Fall Sale

We are offering two days full of mini sessions later this month- October 17 and October 25. All sales are for our adoption costs.  Space is limited, but we have room for you.

We are still arranging the details on our locations, but they will highlight autumn and be awesome. As we get confirmation we'll let everyone know our locations.

In the meantime, if you want to reserve a spot, send me an email (nikki@purplelemonphotography.com) and let me know which date and time of day.  If you are wanting the 17th, we'll have morning and maybe afternoon slots. If you are wanting the 25th, we'll have morning and late afternoon/evening slots.

This is a huge savings.  If you've been on the fence about a session for your family, kids, yourself, your spouse, your...pet monkey, this is it.  Really, if you have a pet monkey, I want to meet your monkey.

Also, we'll also have another set of unique minis coming up in the winter.  It's specially tailored to those with a sweetheart, groups of friends, and small families. Save the date for December 6.

CELEBRATEfamily

If you didn't already know, we are in the process of adopting from Ghana, in West Africa.  To aid in raising funds for this process we are going to CELEBRATEfamily with mini sessions and an open house in our home.

Who: Families, babies, kids, couples, individuals

What: 15-20 minute photo sessions* and open house**

When: September 7 & September 14 from 10:30am- 4pm.

Where: Our home, 8703 David Ave, St. John MO 63114; sessions will be all throughout our home (some outside, but mostly inside).  Trust me, I know all the best spots. ;)

Why: We are raising funds for our international adoption and want to celebrate family!

How much: It's up to you.
Open House donation- anything is welcome! As a thank you for stopping by, we'll do a 1 minute supersonic-speed session for a new Facebook profile picture
$100- 10 digital files
$150- 10 digital files, customized CELEBRATEfamily CD case
$300- 10 digital files, customized CELEBRATEfamily CD case, digital holiday card (for Facebook or emailing or printing yourself)
$500- 10 digital files, customized CELEBRATEfamily CD case, digital holiday card, 5x7 slim album
$800- 10 digital files, customized CELEBRATEfamily CD case, digital holiday card, 5x7 slim album, large wall portrait

*The photo session details:
Come spend 15 uninterrupted minutes of loving on your family.  Laugh, tickle, smile, hug, give each other some eye contact and focus on each other.  I'll touch base with you before your session so we can customize it for you, you know what to wear and what to bring.  Perfectly timed for holiday greeting cards and presents.  We will accept regular orders from these sessions as well, at regular studio prices. Any profits will go towards the adoption fund.

We have a limited space of 15 slots per day, so be sure to sign up quickly.  Sign up with a slot around the same time as a friend and spend an hour or two with us.  Hang out. Play games. Eat a snack.  Get a few mosquito bites.

**The open house details: Our house will be open for you to come stop by and spend some time on both of these days.  Come enjoy some lemon-treats or food from Ghana.  Play some Wii games. Have a playdate at our house. Chalk up my sidewalk.  Blow some bubbles.  Hang on the couch and talk to a friend (who you get to schedule in the slot next to yours) while your kids get their photos taken in the next room.  Enjoy knowing that my house isn't perfect.  I've got car tracks on my walls and a few cobwebs in the corners, too.

Come by to CELEBRATE(your)family by spending a small part of your day together with us.

Email me to reserve your spot! nikki@purplelemonphotography.com

Updates for the New Year

I am sitting down, with my home and office all to myself, for a whole work day.  First time in three weeks.

We had birthday, Christmas, New Year's, weddings, sickness, and life happening and I am ready to be back at it full swing.  Shooting really never ceased, but I haven't been in the office.

Just wanted to pop in with a few updates and random photos that don't really have to do with this post.  If the updates don't really apply to you, pass it on to someone for whom they do.

We've had our regular inquiries for weddings for 2012 and 2013 weddings over the last many months, but we are in a unique situation.  We are hoping for another child sometime in the hopefully near future. Combine my medical history with an industry that often has bookings one or two years in advance and we hit a strange challenge with scheduling.  So many unknowns...

We really want to be able to commit to couples that I can actually photograph their wedding.  So for the past 6 months or so, we've been closing months for wedding bookings and opening them as we feel comfortable. We are now open through August of this year... So sorry to all of you fall brides who are still on the waiting list. We aren't quite there yet- if you are still holding out for us, we thank you for your patience! We are so honored!

Winter is a big time for engagements, so please contact us right away for a wedding consultation and to schedule some engagement photos!

Short engagement? We might just be the best fit for this season of our lives and yours.

Since we haven't been booking as rapidly as in the past (since we've had months closed for booking), and have been trusting that we'll still get the weddings we need to support the minsitries that we do with our business, we want to make sure that people know we do have openings left. So here's the deal...

Weddings: We will give a 20% discount to all wedding packages booked with an album for now through May 2012.  That's huge! Spread the word... Also, we rarely offer custom wedding packages, but for spring of 2012  weddings (January-May), we will offer custom packages for small weddings.

Engagement, Family, Kids, Babies, Maternity: We finally have WEEKENDS! Many families love our work but can't make a weekday or week night session, and since we do a lot of weddings weekends aren't always an option.  But we have a handful open right now.

Go ahead and book your late winter, early spring sessions now!  You, too, can have a sweet photo with your kids. I know I love this one with my son taken just a few weeks ago...

Let's enjoy this mild winter and take some photos. Winter is still a great time for photos- indoors, outdoors, at home, out and about.  The possibilities are endless. I've got a little something for everyone up my sleeves (and since it's winter, my sleeves are long).

Miscellaneous May- too much for one post

I have intentionally left May as a slow photographic month so I can catch up and regroup before I dive in with full force for my upcoming season.  But that isn't to say things aren't happening!

Some are personal- like the Free Clothing and Food Day I helped to coordinate last week for University City families, and the new chairs I bought today and the new amazing upgrade to my insulin pump that I bought yesterday. And Eli's impluse-decision haircut I did yesterday.  The "Hello, there pretty little lady!" comment we got Sunday got my gears crankin' and I realized he couldn't wait until mid-June for his planned haircut.  It was in his eyes, curly and he's just not a barrette kind of kid.

The following photos are courtesy of my bridesmaid-friend who lives upstairs. I don't know if she wants her name here.  She did a great job!

"Mom, are we done yet?"

I can see why Brian looks so scared when I cut his hair.  I am rather menacing with those scissors!

The attempted faux-hawk...

Sure, it's a little crooked... but he's wiggly.

This is when the clippers came out last year... (oooh, Anna, I'm breaking out the Waaay Back Whensday).

Also on the Eli front, he started going to a Mother's Day Out program (like a daycare, but in my case, better) once a week.  Last week he had his first day of "school" and I got to do mommythings! The lunch was packed, the diaper bag stocked, fancy shoes all laid out, fresh bath, and (long) hair combed (and looked a bit creepy).   Thankfully, he loved it!

On the business side of things, I'm crankin' out some album designs, orders, and updating my systems, making sure they are in well-oiled condition.  I am rethinking my package information, my administration processes, and figuring out the details of having clients in my home.  It's good to be in this mode for a few weeks, and thankfully I still have a bit of time before May is gone to finish up my long list.

Finally, don't forget about the Bikes program we've got going on for the rest of May.  There is about 12 days left to be a part this!  See this post for more information on how you can help provide bikes for missionaries in Asia!  We're at three whole bikes right now.

bikes

Thoughts on bicycles.

As a kid, I loved to ride my bike. Oh, the freedom! I would ride down the road to the creek and write poetry, take pictures, pray... I have not ridden in a long time.

When we just moved our friend, Drew, who rode over 1000 miles in the last few months, commented that we have the dustiest bikes he's ever seen.

My husband never learned to ride a bike as a kid. He's learned (or rather, is still learning) as an adult. We keep thinking it would be great to add a kid seat to our bikes for Eli. And to add a bike to our reasonable ways to get around in our one-car, crazy scheduled photo-wife, full-time-job-hubby life we lead. He used to ride public transportation to work, and now our new house makes that very silly. Two hour commute. Each way. But... if he could only ride a bike to the station, it would speed that up a lot!

Eli's too little to ride a bike. But one day he will.

When we lived in Holland, the main way to get around is on a bike. They are like feet. But faster. Everyone has them.

I took that picture while in Holland. They are laying on an icy canal. Fun, eh?

Missionaries in Asia could use bikes all the time! But guess what, they can't afford them. Here I am with two great, but ill-used dusty bikes in my garage. There they are, with great need for a bike and no money to buy one.

I had been praying last week about ways that we here at Purple Lemon Photography can increase the money we give to missionaries in the world. That is, you see, why I photograph for money. We have yet to pay ourselves out of our profits (though surely someday we will, I assume), but we have given to missionaries as we said that we would. We want to faithfully continue this trend.

I got a letter today from an organization that we have supported for many years. Gospel for Asia. They are a great organization that is effectively spreading the gospel throughout Asian countries like India and Bangladesh. It was talking about bikes and how the missionaries need them.

Would you help us buy them some bikes? I have a few ways you can do that! And they come complete with catchy, alliterative titles.

1. Bookings for Bikes: Book a session for sometime before October, mention the bikes, and we'll contribute $30 of your session fee to buy a bike

2. Bonuses for Bikes: Add a donation of your choice to an already active order, and we'll add $20 photo credit to your package

3. Brides for Bikes: Book a wedding by the end of May, mention the bikes, and we'll buy a whole bike.

Rules of the game:

You must complete the option by May 30th, 2010. We will round out all the donations to make sure that we buy complete bikes- no unicycles here! Each bike costs $110. How many bikes do you think can we buy?

Kristen

UPDATE: this sale is no longer available.

This senior had a super session- made even more super by the fact that it was free.  Yes, you read right, free!  I am still giving away a couple of senior sessions, so if you want in on this sour sweet deal, be sure to schedule a time to eat a whole lemon!

We utilized two areas to make a look like she went to a ton of different locations.  Not only did get a lot of variety and unique pictures, but she and I both had a blast!

Kristen, thanks for making my job easy!

Watch out for her eyes, folks, they'll draw you in and not let you out...

Seniors: Eat A Lemon!

UPDATE:  this limited time offer for a free session is no longer available, but read on anyhow. you can still get a free set of wallets...

A while ago, I started running a special for high school seniors to get free senior portraits!  "Free?!" you say.  Yes!  For a limited number of high school seniors, I am doing free senior sessions if you eat a whole lemon at your consultation, while I take a few promo pictures.  For other seniors, if you eat just one slice, you can have a free set of wallets.   Good deal, eh?

And clever, too.  Get it? Purple LEMON Photography... Yup, I am that clever.  (note: yes, brother, I know that "clever" where you live, off in the UK, is not the same.)

I am pleased to announce Kristen as my first dare-devil to take me up on the deal.  Her session is set for about 10 days from now, so in the next few weeks, keep your eye out for this lovely young lady!  I have grandiose plans for this set of pictures, but for now here are three from her lemon-devouring experience.

 Thanks, Kristen!

Be looking out for our next post.  We'll finally be revealing our new home and office!

Happy Birthday!

Today is my birthday. I LOVE my birthday. I get so excited and I happily stretch it out as long as I can. To celebrate, I'm making a birthday special. If you book a session of any kind TODAY, July 9, 2009, you will get $50 off. New clients only, so pass on the word!

www.purplelemonphotography.com has all the package information... give me a call or shoot me an email!

Bedrest Babies

This afternoon the little guy and I took a trip. We went to show him off to all the nurses who were so helpful while I was in pre-term labor (for a month!) and then who helped me give birth to his squirmy self. Thanks St. John's nursing staff! It was also a good way to deliver some business cards to all the women who gushed over some of the pictures I had online while I created my business on a laptop in the hospital.

While speaking with one of the nurses who deals specifically with women like me- high risk pregnancies who end up on the antepartum floor- a wing full of pregant women trying to keep their babies IN, I realized something I already knew... I sat in that room every day sad that I wouldn't be able to get some good maternity shots. My brain was ticking during the lonely moments and I came up with ways to take my own maternity shots in the hospital room. Thankfully I went home the day before I delivered and got to take some at home, but those thoughts are still there. Also, many high risk pregancies end with the baby in the NICU. The pictures of my son in the NICU are so precious to me. They rank among my very favorites.

So, that being said, I'm creating a special deal for "Bedrest Babies." If a mom needs me to come to her room to take her maternity shots, I will. If they want pictures in the NICU, I'll do that, too. And if they want pictures later, that's great. But here's the deal. For at least the duration of 2009, I will take NICU pictures for free with the purchase of any of my maternity or baby packages (including the combination package that includes both sets in one album).

Mother's Day MiniMarathon

Mother's Day is right around the corner. What mom doesn't want a family picture?

Saturday, May 9th, I will be having a marathon photo shoot featuring my mini-family package. I'll be at a local park (TBA), and will do sessions of about an hour.

It is an $80 package. Price includes: session fee, individually edited images, a viewing session, online proofing, and $50 photo credit. This session is shorter and includes less images than other family sessions, but has the same quality of more expensive packages. What a great way to spoil mom the day before her big day!

I have a handful of slots left, so contact me right away to get your family booked.
nikki@purplelemonphotography.com

In honor of this mother's day mini marathon, here's a few pictures of my family (pre-baby) which I am posting on the day my mom finally gets to move to Texas!

2009 Prices

Prices have been set for the 2009 season, and while we're waiting for the new site, I thought I'd get the word out there...

These are the basic prices ranges- you can always buy more. :) Almost every package is created "a la carte" with your choice of picture combinations. Instead of making you pick a set type and size of picture in advance, each package comes with "photo credit" where you choose exactly what you want and in what sizes. You want 30 wallets to use as business cards for your lemonade stand? Great! You want greeting cards to turn in for your report on local business for your senior project? Fabulous. You need a wall portrait the size of Montana to hang over your washing machine as inspiration for keeping your clothes nice? We can do it!

Wedding Packages start at $1200 and go up to $2800


Family & Engagement Packages start at $80 and go up to $315

Maternity & Baby Packages start at $170 and go up to $550
Combination package with both maternity & baby photos in one book- $700, which is a $400 savings!


Seniors are $200 per session

Headshots are $105

Other events, parties, fundraisers, receptions, lion-taming sessions, and super-hero training sessions are priced on a custom basis, making sure your needs are met and you aren't charged for options you don't need.