YAY!!!! I'm so excited...my new blog is finally live! All future posts can be found here...
http://www.laureencarruthersphotography.com/blog/
C'mon over!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
2009 Weddings...2 spots left!
Just letting you know that I only have two spots available for weddings this season...
I've just been to an amazing workshop in Phoenix with two of the greatest wedding photographers ever...and I am feeling totally inspired and can't wait to shoot weddings this year!!!
I've just been to an amazing workshop in Phoenix with two of the greatest wedding photographers ever...and I am feeling totally inspired and can't wait to shoot weddings this year!!!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
A Good Read...
This information has been shared by a fellow photographer, and thought might be interesting for some of my clients to read...
Why are Professional Photographers so expensive?
In this digital age where everyone has digital cameras, scanners and home "photo printers", when people upload their photos to a local drug store website and pick them up a few hours later, we hear this all the time - How in the world do Professional Photographers charge $55 for an 8x10 when they cost just $1.50 at the drug store?
Here's why.
Simply put, you're not just paying for the actual photograph, you're paying for time and expertise. First, let's look at the actual time involved. If you don't read this entire page, at least read this first part.
For a two hour portrait session:
- one hour of travel to and from the session
- two hours of shooting
- 30 minutes of setup, preparation, talking to the client etc.
- 30 minutes to load the photos onto a computer (2 - 4 Gb of data)
- 30 minutes to back up the files on an external drive
- 3 - 4 hours of Photoshop time including cropping, contrast, color, sharpening, saving a copy for print and a copy for the internet and backing up the edited photographs
- 2 - 3 hours to talk to the client, answer questions, receive their order and payment, order their prints, receive and verify prints, package prints, schedule shipment and drop package off at Fed Ex.
- For local customers, we also print a set of all of their photos, and meet them at our studio to review the photos and place their order. Meeting and travel time averages 2 hours.
You can see how one two hour session easily turns into more than ten hours of work from start to finish. So when you see a Photographer charging a $200 session fee for a two hour photo shoot, you are not paying them $100 / hour.
For an eight hour wedding:
- I won't bore you with the details, but an eight hour wedding typically amounts to at least two to three full 40 hour work weeks worth of time. Again, if they are charging you $4,000 for an eight hour wedding, you are not paying them $500 / hour.
Now for the expertise.
Shooting professional photography is a skill, acquired through years of experience. Even though a quality camera now costs under $2,000 taking professional portraits involves much more than a nice camera.
Most Professional Photographers take years to go from buying their first decent camera to making money with their photography. In addition to learning how to use the camera itself, there is a mountain of other equipment involved, as well as numerous software programs used to edit and print photographs, run a website etc.
And let's not forget that you actually have to have people skills, be able to communicate, make people comfortable in front of the camera - and posing people to make them look their best in a photograph is a skill all by itself.
Think of it this way - the next time you pay $X to get your hair done, a pair of scissors only costs $1.50. But you gladly pay a lot more to hire a Professional.
What about the cheap studios at the mall?
Please don't compare us to the chain store studios. But if you must, consider all of the time and work that we put into our photographs, compared to what they do. Good luck getting a two hour photo shoot at a chain store. Not to mention they won't come to the beach! And of course, look at our work compared to theirs. You get what you pay for.
The truth is, most of the mall and chain store studios lose money. In fact, in 2007 Wal-Mart closed 500 of their portrait studios because of the financial drain they were putting on the company. What the chain stores bet on is that you'll come in for some quick and cheap photos, and while you're there, you'll also spend $200 on other things. They don't have to make money, they are just there to get you in the door.
Conclusion
We hope that those who have taken the time to read this page will have a better understanding of why professional photographs cost so much more than the ones that you get from your local drug store.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Here's the link to his site...
http://www.caughtonfilmphoto.com/costofphotography.html
Why are Professional Photographers so expensive?
In this digital age where everyone has digital cameras, scanners and home "photo printers", when people upload their photos to a local drug store website and pick them up a few hours later, we hear this all the time - How in the world do Professional Photographers charge $55 for an 8x10 when they cost just $1.50 at the drug store?
Here's why.
Simply put, you're not just paying for the actual photograph, you're paying for time and expertise. First, let's look at the actual time involved. If you don't read this entire page, at least read this first part.
For a two hour portrait session:
- one hour of travel to and from the session
- two hours of shooting
- 30 minutes of setup, preparation, talking to the client etc.
- 30 minutes to load the photos onto a computer (2 - 4 Gb of data)
- 30 minutes to back up the files on an external drive
- 3 - 4 hours of Photoshop time including cropping, contrast, color, sharpening, saving a copy for print and a copy for the internet and backing up the edited photographs
- 2 - 3 hours to talk to the client, answer questions, receive their order and payment, order their prints, receive and verify prints, package prints, schedule shipment and drop package off at Fed Ex.
- For local customers, we also print a set of all of their photos, and meet them at our studio to review the photos and place their order. Meeting and travel time averages 2 hours.
You can see how one two hour session easily turns into more than ten hours of work from start to finish. So when you see a Photographer charging a $200 session fee for a two hour photo shoot, you are not paying them $100 / hour.
For an eight hour wedding:
- I won't bore you with the details, but an eight hour wedding typically amounts to at least two to three full 40 hour work weeks worth of time. Again, if they are charging you $4,000 for an eight hour wedding, you are not paying them $500 / hour.
Now for the expertise.
Shooting professional photography is a skill, acquired through years of experience. Even though a quality camera now costs under $2,000 taking professional portraits involves much more than a nice camera.
Most Professional Photographers take years to go from buying their first decent camera to making money with their photography. In addition to learning how to use the camera itself, there is a mountain of other equipment involved, as well as numerous software programs used to edit and print photographs, run a website etc.
And let's not forget that you actually have to have people skills, be able to communicate, make people comfortable in front of the camera - and posing people to make them look their best in a photograph is a skill all by itself.
Think of it this way - the next time you pay $X to get your hair done, a pair of scissors only costs $1.50. But you gladly pay a lot more to hire a Professional.
What about the cheap studios at the mall?
Please don't compare us to the chain store studios. But if you must, consider all of the time and work that we put into our photographs, compared to what they do. Good luck getting a two hour photo shoot at a chain store. Not to mention they won't come to the beach! And of course, look at our work compared to theirs. You get what you pay for.
The truth is, most of the mall and chain store studios lose money. In fact, in 2007 Wal-Mart closed 500 of their portrait studios because of the financial drain they were putting on the company. What the chain stores bet on is that you'll come in for some quick and cheap photos, and while you're there, you'll also spend $200 on other things. They don't have to make money, they are just there to get you in the door.
Conclusion
We hope that those who have taken the time to read this page will have a better understanding of why professional photographs cost so much more than the ones that you get from your local drug store.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Here's the link to his site...
http://www.caughtonfilmphoto.com/costofphotography.html
Monday, April 6, 2009
Robyn!
Had a mini photoshoot of some special sisters yesterday...here is miss Robyn, looking especially adorable!
Every once in awhile...I enlist some help from my boys to get the kids to smile...needless to say, we got some great smiles after Parker came down to lend a hand...
Every once in awhile...I enlist some help from my boys to get the kids to smile...needless to say, we got some great smiles after Parker came down to lend a hand...
Monday, March 30, 2009
pure newborn squishiness!!
Every once in awhile...you get one of those sessions that just goes exactly as you'd hoped it would. Baby Kensley was absolutely perfect today...sleepy, bendy, squishy...everything a newborn photographer dreams of. Thanks again Jen and Chuck for allowing me to spend time with your beautiful family...
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Baby Mason!
I got to meet baby Mason last weekend...yet another adorable newborn! This little guy comes from one of my all time favorite families...I've photographed his auntie's wedding, and two of his cousins, so it was such a treat to meet Mason, and catch up with his great family again!
Friday, March 27, 2009
And baby makes three!
In more ways than one! Precious baby Madden made his way into the world today...not without a bit of a struggle. I think he would've rather stayed put...but, after much work on his mommy's part, he's finally here! His birth also finished off a very busy week for me, in which I had the honor of attending three births in five days...I'm almost feeling like a member of the hospital staff!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Happy to be here!
Baby Brynn seemed very happy to enter the world today...and on her due date no less! I don't think I've ever captured a first smile within minutes of birth...but Brynn was clearly happy to meet her mommy & daddy! Congratulations Allison and Brody, thanks SO much for having me!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Kensley is here!
And just as beautiful as can be! Thanks so much for letting me be a part of your special day...it is always such a privilege to be asked to join a family as they bring their new baby into the world...and I was so grateful join you today...
Thursday, March 19, 2009
ummm...sorry!
I found out today that my contact phone # on my website has been incorrect since the launch of my new site. If you've tried to contact me, and not heard back, I'm SO sorry. The phone # has been corrected...
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
a little tease...
I'm still here...honest! Truthfully, I'm really hoping to have a fantastic new blog soon, and was holding out on these photos to have them on my new blog...but, things are going slower than planned, so thought I'd share just a little preview of some shots I took in Phoenix. The workshop was fantastic...and I can't wait to use some of the techniques I learned in upcoming shoots and weddings...I'm feeling SO inspired! Richard and Amy (http://www.redleafstudios.ca/) are two of the most talented photographers I've ever met - and I enjoyed my time with them so much...
Thursday, February 26, 2009
phoDOGraphy!
ha! I love pet photography...and, it just so happens that I have the most photogenic dog ever! Isn't he beautiful? And, he even posed for me in the studio tonight...thanks Tucker!
Things have been crazy lately...so many bookings into the summer already...wow! I'm just getting ready to head off to Phoenix for an AMAZING photography convention. I'll be learning from some of the best in the business...and will be meeting friends from all over the world, including Australia & England...I'm so excited!
Things have been crazy lately...so many bookings into the summer already...wow! I'm just getting ready to head off to Phoenix for an AMAZING photography convention. I'll be learning from some of the best in the business...and will be meeting friends from all over the world, including Australia & England...I'm so excited!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Taa Daa!!!
Finally, I'm so excited to share my brand new website! Still working out a few details, one of them is that on the splash (front) page, you have to scroll down to get to the "enter site" button. I've been working on this since early January - it's the first time I've ever worked on my own website...and I'm kind of proud of it! So please, check it out, and come back often. And...keep watching, there may be something else new coming soon as well...
laureencarruthersphotography.com
laureencarruthersphotography.com
Friday, January 30, 2009
girls day out!
What a fun session this was! I spent the afternoon with Lisa and her friends, who have all just graduated from their nursing program (congratulations!). We got so many great shots...can't wait to share with you...
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Casting Call...
I need a baby under 12 months - who can sit - but preferably not crawl or walk! First person to call me and book this session will receive a free sitting and a 5x7 portrait...
UPDATE: Thanks for the phonecalls and emails...the casting call was filled on the first day! I'll try and do a few more of these in the future, so keep watching the blog!
UPDATE: Thanks for the phonecalls and emails...the casting call was filled on the first day! I'll try and do a few more of these in the future, so keep watching the blog!
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