There are big changes in the works at Bell Imaging & Design, all starting in January 2011!

First, the studio is getting a new phone number: (207) 356-2353. This number will allow my clients and prospective clients to contact me directly any time, anywhere. The current phone number to the studio, (207) 848-8060 will be operational until December 2010. No more waiting! You deserve to get a direct line to moi!

I’m in the process of rebranding Bell Imaging & Design to better serve my clients and prospective clients. That includes the addition of a second shooter for wedding packages in 2011. If you’ve already booked your wedding for 2011, then no worries: The price of your package will not increase.

In addition, a new pricing structure and new products will be a great way for families to make smiles bloom.

I look forward to working with tons of new (and returning) faces this year! Let me know how I can turn your “special moments into memories.”

Deb

I had the honor this year of photographing a day at Pine Tree Camp in Rome, Maine for the Pine Tree Society. This is PTC’s 65th year of providing a typical summer camp experience to kids with disabilities.

Pine Tree Camp IS NOT a place where people mope or feel badly. It’s a place where kids can swim, kayak, act, make arts and crafts and make friends. They share a special bond with their counselors. They hang out in a fully-accessible tree house. They sing and make music. They smile (a LOT). And for the time they are at PTC, they can simply be kids having a good time.

I was recently featured on their blog and I am honored. I hope what my camera captured helps share the inspirational story of this wonderful camp, its awesome counselors and even more awesome campers.

Visit http://pinetreecamp.wordpress.com/2010/08/18/through-a-lens/ to see the blog post. While you’re there, read some of what the campers have to say. You won’t be sorry.

Keep on going strong Pine Tree Camp! And thank you, for sharing a sunny summer day with me.

I’m a sucker for animals… always have been and always will be. Maybe it’s because I never had pets myself growing up (aside from one ill fated gold fish that didn’t want to stay in his bowl).  Now I have a cat and a dog and my passion for animals is just growing.

Our greyhound, Laura, was adopted from Maine Greyhound Placement Service in Augusta, Maine. I never expected to become a dog person, but that’s what I have become.

After all, you know that you’re a dog person when you reach in your pocket and it either has a dog poop bag or a bunch of left-over treats.

When we adopted our greyhound, I never expected that I would become heavily invested in the group, but now we do playdates, open houses, meet and greets, and I’ve taken over the annual calendar design as well as the newsletter (effective September 2010). That said, one of my favorite guilty (dog) pleasures is the Drawthedog.com Web site. Not only is it fun to watch the cartoons be drawn right in front of you, but they give back to rescue groups, like Maine Greyhound Placement. And they allow some of their graphics to be used for fund-raising and projects like the calendar. If you haven’t seen it, or want to see what Draw The Dog does for rescue groups, visit the link at the bottom of this post.

So what does this mean for you? It means I’m doing a bunch of fun promotions this year to showcase your pampered pooch!

1. Cards to feed hungry pets. I’m currently looking for puppies (age 2 and under) to come for a free photo and play session in the play yard at Green Acres Kennel Shop in Bangor, Maine. The session is free and your pup’s photo will be used on special edition note cards to benefit Furry Friends Food Bank at Eastern Area Agency on Aging. The Food Bank is close to my heart because it helps keep cats and dogs in the homes of seniors and people with disabilities by providing food and litter. A portion of every card sold goes to Furry Friends Food Bank (find out more at www.eaaa.org).

2. Holiday Pet Portraits are back! Start planning now for those unique holiday cards starring your pet! A date will be set soon for the portraits, so keep checking in to learn more! Our pet portrait event was VERY popular last year!

3. October is Family Portrait Month. I talked about this a bit in my last blog post, but Family Portrait Month also benefits Operation Smile which helps children with cleft palates and cleft lips obtain the surgical help they need. Consider bringing your pet to a family portrait session (in your home, at a park, or at my scenic studio in Hermon). After all, they’re a member of the family!

Have a happy, safe, cool summer and remember to not leave your pet in the car even for a few minutes in the summer heat. You wouldn’t put them in your oven at home and turn on the heat, so why would you leave them in the car?

Remember to visit DrawtheDog.com to learn and have fun

I love my family and I love the families I photograph. It’s exciting when you can help capture special moments between family members (and their pets).

That’s why this year, I’m once again participating in Family Portrait Month through the Professional Photographers of America. I participated last year and donated $240 to Operation Smile, an organization that helps children with cleft lips and cleft palates obtain the surgery they need to not only improve their quality of life, but in many cases to be able to smile. A donation of $240 covers the cost of one surgery.

But I can’t do this alone: I need your help. And I’ll make it worth your while!

In the month of October I’ll be offering half-price portrait sittings for families, couples, and pets. That means that for $85, you’ll be able to update your photo album or get that holiday card photo taken and $10 from every session will go toward Operation Smile IN YOUR NAME!

But it gets even better! Purchase prints or cards from me between October 1 and November 30 and I’ll donate another $10 per order of $50 or more to Operation Smile.

Family portrait sessions will fill fast, so please contact me to schedule yours.

Find out more about Operation Smile at www.operationsmile.com!

I belong to a pair of business networking groups in Bangor, Maine: the Paul Bunyan Chapter of Business Networking International and Tuesday Forum, a women’s networking group. Both groups revolve around the same premise: to allow business people to network, grow their respective businesses and to connect.

Each group is unique: BNI is focused on helping gain qualified referrals. Tuesday Forum is focused on providing a supportive environment for women in business learn about themselves and about business. But both groups are dedicated to connecting.

That’s what I love about my role as a photographer: I help people connect. Maybe it’s not through building business contacts or drumming up business… but when a friend’s toilet is busted, a co-worker needs a person to go to for car repairs, or a bride-to-be needs a recommendation for a florist in the area, I’m able to help connect them with the right person.

Remember this: You are unique. Your photos should be as well.

Photographs also help people connect on an emotional level. For wedding clients, their photographs remind them of the fun, romance, and beauty of the Big Day. For portrait clients, knowing that the photograph I took will grace their walls, wallets, or desks and elicit a smile is a honor. For pet clients, it’s all about making sure Fluffy looks great while also having fun… and sometimes it’s the goofy “outtakes” that mean the most.

My clients — new or exisiting — learn very quickly that their pictures are going to be far from mass market. They’re going to be unique… as they should be.

How do I make portraits unique? Often it’s in simple ways:

1. Meeting at the client’s home or office or at a favorite park or other location.

2. Including the client’s favorite items… could be a flower garden, a special stuffed toy for a child, or catching a high school senior doing something he loves… like fishing.

3. Taking time to allow young clients or pets warm up to the surroundings and the photographer.

4. Listening to ideas and suggestions. I’m willing to try almost anything photographically.

For babies, children, and pets especially (and parents and pet owners too), a trip to a photographic studio can be a bit traumatic. It’s a big unknown and for some, it’s difficult to focus on the photographer. That can lead parents/pet owners to being stressed out. I don’t want any of my clients to be stressed out. That’s why I’ll come to you!

For high school seniors, the senior portrait is one of two things: a big deal or a big hassle. In either situation, I’m ready to make it easy on the senior. We’ll do things you enjoy, have fun trying different locations, and just take time to relax. I’ve been doing H.S. senior photography for over 6 years and I understand how important it is to both the senior and to mom and dad. You deserve to have a session as unique as you are, not just be “another brick in the wall”.

This summer I’m looking forward to my 30th wedding, a busy schedule of high school senior photos and debuting a new product line! Keep checking in! Big things are coming!

Have a beautiful day!

Deb Bell

High school juniors take note: Want a fun way to earn your senior portraits? I’m currently accepting applications for senior portrait ambassadors.

What does that mean for you? Many photographers use this program to help increase awareness and sales for senior portraits. This will be my first year offering this cool program. I wish this program had been around when I was a HS junior.

It works like this:

1. You’ll receive a free portrait session, proof book, and facebook gallery to show to your friends. In addition, you’ll receive 50 senior portrait ambassador business cards with your photograph on them.
2. Simply show your prints/galleries off to other high school juniors/seniors, talk up my business, and encourage them to come book a session with me by giving them one of your cards.
3. When one of your friends books a session with me, she’ll receive a 10% discount and you’ll receive a $20 print credit. If 8 or more of your friends books, you’ll receive a free signature album featuring your photos!

If you’re interested, please e-mail me and tell me a little about yourself. I’m only accepting two students per school. I’ll be doing ambassador shoots through April, May and June but may schedule some in July if need be.

This program is for HS juniors who are interested in actively promoting my business while also earning referral credits. How much easier could it be?

Enjoy spring and talk with you soon!

Deb

Can you believe it’s almost April? How time flies!

I’ve been busy working on reprint orders, doing pet portraits and preparing for the What Women Want expo. What Women Want is at the Bangor Civic Center from 10-4 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday). If you’re interested in lots of opportunities to meet women-centric businesses, come on out.I’ll be having a great giveaway worth over $200.

Admission is free and when you’re done at the expo, take the kiddos to the Y Fair at the Auditorium.

In other news, I can now take credit cards! So if you’d like to pay for a portrait session, a wedding, or gift certificates you can do so with credit card!

Enjoy the lovely weather and remember to come see me Saturday! I would love to talk with you about how to turn YOUR special moments into memories!

Deb

May has been a busy month.

I had my gall bladder removed mid-month and I’m feeling great! My parents are moving to Bangor to retire. My childhood home is now sold. And we’re in the process of prepping the garden for its first planting in years.

Photography wise, May has been a month full of babies!

I had the opportunity to photography my best friend Trina’s little boy Emmett who came into the world on April 24, 2009 at 4:31 p.m. He’s a sweetie who will no doubt keep them on their toes!

On May 31, Kathy invited me into her home to photograph 8-month-old Bella who is all smiles and cheer. She was the perfect subject, even when she got tired from being a star!

May also started the summer wedding season. I was on hand to witness with my camera the wedding of Nicole and Corry. In a beautiful ceremony at a gorgeous church in Bangor, even the downpouring of rain couldn’t dampen the spirits in the church. Photos will be posted soon of some of the day’s highlights.

Now as June starts, I’m preparing for a busy portrait and wedding season — plus a little time to hang with the family!

I also and a proud greyhound mom and Laura goes for weekly play dates with other local greyhounds at Green Acres Kennel (www.greenacreskennel.com). The greys have a greyt time running and hanging out in the fenced in play area. If you’re looking for a great place to get pet supplies, grooming services, boarding, doggie daycare or training, Green Acres is one of the best in the area! Keep an eye open this fall to have your pet get their picture taken with Santa. More information to come!

June and July still have openings for wedding photography or portraits. And I’d love to see a few more young faces in the lens of my camera. Call today about half-price sessions this summer!

Just as the winter doldrums are giving way to a spring in my step, my dog Laura is still the consumate couch potato. She loves to snuggle up on my pillows and just veg out. She loves cuddling on the couch almost as much as a peanutbutter-and-kibble-filled kong. But because the weather has been getting nicer, she’s enjoying going for long walks with us and jogging with my husband.

Now I’m itching to get out, do some yard work and photograph!

Still booking too for family portraits and weddings. I’m also polishing up my senior portfolio and can’t wait to start working with area seniors!

I did my first wedding on February 28 (not the pictures from above) and it was an intimate, beautiful ceremony. It reminded me how much emphasis is put on the planning and not the actual marriage.

Don’t get me wrong. Weddings are fun to plan and even more fun to attend (especially when there are lots of personal touches), but after the cake is eaten, flowers wilt, and presents are opened, the couple is left with their consecrated marriage. And it’s for better — or for worse.

I’m helping my soon-to-be sister-in-law plan her wedding which should happen in 2010 and there have been a lot of questions about what SHOULD be done. I keep reminding her that it’s what she and he WANT done that counts. If it’s an unusual day of the week or a casual at-home wedding, that’s what counts.

So for all you brides out there planning your big day, involve your groom and decide on what will make you both happy. Don’t worry about disappointing your guests. They should be attending because they love you, not for freebies and elaborate hosting.

Some quick ideas on how to set your wedding apart (without breaking the budget):
• Make your own favors that represent your interests (and that can be used again by your guests. Think seed packets, coasters, bookmarks, or personalized pens.
• Buy fresh wildflowers from a local farmer’s market or the supermarket and put them in bud vases for table centerpieces.
• In lieu of favors, make a donation to a charity close to your heart.
• Create your own flower arrangements using fresh flowers you’ve purchased or artificial flowers.
• Put out blank CDs for guests to take with them to burn photos from their digital cameras on. This is a great alternative to disposable table cameras. Your guests can burn the images to CD then send them back to you.
• Use items from previous family weddings such as a hankerchief, a ribbon from a prior wedding, a family pin or heirloom, cake topper.
• If money’s really tight look for a reception location attached to your ceremony location (such as a fellowship hall) or book a reception location that will allow you to bring in an outside caterer. Some couples I’ve photographed have had potluck buffets or they’ve done a smaller food spread. Or consider doing an afternoon “tea” with appetizers, cake and drink instead of a whole big spread.
• When dress shopping, check out some discount dealers as well as well-established bridal boutiques. If there’s a veil you like, consider making it yourself if you’re handy. When I got married 7 years ago, I found a veil at David’s Bridal that I LOVED (for $200), but couldn’t afford. I took the same look and recreated it for $20.
• Help your bridesmaids out by allowing them to either choose their own dress, or having them purchase one they KNOW they’d be able to wear again. Same goes for groomsmen. If you’re not tied to tuxedos, consider having the guys buy the same color shirts, ties and pants.

Whatever ways you choose to set your wedding apart, remember that it’s not the money that matters… it’s your marriage.