What I want my friends to know....

Also visit my Beyond the Photography by DonnaKay blog @ http://blog2.photographybydonnakay.com ... 

a way to get to know a little more about me personally...

                                                                                     

Don't you just hate those awkward moments when you run into someone at the grocery store and think "Oh, no... I just had the carpets cleaned and I forgot they have a carpet cleaning business and I didn't use them!  But I did have this coupon to another place and their price fit into the budget I had to get this done... I hope they don't know!"... and then you are either avoiding your friend or feeling very weird around them!  I know exactly how that feels, because that has been me before -- and no doubt sometime down the road it will be me again.  I am a Photographer.  I specialize in Lifestyle Photography, and do lots of newborns, babies, children, family sessions, portraits, etc.  But there are a few things I want my friends to know....

1. Never feel obligated to use me because we are friends.   I truly don't want someone to feel they have to avoid me because they used someone else to take their family portraits, or called another photographer to do their maternity session.   You get the idea, right?  Simply, we all have our own style, and photography is a LOT about style.  But a photo session and prints are also an investment.  It is not cheap to have a photography session done and then to purchase prints - so you need to feel the best about who you choose to do the job, to get the "look" you want from the session, and work in the price range you feel is best for your budget.   
2. I do offer a discount most of the time to my friends, but please remember this is still my business...  It is a lot of pressure on anyone when they do business with a friend.  My husband is a physician, and has some patients who are also friends.  Needless to say, there has been the occasion where someone thought because they were friends that they didn't have to worry about ever paying.  Thankfully this has not been the usual case, because it is a very awkward position for my husband!  But there are still insurance guidelines, staff and overhead to be paid, etc.  For me I am a sole proprietorship photography business.  And with that comes a lot of monthly bills from business insurance, website charges, dues, equipment payments, supplies, etc.  It does add up!  I LOVE what I do... being a photographer is like a dream come true (wait... it IS a dream come true!)  But part of that dream neglected to include how much it costs to run this business.  I love, love, LOVE to offer my friends a discount, but I still have to cover my costs.  Please love me anyway.... and also keep that in mind when I still have to charge you.  I will always try to throw in a little extra, take pictures of your kids here and there for fun and make sure you get them, etc.
3. I appreciate your support, love and encouragement.   As I've mentioned, starting my photography business is a dream come true.  And I've had so much support, love and encouragement from my friends.  YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO ME and I can't imagine being on this journey without you by my side.

 That being said, I do hope to be the photographer for many of my friends newborn children/grandchildren; I do hope one day to be the photographer for a friends grown child as they are marching down that aisle on that special Wedding Day...so on and so on.  But I don't want anyone to ever feel our friendship makes them indebted to use me.  I will be just as happy visiting that newborn child/grandchild... or sitting in the crowd at the wedding crying as they say their "I do's"..... Thank you for being my friend!