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The world doesn’t exist before 2002!
August 2nd, 2011I’ve avoided it for a long time now. But the time has come… It’s as if the world doesn’t exist before 2002!
I am of course referring to non-digital images: prints, slides and other miscellaneous cutouts and memorabilia; The images that are in a shoebox, in a drawer and in albums that are coming apart.
I got my 1st digital camera on my birthday in Aug. 2002. A 3MP Sony. The beauty of 35mm film was traded in for pixelated, washed-out images. But who cared?!? The images were all on a hard drive now and they were so easy to access and make lifetime stories with in slideshows, videos and digital albums! My youngest daughter has her whole life documented in digital form. But my oldest daughter’s 1st 3 years are on film. She is just going into middle school and I want to create a digital album of her life so far. I have 3 years of scanning to do.
Do you know what settings to put your scanner on?
Do you know how to organize your folders?
Should I back up my files once they are scanned in?
What do I do with the old prints?
What settings should I have my scanner on?
I don’t do ANY color or sharpness adjustments in the scanner software. Those refinements should be done in editing software. For now, you want the best representation of the image being scanned. Place it on CLEAN glass: use a clean eyeglass or lens cloth and lens cleanser to clear the surface of all fingerprints, smudges and dust. I scan 4x6s at 600 dpi. I scan 8x10s at 300 dpi. Slides should be scanned in at 1200 dpi. Slides require a special scanner. Please note that any image taken by someone else is automatically copyrighted. It is illegal to duplicate a professional photographer’s images. Don’t get in trouble.
How should I organize my folders?
I organize my folder chronologically (by date). I start with a folder labeled “2011.” Inside “2011″ are 12 folders labeled “2011_01,” “2011_02,” etc… Inside those folders are more folder named by the event, such as “heather_bday” or “graduation,” etc…. When I have random shots, I just place them directly in that month and don’t even name a special folder.
Should I back up my files once they are scanned in?
YES! Any file that is important to you should be in 3 places (2 at the minimum). For my scanning project and most photos I have, I use 2 places. I have them on an external hard drive AND they are backed up to “Crash Plan.” Crash Plan is a cloud service. If my hard drive ever failed, I can restore all of my files back onto a new hard drive from Crash Plan. Crash Plan is not intended to be used as an offsite storage for working from. The file recovery is slow. It is for emergencies and costs about $6/month.
What do I do with the old prints?
I suggest that location #3 for backup is the original prints. But if the space they are taking up drives you crazy, I suggest that you keep all carefully composed prints, professional prints, polaroids, vintage prints, black & whites, and negatives. Toss the 4x6s on generic photo paper. This is what I may do. Wouldn’t it be nice to free up that space?
The Big Box Portrait Studio – What’s The Deal?
March 31st, 2011
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.
No Disclaimers: The opinions expressed herein are those of Heather Photographer
March 30th, 2011
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.
Friends & Family: let’s make a deal!…on your portraiture photography
February 8th, 2011
I have friends & family that will ask me to take their pictures which puts me in an awkward place because my portraiture prices aren’t cheap! So, I am writing this article to address this awkward issue because there are some “deals” that I am willing to make to reduce your portraiture price.
A custom portraiture session starts at $150 – time & talent only. There are several packages with prints, albums and digital files. The most popular package is the hour session with a session disc…that package is $400. I don’t know about you, but I think that is a steep number. The truth is that custom photography is a luxury item. Most can more easily stomach the prices of a big box portrait studio – ie. Olan Mills – or hope for some lucky shots out of our personal point-and-click cameras. Every couple years, we might be able to spring for a boutique photographer but it hurts, I know.
So, here are some ways for my friends and family to make a deal with me.
1. Refer engaged couples to me for their wedding photography. If they sign on the dotted line and go through with the wedding, I will reward you with a portrait session – The $150 session fee will be deducted from your package total.
2. Organize a multi-family or multi-person photo session – a.k.a. portrait party. – Get 4 or more families or people together – you are 1 of the 4 – Your $75 session fee will be deducted from your package total.
3. Barter – Are you a business owner or have a talent of your own? This is a bit more complicated and may be opening a can of worms. I am about to trade a session for a Keratin Hair Smoothing Treatment. I am willing to trade for landscaping – including trees, edging, and a shed, an in-home personal trainer, upscale restaurants, personal chefs or caterers, hotel or airline buddy passes, certain “beauty” treatments, or classes for my children – in-home piano, tumbling, or dance. I will literally trade $ for $. I am not interested in trades for advice or consulting at this time, nor am I interested in your makeup, pyramid scheme or sex toy product line – I’m good there.
4. Lastly, if you can wait for one of my organized portraiture events. I will do 2 or 3 a year – spring and fall and maybe a summer nighttime one. I would be happy to deduct the session fee from your package total if that will help. I may even offer some discounts for buying sessions for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day – not actually doing the session on V-day or Mother’s Day…just buying the session gift card.
* please note that these deals do not apply to wedding or corporate photography.
