Headshots | Personal Branding Sessions | Downtown West Palm Beach Lifestyle & Portrait Photographer

Hi friends!

I've been a little MIA with blogging. Have worked the schedule to spend some beloved time with my three kiddos this summer. 2 of the 3 still want me around. My oldest only seems to want me around when he needs hair products, food or money. We started off in June completing some big home projects-lots of rain! In July, we had family visit followed by a getaway with just us-lots of pool and beach time! Here we are in August. It's true what my parents always say-time moves so much faster as you get older. I feel super blessed for these moments, but will not lie...some days I had to lock myself in a bathroom for a few, go to a 5:30am Orange Theory class, take a drive or a shopping trip alone in the evening. Summer 2017-it's been great, but have to say goodbye next week! 

Time to get back on track and start some projects. First up. Headshots and Personal Branding sessions!

Are you an iPhone photo junkie that believes your selfie suffices for a professional shot? Think again-lol! Are you in search of a job? Do you own a business, manage a website? Do your images represent your brand? Have you taken the time to hire a professional photographer to capture your best? I'm rarely on LinkedIn, however over the last couple of weeks I have been navigating through. One of the first things I noticed were the lack of professional profile pictures. 

You may ask. Why are professional headshot/personal branding images so important in this digital world we live in? Here's why...

You only get ONE chance to make a first impression. When it comes to your online presence, you are relying heavily on your profile photo for this impression. It helps to define who you are and how you want to be perceived by others. This applies especially on your LinkedIn profile photo as well as all of your other social media platforms and business website. In this day, whether you're a senior in high school, a model, an actor/actress, chef, architect, interior designer, executive, attorney, nurse, architect, doctor, the list goes on - just about everyone needs a professional headshot!

If I happen to be speaking to you-let's collaborate and do this! These short and painless sessions (I promise) will be happening on Thursday, August 24 from 1-3pm and Saturday, August 26 from 1-3pm at the studio. Help me understand your profession or brand and let's equate it with some kick a-- images! These are 20 minute, solo portrait, natural light, in studio sessions. What does it include? Pre-consultation-email or phone conversation to understand your profession/brand, discuss wardrobe/styling, 1 outfit, photography time, post production (clean edits) to make you look your very best, 2 final digital images each in color and black/white delivered via digital download. Please allow up to 14 business days for final edits. Total investment is $165. To book or if you are looking for a longer, more detailed session with outfit changes, please contact me for more information at christina@christinalinphotography.com. If you'd rather chat live, call 561.951.5024.

Xx,

Christina

I lost my daughter's digital images from her 1st year of life | Why I am a now a print artist | West Palm Beach Photographer | Palm Beach County Family Photographer

My 2nd daughter is now 10 years old. Every year around her birthday, there is a tremendous amount of guilt when I think of her 1st year of life. At the time, I was not a professional photographer. I took a ton of photos of her. I was guilty of storing images on the computer and printing some here and there. Well, guess what? One day I went to retrieve her files and they were ALL GONE!!! This could not be possible. The nausea and sickness I felt was indescribable. Her 1st year of life was virtually erased in photos. We took the drive and prayed it could be recovered. After a couple of weeks, we received the answer. NO. No recovery. They are lost. Tears. Heartbreak. Pure Mama guilt. She's the middle child, so even more guilt that she will have less photos than her brother and sister. From my experience, let's talk a little about WHY printing your photos is SO important. I don't want this to happen to you!

This last decade will be the generation of minimally printed photos & photo albums. The generation of everyday, important, milestone or life events stored on a CD, USB, in the cloud.

"Shoot and burn" photography has taken over this last decade. Printed images are RARE which is not a good thing. Not a good thing for your family nor society. CD's are already something of the past. They are meant for short term storage. Realize that if you have a CD of images, there is a chance one day you may not be able to retrieve them. Your CD may not be readable. It's not the photographer's fault. Technology changes fast. Same thing goes with USB drives. Don't count on them to last forever. Digital images are meant for you to print soon, not in 5-10 years.  Most people get their CD/USB drive and put them in a drawer never to be seen again. They collect dust-they are forgotten, lost. Digitals will eventually fail. Why did you make this investment only to put them in a drawer?

As adults/parents, most of us have photo albums of our childhood, our teen years, our wedding. Is your child's visual history documented in prints, in an album, in some type of tangible form? I was cleaning out my closet a few weeks ago and found an album from high school. I sat on the floor in the midst of a pile of unwanted clothes and got lost in time as I turned slowly page by page my life memories. Memories that will take you right back to that very moment. Reminiscing is a fascinating part of life.

When I photograph your preserved, cherished life moments, you will hold on to your family's ART.

In 2017, my business will be based on a menu of beautiful prints and products. Digital images will still be available, however each and every client will walk out with a tangible piece of family art. We will discuss what is important to be highlighted on your walls at home. Are you looking for a gallery wall of images? An heirloom album that can be passed down to future generations? A beautiful wooden box of fine art prints? Do you know the options you have for printing your beautiful images? I am a print artist. A print photographer.  My job is to guide you, to show you samples, to help you make the best choice for your family, to freeze this time and hold onto it forever. If you have digital images that have never been professionally printed, I'd love to discuss the art that can be created.

And with this, I offer a 40% discount on prints/products through January 31, 2017! Make your mark for your family and future generations!

Contact me soon to book a session or how we can make your family art come to life!

XO-Christina

Christina Lin Photography | The Studio is opening | October Grand Opening Special!

Happy Fall! Although it feels nothing like it here. Every minute of the day seems to be accounted for. Just returned from an incredible photography workshop with Elena Shumilova (check out her work if you don't know who she is - you will be in pure AWE) hosted by Amy McDaniels of Dewdrops Photography - top photographers in the industry. These workshops are so invaluable to our business, to our inspiration, to our art. There are multiple take aways we gain, but the cool thing is you are still YOU - developing new, subtle skills that work within your own style.

The studio is coming along! Waiting for some inspections to clear and will officially open in early October after attending The Baby Summit conference in Atlanta.

I will be opening with full on motivation and excitement after these amazing conferences.

Please come in and introduce yourself if you're in the downtown area. Studio is located on 421 Olive Avenue between Gardenia and just before Fern Street. Best place to park is along Gardenia Street or the Evernia Street parking garage. If you get lucky, there is a spot right in front of the studio. Super excited to get to know the downtown West Palm Beach community.

The October Grand Opening special is here!

This is a great way for you to experience a shorter, 30 minute session, get to know me/understand my style and BEST of all freeze some life moments of today. The session includes maternity, baby/child and family (up to 6 people) photography. It excludes newborn and cake smash sessions. Maternity sessions take place in studio only due to the Zika virus. In studio, natural light sessions take place on weekdays 10-5. On location/outdoor sessions will be completed in the downtown WPB/Palm Beach area. Outdoor sessions take place either just before sunrise or 2 hours before sunset. The session includes 10 digital files printable up to 8x10,  1 really cool 8x10 Canvas Mini of your image choice that is ready to display and 20% off a la carte items if you so wish for additional prints/products for gifts or your walls. When your final edits are completed, you will be contacted to come into the studio, view your gallery and choose your 8x10 Canvas Mini. Digital files will be delivered via download. Gift certificates are always available as well.

Benefits of completing your shoots in October: overall less stress before the holidays, more time to order your holiday cards, decide on gifts with enough time to order, longer days continue through Sunday November 6. Once daylight savings time ends, outdoor sessions must be completed before 5:30pm. We all know the day after Halloween-the holiday craze begins. Don't be that person that realizes after Thanksgiving you didn't complete your session! Get your date in the book.

If you'd like to book or have questions, please go to the Contact tab or email me directly at: christina@christinalinphotography.com. Please be sure to leave your best contact number, so we can chat...

Christina Lin Photography | The Studio is coming to downtown West Palm Beach this October!

It's 12:05. Midnight. I have turned off work today to spend time with my 3 lovely crazies before they begin school on Monday. Jake was our DJ as we drove to our destinations. Finished up school shopping.  Played referee in breaking up their 11th argument. And fed them numerous times. I swear they eat all day in the summer. But trying to hold the sanity. For this will be the last summer I spend this much time with them. Bittersweet.

At 7:25 p.m. - I began my work day. I sit here, taking deep breaths and cannot believe how this summer is ending. A name change, a full re-brand and a new website...

What else could I take on?

In my 5 year plan, a studio space was always a dream - never thinking it would be a reality for this girl. A sacred little place that was my own to consult, to photograph, to show, to design, to host events, to bring community together. I began doing some research on local areas - read about the market and future growth in specific towns, visited and walked the areas to get a true feel of each possibility. I narrowed it down and knew I wanted and hoped to be in the artsy, historic downtown West Palm Beach area.

One Sunday morning, we headed downtown. The entire family got involved and we peeked into windows with lease signs, took pictures, wrote down phone numbers. We were dreamin'! The kids gave me their opinions on certain spaces. It was quite sweet to listen to their reasoning. They actually gave me great advice on things I hadn't even thought of. I loved hearing their perspective on tiny details.

Weeks went by, many thoughts going through my mind. As this Could. Maybe. Possibly. Be in my future. Terrifying and exciting at the same time.

There was a specific spot I had been eyeing. I decided to stop by after a family session I had just completed. Walked into a lovely, local store and spoke with the owner. She gave me some wonderful advice, then pointed out that the property owner was outside. Met and spoke with him for a bit - more great advice. All around positive interactions and even better - a feeling of great intuition.

Weeks went by. After many lengthy and detailed discussions, my husband and I decided this was right. I made the call. The lease was sent to me. I reviewed. I prayed real hard. I was about to sign. Within an hour of all that happening, I got a call. A better space had just become available with the same property owner. A space with more pedestrian and drive by traffic. A space I had less build out to complete. A space that was the right size. A space that was meant to be. A space I could not be happier to call The Studio. {BIG Sigh & tears.}

In October, my overfilled home studio will be moving to 421 South Olive Avenue - in the historic Gardenia Building - West Palm Beach, FL 33401. This will be a place of light, calm, peace, love, happiness, new friendships built and community - a place where many memories will be made. Stay with me on this ride as I complete the biggest career project of my life. Follow me on Instagram to watch the transformation @christinalinphotography. Sign up for the newsletter to learn about updates, grand opening and specials.

" And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

XO,

Christina

 

Welcome to the new home of Christina Lin Photography!

Hello and Welcome to my new home.

The bright light at the end of the tunnel is here! Early on it was difficult to envision how an idea in your mind would translate onto a website. The look, the words, the details. Many hours, late nights & weeks have passed by to bring me here. Project completed.

I admit. I am bad at blogging. It's a big goal of mine to improve.

Here's how it began.

So, I knew this summer would consist of catching up - admin work, making adjustments, new product offerings, updating the old website and some breathing time. I did not expect to undergo a name change (formerly Photography by Christina Lin), a full re-brand and a completely new website. This was most definitely not in my plan. I was ready to soak in some relaxation, enjoy time with the kids, have a bit of a lazy summer to rejuvenate and brainstorm on some new, creative ideas.

Well. God had a different plan for me.

One late night in May, I was scrolling through Instagram. A post from Emma Rose Company appeared. She caught my attention. I began looking through her feed and felt an immediate connection. She was real. Her words were beautiful. She made me think. Think HARD. A few days later I contacted her. And a week later we were working together. She was different. She cared and wanted to gain a much deeper understanding of me before she started. She wasn't just throwing a website together. I filled out pages and pages of Q&A that weren't all required, however it would benefit both of us if I dug deep within and shared my heart and soul - my why, what, where & how. It took many, many hours and late nights to think through these questions that I have not thought through in a long while or ever at all. And ya' know what - this is exactly what I needed. It was a big push to make me better - to give me a clear, concise picture of why I do what I do - it defined my business.

I want you to understand and "know" me before you send the contact button. I do my best to be transparent, to be real - that's the only way I know. I am perfectly imperfect. Life is tough. Life is fun. Life is tears. Life is belly laughs. Life is fear. Life is pretty. Life is sleepy. Life is messy. Life is full of expression. Life is blessings. Life is wonder. And I love capturing ALL of that. As you navigate through this site - this labor of love, I hope you feel a little something through words or imagery. Believe and trust your intuition, be still and listen to the soft voices that speak to you throughout your day. My tiny dream has grown a little each day to be fuller, more purposeful, filled with love - bigger than I ever imagined. And this is me 5 years later - in 2016.

I thank you for visiting, for taking time to read this first blog. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the new look. I hope to meet you & your family one day soon. Please join the list to stay connected with me. XO!

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