We’ve been working in photography in this area for almost 20 years, and have moved our studio twice. We’re moving it again… and we’re convinced that we’re doing it for all the right reasons. But we wanted to make sure that you, our valued followers and clients, understood our reasons and what led to this very big decision. So, we’re sharing our reasoning with you!
9. Our market, clients, and the photography industry have all changed. The shooting space that we have now is no longer suitable for our needs, and we would rather have a more focused space in which we can concentrate on the things that we do best. The new space will be plenty big, and we can still photograph large family groups (up to 35) with ease, as well as babies, seniors and boudoir.
8. We want to feel “at home” in our studio. Since the building we are in was originally designed in a different era of the industry, and with differing goals in mind, adapting to a new and ever evolving landscape in photography would not be as easy as starting with a blank slate. In our new space, we are starting fresh. No fixed sets or fixed backdrops, but a few things we like and use most, along with our own creativity.
7. We realized that we don’t need a “park” in our backyard, as we have partnered with a few local (and very generous) farmers and other land owners to use their property for sessions. The best part of this is that you will almost surely have exclusive imagery for your on-location sessions. Plus, we have been working on many new technological approaches to putting you where we need you to be for the perfect shot.
6. Our new location does not have any “neighbor” issues, such as barking dogs, skunks, and cats that use our backyard as a litter box. Let’s just leave it at that.
5. The building we are in now, and the property it is on, have a host of issues that we cannot easily overcome. So, changing our location so that we do not and cannot have those issues is a best option. That doesn’t mean we won’t have issues at our new studio… but at least there we have more control over them.
4. We want to make a bigger impression. We have tried several ways to get people to see our work. Facebook and other social media outlets help some. But seeing our work is most of what draws people in. Route 11 (Winchester Ave) is a 40-45MPH road, and even just seeing our sign is not easy. Trying to put pictures out for people to see, even large ones on the deck, would be met with maybe a second’s worth of exposure. In our new facility, we have five huge 5×7′ windows… and we have a lot planned for those big beautiful sunshine gatherers! Plus, in a building with no windows, we get NO sun exposure… now, we will. Every day.
3. Cooper Captures (the wildlife and scenic photography started by Diana early last year) needs to shine… the work is exquisite, and it needs a place to really be seen by many. There are NO windowsin our current studio, and like you saw in #4 above, you can’t make an impression by showing it to a few people online. Diana will be setting up a wonderful display of her work in the corner windows, and we will be offering retail sales of matted prints, gallery canvases, greeting cards and much more. Plus, it will be much easier to see other wildlife photos on our large, color-corrected monitors!
2. We need to create… for awhile now, we have wanted total control of our sessions. While we take every measure to ensure that we provide each of our clients with a unique experience, we are surrounded by the sameness of a studio that was designed to churn out session after session with everyone getting the same treatment. We want more than that for our clients, and plan to offer very unique photography you can only get from the creative genius that gets its inspiration from other artists, both performing and from those who create works of art all the time. We’re looking forward to some very new and original work!
1. We crave interaction. In the last year or so, we have gotten much more involved in our community and with fundraising and “people” events. We’ve found that doing that from a building that is located nowhere near any of that, we can’t help as many people as we wish. Being in a downtown location will give us the ability to not only support our merchant neighbors, but to hopefully give them a reason to do the same. We know that is something we will have to earn, but it is also something we are more than prepared to do.
Between now and November 1, we will give you lots more information. This will include a big Open House we are planning, and lots of fun specials you can look forward to for the holiday season! But mostly, we’re looking forward to setting up our first BIG window display in town. It’s going to start small, and grow. Keep an eye out… you won’t be able to miss it!
So, when your photographer advertises that big special offer, which might include a CD of images from the session, you’re ready to jump on it because you love getting the CD, right? What’s not relevant here is how many images you get, or the circumstances. What’s important is that if you only got a CD, you’re not only cheating yourself, but you’re getting cheated. Read on.
Notwithstanding that a CD might cost less than a buck, and that your photographer with a certain style might spend less than a hour on your images, what are you really getting? Yes, you get the experience and professional photography. You get good customer service, a fun time with a genuinely nice person, and even some good pictures. But are you getting something that will last forever?
Do you remember the 8-track tape? Cassette tape? Most people don’t use CDs anymore (they only hold about 700MB), and most use DVDs (which hold over 4GB). But with the advent of Blu-Ray, how long will it be before that DVD is out of date? Or that file format? What will you do in ten years when DVDs are no longer supported by computers (most computers today no longer support floppy drives)?
Here’s something else to consider… where will you store your disk? What will you do with the images on it? Post them on Facebook? How long will they stay there? They may remain on your photo gallery for a long time, but they will get pushed to the bottom like all the others have over time. And forgotten. The disk may get lost or damaged (do you know how to take care of a DVD properly?)
It’s time for you to take control. If your photographer offers only a disk, ask for more. Demand prints. Tell them you want your images to be on the wall, in full view, for all to see. Be proud of your portraits, your wedding, your children and your family! Don’t hide them away on a disk anymore. Put them out for the world to see!
Here’s more to consider. Did you know that children who see pictures of themselves on the walls have a greater sense of well-being and self-confidence as they grow up? They can’t see those pictures of they’re on a disk. And couples who put their wedding pictures on the walls and in an album are more likely to stay together than those who don’t. We have clients who regularly share their pictures on the walls with us – and they have fabulous relationships, wonderful families and beautiful children!
Listen… this is not hard to understand. And yes, we DO sell the image files for most of our sessions and weddings. But we always offer you prints at the same time. And we always will, because they mean you will always see the pictures that you have tucked safely away in a dark storage place (after you made a backup, right?)
So, what are you going to do next time your photographer offers a disk-only portrait session? That’s right, demand prints!
Easter is April 8 this year… and boy howdy did that just creep up on us or what???
Well, we sometimes get to take the Easter weekend off, and we sometimes don’t. This year, it is one that we will. So, that said, we’re going to be closed on Saturday, April 7 so that we can enjoy a three-day weekend. If you need us, you know how to get at us…
- Through the website
- Via our Facebook page
- Call the studio (304-263-3100) and leave a voice message
- Owl-gram (you must be a 2nd year Wizard to use this service)
Enjoy your Easter holiday… if that includes a spring break or something along those lines, please be careful and come see us this spring!
Wouldn’t it be terribly cruel if I just left it as that? And then told you there’s no free stuff? I’m not… but that would be so rude! 🙂
We’re getting ready to start a few give-aways around here. We’re giving away stuff… like engagement sessions, proposal sessions, family sessions, portrait packages, large prints, small prints, and yes, even a wedding.
But you have to stay tuned.
They’re coming soon. Check back at least once a week if you don’t see or blog entry on Facebook or our website.
BTW, the picture above is the eyes of a good friend and client’s daughter. This was a couple of years ago… it’s such an attention getter, isn’t it? 🙂
… I would blog 2-3 times a week?
It was pretty regular, too. Sometimes 2-3 times a day! Oh, yeah.
But I got behind, and busy, and didn’t have as much time to do it anymore. And I still don’t. But you will start seeing them again soon. The best reason I can give you for why you will see them is because I have been asked to do so. So, here goes…
First, before I start in on blog entries for the sessions, weddings, and more, I have a couple of new projects we are getting ready to roll out. Both take full advantage of the fact that we have a super, large studio with state-of-the-art facilities and lots of space. Having a studio gives us a unique opportunity to create new stuff that we sometimes can’t do on-location. Once we’re ready to reveal them, you’ll know what I mean. One of the projects has been in the works for about twelve years, and the other going on three years.
Some news items for you, too. Diana’s birthday is November 6. Please feel free to wish her a happy birthday. We won’t be at the studio on her birthday (it’s a Sunday), but will be all this week thru Friday. She likes purple, Scottie stuff, and sugar-free licorice. 🙂 We will also be closed on Saturday, November 5 so that we can celebrate her birthday in style.
There are really no holiday cutoffs this year. However, if you want your print products for Christmas gift delivery, they need to be ordered by December 17. A few items should be ordered earlier than that, such as books. Please ask if you aren’t sure.
The studio will be closed for Thanksgiving and the remainder of that weekend. We’ll reopen on Tuesday, November 29. The studio will be closed for Christmas and New Year’s from December 24 through January 2. As always, we will be happy to try to accommodate your holiday portrait requests during those times, but we won’t be at the studio for you to pick up or place orders during those dates.
Model calls. We have three model calls coming up. One is for a model for one of the two projects I discussed above. We have one model already, a young lady we have photographed before, but we’d like to have another to kind of round things out. The next is for newborns… this is not specifically a model call, but we have changed a lot of things about our newborn photography, and we welcome anyone whose had a baby, and who is no more than ten days old, to contact us about getting a complementary session. The last is for next year’s high school seniors (Class of 2013). Senior models get two full sessions, free products, cash, and discounts on their future orders. For any of these, email me or call 304-263-3100 and talk with us (or just leave a message).
I think I’ve said enough for one email. Hope you’re looking forward to the new blog entries as much as I am.
This is the one event we do each year that gets people talking.
First, here’s the flyer:
Now… this is a great gift. If you’re doing it for the one you love, they will treasure it always. But we also want you to remember that this can be a gift that you do together. Couples are always welcome at TLC Photography, and especially for our annual Valentine’s event.
Go here to learn everything. Get a group from your work, and make a day of it. We love groups!
See you soon!
Remember the old Glamour Shots studios? They would do your makeup, hair, even clothing and then set you up in with a fancy background and pose you so that you looked different. It was all the rage for awhile.
This is nothing like that. 🙂
But there are some similarities. First, the Day of Beauty sitting (the next one is November 20, a Saturday) includes a makeup session with the very talented Ceejae Custer. She knows what it takes to make you look your best for the kinds of photos you want to do. She will pamper you and make you look even more gorgeous, all the while giving you tips and helping to set the stage for the photos you want to have done.
Second, your hair will be styled by none other than the fabulous Brooke Clyde. If you want drama, she can put it in your hair. If you want sleek, she has that, too. Whatever will look best is what she will do for you. And she also has plenty of ideas for how to pose and look your best for the pictures.
Finally, and with the aid of a few beauty items, the photo session begins. We always encourage you to bring the outfits and selections that you want to be photographed in. There are no limits, and we even have a few items to enhance your experience, including boas, wraps, fabrics, sheers and more. We usually encourage you to bring at least two outfits, and more if you are interested in creating a book.
Once the session is done, we will set up a private viewing for you. There you can select the images you want, order what you need for gift-giving or display and we go into action creating the finished product. We usually suggest a portfolio or portrait book, but we also have other specialty items available from your portrait images.
We invite you to contact us about participating in the Day of Beauty; which is Saturday, November 20. The whole experience is only $99, and includes an 8×10 print (or credit toward any other item). If you’d like to bring a friend, it’s only $79 more for that person… this is a perfect holiday gift for your significant other, and a great, fun time for your mom’s club, mothers & daughters, or just you getting photos for that special someone.
Call us at 304-263-3100 to set up your appointment or with any questions you may have.
In the past, we have had several different holiday session fees. One for in-studio, one for mini-sessions, and one for on-location sittings. Well, no more. We have decided to create just ONE sitting fee for the balance of this year for all family, baby, pet and event sessions.
And yes, this applies to on-location sessions, too. No more on-location fees for the remainder of the year. So, if you would rather have your portraits done in your home, a favorite family location nearby, or in one of our area’s beautiful parks, there’s no extra charge. That could save you as much as $150! The only requirement is that the location be within 20 miles of our studio.
A quick note about our studio before you decide to have them done at your favorite location. In addition to our large, state-of-the-art studio facility, we also have a large portrait park in the backyard of our studio. It sports 18 fixed sets, including a gazebo, porch swing, Spanish house, barn (complete with hay), fountain area (see picture below), double-sided rock wall (dark on one side, light on the other), park bench, beach and much more. Because we grow ivy, most of these sets remain green year round.
But you need to act fast. We have already booked nearly half of the weekend slots available before the holidays, and that’s BEFORE we sent out this information. You must call to reserve your time and date, and you must pay the non-refundable session fee of $50 to hold your date/time. We are happy to give you a quote for out-of-area sessions, special events and other types of photography.
Just call… 304-263-3100 (out of area, call 888-349-3686) 🙂
Our Day of Beauty, discussed in this thread, has been changed. It’s now being held on March 20. Please call now for your appointment… remember it is first come, first served for appointments, and you MUST have an appointment. It’s great fun, and great images. Call now!
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, we are offering up another day of beauty!
Those who have taken advantage of our previous days (including the Valentine’s sessions) have been very happy with the experience and with their images. And why wouldn’t they be? The package includes a complete makeover with makeup by Ceejae (a professional make-up artist), hair styling by Brooke, and portraits by Tony. This combo has churned out some amazing images in the past few months, and now it’s your turn.
The package also includes an 8×10 or two 5x7s, and is only $99. Want to bring a friend? If you do, then the price is only $89 each!
Book now by calling 304-263-3100. But do hurry, because the time slots fill up quickly!
