Information

WHAT TO WEAR

I am often asked about what to wear to a photo shoot, so I thought I would put together this little list of guidelines. Hopefully it helps you out when preparing for your photo session!! (Remember, these are just suggestions! Feel free to adjust to best suit your personality!)

Clothing:

• Solid, vivid colors work best in photos. Darker colors usually frame and flatter best, but feel free to mix it up a bit here and there!
• Stripes, patterns, and logos can be very distracting in photographs.
• Small patterns are ok if limited to one small article of clothing or accessory.
• Dark color bottoms (denim, black, etc.) look much better in photos than light colors.
• Avoid anything that is too tight or clingy.
• For outdoor shoots, consider the surroundings and plan colors accordingly.
• Bring as many outfits as you want! We’ll choose which ones you put on as we go! Make sure you bring a good variety. Pieces that can mix-and-match to create different outfits are fun!
• Don’t forget shoes for each outfit! I love to photograph great shoes!
• Consider different types of outfits…casual, dressy, preppy…stay true to your personal style, but don’t be afraid to jazz it up a bit, too!
• Girls – bring your prom dress! Guys – A nice suit will look oh so dapper!
• Strive for classic, “timeless” looks that will still be in style 20 years from now.
• Wear something that makes you feel FABULOUS! If you feel great, you will look great!
• Be wary of outfits that could potentially show bra straps (Spaghetti straps, cut out backs). If you choose to wear an outfit like this, try some double stick body tape to keep everything in place!
• Try to avoid too short skirts…nothing can ruin a photo like a little peek of panty!
• Be sure your clothes are ironed! Wrinkles will show in photographs! If possible, bring your clothes on hangers instead of folded in a bag.
• Many of the locations I choose to shoot do not have access to a public restroom nearby, so changing outside or in the car is sometimes necessary. I can provide sheets to cover car windows to help provide more privacy. Girls, another tip is to wear a thin tank or tube top under your outfits so changing is less revealing!
• You may have noticed that I love photos of running through water! If you would like to do this type of photo, we will save it for the last photo of the day! Be sure your clothing is not see through when wet, and remember to bring a towel to dry off!
• Don’t forget the accessories! They can add a lot to a look. Just don’t OVER-do it! You don’t want to take attention away from your beautiful face! Organize your accessories into baggies and place over the hangers of corresponding outfits so you don’t have to hunt for a missing earring!

Hair and Makeup:

• Keep your hair in a style that you know you like on you. This is not a good time to try out a new hairstyle or cut!
• Wear just a touch more makeup than you normally would, but don’t make yourself look clownish!
• Keep colors neutral. You don’t want to have to change your eyeshadow with every outfit!
• Make sure your mascara is new and not clumpy.
• Keep lips moisturized before the session! Chapped or cracked lips can show up in photos.
• Bring a small makeup kit for touch ups throughout the shoot in case you get a little shiny. Bring face blotters if you tend to be extra oily.
• Glittery/shimmery shadows and powders do not photograph well, so try to avoid them.
• Guys, make sure you are clean shaven just prior to the session.
• Girls, don’t forget to shave your underarms if you will be wearing sleeveless or strapless styles!
• Don’t use a lot of hairspray or gel. You want your hair to move naturally when the wind blows or when you tilt your head!
• Bring a hairbrush or comb.
• Girls, try leaving your hair down for the first part of the shoot, then sweep it up into a quick updo for variety!
• Remove chipped nail polish. It will show in photos! Also, avoid neon or other funky colors and keep polish colors more neutral.
• Have nails neatly manicured just in case there is a close up including your hands or feet!
• Avoid tan lines!

Props: Adding props to a photo shoot can really help bring out your personality. Consider some of the following ideas. You can bring whatever you want to a session and I will do my best to work it in!

• Do you play a musical instrument? Bring your guitar or clarinet for a few photos!
• Do you like to read or journal? Bring your favorite book or journal and a pen!
• Are you a sports star or a cheerleader? Consider using your uniform as one of your outifts and bring your ball or pom poms!
• Cool hats and sunglasses can make for fun, mysterious photos!
• A colorful umbrella or parasol and some bright flowers can add a feminine touch!
• Do you have a sweet ride? I can take some cool photos of you with your car. (Make sure it is nice and clean!)
• Bubbles are fun!
• Use sidewalk chalk to write your name or favorite quote on the sidewalk. It can be a neat addition to a portrait.
• In cooler weather, hats and scarves make cute photos!
• If you have favorite music, bring it along! We can play it from the car stereo or hook your iPod up to some speakers. Music may help you relax and be more natural!
• Your pet, best friend, or boyfriend/girlfriend is welcome to come along and join you in a few photos. 

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WHY DO CUSTOM PHOTOGRAPHY? 

(From http://www.professionalchildphotographer.com)

What Is Custom Photography?

The photographic art you choose to place on your wall is ultimately the result of the vision of the photographer. This vision, coupled with what you wear to your session, the environment, the lighting, even the mood the subjects are in at the time of photographing creates the work that you will want to proudly display on your walls forevermore.

Your first step in the process is more about determining who you are, who your family is and then seeking a photographer that reflects your style. For instance let’s say your family is extremely outdoorsy and loves playing on the beach. You start determining what style you like, browse through photography website portfolios and determine if any of the styles exhibited there would be a good fit with your life and family style. You have already determined that you should probably seek out a beach type photographer (that is if you live near a beach) and then begin narrowing the field down a bit.

Finally after a bit of internet research, you have narrowed it down to two photographers who do what seems like solid work, the sort of outdoor beach look you desire.  It is now time to ask yourself: Do you like photographer A’s style over photographer B’s style? Is it because the people in the images of A’s style are having a great time and it seems very caught up in the moment vs. B photographer more posed, looking in the camera images? If this is a case, you probably like LIFESTYLE photography or perhaps even take it a step further and define your desired style as a PHOTOJOURNALISTIC photography style. The photographer you probably should choose is photographer A because their style is very similar to the style you desire.

What custom photography ultimately is all about is choice and experience (as in THE experience). Custom photography is about finding someone who will photograph your family, give you devoted 1:1 attention without worry of the next ‘in line’ or the feeling of a crowded portrait studio. A custom photographer will typically show you a fairly extensive gallery culled to only show the good images that meet the photographer’s creative sensibilities. Often the images are fully edited images-color corrected with blemishes and undereye circles removed. Custom photographers are also known as boutique studios, offering a range of products and unparalleled service. Think Lexus vs. Hyundai, think Nordstrom vs. WalMart.

Custom photography should have you, the client and your experience in mind.

Why Does Custom Photography Cost More?

The digital revolution has brought amazing flexibility and ability to control various factors during the image taking and making process.  Photographers, the hobbyist, the professional, the amateur all benefit from this ability to manipulate pixels.  However, with flexibility comes a price.  Digital camera equipment is still considerably more expensive when you factor in its’ lifespan, the need for additional resources for processing those images, the time it takes to get a usable image and the effort that goes into creating a work of photographic art.

We all know that you can go to the local Walgreen’s and pay a $1.99 for a print – as a client you may wonder why you may pay upwards of $50, $70, $90 for a custom photography print.   Photographers hear this statement every once in awhile:

“How in the world can you charge $60 for an 8×10 if it costs me less than $2 to print at x store?”

The truth of the matter is the answer to this question is multifaceted.  Much of the cost of a photographic print produced by a professional photographer has a lot to do with the time,  equipment costs, artistic vision and reputation of the photographer not to mention expertise and the usual costs of running a legitimate business.

The cost of TIME:

Approaching it from a time standpoint, let’s imagine that you have hired a photographer who has work that you love.  This photographer is traveling an hour to your destination to photograph your session.  Here is an example of a time break down:

session prep time (30 mins – 1 hour, includes equipment and back up equipment checks   vehicle checks)

one hour travel time TO session

15-30 minutes prep time at client’s home

90 minutes-2 hours with client photographing subject

one hour travel time FROM session

30-45 minutes uploading time from digital cards from camera to computer

30-45 minutes time spent backing up the original images

2-5 hours editing time to present you with a diverse gallery of edited images

1 hour prep time getting ready for ordering

2-3 hours time with client for ordering images

1 hour sorting through and checking order

30 minutes-1 hour prep time for delivery

30 minutes-1 hour getting order shipped

any additional phone time or time needed for add on ordering, shipment issues, quality issues

In this example, the time spent per client can range from just under 13 hours to 19 hours – dependent on the photographer’s level of service.  This is time dedicated only to ONE session.  When the photographer charges $150-$300 for the photo shoot (aka SESSION FEE) you are not just paying for the two hours of session time, you are paying the photographer for 12-19 hours complete time for your session.

The COSTS of Maintaining a Custom Photography Business:

Regarding equipment costs, a good quality professional camera with a selection of good optical quality lenses and digital storage mediums and computer set up can run from $10,000-$30,000 costs dependent on the photographer.  Even though you can purchase a really good quality digital SLR for about $2100 there are still other costs related to photography.  A good lens for portrait photography can run from $900 to $2500.  A dependable computer system with software loaded for business and creative usage can run $2500 to $8000 dependent on the photographer.

Then come lab costs for specialty products.  A good photographer knows the lab is integral to their success.  Photography labs dedicated to the professional photographer  often cost more and offer a range of products that allows the custom photographer to continually offer new, innovative products for you, the discerning client.

Discussion other costs of running a photography business could take awhile so we’ll skip many of the intricate details.  There is of course much more: including costs of running the business, taxes, studio rental/mortgage if the photographer has ownership of a dedicated studio, vehicular costs, costs of advertising/marketing, costs of sample pieces that the photographer will likely bring to your session, etc.

APPLES to ORANGES to BANANAS:

Often times clients will mention to their photographer that X studio in the mall/department store only charges $19.99 for an 8×10 “sheet” or they may mention other things related to discount photography chains.  The fact is those discount chains make their money on volume, not on customized 1:1 service.  In February 2007 leased photography retail space by a rather well known discount department store that started in Arkansas closed down 500 of their portrait studios across the nation?  The reason is simple, you cannot make money on 99¢ “professional” prints if you do not sell enough of them.  Interestingly enough – those same studios that offer the loss leader packages often charge much much more for their a la carte pricing (as high as $40-50 for an 8×10).  The whole reason the big department stores began offering portrait services in the first place was to get you, the savvy consumer, in through their door so that you could spend more money with them in other departments.  Your “PORTRAITS” are considered the “loss leader”.

Going to a chain studio, as a consumer, you don’t have the benefit of 1:1 attention for 2 hours at your home where your child is allowed to explore, play and be comfortable in their home environment, nor do you get the experience that many custom photographers are known for or the lovely captures of natural expressions.  You simply get a bare bones, “SAY CHEESE” experience.  Keep this in mind when selecting a photographer.

REPUTATION/EXPERTISE of the PHOTOGRAPHER:

Being in demand, being well known for quality work, having a good reputation often costs time on the photographer’s part.  Their expertise comes at a cost, their time learning their craft and learning the intricacies of lighting and the commitment put forth on their end to create a persona about their business that oozes professionalism.  A great number of photographers go a very long time from the time that they purchase their first good camera to making money at the business of photography.  Many photographers, when first starting out, rush in thinking that the business will be easily profitable in no time, how expensive could it be to get a camera and use it to create their dream?  They often neglect to factor in the cost of business, the cost of equipment, software, back ups, etc..

Being of sound reputation, a better professional photographer knows that they must always reinvest in their business to create the reputation of being top notch.  To create good work good equipment, reliable equipment, back up equipment is a necessity.  The photographer who desires to be known as better/best/unparalelled reputation-wise knows that the most important thing they can do for their business is reliability and dependability.  This is how reputations get built.  Good work often is a wonderful side product of building that good reputation.

I hope this (lengthy) article helps shed some light on WHY a custom photographer is a better choice for your family’s memories.  The photographs that are produced as a result of the professionalism and dedication that your photographer has will be cherished for a lifetime (or more) and great thought and consideration should be placed into hiring who is right for your family’s most precious investment.

Why Choose Custom Photography?

Custom photography is more of a luxury than your entry level cookie cutter chain experience.  Custom photography truly is not for everyone, it requires a level of commitment, investment in time  and money, forethought and planning on the part of the subject/client and requires a larger time commitment for the photographer as well.

Clients who enjoy taking a more active role in the creation of their families’ memories have the desire to have portrait art that is truly personalized.  These more discerning clients have been known to budget and allot time for a custom photography session.  Many clients opt for it to be a once a year special experience, some opt to have custom photography sessions done to record their child’s stages in life.  Having said this, it is clear that custom photography is not in everyone’s budget,  it is something that most families save for to splurge on from time to time to memorialize their children as they really are  (not posed and primped in the cookie cutter studio setting).

There is a great deal of time involved in creating high end custom photography sessions for a client.  The luxury of great service, better choices and a supberb end product.  The result of all this are heirloom quality images.  The time invested at the session is only a small portion of time involved in this process.

Custom photography has been likened to purchasing a fine vehicle.  To get to point B from A let’s face it, even a bus ride would suffice.  If you want to luxuriate in a finely appointed vehicle, customizing your own experience by listening to smooth jazz while sitting in a climate controlled setting adjusted purely for your comfort in a body hugging leather interior, perhaps that Lexus you so desire is your cup of tea.  Custom photography is much the same cup of tea.  It is the Lexus of the photography world.  It is where the intangibles make the experience truly wonderful and the images themselves make the investment of money and time truly worthwhile.

Custom photography can be broken down into even more levels.  There are on location, studio, mixed studio/on location, specialty location and destination type photographers.  The beauty of custom photography is in the choices and in the luxury of thoses options.  The customized service level you are sure to experience will be amazing.  The knowledge that your final images are the result of someone caring about those moments so much that they take extra time ensuring that the artwork you receive is good enough to stand by with their name on it.  That level of quality and commitment  is all but lost in the age of “mass produced,” “mass marketed,” corporate “everyone is a number”.  Custom photography is based on being unique to you.  How great an experience would be,  to be able to sit back and allow a photographer to do this highly custom work for images that you will most likely cherish for a lifetime?

Keep in mind more than anything that the Lexus will never appreciate in value the way your portraits will.  The portrait art you become invested in from your custom photographer will no doubt increase in value and become more priceless as the years pass.