimp and don’t deal with pain well. There was no way I was going to go through all that (especially the shots!). So, I have a few days off from work, and am sitting here with my mouth all puffed up and I’m still in my jammies. I have some pretty decent drugs, so will probably be going back to sleep again soon.

I’ve been working on something new that I will be offering soon. Something I think is kind of unique, and hopefully something people will enjoy. I’ve gotten some good feedback and am excited about it! Stay tuned for more information!

Yes, I know. The very idea that Christmas is coming up is about the last thing anyone wants to think about right now. (We’ll ignore the fact that as of today, there are only 102 days left!)

My first pointer for great family photos is:
Do.
Them.
Now.

Seriously. Everyone still has their summer tan so they look great, and life isn’t as hectic as it gets to be closer to the holidays. It’s one less thing to think of by the time November rolls around.

My next pointer is this:
If anyone wears glasses, get with your eye doctor to borrow a set of empty frames for your photos. I’ve said it before, but it really does interrupt the flow of a portrait session if I have to keep reminding people to “keep your chin down” in order to prevent glass glare. There are other tricks (such as raising my lights, having you tilt your glasses, etc) that I use, but they create their own set of problems. (Lowering your head often creates a “second chin”, raised lights creates a lighting effect I don’t care for, and tilting your glasses is often very uncomfortable.) Children especially are very difficult as they are always on the move.

It takes a very long time to successfully remove eyeglass glare from photos. Sometimes I simply can’t do it, and have to have my lab do it. Their quote starts at $45. Per eye. That also being said, because of the time involved in removing glass glare, I am instituting a retouching fee of $15 per set of eyes, per pose. This is the first charge I’ve ever had for retouching. But believe me when I say I can spend an hour (literally) on glass glare, and if I have several poses that all require it, my processing work involves many late nights preparing orders.

So, eliminate all of that, and get some empty frames.

Third tip:
Color coordinate clothing.

You don’t have to all wear the same color. Different shades of the same color work well. As do complimentary shades. What doesn’t work well are clashing colors, and bold designs. There are exceptions to every rule. (An example would be a family who took a summer trip to Hawaii and all want to wear their new Hawaii shirts, being one of them!) However, for a timeless, classic look, I really recommend simple styles. That gives you a family portrait that you will be proud to have on your wall for the entire year.

So. Those are my tips. Just for those who are planning on scheduling their family photos, here is the break down of my holiday deadlines.

November 14th – last day for portrait parties.
November 19th – last day for family sessions.
December 1st – last day for normal orders
December 15th – last day for rush orders.
December 16th – January 1st – no portrait sessions or orders taken.

These deadlines are the very last days I will accept orders for Christmas delivery. Rush orders will be charged a 50% rush fee. I get very busy with both Joyful Heart Photo as well as my day job in the months of November and December. The professional lab I use for Joyful Heart Photo also gets extremely busy. Due to the seasonal nature of the business, I do not guarantee a specific turn around time on portrait orders placed after November 1st. The closer we get to Christmas, the longer things take, simply due to the mass quantity of work.

I really love this time of year. I get to reconnect with a lot of previous customers and see how their families are doing. And it’s fun simply to be busy with photography. It’s amazing how creative families can be when they’re planning their family portraits, and I get such a kick out of the children.

Thanks again to everyone!