2013 Senior Representative Application

I'm very excited to be offering my senior representative program again this year. I have had such a wonderful time meeting 2011 and 2012 seniors, and I hope 2013 will be even better!

As usual, there will be some pretty sweet perks for my senior reps. I will be taking *ONE* girl and *ONE* boy from each of the following high schools:

• Belton
• Ray-Pec
• Adrian
• Harrisonville
• Archie
• Lee's Summit (all high schools)
• Grandview
• Blue Valley (all high schools)
• Shawnee Mission (all high schools)
• Olathe (all high schools)

Now, for the details!

If you become one of my 2013 senior reps, you will receive 25% off whatever senior package you choose, as well as a hardback album with all of the images from your senior portrait session. With every 2013 senior you refer that books and pays for a session with me, you will get $50 CASH until the original package you paid for is completely paid back to you. *

Once your package has been paid back to you, for every subsequent 2013 senior who purchases a senior session with me that has been referred by you, YOU will receive:

1st person: 40 free wallets for you (2 poses of 20 wallets each)

2nd person: 4 4x6 prints (each print can be a different "pose")

3rd person: 2 8x10 prints (each print can be a different "pose")

4th person: 1 8x10, 2 5x7, 3 4x6 OR 80 wallets (each print can be a different "pose" but wallets will need to be ordered in increments of 20)

If this program sounds like something you would be interested in, please feel free to fill out the application! I will consider all applications, and will make my final choices by April 30th, 2012. Senior sessions must take place by September 15th, 2012, and all sessions must be paid in full at the time of the session.

To fill out the application, please click here: Katy Gitto Photography's 2013 Senior Rep Application

2012 Mission to Give Back *Armed Forces* Winner

The judges have spoken! This process took several days as there were so many heartfelt entries to read. It was also very hard on the judges, as they value and respect every single member of the armed forces, and how do you choose which family deserves something over any other? The vote was not unanimous, but this email from Melody did receive the most votes. Melody sent me a beautiful email about her brother-in-law, Ricky, and all that he and his family have sacrificed for our country.

Melody writes:

My brother in law Ricky is in the national guard and has been deployed to Kosovo and Afghanistan in the past five years. He was deployed when I met my husband and I didn't get to meet Ricky for several months. Ricky has missed out on so much with his family. He missed his youngest daughter's first year almost. He was lucky enough to get to come home for the birth though. She did not even recognize him when he returned. I am so grateful for all the troops and the sacrifices they endure for their country. Seeing how it affects the whole family though really gives you a better understanding of just how much the troops and their families sacrifice. I respect my sister-in-law for all the single parenting she has had to do. I am nominating them because I don't even remember the last time they had a professional family photo taken. I know this is a long shot as I know other families have probably sacrificed so much more, but for our family he is a hero and I feel that they deserve a nice family picture. He has missed several Christmases, birthdays, first days of school, dance recitals, Easters and so much more. I remember holding my sobbing niece after they got home from saying goodbye to their dad. That was very hard on me. It is so hard to console a child who has said goodbye to her dad several times. It never gets any easier, especially for a child who doesn't understand. Thank you Katy for doing this. When you send off a troop, you never know if they will return to you alive. They may pay the ultimate price for our freedom, and the best gift you can give their family is a picture to cherish. May God bless all our troops and hold them close while they defend and protect our country.

Thank you so much to all that entered. And Melody said it perfectly: May God bless all our troops and hold them close while they defend and protect our country.

Giving back...

When Facebook announced in May 2011 that they would no longer allow fansites to "legally" have contests, I wasn't sure how I would be able to give back to my clients, fans, and friends. You have all helped me build my business from nothing and I didn't like that I wouldn't be able to hold contests or Friday Giveaways anymore. I've read so many blogs about how to try and get around the rules, but I am not a rule-breaker, and I don't want to take the chance that my page will be taken down. If you'd like to read the rules, you can do so here:

https://www.facebook.com/page_guidelines.php

Pages are no longer allowed to have people "like" a page to place a vote, and you can't even "vote" by having someone "like" a picture. In fact, since Facebook made their changes a few months ago, Facebook users don't even have to "like" a page to comment on a status or picture.

So, I wondered, how do I get around that? Well, I get around it by not even involving Facebook. I have a contest through my blog, which isn't associated with Facebook in the slightest. I can talk about my blog on Facebook, but I am not going to ask anyone to "like" my page or vote by "liking" a picture or a status. I do hope, though, out of the kindness of your heart that you might recommend my page to your friends and family, but it is not required to enter this contest.

And now, onto the contest! ONE winner will be chosen every few months to receive a 45-minute session and 20 edited images on CD. All sessions will take place at a location of my choice. Winners will be chosen by a panel of three judges (who will remain anonymous). There will be no harsh words towards any winners (or losers), or the contest will be ended immediately.

I will have five different categories for winners throughout the year. And the rules, they're simple:

1. To enter someone, please send me an email (to: katyg@katygittophotography.com) about who you are entering in the contest, why you are entering them, and why they deserve this photo session. Please also include as recent a photo as you can find. It is not necessary that the person you are entering "likes" KGP, but it would be nice to give them a head's up. :-)

2. All winners must be willing to travel to the location I select (most likely in Belton or Lee's Summit).

3. Winners will be notified via email (winners will not be named on Facebook, but you can find a winner's list on my blog). Images from their session will be posted on Facebook, though.

4. Winners will receive a 45-minute session and 20 edited high-res images on CD, as well as reproduction rights to their images.

And for the month of January, I would love to give back to:

AN ACTIVE MILITARY FAMILY

I can never begin to thank all that the armed forces do for our country. I am forever grateful to them, and so it is important to me to try and give one US armed forces member a photo session with their family.

Starting January 7th, 2012, please send all nominations to me at katyg@katygittophotography.com. Please remember that the person you nominate must be willing to travel to me. I will stop accepting applications on January 21st, and a winner will be announced on my blog on January 28th.

Thank you for your support so I can give back to YOU!

LEGAL STUFF: This promotion is in NO WAY sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You will NOT be notified publicly via Facebook if you are a winner. You MUST be 18 to participate. By entering this giveaway, you are providing information to Katy Gitto Photography and NOT to Facebook. Prizes do not have cash value. There will be no returns/exchanges on any of the items. Items are not transferable.

Prize List for the 1st Annual Little Miss/Mr. Katy Gitto Photography!

When I decided that I wanted to hold my first annual Little Miss/Mr. Katy Gitto Photography contest, I wanted it to have a little bit more oomph than my past contests. I asked a few friends if they'd be willing to donate some of their special items, and I was overwhelmed with the support I got! Listed below are the prizes that will be won by the grand-prize winners (one boy and one girl). Runner-up prizes are listed underneath that. Thank you to all that participate in some form or fashion for these contests...YOU are who makes it possible for these to take place, and I thank you!

GRAND PRIZE (ONE BOY AND ONE GIRL)

* a complimentary 1-hour photo session (a $125 value)

*15-20 images from that session on CD

* 1 dozen cake pops from Bitty Bites Cake Pop Co.

* 1 9-inch cake with butter cream icing from Cara Leigh Cakes

* 1 $15 gift certificate to Gray Stitch Studio

* 1 hat from Hook and Fiber, Pen and Ink's store

* $25 gift certificate to Wilson Scents ~ Gold Canyon

* tie shirt or onesie (boy winner) and one tutu and flower clip (girl winner) from The Design Studio (find her on Facebook!)

* embroidered towel set (boy) and a purse (girl) from Design by GeeGee

* Family Pack (for 6 people) to Aaron's Family Fun Center in Belton

* free kid's meal from Applebee's

RUNNER-UP PRIZE

* 75% off photo session

* 25% off CDs and prints from that session

* free kid's meal from Applebee's

Friday Giveaway???

I want to see who is interested in doing a new little giveaway contest with me! To see what kind of interest I would have in this, either comment on this blog post, or "like" or comment on the status I post about it on Facebook.

This is what the giveaways would be like:
Every Friday on my Facebook fansite (www.facebook.com/katygittophotography) I would do a giveaway through my Friday Giveaway Status.

These giveaways would include things like gift certificates towards sessions, discounts on prints, and would either be for specific people (seniors, families, or children) or would cover everyone (newborns, children, families, seniors, pets, and engagements). I would post these at different times of the day (some Fridays it might be in the morning, but other Fridays it would be in the evening). I would do it once a day, and it would kind of just be luck of the draw. However, on Thursdays I *might* give a clue as to what time I plan on posting.

For example, a sample status would say:
"The next 3 people to comment and send me their email address will receive a $30 gift certificate towards a session with Katy Gitto Photography!"

So, anyone interested??

2012 Senior Reps Announced!

Thank you to allll of you who applied to be a senior rep! I have my senior reps for 2012 and am very excited to start working with them!!!!

They are....

Ali and Brooke from ADRIAN HIGH SCHOOL
Emily and Tyler from BELTON HIGH SCHOOL
Kristina from HARRISONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Hailey from FORT OSAGE HIGH SCHOOL
Amber from RAY-PEC HIGH SCHOOL

2012 Senior Rep Search!!!!

I'm so excited to be launching my senior rep program again this year! I had such great success last year with it, and I was very impressed with my fabulous batch of senior reps! This year I am only taking FIVE senior reps (no 2 reps can be from the same school). I know it seems early to start searching, but I want to make sure we have plenty of time to set up sessions!

If you are selected as one of my senior reps, you will receive:

• fabulous senior pictures
• a free outdoor session in April 2011 (a $125 value)
• a second free outdoor session in August, September, or October (a $125 value)
• promotional materials to hand out to friends (senior rep cards and 40 free wallets)
• entrance into the ultra-exclusive senior rep referral program, which allows you to get free stuff (prints, Facebook photos, CDs of your pictures)
• Facebook photos
• discounted rates on future orders of your senior pictures

Does it sound too good to be true? Well, it isn't. I expect my senior reps to work hard for me! I expect them to represent me and talk me up to their friends and classmates. So, if you are just looking for a free session, then this probably won't work out. But if you ARE willing to work for me, then please fill out the application below.

I will be selecting 5 2012 high school seniors (1 from each school), and will leave the application process open until February 28, 2011. If you think you'd make a great rep, please fill it out and tell me why. Or, if you KNOW someone who would make a great rep, direct them to this application. There is no reason to wait until the deadline...if you're interested, please fill it out now! :-)

I am looking for outgoing students...someone who is comfortable socially, and someone who is comfortable in front of the camera. I can't stress enough how important it is that you are willing to talk about your photos, and to share them with your friends and classmates.

Please click on the link below to enter the application process!
http://polldaddy.com/s/7932FC49DAA3B8D5