Friday, May 27, 2011

Things I Love {MD, PA, WV, VA, Washington DC Photographer}

As I continue my journey to become a super awesome blogger and prepare for my NEW BLOG (predicted to be ready around mid-July-ish), I've been thinking a lot about what kind of posts I want to include in my efforts. I've recently been finding a lot of new and fun things that I LOVE online (and elsewhere) and am always excited to share. So what better way to share than with some "things I love" postings. I know other bloggers do this, too, but there's just no better way to say it or share it. So here ya go...first Things I Love post!

First, who's heard of the super cute handmade shop Love Stitched? I found them on Etsy a little while back and have been admiring their handmade lovelies since. Rosette hair clips, rosette rings and necklaces...everything rosettes! Check out their shop here and check out their latest deal on GroopDealz here.


Photo credit: Love Stitched

Secondly, I love when brides and grooms dress up their weddings with unique and DIY details. Like alternative guestbooks, for example. One of my new fave blogs Oh Lovely Day, just did a post about this and I love the examples they're sharing like the calendar/birthday idea and the fingerprints instead of signatures. Check out the post and super neat-o ideas here.

Photo credit: Oh Lovely Day via their photo credits

And lastly, I love shopping at the outlets. My mother-in-law has graciously offered to take Ally out for a little shopping spree and we're finally going tomorrow! Buying clothes for my baby girl is so much fun - I love looking through all the little dresses, all the ruffles, all the bright colors - so I am super excited for our shopping trip (thanks, Pam!). One thing on our to-find list: a red, white and blue outfit for the 4th of July. I'm liking what the Carter's website is showing so far.

Photo credit: Carter's

I hope you enjoyed the first installment of Things I Love. Hopefully I can pair this with little giveaways sometime in the near future. :)

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Spring Time... {MD, PA, WV, VA, Washington DC Wedding Photographer}

So far my spring time has been filled with tons of portrait sessions with great families, couples and kids. After a long winter off taking care of my baby girl Ally and working on/thinking about a few business projects, it's been wonderful getting out and actually shooting. I've also been trying to do some personal shooting...taking pictures for myself and not the rest of the world. It's refreshing and relaxing. Here's something from one of my recent personal shoots:


My Ally girl! Don't you just love her polka dot sun hat? I've been keeping up with her growth and development every month with a little photo shoot. I just hope I don't get all creativity-ed out over the next few months. Not only will I have a shoot to plan each month for Ally, but also a ton of great weddings to prep for. My season officially starts this Saturday with this super cute couple:


Now for my e-newsletter readers who are searching for the discount special of the season...
Prints, even canvases...anything you can order through your online gallery (only)! It's so important to print and display your pictures in your home because if you don't do it now, you'll probably forget about the images, let them sit on their disc or in their online gallery, and never allow them to breath colorful life inside your home. Take me for example...Brian and I got married almost three years ago, there are exactly seven wedding pictures in our home (one was a gift) and that's it...no album, no book lying on the coffee table...and I'm a wedding photographer! I'm telling ya, do it now before it's too late.

And as I've been mentioning in my last few blog posts, get ready for my NEW BLOG coming this summer! I've got a designer working on it now and I cannot wait to start using it! I plan to blog portrait sessions and weddings, but also new fashion styles, wedding detail ideas, pictures of Ally, crafty projects...all kinds of new and neat-o stuff! I not only want my blog to be a place for beautiful pictures, but also a place for inspiration. So stay tuned as my new blog continues to develop. Will you be one of my blog followers? Let me know by leaving me a comment...please and THANK YOU!

And if you haven't yet voted for your faves in Hagerstown, you can do so here. VOTE JFP as best photography studio for Hagerstown Magazine's 2011 HotList! Hollleerrr!!!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Hagerstown Hot List {MD, PA, WV, VA, Washington DC Wedding Photographer}

I am happy and excited to announce that my pictures from Maggie and Bobby's September wedding will be featured in the May/June issue of the Hagerstown Life Magazine! Maggie and Bobby's wedding was one of my favorites because their reception was at the newly opened Barn at Springfield Farm in Williamsport, MD. It's a beautiful venue and I know it's going to become one of THE most sought out wedding venues in the area. I haven't seen the feature in print yet, so I am anxiously awaiting to receive my copies in the mail. YAY for being published locally! Now to strive for national publishing...:)

The lovely Maggie and Bobby...







Along with the feature, I'm also in the running for best photography studio for Hagerstown Magazine's 2011 Hot List! I would be absolutely thrilled and honored to be deemed "the best", so I'm asking for your support. If you'd like to vote for Jessica Fike Photography, visit Hagerstown Magazine's website, read the rules carefully and fill out a ballot. You do need to fill in at least 10 favorites (restaurants, stores, family spots, etc.) across the seven different categories for the ballot to count, so if you're not from Hagerstown, do a little Google searching or ask some friends about their faves.

Begin your voting here! And THANK YOU!!!! Times a million!!!

After you vote, leave me a comment (here on the blog) letting me know you did so I can personally THANK YOU!!!

Monday, April 18, 2011

Things to Share {MD, PA, WV, VA, Washington DC Wedding Photographer}

Just writing to share a few new fave things...
I'm gonna get a little crafty this week and make one of these for Ally and I:


I think matching fabric pom pom brooches will be the perfect accessory for Easter. I actually got the idea from one of my new favorite blogs, The Sweetest Occasion. Click here to find out how you can make your very own DIY fabric pom pom. Soooo cute!!!

On Friday, I officially kicked off spring portrait season! First, I shot Meredith and Bobby in downtown Shepherdstown, WV. We had beautiful spring weather, beautifully blooming spring trees, a super neat-o downtown area and a sweet, happy couple.


Yesterday, I went to the nearby Ivy Hill Farm for Lisa Sandlin and her cute little family's spring portraits. I actually met Lisa last winter when I photographed her son Kellen's first birthday party. Kellen is over a year old now and is so stinkin' cute! We took some springtime family/Easter portraits in the peach blooms. Here's a little peek at what we captured together...



I have three more portrait sessions coming up this week! It feels so nice to be back in the swing of things. :)

It'll feel especially great to be back in the swing of things once wedding season hits. My season begins on May 21st with Rachel and Corey's wedding at The Barn at Springfield Farm in Williamsport, MD. I am super excited about the wedding because Rachel and Corey are fabulous in front of the camera and because they have an awesome venue!

I still have some 2011 dates available for weddings (including August, September and October) and am currently booking into the 2012 year, so if you're still looking for a photographer, I'd love to chat with you! I also have a new incentive for signing couples that will allow you to save on your wedding photography packages. Visit my website and fill out the contact form if you're interested in more info!

I am also working on a new blog, new website and new branding for my business. I've got Kristy from Wreckless Elements working on my blog (cannot wait to be able to post my images at max size so they look wayy better than they do on my Blogger Blogspot...blah!) and am hoping to see a finished project around mid to late summer. Rachel Doria, a friend from Bridgewater College, is working on my site and branding. We met a couple of weeks ago to discuss ideas and possibilities and I was blown away at how amazing she is! Not only does she know her stuff when it comes to websites and art, but she's also got some really neat ideas. She's just as excited as I am and I cannot wait to see her finished projects! Branding should be updated within the month and site should be ready to go in mid-summer also. Here's a little something that was recent inspiration for my business branding:


I just love the polka dots, colors and cuteness! Soooo looking forward to my new fun, fresh, light-hearted branding!

Friday, April 15, 2011

She's a Stinker {MD, PA, VA, WV, Washington DC Photographer}

I tried doing a pretty Easter-y photo shoot with my baby girl this week, but she just wasn't having it. I had wonderful natural light coming in from the windows, a super cute Easter headpiece from Little Munchkin Pie, over-sized Easter eggs and even Easter grass for props, but nope! Ally would rather suck on her dress and put her fingers in her mouth than look pretty for the camera. Oh well, she's only four months old...she doesn't know any better. One thing I know for sure, though...

SHE'S A STINKER!


I'm definitely trying take #two with these Easter pictures this weekend. Hopefully we'll have success. Happy early Easter!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Etsy Love {MD, PA, VA, WV, Washington DC and Beyond Wedding Photographer}

A couple years ago, I discovered the beautiful world of Etsy. I was so impressed with all the handmade wonders and was so excited to find a new place to shop for unique, exciting things. I forgot about the coolness of Etsy for a little while, but just recently got excited about it again when I purchased some hairpieces for Ally from Little Munchkin Pie. I cannot wait to wear them on her this spring - one is a special piece for Easter that I'll share sometime soon. :)

Etsy is also a cool place to find wedding details. Chatting with past and present brides, I've found that many of them did a bunch of Etsy shopping for their wedding. They've gotten their hairpieces, shoes, jewelry, purses, decorations...all kinds of neat things from artists on Etsy! Sometimes the personal, unique, handmade details of the wedding are some of the most fun things to photograph, remember and share, so here's my shoutout to Etsy and all the brides out there in the wedding world: shop at Etsy and add some handmade wonders to your special day! You and your photographer will both be very happy.

Here are some recent Etsy finds and faves:

Handmade hairpieces for brides by Serephine....sooo beautiful!

Picture via Serephine

Fabulous button jewelry from Button Soup Jewelry. Wouldn't this look lovely with a vintage-inspired wedding dres??

Picture via Button Soup Jewelry
 
Funny wedding props (cool for pics, guests will love them!) by Funny Side of Life

Picture via Funny Side of Life
 
Paper garland for wedding decor by Jelly Bean Studio. I'd buy from them just because of their biz name. ;)

Picture via Jelly Bean Studio
 
Trendy clutches (great bridesmaid gifts!) from Oatmeal Lace Design

Picture via Oatmeal Lace Design
 
Now go and find yourself some Etsy Love!!!

Monday, March 21, 2011

Homework {MD, PA, WV, VA, Washington DC Photographer}

Ever since I started my business (in July of 2009), I've wanted to be a good blogger. Reading the blogs of other photographers was something I did all the time and it was a HUGE inspiration for me in the beginning. And while I'm not able to blog-read as much these days, I still turn to them (my favorites, as well as new discoveries) for inspiration...inspiration for portrait sessions, bride-groom posing, etc.

The commitment and dedication of these bloggers is something I strive for in my own business. Not only will blogging allow me to enjoy writing again, share stories of my life (especially now that we have Ally boo!) with family and friends, and post exciting pictures from portrait sessions and weddings, but also have a greater web presence as JFP. I'm not one to pay a ton of money for advertising (have only spent a few hundred bucks since starting the biz...pretty good, eh!?!), so I'm going to get my name out there via my blog...and I hope you'll became a loyal fan, follower and friend. :)

Now for the real reason of this post...

As motivation to keep a true blogging commitment, I want to have a totally awesome blog! I've hired the wonderfully talented Kristy of Wreckless Elements to install a new blog and give it a complete design overhaul. Kristy has asked that I do some "homework" before she begins the design. Along with blog specs and formalities, Kristy wants me to send some inspiration...other blogs, pictures, things I like, furniture, decor pieces, etc. Since I've become quite the web-surfer these days and because I love searching through blogs, the inspiration part of the homework has been fun. Here is what I've come up with so far:

This first inspiration image is from the blog of Erin Hearts Court, a wonderful husband-and-wife photog team with a super cute and fun style. I am so drawn to the beautiful patchwork blanket! Maybe something similar would make a fun blog background!?


After I was inspired by the patchwork blanket, I did some more patchwork-searching on Google. Check out this totally unique patchwork skirt! This is something you don't see everyday, but that's a good thing. I want my biz to be unique and want that displayed in my blog. I also want my blog to be somewhat colorful. I love colors, and I love being unique.
Image found on Whipup.net.

After I found the colorful patchwork skirt, I wanted to find more color inspiration. Then I discovered this amazing couch! How cool would this look in the JFP office!?! Oh my goodness I want it!


Even though I have a hard time choosing a favorite color, I don't think I want rainbow craziness to take over my business and/or my blog. I do enjoy clean, white spaces with small punches of color, like the &Unlimited photography blog:


I've got a ton more inspiration to drum up for Kristy before my homework is done, but I just wanted to share what I've been finding to be inspirational lately. It's also a prelude into what my new blog might look like. I'm excited to become a good, committed blogger and cannot wait to rock my new blog design from Kristy! Stay tuned...