So its here and I am actually posting this blog from the new Mac. but I am waiting on CS3 and Lightroom to get here in the mail so I can get all my editing done and post some new photos from recent shoots, I am way behind! But do not worry it will not be much longer.
P.S. this computer is awesome!!!
30.4.08
26.4.08
Prom
Pure 7 Studios get to do all the fun stuff!!! We had the opportunity to photography the Fort Walton Beach High School pre Prom at Sandestin's Baytowne Wharf. One of our best client's had us on hand to take photos of their beautiful daughter, Brooke. Take a look fr yourself.
25.4.08
miss destin 2008
I had the privilege of shooting one of the girls in the Miss Destin Pageant tonight, Brooke. She is one of 9 girls competing for the crown. The theme for the shoot was taken from the Miss Destin Pageant from the 50's. The pageant will be tomorrow at 7pm at the Destin Community Center. I will post some photos tomorrow when I get back.
23.4.08
I've converted.....
I am a born again mac user! i just ordered a 24in imac, and i am soo excited. i am currently running a 6yr old pc. there have been many nights, while editing, that i nearly put my fist through the monitor in frustration. editing on a computer like this is VERY time consuming. so i decided that it was time to reward myself and get the best out there. you could even say that i "rededicated my life" to mac. i briefly owned a mac book pro and fell in love with it, it was the most beautiful machine. but due to certain reasons i had to send it back. alas i am back, i feel like a little boy and christmas is tomorrow
22.4.08
Engagement Shoot
These are from our most recent engagement shoot. This couple was a blast to work with. They were up for anything and had amazing chemistry! Shooting them reminded us of why we love what we do so much...thanks, George & Laura! Can't wait until their wedding...21.4.08
Look at how beautiful my wife is!!
Quarrier Family
It is so much fun when I get to shoot a family like the Quarrier's. They are Chris, Amy, Madeline, Heidi, Macen, and baby Noelle. They are friends of the family we came to know from Shoreline (the coolest church ever). Erica and I are looking forward to hanging out with them at their house in Laurel Hill.
4.4.08
Why are Professional Photographers so expensive?
Why are Professional Photographers so expensive?
(This article has been very well received by the photography community, and is now referred to by many Photography websites across the country)
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.ConclusionWe 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.
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.
(This article has been very well received by the photography community, and is now referred to by many Photography websites across the country)
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.ConclusionWe 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.
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.
3.4.08
Seattle Comes to Mississippi
I had awesome photoshoot with Mandi, visiting from Seattle, WA. We ventured out to some old roads near Hattiesburg, Mississippi and found an old shed and ford pick-up truck. We didn't want to asume that we could just hop onto anyones property so we drove up the house, about 1/2 mile up the dirt driveway. When we pulled in the owner, Wesley Brown, and his daughters were outside. I handed him my card and introduced myself and Mandy. I let him know that we would like to do a photoshoot in front of his old shed. He jokingly asked how much I would give him and handed me his card: Wesley Brown, Elvis Impersonator, ELVIS FOR HIRE. So, if you know someone that needs an elvis, I know a guy! I proceeded to let him know that as a thank you, I would love to photograph his family. He agreed and we started our shoot. Mandi was an awesome model. She was very easy to work and so beautiful... hard on herself, but beautiful. Anyone would think so and the fact that she was sweet made it that much more. Anyway... some pics from the shoot are below.
1.4.08
Blessings
Good morning.... there was a reason that we call ourselves pure 7 and this morning brought us great news... we've booked more weddings in the Destin area. I am now working on getting the information out in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. We are so blessed... always. Erica is so great about calling me so we can share in the excitement. I don't think that it ever gets old. Knowing that our work is good enough for even one person to give us the honor of photographing their wedding, their family, their life... "what a compliment," as Erica would say. Lovin' it!
(Me, Erica and baby Gavin at the beach)
(Me, Erica and baby Gavin at the beach)
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