What should you wear to your session?

The answer would depend on many factors such as weather, location, emotion, message and purpose of the portraits.  We suggest to our clients that we want to focus on the face and emotion of the portrait for years to come.  We don't want our clients to dress in a manner that distracts from that as a general rule.  We try to stay away from black and white as well as distracting patterns or mismatched groupings if at all possible.  Try to make the family look great together, but not uniform.  However, you know that any rule can be broken!  Make sure it is something somewhat comfortable.  We don't want to be constantly adjusting your outfit.  Check your accessories - look polished, but not over done.  Makeup should be daily wear to slightly heavier.  Definitely check your nails and toes if they will be showing or your shoes and socks.  Don't get your haircut or colored the week of your portrait.

Of course, most clients want to know what is slimming and it is exactly what we suggest as our general rule.  Darker colors recede and make things appear smaller.  Clothing is only one of the elements that make the final image.  Custom photographers have studied a great deal on posing and that can really make or break your perception of the final image.

Next topic, in this client education series, How often do you need custom photography?

 To see all postings in this client education series, please click on the label to the right on this blog, "Custom Photography".


Wishing you the best of everything!
Susan

A beautiful Christmas light display:

Toledo Zoo, OH, December 2012

Autumn + Kent = Londyn

Autumn and Kent have two beautiful little girls, and in a week they will be adding a third!

Little Londyn will be appearing next week!  I have known Autumn and Kent for years, and am always so glad when they call for an updated family portrait.  This one was a little different, instead of a family portrait, we did a maternity session.  Oh, we had fun, Lilly and Lucy were also suppose to be there, but they were too tired by the time we were suppose to start the session.

Autumn and Kent are too adorable, aren't they!?!

Autumn and Kent,
Thanks for letting me be a part of this special time in your lives.
It is always fun hanging out with you two, even if Kent complains the whole time! :)
Wishing you the best of everything!
Susan

Autumn and Kent's slideshow:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zbhAY_k1ic&feature=youtu.be

Abby + Jason = Peanut

I was so excited when Abby & Jason contacted me to take their maternity portraits.  I actually squealed out loud when I found out they were pregnant.  I was so excited for them!

Abby & Jason have quite an adventure on their hands, not only are they getting ready to welcome peanut into the world (any day now), they both have new jobs starting this month, they have sold their house and are moving into their new one all with in a week of peanut being born!

Now let's hope peanut makes a quick appearance into the world, before the end of the week!

I would say they have a lot on their plate right now, yikes!

Abby & Jason,
I had so much fun catching up with you guys during your session. I cannot wait to meet peanut!
Good luck with everything!  Hopefully we can squeeze in newborn portraits before you leave Ohio!
Wishing you the best of everything!
Love,
Susan

Abby & Jason's Slideshow:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQtDT-PLqDc&feature=youtu.be

Why are you scheduling and what to do with your portraits?

Building on what questions you have answered in April, Why does custom photography cost so much?, there must be a purpose for you to schedule a session.  You might be redecorating your home and in need of a new portrait.  Maybe it has been a few years since your last family portrait.  Your family may have grown in numbers and size.  The holidays may be around the corner and many more.

Whatever the reason, please convey this to me before your session, so that I have an idea of a certain portrait that I will need to take.  You may think you want a certain product, but in working with me, I will look at your needs and suggest ideas or other products that are available.

This client education series continues, please read:
What should you wear? 

To see all postings in this client education series, please click on the label to the right on this blog, "Custom Photography".

Wishing you the best of everything!

Susan

The Smoke Mountains, Tennessee, October 2011

Why does custom photography cost so much?

Custom photography provides a highly personalized experience in which the client gets to pick many pieces of the puzzle that creates a wonderful piece of artwork they can cherish for years to come. That being said, the amount of time and cost to put this together drives the price of this experience.

Chain stores bring in a lot of people for a short cookie cutter experience which creates a product with their artistic stamp. You, as the client, have very little say in what they can actually do with your short period of time and then they go on to the next client.

When you decide on a custom photography experience, the photographer goes through the entire experience with you to bring your vision to life.  To do this requires a lot more time and effort from the photographer. Your actual photo session may only take an hour, but your photographer has probably invested around 12-18 hours for a session per client. They do this to create the stellar customer service you may have come to know.  They really want to focus on quality and not quantity.  They also have the ability to offer many different high-quality products.

You have also selected your photographer based on their artistic abilities.  Like many other professions, there is a great deal of education and artistic exploration to create their vision.  Unfortunately, the professional equipment is not cheap either.  Have you ever wondered how much time or expense your photographer has invested to accumulate their props?

This client education series continues, please read:
Why are you scheduling, and what do you want to do with your portraits?

 To see all postings in this client education series, please click on the label to the right on this blog, "Custom Photography".

Wishing you the best of everything!

Susan 

Bethlehem, PA, December 2011