We didn't choose the photography life, the photography life chose us. And with more and more aspiring photographers flooding the industry, there are several things that we would like you to know when thinking about both becoming a photographer and becoming a client. Just like any other career field, we deserve respect and a big old high five for doing what we love to do.
1. Love will not pay the bills – Maybe during the first year we were open to doing free work and from time to time we won't miss an opportunity to do a gorgeous styled shoot for our portfolio, but the more freebies we give out, the less we can ultimately grow as artists. Please don't be offended for not getting our services for free, we have bills to pay.
2. Can I have all of the photos? – I love this. I love it even more when it's followed up with the "Well you're not going to do anything with them." You don't want to see the pictures with your eyes closed, your blurred right hand outstretching for your partner or your half smile. You hired a professional for a reason so trust us. These photos reflect on us as well.
3. Unrealistic expectations – Photoshop can do a lot. It really can. We can remove pimples and blemishes, we can control aspects of color and lighting and we can do minor alterations. What we cannot do is transform a person into a unicorn. And after taking the time and effort to capture your event/milestone, we deserve a pat on the back for the time and expertise we shared. We are not magicians.
4. Deposits help you out as well – I've been hit with criticism for my 30% wedding deposit. Although, upon describing what a deposit means for a client, they tend to warm up to it. A deposit doesn't only lock in those clients but it also locks you in to performing and capturing the event. Meaning you can't double book, no matter what sort of budget or offers are thrown at you.
5. Taxes – So you paid $150 for your family session. Just keep in mind, that's not what we get to run home with. In fact what we ultimately do make is a fraction to what we put out. Taxes, upgrades, marketing materials. If you want to do this gig the right way, it's gonna cost ya. One foot in front of the other.
6. Know your settings – Please, please, please do not call yourself a professional if you do not know how to use your camera. I mean that in the nicest way possible. Photography is a science and it's a lot more challenging than people think. If you see a shot and you think, "Wow, how did they get that?" , They knew the tips and tricks to control that image. Having a camera is not enough to stand out. Put the effort in to education, it's worth it.
7. Raw, saved my life – When I bought my camera and started this new challenge, I didn't know the difference between JPEG and RAW. Looking back I'm embarrassed to admit it. If you don't know the difference, learn it. it changes everything.
8. I am not that photographer, I'm me – We know what it's like to compare ourselves to our peers. Just like any other industry, there's competition, however for us a lot of that competition are also our friends. If you wanted a specific photographer, you should have went with them. Every photographer has something new and unique that they bring to the table. If you hire a photographer based on their portfolio, you shouldn't shame them for not having the same skill set as another.
9. We would work for free, if we could – Photography is a tricky field, the opportunity to make a nice salary is there, but there's a long road paved out before it. Most of us are not in this field for the money. This is what we love, this is what we feel we were meant to do. Sadly, money makes the world go round and you can't work for nothing.
10. Can I add a filter? – The answer will always be no. If you choose to re-edit our work then it completely dismisses part of what you have invested in, Our professional opinion and knowledge. If you want us to re-edit a shot, feel free to ask as long as it lies within the terms of your contract.
11. We're not scary – All of my sessions have been so much fun. I have met so many great people and heard so many great stories. we're not the yearbook photographers you loathed in high school or the department store photographers who gave you dorky props. We're a different breed and we love meeting our clients.
12. We cannot control the impossible – We're good at our jobs and a lot of us know how to deal with a huge variety of situations. But we can't control inclement weather and sometimes have to rely on a not so great back up plan or a reschedule.
So please remember that photographers have feelings too and we put 110% into our work. All we want is love.