Summer Special – all two hour Sessions for $150.00 !!

Long lazy days, cane-pole fishing, tadpoles, creek-beds and lightning bugs.   Family reunions, bar-b-que’s, and running through the yard sprinkler. 

Summer!  Time for family, fun and getting outside.   These occasions also make the perfect venue for family portraits!!   Sessions are super fun and relaxed, and the portraits are full of personality and make beautiful wall portraits for your home!

Summer Special  fess are only $150.00 for a two-hour session!   All your proofs will be posted in your own private gallery for viewing and ordering.  You will also receive a DVD of your images in social media size, perfect for FaceBook, blogs, email, and digital frames.

There’s More:  Summer Special rates apply to ALL PHOTO SESSIONS!   And with the long days,  we have great light until early evening!

Contact me to book your photo-shoot.  615-424-8111.  Email:  terri@terricannon.com

XO

Terri

Portrait Party Fun!

Last week my friend Laura Davis had her second portrait party!  I think it should be an annual event! 

She invited 5 of her friends and their kids over for a play-date / portrait party.   The kids had a blast.  The Moms were completely wore out – but it was a fun, warm spring day and the pictures are precious! 

Fear

It’s been a crazy few months!!

Last month I was laid off my day job.  It was a temp position, but I took it hoping it would turn in to a full-time position, with benefits etc. etc.   I thought I was fine with putting my photography on the back burner a little for the trade-off.   Here’s out my days would go:  Up at 6:30 in order to be at the office by 8:00.  From 8 until 5 every weekday and sometimes on the weekends,  I would sit in a cubicle and input data.  There were 6 other women in my department.  3 of them did not like me.  Can you believe that?!  I always thought I was such a likeable person, but not in that world.   Maybe it was because I was a temp, maybe it was because they were job scared.  What ever their reason, working with them was not always pleasant.   

On a Friday morning as I was getting ready for work, my supervisor called and said Corporate had eliminated all the temp positions.  Sorry.

I panicked and I cussed, and maybe even shed a tear or two.  And then I had a Come to Jesus moment. (as Mom would say!)   I am a photographer.  I am obsessed with all things photography and portrait related.   I was given this gift that I started developing (nice play on words) when I was 12.   I have been given all the tools I need to have a successful photography business.  I’ve also been awarded a brick wall.  FEAR!

Fear of succeeding, fear of not succeeding.  Fear that my work isn’t good enough.  Fear of charging a fair price for my work. 

I was even afraid of blogging – how do I tell this story?   I know that in order for my business to grow I have to proclaim it to the world.   I have to own it.   Can’t do that if I’m a chickenshit! 

As in my usual obsessive personality way – I’ve spent the last month learning all I can about running and growing a small business.  Even though I’ve been charging for my work the last several years, I’ve yet to believe I was really in business.   So, I attended several seminars on posing, and lighting, pricing and editing.   I gave several sessions away free in order to practice what I’ve learned.  I have my list of goals and my business plan written out.   I have my marketing plan written on post-it notes!  (I have to change that!)  I know who my target client is.   I am armed and ready.  Except for that little fear thing…

 Writing this blog post has finally released my writing block.  One thing I was afraid of that I can now cross off my list. 

Here is my proclamation:  Terri Cannon Photography and Belle-Vous, Photography by Terri Cannon is alive and thriving.   I am here for you and your families and loved ones.  I want to be YOUR photographer!   In order to do that I’ll be posting on my blog on a regular basis.  I’ll be posting images, and information.   I’ll keep you updated on my progress and my business growth.   I may even get brave enough to post my goals! 

Over the next few weeks I’ll be updating everything from my logos to my website and my blog.  A big undertaking, but one that fills me with excitement and anticipation – not fear!

If you’ve read this – thank you!  If you have a comment please post it!  I would love your input.

Today,  I have a portrait party to shoot!  10 children from 2 – 10.  I’m taking the Angel of Photography with me.  I’m giving thanks to my God for my talent and my desire to give these families portraits of their children that they will not only love but that will become family keepsakes! 

I am a photographer!  Here’s to the future.

XOXOXO

Terri

 

 

Thank you to the unknown photographers

In my family there are a few very treasured photographs, like this one of my Mom.  She was very young when this was taken.   I think she was about 19 or 20.  The original photograph is worn, a little yellow – a little faded, but her eyes are still sharp.  All these years later – you almost feel you can see to her soul.

  And this one of my Dad.  He passed at 39, still very much a young man.  I have many, many fond memories of him.  My younger sisters and my baby brother aren’t so lucky.   They don’t remember his laugh quite like I do, and they may not have as many “photographic memories” of Daddy as  I do.  He never knew his grandchildren, and they know him only from photographs and stories.

I think in this picture he was in his late twenties – early thirties.  A Chief Petty Officer in the Navy.  I see my son in this picture.  He has the same mouth, and my daughter Molly inherited his black hair. 

I spent some time of each of these portraits in Photoshop this morning – taking off water stains and folded corners.  It was spending time with my parents.  (a little smile here).     While I was working I was thinking about the photographers that took these portraits.  I don’t know who they are, neither picture has a watermark or signature.   I wish they did.  I wish I could thank them,  I wish I could tell them how these images are family icons.  I wish I could tell them thank you for leaving me and my family with these pictures that mean so much to all of us.

Perhaps its images like these that led me to photography.   What I know for sure is, I never want to take for granite how important my photography really is to those I photograph.   The wedding images, and the baby and family sessions.   50 – 60 years from now, how many families will treasure the images I make today?  How many of them will wonder who the photographer was and if I knew that one day my pictures would be family heirlooms.  

Yes, I know.  I keep that in my mind and in my heart – every time I pickup the camera.   I am a photographer of people.  I am in a small way, a historian.   And for this, I am thankful.

Growing Pains

Do you know the feeling of having an unseen guide in your life?  I’m not about to start preaching, so don’t worry.  Though I am thinking about faith and living my life to my fullest potential.  

I was telling my daughter Shanna today that I could no more NOT be a photographer, than I could NOT be a Mom.  Where does that come from?  Is it a blessing? Is it a responsibility and if so, to who.  Or is it whom?  Is it an extreme compulsion? 

It’s been hard for me to explain, but very easy to understand myself that I have been given a gift.  The gift of loving photography.  Not only as a form of journaling  but as an art form.   Raising my children and photography is my art.  That is as unchangeable as my hazel eyes.  It is the gift I’m leaving this world, for anyone that my want to see it.  

Sometimes I begin to doubt myself,  the choices I’ve made.  I’m a little older than most people who decide to start a business from scratch, or follow a life dream. 

Most of my friends are at least thinking about planning their retirement,  building their 401Ks, buying their dream homes.  They’re living that corporate life – the one I came from.   The one I walked away from a few years ago.   I know if I had stayed in that life I would be a lot better off financially.   Yesterday, I thought of that a lot, and was beginning to wondered if maybe I had made a wrong choice.   

I felt static – like I was just turning my wheels – and not going in a forward motion.     Forgetting that in my life – a state of static and non-growth is usually followed by a growth spurt. 

And then I got an email from Fanie in South Africa.   I don’t know how she found my blog, sometimes I can’t even find it!  But she did a few weeks ago.  She’s a photographer – at the beginning stages of going pro.  Same place I was a few years ago.    She was contacting me to tell me how much she loved my work.   That blew away!! 

We’ve emailed back and forth a little, talking photography, looking at each other’s images.   She wrote:  ”  Thank you for your compliments with regard to my images – it means a lot and very inspirational.  When reading your mail it’s almost like walking out into the garden on a cold morning and feeling the warm sunlight on your face – you just want to spent more time in that moment soaking up the feeling.” 

That’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me!  And brought me back to reality FAST.  Following a dream, a passion is not an easy choice.   For some, it is no choice, like the color of your eyes.  

Tomorrow I am having my first Children’s Portrait Party.   I am doing mini-portraits with 8 kids from 9 months to 7 years old.   I will spend my afternoon taking of pictures of them while they laugh at their own silly jokes,  or pretend they’re a cowboy or a princess.   

How in the world could I possibly wonder if I’ve made the right choice?

No blog post is complete with out a picture…here’s one of my beautiful family on Mother’s Day!

May – June Portrait Special!

This year’s Summer special is “A Day in the Life” photo shoot for $400.00 – savings of $100.00.   This session is so much fun for kids.   Each session is 3 – 5 hours.  I come to you and spend the time with your child or children.   I’m in their territory where they are most comfortable.  (Or at a nearby park – you pick the venue.)

I spend some time getting to know your little one.   I’m in their world, so they show me what’s important to them.  Maybe it’s their room, or their car collection or their tricks on a trampoline, or maybe it’s their new fairy dust!   The point is after a while they forget I have a camera and then the fun really starts!

It’s just a typical day in your child’s life – but the images are one’s that will always bring you back to that day forever.

Here’s the best part – each Day in the Life session comes with a 5×7 Storybook album with a minimum of 20 pages.  And it just keeps getting better – every image that is published is also given to you in a digital format with a print release!  

So – put on your thinking caps,  give me a call and let’s make some memories!

615-424-8111

terri@terricannon.com

“She’s Here”

A few weeks ago I had the joy of photographing Cora’s birth.   Daddy, aka Ryan Sweeney is a fellow Nashville  wedding photographer.   I’ve had the pleasure of  second shooting a few weddings with Ryan and his wife Ginnie.   When they asked if I …

NEW!! CHILDREN’S PORTRAIT PARTIES!!

Terri Cannon Photography Children’s Portrait Parties!!!! Portrait parties bring together friends and family for affordable professional portraits taken in a relaxed, natural environment. These sessions give everyone a custom portrait experience with Terri Cannon Photography without the larger investment of …

A few favorites from Rachael & Mike’s Wedding

Congratulations to Rachael and Mike Schiavello!  I always seem to fall in love with my wedding couples – and Rachael and Mike were no exception!  How could it be helped?  All that love is contagious!

Rachael and Mike did things a little differently – because they have so much family from out of town, the wedding was one weekend for just family and a few close friends, but then the reception(s) were the following weekend.   That’s the way to do it – spread the celebrations out over an entire week!   One of the advantages was after the ceremony, because we didn’t have a reception to hurry to, we were able to do a walk-around downtown Franklin.  The only time limit was our own endurance!

These are some of my favorite of the wedding day!  Enjoy – and much, much love to Rachael & Mike Schiavello!

Friends and families of Rachael and Mike can view all the images and order your favorite as prints from my website:  www.terricannon.com / client proofs

 

Abby’s 11 months old!

Curious and a little bit shy, sweet and funny, smart, precious and beautiful little Abby….How fast you’ve grown!  Abby is becoming a pro with photo-shoots.    Most of her sessions have been in the studio.  But for her 11 month session I wanted to …