Houston Wedding Photographer / Aric C Hoek

Long Distance Booking

Well, this was a first for me. I am sitting here going through my phone messages that have pilled up since I have been away for the PPA convention, and I come across a really strange phone number. 000-001-2345. I of course think it is going to be a solicitation.

It turns out that it is from Michael, the fiancé of Michelle. I have been talking with Michelle off and on now via email about booking her/their date. I told Michelle about the strange phone number that my caller id had recorded, and she informed me that the reason was he was calling from Baghdad! She then gives me a phone number to call. This number is to a computer. The computer then forwards the call Michael in Baghdad!

After a very short call I had booked my first wedding over the phone from a conversation in Baghdad. Thank you Michael and Michelle! I am going to be taking very good care of you both.

Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Photographer

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Back In The Studio

I am backing the studio after braving the ice storm in San Antonio which delayed my return by one day. There are over 30 messages on voice mail, and way to many emails to even comment on.

So, if you have left a voice mail and are waiting on a response I will be getting to you asap. Just give me a bit of time. My guess is that this will take me until mid-day tomorrow to complete.

What I really want to be doing is implementing the exciting things I learned at the convention. All in good time.

Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Photographer

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Saturday Night

Gavin and Katie are in Bed, and they are not to happy about it. Toni is running her restaurant and will not be back home until 2am. I will say goodbye to her when she gets home and be on the road by 3am to San Antonio to attend The Professional Photographers of America’s Imaging USA, the largest photography convention of the year. Classes begin at 7am. All of my couples currently booked will be benefiting from the eleven classes I will be taking over the next three days.

A few of my good friends will be at the convention as well. David Jones, an absolutely excellent photographer will be there. David photographed our wedding. K and C may be there as well, and two up and coming photographers, Tammy and Patrick. More on them in a future post.

During the show, I will be taking a total of 11 photography classes, all of which are an advanced level, and I am looking forward to each and every one of them. I have decided that I will be stretching my education to the limit this year, and I am really happy about that.

My desire for education seems to come in spurts. I will spend a year reading, studying, and attending classes. Then I will spend about two years implementing what I have learned and developing the strategies learned to fit into my own business plan. And then the cycle starts again. What I find hard for myself is to maintaining my sense of personal style of photography while studying other styles.

This year is much different from previous years though. While I have been married since March of 01, and I have attended past conventions since I have been married, this will be the first conference that I have attended since the twins have been born. My wife supports my photography with her time , energy, and love every day but over the next three days she will be going above and beyond by watching the babies by herself.

Toni, my wife, I’ll miss you most of all while I’m gone. I’ll be home soon.

Aric

Continuing Education / Out Of The Studio

Beth and I will be out of the studio starting today at 2pm until Wednesday morning. I am leaving to attend a continuing education conference and trade show in San Antonio hosted by the Professional Photographers of America. I go to multiple shows each year, but I always make a point of attending this particular one. I have scheduled myself to attend 12 different classes. Needless to say I am very excited! http://www.imagingusa.org

Beth will be going down to League City representing Solaris at a small and intimate bridal show hosted by Butler’s Courtyard. She will be back in the studio on Wednesday morning.

So, the best way to get a hold of me between 2pm today and 9 am on Wednesday will be through email. I am sure that I will be posting images from my trip from my hotel room, so stay tunned.

Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Photographer

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What happens when you order a custom album from Solaris?

If you purchased your album before your event, then production begins immediately after your online gallery has been created and your DVD has been shipped out to you. No extra effort is required on your part to begin production. You are not required to sift through the hundreds and often times thousands of images in an effort to meet a minimum quota of images required to design your book. Can you imagine the gargantuan effort required to edit your own wedding or Bar/Bat Mitzvah?

I am going to do all of that work for you. Once I have edited your event to what I feel are the strongest images, the design begins. On average I will have the design of your album completed within three weeks of your events end! When the album design is complete you are sent an email of the design for your approval. Upon your approval your should receive your finished album in 4 – 6 weeks time.

Below I have attached an album that was sent to a customer of Solaris just last week.

Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Photographer

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Too Soon To Tell.

At my last two shows I ran a very aggressive special if you booked your wedding at the show. New born twins will make you do things like that. However, during last weeks show the special offered was not as aggressive, as we have over 25 weddings on the books already for 07, but our special was very nice none-the-less. While I did not reach my ambitious goal of booking 17 weddings at the show, it is just too soon to tell if my goal will be reached!

A special thanks to the three bookings we received at the show! Valerie L. 3/10/07, Judi T. 11/24/07, and Katy Z 11/10/07!

Today has been a very good day as well. I just got off the phone with Elissa E. (6/2/07) and Carla A. (9/29/07). Both meet with me at the show, and both just booked their dates right over the phone! Thank you both so much for your business!

I want to welcome each of you to my photographic family. We are going to take very good care of each of you!

Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Photographer

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Parking at The Show This Weekend

Just a heads up for all the people attending the show this weekend. Get there early because you are going to have a hard time finding good parking. The parking lot across the street from the convention center is not available due to construction.

There is parking next door at the Hilton which I have circled in red on the map below. See you at the show!

Aric C. Hoek
The Master of Shadows
Houston Photographer

Want to receive notification of updates to my blog? Look to the right of this post and subscribe.

Do you appreciate this BLOG on any level? Want to support Solaris? Help us spread the word and add a link from your site to the Solaris BLOG.

The Calm Before The Storm

Evidently one of the benefits of investing in a quad booth at The Bridal Extravaganza is the invitation to set up your booth one day before the rest of the vendors. Normally, today I would be rushing to set everything up, but the job is already done! I am so happy about this. Lindsey, my sister who is in from L.A., helped me out yesterday and the booth is already set up! 95% of my work is done.

The Bridal Extravaganza and A Story.

Well, this weekend is one of the craziest weekends of the year for me. The Bridal Extravaganza will be going on this Saturday and Sunday at The George R. Brown Convention Center. It is estimated that 7000 people will attend.

Help Wanted - Photographer Needed

My goal is to build a great photographic team. A team with very little turnover. A dependable team. A respected team. I am in need of a full time photographer, T-F 9-5, and weddings on weekends.

One associate photographer is needed and will be provided with a desk, an Apple workstation, phone, Solaris email address, business cards, and access to a complete Nikon camera system with backup equipment to photograph their weddings with. Associates will be paid $1000 per wedding photographed. I estimate that with our current marketing plans in place, an associate will be able to photograph 25 – 30 weddings a year, however this number could be higher or lower. There is just no way of knowing. Obviously though, it is in the best interest of Solaris Studios to keep their photographers shooting as much as possible. Once an associate has achieved two years of services he or she will be offered a percentage of the wedding albums sold from their weddings as further incentive / advancement.

Please continue reading if you are interested in the position....