Putting myself out there...

                So here I am…I am laying it all on the line for everyone in a very public way.  Most of it isn’t new news since most people who have been coming to DJMdesigns already know about my sons and why this business was started so many years ago…but after the chaos (the beautifully overwhelming chaos, mind you) of Christmas this year and some negative interactions with people this year it started to become hard for me to want to keep moving forward with the dream that has spun itself into my mind over the last few years.  It was over my little forced vacation at the first of the year that I realized that I needed just say what it is that I am feeling and thinking about everything that is DJMdesigns Photography.

                My sons are important parts to the equation of the business in a way that many people just cannot understand.  I have to lean heavily on a balance of letting people know who they are and that they are here and keeping their presence away from exploitation.  I am extremely protective and extremely guarded about much of their lives in the very public World Wide Web.  With that being said though, I am aware that there would not be a DJMdesigns without them and I would most likely have left all of the skills that I acquired from that journalism internship to the wayside years and years ago.

                I never knew that seven or so years ago when I began using the skills I had in photography to help make money for my family that I would be sitting at a computer typing away about what exactly brought me to this point and just how overwhelming the reception of my work has been.  I knew that when I moved into the studio that I would be taking on a challenge which I diligently researched long before actually taking the steps to do so (I am a bit of a preparer…I will spend hours researching a subject and days or months preparing for it no matter what it is) and was quite certain that I would not really gain any popularity until I had been in the studio for AT LEAST two years.  I had no idea just how quickly that I would gain in popularity.  But even so, it has been my goal to bring affordable rates to people in a time when money is hard to come by in a community that has been hit hard by the demands of the economy.  With that being said, it is important to really publically make people aware of the concessions that must be made to make this happen:

If you want to have great photography at such a great price (I am by far the least expensive business out there), then you have to be patient, considerate, and realize that there is only ONE person working to make this happen.  It means that you might not get called back right away and that email might be the fastest option.  I appreciate you all, but am trying to give you the best while still keeping my prices low.

I am one person.  I am hoping to bring another person in…we did try seasonally, but it was hard to do that after I became sick because there was zero time to train someone to do what they needed to do.  I will be trying to bring someone in again with a clear idea of what they will be doing soon, I hope.  But with those changes rates must increase (not by much) and I still will offer the discs with each package as a courtesy to you all, but I really need people to understand that in order for this to work I need everyone’s cooperation.  You are getting a superior product at a cheaper price and that equals:  longer process times.  I still go through a process and this is not JC Penney’s where it is all a cookie cutter mold and every image is the same.  It is a place where each session is about the person in it and that each family is given my 100% attention and time.  To assume anything less would be unfair.  It is with these statements that I invite your family to become part of DJMdesigns family.  I love my clients and I love the people that keep coming in and meeting our family and embracing them we appreciate and enjoy our time with you.  

                   Even after some of the things that have happened, I refuse to let things bring me down too much and thanks to a friend I am thinking of all of the good things that are happening.  We really love our loyal customers that have been with us from the start and welcome the new ones with all of the same love.  I really believe that 2014 is the breakout year for us and we invite you to help us make it happen.  Much love ~Doni