What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
Beginning January 2024 I am expanding and rebranding my photography business into several specialized photography brands. For some of these specialties I have a need to update my portfolio, so I am offering discounts on a case-by-case basis here on Thumbtack.
I regualrly offer discounts for multiple bookings like maternity + newborn sessions, familiy sessions + single portraits, or combining senior portraits into a single session with friends, as well as volume pricing for things like corporate headshots or team photos.
I require a retainer fee to hold your day and time in my schedule and I also offer several payment options and terms, including no-interest payment schedules. The retainer is non-refundable, but will become a credit if you need to cancel and reschedule for another date.
All of my packages include a specific number of final fully-retouched photos in addition to all of your proof images with basic retouching. From your online gallery you will be able to download the large full resolution files for printing or smaller optimized files for online/social use.
You'll recieve all printing rights (non-commercial clients) so that you can use your own lab service for prints if you choose to.
I also offer optional print services through my professional lab, with a very large offering of products. Some of these include traditional photographic emulsion prints, fine art prints, canvases, several types of albums and books, folios and image boxes, framed and unframed wall art, wall art based on alternative materials like acrylic, wood, & metal, and cards & envelopes for holidays, weddings, graduations, etc. I've worked with my lab since 2007 and they produce very high quality work that I'm proud to offer to my clients. All of these are available to order through your online gallery if you choose, with no additional fees.
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Typically I like to have a quick meet and greet with potential clients before we get started on the details to ensure we're a good fit to work together, although it seems that Thumback users are generally looking for photographers last-minute, so that might not be feasible if you're looking here.
With that in mind, everything we need to take care of before the actual session can be done easily through my online client-portal system. All information and paperwork regarding your session is organized into a single, password-protected, private page customized just for you. If you decide to book me again in the future, all the info for your newer sessions will be added to the same client portal so that you have easy access to all the work I have done for you in one place, and your photo galleries never expire.
Once I receive your inquiry and know the type of photography that you're looking for, I'll put together a proposal with what I have to offer and email it to you. From there you can choose your package and any additional offerings you may want, schedule your session, sign the contract, and make your payment. Depending on what you're booking me for, I may send you questionnaires to help me be better prepared for your specific session, and/or one of my client guides with suggestions and tips to help you prepare and look great in your photos.
Before we begin your session I'll teach you some quick natural looking "base poses" (good for any time you find yourself in front of a camera!) and during the shoot I or my assistant will direct and guide you, but only as needed- outside of formal portraits I prefer to keep things looking natural and to have an organic flow to the session in order to keep you looking genuine and relaxed. I tend to be easy going and if we're in the zone and getting great photos, I'll keep photographing beyond your allotted time provided I don't have another session booked afterward.
Afterward I try to send you a sneak peek or two that same night (although with a toddler at home nowadays I can't guarantee that!) but sometimes sneak-peeks get delivered within a day or two. Turnaround depends on the type and amount of work you hired me for, but generally 2 weeks is average for a full proof gallery with basic retouching, and usually I will have your online proof gallery ready before the time specified in the contract.
From there you'll choose your favorites according to the number of photos from your package to be fully-retouched. Those will be delivered to you in a separate gallery in your customer portal. You'll be able to order any prints, albums, or wall art directly from your galleries, or download the full-resolution files along with your printing rights license to use with a photo lab or print service of your choosing.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I learned photography with fully manual film cameras and developing my own film and photographic prints in the darkroom. Because of this I prefer to get the shots done "in camera" with proper technique and lighting control rather than rely on "fixing" it in Photoshop.
That said, I've been using Photoshop for almost 25 years now and I was even a beta tester for the original Lightroom before it was released, so I definitely know my way around digital post-processing as well.
In recent years I have furthered my education with masterclasses from renowned world-class photographers Joel Grimes, Jerry Ghionis, & Scott Robert Lim, and master retouchers Kelvin Pimont & Kristina Sherk. The knowledge I have gained from these amazing people has elevated my work tremendously.
How did you get started doing this type of work?
Like you hear from so many photographers, my interest in photography-beyond taking snapshots- began with a photography class in high school. And then another, and another, and so on.
While in school I began showing my photographs in galleries with group shows, and then solo shows, and eventually people began to ask me to photograph them in exchange for payment. Over the years I delved into many different styles of photography and developed a unique appreciation for each of them as I learned the skill-sets necessary for each style.
What types of customers have you worked with?
Over the years I have worked with many different types of customers, from promo shots of local musicians to billboard ads for internationally-known bands; doctors, lawyers, actors, models, & athletes; young couples getting married & lifelong partners renewing their vows; moms-to-be, brand-new babies, families with young kids, & families with grandkids; business owners & entrepreneurs; and people from all walks of life young, old, and every age in between.
Overall, my ideal client has an appreciation for creativity & art, and enjoys taking an active part in the process of creating great photographs.
What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
As with any professional skilled craft or trade, you'll want to look at three things: high-quality work, fast turnaround, & inexpensive price- and realize that you only ever get two out of those three.
What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?
1: Are you licensed to do business and do you have liability insurance?
A hobbyist photographer without a business license could just decide to bail on you, they're not worried about losing business because they have no business. A licensed photography business will give you professional service, and their liability insurance (often required by venues where your session may occur) should cover you the client as well as them should something happen and someone gets injured.
2: How long does your session last?
If you have different outfits or looks that you want to be photographed, make sure your session lasts long enough. If you're rushed during the session it will absolutely show in your photos.
3: What is your turnaround time, do you offer expedited service?
Make sure you know when to expect delivery of your photos. If you need your photos for something like wedding invitations, holiday cards, or for your graduation party you'll want to actually have them in time to order the printed products you need. If it's getting close to your deadline, ask your photographer about expedited service.
4: How do you deliver the photos, how long will I have access to them online?
Most commonly nowadays photographers deliver photos via an online gallery. It's also common for the various gallery sites that many photographers use to limit their online storage, their number of uploads, and/or the length of time to host a gallery in all but their top-tier subscriptions. Many photographers limit both the number of photos in their galleries and how long a gallery stays online because of this.
5: How many locations can we use?
If you're looking for variety in your photos you might want to shoot in more than one location. This also should be considered with how long a session lasts and if travel between locations counts toward that time.
6: How many outfits can I wear?
Again, if you're looking for variety in your photos you might want to wear more than one outfit. Some photographers limit the number of outfits per session which could be a deciding factor for you.
7: Can I order prints and albums from you, do I get printing rights?
Find out how your photographer handles prints and related physical items. Although it's less common now, some photographers still only include the session in their pricing, and charge clients per photo for digital downloads as well as prints, or only allow print orders through them.
8: What is your cancellation policy?
What happens when you or the photographer needs to cancel the session should be spelled out in your contract. Sometimes life throws a curve ball and you should know what happens if you need to cancel.
9: Do you require a deposit or a retainer, when is it due, is the deposit or retainer transferable?
Most professional photographers are going to require a deposit of some kind to hold your date and time in their books. Once your date is held with a deposit, they won't be booking anyone else for that time, so this ensures that they don't miss out other business for that time and date. Find out what happens to your deposit if you do need to cancel for some reason.
10: Do you offer retouching and corrective services?
These services could be included in your session for all photos, a specific number of photos, or charged separately on a quote-by-quote basis. Find out beforehand what to expect from your photographer.
11: Do you carry backup equipment?
It's not a question of "if" equipment fails, it's a question of "when" equipment fails. A photographer with any decent amount of experience is going to have backup cameras, lenses, etc. in case something malfunctions or fails.
12: What is your file backup system like?
Again, it's not "if" equipment fails but "when" equipment fails. If something happens to your digital files without a robust backup system in place, your photos are lost. With this I have tragic experience- roughly ten years ago I lost the majority of my portfolio when a power surge hit my studio just as I was backing up my hard drives. My main drive and backup drive got fried, and I didn't have a backup of my backup. I was working on a few weddings at the time and luckily I still had the camera memory cards to start over with, but much of my previous work was lost and unrecoverable. Today I use multiple backup drives stored in multiple locations to ensure that doesn't happen again, and for large events like weddings the memory cards get stored in your file with me and never reused, as an additional backup. Ask your photographer about their file backup system.
