SANDRA YU PHOTOGRAPHY

WE HAVE MOVED!

Sandra — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:38:49 +0000

Hi everyone!

I wanted to let you know that the new blog site is up. BIGGER photos, BETTER experience, a top-down TRANSFORMATION. I’m totally psyched! I will have many more posts coming your way in the coming months. Believe me, the new site is worth a bookmark!

New Blog Site at http://sandrayuphotography.com/blog

See you on my new blog!

Much love,
Sandra

Posted in weddings

The Lady in Black

Sandra — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:38:22 +0000

Last Saturday, I helped a photographer to shoot a wedding. After the shoot, this sweet young man came up to me and asked me to shoot some photos of his girlfriend. I happily obliged of course. I can’t remember her name so perhaps she will see this and contact me. This photo is yours. Work it girl!

Posted in photography, portraits

Happy Friday

Sandra — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:01:28 +0000

Posted in personal Tagged: books, photography

WEDDING SPECIAL

Sandra — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 17:39:15 +0000

Ok, here’s the deal.

I have just a few more available dates in the remaining 2009. I am offering 15% off on the entire wedding package for any available dates left. So, who says only early birds get the deal?!

Posted in weddings Tagged: business, marketing, photography, wedding offer, wedding promo

STACEY: MASTERING LIFE LESSONS

Sandra — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:33:51 +0000

Stacey was fooled by her closest confidant. She was told they were having a girls’ night out. Little did she know, this was a special day planned in secrecy. It was going to be a day made just for her.

The doors opened and Stacey was met with familiar faces of friends, family and loved ones who had traveled far and wide just to be present to celebrate her recent Master’s degree achievement.

To Diane and James, proud mom and dad, it was as if everything in their lives led them to that moment, and that Stacey’s achievement was their achievement too. Standing there, a photographer tasked to look into this part of the world through my lens, not quite a stranger, not quite family, either – I can say that Stacey’s family was an inspiration – it’s meeting and hearing stories about people like them that continually reaffirms why I do what I do.

Event Site: A La Carte Event Pavilion

Posted in portraits Tagged: A La Carte Event Pavilion, events, family, graduation party, photography

AWESOMENESS IN A BOX

Sandra — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:00:51 +0000

A few weeks ago, I received a nice phone call from Ashley at Collages.net. “Hello”, she said, “Welcome to Collages.net. How can I help?” We talked about the types of products they offer for photographers like me. She offered to send me a box of samples. Sure, I thought, why not. When I saw the ginormous box from FedEx a few days later, I was blown away. I was expecting just a few prints, fabric/leather samples, catalogs and prices. But nooooo, I found sample albums for just about every type of events, including wedding, maternity, senior, family portraits. Everything I need to offer to my clients!

Ashley followed-up with a phone call the next day to answer all my questions and concerns. Needless to say, they get an A+ for customer service. With their permission, I am sharing some photos I took of their sample products. What can I say, they look like works of art. I had to blog about them. Collages.net produces impeccable products. Their albums have:

Excellent lay flat properties
Smallest page seam in the industry at less than 1 mm
Over twenty colors
Handcrafted leather covers
Square, panoramic, and rectangular photo album sizes
Customizable album options, including cameo cover, embossing options, and spine hubs
High-quality presentational packaging includes a pillowcase slipcover

I am happy to announce that I am officially offering Collages.net fabulous Albums and Photo Books. This awesome company had me at, Hello.

Collages.net Premium Leather Wedding Album

Collages.net Premium Leather Wedding Album / Photo Credit: Boucher Photography

Collages.net Brilliant Wedding Album / Photo Credit: The Shooting Gallery

Collages.net Press Printed Photo Book / Photo Credit: Forever Photography

Collages.net Press Printed Photo Book

I am so excited to be including the new products into my collections!

Posted in business Tagged: Collages.net, customer service, photo albums, photography, printing

KESHA + RICHARD: ENGAGEMENT

Sandra — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:11:02 +0000

THAT OLD FEELING

I enjoyed this photo shoot immensely. I loved how we were able to combine both engagement and maternity shoot in one. I met up with Kesha and Richard in Ybor city. They are a very sweet couple. Richard’s into jazz and Kesha’s into R&B, he’s charming and she’s classy – but oh, how well they go together. He’s very attentive, a real gentleman, and she’s much attuned to his mood, his feelings. Kesha’s also generous with her laughter – it’s like everything in Richard makes her happy, even when he’s not looking. I suppose I should share with you their lovely secret: it’s a story of chance, and of pieces finally falling into place; of being lost and having been found again.

Kesha and Richard dated back when they were in 10th grade, and like all young couples, they eventually broke up and went their separate ways. They each pursued their own lives as they know it, never knowing that an invisible thread holds them together. As years passed, I would like to think that they each did their part in weaving their way towards this moment, when the invisible hands of fate pushed them to cross each other’s paths again. And when they did, the old flame was rekindled, and the rest is history.

Posted in engagements, portraits Tagged: dancing, engagement, kiss, love, photography, Ybor City

KESHA + RICHARD: SNEAK PEEK

Sandra — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:48:49 +0000

Kesha, Richard and I met up yesterday afternoon in Ybor City where I shot their engagement/maternity session. Kesha reached out to me via my website and asked if I can do a maternity shoot. She also informed me that she’s recently engaged with her high school sweetheart and would like to take me out for a “test drive”. Heck yeah, of course! I love shooting engagement sessions with couples. It gives us a nice chance to get to know one another, plus it gives us a chance to laugh and to just have fun! Here’s a sneak peek from our session. More to come later.

Posted in engagements, portraits Tagged: kiss, love, maternity, photography, Ybor City

KRISTIE: GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Sandra — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:02:41 +0000

Last week I did another maternity shoot – this time at a tucked away beach in Ruskin. What a find! It’s now on my list of favorite locations. I don’t think a lot of people have been there yet, or have wandered as far. I was so glad to have made that discovery.

Kristie is in her early twenties and already she runs her own company. Kristie told me she loves children and wishes someday she’ll have a big family. So, it’s only natural that she opens her own daycare center. She and her husband are expecting their third child, a boy, to join their growing family.

It was a beautiful day and Kristie’s enthusiasm was infectious. I was glad for the weather – it wasn’t too hot, and we were just two women strolling along a stretched dock, listening to a bit of music from a guy strumming his guitar, not far from where we are. Overall it was a great session. Thank you Kristie, for a lovely Sunday afternoon – I look forward seeing baby Kaine when he arrives in a month. :)

Posted in portraits Tagged: beach, dock, maternity, photography, Ruskin

ALL PLAY AND NO WORK

Sandra — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:28:12 +0000

I’ve been enjoying photographing people here and there since I moved to Florida that I’m busy most days. I am having so much fun discovering new places and meeting new people that I can barely call it work, you know? But of course, after awhile you begin to realize that there is more to having a photography business than just building the website, plumping the portfolio, looking for possible clients and producing great shots. There is also the matter of networking with vendors and establishing reliable working relationships, which is necessary for your survival in the long run.

Before I fully established my business, I spent a lot of time in the company of my left brain. I planned, I strategized, I made outlines of everything that needed to be done. I researched things that I don’t know and wasn’t afraid to seek assistance from people whose skills I need but quite lack. This involved shaping my business identity and establishing a strong brand. I was very hands-on in this process; it was like I hit the ground running and I haven’t stopped ever since.

As with any person involved in a creative enterprise, it’s the marketing management that’s quite tough to handle: this is where you would need all the help that you can get from the left part of your brain, where everything logical and practical resides.

Eventually, because of patience, hard work, belief in myself and the support of my friends and family, I am happy to say that I’m doing, well, splendid! I love my life. I love my job! I get to meet a lot of new people and experience a lot of new things.

But I know that there are still more things to do. One of the things you learn early on when you have your own small business is that you are responsible for everything – you are your own secretary, your own messenger, your own manager, your own creative director, even your own coffeemaker. As much as it is enjoyable to have your own hours and be your own boss, it can get scary very quickly if you don’t know how to manage. When you make mistakes, you have no one to blame but yourself. You can’t run away from making decisions, and you can’t put off dealing with important matters, either.

One of these important matters is marketing and networking. I put a premium on this because I believe that it’s a significant contributor to a successful business. As a photographer for weddings, one of the things that I felt I need to be on top of is networking with wedding vendors. These are the people whom I need to interact with and be familiar with because we have the same client base. Having close relations with wedding vendors mean that both parties (me and them) can recommend each other’s services to the bride when the opportunity presents itself.

Here are a few good things that came out recently by taking the time to network and market my business:

I am a featured photographer in Wedding Wire, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Best Tampa Weddings. That has got me pretty excited!
I had the opportunity to meet up with Marcela at the Lowry Park Zoo. I visited their new facility, SAFARI LODGE. It is unbelievably beautiful for wedding events! It’s like you’ve stepped into a far away land. I highly recommend this location if any of my readers are planning to get married! Seriously, they have a great venue.
A few weeks ago I went to a bridal show and had a great time networking with non-photographers. These folks are always in the background, often unappreciated but still poured their hearts into making one’s event successful. I especially loved meeting both veterans in the business and the new comers. It was quite inspirational to be in the presence of so many creative people. Here they are, in no particular order:

Marcela at Lowry Park Zoo Safari Lodge

Johnny at Clark and Cone Wedding and Event Planning

Valerie at Tampa Event Planner Wedding and Event Planning

Jamie at Swank Shindigs – Wedding and Event Planning

Chanda at Classique Soiree Wedding and Event Planning

Lisa at Coastal Cabana – Fine Collection of Bridal Gifts

Judy at Cheddar’s Catering

Laura at Mostly Roses Florist

Pam at Thai-rific Orchids

Debbie at DD’s Blooms

Jay at Sunset DJ

Loreli at Complete Musi c

Jose at Just Outstanding Entertainment

Sharyn at Shephard’s Catering

Happy Wednesday!

Posted in business Tagged: marketing, networking, wedding vendors