Friday, March 4, 2016

Cd's: A Dead Art Form

Every now and then, I have a potential client, who loves my work, and they want to book me. Once they find out that I do not provide CDs to my clients, they say "no thank you" and move on. I never feel bad about that. I wish them the best of luck, and I hope they find a photographer that fits their needs. There are no hard feelings.

I know in this day and age of digital cameras, that it is hard to tell a client they cannot have a CD. I used to offer CDs, but there are many reasons why I no longer do Here are a few of my reasons why.

1. Prints have a longer shelf life. How many times, have we made a CD of photos, and lost them? I know I have done that so many times. Technology changes. When I was in college in the early 2000's, everyone used floppy discs. That technology is dead. CD's are also becoming a thing of the past. Ten years from now, it will be so hard to find a computer with a CD drive. Technology changes constantly and becomes obsolete quickly. One thing that never changes, is the art of print. I want all my clients to proudly display their sessions artistically in their homes for all to enjoy for a lifetime. In 100 years from now, a person will not find a dusty CD in an old home, and be able to see what is on it. Now, a person 100 years from now could walk into an old home, and see a beautifully framed photo of a family I photographed and be amazed by it. A Cd just does not do that. A Cd is not passed down. Beautifully framed prints are. They become a testimonial of the time they were photographed. I just think that is beautiful.
2. Consider me "Old School". Before there was Digital, there was Film. When a person booked a photographer, they booked them for their "brand, their style, their look". They paid for the session and then they went back and ordered their prints through the photographer. A photographer during this time, was never asked to sell or give out their negatives. That was, and is, just unheard of. That is how I feel now about my work. Trust me to photograph your session and also trust me to print your work. "From Conception, Click and then to Canvas". That is my motto!
I am hired for the vision, the execution of the vision, and I promise to deliver you quality prints for a reasonable price.
3. I am so passionate about making a treasured session, to be printed, and displayed in a home or album. I do not want my work taken from a Cd that was printed from Walmart or Costco or Rite Aid. I make sure my images look amazing and are printed professionally, these labs do not provide that promise. Skin tones and coloring will look different and off. I want my work and energy to look beautiful. After all, this is my livelihood.
Well, there are some of my reasons. I know this logic is not for everyone, but maybe this can help shed some light on the subject.

Monday, February 22, 2016

Why I am Leaving Wedding Photography Behind.


     I could make a career out of becoming a Wedding Photographer.  I receive several messages and phone calls throughout the year, wanting to book me for their wedding.  I am so very flattered.  Sadly, many people I have to turn away.  I told myself a few years ago, I was only going to photograph six a year.  I have been very successful with my six weddings a year. I choose to only do six a year, because I wanted to make sure I was able to deliver a finished wedding album within a certain time frame, and not get too behind in my editing.  I also am very busy photographing Family and Children sessions and I wanted to make sure I had weekends where I could fit them in as well.  A few weeks ago, I decided this year (2016)  was going to be my last year to photograph weddings.  Since I made that announcement, I have had several people ask me why I am not doing weddings anymore. Many people thought something bad happened or there was an incident.  I want to assure everyone that nothing happened.  It was just a simple decision on my part.
     I am a self taught photographer, and throughout the years, I have been so eager to photograph everything.  I started out as an "Event Photographer"  I first shadowed another photographer and I photographed several weddings with him.  I have photographed some fashion shows, and music after parties.  When I moved back to Port Allegany, I wanted to start photographing more portrait style sessions and I completely fell in love.  Portraits are my passion!  I decided to declare a specialty.  I am specializing in Children and Families.  This is more of a general specialty.  Children and Families have a broad category.  That includes children from newborn to 18.  Families include maternity and couples...since families are every changing and different, I will photograph any sort family, same sex, to "traditional" to extended.
   
 I am constantly studying photography and learning my craft and trying to improve along with studying Business and owning a business and all the work that goes into that.  I no longer want to be a "jack of all trades".  I want to concentrate on my portraits and the art and work that goes into creating those images.  I LOVE WEDDINGS, I love working with the brides and grooms and sharing their day with them, but in order to expand my business, and my talent and art, I am fine tuning my skills and concentrating on sessions with family and children.  2016 is my last year for weddings.  I am honestly excited to work with my future brides and grooms and saddened that I have had to turn people away.  I just feel that it is the step in the right direction for me.  I just wanted to make sure that no one thought something happened to make me not want to do weddings anymore.  That is not true. I have had so many awesome memories and days photographing weddings.  I will always cherish the weddings I have done and I hope all my past wedding parties, have enjoyed my photographs.  I would love for you all to share this post, to help create some awareness to this.  I know many people in our area, have wondered why I made the choice to stop doing weddings. There is no malice behind my decision at all.  I want to make awareness to that. I would love to have you help me spread the word.  Thanks so much!

Elizabeth.

Friday, February 19, 2016

The Photographer's Handbook. Go Big or Go Home!

We all run our photography businesses in a way that we feel is right.  I just wanted to share the way I do things and maybe help out some photographers that are just beginning or need some guidance.
Here are my guidelines that I follow. They have helped me grow my business, and I hope maybe they can help grow yours.

DRESS FOR SUCCESS:

It is true, people look at you  differently when you are dressed professionally.  I am a professional, so I want to look the part.  Now, I am not going into a photo session in heels and business jackets.  That would make it incredibly hard to move and photograph comfortably, but I do make sure that I am dressed nicely.  I want to look like I care about myself and my job.  I find that in a world of yoga pants and sloppy buns, this sets me apart.  Without sounding completely vein,  first impressions are important.  Think about when a person goes into an interview for a job opportunity, they dress for success, and that is the way I uphold myself. When a person hires me to photograph them, they are hiring me because they love my work, but they are also going to be giving me recommendations, I want to look the part.  I personally feel that a photography session, is something special.  I ask my clients to dress up and commemorate their day with me, I expect no less from myself. Dressing for success is a mindset.  If you feel good about yourself, others will see it.  Be confident and professional.  Have your self image reflect your style and how you want to be perceived in the professional world. NOW GO ROCK YOUR PERSONAL STYLE!

OWN YOUR WORK:

Create your own style.  Make it yours.  DO NOT COMPARE yourself to other photographers.  We all have different backgrounds and years of experience. Evaluate your own work.  I can see a vast difference in my abilities from a year ago.  Each time I look back, I see my old work and see things that I would now fix.  That is self improvement and that is what is important.  Your own self reflection will help you learn and grow each time you do that.  Photograph and edit in a way that makes you feel good.  I love warm tones.  I know many photographers go with cool tones.  I just feel so drawn to the warmness.  That is what I do with my photos.  It feels right to me.  I tend to be super creative with my work.  I own it and love it!


AVOID FADS:

Fads in photography happen all the time.  Selective coloring is a big one.  I remember when I first started out, I did so much selective coloring.  Also dark and white vignettes are dated now.  I used to utilize them all the time as well.  Other fads that have came and went are "the vintage look". radial blurs and adding lens flares.  I have learned to stick with the basics the hard way. Sessions I photographed with these in use, make me wonder why the heck I thought they looked good. Fads are fads, and they fade out for a reason.  I try and keep my images warm and classic and fun, I tend to stick to certain times of days when shooting outdoors to keep my lighting consistent. I have over used props in the past as well.  Live and learn,:)   When I photograph clients, I try and pose them traditionally and intimately and make the image more about the clients and how they interact with each other and less about a "look".  I want the people to sell the image, not my editing.  I, of course want my editing to enrich the image, but not make it.



BE POSITIVE:  


A positive outlook goes a long way.  I like to always post positive posts.  I keep my tone and mood,light and happy.  We all have bad days or feel like venting, but it is highly unprofessional to do so on any social media.  It does not do anything for us professionally and it does not help us gain any fans.  I have seen countless photographers post negative and nasty posts.  Some of these photographers are very well known and famous.  I have stopped following some of them because of their hateful and spiteful words about other photographers or because they are venting their issues for all to read.  There are support groups and photography groups we all can join, and as peers, vent and ask for help.  These issues should stay off of our professional pages.  Whining and complaining, is just PLAIN UNPROFESSIONAL.  Be uplifting, be happy and most importantly have fun posting.  Make it a positive experience. 


BE FEARLESS:

BE YOU!  I am a bit quarky and I walk my own path in life, and I am not afraid to not fit into the "mold"  I let that reflect in my work.  I am not afraid to push some boundaries and GO BIG, however that may be.  Do what you feel is you and never let anyone make you feel bad about your work.  Take constructive criticism and learn from it.  Most of all have fun!