Dum DADA DUM!!! We have a name folks!

However, I cannot yet divulge it. What a tease, I know! But it is adorable and exciting and definitely not in use anywhere that I can find so I am very excited. I am getting some assistance with a logo and when that is done I will update everyone with my new business plan. Yayy!!!

What's in a name?

I am coming to terms with the fact that I am eventually going to have to create a Facebook page for my business in order to better advertise my services, and that I also am in dire need of a real website of much better quality than this cute little blog I've created. (With that comes the memory to update frequently instead of letting my audience go dead...). These two small steps actually terrify me quite a bit. Firstly, because I don't have a name! I'm not a licensed business yet and I'm afraid to advertise as such. I'm just beginning! And to be really truthful with myself, and you, I don't think my work is up to the standard the I think those two steps require. Posting my work on my personal page for my friends and family to see is one thing, those people love me and would love almost anything I produced. I know, I look at some of my first "images" and they are laughable, but no one wanted to tell me that. A business page opens a whole new world of people. I can't "ignore" someone I don't know or don't like, I want to reach anyone and everyone possible. Otherwise how am I to know which clients are a good fit?

This name thing... It really has me stumped. I've been getting help from a few choice people but nothing has really had that spark yet. I've spent hours pouring over google looking for blogs with advice, name generators, and the like, hoping for some inspiration. I repeatedly see professionals advise that you just name your business after yourself, after all you are selling yourself and your services right? My name is Ashley Nicole D'Annunzio. There are probably thousands of Ashley Nicole Photography businesses and D'Annunzio doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. I want to be easily accessible to my clients, not "oh that photog with the odd last name..." That would make me forgettable, and I don't want to be forgettable. (Though certainly the work I produce isn't far above forgettable but that I can improve) So I am stuck in the rut that just about every business owner gets stuck in at some time, what's in a name? 

I have ideas, lots and lots of them but nothing is catching my ear, or my heart. I want my business's name to be catchy, easy to remember, and meaningful. I also want it to convey what my business is about. I want people to understand that I am a portrait photographer looking to work with families starting with Maternity images, and through the important stages up until the child's first birthday.  But that is certainly a lot to express in a name! So maybe I leave the dirty details of my business to be explained on my future website's cover page? Now where to look for ideas?  

The Happiest Place on Earth for the Happiest Time on Earth

I spent the last few days at Disneyland with my beautiful, and radiantly pregnant cousin. I was delighted to have the chance to do an on site maternity shoot and so far am pretty thrilled with the results! While I'd love to talk about my experience more, my regular jobs calls early so I will let a few sneak peeks speak for themselves....

See more from Angelina's Disney session on the "Maternity" page!

Let Downs, and Build-Ups

That marathon I was supposed to be shooting for a friend? Well unfortunately it fell through. I made a scheduling blunder and didn't realize until the last minute that my boyfriend's birthday party was the night before. There was just no way I could get from my apartment to downtown Houston by 6:30 am, SAFELY and with enough energy to concentrate and provide quality images. Especially because I have zero experience shooting sports and even less experience shooting in very dark lighting. I was really disappointed about it, but at the same time I was also just a tiny bit relieved. I was freaking out about the whole thing and really it just reminded me that I have to be able to say NO. I shouldn't have agreed to shoot something that completely intimidates me to begin with. So, lesson learned, from here on out STICK TO WHAT YOU KNOW. Oh and lesson #2, CHECK YOUR SCHEDULE.

Fortunately I am pretty stubborn and will shamelessly throw myself on the chopping block if I think someone will assist. So I took some advice from my uncle who I rave about constantly, and searched "Birth Photographer" in Google. Then I emailed every one on the list asking if any of them needed an assistant or second shooter. You can only learn so much in a classroom setting, and since I am taking my HCP workshops at my own pace (much dictated by my finances), it will be nice to have a mentor with whom I can learn and practice in between workshops. I have received a few responses with pieces of advice and things, but not until yesterday had I received any actual offers to assist someone. I got an offer to shadow a newborn session for someone and I am really, really hoping that their schedule works with mine. If not, I may just have to manipulate some things! *Crossing fingers big time*

On a different note, I was shopping for some letter blocks since the maternity shoot I'm doing this weekend could use them. I went into my local Once Upon a Child (a store I recommend to ANY child photographer or parent) and discovered that on top of the great range of bows, tutus, and headbands they carry, they are now also carrying baby/toddler sized neckties!!!! The cuteness just won't stop! So now I can not wait to purchase a few of those bad boys to add to my prop collection. And the best part is that while I was shopping there I thought to myself, you know it might not be a bad idea to ask if they'd let me leave some business cards by the register. I mean come on, I've spent hundreds of dollars in that store so, maybe? I'm also going to look into advertising at church nurseries and other places like that. I think I might even be close to a Gymboree.

Always Trying New Things!

So even though I have decided that I want my business to be limited to Maternity, Birth, and Newborn (with a possibility for infant milestones) I know that I am still getting the hang of things and the best way to hone your skills is to practice all the time. Does that mean I should only shoot what I am looking to sell? No way! How can I predict my camera's behavior in different situations if I haven't actually used it in different situations?

A coworker of mine is also a runner and he has a very early morning marathon this Sunday. He asked if I could come and try to get some shots of him during the marathon. Of course I told him I would absolutely love to! Of course after agreeing I started to think, oh goodness I have very little experience with sport photography. I don't know how to shoot in the dark! What if he just runs right past me and all I can catch is a blur?

Well the first thing I did to settle my fears was to ask a very good friend who I know has great strength shooting dim scenes to accompany me with his own gear. That way if I happen to just fail miserably, I know my friend will catch some great shots. He also is a great teacher and has been a huge help to me on past shoots. Now what I need to do is A LOT of reading about the art of catching dimly lit sports scenes. The next step will be to try and fit in some practice time before Sunday.

I am crossing my little fingers that I can apply the new things I have learned and come out with more images than I am expecting. I feel like I always go into shoots rushed and stressed and feeling completely unprepared. I know that most of that is me and I have to figure out a way to raise my confidence so that I can stop worrying and focus on the task!

Workshop Reflection....

I had my first workshop at the Houston Center for Photography on Monday night. It was such an enjoyable experience. There were only six people in attendance which left the instructor plenty of time to answer specific questions and target individual's frustrations. The workshop was called Out of the Box: Using Your Digital Camera and was almost like a zero level class. It isn't required for my program but I'm a firm believer in review and building a solid foundation of knowledge. I really loved the workshop because I was given tips and information that I had never heard before, even in my Photo I class at the community college. The instructor taught us how to read the information of the front of our lenses, which no one else has ever shown me. (I had no idea that my camera body will allow me to choose an aperture that my lens may not have the capabilities for... *So THAT'S why that sucker freezes on me!*) She also gave us some great tips about ISO settings, how motion can effect zoom, and went through the meanings of the modes on our camera dials. I realize that this is all really basic information, but I have never been given any of this and I already feel so much more prepared to go out and shoot. I can not be any more excited for this program! I know that it's not necessary to have a formal education to be a successful photographer, but I am just the type of person who learns best in a classroom and gains confidence in their skills in doing so.

Oh also, check out my friend from a recent Realty shoot that I had....