Diane Schuller, Your All Occasion Custom Photographer

Look at this darling red haired little boy I had the pleasure of photographing nearly two weeks ago. And here it is St. Patrick’s Day.  :)  Toddler R was so well behaved too. He was an incredibly engaging young fellow. If you met his lovely young parents you would understand why he is so well behaved. What a pleasure capturing him and his newborn brother. Did I say how much I love what I do?

I’m so far behind that I haven’t posted some of the beautiful client products for a while. Here is one more sample of the custom Christmas cards that recently arrived. The back of their card is all red but I didn’t think it was necessary to include a visual of that. I am so pleased with these and so are my happy clients, right L & M? with a wink.

I’m still anxiously awaiting the gorgeous 24×36 canvas of these two beautiful girls. I’ll make a point of taking pictures of the canvas when it arrives. I have two more sets of cards I haven’t posted yet. I’ll try and slip those in shortly.

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Diane is an on-location lifestyle photographer serving Grande Prairie and Edmonton, Alberta and uses natural light to illuminate her happy clients. Visit Diane Schuller Photography.

This is the coil bound brag book I offer clients. This one is a sample I use to take along on photo shoots so clients can see what they look like. As with everything from my new supplier, the quality is excellent. On the front I made a cover by using my standard marketing postcard. Over that is a clear acrylic cover to protect the first image.  The brag book can be bound either on the short side or the long side (as this one is).

The back of all the brag books come with a thick card stock in black. It can stand up plus withstand lots of carrying around and showing off whether carried in purses, briefcases, or just handed around to friends and family.

Each page is professional-grade photographic paper with a lustre finish. This sample is the 5×7 so the images will have either a black or white framing around them so the coil does not cut through the image itself. With the 4×6 brag book, there is no frame around the images so the coil does go through each image.

This is what each individual image looks like. I offer these brag books in a 20 image version, but extra images can be added for a small fee. I also offer a Mini Brag Book that holds 10 images yet also comes in the 4×6 or 5×7.

I find that most clients have a difficult time deciding which images they will narrow down to for ordering prints. This way a person can have multiple images in a real affordable presentation. They also make great gifts for family members including senior citizens — who love to show off photos of their family. Next year I plan to begin a program for high school seniors similar to what is done in the USA. In the US they call these teens, “seniors” but I’ll use a different term (just have to come up with something creative & appropriate) because here in Canada when we say seniors everyone automatically assumes our beloved golden agers. For the teens I will be providing each with one of these brag books from their session, as well as offering them prints. The uses are only limited by the imagination.

These brag books are for everyone who has had a photo session whether it’s a family, a couple, newborns, you and your pets, or a business. For any clients who placed orders during 2009, I still have the proofs archived so it’s not too late to order some for Christmas presents!

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Diane is a natural light, on-location lifestyle photographer serving Grande Prairie plus Edmonton and areas. Visit her newly revised website at Diane Schuller Photography.

Oh my gosh peoples — this has been my busiest week ever photographically speaking. And talk about a wide range of experiences. I can’t yet share many sneak peeks because I must, must, must finish editing one from last week first. It’s interesting sometimes the people I meet. I was exposed to some intriguing people and, if I was still active full time in freelance writing, oh goodness did I encounter stories this week. One of which I must keep quiet until the magazine is on the news stands, but at least I can share a photo or two (this is from the magazine shoot I did). Then it’s back to finishing an earlier photo shoot so one of my clients can finally see all their selected proofs. Oh gosh, I love what I do and do what I love. Tell me what you love to do!! I LOVE to meet people and capture their stories (Love it!).

This guy has a great vision! I could spend all kinds of time with this sustainably-minded family. What a great evening that was (above). {This one isn’t SOOC; I did a bit of a vintage treatment to it obviously.}

This 14 month old boy is already a savvy Saskatoon picker! No, he wasn’t one of the subjects of my photo shoot but I couldn’t resist quickly moving over and squatting to get a shot of him.

One day he’ll be able to pick n’ run like his older brothers!

Doesn’t her calf look like a buffalo calf? This family runs their cattle operation in a highly sustainable way, raising them and finishing them on lush (rotated) pastures rather than sending them to feedlots. This is just one aspect of their amazing life. I could write oodles about this family — not to mention everyone else I’ve had the pleasure to shoot. Did I mention I love what I do? Oh yea, I did already.

This is a long weekend here in Canada. My dear husband has headed out to Edmonton for the weekend (missing him already) though I have another photo shoot over the weekend. Have a truly enjoyable and fulfilling weekend everyone!

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Diane is a lifestyle photographer serving Grande Prairie and the entire Central/Northern Alberta regions. She loves to capture your stories whether they include people, pets, livestock, cars, hobbies, families, children, couples — oh heck — everyone!! Visit Diane Schuller photographs.

PS: Since I live so close to the Alberta – BC border, I also have happy clients who have had me come to photograph their horses and livestock in Dawson Creek, BC.

In Edmonton, I didn’t have to look far to locate a tree-climbing princess.

[caption id="attachment_903" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="tree climbing princess"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_907" align="aligncenter" width="598" caption="serendipity ... or could that have been a dream?"][/caption]

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Diane is an on-location lifestyle photographer based near Grande Prairie but serving all of Alberta. Visit Diane Schuller Photography.

PLEASE NOTE: This was the original reward program. It has now been updated so there is more fairness to both the referral and the person referring. This one is now discontinued for the “new and improved version”!

Announcing the launch of my Referral Reward Program

As you may or may not know, almost all of my marketing is done by word of mouth. To keep prices down for my clients, I seldom spend money on advertisements. Instead, I would rather reward my clients for spreading my name around.

Diane Schuller Photography referral program is my gift to you!  The greatest compliment is to see my clients again; just as much a compliment is a referral to friends, family, and co-workers.  Each time a new client books an appointment with your recommendation, it is accepted with my deepest appreciation so I’ll send a $25 gift card for you to enjoy during your next visit.  Gift cards are unlimited and transferrable; use them toward session fees, gifts for friends, and/or additional prints.

• Returning Clients Receive 25% off your portrait sessions.
• Your referral rewards will be credited after the person you referred has paid for and completed their session.

Book with a Friend and Save! (split the session fee). Plus receive a complimentary 5×7 each!!

Thank you for your support!

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Diane is an on-location lifestyle photographer capturing honest moments of you, your family, or your pets. Visit Diane Schuller Photography.

I’m finally re-doing my business cards to reflect more of the lifestyle and portrait photography that I’m doing. I’m also going to be producing a 5 x 7 postcard with multiple images on the face of the card. For now though I’m trying to narrow down suitable images to use for my new business cards. The portraits here are in contention because they will allow me to add my logo off to one side plus my website & contact information. (With the father/child image, if I use that one, I’ll be removing ‘dad’ from the image so I have a spot for the logo, etc.). For a tip on self-promotion for photographers, read on.

Now I have to narrow down to one so I can get busy and prepare the image and create the business card mock-up. With each of these I’ll be able to nicely add my logo (watermark won’t appear) with all the contact information. The alternative is to buy 2-sided business cards but I like having one-side business cards since often I can scribble some information for people on the reverse or even use it as an on-the-spot discount card.

SELF PROMOTION TIP:  I always, always have business cards with me. I have them in my purse; in my vehicle; in my camera bag; and in my laptop briefcase. Here’s a self promotion tip that I do all the time: as long as you always have business cards with you, hand them out like candy. Anytime someone asks for your name, or your phone number snap them a smile and a business card — and leave the business card there with them. Whether you’re at the dry cleaners (they always ask your phone number), creating an account somewhere, paying bills, at the dentist or the vet’s office, use those cards. For the immediate purpose, whether they wanted the correct spelling of your name, or need your phone number, they have it right there in print. They are much more apt to remember you as well. Since you’re leaving it with them, they’ll either hang on to it (and you’re likely going to be the first one they check on when they need a photographer) or they may even pass it on to someone else. Either way, it’s a win-win. A lot of people are so curious they’re also quite likely going to check out your website so, when they see your online portfolio, you’ve just made another great connection. Great tip, eh?

What tips do you have in using business cards for self promotion?

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Diane is an on-location lifestyle photographer serving Grande Prairie & Edmonton areas in Alberta. Visit Diane Schuller Photography.