Trying to determine what my "fully booked" looks like as I navigate life with young children has been a yearly endeavour, and the number of weddings I take on is different every year. I chose to temporarily reduce my availability after my second daughter was born and for the past couple of years, my "fully booked" workload has been less than it was before. Saying 'no' to extra weddings has always been so tough, but I never regret being intentional about family time. That said, my littlest peanut is a bit older now, and this year I've decided to take on a handful more 2017 weddings. I'm offering a last minute booking deal on a very select few dates that I've kept open - spread the word if you have friends who have yet to book their 2017 photographer! xoxo
London Ontario Family Photographer | Raw Footage Photography Refugee Fundraiser Minis
I remember feeling so helpless last year as images and stories of refugees trying desperately to flee war torn countries flooded social media and the news. My heart broke and continues to break when I think of what that must be like, and beyond the heartbreak, there's a feeling of hopelessness that can sometimes creep in. Because I feel like I must do something. But really, what can I do? It turns out there's a lot we can do! If you're looking for ways to help ease the refugee crisis, there are so many amazing organizations you can donate to. I love Together Rising, and it's where my family contributed last year as well as recently to help those suffering in Aleppo right now. Preemptive Love, The White Helmets and Doctors Without Borders are other great organizations, among many (too many to name!) But back to these Minis. :) I've done food bank fundraisers through Raw Footage Photography in the past and wanted so badly to help refugees who were arriving in Canada with nothing. So I organized mini sessions and partnered with St Aidan's Anglican Church here in London to raise money to provide groceries for a newly arrived family they were sponsoring. 100% of the proceeds went to this very worthy cause, and the minis booked up. Which means that together, we got to create lasting memories AND meet real needs. Doing this has been one of the highlights of my career as a photographer so far, and it's definitely something I will be doing again and again.
Thank you to everyone who came out for these minis!! Here are a few favourites. :)
Announcing: "Do What You Love" Children's Minis!
Announcing the "Do What You Love" CHILDREN'S MINIS on the evening of Friday, September 13th and the morning of Saturday, September 14th.
-Each session will be unique as we capture what makes your child special and document them doing what they LOVE. No coaxing smiles and bribing them to sit in a pre-existing setup. When you look back on your child at this age, what stands out? Does your 15 month old love catching bubbles? Does your 2-year-old love to read in her special chair? Does your 4-year-old love to play dress-up? Does your 7-year-old love to paint? Does your 10-year-old love to kick a soccer ball? Does you 15-year-old love to strum on the guitar? Just bring their favourite things to our dreamy location in the golden glow of the morning/evening light!
-up to three siblings can use the same time slot together, as long as they are doing the same special activity and share the 10 photos.
-In addition to candids of your child doing what they love, you will also receive 1-2 classic close up portraits as part of your 10 photos.
-$50 deposit required within 24 hours to book your time slot (EMT, cash, cheque, credit)
Remaining times: -13th: 6:30pm, 7pm -14th: 8:30am
RAIN DATES: evening of Friday September 27th, morning of Saturday September 28th
sophie@rawfootagephotos.com to book! Please include your preferred time and a backup time that would also work for you. First come, first served!
**I will have quilts and an old wooden crate on hand. I can also provide a wooden easel if any budding artists would like to bring a blank canvas and paint/brushes to their mini! :)**
London Ontario Photographer | Announcing Customized Mobile Photo Apps!
I'm always a little late on the technology wave - I didn't get a cell phone until 2007 (gasp!), I still have no idea what blu-ray is (is that how you spell it?) and I figure by the time I actually get a tablet, they'll be so yesterday. But when it comes to you guys, my beloved clients, I do my best to stay on top of the trends despite my old-fashioned, minimalist nature. In an effort to get with the times and provide you with the very best service and products I can, I recently announced two very big changes on the old Facebook Page. As of July 1st, 2013, Raw Footage Photography will be ditching DVDs and introducing customized flash drives as part of all full packages and weddings. And as of this month, you get a complimentary, totally customized photo app for your Apple or Android device with all full portrait and wedding packages. I am so excited about this new product, because it allows you to take your photos with you everywhere.
Essentially, this is an app like any other app on your mobile device. It will contain photos from your session for you to view and share. You'll be able to share this app with family and friends too, so if Grandma wants an app on her phone or tablet that has your family photos at a tap of a finger, no problem. The complimentary app will contain a sneak peek sampling of images that you will receive before your package is ready. So you are basically getting a personalized preview that you can take everywhere (you know, so when your dentist asks how the kids are doing, you can just show him!). And if you're dying to have an app with all your photos, you can easily upgrade to a full gallery containing all of your portrait session photos (or up to 40 of your wedding photos). The app does not expire, it's yours to keep and share. Cool, right?
I randomly selected a lucky mama from the Mother's Day Mini clients to test out the app and give me some feedback. You can read Mallory's thoughts below and see a few screen shots from her personalized photo app. I hope you're excited about this new complimentary addition to your Raw Footage Photography packages - I know I am! :)
Mallory's Feedback:
Not only was I lucky enough to score a spot for Sophie's mother's day mini sessions...I also was picked to be the "guinea pig" for Raw Footage Photography's new app for viewing my beautiful session!!!! BONUS! I wasn't too sure how this app would work, but Sophie emailed me the link and I downloaded it right away (just couldn't wait any longer!) The instructions for download are super easy (I think even MY DAD could do it..and thats saying a lot hahaha) Within about 20 seconds, I could view all my pictures!! The best thing is that they are easy to access on my phone, so when I went to my friend's house I could easily show them off I am always eagerly waiting for a sneak peek from photo sessions so this little "extra" allows me to see my pictures as soon as possible, and who wouldn't want that?! Amazing, Sophie..I couldn't be happier!!
London Ontario Photographer | News - The London Family Lifestyle Show
Wow, I can't believe the Family Lifestyle Show is only 2 days away! This will be my first trade show, and I couldn't be more excited! If you come visit me at my booth, you can enter for your chance to win a FREE session. There are going to be plenty of amazing local vendors, and there is so much free entertainment for the children scheduled all throughout the day! Speaking of FREE - There is no admission cost, so bring the whole family!
I really hope to see you there. I just picked up the 6.5 ft banner and other goodies I had printed up and I am so excited to be publicly displaying my work for the very first time.
Where? Best Western Lamplighter Inn
When? Sunday April 14th - 10-4
More info? Click here. Or here.
See you there! :)
Mother's Day Minis
I have received so much demand for the Mother's Day Minis in the past few weeks, and it makes my heart happy that so many mamas are looking forward to this event again this year! While the location is yet to be confirmed, it will be a woodsy area with a simple but beautiful styled setup (think antique couch in the woods!), as well as lots of uncluttered rustic space for more natural photos if you prefer. Please see details in the flyer, as well as the fine print and time slots below. Be sure to book your spot soon, as there is limited availability! info@rawfootagephotos.com to book, or click here . FULLY BOOKED!
FINE PRINT:
- $70 + hst can be paid in cash, by cheque, email money transfer, paypal or by credit card (onsite).
- In case of rain or poor weather, rain date will be the next day, Sunday the 28th of April. In case of poor weather on Sunday, alternate rain date will be Saturday May 4th.
- Turnaround time is 1-2 weeks.
- Minis are for mother's and their children. Grandmothers, aunts, sisters and expectant mothers are welcomed! These minis cannot be used for a family, couple, newborn or individual portrait session.
- Participants will be required to sign the general services agreement, which covers release of liability, package and delivery details, terms of use and model release.
- Lemonade and cookies will be offered. These may contain allergens - please inquire.
- If you arrive late for your mini session, I will be happy to accommodate you, as long as we are within your allotted 15 minutes and not postponing the following session. Any lost time due to arriving late will not be made up, unless the time slot following yours is free.
- Session includes one dvd with 5 edited high resolution (printable) images.
- Time slots are scheduled according to the best lighting conditions.
AVAILABLE TIME SLOTS:
Saturday:
AM:
8:15 - BOOKED (C.R.)
8:30 - BOOKED (L.P.)
8:45 - BOOKED (J.T.)
9:00 - BOOKED (T.L.)
9:15 - BOOKED (V.G.)
9:30 - BOOKED (T.G.)
PM:
6:15 - BOOKED (M.M.K.)
6:30 - BOOKED (M.L.K.)
6:45 - BOOKED (L.P.)
7:00 - BOOKED (C.P.)
7:15 - BOOKED (E.H.)
7:30 - BOOKED (S.M.)
7:45 - BOOKED (S.M.)
Sunday:
PM:
6:15 - BOOKED (D.W.)
6:30 - BOOKED (K.W.)
6:45 - BOOKED (J.C.)
7:00 - BOOKED (G.D.)
7:15 - BOOKED (A.T.)
7:30 - BOOKED (M.L.)
7:45 - BOOKED (D.M)
London Ontario Photographer | Winter Wonderland Mini Sessions
I'm so happy to announce the first Raw Footage Photography Winter Wonderland Children's Mini Sessions (phew, that's a long title!). The Mother's Day minis were such a huge success last year, and while I definitely plan on doing them again, I thought it would be fun to break up the cold Winter months with another set of fun seasonal minis! Thanks to the amazing Found Decor Company, we'll have a beautiful vintage sled setup in a (hopefully) snowy field. Not to mention - hot cocoa with marshmallows for EVERYONE! If you love Winter photos but aren't ready to brave the cold long enough to book a family session, this is a quick, fun and affordable option for you! See the flyer and fine print below for details, as well as an updated list of available time slots. :)
Fine Print:
- Minis are for children only (0-12 yrs). Older children (under 18) may join only if they are accompanying younger siblings.
- Payment methods accepted: Cash, cheque or major credit cards
- In case of bad weather (ie: rain) or no snow, minis will be rescheduled to another Saturday. All clients will be notified of this via email.
- For sibling groups of more than 3 children, an additional charge of $10 per extra child applies.
- Location will be in North West London. Details to follow.
- Standard 2-3 week turnaround time applies.
London Ontario Photography | It's Better to Give!
Can you believe it's October already? I just love the changing seasons - especially Autumn - and nothing gets me excited like crisp fresh air, crunchy leaves, steaming beverages and wooly sweaters. Everything seems festive between October and December, and in honour of the changing seasons and the upcoming holidays, I have a special offer for you that I'm really excited about sharing! I'm so grateful to all of my amazing clients for allowing me to turn my passion for photography into a career. It's been a true honour to get to know all of you, and I look forward to what the next year has to offer! To thank you for your amazing support, I wanted to offer a discount in time for the holidays. Something substantial. Something that might make a photography session significantly more affordable at a time of year when there are often lots of expenses to think about. How does 40% off for all of November sound?
Here's the thing - The holidays can be extra hard for those in the community who are struggling to put food on the table. While I want to give back to my awesome clients (and potential clients!), I also want to give back to the community. This is where you come in. For every 2 non-perishable food items you bring with you to your session, I will give you a 10% discount, up to 40%. Simple. You get an amazing deal on photos to use for gifts, holiday cards, or just for fun. The local food bank gets a donation to help families in need this holiday season. Win-Win.
Here's the fine print:
- Discount applies to a regular 1 1/2 hour session worth $199 and can be used for individual, family, maternity, engagement* or children's portraits.
- A donation of 2 non-perishable food items = a 10% discount, bringing the session fee to $179.10
- A donation of 4 non-perishable food items = a 20% discount, bringing the session fee to $159.20
- A donation of 6 non-perishable food items = a 30% discount, bringing the session fee to $139.30
- A donation of 8 or more non-perishable food items = a 40% discount, bringing the session fee to $119.40
- Non-perishable food items must be brought to the session for the discount to apply to your session fee.
- Session must take place during the month of November.
- November special only applies to new, original bookings for the month of November (ie: not a rescheduled booking)
- Due to the holiday rush, an extra-quick turnaround time of 10 days is guaranteed, so that those wishing to use photos for holiday cards and gifts have time to do so.
- Bookings are available weekday early evenings/late afternoons and weekend mornings and early evenings/late afternoons ("golden hour" times vary a bit depending on the time of the months...).
- Sessions will be booked on a first come first served basis.
- Availability is limited. Once my November calendar is full, the special will not extend into December.
- Standard policies apply to the November special.
- A bulk donation will be made to the local food bank during the first week of December.
SO looking forward to a November full of GIVING.
Book today! Contact Form | Email | Call Sophie at 519.694.9446
*This special cannot be combined with the existing discount already applied to engagement sessions booked with a wedding.