New Updates, Additions, Specials, & Promos...
First off, today May 1st, is the beginning of the official Military Appreciation Month. This coming Friday, May 4th, is also Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Be sure to thank these heroes (and their spouses who stand by them) for their service and sacrifices! It can be something simple like paying for their coffee at the local coffee shop or something more like paying for their family's dinner at the local restaurant. A tank of gas, a soda, or just a heartfelt handshake to say "Thank You". Our men and women in uniform, as well as their spouses, deserve the recognition!!!

And with that said, ANY member of the military - active, reserves, or retired from - is getting my own version of appreciation. Any portrait session booked for a military member in the month of May will be done 100% free of charge (LOL, that was a lot of "m"s). You don't have to be deploying or coming home from a deployment, as per the OpLove guidelines. This is my own biz offering you a gift to show my appreciation. In addition, you will receive a free sheet of wallet prints (8-poses) and 25% off anything you want to order. No purchase obligations or restrictions.  :)

Next up, my Senior Rep Recruiting. I am starting to recruit my Senior Reps for 2013. If you are an upcoming senior or know anyone who is, please pass along this info! Approved Senior Reps get a free session, free prints, discounts, and credits for each referral. I'm looking for outgoing and active students. For more info and the application, please visit my Senior Rep page linked from the top or click here: http://awilkesphoto.blogspot.com/p/seniors.html

One last thing...I have TONS of sessions to get caught up on posting. Please know that I am working as fast as I can on getting them onto my blog and other social media sites. As of right now, I am running about 2 weeks behind on just processing session pics. I promise to get you updated ASAP, but if I happen to miss you, please let me know!  :)

Thanks, hugs, and much love to my loyal clients and fans!!

Black Friday Updates

Two Reminder Announcements for Black Friday Weekend

First is the Today Show segment, that I was honored to be a part of, about Operation: Love Reunited (OpLove) finally aired this morning. It was a really great story, and I am extremely happy with how well they put it together. The link to the story is here:

I absolutely love how they ended the piece with Denny throwing Dawson into the air on video and then stopping it with a snapshot of Dawson grinning ear-to-ear. I thought that I would be okay watching it but as soon as Denny started talking in the beginning, I started tearing up.  :)

And the second reminder is about my Black Friday Specials available only this weekend until Sunday night at 11:59pm. Most of the discounts are for 50% off sessions and/or prints! Visit my "Gifts" page at the top to purchase these limited time deals.

BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL

Black Friday Specials for 3 days
Friday, November 25th at 12:01am until Sunday, November 27th at 11:59pm

Special A - Family Session + $50 Print Credit for $75 (more than 50% off)

Special B - Boudoir Session + Free Pin-Up Calendar for $75

Special C - BOGO (buy one get one) Prints Only for $25, $50, $75, and $100 denominations

Don't delay...these HUGE discounts are only available for 3 days! Go to the "Gifts" page (link at the top) to secure your Black Friday Special.

Last Chance for Christmas Mini Sessions

I have decided...

No More Weddings! Yes, after much consideration and deliberation, I have decided not to book any weddings for at least a year. It's not because I am tired of all the happy newlyweds or even the stress of shooting a wedding. It is mostly because of the physical demands of properly photographing a wedding as well as the time investment to prep, shoot, and process everything. As most of you know, I started off my business many years ago shooting weddings and quickly booked every weekend from April to September with at least one wedding, and more often two or three. And during the week, I was doing corporate sessions for a magazine contract. This left little time to really truly develop and promote my own portrait photography. So, I am shifting my attention to portraits - families, kiddos, seniors, boudoir, and military. I am also working on a new idea for a new kind of portrait session. Hopefully, I will have the details hammered out in the next week or two.

I am excited about this decision and what will come of it. I look forward to what the upcoming year will bring and the many new people I will meet. Over the next couple months, I will be offering numerous exciting specials, discounts, and even a few freebies to attract new clients. Be sure to stay updated to take advantage of the opportunities!

Tell me about your Special Day

I have just reinstated the "Special Day" feature on my blog. Please tell me about your special day: a birthday, an anniversary, or something else that is important to you. If your special occasion fits our criteria, you will receive a FREE GIFT from us in honor of your day. The gift may be a free session, free prints, or likewise - and is redeemable for up to 60 days. An email will be sent to you on the 1st day of your occasion month with the details of your gift. Please note that any and all gifts are non-transferable, not redeemable for cash/credit, and cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotions, discounts, or special offers. You have nothing to lose, and a lifetime of precious memories to gain. So sign up now by visiting the "Your Special Day" page on this blog (link at the top center).

Forgot to Mention...

Oops...I forgot to mention in my earlier post about my first Special starting this week. For all you moms out there that suffer live through the joys and pains of motherhood, our "Mommies in May" special is dedicated in your honor!  :)  From now until May 31st, any "Mommies in May" session booked will receive a FREE Memory Book and 10% off anything ordered. The Memory Book is spiral-bound and will hold up to twenty-five (25) 4x6 prints with either a black or white border. The session can be just mom (as a treat to herself) or it can be with her rugrats too. But the focus is on mom, in all her beauty! Please no maternity sessions since I will likely have a "new mom" special later. Space is limited, so book your session early!

Need Your Input on Specials

I am considering offering specials throughout the year. I would like your input on the type of specials you would like to see. Basically, I've got three main ideas, but I am open to other alternatives.

1. Seasonal Specials - these are offered with the seasons. They may last the entire season or just a portion thereof. Example may include "Spring Fling" Special that occurs during April. Focus of sessions would be the blooming that occurs during spring, and the fun associated with it. The special may be a 4x6 colored brag book with 20 photos included with session.
2.  Monthly Specials - these would be offered all month with a different special occurring each month. Example may include "Mother's Day" Special in the month of May. Focus of sessions would be the joys of motherhood, whether it is mom spending quiet time alone or mom surrounded by her kids. The special may be an 8x10 canvas print of their favorite photo included with session.
3. Consistently-Run Specials - these would run year-round and be available based on the occasion. Example may include anniversaries. Focus of the session  is pretty obvious - marriage. The special may be something like a 25% discount or a slideshow of images that can include wedding photos you provide.

To vote for the kind of special(s) you'd be interested in, please click here.
To vote on what types of discounts and/or products you'd like to be offered with the Specials, click here.

**Be sure to subscribe to my website newsletter (top right of website) and/or my blog (here at bottom left) to get notifications of my upcoming and current specials.**