Hi there!
Welcome to my blog. I love to share recent sessions and other information from time to time. Take your time to browse around. If you like what you see, I’d love to visit with you! You can contact me here through my website or via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Start Where You Are – San Antonio Family Photographer
Confession time. I don’t have the biggest, newest, fanciest camera. In my small (and growing) business, it hasn’t been in my budget yet. Believe me – I already know what I want! A beautiful Canon 5D MK III. Or MKIV. The latter is a total dream! Upgrading my camera body is hopefully a purchase I will make this next year, but until then, I will continue to use my trusty Canon 60D.
My Dream!
Start Where You Are, With What You Have
My point – start where you are, with what you have. A fancier, more expensive camera won’t miraculously make your photos better. YOU, learning how to better use your camera, WILL. Every DSLR has the same basic settings and functions. Whether you want to learn to shoot in full manual, or just understand all those strange photography terms – ISO, shutter speed, aperture, etc. – starting with the equipment you have now and practicing will yield improved results. Over the years, with training and practice, I’ve improved my skills and consistently deliver images and artwork that my clients love and cherish.
A photography teacher once reminded me that my best investments are education, lenses, and THEN a new camera body – in that order. I’ve tried to follow that rule as I’ve upgraded equipment over the years. Another secret – two of my most expensive lenses I bought USED! I did my research, found a reputable company, saved my money, and waited until what I wanted was in stock. They are two of my favorite lenses, and I paid about 60% of the retail price for each of them. As I shop this next year for my camera body upgrade, it very well may be pre-owned as well.
Education is Key
The best way to improve your photography is education and practice! The Web is a fabulous resource – You Tube tutorials, educational websites, Facebook groups – as well as local photography schools and college level classes. Learning the basics of ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed, and use of Light and camera modes will make your photography much better – even if you just want to take better pictures of your kids and family!
Are You Wanting To Learn More About Your Camera?
I would love to help you learn more about your camera and the basics of photography! What better way to learn than with a few girlfriends on a Saturday morning?? January 21 at 10 am, I will be hosting a photography basics class. We will discuss equipment, camera settings, lighting, and you will be hands-on with your own camera. You will go home with great information and a even few extra tip sheet freebies!
A Class Jam-Packed with Great Information!
Join Me January 21
I would love for you to come on January 21, and you can sign up here. The class is only $89 and space is limited, so sign up now!
Class Freebie Tip Sheets
Are you looking for a Senior or Family Photographer? I’d love to visit with you! Click here to contact me for a Session Consultation.
New Year, New Goals – San Antonio Family Photographer
New year goal setting is fairly new to me. For years, I made “resolutions”, but in the first weeks of a new year, they were long forgotten. More recently, I’ve learned that if I want to make real changes in my life – both personally and professionally, I need reachable goals. My 2017 goals focus on health and wellness, spirituality, family, and personal and professional growth.
Goals that work must be: Specific. Measurable. Yours. Time-sensitive. Written.
Many of my new goals are derived from last year’s goals – ones that I accomplished and want to take further, ones that I quite did not meet and need to still strive for. I spent this morning considering and writing down my personal and professional goals for the next year. I will keep them prominent in my office so that I can review them often. In the past I have found that maybe I didn’t reach my goal exactly as I had set out at the beginning and that’s OK. Being flexible is important.
One of my professional goals for this year is blogging. My goal is at least 1 blog post per week. With posts about sessions, news, and helpful tips, I plan to keep in touch regularly. I have several personal goals related to photography including completing album projects and do more shooting just for fun. Some of my goals might be hard to reach, and a couple, frankly, scare me. As one of my favorite business mentors, Christy Wright of Business Boutique says –
“Do it scared.”
What are your goals for 2017? Write them down, give them specificity and a timeline so that you can accomplish them! I’d love to hear what you have planned for 2017.
Cheers to a fabulous year!
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Thanksgiving Weekend Deals – San Antonio Family Photographer
Thanksgiving leftovers are now in the fridge, so now it’s time for that other holiday tradition – SHOPPING!!
My favorite way to shop on Thanksgiving weekend is in my pj’s and favorite slippers sitting on the couch and surfing on the internet. So in honor of this wonderful holiday weekend tradition, I have your Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday shopping all right here! I’ve got several ways for you save on your PCP sessions and services for 2017.
Do you have a camera that you only use the totally auto setting on? Do you want to learn more about your camera’s settings, how to use light, and just generally take better pictures of your kids and family? On Saturday, January 21, 2017, I will host a class where you can learn more about how to better use your camera. (12 slots available)
Regular Price: $99 per person
Sale price (11/25-11/28): $79
Click Here for Deal
2017 Session Prebook Deal
Are you planning for family portraits or senior portraits in 2017? Prebook your session by paying your Creative Fee (2016 rate) and use it for any session date in 2017. For Seniors, this will apply to both the Class of 2017 and 2018 for sessions done in 2017. The Creative Fees increase January 1st, so book this weekend!! Also, with the Prebook Deal, you will get a $75 print credit to use at your Reveal Night appointment. *Creative Fee does not include any prints or digital items.*
Deal Price: $125 families; $175 seniors (11/25/16-11/28/16)
To take advantage of one or more of these Weekend deals, please follow the links provided above. As always, I am ready to answer any questions, so contact me here.
If you’ve had a session with me this year, and are in need of additional prints or gifts, I am here for you! Gift certificates for sessions and products are also available!!
Enjoy your long weekend and happy shopping!!!
The Estes Family – San Antonio Family Photographer
The Estes Family – San Antonio Family Photographer
The Estes Family fall session was a special one for me! Not that all of my clients aren’t special to me as a San Antonio Photographer, but this one is just a little extra – special.
Last January, Michelle told her husband, Derek, the she wanted portraits for her 50th birthday. Because January generally stinks in San Antonio for portraits, she opted for a fall session at the JW Marriott. She and her family love their new portraits, and I’m glad because so did I! I will be delivering their new wall art in just a few days, and I cannot wait to see her beautiful new artwork hanging in her home.
Where it all began…
The Estes family was literally one of my first clients when I started my professional photography business several years ago (really, even before I had an official business!) (image below)
At that time, Luke and Morgan were early elementary age! They are the same ages as my two boys, so Michelle and I became fast friends when Luke and Hudson were in kindergarten – 11 YEARS AGO! How is that even possible?? I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to watch these two grow into the wonderful, accomplished young people they are today. Luke is now 16 and a high school junior and is one of the top cross country runners in our area. Morgan is 13 and an 8th grader – she’s killing it in volleyball and swimming!
Over the many years, Michelle and I have traveled, book club-ed, scrap-booked, swapped boys’ hand-me-downs, and volunteered countless hours together. Our husbands and children have fished and hunted together. Our families have shared holidays and watched football together. We’ve laughed, lamented about life, and cried together.
Michelle is a true force of nature. As a working mom who often has to travel, she is still at nearly all of her kid’s events, is an active volunteer in their schools, and still finds time to cook and run! She and Derek have built a beautiful life and family. I’m not sure when she sleeps, actually….
I look forward to many more adventures with you, my friend!
Happy Birthday, Michelle!
The Estes Family, 2007
If you would like to learn more about the Pagette Callender Photography experience, contact me here.
San Antonio Children’s Photographer – Turning 5
Turning 5
Turning 5 is a big deal. Turning 5 often means starting school and meeting new friends. It’s playing with your dolls, riding your bike, and running outside. It’s learning to read and write and do more things for yourself.
As a San Antonio Children’s Photographer, I love getting to watch my little clients grow and experience new things!
Emma turned 5 in August, and I had the pleasure of photographing her for her 5th birthday. We did her shoot on location in one of her favorite places – Devine Acres Farm. Emma played in the growing Christmas trees, on the dock and near the pond, on the swings and in the grass. She ran around in her adorable denim dress and pink cowboy boots and her mom and I chased her!
As a 5 year old, Emma loves Kindergarten, makeup, and her sweet mommy, Leigh Anne. I had the pleasure of photographing Emma and her mom last fall, and they are so sweet together! I am thankful for parents who entrust me with their children! Kids make my job so much fun. To be able to give my families special memories is very rewarding.
To finish up our session, Leigh Anne brought a few Christmas decorations and the perfect Christmas dress for Emma to wear. You have no choice when you’re at a Christmas Tree Farm, right??
Two sessions in one – BOOM!
Happy birthday, Emma! I hope being 5 is fabulous.
I would love to be your San Antonio Children’s photographer! If you would like to discuss booking a fall session, contact me, and we can make a plan! If you need family pictures this fall, I am booking through November 15 to ensure enough time for pre-Christmas turnaround, and I have just a few spots left. In addition to choosing beautiful wall art for your home, we can also design and order your Christmas cards at your reveal appointment. For more information about family and children sessions, click here.
San Antonio Family Photographer – Printing Pictures
San Antonio Family Photographer – Printing Pictures
Is printing pictures a thing of the past? I truly hope not! As a San Antonio Family Photographer, I LOVE living in this digital age. There are so many fabulous things to love: the speed of information, the connectivity, the technology. I could not live without my computer, internet connection, and most of all, my iPhone! If you are anything like me, you depend on all this to run you day to day life. My calendar, my email, my contacts are all on my phone. By far, the most important things to me on my phone are my photos. There are countless photos of my family and friends on that wonderful little device. I love having the ability to instantly have a picture of a special moment or event, text it to my hubby or parents, post it on my social media feeds, etc. You get the picture ;).
We enjoy having those images at our fingertips, on our computer and TV screens, on our social media pages. But how often are you PRINTING pictures? A recent study by PPA (Professional Photographers of America) found that 40% of consumers no longer print any photos, and 67% of people only have their images stored on computers or phones. (“A “Lost Generation?” “, November, 2015) Moreover,I would also venture to guess that most people aren’t backing up these computers and phones, thus gambling on the chance that all may be lost with a phone or hard drive crashing. Guilty? Most of us are.
We are quickly becoming a generation with very few tangible images of ourselves and our families. It’s less common to have albums of family Christmases, birthday parties, vacations, or even a collection of snapshots saved away in a box in our homes. This lack of non-digital image storage will be detrimental to having the ability to chronicle our family histories for the future. In the PPA article, Google VP & Internet Pioneer Vint Cerf has stated that “future generations will wonder about us, but will have great difficulty knowing us”. (“A “Lost Generation?” “, November, 2015)
Printing Pictures will preserve your visual history for future generations.
Here are a few of my favorite ways to tangibly preserve your images.
- PRINT YOUR PICTURES! Sounds easy, right? How many of us actually do it. First, do some research to determine your favorite commercial printer and print the best images of your birthday parties, Christmases, and even your precious everyday moments. There are great online services and most large cities have reputable companies that offer direct to consumer printing. I personally steer clear of “big box” and drug store printing services due to poor quality. Next, buy an archival quality album and slide in your pictures. If your pages have space for writing, make sure to chronicle the month and year taken, as well as names and ages of those in your pictures.
- Make a photo book. I know that photo book making can sound like a big task. Keep it focused and simple. There are many companies who make very easy online book building programs. These range widely in price and quality. One service I have used many times going back to my pre-photography business days is Shutterfly. They offer hardcover, printed cover, and paperback options in many sizes. The paper quality is nice and the binding lasts well. Shutterfly offers tons of gift item options. When my boys were little, I would do books as gifts for grandparents, which were always a hit! Some of my favorite book ideas include family vacations, birthday parties, school year books, and family annuals. As a recovering hardcore scrapbooker, I have found photo books to be the perfect alternative for me!
New England Family Vacation
Everyday Moments Book
Couples’ Vacation
- Display your photos. Devote areas in your home to showing off your images. This doesn’t have to mean just professional photos, but your snapshots, too. This summer we had family portraits made and I love having them on my living room wall!
16×20 Metal Print
- Back up your digital files!! Invest in cloud storage. Do this for your phone, your computer, and wherever you have your images stored. These services are only a few dollars per month and worth every bit! Additionally, you will be so glad you made the investment the next time your hard drive crashes or your phone dies!
How I can help you….
When you hire me as your professional family or senior photographer, you are making an investment in archival quality artwork for you and your family. After your session, you will have the opportunity to order professional print products at your personalized Reveal appointment. At your Reveal, you will touch and feel my sample products. In addition, you can place sample sizes of canvases and metal prints on your walls to determine the proper sizes to order. Whether you choose canvases, gorgeous albums, or prints, you can be sure that I have done my research and am using vendors who provide high quality, professional products that you will enjoy for many years.
Ready to book your session?
I would love to meet you and work with you and your family! Contact me today, so we can get you plugged into my fall calendar. In addition, if you book during September, you will also get 25 free holiday cards with your collection purchase! Click Here for details. So call me and let’s talk!
And let’s start printing pictures!
Reference:
A “Lost Generation?” National Survey Reveals That More Than 40% of Consumers No Longer Print Photos. (November 12, 2015). Retrieved from http://www.ppa.com/about/pressRelease.cfm?ItemNumber=8585
San Antonio Family Photographer – Free Fall Session Holiday Cards
San Antonio Family Photographer – Free Fall Session Holiday Cards
As a San Antonio Family Photographer, fall is busy here at Pagette Callender Photography! I KNOW that it is for you, too, which is why I am offering my Fall Sale. I am giving away 25 free Holiday Cards with each session!!
With all your upcoming events, holiday parties, and decorating, wouldn’t you appreciate having one less thing on your “To-Do” list this fall season?? Book your PCP session between today and September 15, and receive 25 Holiday Cards FREE with your Collection Purchase! Just leave to work to me.
Here are the deets:
Book you session between September 1 and September 15 and pay you Creative Fee to hold your preferred date and time. Have your session with me on or before November 19. We will have your reveal appointment two weeks after your session and along with choosing your beautiful wall art and images for your home, you can also choose your card design! When I deliver your lovely products, you will have your cards, too!
You will have many designs to choose from – 5×7 flat or folded cards on premium card stock or pearl finish paper, accordion cards that fit more images, and even beautiful foil-stamped options! In addition to choosing your cards, you will also have access to my collections during your Reveal Appointment. PCP Collections offer you great value and ultimate flexibility in choosing what images you love and what artwork you want to display in your home! Also, when you order one of my collections, you receive a discount on any additional a la carte items you choose.
I hope this sounds like a perfect solution to your holiday crunch-time stress! If you are interested in booking, contact me, and we can get you set up with a date and time for your session! Once your session is booked, I will send you a link to my Welcome Guide, filled with helpful information about PCP and what to expects from your session and Reveal Night experience!
San Antonio Senior Photographer – 2017 PCP Senior Model Team
San Antonio Senior Photographer – 2017 Senior Model Team
As a San Antonio Senior Photographer, this is my second year to have a Senior Model team. This year I selected 5 reps from local San Antonio Area high schools. I love getting to know them and learning about their interests! In June, we met for a group senior model shoot, and it was such a huge success! The girls all clicked and worked really well together; consequently we all had a great time! Although it was a very hot and humid summer evening downtown, the girls were great sports and handled the heat with class!
In July, after I had all the images edited, I invited all the girls and moms to a “Reveal Night” party where everyone had a chance to view all their images. The girls enjoyed getting to see the culmination of their hard work in the slideshow. In addition, each of them got their very own “app” with their pictures to share with their friends and families.
This year, my Senior Model Team members are Jamie – Devine HS, Maddie, Natalia HS, Katie – NESA at Lee HS, Sarah – Alamo Heights HS, and Sarah – MacArthur HS. They are involved in countless school activities including cheer, golf, theater, and dance. Later this fall each of the models will have their individual session with me. I am looking forward to getting to work one-on-one with each them! If this model shoot is indication, I know they will all ROCK their sessions!
PCP Senior Experience
Pagette Callender Photography is a full service photography boutique that strives to provide you with a start to finish experience. Therefore, I will be available to you from the scheduling and planning of your senior session to the night you see your images for the first time. It is my goal to make sure that you are taken care of throughout the entire process. Approximately two weeks after we have your session we will have your “Reveal Night” where I will come to your home and show you your images for the first time.
During your reveal we will look through all your images, and you’ll have access to my collections which will only be available on your Reveal Night. Additionally, I will bring a few product samples for you to see and touch so that you can get an idea of what will work best for you and your family. Also, I can help you with sizing and placement of artwork in your home.
Interested in representing Pagette Callender Photography?
There are some definite perks to being a PCP Senior Model. Reps participate in a complimentary group session. They also get discounts on their individual session fee and product order. Most importantly, they also get free stuff! Reps get a product credit or a gift card for every referral that has his or her senior session with me! The person who has been referred also benefits with a credit off of their product purchase as well.
To find out more about PCP Senior Sessions, click here. If you are are Junior this year and want to learn more about becoming a PCP Senior Model, contact me!
Being a San Antonio Senior Photographer is so much fun for me and is incredibly fulfilling! I would love to hear from you so we can plan your senior session!.
To find out more about PCP Senior Sessions, click here. If you are are Junior this year and want to learn more about becoming a PCP Senior Model, contact me!
