JPSearcy Photography Blog

I know, it is still 90 degrees outside, and we haven’t hit September yet.  HOWEVER, it isn’t too early to start thinking about holiday photos.  Now, you don’t have to get your photos taken right now, but you do want to start thinking about when you want to have your session, and get on my calendar.  LOTS and LOTS of info in this post!

I have just released my fall availability calendar, and it is on my website now.  My deadlines this year are as follows: November 21 LAST session date to guarantee Christmas delivery; December 5 LAST day to place an order to guarantee Christmas delivery (not including canvas and/or purses, those need more time to come back).

Now, some fun news!  I am going to be offering mini sessions for the holidays! This is a one day only special, and as soon as the slots are all filled, the mini session special is over!  So, if getting just a few images for your cards, and maybe a gift or two, sounds just perfect for you, check the details below!

If you have ANY questions at all, please call or e-mail!  But if you prefer to have a full session at your choice in location, I am definitely booking those as well!  You will just need to let me know when you would like to have your session, and where you want it to be!  Fall dates tend to fill up quickly, so you will want to get on the calendar as soon as you know you want to have a session with me.

And last bit of fun info, this year’s holiday cards!  I am so excited about this years cards.  There are lots and lots of choices, so you are bound to find one design that you just love!  If you haven’t seen my cards in person, just ask, and I would be happy to show you a sample.  They are high quality, linen textured two sided flat cards (with envelopes, of course).  They are sold in packs of 25.  The pricing is: 25/$75, 50/$135, 75/$185, 100/$225.

Here are the cards that I will be offering this year!  Can’t wait to hear what you think of them!

Hi all!  I am back from vacation, and I am not gonna lie, I wish I was still there!  Alaska is such a beautiful place, and it was hard to come home.  But, of course, I did come home!  And now I am rested and recharged and ready to get shooting again!

For my seniors, I know you don’t want to hear this, but there is only 2 weeks until school starts.  I know some of you wanted to wait until the end of summer to get your senior photos taken.  Well, that time is now!  I still have several  dates open this month, so you want to get a jump on them.  Once school starts, there will be a million other things going on!  But, if you are wanting to wait a little longer, that is fine too.  Fall does tend to book up with family shoots, so you will want to at least get on the calendar soon, so you get the date that you want.

For my families, I know YOU don’t want to hear this, but we are getting close to the holidays!  I know, you are going to say that there is still 5 months, but if you have been with me for a while, you know that really isn’t true.  Yes, of course there is still 5 months until the holidays, BUT not 5 months until holiday photos!  My shooting deadline is usually the end of October, for you to get them back before the holidays.  That allows enough time for editing, proofing, ordering, and printing.  So, if you know you are going to want your family photos done, it is best to contact me now to set your date.  Weekends in the fall go pretty quickly!

And then a little more news.  Many of you have been hearing about my Africa trip.  Many of you have been so patient and understanding with me and my ever-changing schedule, with regards to the Africa trip.  Well, you don’t have to wait anymore.  There was only 10 days in this entire year that I would not be able to go (because of this family vacation that has been in the works for over a year).  After too many delays to count, the family FINALLY got the clearance to travel and pick up their son!  Unfortunately (for me, not them!), it was a few days ago, when I was in Alaska.  I am over the moon excited for the family, because as you know, this is a LONG time in waiting (we were originally supposed to travel in JANUARY!).  I wish I was there, but I am so happy that their wait is finally over.

So, since I won’t be traveling to Africa (anytime soon!), I am planning on flying up to Nashville (where they live) and doing a family session for them after they get back and settled.  I have to wait until they get back to set exact dates, but it will be sometime in September.  I will be there for a few days, and since I am up there, I will accept a couple of sessions while I am there.  If you live in the area and are interested in booking a session, OR if you know someone in the area who would be interested, let me know!  jps@jpsearcyphotography.com  My travel sessions tend to fill up quickly, and especially with this time of year (perfect for those holiday sessions!), I expect these couple of slots to go.

That is all the news and updates I have for now!

As much as I love the scorching heat of Florida (insert eyeroll here), I am leaving this great state for a little while.  No worries, I’ll be back, it is just vacation!  My family and I are heading off to Alaska for a much needed vacation!  This is one of those “bucket list” vacations, and we are SO excited to be going.  I will be taking at least 2 million photographs while I am gone, so I am sure you will be seeing a few here in a couple of weeks.  But for now, I will be checking my e-mail only frequently (come on, it IS a vacation afterall!).  So be patient with my e-mail response time please!  But I promise you, I will come back fully recharged and ready to shoot!   If you are interested in booking a shoot, check the calendar section on my website for available dates, and then e-mail me the one you want (with one back up date, just in case).   And what a way to come back from vacation, with an e-mail full of people who want sessions .

I am so happy to introduce my newest senior rep models to you!  My models are representatives of JPSearcy Seniors, and can answer a lot of questions you may have about having your senior photos done with me.  If you aren’t sure who you would like to use for your senior photos, please talk with one of my reps!  They can give you the low down on my sessions, what it is like to be shot by me, what your photos will look like, etc.  Not to mention, they have the inside scoop on specials that I may have coming up!  They are all great girls, and very approachable.  Go talk to them about YOUR session with me!

And (alphabetically!), each one of my models:

Ali – Oviedo High

Erin – Hagerty High

Hannah – Lake Mary High

Jenny – Winter Springs High

Katelin – Winter Park High

Kodee – Oviedo High

In the next couple of weeks, look for more images of my models on my facebook page!  Not a “friend” of mine on facebook yet?  No problem!  Add me!  Jeannette Priest Searcy, and you can also “fan” me, listed under JPSearcy Photography.

Can you believe it? I know it seems early, however, I don’t want to be rushed at the end of the school year (I have learned so much in the past couple of years)! So, I am beginning my search for the next class of JPSearcy Senior Reps now! And this year, I am a little more high tech. LOL! I have created an online application form (better than a stream of e-mails, I think!). It is a pretty quick application, but I do ask that you fill it out completely with all of the info that I would need to make my (difficult) choices.

Basics of being a rep for me: You will receive a FREE promo session to take place in either late March or early April (value $150). It will be at probably two or three different locations (my choice), and you will have lots and lots of gorgeous images to show off! You will receive a FREE spiral bound book with all of your images from our promo session (value $250) so you can show them off to anyone and everyone who is looking to have senior photos taken. And then you will receive another session (smaller than your first one) at the end of the summer/beginning of school year at the location of your choice (value $150). And for the parents (can’t forget about them!), they will receive a discount on their order for any prints that they want/need. To top it off, you can “earn” more prints or cash, for every person who you refer to JPSearcy Photography! How does that sound?!

Does it sound too good to be true? Well, it isn’t! I expect my reps to work hard for me! I expect them to represent me, and work hard talking me up to their friends and classmates. So, if you are looking for just a free session, then this probably won’t work out. But if you ARE willing to work for it, then please fill out the rep application linked below!

I will be selecting one student per school, and will leave the applications open until the end of February. If you think you would make a great rep, fill it out and tell me why! Or, if you KNOW someone who would make a great rep, direct them to this application! There is no reason to wait until the deadline, if you are interested, fill it out now!

What I am looking for: outgoing students! Someone who is comfortable being social and not afraid to talk about their photos! Someone who is involved in their school, or outside activities. Looking like a model is NOT a requirement! And last year, I did have only girls as reps, but I have had guys before. I found that girls are better talkers than the guys! But if you can convince me that you would be able to be a great rep (and you are a guy), feel free to apply! I may even take a girl AND a guy from each school (if the right guy applies!).

My 2010 reps were fabulous. If you know any of them, and want to know what it was like being a rep for me, ask them! Last year, I had reps from Oviedo High, Winter Springs High, Hagerty High, and Lake Mary High. I would love to expand into other high schools in the area, so just because I didn’t have a rep in your school last year, don’t let that stop you from applying!

Last year’s reps:

[polldaddy survey='33537C0009326918' link_text='CLICK HERE FOR 2011 REP APPLICATION']

BTW, if you are a 2010 senior, it isn’t too late to get your photos taken! Every year, I have some people that prefer to wait until the second half of the year to have them done, and that is fine! The weather is gorgeous now, and it is a great time for a session. Just e-mail me for details and to set up your shoot!

Can you believe it?  2010?!  Time is flying by just a little too quickly, I think!  I hope all of you had a beautiful holiday with your families!

Well, with a new year, comes a new blog!  I was having so much trouble with my last one in the past two months (not to mention, I didn’t have much time to try to fix it being in the busy season!).  So, I apologize for being a blog slacker!  But now I have a brand new blog (all the old posts were transferred over already).  Isn’t it pretty?!  I promise, I will get back to my normal posting self soon enough!  Starting tonight!  This post is a news post, not a sneak peek post (sorry!).  I have some big news coming up, and can’t wait to share it with you!

I am going to Africa!  Whoo hoo!  I was hired to travel with a wonderful couple to photograph their international adoption.  They are such wonderful people, and I know they are going to make terrific parents.  This is going to be one very lucky child, I tell you!  Anyway, I am going to be out of the country for about a week and a half.  When, you ask?  Well, that is the million dollar question!  We just have to wait for the final go ahead, and then we will have our exact dates.  For now, they are telling us that it “looks like sometime in January”, and that we will get about 2 weeks advance notice.  Needless to say, that poses some challenges for booking sessions in the meantime.  Several of you already know about this, because you have tried to book!  Thank you for being so patient and understanding!  So, what I am going to do until I have my dates locked in, is only offer “last minute” sessions.  Now, this doesn’t mean that you have your session the day you book!  It just means, I can’t book any sessions more than 2 weeks out .  (Of course, when I get my dates, then it will be back to business as usual!).  So, bare with me during the next month or so!

That is about all the news I have for now!  Oh, don’t forget to check back often to my blog.  I have a contest or two in mind that are going to be announced here in the next couple of days!  (I love contests!)  I also announce things on facebook.  So if we aren’t “friends” yet, add me!  Jeannette Priest Searcy and/or JPSearcy Photography fan page!