Dear friends;
I have been a photographer for over 20 years, photographing people from all walks of life; Businessmen and women, Actors, Families, and Events. Thus, I call myself a People Photographer. I started back in the days when we used film. I would shoot mainly black and white, which I then developed in my basement. Watching the images come alive on paper immersed in chemicals, was a great thrill. Colour film, I would give in to a lab to develop, waiting the better part of a week to see what I had taken. Many of these labs are now extinct.
There have been great changes since then; digital technology democratized the world of photography, allowing everyone to capture, develop and share their images instantly and cheaply.
Why then, hire a professional?
I like to think that photography is an art and as with any other art form, there are some rules that apply such as design including composition, colour theory, line, shape, form, value, colour, texture, contrast, negative space...and the list goes on. I do not dwell consciously on these any more as they have become ingrained in my subconscious. All this comes with experience. I went to art school but more importantly, I learned on the job, alongside top designers while working as a fashion model in the late '70s, 80s and 90's. Having been in front of the cameras, I later (after years of part-time study) made the transition to another career, - I became a professional photographer.
I am often asked why, in this digital age, should one hire a professional photographer? Here below, are my thoughts on the topic:
WHY YOU SHOULD HIRE A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER?
We have the training and the experience to deal with all different scenarios, lighting conditions, weather conditions, and people of different temperaments.
Professionals have the gear, the right equipment for the job, and backups in case primary equipment fails. We update the gear, -cameras, lenses, etc., frequently, as newer, better ones come on the market and older models no longer have parts available.
We work in a studio (with very expensive rent) but can shoot either in-studio or on-location.
We keep up to date - pros pay for continuing education to perfect their craft, with webinars, join professional forums, photo clubs, organizations where they network and learn from each other.
Pros have a workflow they have perfected. This means your images should be edited, colour corrected, converted to the format you desire (usually high quality JPEG) in record time and delivered to you on a USB stick or uploaded to an on-line gallery with a link that allows you to view these proofs, save and share them with friends and family, use for Social Media, website, newsletters, postcards, (your professional networking profile image such as LinkedIn etc.) Check out our LinkedIn Portraits gallery
Pros take the time to understand you, and capture your personality, the mood of your event, (your brand - if you are a professional) and make sure you come away with a polished, professional-looking image that will make a favourable first impression and open doors
Pros know how to help you relax in front of the camera, they help you with body language, help you project.
Pros usually do their own retouching - and they have spent many hours (and no expense spared) to learn the latest techniques to soften fine lines imperceptibly, get rid of skin imperfections, soften skin without losing its texture , even replace the background in the image, and the list goes on. Normally, a professional charges upward of $70 per hour for retouching. We include this service for free, at least I do, pertaining to 3 of your top chosen images. Check out our Retouching page
The end result with a pro is; No nasty surprises, but rather tasteful, archival quality images you and others will admire for decades to come.
Food for thought.
(As this is my first blog on this "new and improved" site, the above is by way of introduction. I hope to keep it lighter and shorter, in future blogs. Stay tuned. I hope to follow up with interesting, informative, instructional and amusing ones - not in that order, (and a special offer now and then.)
Cheers,
Lisa
0 Comments