Today is the day that I officially start my quest in photographing with film. I thought about doing 365 days, but that would be a little too much for me at this time. So be on the lookout for some photos from me that were created using good old fashioned film. Today was day one in week one and guess what? I’ve been so busy with everything else, I didn’t get the chance to pick up my camera.

Betty
CC Photography

I just had an interesting thought thanks to one of the people that I’m following on Twitter. That thought is…F I L M. Yes, film. Good ole Fujifilm or Portra. Sometimes I think about getting back to the basics. I’ve thought about possibly doing a whole 365 days of photos from film for 2009. If I can’t do the 365 maybe I could do the 52 weeks of photos from film. I think it would be fun. It will be even more fun if I can get more people to join me.

I’ve done the 365 days of photos before and I could see soooo much of a difference in my photography. Concentrating on creating 365 different photos was challenging, yet very fun and made me grow as a photographer. I really want to do that again. I feel like I need to grow again. lololol

Oh yeah, and as far as the contest that I was holding for the free holiday cards if you signed up for my newsletter, well, no one signed up. So I have no winner. Yeah, it makes me sad, but I do understand that this economy sucks right now and a lot of people are putting professional portraits on the back burner. It will get better. I’m sure of it.

Have you had your portrait created today?

Betty
CC Photography

©2008 CC Photography by Betty-DO NOT COPY

Hmmm…as I was looking over my stats on my newsletter I noticed that I have 53 people that have officially signed up to receive my occasional newsletter. Wouldn’t it be great if I could have 60 people that were signed up to receive my newsletter?

My newsletters are only sent out occasionally. For the most part they are sent out to inform you of my specials and discounts for the seasons/moments. They will, at times, include great information on everyday things, tips to help a mommy’s day run more smoothly and photography tips.

So, who will be my 60th person to sign up for my newsletter? If you are the 60th person that signs up to receive my newsletter I will give you (25) 4×8 holiday photo gift cards with envelopes. These gift cards will have images from your paid photo session with CC Photography by Betty Gray. You can share these cards with your friends and family this holiday season. Everybody’s doing it! This is a $115 value with CC Photography for FREE*! You’ll also get to show off to your friends what a great photographer you have! Hurry because this offer will expire November 7, 2008!!!

How do you sign up? Just enter your name and email address in the sign up box to the right (”Sign Up for CC’s Special Offers“). You should receive a confirmation email. Once you receive your confirmation email, be sure to confirm or your name won’t be added to the newsletter list. To make sure you receive your confirmation email, be sure to add [info at ccpbybetty dot com] to your address book. After that is all done, just sit back, relax and I will let you know if you have won. That’s it! The contest will expire November 7, 2008 and the winner will be announced November 8, 2008. So keep coming back and checking to see if you are the one.

Have you had your portrait created today?
Betty
CC Photography

*Terms and Conditions:

By entering this contest you give CC Photography by Betty Gray the right to announce you as the winner. You are also giving CC Photography by Betty Gray the right to use your submitted email address as a means to contact you regarding your prize and to occasionally send newsletters. You will have the option to opt out of mailings from CC Photography if you so choose. Please contact CC Photography by Betty Gray for more information. (901-591-7574)

One of the forums that I am a member of gave us all a challenge. That challenge was to use a shovel some kind of way in a photo. The idea was inspired by Joel & Rita Wiebner and their Traveling Shovel series of photos.

It was fun trying to come up with something that told a story for this assignment. As usual, I waited until the last minute to do the assignment and I ended up being rushed. We were getting bitten by mosquitoes, we were tired, hungry and my crazy dog kept growling and trying to attack my light stand. lol

So, when you look at this assignment, what story does it tell you?

©2008 CC Photography

Have you had your portrait created today?
Betty
CC Photography

Some of you may have actually noticed that I made a few cosmetic changes to my website along with creating a new blog. I really thought I was finished until a friend of mine (you know who you are) brought to my attention that I forgot to change my favicon (that little icon thingy that’s in your browser link bar that represents my site) for my blog and my webpage. It was still showing the little dots that I was using last year.

So I had to go and try to remember how I even created the one that I used last year. It took me a while, but I figured it out. I uploaded the new favicon and you should now see my new blue logo in your browser link bar.

I also changed my blog page labeled Photogs to Blog Roll because I came across a couple of really cool blogs that have nothing to do with photography. That’s it. I think I’ve finally finished updating for now. If you see any other little quirky things, let me know!

Have you had your portrait created today?
Betty
CC Photography

Lately I’ve been having a hard time being able to tell that it’s officially Fall season. It’s still hot. My leaves on my 13 trees have not changed. I have driven in other areas around Memphis and see that many trees have already begun their colorful display of Fall. However, when I pull up in my driveway the only thing I see are my leaves simply turning brown and falling off. They sometimes do that in the summer as well. So what’s the difference between now and back then? Well, I went out searching for a difference. Guess what. I found one. Hee hee.

©2008 CC Photography by Betty Gray

I found a red berry on my Holly Bush. Yep! That’s a tell tell sign that it will be getting cold soon and the berries will be bright red. Sadly, (in a good way of course) the little birdies will come along and eat them as food begins to become scarce. But with the weather still being warm and mosquitos still buzzing around, I believe it will be a while before the birdies get hungry enough to devour the holly berries (hahahaha get it? halle berry? Nevermind!).

©CC Photography by Betty Gray

Also, while I was out and about I thought I’d share my little Sally the Snail. Isn’t she the cutest. She’s supposed to have little babies following her, but for some reason they are missing. I gifted her and her babies to my mother as she loved gardening and decorating the outdoors. I tried to find the babies, but to no avail. Maybe the raccoons at my dad’s house took them away?? lolol

So here Sally the Snail sits (say that 10 times fast!) on my front porch. At night time, when I think about it, I light a candle so that she creates a little flicker of shadows on my brick wall. It would be really cool if I could find her babies. I’m not totally sure, but I believe I bought them at one of those candle party deals while living in California. Hmmmm

Have you had your portrait created today?
Betty
CC Photography

Why is choosing a cell phone company so vexing these days? We’re at the end of our contracts once again and are on the lookout for a new service provider. I truly feel that these service providers are only there to screw us over as much as they can without us knowing about it. Can you please offer me chocolate first????

Right now we’re with a small up and coming company Cellular South. The unlimited talk/text plan that we have with them is awesome considering that hubby uses his phones so much that he wears the keypad buttons out and I text nearly 1000 msg a month (Twitter is addictive!). However, their data plan S-U-C-K-S! To use the internet on their phones is like using a 14K dial up modem! Who has time for that these days? Most of the websites time out before they’re even finished loading. I can usually WALK to pick up my niece from school and walk back home faster than I can download the igoogle webpage on my phone.

So, we’re on the hunt again for another company. I think we’ve had services with all of the companies except for Sprint. I’d go with Alltel simply because I love their commercials (”Chad, you’re still a ding dong!” That cracks me up every time!!!). However, Alltel is not offered in Memphis. So…NEXT!

I’ve had Verizon. Couldn’t figure out a plan that suited us. Besides, they ticked me off when we moved from California and wanted to switch our phones to a Memphis number, they tagged on another two years to our contract without telling us! They have yet to explain why that would have added on another two years by simply changing a phone number and we were already out of contract with them. The fact that I wanted to change numbers and not switch to another provider would have been clue that I was going to stay. But nooooooooooo. Wonder if they can hear me now!

I’ve had Cingular. They were awesome. Then they switched to AT&T and all of the sudden, service got bad in our area. There were places on main thoroughfares that we couldn’t even get a signal! Drive down Stage Road (it’s one of the main streets here) and you’ll find that you have so many dead spots, which is really hard to believe. Then don’t get me started on my home. For some reason, I truly believe, that an extremest lived here prior to me because they put some kind of lead lining in the walls to keep me from getting a signal from AT&T! I literally had to hold on to our metal door knob while leaning out of the door with the phone held up in the air to get a signal! Imagine what my neighbors were thinking every time my husband or customer called me.

Anyway, so here we are. Trying to figure out which way do we go. It has to be one that won’t charge me roaming everytime I go to visit my dad in the sticks of Arkansas. It has to be one that I can use the internet on with no problems. It has to be one that will allow me to text my 1000+ msg a month without adding on an additional $300. It has to be one that we can easily send sthoopid pictures to each other with no problems. It has to be one that my hubby can operate his business with and not have to stress out on overage minutes and an another additional $300. The total bill has to be less, waaaaay less than my mortgage payment! hahahaha

Oh yeah, and for those of you that caught that Twitter comment, I’m bcatgray on Twitter. Look me up and send me a tweet! You tweet me and I’ll tweet you back. :-p

Have you had your portrait created today?
Betty
CC Photography

Well, we create portraits of each other. What else? hahahaha This past Saturday there were a few local (Collierville, Bartlett, Memphis, Olive Branch, etc) photogs that got together to create headshots using different lighting set ups. It was very interesting. I had a great time. Got to meet a couple of new photogs that I had not met before from our Memphis Photographers Group. Here are a couple of mine. The first I attempted to create the “halo” effect with limited lights to use. Had one light directly behind my subject and I had her to sit next to a glass door, which is to her right. Add another photog to hold a fan and voila! We created a headshot that even Fabio would love!

©2008 CC Photography

The rest of these are ones where I only used one key light to create the shot. One key light and one reflector or one light coming from a glass window/door.

©2008 CC Photography

Have you had your portrait created today?
Betty
CC Photography

I had a great time at the gym on Monday. I think we did pretty well. I got the chance to meet some other vendors in our area and actually got a massage. And boy! That massage was the best. I’m trying my best to get hubby to let me book a full body session with her on Saturday. lol

© 2008 CC Photography

© 2008 CC Photography

There was a great DJ. DJ Marky Mark. He definitely kept the music going in there and made you want to get up and dance! He was totally cool.

©2008 CC Photography

I actually fell in love with Naida. Even a whole day later I’m still feeling sooooo good! That little mini massage made me feel totally awesome. She kept telling me how tense I was. I wonder why? lol Naida was there representing New You Salon & Spa on Whitten Road (901-383-4610) Give them a call and tell them that you NEEEEEEED Naida! When you book your session, be sure to tell her that Betty from CC Photography sent you. .

©2008 CC Photography

Loretta was awesome. She was there promoting her product Xocai. A chocolate that they’re recommending you eat EVERY DAY! I can so go for that. I’ll be visiting her website to find out how I can get more. :-p

©2008 CC Photography

Donna Kirk is a Wellness Consultant and was there distributing her GNLD products and helping others to understand a better way of life. You can contact her at (901) 596-7079 to find out more information.

All in all it was a great time. Allyson and Mr. Jaishankar both won my gift certificates that were given away as prizes. I can’t wait to work with them. Hopefully it will be soon and we can create some great portraits during the beautiful Memphis Fall season.

Have you had your portrait created today?
Betty
CC Photography

I decided to create a day that I don’t post photos. Maybe talk about my discounts and specials or share interesting thoughts or just ramble! LOL I may or may not do this EVERY Friday, but I know that if I post on a Friday, it shall be foto free!

So my thoughts for today…I actually wanted to let you all know that the gym that I’m a member of, Fitness Premier of Bartlett, TN, is having their 2 year anniversary and they have asked me to set up a small display there and to give away prizes. So I have gotten together some gift certificates worth $125 each that will be given away and I also have some special discounts to those that come and visit me at my display. Better come and get yours early because I will only be giving away 100 of these special discounts. First come first serve! lol

There will be other prizes from the gym, a DJ named Marky Mark and food. Healthy food of course. lol So if you just so happen to be near Summer Avenue in Bartlett, TN around 4p.m. on Monday, October 13, 2008, stop by and let me know you want your prize and sign up with the gym to make a healthier you.

Fitness Premier
6498 Summer Ave
Memphis, TN 38134
(901)385-0205

Hope to see you there. I’ll be the one with the camera to my face trying to look like I’ve been to the gym every single day this month! hahahaha

Have you had your portrait created today?
Betty
CC Photography