Besides being a big part of Utterly Engaged, Eva was still running Red Velvet Occasions at that time. I asked her where her studio was, and our conversation took a new direction. She said that her current lease was just about up, and that they were looking into different options. She mentioned the possibility in the near future of renting a location where other wedding vendors might be able to use the area, as well, and she asked if that was something that I might be interested in. Wow. Little did I know, her plans were already being set into motion. Since then, I’ve been following her tweets and reading her blog; and have been watching this idea progress from dream to reality in such a short time. And I am so very excited for her.

Introducing… the Wedding Pantry.

It’s the first-of-its kind store… in one word: INSPIRATIONAL. Located in Old Town Tustin, it fits right into the artsy atmosphere. And yet, from the moment you enter the store you are aware that this is something different. The decor is modern and streamlined, and yet the feel of the place is totally inviting. One-of-a-kind accessories and wedding-related items are displayed on tables and shelves, showcasing each individual vendor. Magazines are stacked at the rear of the store for people to flip through for ideas. And there are smaller shelves which hold business cards of various local wedding vendors. Everything within the walls of this place has a personal feel to it, putting a name behind it all.

The back area of the Wedding Pantry houses the “offices” of Utterly Engaged, and through another door is a meeting room which can be rented by wedding vendors for use as a client meeting space. I will be one of those vendors, and will be making the Wedding Pantry my official meeting place. THIS is why I have been so excited for the development & opening of this place.

Today was the grand opening of the Wedding Pantry. Let me show you around…

The view from the outside…

Their fabulous window display. (and by the way, this dress is for SALE, if anyone is interested…)

Scenes of the interior.

Their magazine collection, which will grow exponentially. If you have magazines lying around, bring them by every 1st Tuesday of the month to receive $5 store credit with every 10 magazines you bring in.

Food for the day’s celebrations was provided by Jay’s Catering.

But the awesome cake was made by a friend!

Here is just a sampling of the items you’ll find in the Wedding Pantry…

This is the room which will be used as the office of Utterly Engaged.

…and through this door lies the meeting room that you will be seeing soon (as a new client of mine)!

Please note that they are always looking for new talent and products to showcase in their store. Please contact Eva at the Wedding Pantry if you are interested. And I’ll see you there SOON!

I’ve never liked my own high school senior pictures. I forgot about having to take my yearbook photo till the last minute, and as a result, I was photographed with my face being completely sunburnt while wearing a shirt that I borrowed from my mom. yech. Then my mom decided to treat me to a “real” portrait session, and took me to the GlamourShots in the local mall… where my hair was fluffed & curled, and my makeup was done with such a heavy hand that I felt like my face would crack. For the finishing touch, I played dress-up with the random outfits they had on hand. Sweet, flowery hat? check. Tough, biker chick look? double check.

The pictures came back and my mom was thrilled. She couldn’t get over how “adorable” I looked. As for myself… I thought a few of the pictures looked okay, but none of them looked like ME.

So, flash forward to now… I want to help high school seniors so that they don’t repeat my own scenario.  I’m all about capturing the REAL YOU. No black backdrops or cheesy outfits. This is ALL YOU… showcasing who you really are at this very moment in your own lives.

And I’m looking for some volunteers to help me get started.

I will soon be entering the realm of High School Senior Portraits, and am looking for the help in spreading the word. What better place to start than with high school students, themselves? I’m currently looking to enroll a few students in my new Senior Street Team.

the Details:

You take your senior portraits with me. You spread the word by posting your images and slideshow on your social networking sites, and also by handing out referral cards to your friends. You earn a $25 gift card to your favorite place (iTunes, Starbucks, etc.) for each referral* that you send my way. For real. And yes, it’s just that simple.

Senior Street Team Members will receive:

• free senior portrait session ($99 value)
• 10% discount on all prints & products purchased
• 5 low-res digital files, for use on your social networking sites
• slideshow, for use on your social networking sites
• personalized referral cards to hand out to friends
• $25 gift card (iTunes, Starbucks, etc.) for each referral* you send to the Suitcase Studio

*a referral is counted as someone who books & completes a paid session with the Suitcase Studio and returns one of your referral cards to me. Note: a referral is not limited to someone who books a senior portrait session only; referrals could be sessions for seniors, family, maternity, wedding, etc.

Nitty-Gritty:

• you must be a current high school junior who will be graduating in the year 2011
• you must agree to exclusively promote the Suitcase Studio as the photographer of choice for senior portraits
• your senior portrait session must be completed no later than July 31
• senior portrait sessions last approximately one hour, and are held at the location of your choice. Time is allotted for one outfit change.
• your parent/guardian must be present at the client consultation, as their signature is required on the client contract.
• gift cards for referrals can be earned up until the day of your graduation!

Interested in Signing Up?

Contact me and let me know!  Send an email to michelle@theSuitcaseStudio.com, or simply visit my website (www.theSuitcaseStudio.com) and fill out the form on my “contact me” page.  Be sure to let me know what school you attend, as I’m taking a limited number of Senior Street Team Members per school.  I’ll get back to you ASAP, to schedule a client consultation for you to come in and meet me so we can get started.

I’m looking forward to meeting the REAL YOU!

And, you know what? I like you, too!

As my business relies almost completely on word-of-mouth advertising, I am incredibly thankful to those that have told their friends and family about the Suitcase Studio.  I now have a referral program in place to help say thank you for being a client of mine.

How it works:

Once you are a client (and your session & order is complete), you are automatically enrolled in this program. For every new client that notes you as their referral source, you will receive a $50.00 print certificate to use on your next order.  The print certificate will be mailed to you after they have completed their own photography session.

Check out the details below:

If you’ve been using that same boring profile pic for your Facebook or Twitter account, or even on your blog, it’s time for an update.

Express yourSELF!
Change that profile pic of yours and show the world who you really are.

In conjunction with the SPEAK UP! exhibit (at CSU Pomona from April 1-30), I am giving away a FREE “update-your-profile-pic party” to one lucky winner.

Here’s how it works:

• One lucky WINNER will host the party at their pad, where I show up with a background, lights, & props.
• The host can invite as many guests as they think I can take pics of in a 2-hour period.
• Some props will be provided, but guests should feel free to personalize the pictures even more & bring their own! (Or hosts can even designate a party THEME!)
• Within a couple of days after the party, I will post the party images to the Suitcase Studio’s Facebook page. Each guest will appear in a minimum of one photo, and that photo will be tagged with their name so it can easily be found.
• Guests can keep & use those images that I post.
• The host will receive a mini-book with all of the final images included.
• Additional images & products may also be purchased from my online gallery, which will be linked to my website after your party.

Nitty-Gritty Stuff:

• Open to local southern-California residents only (sorry… no long-distance traveling for this).
• Each guest must provide me with their email address & facebook profile name.
• Each person must sign a model release so that I am able to post their pictures up on Facebook.  They must also become a “fan” of the Suitcase Studio’s facebook page so that I can “tag” the photos appropriately.
• Please keep the props and images rated PG, as I run a family-friendly business. Any image deemed questionable will not be posted.
• For the safety of all guests involved, please do NOT bring your pets to be used as props.
• Images may not be modified in any way, and my logo must remain visible.

HOW TO ENTER TO WIN:

Go to your blog, Facebook account or Twitter account and post the following (exactly as shown below):

RT @suitcasestudio: WIN an “update-your-profile-pic party” with the Suitcase Studio. Go to www.SpeakUp.theSuitcaseStudio.com for details.

Please note: The link you post must be on a public account. I can’t verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts & they will not be eligible to win. You can enter up to three times total – one entry each per blog, Facebook and Twitter account. Post the URL to your link(s) in the comment section for THIS BLOG ENTRY. Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. PST on Friday, April 30. Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org when the contest has closed, and the winner will be contacted within 24 hours of contest’s end to claim their prize & set up the session.

Good luck everyone!

What happens in Vegas, doesn’t necessarily stay in Vegas… not when you’ve got thousands of photographers on site, ready to show their photographic proof of the events. But it’s all good…

WPPI stands for “Wedding and Portrait Photographers International,” and they certainly live up to their name. They hold an annual event in Las Vegas (which will be at the MGM Grand once again this year). There were well over 12,000 attendees at last year’s event. And there were over 365 exhibitors at their trade show.

I will be amongst the attendees again this year, and will be in Vegas from Sunday through Wednesday. And I won’t be alone, either… my sister-in-law, Maria, will be coming along for the ride. (You’ll get a full introduction to Maria soon enough, as she will be operating as my second shooter for various events.)

The WPPI event is awesome for many different reasons. It offers a chance to network with my peers and mentors. The tradeshow allows me to see all the various vendors and products at my disposal. And the seminars/classes give me the opportunity to learn new things and brush up on my skill set.

All of this just adds to the package deal of the Suitcase Studio.  I feel that it’s important to stay on top of things, be it trends in shooting techniques, software or simply being able to offer the best products for my clients. WPPI offers a great way to make myself into a better photographer and a better business woman.

I am leaving my laptop at home, so there won’t be any big posts here till my return. But if you would like to “join in” with our adventures along the way and get a sneak peek of some possible new products I might discover there, please follow me on my twitter account or facebook page, where I will be posting updates from my iPhone.

I am excited to announce my participation in this year’s Baby & Child Portrait Contest, hosted by Miller’s Professional Imaging.

Here’s how it works:

Schedule & complete a session with me before June 21, 2010.  This can be a newborn session, family session, child session, etc. (sorry… maternity sessions don’t count).  As long as you’ve got a kid involved who is 12 years old or younger, you are eligible to participate!  I pick the best image of your kiddo, and enter it into the contest (one image per child). That’s it. Simple, huh?

Prizes/How to WIN:

There are 4 categories:  humorous, color, black & white/sepia, and special needs. Each month the top 5 images in each category (as voted by Miller’s Imaging customers) will make it to the final round in July.  These images (20 in each category) will be  judged by a separate panel of esteemed photographers.  The 3rd place winners will win $750, 2nd place winners $1,000 and the first place winners in each category will win $2,000!!!  There will also be a GRAND PRIZE WINNER of the whole contest who will win $5,000 CASH!!!  (click here for official rules)

THE FAMILY OF THE WINNING CHILD’S PORTRAIT GET THE CASH PRIZE!!!

So… what are you waiting for???! Book your winning portrait session with me now!

It started with a quick glance at an e-newsletter from famed photographer Jasmine Star which was appropriately entitled “Sprout Your Wings.” Just a quick update from what she’s been up to lately, a note from her, and… oh yeah… notice that she’s holding another workshop in April. I didn’t even notice any of the other the other stuff in the newsletter. All I saw was the blurb about the workshop, and mention of the last one selling out in about an hour’s time. That’s all the nudge that I needed.

I had been on my way out the door (and had been viewing this all on my iPhone), but I quickly made a mad dash back to my computer and went straight to her site to officially register. She only takes 20 students in each workshop, so all of my fingers and toes were crossed in the hopes that I had made it on time. The registration process was easy enough, but I still had to hold my breath with anticipation, since I wouldn’t be “official” till I paid, received notice of my payment, and was given the “all-clear” that it had all gone down in time to be one of the first lucky 20. Whew!Having done all that I could, I headed out to grab some lunch. It was a nerve-wracking hour, as I checked my iphone for indications that the next steps could be taken… go here to make your payment, payment received, and then… (wait for it)… YES! YES! YES! I received THIS email:

AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

I am on cloud nine right now, dancing on my tippie-toes.