Cat and Jena’s love story is one of survival against impossible odds and a love so strong you can’t help but feel it too.  When I first met with Jena and Cat it was Jena’s most brilliant smile for Cat that I noticed first.   Not long after I couldn’t help but notice Cat’s body language – her entire being was focused on Jena.  I could literally feel their love for each other.

Spending an hour with these ladies at a local coffee shop was such a treat.  I found myself with chills as they spoke passionately about the obstacles they’ve faced while building a life together, from the death of loved ones to the challenges of living in different states and of course, as they pointed, out it wasn’t that long ago that their relationship and marriage was illegal, not only because of their gender, but also their skin color.  I returned home from my first meeting with them absolutely humbled by their story and inspired by enormity of the struggle that this couple has faced, all with so much grace and regard for each other.

Hearing their story, as told by their friends and family during their wedding day, was similarly moving.  The support and love for this couple could not be more evident, especially as they said their vows.  I don’t think there was a dry eye in the crowd.

When your bride is crying happy tears watching you walk down the aisle, you know you’re absolutely beautiful.

Cat and Jena’s friends stood with them in a Circle of Trust, vowing to help support their marriage through the years to come.

Tragically Cat’s brother and father both passed away recently and were not able to attend her wedding in person.  Their place and memory was marked by a single white rose.

Both ladies wrote their own vows for the ceremony, causing a good many people to reach for their tissues.

During the nervous moments before exchanging rings, both pause for a deep breath, their eagerness and anxiousness evident only in the small details.

I love the emotions and the story here.

A dear friend gifted them with a song that was so perfectly suited to their relationship.  (I wish I could link to this artist’s beautiful work!)

All the Wedding 411:

Venue: Elkridge Furnace Inn

Officiant: Pastor Milledge Mosby

Videography: Ceadrrock Cinema

Cake: Pastry Chef at the Elkridge Furnace Inn

The post Maryland Wedding Photographer – Cat + Jena appeared first on Kat Forder.

Here’s something a little different than my usual (though as one client pointed out, there are also similarities – working with babies is still working with babies!)  This weekend we have 36 legs dashing about the studio as we were inundated with puppies!

Besides turning the camera on my own pups on occasion, or the occasional pet in a family portrait session I don’t often have sessions with our four-legged family members – I tend to refer such session to Red Leash Photography or Marcia Leeder Photography because they absolutely ROCK at this.  However, when my client said she wanted studio portraits of her adorable puppies before they found their new forever homes with their new families, I was happy to give it a whirl.  After all, it’s not much different than a session with triplets, right?

Wrong!  Human newborns have one advantage…  they’re not running yet!  The afternoon was utter chaos of the most delightful sort as three new Shorkie (Shih-tzu and Yorkshire Terrier Mix) puppies and their parents and my two pups and two human helpers all tried to get three busy little ones to pose for the camera.

Of course they were much more interested in playing, than they were in staying still and looking adorable for the camera, but otherwise much of the session wasn’t all that much different than a newborn session – we stopped for play time and drink breaks:

Many dog treats and squeak toys later, we called it a day and wrapped up the shoot with some adorable shots.  I couldn’t have done it with out my puppy wranglers!

The post Maryland Family Photographer – Something Different appeared first on Kat Forder.

I’m still trying to catch up on posting to the blog!   I had to share this gorgeous session completed recently for this growing family, done in partnership with Kim of Kim Flores Photography.  While it’s pretty common to team up with another professional for wedding photography (we simply can’t be in multiple locations at once during a wedding day!) and we always work in a team for cinematography projects, it’s not often that I’ve teamed up with another portrait photographer!  What was I thinking?! Why haven’t I done this before!?

I wish every large family session had the option of both of us working together!  The results are spectacular, not only for us as photographers, but for this family as well.  We can capture more variety in the same amount of time AND by working together like this we can make the experience particularly fun for the children.  I think that’s pretty evident when you see the results.

The entire session was ah-mazing!  Working along side another family photographer (whom I’ve admired for years and years) was fantastically refreshing – not only did the family receive really stellar service, but combined we were able to capture shots that would have been impossible with just one photographer working.  As any busy mom knows, multiple young children and a newborn can be a handful for any parent.  Add in the fun and excitement of portrait time and …well there’s a reason why parents come to professionals like us!  :-)

I had fun chatting about baseball with this proud Big Brother.  He asked if he could have a picture of just him and his baby brother together, “because someday I’ll teach him baseball too”

Here’s a peek at a few of my personal favorites from the session.  Hop on over to Kim’s blog to see some of her own favorites too!

The post Maryland Family Photographer – Proud Big Brother appeared first on Kat Forder.

Remember a while back when I wrote about the difference between a Custom Photographer and a Mall Photographer?  By doing some number crunching I found that it actually wasn’t always less expensive for a family to go to a Mall Photographer for their family portraits. I also found out that the services you receive from a Custom Photographer are much more personalized and extensive than the Mall Photographers.

I’ve also discussed elsewhere the costs of doing business and what goes into the price your Custom Photographer quotes to you.  It can be confusing to try and figure out why Sears, or Picture People or Walmart can offer a $9.99 sitting fee when most Custom Photographers start at $200.

As it turns out the big companies can learn something from your local small business Custom Photographer.  The company that owns the portrait studios in Sears and Walmart stores in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky announced this week that they are shutting down its U.S. operations.  The Sears Portrait Studio website  and PictureMe Portrait Studios,  appeared to be no longer active this morning.  And news reports indicate that they are seeking a buyer for all Canadian studio locations as well.

It turns out that their business model does not work.  The super -low price to get clients in the door is not a sustainable business practice and now this formidable 60 year old company is closing as a result.  I’m reassured to know that so many of our local small businesses are doing the smart thing and not following this particular business model.

The post Sears and Walmart portrait studios close doors appeared first on Kat Forder.

Maryland Newborn Photographer

After enjoying such a wonderful maternity session with mom and dad earlier this year, I’ve been really excited to share samples of Baby Edward’s newborn session here.   Since some of the items in the order were meant as a surprise, I’ve kept this blog post in the wings to give everyone a chance to enjoy their gorgeous gifts first!  I’ll be sure to post sample images of the gorgeous custom designed Storybooks that are due in this week.

First, check out this proud papa!  This papa hopped off an overseas flight and drove straight to the hospital, arriving JUST in time to see his son born.   The next day he came down with this season’s nasty flu and spent several days in a hotel, away from his new baby. Papa was still recovering by the time Baby Edward came to visit at 11 days old.

I love the contrasting texture here, dad’s scruffy chin and his son’s baby fine hair and smooth baby skin.

By the end of the session we were calling Edward’s signature one-eyed peek his “pirate eye”.

I’m pretty sure he’s trying to tell me something here…

Mom and dad opted to use this image as a post card birth announcement, wishing family and friends a Happy Easter at the same time!

In just a couple short weeks Edward will be taking what promises to be the first of many trips overseas

Mama’s clearly in love all over again…

The post Maryland Newborn Photographer – Baby Edward appeared first on Kat Forder.

(updated April 27, 2013)

With spring right around the corner many photographers and clients are excited to come out of hibernation and get back outdoors. The number of requests for outdoor portrait sessions are on the rise and so too are the outdoor photography permit fees required to be allowed to use the park location.

Many clients in the DC, Maryland and Virginia area are not aware that photographers are charged permit fees to be allowed to photograph a portrait session in area parks.  (I’ve even had clients tell me I must be mistaken, that no one would charge a photographer to make pictures in a public place).  The fact is though that most places in the DC Metro area have some sort of fee, application or permit process that has an impact on our cost of doing business, not only for the fees but also time for completing, following up and tracking the applications.

Professional photographers support this effort by the various counties, states and park services to maintain the parks and ensure everyone can use them.  There is a however a growing concern among local photographers that the fees required by the parks are becoming quite excessive – sometimes even more than the fee we charge our clients for our time.  Many of us continue to advocate for a permit process that is streamlined across counties, or even just applied equally and consistently in the same park – but until that happens photographers will be passing along these costs to our clients (or encouraging creative studio photography sessions instead).

Fines for not having permits range from permanent bans from the location to $500- $2,000 monetary fines.

 The information here is accurate to the best of our knowledge and should be used for reference purposes only. Clients and photographers should be sure to contact your preferred location in advance.  Clients should be advised to coordinate the permit process with your professional photographer to avoid delays and duplication.

Listing of Parks and Locations

Washington DC

National Mall and Memorial Parks  A popular choice for locals and visitors alike.  All monuments and land managed by the National Park Service is subject to a fee for professional photographers to take pictures of clients there.  There is a $50 non refundable application fee and a $50-$250 permit fee for still photography (more for video). Application processing requires a minimum of four days.  We’ve been advised that the penalty for not having a permit is $500 fine and 24 hours in jail.

Capitol Building Grounds  There is, at the time of this writing, no fee for the required permit and application processing takes a minimum of five business days.

Washington National Cathedral  – Professional photography is not permitted.  The Cathedral reserves all rights to any other the reproduction, public distribution, public display, and usage, in any medium, of representations of Washington National Cathedral, including but not limited to photography, video, and artistic renderings.

Any DC location – any District of Columbia location not covered under the National Park Service or private land holder is manged under the DC government’s Office of Motion Picture and Television.  The fee is $150 and a minimum of four days required for processing your application.

Dunbarton Oaks –  GORGEOUS, location, all professional photography prohibited

 Hillwood Estate and Gardens  -located in upper north west DC.  Wedding, engagement, and bridal photography in the gardens can be scheduled by appointment (outdoor garden rooms). Guidelines and certain restrictions apply. Weddings, wedding receptions, ceremonies, and other private events are not permitted at Hillwood. For details, please contact the Group Tour and Special Event Coordinator at 202.243.3914 or email grouptours@HillwoodMuseum.org

 Tudor Place – has a $100 fee for the gardens or outside photography and $300 fee for photography in the house. Guidelines can be found here.

United States Botanical Gardens - Professional photography of any kind is strictly prohibited

Franciscan Monastery  - No permit required, but professional photography requires advance permission and they do appreciate donations towards the care and upkeep of the gardens. Cash, or checks made payable to the Franciscan Monastery, may be deposited in the Tour Donation box. There is also a donation kiosk for credit card users next to the Tour Donation box.  Note that shorts are not permitted in the church and tripods are not permitted anywhere.

Hillwoods Estates, Museum & Gardens. 4155 Linnean Ave NW DC. Open Tue-Sun until 5pm.  Contact Steve Stuart, Coordinator for Group Tours and Special Events sstuart@hillwoodmuseum.org. Suggestion donation for permission to photograph for commercial purposes varies, but wedding parties are $300 an hour.

National Arboretum  - Wonderful wide open location in the heart of DC with plenty of green space and a few interesting architectural details.  Learning more about their fee structure is quite difficult because their website, permit application and their phone representative, Linda, each provide different information about the process and the fees.

Fees begin at $250 per half day, plus a $30 application fee (and possibly an additional $40/hour of supervision as well?) This fee applies to any person that is in the images you make at this location, including your family members.  Photographs of the flowers and trees does not require a permit.  Clients in wedding attire are restricted to two locations on the grounds. Application processing take a minimum of two weeks.

Maryland

Montgomery County, Maryland

Montgomery County Parks - all county parks without a specific fee listed are subject to a $250 permit fee.  A $50 cancellation fee applies and applications can take up to two weeks.

Glen Echo Park – non refundable $50 application fee, and a permit fee of $50 (total $100).  An additional $150/hour is charged for photographs inside the carousel building or the Spanish Ballroom and an additional location fee will also be charged by the Glen Echo Park Partnership. If you do not wish to have access to the carousel or ballroom, but would like to film or take photographs outside on park grounds only, the Glen Echo Park Partnership will not charge a location fee, and you may work directly with the National Park Service office at Glen Echo Park (301-320-1400) and the NPS permit office referred to above to apply for a permit.

Brookside Gardens – No fee for groups of 10 or less, groups of 11 or more require a $350 fee.  All professional photographer requires a permit

 McCrillis Gardens  – part of the Montgomery County park system so it should require permits, however another photographer has said:  ”does not require any permits, although parking is pretty limited. it’s small, with wooded walkways, flowering trees, a couple of gazebos and benches, a stone house with an outdoor balcony you can climb up stairs to. it’s not nearly as sculpted or expansive as Brookside but it’s a very pretty place in a pinch”

Black Hill Nature Centre - has a $250 permit fee.  A $50 cancellation fee applies and applications can take up to two weeks.

Glenview Mansion - Glenview Mansion, Cottage and Farm is a historic home and surrounding property located at Rockville, Montgomery County, Maryland. The house is a 1926 Neo-Classical Revival style house on 65 acres of landscaped ground.  Call ahead to be sure there’s not an event happening on the grounds. No fee or application.

Union Mills Homestead: 3311 Littletown Pike Union Mill, MD. No permit fee, just send them an email at info@unionmills.org or on their facebook page Union Mills Homestead Foundation, Inc. to let them know you would like to visit. As long as we continue to respect their space, they will continue to let photographers use it. They have open fields, lots of open shade, old barns, stone walls, gardens, mill, streams, bridges, stone paths, fences.

Prince George’s County

Prince Georges County Parks – Photography is strictly prohibited, this includes conducting class instruction for a fee and the taking of photographs or videos.

Baltimore County, Maryland

Cylburn Aboretum – permits must be requested 21 days in advance; free for parties of 10 or less people (including the photographer) $150 for 10-19 people. Limit 1 hour, limited to Wednesdays through Sundays 10am to 4pm

Howard Rawlings Conservatory  (as of 9/2/12) said they require a permit for indoor photography ‘for profit’. I am told the permit is $100 per hour visit and has to be paid in advance. Commercial photography can be permitted in advance of photo shoot by contacting our events coordinator at 410-396-4860, 410-396-0180 or by Ciara.willis@baltimorecity.gov

Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Sandy Point State Park, Maryland  – Ideal for sandy beach sessions. Requires a $30 permit fee

Downs Park - professional photographers must contact the supervisor at the park prior to shooting at the park.

Ft. Smallwood Park - professional photographers must contact the supervisor at the park prior to shooting at the park.

Quiet Waters Park - professional photographers must contact the supervisor at the park prior to shooting at the park.

 Harford County, Maryland

Liriodendron Mansion  – No fee or permit, just call ahead of time. Morning is the best time for a session on the weekends

Rockfield Manor  - No fee or permit, just call ahead of time. Morning is the best time for a session on the weekends

Jerusalem Mill - No fee or permit, just call ahead of time. Morning is the best time for a session on the weekends

Harford Glen - No fee or permit, just call ahead of time. Morning is the best time for a session on the weekends

Mariner Point Park - No fee or permit, just call ahead of time. Morning is the best time for a session on the weekends

Carrol County, Maryland 

Watkins Park      – Mount Airy, MD (not to be confused with Watkins Regional Park in Prince George’s County).  An email to the park from a photographer on May 21, 2013 resulted in information that “ no permit is required.”

Cecil County, Maryland

Elk Neck Sate Park  - No fee or permit, just call ahead of time.

Susquehanna State Park – Call for more information

Virginia

Fairfax County, Virginia

Fairfax County VA requires a permit for ANY public park use, even a tiny dog park. If you are charging for your work you can pay $100 a session to Park Authority or $500 a year for the use of the public parks.  However, they do not have this listed on the website only posted on a sign at the entrances to the parks.

 Meadowlark Botanical Gardens - has a $25 permit fee, applications should be submitted one week in advance.  From one Photographer April 27, 2013: “they are now requiring all photographers to fill out a form to register with them, provide proof of insurance, and you are only allowed to photograph no more than 2 clients there in the same day and for a max of 2 hours combined… fee is now $25 plus per person…”

Rock Spring Park

Burke Lake Park

 Spotsylvania County, Virginia

Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Military Parks - has begun enforcing the National Park Service’s regulations

Chatham Manor has begun enforcing the National Park Service’s regulations

Manassas Battlefield Park does not have the permits listed on their site but they are governed under National Park Service regulations

*** It should be noted that professional portrait and wedding photography is not the same as the work done by a photojournalist or the same as a tourist snapshot as it relates to the laws, regulations and permit process.  Even though you may be permitted in many places to photograph your friends and family with your iPhone, professional portrait (and wedding) photographers do not have the same options.   Citizen photographers are protected under several laws  even though, historically there have been plenty of news reports about how some law enforcement officers and security guards are misinformed.  Photojournalists documenting news and events for informing the public also have several protections.   DC’spublic photography laws can be found here

The post Outdoor Photography Permits appeared first on Kat Forder.

Earlier this month I wrote about some of the myths about becoming a professional photographer.  It seems that every week professional photographers find more of their friends and family declaring that they are now photographers too.  While we’re always thrilled that our friends and family are having fun and enjoying a new hobby (or maybe even taking steps to become a professional) all too often we see the same mistakes repeated over and over again.

So, to save you some heartache, frustration, (and your marriage, house and well-being) here’s five more myths about becoming a photographer:

Myth #11: By calling yourself a “natural light photographer” you’ll look professional

Without light there is no photograph, and the best photographers are those who can create and work with light anywhere, at any time.

Professional photographers know the difference between someone who knows light and someone who takes snapshots.  Often  you’ll find pros shaking their heads when they encounter a new photographer’s  photographer’s portfolio proudly advertising that they are only a natural light photographer.”  What they usually means is that the photographer doesn’t know how to use supplemental lighting or that they can’t afford off camera lighting.

Many professional photographers would say that you can’t be a professional portrait photographer without first knowing and using light.

Let me be clear, there are some absolutely incredible natural light photographers in the world.  But honestly, that kind of photographer is one in a million.  I love shooting natural light portraits, but there is no way that I would go to a portrait photography session without some type of flash gear, just in case. Natural light photography can be beautiful, but don’t let this be an excuse for not having the tools to get the shot.

Solution to problem #11: Start learning!  Make the leap!

Myth#12: If you don’t have enough clients, do a Facebook give-away!

If you’ve spent time studying advertising in college or university you’ll know exactly why this marketing tactic fails in some way, every single time. I have probably seen a dozen or more giveaways on Facebook pages for beginning pro photographers.  Most of the time, it ends up that your Uncle John, your neighbor Sarah, and 10 of your friends are the only people who enter the contest.  Then, you’re stuck doing portraits for your buddies and you never attract any new clients.

Giveaways and social media can be great tools, but don’t think you’ll get people pounding down your door just by tossing out a freebie.  Marketing photography takes skill, perseverance, and creativity.

Solution to problem #12: Use your brain!  Be creative and think of ways to get people talking about your business.  Take a marketing class or two and do your research first.  If you don’t already know exactly what the other photographers in your area are doing for their marketing and know how you can do yours differently, or better then you are not ready to be charging for your work.

Myth #13: You can become a destination or travel photographer by writing, “Available for travel” on your bio page.

The truth is that most clients choose a photographer at the location rather than paying for one to fly across the country or across the world to shoot their wedding.  Getting jobs like this does not come by simply wanting it.

Solution to problem #13: Most of the destination wedding photographers I know get the job when they have been around for a while and built up a reputation as a trustworthy professional.  Once you have done the client’s family picture, senior pictures, and engagement photos, you’re in the running for getting a destination gig if you do truly fantastic work.   The other way to get the destination wedding gigs is to cater to clients who travel.  Clients who travel frequently are often willing to pay the premium required for a photographer they know and trust to travel to the location because they know the consequences of not hiring a trusted professional.

So, either work your way into the high-end market, or take the time to cultivate relationships with families so they wouldn’t dare let anyone else shoot their wedding.

Myth #14: Networking is optional.

Aside from the importance of networking to learn and grow as a photographer, networking with other people in the industry is vital to get jobs, and learn about your local industry.

Solution to problem #14: Seek out local professional photography groups long before you open your business and start charging for your work behind the camera.  You’ll quickly learn that you have so much you can learn from your peers.

Myth #15: Nobody will notice that your portfolio consists of the same 5 people in every shot.

Yes, they will.  They definitely notice, and they will definitely not choose to pay the “new guy” the same as the photographer across town who has 20 years worth of photos in his portfolio.  You aren’t going to pull the wool over their eyes.

Solution to problem #15:  Get out there and shoot!  It’s obvious, but if you only have 5 shoots worth of photos to put in your portfolio, then I still need to explain this obvious point to you again.

The post More myths about becoming a professional photographer appeared first on Kat Forder.

I just read an article today from Event Planner Beth Bernstein that had me pumping my fist in the air shouting “yes, yes!”   Her article “Simple is not always simple” touched on exactly the trend many photographers are seeing in the wedding industry- certainly in the DC/Maryland area.

For those who don’t know yet, photographers network together, professional photographers especially.  Even when we’re flat out busy, skipping meals, canceling movie nights with our friends, we’re still out there talking to each other because it’s an essential business practice.  One of the common discussions these days is how couples are trying to save on their wedding day.  There are some really creative ideas out there!

Here are a few that might help you:

1)  Consider a day-time wedding.  Many venues will offer a reduced price for morning weddings because they can still fit in an evening wedding on the same day.  Service oriented professionals like photographers and DJs are less likely to be able to offer you a discounted rate for a day time wedding mostly because of logistics and wear and tear on our gear and ourselves!  (Working a 18+ hour day of physical work will only result in reduced quality for one or both the clients booked in the same day)

2) Prioritize your budget towards what’s most important.  Is it more important that you have a once-in -a-lifetime killer dress, or is it more important that your family and friends are up out of their seats, dancing the night away?  If the dress is more important you should expect to be paying more for the dress than your DJ or live band.  Same applies to photography, flowers, cake and more.  If your decor costs more than your photographer, then the photographer is not a high priority for your day (and that’s ok!)

3) Break free from tradition.   A little tradition helps make your day meaningful and memorable, but if you’re struggling with maintaining a specific budget for your day too much tradition can really hurt the wallet.

4) Plan ahead.  Just five years ago it was quite common to meet with couples who were planning their wedding one, two or more years away.  Planning and booking ahead of time saves you in the long run on everything from cakes to venues to photographers and cinematographers.  You can expect to pay at least 50% more on rush orders for your cake, and similar pricing for rush orders on dress and suit alterations.  Venues, DJs and professional photographers usually raise their prices before each wedding season to keep up with the costs of equipment, cost of living increases and other expenses.  By booking early you have a chance to avoid those price increases.

5) Reduce your guest list .  Rather than driving a hard bargain with your vendors trying to have them do more for less, take a hard look at your guest list.  Do you really need to have Aunt Mildred’s cousin twice removed attending your celebrations?  Can you trim that guest list down, even by a few guests?  At an average cost of $250 – $700 per person attending your celebrations, the savings can add up quickly.

The post How to save on your wedding appeared first on Kat Forder.

Over lunch with another Maryland Custom Photographer we spoke about a long time client of hers who had recently decided to have their family pictures done at the local Mall Photographer (ie Picture People or JC Penny Portrait Studios).

My friend was distressed thinking that maybe she’d done something wrong to cause the client to go to a different photographer, especially because she knew the quality her client would be getting from the Mall Photographer wouldn’t come close to what she could offer.  Did she need to have a second look at her expenses and pricing?  Does she need to spend more time showing her clients the quality difference?

These are questions that all small business people are faced with at one point or another. The baker sees the cost of flour rising and has to adjust his prices accordingly.  Small businesses are constantly having to examine their prices, policies, sales and margins because there is a very, very slim profit margin to be had as a small business owner in any market, and in any economy.

So, like any savvy business person, my friend and I began researching.  We pulled up coupons and flyers, then websites and finally made some phone calls to different local Mall Photographers.  We found some interesting information:

- Mall Photographers are not as affordable as they seem at first glance!

- The quality of the photography was really as bad as we feared when we began our research

- Mall Photographers are often high school or university students making minimum wage, without benefits

- The photographers in Mall studios often begin working without even the most basic training required to operate the camera

- Even while the demand for portraits rises and our world becomes increasingly visually based, many Mall Studios are going out of business - their business model is failing

- Department stores and Mall Photographers have a low cost business model focused on paying their workers the least amount possible and relying  heavily on up-selling products to the customer.  The super low sitting fee is intended to get you in the door.  Department store portrait studios often operate at a loss, or just barely break even.  Their whole reason for existing is to draw clients into the store where hopefully they’ll make other purchases at the same time.

I did some number crunching by selecting an experienced local photographer with high quality work who offers digital images at a low to mid-range pricing (meaning they are priced very competitively – nowhere near the highest priced and certainly not the lowest priced Custom Photographer in the area).  Then we selected a Mall Photographer who appeared to be mid range for their category.  Picture People turned out to be right in the middle of the pack.  Picture People does not have all their pricing and policies on their website, you do have to call them to get more details, but much of what I’ve included here is available online if you hunt for it!

Any comparison between these two options was quite difficult (just as comparing fast food to a five star restaurant is nearly impossible!) however I tried to level the playing field to compare the one item almost all clients want – the high resolution digital images. We already know that quality can’t be compared easily, so what would it cost a client to get those digital images at a Custom Photographer vs a Mall Photographer?  Is it really more cost effective for our clients to go to the Mall Photographer?

Here are the numbers:

So how can a client choose a photographer?  Consider your needs carefully, there is a place for both the Mall Photographer and the Custom Photographer out there – they serve two different needs.   Do you really want one or two “ok” images?  Or do you want a keepsake, an album or something to place on your wall?  Do you have a little one who will sit still when asked, or will he be distracted and spend your allotted 20 minutes playing with the props and running around the studio?

Consider doing some research on the company’s practices.  Learn about why a Custom Photographer prices their work as they do (ask your photographer!  really, we don’t mind!). Learn how to judge a photographer’s website and what you can expect during a session with a Custom Photographer

More reading:

An Artist goes Undercover at a Portrait Studio

Do You Always Get What You Pay For?

The post Custom Photographer or Mall Photographer? appeared first on Kat Forder.

This week I found two more of my high school chums offering portrait sessions for a few bucks in their backyard.  The friend in me wants to cheer and congratulate them on trying something new. The professional photographer part of me wants to cringe knowing the mistakes that these friends will be making.

Starting out as a pro photographer is very exciting.   Unfortunately, I have seen dozens and dozens of photographers start out with all the excitement in the world, but eventually fail as a professional photographer.  The reason is, they begin approaching this as a hobby, then slap on a dollar amount to charge friends and family and then call it a day.

This is a big mistake, in more ways than one, especially if you’re aiming to become a professional.  I’ll say it again, you are setting yourself up for failure if you do not do your due diligence and set yourself up as a proper business.  (And yes, if you are taking money for a service, you are a business).

Sometimes the failure means they simply don’t find enough clients, sometimes that failure means getting sued, sometimes that failure means losing more than you gain, but most often…. that failure occurs when–one year into running the side business–the photographer realizes that it just isn’t bringing in enough money to be worth her time.

The post 10 Myths (and solutions!) about becoming a professional photographer appeared first on Kat Forder.