Choosing Custom Photography.
The explosion of digital photography, online sharing, home printing, and social media over the last decade makes it easier than ever to capture those everyday (and special) moments. We are thrilled that the art of photography has become more accessible to the hobbyist. Often times our clients have top of the line gear, similar to ours, and are well versed in how to use it.
But even with all of the tools and resources so widely available, and the ability to capture the every day, nothing beats the work of an accomplished professional photographer to document your family, in its entirety. Yes, we know you'll be in some of the images at your cousin's wedding... and of course there are all your own family milestones... but the return on the investment of capturing who you are - today - is enormous.
"Yeah, I know... but really, why do I need to hire a professional to do that?"
Well, here are some things to consider.
• having a professional document what they see creates a story that is extremely different than one created by handing over your camera to your uncle or an aspiring photographer friend
• being able to relax and unwind, and pose yourself naturally, with a bit of professional guidance is far superior to striking your one go-to pose with your "camera ready smile" and hoping it works
• having an entire series of images, rather than just one good one, allows you to create wall galleries, or even albums, that pause and capture an exact point in time with your family
• having an entire series of technically correct images, rather than ones that are too bright or too dark, unfocused or incorrectly lit, will enable you to proudly share and display the end result without needing to rely on those infamous disclaimers ("I know it's not in focus, but I love it anyway!")
That said, high quality professional photography can be a financial investment. Why? Because custom art commands value. You are paying for the time and talent of our photographers and photo artists - and and incredible collection of images which will become your family's most prized possession.
Custom photography is an investment in your family's history. Often its true value isn't realised for years - even decades to come. You should select your photographer based on their style, area of expertise, quality, reputation, brand, and your expectations for an end result. Here are some points that we think are worth extra consideration as you plan your session:
• Experience: Photographers are passionate about their subject matter and professional children’s photographers are no exception. While some folks with cameras are great at taking pictures of stunning architecture or breathtaking sunsets, professional children’s photographers are uniquely skilled in capturing the relationship a child has with the world around them.
It is great to get a bargain - but beware the "professional" photographers who just got a great camera for Christmas and decided to start a Facebook page. For guaranteed results, you should be able to view an entire portfolio of images that demonstrate a consistency in style and output so that you can be confident in the end result you will receive. There's a BIG difference between "cheap" and "good value" - especially when documenting something as important as your family.
• Style: Consider whether you are looking for a classic portrait, timeless black and whites, ethereal storybook art or a photojournalistic "day in the life." Make sure you select a style because the end result is what YOU desire, not just what's trendy on social media this week! Will that style stand the test of time? In 10 years, will it still make sense for you and your family?
• Product portfolio: Think about what you want to DO with your images. It's best to have a goal, whether it be a specific family image for over your formal fireplace, canvases for a playroom wall, a classic framed display for a stairway wall or lovely coffee table keepsake albums. Once you select a photographer based on experience and style, make sure you review what products they offer, and have a conversation about your end goals to ensure they can deliver quality products that will meet your expectations. At the end of the experience, the art you purchase will be the final product and you need to love it.
• Stance on "Getting the Disk": Do not assume that getting it "all" from a digital package is the best route to go. Deciding that you need everything in a digital format is a hasty decision to make if you haven't even shot your session. Once you view your gallery, you may instantly decide which images you must have on your walls, which in an album and those that you want as digital files. Don't rule out a photographer based on their willingness (or price point) to sell a session in a digital format... trust that they have experience in pulling together collections for clients that will meet their needs. You will want to enjoy your images everyday in your home - not left on a disk in a drawer.
• The Session Fee: Session fees do not simply cover the time behind the camera during the shoot. You are investing not only in skill and experience, but also many hours of preparation and post-production work. Because you are essentially commissioning a photographer to create one-of-a-kind art for your home, your photographer will have a real sense of who you are and what you are looking to get out of this experience well before they ever pick up the camera.
• The Session Day: Session Day – be yourself & bring happiness to the shoot! You’ve invested money and time in a professional, so make sure you do everything you can to set your session up for success. Best advice? Relax and model happiness. Children’s photographers work with all sorts of personalities everyday, so no need to tell your little one to smile or how to perform during the shoot.
• After the Session Day: The images have been taken and you may now be anxious to see the results. Your photographer really has a good sense for who you are at this point and they’ll spend geniune time going through the images, choosing the very best ones, and taking care to touch up each memory individually. Rest assured, this is no small effort. At the hand of your photographer, this is when a high quality image takes the next step and becomes your personal art.
• Ordering and making financial decisions: Whether in person or through an online gallery, when the date comes for the ordering meeting, the best thing you can do to facilitate great decisions for your investment is to ensure that all decision-makers can be present for your viewing. You will have lots of choices to consider and your experienced professional children’s photographer will easily guide you through the process - however no one knows your family and home as well as you do. Be sure to schedule a viewing time which will allow for best help and input because while commissioning a professional children’s photographer is a bit more of a financial investment than hiring a friend to take pictures, the real investment matters most beyond the wallet. A professional children’s photographer will ensure that these captured moments and milestones not only represent your life, but become your most cherished art.
Typical client feedback from those who have invested in quality custom photography:
"A professional photographer has the patience and experience to capture amazing portraits. As a hobbyist shooter and their mom, my kids know most of my tricks, so getting them to cooperate is a challenge. Custom photography allows me leave the work and worry up to someone else, who I trust to capture images that will grace our walls for a lifetime."
"I wanted two things... a healthy baby and newborn photos. What I got was a moment in time captured in the most beautiful photographs. Every time I look at them, I am reminded of those first few weeks with my son, when everything was new (and a little scary), and he smiled for the camera, before he even knew he could. I never could have captured that on my own."
"I have multiple single images of my family that I treasure. They are beautiful and meaningful to me, for so many reasons. They are on Facebook, and printed in 5X7 frames next to my bed. But once a year I select a professional to photograph my family and from those sessions, I have full albums of images, each one technical perfection combined with artistry, and those are the ones that are displayed on my walls, are given as gifts to family members, and are showcased in beautiful albums."
So do your research, find a pro who you click (no pun intended) with, and work together to create something that you and future generations will treasure forever.
Click here for Candy Kids Photography's Custom Family Shoot package prices.
But even with all of the tools and resources so widely available, and the ability to capture the every day, nothing beats the work of an accomplished professional photographer to document your family, in its entirety. Yes, we know you'll be in some of the images at your cousin's wedding... and of course there are all your own family milestones... but the return on the investment of capturing who you are - today - is enormous.
"Yeah, I know... but really, why do I need to hire a professional to do that?"
Well, here are some things to consider.
• having a professional document what they see creates a story that is extremely different than one created by handing over your camera to your uncle or an aspiring photographer friend
• being able to relax and unwind, and pose yourself naturally, with a bit of professional guidance is far superior to striking your one go-to pose with your "camera ready smile" and hoping it works
• having an entire series of images, rather than just one good one, allows you to create wall galleries, or even albums, that pause and capture an exact point in time with your family
• having an entire series of technically correct images, rather than ones that are too bright or too dark, unfocused or incorrectly lit, will enable you to proudly share and display the end result without needing to rely on those infamous disclaimers ("I know it's not in focus, but I love it anyway!")
That said, high quality professional photography can be a financial investment. Why? Because custom art commands value. You are paying for the time and talent of our photographers and photo artists - and and incredible collection of images which will become your family's most prized possession.
Custom photography is an investment in your family's history. Often its true value isn't realised for years - even decades to come. You should select your photographer based on their style, area of expertise, quality, reputation, brand, and your expectations for an end result. Here are some points that we think are worth extra consideration as you plan your session:
• Experience: Photographers are passionate about their subject matter and professional children’s photographers are no exception. While some folks with cameras are great at taking pictures of stunning architecture or breathtaking sunsets, professional children’s photographers are uniquely skilled in capturing the relationship a child has with the world around them.
It is great to get a bargain - but beware the "professional" photographers who just got a great camera for Christmas and decided to start a Facebook page. For guaranteed results, you should be able to view an entire portfolio of images that demonstrate a consistency in style and output so that you can be confident in the end result you will receive. There's a BIG difference between "cheap" and "good value" - especially when documenting something as important as your family.
• Style: Consider whether you are looking for a classic portrait, timeless black and whites, ethereal storybook art or a photojournalistic "day in the life." Make sure you select a style because the end result is what YOU desire, not just what's trendy on social media this week! Will that style stand the test of time? In 10 years, will it still make sense for you and your family?
• Product portfolio: Think about what you want to DO with your images. It's best to have a goal, whether it be a specific family image for over your formal fireplace, canvases for a playroom wall, a classic framed display for a stairway wall or lovely coffee table keepsake albums. Once you select a photographer based on experience and style, make sure you review what products they offer, and have a conversation about your end goals to ensure they can deliver quality products that will meet your expectations. At the end of the experience, the art you purchase will be the final product and you need to love it.
• Stance on "Getting the Disk": Do not assume that getting it "all" from a digital package is the best route to go. Deciding that you need everything in a digital format is a hasty decision to make if you haven't even shot your session. Once you view your gallery, you may instantly decide which images you must have on your walls, which in an album and those that you want as digital files. Don't rule out a photographer based on their willingness (or price point) to sell a session in a digital format... trust that they have experience in pulling together collections for clients that will meet their needs. You will want to enjoy your images everyday in your home - not left on a disk in a drawer.
• The Session Fee: Session fees do not simply cover the time behind the camera during the shoot. You are investing not only in skill and experience, but also many hours of preparation and post-production work. Because you are essentially commissioning a photographer to create one-of-a-kind art for your home, your photographer will have a real sense of who you are and what you are looking to get out of this experience well before they ever pick up the camera.
• The Session Day: Session Day – be yourself & bring happiness to the shoot! You’ve invested money and time in a professional, so make sure you do everything you can to set your session up for success. Best advice? Relax and model happiness. Children’s photographers work with all sorts of personalities everyday, so no need to tell your little one to smile or how to perform during the shoot.
• After the Session Day: The images have been taken and you may now be anxious to see the results. Your photographer really has a good sense for who you are at this point and they’ll spend geniune time going through the images, choosing the very best ones, and taking care to touch up each memory individually. Rest assured, this is no small effort. At the hand of your photographer, this is when a high quality image takes the next step and becomes your personal art.
• Ordering and making financial decisions: Whether in person or through an online gallery, when the date comes for the ordering meeting, the best thing you can do to facilitate great decisions for your investment is to ensure that all decision-makers can be present for your viewing. You will have lots of choices to consider and your experienced professional children’s photographer will easily guide you through the process - however no one knows your family and home as well as you do. Be sure to schedule a viewing time which will allow for best help and input because while commissioning a professional children’s photographer is a bit more of a financial investment than hiring a friend to take pictures, the real investment matters most beyond the wallet. A professional children’s photographer will ensure that these captured moments and milestones not only represent your life, but become your most cherished art.
Typical client feedback from those who have invested in quality custom photography:
"A professional photographer has the patience and experience to capture amazing portraits. As a hobbyist shooter and their mom, my kids know most of my tricks, so getting them to cooperate is a challenge. Custom photography allows me leave the work and worry up to someone else, who I trust to capture images that will grace our walls for a lifetime."
"I wanted two things... a healthy baby and newborn photos. What I got was a moment in time captured in the most beautiful photographs. Every time I look at them, I am reminded of those first few weeks with my son, when everything was new (and a little scary), and he smiled for the camera, before he even knew he could. I never could have captured that on my own."
"I have multiple single images of my family that I treasure. They are beautiful and meaningful to me, for so many reasons. They are on Facebook, and printed in 5X7 frames next to my bed. But once a year I select a professional to photograph my family and from those sessions, I have full albums of images, each one technical perfection combined with artistry, and those are the ones that are displayed on my walls, are given as gifts to family members, and are showcased in beautiful albums."
So do your research, find a pro who you click (no pun intended) with, and work together to create something that you and future generations will treasure forever.
Click here for Candy Kids Photography's Custom Family Shoot package prices.
With thanks to...
http://www.napcp.com/
http://www.designaglow.com/
http://www.napcp.com/
http://www.designaglow.com/