When I walked into the nursery it just made me giggle, there were happy little sock monkeys smiling back at me. Well, the monkeys may have stolen a few shots, but the rest were dedicated to an adorable belly and a wonderful couple. I’m so excited to meet their little guy, I happen to have had a special little knit hat made just for his session…can you guess what it is? Hehe.
I like to get to know a little bit about someone before a session so that I can make the experience about them. Since he’s a pilot in the Air Force and they both enjoy flying, I thought it would be fun to start off by making paper airplanes. Up for anything, it turned out to be a great way to get to know them better. My favorite question to ask is, “So how did you two meet?” because its usually answered with a giggle, a smile, and then their unique story. It was so great getting to meet them and share their together-time before he headed back. Thank goodness for hand warmers, a beautiful sunset, and a wonderful couple which made this session a favorite of mine. Hang tight while the images load, I had a hard time narrowing down the images for a post. Can you tell I’m a sucker for a kissy picture?
After a little awake time, this little one drifted off again and I was able to get some all snuggled up…that is until she decided she didn’t like being bundled anymore. Then a smile, a yawn, and the cutest little wrinkles.
Here is a sneak peek of today’s session with J. She is a mother to an adorable little boy, but this time is expecting a girl! [J - I know I said two, but really I thought this one was just so WOW that I wanted to make it the only one for now, I promise your others will be up soon!] This was such an easygoing session…her calming personality just made everything seem so effortless.
An unused can of Kodak film on the left, and a Compact Flash card on the right…the reality of the changing times.
I can only imagine where that can of 20-exposure film has been…for years it was hidden in my Grandfather’s garage storage until he passed away and it ended up in my hands. I have been its keeper for almost 10 years now and I will always keep it for all that it symbolizes. History. Art. Innovation. The compact flash card on the right is one of many that I use for my photography and it holds 400+ images in RAW format.
There is still art in digital.
I do remember processing my own film and developing my own photos in my High School’s darkroom…it really felt like you were making “ART”. I refused to buy a digital camera until I saw just how amazing the technology and the quality had progressed. I soon discovered that professional images are still edited…still skillfully retouched…still hand-processed. It just happens its done to a digital file instead of a negative.
Pursue your passion and embrace change.
I have five or so of my Grandfather’s film cameras (from a Falcon Miniature to a Kodak Tourist II), which I hope to display one day in a studio of my own. He loved photography, architecture, printing, and was so proud to finally own a digital camera and a computer when he was in his late 70′s. He built his own garage workshop and would tinker, build, repair and organize in there. When he passed, we discovered file cabinets full of old magazine clippings that were categorized…things he had saved and things that he had always planned “to get to” or that he thought were important. He was a very quiet man. I worked with him in a print shop for a couple years and really had an opportunity like no other in our family to get to know him. He was an average man with an amazing life story. From being captured by Nazi’s in WWII to owning his own newspaper business…I just wish I would have asked more questions. We had computers in school when I was a kid and I remember having one kind of computer or another since I was 5. Even games have changed, from Frogger to World of Warcraft…and what would my Grandfather think of my 2 year old playing puzzles on my iPhone? I think he would be amazed and would have been one of the first to own his own iPhone. He truly embraced technology…and embraced change. I just feel like he wasn’t able to pursue his passion and realize his full potential…but he seemed content. I know he wanted more from me, for me to take whatever I had to wherever it could go.
I know that my clients will want to share their session images, after all that is one of the biggest reasons for having professional photographs taken. But did you know that photographs (both digital and printed) are protected by United States Copyright law? Unauthorized copying or duplication of images (including scanning photographs) is in violation of this law and affects a photographer’s ability to continue to produce high-quality work. When you have your photos professionally taken, the photographer still retains copyrights to these images and therefore, under no circumstances can you use the images for profit, commercial use, in competitions or for professional display (altered or not). But there are many ways to share your photos that do not violate this copyright.
Photographer’s Blog
Often photographers will post session sneak peeks or favorites on their blog. This is the quickest and easiest way to share your session images – just post a link to the photographer’s blog post in your email, Facebook, Twitter, or even your very own blog. Don’t forget to leave a comment as its always wonderful for a photographer to see their client not only visiting their blog but leaving some great feedback. Its also a good idea to check out their blog often for great information and even special offers they are running that may not always be advertised elsewhere.
Tagging on Facebook
Why not ask your photographer if they will post some of your session images to Facebook? Most photographers have Facebook pages and would be more than happy to upload and tag you in your session photos. You first need to “friend them” on Facebook and then the Photographer will be able to tag you in the photos. Once you are tagged, those images will automatically show up on your Wall for your own friends to see. Usually the images will be watermarked with the photographers logo or name. Its important to not crop out watermarks as that could be considered copyright infringement. If you want an image cropped a certain way for any reason, just ask your photographer to do that for you.
I’ve also had clients upload the watermarked version of their images to their Facebook page and tag me in them, that works fine too! As long as you are using the web-resolution watermarked images (including a link to my website or blog is awesome too) and then don’t forget to tag me in the image so I can see the ones you post, I always love to see your favorites!
Online Gallery
If you have an online gallery for proofing your session photos, then why not email the link to your “inner circle”? Its another great way to share with friends and family. Make it easy on yourself and let them know if they want to place an order, how they should go about doing that so you won’t be bombarded with email requests. Sometimes they need to order directly through the photographer, or sometimes they can order right through the gallery.
Gift Prints
When you place your session order don’t forget to include a few gift prints. Giving prints to a few special family members or friends is always a great way to share your photographs. Your photographer will likely sell prints a la carte, so think about a set of wallets or a 5″ x 7″ print of your favorite photograph as these are both popular choices.
Buying the Digital Files
Many photographers will offer the digital files at an additional cost, or may even include them as part of their package. You could still run into trouble making personal prints unless you have “Permission to Print”. This is generally something from the photographer allowing you to make prints from the digital files for your own personal use. Their may still be restrictions about distributing the files (either by email or online), so be sure to read their policies.
I want you to be able to share your session photos and try to make it easy for you to do so. If you have any questions, please put them in the comments or send me an email and I’ll post the answer here for everyone.
Recently my Dad wrote something for me and much of it was about my photography…from what he remembered about how it started and what he hopes for it in the future. This is very personal post for me, but I think completely relevant to share here.
Looking Back
My family moved from Nebraska to Arizona when I was little, so I don’t always remember that much from then. But I do remember when my Dad bought a used Nikkormat to capture all the beauty he saw in the desert. Times got pretty tough and he gave up on this interest to work as much as possible just to make ends meet, leaving the camera to collect dust. One day, he gave it to me as a present, I think when I was about 12. I didn’t know how to use it and certainly not mature enough to understand the technical aspects of how the shutter speed related to the aperture – but I am a born self-starter and very stubborn. I practiced and failed many times, but never really gave up. I took a photography class in high school and the first time I watched a photo of mine actually develop in front of my eyes, I was amazed. I spent countless hours in the darkroom and went through much more than my allotment of film and paper. I loved processing my film, setting up the enlarger, developing my photos, and absorbing every bit of information I could. I was drawn to anything creative, jewelry class, drawing class, sewing, etc. but one day I opened a program a friend shared with me – Photoshop – and begun to teach myself how to use it…and eventually pursued a career in Graphic Design. Some of my designs have even been published in books (proud parent moment here), but occasionally I would come across those photographs I took when I was a kid (see photos at end of post) and think about how much I missed photography. The past few years of my life have been filled with challenges and changes. With that, photography found its way back into my life.
Looking Forward
Those who know me, know exactly how stubborn I am when it comes to proving I can do what I set my mind to and just how passionate I am about photography. I’ve found that the photography industry is similar to the design industry in many ways, which makes me believe that I can find success in this business. Its not only about being creative but also connecting with clients to capture who they are. Both of which I love and I hope that is what is reflected in the photos I take. Even though that old Nikon Nikkormat (shown above right) has once again found itself collecting dust, its only because its been replaced with a serious upgrade and a very serious commitment to taking this as far as I can. Many sacrifices have been made to pursue this dream but I love what I do.
To wrap up this post, I wanted to pay tribute to that Nikkormat by sharing a few of those photographs that I had taken when I was a kid. (Please pardon the dust & scratches, the original prints have seen better days.)
Left: My parents hands + Right: My sister posing for me
Left: Experimenting with light, marbles on top and a dollhouse on bottom + Right: Playing with contrast, a flower on top and cat on bottom
Both images were in Tombstone, AZ during a reenactment at the OK Corral
I attended a workshop yesterday by Amanda K Photography. We had a full day of information, discussion, and a live shoot with 3 seniors and 2 couples (you couldn’t tell they weren’t professional models, because they were just awesome!) Workshop leaders – Katie & Brandon – are true mentors and I had an AMAZING time!
I thought I would touch on a subject that often comes up when someone is considering custom photography…price.
Carefully consider these three key factors to determine your investment:
1. Style of the Photographer (Do you love their gallery/portfolio images?)
2. Up-front cost (Session fee, deposit, print credit, etc.)
3. Back-end cost (Prints, canvas, albums, etc.)
For me, I have clients pay an initial session fee and want them to be able to walk away with enough that they feel great about the experience. This is the reason why I include a print credit in your session fee or include a album in most wedding packages. Of course clients can always get more, and they usually do, because I price my prints affordably so you can buy more of what you want. Clients typically budget $500-1500 per session which can include desk portraits, gift prints, wall art, canvas, digital files, albums, and other keepsakes. Please contact me for an extended price list.
Why charge a session fee? The session fee covers my time and talent as your photographer and skill behind editing and professional retouching. Some photographer’s will have you pay a lower price up front to get you “in the door” and then have a higher price on the back end. However I use the same quality labs and materials, but my prints generally cost lower in comparison, because I truly want you to be able to have more of the images you love.
If you have any questions, leave a comment below and I’ll be happy to answer them!
Add to Heart Photography proud to be listed as a Pictures of Hope photographer. This cause is very near and dear to my heart. I understand what it feels like to have a newborn in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit)…so I know just how important it is to capture the miraculous moments there. Documenting this treasured time with professional photography is a beautiful way to share your experience with family & friends, as well as create keepsakes to cherish always.
If you know someone who has a newborn in the NICU, please pass on the website – www.picturesofhopefoundation.org – so they can find out more about complimentary NICU photography services in their area.