I’m so excited to be hosting a Senior Style Open House at the fabulous Ella Bleu boutique along with Amanda, the talented makeup artist behind Reflections DFW!

Calling all seniors and seniors-to-be! Attention Seniors and Seniors-to-Be!!!  Come browse the latest in spring and summer fashions, see an airbrush makeup demonstration and chat with makeup artist Amanda about what is IN this season, and meet ME, the artist behind DFW’s ultimate senior portrait experience!

Take advantage of DISCOUNTS and special offers when you shop or book only during this exclusive event:
***Ella Bleu will be offering 20% for all purchases made during the event (sale items excluded).
***2014 Seniors who book a session with Lindsay Horn Photography during the event will receive a $100 Print Credit towards their order!
***Reflections DFW is offering 10% off of all services booked during the event, including special event hair and makeup and group makeup instruction!

Also, enter your name for a chance to win fabulous PRIZES from each vendor:
***A killer “accessory collection” from Ella Bleu including a stylish leather tote, scarf, and earrings (valued at over $100!)
***A cosmetic bag full of Amanda’s “makeup artist must have’s” (over $100 in professional products!)
***A $200 Gift Certificate towards your session with Lindsay Horn Photography (will be credited towards your portrait order)

This is a great opportunity for 2013 seniors to pick up a new outfit for one of the many graduation parties you have coming up, and to bring some junior friends who may want to learn more about how they can have an amazing senior portrait experience. 2014 seniors will have the chance to read Lindsay’s exclusive 2014 Senior Magazine, check out product samples and see some of her work on display. Anyone and everyone is welcome, so bring your friends/mom/sister/whoever! What better way could there be to kick-off summer, can’t wait to see you there! 

Get more details and RSVP on our Facebook Event page here, and be sure to spread the word!

My poor neglected blog, I am so sorry that I have allowed you to fall by the wayside.  As it turns out, running a business with a 3-year old and a baby is not as easy as it appears (and it never appeared easy, at least to me), and I had to let a couple of things go in the meantime.  BUT, now that the fall season is ramping up in full force and my kiddos are back in preschool, and I am bringing this blog back to life!  I’m hoping to catch up on all of the fabulous faces I didn’t get a chance to blog from earlier in the year, as well as keeping you current on what I’m doing now.  I’ve got some very cool new features to share with you and some fun events and partnerships in the works too, so stay tuned!  And just so you can be sure that time spent away from blogging was time well spent, here are me and my girls from earlier this year … love them so much!  Photo by the extremely talented Erica May!

I absolutely love this post from Shannon, she details how to choose your outfits based on where you want to hang your images in your home — complete with visuals. And if you’re thinking, “Oh, great! Now I have to match my clothes AND my home decor?” Don’t sweat it. It’s easier than you think! And perhaps a great jumping-off point if you’re not sure where to start.

Here’s what she has to say:

When planning your shoot, whether you are the photographer or the client, you likely discuss the following: prices, products, location and wardrobe. Am I right? Shake your head yes, please.    Location and wardrobe are SO important to a photoshoot. They are both essentially what MAKES the shoot. I don’t care whether the location is a bedroom, the beach or a downtown area … I bet most clients have a specific “look” in mind when booking their session. But sometimes it’s difficult to actually coordinate all of that. Enter Wardrobe Wednesday.

3. Get those gorgeous photos ON YOUR WALLS! You’ve invested time and money in the photoshoot. What good is it doing you to keep them on a disc? 

My packaging has been a work in progress for almost two years now. When I decided to move towards a more boutique style packaging, I started using the brown boxes, tissue paper, and wraffia ribbon, with clear bags for my portraits. Then I added the ornate cut stickers, love those! While my clients loved the change and often refer to delivery day as “Christmas,” I knew I wasn’t quite done yet. I’m so excited to show off the last two elements of my branded packaging! Drum roll please ……..

TA DA! Custom branded reusable totes and client care cards!

All client orders will now be boxed and delivered in one of these lovely branded reusable totes! They turned out even better than I had hoped, and I just know all of my awesome clients will love showing off their LHP love at the grocery store or the park, or wherever they might come in handy. All orders will also now include a set of Client Care Cards. These cards contain a wealth of great information on how my clients can care for and protect their artwork so that it will look perfect for years to come. With these two additions to my packaging, I sincerely hope that my clients feel like they are getting that extra special attention that I so love to spoil them with. Just dying to get your hands on one of these bags?!? Contact me at lindsay@lindsayhorn.com and book your session today!

I am sooooo excited to introduce you to this beautiful new product, I only hope that my description and these images do it justice.  Luckily, if you are a client you will get to see and feel them firsthand, but this should help get you excited!    These amazing leather-bound session albums hold 20 5×7 images from your session bound in a soft leather with a photo cover.  They feel …. luxurious.  That’s the only way I can think of to describe it.  They come beautifully presented in a satin lined album box, and you can choose from three leathers: black, brown, and pearl.  These are the perfect option when you want to have many images from your session but the custom designed album is a stretch for your budget.  I can not wait to put these into my senior’s hands this spring, they really do make a lovely keepsake for your one-of-a-kind senior portraits!  As with any newly introduced product, it is available to past clients as well, so please contact me if you are interested. 

Last month, I had the wonderful opportunity to have my work featured over on the awesome new inspiration site TML:Focus, from the ladies of The Maternal Lens.  There are so many amazing photographers and sessions over there, you’d be crazy not to go check it out.  It’s a great place to get some inspiration, whether you are a photographer or a client with an upcoming session.  Thank you ladies for the wonderful opportunity, and thanks to Miss Charly for a killer senior session – “urban vogue” indeed! 

I am so incredibly honored to have one of my senior sessions (starring the beautiful Chandler) featured over on a great photography site, The Lens Loves.  It truly is humbling to have my work published among so many talented photographers.  Even better, the founder of the site, the supremely talented Drew of DrewB Photography, was one of the first photographers I came across whose work really inspired me.  So to be selected for a feature by her is really a dream come true!  Go check it out and make sure to browse the site, there is so much wonderful inspiration to be found.  You can also find Lindsay Horn Photography and LHP Seniors listed under their new nationwide Photographer’s Directory as well!   Thank you Drew and Krista for this great opportunity!

First, let me just say that I’m completely humbled and blown away by the amazingly kind and gracious things that were said in your reviews.  I’m not sure if it’s the pregnancy or just me, but reading them brought tears to my eyes.  After all of the time and energy spent planning your sessions, spending time with you, and staring at your beautiful faces for hours while I edit, it means so much to hear that the experience itself was as meaningful for you as it always is for me.  You guys are the greatest!    Just another fabulous reminder that I have the best job on the planet, and that I’m blessed to work with such wonderful people. 

So, now for the fun part!  We had 12 total participants, so I drew two names from a hat (literally!) where I had put in an entry for every review left on either site.  And the winners are ….

Shannon P. and Stacy S. ! 

I’ll be contacting you shortly so that you can redeem your free gift prints!  I want to again thank everyone who entered, and remind you that any referral you send my way earns you a $50 print credit as well, so keeping spreading the word!  If anyone out there reading is considering entrusting me with your families memories, I hope you’ll take a minute or two to check out these reviews, both on my Facebook Page and on Google. 

And in hopes that we have said “bye bye” to all of our cold winter days, I’ll leave you with a parting shot of everyone during the great Ice/Snow storm of 2011. 

Yes, I said birthday week!  That’s how we do things around here.   Okay, maybe not, but a girl can dream, right?  My birthday is on Tuesday, when I will officially be even later into my twenties (but still hanging on).  So, to celebrate my birthday week I wanted to have a little mutually beneficial giveaway for my past clients (wink, wink)!  There are two ways to enter:

1) Go to my Facebook Page and leave a review under my Reviews tab.  You can find the icon under my profile picture or just click here.

2) Go to my Google Business Listing and leave a review there.

Do one or do both to double your chances!  Chances for what you ask?  Every review posted by Friday night (the 4th) at midnight will be entered into a random drawing for a free gift print from your session (a $45 value)!  Even better, if I get more than 10 different clients to post reviews, I’ll pick TWO random winners!  I’ll announce the winner(s) on Saturday.  My clients always have such kind things to say to me about their images and their overall experience, I’m just hoping you will be willing to share that with others.   

Of course, I can’t leave you without a picture, so here is another one of my sweet Emory from her two-year session.  Love her!

I’m sure you’ve all been eagerly awaiting this follow up to my 2010 recap post, so I hope that the suspense hasn’t been too painful!   If you haven’t read that one yet, go ahead and take 2 minutes to get up to speed. 

Okay, ready?  Good!  I first and foremost want to address my scheduling situation.  I had already filled my schedule through May of 2011 (my clients are amazing!) before I knew I was pregnant, so I’ve already cut off my spring/summer season after that point.  I do have a lengthy waitlist for this spring, but I don’t expect any cancellations unfortunately.  I will be taking an extended maternity leave from June through the end of the year.  Yes, that is rather long, but little ones are only so little for such little time (follow me?), and I could honestly use the opportunity to work on some side projects and personal projects that have been brewing for quite awhile.  I plan on being back in business for the start of 2012!  Now, here’s where the crazy part comes in.  The large bulk of my Spring 2012 (yes, 2012) schedule is already booked thanks to some 2012 seniors (and parents) with serious foresight (again, you all blow me away!).  I do have a couple of spots left, and I will be keeping a cancellation list until contracts are sent out and deposits paid either over the summer or early fall.  Of course, I do have openings available for newborn sessions – it would be unfair to leave them out since they haven’t been conceived yet.

So, what does all of this mean for current and former clients?  I will have a firm order cut-off of June 4th for design and specialty products (cards, albums, storyboards, etc.) and June 11th for print orders.  I will NOT be taking orders, reorders or otherwise, after this point.  I need to make sure that I have everything wrapped up prior to our little one’s July arrival.  Please mark your calendars if you are hoping to place an order between now and then!

Okay, picture break!  Here’s my hubby and precious Emory (big-sis-to-be) over Thanksgiving:

Are you still with me?  Great!  I also wanted to make note of some things I’ve implemented this year to really enhance your client experience with Lindsay Horn Photography.  First and foremost, I’ve devised a questionnaire that I’m asking all of my clients to fill out and return before our pre-session consultation.  This allows me to get a feel for exactly what you are hoping to achieve with your portrait session, from the session itself to the end products that you will so proudly display.  They’ve been immensely helpful so far in achieving this goal!  Whenever possible, I’m also scheduling our pre-session consultation in person and at your home if that is something you are comfortable with.  I feel like meeting my clients face-to-face ahead of time makes the session go so much more smoothly.  The client gets the opportunity to get to know me a little and get a feel for my personality, and I get to do the same!  This helps put everyone at ease once the session day rolls around.  Meeting in your home is wonderful for a few reasons.  First, I love the chance to peek at wardrobe ideas and give some “live” advice and direction on the spot.  It’s also a great opportunity for me to look at wall space or other areas where you have hopes of displaying your portraits - I always come prepared with measuring tape in hand!  Lastly, I’m able to show you samples of every product that I offer as well as how and where you might use it in your home.  All of this information helps me to plan you session more efficiently. 

I’ve spent a significant amount of time creating a new set of client documents to help guide you through the entire process as well.  They include a complete Welcome Packet, a 2011 Product and Pricing Catalog (with pictures!), and a Client Ordering Planner which will help you determine your print and product needs and walk you through the ordering process.  Of course, I’m also available to help as well, but these fabulous tools go a long way towards making your experience all the more sreamlined and enjoyable.  And forget the Product Guide, I’ve added several new products to my offering for 2011 that you are going to FLIP over! 

As I mentioned in my previous post, I had some other big plans that had to be put off over the holidays, but I plan on working those up and having them ready to go for 2012.  These incude a nifty Wall Display Guide, a new organic line of products, gorgeous custom framing, and  few BIG ideas that I can’t share just quite yet.    Thank you as always for your continued support, and I hope you’ll stick around when things slow down the latter half of this year … I promise I’ll still have images to share – likely a bunch of these two and our newest addition!