When I take on a client, I don't just look at them as another person I have to photograph. I look at them as a beautifully bound journal, that holds years and years of tales. I look at them as unique and beautiful pieces of art, just waiting to be captured. I see smiles, I see passion, and above all else I see someone who deserves an amazing experience that's all about them.
If you aren't getting that out of your photographer... what else are you missing out on?
Here are my top 5 reasons
to commission a professional photographer
for your portraits
Education:
I don't mean a college degree or a fancy certification. I mean knowledge, experience, and the ability to take what you know and explain that to others clearly.
I am a self taught artist, I have pushed my way through a lot of unknown things over the years. Being at a place where I can HELP my clients is the best part of that whole struggle.
I expect A LOT more out of the companies I deal with now, and I expect A LOT more out of myself. That education leads to better products, better images, and an overall better experience.
I encourage people to ask questions, there are no secrets here- if you are investing in something, especially memories, you have the right to be properly informed!
Time:
This is HUGE!
On average, I spend about 10 hours on each client, from the beginning of our process to the end. This includes several emails answering questions they may have / a pre-session consult to form their ideas and build their session / more emails to answer questions and give help and suggestions on wardrobe, location, goodies to bring / shooting / editing and more editing / album viewing and interior design help for orders / designing specialty items / prepping orders for print / and order display for pick up.
If you are dealing with someone who simply states, "Yeah, I can take your pictures, meet me at this park." and 2 days later presents you with a disc or you spend 15 mins in the studio with a crying baby and then they ask you to come around the corner to purchase your selection... you are truly missing out on a lot of help, details, and opportunities.
Quality:
To add on to being educated- be informed and know what to look for. That adorable smile is great, but is it actually in focus? That iamge is breathtaking but will the photographer size it properly so when you get a 20x30 it's not going to be grainy? That disc is awesome, but are your prints from the grocery store really doing them justice and hold up over time? Will that image eventually warp and bend?
Demand quality, at a minimum, no matter what price, or what level of professionalism you deal with. If they are bold enough to call themselves a business, you can be bold enough to ask them if their images and products are of quality.
Attention to Detail:
This I feel is highly over looked, but when it comes down to it, is just as important as those BIG things you think people might notice. I remember when I first started shooting and my boyfriend (now husband) pointed out that my horizon line was slightly off. I thought- jeez, way to be picky! No- now I understand, being picky helps you grow, trains your eye, and brings every image to a whole new level. Random objects in the background and tilted horizons soon turned in to relaxed looking hands, natural smiles, comfy looking poses. Perfection was never met by over looking those small details, at the same time, it was also never met by dwelling on them. Know when to fix things and also know when to let those things go in order to get the shot!
On A Personal Level:
I love this one. I am a people person. A lot of the clients I have, I am so sad to see them pick up their last print order. Luckily, a lot of them come back again, so I get to see them every few months or every year. We have so much fun together, and we get to know so much about each other, that by the time our session roles around, it's easy, calm, fun, and comfortable. I have also been known to tell people to please come relaxed bc I more than likely will do a lot of ridiculous things to make their child smile... or if a hubby is mildly grumpy we have a lot of good laughs and it goes over well. You're not coming to a stuffy studio where I don't care about you and we just need to click, click, click until the number of shots are complete. I want to know you, I want to have fun, and I want you to feel at home.
