Images on CD

Most of my clients want to purchase their images on CD. As a consumer myself, I completely understand that desire - especially in today's digital age! Plus, having electronic copies of pictures completely simplifies the process of sharing memories with friends and family - at home or abroad.

In most markets, demand for images on CD is growing rapidly, so the cost of digital images must provide the profit margin required to justify investments in cameras, lenses, lighting, computer hardware and software, the hours of digital post-processing, and the regular costs of doing business. These investments are necessary in order to both survive and excel in the art of photography...not to mention to wow and please clients! No serious photographer wants (or can afford to) give away their images for nothing.

The majority of the people I work with want to own at least some of their image negatives for archival and reprint purposes. So, I offer the images for purchase as DVD slideshows and lo or hi-res negatives on CD along with a beautiful proofbook with previews of all images on the CD (plus safe archiving tips and printing recommendations). Also, when a client purchases electronic image files, I deliver it all in some really fun and completely customized packaging!

Sweet Sorrow: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep & Diana's Angels Project

Maternity photography is a "must" for some moms and a taboo for others. But I have never met anyone who denies that pregnancy and birth are miraculous journeys full of moments arousing everything from laughter to curiosity to exhilaration to fear and sadness. So, pregnancy is a time when families practice cautious anticipation. There are unexpected turns the journey can take. I have had my own experiences of joy and tragedy during pregnancy - and have since felt a pull to do what I can to love others who also step onto that diffucult path.

A short while ago, I came across an organization called Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. They provide a healing hand to families grieving the loss of a baby by offering free professional portraits of their child in the hospital. The portraits are done in an intimate, sensitive, and compassionate manner which helps families honor, cherish their beautiful baby. Those gentle moments captured on film are such an important part of the healing process because they reaffirm the family by fully acknowledging the Spirit and life of their baby.

I am now officially one of more than 5,000 volunteer professional photographers for The Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation (NILMDTS). At any Fort Wayne family's request, I will come to your hospital or hospice location and conduct a sensitive and private portrait session. I then professionally retouch the photos if necessary and present them to the family on CD so that they can print portraits of their little one who has passed.

If you know of someone who you think should know about NILMDTS, please send them my way or send them to http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/. Also, let them know about Diana's Angels® Patterns. These beautiful infant burial outfits (including a kimono, blanket, burial outfit including covering for the feet, and a bonnet) are small enough to fit even the tiniest child. Diana's Angels Project was organized by women at St. John's Lutheran Church in Waverly, Iowa. Since then, many other groups have joined them and have made hundreds of burial outfits which are distributed to hospitals and mortuaries. Diana's Angels® Patterns are $10 and can be purchased at http://shop.lwml.org/index.cfm?Product_ID=59598&page=details.cfm&thisrow=6&action=search&criteria=pattern&startrow=1&mystartrow=1&maxrows=10&cat=&man=&afid=&searchcat_id=&itemprice=&searchfield=&searchman_id=&boolean=or&var1=&var2=&var3=&return_product_id=&returnpage=&makeid=&modelid=&modelyear=