Client Photo Upload

Once we make contact on your book project, I will email you a private link to box.net where you can upload your digital photos. This ensures your photos remain private and secure, yet allows us both to share files back and forth easily.

While you are waiting for your email link you can compress your photo files into a single folder on your computer. This will make life easier for you in having to upload just one file instead of many. To do this on a Windows PC running XP or Vista:

1. Locate the folder or files you want to send and select them (hold down the shift key if there is more than one)
2. Right click and select "Send to" and then "Compressed (zipped) folder"
3. It will automatically compress everything into one folder, and it will be saved in the same folder in which you are working. You can rename the folder.

To upload the file to box.net

1. Click on the link in the email invitation, and you will have access your folder
2. Click on "Upload" and a new window will open
3. Click on "Add Files" and you will be able to browse for your compressed folder, double-click to select it
4. Click "Upload"

If you have any questions, or run into any problems with uploading your files please email me.

Hello Baby - The Story of Your Birth Board Book .... { Hello You Books }

Hello, sweet baby! Tell the birth story of your new bundle of joy in this adorable board book. Written to your baby, you can share it with them from the start! The durable board pages are perfect for little hands (and mouths!) to explore. Baby boy version also available.

Use the story as written in this sample, or write your own!

# of photos: 7-9
Sizes = 5 x 5" and 8 x 8"

All Hello You board books are durable and waterproof. They are professionally printed and available in multiple sizes for a perfect fit. Email me today to discuss your book!

Back Cover ---------- Front Cover


Pages 2 & 3 - Dream



Pages 4 & 5 - Happy



Pages 6 & 7 - Blessed




Pages 8 & 9 - Celebrate





Pages 10 & 11 - Love

Ready to order? Select your size below and click on "Buy Now". Be sure to include your email address and any special instructions. We will contact you ASAP to get started on your book.

Sizes

5 x 5" $24.99 8 x 8" $34.99

My Very Own Alphabet Book .... { Hello You Books }

It's as easy as ABC! Create your child's very own alphabet book with this fresh, clean design. Imagine how engaged they will be looking at all the familiar faces? Choose pictures of your little one like in this sample, or snap pictures of their favorite people, animals, toys, places, etc. We can provide stock photography for hard letters such as Q, X, V, etc.

# of Photos: 26
Sizes available: 6 x 8.375" and 8 x 11"

All Hello You board books are durable and waterproof. They are professionally printed and available in multiple sizes for a perfect fit. Email me today to discuss your book!

Front Cover

Pages 2 & 3

Pages 4 & 5

Pages 6 & 7

Pages 8 & 9

Pages 10 & 11

Ready to order? Select the size below, and click "Buy Now". Provide me with your email address when checking out, and I will contact you ASAP to get started.

Sizes

6 x 8.375" $29.99 8 x 11" $39.99

Hello You Books

Hello You Books are all about YOU! We provide busy people like you with custom designed photo books and personalized photo board books for babies & toddlers. We help you share life’s joys! Deep down in your heart you have an intrinsic desire to capture life’s moments and preserve them for future generations. Yet you don’t have the time (or even know where to start!) to create the photo-based products yourself on the many online photo service companies.

Today, through the evolving technology of digital cameras and technology, you’re capturing more memories than ever before – pregnancies, births, birthdays, vacations, holidays… and everyday life! Now with Hello You Books you have the opportunity to tell those stories through custom designed photo books and personalized photo board book for your little ones.

Live Life. Capture Moments. Forever.

Photography Tips

Digital cameras are great, aren’t they? We’re snapping more pictures than ever before and there is no fear of “wasting” film because we can just delete the files we don’t like. Here are ten simple tips to keep in mind when you go to pick up that camera and capture a special moment.

1. Resolution. Use the highest resolution possible on your camera. Most digital cameras these days offer very high megapixels, but be sure yours is above 3. You can set what resolution your camera takes pictures. Set it to the highest possible level in order to give yourself crisp pictures that can be enlarged to an 8x10 or larger.
   
   
2. Focus. Most digital cameras require you to press the shutter button halfway in order for the camera to focus on your subject. This allows the camera to lock in the focus, and then you can depress the button completely to take the picture. This should avoid most, if not all, blurry pictures. In low light situations, the shutter speed is slower (meaning the shutter stays open longer) so you’ll want to steady your camera on a solid object or use a tripod.
   
   
3. Zoom In. Keep it simple!! Think about what you are taking a picture of, and zoom in on that subject. Avoid any distracting elements around the subject. And when taking pictures of your babies and toddlers, get down on their level. This may mean you have to lie down on the floor, but trust me it will be worth it!
   
   
4. Lighting. Great lighting makes a great picture. The use of natural light is best, and outdoor photos always look the best especially when it’s overcast and you avoid squinting eyes. Early and late sunlight are best. Always have the sun to YOUR back while taking a picture. If you take the photo into the sun your subject and colors will look washed out. When taking pictures indoors, pay attention to the amount of natural light entering the room. Turn your flash off and your subject will have a soft, glowing look. Either indoors or out, if needed, use a fill flash in order to cast a soft light on your subject’s face.
   
   
5. Be an artist. You don’t always have to have your subject in the middle of the frame. Imagine your viewfinder is a tic-tac-toe pattern and place your subject at one of the intersections, off center. Or let the personalities of your subjects shine – allow them to relax and have fun, add some props, rearrange them in a fun position, or have them do something together (like jump or act silly). You can also use different angles to capture a variety of looks. Stand on a chair and shoot down on your baby, or photograph upward if they are in someone’s arms.
   
   
6. Capture your everyday moments. Don’t wait for holidays or special occasions to take pictures. Keep your camera handy and you’ll find yourself snapping candid pictures of the most random things. This your life! You’ll soon find that it’s really not so random (or boring!) and worthy of documenting for future generations. Snap a shot of your child’s favorite toy in the spot he/she dropped it. Capture a casual picture of your kids watching TV on the couch. Or running through the sprinkler on a hot day. Or your husband and toddler wrestling on the floor. These are all worthy of documenting and will tell a rich story of your life today.
   
   
7. Capture everyday emotions. Especially with your babies and toddlers. They communicate through their smiles, cries, and body expressions and worthy of documenting. Snap pictures of your babies and toddlers smiling, frowning, screaming, smirking, etc. You’ll be glad you did!
   
   
8. Capture friends and family. Don’t forget to include your children’s friends and family in the pictures. These make for wonderful memories down the road.
   
   
9. Capture You! If you’re like me, you take all the pictures in the family and there are very few photos of you. Make it a point to hand the camera to others to get some shots of you. Better yet, let your children take pictures. You might be surprised what you’ll see through their eyes.
   
   
10. Have fun! Take lots of pictures. You’ll be sure to capture more than a few great shots. Live life. Capture Moments. Forever!

Journaling Tips

While a picture is worth a thousand words, there are some things a photo just can’t say. That’s where journaling comes into play. Journaling tells the story behind your picture(s). Here are ten simple tips to capture the words behind the photos.

1. Start with documenting the simple facts – name, date and place. Your children and grandchildren will thank you! How many times have you looked at a picture from your ancestors and asked “Who is this?” or “What year was this?” Jot down these facts and you have the basics of journaling.
   
   
2. Tell the story behind the photo. Imagine you were sitting down showing the picture to a friend. What would you tell them about it? Adding the story behind the photo allows your book to tell the story itself. Let’s face it, we won’t always be around to tell the story.
   
   
3. Capture the emotion. Try not to keep your story to just the facts. Include how you felt at the moment in order to bring your story to life.
   
   
4. Focus on your senses. You can see the photos. So, in your words talk about how the weather felt or how the food tasted or smelled.
   
   
5. Start a notebook to write down all those cute things your kids say or do. If it’s small enough, you can carry it in your purse and always have it ready at-hand. As much as you’d like to think you’ll remember, most of those precious moments will be forgotten if not documented.
   
   
6. Create a list. When I have a hard time writing a story, I resort to developing a list. For example, “Things I love about you”, “Your favorite things”, “Our Saturday Activities”, “My Santa List”, etc.
   
   
7. Include your favorite quotes or poems. When in doubt of your own words, use someone else’s! Just be sure to give credit where credit is due.
   
   
8. Share a recipe. Especially for your holiday and/or event photos. This is a great way to capture your favorite family recipe, but it also brings to life those tastes and smells we talked about earlier.
   
   
9. Hand someone else the pen (or keyboard!). Hearing from another viewpoint adds interest and depth to your story. One idea is to have each of your children write a few sentences about the day. You’ll see how the details transform into a rich story.
   
   
10. Have fun! Don’t stress over your grammar or style. Your voice is what’s important to the story and will be cherished for generations. Live life. Capture Moments. Forever!

About Me

Hello You! My name is Amy and I’m so thrilled to meet you. My whole life has been grounded in design and creativity. Heck, one could argue this business was inspired way back in the 70’s when I designed my first book report in Mrs. McLaughlin’s 4th grade class. I wasn’t content on simply writing the book report, I had to cut out pictures from the “old” encyclopedias my mom (reluctantly) allowed me to use and artfully frame them to support my writing. Then in the 80’s I could be found cutting out headlines and words from Seventeen magazine to place on self stick photo albums pages amongst the many pictures of my friends.

Once my Seventeen magazine days were over, I attended Indiana University in Bloomington, IN and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Business. My major was Marketing/Advertising with minors in Creative Writing and Psychology. During my time in college I held the position of Advertising Director for the Student Association, and was lovingly introduced to the Mac computer as a design tool. Through trial and error I learned how to master Adobe Illustrator to create advertising designs for the many different student organizations on campus as well as several student election campaigns.

College was a blast! But the real world beckoned me, and I began a career in Marketing Management with a focus in marketing communications, advertising and direct marketing. Now I had the opportunity to learn the business side of design and copy. While working full time, I went back to school and received my MBA in Marketing. Then I turned 30… and hopelessly believed I was meant to be single the rest of my life. And then I met my husband! The first of many times I was reminded that life was not meant to be planned, but lived!

Meanwhile – back in the “real world” – I loved any opportunity to create handmade invitations for family and friends. Anything from baby showers, wedding showers, birthday parties, anything! Then along came Sean, our bouncing baby boy, and I set off on the adventure of announcing his birth, planning his Baptism, and documenting all of his “firsts” and simple everyday moments. My digital camera became a third eye for me, one for which all of these incredible moments could be captured. Suddenly, all of those creative endeavors from my past culminated into a new digital format whereby I could passionately design announcements, invitations, and photo books.

But do this only for myself? Nah! My life is meant to be shared with others. I’m a stay-at-home mom to Sean. My husband is humored by my attempt at housekeeping. I teach Fundamentals of Marketing online for hundreds of college students every year. And now, Hello You Books.

Ready to get started? have questions? just want to send some love? email me!

Live life. Capture Moments. Forever.