Happy New Year!

As we enter 2008, I've been giving a lot of thought to the year that's past...and my long-neglected blog. I'm not quite sure how I'm going to cram a year's worth of love, work and life into one blog post, but that won't keep me from trying!

2007 was a year of milestones for Recherché. We celebrated our first anniversary in our gorgeous studio, and I'm finally feeling as if the business has "grown into" its new location. All of the settling in has happened amidst a whirlwind of shoots, starting and nurturing a brand-new portrait business, beginning to focus more on family and child shots, and getting involved in the community with events like Taste of Louisville and the Live Nativity Scene that took place in our front yard for the Parade of Lights.

Travel was also huge on the agenda. As soon as I unpacked my bags, it seemed like another trip was upon me -- I bounced from Atlanta for a Hindu wedding to Vegas for WPPI and every where in between: Florida, the Bahamas, and even a road trip through Wyoming, Yellowstone and Montana. Most exciting of all is my chance to start off 2008 with a month of work and travel in Australia and New Zealand! Looks like the bags weren't meant to be unpacked, after all.

When I look at all that's happened in 2007, it's hard to pick out Recherché's most significant accomplishments. Still, the year's end is all about closure, and when I reflect I realize that I've managed to create a process that really brings closure to clients whose weddings have come and gone. Our new album design process is accessible and so rewarding. I can't express how amazing it is to help clients wrap up their wedding so they're free to move forward and put their full energy into their new lives together. It's a relief to them and me to lay their pictures to rest in a gorgeous package they'll treasure forever.

Speaking of relief -- it feels INCREDIBLE to have finally settled into the studio space and adjusted my mindset accordingly! Luckily, it's become a real home away from home and has taken the business to a far more professional level than I ever could have dreamed. Helping that process along is Jason Sinkey, my new office manager, who will be helping Recherché transform and thrive in the new year. I'm so excited to introduce him to my clients (and give him a chance to take the reins during my absence in January!). His presence in the office will give me the chance to focus on what's really important to me: shooting, spending time with my precious clients, and developing more innovative ideas for Recherché.

The new year is truly a blank slate at this point, and nobody is more excited than me to see it take shape! The studio is growing, I'm growing, and I'm finally reaching a point I've longed for since I began taking pictures. Looking ahead, I see growth and long-anticipated changes like:

• studio events


• consistent blogging (promise!)


• a specialized wedding experience that includes more one-on-one time with clients


• new and improved portrait packages...

...and much more.

Holidays are more than just a date on the calendar -- they're about relationships, about connecting with yourself and the people you love. That's how I view Recherché, which has grown to be so much more than a simple photography studio in 2007. I'm so blessed to be in a space that allows me to nurture relationships just as much as my career, and I'm even more privileged to be able to share those relationships with all of you. Enjoy, get some rest, and get ready to hear much more from me in the coming year!

With love,

Regina

(and here are a few favorites to sum up the year!)