Yep, it is that time of year again!  Time to start booking senior sessions:) 

It is a little bit scary for me to think about how many years ago I was a senior in high school. But it was definitely my most memorable and favorite of all my high school years! 

The Senior Rep Program is designed for high school students just wrapping up their junior year. Class of 2012. If you fall into this category, then you do not want to miss out on this opportunity!  And if you do not qualify, but know someone who does than by all means….pass along the info:) Here is a brief overview of how the program works..

Senior Representative Responsibilities.

• Personality. You must have one:) Reps should be confident, naturally outgoing and have a positive attitude.
• Pose. By May 10, 2011, you will participate in your first of two senior portrat sessions.
• Promote. Using your naturally outgoing and friendly personality, you will share your senior portrait experience and suggest WhitakerImagery to other members of the Class of 2012.

Senior Representative Benefits.

• Each senior rep receives two free on-location portrait sessions ($200 value). The first must be scheduled before May 10, 2011.
• You will receive a CD containing low-resolution files from your first session. These images should be used on social networking sites such as Facebook in order to aid in getting referrals.
• You will receive 100 referral cards featuring images from your promo session.  These cards should be distributed to your friends as you promote WhitakerImagery. Each referral who presents this card will receive a $15 discount off their session fee.
• For every referral, the senior rep will receive $5 CASH! (10 referrals = $50)
• 10 referrals or more and you will receive a FREE 11 x 14 print of your choice form any of your sessions.

Terms and Conditions

All photo sessions must be completed in the spring of the student’s junior year (no later than May 10th). Parents or legal guardians of the Senior Rep must sign a model release, allowing usage of the images for future advertising purposes. A valid referral card must be presented be a referred client in order to receive incentives and will only be issued when a referred senior session is complete and paid in full. One male and one female rep per highschool will be chosen.

Enthusiasm and Excitement are Important!

A key part to the success of a Senior Rep’s promotional effort relies on the ability to reach out and spread the word about WhitakerImagery utilizing their natural and friendly enthusiasm. As a rep, you aren’t asked to sell anything, you only need to show off your images using the promotional materials provided and share information about your photography experience.

Sounds Great! Sign Me Up!

In order to be selected as a senior rep, you must first complete and submit a simple application by either clicking here or on the link at the top of the page. The deadline for application submission is April 15, 2011 and selected reps will be announced here on the blog on April 16, 2011.

I finally got to meet and photograph Miss Baylee last weekend!  Her mommy’s maternity session was only 7 days before her due date, but she decided to come a week late anyway. And on top of that, she’s pretty high maintenance and Mommy and Daddy have nicknamed her The Dragon since when she is not sleeping (which is most of the time), she is a pretty cranky little girl! 

So, in hopes of her crankiness wearing off, Sarah waited a couple weeks before scheduling Baylee’s session. No matter how much crankiness still existed at three weeks, I was determined to capture some great shots for Mommy and Daddy. So let’s meet miss Baylee…

She is two parts princess, one part rock n’ roll….

…she has the bestest big sister in the whole wide world…

…and she has everyone wrapped around her little finger…er, toes?

As much as I love me a sleeping newborn, Miss Baylee had other ideas and really did not want to miss a thing.

Of course, just as I had packed up almost all of my gear, the little dragon finally fell asleep. There were a few shots I knew Sarah really wanted, so I quickly unpacked a few pieces of equipment and grabbed a few of those sleepy shots…since sleep is a hot commodity in Baylee’s world.

Sarah, Mike and Charlee….congratulations on your newest addition. She is so beautiful and precious…and I promise the crankiness will not last forever!  Miss Baylee Dragon, welcome to the world.  You already have an amazing family!

This session was a new adventure both for me and Sarah. Sarah is the sister of my great friend Rebecca and a very talented little lady. I first met her cyberly through Facebook:) when she won a free session through a contest I was offering on my page. (And if there were ever such thing as a world record for entering contests, that title would go to Sarah. Hands down.) The first time I met Sarah in person though, was this past fall when I photographed her extended family. This is when I learned another great thing about Sarah…she is one of the most generous people I will ever meet AND she loves to give surprises! My surprise for that session was the cutest little handmade giraffe hat and a blanket created to look like a mini field of grass. Maybe you’ve seen it before? Here? or here?

Anyway, Sarah makes some of the cutest things I have ever seen and features them in her Etsy shop Sarahsewta. (Her brother-in-law calls her Sarah-sews-stuff…which I think is equally as charming, but then he is rather silly). She also has a facebook page for all of her treasures, so if you aren’t a fan yet …Do it. Go ahead. I’ll wait. Just click here.

Other than that stinkin’ cute giraffe, my first experience with Sarahsewta items was Christmas, when her sister gifted my two youngest with “Doctor” Jojos. I am sure everyone has a cousin or an aunt who makes rice bags, but these…these are different. These are magic. The adorable characters are made from the softest minky fleece ever and Rebecca asked Sarah to design ours so that the rice bag is removable so I can easily slip an ice pack in if ever the need arises. 

When I say magic I mean it. The instant one of my kids gets a boo-boo, the crying and the tears explode. But the second I suggest we get the “Doctor” Jojo, the crying stops, the tears fall silently. Magic. Jojo can fix anything!

Whether you are feeling a little sad………….or a little shy…………..

a little angry….or you just really want something to squeeze….

A JoJo is the perfect thing to magically return you to your old happy and playful self.

Now Sarah already has some great product shots in her Etsy shop, but she adores children more than almost anything in the world and wanted images that showed how versatile her products are. This was perfect for me, since we all know that kids aren’t something we are short on in this house;)

Sarah also just released some JoJo bunnies in perfect time for Easter, so there was no way we could leave those out of the session. And after watching her big brother for awhile, Miss Isa was ready for her debut.

P.S. Check out her dress. Yup Sarah made that too! Oh, and Colby’s t-shirt with permanent tie…all Sarah’s creation (he’s worn it to school at least five times since the shoot)

Now another one of Sarahsewta’s newer items are JoJo washcloths. Check out her shop for plain product shots, but for anyone who has already purchased these and decided they are too pretty to use…USE THEM! Too often we buy things and don’t use them just because they are pretty. What’s the point then? Colby and Isa beg for these washcloths at bathtime. AND our house is doomed with the worst hardwater, but after multiple uses and runs through the washing machine…I can attest to the fact that they certainly remain as soft as the first use!

Isabelle really hadn’t been feeling well for a few days before the shoot and was reluctant to do almost anything I asked of her, but agreed to try on one more dress Sarah made for her and snuggle with Sarah’s Light Pink Minky Bunny Lovie set complete with the cutest little Cupcake Clip by Ribbon Candy Hairbows.

The kids got to keep all the props, so if you see fairy dust kicking around my house it’s probably just from all the magic Jojos living here now. Oh, and of course there was something in it for me too…but I think I just might wait and share that in a Stuff I Love post;)

Alright, let’s get this blog back in action this week!  Also, let’s shake things up a bit and bring a video filled with the happiest little screams you have ever heard, thanks to the muscles of DH and “the blast off chair”

Who doesn’t love J’s perfect flight attire?

Happy Monday!