1k Giveaway

1k fans on Facebook, WOO!!!  And as promised, a GIVEAWAY!

Our previous giveaway winner, Rachael Boer, said this:

"I was SO excited to win the last R&G giveaway several months ago. The prizes I received have really helped me take my business to the next level. It was so fun getting box after box in the mail as the wonderful props, packaging, and other goodies came flooding in; it felt like Christmas! As a mother of three who can't always justify spending more money on props for the business, it was such a blessing to get a huge gift like that and be able to share what I won with my clients and make their portrait sessions that much better. I'm so grateful for the generosity of all the donors and R&G Photography for the amazing giveaway."

Take a look at what everyone is donating and see the bottom for details on how to enter!

You can start posting your comments on my blog and entering NOW!  
Please remember to post your email along with your comment so I can contact you if you win!


Love Bird Studios - A free Save the Date video or other announcement video


Check out this awesome sample video

Petite Fleurs by Bellasma - 2 headbands from their shop

The Sunshine Marigold by Miss Whitney - Felt Pouch

Gradybug Designs - $25 to their shop

With Eager Hands by Beth Hays - A character hat of your choice (from their album on Facebook)

BIRDesign - Any two items from their shop

A Little Loopy - A newborn hat of your choice

Precious Moments Crochet Designs -The multicolored hat pictured

 R&G Photography - Free full session ($150 value)

You can have up to 7 entries!  Please leave ONE comment on THIS blog posting (with your email so I can contact you!) for each step you complete.  The comment on my blog is your ticket to win!
1. Become a fan of R&G Photography on Facebook (if you're not already a fan) - Click "like" on my page: www.facebook.com/rngphotos
Then come back and comment on my blog and tell me that you "liked" us or that you were already a fan!  This step is mandatory.

2. Become a fan of ALL of the other vendors by clicking the links below and then clicking "Like" on their pages!   (Just click your web browser's back button to return my blog.)

Take your time and leave some love on the vendors pages and let them know that R&G Photography sent you!  Then leave one comment below (in my blog) saying that you "liked" all the vendors!
*Remember that you can get comment blocked if you go too fast.  You have several days to enter so take your time folks!  We've made it easy for you by putting the links for all the vendors together below...

FACEBOOK LINK:
lovebirdstudios
Petite Fleurs by Bellasma
The Sunshine Marigold
Gradybug Designs
With Eager Hands
BIRDesign
A Little Loopy
Precious Moments Crochet Designs
R&G Photography


3. Post about this giveaway on your personal or business Facebook Page.  Make sure you tag my page when you do so!

For example - make your FB status say "Come check out the giveaway R&G Photography is hosting."  Start typing @R&G Photography on your wall post, a drop box will appear, select R&G Photography and it will appear as a link - that means we're tagged!).

Come back and leave ONE comment on my blog telling me you posted on your FB page.

4. Purchase something from ANY of the participating vendors during the giveaway (now until Jan. 8th).  Come back here, and leave ONE comment telling us what you bought and from which vendor!  (YOU CAN DO THIS UP TO THREE TIMES for a total of THREE additional entries! Buy three items from one shop or one item from three different ones! Make sure to leave a separate comment for each item you buy!)

5.  Follow our Blog!  Leave ONE comment telling me you are a follower!


If the winner of the contest isn't local - we will have TWO winners and the second will receive the


We are also adding an incentive on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/rngphotos) to get some extra goodies for FREE!  Check out Glorious Memory on Facebook; they are donating a $30 gift certificate to their shop to a random winner who SHARES the status and giveaway!

Just go to our fan page by clicking HERE & share the status that includes details about Glorious Memory's page!


THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HELPING US REACH 1,000 FANS!
Rachel King

Owner of R&G Photography

618.780.1549

www.rngphotos.com

Nothing sweeter than a baby bump for Christmas

Our last in-home studio session was great!  I'm so glad I had the privilege of taking Miranda & Tom's maternity photos - they are the sweetest couple!  Their baby is going to be one special and spoiled little girl!  I can't wait to meet her! 

 

Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

Rachel

xo

Black Friday - Session Steal!

BLACK FRIDAY DEAL!

Mark your calendar, folks - this one is going to be HUGE.  We are offering HALF off sessions on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday.  There will be a limit on how many we sell each day, so don't miss out! 

We will be selling gift certificates* valid for full sessions for 50% off. 
*Gift certificates purchased on Black Friday will expire April 30th 2012.  Sessions will be scheduled December through April.

What is a full session?  1-2 hours of photography, 2-3 locations, 2-3 outfits, and priceless memories!  These are regularly priced at $150 - but purchase on Black Friday or Small Business Saturday and get it for only $75!  It's a deal we will NOT offer again (until maybe black Friday next year!)

How does it work?  You buy gift certificates in increments of $150, but only pay $75!   You must email me your order between 12:00 a.m. Friday morning to 11:59 p.m. Saturday evening.  

Email me at rachel@rngphotos.com

Subject: Black Friday Deal

List your name, phone number, and amount you are purchasing.  Please be sure to tell me what you want the amount on the gift certificate to be (you will only pay half) and how you would like to pay. 

We accept cash, check, and major credit cards.  We ask that you pay the invoice for your order within ONE week of purchasing them.  These would make great Christmas presents, wink-wink!

This really is a steal, guys.  We are going to be restructuring our pricing next year (as we do every year) and this gift certificate will save you big time next year!  If you are even remotely considering a session this winter - it's a no brainer.

Take care & enjoy your turkey before the SHOPPING begins! :)

xo

Rachel

We're moving!!

So I’ve been keeping my Facebook fans in suspense for long enough… It’s finally time to reveal what we’ve been cooking up! 

First off, I want to say that this last year of business has been an absolute JOY and we are SO thankful for everyone who has chosen us as their photographer.  You have no idea how much you’ve blessed us.

In order to improve and grow as a business, we’ve had to make some pretty tough decisions and one of those was WHERE our studio is located and how we operate as a business.  I personally love waking up at work (in our home based studio) and having the luxury of working some days in my PJs… however, Garren and I both know that if we want to truly set ourselves apart and excel (among a million other reasons)– we really need to take our studio OUT of our home. 

We want to have business hours, a place where our clients feel comfortable, I work to stay at work (so I am not editing photos at 2 a.m. and thinking I need to stay up later to finish), we want the ability to hire employees (someday), we want to make our studio suited for large family sessions, and most of all we really want to serve you better.

And of course when we have children it will be nice to not have to worry about keeping the kiddos out of the studio – a home is meant to be lived in, isn’t it?  ;)   (And no, I’m not trying to hint that kids are in the near future like some of you guys were guessing on our fan page – hee hee!  SOMEDAY we want children and we are just trying to pave a path the best we can for our future business and personal lives.)

Now you’re probably wondering… Where are you going?!

Don’t worry – we’re not going far and we will still take care of our clients in surrounding areas.  The door that has opened up to us is the newly renovated WPA building in downtown Salem (217 West Main St).  When Garren and I first stepped foot into the space - we immediately started imagining our business there.  We weren't looking to move the studio just yet - but we couldn't let an opportunity like this slip away.  The location is perfect and we have the opportunity to finish and decorate it how we wish. 

It doesn't look like much yet............ but picture this:

We are hoping to have the space finished and open our retail location by Jan. 1st 2012.  Once the studio is up and running we hope that you will all come and see us!  I can't WAIT to share with you all the finished product!


Take care,
Rachel xoxo

Mom, don't panic!

Mom, don't panic...

It's just a tattoo ;)
The design was sketched out by one of the artists at the shop.  I told him I wanted a 'girly Jesus fish' and this is what he came up with.  I love it!  The swirls make it look less tribal and manly, and I'm a huge fan of the fact that it's unique and special to me.  There is only one thing I love enough to have it tattooed on my wrist... my love of God!

I've wanted a tattoo for over 7 years... And I finally got mine during Garren & I's anniversary trip.  We stopped in Nashville, TN and there is this awesome Christian tattoo parlor on the main strip of the city!


Did it hurt?  Um, yes.  It definitely did.  I wouldn't rate the pain as high as I THOUGHT it would be, though... but at time it felt like tiny knifes slicing me.. ouuuwch!  Totally worth it, though.

I just wanted to share with you my little secret :)

Have a great day!
Rachel
xo

You don't wake up awesome

I recently shared this photo comparison on my Facebook page

The photo on the left is from this year and the photo on the right is from two years ago - when I was finally figuring out that I loved photography enough to make it my career.  Notice how much my photography changed in just TWO years!

This got me thinking...

There are so many photographers out there right now trying to 'make it' and so often I hear people complain about other photographers work.  I will never, ever talk bad about other photographers.

Everyone starts somewhere and everyone grows at a different pace. 

We all have different styles, genres, reasons for doing what we do, and that's what makes each photographer unique and worth it. When you come to our studio, you'll notice we have a photo journalistic style with unique products we offer.  We have a smile on our face just as big as YOU do behind the camera, only we're not faking it!  We LOVE what we do - and THAT'S why we do it!

I will also say this, everyone who loves photography doesn't necessarily have to make it their career.  Any photographer out there who owns their own business would agree - it's no easy job. Breaking even is a goal (you know, making more money than we spend on equipment!)  Going from 'taking pictures' to being a 'business owner' is one of the most challenging things I have EVER done.  I love my job and I adore my clients, so for me - it's worth it!

Be positive, be strong!
Rachel xo

'tis the season (get these bundles before they're gone!)

Share the Love Contest Winners

First of all I want to say thank you to everyone who participated in our Share the Love contest.  We had so much fun reading the stories and looking at all your photos.  Our judges and I collaborated to make a very difficult decision... who would WIN?

What we decided is to award two free sessions - one to the best story and one to the 'people's choice' (the contestant with the most likes and comments).

Our 'people's choice' award goes to Madi, nominated by David Quinn.

The best story winner is Kayleigh Garden's grandparents Edith and Calvin nominated by Kayleigh.

We don't want to leave anyone empty handed, so even if you aren't the winner of the contest - we would like to offer you half off a session!  Please email us and we will give you details!

Thanks everyone,
Rachel
xo

vintage finds

We visited this super fun store in Lexington KY called Street Scene, lookie what we found...

Squinty-eyed cheesers!  ;) Here's us after window shopping.

Share the love

Since September 25th is Rachel & Garren's 1 year anniversary, we are going to celebrate by allowing you to send us a photo of someone you love & nominate them for a FREE Fall Portrait session and 11x14 print!

To enter, EMAIL us at rachel@rngphotos.com a photo of someone you love... it could be a grandparent, a sibling, a friend, a child, a pet, a parent - but keep in mind, the photo you choose will be posted and voted on by our Facebook fans!! :)  

Please attach who is in the photograph and why you are nominating them!

Send all your family and friends to 'like' R&G Photography to 'like' & comment on the photo you sent in!  Each 'like' and comment will help us decide our winners, but the voting will not solely be based on 'likes' & comments - we will have a panel of judges to help decide what lovely story and photo was the best!   :) 

The contest will begin on September 16th and end on September 23rd.  The winner will be announced on our blog (www.photographyou.blogspot.com) on our anniversary!

*Those who are nominated are not obligated to purchase anything.  Their session will be scheduled before the end of 2011 & taken within a 30 miles radius of Sandoval, IL*

Take care and start sending us those photos & stories!!

Rachel
xo

August is almost over!

I can't believe how time is flying!  We are the busiest we've ever been at R&G Photography (Praise God!) and I'm so excited about how far we've come and how much we've grown!  

This November we are going to celebrate our studio's ONE YEAR anniversary.  We are hoping to have a open house and invite clients and guests to view our studio - hopefully with all the redesigning complete - snack, take some photos, learn about photography - and get some free goodies, too! 

We are also planning a 1k giveaway for our Facebook fans!  We currently have just over 800 fans -  I can't believe how many people we've reached via Facebook.  Oh how I love social networking :)

On a personal note, my hubby and are are going to be celebrating our One Year Anniversary the 25th of September <3  WOW I can't believe it!  The year has been PACKED with amazing experiences & I'm so excited to see where our lives take us.

Thank you Jason and Aurelia Stratton for the lovely updated photo of us!   :)  I can't wait to get our METAL print from them!  We are looking into offering metal prints at our studio, too!  Such a neat and unique way to display photos!






Take care all and enjoy the last few weeks of swimming weather (if you're a fish like me!)


Rachel
xo

An amazing article about WHY we charge what we charge!

Do Professional Photographers Really Make Money? | Life as a Lilly blog

Boat day!

Learning OCF {Off Camera Flash}

Lighting.

It's scary and daunting to those who don't know how to control it - which was me not too long ago.  Putting a flash on my camera was about the extent of what I knew about using non-ambient light.  Now, though, I am confident that I could light just about ANY situation and make beautiful images for my clients.  I will continue to learn and perfect, but I am so thankful for the knowledge Bryan shared with me at our two day one-on-one workshop in Goshen, IN.

Here is a shot of Bryan during our first day of training, haha!  Love his expression!  He was ready for us to bring in someone different to shoot by the end of the day!

Here is an image using one off camera light with our gorgeous model, Kimberly.

And here is a shot using the techniques he taught me at our last wedding.

A special thank you to
Bryan Chris, of Bryan Chris Photography, for teaching me SO much in two short days (well longs days, but they FLEW BY!).  What he taught me will help me grow into a more reliable, creative, and unique photographer.  I am so thankful for his talent and for allowing me to soak up everything I could.  He not only taught me the basics of OCF, but also about editing, workflow, posing, and so much more.
Kim Chris, Byran's wife, for allowing him to be out incredibly late working with his hard working student (me!)
Christi Nelson of Rawsii Photography for guiding me to Bryan for his teachings and for helping us find such a wonderful model for practice
Kimberly Post, a friend Christi Nelson's, for modeling for us on such short notice
Rachel and Nate Howard for being wonderful hosts and allowing me to stay with them during my workshop

I'm hoping to post more on HOW we got these shots in the future - so keep an eye out for those posts!

Rachel
xo

Lunch with my bestie

On my way to a workshop for work and stopped in Champaign for lunch with Whit

Oh, bloggie, you're so neglected!

We do apologize!  Our lovely slice of the world has been so eventful & fun, and I forgot to share with you all!

What's new with R&G?

We had our photos taken by Jason & Aurelia Stratton
View the photos by liking their Facebook page & clicking HERE.
+
We won "Best Fundraiser" for our Little Miss Relay Pageant!

View photos from the event here: http://rngphotos.smugmug.com/LittleMissRelayPageant2011
+
I upgraded into the world of smart phones (so I should have NO excuse to leave my poor blog unattended for weeks! ;))

+
We got some amazing new equipment in our studio: OCF (off camera flash) equipment (which will allow us to do some really creative lighting in the future!), a new back up camera (a D300s) and a 60mm micro lens, mmm!

+
We photographed an incredibly beautiful wedding.  Mrs. Rachel Pedal was one STUNNING bride.  Rachel and I don't just share first names, we also attended the same high school and share lots of old memories.  Congrats to Rachel & Mark and good luck on your venture to Korea!

+
We were able to take some photo orders for a couple EXTRA SPECIAL people in our life - my 'second' parents (aka: my wonderful in-laws).

I am so, so excited to get their prints framed and up in their new home.  Their home was destroyed back in April by a tornado - see the article by clicking HERE.  The rebuild is going to be a long process - but worth the wait.

Thanks for reading and enjoy your summer - it's flying by!

Oh, and don't forget about our Christmas in July special!!!

Rachel
xo

Fun on the Farm

My best friend Whitney currently lives on a farm near Bloomington, IL and this past weekend we had a photo shoot just for the heck of it.  I've known Whitney for nearly twenty years now and I think it's odd that I haven't taken her photo MORE!  I guess because when we're together we have so much going on - I forget the camera.

I should really photograph my friends more.  They are all gorgeous. 

Tia & Wes {sneak peek}

What I'm working on...

Aren't they lovely?!

I'm sad it was only a mini session - I would have LOVED to photograph these guys all day!  So sweet!

Rachel
xo

Tiny twins welcomed into the world.

My cousin Brittany was 26 weeks pregnant when she unexpectedly went into labor last Sunday (May 29th), later that afternoon she gave birth to Jocelyn Renee and Arianna Nicole.  While the two of them are doing well for their circumstance - these teeny tiny babies are in need of constant prayer!  They are SO unbelievably little and the photos just don't do it justice...  At around a pound and a half, their lungs aren't fully developed.  Their underdevelopment, among other obstacles will be challenging - but these two have already proven to be STRONG FIGHTERS!  Thank the LORD!  He is definitely at work in them!

 Meet Arianna

 

  Meet Jocelyn

 They each have their own nurse 24/7 and the staff is super.

Right now Brittany can't hold her babies.. she can only put her hands through the holes of their bed tables and touch them.. This was the hardest thing for me to grasp.. not being able to hold your babies.. It brought tears to my eyes (and I'm not even a mommy!)

Mommy & Daddy - they are spending a LOT of time in the hospital, so pray for them as well.  I'm sure it's hard not being able to do normal parenting things and sit helplessly in a hospital room for hours on end.. and they are going to have countless hours in the future spent here - the twins aren't expected to go home until September.

Thanks in advance for keeping my family in your thoughts & prayers!

We <3 you!

Rachel

xo

Why I love being a June bug :)

Yay!  It's June 1st!  You know what that means?

 Yes, strawberries.................mmm!

And my bestie & I's birthdays are in the month of June.  (we are total goofs ;))

This is the first summer that I can remember when I didn't have a long and dredging school year to tackle before I was able to enjoy it!  It's crazy going to school for literally your whole life and then suddenly not having class to go to anymore!  For all you kids out there - look forward to the days with no school... but to all you adults out there, we all know life is much more dredging than school could ever be ;) Nonetheless - I love my crazy, sporadic, and not-always-perfect life... especially in the summer!

Rachel
xo