The Right Stuff: Asheville Family Photographer, Sonya Stone

I love the sessions where it's just easy...the family is fun, they all look good, and the images are great. Where I have a hard time narrowing the session down for the blog post. Thankfully, this is the rule more than the exception in my business these days, and that is directly proportionate to the joy I feel for my work.

It amazes me how many times I hear families say they don't take good pictures. Then look at this...they look fabulous! Everyone was at ease and they chose great clothes. And most importantly, their smiles are genuine and their love real.

Make New Friends...Asheville Family Photographer, Sonya Stone

But keep the old! The best compliment a client can pay me is to be a repeat customer! I will add this to the long list of reasons I love my job...seeing kids grow up and helping parents to revel in the present and cherish this moment always. When I last photographed this family, little brother was just a newborn! When they arrived for their mini-session, I almost fell out! Two years goes so fast especially the first two years! It was great seeing them all again.









and I couldn't resist...here is a favorite from the newborn session. :)

new love: Asheville Newborn Photographer, Sonya Stone

this part of my job never gets old. coming in to a new family dynamic, meeting this tiny person who is changing the people around him forever. but this time, more than any other session I have ever had, I felt the tenderness and intimacy of this family. it was such a peaceful, lovely atmosphere. and as I look back at the photographs, that's what we captured. A simple beauty and a deep love. ahhh, it makes my heart melt. meet baby Lucas...

and his incredibly amazing parents

i love how she is just snuggling him in, such sweet connection

and this...whoa, these guys make parenthood look hot!

there was also quite a bit of sibling love bubbling about

oh, my...he is so dreamy...

Don't miss Saturday!

Did you think you missed it? It's okay...you were on the fence...or you planned on calling but then you got busy...or maybe you weren't sure what a mini session was anyway! Well, I understand. And the good news is there is still a small window, I am here to remind you, and I will explain this mini session deal right now!

This Saturday, May 21, I have three "mini" session slots available for my shoot at The Botanical Gardens of Asheville. Sessions are by appointment only and cost only $95.

Benefits of the minis...

1. Done in 30 minutes! Have you ever experienced a photo shoot where you find yourself standing around, wondering what to do for the photographer. Not going to happen with me! 30 minutes is a perfect time frame for a photo shoot with kids. And we will maximize that 30 minutes by moving, laughing, playing and we'll be DONE before the kids are frustrated and tired. You get to update your portraits quickly and it can be a fun part of your day with time left to do other things!

2. 12-15 Final Images Narrowed Down for YOU! Are you one of those parents who has thousands, I mean THOUSANDS, of images on your computer? Do you feel lost in knowing how to choose certain ones to print? I hear your pain. This is why I narrow down our time to the very best moments of the shoot. And I mix them up with both Color and BW toning.

3. Special print packages that are priced with exclusive deals for YOU, my mini session clients. You can check out the details here.



THREE TIME SLOTS left to CHOOSE FROM:

Saturday, May 21st, 10:15am-10:45am
Saturday, May 21st, 11:00am- 11:30am
Saturday, May 21st 5:00-5:30pm

Email me to pick your time slot! Once you are signed up, I will email you with details, like what to wear, what to bring, how to prepare, etc. Questions? Don’t hesitate to email me at sonya@sonyastone.com

Want more than 30 minutes?

With my Custom Portrait Packages I come to your home and spend about two hours with your family, documenting the many expressions of your family being in the place you love. Or you can choose a special location that fits your family.


Don't forget...I will GIFT one Spring Mini Session to a loyal fan along with the Mini Complete package! To win you must REFER! Send this info to everyone you know and encourage them to sign up for a mini session...when they do, they must tell me who referred them. And the fan with the most referrals in May will win a session to be scheduled in June! Your referrals must complete the session as scheduled to be counted.

Hurry, these are the last of the mini sessions until winter holidays! Let's go run through the fields, play in the creek and capture these incredible flowers that are blooming...Saturday's supposed to be gorgeous!

Mother's Day Gift: Family & Child Portrait Photographer, Sonya Stone

I am unbelievably excited that Spring is here! The beautiful colors, the warmer weather, the spark that ignites growth and light. Yay! And to celebrate, I am offering a Spring Mini Session special just in time for Mother's Day. Because let's face it, I am a mother...I know what mother's like. They like photos! Scratch that...they LOVE photos. They love photos of their babies, who may be not so little any more, but will always be their babies!

SO if you have a mother, are a mother, are married to/dating/friends with a mother, let me offer a golden piece of advice, get beautiful, keepsake photographs for Mother's Day and you will hit the home run of gift giving. If you have children who are small and/or husbands who are gift giving challenged, GIFT YOURSELF. You have a right. And everyone will understand and thank you for it. Trust me.

Here are the details, the weekend of April 9 & 10, I will photograph children, families, pets, and the like all in the name of celebrating Mom. I will discount my session fee over $50 to give you an opportunity to have custom family or child portraits. You can order prints that are guaranteed to be delivered by Mother's Day. So you can have gifts wrapped and ready to go. And if you include Mom in the session, you get to tell her what the gift is and milk this truly awesome gift for a whole month before Mother's Day.

Then when she opens her prints on Mother's Day, viola; she will be overcome with joy and will be grateful for the whole next year. Make that her whole life because this moment in time cannot be replayed. It is in the here and now that we are laughing and playing and loving. It is here and then it is gone. But the photographs that you hang and archive, those will be the keepsakes that keep these sweet memories alive.

Get in touch and I'll fill you in on the details. And in the meantime, enjoy these photographs of an incredibly cute, sweet boy from last year's Spring minis.

baby power: Asheville Newborn Photographer, Sonya Stone

there are no words to describe how amazing new babies are. and this little guy...talk about amazing. born at just 32 weeks, I photographed him the day after his original estimated due date. and look at him. a miracle, a testament to the power of spirit. he is loved so completely. it was a blessing to me to just be a witness to this family's love affair with this precious little person. he is brand new to this world but already he has come so far. and his parents could not be any sweeter...I mean LOOK at these guys. oh, melt my heart! how I wish everyone could have these kinds of photographs of their babies and their loves!

family love: Asheville Family Photographer Sonya Stone

I have a special place in my heart for this family...I have known them for years and Mom was actually at the birth of my twins! Needless to say, it was a joy to photograph them. Mom & Dad might not believe that as it did seem that the kids were extra spunky that day, but let me tell you, the sass that sends a parent over the edge, makes me giggle...at least when it's your kids and not mine! So we had fun jumping in the leaves and climbing in the creek, sliding down the hills and making silly faces. All the things you are supposed to do when you are a kid.

For everything there is a season: Asheville Family Photographer

...and a time for every purpose under Heaven. I love that this family has a sense of purpose and creativity with their Christmas card message. They vacationed in our lovely mountains and we caught the leaves at just the right time. And lucky for me, this adorable little baby's christening was in just a few weeks...

don't miss out on holiday sessions: Asheville Family Photographer Sonya Stone

Last year at this time, I had so many inquiries I had to turn people away. And I took clients who booked late and still needed photographs delivered in time for holilday gifts. The result? I was pressed for time and felt stressed squeezing in clients because...let's face it...I'm a people pleaser. I took pity on the poor souls who waited until Thanksgiving to have their Christmas card photos and gift prints done. And if I'm being totally honest, it's because I am one of those people who gets busy and forgets to look at a calendar to plan ahead so I have scrambled too. But after the dust settled on last year's holiday season, I vowed to not do that this year.

SO, if you have not yet booked your holiday session with me...your time is up! Well, almost! I am almost booked out for the remainder of the year but I have come up with a solution for my fellow procrastinators. I will host a limited number of mini sessions with guaranteed delivery by Christmas, and when those sessions are booked, that's it...I will clock out, turn off my phone, & stop answering emails. Ok, probably not all that, but that will officially be the close to our holiday sessions.

Let me tell you how this will work. The sessions will be scheduled during the first two weeks of November. For only a $95 session fee (a $55 savings), I will photograph your family in a "mini" session. We will spend roughly an hour getting the images you want for cards, gifts for your family members and keepsakes for yourself. I will provide 10-15 edited images for your review and you will order from a special "mini" holiday session pricelist, which is available exclusively for my holiday mini session clients. Customized packages with options for digital files and prints of all sizes at incredible prices.

Hurry, there are only a few sessions available and they will be booked on a first come, first serve basis! Contact me via my website, www.sonyastone.com, to book yours today.

some of my own: Asheville Children's Photographer Sonya Stone

it occurred to me recently that I haven't posted photographs of my own children in like a year and a half! so to get you up to speed on the "babies" and my big girls...I thought I would share a few recent shots.