Viewing archive: January 2008 - View all recent posts
H a! I just pictured a black and neon orange sign in the window of my studio once I typed those words. ;-) But, in all seriousness, I am loosing the best assistant ever. She only worked part-time for me for the past 4 months, and her full-time job is taking her out to Colorado (did I mention she is one of my nearest and dearest friend?). She is already missed!! Anyway, I need to hire some help and have someone who can start part-time no later than the beginning of April.
The job description is pretty flexible and will depend on the talents of those that apply, but the main things I absolutely need help with are studio management. This means processing orders, placing orders, packaging and shipping, wrapping albums, odds-n-ends around the studio, answering some emails, etc. This may only be an 8 hour/week job to start with; it is not likely to ever be more than 20 hours a week. I do not need someone who is creative or artistic, although that is welcomed.
I definitely am open to extending this position to include someone who could also do some design work for me or assist me at weddings, but I am not looking to hire another photographer or someone who is solely interested in design. This job could be right for a college student or someone who wants some experience in this area of running a small business. You must be available to start by the end of March, early April, and you must have solid references. I also would need this person to be available to work in my studio in Saranac Lake during somewhat normal hours to start with (anytime between 9-5 M-F). If we get enough solid training in and your references are solid enough, it could become a "make your own hours" thing after a few months, as long as there is one time slot each week that will be consistent.
Anyway, email me your resume at rae@raebarnes.com if you are interested. I am young, so I am under the belief that talent is more important than experience... So, don't be shy! Give me a call if you want more details or want to come in to talk it over. I need at least 3 references of people you have had a working relationship with (to whom you are not related). I hope to hear from you soon! |
I f you have placed an order between now and mid-October, expect an email from me shortly explaining why I am so frustrated.  :-)  I had too many sales in late October through the end of December, so my credit card company froze my account.  Anyway, I will be in touch.  I have a lot of work ahead of me, for sure! Also... just saw that the 10 emails I just spent the last 45 minutes writing were not sent for some reason... so if you are waiting for an answer for something, it will be another day.  Sorry!  I will post something more uplifting tomorrow, promise!  ;-) |
A nd so it begins again... So many people ask me if I am glad for the slower season, and sometimes I just feel like asking, "what slow season?" Granted, we do not have a wedding every weekend during the winter and thus we get to travel some, but we have 3 albums in the immediate horizon to design and a few more on the way. This week, I am focusing on Melissa & Brian's 11x14 flush mount album. I have been so excited to do their album, but it has taken me a looooong time to get to it with the holidays in the mix. Typically, I tell my clients that it takes 4-6 weeks to design their album, but when an album is ordered right before Thanksgiving (such as this one), it takes 8-10 weeks. Yikes! Fortunately, Melissa is the most patient and calm bride ever made, so I really want to make this fabulous for her! Here is a sneak peak...
Title page...
Second spread...
Third spread...
Note to clients: please, please, please, select your favorites for your album as soon as you possibly can so that your wedding day is still fresh in my mind and your design will not be delayed. |
W hat a crazy day! Â I did a few hours of work this morning, and then I had to run out to the Young Life camp for a (long) lunch honoring my dear friend Melanie- she is moving in a week from across the street to Colorado, and her last day at work is tomorrow. Â Â Anyway, as if that isn't enough to happen in a day, on my way back, I get a call from my pastor. Â The building next-to my building caught on fire, and between the large flames and the large amounts of water, the building is pretty much completely ruined now. Â I went to go see with my own eyes, and the street was blocked. Â So, I parked behind the building... They had plowed a path for the fire trucks and a few cars, but other than that, there was a couple feet of snow to walk through to get to my building. Â Â
My studio is absolutely fine... but, just in case, I ran in to get my external hard-drives (that, just yesterday afternoon, I finished backing up the last wedding of 2007). Â I am so grateful the fire didn't spread. Â I meant to bring the hard-drives home last night, but I had one more session to copy over from last year... and I was hoping to finish that today. Â (No luck there, the firemen didn't want me to stay in the building). Â Â But, thank God for insurance! Â All I had to worry about is those image files because they are the only thing you can't get back with insurance. Â In fact, weird thing, I had just heard a song this morning by Ryan Long that is about a family who lost their house in a fire, and the first thing he mentioned in the song as lost was his wedding pictures. Â That really struck me, how devastating that would be, which means it was probably God telling me to get those files out of the building. Â Man, I need to listen to that Guy more often! Â ;-) Â At least, He protected me this time. Â And from here on, I will always have 2 copies of every wedding stored in two different locations whenever it is possible, which should be always. Â :-)Â Â
So, everything is fine for my studio... Those apartments, however, are all a mess. Â Â When I left the site, however, I was directed to drive through the unplowed part of the road... in my little Honda Civic! Â Needless to say, I got stuck in the snow, and somehow I got wedged between the railroad and a sign- couldn't budge either way. Â Fortunately, some young men stopped to push me up and out! Â But, you know... between the fire being so close and my car being close to crashing, I think I have a lot to be thankful for. Â Yes, I am still crushed my friend is moving away, but she is still alive, as am I... and I did not just lose my home or my business to a fire... or my car to a crash. |
I am so pumped! But before I say anything, read about this amazing Tupper Lake couple on Jessica Claire's blog by clicking here.
Okay... now, see this post on her blog!
First of all, when I read Catherine & Steve's story, I got all teary. Secondly, I just couldn't believe that they are getting married only maybe 30 miles from my studio! Thirdly, I started 2008 wishing that I could do a wedding give-away to a very deserving couple, but I just couldn't fit more travel in my schedule and really struggled to figure out logistics of getting enough great candidates from such a small town. So, I really felt like seeing this couple on Jessica's blog was divine providence. I just HAD to see if there was anything I could do for them, so I immediately contacted Jessica. Much to my excitement, I found out they came in second (soooo hoping they are not disappointed by this), and they are getting married on one of the 2 summer dates I had left!! :-) In my mind, they deserve every bit of generosity that one can give!
So, this will be my first pro bono wedding package, but I am so honored to be doing this. I just can't wait to meet this amazing couple!! No promises on keeping my eyes dry, though. |
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