Happy Holidays!

As we wrap up another AMAZING year with clients, friends and partners of Alice Park Photography, I just wanted to wish all of our blog readers a joyful holiday season and many, many blessings for the new year.

We will be out of the office until the new year, so just a couple of notes:

- Don't forget to stay tuned on Christmas Eve for our Huge Holiday Giveaway Winner. With dozens of nominations, we don't know how we are going to decide. So, SO many deserving families and their inspiring stories.

- Quickly booking 2009. Schedule early!

Thank you once again to our wonderful friends for a fabulous 2008. We hope this holiday season brings happiness, big and small, to your family.

Lily & Luke's Initial Book Design

Just a few spreads from a book I'm designing for Lily and Luke. I'm designing this coffee table book specifically to match the decor in mom's living room (designed by Kim Zimmerman, a fabulously chic interior designer). She wanted a white cover with a pop of color. I'm starting to really like these white covers.

Next up is the text. I've got so many great notes from our session to write about these guys!

Love the last spread in their book. It's SO them!

Santa at b. braithwaite

When I was 2 years old, I was deathly afraid of Santa Claus. He was a scary looking man to me, and I didn't quite understand the concept of presents under the Christmas tree. Of course, my mother tried and tried to get a photo of me and Santa at that age, but the lines at the mall were impatient, and the photographer wasn't being paid enough to coax me into sitting on Santa's lap. Needless to say, I don't have any photo memories of me visiting Santa between the ages of 1 - 3.

Visiting Santa Claus in a favorite Christmas outfit is a tradition that has been with us for generations. That is why when Chaffee told me of her vision of Santa at b. braithwaite, I knew I had to take part. "The experience is what I want the children and families to remember," she told me. And that is exactly what we focused on the past two weekends as more than 300 children walked into the doors of b. braithwaite.

The store is a child's fantasy playground (and mother's fantasy baby boutique with everything designed exclusively by legendary interior designer Nancy Braithwaite!). Larger-than-life bunny and teddy bears welcome you as you enter, and every nook and corner is filled with everything a child would want to play with. Train sets, baby strollers, art easels and gigantic bean bags. As the children play and wait for their scheduled appointment, I work with each family to capture that perfect moment with Santa.

There are SO many reasons I recommend my clients to come to b. braithwaite for their Santa portraits.

First is the location itself. I could play in Chaffee's store all day.



Second reason is because of Santa Claus himself. He is so incredibly jolly, patient, kind and photogenic! After all, he IS the real Santa Claus.

Chaffee is wonderful working with kids as well. Even the shyest ones...



There are no rules, no limitations, no lines, no fuss. Bring your family, your pets, whoever your heart desires. Santa loves to visit with all!



Of course, one of the main reasons is that your portraits are taken by me :)



I completely understand that some children love Santa more than others.



But that doesn't mean we don't try. In fact, we put more love and affection into the children who shy away first...



We even love to get the parents involved! Here's my friend Lesley tickling Allie's toes to get that perfect smile with Santa.



And I'm not afraid to sing, jump around, make funny noises and dance around in circles to make your children laugh.

I absolutely love working with Chaffee and her team every year to produce the best Santa portraits and experience in town. Chaffee and I open appointments to our wonderful clients first in early November, and then the public is invited to join soon after.

Thank you to all who joined us these past two weekends...and past three years! We hope you and your children enjoyed the experience and will cherish the memories for years to come!

Maxwell's Show & Tell

The hip little man below who is in need of modeling representation also had the coolest Show & Tell pieces to share with me.

From left to right/top to bottom: 1. Hats: Maxwell loves to wear hats like his big brother Richard. He hears them everywhere including school and when he sleeps! 2. Monkey: Maxwell’s favorite stuffed animal is Mr. Monkey. He cuddles him softly as he sleeps and dreams. 3. Books: Maxwell reads every book he can get his little hands on. These are two of his favorites because he loves animals and to make sounds like them. 4. Ducks: One of Maxwell’s first sounds was “quack-quack”. He loves to take baths with his buddy ducks. 5. Initials: One of the first toys Maxwell started to play with were blocks and these of his initials are little and cute just like him. 6. Ties: Maxwell’s first clothing he learned to put on was his dad ties! He is daddy’s little man! 7. Tiffany China Set: Maxwell loves cars and loves to make the sound “brumm-brumm” just like the cars on his first big boy china set. 8. Balls: Maxwell learned how to count “1-2-3” by rolling throwing balls. He will throw them off the balcony or up the stairs! 9. Push Along Toy: Maxwell’s first toy gift was from his grandmother Ursula. He loves to drag it around the house and hear it go “clack-clack”.

Facebook is Awesome.

If you don't have Facebook, get it now.

I've known Mark Zuckerberg, creator and mastermind behind this brilliant application, since high school. When he emailed me right out of college to try this new web app called facebook out, I thought, "Sure, another myspace." I was never big into profiling myself on the web, but wow. A few years and over one million users later, Facebook has grown into this REVOLUTIONARY communication tool that allows friends - people you met in elementary school, at a party...people you WANT to get to know - to connect on a more personal (or at least web-wise) level. People you may have never gotten to know at this level otherwise. In a non-stalkerish kind of way, of course.

I'm pouring with happiness & glee from all of the birthday wishes from my cyber friends today! Friends from middle school, friends from photography seminars, friends that I've photographed, friends from around the world!

Zach & Drew of Maryland

Zach and Drew came all the way from Maryland to see me... well, and the grandparents too :)

What pure joy it was to photograph these two brothers. Mom had a very special plan to make a book of her and her 2 boys for dad. What a lucky dad!

I just loved Zach's curly, red hair.



And Drew got mom's great looks.



See?



Just love this series. Every child loves to fly! ...and eat mom's toes!



Thank you for everything, Chelsea! I hope Rick enjoys all of his goodies this birthday/holiday!

BIG Holiday Giveaway!

You know someone. You know someone who's experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who can't afford custom photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family's spirit, love, and beauty.

You know someone. I guarantee it.

I want to know who they are, and I want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography – $2000 worth, to be exact. Whether it's a custom folios book, canvas, prints for Grandma, or a slideshow to watch over and over...it's in your power to give them the artwork they deserve this holiday season.

Oh, and the best part? The person who nominates the winner receives a $500 print credit. What better reason to show some love could there possibly be?

The rules:

You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services. (Being unable to make mortgage payments for a two-million-dollar-home does not qualify as sincere financial need.)

The nominee must reside in Atlanta, Georgia. Tell me who you know, what they're experiencing, and why they deserve my artwork. Please include a way to contact both your nominee and yourself as well.

Comment on this blog entry to let me know you've entered, and e-mail me the full story: alice@aliceparkphotography.com

Deadline for entries: December 23rd at 8 pm

The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve... I can't wait to read all of your entries!

Open your heart to someone this holiday season – and thanks for giving me the opportunity to open mine.

Many thanks to the other photographers joining me in this spirit. If you are not local to me, see if there's someone local to you for winning portrait-y goodness!

Matt Niolosi (Texas), Kaycee Dean (Oklahoma), The Selanders (Iowa/Nebraska), Charlene Chavez (Louisiana), Rachel Logan (Texas), Surprise Photography (New York), Lauri Stumph (Minnesota), Laura Green (Iowa), Kimberly Ann Photography (Wisconson), Peachyc Photography (Manila), Photo Art by Suzi (Michigan), Krista Muskovin (Michigan), Keller Holder (Kansas), Tiffany G (Las Vegas), Bamboo Photography (Pennsylvania), Mollie Kendall (Texas), Marlo Yoshimoto (California), Brandi DeLisa (Tennessee), HRG Photo (Washington) and the amazing Kristen Kalp of Essential Photography (Pennsylvania) .

Itty Bitty Twins

I was so excited to be able to squeeze in 2 month old twins today due to a cancellation. Marin and Graham were born 11 weeks early, arriving home from the hospital last week right in time for Thanksgiving. At 2 months old, they were the perfect size and age to document their "newborn" photos.

Introducing Marin Laine and Graham Lee:



In between feeding, changing and soothing the twins, I was able to grab some beautiful shots of big sister Lauren.



And of course a perfect shot of the 3 angels for mom & dad's very special holiday card this year.

In need of some Representation!

This little man needs to be shooting editorials and practicing his cat walk for runway shows. Maxwell is quite the perfect little model. Modeling scouts interested should contact me :)

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year....

Pardon my absence the last few days. It has been busy, busy here!

I would like to call today - Monday, December 1st - "Black Monday." Today was our official deadline for client's Christmas orders, and let me say politely and sincerely to everyone who placed their order today, "Thank you for your procrastination!"

We are always so busy during this time of the year. So thankful to our clients for this too. I always have an end-of-the-year adrenaline rush with my scheduled December sessions. In between my 4 hour sleep schedule, visits to Fedex, my framer, paper & inspirational craft stores, scheduled client meetings and sessions, I am working away at my one million item to-do list. I don't like the fancy, although efficient and more "eye friendly," task software programs many small businesses use. Instead, I use my handwritten, color-coordinated, old fashioned "task book" to organize every aspect of my cluttered life. It's what I've done since 10 years old, and I will probably never steer away from it.

I am actually not embarrassed to admit this.