SingleShots

The Contact Sheet
April 2004
Past Issues

I just got back from Puerto Rico this week (my first vacation since starting SingleShots last June), feeling rejuvenated and ready to jump into the Spring season, but I had to wait a few more days for the gray skies to lift. I don’t want to jinx it, but it seems as if Spring has finally sprung---daylight savings is here, the trees are starting to bud and flower, and more and more people are coming out of their long winter hibernation, wearing sandals and tank tops before it’s actually warm enough (don’t you get cold just looking at those people?).

Hope this month brings you lots of loving!

Best,
Mindy

Before and After of the Month:
We want to see your tired, poor, red-eyed pathetic ‘before’ photos! We’ll reward you with a free 5x7 print of the beautiful ‘after’ you. For more transformations, check out our gallery.


*Before*	After

What's Going On:

Face to Face:
Starting in May, SingleShots will be doing monthly events with the popular activities and social clubs Social Circles and Gay.com Urban Outings. We’re teaming up with a writer from PersonalsTrainer.com so you can improve your written profile, get a new photo from us, and mingle with other people looking for the same thing. The Social Circles event will be on 5/11 and the Urban Outings event on 5/26. Both evenings are open to non-members. Call Lisa Quattlebaum to sign up at 212-505-9985 ext.203.

Both groups are a great way to meet people offline in NYC. They lead tons of activities around the city each month, from dancing to art openings, to plays and music. Check out the activities calendars for both groups, and if you’re interested in becoming a member, mention SingleShots to receive a 10% discount on your membership fee.

Change of Heart:
We recently received this testimonial from one of our clients, a woman in her 30’s:

“Thank you so much for the gorgeous prints! You are a FANTASTIC photographer! I thought that you'd find the following story amusing...

Quite a while ago, when I had my old photo, I wrote to a guy on Rightstuffdating.com. He wrote me back, we exchanged a couple of emails and he asked me for my number. I gave it to him, only to never hear from him again. Well, I guess about a week ago I replaced my old photo with my new SingleShots photo (the black and white one). Well, wouldn't you know it, after over 3 weeks, I get an email from him today saying that he had printed out my old profile earlier but then had "messed up," but now wanted to talk to me and would be calling me this weekend.

To be honest with you, I'm not sure that I want to speak to him anymore, but I GUARANTEE you that his change of heart is because of my new picture! Thanks again!”

Off You Go:

Impressive Dressing
Getting attention online is one thing—meeting your dates in the real world is something else. If you want to look great for your dates, Fashion Coach Susan Sommers of DressZing! can help you put together fabulous outfits based on what you already own.

I can personally attest to Susan’s services—she came over, raided my closet, and helped me overhaul my wardrobe and my look in an afternoon. She also gave me great fashion tips for when I do go shopping, something I hated in the past. I really felt transformed.

To find out more, contact Susan Sommers, Fashion Coach, 212-877-4963 or susus@mindspring.com. Special Price to SingleShots clients: $195 for 5 new outfits.

The Wiyos
Once you’re dressed to kill, why not go out on the town? Check out The Wiyos, a self-described “oldternative” band, whose unique music sounds like a mixture of ragtime and delta blues. They have shows in Brooklyn and Manhattan throughout April and May—it’s a fun scene. For more information, check out their website at http://www.wiyos.com.

Promotions:

All of Me
Want all the photos from your shoot? This month, we’re offering all previous clients a special deal: $50 for the CD with all of the digital negatives, half off the original price.

If you're a new client, we are also continuing to offer our Bring a Friend promotion: if you book a session with a friend, both people will receive a free upgrade. Under our Refer a Friend promotion, past clients who continue to help pass the word on about SingleShots receive a free 5x7 print or web photo if their friend books a session with us.

Contest:

The Write Stuff
Everyone knows how important your photo is, but how often have you been enticed by a good photo just to go in and be turned off by a profile riddled with generalities and half-sentences? Yawn. This month we’re offering a drawing to win free 'Ad Writing Help' session ($120 value) from Norman Oder, who runs PersonalAdMakeover.com. Based on your answers to a written questionnaire and a phone (or in-person) interview, he’ll help you craft an ad that sets you apart. Just email us by the end of April at info@singleshots.com with “The Write Stuff” in the subject line, and your name and phone number in the body of the email. One lucky person will soon be on their way to a more beguiling profile.

Coach Notes:

This month, The Dating Coach Ronnie Ann Ryan is here to give you some tips for a more successful online dating experience. To learn more about how Ronnie can help you find love, check out her website at www.NeverTooLate.biz or call her at 203-877-3777.

Use Nicknames to Keep Your Suitors Straight
“If you've written a good profile, you may receive an onslaught of responses. The good news is that you'll have lots of possibilities to sort through. The bad news is that it can be tough to keep them all straight in your mind.

To make it easier to remember who is who among your dating prospects, I recommend giving them a nickname based on some distinguishing characteristic. It could be something funny that happened between you, how the person looks, type of job, geographic location, clothing style in the photo, personality characteristic, screen name, etc.

Here are some examples from my own dating experience:

The Postman - Guess what his job was
Romeo - Does this need explaining?
Mr. Clean - Handsome bald guy who looked like the genie from the product
packaging.
Dance Man - Met him at a singles dance
Blonde Bomber - He had blonde hair and wore a leather bomber-style jacket

Nicknames worked better than first names for me because they are so much more descriptive. This was particularly helpful when discussing my dates with friends who had a hard time keeping track. One important note; never tell the fellows (or ladies) about the nickname because people can be sensitive and easily offended. So, ixnay on telling your dates. Have fun!”

About SingleShots:

SingleShots, the first photo studio dedicated to online portraits, knows how important a photo is in the online dating world, and yet how hard it seems to find a photo of yourself that you like enough to represent you. SingleShots takes photos that are relaxed and flattering-the best version of you on a great day. Meeting the right person is hard enough…why not give it your best shot? To sign up for The Contact Sheet or to learn more about us, email us at info@singleshots.com or call us at 212-777-1482.