August 2022: It's a new start!

 There's so much exciting news, it's hard to know where to start!

Honey Bee Photography has transformed, into a better service and better products.

We offer Experience Sessions, which allow the families and individuals to guide how they want to feel when they see their artwork on their walls.  This is a full-amenity service and includes all of our bells and whistles. 

• The phone calls
• The homework
• The designing of your session
• The session itself
• Your Design Consultation at your home
• Delivery of your physical product
• Help with installing your artwork.  

This is a celebratory experience and deserves to feel that way!

This is exclusive to Honey Bee Photography and the results have been wonderful for the clients who opt for this session.

We also offer Studio 6.0 sessions, an upgrade to how we used to do studio sessions.

Similar to Experience sessions, these allow families and individuals to express themselves through their clothing and props that are unique to them.

Studio 6.0 sessions include the following:

• A couple of phone calls to discuss clothing and style
• The session itself
• Your Design Consultation is done through Zoom
• You get digital products with this session
• You're welcome to order prints 11x14 and larger through me
• A special gift

Please share in the comments which you would prefer to have done for you and your family!

August 2020 Newsletter

2020

It certainly is turning out to be a "year", isn't it?  Between COVID-19, murder hornets, masks becoming a new fashion icon, and now "online school at home", everyone's styles are cramping. 

 

Being together at home a lot can be stressful.
Trying to balance working from home, keeping the kids going with schoolwork, and being the best parent you can be, can be super stressful.

Here at Honey Bee Photography, we are striving to bring you the very best value, whether it's in prepping for your photography experience, content on our blog and newsletters, or creating your artwork for you.  That's why I've partnered up with local experts whom I trust to share how to make things easier for you as a family, a business owner, or just for yourself.

That whole "yourself" thing.  It's easy to forget about yourself, when you are in the midst of figuring out what's awesome for everyone else in your family and business.  Staying focused, happy, and productive often take a back seat when you're concentrating on worrisome ideas.

This month, I'm introducing Brandie Bates with Mary Kay, Cheryl Cage with MyCore, and James Scott, director at Chesapeake Bay Hypnosis.  They have products, knowledge, and solutions to help with your everyday "new normal".  Please check out their articles by clicking on their names.

Time is Sweet

Welcome to Honey Bee Photography!

Have you ever noticed how sweet time is, when you get to spend time with your loved ones?  No matter if you have young children, tweens and teens, or college-age kids, you miss them when they aren’t around.

When they are around, there are certain things that they do that you love, and wish that it would never change.  The way your 9 year old daughter pushes her long hair over her left shoulder. The way your 13 year old son bites his lip when he’s focusing on a math problem, then looks up and grins when he figures it out.  How poised your 18 year old twins are, on the brink of adulthood, but still so very young, and when you hear them giggle, it takes you back to when they were 3 and giggled.

In your mind, you promise yourself that you’ll always remember these things, but our brains are funny in that way.  Ten years down the road, who was once your 9 year old daughter, is now 19, a sophomore in college, and wears her hair in a pixie cut.  Your 23 year old just graduated from college, and is thinking about getting married!  Your twins are now moms themselves, and it’s hard to believe that you are a grandma!

What would it mean to you to hold onto these memories and emotions forever?  To hear the giggles, to brush the long hair, to see confidence appear on your child’s face?  It’s the stuff of emotions that we really want to hold onto.

Here at Honey Bee Photography, we believe that family photography, women’s photography, and professional’s photography, can be absolutely beautiful, meaningful, and help people to reconnect with themselves and their loved ones.  The unique experience that we offer our clients is bespoke, meaning, we tailor every experience to the clients with whom we work.

Considered to be one of Maryland’s best photographers, especially in Anne Arundel county and Prince George’s county, we pride ourselves in creating family portraits that symbolize and celebrate each family member individually, and as a whole.  We take into consideration your lifestyle, your home décor, and your favorite colors, and plan you session so that your family photos are displayed in your living room where everyone can see them!

Wouldn’t it be amazing to walk past your photographs every day, and feel your heart burst with love, pride, or nostalgia every time you looked at them?  How do you think a beautiful photograph of your children all together, loving on each other, help them on those rough days as siblings sometimes have?  What would it mean to you to have a photograph of you and your partner, holding each other, when he or she travels often for work?

It’s the little moments, that you want to treasure, that we want to explore with you, and create artwork for your home that will bring back those beautiful emotions for you every time you see them.

When we work with women and professionals, we offer a similar experience that is also bespoke.  Here is where you can see our work, read some testimonials, and discover what resonates with you.  We take boudoir and headshots to a completely different level with your experience and artwork.

Bee in love with the heartwork of your life.

Thanksgiving Week for Extended Family Sessions

Legacy Family Experiences

As a young child, a favorite activity was to pore over old family photo albums, and hearing stories from my mom about each person.  I loved the smell of the albums, the way the pages sounded when turned, and the feel of the photo corners that had been carefully licked and placed for each photograph.

 It’s because of similar experiences, that the oldest generations in your family hate to get photographs done.  Other complaints are that everyone looks stiff.  The thing I hear the most is “I hate myself in photos; I never look natural!” from these generations.  It’s because they were standing there, waiting for the person to take the photo, with the sun in their eyes, and not being quite sure when the photo was being taken, so they had their photo smile pasted on.

I’m here to tell you that it isn’t painful, these days, at all!

How much sentimental value do you place on the photos in your grandma’s photo album?  With the years gone by, specific details in your memories fade, but photographs always help you to relive the good times.  Those old photographs become valuable with each passing year, because let’s face it, the cycle of life does end, and when that happens, photographs of loved ones are often all we have left.

I consider Legacy Family Artwork to be an essential gift.  I have a photograph, done at Olan Mills, of my sister, my mother, and my grandmother.  It’s beautiful.    Because of unusual circumstances, I was not able to be a part of this photograph.  I truly wish I had.  It would be a gift to see the four of us together like that. 

When I think of 3 or 4-generations of a family that are alive, or even 5, I think of how amazing that must be to have all of that love, wisdom, all of those shared experiences, in one room.  

How marvelous is the opportunity that when your grandchildren have children, they will have these pieces to hand down to them, share with them special stories to make the people in the photos come alive! 

Consider this young boy, Ethan.  At the tender age of 6, he knows of his grandfathers on his dad’s side, simply because he loves boxing.  This boy is the youngest of generations of boxers, who have left a great legacy for him.  These photographs help him to remember who he is, where he comes from, and to where he’s going.

That’s the kind of artwork that we produce here at Honey Bee Photography.  

Photography that creates an impact every time you walk past, even on the hard days, because you relive those feelings every time you see them. 

If a family can walk past a collection like this every day at home, and feel that love, imagine what a collection will do for a family with three or more generations, together…  It’s an amazing addition to your photographs that you already display, and will complete the story of who you all are.

We know that Thanksgiving week is a time for families to gather, and it’s never long enough.  That’s why we’re offering a special opportunity, the week of Thanksgiving, to help families with multiple generations to be photographed together.  We can do in-studio, or on-location for these families.

The premium experience that we provide includes the following for only $99:

• §      A $400 gift certificate
• §      A series of phone calls to help you, and yours, to reconnect and rediscover what is loved the most about your family, and planning of the entire session, down to clothing, colors, and location of the session.
• §      The session itself, which will take approximately 2 hours.
• §      A cinematic presentation of your photographs, for all of you to enjoy, right after your session, where we’ll sit together to create the collections each family within the main unit wants to purchase. 
• §      Each family unit will save $200 with the purchase of a collection starting at $600 or more, or 10% off, whichever is more.  We offer 3 pricing platforms in Good, Better, and Best.  All artwork is created with premium products.

§      Local members of the family will have their delivery and installation done by me.  Families out of town will receive their artwork directly from my vendor via UPS, with instructions on how to install.  Our 2 largest collections, in the best category, come with installation by a professional, who will be vetted by me, through a vast networking community to which I belong, at the family’s convenience, whether in the area, or out of state.

Slots are available on the following dates and times:

Nov 26 at 10 am

Nov 27 at 10 am
Nov 29 at 8:30 am and 3:00 pm
Nov 30 at 8:30 am and 3:00 pm

Expect that the session, starting on time, to each family unit ordering, will take about 5 hours.  Please make time for that, so that we can serve everyone there.

Why It's Important to Coordinate Your Photographic Artwork with Your Home's Decor

One of our FAQs is "What should we wear?" and "Do you have a place you like to photograph at?".

OK.  There's matchy-matchy, like back in the 90s when it was very popular to wear white button down shirts and blue jeans, and either barefoot or birkenstocks, and be photographed at the beach, or on the white background at the mall photo studio.










Then there's complementary, like when your daughters love the color purple and you get them dresses for their session that are really pretty, and go really well together, in a purply sort of way, in a field of lavender.






Now there's coordinated, which means we take into consideration, many things, such as your lifestyle, your decor style, and the colors in which you decorate your home, and your favorite places in which you feel most connected.

For instance, if a family had a light and airy farmhouse style of home, then I would suggest wearing fabrics that are natural colors, like creams, tans, greens and blues, in cottons and other natural fibers, and then photograph them in a beautiful field with which they are well-acquainted, at 7 am when the light is pure and clean.  I wouldn't suggest them dressing in vibrant, jewel tones and photographing them in front of modern architecture at 5 in the afternoon.

If a couple had really quirky tastes, with colorful splashes everywhere, then I'd suggest photographing them at their favorite county fair, wearing fun colors and photograph them about an hour before sunset, when the lights start blazing on, the sky looks great, and it's very festive.

If I worked with teens who played string instruments and their parents had a very traditional home that is quiet and peaceful, I would get permission to photograph them at their favorite art museum or local conservatory, and have them dress in dresses and suits in soft colors to enhance that tranquility.

If a mom approached me with very energetic children who were being "unschooled", then I'd ask her what some of their favorite activities and places to visit are, and choose colors in their home that work with that theme.

As you can see, no two families are the same, so neither should their photographs be. 

We believe, so strongly, that everything that goes into a photography experience and artwork should represent that family, exactly.  We believe that artwork that shows a family who they are, where they are coming from, and where they're going, can create such an impact on that family, every day.

Let's face it, we're humans who are visual beings.  We are affected by our environments.  When our homes are tidy and clean, it affects everyone in such a way that they behave a little bit more carefully with keeping it tidy and clean.  When our homes are cluttered, this environment tends to make everyone pretty cranky.

Purposeful photographic artwork of your family does the same thing.  The impact of symbolic artwork of a family reminds each member that they have a place in the family, they are loved, and they are (fill in the blank).  What does it mean to siblings in middle school, whose mom and dad just divorced, and they come home every day to an empty home, because mom is now working full time... and they see photographs, every day, on the wall greeting them as soon as they walk in the door, to remind them of how very much their mom loves them.  To remind them to never give up.  To help them on the hard days when they miss the former chapter of their lives before the divorce.  To actually feel their mom's love as she sacrifices precious time with her kids so that they have a home and a good life.  To know their mom has their backs all of the time.  That despite their new normal, they can depend on their mom.

Do you want an experience like this, to help you and your loved ones remember who you each are, where you are all coming from, and where you're headed?  Erin and I will help you through the experience, every step of the way, with the location for photography, choosing colors and styles of clothing, and finally the emotions that you want to relive again and again for years to come. 

It's definitely a different experience, but one that we know will impact your family for years to come.  Call us today at 240-766-8966 for your first, complementary discovery call, to see how photographs of your family can impact your life.


 *Please note that the photographs used in this blog post are stock photos.  Thanks.

The Secret Sauce

Sounds simple enough, right?  It really is... And my secret sauce is delicious and fun and fulfilling.  I know you'll love every minute of it. 

If you know that you would love to have a very different photography experience, give me a call.  I'd love to speak with you and find out all of the amazing things about your family that makes your heart sing.  My number is 240-766-8966.

Just Released: Magical Maternity Artwork

I interview a lot of beautiful women every week, some of them happen to be expecting and are so excited for the next chapter of their lives.  When I ask them how they feel about their pregnancy, usually the first thing I hear is:  "I hate how I look."

My reaction is:  "Let me show you how very radiant and beautiful you ARE."  For when I see a woman, in her maternal glow, blossoming with child, even with her uneven gait, I see a woman with secret dreams of holding her sweet newborn, blissful, and filled with joy.

The smile that plays upon her lips, when you know she's thinking about the babe who is growing within her.

Her hands that unconsciously touch and hold her belly every chance she gets.

The tired but satisfied sigh she gives when she sits down to put her feet up at the end of the day.

Her hair that has grown and has increased in strength and shine due to her pre-natal vitamins.

Her peaceful glow that just emanates from her, and lights up the room.  It is tantalizing and contagious, causing all who love her to gather 'round to feel the baby kick.

That's just some of the beauty which I see.

Let me help you see it.

When I spoke with Lauren about her session, I knew that we were a perfect fit.  She drank her water from the same type of water bottle that I do, AND she loves blue hydrangeas!

I had the opportunity to speak with both her and her husband and they were so excited to have their sweet baby.  He spoke of his love for his wife and unborn child.  Tomorrow or the next day, they will get to meet their sweet girl.  Finally.

This baby has two siblings already, Sadie the Yellow Lab and Bandit, the sweetest little black lab mix EVER.  She will be protected by these two and I can foresee a lot of playtime in the future.

As we planned her session, I had the most incredible vision, and I told her about it. I suggested making a maternity gown that resembled a blue hydrangea blossom.  She said:  "It sounds magical!"

Here are some of the four of them together.

Bandit and Sadie

Mom and Dad

The rest of the blue Hydrangea set.

Just incredibly beautiful.

Thank you so much for asking me to photograph your family.  I can't wait to meet your baby!

Discover HBP's Secret to Successful Santa Photographs!

It's that time of year again!  Can you believe it?  The year goes by so quickly!

Wasn't it New Year's Day like... yesterday?

The preparation of getting ready for the holidays has come upon us, and it's time to have some fun.  Don't do the boring old photographs that you've always done... Do something different!

Do you have visions of your children in line to see Santa at the mall, and you wait patiently, munching on a delicious goodie, keeping them occupied, until it's your turn, and excitedly, you put them on Santa's lap or seat next to him, and you have the saddest faces of all?  The moment that you've talked about, dreamed about, thought about, crumbled in moments because your children are scared of Santa?

It's time to take the stress of that OUT of your holiday planning... time to get beautiful photographs that are keepsakes to treasure year after year.

Can you imagine the FUN???

(Of course, the cookies don't hurt, either.  I'd smile for a cookie, too!)

So reduce that stress!

Call today for this offer.  Offer is good Dec 1-Dec 10, 2014.  Appointments only.  Pets are welcome.

Reasons to Schedule Sessions With HBP in October

Call for details at 240-245-0416.

Fall Leaves Family Photo Sessions!

Call today, limited times available!  Enjoy your session, enjoy your beautiful images, enjoy redecorating your home with priceless memories of your family!  What are you waiting for?  Call me today! 240-245-0416!

A Summer Carnival in Bowie

There is something about carnivals that makes me think of the really good Stephen King novels, especially The Dead Zone and The Talisman (which I think was written under a nom de plume).  I find it fascinating that people who live the carnival lifestyle just keep doing it year after year.  It's definitely a lifestyle.  I can't help but make up little stories about those whom I see and I want to talk to them and let them know my made-up stories, but I know that they will just look at me like I'm crazy.

So I just enjoy the lights and people watching.

This past week, there was a carnival right across the street from my studio. I knew at once that I needed to photograph it at night.  On Friday night, Jim and I had a date night and we went to the carnival when the sun went down.

This was our first stop.

What I love about this image is the interaction between the people.  The cops are obviously on duty, but they are trying to have fun as well.  I have no idea if he won anything.  I kind of have a tale weaving in my head about this exact scene.

I love the design of this particular "ride".  

Do you ever wonder about the various people who you know are in your photos?  

This is the ride that turns really fast so that you stick to the wall.  I took several of this but this is my favorite.

The famous swing. It kept changing colors.  It was pretty neat.

The Justice League slide, I believe.

This image is just so interesting to me. Look at all of those people.  And cotton candy. Mmmmm.

No, I didn't get one. lol

And one more of the swing.  This is my favorite image from the entire time we were there.  Pretty cool.

So there are the images from my date with Jim.  Let me know how you like them!