Please take a few moments and read this letter that was sent to a photographer from one of her clients. 
Jeanine -
Today I am writing for a couple of reasons. I have some quiet time at the moment and need to get a couple of things off my mind. I will leave this for my husband to deliver to you when he is ready.
You photographed my wedding, you photographed my first pregnancy and my first baby. I contacted you awhile back to photograph my 2nd child and family. After getting prices and realizing I would want all of the pictures as we love your work – I decided against spending $500+ – which is what I normally spend for portraits and prints with you.. Please know it is not because I don’t value your amazing eye, or how much we love the experience.
That week that I decided to NOT do a session with you, this is how I spent some money.
On Sunday I called and cancelled our session. Monday I went out and got my hair cut ($39+tip), and colored ($65), Thursday I had my nails done ($24), my family went out to dinner at a somewhat expensive restaurant for no particular reason costing us $79 + tip. This was just 4 days since canceling our session, already totaling over $200 for un necessary things. My nails only lasted about 2 weeks, my hair is gone, and seven weeks passed when I got the phone call from our doctor. It was not something I expected and the cancer has spread very quickly. I will be leaving my husband, my 6 year old girl and my now 2 year old – not by choice. It is very hard for me to talk about it which is why I need to write you.
I watch your Facebook page and your posts about the value of a photo and if I could give back all of those things that I purchased this few weeks after I cancelled my session with you, knowing what I know now, and have that session, well… I would do it in a heartbeat.
Now my time is done and there are no more chances for me. The next time someone cancels a session – my wish is that you forward this letter to them. Time is fragile, it is gone before you know you had it. If you charged $200 for one print it wouldn’t be enough for what it is actually worth. I cringe to think that my priorities were a manicure over a memory to pass onto my babies and husband.
My love and thanks for what you have given us from past photos. I am so sorry that I did not see it as more than paper until now.
Karen L.

Remember this story next time you are thinking about putting off having professional photos taken.


Guestbook for the Joy of photography
Tammy Otto(non-registered)
Joy was an absolute pleasure to be around, I was so thrilled that my best friend found such an amazing photographer for her wedding. Joy was super flexible with us, wedding day was supposed to be spring beauty out on the gazebo outdoor wedding in April in Galena, Illinois and thanks to the snow gods, she ended up having a winter wedding wonderland! A full blown blizzard to be exact! Joy caught some super awesome photo moments of us out in the snow that were so MAGICAL! Snow in April a little bit unexpected, yet Joy handled the change in plans and weather like a champ! Joy was attentive, flexible, hard working, hilarious, and felt more like an extended part of the family then a vendor. Thank you so much Joy for capturing my best friends winter wonderland wedding, and allowing us to have fun and be able to relive these moments of her wedding forever!!! Thanks again for everything you totally rocked!