I know the holidays just ended.
I am trying to lose the 6 pounds I gained over the last 2 months. ugh.
I know you want to get bikini ready by May…but what about Valentine’s Day?!?
You may not feel like your peak self, but I assure you that I can take a HOT-DAMN shot of you to give to your sweetheart.

To help your confidence in doing something this insane, I am offering a 2 for 1 special. You and a friend will come over and offer encouragement and tips to each other to make it bearable. Get it?…”bare-able”…lol
* You don’t have to get naked or wear skivvies to take a sexy photo. We can talk more about this privately.

Leave it to me…I have some great ideas!

When:

Saturday, January 28, 2012 – this is the only day to enjoy the special pricing

Where:

Heather’s indoor studio, white background

Cost:

Starts at $60 for 2 adult females, 1 outfit

To Book:

Send me an email with your time preference.

The Perfect Keepsake:

Accordion Minis – pocket-sized book – 3×3″ with 10 panels to customize.
Comes with a frosted protective cover. *additional cost

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world’s leading questionnaire tool. ]]> http://heatherphotographer.com/2011/12/are-digital-files-and-professional-printing-important-to-you/feed/ 0 http://heatherphotographer.com/2011/10/what-should-we-wear/ http://heatherphotographer.com/2011/10/what-should-we-wear/#comments Sat, 08 Oct 2011 23:18:43 +0000 Heather Murphy http://heatherphotographer.com/?p=4742 Continue reading →]]> Short Answer:

Over the years, I have gained some quick and simple tips, tricks & rules.
The MOST important thing is that you feel good and wear something flattering. I would ditch “matching” for something you look and feel great in.

Check out my Pinterest board on “Clothing Choices for portrait sessions.”

Check out my Pinterest board on “Christmas Portraits Clothing.”

Long Answer:

I hope this helps and these are only suggestions:

Family Portraits:
To start, it is my preference that clothing for group portraits be in the same style or theme – such as all formal wear, all beach wear, all outdoorsy type clothes, etc. It is a safe bet to shop at the same store or within the same brand to make sure the color palette of the season will be spot-on! (More about color below). Everyone should dress as if their destination is the same – such as boating, the theater, the Oscars, etc.
Exceptions: I would love to do a more introspective family shot where we explore each member’s personality and dynamics within the family (please ask me about this!)
I also love costumes! Everyone could dress like you all ran off to join the circus or you have all been transported into the distant future or do you remember Sprockets?!?
The question to ask yourself: How do you want to dress up your walls??

Clothing can also be chosen based on colors and patterns – ie: wear all brown, tan and cream tones or all black, gray and white tones. If all but 1 of you are wearing primary colors, the person in dark grey will upset the overall feel of the picture. I would love to see everyone in a plaid shirt or everyone in red (but one is polka dots, the other is stripes, the other is solid).

What I DON’T prefer? Totally matching outfits where everyone is wearing a black turtleneck and jeans or a white button up and khakis and distracting writing or logos on clothing.
Note: It is good to pick 1 color and accent with the 2 other colors. Children can be seen as accents and dress predominantly in the accent color.
Men & women, boys & girls should not dress in opposite colors.

Maternity:
I really like white, loose clothing…a long flowing skirt with a fitted tank top (ribbed is cool). Some colorful and chunky necklaces are nice. Or some other splash of color. I think “ethereal” or “mother nature” to inspire me.
How do you feel about nudity? If I can get a silhouette in front of a sunny window, I love those! If your hair is long, you can cover your boobies. I could also suggest a cropped sports bra and boy shorts instead of nudity.
If you have something planned already, go for it! I have no real rules other than that you feel beautiful!

Yes – for events & business sessions (high-res)
No – for portrait sessions (available for purchase)

long answer:

Under the Federal Copyright Act of 1976 (effective January 1, 1978 and amended when the USA joined the Berne Convention in 1989), photographs are protected by copyright from the moment of creation.

In a great article, entitled “Are Digital Files Included With My Baby Photography Session?” photographer Lauri Baker accurately describes the dilemma photographers currently face:

“Almost all of the file inquiries I get stem from an attempt to get my work for cheap… to get my vision, but to skip out on buying prints from me. Or from a misconception that digital is cheaper to produce than film. It’s not. The equipment is much more expensive, replacements are necessary more often, and the workflow, maintenance, troubleshooting, and constant education requirements make digital much more expensive.”

While the session fee compensates the photographer for providing the session: expensive equipment, enormous file storage, vision, education and all of the other high costs of doing business like taxes, insurance, self employed health insurance…., the sale of prints, products and release of digital files is our sole source of income. The reason they aren’t automatically built into the price is because I think it is most fair to you that I only be paid if I do a great job. If I don’t, then I don’t make a profit.

Photography is being devalued because people are forgetting that what they’re paying for is the photographer’s vision, not just a piece of paper or a digital file.

Read more about a photographer’s hourly rate, session fees and find out just how much your boutique photographer actually makes: “Why are session fees and prints so Expensive?!?”

* A special thanks to Coyaba Beach Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica for their incredible hospitality!

Important Links:

Full Gallery of Proofs: Nancy + Mike Wedding Proofs

Your Wedding Album on facebook: Nancy + Mike on facebook

This image is not from Heather Photographer

I just saw an ad during Good Morning America for a national portrait studio. You get “over 40 portraits, 6 greeting cards and a photo CD for only $9.95!” Sounds like an incredible deal, doesn’t it?

Here’s the real deal:

• Instead of “40 portraits,” they should say “1 portrait, 43 prints of 1 pose (sizes and amounts of their choosing – who needs 32 wallets?)”
• 6 greeting cards – to add perceived value
• Instead of “photo CD,” they should say “1 digital image on disc”

Now, here is the small print:

No subject fees or additional charges. Only one $9.95 Portrait Package Special of your favorite pose per family or group. Offer not valid for business purposes, individual adult subjects or unaccompanied minors. Offer subject to change at any time.

What does that small print mean?

They start with something nice. They won’t charge you whether you have 2 people or 10. ok.

The next line limits your group to only 1 pose at the special $9.95. But what if you want 2 poses – or to be crazy, what if you want 6 poses? You may want 1 of the kids, 1 of each individual kid, 1 of the nuclear family, 1 of the extended family, 1 of mom & dad…etc. That’s at least 6 poses you are trying to get made. There are no advertised prices for the 5 extra poses.

They say on their site “Most sessions take about one to one and a half hours.” That’s a lot of time to take 1 pose, select from the 5 snapped and to have your prints printed off and photo CD burned. They are allotting time to take additional poses and to administer the dreaded sales tactics.

They don’t make money on the $9.95. They are counting on you buying additional poses, prints, and images to add to the photo CD. Of course all of this is, in most cases, expected. So let’s say you can budget for a $50 final bill. That’s reasonable. Much less than boutique photographers and still very professional looking. They couldn’t possibly charge me more than 5 times the original amount, could they?

The Results:

If you want additional poses, you are required to buy prints. The digital image of the pose will be put on your disc complimentary. Each additional pose will be a minimum of $15. They have packages where you get 3 sheets for $16.95. So, if you were to get 6 poses in all, the minimum cost of your session would be: $85. this would include:

• 6 poses
• approximately 12 sheets of prints
• 6 digital images on a photo CD

If you only want 1 pose, it’s a GREAT deal. Any more than that, I’d consider a boutique photographer.

Important Links:

Full Gallery of Proofs: Jane + Chris Wedding Proofs

Your Wedding Album on facebook: Jane + Chris on facebook

Stock Image conveying the discontent with Heather Photographer's opinionated posts.

facebook is a social network. I am here to give opinions and welcome being challenged for any of them. If all I ever posted were portfolio samples and updates on where I am shooting, it would be safe, but also bland. There are thousands of facebook pages that do that already…it isn’t very engaging. I like to engage. Social media is where we can behave like humans. I have feelings and so do you. Why suppress our core selves just to be safe in business?

In the past 2 months, I have made 2 posts (that I know of) that inadvertently offended a previous client and another that offended one of my previously preferred vendors. These posts were in no way, direct attacks on these individuals.

Offensive Post #1:

The previously preferred vendor was offended by a post that made comment of how stock photos CAN be cheesey and canned. Apparently, she had posted some photos the day before and felt my post a day later was in direct attack of her “stock” photos. This earned me a de-friend. I actually liked her site and her photos.

* Side note on my criticism of stock photos:

I was referring to companies that spend tens of thousands of dollars to create a website and then insert these cookie cutter photos of business people of diverse ethnicity smiling and shaking hands when they could have had custom photography of their own employees for a couple hundred dollars more. I feel it makes your $10,000 website blend in to the sea of websites out there especially when you depend on business from Google searches. I find this to be good marketing advice. Potential clients want to see your employees, your offices, your warehouse, your product. I don’t apologize for this opinion. It comes from 10 years of marketing experience.

Offensive Post #2:

The posting that offended a dear past client was in criticizing the person she hired to photograph her baby. My criticism apparently attacked her “taste” or “style.” She said I made her look cheap and like she doesn’t care about the quality of pictures taken of her son. I can understand her ill feelings – I would probably be a little hurt too by my post. At the same time, I am human and have feelings too. Despite her being hurt, I felt it was time to discuss and educate that there are people out there that have no business doing photography. Just because they have a logo, a camera and a price list doesn’t mean you are going to be happy with the outcome. You’d do better to use your own camera sometimes. I am in this business… I hear the horror and sob stories. I am merely trying to educate and spread the knowledge I know.

* Side note on my criticism of “people with cameras” charging for photography:

Although I outwardly criticized the “person with a digital camera,” I never named the person out of respect. I am optimistic that they will advance in their craft and truly don’t wish to attack individuals and bring them down. I believe I acted with integrity and ethics on the matter. I feel I can vent and criticize when someone enters my field without having put forth a nano of the effort I have. I went to a 4 year University for my craft. I read books and research almost every day. It offends me when people with cameras (that obviously didn’t even read their camera manual) water-down my industry. It makes it hard for the true professionals to make a living. I would rather someone go to JC Penny Portrait Studio if you are short on money. I’ve had pictures from there before. I’ve even had my hair cut at a Super Cuts. I’m not afraid to admit I’ve pinched pennies before.

*One more side note on “people with cameras”:

Sorry!

I said something above that is sure to insult some of my photographer friends that didn’t go to 4 years of college. I don’t believe you have to go to college to be a photographer….talent and research and self-teaching are completely appropriate and I respect those individuals. Throwing in that I graduated from college studying in my field was only meant to convey that I devoted TONS of time to my craft – not that you can’t do that on your own time and not go to college. The thing is, I can tell if someone isn’t educated AND I can tell when someone isn’t talented.

*A side note on me claiming I know talent:

You may want to skip by this now as I feel I have to defend yet another statement above. I don’t define “talent” as being “things I like.” I can be unaffected or turned-off by a fellow photographer’s work…but if the composition, consideration of lighting, and thoughtful conceptualization are there, there is talent. What constitutes no talent or and obvious need to further educate? That’s an article for another day.

In Conclusion:

I have been told to not talk about politics, religion, or…what was the other thing?? oh well…I may actually give you my opinions on those things too and I sometimes even have negative opinions – oh, the horror. I look to my friends on facebook to support me or give me a different perspective. This is my reason for engaging. I have so much love for all – even people that use stock imagery and people that water down my field of study.

I have love AND I have opinions. Novel idea. Sometimes my delivery (in posts) is kind of cheeky. Well, that’s who I am. My momma told me not everyone would like me….stop trying to please them all and just be yourself. I think that is good advice.

Signed,

Trying to stay positive.