Every Friday I’ll be posting an image from a past session.  I won’t be revealing names or notifying you that your image was featured.  These posts will be clearly marked with Friday Flashbacks in the title so as not to confuse them with regular blog postings.  So if you see yourself in the Friday Flashback feature shoot me a quick email and you’ll earn a complimentary 8×10 of the image as well as a gift certificate for $50 that you can use towards a future session.  You can even pass your gift certificate on to a friend (but remember I shoot primarily older kiddos, tweens, teens, seniors and young adults).  Once you spot your image, you have until the following Friday at midnight to notify me and qualify.  Friday Flashback features will be posted both here on the blog and on the Marla Laramie Photography Facebook page.  Click the LIKE button on the page to make sure you get the Facebook page feed automatically.

So what happens if I don’t post a Friday Flashback?  The first person to email me and (nicely!) remind me I’ve forgotten, earns a $50 gift certificate good towards a session.  Sorry but this one can’t be passed on to a friend, and is only good for 30 days.  Also you can only earn this gift certificate once in 2010.

Now for a few rules.  You can only redeem one certificate per session.  You have one year from the time the Friday Flashback feature appears on the Blog to use it, and it can only be used for a session with kids ages 7 to young adult (with the exception being a past client).  Certificates have no cash value and may not be traded or sold.

How can you not love those beautiful brown eyes?!

So how do you vote?
View the 2011 Senior Spokesmodels below (each image is numbered) and choose your favorite.  You can leave me a comment (with the image number) in the comments section here on the blog, or you can email me your vote (info@marlalaramie.com), or you can vote by leaving a comment on the group shot on my Facebook page. I’ve included a link back to each girl’s blog feature so you can find out more about them if you missed it originally.

When do you vote?
Starting NOW, voting ends at MIDNIGHT on FRIDAY, August 8th.

Who can vote?
Anyone!

Restrictions?
Just play fair, please (Golden Rule and all that).  Its up to my personal discretion if I think someone isn’t playing fair in soliciting votes.

Remember the Spokesmodel who receives the most votes will win a special prize (its a secret!).  And as an added incentive to vote, I will randomly draw one voter’s name for a Starbucks gift card.

Kyla (view her feature)

Jasmin (view her feature)

Ashley (view her feature)

Tori (view her feature)

Kimberly (view her feature)

Valerie (view her feature)

Faith (view her feature)

Hannah (view her feature)

Jessica (view her feature)

Kei (view her feature)

Remember, there will be a different 2011 Spokesmodel featured each day.  After all 10 girls are featured, I’ll announce the contest and voting details here on the blog, on MONDAY.  The spokesmodel who receives the most votes will win a special prize (its a secret!).  And as an added incentive to vote, I will randomly draw one voter’s name for a Starbucks gift card.

Next up is Jessica, a 2011 Senior from Bob Jones High School.  If you know Jessica and would like to schedule a session, be sure to ask her for a card with a special offer.  Don’t forget to mention her name when you schedule your session!

I  asked each Spokesmodel to tell me which was their favorite image from their spring mini session, and why.  And I did a little Q&A with each girl to get to know a little more about all of them.  Read on to learn more about Jessica  …

Q:  Which is your favorite image from your spring mini session, and why?
Jessica: I like the background and angle.

How did you hear about Marla Laramie Photography, and what made you want to be a spokesmodel?
I was just looking around the Internet and found your site. I wanted to be a spokesmodel, not only because of the cool stuff that came with it, but because the way you described how you wanted your spokesmodel to be, I thought I’d be a great fit.

List 3 random songs on your ipod play list:
Your love is my drug, California gurls, Airplanes.

My ideal way to spend a free day is:
Just be outside all day from sitting next to the pool, reading a book and drinking a slushie, to jet-skiing and tubing all day at the lake

After graduation I can’t wait to:
Finally be able to say I’m out of high school!

My dream car would be:
SUV type Lexus!

If I had 24 hours to live I would:
spend it with the ones I love

Last movie you just had to see on opening day:

Celebrity crush:
Liam Hemsworth or Cristiano Ronaldo. It’s a tie.

Three things you could never live without:
Cell phone, camera, makeup

Three things that annoy you without fail:
The sound of things being rubbed together, smacking of food or gum, and my brother.

Where do you want to go to college and what will your major be?
not sure what college I want to go to yet, but I plan to claim a double major in Nursing and Art.

If you had an extra $10K to spend where would you go and what would you buy?
I’d probably go to All of Europe and South America and Australia. I’d probably take a road trip and buy stuff from cute little boutiques and antique stores.

Three random things people might not know about you:
I’m adopted by my aunt and uncle, I have one kidney because one didn’t work when I was born, and I crave sushi/Chinese food a lot.

Describe one or two images that jump out at you as being favorites from the marlalaramie.com site or Facebook:

I love this one: Quay, because I love the scenery and I like props.

Ashley & Faith: because I love that type of editing on pictures.

In the meantime, I wanted to fill you in on a brand-new feature coming up called Friday Flashbacks!  Every Friday I’ll be posting an image from a past session.  I won’t be revealing names or notifying you that your image was featured.  So if you see yourself in the Friday Flashback shoot me a quick email and you’ll earn a complimentary 8×10 of the image as well as a gift certificate for $50 that you can use towards a future session.  You can even pass your gift certificate on to a friend (but remember I shoot primarily older kiddos, tweens, teens, seniors and young adults).  Once you spot your image, you have until the following Friday to notify me and qualify.  Friday Flashback features will be posted both here on the blog and on the Marla Laramie Photography Facebook page.  Click the LIKE button on the page to make sure you get the Facebook page feed automatically.

So what happens if I don’t post a Friday Flashback?  The first person to email me and (nicely!) remind me I’ve forgotten, earns a $50 gift certificate good towards a session.  Sorry but this one can’t be passed on to a friend, and is only good for 30 days.  Also you can only earn this gift certificate once in 2010.

Now for a few rules.  You can only redeem one certificate per session.  You have one year from the time the Friday Flashback feature appears on the Blog to use it, and it can only be used for a session with kids ages 7 to young adult (with the exception being a past client).  Certificates have no cash value and may not be traded or sold.

Friday Flashbacks start THIS Friday, 7/23 so be sure to check the Blog!! 

And because I hate to leave you without an image to enjoy, here’s one of my two sweet girlies.

Next up is Tori, a 2011 Senior from Bob Jones High School.  If you know Tori and would like to schedule a session, be sure to ask her for a card with a special offer.  Don’t forget to mention her name when you schedule your session!

I  asked each Spokesmodel to tell me which was their favorite image from their spring mini session, and why.  And I did a little Q&A with each girl to get to know a little more about all of them.  Read on to learn more about Tori  …

Q:  Which is your favorite image from your spring mini session, and why?
Tori: The one where Jess and I are back to back! The alley view is awesome and we both look good!
(Tori is on the right, Jess is on the left)

How did you hear about Marla Laramie Photography, and what made you want to be a spokesmodel?
From a friend, Jessica Salinas. And I wanted to be a spokesmodel for two reasons 1.) I genuinely loved the previous photographs posted on the web pages and wanted to be a part of something not so “cookie cutter” that you may find with other Photography companies. 2.) The free minibook! I love free extras!

List 3 random songs on your ipod play list:
Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles
Mr. Tamborine Man – Bob Dylan
Better Together – Jack Johnson

My ideal way to spend a free day is:
Exercising! Hiking, jogging, playing soccer (ha!) I also enjoy reading, watching a good movie, being around friends and family, etc.

After graduation I can’t wait to:
Start my life from a more independent perspective and enjoy the time I have with friends and family.

My dream car would be:
2010 Mercedes-Benz G550 SUV

If I had 24 hours to live I would:
Eat everything!! I’m kidding, but I would eat a lot. I’d probably give everything I have to charity then spend time with family.

Last movie you just had to see on opening day:
Dear John

Celebrity crush:
Paul Walker…. Good Lord he is FINE!

Three things you could never live without:
1. My Family/Friends
2. Soccer
3. Nutella!

Three things that annoy you without fail:
1. Not making eye contact when being spoken to
2. Disrespect to adults
3. Complaining

Where do you want to go to college and what will your major be?:
I’m still deciding, but somewhere in the south, and I will major in Business.

If you had an extra $10K to spend where would you go and what would you buy?
I’d go back to Europe. And buy myself an Oxford husband. No I’m kidding, I would by clothes. And lets give 1/4 to parents and 1/4 to charity.

Three random things people might not know about you:
1. I don’t drink soda. Never have never will.
2. I have Photic sneeze reflex
3. I went to a Dixie Chicks concert in the 4th grade?

Describe one or two images that jump out at you as being favorites from the marlalaramie.com site or Facebook:
From the “Uptown Girls” file, the image with the girl in the red dress kinda holding on the the wrought iron fence.

Starting next week I’ll be featuring each of my 2011 Senior Spokesmodels. Look for their favorite mini session images, some fun facts about each of them, and a contest at the end. Each day I’ll feature a different spokesmodel. At the end I’ll be opening up a contest where you can vote for your favorite. The one with the most votes will get a surprise gift. And because I’m a big fan of bribery, I’ll do a random drawing from voters for a $5 Starbucks gift card. Stay tuned for all of the details starting on Monday, 7/5.

I’ve been meaning to put together an online client site for some time, and while I still have more I want to do (a what-to-wear guide, session tips, etc), its mostly finished. This will allow you to book your session, fill out all of your client forms, and pay your session fee all in once place. You can find the link at the top of the blog. Under news, click on client information site and enter the password get_info to get started. I hope this will streamline the process and make it easier to get your session scheduled. To celebrate I’m feeling pretty generous so I’ve decided to do a ONE-DAY SALE on session fees. If you use the form on Wednesday, 7/7 to book a session (I will follow up with a call to work out the session date with you) you’ll receive 50% off the session fee (a $75 savings). Already booked or completed your 2011 senior session? No worries, I’m not leaving you out … you’ll get a little surprise gift with your order.

I’ve been tossing around lots of new ideas for this summer, and I’d love to get your input on some of them. I’ve been considering adding one day per month of mini sessions. These would be 30 minutes sessions : one outfit, one location, one person per session, with approximately 10 images to choose from. If there is enough interest I’ll start offering these on a limited basis. Email me your thoughts (marla@marlalaramie.com)!

Speaking of mini sessions, would you like to have a session with your very best friends, get super-cool images, and a memory to last forever? Each mini session is a set fee of $350, to be split between each friend (up to six). It includes a 5×7 and a photo strip (see below) of 5 images for each friend.. Additional prints/products can be added on separately. And here’s the good news … this isn’t limited to seniors! Yep, these mini sessions are for ages 8-18. Only a limited number of these sessions will be available and locations will vary.  Email me (marla@marlalaramie.com) for more details.

Rachel contacted me way back in August about scheduling a senior session.  She was waiting to get her braces off in the spring.  After a number of talks and emails trying to decide on the *perfect* locations for her session, we had it all ironed out.  We planned on mixing up with some downtown urban shots and some shots in an overgrown field.  We almost had to reschedule due to the weather, but as luck would have it the storms mostly missed us and we were able too proceed as scheduled.  Everything went according to plan and we hurried to a local overgrown field to finish the session before the last bit of daylight was gone.

As soon as I saw Rachel’s deep purple prom dress, I knew it would really pop against the drab, dead brush and the overgrown, green weed and trees.  We mostly were shooting on the flattened-down dry brush area and had been there about 15 minutes or so.  We were almost finished when we decided to move to the edge of the area, but still on the flattened-down part.  Rachel was twirling in her dress for some shots, lost her balance and fell.  None of us expected there to be a snake!!  Rachel was bit on the leg and had to leave immediately for the ER.  Luckily her mom was along and stayed calm.  I stayed behind to take a photograph of the snake (to assist the doctors in identifying the snake bite).  The snake turned out to be a poisonous Copperhead!  The doctors were able to quickly administer a dose of anti-venom and kept Rachel overnight for observation.  I’m relieved to report that she is doing well and no permanent damage was done.  Through the whole thing Rachel has held on to a positive attitude and her sense of humor.

I can’t even begin to describe how horrified I was by this whole event!  I’m terrified of snakes and don’t go near these fields during the hot summer months.  None of us expected to find a snake in this location (next to a busy highway and a small strip mall) this time of year.  The main reason I wanted to share this story is to warn everyone to be aware that you CAN stumble on a snake this time of year, in a populated and busy area.

And now for Rachel’s sneak peek (already on Facebook), which she was has already informed me that she LOVES.   And I’m adding one extra image because she deserves it. 

I’ve been hard at work on a new website, completely overhauled, updated, reworked, and refreshed.  Its *almost* done, just putting some finishing touches on it, then I’ll unveil it in the coming weeks.  And when I do, expect some kind of giveaway  just for the heck of it (I’m not above bribery).  Oh and good news if you’re on a slower internet connection, the new site will have a mirror HTML site for you, too.  And as if that isn’t enough … an super-cool new iphone version is coming too.

I’ve made a couple of small changes to my product offerings this year, so be sure to check back for some product shots of my new, fabulous, and ever-so-modern session album.  I am seriously in *love* with it and I know you will be too.

Also, 2010 Senior clients … be watching your inbox for something extra special and ultra-top-secret.

Oh and 2011 Seniors … I’ve still got a few openings left for Senior Models.  Don’t wait too long to apply, I’ll be closing applications next month.

Here’s a little sneak-peek screen cap of the new website … enjoy! 

Also, a few reminders about ongoing promotions …

• 2010 seniors who still need to book a session, receive $25 off your session fee now through 3/31/10.
• 2011 seniors, get a jump on scheduling your session, receive $50 off your session fee, now through 3/31/10.  Session dates eligible are May – November 2010.
• Personalized Graduation cards: Buy 2 boxes, get the 3rd box free (25 cards/envelopes per box), now through 2/28/10

I’d like to thank everyone who participated and voted in the recent blog contest!  It was a huge success and a lot of fun.  Stay tuned for another (smaller) contest soon, where everyone is eligible to win.

And the winner of the blog contest for the 16×20 gallery wrapped canvas is … #20.  Congratulations to Kolton and his family!!  I’ll be in touch soon to work out the details.

What’s in it for you, you ask?

• spring mini session
• mini proof book
• personalized biz cards
• fall session
• $25 print credit per referral
• 3 pics for Facebook
• compete for cool prizes

All.  FREE.  Yep, that’s right.  FREE.

What’s the catch?  Well, you have to do a little work.  You have to show off your gorgeous pictures, hand out your personalized cards, and coerce encourage your friends and classmates to book their senior session with Marla Laramie Photography.  Yep.  That’s it.

What kind of senior makes a great senior model?  I’m looking for 2011 seniors who are enthusiastic, fun, energetic, motivated, outgoing, social, and involved.

Interested?  APPLY HERE (parent permission required).  Deadline to apply is April 30th.

Download the Senior Model info sheet.

****Reminder***** Tomorrow is the last day to get your vote in for the contest!  Also, one vote per person please.  Duplicate votes will not be counted.

Winter Happenings

I had such a hard time narrowing these down!!  I had so many images that I loved for 2009.  I hope you love them as much as I do.

Ok, so here’s the deal.  Wanna win the 16×20 canvas?  All you have to do is receive the most votes for your image.  So what are the rules?  You can email friends/family and ask them to vote.  You can ask your Facebook friends.  You can call/text your friends and ask them to vote.  That’s it.  You can’t ask for votes on forums and such.  Play fair, k?

Here’s how to vote:   leave a comment with your favorite image number here on this blog post, via email (info@marlalaramie.com), on my Facebook page, or tweet @marlalaramie.  The contest ends next Tuesday, February 9th at midnight, CST.  One vote per person only, please!

Now go out and solicit those votes. 

To view the images, click on the first thumbnail to bring up the gallery.

Are you a Bob Jones senior who hasn’t had your senior pictures done yet?  Be sure to ask Erica for a card with a special offer!

Doesn’t she have the most stunning eyes and gorgeous smile?!

To get things started I’m kicking it off with a new contest to get us ready for Thanksgiving.  This has been such an incredible year for my business, it has grown by leaps and bounds.  I feel very blessed to have met so many wonderful people.  I’ve also been very blessed personally with an amazing husband and two beautiful daughters that I am thankful for almost every day. 

Ok.  So.  Seniors (Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors are eligible, too!), here are the contest details.  Get your camera out and take a picture (nothing fancy, just a snapshot) of someone or something you are thankful for. You can also use a photo you’ve already taken if you’d like. Either way, email it to me at marla@marlalaramie.com by November 21st.  I’ll post the best ones on FB to be voted on. The winner gets a $25 gift card to Monaco Theaters at Bridge Street!!

One more for Emily L. and her slideshow.   Enjoy!