Why Do I Take Pictures?

It’s all about the moments--those moments that are gone all too soon--the ones that we look back on and wonder where all the years went to as we look at them.  My photography is like freezing a slice of your family and loved ones in a little time capsule that you can frame or print and share with others.  The biggest thrill for me in my photography is looking at each person’s image through the lens and knowing that for years to come, their loved ones will experience a thrill when they see that photo and remember that child, teen, bride, or family member just at that instant in their life and smile because they know that they caught it and didn’t let it slip away.  You see, my philosophy for photography is much like my philosophy for life--take advantage of each and every day.  Be purposeful and intentional about never taking anything for granted.  Those photos can be easily procrastinated, but if you put off having your children’s photos made or taking that family portrait, you will totally forget about it and wake up one day to see that your family has all grown up and you have nothing left to look back on.  Seize the day!

 

What Do I Love To Shoot The Most?

Faces--I love faces.  I love to study people’s faces and capture the many different aspects of their personalities. It’s so hard to capture a person’s true character in just a handful of photos.  To me, the most challenging part is to catch their eyes correctly.  If I can help them relax and communicate with their eyes until those eyes seem to sparkle, then I feel that I’ve done what I set out to do.  We do this by relaxing and just having fun.  

 

I love to strive for my photos to be very natural and simple.  I do all of my photography outside, with few or no props--nothing to distract from the simple beauty of the face.

 

Where And When Do I Like To Go On My Photo Shoots?

I like any place that has a natural beauty, without a lot of distractions in the background.  I like woodsy places like the Wilderness Park in Prattville.  I also love green grass or golf courses, such as the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Prattville.  I love rustic locations like a barn, a field, a stone bridge or an old building.  Another great place to go is down by the Coosa River at Corn Creek Park in Wetumpka.  Of course, when I lived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, I loved taking pictures on the bayous and beaches.  I have done several photo shoots in downtown Prattville by the fountain, and I like that as well, but I’m not crazy about all of the traffic, not to mention the fact that so many people in the area have already had their photos taken by the creek.  Finally, there is a lot to be said for a simple front porch with beautiful columns.

 

I prefer to take my photos as late as possible in the day.  The light is great at that time of day.  It’s not too harsh and it seems to put a great golden glow on my subject that I love.

 

What Do I Charge?

I am a very practical person and it drives me crazy to have to pay more for something than it is worth.  I try my best not to overcharge my clients.  I charge enough to justify the time away from my family and to justify the money that I invest in my equipment and training.  

 

I hate to throw something that is perfectly good in the trash can.  To me, having to choose two or three of my favorite photos of my children from an incredible photo shoot (and not getting to keep all of the photos) is like throwing away precious jewels.  

 

Most photographers charge a sitting fee, then also charge their customers for prints or enlargements of their favorite photos.  My approach is very different from this.  I only charge by the hour.  I charge $100 per hour. There is a one-hour minimum for photo shoots done within a 20-minute drive of Prattville.  Any locations further than 20 minutes drive require a 1 ½-hour minimum.

 

What Do You Get?

When I am finished with your shoot, I will provide you with a DVD containing all of your pictures.  I retain ownership of the actual photos, but you are allowed to use them all you want.  On the disc, I include a license release that allows you to print as many of your photos whenever you want.  Most of my customers end up with anywhere from 150 to 850 photos in a one- or two-hour session.  

FAQs