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Why Choose Custom Photography?

December 16, 2011 by Tanya Boggs Leave a Comment

Credit for the following blog post goes to author Marianne Drenthe of Marmalade Photography.  You can find the original post at her website.

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Tanya Boggs Photography, Custom Photography Charleston SC

Image by Tanya Boggs Photography

Custom Photography is something special!

Custom photography is more of a luxury than your entry-level cookie cutter chain experience.  Custom photography truly is not for everyone as it requires a level of commitment, investment in time and money, forethought and planning on the part of the subject/client and requires a larger time commitment for the photographer as well.

Clients who enjoy taking a more active role in the creation of their families’ memories have the desire to have portrait art that is truly personalized.  These more discerning clients budget and allot time for a custom photography session.  Many clients opt for it to be a once a year special experience, some opt to have custom photography sessions done to record their child’s stages in life.  Having said this, it is clear that custom photography is not in everyone’s budget. It is something that some families save for to splurge on from time to time to memorialize their children as they really are  (not posed and primped in the cookie cutter studio setting).

There is a great deal of time involved in creating high-end custom photography sessions for a client.  But really, what’s it all about? It’s about the luxury of great service, better choices and a superb end product.  The result of all this are heirloom images and a family legacy.  The time invested at the session is only a small portion of time involved in this process.

Custom photography has been likened to purchasing a fine vehicle.  To get from point A to point B, let’s face it, even a bus ride would suffice.  But if you want to luxuriate in a finely appointed vehicle, customizing your own experience by listening to smooth jazz while sitting in a climate controlled setting adjusted purely for your comfort in a body hugging leather interior, perhaps that Lexus you so desire is your cup of tea.  Custom photography  is the Lexus of the photography world.  It is where the intangibles make the experience truly wonderful and the images themselves make the investment of money and time truly worthwhile.

Custom photography can be broken down into even more levels.  There are on location, studio, mixed studio/on location, specialty location and destination type photographers.  The beauty of custom photography is in the choices and in the luxury of those options.  The customized service level you are sure to experience will be amazing.  The knowledge that your final images are the result of someone caring about those moments so much that they take extra time ensuring that the artwork you receive is good enough to put their name on it.  That level of quality and commitment is all but lost in the age of “mass-produced,” “mass marketed,” corporate “everyone is a number”.  Custom photography is based on being unique to you.  How great of an experience would it be, to be able to sit back and allow a photographer to do this highly custom work for you and create images that you will most likely cherish for a lifetime?

One last thing to consider, the Lexus will never appreciate in value the way your portraits will.  The portrait art you become invested in from your custom photographer will no doubt increase in value and become more priceless to you as the years pass.

Tanya Boggs Photography, Custom Photography, Charleston SC

Image by Tanya Boggs Photography

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Filed Under: Business of Photography, Family Portraits, Portrait, Rules of Engagement

What is Custom Photography?

December 12, 2011 by Tanya Boggs Leave a Comment

Credit for the following blog post goes to author Marianne Drenthe of Marmalade Photography.  You can find her original post at her website.

The photographic art you choose to place on your wall is ultimately the result of the vision of the photographer. This vision, coupled with what you wear to your session, the environment, the lighting, even the mood the subjects are in at the time of photographing, creates the work that you will want to proudly display on your walls forevermore.

Your first step in the process is more about determining who you are, who your family is and then seeking a photographer that reflects your style. For instance let’s say your family is extremely outdoorsy and loves playing on the beach. To start determining what style you like, browse through photography website portfolios and determine if any of the styles shown there would be a good fit with your life and family style.

Finally after a bit of internet research, you narrow it down to two photographers who do what seems like solid work, the sort of outdoor look you desire.  It is now time to ask yourself: Do you like photographer A’s style over photographer B’s style? Is it because the people in the images of A’s style are having a great time and it seems very caught up in the moment vs. B photographer’s images that are more posed, looking in the camera? Whichever photographer you decide is right for you, make sure you clearly communicate what your desired outcome is with the images.  Do you want fun spontaneous images or a more formal and posed portrait.  Also have a discussion about how you intend to use the images.  Are you looking for wall portraits – art to showcase in your home, or do you simply want some prints to put in an album.fh

So what is custom photography? Ultimately it is about choice and expertise. Custom photography is about finding someone with the right experience who will photograph your family, give you devoted one on one attention without the feeling of a crowded portrait studio, and with the confidence that you will get a great product you’ll be excited to display proudly in your home.

  • A custom photographer will meet with you to discuss your family and your interests and be interested in getting to know what you’re all about.
  • A custom photographer will want to make sure they understand your needs and what you are looking for out of the session, so that you leave happy and satisfied.
  • Typically a custom photographer will show you a selective gallery of images  that meet the photographers’ high standards and creative sensibilities.
  • Often the images are fully edited images-color corrected with blemishes and dark under-eye circles removed.
  • Custom photographers are also known as boutique studios, offering a range of products and unparalleled service. Think Lexus vs. Hyundai, think Nordstrom vs. Wal-Mart.

A custom photography experience should have you, the client, and your experience as the central focus of all they do!

Here at Tanya Boggs Photography our number one priority is your family and working together to create a legacy that will bring you joy for years to come.

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Filed Under: Business of Photography, Family Portraits, Portrait, Rules of Engagement

Why Does Custom Photography Cost More?

December 6, 2011 by Tanya Boggs Leave a Comment

Specializing in Newborn Portrait Photography, Charleston SCThe following blog was written by author Marianne Drenthe of Marmalade Photography from the website Professional Child Photographer.  Please feel free to chime in with Comments at the end!

The digital revolution has brought amazing flexibility and ability to control various factors during the image taking and making process.  Photographers, the hobbyist, the professional, the amateur all benefit from this ability to manipulate pixels.  However, with flexibility comes a price.  Digital camera equipment is still considerably more expensive when you factor in its’ lifespan, the need for additional resources for processing those images, the time it takes to get a usable image and the effort that goes into creating a work of photographic art. We all know that you can go to the local Walgreen’s and pay a $1.99 for a print – as a client you may wonder why you may pay upwards of $50, $70, $90 for a custom 8×10 photography print.   Photographers hear this statement every once in a while:

“How in the world can you charge $60 for an 8×10 if it costs me less than $2 to print at x store?”

The truth of the matter is the answer to this question is multifaceted.  Much of the cost of a photographic print produced by a professional photographer has a lot to do with the time, equipment costs, artistic vision and reputation of the photographer not to mention expertise and the usual costs of running a legitimate business. The cost of TIME Approaching it from a time standpoint, let’s imagine that you have hired a photographer who has work that you love.  This photographer is traveling an hour to your destination to photograph your session.  Here is an example of a time break down:

  • booking time: 30 minutes to one hour (client contact time + paperwork)
  • pre-session prep time (30 mins – 1 hour, includes equipment and back up equipment checks + vehicle checks)
  • one hour travel time TO session
  • 15-30 minutes prep time at client’s home
  • 90 minutes-2 hours with client photographing subject
  • one hour travel time FROM session
  • 30-45 minutes uploading time from digital cards from camera to computer
  • 30-45 minutes time spent backing up the original images
  • 2-5 hours editing time to present you with a diverse gallery of edited images
  • 1 hour prep time getting ready for ordering
  • 2-3 hours time with client for ordering images
  • 1 hour sorting through and checking order
  • 30 minutes-1 hour prep time for delivery
  • 30 minutes-1 hour getting order shipped
  • any additional phone time or time needed for add-on ordering, shipment issues, quality issues

In this example, the time spent per client can range from just under 13 hours to 19 hours – dependent on the photographer’s level of service.  This is time dedicated only to ONE session.  When the photographer charges $300 for the photo shoot you are not just paying for the two hours of session time, you are paying the photographer for 12-19 hours complete time for your session.

The COSTS of Maintaining a Custom Photography Business:

Regarding equipment costs, a good quality professional camera with a selection of good optical quality lenses and digital storage mediums and computer set up can run from $10,000-$30,000 costs dependent on the photographer.  Even though you can purchase a really good quality digital SLR for about $2100 there are still other costs related to photography.  A good lens for portrait photography can run from $900 to $2500.  A dependable computer system with software loaded for business and creative usage can run $2500 to $8000 dependent on the photographer. Then come lab costs for specialty products.  A good photographer knows their professional lab is an integral part of their success.  These labs often cost more and offer a range of products that allows the custom photographer to continually offer new, innovative products for the discerning client.

Discussion on other costs of running a photography business could take a while so we’ll skip many of the intricate details.  An overview:  the costs of running the business, taxes, studio rental/mortgage if the photographer has ownership of a dedicated studio, vehicular costs, costs of advertising/marketing, costs of sample pieces that the photographer will likely bring to your session, etc.

APPLES to ORANGES to BANANAS: Often times clients will mention to their photographer that X studio in the mall/department store only charges $19.99 for an 8×10 “sheet” or they may mention other things related to discount photography chains.  The fact is those discount chains make their money on volume, not on customized 1:1 service.  In February 2007 a company who has leased photography retail space in a rather well-known discount retailer closed down 500 of their portrait studios across the nation.  The reason it happened is simple, you cannot make money on 99¢ “professional” prints if you do not sell enough of them.  Interestingly enough – those same studios that offer the loss leader packages often charge much much more for their a la carte pricing vs. many custom photographers (as high as $40-50 for an 8×10).

A little history – the whole reason the big department stores began offering portrait services in the first place was to get you, the savvy consumer, in through their door so that you could spend more money with them in other departments.  Your “PORTRAITS” are considered the “loss leader”.  Your portraits that are meant to symbolize a once-in-a-lifetime stage in your child’s life are part of what a store considers a way to get you in their door to spend more money on goods that you might not really want or need but because you’re there “anyway” you buy.

Also keep in mind that when you go to a chain studio, as a consumer, you don’t have the benefit of 1:1 attention for 2 hours at your home where your child is allowed to explore, play and be comfortable in their home environment, nor do you get the experience that many custom photographers are known for as well as the lovely captures of natural expressions.  You simply get a bare bones, “SAY CHEESE” experience.

REPUTATION/EXPERTISE of the PHOTOGRAPHER:  There is an old story about a ship that cost a company millions of dollars.  Something went wrong in the engine room and the ship was stuck in dock.  They called various “experts” who spent weeks trying to fix the issue to no avail and at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars.  Finally an older gentleman was called in who simply brought in his small tool bag and a hammer.  He set about pinging on various parts of the vast engine with his hammer, finally settling on one area.  He spent a few minutes pinging in that area, took out a few tools and fixed whatever what was wrong.  After a few moments the man straightened up, looked at the captain and instructed him to “start her up.”  The captain disbelieving, went to get the engines started while the man sat in the engine room listening as the engine roared to life.  The man tipped his hat as he exited the ship to the staff who sat dumbfounded because they had seen all the experts come on board for days with their expensive equipment only to have the ship not fixed.  This man did it in a few minutes with a few pings of his hammer!

A few days passed and the man sent the shipping company a bill for $10,000.  The accounting department contacted him immediately.  Why all the rumors mentioned that this man had only spent “a few minutes” fixing the ship “with his hammer and a few other random tools”.  When questioned about why his bill was for $10,000 – did he accidentally leave an extra zero on the bill?  The man confidently responded: “In fact the time was worth the $1,000.  The other $9,000 was for the years of experience and the ability to discern the issue as quickly as possible for the company.”

Now I’m not saying that photographers fix large ships but being in demand, being well-known for quality work, having a good reputation often costs time on the photographer’s part (years of practice, study, experience, etc).  A photographer’s expertise comes at a cost, their time learning their craft and learning the intricacies of lighting and the commitment put forth on their end to create a persona about their business that oozes professionalism.  A great number of photographers go a very long time from the time that they purchase their first good camera to making money at the business of photography.  Many photographers, when first starting out, rush in thinking that the business will be easily profitable in no time, how expensive could it be to get a camera and use it to create their dream?  These photographers often undervalue what they do because they have the realization that they do not have experience or expertise but are very adept at pushing the shutter on the camera.  Many times these casual “professionals” neglect to factor in the cost of business, the cost of equipment, software, back ups, etc..  When you hire a photographer of sound reputation, you are hiring an expert, one that knows that they must always reinvest in their business to create the reputation of being top-notch.  To create good work a photographer possesses not only sound knowledge in the technical and creative aspects of photography but also good, reliable equipment and back up equipment.

The photographer who desires to be known as better/best/unparalleled reputation-wise knows that the most important thing they can do for their business is reliability and dependability.  This is how reputations get built.  Good work often is a wonderful side product of building that good reputation.

I hope this (lengthy) article helps shed some light on WHY a custom photographer is a better choice for your family’s memories.  The photographs that are produced as a result of the professionalism and dedication that your photographer has will be cherished for a lifetime (or more) and great thought and consideration should be placed into hiring who is right for your family’s most precious investment.

The above blog was written by author Marianne Drenthe of Marmalade Photography from the website Professional Child Photographer.  Please feel free to chime in with Comments!

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Filed Under: Business of Photography, Family Portraits, Portrait, Rules of Engagement

Photography, Social Media Space, and Ownership Issues {Licensing & Usage Rights}

September 15, 2011 by Tanya Boggs 2 Comments

Unique Images, Portrait Photography, Charleston, SCSo recently I’ve been bumping up against an interesting professional hazard.  I call it a hazard because I’m not sure how I would feel if photography wasn’t my business.

A little history and a little personal ranting…

Digital Photography has already created enormous changes in the photography industry and continues to do so.  With social media taking over the world comes new complexities to issues that are already heated and often difficult to navigate.

When professional photographers just shot with film, life just seemed simpler.  There was less education required because the client didn’t need to understand much more than the idea that the photographer owned their negatives.  Now everyone wants the images on disk and most people think photographers charge too much. And since everyone has a camera, they think they can produce the same high quality product as a professional photographer.  I mean why not, right? Just snap some photographs and download them. Easy enough, right?  NO!  There is SO MUCH MORE TIME and energy that goes into what we do. Once we click the shutter our job has only just begun!

Now add SOCIAL MEDIA to the pot and people think it’s open season. Many people don’t know or understand anything about ownership issues when it comes to photography.  It’s on the internet, so I can use it whenever, where ever and however I want, right?  It’s on the internet so it’s free, right? WRONG!

Now back to our regularly scheduled program… My most recent issue:

I’m not sure if this is a new phenomena or just new to me, but this has happened to me a few different times in the last couple of weeks.  I have uploaded my images onto Facebook and have discovered them used on other people’s Facebook pages.  And no, I’m not talking about when people “share” your photos, links, etc.  I love it when people press SHARE and show others.  It’s good marketing, it’s a nice little nod to the ego… you know!  No, I’m talking about people who have (I assume) downloaded my images, and uploaded them up on their page into an album.  I didn’t even know you could download images from Facebook until a few months ago.  Now I’m not sure how I feel about posting images anymore.  After it happened the first time, I left the copyright info in the description of my photos (my photo software embeds metadata in my images that default into the description field of photos when I upload them on Facebook.)  The second time I noticed it happened (different person) the copyright info was no longer present and clearly was NOT honored or acknowledged.

Tag yourself, share the album, knock yourself out!  You can even ask me for a copy of it.  But somehow having my pictures show up in someone else’s profile in their photo albums makes me feel unappreciated and a bit like someone stole them and claimed them as their own.

What do you think?  Am I overreacting?  Has something like this ever happened to you?  Help me out!  I need some opinions.

Customized Portrait Photographer, Charleston, SC

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Filed Under: Business of Photography, Rules of Engagement

10 Ways to Spot a Fake: How to know your “Professional Photographer” probably ISN’T

September 5, 2011 by Tanya Boggs 45 Comments

EVERYONE seems to a “Professional Photographer” these days.  If you have some nice digital camera equipment, it has become easier to make the claim that you too are a professional.  But before I tell you how to know when a so-called “professional” photographer probably isn’t a pro, let’s start with my working definition of a “professional” photographer:

  • A significant amount of the total income is derived from work as a photographer.
  • Has an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the mechanics of photography.
  • Knows how to use a camera in MANUAL MODE and rarely, if ever, uses the program modes.
  • Understands HOW to use a light meter, understands WHEN to use the exposure the light meter recommends, and knows when and WHY to ignore the light meter.

But what if you don’t claim to be a professional photographer and you don’t understand all of this technical jargon?  How would you spot a fake?

  1. The “pro” is only available in the evenings. (Translation: I have a day job)
  2. The “pro” is willing to do any job for around $100. (Translation: I have to pay for my expensive hobby or my spouse will kill me. The tell: No one can run a successful business model without accounting for the total amount of TIME required: prep time, session time, post-production time)
  3. The “pro” will give you all the images from your session immediately. (Translation: I haven’t learned how to use software to edit the images.)
  4. Included in your $100 fee is a disc of your images. (Translation: This isn’t a business, it’s just a way to make a little extra money so I don’t really have anything to sell you. The tell: A successful photography business model depends on sales!  Professionals will often give you a CD for an extra fee or with a minimum order.)
  5. The “pro” takes 300+ images and gives them ALL to you on disc. (Translation: I have no idea what makes a great photograph so without a discernible eye, I think everything I do is good.)
  6. A 1 hour session takes hours longer than expected or a small family portrait session gets scheduled for 2-3 hours. (Translation:  I have no confidence in my abilities as a photographer.)
  7. The “pro” shows up to your wedding/event with a pop-up on-camera flash. (Translation: I’m in way over my head!  I’ve never photographed a wedding and have no idea what equipment I might need.)
  8. The “pro” claims they do everything: I am a food/fashion/wedding/landscape/portrait/editorial photographer. (Translation: I haven’t been doing this long enough to know what I’m good at or enjoy doing.)
  9. When you ask the “pro” about the aperture they’re using, they respond “Bless You!” (Translation: I don’t know anything technical about photography.  I just put my camera on P mode and let the camera make all the decisions.)
  10. The “pro” schedules doesn’t have any recommendations or suggestions about when would be a good time to schedule. (Translation: I know nothing about light or the difference between a good time or a bad time to shoot.)  The professional should be there to guide you and offer their opinion about what would be best suited for your needs, i.e. someone who does maternity portraits or newborns should offer thoughts about when is the best time to capture that special moment.

A good photographer knows their craft!  Anyone can buy nice equipment and let the camera make all the decisions.  But if you’re going to spend good money to hire a photographer, make sure you know what you’re paying for and that they have experience with the field you are requesting.

And if you are a budding amateur, FANTASTIC!  Begin to learn how to use the technology.  Geek out about it!  The idea is to eventually be in the driver’s seat, and understand how to be in control of the images you capture.  If you want to gain experience to increase your knowledge base, begin by offering free sessions to friends until you are comfortable and  build a portfolio.

Don’t just take photographs, MAKE great photographs!

Have you ever had a bad experience with a so-called professional in an industry, only later to realize that they may have misrepresented their experience?  What do you wish you had done differently?  What could they have done to be more forthright?

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Filed Under: Business of Photography, Photography Tips, Rules of Engagement

Capturing You and Your Brand with Authenticity!

What We Do
We provide Custom Branded Photography and Imaging tailored specifically for your small business brand and created to easily and beautifully convey your message in a way that immediately resonates with your clients.

We offer packages that will give you one of a kind, fresh content tailored for your use throughout your marketing avenues: newsletter, blog articles, and social media posts.

Why It Matters
We live in a world where people are craving experiences not products and stories are more important than just a string of stand alone images. In order to create lasting impact, brands need to create inspirational, visual and story-driven experiences for people to find, and lose themselves in.

Here at Tanya Boggs Photography, we know exactly what our clients want because we take the time to get to know you!  We ensure we’re tapped into your message and your vision - and then we begin crafting and creating beautiful, authentic images infused with life and meaning that connect you to your potential customer.

Social Media and Visual Branding
We offer social media services ranging from strategic planning, monitoring and analysis, and content development. We create fresh, new visual content for use in all promotional materials and can handle everything from pre-production planning, and on-location branded shoots to post-production and behind the scenes videos.

When you work with us, you will instantly have a partner you know is working with you and looking out for your business and your brand’s best interests. We bring ease back into your marketing and allow you to focus on what matters.

Tanya Boggs

Tanya Boggs

  With an MFA and two decades of experience in her rearview mirror, Tanya Boggs is an … Read More Here

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