I have been asked a lot lately…why it is that I do not “give” the disc of images with my photo shoots or why is it that my prints are so expensive.  I have finally decided it is time to address this issue head-on so that everyone can understand where I am coming from.  Over the weekend I was doing a little research and looking at different photographers work when I came across Kelly Moore’s site and I read her philosophy where she states “This ain’t  Sears, baby! Wow I thought - someone who is not afraid to put it out there and educate their clients about what it is they do.  No, this is not Sear, Kmart or the Portrait People - I really hope that my work reflects the true spirit of your family and touches a deep place within you when you view your images that have been created by me.  What it is, I am trying to create for you are images that will become timeless pieces that will bond your generation to the next and give you a real portrait of your children and family (yes, even those photos of your child throwing a tantrum or even those of them jumping up and down with delight are just as valuable and special as those images of them looking angelically into the camera).  I would love for people to think differently about what make a good portrait and I would like for them to consider those photos that capture the true nature of their children being themselves.  I realize that my style will not fit everyone’s needs or that there will be those who do not see the value in what I do and I am fine with that.

 

     Secondly, I do not just shoot and turn over images to you.  When someone hires me, there is much more to what I do than being a “picture taker”.  My passion for my art goes far beyond capturing little moments - I give your images the time and care they deserve to bring out the best in them. Yes, I do spend countless hours in front of my computer editing and making your photos pretty (I wish they came out of my camera looking like that - but who am I kidding?).  As much as we love our jobs, we also enjoy being compensated for the contribution we offer to help make these business successful.  I believe that as much as you all love your jobs - your family would think you were insane if you went to work everyday and got paid nothing for it… well, photography is no different.  Who are we kidding, I have never had a client come back to me after receiving the disc and place an order for portraits or albums.  When I give my work away, I not only cut off all possible income for myself but I have no control of how my work is being processed and presented (no not all labs are created the same - I use only the best professional labs that are not available to the general public to print your portraits).  Think of this, people are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for purses and designer clothing that go out of style the following season but find it difficult to invest in the most beautiful images of their family’s life time. Personally, I treasure those photos of my childhood days more than I ever thought I would have.   I really work hard to give my clients images that will make them feel good or even cry when they see how my images have captured the essence of their family - I want these images to last your life time as well as your child’s. I do not take for granted that it is an investment that my clients are making when they come to me and I really work hard to make their experience with me worth every penny.  It means a great deal to me that someone trust me with the preservation of their memories and I want to make sure that I am giving them the best that I can.  It makes it all worth it when I receive emails like this one:  It is not my goal to offend or hurt anyones feeling but I thought that I maybe able to educate the masses about what it is I do.    

 

     “Hi Patrice, I wanted you to know my sister emailed me and told me it brought tears to her eyes & mine too – they are growing so fast and your pictures are something we will have for years, they are timeless !!! Thank you,”client”   

 

 Trust me - I would love to be on the walls in every home in town and the have people talk about how amazing my work is - but it is more important to me that you see the value in what I have created.  I believe that ever child deserves to have their story told and to have amazing images that capture their spirit on paper - so weather it’s me or Sears, make sure it is someone that sees the true beauty in life.  

Again, I feel honored and priviledged to have been given the opportunity to capture your precious moments. Remember, “Life is Beautiful - capture it!”

 

You are greatly appreciated!

  

 

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 27th, 2008 and is filed under Personal, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or Trackback from your own site.