Thank you to the Girls of Khoas for sharing their images. For more pictures please visit the Girls of Khoas on Facebook.

 

 

Thanks,

Brooke

 

 is now on  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By now most of you know about the amazing website, Pinterest. I cannot tell you how often my girlfriends are referring to something they’ve seen on Pinterest and how they are going to make it. After many hours of organizing and pinning images to my own boards. I am pleased to announce that Sweet Graphix Design & Photography is now live on Pinterest.

 

I have boards ranging from photography – What to Wear to DIY – Craft projects for you and your kid’s, Photographer Printables, Wedding Location Suggestion’s, and much, much more. So stop on by and “follow Sweet Graphix Design & Photography today!

 

 

 

 

Follow me on

 

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the link to check out their fundraiser and make a donation: Hampton Family Fundraiser

 

Have you “EVER” considered what YOU would do if your own home caught fire and you lost everything you owned? I cannot imagine how it must feel to rummage through your life’s contents trying to salvage family heirlooms, photographs, keepsakes, collectables, and the precious toys your children hold dear to their hears.

One of my closest cousin’s just had this happen to her on July 10, 2012.

 

It was Tuesday morning and she abnormally got her children off to summer camp and day care an hour earlier. She left the house at 8:30 AM and according to the fire department the fire was reported at 8:39 AM. Only 9 minutes after she and her 7 children left the house. It was reported that there was a live wire randomly hanging from her hot water heater and caught the laundry room on fire. The laundry room is  directly connected to the master bedroom which is where it continued to spread. When all said and done the fire reach their kitchen and master bathroom as well. It was reported that the amount of smoke damage was extensive and the salvageable contents of the house would be boxed up and ready to be removed from the home for renovations and repairs. Not only do all major appliances, mattresses for everyone have to be replaced but all of the clothing has to be replaced because Mandi had all of their clean laundry to put away when she returned from dropping the kid’s off. They are currently prearing for their house to be emptied and are looking into the repairs.

Quotes are adding up and the overall cost is climbing by the day.

 

On top of all of this unexpected event, school starts in 5 weeks and uniforms, additional shoes, school supplies, and school fee’s will have to be paid. Like myself, a lot of people do not have any money to spare and it’s you that I am asking to spread the word. PLEASE share this post via email, Facebook, and/or on any social network you use. It doesn’t cost you a dime and only takes a second.

 

Currently, they are staying in 2 hotel room due to the size of their family and that is running them over $100 per day.

The fundraiser “HOPE” amount is $3000 but I think they will need much much more.

 

If you or anyone you know has non-monetary item’s to donate, please email sweetgraphix@live.com to arrange pick-up/drop off.

 

Here is the link to check out their fundraiser and make a donation: Hampton Family Fundraiser

 

If you are interested is starting a fundraiser for someone you know, please check out Give Forward

 

Thank you,

 

 

 

July is in full swing and hopefully your schedule is jam packed with clients ready to soak up that gorgeous Summer sun!  I for one have had an extremely full design schedule. Since we are just about half way through Summer vacation now, I thought it would be a great time to fit in some new What to Wear guides for everyone.  These are great looks that can easily be taken into early Fall as well. Colorful, fun, and put together!

The colors will make everything pop and let clients personalities shine!

 

These images are provided by Corina Nielson (http://corinanielsen.com)create these guides for my clients as well as for other photographers.  You may use these images on your blog & social media websites without having to give credit to me (although it would be nice)!  If you do use my text, you must provide a link/credit back to me/my blog!  Enjoy!

 

Thanks,

 

 

Hey come and check out my blog-sites NEW LOOK! I have made some changes and would love your input on the new look. I look forward to hearing your comments and/or suggestions.

 

Take Care,

 

I have received many questions on how to prepare for your Junior/Senior Portrait Session’s, so I thought I would share some of the important tips with you all.  Feel free to stop by the blog-site for more information.

Plan Your Session – Plan Your Clothing – If You Rush It – You Will Forget It!!!

Preparing for Your Session:

The biggest thing to remember is that it is a team effort on your part and ours to get the best possible senior portraits. A little Planning and Preparation will make a big difference. Please do not bring younger siblings to photo shoot on scheduled day. We say this because we want to be able to have complete focus on your senior.

Photo Assistant – Please Bring Another Person:

Some of the photo techniques we will use work best with another person to serve as an assistant. Please bring a parent or friend along to help with the photographs. We value the input and help these people can do for us. They would help with hair, clothing, and outdoor photographs. So bring someone that knows YOU! We also ask that you do not bring too many people with you because then they tend to be distracting to you and the photographer.

Pets – Additional $40 – Please bring a 3^rd Person to manage the pet:

If you plan on bringing a pet, plan on a 3^rd person to take care of the pet, or arrange for someone to take it home. We can’t care for pets and take quality photographs at the same time.

For A Successful Portrait Day:

Organize your clothes and props ahead of time. Be well rested. Give yourself EXTRA time to clean up, gather all of your things together, and arrive a few minutes before your scheduled session time. Remember, you want to get the time you are paying for!

Clothing Tips & Guidelines

Plan and organize for your clothing changes during your session. When picking out your clothes keep in mind your location choice, surrounding colors, and the time of day for your session.

Bring along your favorite outfits that represent who you are. Limit your outfit changes to 2 for the Basic Session. It is not the number of outfits that will determine a successful session. It is how relaxed and comfortable you are while posing.

NO STRIPES & NO PLAIDS: These patterns will draw attention from the face. I will not photograph seniors in these distracting patterns.

Make sure your clothing fits properly. Oversized or snug clothing will not look flattering.

Make sure to dress head-to-toe. Don’t forget your shoes, belt, and jewelry.

Long sleeve photography the best.

Make sure your clothing is ironed because the wrinkles WILL show in the pictures.

Make sure your shoes are nice, clean, and coordinate with your outfit choice. Consider bringing an additional pair of shoes for variety.

The Slimming Effect

To get this effect, dark colors work best. Avoid horizontal stripes in your clothing. Girls…beware of sleeveless tops, bare arms tend you make you look heavy.

Hair

Just prior to your session is probably NOT the time to experiment with a new hair-doo. If you do have a fresh hair cut or a new style, allow at least a week for it to grow on you. Wear your hair the way you like it and be sure to wash it! Clean hair has a much more healthy appearance. Keep your hair smooth to reduce to appearance of fly-a-ways, or split ends. Girls, make sure that your bangs do not cover your eyes. Avoid heavy hair spray, mousse, gel, because clean, soft hair looks the best. Don’t forget to bring your hair supplies, comb, brush, and light hair spray. Remember that your assistant will also be helping with your hair. Make sure they know how you like your hair.

Glasses

If you wear glasses, remember it is impossible to avoid reflections from the lights. Reducing or removing this glass glare will cost you $10 - $25 per image. We recommend that you wear your frames without the lenses. Ask you optometrist for a pair of empty frames that are similar to yours. If you are unable to get another frame, ask your optician to remove your lenses prior to the session. The local optometrists are very cooperative.

Make-Up: Ladies

Properly used makeup will improve your portrait immensely. For a natural look,, wear your normal makeup. Please don’t over-do it! Start with foundation to smooth out the look of your skin and to minimize blemishes. Eye shadow and mascara will help bring out your eyes. Lip-gloss adds a little sparkle to the lips, and also apply a little blush to get some color in the cheek’s to soften the shine of the nose and forehead use a little powder. Make sure to bring your makeup with you, to help keep you makeup looking fresh.

Make-Up: Men

It is helpful to use a light concealer to help reduce blemishes. Make sure to shave as close as possible to your session time. It is very hard and expensive to remove the “5 o’clock shadow” that heavy bearded guys will have. Hands will show in some images so make sure that they are neat, clean, and your nails are groomed.

Outdoors

Casual clothing looks best for outdoor sessions. Wear colors that you see surrounding in your location choice. Any solid colors look great outdoors, such as navy blues, blacks, reds, greens, and purples. When choosing your outdoor clothing avoid white or pale colors, select more solid, dark, and earth-tone colors.

Props & Personal Items

Bring along accessories and props that will enhance your photographs. Bring items that are important and personal so we can capture the “real” you. Uniforms make great pictures (Sports, cheerleading, dance, etc.) sports gear, equipment, musical instruments, or vehicles can be great additions to your photographs.

Possible add-on charges apply for:

Vehicle $10

Interest/Activity Set-up $10

Extra Outfits $10

When you purchase a Senior session, Sweet Graphix Design & Photography gives you 50% OFF a one (1) 45 minutes Family session. This deal is only good if both sessions are scheduled at the same time but do not have to be one the same day.

Yearbook Images

Seniors are responsible for knowing their school’s yearbook deadline. KNOW YOUR DEADLINE!!!

Seniors, you may turn in a wallet from your previous ordered set of wallets

…or we will email the ORIGIONAL file of any PREVIOUSLY ORDERED pose for $10

…or we will email the ORIGIONAL file of the NEW pose for $20

Other Important Issues

If you wear glasses empty frames are a must.

To look your best, get a good night’s sleep.

I will try to fulfill any location requests within Chattanooga city limits. For a special location there is a minimum charge of $30 for travel time and expense.

Plan on a 1 ½ - 2 hour session.

Using make-up will enhance your photographs.

Bring hats, ties, jackets, belts, jewelry, and sunglasses.

We also do group senior pictures. If you have friends that you would like to take pictures with please let us know ahead of time to we can adjust the booking schedule and pricing according to the number of additional people. (Please see the Investment page for all pricing)

Normal delivery is 3 weeks. If you need your order back sooner, rush charges will apply.

Professional photographs are Copyrighted Images. Copying images IS against the law.

To serve you better, Appointments are necessary!

Make a checklist of everything you will need for your session. Many seniors forget an important item or piece of clothing.

Sweet Graphix Design & Photography reserves the right to reproduce your images for advertising and display purposes.

You will receive an email with a personalized link and password to proof & purchase your images. This link will be active for 2 weeks and best of all you can share it with family & friend’s that want to purchase prints too.

Black & White or Sepia Tone

Traditional Black and White prints or Sepia Tone prints can be ordered in addition to your normal senior order. We can make black and white prints from your color pictures.

Rainy Days

If there is a threat of rain on your scheduled session day please give us a call. Overcast days are great for photography. If it does rain, we will reschedule your session for our next available session.

Viewing Day Special

When the parent and the senior come in to view the session images they have the option to purchase a memory book and a Senior slideshow of the sessions images for $250, regular price $350.

Memory Book: 20 pages of your best images

Senior Slideshow: All of your selected session images put to music of your choice. (You must provide the music)

All Printables

Don’t forget that Sweet Graphix Design & Photography has all of your announcements, invitations, save-the-date cards, and much, much, much more. Check out our Design page for a complete list of products and pricing.

If you have any question, please feel free to give us a call at 423.364.8202 or email us at sweetgraphix@live.com

Thanks,

Take a look around your home to get a good idea of where you would like to place or hang prints.

Measure the wall space where you think you might hang a print or prints.

If you have a certain frame you wish to use be sure to know the exact measurements for its correct print size.

Consider purchasing prints as gifts for friends and family if so, how many will you need?

Please feel free to invite who may wish to purchase prints to your proofing session.

Proofing sessions will last an average of one to two hours. Consider childcare for your proofing session.

Your print order will be paid in full at your proofing session. Sweet Graphix Photography accepts cash or checks only at this time. Checks are paid in the order to Brooke Ragsdale.

Thanks,

 

As some of you know I have had a Sony CyberShot for sale.  As of today, I have sold it along with all of the lenses.  I am sorry to those of you that emailed with interest and hope you find what you are looking for in the future.

Sony Cyber Shot DSC H5

I have a Sony CyberShot DCS H5 digital camera that I would like to sell for $250. This camera is like new and takes fabulous pictures and video. Below are the specifications and list of additional lenses that I would like to sell as well. If you are interested in purchasing this camera and/or lenses, please drop me an email at sweetgraphix@live.com. Have a great day!

If you are interested in the lenses, please email me for pricing.

Specifications

Get closer than ever with the Cyber-shot DSC-H5 digital camera from Sony. It offers a spectacular array of advantages for creative expression, including 7.2 megapixel performance for editing, cropping and making big prints, top-quality Carl Zeiss 12X Optical zoom lens and Super SteadyShot stabilization system for rock-steady long-distance photos.

General
Product Type	Digital camera - prosumer
Width	4.4 in
Depth	3.7 in
Height	3.3 in
Weight	14.3 oz
Enclosure Color	Black
Main Features
Resolution	7.2 Megapixel
Color Support	Color
Optical Sensor Type	Super HAD CCD
Effective Sensor Resolution	7,200,000 pixels
Optical Sensor Size	1/2.5"
Light Sensitivity	ISO 100, ISO 800, ISO 400, ISO 200, ISO 80, ISO 1000, ISO auto
Digital Zoom	2 x
Shooting Modes	Frame movie mode
Shooting Programs	Landscape, portrait mode, hi-speed shutter, twilight portrait, twilight mode, beach, high sensitivity
Special Effects	Black & White, Sepia, Neutral, Vivid
Image Stabilizer	Optical (Super Steady Shot)
Max Shutter Speed	1/2000 sec
Min Shutter Speed	30 sec
Exposure Metering	Multi-segment, center-weighted, spot
Exposure Modes	Program, automatic, manual, aperture-priority, shutter-priority
Exposure Compensation	±2 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps
Exposure Metering Zones	49
White Balance	Custom, automatic, presets
White Balance Presets	Incandescent, fluorescent, cloudy, flash, daylight
Digital Video Format	MPEG VX
Still Image Format	JPEG
Continuous Shooting Speed	1.1 frames per second, 1.4 frames per second
Video Capture	MPEG - 640 x 480 - 30 fps | MPEG - 640 x 480 - 16.6 fps | MPEG - 160 x 112 - 8 fps
Memory / Storage
Flash Memory	Flash - integrated (soldered memory - 32 MB )
Supported Flash Memory	Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo
Image Storage	JPEG 3072 x 2304 | JPEG 2592 x 1944 | JPEG 2048 x 1536 | JPEG 1632 x 1224 | JPEG 1280 x 960 | JPEG 640 x 480
Camera Flash
Camera Flash	Pop-up flash
Flash Modes	Fill-in mode, slow synchro, auto mode, flash OFF mode, red-eye reduction
Red Eye Reduction	Yes
Effective Flash Range	1 ft - 30 ft
Features	AF illuminator
Lens System
Type	Zoom lens - 6 mm - 72 mm - f/2.8-3.7
Focal Length	6 mm - 72 mm
Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera	36 - 432mm
Focus Adjustment	Automatic, manual
Auto Focus	TTL contrast detection
Auto Focus Points (Zones)	3
Min Focus Range	19.7 in
Macro Focus Range	2cm
Lens Aperture	F/2.8-3.7
Optical Zoom	12 x
Zoom Adjustment	Motorized drive
Lens Construction	9 group(s) / 11 element(s)
Filter Size	58 mm
Lens Manufacturer	Carl Zeiss
Features	ED glass, aspherical lens
Additional Features
Self Timer	Yes
Self Timer Delay	10 sec, 2 sec
Additional Features	Audio recording, direct print, USB 2.0 compatibility, built-in speaker, auto power save, digital noise reduction, DPOF support, display brightness control, digital image rotation, PRINT Image Matching, PictBridge support, histogram display, cropping an image, blur warning
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Type	LCD
Viewfinder Color Support	Color
Viewfinder Diagonal Size	0.2"
Viewfinder Resolution	201,000 pixels
Display
Type	LCD display - TFT active matrix - 3" - color
Display Form Factor	Built-in
Display Format	230,000 pixels
Microphone
Type	Microphone - built-in
Connections
Connector Type	1 x composite video/audio output | 1 x USB
Expansion Slot(s)	1 x Memory Stick PRO Duo
Software
Software	Drivers & Utilities, Sony Cyber-shot Viewer
System Requirements for PC Connection
Operating System Support	MS Windows XP, MS Windows 2000, MS Windows ME, Apple Mac OS 9.2, Apple Mac OS 9.1, Apple Mac OS X 10.0 - 10.4
Peripheral Devices	USB port, CD-ROM drive
Miscellaneous
Included Accessories	Lens hood, lens cap, shoulder strap, lens adapter ring
Cables Included	A/V cable | USB cable
Power
Power Device	Battery charger – external (not included)
Battery
Supported Battery	AA
Supported Battery Details	2 x AA NiMH rechargeable battery - 2100 mAh ( not included )
Manufacturer Warranty
Service & Support	1 year warranty
Service & Support Details	Limited warranty - 1 year
Suggested Retail Price
MSRP	$ 599.95

Additional Lens:

1. Bower Pro Digital HD DSLR MC AF 3.5 x 58 mm Telephoto

2. Digital Concepts 0.45x Professional Wide Angle Lens with Marco HD 58 mm

3. Opteka .45x HD II Wide Angle Lens 58 mm Marco

4. Bower Super Wide Marco Lens 58 mm Series VII 0.42 XAF Titanium

5. Opteka Super Wide Fisheye Lens 0.22x

6. Opteka 3.2x AF HD II Telephoto Lens 58 mm – 49 mm

After loosing the contest that Kevin and Amanda held last month I decided I would order my own camera strap.  After all, I fell in love with them as soon as I read Amanda’s blog post. http://www.kevinandamanda.com/whatsnew/giveaway/cotton-candy-by-natalie-camera-strap-giveaway.html

Low and behold it arrived today and I could tear the package open quick enough to see if it was as cute in person as it was on  the internet.  IT WAS!!!!!!  Instantly I noticed that the colors in this strap are the same colors I have chosen to use in Sweet Graphix Design & Photography identity package.  How freaky is that?  Check it out below:

I told you it was cute!  If you are interested in purchasing one for yourself here is the link to Natalie’s store at Etsy.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/cottoncandybynatalie?ref=top_trail 

Until Next time…

 

Chattanooga River Park
4301 Amnicola Highway
Chattanooga, TN

Coolidge Park
Outdoor Chattanooga Center
200 River Street
Coolidge Park
Chattanooga, TN 37405
Phone: (423) 643-6888
Fax: (423) 643-6885
Website: http://www.outdoorchattanooga.com/default.asp

Chattanooga Choo-Choo
1400 Market Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
1-800-TRACK-29 (872-2529)
Website: http://www.choochoo.com/

Hunter Museum of American Art
10 Bluff View
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Phone: (423) 267-0968
Fax: (423) 267-9844
Website: http://huntermuseum.org/

The Grand View
1400 Patten Road
Lookout Mountain, GA 30750
Phone: (706) 820-7920
Fax: (706) 820-7912
Website: http://meetatgrandview.com/index.html

Chattanooga Nature Center
400 Garden Road
Chattanooga, TN 37419
(423) 821-1160
Website: http://www.chattanooganaturecenter.org/

Reflection Riding
400 Garden Road
Chattanooga, TN 37419
(423) 821-9582
Hours: Mon. – Sat. 9-5, Sun. 1-5 (seasonal)
Website: http://reflectionriding.org/

Patten Chapel – UTC
615 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Phone: (423) 425-4111
Website: http://www.utc.edu/

Bluff View Art District
411 East Second Street
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Phone: 423.265.5033 or 1.800.725.8338
Back Inn Cafe x1
Bluff View Inn x2
Rembrandt's Coffee House x3
Catering & Delivery x4
River Gallery x5
Tony's Pasta Shop
Trattoria x6
Website: http://www.bluffviewartdistrict.com/index.php

AT&T Field of Chattanooga Lookouts
Phone: (423) 267-2208
Website: http://www.baseballpilgrimages.com/AA/chattanooga.html

FairlylandClub.org
1201 Fleetwood Drive
Lookout Mountain, GA 30750
Club Office: (706) 820-1551
Office Manager: (706) 820-1551
General Manager: (706) 820-1551
Website: http://www.fairylandclub.org/fw/main/Home-1.html

Laurelwood – Signal Mountain, GA
Contact: Larry Bannier (423) 949-5511
Email: info@laurelwoodweddings.com
Website: http://laurelwoodweddings.com/

The Farm at Hickory Ridge
Contact: Denise Stripling
770.548.7554
Website: http://thefarmathickoryridge.com/The_Farm/Home.html

Mansion of Forsythe Park
700 Drayton St.
Savannah, GA 31401
Phone: (912) 238-5158
Fax: (912) 721-1123
Toll-free: (888) 213-3671
Email: info@mansiononforsythpark.com
Website: http://www.mansiononforsythpark.com/


Villa Christina – Atlanta, GA
4000 Summit Boulevard
Atlanta, GA 30319
Contact Julie or Lauren
Phone: (404) 303-0133
Email reception@villachristina.net
Website: http://www.villachristina.com/

Calloway Gardens
100 Meadow View Lane
P.O. BOX 746
Pine Mountain, GA 31822
888-499-5563 or 706-663-5000 fax 706-663-6805
email: tellmemore@callawaygardens.com
Website: http://www.callawaygardens.com/

Walnut Hill Farm
800 Lee Bryant Rd Ne
Dalton, GA 30721-2406
Phone: (706) 259-6943
Email: jnyarbrough@windstream.net

Marietta Conference Center
500 Powder Springs Street
Marietta, Georgia 30064
Phone: 1-770-427-2500
Fax: 1-678-819-3224
Website: http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/ATLMAHF-Hilton-Atlanta-Marietta-Hotel-Conference-Center-Georgia/index.do

My husband and I had a blast taking our two little girl’s to spend the day at the aquarium exploring all of the fish, birds, and habitats.  We were surprised to know that the penguins had delivered babies while we were there and you would have thought the president arrived with all of the security and crowds forming around there habitat to catch a look at the babies.