Back in July I met a wonderful family. I just ADORE meeting new families & being able to photograph them & capture timeless memories (that they get on CANVAS)……..it’s definitely a perk of the job.
To find out about booking a family portrait session for your family head to the Melody Coarsey Photography website. To see upcoming sneaks & more be sure to like us on Facebook & follow on Twitter!
Till next time,
Melody
In July I met the first of my little personal baby boom at his home in Lake City. Mr. Isaac was perfection. A doll, his bedroom was well themed by his parents (see below) & most importantly had amazing natural light. Once he ate & we turned on the vacuum, he slept through the session.
I absolutely ADORED how this session turned out & it makes me want to do more Newborn Lifestyle sessions. It was so relaxed & just perfect. I cannot say enough how much I LOVE this session. I can only hope his family feels the same. As he is a Baby Plan babe I get to watch him grow this next year. Which makes me even more excited. ❤
To see some of my newborn portraits from the past year meet Mr. Colton & Miss M.
To view more of my work or find out about scheduling your newborn session for a new addition coming in 2014, head to the Melody Coarsey Photography website. To see upcoming sneaks (including a newborn girl later this month), news, blog posts & more be sure to like us on Facebook & follow on Twitter!
Thank you all so much & a special thanks to the Pitchford family for letting me capture your little man.
Till next time,
Melody
I love the beach. I love beautiful brides. I love good food. I love a relaxed atmosphere. This wedding had all of this & more. It was perfection. A small, intimate ceremony & reception. Just family & a few close friends. Celebrating with them.
Starting out with everyone meeting at the bar of The Reef restaurant near Vilano Beach, FL. Everyone was so relaxed, happy, & just enjoying this time together. Even when the bride arrived, there was no big to do, everyone hugged, commented how gorgeous she looked (which. She totally did.) & laughed some more. Then they headed down to the beach for their vows & back up to enjoy food & cake. It couldn’t be easier.
Even though it was July, once the sun set a bit it was not terribly hot at all. The sea breeze was wonderful & as always the ocean provided a gorgeous backdrop to make their day even more special. Even though this was only my second wedding (to see images from the May Rustic Country wedding click here) I think I am getting the hang of weddings…..& enjoying doing them. 😉 If you want to see more from Tom & Koley’s wedding you can check out their PASS album here.
Thank you so much Tom & Koley for letting me celebrate with you & capture this special day!
For more information on portraits with me (or to be one of the 3 weddings I shoot a year) head to the Melody Coarsey Photography website! To see upcoming sneaks of beautiful families, newborns & before we know it Christmas portraits be sure to like us on Facebook & follow on Twitter!
Till next time,
Melody
I have hinted here & there about some changes coming to MCP. Well, today, July 1st seems like the perfect time to tell you those changes.
Are these pricing changes? Not really. Am I shutting it all down? Of course not. I truly love photography & capturing memories for all my wonderful & amazing clients. So what’s the big change then? Many of you know I was a Kindergarten teacher before I had my oldest, Cayden. After the birth of Kylie, I got a camera & the love affair began. A year later, I started this little business to share what I love & make a little extra to help around the house, but always thinking once Kylie was in preschool I would go back to teaching.
As the girls got older, I started wondering if I could make this a business that could thrive. That could be a career & (though not make as much as teaching), be something that could be long term. So, I pushed. I tried. I Marketed, I read, watched blogs & webinars to improve my techniques & marketing as well. I did everything to see what would happen….
Am I busier? Oh yes. More than ever. This past month was the first time that the summer was as busy as the Fall, which was crazy. I feel so blessed & thankful for allowing this thing I enjoyed that God gave me, to turn into a way to bless others & help my family. But did it all work? Well, no. I quickly realized I would have to raise my prices OR take on more work to make it as profitable as my first ever job (before the 19.1% taxes I pay that is). I knew raising prices would result in the same amount I’m making now, but less clients which wouldn’t help. I also knew that working more wasn’t an option. This isn’t a 9-5, Monday through Friday job. It’s nights & weekends shooting, then weekdays (& often weekends) editing, practicing, Marketing, designing & of course accounting. It does put a strain on the family as we feel there’s not time for us to do family activities & taking on more work, though I would get closer to the business goals, I would move further from my personal family goals so I would be miserable & highly stressed. (sorry this is so long…..it’s hard to write since it is so personal)
So, come August I will once again be teaching. This way I do another job I enjoy that pays the bills & helps us get a new roof, etc… while still doing what I love on the side. And I may end up taking lots of pics of my little class…big surprise right? 😉
How big will this change be? Well, instead of 3 sessions a week, there will be 3-4 sessions a month. YES, there will be Christmas Minis & Easter Minis & probably some during the summer. So do not fear! 😉 But with the limited number of monthly openings I had to figure out a fair way to schedule it all. So, I decided my Baby Plan Babes & their families will get first pick (as they have a package guaranteeing them portraits that month). After that, open dates will be available to past clients (those who have been photographed by me before July 31st, 2013) for booking. Finally, any additional openings will be new for clients. Jacksonville Clients will be almost as they are now since I will still only be in Jacksonville once a month. So, your availability is based on that. (Minis will be Past Clients first then New Clients in booking order) Senior Portrait Clients will also be in there & as they are all new, they will booked as they inquire & treated the same as past clients. Obviously, summer months will be different as I will be able to book more sessions & therefore have more availability to all.
What does this mean? If you are someone who has wanted to book with MCP, but not done it yet, THIS MONTH IS YOUR CHANCE! TO be considered a “Past Client” I would have had to photograph your little one or family by July 31st, 2013. If you have family or friends who have wanted to book let them know, now’s the time! I have limited availability, but I will do what I can to get those in.
I am SO thankful & blessed to all of you for making these past 3 years wonderful & I look forward to capturing more memories in the upcoming years (albeit less than before)……
Till next time,
Melody
**And because this is a photography blog, some shots of my sweet niece. 😉 Figured a Monday needed cuteness to soften the blow. 😉
A little video for all the amazing father’s out there….Happy Father’s Day.
It’s the Friday before Mother’s Day & I wanted to make this blog post all about Moms & their love for their children. So I decided the best way to do this was to fill a slideshow with some of my favorite images of moms & the ones they love dearest……Call you mom, send flowers, give her a big hug…if you are a mom, squeeze those little ones tighter. Enjoy the handmade gifts, without all of that you wouldn’t be a mom. Just Click the link below (as it’s not letting me embed the video into the post…ugh, technology)
Happy Mother’s Day 2013 Slideshow
Till next time,
Earlier last month (I can’t believe it’s May!), I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph for the 3rd time a wonderful couple. This time they brought their furry babies along & we met EARLY at the beach for a portrait session. The lighting & everything was beautiful. Absolute perfection. The furry babies did great (& so did their mom & dad) & as always with these two there were lots of laughs.
Thank you so much Chris & Nikki for letting me capture your love & little family again. To see more of my work or to find out about scheduling a Beach session for you & the one you love or for your family head to the Melody Coarsey Photography website. To see upcoming sneaks of newborns, sweet girls, more couples in love & much more be sure to like us on Facebook & follow on Twitter!
Till next time,
Melody
Today’s blog post is very personal. Tonight is Relay for Life in my town. Many of my fans & followers know I participate in Relay, raise money & even do a Charity Mini session to help raise money towards Relay, but I’m not sure they know why. Why I do this. Why I spend the time. Why it means something to me.
When I was 9 years old my dad died of Colon Cancer. My girls have been raised knowing they have Grandpa John in Jacksonville & Grandpa John in heaven (yes, both grandpa’s were named John). This year was the first year I kinda told them what Relay is about because tonight they are walking a lap. Not sure how to tell them, I told them the truth.
Me: “Relay is an event that raises money to help fight Cancer.”
Cayden: “What’s Cancer?”
Me: “Cancer is a very bad disease that makes people very sick & sometimes people even die from it. Cancer is what caused Grandpa John to go to heaven.”
Cayden : (who is a bit dramatic, but does have a very sensitive heart) starts crying a little “I don’t like that. I miss Grandpa John.” Kylie then agreed that she too missed Grandpa John.
This is why I walk & raise money. This is why I absolutely LOVE getting photos of dads with their kids. These pictures are two of the things I treasure most in the world & 100% after getting my kids out would make sure I grabbed if our house was ever on fire. I cannot replace them. 
I realize most dads want nothing to do with family photos, rarely want to be there & only show up because their wives told them to. But we all need to see, how easily those images of use with our children can be all they have. All they treasure for the rest of their lives. But this is not about the importance of getting portraits done. It’s the importance of making memories with our children and of course, why fighting Cancer will ALWAYS be something I want. I will fight until no more children will have to learn that Cancer took their grandpa…or their daddy.
That’s why I Relay. Thank you those who read this. As it is a personal post. ❤
Melody
Earlier this month I was lucky enough to capture a wonderful family. 4 Generations of love. The entire session was filled with lots of laughs & you could see & feel how much they all loved & cared for one another. It was wonderful.
Thank you so much for allowing me to capture all of you & join in on the fun!
If you would like to schedule a family session, large or small, head to the Melody Coarsey Photography Website. To see upcoming sneaks of all kinds including lots of newborns, couples, toddlers & more be sure to like us on Facebook & follow on Twitter! If you need help with ideas for what to wear for your upcoming portrait session don’t forget to follow my board on Pintrest!
Till next time,
Melody
Last month I met up with a tiny little doll at her home for her newborn portraits. Though she wanted to be awake for the first hour or more, she was content listening to the rain & letting me take her portraits. I don’t think she got fussy until she got hungry, she was that sweet. Once she gave in to sleep we were able to capture some wonderful portraits of her sweet self. She was like a little doll. Easy to work with, & just so perfect. Have I mentioned I love my job? ❤
Thank you so much to the Cathey family for allowing me to capture your beautiful newest addition. And her extra big smiles she gave when daddy kissed her (her mom & I about died when that happened…so sweet).
To view more of my work or find out more about scheduling your Newborn Portrait session head to the Melody Coarsey Photography website. To see sneaks of my newest line of newborns coming up & all things MCP be sure to “like” us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, catch up on Instagram or even follow us on Pintrest!
Till next time,
Melody
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