A Big Announcement, Confession, Promise and An Unusual Guarantee

I've been sitting on this exciting news for over a month and it has been killing me, but I didn't want to say anything until everything was finalized.

As of this week, Fotoplicity will be based out of East Brunswick, NJ.  I have rented a quaint little office in a corporate building on Tices Lane.  My office is small, but it has large windows and when I'm done with it it will have lots of personality (pictures to come soon).   I even have a parking lot and an elevator!  It's taken a lot of work to get Fotoplicity to a place where doing this made sense, but in order to take it where I want it to go this had to happen.

So what does this change?  Well, nothing .... and everything!

As far as sessions, it doesn't affect anything. Ninety percent of my portrait sessions will be held in outdoor locations while corporate headshots can be done in the office. 

The big changes come on the service end....

My Confession

While the last year has been great in terms of expanding my brand, I feel that I have not been offering the best service possible to my clients.  Working out of my home has just not been ideal for meeting with clients resulting in limited interaction.  This is a problem because I believe that in order to capture the very best photos....the ones that have emotional value, I need to connect with my clients.  I have many clients that have been coming to me for years and I am honored to have their repeat business, the best part is the connection I have developed with them.  I've watched and documented their children's growth, learned their personalities and have created a nice bond.  I am no longer a stranger with a camera, and THAT makes all the difference.  Let's face it....putting ourselves in front of a lens can be an uncomfortable thing, but when you are familiar with the person behind the lens, the awkwardness diminishes and we tend to allow our true selves shine through.

Having this professional space will allow me several opportunities to connect with my clients.  For new clients, pre-session consultations will be available if desired and will be easy to schedule.  We can sit and chat about your session, what you want to accomplish, ideas on location and wardrobe and you can get to know one another!  

Changing to this service model has also changed my pricing structure.  I now offer lower session fees that cover my time and talent for the shoot and the service aspect of the session.  Prints, products, collections and digitals will all be sold separately.

My Promise

Starting today, I promise to make purchasing prints and products simple, fun and pressure free. Many photographers simply deliver a bunch of digitals online after your session and while this works for some specialties (events and headshots), it is not ideal for portraits.

The lack of this service didn't really hit home until my daughter broke my heart with THIS question last year.  After that life-altering conversation I realized that there really is nothing more valuable than a printed photograph and it was IMPERATIVE that I start putting some real effort into providing this service to my clients.

People hire me to capture emotional, meaningful images and I'm going to insure that they walk out the door with a physical copy of their best image(s) - something that they can touch, feel, hang, share and see without having to turn on a computer screen.

While I can't promise to make the picture selection easy, I will make the ordering process simple.  The best part?  You only purchase what you love!

My Unusual Guarantee

Enchanted photo by Fotoplicity, Central NJ photographer

I will never pressure anyone into buying anything.  I have a disdain for high-pressure sales people (you should see me when I prepare to buy a new car).  This shift is all about providing a service that is truly needed.

Be honest...how many photos do you have sitting on your computer waiting for you to do something with them?

You'll get to it, right?

RIGHT?

<Crickets>

THIS is exactly what I'm talking about.  And don't worry, I'm not going to hide anything from you.  You will have a full understanding of my pricing BEFORE your session.  No surprises, it's all reviewed in your consultation.  And even better, there are absolutely no purchase minimums.  If you only want to purchase one 8x10 print that is your prerogative!  I am going to provide you with the same service I will provide the client who purchases $2000 worth of prints and products.

Why?  Because I believe investing in your memories is one of the most important things you can do for your family.

Still not sure?   Here is the "UNUSUAL" part... If you come to your reveal appointment and do not like ANY of the photos and can't justify purchasing even one....I will refund your session fee.  Yes, you read that correctly.  I WILL REFUND YOUR SESSION FEE!   I am so passionate about this, confident in my work and believe that my pictures will become valued possessions to be passed down through the generations that I offer this guarantee to my clients.

There are very few photographers that are willing to offer a guarantee like this...but I believe the service I provide warrants such a guarantee.

Documenting important life milestones is serious, emotional and meaningful business.

Full Service

When you hire me you are investing in a full service.  From pre-session to post-session, I'm here to help, show and guide you through it.  And while I'm taking care of all the details you can focus on the more important things in life.

When your experience is over with me, you will not only walk away with beautiful and meaningful images that you can see, feel and touch but you will have a positive feeling that you've made a smart and valuable investment in your memories.

Fotoplicity Enchanted Session

And as for me?  I'll know I've done my job, and done it well, when you return next year!

The Heartbreaking Question my Question My 7 Year Old Daughter Asked Me That Made Me Rethink & Overhaul My Business

I have two daughters....they are my everything.  Natalie is 10 years old and Melissa is 7.  

Over the past several years, my daughters have watched me grow Fotoplicity out of a passion and have been the inspiration behind many of my creative ideas.  But this past year my seven-year-old asked one question that made me stop dead in my tracks and re-think my entire business model.  This one question put into motion a brand overhaul that is currently taking place and I think will resonate with every Mom out there.....

One day, I was cleaning my room when Melissa came in with a sad look on her face and a little photobook in her hand.  She sat on my bed, looked at me with big puppy dog eyes and then lowered her glance down into her lap staring at the photobook.  "Mommy?  Do you love Natalie more than me?"  My heart just about broke into a million pieces.... I sat down next to her and asked her why she would think that.  "Because you don't have any pictures of me as a baby."  The photobook she had in her hand was one I created for Natalie's one year birthday. It was kept in a pile of other little photobooks I had created before I had Melissa.  I quickly tried to console her letting her know that I do indeed have hundreds of baby photos of her....on the computer.   "But I can't see them there, I can see Natalie's on the wall, but not mine."   I did a quick inventory of the photos hanging around my house.  She was right.  All the beautifully framed baby photos were of Natalie.

How could I possibly explain that things just got too chaotic and busy with two children, work and life to find time to create photobooks or wall prints for her?  How could I justify that all those digital images hidden away on my hard drive were as valuable as the ones hanging in full display on our walls?  How could I let her know that I had every intention of printing photos of her but somehow the years have passed by and I never found the time to do so?  I couldn't.  There were no excuses, there was no answer that would make her hurt go away.  "Life got in the way" was just not going to cut it here.

Feeling completely discouraged and broken myself, I told her we would go to my computer and pull up her baby pictures.  And we did...of course it took me about 45 minutes to hook up the old hard drive, get it to work on my newer computer, shuffle through thousands of irrelevant files and sort through a ton of meaningless digital images that were blurry and crappy all to get to the few good baby photos.  The photo-hunting experience definitely took away from the feel-good moment of the memories.

Melissa's simple question and the following "digital experience" made me realize that the emotional value of a printed photograph stands undeniable.   Our digital, fast-paced lifestyles and abundance of cell-phone snapshots have devalued the most meaningful, timeless possessions of every family. Digital photographs have become expendable and offer a very short shelf life in comparison. I had a hard enough time accessing Melissa's baby photos from just a few years ago....how much more difficult will it be in 10 or 25 years from now?  Will future technology even be compatible?  Will your grandchildren care to load them up on their computer?  Will there even be computers?

Today's world moves so fast.  Moments are rarely appreciated because there is this constant pressure to move on and find the next big thing.  It took my 7-year-old daughter's pain and feeling of neglect to make me realize that digital images are NOT always ideal.  Yes, they are convenient and have their place, but when it comes to emotional value....nothing compares to a high-quality printed photograph.

I am determined to stop this cycle for every single one of my clients....even if it means printing just ONE image.

Thanks to Melissa and my broken heart, I have made it easier than ever to get gorgeous printed artwork from your session.  From personalized proofing where we set up an appointment to review your photographs together in person or virtually and explore options for displaying your memories for everyone to see and enjoy to Online Proofing Galleries where ordering prints and products can be done with the click of a button.  I provide a customized service to fit your needs. Let me take care of the ordering details and you can walk away with a PHYSICAL piece of memorabilia that will last a lifetime and be handed down to your children and their children.

Of course, digital files are the base of most Fotoplicity Collections because I know you want them… Digital files are perfect for storing on a hard drive, sharing on social media, email, or for the DIYers that like to take on printing themselves. But if you choose to just get the digitals, I urge you to please, please, please…go the extra step and PRINT one or two of them. It really is important!

I don’t want you to put in the same position as me with your child asking why you don't care enough to print or hang their picture.

Why All Fotoplicity Proofing Galleries are Curated for You

All of my session packages include a fixed number of fully edited images that are promised in a proofing gallery.  For an hour long session it's usually between 20-30, for an Snapshot Session it's about 12.  I am often asked "Why can't I see ALL the images from my session?"  While this seems reasonable to someone purchasing a session who just watched me click away for an hour, there are several reasons why I can not accommodate the request. The first reason is - you don't want to!  No, really - You don't want to!  Because I deal with constantly moving and active children, most of the images I shoot end up getting thrown away due to blinks, weird expressions, movements, silly faces, blurs, etc.  Part of my service is taking the time to cull through all of the images and determine which to throw away.

During an hour long session I shoot anywhere from 150-250 images.  It's tedious, time consuming and boring work to review each and every photo. If I made you do it, not only would you be faced with a daunting, overwhelming task but you would most likely never seek out my services ever again after that.  If you have ever watched a TV show like "Restaurant Impossible" one of the top complaints from customers is the size of the menu. Too many choices can be overwhelming for anyone, and reviewing hundreds of options is exhausting.  By allowing me to curate your images, you are guaranteed a gallery full of phenomenal images.

Another reason you want me to do this is because I have the ability to see the potential of an image you might otherwise overlook.   Here is a perfect example...this image is SOOC (straight out of the camera): 

Technically, the image is sound but it doesn't move you, does it?  There's a black object in the corner of the screen, the lighting is OK but overall it's quite boring.  That's what an untrained eye sees.  This image is one you would quickly pass by if you were culling the images, right?  I wouldn't.  I always look for the potential of an image and this one has TONS!  The beautiful bokeh (creamy background), the speckles of light throughout, the sun backlighting her hair....  what I see in this image is THIS...

THIS is why you hire me and then trust me to do my job.  I can discard images without potential AND find a diamond in the rough...which brings me to the other reason for not showing all the session images...

As I explain in my Enchanted Session FAQ,  as an artist, I choose to only allow clients to see my finished, fully edited work. The original image right out of the camera is not representative of the final edit and allowing my clients to see those originals would serve absolutely no purpose.  Take a look at this before/after.  

The original image is nice, but after my edit the "nice" becomes a "WOW!" worthy of displaying on your wall.  These edits take time and thought - it is all part of the process.  The final image is my product and that final product is a result of the entire process of planning the session, taking multiple versions of this image and editing the best from the series.

I take great care in selecting the best images and then spend a lot of time hand editing (painting - no filters) each and every picture that makes the original cut. The photos I choose to not edit are left behind for a reason.  When you hire me, you are placing your trust my eye, talent and skill.

While I work with every client individually to ensure their expectations from the session are fulfilled, as a professional, I have to stand firm to my policy and allow my unedited images to remain separate from the final product presented.

Think of it this way...we wouldn't ask J.K Rowling to show us her first draft of Harry Potter, would we?  There is a part of the creative process that is meant to stay behind the scenes.

Understanding The Cost of Professional Photography

"Serioulsy?, $$$ for a one hour session?  That's crazy, a doctor doesn't even get paid that! " "Why would I pay $$$ for a session when my sister who just bought an expensive camera can do it for free?"

These are all valid questions and I want to take the time to explain why professional photographers cost what they do...

Before I dive into this, I want to explain how I define "Professional Photographer".

A professional photographer is someone who has spent years mastering the technical craft, produces consistent quality work, maintains reputable business ethics and practices, and earns a living (or a portion of their income) through an established legal business that holds insurance and pays taxes.  A professional photographer IS NOT the lady down the street has a nice DSLR and charges $50 cash to photograph her friends' children.

With that out of the way, let's take a look at why professional photography costs what it does...

Time

Most people don’t realize the amount of time and effort that goes into creating those beautiful images.  To give you a good idea, here is a breakdown of a typical portrait session:

• 30 Minutes: Booking time (contracts, paperwork)
• 20-30 Minutes: Travel time to and from session
• 20 Minutes: Prep time and set up for the shoot
• 1 Hour: Shooting time
• 1 Hour: Downloading and culling photographs from the shoot
• 2-5 Hours: Editing (color correction, cropping, re-touching, artistic editing, resizing, preparing for print, etc)
• 2-3 Hours: Orders (meeting with client, ordering prints, arranging payments, all the accounting that goes along with this)
• 2-6 Hours: Design time for custom albums, cards, collages, etc.

In this example, the time involved in a one hour session can range from 9-17 hours!  That session cost covers a lot more than just that 1 hour spent with the client.

Personalized Service

A professional photographer takes the time to know you, communicates with you and asks questions before the shoot and works with you to achieve your vision.  They work with your child to make them feel comfortable and develop a rapport that makes for ease and genuine smiles.  Those $19.99 packages that you can get a the chain store photo shop?  Well, it's a bit of a different experience.

Talent & Skill

Having the ability to get those beautiful posed and candid images isn’t just about the expensive camera.  Professional Photographers spend tons of time learning, researching and training.  A professional photographer does NOT put their camera on Auto mode and snap away.  They understand how to manipulate the camera settings manually to achieve the look they are going for.  Professional photographers also are usually good communicators and have an eye for posing people and getting them to look their best.

Artistry

Professional photographers are artists.  Look at several photographers portfolios and you will see several very different looks!  Photographers take years to achieve their “style” and once they find it, they perfect it.  By hiring a professional, you are guaranteed that your images will reflect the look and feel that you liked in their portfolio images.

Business Expenses

Professional Photographers invest in professional equipment.  A professional photographer has cameras (yes, they have more than one because a backup IS necessary) that cost anywhere from $3000-$5000, several lenses upwards of $1000 and lighting equipment.  Then add to that the cost of tripods, backdrops, props, memory cards, advertising costs, software, taxes….well, you get the point!

Professional Photographers also invest in computer software to edit photographs, back up images and run their websites.  Professional Photographers maintain liability insurance, pay taxes and have marketing expenses.

Still Not Sure?

It may help to think about it this way….most women will spend anywhere from $75-300 every few months to have their hair cut, colored and styled by a professional stylist even though they can do it themselves for significantly less.  Why?  Because they are paying for the stylist’s expertise, time as well as the experience.

Photography is no different…well, maybe a little…. A beautiful image that captures the essence of your family's personality can have a greater impact and last several lifetimes...that haircut and color, well that only lasts a few weeks.

The bottom line, professional photography is an investment.  Whether or not that investment is valuable or not, is completely up to you!