We’re recruiting ten high school students to start spreading the word about getting senior photos done for next year. It may seem early, but it’s safest to have your photos done early so that you can get them in on time! We’ll start with a quick Q&A for those of you who are new to the party — if you already know the deal, feel free to scroll down to the bottom of this post to fill out the application!

What is a Senior Rep?
A Senior Rep is a senior who represents Yost Photo to their friends and classmates. Pretty simple! In other words, we’re going to give you a free photo session in the hopes that once other people see what we can do, they’ll want to use our studio for their senior pictures.

What do you get for being a Senior Rep?
Glad you asked. Ten lucky students will receive:

1. One free photo session that will last no longer than three hours. Bring as many changes of clothes as you like.  Pick up to three locations for the shoot.
2. One DVD containing full resolution photos from your session.
3. 50% off sessions for all your friends when you refer them to us.
4. $20 cold hard cash for every referral you bring in. Think about how quickly that adds up!

After the first five referrals, you also receive a free 4×4 leather album ($200 value).

And finally, the Senior Rep with the MOST referrals by October 1st, 2010 will win a brand new Apple iPod Touch!

What’s the catch?
There isn’t one. If someone sees your pictures and likes them, give them a rep card. Tell them what it was like having your photos taken by us. Easy. You are not expected to discuss pricing or packages with them. Just tell them to contact us and we’ll do the rest!

What are the rules?
1. You need your parents’ permission.
2. You will promise to promote us exclusively.
3. You must be a senior after the summer break.

How do I become a Senior Rep?
Just fill out the application below. If you’ve made the cut, we will contact you!

I’ve always admired how quickly the Internet can connect people, so it was only natural that we incorporate a chat feature that goes beyond the usual email and blog comments. *drum roll please*

Behold, our new instant messaging feature! Feel free to use this post on the blog or go to its permanent parking spot if you’d like to chat us up about your wedding plans.

Here’s a look at our new disk enveleopes for your digital negatives! We’ve tied this one with a pink ribbon to match the baby girl’s outfit.

It opens up like so. Usually we include one 5×5 photo on the top flap, but just for fun we printed wallet sized pictures and made a little collage using removable double-sided adhesive (there are also several wallet sized photos in front of the disk, which you may be able to see peaking out). The digital negatives are on a disk with a custom label; in this case, a sunflower is etched onto its surface. I can’t wait to give it to her!

I’d like to take a moment and introduce you to the cover page of our brand new brochures! These are epic, my friends. I can’t wait to print them and show them off! I love the classic black and white look, don’t you?

Hey guys, we’re giving family and friends a chance to help the bride and groom win rewards by commenting on our blog! The rules:

1. Each unique individual who leaves a comment to a post on our blog earns a point. Posting multiple times does not increase your points. So remember that it’s one point per person (not one point per comment). The bride and groom can play, too, that’s two points waiting to be given right there!
2. To earn a point, you must supply an email address with your name (anonymous comments won’t be counted).
3. Family and friends can give their point to the bride and groom by mentioning the couple’s names in their comment (“I’m a friend of Jane’s, by the way, so give her a point!”). Remember to do that or we won’t know you’re trying to earn them points!
4. Points are redeemed by the bride and groom for the reward of their choice any time this year (points will be set back to zero on January 1st, 2010). Decide carefully how you want to cash in your points!

Now, the good stuff. Here are the prizes we’ll be giving away this year, along with the number of points you’ll need:

10 points – 50% off any print order (the number of prints is unlimited, as long as they are ordered at the same time)

20 points – 50% off any portrait photography (an engagement session, bridal portraiture, rehearsal coverage or boudoir photoshoot)

30 points – 50% off any album (applies to albums of any size or type, except the discounted album you receive with your package)

These rewards are worth hundreds of dollars, so we’re excited about being able to do this! Let us know if you have any questions!

We’ve just been invited to be a part of The Wedding Chicks Family! I am so freaking excited right now! If you’re not familiar with their website, definitely check them out. They have tons of gorgeous photos from some of the best photographers in the field, tips for saving money and planning your honeymoon, a forum for brides and a Real Weddings section that’s a gold mine all by itself. Did I mention that they have contests and prizes? (Nope, there’s no foreshadowing here at all. Not a bit. Nada.)

I love how their tagline describes their readers as sassy brides. It really speaks to the bold, creative young women of our age. I guess joining the WC family means we’re officially sassy photographers now, too. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store!

This article gives some great tips for making your business ecofriendly without the fluff and buzzwords that are often attached to the term! We’ve been implementing sustainable, ethical business practices from the start, but we’ve been short on ideas on how to take that to the next level. I’m so glad to have run across this article, as it takes a really refreshing look at the simple ways we can do our part to contribute to both our local and global community. So far, we:

• recycle everything we can, both business and non-business related
• reduce our consumption of power and resources by taking advantage of natural light, electronic documents and putting on sweaters instead of turning up the thermostat
• use high energy efficient bulbs, a water filter, and rechargeable batteries for all our camera flashes
• use only digital so that we don’t have to deal with the harsh chemicals involved in developing film
• offer digital downloads direct from our galleries so that we reduce the need for packaging and mailing photos

There’s still so much that we could be doing, and we’ll be blogging about those changes in the coming months!

What are your thoughts on sustainability, as defined by reducing your negative impact on the earth and your community? Does it factor into your wedding planning? Are there any initiatives you’d like to see us take as a business to help improve our surroundings?

Chances are, you don’t live within ten minutes of our Home, Sweet Home. So how are you going to meet us face to face for a consultation without rearranging your schedule, battling evening traffic and burning fossil fuels? Answer: Video Chat.

If you have AIM or iChat, send us an email and we’ll exchange usernames so that we can meet without ever having to leave the house. You can even wear your pajamas — trust me, we don’t mind!