investment

Your Story: Photojournalism With Artistic Flair

You want stunning, heirloom-quality imagery that conveys your story artfully? You’ve found it! Our passion is opening a window into your amazing journey, infused with light & love. Creative, sensitive coverage by 1 or 2 photographers, beautifully edited images, & boundless customized offerings for you.

I'm available to shoot weddings, lifestyle portraits, parties, corporate events, performances, sports, graduations, fine art, products, bands, or anything else you need! Just ask! I also occasionally shoot editorial work for local news organizations, including patch.com and alexandrianews.org, and have a large library of stock images available, so if you are looking for something specific let me know. (Studio work is not really my thing, but I can refer you to a great studio photographer if that's what you're looking for.)

Wedding coverage generally starts at a minimum of $2000, with most weddings starting at $2500, and includes:

an engagement session
wedding rehearsal
2 photographers on your wedding day
fully edited galleries, with attention to detail, typically available approximately 2-4 weeks after the wedding
an online slideshow
watermarked files for sharing with guests and on Facebook
a disc of unmarked images for the newlyweds, sufficient for printing your own 4x6s (photographer always retains full copyright to images and permission for printing is granted to the married couple only)
an ordering session to go over the full array of product options in my shop, with boundless customized offerings for you - draw on my skills as a fine artist to create your unique family heirlooms!

Pricing depends on your particular needs - each wedding is a work of art in & of itself. If you look around the portfolio, you will see that I am an adept photographer who will put my heart & soul into your wedding coverage. My husband typically is my second shooter, and we compliment each other well in documenting all the special moments of your day, then I do all the back-end work - processing, editing, and handling your orders. I have photographed nine weddings so far, and I am really excited to help more couples tell the story of their union, as I absolutely love shooting events like weddings where emotions are high, everyone is so happy and looking their best, and two people are at a major turning point in their lives, moving forward together into the future. I assure that you will be thrilled if you give me the honor of working with you on your special day. My style in shooting is primarily photojournalistic, making sure to chronicle all the special moments, get plenty of candids, and yet do a little directing when necessary (my background in performing arts helps with that). Then I apply a special artistic touch to your images for a unique feel and style.

Portrait sessions generally start at $350 and include

a small book of favorites from the session,
an online gallery of your images,
a slideshow of faves to share online,
an ordering session, in-person (preferable) or on phone - about one hour,
and a download of digital files sufficient for making your own prints up to 5x7s.

There is an expected minimum heirloom investment of $150. Sessions last approximately an hour or two, depending partly on the number of people. (See 'my style'.) Mini sessions are available for $150 and require a minimum $50 purchase.

I request a 50% non-refundable deposit to reserve your date, with the remainder of the session fee due one week before the wedding, or the day of the shoot for portraits and events. For portrait sessions, product investment can range from $150 to $1500 or more.

For most events, I generally base my price on a rate of $150 per event hour, pro-rating to $75 for any portion of a half hour over 10 minutes. This includes one to two hours of editing for each hour of shooting (general corrections and refinement without some special touches). Additional editing is usually billed at $60/hr.

Rates for fine art or product photography are decided on a case-by-case basis. Additional fees may apply in cases where image usage is other than personal.

It's important to me to make the images accessible to you and keep the print prices very reasonable. Keep in mind that the reason it is more expensive to print through your photographer than it would be if you had the images printed on your own is because you are paying for the photographer's artistry, expertise, time, and attention to detail, not to mention quality of print services. There is alot of work 'behind the scenes' (on the computer) beyond the day of the shoot to present you with the perfect pictures. As I said, typically, for portraits or special event type coverage, I spend two hours editing for every hour of shooting - and that is for the initial presentation. For weddings, the editing time is far more. Then more time goes into creation of your custom works of art, be it an album, an image case, a gorgeous canvas spread, or some other heirloom. Plus, there are many other costs that the independent photographer is absorbing, such as equipment costs, equipment maintenance and repair, taxes, insurance (for health, car, and equipment), cost of space and utilities, transportation, and so on.

I also do graphic design and light website design (no coding) that is artistic and visually appealing. For examples, see my custom calendars, books, and cards, my arts & education site BoundlessEclectic.Org and my fine art site BoundlessCreativity.Org both designed from scratch (art site soon to be updated) - or click here for links to other sites).

Your end-product possibilities are virtually endless, and I like to get you thinking about your options before the shoot so that I can keep in mind while shooting if you are looking for something like a really large wall canvas, or a custom-made book.

I'm also happy to edit your own photographs for you. If you've taken great pics of your family that need an expert's touch, let me know. Maybe you want to have them made into a movie slideshow with favorite music as a gift to a loved one, or to have a custom book or calendar created, complete with a story. I also edit video, so if you have family video footage, that could be incorporated.

I know that you can do books, calendars, etc. on your own through Snapfish, Shutterfly, Kodak, and those types of services, but the difference in quality is remarkable when you're working with an artist who creates a custom piece for you, printed through a pro lab, rather than using unedited images in a template that the masses use, printed through a consumer lab.
The rate for this service is $60/hr, plus the product sale cost.

Think heirlooms! (Visit the 'my style' section for more on that...)
Invest in your family memories!