Looking forward

Things are going wonderful!! I have just reserved my space at the Bridal Expo on May 16th, 2010 in Wheeling, IL. This is going to be fantastic!! Over 350 registered brides perusing through the Expo in search of a vendor that will match their needs and budget! I can hardly wait to get in there and start booking some weddings!!!!! My husband has been very supportive of my new direction in the photography business. It's time to re-vamp my website, purchase some new equipment, accessories and build a beautiful portfolio! Tell all your friends!!!!

On-line Gallery

I have added a great new feature to my business. An online gallery for customers to quickly view and place orders from their photo shoots! I'm really excited about this and hope that my customers will be too!! www.szphotography.lifepics.com

Let's do this!

Alright, I'm going to take the plunge! I'm super excited and cannot wait to get going with this......I'm going to start wedding photography! I've got my first wedding booked for August 2010, and I can hardly wait. The feeling is inexplicable, I just WANT so badly to capture those special moments on the most important day of their lives! Lately, it's been quite the obsession! At any rate, take a look at my website for more photos in my gallery as well as more information on wedding packages.

Collection A - $695, includes pre-ceremony, ceremony & formal poses at ceremony location. Also high resolution DVD of all images and an engagement shoot.

Collection B - $1295, includes pre-ceremony through to wedding party photos at an alternate location. Also includes an album containing 4x6 prints, high resolution DVD of all images and an engagement shoot.

Collection C - $1695, includes pre-ceremony through to reception coverage. Also includes an album containing 4x6 prints, high resolution DVD of all images and an engagement shoot.

Premium Collection - $2995, includes salon appointments through to reception coverage, DVD of all images, engagement shoot, as well as a 10x10 professionally bound abum with 18 pages (36 sides) of images from your special day. Also included are two 5 x 5 hard cover parents’ books containing 20 pages.

http://www.shannonzastoupilphotography.com/ ~ 262-945-8976 ~ shannonzastoupil@hotmail.com

Wedding Day

Over the past week-end, I was privleged to attend and photograph my sister-in-law's wedding. They had hired a professional wedding photographer for the ceremony and formal pictures, but I tagged along and did my own thing too. It was a great experience, and a lot of fun. Their photographer did a great job, in both the wedding, and boosting my confidence! After seeing her results, and my own, I'm excited and reassured that I can and will be a successful wedding photographer one day.

Starting somewhere

Well, I'm fairly new to blogging, but I'm going to give it a shot!
After speaking with my business savvy cousin, I became motivated to step it up a bit and do all I can to reach my dream. That dream?? To give the gift of time to as many people as I can reach....all through a tiny piece of glass that sits on the face of my Canon Rebel digital camera. Thats right, I'm a photographer. I love the sound of that. Hopefully I will be known as "the photographer" or, more importantly as "our photographer" to many people in Southeastern Wisconsin over the next several years.

However, as many others out there, my family feels the brunt of the recent recession. Unemployment has "allowed" me to begin this adventure and bring my dream to fruition, and with my husband nearly knocking on the door of unemployment himself costs to start up a business aren't easily attained.

You have to start somewhere right? So I'm starting in my basement. I like to say that it keeps me modest! Turning a small area into a workable space has actually worked out for me, and I'm happy to say that I've had remarkable results with very happy customers!
The best part of this new beginning? The savings of rent and utilities expenses is passed along to all of you!!

Pricing has to have been the absolute worst part of starting a business. What do you charge? What value should I place on freezing time for someone else? I want to be fair, I want to be affordable, I want EVERYONE to come to me!! Who doesn't??
Well I think I acheived the fair and affordable part.........now we just need to work on the customer base! Like I said, you have to start somewhere.......