The contest is live. Comment on this blog post. Pick your 3 favorite images from the site. Winner will be drawn May 1st. 

Thank you to all who entered the contest. You have been added to the mailing list to receive my monthly newsletters. You should see one in your inbox sometime next week. 

I have about 5 more minutes to wait until I have hot water again. Six gallons of hot water is ....... a challenge... awesome.... not fun. I did the breakfast dishes and am waiting to shower. Is it still called a shower if you only have 6 gallons of hot water? Maybe a standing spritz? I digress...

With my free time, I decided to draw a winner for my fall mini session. 

To make the process faster, I had the kids help and I took iphone photos. 

If you see a star by the name, it was an extra entry for referring somebody to my contest. Thanks for your help in building my business. Its going to help me get out of the RV park faster :) If you are new here, and wondering why I live in an RV, we are saving money to buy land and build a house. 

We put all the entires in the bowl

Had my assistants (dressed in their pj's) draw a winner

drum roll please....

Nicole Kuehlwein, you are the winner!! I won't make you a chicken dinner, you wouldn't want it. Remeber, I live in an RV! But, I will take your photos on Nov 2nd at 2:30 for free!! If you are unable to come at that time, feel free to give your session away. I will email you this week with all the details!! Welcome to the focal point photography family. 

p.s.- if you didn't win, but still want to book a session, HURRY. Fall is my busy season. 

4 years ... what? That is crazy.

Take a trip down memory lane with me...

{disclaimer... since I only keep client images on my hard drive for one year, some of these are taken off line and the quality shows}

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013 

(didn't want to use a family pose and spoil the Christmas cards/gifts... )

Wasn't that fun? 4 years. I love to get to know my clients and their kids. Makes pics easier on everyone. Its like I am part of the family. This last photo was taken last week, these kids were angels. No joke. Didn't even have to pull out my rubber chicken. Didn't have to sing or stand on my head or bark like a dog. Nope. Just pure fun. No tears. 

Ok, lets do another... are you with me? 

2010

2011

2012

Taking their pics this weekend for 2013. It should be epic. 

ok, last one...

2010

2011

2012

Didn't you love how each year they added another kid? So much fun!! 

2013

(just posting a kid photo to not spoil their Christmas cards/gifts)

I love to see these families grow. I love to see my business grow. Slow and steady. One of the things I have wanted to get started is a montly newlestter. I want to share ideas, tips, sessions, and promotions with you. So, now is the time. I am going big. Commiting to a a montly newsletter. I am really excited to get this off the ground. And, to kick it off, I am going to add a mini session giveway to the mix. So, lets talk shop. 

Mini session winner will be drawn on Oct 10th. The session is to take place on Sat Nov 2nd at 2:30 in Arlington. If you are the winner and you can't make the Nov 2nd date, the session can be given away to a friend or family member to use on Nov 2. Think Christmas gifts. Family loves photos. The prints from the Nov 2nd date will be back in time for the holidays. 

To enter you need to add your name to my mailing list. You will then receive my monthly newsletter. It will be fun. Not just spam. So, comment below on the blog that you want to be added to the maling list. Leave your email address. Easy, right? Share this with your friends. Post it on your wall. Have your friends leave a comment on the blog post. Have them tell me who sent them, and leave their email address to be added to the maliing list. Each friend that lists your name gives you another chance to win. Make sense? No comments on Facebook will be counted. The entires (name with email address and person who sent you, unless it was yourself) must be posted here on the blog. Everyone is welcome to enter. Winner will be announced on Oct 10th. Ready... set... go!! 

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happy birthday focal point!! 

p.s.- if you don't know what a mini session is.. here (click on the word here) is a blog post to tell you all about it..

I had to recount... it was really close.... 

(there were about 10 entires on the original SHOW OFF blog post that I had to count as the link was funky, not the voters fault) 

Thank you to all who voted.... I want you to know that I would love to take your photos.... every single one of you... and because I appreciate your votes, I am offering you ALL a discount.

If you book a full session and are photographed between April 15-Aug 31 2013, I will give you $30 off your session fee. YIPEEEE. (when contacting me, make sure you tell me about this, so I can give you the magic code to use ) 

I wanted to run this contest to inspire and encourage you to use your photos. Since you showed me yours, I have decided to SHOW OFF some of my walls. This is a big deal since we just moved into our rental 4 months ago. We have done a lot of work, and are not done yet, but here is a glimpse of how we used our photos. 

This is our hall way. Its dark and cave like. I like big photos. And monograms. See that big empty wall at the end with the awesome 50's doorbell, I have big plans for that. I can't wait to show you. 

This is the kids play room (seahwaks theme) and I let them choose the images. Confession: it does drive me nuts that they are all so crazy with no theme. But, the kids love it. These are all mounted photos, they are amazing... especially for renters. I put them up with velcro. 

Much more my style... this is in our living room. Again, mountd prints. Brings me joy every day. Get photos up on your walls. Its easy. I will help you. (I did take photos of us making this wall and how we decided where to hang everythiing. I will be doing a blog post about it... someday :) 

This is my favorite mounted print. ITs large and in charge. 24x36. Good stuff. A house tour with before and after photos of the rental is coming... scouts honor!!

Oh wait, you want to know who won the contest... that's right....

Client #2 won the contest, by 3 votes. You remember, the one with the wall clock, hall collage, and the GIANT canvas. A girl after my own heart. LARGE photos. (I will get you your $50 visa card)

and, drum roll please.....

Sarah Gibbs... you are the winner of the free spring session. You are the twelth comment down. Nice to meet you! Email me at focalpp@gmail.com to find out about your free session on April 28th. (if you can't use it, feel free to pass it along to someone) 

Thanks for voting and reading the blog. Lots more to come. You can sign up on the right side of this blog to have the new blog posts emailed to you. Or, like me on facebook and I will post them there as well. (you can like me at the top right of the blog posts). 

Over and out

p.s.- don't forget that you can have $30 off your full session. BONUS

My clients are showing off their families!!

I want to inspire you to do something with your photos.

Its important.

Please don't let the images stay in your hard drive forever. They need to be displayed. Loud and proud. 

Stop putting it off. NOW IS THE TIME. 

Good thing about photos, you can change them out, and give the old ones to grandma. They will be new to her :)

10 of my clients have entered the SHOW OFF contest. If you are wondering what that is, scroll down and read the blog post below this one to catch up. 

They want to earn the most votes. 

Whats in it for them? 

A $50 visa card

What's in it for you? 

A free session. Yes, FREE. I am running a spring special. I have saved one appointment for a voter. After the contest closes, I will use a random number generator and one of the votes will win. More details at end of the post. 

Without further adieu, 

#1- a great Chrismtas card and wall collage at her office. images from fall mini 2012 

#2- a large (30x40 canvas) over her fireplace, amazing photo hall, and photo wall clock. images from family session 2011 and twin boys senior pics 2012. (very few images in clock and hall wall are not focal point photography, but most are. just wanted to be up front about that) 

#3 a 24x36 mounted print in her bedroom. you know I LOVE large prints. image from fall mini 2011

#4 mounted pics on shelves and wall. good use of different sizes of images. images from fall mini 2012, newborn pics, family session 2011

#5 wedding and engagement images. lots of great mounted prints. images from spring engagement and summer wedding session 2012

#6 mounted prints and a framed one in the easel (even her flowers coordinate, sheesh :) images from spring 2012

#7 classic and timeless entry. images from family session late summer 2012

#8 framed pics- wall hung and shelf display. images from fall mini 2012

#9 custom iphone case (they made it for grandma for Christmas- love this creative idea). images from family session 2011

#10- a gorgeous Christmas card. love the monogram too. images from fall mini 2012

Here they are, the 2013 show off entires. Now its time to cast your vote.

To vote, please comment on this blog post.

Enter the number of the entry you like the best.

Only one vote per person. (it will ask for your name and email address when voting, so this is how I will contact you if you are chosen to win the free session). If you have entered the contest, you can still vote.

The entry with the most votes on Wed night April 10th will win the $50 visa card. A random number will be chosen and that comment will win the free session. Session is on April 28th. It may be transferred to another person if you are unable to come that day.

Votes on facebook will not be counted, they must be on this blog post

GO VOTE!!