While I can work on a website behind the scenes, the blog renovations need to be done live, and so you may see me experimenting and messing with design and content. Rather than buy a prepackaged design, I’ve decided to try to do this one my own, so please come back next week to see where this all goes.

Regards,  Laura

PS… And a quick photo, just for fun.

I’ve assembled photos from each of my 2011 sessions into a Year in Review Slideshow.  Click on the image below to link to it.

So the short answer is YES!  I do have Gift Certificates.  They are very nicely printed and matted, making for a lovely presentation.

I encourage gift givers to consider two issues when making a gift of a portrait session.  The first is to make sure that my style is the right fit for the recipient family.  As you know from looking at my galleries, my style is casual, earthy, and honest.  And some families like their portraits more formal, more perfect, or more studio.   There’s no right or wrong here, just a matter of style and fit.

The second issue involves pricing.  If you pay the session fee ($125) as a gift, the recipient will need to invest additional funds to get prints and products.  I generally recommend that if you are going to surprise someone with a Gift Certificate that you make the amount enough to cover the session fee and at least one wall portrait.  (For an 11×14 print, this would be a total of $225 for the session and wall portrait.) But know that most clients will want more than one wall portrait, so make sure my pricing makes sense economically for the client.

I am currently offering a few special GIFT CERTIFICATE PACKAGES at a great value.  These are available now through December 20th for sessions to be scheduled in 2012. These packages are for new FAMILY sessions and include the session fee for a one-hour family session and the products listed, effectively eliminating the session fee and reducing significantly the print and digital file prices. A typical family session results in 40-50 images for review.

SIMPLE MEMORIES $299 ($515 Value)

• 11×14 Gift Portrait
• 2 8x10s
• 6 5x7s

DREAMY DIGITAL DEAL $499 ($875 value)

• All presented session images on a disk, as high-resolution jpeg files ready to print

STORYBOOK GATHERING $729 ($1075 value)

• 11×14 Wall Portrait
• 8×8 30-Page Album (25-30 images custom-designed with a photo cover)

Additional prints available at 20% off.

As for the fine print, let’s keep this sensible…

The recipient may substitute and upgrade the package to fit their needs, applying the certificate value to an alternate collection, based on pricing at the time of the session. 

Gift Certificates for specific packages must be used in 2012 to lock in this pricing.  In 2013, these packages are no longer available, but the price paid for the Gift Certificate may be applied to then-current session and product fees.  The Gift Certificate expires on December 31, 2013.

Please note that Laura Brophy Photography is often booked 6-8 weeks ahead and schedules on select dates only.  Please call well in advance to inquire about availability and schedule a session.

 These Gift Certificates may not be applied to a December 2011 session and may not be applied retroactively to completed sessions.

The Gift Certificate must be used in one session and will not be refunded in part or whole. 

The Gift Certificate may be used for a family session with up to six immediate family members.  Additional subjects are $25 each.  The Special GIFT CERTIFICATE PACKAGES may not be used for a senior session, although you may purchase a Gift Certificate for a certain value to be applied to a Class of 2013 session. 

These beautiful books are a great way to preserve and present a special session with Laura Brophy Photography.  These vibrant custom-designed books are press printed on fine art paper, with a photo cover.  We have two sizes available for you as part of this sale.

6×8 book | $525  SALE $350

15 spreads (30 pages), includes 20-25 images

These books typically have a simple, bold layout for maximum impact. Sample design available HERE.

10×10 book | $1,000 SALE $650

15-20 spreads (30-40 pages), includes 35-45 images

These books have the space for more images per page and a lightly more involved design. Same design available HERE.

These books are custom-designed by Laura Brophy Photography with input on favorites from the client.  Please let Laura know if you want to order one, and we’ll get the process in the works for you.  Please note that design proofs will be available approximately one week after the order and all changes must be processed by December 1 to ensure holiday delivery.

Such a fun session!!!  Everyone had such a great attitude, and I loved the outfits.  I had done senior portraits with Abby in August, and it was great to get to meet and hang out with the whole family.

This one was tough to schedule, but we ended up with a beautiful fall afternoon.  LOVE this location — the same one I used with the Geneva seniors.

One of my favorite types of sessions is a FRIENDS session, when a group of seniors gets together to celebrate their friendship and their senior year before heading in different directions for college.  We had three Geneva seniors together on Sunday, and they were amazing!  I had done senior portraits for Kelsey and MaryLynn, and it was great to meet Morgan.  I love creating keepsake books from these sessions, and here’s a simple design I pulled together for the Geneva3.  I offer simple, press-printed books at affordable prices for these sessions, as well as prints and digital files too.

I’d love to do some more of these fun sessions before the snow flies.  I’ve worked with as many as eight seniors at a time. (You can see that session HERE.) The hardest thing is coordinating everybody!  I’ve found that Sunday morning or evening seems to be the best time for these in terms of rounding everybody up.  Please shoot me an email if you want more information on a FRIENDS session. We still have at least one more weekend with some foliage on the trees.

I love it when families book a session for the whole family after a senior session.  I had a great time with Jessica’s session, and then a month later, I met up with the whole family at Boughton Park in East Bloomfield, a gem of a park.  Loved the colors and spending time with them all.  The little guy is quite the character. Thanks, Carol, for sharing your family with me!

I am now pleased to share a slideshow with more of the photos of the day. April & Jim met as members of the Corpus Christi Church choir, and it was during a regular church service that they were married, and their two families joined. The backyard reception was beautiful and fun! It was a privilege to be a part of this celebration.

PS. And yes, for a woman who says “I don’t do weddings!”, I’ve had my hands full with them lately, all for special friends. And I will confess, I truly love them. So now my answer is a heartfelt “YES! Bring them on!”