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
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