Pics at play

Using your own backyard for lifestyle portrait photography gives your images that extra layer of emotion. Documenting your children playing as they always do, just through a professional's trained eye creates works of art to hang in your home. When Melissa asked me to photograph her two children, she gave me a heads up that I might have a difficult time capturing her son. I feel like I have a unique touch with special needs children. With my know how and this beautiful family I created this collection of images http://www.ferrarapics.com/stansellfamily below are a couple of my favorites.

Spur of the moment!

I had the urge to try out a new accent light I built from a lantern and few pieces of hardware. With a quick note on facebook Miss Erin was quick to volunteer! We started photographing near the Brandywine Zoo and ended up at my favorite garden to finish up the session right before dusk. Check out some of the images!! the first one is going to be a 20x24 in my viewing room!

Sweet 16!

I got to hang out with some pretty cool 16 year olds for Taylor's Sweet 16 Birthday Dinner on Saturday! Taylor's dad and his girlfriend found this great location for a chic chill party with family and friends. The theme was Mardi Gras with a special cake with real orchids! Check out some of the shots from the day and see more online at www.ferrarapics.com/taylor

Mr. & Mrs. Villermaux In-home Session

Millie and Butch Villermaux cashed in on their Christmas present gift card for a portrait session today! After a quick consultation about their wants/needs and products available we picked a background and I started setting up! While putting up my lights I found out that Butch knew my grandfather, small world :)
Anyhow, here are a few images from the session!

Children Headshots and Pageant Portraits

I'll be working more closely with PA, NJ, DE, MD little and junior miss pageants! Check out some pics from a recent session with Grace and CK!

Home Sweet Home

I sure do love photographing on backgrounds, but once in a while I get a client with a home that is like an art studio! Instant photography set! From the contrast of cool blue walls and fire engine red furniture I was in heaven. Not to mention this awesome rustic door with white chipped paint.. love at first sight. Lifestyle portraits are so fun to create especially when you have a happy smiley baby in front of your lens! Check out some of the images from a recent in-home session! Enjoy!

got to use my cupcakes again!!! :)

I didn't write this, but I had to re-post it!

This article, which is being reproduced with credit to Professional Photographer magazine (December 2009) cuts through the bull and gets to the point about why professional photography is worth the price.

Why Are Professional Photographers So Expensive?
In this digital age where everyone has cameras, scanners, and home “photo printers,” we hear this all the time: How do professional (or personal) photographers charge $50 for an 8x10 when they cost just $1.50 at the drugstore? Simply put, the client is not just paying for the actual photograph, they are paying for time and expertise.

The Average One-Hour Portrait Session

First, let’s look at the actual work involved:

• Travel to the session -or- Studio set-up

• Camera Preparation, scanning the scene for background distractions, talking with the client to see what they hope to capture in the images, ect.

• Shooting the images

• Travel from the session -or- studio clean-up

• Loading images onto a computer

• Backing up the files on an external hard drive

• 4+ hours of Adobe ® Photoshop CS4 ® time, including cropping, contrast, color, sharpening, skin softening/blemish removal, backing up edited photographs, and proofing images. Then, adding them to online galleries – website, blog, and in some cases – linking them to Facebook and Twitter.

• 2-3 hours talking to the client, answering questions, receiving orders and payment, ordering prints, receiving and verifying prints, packaging prints, mailing orders or arranging times for pick-up.

You can see how a one hour session can easily turn into an 8 to 10 hour day (or more) from start to finish. So when you see a personal photographer charging $300 session fee for a one-hour photo shoot, the client is NOT paying them $300 per hour.

The Expertise and Cost of Doing Business
Shooting professional photography is a skill acquired through years of experience. Even though a DSLR – Consumer Model camera now costs under $1,000, taking professional portraits involves much more than a nice camera.

Most professional photographers take years to go from buying their first camera to making money with photography. In addition to learning how to use the camera, there is a mountain of other equipment and software programs used to edit, design custom books & collages, and run a website, etc. And don’t forget backdrops, props, continuing education, utilities, and insurance!

In addition to the financial investment, photographers need to have people skills to make subjects comfortable in front of the camera. Posing people to look their best is a skill by itself. You could argue that posing is more important skill than actually knowing how to use the camera. A poorly exposed photo can be saved, but a badly posed photo cannot.


The Chain Store Photo Studio
Chain stores do have their place. For a very cheap price you can run in, shoot some quick photos, and be done with it. But you get what you pay for.

Consider the time and effort that a personal photographer puts in to photographs, compared to a chain store. Store sessions last just a few minutes, while a pro photographer takes the time to get to know their clients, makes them feel comfortable, and schedules ample time for a personalized session. If a baby is crying at a chain store, they often don’t have the time (or the patience) to wait because they have clients scheduled back-to-back.

The truth is that many chain store studios lose money. In fact, Wal-Mart closed 500 of their portrait studios in 2007 because of the financial drain. What the chain stores bank on is a client coming in for quick, cheap photos…and while there, spending $200 on other items. They are there to get you in the door.


The Real Deal
Professional photographers are no different than a boutique owner, hair stylist, mechanic, or an oil painter. Think of it this way: A pair of scissors costs $1.50 at the drugstore. Still, most people will gladly pay a lot more to hire a professional hair stylist to cut their hair. They are willing to pay more at a boutique because the items can’t be found just anywhere . They will also spend more for one-of-a-kind pieces of art from an oil painter than they would for a reproduction print.

The added attention and quality that a personal photographer gives is worth every penny. They often become a friend, documenting a family for generations with professional, personal photographs of cherished memories.

Conclusion
We hope you have a better understanding of why professional photographs, created by Professional Photographers are so expensive.

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

Portrait Referral Program

Hello! Effective 02/07/11 Ferrara Photography is offering a Portrait Referral Program! For each new client you refer who books a portrait session, you'll receive $30 towards prints or products! Once you have four referrals you'll be rewarded with a FREE portrait session in addition to you print/product credits! See program card preview below!

To book a portrait session with Nicole go to... www.ferrarapics.com/contact.html

Two Sisters, Best Friends Forever!

What little cuties!!! These sisters made photographing them so easy! Big smiles and no fussing, what more could I ask for! Check out just a few faves from the session..

(vintage edit style above)

Sleepless Night & 3am Snow

After hearing the snow falling outside my bedroom window for hours I deiced to go check out the accumulation. Looked to be about 5 inches, maybe more. Being the awesome significant other that I am I cleared off the cars and a path to the vehicles for an easier work commute in the following hours. While I was outside I couldn't stop looking at the trees covered in snow and the moonlight dancing over the limbs while the snow laid so quietly on the streets in Wilmington. This city is so different when you don't see any moving cars for blocks or see anyone walking around. I felt the overwhelming urge to go put on some snow boots and grab my camera, leaving my strobe at home. I was really inspired to capture the city as I saw it, in natural light. I walked a 3 block radius and this is what I saw....

Birthday Portrait

These cupcake props are my absolute favorite right now! Check out this little cutie's birthday
session!

Merry Christmas from our living room to yours!