wild at heart

Today’s vendor / guest post by Wild Hearts Photography also includes a great free download. This is one you don’t want to miss!

I have been a child/family photographer offering custom, lifestyle sessions for approximately 6 years. I absolutely love what I do! Throughout the process of teaching myself about Photoshop, I realized that I had an affinity for creating custom-designed pieces for my clients. This has translated into creating unique templates for other photographers to use.

I have and still do use many templates from other sites, but truly love just starting from scratch and working through the design process myself. One thing that has frustrated me with some of the templates that I have used from other vendors is the level of complexity that they involve. For my templates, I have worked to create a simple, user-friendly format, eliminating unnecessary steps and making them understandable for the basic to intermediate PS users. I’ve also tried to make these templates affordable-something that anyone can get and use.

I currently have many templates in the works, but the first to be released are the Print & Blog Templates {Basics}. This is a set of 10 storyboards for printing and 10 duplicate storyboards, sized for blogging. It also includes a bonus 16-image template.

The print templates are high-resolution, sized at 8×10, 10×10 and 10×20 and are very flexible in that they can easily be resized, rotated and backgrounds changed for an even greater amount of layouts.

The blog-sized templates are low-resolution, duplicate copies of the print templates, sized at 900 pixels wide and these can also be resized for other blog formats or website use. The Basics templates are clean and modern, fitting well with any style of photography and the storyboard format showcases your images in a unique, dynamic way that will appeal to your readers.

These templates are specially priced at just $15.00 for this introductory week only! Other promotions/discounts will be offered on a regular basis and are announced on my Facebook page. When purchasing the templates, you receive an email with download links immediately after payment-so no waiting for items to be sent. You can get started creating right away!

In the Works: I am working on another set of the Print & Blog Templates that have the ever-popular, rounded corners. These should be released within this month sometime. I have many other templates (cards, marketing items, storyboards/collages, etc.) that may also be added in the near future.

Free download: Paperie readers can snag a free PS action that I created to get some of the red out of my images. This is especially useful when using the soft light layer that tends to create more red tones. Find it here!

I would also love to give away a set of the Print & Blog Templates {Basics} to a lucky PB reader. If you just cannot wait to get your hands on these-get in on the special introductory pricing, offered this week only!

How do you win? It’s easy and you have four chances!

1. “Like” wildheartsphotography on Facebook

2. Follow @WildHeartsPhoto on Twitter

3. Post the following on Twitter:
Win Print & Blog Templates {Basics} template set from WildHeartsPhotography.com/ @WildHeartsPhoto at PaperieBoutique.com / @paperieboutique

4. Post about Print & Blog Templates {Basics} on Facebook

Then come back and comment here that you’ve done so – each entry requires its own separate comment. (In simple terms: If you want FOUR chances to win, you have to do all four things listed above, and then make four separate comments telling us how you did them.)

Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Friday, October 8th. You can enter up to four times total. Post that you have “liked” the Facebook fan page, followed on Twitter, posted to Twitter (with link), and / or posted to Facebook (with link) – in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

ATTENTION: All links you post must direct to public-access accounts. We cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this item. If we have to subscribe to your feed, a website, or forum – or request permission to see them – your entry will automatically be disqualified.

You can enter / post up to four total times – one entry each for the four options listed above.

You have four chances to win, but only one chance PER OPTION – please do not post the same link multiple times. Duplicate links will be removed. Each entry requires its own separate comment to have multiple chances to win!

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the winner will be contacted within 24-48 hours of contest’s end to claim their prize.

UPDATE: The winner has been posted here – check it out!

Good luck, and thanks to Wild Hearts Photography for the great free action and template set giveaway!




We have a winner in the Design Aglow ornament contest and it’s Three Graces Photography!

Congrats to Three Graces Photography, thanks to everyone who entered, and thanks to Design Aglow for such a fantastic prize!




If you missed it earlier, we have a great advertiser special going on right now – and it includes a gift certificate to Paper Source! Check it out…

P.S. If you are a photographer and are interested in having your packaging featured – or are a vendor and are interested in having your business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured here at Paperie – please contact robyn @ this domain to be added to the posting schedule.

can you catch the moon?

I’m really excited about today’s guest / vendor post! Paint the Moon has been a long-time advertiser here at Paperie, and now Annie is offering up a giveaway, and a special promo for Paperie readers.

Plus read ’til the end for FREE Moo holiday sticker template downloads!

Paint the Moon offers Photoshop actions to help bring new life to your images and take hours off of your editing time. Offering professional editing tools that help you do everything including extensive retouching, essential workflow edits, and beautiful and unique artistic processing. Using Paint the Moon actions will make complicated processing amazingly quick and are a breeze to use. Paint the Moon actions are also highly customizable for just the right look.

Also offering vintage and fine art textures to add a unique and high end look to your final images. Included with every texture purchase is my exclusive “Textures Rock” action set that makes applying textures and customizing the final look super easy.

Paint the Moon also offers video tutorials to help guide you through the editing process (new ones are now being added weekly) and beautiful free actions and textures to try before you buy.

And now you can win the NEW “Whole Shebang Action and Texture Bundle” from Paint the Moon!

Also included in the giveaway prize is Paint the Moon‘s newest set, to be released this week, “Picture Perfect {mega portrait package)”. Here are a couple sneak peeks of before and afters using the new sets:

So how do you win? You’ve got four different ways to try!

1. “Like” Paint the Moon on Facebook

2. Follow @paint_the_moon on Twitter

3. Post about Paint the Moon on Facebook

4. Tweet the following on Twitter:
Win the new “Whole Shebang Action and Texture Bundle” from paintthemoon.net / @paint_the_moon over at PaperieBoutique.com / @paperieboutique

Then come back and comment here that you’ve done so – each entry requires its own separate comment. (In simple terms: If you want FOUR chances to win, you have to do all four things listed above, and then make four separate comments telling us how you did them.)

Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Thursday, September 30th. You can enter up to four times total. Post that you have “liked” the Facebook fan page, followed on Twitter, posted to Twitter (with link), and / or posted to Facebook (with link) – in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

ATTENTION: All links you post must direct to public-access accounts. We cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this item. If we have to subscribe to your feed, a website, or forum – or request permission to see them – your entry will automatically be disqualified.

You can enter / post up to four total times – one entry each for the four options listed above.

You have four chances to win, but only one chance PER OPTION – please do not post the same link multiple times. Duplicate links will be removed. Each entry requires its own separate comment to have multiple chances to win!

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the winner will be contacted within 24-48 hours of contest’s end to claim their prize.

Good luck!

UPDATE: The winner has been announced here – check it out!

And right now all Paperie readers can use the code paperie15 for 15% off at Paint the Moon until October 15th!

Thanks so much to Annie and Paint the Moon for today’s guest post, giveaway, and reader-discount!




Today’s Moo.com newsletter announced that sticker books are now available in the U.S.! Up until now, they had to be purchased through the European store.

To celebrate, I’m making two holiday sticker templates available for FREE download – these coordinate with two Moo mini card templates I put on Paperie for download last year. Here are what the stickers look like:

→ download link ←  ¤  “elf-inspected” sticker (right-click, save-as)
→ download link ←  ¤  “(HO)³” sticker (right-click, save-as)
    UPDATE: third FREE Moo holiday sticker template now here

Both stickers are flat .png files sized for print at Moo.com. Visit this old Paperie post for information on purchasing additional Moo sticker templates.

New Moo.com customers can get 10% off their Moo orders through 9/30 with the code W9K55V.

The stickers above match these Moo mini card template FREE downloads (click the images for download links / info):

Be very merry!
-Robyn

These templates are ©Robyn Pollman, 2010. All rights reserved. They may not be copied, resold, made available for download or given away elsewhere, or redistributed without my written permission.

my I don’t have to run day

A surprise freebie this weekend from Farrah Braniff and thedesignersmix.com, recently featured here.

“This is a template for a personalized thank you card. I love giving these to my clients and they love them too! I talked about these in my PPA webinar. It’s great marketing! These are the layered files. Paperie readers can customize them to their heart’s content. It is templated to be printed at WHCC as a folded 4.5×5 with a blank-inside. I made it using elements from the Designer’s Mix set!”

1. → download link ←   •   thedesignersmix.com thank you card front
2. → download link ←   •   thedesignersmix.com thank you card back

Thank you so much, Farrah!




The Fit to Print sale has been so successful I’m going to extend it further through 3:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, September 27th, just in case readers didn’t get a chance to check in over the weekend. But that’s less than 24 hours so hurry up!

Everything in the store combined is worth over $260 so this is an amazing savings. Items included are:

1. “design one” information packet and matching Moo thank you template
     (color customizable)
2. “design two” Special Delivery / Do Not Open ‘Til tags
3. “design three” information packet (2 different front designs, color
     customizable)
4. “design four” 5×7 flat postcard promo / mailer / announcement (2 front
     designs to choose from)
5. “design five” information packet with “bonus pack” matching postcard /
     business card
6. “design six” CD / DVD cover design (for use with Epson Stylus R380)
7. “design seven” 5×5 trifold for cards or promo pieces
8. “design eight” Moo sticker templates
9. “design nine” Moo thank you card templates
10. “design ten” Moo business card templates
11. “design eleven” press-printed card client paper sample pack template
12. “Moo mini templates” (two) you can only get here

Heads-up! New Moo.com customers can get 10% off their Moo orders through 9/30 with the code W9K55V.

You must purchase this special deal on Paperie only using the purchase button below – not through “Fit to Print”!

Not much time left, so take advantage soon!




The winner in the recent Design Aglow Fine Art Overlays contest is… Rick Najdzion:

Congrats to Rick, thanks to Design Aglow, and thanks to everyone who entered!

Check in often this week for more great surprises ahead!
-Robyn

P.S. If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain. If you are a photographer and are interested in having your packaging featured – or are a vendor and are interested in having your business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured – please contact robyn @ this domain to be added to the posting schedule.

very vintage

Free downloads, a giveaway, and a prize-winner announcement…crazy Monday on tap!

First up, it’s beginning to look a lot like… I’ve been busy getting my 2010 Holiday card collection together for my clients. And now here’s one for you.

This is designed as a flat 5×7 holiday card (front and back) for print at ProDPI. (The ProDPI crop / bleed layer is included as a hidden layer.) If you choose to have these printed at another lab, please check the design in that lab’s template guidelines first!

The files are .psd files (front, back) and the layers can be hidden. However, the text and colors were not designed to be altered.

→ download link – front ← (please note this file was designed in CS2 and you must have Photoshop or Elements and know how to edit a .psd layered file — I do not provide technical support for this download)

→ download link – back ← (please note this file was designed in CS2 and you must have Photoshop or Elements and know how to edit a .psd layered file — I do not provide technical support for this download)

Templates are ©Robyn Pollman, 2010. All rights reserved. Templates may not be copied, resold, made available for download or given away elsewhere, or redistributed without my written permission.




Next up is a vendor / guest post by Shannon of Vintage U Creations.

My name is Shannon Johnston, I am a full time mommy, wife and photographer. My daughter Angelina is 2 years old and inspires me everyday to try new things and put my ideas to creations. My husband is amazing and definitely supports my every dream. I have been a photographer for a little over 2 years now and I just love it.

I’m inspired by so many amazing people. Like many photographers I am a PROP FREAK! I love the hats, pods, diaper covers, headbands – EVERYTHING! I decided to start making my own vintage inspired headbands. My style of photographer is different, I love the vintage look with the old stacked suitcases and damask backdrops with that vintage tint to the picture.. What better to top off that sweet newborn then a vintage headband!

I have been open for business for about a month or so and really wanted to get the word out about my new creations at “Vintage U Creations“.

I will have several different styles of headbands along with how the actual rosette looks. Some are wrapped, some are twisted, and others are layered and bunched. I like having a variety of looks.

You are welcome to browse my shop on Etsy at VintageU.etsy.com if you’re interested in purchasing one for your upcoming photoshoots! On my Etsy site, photographers who purchase my headbands and send me their photos will get a 20% discount off the price of their next purchase! How awesome is that? Just make sure you send me a message PRIOR to check out so I can adjust your pricing.

And one Paperie Boutique reader is going to get lucky today and win a headband of your choice! You can choose from any one of the pictures posted here. Here’s what you need to do – you have two chances to win:

1. Become a fan of Vintage U on Facebook. This is where I will post some fan only giveaways and promotions.

2. Go to your blog, Facebook, or Twitter account and post the following:

I want to win a free vintage headband by Vintage U Creations / VintageU.etsy.com over at PaperieBoutique.com by @paperieboutique

Then come back and comment here that you’ve done so – each entry requires its own separate comment. (In simple terms: If you want TWO chances to win, you have to do all two of the things listed above, and then make two separate comments telling us how you did them.) U.S. residents only, please.

Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, September 15th. You can enter up to two times total. Post that you have “liked” the Facebook fan page – or post the links to your Tweet, Facebook entry, or blog post – in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

ATTENTION: All links you post must direct to public-access accounts. We cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this item. If we have to subscribe to your feed or website – or request permission to see them – your entry will automatically be disqualified.

You can enter / post up to two total times – one entry each for the options listed above.

You have two chances to win, but only one chance PER OPTION – please do not post the same link multiple times. Duplicate links will be removed. Each entry requires its own separate comment to have multiple chances to win!

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the winner will be contacted within 24 hours of contest’s end to claim their prize.

Comments are moderated and may be slow to be added today but they will be added by late afternoon or early evening.

UPDATE: The winner has been announced! Check it out!

Thank you so much for such a fun giveaway, Shannon!




And we have a winner in the *emera bag giveaway—it’s Heather-Dailey-Photography!

Congrats to Heather, huge thanks to Nathiya and *emera for the perfect prize, and thanks to everyone who entered!

Stay tuned this week for more surprises ahead!
-Robyn

P.S. If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain. If you are a photographer and are interested in having your packaging featured – or are a vendor and are interested in having your business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured – please contact robyn @ this domain to be added to the posting schedule.

gimme an S! an E! an O!

The digital edition of the September 2010 Professional Photographer Magazine was released today.

(P.S. Keep reading for a special giveaway from photographers-seo.com!)

For this month’s article, I reviewed several digital media storage products by BellaGrafica (“Jeff & Julia Woods General Collection“), DNL Photo Packaging, JLee Albums, Loktah, Miller’s Professional Imaging and The Designer Concept, MpixPro, Pexagon Tech, Rice Studio Supply, and Verbatim.

Click each of the magazine pages above for a larger view. You can find the article on page 48 and page 50 of the print-version when it hits mailboxes. And you can also download the digital edition now if you’re a PPA member or digital subscriber.

And last month Heather Lickliter of Stylized Portraiture helped me write the August “The Goods” column. This month she’s escaped over to the new “Workflow Polish” column where she shares her post-session workflow, with added comments / critique by Audrey Woulard. Congratulations Heather!




Today’s guest / vendor post is by Zach Prez. He has freebies and a prize for Paperie readers!

Hi, I’m Zach Prez. I specialize in search engine optimization for photographers, although I’ve been helping small businesses rank in Google for about 10 years. There’s no better feeling than helping someone become successful on the web and grow his or her business. Okay, maybe there are a few things better, like cycling on the American River Bike trail near Sacramento, CA.

I wrote Photographers SEO Book almost 2 years ago now. What started as some informal phone conversations with my photographer friend quickly expanded into ninja tactics that boomed her business from Google in a matter of weeks. Everyone wanted to know her secret, so I turned those conversations into a non-technical how to guide that any level of photographer can follow. It has since helped hundreds of people understand and improve in search results.

Earlier this year I released Photography Blog SEO Zen. It’s an ebook for photographers, designers, or wedding vendors on how to update your blog infrastructure and write blog posts to rank more easily. Blogs typically output many more pages than a traditional website, meaning more chances to rank in search. Blogs are especially helpful in ranking very specific phrases (long-tail SEO) so I would hope you see about 3x the traffic from your blog compared to your photography website. My blogs and ebook help you get there.

I’m giving away one of each product above for Paperie Boutique readers. Enter to win by commenting on any blog post on either of my websites – photographers-seo.com -OR- photoblogseo.com – by the end of the day on Saturday. (We’ll notify and announce the winners on Monday.) You’ll learn something new and hopefully share your thoughts about the post, what you learned, or something insightful

If you want something FREE right now, check out my Search Engine Optimization Guide for SmugMug Sites -OR- Email SEO Class for Photographers.

UPDATE: The winners have both been announced here – check them out!

Thanks Zach for sharing such valuable information with our readers!

And don’t forget we currently have two giveaway-contests going on here at Paperie. Through midnight Wednesday you can have a chance to win your choice of camera bags from Jo Totes. And through midnight Thursday you have the chance to win a $50 gift certificate from Denny Manufacturing.

you spin me right ’round

So you saw the My Funky Camera party invitation below – but did you drop by Facebook to try and win a FREE camera strap and get the discount code?

If you follow my Flickr stream, you’ve seen the Verbatim vinyl hub-printable CDs I recently product-tested.

As a birthday gift for everyone, I’m putting a template up for download for the Verbatim #94550 CD-R. You’re on your own to change the colors – but text can be edited in the layered .psd file. I designed it to print on the HP Photosmart C309a printer (but you’re more than welcome to try it with yours). Please note I do not provide product support for free downloads. Template was designed for use with Photoshop CS2 and above.

For more info on the CDs, printer, and packaging please see my Flickr stream.

Thanks for a great first year! I’ll see you back here SOON!
-Robyn

drop it like it’s hot

First up before the big giveaway (yes I said “big giveaway” so read ’til the end), I have a freebie download. To celebrate surviving the year being half-over I recently made mini-calendars for my clients. I had them printed as folded bookmarks from ProDPI, and they look fantastic if I do say so myself.

You’ll have to come up with the front and back design (I used a business card front/back for mine), but I’ve attached a download for the inside-spread that includes the calendar. I have included the crop-guide layer. You’ll have to add your logo if desired and the month names, calendar dates, and month box background colors are not customizable (unless you delete the layers and add your own in their places) – but the background color and bar-stripe are easily changed with the click of the mouse.

The white background color can be changed with one click as shown in the Photoshop background color fill layer in the Layers Palette. The text for the month names, the date text, and the box backgrounds for each month cannot be changed. However, the top stripe CAN be changed and your logo can be added using the included lab crop-guide for ProDPI.

→ download link ← (please note this file was designed in CS2 and you must have Photoshop or Elements and know how to edit a .psd layered file — I do not provide technical support for this download)

And now as promised…the big giveaway by Heather Green of The Drop Shoppe! Heather has stopped by for today’s guest post…

The Drop Shoppe (thedropshoppe.com) sells thick, matte, high quality vinyl backdrops in large sizes that are affordable for photographers. You can use these with studio lighting or natural light. Each image is created in Photoshop or Illustrator to be the absolute sharpest possible when it’s printed in large format. Currently we sell two sizes; 5 feet by 8 feet and 10 feet by 8 feet. The 5′x8′ drops are $90.00 and the 10′x8′ drops are $150.00 All prices include free shipping to the continental United States. If you are out of the country you do have to pay shipping, but we work hard to find you the fastest and most affordable shipping solution. Each backdrop has an extra 1/2″ white border around the outside, which is perfect for you to clamp to your backdrop stand. This way you’re not clamping directly onto the backdrop image.

Here we have a simple set up of hooks screwed into the wall, a metal pole and three large clamps holding the backdrop.

There’s a variety of ways to hang these backdrops. You can just clamp them to your horizontal pole on your backdrop stand (with large clamps you can purchase at a hardware store), or you can hang hooks on your wall with a pole and clamp to that. We used the hooks/wall method in our small office since we couldn’t fit my larger backdrop stand in there. A quick Google search will also turn up quite a few do it yourself backdrop stands that you’re able to make at home for very little cash.

We have all sorts of patterns and styles for you to choose from. There’s plenty of grunge, messy paint, realistic background photos, wallpaper, doors, floors and much more. The possibilities for these backdrops are endless. Use them in your studio, use one for the popular ‘photo booth’ set ups at weddings, even hang them outside for big parties or family get togethers. The backdrops arrive in a shipping tube, which we ask you to keep so that you can store your backdrop in it when not in use. The best ways to store these are either rolled up, hanging or laying flat. If you should wrinkle them, usually laying them flat in a hot room or outside in the shade will remove the wrinkles. These also wipe clean with mild soap and water. No worries about that baby or toddler making a mess, just wipe it up!

I’ve also included a size chart for the 5′x8′ drops, showing the size of an adult woman and the size of our backdrops – a good way to show how big these drops really are:

Here’s an example of our backdrops in use! The following photo was taken by Holly McCaig with our Aged Red Doors backdrop.

Another backdrop photo by Chrissy Avila.

The backdrop I want to give away here on Paperie Boutique today is our Aged Copper Wall, sized 5′x8′. It’s one of my favorites and works well when shooting just about any subject…from kids to women to men.

Here’s a few sample photos taken with that Aged Copper Wall backdrop – first by Chrissy Avila Photography:

And one by me using more of a cross processed/vintage technique:

Winner will receive one Aged Copper Wall size 5 feet by 8 feet backdrop with additional 1/2″ white border around it. Backdrops do not come with any kind of rods, clamps or pockets to hang them – you must supply your own way to hang it up. Backdrop will be shipped to the winner 3-7 days after the contest ends.

There are three different ways to enter between now and 11:59 p.m. on Friday, July 9th – each entry requires its own separate comment:

1. ‘like’ The Drop Shoppe on Facebook, come back and post here that you did so

2. post on Twitter (then leave the link here):
I entered to win an Aged Copper Wall backdrop at paperieboutique.com by @shutterblog from The Drop Shoppe/ thedropshoppe.com/store

3. leave a comment here on the blog about what your favorite backdrop is from the shop (thedropshoppe.com/store)

UPDATE The winner has now been posted here – check it out!

And last but not least…everyone gets $5 off their purchase from The Drop Shoppe by using the code paperie at checkout!

Huge thanks to Heather and The Drop Shoppe for such a fantastic prize giveaway! Head to Facebook and tell them thanks ‘in person’!

And to wrap things up for today, I’ve been posting photos of my new office setup over at Flickr as things progress (including info on how to create the wrap station yourself, and the Photojojo poster). Here are a couple of teasers for now.

Stay tuned this week. More fun ahead!
-Robyn

P.S. If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain. If you are a photographer and are interested in having your packaging featured – or are a vendor and are interested in having your business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured – please contact robyn @ this domain to be added to the posting schedule.

weekly wrap-up

When I saw the “Nate Berkus™ 26-piece Gift Wrap Kit” at Apartment Therapy recently, I knew it would make the perfect prize here at Paperie.

It’s minimalist and classic, so if you’re just starting out or haven’t quite settled on a look yet, youy’re not tied down by a color scheme or print – but can still present your clients with something expensive looking and stylish. The kit includes:

•  6 – gift bags 12½” x 10″ x 5″ (3 black stripe, 3 gold stripe, die-cut handles)
•  4 – 10′ x 30″ wrapping paper rolls – 25 square feet of each (4 designs)
•  12 – 3″ x 3″ gift cards with envelopes (4 designs)
•  2 – black raffia 20′ rolls
•  2 – natural raffia 20′ rolls
•  storage box

To win just go to your blog, Facebook account, Flickr account, or Twitter account and post the following:

Win a Nate Berkus™ 26-piece Gift Wrap Kit at Paperie Boutique / paperieboutique.com by @shutterblog and get a FREE Mother’s Day template!

Post the URL(s) to your link(s) in the comments for THIS ENTRY. Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Monday, May 10th.

Please note: If you have won a prize within the last 30 days, please sit this one out and give someone else a chance to win please! The link you post must direct to a public account. We cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this item. If we have to subscribe to your feed or page or request permission to see it, you will automatically be disqualified.

You can enter up to four times total – one entry each per public, non-private blog URL / Facebook / Flickr / Twitter account.

You have four chances to win but only one chance PER LINK – please do not post the same link multiple times – duplicate links will be removed. And post your 1-4 separate links in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the winner will be contacted within 24 hours of contest’s end to claim their prize. Good luck!

UPDATE: The winner has been announced! See the announcement here!

Recently I put up a download for a 10×5 inch “mom” storyboard. This morning, I put up a link to download the following 8×8 inch story-art on my Flickr account.

The editing instructions for the 8×8 are the same as for the 10×5.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend!
-Robyn

ATTENTION VENDORS: We tuck business cards, coupon inserts, and promo pieces inside of our prize packages. If you are interested in having yours included, please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment). Also contact me if you are interested in having your business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured on Paperie Boutique.

ATTENTION PHOTOGRAPHERS: Show us your packaging! If the features here have helped you pull together your own look, please share with the class and pay it forward. Contact Robyn (e-mail link in the sidebar / robyn @ this domain) to be added to the posting schedule.

If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain.

The 10×5″ and 8×8″ templates are ©Robyn Pollman, 2010. All rights reserved. They may not be copied, resold, made available for download or given away elsewhere, or redistributed without my written permission.

’til Tuesday

Recently I posted a storyboard collage on Flickr that I made for one of my clients.

With Mother’s Day rapidly approaching, I thought you might like to do the same for your clients – so I’ve modified my design above into a 10×5 “mini-storyboard” you can add photos to, edit as much or as little as you’d like, and give to your clients.

I suggest having the image lustre-coated, fine-linen textured, and mounted to styrene or double-weight matboard. You could even add in a cute tabletop easel as an extra special touch.

You will need to add three vertical / portrait images that are 750×1050 pixels, 300 dpi. You will see three folders for each of the images (left, middle, and right) – and inside each of the folders you will see the image frame on top, and another layer on bottom that you will hide after adding your image on top of it.

The white background color can be changed with one click as shown in the Photoshop background color fill layer in the Layers Palette. The text for the word “mom” and the pronunciation cannot be changed. However, the text for the definition CAN be changed. The font used is Garamond.

→ download link ← (please note this file was designed in CS2 and you must have Photoshop or Elements and know how to edit a .psd layered file — I do not provide technical support for this download)

I recently ran across this marketing set on Flickr (in the “Promote This!” pool) and immediately asked Cindy Irene Photography to feature her work here on Paperie. Her presentation is just so unique. I had never seen anything like it!

“I have been in business for close to a year now, just recently branding my business thanks to all the wonderful ideas here at Paperie Boutique! But, when I first started I didn’t care for the non-personalized choices so I created my own.

I made these client packets for 8x10s out of card stock. The front pocket is another decorative card stock to hold the low resolution CD that my clients receive with their prints. I used a bone scorer around the edges for added effect. I cut another designer cardstock to create a ribbon on the front (real ribbon could also be used) and leave a spot for my sticker or business card to be placed.

I also have these on hand now as gift packaging that the clients can purchase when they give prints to family and friends. Different sizes are available for wallets all the way up to 8x10s and can be created for Christmas, weddings, birthdays, etc.”

Don’t miss Cindy’s marketing set on Flickr – there are a couple of additional photos for ideas and inspiration. Thank you so much for sharing, Cindy!

Recently Paperie Boutique was a featured sponsor at “Photographer’s Kick Start | Guides and Products for Professional Photographers“. If you’re a fan of “Hey Girl, Nice Shot” you’ll definitely want to check out Jessica’s latest venture! (And not just because Paperie will be a part of the ‘virtual swag bag’…) It’s a great training program to help photographers teach other moms how to use their DSLRs. The pre-release is available on April 30th.

Last but certainly not least, don’t forget you have until 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 28th, to win a $100.00 gift certificate to LCH Design here on Paperie Boutique. Check out yesterday’s post for more details!

ATTENTION VENDORS: We tuck business cards, coupon inserts, and promo pieces inside of our prize packages. If you are interested in having yours included, please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment). Also contact me if you are interested in having your business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured on Paperie Boutique.

ATTENTION PHOTOGRAPHERS: Show us your packaging! If the features here have helped you pull together your own look, please share with the class and pay it forward. Contact Robyn (e-mail link in the sidebar / robyn @ this domain) to be added to the posting schedule.

If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain.

The 10×5″ storyboard template is ©Robyn Pollman, 2010. All rights reserved. It may not be copied, resold, made available for download or given away elsewhere, or redistributed without my written permission.

fine art

I’m so excited to share this guest post by Ana Brandt. In addition to being an amazing maternity and newborn / baby photographer, she runs the theartofpregnancyandnewborn.com website, myLIFE workshops, and TAoPaN Magazine. (Oh and by the way, there’s a free download at the end so don’t just skim!) Now without further adieu…

I love this site. The eye candy is so great and it’s fun to be featured on here!

As photographers we all know how important it is to develop your niche and create your brand. That’s what theartofpregnancyandnewborn.com is all about.

As we speak I am revamping many of my websites but even as is, they still mark who I am. One of my main passions is pregnancy aand newborn photography. I LOVE newborns! Don’t we all? But I LOVE pregnant women even more. I know many photographers just shoot the maternity session in anticipation for the newborn session, but I love pregnancy and capturing it is a must.

I created a separate site for my pregnancy and newborn titled Belly Baby Love. It has a classic signature black and white look. My standard color palette is browns for studio work, but for the pregnancy and newborn sessions I wanted to keep it simple.

This year I joined a company that delivers gift baskets to celebrity clients each month. I am the sole photographer in their “BUMP basket”, and when they get the call that a celebrity or their spouse is pregnant, my information is included in that basket. I teamed up with a client of mine that creates cards for Envelopments and they helped me come up with something cute and simple to put in the “BUMP basket”. Since we are already a part of the Envelopments dealer program I knew what pieces would work so we developed a promo piece with relative ease.

The main goal was to keep it classic and simple…

• Calendar is by CPQ
• The stickers are by ProDPI
• The trifolds inside are our own design (available on our
  site at theartofpregnancyandnewborn.com)
• Our designer created what we wanted and printed it on
  cardstock from Envelopments and used coordinating
  papers and envelopes – these are great because we
  can change them at will and just print as we need
• The gift card is a two sided wallet from ProDPI (we
  love how sturdy these wallets are!)
• Inside the pocket we have our pregnancy, newborn
  and first-year trifolds printed on pearl paper at WHCC

These have been sent to celebrities such as Bree Turner, Jamie Oliver, Annie Wersching, Mario Lopez, Alicia Coppola, Kevin Costner, and Catherine Bell just to name a few – plus a slew of other celebrities. The baskets usually go out very early, so it takes a bit until we hear from them. But we can’t wait until we get that phone call!

When venturing out and seeking opportunities, make sure you have all of your materials ready. For Pregnancy and Newborn you should always have the following:

• Pregnancy Pricing
• Newborn Pricing
• A package to include both
• A first year plan/option
• Standard pricing

Clients want to know all of their options. Most of our clients choose a package and many come into the plan. The key is to have amazing classic images. In many of our materials we provide stock images for other photographers to use in their material. We also highly recommend you have some very classic pregnancy and newborn images in your hands ready to create material. Our material has information on what to bring for the session, as well as what to wear. We also give clients a list of foods they should not eat before coming in for a newborn session. The more prepared we can make this client the more comfortable they will be.

Remember, you are dealing with the two most sensitive times of a clients life – being pregnant and having a baby. We want our clients to come in and feel they have been prepared for and are being taken care of. They know what clothing we have – we have a large collection of mama dresses from our Thredz line, as well as diaper covers for the baby. Our studio is equipped with water, wipes, snacks, music, a noise machine and a hundred other things that are handy to have around.

To view a list of products to support your efforts and join us in webinars or our online workshop, visit theartofpregnancyandnewborn.com. To view a copy of our free magazine go to taopanmag.com.

Shop for marketing products at the TAoPaN Store. Use the coupon code PAPER to get 15% off everything. The store is being reopened temporarily just for this promotion.

And as a special gift for Paperie readers, you can download a free nursing card from theartofpregnancyandnewborn.com.

→ download link ← (The card is what we give to clients prior to their session. It contains a list of foods to avoid so their baby isn’t fussy and gassy.)

Also visit our Thredz Store for baby, children, and mama.

Thank you so much, Ana! If you don’t subscribe to myLIFE workshops, and TAoPaN Magazine, make sure to do so!

Have a great weekend everyone!
-Robyn

If you’re interested in having your own business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain. Check the sidebars – several advertisers joined us this week!

Good. Friday!

You might have noticed it’s been a little quiet around here this week. It’s spring break and between my ‘regular’ job, and hurricane advisories and tornado warnings occurring approximately every 15 minutes in my living room, something had to give! But to close off the week I have something to give…you!

Not only a new contest, but also a free download – so everyone wins!

This gift set for today’s contest includes:

• one Martha Stewart Crafts package of 8 champagne-tipped CD labels with 8 matching 5×5″ white and champagne envelopes (“includes handy alignment pad to ensure perfect label application”)
• one Martha Stewart Crafts 4.75×6.75″ photo-corner-accordion (cardstock construction with decorative front label and ribbon-tie – holds eight 4×6 photos)
• one baggie of 40 Paper-Source acid-free photo corners in Pool

How do you win? Easy-pleasey! Go to your blog, Facebook account, Flickr account, or Twitter account and post the following:

Win Martha Stewart Crafts & Paper Source accordion + CD label set – visit Paperie Boutique / paperieboutique.com by @shutterblog for more!

Please note: The link you post must direct to a public account. I cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this item.

You can enter up to four times total – one entry each per public, non-private blog URL / Facebook / Flickr / Twitter account. Post the URL(s) to your link(s) in the comments for THIS ENTRY. Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 4th.

You have four chances to win but only one chance PER LINK – please do not post the same link multiple times – duplicate links will be removed. And post your 1-4 separate links in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the winner will be contacted within 24 hours of contest’s end to claim their prize. Good luck everyone!

UPDATE: The winner Susan B. Photography has been announced here!

In case you missed the free download for the 5×7 flat press card “baby girl birth announcement”, I now have a printed example of what they look like. I knew one day it would be the perfect fit for someone!

These announcements were designed for, and printed by, my favorite lab ProDPI.

And I’ve updated the post to include the template for the new card-back as shown in the photograph above. So if you’ve downloaded the front in the past, make sure to go back and grab the back too!

If you’ll scroll down in the right sidebar you’ll see a category called “free product downloads” with several links for more goodies!

To those who celebrate, Happy Easter weekend! See y’all next week!
-Robyn

If you’re interested in having your own business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain.

the perfect Color

I promised y’all something big today – and here it is! Today’s guest post is by Color Inc. Digital Pro Lab.

Make sure you read all the way to the end because there’s a very special prize and an amazing offer exclusive to Paperie Boutique viewers!

Color Inc. is a full service digital lab that is founded on helping other photographers experience the same success as we have through education, networking, and marketing. Our commitment to you is to provide you with the best digital product at the best possible price.

We are excited to offer one Paperie reader a free 16×20 gallery wrap canvas!

Photographer Lori Reedy had this to say about Color Inc. gallery wraps: “…Gallery wrapped canvas art is the top selling product in my studio, so it just made sense to show more of what my clients love. After all, you sell what you show and canvas is perfect for that tactile high end presentation.”

Our Gallery Wrapped Canvases are a high-quality, finished product that will come ready to hang the moment it is unwrapped. Preserve your memories in style with the Gallery Wrap!

Each Canvas is hand wrapped around a 1½” frame with the finest attention to detail. Each piece is properly finished with a wire hanger, bumpers, and you can choose to leave the back open or cover it with Tyvek® backing. In addition, your canvas will be coated with Hahnemuhle protective spray which protects your work from harmful UV rays and other atmospheric contaminants.

Our wrapped canvases are available in the “Gallery Wrapped Canvas” catalog in our ROES software. To order first read these instructions, then go into ROES and click the “Sizes” button, then the “Gallery Wrapped Canvas” option as seen at left. Canvases are arranged by size within that catalog.

So now you’re ready to win that 16×20 gallery wrap canvas, right?

Go to your blog, Facebook account, Flickr account, or Twitter account and post the following:

Wrap it up! Win a gallery wrap canvas from Paperie Boutique & @colorinc / colorincprolab.com – visit paperieboutique.com for details!

Please note: The link you post must direct to a public account. I cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this promotion.

You can enter up to four times total – one entry per public, non-private blog URL / Facebook / Flickr / Twitter account. Post the URL to your link(s) in the comments for THIS ENTRY. Because so many people are traveling to WPPI this weekend, I am extending the contest through Monday morning this time. Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 a.m. EST on Monday, March 8th.

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the winner will be put in touch with Color Inc. within 24 hours of contest’s end to claim their prize.

As if that wasn’t awesome enough, Color Inc. is also offering all Paperie readers 25 FREE 4×6 prints! Use the code PB25.

Thank you so much Color Inc.! You’re definitely kicking everyone’s weekend off on a great note!

And just in case you missed yesterday’s entry, keep scrolling because you have to check out the The Boutique Product Catalog!

Here’s just one more example of how they can be customized:

It’s a product I can’t wait to use, and I think you’ll feel the same! So go peek…

Have a great weekend everyone!
-Robyn

If you’re interested in having your own business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

but wait…there’s more!

The last 12 hours have been incredible for me. First I found out I’d got a little “ProDPI Love!“. Then it was announced I’m the “February Guest Photographer” over at Prop Insanity.

And just because I care, if you head over to Prop Insanity this little surprise is available for (FREE!) download from Paperie Boutique—a Moo MiniCard template I hole punch a corner of and use as a gift tag.

Anyone out there going to WPPI in Vegas? If so, and you’re interested in posting a recap for the rest of us (similar to this one from Imaging USA), please get in touch with me!

And in case you missed the last entry, this week there’s a chance to win a fabulous (free, year-long) prize from Clickin’ Moms*!

Clickin’ Moms* is one of my guilty pleasures these days during that rare thing known as free time. Directly from the website: “We are a community of women who have a passion for photography. Some of us are amateur photographers who just want to take better pictures of our family, some of us are hobbyists, and some of us are seasoned pros. We learn from each other and help each other…this is a safe place to share your photos and chat about photography. Our forums and galleries are closed to non-members. Our site features great and easy to understand tutorials, lessons and challenges. All of the contributions are from fellow members who are more than happy to help and give advice to one another. We host amazing photography vendors who offer us discounts and group buys on their products…we have great bunch of women that enjoy hanging out with people that have a common passion – photography!”

* Clickin’ Moms is hosting an affiliate referral contest and the link I am posting will help this site in the contest.

All new Clickin’ Moms registrations sent from Paperie Boutique though midnight March 31, 2010, will receive 10% off new member subscriptions by using the coupon code FRIEND at checkout.

Clickin’ Moms has also donated one free year’s subscription to a Paperie Boutique viewer.

To enter, go to your blog, Facebook account, Flickr account, or Twitter account and post the following:

Get your cameras clickin’ with paperieboutique.com & @clickinmoms / clickinmoms.com – pass this on and win a year’s subscription!

You can enter up to four times total – one entry per blog URL / Facebook / Flickr / Twitter account. Post the URL to your link(s) in the comments for the last entry (NOT this one). Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EST this Sunday, February 21st.

Comments on the last entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the prize code will be e-mailed to that person within 24 hours of contest’s end.

More prize giveaways are in the works for this month so stay tuned… I want them for myself!

If you’re interested in having your own business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

totally sweet

Since The Album Cafe did their last feature here at Paperie, I get multiple hits in my stats daily looking for their products and coupon codes. So I contacted them again to see if they’d be interested in doing another guest post / promo. Luckily we all win because they said “yes!” Read on…


Hi everyone! We just wanted to share with you a SUPER CUTE new product we recently announced – Accordion Mini Book templates! These little books are the hottest thing out right now, and I can certainly see why – they are adorable! Our mini book templates are designed for printing at White House Custom Color, and we’re offering 20% off the entire store until Valentine’s Day so that you can try them out!

While you’re over checking out the new mini books, why don’t you grab our newest freebies!!

Don’t forget to grab the code at the bottom of each image to receive your “20% off entire order” through Valentine’s Day! And huge thanks to The Album Cafe for this promotion!

If you’re interested in having your own business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

P.S. Paperie Boutique was featured in the latest moo.com February 3rd “Photography special: Ideas to fall in love with!” Moosletter. Did you catch it?