A New Look For A New Year!

Well, now that the new year is upon us, it is time for a whole new look for UpperCase Photography. I am so excited to debut the new website! It went "live" today so go and take a look when you get a chance. It is the same web address www.uppercasephotography.com or click here.

Now, the new website may not be viewable to everyone for the next 72 hours or so as the servers propagate (don't ask me what that means, I have no idea!). So if you get a "site under construction" message just try back again later. Also, the new website uses an Adobe Flash plugin, so if you don't have this on your computer click at the very bottom of the enter screen to download it for free. When you go to the address now you will see what is called a splash page first--from there you can click to enter the website or the blog. The new blog is still in the works, so if you click there it will send you right back here to this blog. Until I finish the new one that is!

There is lots to check out at the new site--a new logo, many images including "oldies but goodies" and many new ones. My portfolio is located in the galleries sections, where you can click on sections such as maternity/newborn, couples, etc. There is also a products section in the gallery showing photos of some of the products I offer in addition to prints. There is also a raves section where you can check out what clients are saying about UpperCase Photography. There is a password protected proofing section and the ability to shop online for prints. I will update you after you have a session on how all of that works (hint: you'll be able to use your credit card to pay--yipee!).

In the pricing section you will notice my new 2009 pricing. The most noticeable changes there include a change in the session fee. I will now charge $150 upfront but $100 will be applied to your print order. So the session fee does not really change, I am just guaranteed that each client will spend at least $100 from their session. The vast majority of you spend more than that. You will also notice a slight increase in prices. I have contemplated long and hard before raising the prices--even just a little bit--but it simply must be done. The business has grown (a wonderful thing!) and I am spending MUCH more time away from my family to manage everything. With my old pricing structure, once my costs and time were accounted for, I was making nothing at all. I LOVE, LOVE my job, but plain and simple, after more than two years of doing this I feel I am worth the new prices. :) Don't worry if you haven't taken a look yet, they are still VERY reasonable!

You will notice a few new products as well including a DVD slideshow with all of the images from you session set to music! I am also offereing yearly calendars and 12 month calendars that make great gifts. Here are a few sample pages from the 12 months calendars--aren't they gorgeous?! The will be printed as 5x7 prints and sold with a clear 5x7 frame that is used to display the appropriate month on your desk or shelf.






And to top off all the newness around here--I got a call today that my brand new Canon 5d Mark II is shipping out today. It should be in my hot little hands very soon and I am beyond excited!! That's an absolutely fabulous newly released camera for those of you wondering.

If you have a chance to check out the new website, I would love to know what you think! Happy New Year everyone!

Update

I received word this morning that sweet, little Emmy from the post below is currently in the ICU at Brenner's. She is struggling with a viral infection. Of course, with all she has been through, any health issues at all pose a huge challenge for her. Please keep little Emmy and her family in your prayers. Here are a couple more photos from her session.

A Miracle

Isn't it fitting that in the season of miracles, a tiny miracle came to visit my studio the day after Christmas. Meet Emmy, who is three months old in these photos. Yes, that's right--not three days or three weeks, but three months old. She was born three months early weighing 1 pound and 15 ounces. She is a little fighter and is at home now and doing well. For her three month session she was tipping the scale at around 5 pounds. It was an absolute pleasure to meet her and get to hold, cuddle, and feed her in addition to taking her portraits. She is on the baby plan so we will all get to watch her grow for her first year--lucky us!







She did grace us with her huge blue eyes for a few minutes!



I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! We had a great time with the girls. Just so you know, I take total snapshots at the holidays just like everyone else--nothing professional about them! Here are a few of our Christmas snapshots.

The girls got a new table and chairs for the playroom--one that will seat all of them at the same time!


Claire showing off some new dress up attire.


Grace showing off the Nintendo DS--her favorite gift by far!


Stella taking a first look at her ladybug wheely.


I did catch this one of Stella that I like. She was taking in all the excitement at my mom's on Christmas Eve.


Winston was just wondering what in the world was going on with all the stuff all over the place!


As for Tory and I, we have been rocking it out with Guitar Hero on the Wii--it is very addicting! Tory is practicing as I type this. He should be because I am currently better than him :)--Shhhh don't tell him I told you.

I have also been working on my new website. It will be ready to debut soon (that is if I can stop playing Guitar Hero long enough to finish it)! I also have several more newborns to share on the blog soon, so be on the lookout for more cuddly, sleepy goodness.

Happy Holidays!

From our "crazy crew" to yours: Have a very Merry Christmas!

Thanks for making 2008 a wonderful year. I hope to see you all in 2009!

Still Shooting...But Booking for 2009!

Only 9 days left until Christmas...and I am still shooting sessions! However, all of last week's sessions were aware that they would not be receiving prints in time for Christmas. :)

That didn't stop this family from showing up at the studio in their holiday best attire. I was just in love with their little outfits and hats! The main ingredients to great photos are a connection between the shooter and the subject (or between the subjects if there's more than one) and great lighting. However, careful attention to clothing can really take your portraits to the next level.

I thought the mom to these two cuties coordinated them really well to get the look she wanted. She brought an old wagon that was their dad's when he was a child. I went with a vintage/textured look to compliment the wagon for this shot. I love the way it turned out!


And of course, here are these two in full color as well. Sydney has the thickest, most beautiful hair--look at those braids!


And her brother, Oliver, has some fabulous cheeks. I had to restrain myself from pinching them. :)



And who doesn't love a good black and white:


2008 is complete--with the exception of several newborns who I just can't wait to meet! So I am now opening the calendar for January through June of 2009. Please email me if you would like to book a session! I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season and enjoying all the festivities--I know we are here at the Wagoner household.

Last Call for Christmas

An announcement for everyone--All orders that you would like back before Christmas MUST be placed by this Friday, December 12th at 5pm.

I guess there are perks and drawbacks to having a photographer in the family. The drawbacks--you are last on the "to do" list. I finally had an opportunity to photograph my nephew and niece for their Christmas portraits over the weekend. Little Kylie just smiled and smiled...either she really likes her Aunt Julie or she had some major gas. I'll go with the theory that she likes me! :)






Thanks to everyone who has made Christmas orders. It has been a pleasure creating portraits, gifts, and cards for you and your loved ones!

Turkey to Tinsel

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is behind us and Christmas is almost here?! I have been busy as a little elf working on holiday sessions and orders, but I just had to share a few of the photos from the past week.

After Thanksgiving dinner my mom and I headed down to the beach for a "girl's weekend" of sorts. We shopped the outlets starting at midnight (we're crazy I know!) and then later in the day on Black Friday we went down for a session with this wonderful extended family on the beach in Debordieu, SC.


Awesome curls backlit by the setting sun!


Doesn't he look like an angel?


The brothers three walking on the beach


Throwing cheese crackers to the birds


Who needs leftover turkey when there's a whole beach full of sand!




Then it was back home for a week of great studio sessions...it is too cold to be outside now! Bohdi is a bit older than I typically shoot newborn sessions, so his mom and I knew going in that it may be a challenge to get him to sleep. At first he graced us with his big beautiful eyes.


But after some patience, and my secret newborn session weapon, he slept peacefully for a bit! Shhhh--those of you that have had newborn sessions, don't tell my secret. :)



Apparently, I'm not such a great joke teller.


Later in the week, I had the pleasure of seeing Luke again for his sixth month session. Now here's a kid after my own heart--he has plenty of dimply rolls and a big gummy grin that he flashed at me nonstop!



With a bottom like Luke's, this shot was a must.



Classic baby:


And today, I had the pleasure of photographing my first set of twin boys. I have had lots of twin girls come for sessions, but never twin boys until today! Aren't they adorable?




Okay, apparently I have a thing for baby bottoms this week!


I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are getting into the holiday spirit. I can see the light at the end of the "holiday madness" tunnel so be looking for more new photos coming soon! For now, we are off to take all of the girls to Disney on Ice--wish us luck. :)

Giving Thanks

As Thanksgiving day approaches, I am deep in the midst of the holiday madness. But despite the craziness, there is so much to be thankful for. Personally, I am blessed with a wonderful, supportive husband and three adorable girls. I really couldn't ask for more! Professionally, I am grateful for a business that has grown beyond my dreams and connects me with such wonderful people. I am thankful for each client that I have photographed this year, helping you capture memories that you will treasure as times and seasons change. I look forward to a new and exciting year and hope to see all of you again and again!

There are so many sessions that I have not had a chance to share lately. So I am preparing a big share today! There are so many more I would like to show you, but time prevents me from sharing all of them. I'll keep the commentary short as well. Although there are many stories I could tell from these sessions, I know you all would like your photos so off to do more work is probably the better option!

On a side note, I will be out of town from Thursday through Sunday. After a Thanksgiving lunch with Tory's family, my mom, sister and myself are heading to the beach. We will shop 'till we drop and I will also be shooting a beach session that I have been looking forward to for a long while. If you contact me during this time, I'll respond next week when I return. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember to count your blessings!


A gorgeous baby plan baby, Roman celebrated his first birthday:




A lovely family in one of my last outdoor sessions of the year:





These two girls couldn't have been sweeter in the studio, making my job easier:





This stunning beauty came in with her parents for a maternity session, but one look at those curls and she wasn't leaving without a few portraits of her!:


I wish I could share all the photos from this downtown family session as I loved so many of them--a beautiful family inside and out:






It was Christmas times two when my favorite twin girls came in for their nine month session. I couldn't believe they were walking at nine months!:




Another sweet baby plan baby turned one! Madison has made the trip from Wilmington for all of her baby plan sessions and I am going to miss seeing her every three months!:



This big-eyed beauty wore us all out in the studio, but with help from her great big brother we were able to get some shots of them together. :)




Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!