Weekly Wrap Up

So i'm planning on doing a weekly blog post to recap what happened the previous week! I'm trying to get more into my blogging so hoping this will help.


    So just over a week ago I got to do some engagement pictures for some good friends of mine, Apryll & Jonathon, and had a lot of fun going to the place they met to do these pictures! They met at University of West Alabama while Apryll and I attended school there.  I introduced them and here we are almost 8 years later getting their engagement pictures done and in 2 months from today they will be marrying each other! Love capturing these moments for people!

   Then this weekend I had the pleasure of doing a long term clients maternity portraits! They have turned out to be some of my FAVORITE maternity portraits I've ever done. Such a gorgeous Mommy to be and can't wait til little Emory is born soon, so I can play with him and get some awesome pictures!

   SANTA PORTRAITS- So I just officially booked a Santa for November 8th and 15th. These sessions will be 30 minutes and will include your child being able to have an interaction with Santa and reading and eating cookies with him. I can't wait to do these! These will not be your Mall Santa Portraits! :) 

   Still wanting to do charity/ free sessions! I am wanting to choose a person or charity every month to give a free session too or to do a series of session to donate the profits to a charity! If you know of a deserving family that could use a free session or a charity that could use some donations please email me. Chelseabusbyphotography@gmail.com.  (this can be anyone from someone with a family member that is terminally ill, a family that just deserves a break) 

   This hasn't been in the last week but a few weeks ago I did some Tea Party Mini Sessions for some gorgeous little girls. Here are a few pictures from their sessions! 

So I'm hoping to do this every week! Just as an update on what's going on with Chelsea Busby Photography! Thank you for reading! 

August Newsletter

   Hey everyone! Hope y'all are doing good! I've been busy trying to get some things straightened out with my business and updating a few things to better my business! 

   First thing i'm updating is my sister is designing my website. She graduated from college with a degree in Information Technology and will be designing my website to add to her portfolio. She's been working on it for a couple weeks now and i'm excited to see the finished product. We're also planning on redoing my blog! 

   Next is my interest in giving back. I am planning on giving back to a charity every month or every other month through my photography. Whether this be donating the profits from a session to a charity or doing sessions for free for families in need or families who deserve a session.( this could be a family with a terminally ill child/family member, a family who has recently lost a family member, a family who has an immediate family member being deployed over seas etc). So I am opening this month up to requests. If you know of a charity or a family in need of help please feel free to email me at chelseabusbyphotograpy@gmail.com. Include the name of each family member or the name of the charity. A little back story on the family/charity and the reason you think they would be deserving of a free session or profits from a session! 

    Third- I NEED A SANTA! I am planning Stories with Santa Mini Sessions on November 8th and 13th. These will be 30 minute sessions where your child will get to read a Christmas Story with Santa and eat cookies. My only thing is I need a Santa. If you know someone who would be willing to pose as Santa for 2 Saturdays for about 4-5 hours a day I would be very appreciative. I am willing to pay a fee or offer a free session for your time! :) 

    Fourth-I will begin booking Family Christmas Portraits this month for the month of October in order to get a jump on booking and making sure everything is in line! So be sure to be on the look out for the announcement for these sessions! 

    And Last- I have 2 Mini Sessions for the month of August- Vintage Tea Party Mini Sessions and Bait and Tackle Stand Sessions More Info below. :) 

    Thank you for reading and to all my customers and potential customers I want to thank you all for your business and your recommedations!!! :) 

London-9 Months

9 Months ago did Newborn pictures of a gorgeous little girl! I have had so much fun watching her grow and watching her personality blossom into the beautiful 9 month old girl that she is in these pictures. Can't wait to continue to capture special moments in this little girls life! And can't wait to see how the 1 Year Session and Cake Smash Session goes!

Luker Family

About a year ago a girl contacted me about doing some anniversary pictures for her and her husband. I met up with them and we shot some pictures. I found out a little about them, one thing being that they were pregnant with their 3rd child and they also were going to be needing Maternity and Newborn pictures before the end of the year! I was excited to do this. After getting to know their family I learned about some deeper things in their life. Their second child, Barrett was born an angel, and I have enjoyed being able to incorporate a few of Barrett's things into the pictures I've done over the past year and getting to know the impact that this Angel has on this family.. I read up on her blog and by talking with her and her family and found out the way they dealt with the loss of their beautiful Son. Staci began an organization called Barrett's Blankets. The organization is based on the fact that she regretted not being able to keep the blanket that Barrett was wrapped in at the hospital. Barrett's Blankets wants to work with hospitals to provide a blanket to all Moms with angel babies to be able to wrap their babies in and later take home with them as a reminder of their precious gift! So all that to say how much I Love this family and their story! And so happy that they have stuck by me this past year through some ups and downs in my business and always patient and kind with me! Staci messaged me about a month ago about her anniversary gift including me again this year! She needed some pictures of her sweet 5 year old daughter, her adorable 6 Month old Daughter and of course a Token of Barrett's was incorporated into a few pictures with his big Sister. If you would like to know more about Barrett's Blankets here is a link to her Facebook Page as well as the Website! :) http://barrettsblankets.weebly.com/  https://www.facebook.com/BarrettsBlankets  And here are some of my favorite images from our most recent session!

March 2014 Newsletter

This Journey....

3 and a half years ago I began a journey that I never saw coming. I quit my job and started running my own photography business. From a very young age I was often seen with one of those disposable cameras in my hand and the local Walgreens knew me by name when I would bring in those film cameras to find out what pictures I had on there! Never knowing at this point that one day I would realize that doing just that would become my life and passion. Being a Wife and Mother and also with the recent death of my own Mom has made me realize how important capturing moments can be. Taking a picture freezes a moment in time. When your memory is gone or shaky, pictures never forget. They are there to remind us everyday of the life we've lived, the journey's we've taken and the moments that meant something to us. I can never express how truly blessed I am to be able to capture moments for people that they will one day look back on. 3 and a half years ago I didn't know where this journey would take me, how long it would last and what would become of this business I was trying to start. Throughout my journey I have learned many things about people, about photography and about myself. I want to be as honest with my clients as possible and continue to capture their moments. Through my 3 1/2 years of being in business the things I have learned about myself are

1) I am not a great business manager-being a photographer alone means that you are book keeper, scheduler, photographer, editor, customer service, shipping, sorting, cleaning, marketing, manager, scouter, student. You are a clown for difficult children. You wear many hats with being a photographer and business owner. I have learned that I am not always great at managing all of this. I am horrible at communication. Just as blunt as I can be. I hate talking on the phone. I can handle emails and messages/texts but talking on the phone drives me crazy.

2) I make A LOT of mistakes- I forget to place orders sometimes, I misplace session information, my mind blanks on poses sometimes, I forget to message people back, I'm not always punctual on editing and shipping, I sometimes forget to charge my battery. Mistakes come with the territory. I have MANY clients that understand this and have been extremely understanding with my mistakes. I have had some that haven't been so nice but I am understanding of that because I know people have paid for something and want it in a timely manner. I try REALLY hard to make up for mistakes...whether that be refunding money, or offering a free session or gift cards or offering free products. Sometimes I fall short and I have learned that SOMETIMES that is okay!

3) Technology WILL fail-It's just a matter of when. You can do every possible type of backup to make sure you don't lose images or have corrupted SD Cards. You can do everything possible to make sure your camera is working perfect but eventually something WILL fail. These are things that are beyond my control most of the time. And you sit and pray that if it does whatever you are shooting is something you can go back and redo. I have had more than one of these happen to me!

4) I LOVE what I do- Despite the mistakes I've made and the failures I have come across and am sure to come across again I love everything about being a photographer. I love the comments from people saying how grateful they are that I captured special moments for them. I love when someone comes to me and says my child has never taken a picture like that for anyone Thank you for taking time with him/her. Being a photographer is a lifestyle not just a job. It is something you should be dedicated to. And something people should respect. Many photographers/home business owners use a lot of family time to make sure your products are perfect! We work late hours and weekends and holidays to be sure that what you get is quality. I have had my fair share of mistakes and I have lost my fair share of customers for the mistakes I've made. I work hard everyday to change my business practices so I can become a better Manager. I appreciate each of my clients (ones that I continue to shoot and ones that have moved on to other photographers)


I want all of my clients and future clients to understand how much I appreciate their business and that everyday I work hard to make sure my business gets better. I want you all to know that I make mistakes, I make a lot of mistakes. But I am pretty good about trying to fix those mistakes! Soon I will be making a post about new changes to my business that will help me and will help my clients as well, I hope! My business is my second priority (my husband and son being my main priority). And I want to put as much focus into my business as I do my family because my business helps support my family!

Chelsea

Katelynn's Newborn Portraits

This is a family I have been friends with for a long time. Around 6 or 7 years. They are very close friends of mine and I have been capturing beautiful moments for them since their oldest was just over 1 year old and have enjoyed being there to see each of their beautiful children grow. Their youngest (and first girl) was born just over a week ago. I was happy to be able to spend 2 days at their house catching up with them and getting some wonderful pictures of them and this beautiful little girl and their 2 boys. And look forward to the next year of pictures because I know how her Mommy is and she is definitely going to want monthly pictures of this little beauty. I took her older brother, William's, pictures 2 years ago and I promise I can see much resemblance in their stubbornness. She would be sound asleep in someones arms (and I mean sound asleep.. arms falling to the side..nothing waking her up) UNTIL I set her down and she was WIDE awake! But loved every minute of capturing her gorgeousness!    Here are a few of my favorites from her session.