Greetings! I have been in business for 12 years on the Emerald Coast. Over the years many potential clients call to ask about prices for my services and how it works. Some people have never used a professional photography studio before and they can be surprised by the prices. The Walmart and Sears portrait centers are cheap.. for a reason. It's just a gimmick to get you in the door so therefore losing money on it is no big deal. They are hoping that you'll see something else in the store that you'll want to buy. For the independent studio owner this is not the case.

When you go to the doctor's office, lawyer, or other professional there is always a set fee for time. This is important. Just like with my "session fee" it's a professional standard of service that is reasonable for overhead, profit (I have to pay the mortgage too) for time and information to create a product. With a photography studio though my only product is the image itself. It's what I can put on the piece of photo paper that counts... not the actual paper itself.

If you see a studio that's offering $10 to $15 8*10s.. be sure to get the files.  Sad to say they do not understand business and will probably not be there in a year or two. As the consumer you should though expect superior quality for the price you are paying. That's what hiring a pro is all about.

Thanks! Tricia

Tonight is "Rock the Coast" come on out and enjoy a free concert on the beach sponsored by the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council.

http://www.destin-fwb.com/

July 17, 2010

The beaches in Destin,Florida and South Walton (includes the townships: Highland, Dune Allen, Blue Mountain, Grayton Beach, Watercolor, Seaside, Seagrove, Rosemary, and Inlet) are cleaned daily by the crews from BP oil. I was just down on the beach this morning for a sunrise walk and it was clean and beautiful. I am posting daily updates on my twitter account: destinimages. Check back often for the current "State of the Beach"

Greetings!  Do you know what to look for in a good photograph? What is good lighting and posing?

• The background should be simple. There should be no horizon lines or items sticking out of the subjects head.
• There should be "catch lights" in the eye at the 11am or 1pm position
• A head and shoulders image should have a "vignette" (fading out) only on the part of the image where the body exits the photo. Why? By adding a vignette it draws the eye back into the photo. A vignette all the way does not serve the purpose of a vignette.
• Is the subject very bright and the background dark? Too much flash. It can be done on purpose for the effect but for the most part this is called a "flash effect" and it's not flattering.
• Flat, Split, and Rembrandt light. I have example on the "Why Choose Us" page. The next time you watch a TV show or a Hollywood movie check out the lighting on the actors faces. It's usually Rembrandt. Why? Because it's the most flattering lighting pattern and it adds dimension. It brings the image to life from just a flat piece of paper to a three dimensional image.
• The best time of day to photograph a portrait session in any part of the world is sunrise and sunset. No exceptions. If a photographer wants to take you out at any other time be careful. It can be done but it takes great skill and a great location to pull it off.

In the next blog post I will cover the different styles of photography. Thank you!  Tricia