Our 2009 | A Letter To You

Dear Clients, Potential Clients, and Friends,

We want to thank you SO much for what you all have meant to us this year. 2009 brought forth change, somewhat scary, but also exciting! With the support of friends and family, and the energy and trust of our clients, we've expanded our business into a full-time studio. We wanted to take this time to remind you all (and ourselves) of how the year shaped out, while expressing our sincere gratitude...

2009 marked our first full year in East Tennessee, and with it came growth, a little chaos, and loads of fun. We had super fun clients, many whom were are honored to now call friends. The Mountains seemed to be the location of choice for most of our weddings (some in the heat, some in the freezing cold, but each enjoyable!), but we were also able to explore local venues, and find our favorite engagement sessions spots.

In our personal lives, we enjoyed attending a marriage retreat in the mountains, trekking allover Tennessee & Alabama to visit family and friends, and participating in a super enriching workshop Polishing the Pulpit. We both were in Daniel's sister's wedding party, and were able to witness the union of Rachel & Brandon in marriage (definitely weird to be on the other side of the camera!). After the wedding, we relaxed during our New Orleans vacation, where we enjoyed time at a cooking school, leisurely strolling around the grounds of a plantation, and most importantly devouring the cuisine of the city.

Our dogs have grown (Ella is now 65 lbs and Maggie 45), and our own waistlines have shrunk! We've enjoyed time in fellowship with members of the local congregation, creating lasting friendships. Daniel's work at the Sweetwater church of Christ kept him busy with the 'normal preacher duties', but also with new production projects, such as "Illuminate", a Bible Archaeology program with Garry Hill.

Our biggest change, both to our personal and professional lives, came in the Fall, when we opened our new studio. The studio is mainly used as a meeting space and consultation area for ordering, and has allowed us to guide our clients in the ordering process and for them to see their images HUGE on a screen. We love having it and invite everyone to come visit us in Historic Downtown Sweetwater.

Along with the studio, we've upgraded equipment, allowing for shooting in even lower light (which definitely comes in handy during receptions), among other cabilities.

What's to come next year for Daniel Howell Photography? BIG CHANGES. We're planning on expanding our portrait endeavors, offering more family portraits, senior portraits, and more! We've opened up our calendars and are accepting even more weddings and are ready to create some killer images this year!

We're so excited about 2010, and can't wait to capture moments -- family moments, wedding moments --- life as it happens!

Sincerely,
Martha and Daniel Howell