*Running on Empty winner for Sacramento Wkshp is in the p.s.s. today!*

I asked on my Facebook Fan Page if it was to early to start thinking about family photos for your holiday cards. Every single person said something like “No Way!”

I’m so relieved because I’d love to offer Mini Shoots again!  But if we are going to pull this off and get travel arrangements in place–we need to get on the ball and get these Mini Sessions released to you!

*Special Feature for these Minis!  You can either choose the Metal Print OR…you can choose 25 gorgeous, holiday greeting cards with your favorite photo from our shoot!  Choice is up to YOU! Details below!

To grab your Mini, click on the city below and register for your time slot!

SEATTLE/TACOMA, Saturday, 9/17, CLICK HERE!

1.  3:30pm-4pm (SOLD!)

2.  4:15pm-4:45pm

3.  5pm-5:30pm

4.  5:45pm-6:15pm  (SOLD!)

SACRAMENTO, Friday, 9/23, CLICK HERE!

1.  3:30pm-4pm

2.  4:15pm-4:45pm

3.  5pm-5:30pm

4.  5:45pm-6:15pm  (SOLD!)

WASHINGTON DC, Friday, 10/7, CLICK HERE!

1.  3:00pm-3:30pm  (SOLD!)

2.  3:45pm-4:15pm

3.  4:30pm-5:00pm (SOLD!)

4.  5:15pm-5:45pm  (SOLD!)

(If you are interested in Minis for Dallas in November, leave a comment below!)

What is a Mini Session?  Keep reading!

A Mini Session is a family shoot that lasts 30 minutes.  You tell me what your most important photos are (a family shot for the holiday card, individuals of the kids, etc.), and we knock em out in thirty minutes!  It’s long enough to get all the shots we need, and it’s short enough for your kids’ attention span.

Mini Details:

Cost is $550.  Mini Photo Session MUST be prepaid to confirm your time.  You must be on time, preferably 10 minutes early, since sessions are booked back to back.

Testimonial:  I received the most beautiful testimonial from a Chicago Mini Session, and with her permission I’m honored to share it with you. My heart’s desire is that our 30 minutes together will be much richer than a picture taking session.  I can’t tell you how much Alisa’s feedback meant.

Dear Me Ra,
Words simply cannot express how much I loooove these images.  Ah-mazing!  Truly.  You have no idea how much it means to me to have spent some time with you and to have you take some awesome shots of me and my family!  It was so, so much fun and I tried to soak in every moment.  And now I have these amazing images to remind me of our time with you, of our first family vacation as a new family of five and some great images of Allen and me just loving on each other and our kiddos.  My heart just smiles thinking about it.
It was an inspiring weekend all around.  I know this is going to sound corny, but our shoot together really set the tone for our entire weekend as a family together.  You lifted my spirits, you filled my heart and you gave me a sense of confidence – all of which I soooooo needed – and that carried over into my entire outlook on life.  You inspire, you care and you love…naturally.  There is a just a freshness about you that is contagious.  I love you for that!
     Ok.  Tears are coming to my eyes and I feel like I’m sounding a little mushy-gushy…but I mean it.  Thank you so much.  You are awesome.  Wish I could be around you more often….I read your blog every day to get my daily dose!   
    Wishing you much continued success and lots-a-lots-a love!

-Alisa, Chicago Mini Shoot

Benefits of a Mini Photo Session with Me Ra

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!  One of the BEST time frames for a photo shoot with kids is about 30 minutes long.  And I maximize that 30 minutes like you would not believe.  We are moving, trying different ideas, laughing, playing and DONE before the kids are frustrated and tired. (Some of you may be thinking, THIRTY minutes?  What can you shoot in thirty minutes?  Answer: a whole heck of A LOT–see below)

2. 30 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 top 30 moments of the shoot.  And I mix them up with both Color and BW toning.

3. High Res Files FOREVER! The 30 Final Images are YOURS!  (yep, you get to keep the images and print them wherever you’d like)

4. Show the Sweetness Off!  Since the holidays are around the corner, you can either choose 25 Holiday Greeting Cards with the photo of choice on the front and a holiday greeting of your choice on the inside, OR you can choose the awesome 16×20 Metal Print of Your Favorite Image.  Our team is more than happy to help you pick the one photo for this Metal.  Moms have gone CRAZY over these Metal Prints since we spotlighted them on the Nate Berkus Show.  Nate LOVES these Metal prints–I LOVE these Metal Prints!  Watch the episode by clicking “Turn Your Portraits into Art.”

I have these metals all around our house, and I even have them hanging on my outside deck because they can handle rain and snow and add this wonderful design and color to our backyard.  Once you get yours, you’ll join the fan club of Metal Prints!

The BIG question…

What can I shoot in 30 minutes? Well, this is what I shot in 10 minutes at one of our CONFIDENCE Workshops in Seattle.

Mom had these amazing, long legs, so I walked the group through my thought process on how to set up a shot that tells this story along with the story of two generations.

Love all that JOY!!

(Within this 10 minutes, 20 plus women were watching me as I walked them through my camera settings and creative process–while trying to keep the kids entertained–mind you.  )

When we do your family shoot, we won’t have an audience.  And, I’m going to pull out the individual personalities of your kids so that you feel like the story of “who they are” is found in your photos.

When I’m doing a live shoot on The Nate Berkus Show, I get less than 7 minutes and ONE click for each photo–one shot, and it has to work because 2 million viewers see it.

Bottom line, a thirty minute Mini Session with your family feels like total LUXURY on my end!!  We can do ENDLESS things in thirty minutes!

Once you are signed up, Genie (my right hand woman) will email you with details, like what to wear, what to bring, how to prepare, etc.  Questions?  Don’t hesitate to email us at info@merakoh.com.

Want more than 30 minutes?

My Portrait Packages start at $3K.  I come to your home and spend up to two hours with your family, documenting the many expressions of your family being in the place you love.    email info@merakoh.com.

I can’t wait to see all of your beautiful families in Seattle, Sacramento and Washington DC!!

Much love!

m

p.s.  Please keep in mind that you MUST be on time for your Mini Session.  If you are late, your time and payment will be forfeited.  Thanks for understanding and arriving early!

*Holiday Greeting Card Details and Specs

First, I LOVE these cards!  I make them all the time with my own photos, so I’m SUPER excited for your family to have them for the holidays!  The Mini Shoot package comes with 25 cards/envelopes, but you can always chat with us if you’d like to order more!

Here are the card details/specs;

Final Size / Dimension:

4.13″ x 5.82″

105mm x 148mm

Paper Stock:
This is a thick 16pt, FSC credited paper stock. With a light satin coating on the outside, the inside is left uncoated, making it easier for you to write your own message. Each card is individually scored, ensuring a clean fold.  (they are gorgeous!  I’m telling you, and I’m seriously picky about cards and photo printing quality–as you can imagine! )

P.S.S.  Sacramento Running on Empty Winner!

Once again our judges have chosen a gem from a basket full of diamonds! Our Running on Empty winner for Sacramento is Stephanie Elie. It takes guts and heart to nominate yourself three times against your doubt, your fears and hopes. Stephanie, Brian and I can’t wait to meet you in Sacramento, hug away your guilt and push that reset button for a new start. You can read Stephanie’s story here. Stephanie, we need you to send Genie an email of confirmation in the next 48 hrs! genie@merakoh.com She’ll get you all set up if you can make it!

There are still a few spots left in the Sacramento Workshop! CLICK HERE to get one!  Seattle and DC are SOLD OUT! Woo hoo!

Our meetings with Sony yesterday were unreal. I am so overwhelmed with how AMAZING it was that I’ve been in and out of tears. Every thing will be officially announced on Monday to the press. So you better believe that I’ll be sharing the good news on Monday morning with all of you, right here!

In the midst of an unforgettable day, we have even more crazy news to share!

This is actually another DREAM come true for me and Brian! It’s one of those dreams that your almost afraid to wish for, but you hold your breath and go for it anyway. (What do you have to lose, right?!)

Here it is…Our instructional, photography DVD series, Refuse to Say Cheese and Beyond the Green Box , has won one of the most prestigious parenting awards ever! The National Parenting Publication GOLD Award! To give you an idea of who else submits their products for this award…Last year, the 10th Anniversary Edition of Baby Einstein won! Can you believe that! Our DVDs are keeping good company!!!

We submitted each DVD on its own to be judged and scored independently, and I can’t tell you how excited we are that they BOTH won the GOLD award!

On June ST, NAPPA and their partner, Parenthood, will have our DVDS and the other winners appear in over THIRTY magazines! Brian and I are so excited to see what this will be like to have that much exposure at once! Check out the list of magazines! It’s going to be crazy! Do any of you receive these magazines already? If you see our DVDS in them, will you cut it out and send it to me? My grandma and I would LOVE to have a copy of the features!

NAPPA Editorial Partners Coverage of NAPPA winners is featured in these trusted, local parenting magazines: Akron Family – Akron, OH Albemarle Family – Charlottesville, VA Bay Area Parent: East Bay – San Mateo, CA Bay Area Parent: SF & Peninsula – San Francisco, CA Bay Area Parent: Silicon Valley – Los Gates, CA The Boston Parents’ Paper – Boston, MA Brevard County Moms (formerly Space Coast Parent) – Melbourne, FL Carolina Parent – Durham, NC Central California Parent – Fresno, CA Central Penn Parent – Harrisburg, PA Charlotte Parent – Charlotte, NC Chicago Parent – Chicago, IL Child Guide – Berryville, VA Cincinnati Parent – Cincinnati, OH Cleveland Family – Cleveland, OH Colorado Parent – Denver, CO Family Life – Mendocino, CA Family Times – Syracuse, NY Family Magazine NJ: Morris County Family – Morris County, NJ Family Magazine NJ: Union County Family – Union County, NJ Indy’s Child – IN Kids VT – Shelburne, VT L.A. Parent – Los Angeles, CA Lake/Geauga Family – Eastlake, OH Lowcountry Parent – Charleston, SC Metro Augusta Parent – Augusta, GA Metroparent – Milwaukee, WI Neopolitan Family Magazine – Naples, FL Newsday’s Parents & Children – Long Island, NY Our Kids San Antonio – San Antonio, TX Palmetto Parent – Columbia, SC Parenting New Hampshire – Manchester, NH Piedmont Parent – Winston-Salem, NC The Parent Paper – Paterson, NJ Sacramento Parent- Sacramento, CA Saginaw Valley Family- Saginaw Valley, MI South Florida Parenting – Tamarac, FL Tidewater/Peninsula Parent – Norfolk, VA Upstate Parent – Greenville, SC Washington Parent – Washington, DC / Bethesda, MD Westchester Family – Mamaroneck, NY Your Child Today – NJ

For those of you who are unfamiliar with NAPPA, here is a quick summary. (Check out NAPPA’s website to learn more! They carry a big influence on what is hot for parents!)

NAPPA is one of the oldest and most prestigious Children’s Products and Parenting Resources competitions. Expert judges and family testers select from hundreds of products that embody innovative design, quality construction, and make parenting easier.

In regards to the DVD winners, Judges evaluated programs for their overall appeal, production value, quality of content and benefits – which may be pro-social role models, educational content or pure entertainment. Every winning title is one that you could happily add to your collection and enjoy sharing with the children in your life.

Is that AWESOME or what!

If you haven’t seen our DVDS, or should I say “Award Winning DVDS” , you can check them out and purchase them at our product site, Refuse to Say Cheese! If you are a friend that lives abroad, Downloadable Versions are available too!

Okay, keep voting for your favorite Finalist! We are almost to 300 votes, and we only need 500 total by Sunday night for a Random Voter to win Adobe Lightroom 2! Click HERE to vote today!

We will be back Monday for the most amazing news ever on what Sony has done to change our world! Hint: some of you helped inspire it!

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We only have FIVE SPOTS left for the Seattle June workshop. The enthusiasm, nervousness, willingness, and openness of the attendees so far is going to make this a fantastic workshop! If you are looking to take our workshop on the West Coast, this is your best bet before the summer ends! To see all the details, check out THIS BLOG post. To grab a spot and get the early bird special, GO HERE! The Early Bird price ends this coming Wednesday, so make sure you get signed up before the special is over!