emily peyton cook photography

want your order before Christmas?

Next Friday, December 9, is the last day to get your order and payment in for guarenteed delivery by Christmas. EPC photographs make great gifts under the tree. My niece, surprisingly, had pictures of my kids on her Christmas list. I am going to hook her up. LOL! 

My last day to work for 2011 is Dec. 19, unless one special little baby planner is born early, and in that case my last day will be the 16th. I want to have everything wrapped up, no pun intended, : ) including, uploads, orders, proofs, etc. by that day. I haven't decided what my return day will be in January. All I want for Christmas is some extra special time with my children in the chilly first month of 2012. 

Until then, happy shopping and a Merry Christmas season to you! : )

here's the plan, stan

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9
(These are my plans, but only God knows the day of Georgia's arrival).

I'm over 35 weeks and scheduled for a c-section at 39 weeks. 

I have less than 4 weeks left in this pregnancy and 2 weeks and 2 days left in before my maternity leave starts. In that time, I plan on completing 14 sessions on the books as well as uploading those sessions as well as two more previous sessions.

I'll be placing one big order next week (for those of you who've already ordered and paid) and one more order on the 24th for those who order and pay after that initial order.

My last day is June 24. I will return Sept. 1.

If you have proof requests or orders you want placed prior to my maternity leave, you'll need to get those in and paid for before June 24. 

My plan is to place orders received after that point on one designated day at the end of July and one designated day at the end of August. 

This should still keep your orders coming to you within the 4-6 week window. 

To clear up any confusion, I have complete control over all proofing and ordering. It's not an automated process to the lab when you press the order button. I go through each order with a fine tooth comb to assure your images meet my quality standards in terms of color, cropping, and design.

I'll be recovering from major abdominal surgery, enjoying a newborn baby and a 2.5 year old. In advance, I want to thank you for understanding this process and respecting my time away during this transition.

After June 24, I'll be available by email, but don't promise to be tied down to my blackberry responding at lighting speed. This being my 2nd go round at motherhood, I now know how quickly the first year goes and don't want to let technology and business distract from time I can't ever get back.

I will be promoting 3 Fall {Portraits for Hope} events during my leave in August. I'll be taking apts. for those events when the promotion starts on the blog and Facebook. 

There are only 6 apts. left in September, so if your baby plan baby is due for a session, you want to start your new baby on the plan, or you want a regular session in that month, let me know ASAP and I'll get you booked. Those dates are going fast. 

Thanks so much for your support, business, and friendships along the way. My growing family thanks you for all you do for us. We wouldn't be in business without you!

a new calendar year at epc

 
 

I picked back up reading through my chronological Bible when the new year rolled over. This morning I was reading in Jeremiah and this passage jumped off the page:

Thus says the LORD, cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the LORD. For he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant. Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.

I hope this year I'll be like that tree planted by the water by trusting in the LORD. I thought this was a great passage to start off the new calendar year at epc. 

I've begun working again and my new nanny/assistant started today. I can already tell she's going to be a great fit here. Jonah just loves her already!

My original plans were to work Tuesdays and Thursdays through the winter months, but I've been feeling the need to join a MOMS Bible Study at Bellevue and it begins next Thursday. So, my winter office hours will be Tuesdays and Fridays 9-5. I'll be scheduling indoor appointments various times between 10-3 each day. Call today and I'll get you on the books! I hope to meet many brand new babies this year. Remember, you can book your baby plan before your baby is even born. That'll be one more thing you can check off your list. : )

A new product that will be great for baby planners and regular portrait clients in general is the desk calendar ($25 first copy, $20 each additional). You can start the calendar with any month, so you can order at any time of the year! The calendar features 12 photos of your choice, plus a cover image. It's a great gift idea for friends and family. My family loved them this Christmas!

You can order them through the products page on the website.

holiday deadline reminders

I've extended Christmas Card and Christmas order deadlines until midnight Dec. 11. Get your orders in by then to assure delivery in time for Christmas. 

Next week is my last week to work before the holidays, so I'll be busy as a little elf filling your orders each day. I have every intention of wrapping everything up on December 18, so I can enjoy Christmas and New Year's with Zach, Jonah, and Tyson. :) 

Thank you for respecting the deadlines so I can enjoy my family time December 19-January 5. 

baby, it's cold outside

Brrr! It's a good thing I thought ahead and converted my dining room into a winter studio last weekend. 

We've started Christmas a little early this year at several clients' requests. We cranked up our Christmas playlist on Pandora and started decking the halls...on Sunday, two whole weeks earlier than I usually allow myself to decorate. But, I have to say, now that the stockings are hung by the chimney with care and the temp has turned cooler, I am glad to have it all done. Now, I can sit back, relax, and enjoy the twinkling lights. Yeah, right! Now, the Christmas photo fun begins. 

Emma was the first person to be photographed in the aforementioned winter wonderland. Bright and early this morning she toddled through my front door. I couldn't wait to photograph her in my new natural light studio space. North light streaming through the windows didn't disappoint. Her images turned out great!

I already know I'm going to love shooting here over the next few months when it's too cold to photograph your babies outside. I have lots of ideas and new backdrops arriving monthly. 

For those of you with sessions in November and December, think Christmas! I have my fence decorated beautifully for the season. Take a look at Emma posed here.


If you come this week or next you may even get photographed with foliage.

The tree photographs great. You can even bring along any special Christmas item to make your session unique. Christmas pajamas are always cute in photos, too. I tried Jonah's on the other night and I think they'll make a great picture! Hats or toboggans also work great with the backdrops I'll be using. 
Here are a few more from Emma's session.




 
So that you can plan ahead for clothing, here are a few of the backdrops I currently have.

1. Brown/Gold: Can be dressed up or down. Would look great with anything from Sunday attire to a diaper cover.

2. Blue/Gold: Think fun and even contrasting color clothing. Lyla wore orange and it looked great with it!


3. Silver/Blue: I'm waiting on this one to come in. This can also be dressed up or down.

4. Black/White: Anything solid goes, brights, black, white, etc.

5. Black: Anything goes. Can be dressed up or down.

Keep an eye out on the blog for more images taken in my new home studio! It's exciting to have a space to let my imagination run wild. : )

free uploads for the rest of this year

Need to get your Christmas shopping done, but don't have time? I know the feeling. How about giving pictures this Christmas?

 I'm your one stop shop for gift giving in 2009. Just choose from one of the two options below.

1. If you'd like me to re-upload your session, free of charge, just ask. You can purchase enlargements or photo products for family and friends. 

2. Know a friend who loves photographs as much as you do? Purchase a gift card for them. It's easy. Go to www.epcphotography.com, click on proofs, then click on gift cards at the top, enter the amount you want and add to cart. Upon receipt of your payment, a gift card will be mailed to you or the person of your choice. You can do all of this without leaving your house or getting out of your pajamas. : )

Happy shopping!

update

Mini Sessions Update:
All Fall Family Mini Sessions have been uploaded with the exception of Saturday afternoon's sessions. I will have those uploaded by midnight, November 10. 

Regular Sessions Update:
With the busy fall season now in full swing, please allow 4-6 weeks for all orders to be completed. Remember, the deadline for Christmas card orders and orders intended for Christmas gifts should be placed no later than December 1. 

Thank you for your continued support. : )

pick your own proofs starting today

A set of 24 proofs (4x6 size) is offered at 1/2 price ($54.88), if purchased and paid for on the same day as your session.In the past, I've chosen the 24 proofs for that sets. But, starting today, you, the client, will pick your own proofs. I've tested this out with several sessions and it's been working great.

There are 2 stipulations.

1. Once your proofs are posted online, you must email me the list of your 24 favorites by the next business day so that I can order them and remain on schedule.

2. If I do not receive an email from you within that next business day, I'll pick out my favorites and send them to you. 

Sound good? = )

emilou, where are you?

I promise,  I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I've been as busy as one of Santa's elves trying to keep my head above water shooting and uploading daily sessions, placing orders, prepping for the soon coming holiday season (aka Christmas Card designs), and booking lots and lots of Fall Family Mini Sessions. All the while, trying to cram all that into three, eight hour days! If I only had a clone to work while I was playing with Jonah every Friday-Monday, I'd be in good shape. [insert smile]

So, stay tuned, Christmas Card designs and other fun options are coming soon. Until then join me on Facebook. I post there daily. 

http://www.facebook.com/emilypeytoncook

keeping you informed

For those of you who placed orders recently, I apologize for the delay. I will be placing your orders tomorrow. 

Heritage Day overwhelmed me [in a good way] this year and it put me a little bit behind. Thank you in advance for your patience.