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Why I Still Love incorporating film into some events...

I mainly shoot digital for all events but now and then, it feels right to bring some film back into the 'picture'. I am particularly fond of photographing a roll or two of black and white film at weddings. ¨There is a tangibility with film producing a photographic authenticity for an organic look, with rich depths of details, and gorgeous skin tones. All film is scanned at time of processing , burned to CD's and uploaded to an online website to view, share and purchase. The best of both worlds! If you are interested in having some film incorporated into your photographic coverage, let's talk about it and I'll make it happen!

SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS WTIH ANSWERS

1.       Do you have backup equipment in the event that something happens to your main camera?
Yes, I have 6 cameras total so there is no worry for backup equipment. They are all professional Nikon cameras in both film and digital formats with multiple lenses, flashes etc.
2.       How do you feel about other people taking photos while you are shooting?
I am normally fine with others shooting while I am but I ask that I get my portraits done first while we are doing the posed formal family photos. If there are too many people next to me, behind me etc, people are looking in a different directions and I cannot get the group's attention at once. It is important to get these photos right so I do have some boundaries as we take them.
3.       What happens there is an emergency at the last minute and you are not able to make it? Like if you are ill?
I have several photographers/colleaugues who I have worked with/am friendly with etc. We are all in a loose network of leaning on each other should anything happen to us to prevent us from being there. They are people who's work I respect as well as personally respect and like. I would feel totally at ease if this should happen. (It never has !...thank goodness.)
4.       Do you mark your proofs? If so how so?
My proofs are not marked, are professionally printed by master printers on top of the line equipment and are yours to keep as part of your package.
5.       How long do you hold onto the negatives? Can I get the files from the wedding to use myself?
I keep the negatives forever! I never discard etc. They are permanently stored with me. Digital files are available in different formats and are priced accordingly. I also have a triple backup of all digital files from your wedding for safe keeping,
6.       What options do I have for enlarging my photos? Mounting and framing them?
Photos can be enlarged as big as you might like, can be printed on photo paper, metallic photo paper, canvas, mounted in albums, mounted on gator board, framed etc. I am here to help you with these steps if you wish after initial review of proofs.
7.       Can you provide me with at least two references?
I have several references and and are available on request.
There are also several testimonials on this website to start if you would like. There is a link on the homepage of this site and here is the link as well http://www.weddingphotographerboulder.com/testimonials.html

THE VALUE OF HIRING A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER

(Article excerpt from Shawn Richter: Caught on Film)

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 $X for an 8x10 when they cost just $1.50 at the drugstore? Simply put, the customer is not just paying for the actual photograph; they're paying for time and expertise.

The average one-hour portrait session

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

Travel to the session
Setup, preparation, talking to the client, etc.
Shoot the photos
Travel from the session
Load images onto a computer
Back up the files on an external drive
2 - 4 hours of Adobe® Photoshop® time, including cropping, contrast, color, sharpening, and backing up edited photographs. Proof photos are also ordered.
2 - 3 hours to talk to the client, answer questions, receive order and payment, order their prints, receive and verify prints, package prints, schedule shipment, and ship.
Possibly meet clients at the studio to review photos and place order. Meeting and travel time average 2 hours.

You can see how a one-hour session easily turns into an eight-hour day or more from start to finish. So when you see a personal photographer charging a $200 session fee for a one-hour photo shoot, the client is not paying them $200 per hour.

The eight-hour wedding

A wedding photographer typically meets with the bride and groom several times before and after the wedding. And it’s not uncommon to end up with 1,000 - 2,000 photos, much more than a portrait session. Many photographers spend 40-60 hours working on one eight-hour wedding if you look at the time that is truly involved. Again, when a wedding photographer charges $4,000 for eight hours of coverage, clients are not paying them $500 an hour!

(Don’t forget that the photographer runs the wedding day to some extent. A comfortable, confident wedding photographer can make a wedding day go more smoothly.)

The expertise and cost of doing business

Shooting professional photography is a skill acquired through years of experience. Even though a DSLR now costs under $1,000, taking professional portraits involves much more than a nice camera.

Most personal 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 and print photographs, run a website, etc. And don’t forget backdrops, props, rent, utilities, insurance, etc!

In addition to the financial investment, photographers actually have 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 a 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

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 into photographs, compared to a chain store. Store sessions last just a few minutes, while a personal photographer takes the time to get to know the people, makes them comfortable, makes them laugh. If a baby is crying at a chain store, they often don’t have the time (or the patience) to wait because everyone is in a hurry.

We are here to provide you with exceptional service, time and patience in order to get the best photographs of you and your families looking your best!

The real deal

Professional, personal photographers are just that—professionals. No different than a mechanic, dentist, doctor, or electrician. But a personal photographer often becomes a friend, someone who documents a family for generations with professional, personal photographs of cherished memories.Documenting your wedding celebration as a commissioned artist and a newcomer to your family is an amazing challenge – and a huge blessing. The complexities and spontaneity of your special day where everybody comes together and experiences love again are best preserved through the art of creative photo journalism.

Maybe we need to help clients look at 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 dresser to cut their hair.

The added attention and quality that a personal photographer gives is worth every penny.

Conclusion

We hope that those who have taken the time to read this page will have a better understanding of why professional photographs, created by a Personal Photographer are more costly than other options.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Barbara Colombo
303-258-8118
11:11 Productions
www.11-11productions.com
barb@11-11productions.com
www.11-11productions.blogspot.com