What’s in an image?

Speaking with a friend recently, and she mentioned she had several choices for senior portraits and asked how PTP may be different. That literally is such a GREAT question I would love to answer!    So began the story of what goes into professional photography for the high school senior with many choices out there!   So, here’s a bit of education about what and why senior photography is different for each photographer and studio, from my perspective.

Whats in an image?  It is sometimes an eye opener not only for myself but to clients, knowing exactly what a professional photographer has to account for in each and every image.    I hope this helps you understand what goes into running a studio and it’s costs.

The Session

• I’d like to think my first asset is my ART.  Photography is unique and individual for each and every client, no matter what the format, senior, family, corporate, or children s images.  At PTP, we strive to create the uniqueness that you want.  Like i have said… “we like cookies at PTP.. but we are not cookie cuter photography”.  If the style of PTP is not to you liking, then continue your hunt for a professional photographer and i hope this provides insight to what goes into running a business.
• The planning process for a session complies layers of efforts sometimes.  Time, emails, phone calls, and messages happen.   Sometimes it may be coordinating make up and fine tuning details.  This is a part of customer service I think is so important to give clients, an experience they will treasure.
• Culling, Editing, unique and personal style to your session images.  Taking an image and creating a unique piece of art, from hand retouching, editing, and tweaking it to make it ‘sing’ once it hits your hands.  Little do people know, for PTP thculling process is about triple the actual photography time.  That does not include editing time once images are ordered.  Not only do we want to have you see the best possible images, but we want them to look and feel a cut above the rest.  We strive to provide a product you will cherish for life.
• The necessities:  Professional equipment, lenses, camera body, changing room, reflectors, the list goes on…
• Did i mention session FUN?  Combine Experience, Talent a bit of humor and you get the occasional goofiness.
• And an added bonuses to using PTP for your senior portraits, you receive a complimentary family portrait session when you schedule your senior… the importance of family is foremost on our mind!

What do you receive after the session?

• You get to choose the images you like.
• You choose the packages you like AND order what you like, not have images chosen for you.   PTP has a couple of different ordering options.   And,  for each gift print you order, you receive a digital file for personal usage and one for social media.
• Is it harder than getting a CD in your hand of images?  YES IT IS.  But my JOB is about creating art for your walls.  Part of a professional photographers job is making sure we help in the process, make it as easy as possible, and that we are satisfying the client.  I feel, as a professional i would be doing half my job if i gave a CD away, making the job is partially done, not complete.
• The vision of the artist can be completely different f the client and if you are not personally interacting with the client on this vision, you have several different interpretations of how it will look the best.  I love that my clients like me to recommend  images that i feel are favorites from the session.  They look for ideas of using the images and guidance on how they look best on the wall.  They value the expertise and commitment to the image itself.
• The session, the ordering time, and the products.  PTP works hard to stay current on unique and amazing products. Which leads to the next issue, that NOT All photography labs are created equal.  PTP currently works with SIX different labs to find the highest level of QUALITY Images, unique products, and a LIFELONG product for you home.  There are standards that are reached to be considered a professional lab, which differ than a lab that the general population can order prints from.

Customer Service:

• Customer Service… hopefully we have achieved a unique experience with the camera that carrys over into interactions, start to finish with PTP.
• We are a full service studio.  You may not need them, but we have backgrounds, studio lighting, equipment, a studio space, and an office we get to meet face to face.
• Guarantee of satisfactions.   Images and Art… that’s what we do!
• My goal is to create not only create clients, but clients and friends for life!

Cost of Business:

• costs of goods, running a business, and education  (check out a recent blog:  https://ptpnancy.wordpress.com/2012/07/08/lots-wonder-few-ask-what-goes-into-that-image/

A large factor for the influx of ‘photographers in the market’ the past few years is The Digital Era is there are SO many choices for your senior portraits…..Great camera’s at an inexpensive price, great talent too!

• The ‘friend’- loves to take photo’s, with the great camera’s out there, this is plentiful!
• The amateur the one that loves takes photo’s and is good, but maybe not licensed to run a business.
• The New photographers on the way to a successful business, but not understanding the depth of running a business and expenses entailed.
• The professionals experienced and educated at running a full-time photography business.

There is great talent in each category, the choices are overwhelming.  But there are people with a camera, doing good work, but not fully understanding what it takes to run a photography business.  Each and every client or job is important to us, so the more we can educate clients and other photographers, the more we can focus on creating ART.  In part education of both the photographer and the industry greatly effects pricing.

For the consumer, think about does your photographer  have proper licenses, run a legit businesses, pay taxes, carry insurance, and then charge appropriately?    You go to work to make a living and to take a vacation.  You work to pay taxes and insurance.  Does your photographer?  Sure hope so.  Often the client does not consider the artist a business person as well as a photographer.   I LOVE my job, but business comes first, photography second when i account for my time.

Here are a few professional organizations that help us greatly learn about not only photography but the business side of the industry.  I not only encourage you to check out who are members in your area at state and national levels.  As, the more our clients are educated, the easier our job is.  PTP is a member of both organizations, bringing richness to both the creative and business side.

https://www.ppa.com/findaphotographer/

https://www.pporegon.com/find-photographer/map?city=west+linn

Our hope is this post will help educate clients on what the costs of running a legitimate photography business. Hopefully this will help you choose what type of photography is best for your senior for their once in a lifetime experience, help educate you as to pricing, and each image. So, when looking into senior photography, think about all that may go into running a business. PTP has been in business for over 15 years, running a full-time business.  We continually Support the community, schools, and organizations by gifts of time, talent, and funds.

So happy images, choose wisely, and most of all with your senior, have a fantastic year!

Check PTP out at the 2012 Street of Dreams Delahunt Home beginning July 28-Aug. 26th.