Google gets "image conscious" - Here's a fun game - wanna play?

Google recently updated the Google "images" search engine, and since I spend a decent amount of time on the Internet researching new ideas for Frameable Faces Photography, checking out blogs, and yes - finding artwork to fill in my cover flow blanks in my iTunes using Google images, it occurred to me that while I don't think I love the new "images" format so much it could make for a very fun game to pass around...

Go to google, click on images in the upper left hand corner of the screen, and google yourself. The game is to find out 1) how many images show up in the results before you actually see a picture of yourself, 2) what is the picture of you a picture from, and 3) what is the most ridiculous image or images that appear in the results before you actually show up? This could be fun to do on facebook and feel free to tag 5 friends to see what their results are... In Frameable Faces terminology I guess you could say that this is Google's search engine measure of how Frameable you are? I showed up in the 38th image in a picture from my 20th high school reunion with Julie (Garczynski) Lewis and Amy (Meneilley) Bloom. No idea how that showed up as the best result of me on the web - quite random... although I could have done much worse than being displayed with two beautiful girls! Oh and there was a picture of Gollum from Lord Of The Rings and one of Dick Cheney before they actually got to me.... Yeah yeah I know - I look a little like Gollum I'm sure. Save your comments... :-)

Have fun!!!!

- Doug

Frameable Faces - What's In A Name?

For some time Ally went by "Allyson Cohen Photography" before changing the name to Frameable Faces Photography. At the risk of sounding a little corny, Frameable Faces for us genuinely means many things and we thought we would share...

Community

It's not just about Ally which is one of the reasons the change was made in the first place. Frameable Faces is a place - it's a physical studio and a business true, but it only works because it's more than that. It is really a community - all of you! The smiling and frameable faces of the people who pass in front of Ally's lens make up Frameable Faces Photography. You are all a part of it and it wouldn't exist without you. You ARE the frameable faces.

Lifestyle

Sure we take pictures and capture memories here, but we try to promote the idea that being "frameable" is an attitude and even a lifestyle. People are here because they live life to the fullest - otherwise they wouldn't be looking to have it photographed. Sometimes people walk through our doors hesitantly - they don't think they are photogenic. Those people deserve a lot of credit for overcoming their doubts and getting in front of the camera, and they end up discovering how frameable they really are. Is your attitude, your family, your life, your smile, your face worth displaying on a wall (or on a purse or in an album)?

Fun

We think the name is fun. It makes us smile, and taking pictures should be fun. We even think our little flower in the logo is fun (don't ask us how it evolved into our little trademark symbol because we're not really sure - but it seems to fit). We enjoy meeting so many wonderful people and getting to know our peeps, staying in touch, watching their children grow and celebrating life's milestones. Sometimes it's downright hilarious (like when a newborn baby poops on Ally).

So there you have it. Yep - it's sugary sweet but it is what it is!

Why is Professional Baby Photography Worth the Price Tag?

We thought this was a good article and here is why... The article goes into detail about some things to consider when deciding to invest in professional photography and what the value is, and we take all the elements described here very seriously. This applies not just to babies, but to maternity, children, families, high school seniors and all the rest. We love doing what we do and we love our people - as some of you reading this already know we have become very close to many of you and we appreciate you letting us into your lives to help capture all the great moments that have happened in front of Ally's camera!!!

Why is Professional Baby Photography Worth the Price Tag?

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Boosting women's self-image | ajc.com

Boosting women's self-image  | ajc.com

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Top 6 things I've learned about facebook (mostly in the past week)

So it's social right? Demented and sad, but social. Okay so it's not really demented and sad, but I watched The Breakfast Club twice in the last week and I just needed an excuse to use that line - maybe my next post will be my top 10 favorite lines from that movie...but I digress... The topic for this blog post is facebook - the most popular social media site on the Internet. Actually it's the most popular site period - overtaking Google last week for the number one spot.

You have probably noticed that we launched a new facebook page this week, and there are many reasons for that. I've been doing a lot of research and and I thought I would share a list of 6 important tidbits I've picked up in my research that we've applied to our own web presence:

1. There is a HUGE difference between a facebook group and a facebook page (or public profile depending on what they are calling it this week). Bottom line - a page is best for your small business if you are a business owner and/or are authorized to create a page for your employer as the facebook administrator. NOT a group.

2. Pages are searchable outside of facebook. Groups are not. That's just one of many reasons to stick with the page.

3. Every page you manage can have its own facebook URL. It's simple - just go to www.facebook.com/username and choose "Set a user name for your pages". The rest is self explanatory. Ours is www.facebook.com/frameablefaces. Please become a fan and suggest the page to your friends (especially if you live in the Metro Detroit area)!

4. App developers charge more than I expected for facebook page design.

5. www.allfacebook.com is a great blog for all things facebook

6. Most "social media experts" will tell you that having a social media presence is critical and that facebook is probably not enough, but trying to have a presence on every single social media site is too much and to "just make sure you are where your customers are". I agree with them on all counts. We stick to facebook, twitter, YouTube, the blog you are reading now, and our official website.

This barely scratches the surface. Part of the genius of facebook is that it's a platform that everyone can use - from the Internet and computer novice to the most advanced developer, and it's constantly changing - they are tweaking features (many of which the average person won't notice) on a daily basis. It's incredibly powerful, incredibly complex, and yet incredibly simple to use all at the same time. You can gain much on a personal level and you cannot afford not to use it for your business - end of story. If you are a small business and don't have a social media presence you will likely be left in the dust...

What a sweet little angel!

On Saturday, I got to work with such a pretty little girl. Baby S was so good in the studio. She pretty much let me do whatever I wanted and even though our session was shorter than I typically like newborn sessions to be, we did get some absolutely beautiful images.

So, without further adieu, may I present "S". I hope you enjoy her images as much as I did capturing them.

Until next time,
Ally

Too Sweet Sisters

I'm loving my play on words for the title here! Go Ally!! So this is a little slide show we created from a session with two of the prettiest, sweetest, most fun sisters. Enjoy!!

I know it's only the middle of February

But it's time to start thinking about Mother's Day! Yeah, yeah, I know Valentine's Day was just yesterday, but it's never too early to start thinking of Mom.

You know, that awesome lady that went through countless hours of painstakingly difficult labor? The one who kissed your boo-boos, let you sleep in her bed when you had a bad dream and rubbed your back when you were up puking in the middle of the night. And even kissed you afterwards! Yeah, that one.

She's a pretty special lady...and we're totally honoring her this year at Frameable Faces. What mom wouldn't love something so special that it was designed completely for her??? I'm talking super great, over the top THANK-YOU-SO-MUCH-YOU'RE-MY-FAVORITE-CHILD-OH-MY-GOSH-YOU-SHOULDN'T-HAVE good.

We've decided to offer our Gina Alexander custom handbags to you, our amazing clients (and clients-to-be) at a 15% discount for Mother's Day. Book your photo session early since these bags are truly custom made and can take up to 8-10 weeks to create.

This promotion will only be running until Mother's Day, which is May 9, 2010. So, if you want the gift that will really keep on giving, book soon for delivery before Mother's Day.

Until next time,
Ally

High school juniors wanted/needed!!!

So seeing as today's a snowday here in Detroit, I thought it'd be a perfect time to get this out there again. Everyone seems to be online or on Facebook, so I thought "Hey! This is great timing!!!"

That being said, we're looking for high school juniors from any of the local high schools to participate in the Frameable Faces Senior Ambassador program. If you're wanting to earn some extra money, discounted senior portraits, and some other really fun stuff, get in touch with us! This is a super fun program for current high school juniors (seniors '11).

You'll get to have a free modeling session to be held sometime within the next two months, earn your senior portrait session at a 50% discount and be eligible to receive some awesome other bonuses. Who couldn't use some extra money or maybe a flip video? It's all about fun!

So if you think you may be interested, get in touch with us on Facebook, via email or give me a call at the studio! All you need is a positive attitude and want to have a ton of fun!

Don't miss out! We're only accepting a few students from each school. And once our ambassadors are selected, that's it til next year!

Until next time,
Ally

NEW PRICING!!!

Hooray! We've changed some things around here at the studio and as a result, we've been able to actually RAISE our quality and LOWER our prices! How 'bout dem apples???

So head on over and check out the updated Frameable Faces website for some new lower pricing. And also check out our new galleries! We've added some new images to our galleries and I bet you'll know some of our beautiful frameables!

And, as usual, if you have any questions, please give us a call or shoot us an email. We'd love to talk to you, and if you're interested, we'd love to make you one of our future Frameables!

Until next time,
Ally

Wooohhhh Hoooooo!!!! Beautiful Girls!!!!

You know, that Van Halen song? Or is it just David Lee Roth? Either way, that song's been going through my head since I photographed these two. They are definitely beautiful! I've posted a few from them before, but here's the real "sneak peak."

I don't know if I could've even put a model search out that would have brought me better models than these two. A and S are so pretty and were so great in the studio. They were totally on their game and were perfect models! I was telling Doug that when we get some new props in or just need some models for some new images in the studio, A and S are at the tippy top of our list! LOVED working with them!

So, here's the real deal from their session. Enjoy the "S" sisters!!!

Until next time,
Ally

Bringing sexy back

Hey Ladies!!! (Said in my best Beastie Boys voice)

So remember when I was in Nashville and I told you all about how we were going to be bringing sexy back to Frameable Faces??? Well, I'm ready to do it! And right in time for Valentine's Day too!

But Ally, you say...I don't like the way I look! I have rolls in places that they shouldn't be, and stretch marks because I just had the baby 3 months ago (or in some cases 8 years ago!!). There's no way I'm going to pose in my skivvies and have ANYONE photograph me!

Have no fear, lovely lady!!! I promise that you'll be thrilled with the way you look in the finished images and it'll be such a great, fun time that you'll totally be bringing the sexy back to your husband/boyfriend/significant other. What an amazing Valentine's Day gift you can give yourself and to that special someone. Trust me, these sessions are a blast and will leave you feeling absolutely beautiful, empowered and SEXY!!!

So here's the deal - Book your BSB session for Valentine's Day and get a 5x7 Little Black Book and 10 images from your session for $200. What a great deal and what a RED HOT gift just in time for Valentine's day. Trust me, you WILL thank me for this! :)

Don't miss out on this opportunity. These sessions will be filling up quickly and I'm only accepting a limited amount of them so I can assure delivery in time for V Day!

Call the studio to schedule your session - 248-790-7317. And no, the session will NOT be in the studio! We have a bunch of options available and none of them include my studio! :)

Until next time,
Ally

Check it out!!!

Since we've been back from Imaging USA in Nashville, we've been busy working and trying to figure out how to make the Frameable Faces experience better for everyone. We've brought on some new products, started bringing some new ideas to the table and are taking a consultative approach to making sure that we're delivering exactly what our clients are asking for.

One of the things we've been able to do is this...we've actually dropped our prices! Yep! You read right!!! We've partnered with another lab for our larger prints and even upped our quality by doing so. The new lab has offered us much better pricing than the one we used previously and as a result, we're extending that to you, our loyal Frameables! :)

Go check out our website for some more details. We've also changed our "packages", too. Instead of being steered into a collection that doesn't exactly meet what you're looking for, we've made it much easier for you to get what you want! And we've even built in some discounts along the way!

So, no Mick Jagger! (Cue the music here!) You were completely off the mark when you said "You can't always get what you want." At Frameable Faces, you CAN get what you want! AND you can also get what you need!

Check us out and stop by and say hi! We'll have the music playing and we can promise you a great session that will definitely bring a smile to your face!!!

Until next time,
Ally

And now for something completely different...

So when we were in Nashville for the Imaging USA convention, we did a little video blogging. It took a bit of time to get it all edited and ready to publish but we finally did it. We've posted it to our Frameable Faces YouTube channel. Go check it out and make sure you check back periodically to see some of our sessions in progress, some of our vendors, and some other fun cool stuff that we have going on here at the studio. It's a great way to get to know us a little bit more and to see how much fun we have here. From some fun cool videos, to some cool interviews, even some outtakes...it's a fun place to visit on the web. And if you're feeling especially adventurous, come on up here to the studio and say hi! We're pretty fun and really nice, too!

Until next time,
Ally

I always keep my promises!

And I promised Miss A that I'd post an image of her with her yellow dress on. She initially didn't want to wear it, but persistence prevailed and she was soon donning her pretty yellow dress.

The whole session was simply stunning. A is an excellent big sister and she clearly loves her baby sister S so much! It was so sweet to watch them together! There a bunch more images to show, but I'm running out of the studio right now. Be on the look out for some new sneak peak options. They may very well be after the ordering session but I promise, it'll be SO worth the wait!

In the meantime, enjoy this little preview of A and S. Two of the most prettiest princesses to grace the Frameable Faces studio!

Until next time,
Ally

WE'RE IN NASHVILLE!!!

Ya'll (Like that? Come on! We're in the South!) know how much we love our Flip video! Our version of video blogging...enjoy a little bit of our trip. We'll post more later on today, but wanted you to see a little bit of what we've been doing. The convention center is huge, the classes for the most part have been amazing and the sites and food have been unbelievable. Check out this awesome site for some great food for your next road trip. It hasn't led us astray yet!

Off to learn about the "Ultimate photographers balancing act." Then some more information on boudoir photography, children's photography and high school seniors.

Did I mention how much I love this??!!!

Until next time,
Ally

P.S. I *think* the videos are in order. If not, you're smart! You'll be able to figure out which one's which! ;)

And we're OFF!!!!

I am beyond excited to be heading down to Nashville for the Imaging USA conference for photographers. This conference is full of information, new products, great ideas, etc. I'm so looking forward to going! Plus, I get to spend some time with a bunch of other photographers to talk about what's working and what's not in their studios.

I'm planning on taking copious notes, learning a ton of stuff and coming back to the studio on Thursday refreshed, refocused and ready to work to make 2010 the best year ever!

Make sure you check in to our YouTube channel for updates from the convention. Get to meet some of our vendors, see a bit of what it's like to be on the floor of one of the coolest venues in the photographic world!

When we get back on Thursday, I promise to post a bunch of images that I've been sorely lacking in posting! Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!! The downside of being so busy! :)

Until next time,
Ally

Frameable Faces on You Tube

Happy New Year! For those of you who haven't checked it out yet, we have added some initial content to the new Frameable Faces YouTube channel. There are three clips there for starters. Two of them are clips from sessions and one is a fun little clip of Ally training Amanda on some editing. We have had a positive initial response so this is something we are looking to continue and make a vital piece of the Frameable Faces universe. We will post clips from sessions, informative videos, testimonials (your fellow Frameables showing off their images with ideas for displaying them), "Guest appearances" from our partners, events that may happen here at the studio or at the Orchard Mall where we are located, and various other hubbub, brouhaha and maybe even the occasional ruckus ("Sir could you describe the ruckus?"). Stop by www.youtube.com/frameablefaces and check it out (and tell your friends)! Please feel free to subscribe, leave comments and let us know what you think. We are very needy and if you don't say anything we'll assume you don't like it and we'll be sad. Just kidding. But we would love to hear from you!

C ya,

Doug