How long have you been a photographer?
I've been taking professional (ish) quality photos since 2009, and started my professional photography business at the beginning of 2016 when I could no longer classify myself as a hobbyist photographer.
My love for photography started far sooner than this though. As far back as I remember, I loved getting friends and family members to do "photo shoots" with me using my disposable or point-and-shoot cameras. My love for quality photos really progressed when my daughter was born in 2015 and I realized how much more emotion I felt when I look at the photos taken with my professional camera versus my cell phone photos (which are also great, but do come with their limitations).
Can I get the RAW files?
I do not offer RAW or unedited files to clients. I only offer the best of the best to my clients. At our reveal appointment, clients can expect to see roughly 50-60 of the best photos from an hour long session.
Do you offer digital files?
Each portrait session comes with 3 watermarked web-resolution photos for social media sharing. I am a strong believer in getting photos printed, rather than having them sit on a USB or hard drive. In 2017, I switched my business model so that I offered my clients a full-service portrait experience, which begins with an in person meeting, and ends with my clients having beautiful artwork on display in their home.
This decision was made with a lot of thought in regard to the experiences I desired for my clients, and where I want my business to go in the future. Time and time again, I had clients come to me with prints made at Walmart and other consumer labs because they were not getting the same quality in print that they saw on their computer screen. I did a side-by-side comparison of prints from my professional lab versus those printed at consumer labs, and was further convinced I was not giving my clients the best service by leaving my job half-finished.
What equipment do you use?
I currently use the following equipment, in addition to having equipment protection and insurance. I use Photoshop and Lightroom to edit all of my photos.