I have been working on ordering all of my new samples for the 2012-2013 seasons and they seem to be coming day by day.  Wednesday he brought me my new 5×7 lay flat card sample that I ordered for Save the Dates and Thank You’s.  I offer these with my packages or as an add ons.  The cards are completely customizable and I have 15 different templates that I’ve made that clients can choose from, or I can design one specifically to fit your needs and styles.  Although these are lay flat cards and require an envelope (which is included) they can also be ordered as 4×6 post cards.

As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me for any questions on ordering or pricing info!

XoX – Nikki

This all happened at 5:45pm mind you, so I was drastically losing light fast, and no way was I going to wait until tomorrow to share with everyone!!! So I grabbed my camera and coat, went out side and snapped as many details as possible before the sun went down.

OK, enough chatter.  This is a fully customizable 8×11.5 horizontal “interactive” guest book press printed album with a hard luster finish photo cover. The cover is made out of Masonite, so it is extremely sturdy and has already handled my puppy jumping on it and knocking it over in the dirt while I was trying to take pictures of it (which I just wiped off with no problemo).

The photo cover allows for full customization of the front, back and spine. Although I’m kind of partial to photo covers (because I obviously I’m a picture person) the cover can also be made with fabrics, leathers and suede’s in a variety of colors.

I used my lovely couple Emily and Aaron for the sample because an interactive guest book comes with their wedding package. This particular album is 20 pages (10 pages front and back) with 25 images, but can be made up to 50 pages (25 pages front and back).

The pages are press printed on 110# semi-gloss hinged paper which is a little thicker to the touch than standard press printed papers, but guests can still write on the pages with ease with a ball point pen.  The “hinged” pages allow for the album to lay flat, and also allows for full bleed images over multiple pages.

I designed this particular album with lots of negative space to leave room for the guests to sign in, leave kind words and advice…

So There you have it!  If you would like to order an album, have any questions on pricing or comments and suggestions, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line!

XoX – Nikki

I met Meghann through a mutual friend and she is actually one of my brides for next season. I am so excited for her wedding because Meghann is a DIY bride and this girl has such an awesome style I know its going to look like a million bucks.  Over the course of this last year we have also become very good friends and I feel blessed to have such a wonderful girl in my life.

I keep telling Meg that I’m going to quit coming over though because every time I do she has so many tempting treats and I just can’t help but stuff my face.  I have no self control.  ESPECIALLY her baked goods.  While I was in NYC Magnolia bakery was a staple in my life, and Meghann’s cupcakes without a doubt rival theirs.  I am seriously pushing for her to go into business for herself because I honestly think Erie might be a better place if everyone had some delicious cupcakes in their lives.

Thank you as always Meg for feeding me, watering me and being such an gracious host!!!

XoX – Nikki

Although my business is fairly new, I try to donate my services to charity about twice a year. After hearing Jenny’s story, how she was directly affected by the loss of both of her parents to blood cancers and how passionate she is about raising money and awareness in their memory, I knew I wanted to participate in this cause.

A couple of weeks ago we did portraits of Jenny for her website and promotional materials associated with her fundraising.  I will also be photographing the “Butch and Kathy Marofsky Golf Memorial” fundraising event that will be held at Whispering Woods golf course here in Erie, PA on May 18th.

By running for “Woman of the Year” every dollar that Jenny raises counts as one vote and all monies raised will be a directed donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Patient Services right here in Erie, Pa.

The MWOY (Man and Woman of the Year) campaign kicks off March 20 through the
grand finale on June 1.  There are many FUN and easy ways you can help:

1. Play Golf!  Jenny’s parents were very passionate about golf, and in fact owned and operated  Chapel hills Golf Course in Ashtabula, Ohio.  If you are in Erie (or if you would like to travel here) you can sign up for the tournament.  The tournament has cash prizes, a chinese auction and raffle tickets.  And get this…  There is a “Hole in one prize” of a 2012 328i BMW donated by New Motors!!!

2. Purchase Art!  While doing Jenny’s portraits, I learned that her father Butch Marofsky was also a photographer!  Jenny is offering one of his beautiful pictures that can be purchased as a commemorative print.

3. Become a sponsor! If you are a large business, small business or even just want to make an individual donation, there is a sponsorship opportunity for everyone.

4. Volunteer!  Everyone knows that time = money, and any time you could donate to help Jenny’s cause would be very much appreciated!

5. Donate! Contact Jenny to find out how you can make a donation. No matter how large or small… remember every dollar = 1 vote, and every vote counts!!!

6. Raffle Tickets! Raffle tickets go on sale March 20 thru May 31 and cost 1 for $10, 3 for $30 or 10 for $50 plus a bonus ticket.  The awesome prizes include a 42″ HD TV (sponsored by Marsha Marsh Real Estate Services) and a Titleilst Golf Bag (sponsored by Whispering Woods Golf Club). To order tickets they can email MWOY@Presqueisledesigns.com OR myself who will also have raffle tickets to sell by the end of the month.

Also, show your support and keep up with the latest news (and be cool like me) by “liking” the Butch and Kathy Golf Memorial Facebook Page!

XoX – Nikki

First of all, I want to thank the overwhelming number of people who took the time to comment and e-mail me, both good and bad.  I moderate my own blog and therefore I have to approve every comment before it appears on my site. Although it was difficult to approve some of the low blows and scathing messages I received, I thought it was important for everyone else to be able to share their opinion and thoughts on the situation, just as I did. Lucky for me, the number of kind words, supporters and people who understood the overall message I was trying to convey FAR outnumbered those who were critical or missed the point.  To all of you, THANK YOU.  You kept me sane over the last couple of days.  I apologize that I am not able to respond to all of you individually due to time and sheer volume, but please know that I appreciated every single comment.

I also want to thank my brides and clients who understand my message.  I
appreciate your support as well.  My clients very often become friends.  I
do try to work with every client and potential client to create customized
package  options that will fit particular budgets and needs.  And I work
very hard to give my clients a product worth every penny.

I am in the business of being judged – by clients, vendors, other wedding
photographers or just photographers in general.  In college we called it a
“critique.”  At the various news resources I worked for we called it
“editing.”  Now, as a wedding photographer, it’s called a “consultation.”
Throughout my years in the industry though, no one has ever been as critical of me as myself… that is, until I posted this blog!! HA! I have never been judged on such a large scale!  I have to admit that there were various
points over the last couple of days while I was obsessing over the hundreds of comments and e-mails that I wanted to crawl under a rock and die. Honestly, if I knew my response to this bride and my blog was going to get this much attention and spark such a debate I would have changed about 1000 things, from grammatical errors to the generalization and guesstimations of many of my expenses.  BUT I still stick by my point
and message.

That being said, there were a few things that people were commenting about that I would like to touch base on – not because I am trying to defend myself (ok, maybe a little), but because after reading through all the comments I feel I owe a response.

The email was originally a response to a bride complaining *specifically*
about the money we photographers make because “all they do is hang out” for a day and then take our money and laugh all the way to the bank, which simply isn’t true.  I addressed the bride back *specifically* about costs and expenses, and not talent or experience, because she addressed the industry *specifically* about our prices.  The bride also had the unfortunate misconception that “You guys make so much money its CRAZY” — which, again, simply isn’t true.  Wedding photographers and all freelance photographers are also small business owners. A lot of behind the scenes work and expenses go into owning a small business. Gross income for a salaried person is considerably different than gross income for a small business.

Could I have explained this point better rather than quickly estimating my
many many expenses and investments?  Well, obviously.  But, in my own
defense, I never in a million years guessed that over 100,000 people were
going to go over every detail with a fine tooth comb.  I’m sorry I quickly
responded and listed things as I did, because a lot of people focused more
on the “inaccuracy” of some of my operating costs than on the very important point of the message.

Of course I don’t pay my taxes off the top OR deduct the full price of my
house, car, computer, equipment, etc. from my taxes. I used these figures to make a POINT to one specific bride. That point was sadly overlooked by those who decided to focus more on my car lease payment or how much I spend on internet per year.  I will say that there are more expenses that I didn’t list which would help even out the mistakes in the expenses that people are nitpicking about.

Also, I don’t only work 4 months a year…  Although wedding photography is the lion’s share of my business in the spring and summer months, I also do portraits and corporate events year-round.  Did I include
that in the e-mail response to the bride? No. Why?  Because it wasn’t
relevant to her complaint about wedding photographers.

In “my spare time,” I also create albums, fulfill print orders, advertise, attend workshops and continuing education classes, do branding, update my website, mobile website, fb page and blog (marketing), work on my websites’ SEO and involve myself in every online listing I can find in order to rank myself online.  I attend bridal shows, send invoices and billing, file, copyright register my work, network with vendors in my field, create promotional materials such as business cards and brochures, create guest books, make new templates for both wedding albums and save the dates, make thank you cards and save the dates for my brides, take and edit engagement photos and create engagement albums.  I offer my services pro bono for charity events, answer hundreds of calls and emails from brides, attend consultations to book brides (often multiple times), update contracts and other business documents, research, scout locations and the list goes on and on and on.  In my “extra-extra spare time” I clean my studio, do my bookkeeping, keep my office supplied, and countless other odd jobs that small business owners do.

Another thing I want to explain is that I was in no way trying to complain
or cry a sob story or have people feel bad for me.  I made the decision to
leave a very well paying job as a photo editor at a very large corporation
where most of my expenses including computer, software, office supplies,
health insurance, continuing education, and even transportation to and from locations were paid for me because I was MISERABLE.

Working in all different aspects of the industry for the last 8 years, I had
no misconceptions of what I was getting myself into when I decided to start my own photography business.  I CHOSE to give up financial security, consistent hours, great benefits and a lot more money to run my own business, and I absolutely love what I do now.  I have THE BEST clients, and I get to do what I love and build a career and business out of it! Why would you feel bad for me?!

What I did want people to feel was RESPECT – not just for me, but for
photographers and small business owners in general and see that there is A LOT of time, investment, sacrifice and things behind the scenes that many people may not realize when they drop that $3000 check in the mailbox.  Most of that money is going to expenses and being re-invested into our business, and most of us are in no way pocketing that money and living the luxurious lifestyle this bride implied.

Again, I appreciate you all taking the time to share your support and
opinions, but over the last 3 days this has consumed way more time than I
can manage and I need to re-focus my attention onto my business and clients. Luckily I was supposed to be on a family snowmobiling vacation this week (which got rained out) so I didn’t have anything booked! Great timing eh??

As of right now I will not be approving any more comments on my blog related to my last post.  (If you have already commented, you can still reply w/o moderation.)

To close, I want to thank you all again.  Even with the good and the bad,
I’m glad that I was able to open up a discussion in the community and
educate some people.  Also, I’m glad that I can walk away with a TON of new friends!!!

Oh, and to answer the #1 question I received?  No…. I never heard back from the bride.

XoX -N

The woman was upset because she thought that $3000 for a wedding photographer was “wack” because all we do “is hang out at a wedding taking tons of photos and editing them” and that we are “making so much money its crazy.”

I first read this post earlier today while I was running errands and my head almost EXPLODED.  I immediately started drafting a horribly mean and punishing response in my head, BUT by the time I got home, I realized that this is probably a common misconception and that maybe I should try to EXPLAIN why photographers charge what we / they do for our / their work.

Before I post my response, I want to THANK all of my brides who appreciate my work and think that I am worth the price. This response is not meant to offend anyone.  I understand many people are on a budget, especially in this economy and I understand planning a wedding is both expensive and overwhelming. I always try my best to work with my couples and offer customized and discounted packaging options for those who are on a tighter budget.

I just want to state AGAIN, that being a photographer doesn’t mean that we wake up in the morning, photograph a wedding for 8 hours and then go home and our job is done.  Those of us who are lucky enough to be able to support ourselves as full time photographers don’t just work as photographers.  We are also SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, which ALSO comes with the job of doing all of our own marketing, sales, accounting, scouting, art directing, managing our offices and studios, being our own webmasters, doing our own post production, designing, blogging, being students, being mentors, researching etc. etc. etc.

Sorry for the novel! Here was my response:

Dear Bride,

I am a wedding photographer in the Erie, PA area.  Wedding season only
last about 4 months here, so I photograph an average of 20 weddings
per year for an average of $2500 / wedding.  (which totals about
$50,000 / year).

- That being said, I am a small business owner, so I pay all of my
taxes, totaling about $15,000 / year which leaves me with a gross
income of around $35,000

- Of that $35,000 I pay $600/month in rent for my small house and
garage which I converted into my studio (which is where I would be
editing your wedding images at) $35,000 – $7,200 = 27,800.
- Then I have my car, which I would use to get me to and from your
wedding, which I pay $400/month for the lease, Plus $200/month in car
insurance = $7,200 = $20,600.
- To get to your (and my other brides) wedding consultation,
second wedding pre-consultation, the wedding itself, and to and from
the printers I need gas money = $840/year = $19,760
- I also have insurance in case you sue me, or if any of your drunk
guests would happen to break any of my equipment = $500 / year.  =
$19,260
- You also probably found me through my website, which I pay $30/month
for hosting, and another $30/ month so that you can view your photos
online and share the images with your friends and family =  $720 =
$18,540
- Or perhaps you found me through my advertisements in the newspaper
or local bridal magazines, OR a bridal show that you attended that I
paid to have a booth at $18,540 – $1,000 = $17,540
- I also pay for my own Health insurance in case I were to get hurt at
your wedding = $250/month = $14,540
- and I pay for a second shooter for your wedding, so that you can
have more images and different angles, as to make sure you get the best
images possible at your wedding = $200/wedding = $10,540
- I also need to have a new pair of shoes every season because my
shoes get worn out and dirty from season to season = $100/year =
$10,440
- I need high speed internet so I can upload all of your images
online, my home phone for my business and my cell phone so I can
communicate with you = $2,500 / year = $7,940
- Oh yes, and I also pay a lawyer to make sure my contracts are iron
clad and an accountant to make sure that I am paying all of the taxes
I need… = $500/year = $7,440
- Sometimes I attend workshops and seminars to teach me how to
better my business, and make my client happier (that would be you), as
well as keep up on the trends and learn new techniques so that I can
make sure you have the best quality images available.

That would technically leave me with about $7,000 / year to feed
myself, buy groceries, pay for my heat and electricity, cloth myself
etc…. BUT, usually I end up re-investing whatever I have left on
upgrades and new equipment:

During your wedding, I bring my professional equipment that I use so
that I can make sure you have the highest quality images.

- I have 2 Canon 5D Mark II cameras (because you always need a backup
in case of a camera malfunction which would ruin your big days
photographs) which cost $2500 / camera = $5000
-I also have quality lenses which can capture your special moments in
low light situations:
Canon 24-70 f2.8 lens = $1,200
Canon 70-200 f2.8 lens = $1,300
Canon 50mm f1.4 lens = $500
Canon 100mm f2.8 macro = $600
Canon 10-22mm f3.5 wide angle = $800
- and I have speed lights to catch the fun moments at your reception:
- 2 Canon 580EX II = $1,200
- Also multiple battery back ups and memory cards, lens filters, light
stands, umbrellas, light boxes, external battery packs and a bag to
carry everything in.  = $1,500
- Because this is equipment, sometimes I need to have it serviced or
cleaned to make sure it is all working properly = $200

After spending 8-10 hours at your wedding, I then come home to my home
office and spend about 20-25 hours editing your images, creating your
album, blogging about your wedding, posting pictures on facebook,
ordering you prints and burning your DVD’s

- I edit your photographs using a 27inch imac computer = $2500
- I edit your photographs on Adobe Lightroom = $200 and Adobe CS5 =
$400 (for the upgrade) and $900 for the new program.
- and I print your DVD’s on a printer which = $300
- Using ink = $200/year
- and I buy the DVD’s and jewel cases your getting printed =$300 / year
-I archive all of your photographs on 2 2TB external hard drives = $500
- And I also back up all of my photographs online so if there was ever
a fire in my office, you would never lose your photographs = $400/year
- I also have office expenses as far as buying paper, staples,
envelopes, packaging, filing cabinets and files, etc. etc. etc.
- I also spend time and money ordering your prints and albums, paying
for shipping, going to the post office etc.

All of that being said, I’m usually in the hole at the end of the
year, and take on many family portraits, senior portraits and corporate
jobs in order to make ends meet.

Photography is my passion and my livlihood, and it is also EXPENSIVE.
Yes, it seems like a lot of money for one day, but one day isn’t all
we spend on your photographs or on our business.  You will spend
thousands of dollars on a wedding dress or flowers or a venue or on
catering which you are going to have for only ONE DAY, but your
photographs will be the only thing you have to remember that ONE DAY
for the rest of your lives.

I’m extremely insulted by your craigslist post and hope this sheds a
little light on why we charge $3000 for one day of your memories which
are going to last you forever.

-Nikki Wagner, Photographer.

You may remember pictures of miss Harper from when I was the 2nd photographer for Click Chick at her parents Amanda and Pete’s wedding.

Oh. And if you can’t tell… I’m OBSESSED with Tutu’s lately.

LOVE this next shot.  It was actually Amanda’s idea, from a similar picture she found on Pinterest.  I think we nailed it!

And then the cake action started!  We decided to do a “cake smash,” and as you can see, Harper had a BLAST.  Although she needed a little encouragement at the beginning (she was picking at the frosting very carefully like a dainty little princess) after she got into it, she literally GOT INTO IT!

Thanks to Amanda and Pete for letting me be a part of Harper’s 1st B-Day and thanks to Harper for being the best little model ever!!!

XoX – Nikki

We started off in my studio, and from Deena’s moves I knew these pictures were going to be awesome.

Here’s a little behind the scenes action for you:

THEN, we went out to give my original idea a shot.  Deena was a CHAMP in the snow.  I kept asking her if she was cold and she kept saying “No, I’m ok!”  Which I don’t believe at all because I had about 18 layers on and was still freezing, but I definitely appreciated her sticking in it. And holy crap.  She ROCKED it!!!

  Unfortunately we had to cut the outdoor session a little short and didn’t get in all of the locations / outfits that we wanted because it started snowing SO hard I couldn’t keep my lens dry and my focus was going all boggy because it wanted to focus on the snow instead of Deena. It was so thick you could barely even see her face, and I was literally standing 2 feet in front of her.

This is a shot of Deena and her bff, Vanessa smylie, when we decided to call it quits. Vanessa is also a dancer and came along to help with posing / stylings, and was a HUGE help because I don’t know the first thing about “form” when it comes to dancing.

Although I was kinda disappointed that I didn’t get as many pictures outside as I would have liked, we headed back to the studio and Deena rocked it some more.  I actually think the last set may be my favorite pictures of the day.

THANK YOU Deena and Vanessa!!! I can’t wait to see you girls again SOON!

XoX – Nikki

As always, I couldn’t ask for better models! These kids are BEYOND beautiful with their big blue eyes and blond hair. AND they are good sports to boot!

A BIG thank you to Kat and Jake for helping me out on this, it is SO very appreciated.  And the more I can get my lens on those babies the better!!!

XoX -N

Those who know me know that I am obsessed with my dog.  She is my baby, so I thought it would be funny to do a “Family Portrait” for our Christmas cards this year.  Of course if I’m going to do Christmas cards with Grr they have to be completely over the top and “awkward”!!

There were SO many good photos to choose from that were completely ridiculous, but I could only choose 5.  I will post a few of the runner-ups in the next few days leading up to Christmas, so stay tuned!

Oh, and a big round of applause for Grr for being such a good sport! She is going to totally hate me for this when she grows up.  (that’s a joke)

I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas!!!

XoX – Nikki and Grr