Choose the one that will capture your memories...

Memories...whether it be family portraits, lifetime events such as a wedding or birth, or even that senior portrait should hold that memory to last a lifetime.  You should have that piece of remembrance that when you look back whether it be in your mind...or on paper it brings a smile, a laugh, or even sometimes a tear.  The quality of that memory...whether it be a photograph, or a video should be something you are proud of.  Something that will make you feel like you want to show it to the world.  Whether it be that first kiss...the first time the cap and gown goes on your senior....or even that first newborn embrace.  It should not be something you look back on and wonder...if only....

I choose photography as a second career when my daughter was still little.  Still at that tender age I didn't really want to leave her to work a midnight shift as a Registered Nurse.  To a point in my life where I decided I was burned out after 12 yrs of nursing.  I needed something to rejuvenate me...to bring back a love into my life.  While in college it was easy to choose my elective for my nursing courses...Photography 101.  Finally after many MANY years of drooling I could finally use my dad's SLR canon.  The one thing that I had in common with my dad who was tragically brain damaged from a Drunk Driver.  Growing up from my first memory I remember daddy and "that" camera.  My favorite toy growing up was my daddy's camera case and most of all the "fancy" brush that cleaned all those "things that stuck out from his camera" (aka lenses).  Fast forward to many years later...I have now switched to Nikon (man would my daddy disown me right now) and it took time but now things are digital.  No more chemicals (that I could get used to!) instant gratification of seeing your work on a computer.   In 2010 my family faced our first deployment...and not your normal everyday military deployment either.  I needed something to keep my mind occupied and make that one year go by as fast as possible.  That my folks...is when unlike my first love of my daddy's canon...my love arrived...on Valentine's day.   Wrapped in a glorious amazon.com box inside was a beautiful gold box.  I did my research I was ready to commit back to my first love.  Throughout that year many courses, seminars, webinars, college classes were taken.  I have discovered that switching to DSLR from SLR is nothing like I thought it would be.  However, just like nursing even though I have all those classes, certifications, and lots and LOTS of reading...its a continuing education.  There will always be new technology to learn...new equipment....and most of all...new technique. 

I decided to go into business to share my love of photography.  My camera is constantly at my side, if there is a moment...I WILL capture it on film (or SD/CF Card these days!).  My goal and passion is to not only capture memories for myself...but for my customers.  Recently there has been an influx of "out of the box" photographers....Who spend a few hundred on their camera and think WOW I can now start a business too!  This is so cool!  Then they will provide you a low cost "family portrait"

I feel now is a time to explain what goes into a basic session...that simple $85 that you spend on your family portraits goes far beyond that $85.  You see...There is a LOT of skill to go through each image and go over them one by one with a critical eye to see if there is ANYTHING what so ever wrong with that image to make it "THE" one.  The one that will make you go wow...the one that will bring tears to a mother's eyes.  At the end of our session we may have 300, heck sometimes 600 photos.  Please realize that there may be 600 but one pose that I took maybe 5-10 "clicks" of...at least 4 of them your eyes (or someone in the photo) are closed...or the wind blew that one strand of hair RIGHT in front of your face.  My goal...is to give you 30-40 photos.  Please and I ask you to please think about your session.  It is CUSTOMIZED to you.  Those 30-40 photos....if you went to a studio at a store...you would have 10...maybe 15 on a non-busy day (lets not talk about the holiday season!).  Some of those 30-40 photos...yes some just may be a pose that is already posted but its in black and white or a different editing technique that I thought YOU as the customer just might enjoy in your home versus the regular old fashion colored version.  My "goal" for you is to have your images online and in your album in 2 weeks.  Yes I have many sessions and its only fair to put a preview up for everybody whether it be a couple or 5...but your complete session will be done in 2 weeks.  Please remember I too am a mother...a wife (to a fabulous US Army soldier who is stationed away from home at this time) so sometimes it may be a day or two past the 2 weeks but never longer than 3 because truly....LIFE happens.  IF by chance your session (or someone's session) is done in a day or two...Please know that like a kid in a candy store...once you set your mind on something (or chocolate lol) its hard to give up.  Those 2 days that I worked hard to get your images done...also meant that it was one less book I got to read to my daughter (truly bad on that one)...or one dinner not ate together as a family as I didn't eat that night since I was at my computer going through your images.  That $85 that you paid for your family portraits not only went to my taxes, they help support piano and gymnastic lessons...most of all they support a small local business.  The hours that go into your session, your edits, processing & ordering your prints, making collages, and most of all professionally packaging your portraits to be delivered to you...amount to pennies on the hour of that $85.  The joke is with my husband his military buddies dividing your yearly salary and since hey they are on call 24/7 lets see how much we make per minutes.  The amount of money made per hour with that $85 you spent is pennies.  Lets not go into the money spent on advertising.  No I am sorry I don't believe in CL and whatever list is out there myself.  My way of advertising is by customers...customers that come back again and again (sometimes 5x) and quality advertisements you see.  Yes I do do facebook cause unfortunately that is the way the social media is in our generation.  While we are on the subject of facebook please note that I truly recognize my "likes".  My goal is never to "tag" or be that photographer that has 1,000+ people (though it would be really cool!).  My goal is to have a personal connection with my "likes".  To know that Oh you are friends with so and so...oh you are the Mother In Law that just saw the images of your Son in Laws military homecoming.  I like being able to "know" my likes.  I don't go out and like every other photographer in the areas pages I have no need to.  Truly I have my own work to work on.  Granted I do have a few photographers I do link and network with but that is truly because they are a mentor but most of a all a friend (shout out to Amanda Bailey Photography!!)

So please...I am not asking you to go to me...although it would be nice ;)  I am asking you...to think of that "awesome" price you just got for family portraits for $40.  Think about if you are truly getting your monies worth.  Will they be portraits that you will want to capture your memories.  Think of the quality, experience, reputation that goes into your photographer.  Their continuing education to always enhance their skill and their art.  THINK about what you want hanging proudly on your wall for everyone to see.  I apologize this for being so long but this is truly something I needed to get off my chest.

and most of all IF you have read this all let me know...at your next session I will send home a little surprise with your package lol

~Winter Wonderland~

I recently had the moment to enjoy some relaxation in the Adirondack Mountains.  My husband and I started the tradition of spending a day in Lake Placid, NY every year before the stress of the holidays.  Though mind you I ALWAYS seem to find a way to still stay stressed out about 1:  all the wrapping left to do while I am lounging by a fireplace completely relaxed.....and 2:  all the glorious food I have left to prepare for our annual family Christmas Dinner.  This year is a very strange year for NY living up here most of my life;  I remember how most Halloween are spent bundled up in snowsuits due to being the first day of fallen snow.  Not this year!  This year it was 50+ degrees and amazing enough you didn't freeze your fingers off.  So far this has been a continued trend...to the point that we even reached some 50+ degree days in November (again VERY unheard of in the "mountains").  Going to Lake Placid we figured we could at least see snow (because at this point its Christmas time and us NYers are ready to see some snow so it REALLY feels like Christmas) in the mountains.  Upon our arrive it was breezy warm and no less than again...40 degrees.  As a true North Country girl I was starting to think that I was not going to see a white Christmas after all (and I don't think I ever remember there NOT being a white Christmas!).

As an example this is what we arrived to:

Come on this is home to the 1980 WINTER Olympics Should be snow and no green :-/   

But....Then we woke up to this and all is right in the world again.....

Yes there is a Santa and indeed he DID bring us the "white" Christmas we had all been waiting for.

Happy Holidays to all the fans and friends of Lori Hickman Photography.  May 2012 bring you all excitement and joy.  As always as you are enjoying your Holidays please think of those that are overseas protecting our country and not sitting at that chair at a family's dinner table this year.

~Class of 2012~Taylor~

Today I had the great opportunity to capture Miss Taylor's Senior Portraits.  Note that this was our 2nd attempting at taking them as the past few weeks have decided to give Upstate NY all the rain it has been needing in the past year (all this week).  The beautiful fall foliage and an afternoon sunset on the St. Lawrence provided the perfect backdrop for this sweet senior.  Congrats Taylor on your Senior year!

~Class of 2012~Becca~

Today I had the opportunity to photograph a beautiful senior.  Becca has a beautiful smile and a great sense of humor that made the session go by so fast!  The end results were amazing with so many beautiful edits to choose from!  I wish you nothing but the best the remainder of your Senior year and look forward to capturing your portraits in the spring with the official cap and gown! 

~R Family Portraits

Today I had the pleasure of capturing that special family moment for the R family!  This is the 2nd year that I have photographed this family and this one was SO special.  First being the new family member baby Benjamin that has joined the family this year and second being this year the portrait was NOT taken during a R&R!  As always daughter Molly always puts a smile on your face the moments were priceless!  Unfortunately thanks to the military having their ways The R Family will be moving to another duty station soon but I do hope the military has us cross paths again...if not we will definitely be long time friends. 

Something about a Daddy that will do anything to make his little princess laugh!

Baby Benjamin has grown SO much since his newborn portraits!

~Class of 2012~Jeremy~

Today I had the pleasure of doing senior portraits of a one of a kind guy!  You may remember Jeremy from Jr Prom portraits that I did of him and fellow Senior Rep Emily C.!  Jeremy is a fantastic senior that keeps you on your toes.  The senior session went by so fast only due to the laughs that Jeremy creates.  As you can see it took a while to get him serious but once he did we got TONS of splendid portraits!  Congrats Jeremy on your Senior year!  I have no doubt you will do awesome!

~Buck Wedding~

On a glorious Labor Day weekend I got to spend the beautiful (and hot!) day with my childhood friend as she became a lovely glowing bride.  I have known the bride since Jr High and the groom since High School.  Seeing them join their two families into one was such a beautiful inspiring moment.  The vows were so touching and personal and left not a dry eye (even the said photographer!) .  The theme/atmosphere of the wedding was FUN!  Let me tell you there was nothing short of fun at this wedding.  In a way it was a reunion of so many friends it felt like we were back in school again (only this time a bit more mature...mind you only a bit).  The evening ended off with the groom's band taking the stage making the event one you will never forget.

Thank you Kris and Justin for letting me be your photographer and capture all the moments for your wedding (even the posed shots I dragged you guys through!)  I wish you nothing but the best and a lifetime of happiness!