MORGAN BINEK

I had such a great question today by a potential client, and I thought I could share this with all of my followers for their own knowledge!

The question asked was "Will you be able to give me the unedited images, I would love to have them?"

Why not, right?

Photography is really a work of art, isn't it.  It is fine tuned to the artists eye, and delivered to his or her own level of standard.  Because clients typically don't spend their time editing their own photos with such programs as Lightroom or Photoshop, they aren't aware of what really is involved. And that's why we have the pleasure of working with you, because you want something above and beyond the norm, something better then your SOOC (straight out of camera) images.

I probabley spend MORE time in post production editing, then I actually do shooting the images.  But this is why you must value the process and the costs associated with any of the packages offered.

It's really a magic show people! Have a look:)

I like to see SPARK in peoples eyes, I like to see AMPLE colour, and if I can clear up any blemishes that have 'conveniently' popped up the night before a photoshoot, I will:)

I hope I've educated you in the understanding and process of post production!

I just had to laugh. As I am becoming more and more familiar with the practices and business acumen of photography, I see this coming up time and time again.

It is so true, right fellow photogs?  However, with saying this, we (and I) understand that there is a process. Such processes such as 'Portfolio Building' enables amateur photographers to gain experience, while offering their services for free or at a minimal charge.  I do beleive you have to gain respect within this industry, and we all start somewhere. 

However, my hopes are that people and potential clients RESPECT this process, and actually do VALUE what I am doing.  During such a stage, I hope people are able to look back and see that this was a great experience and actually valued the quality of the services that I've provided to them.  This in turn, gets spread through word of mouth. It's 'un-said', in my experience anyways, that they will promote me and express the amazing value that I've given to them.

The problem here is photographers lowering the bar and quality by offering 'cheap' sessions and digital files that get processed at their local Walmart. Ugh.

So why do we charge what we do??? Because after all, we just take 'pictures' right? And please, I express this rant with the up-most respect!!  We charge for the endless hours of learning the art of photography, hours spent on learning how to use our equipment appropriately, learning and naviagting through editing software and also not to mention the expense of the software and the equipment used to take those 'pictures':)

And probabley my favourite : the time that has been taken away from my family. And surely you too can understand that.

I say all of the above with a light heart, in hopes that you understand why we charge what we charge. I also hope that you see the value of your images.  And to compliment this post, I shall post another on just that! Return soon!!!

I am quickly learning the 'business' of photography. I often hear that photography is 80% buiness and 20% knowledge/talent. I find this quite sadenning, but I'm well aware of how important this aspect is.

I often wonder how photographers 'sell' the importance and value of their images.Which lead me to wander over to one of my new favourtie websites, Psychology for Photographers. Don't I look so smart:) I really am I'll have you know;)

Basically, a short synopsis and the long and short of it is that we have a hard time selling the future, very similiar to the life insurance industry. Everybody is in the here and now. No one wants to really think about the future and the inevitable. Right?

Which then ultimatley brought me to this article from  'Letter on my Doorstep' post that ran through the photography community like wildfire. 

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take the time to read it, it's short and brief and resignates and completley answered my question on how to articulate the importance and value of your images.