September 2006 Archives
About 2 months ago now, I got an email from a bride that wanted to book my wedding services for November of 07. I had to refer her to another photographer because I was already booked for the date in question.
So I have found myself at a crossroads. How do I increase my business? I can hire more photographers to shoot more weddings, or I can introduce a second product line.
In less than one month now, Solaris will be offering it’s own unique line of family portraiture!
Here’s my problem: How do I sell myself as a creative and innovative source for family portraiture when I have no samples of family portraits to show you? Do I just ask you to trust me? I didn’t think so.
My wife Toni is absolutely right. When it comes to my photography, I’m a perfectionist. I have a clear vision in my mind of what I want my family portraits to look like, but I need sample portraits. She has been forwarding emails, and passing along verbal requests from members of North West Houston Mothers Of Multiples (NWHMOM) asking if and when I would do some family portraiture.
In an effort to design a new website for family portraiture, I recently had an exclusive drawing for a free session and portrait to the members of the NWHMOM in hopes of attracting volunteer families. We had a huge response!
The first 20 responses received the following.
• A free portrait session in our studio. ($150 value)
• One 24” wall portrait! ($450 value…that’s a BIG portrait)
• Your family portrait featured on the new Solaris Web Site.
• Selected images from your session will be made available in a private online gallery.
Within the first day we received over 40 replies! Beth, my production manager, suggested that we needed to offer something to the additional entries as well. The problem with that is, that giving away additional prints over the 20 that we had committed to already would exceed that budget that had set for this special. So, we decided that the next ten entries over the initial 20 would receive the following…
• A free portrait session in our studio. ($150 value)
• Our policy of a minimum purchase would be removed for these sessions.
• Your family portrait featured on the new Solaris Web Site.
• Selected images from your session will be made available in a private online gallery.
Additionally, we wanted to have a prize for four more entries:
• A free portrait session in our studio. ($150 value)
• Your family portrait featured on the new Solaris Web Site.
• Selected images from your session will be made available in a private online gallery.
AND HERE ARE OUR WINNERS!
The Top 20!
N. Terry
S. Baum
V. Worster
B. Myers
E. Young
S. Brown
M. Morgan
M. Strickland
B. Lewis
K. Marshall
M. Rigdon
L. Collins
L. Clement
D. Sherrill
L. Quinn
J. Spencer
C. Powell
M. Durrani
P. Vacek
A. Ison
K. Hearn
Here are the 10 runners up!
L. Sanders
L. Ranney
A. Bennett
D. Chapman
T. Plum
K. Nabors
H. Mitcham
Young
S. Troyer
K. Pavlesic
Our Final Four!
L. Yannessa
K. Minson
D. Long
K. Stachowiak
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting this big of a response, but I am very grateful!
Candor, truthfulness, openness, and honesty. This is where we are at currently.
1) Beth will be contacting all of the winners in an effort to schedule session times for each.
2) We are working on the logistics of being open late one night a week, as I shoot weddings during the weekend. This becomes increasingly difficult when trying to coordinate with Toni’s work schedule at Chili’s and picking up the kids from Day Care. You know how it is. Beth and I are thinking that Wednesdays would be best as her son does not have soccer that day.
3) I am expecting a hand painted background to arrive at the studio any day now. The background I have ordered is from the best background painter in the country. They are done by hand and are very expensive. We are going for a Jackson Pollock look. Once the background comes in, I will have to install it. This will take a day or two.
4) We expect to start shooting on 10/6.
Again, I want to say thank you for the huge response! Beth and I are very excited to be working with all of you very soon.
Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Wedding Photographer
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I had a great time Sunday at their wedding. Their wedding was held at The Courtyard on St James Place, and went off without a hitch. Hope was dropped off in a horse and carriage. Trumpets were sounding.
Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Wedding Photographer
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The more weddings I am asked to record, the more variety I see, and this weekend was no exception. In fact, the wedding had already taken place, and I was involved with photographing the reception only, so there will be no ceremony shots in this entry.
But what does make this a unique entry is that the husband was Hispanic and the wife Persian. The reception had both a mariachi band and a belly dancer.
Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Wedding Photographer
Want to receive notification of updates to my blog? Look to the right of this post and subscribe.
Hello all. I have been a bit slow in posting the past few days. My daughter, son, and wife are all sick so I am working overtime.
We just finished another fabulous wedding album design!
Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Wedding Photographer
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I decided to take Monday off with the rest of the country, and I needed it. But now it is time to continue on with my wedding album marathon! We are on day 5 of 10, and here is today’s wedding album.
Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Wedding Photographer
Want to receive notification of updates to my blog? Look to the right of this post and subscribe.
This story is a first for me....
Last Monday, we received a phone call from a gentlemen wanting us to photograph his proposal that was to take place on that Friday at one of Houston's finest restaurants, Mark's. After a few minutes on the phone, it was obvious that we would need to meet in order to go over all of the details.
Mr. Vickrey and I met last Wednesday. After our meeting we then took a short field trip to Mark’s so I could scope out the restaurant, which I really didn’t need to do because my wife and I go there every year for our anniversary. While there, we meet with the manager and told him of our plan, and he was more than accommodating.
Friday night came, and I arrived at the restaurant dressed as a waiter so I would blend in. While I have never seen a waiter carrying around a camera, I wanted to do everything that I could think of to blend in so I would not ruin the surprise.
As it turns out, it worked like a charm, and the evening went off without a hitch.
If you would like to see the entire proposal as a slide show, visit our web site and click on the link marked VIEW YOUR PORTRAIT and enter in the password vickrey.
Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Wedding Photographer
Want to receive notification of updates to my blog? Look to the right of this post and subscribe.
This is day 4 of my “wedding album a day” 10 day marathon! Enjoy.
Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Wedding Photographer
Want to receive notification of updates to my blog? Look to the right of this post and subscribe.
Let me start by saying that this post should be the first post for 9/1, but for some reason it has shown up as the second.
Today I am continuing my marathon of a wedding album a day for 10 days! This is day three. Yesterday I posted two albums, realizing that one of the albums was already on my site, so that was cheating on my part and I made up for it by posting a second album. Today’s post marks the third album and third day.
The Hart Wedding….
Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Wedding Photographer
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I just realized that the album I posted a few hours ago is already on my site as a sample album, so I tought I would post an additional album today. This album I was planning on posting tomorrow, but there is no time like the present.
A great wedding , and a fun reception. My parents actually got married in this church. Make sure to look at the cake! Each layer of the cake is placed at different angles giving it a very cool look.
Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Wedding Photographer
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