New website and blog!

Hi there!

If you're viewing this blog, it's because you have old information...I now have an updated website and blog! Check 'em out at:

www.kbhphotog.com
www.blog.kbhphotog.com

Blog being revamped...

Hi all!

I am in the middle of designing a new blog and once it's up and running, I will be posting more consistently.

In the meantime, check out my website at www.kbhphotog.com, and look me up on Facebook under kbh photography for my most recent work/sneak peeks.

Thanks for following!!

Session Info

So What Happens at These Shoots Anyway?

Many clients ask me what to expect at a session, so I'll lay it out for ya!

We will usually meet either an outdoor location in the early morning or late afternoon for best light, or in your home mid-morning for a more personal, intimate session. Expect to be with me for about 1 to 1-1/2 hours, during which we'll walk around and get shots along the way.

If I'm photographing children, I will spend some time getting to know them so they feel comfortable with me; I have two young kids of my own and I know they take some time to warm up, but it usually doesn't take long because I love to get down on their level and show them what I can do with my camera and ask them about their favorite things and what makes them laugh. Pretty soon, their true colors start to show and I can just start snapping away, while capturing their true essence. Of course, I will always guide and give direction; I understand having someone with a camera in your face isn't always the most natural thing, but my goal is to almost become unnoticed so you just start to interact. THAT'S when a shoot becomes heavenly.

What to Wear

The next question I usually get is, "What on earth do I wear??" I can't say that there's only one perfect color, or one perfect outfit for everyone, but I can tell give you a general idea and I can certainly tell you what NOT to wear.

I've heard some photographers say to consider your whole family as one big outfit--you don't want to match exactly, but you DO want to compliment one another. Different colors and textures are great among a group, with a general color scheme.

What to consider wearing:

• Solid colors that flatter you; chocolate brown, black, white, jeans (colors are not limited to these only)--these are timeless and universally flattering for the most part. Since these are neutrals, consider adding something with a pop of color for visual interest...like a colorful scarf or fun hat. If you've ever seen TLC's What Not to Wear, Stacey and Clinton will always talk about pairing neutrals with texture, pattern and shine. This is a good rule to follow, but in light of that, consider the following:

What NOT to wear:

• Stay away from huge logos (or any logo for that matter), distracting patterns (including bold stripes, which widen a torso, for example), and clothes that are so noticeable that you, the subject, go unnoticed. The idea is to ENHANCE who YOU are...

Basically, do you want me to photograph YOU, or your CLOTHES? This should help you make your decision in the end. And it never hurts to go through my gallery of pictures and pick out families who chose clothes that complimented each other and themselves. You'll get ideas and pick and choose to create your own look.

For little kids and babies, it's always fun to have accessories like hats, bows, headbands, etc, which are fun to throw in a couple of photos, but can always be removed if we decide they don't work.

Lastly, make sure that your hands and feet are presentable; you never know when there will be a barefoot shot, or your hand will be in a closeup, holding your newborn baby. Don't stress about minor blemishes or stray hairs--I will do my best to edit these. But please be aware that my style of photography is not super airbrushed because then, I feel like I wouldn't be capturing the real you.

Products

I am gradually adding custom products in addition to professional prints. These include, but are not limited to, gallery wrap canvases, custom designer greeting cards, birth announcements, photo albums/coffee table books, etc.

I also offer gift cards that can be used toward sessions and prints! These make GREAT gifts for a family or mom-to-be (or even a newly engaged couple)!

I will post examples here as they are created!

The Value of Custom Portraiture

I've had a few people ask me about my changes (increases) in pricing...and I have not forgotten to post. I am being thoughtful over every single detail before I publish it for the "world" to see.

In the meantime, read this funny analogy about why custom portraiture shouldn't come cheap--well at least GOOD custom portraiture.

I took this from the blog of Malibu-based photographer, Katie Davis of ClaireAlyse Photography http://www.clairealysephotography.com:

“I want professional photos of my family, but my brother’s friend’s cousin’s daughter’s babysitter just got a really nice camera and she’ll take photos of us and give me a disk of all the images for only $90. She has a website, so she is legit.”

Here is an analogy for you:

I have bad hair. It’s too thick, it’s sorta curly, sorta wavy, frizzy and a bad ashy brown color. My brother’s friend’s cousin’s daughter’s babysitter Jackie will cut, weave and blow dry my hair for $90. My other option is going to Jeff the hair stylist at the salon across the street. He charges me $250 for a cut, weave and blow dry. I decide to try both.

I’m sitting in Jackie’s laundry room waiting for her to gather her things when I realize she’s going to wash my hair in the utility sink. Leaning over the sink kneeling on a folding chair proves a little difficult, she gets shampoo in my eye and water drips down my neck into my shirt. We go in the house and she sits me down in her dining room, her husband is sitting on the couch watching Nascar and drinking a 40. He leans forward to grab a bag of chips and I notice his butt-crack. I remind myself that Jackie only charges $90, she probably can’t afford to rent a station in a salon, so I divert my eyes and forgive her. She begins to cut my hair. It seems to be taking quite awhile. She looks a little nervous. I remember that she’s still fairly new to cutting hair. I rationalize that she’s still better than I’d be at it, after all. Plus, she has like 500 fans on her Facebook page, and that has to mean something, right? Jackie disappears to mix my color. She’s gone for a long time. I get nervous that she doesn’t know what she’s doing. What if she screws it up and my hair falls out? I start to wonder… maybe there is a REASON why she only charges $90. Is that the only way she can get clients? Then Jackie weaves a beautiful blond into my hair. I try to forget about my nerves and begin to get excited. A cut and color for only 90 bucks, I can’t wait to show everyone my hair! She finishes up the blow dry and I turn to the mirror to discover its really yellow and brassy. The cut is a uneven and boxy. I take a deep breath and calm myself down. Well, it looks better than it did before, I guess, and I only paid $90. The next day I meet up with some girlfriends for drinks. No one says anything about my hair, and I’m afraid to ask what they think because I know it just looks average, or maybe even bad. I feel disappointed. $90 seemed like such a great deal.

I suppose it’s only a deal if the value is greater than $90.

Two months pass and I find myself sitting at Jeff’s station in the salon across the street. The receptionist offers me a cold drink and the most recent issue of People magazine. Jeff comes over introduces himself and asks me what I’d like to accomplish today. We talk for a few minutes about the specific color of blond I’m looking for. He asks me questions about how I style my hair, what I like, what I don’t like, and tells me a little about whats in style right now. Jeff seems as excited as I am for my new look. I look around to see all the latest flat irons, blow dryers, collections of brushes and combs. Jeff rattles off instructions to his assistant while examining my hair and she’s back in a jiffy with 4 bowls of color. As Jeff begins to weave in and out of my hair with light blond and medium honey and chestnut brown I close my eyes and listen to the calming music on the satellite radio. I feel relaxed and confident. I trust him. I sit with my hair under the dryer and once again I’m offered a cold drink and a magazine. Jeff comes over to inspect the progression of the color. He exclaims how perfect it looks and brings me to the shampoo station. There is a big cushy leather recliner. I put my head back and he begins to wash. The shampoo smells like mint and lavender and he spends an extra few minutes on a mini scalp massage. Jeff dries and styles my hair with ease. When he’s finished he spins my chair around and I hardly recognize myself in the mirror. I look like I belong in a fashion magazine. The cut frames my face perfectly. It’s sassy with a hint of modern, just the right amount to suit my style. The color shimmers as I turn my head. It seems almost as if there are thousands of shades of blond intertwined throughout the locks of hair. It reminds me of what my hair looked like when I was little, after spending all summer in the sun. I feel proud. I meet up with some friends for lunch the next day. They must have commented on my hair 10 times. One of them demanded Jeff’s phone number and asked me how much he charged. “$250″, I told her. She replied, “Well it looks a-MAZE-ing, what a great deal.”

The $90 Jackie charged me wasn’t a great deal. The $250 Jeff charged me was. How is that possible? They both gave me a cut, weave and blow dry.

The difference was the experience and the quality. The $250 that Jeff charged me included a cold diet coke, and comfy chair, state of the art equipment and supplies, experience, knowledge, and a quality product. It included a feeling of pride and excitement that lasted until it was time to return for more. The $90 Jackie charged me included cheap dye, dull scissors, a wet shirt and a butt-crack.

When I thought about it later, I thought, well wouldn’t it be great to find someone who was somewhere in between, you know, someone who is amazing and cheap? But the problem is there is no such thing as in between. When someone offers quality, they have to charge for it, they have to cover the cost of running the business, continuing education, supplies, marketing, and they have to cut themselves a paycheck. Otherwise they are not running a business, they are the proud President of a Non-Profit Organization.

So if you find yourself presented with what seems like a “great deal” for your family photos, ask yourself if the $90 is worth an experience with Jackie. Personally, as a client, I’d rather pay $250 for an experience that feels priceless, than waste $90 on something sub par. Value is a magical thing.