September Newsletter

135 Long Bourne Way, Summerville, SC 29483 843) 871-7340 ....................... (800) 801-8211 www.hope-haven.net ............................. denise@hope-haven.net Thank you for reading our newsletter, you will find some great freebies and other great deals here. I LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY This doesn't come as much of a surprise to most of you, because this is what I do as a profession. However, some of you might not be aware of the love affair I have had with it for most of my life. I was taught as a young girl the value of a photograph, what a treasure it could be, a mystery and a clue to who you were in the world. I have always enjoyed looking at family photos, my grandfather was renowned for his slideshows. My mother has always had drawers full of photographs. As a gift one year, all of us children put them into photo albums for her. More than a way to record the past. I love the curiosity that comes from being able to capture a moment in time that might have been dismissed in the blink of an eye. Favorite Place of the Month Downtown Charleston There are just so many things to mention here, we have a few minor categories. Favorite graveyard - St. Phillips - yes I think I have photographed a ghost here. I was shooting a burst on a Canon 40D, which I think is 7 photos per second, and in a middle frame there appears a man standing beside a grave marker, and in prior and aft frames he is not there. Favorite Place to Hang Out - The Pavilion Bar - best rooftop bar in Charleston, not to mention the live music. Favorite place to shop - Apple store on King Street...but for non geeks - the market is the obvious stop. Favorite Place to Photograph - that would have to be the battery area. The trees are amazing, you have the confluence of the two rivers, and a great gazebo. There is also a killer little photograph friendly alley not far away. Perfect for senior photos. Favorite Seafood - A.W. Shucks - I was so frightened the first time they approached the table and dumped out dinner on the table. LOL Favorite "NICE" Restaurant would have to be The Peninsula Grill. You have not lived until you have experienced 12 layers of heaven involved in a coconut cake. Favorite Carriage Tour Company - The Palmetto Carriage Company - great price and free parking aside, these guys are great. This is coming from someone who has been a 'horse person' all my life. They treat their horses very well. They truly know and care for each one. Favorite Frozen Treat - Great Mountain Yogurt Company - buried over on King Street is this tiny yogurt company. You go in and get as much yogurt as you want and all the toppings you want. You build it yourself (be sure to try the red velvet cake) and pay by the pound. Not cheap but oh! so yummy! Free tips - do internet searches and create your own walking tour guide map. Its easy to do and a lot of fun, then you have your own map and things to read as you visit each historical site. Be sure to include the public restrooms, they are there, they are just kinda hard to find in an emergency. Also, the carta trolley has as many off and on stops in Charleston that you want. That has to be the best way to see Charleston. But hands down my favorite thing about downtown Charleston has to be the people. Yes, lots of a tourists, but you can tell who is a local. They have "someplace to go" look about them. Everyone is so nice. A Great Deal for our Friends!!!! CanvasPeople's Got Class! Kids grow up so fast. Capture every milestone on camera and turn them to art on canvas. Back to school moments can be treasured for a lifetime with the touch of CanvasPeople. Kids going off to college? Decorate their dorm room with the warmth of family with a special family portrait. Keep the smile you love at home with a great shot of your child on canvas! Grab our Cool Back to School Deal... Get a Free* 8x10 or $50 off any size canvas! Start Creating A Beautiful Letter from a Bride I thought I would share a letter that I received this past summer from a bride. As we enter the wedding planning season for 2012 weddings; I am struck at how few times brides and grooms will ask for my references. The end product is sometimes all they are interested in....which I guess is fine...but I am a nice person too. I just lack the ability to brag about that part....until now. :-) So, read on, just keep in mind that I would never say these things about myself. :-) Thanks for reading. ~Denise Lee Dear Denise, We just received all of our photos from our wedding and they are absolutely fantastic! The wedding day went by so fast in a blur that we just didn’t’ have time to notice all of the details that came as a result of all our planning and hard work. You and your team captured every element and provided us with a beautiful photo journal of the entire day’s festivities. We are now very excited to print up the photos and fill the walls of our new home together with the memories. When we set out to find a photographer, it was important to us to find someone with whom we felt comfortable and relaxed and we really wanted our day to be a fun and relaxed celebration with our family and friends . You and your team fit in perfectly with our guests. We even had several of our guests comment on how great the photographers were! While I love all of the formal shots we got, the candid and posed shots of our guests and their smiling faces tell us just really how much fun our wedding was! Thank you for enhancing, capturing and preserving such a beautiful memory. Please feel free to pass along our name and phone number should you ever need a verbal reference. Sincerely, Theresa Stockton-Fouquette Our Fall Backdrops are Hung and Ready to Rock and Roll Have you been wanting a fall family portrait but don't have time to fool with the right weather or the screaming children in the chain stores? We are here for you. A special Fall Portrait Session - Family Friendly Session plus a free 8x10 - $29.99 Book right online A Great Concert for the Whole Family and Manafest is my daughters favorite band!!!

For light I go directly to the Source of light, not to any of the reflections. ~Peace Pilgrim

First SC Family Portrait Day was Great

We had a whole lot of fun at our first family portrait day here in SC. We utilized the community club house of our apartment complex as a studio. It worked out great.

Vista Sands Apartments

1001 Bear Island Road

Summerville, SC 29483

Right Behind Dicks in the Azalea Shopping Center

We covered the pool table and showed off some of our wedding albums and children's portraits. We served the much coveted Hot Spiced Cider. If you haven't tasted this yet...you are in for a treat. One visitor called it "dessert in a cup". :-)

All in all we received over ten toys in donation for Toys for Tots.

Our next Family Portrait Day will be December 5. From noon until 9 p.m. We will again serve the Hot Spiced Cider. We are shooting against a plain backdrop, allowing our clients to choose from over 50 digital backdrops. We will again offer prints for toys (1 Toy = 8x10) and 5 toys (or $50 donation to Toys for Tots) equals a high resolution CD of two images with printing release.

So come out and join us. You can reserve your spot right online. http://hopehaven.bookmonline.com/schedules

Tis the Season

November 20 and December 11 - Hope Haven Photography will be available for Family Christmas Portraits at Vista Sands Apartments in Summerville, SC. BRING YOUR PET!!!

Address: 1001 Bear Island Road, Summerville, SC 29483 - Located behind Target Shopping Center and Dicks. We will be at the community center right as you enter the complex.

From 8:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. we will be photographing families for their Christmas Portraits.

Sitting fee of $10.00. Want free prints???? 1 Gift for Toys for Tots = 1 Free 8x10 or 2 4x6's or 8 Wallets.

Bring 5 Gifts for Toys for Tots and get your high resolution images on disk for creating Christmas cards. Toys for Tots accept only new, unwrapped toys.