My Favorite Things | Toss Designs + Caudalie

I revel in being organized, so when I stumbled upon Toss Designs last year, I nearly went weak in the knees. This make-up case that I picked up couldn't be more perfect. Its rectangular, boxy shape and magnetic barn doors that flop over one another as well as the handle on the side are ingenious. Not to mention the plastic coating makes it easy to keep clean. It even travels well. Next to that is another darling make-up case that my sister gave me for Christmas. What I love about this one is that she hand-made it herself. It fits all of my favorite Caudalie moisturizers and masks that I like to use. Unexpectedly, they both fit inside my bathroom drawer perfectly. And right about now my mom is having flashbacks to the movie Sleeping with the Enemy…

96 Years and Counting | Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Today, my grandma Palmina turns ninety-six years old. She's outlived my grandpa by thirty-three years. For that and many other reasons, she is an extraordinary woman overcoming hardships I can't bare to even imagine like her husband being MIA for seven years during WWII, raising a daughter alone until he finally reappeared, losing that daughter to a car accident six months after his return, moving from Sicily to America alone, enduring a long ship ride, waiting for her husband to join her many months later. And this was only the beginning. Life would continue to test her, but despite the numerous hardships she has faced, she powers on. Since she was very young, she labored on her family's 300 acre farm, washed clothes by hand, fired her shot gun at men she didn't want on her property, and married a man her parents didn't approve of. She is the strongest, most determined woman I know.

The hard thing about being her granddaughter though - was there were never any toys at her house to play with! My grandma Palmina believes that babies don't need much - some food and love, and they'll survive. So, instead of playing while at her house, I used to sit around the table with her and her friends while they played cards and drank coffee. Her idea of living and having fun is heading to the casino for a night at the slots and a feast at the buffet. She'll give me the same advice over and over again, "never let anybody step on top of your nose, a-mamma" or "you gotta use-a your brains-a-honey," she says as she puts her thick leather-like pointer finger to her head and waves it back and forth. Or my favorite mantra, "It's-a better to laugh than-a to cry."

And so, with that very brief summary of a very full life, I wish my grandmother a very happy birthday full of love and laughter. We have always said you'll make it to one hundred, grandma! Forza!!!

xo

Cyntia | Maternity Portraits | Palo Alto, CA

Glowing doesn't quite describe Cyntia when she's expecting. Beaming is more like it. Here she is just a few days after returning from her home country of Panama already madly in love with her soon to be third born. We kept things simple and danced around the light in her master bedroom. I think you'll agree, she's radiant. xo

Hair and Make Up by the talented Naima Morgan.

Featured | Heels and Bells

This beautiful pale pink Atelier Aimee dress that our lovely model, Ilaria Iacoviello, wore for our Italy Styled Shoot is featured, today, on the tre chic fashion blog Heels and Bells. A big thank you goes to Leonora in San Francisco, and Alessandra and Sara in Milan for your collaboration on this shoot and to Daniela of H&B for showcasing our photos. A complete vendor list may be found on our initial post. Grazie!

Vendor Spotlight | Little Miss Press + Verde Studio

If I could I would lay out every single piece of stationary that Bianca Moscorro of Little Miss Press has ever designed and plaster my walls with each and every work of art. Between her hand calligraphy, gold gilding and letter press, her work is simply stunning. Plus, I love how she incorporates the use of vintage stamps on her clients' envelopes which she sources through Verde Studio. If you're someone that is all about the details and finishing touches, then you are going to love browsing their sites. I just couldn't resist blogging about these two vendors today, because I think they are amazing resources to brides and party planners. Bianca collaborated with me on the Styled Italy Shoot that was recently published in Style Me Pretty. She blew me away with the gorgeous invitation she created, and we only communicated through several quick emails. Imagine that!?!? Really - that's either synergy or brilliance or both. I'll let you decide when you look through her work.

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Alessandro!

There a few things more endearing than stumbling upon my husband sitting on our bed in his navy blue Nike leisure suite, sewing his twenty year old favorite handkerchief that he wears every time he rides his motorcycle, perched next to our cat who is sleeping on a fresh pile of clean laundry. I am blessed to be his wife. Happy birthday, tesoro! May the years continue to be as sweet and peaceful and may we celebrate many more together! xo

Pricing

Their chatter and laughter could be heard from my kitchen window. As they came up the steps and into my home, I felt like old friends were coming by for a reunion. I saw their Facebook statuses regularly and would hit the like button countless times. But today, we would be coaching each other in person and meeting for the first time. We were geared up to talk about something that scares just about every budding, self-employed photographer: Pricing.

I'm going to give a recap of our afternoon together, but before I do I should tell you how we met. Each of us became a part of a Facebook Group page called theFixSF last year when Jasmine Star dazzled us with her bright lights in the San Francisco mission district and gave a talk about her struggles starting out and some tools she used to grow her business. One of her suggestions was to network with each other, bond, create a circle of fellow photographers. I believe the best thing one can ever do is FOLLOW the advice of those that have achieved a level of success that you admire. When someone has a little something that you want, do as they do or as they tell you to do if you're lucky enough to be the benefactor of her direct advice.

Fast forward and we have been networking and bonding via this group page for months. When the topic of pricing came up, I offered to host a casual get together and asked my friend, Heather Lussier, to talk to us about how she's been able to achieve financial success. Heather is a successful portrait photographer who specializes in pets. Her studio in Los Altos is full of cute, furry, charismatic dogs, and she's making a very good living doing what she loves. So, just how does she achieve that? Here's a brief recap of what we discussed:

1. It doesn't matter how you've landed here, you're here. So, be professional and start somewhere with a clean and simple price list that your clients can easily understand. Start with the biggest package at the top of your list and the smallest at the bottom. It's okay to put your starting rates on your website or blog, but never post your full price list, because if you do people will price shop. Instead, you want them to hire you for you.

2. Your price list will change and flux as your business grows. Monitor your income verses outcome and make alterations as necessary. Mint.com is a great and FREE tool.

3. Be sure you're considering all of the variables and non-variables. Non-variables may be things such as rent, insurance, phone bill, web hosting fees, etc. Variables may be lab orders, gas, packaging, time, equipment rental, and so on. Remember, your time must be part of the equation. If it's hard to put a dollar sign on your time, then imagine you had to hire someone to do that work for you and go from there.

4. Be confident in your price lists. Know them by heart so that when the phone rings, you're prepared to answer the inquiry without hesitation. Never apologize for your fees.

5. NEVER negotiate your fees and don't work for free. Not even for friends. Think of all the places where you spend your money: the hairdresser, the doctor, the nail salon, the mechanic. Do you haggle with them over pricing? Then why should anyone haggle with you? That said, if you feel the need to please your client, it's okay to wow them with bonus product.

6. If you're just starting out, create a "portfolio building" price list. Make it clear to whomever you're shooting that these are your rates now because you're new to the industry and building a body of work, but these prices will increase as your business grows. Remember, they are getting a great deal.

7. Are you nervous about raising your prices? Don't be. This is a great opportunity to communicate with your clients. Let them know your prices will be doubling this spring, so if you want the winter rate, book now and tell all your friends. As your rates increase, you may see some clients fall away. That's okay. New clients who fit your new market will appear, and then you get to refer your photo colleagues who are new to the field to those clients that have fallen out of your price range. It's a win win win.

8. Know your market. Know what your market is shopping for. At the same time, know what services you are stoked about offering. For example, one photog in the group lives in a rural area three hours north of San Francisco. She would only like to travel to the city three or four times a year for a wedding. That said, she needs one package on her price list that reflects what her time and services are worth for booking these weddings. And she has to feel confident telling her potential clients that she only books city weddings for her top collection.

9. It takes time to know and gauge how your business is profiting. Make it your business to monitor your sales. You can't reach goals that you don't set. Set sales goals. You'll be surprised what a difference you can make by letting the universe know what you need. Heather uses this technique for every sale and she regularly sells $1,200 to $12,000 in pet canvases.

10. This one idea alone is golden: In person viewing appointments. We were there for the portrait session, and we should be there for the viewing session. This concept works to the photographer's and client's benefit in several ways. A. Closes the sale efficiently. No more fourteen day, thirty day on-line gallery and extension after extension. Less questions and more answers responded to in real time. B. Quality control. It's difficult to say what kind of screen your client is viewing the image gallery from, but your computer is color calibrated. C. Visual, tactile reference to your product. I recently had a client who never imagined ordering a 16x20 print until she saw one on my wall. Once she saw it, not only did she order it, but once it was on the wall in her home, she ordered three more. That's how much she loved the results.  D. Improved customer service. Your clients feel cared for because you're spending time with them and walking them through the process. Especially if your client is overwhelmed/overjoyed by their pictures, it can be helpful to have a professional there to walk them through options on how to display and preserve their artwork.

I hope I've covered as much of the key points that we discussed as best as possible. If I've missed something, feel free to chime in, ladies! I have to say that much more than all of this, it was simply helpful to be in each other's company and encouraging one another. Until Heather sat me down during a lunch over a year ago, no one ever talked with me about pricing. It seemed taboo. On the contrary, it's business, and that's what we're in, so we might as well get comfortable with it and price ourselves according to industry standards. We can help each other and we can strengthen the field of portrait photography. Nothing but good can come from it.

I want to thank Heather and all the lovely ladies that came to my home. I am SO looking forward to what 2013 has in store for everyone.

xo

Raising Shane | The Power of a Promise

He needed to play video games the way you and I need to breath air. A day without contorting his thumbs and gripping the joystick was a long day sending him through withdrawal and fits of panic.

That was seven months ago. Today, he reads. Books that is. During winter break he actually finished four books. Two he started prior, two he began and completed during his time off from school. When Shane first arrived last July, we went over the house rules, expectations and consequences. Not one resembled his previous life. Not one felt comfortable or familiar. No rated M video games, daily chores, a set bed time, homework hours, keeping a clean and tidy room, washing his hands before meals, limited time on the computer and cell phone, just to name a few. He might as well have landed on Mars. He had so little structure where he used to live. Sometimes, I felt like I was taming a wild Mustang.

There's something to be said for patience, repetition, gentle reminders and the easiest of all, a simple promise. When Shane began reading his fourth book during the break, I offered to take him and a friend out for hot cocoa if he finished by the end of his vacation. That's all it took. Better yet, he finished ahead of schedule and even started on a fifth book!

Here's to all the moms and dads out there that work hard to raise your children. I just have to wonder if it's a lot more simple than we make it out to be. A little attention, some guidelines, and the power of a promise.

Disappointment

I've been thinking lately about disappointment. The more I reflect, the more grateful I am for this gift, because the process of growth is not fully possible until the spirit has something to work on or work through. 

Here are a few examples of things that didn't go according to "my" plan (yes, I can hear God laughing…) and how I worked through my own personal disappointment. My goal in writing this is to face fear dead on, look it in the eyes, and remind myself that I don't fall down easily. This way, I can look ahead to 2013, write down my future goals and dreams without hesitation or insecurity. Or maybe even that is too ambitious. Maybe I should say, I can look ahead to 2013, write down my future goals and dreams despite my hesitation and insecurity. 

Last week, I lost the opportunity to photograph a couple's spring 2013 wedding in Florence. They selected a local Florence photographer whose work is beautiful and half the price compared to my collections and travel fees. I may not have won the work, but I won the encouragement of a complete stranger. This is a recent email I received from the bride: "Thanks so much for your kind words!  Your photography business will do exceptionally well with your warm and personable personality! Happy New Year!" Plus, I learned a great deal. Most importantly, I realized I was wrong. My assets are not as valuable as I thought. 1. The American photo style vs the Italian photo style are vastly different. This is mainly true, but thanks to wonderful blogs like Style Me Pretty, the photo language that is so prevalent here is moving its way to Italy. It's hard to find, but it is being born. 2. I speak English and Italian. Well, so does the photographer they chose. So do many Italians. 3. I understand both the Italian and American cultures. Well, so does the other photographer. Her website and blog were completely geared towards the American looking to marry in her region. The question I need to ask myself is will photographing weddings in Italy be my goal for 2013 and 2014? If so, how will I set myself apart from photographers already located there? 

This summer, my 13 year old brother came to live with us. It's horrible for me to define this milestone in our lives as a disappointment, but let's face it. It wasn't something we planned to do this year. I had to completely recalibrate my thinking, my time management, my finances, everything. Becoming a parent of a teenager overnight is hard work, my friends! Not to mention, I had to iron out my feelings around my family spiritually, mentally and emotionally. Plus, it put a big strain on my marriage. And yet, once again, this unexpected obstacle gave us a slew of new spiritual tools to add to our tool belts. I learned how to let life be really ugly without having to fix it or manipulate it or force my ideas. I was able to honor my truth and completely let go. I've had to learn how to ask for help, how to stick to my boundaries, and create clear expectations. I've met amazing women and men through my brother's school and parenting workshops. My husband will say I'm a hopeless romantic and he'll huff and puff, but I stand by my feelings: my brother's arrival has given me far more than we are giving him. So then, how will I focus on growing my business and reach our financial goals while raising a child who will be attending college in four short years? 

Our dearest friends, Brenda and Luca, didn't book me to shoot their wedding in Umbria last fall. I've written this story already, but it's worth repeating. I was literally heart broken. Luca's aunt gifted him the photography and that was that. There was very little I could do. I couldn't bare coming home without gorgeous wedding images from Italy. Luckily, I belong to a fabulous group of women who call ourselves D.I.V.E., Donne Italiane che Vivono all'Estero. Low and behold, one of the women in the group coordinates destination weddings throughout Italy, and together we made this Italian bridal shoot happen which ultimately was published in Style Me Pretty - a total bonus. There were major challenges throughout the entire process, but it ultimately came together flawlessly, and I'm very proud of the work and hope to make more beautiful images like this in 2013. Where will I let this experience take me? Will I coordinate more styled shoots this year? If so, how many? How will I utilize these styled shoots to help me target my ideal clientele? 

These are just a few examples. Let's not talk about my hair that's  never cut or colored exactly how I would like or how trying to create a five year plan with my husband is like trying to heard a 100 cats into an ocean. If you've had disappointments that you've overcome this year, I would love to hear about them. How did you manage the feelings of disappointment? Where do you find hope? What did you do to turn your lemons into lemonade?