Results for tag "photography"

Top 9 Reasons TLC Photography is Moving

Dance Portraits

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.

Trash The Dress, Shenandoah River

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.

Hummingbird Cooper Captures

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!

 

Baby photos!

I’m a big fan of babies… and while there have been a lot of new posing techniques revealed and extolled by many photographers, I remain a fan of the classics, too.  Simplicity makes it all about the baby…

baby pictures charles town beautiful babies in harpers ferry

Senior: Jasmine

Another of the home-schooled students we’ve had the pleasure of photographing this year, Jasmine was the one (of her two other siblings) who wanted pictures the most.  She was fun, enjoyed posing, and wanted plenty of variety.  We have that!

home-schooled senior pictures

Do You Really Want The CD?

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!

 

What is a Concept Shoot?

In the past several months, we’ve been using the term “concept shoot” on Facebook from time to time.  So, you might be curious as to what a concept shoot means or entails.

Frequently, us creative types get visions of imagery that we want to create.  While many of the best concept shoots require lots of advance planning, some do not.  One type of concept shoot is that which involves a specific scenario, location or setup.  Another type is usually more grandiose, including several people, increased lighting and setup, and plenty of time to create a one-of-a-kind image.

The reason we do concept shoots is to test certain ideas.  For example, we recently did a concept shoot involving people with tattoos.  The objective was to photograph tattooed skin with as much dramatic light as possible, enhancing the overall appearance of the tattoo.  To do that, we recruited models who had tattoos.  The concept was to create this dramatic lighting in the studio.

This is just one example.  Some are considerably more elaborate.  We are working on two now (in the planning stages) that involve a much bigger canvas and some cooperation from the weather and other circumstances.

If you want to be part of any of our future concept shoots, please let us know.  We welcome onlookers and those who want to learn… but don’t be surprised if we ask you to haul equipment or handle the lighting or something.

Studio for Rent

When was the last time you were working on a project and said to yourself, “I wish I had a really nice studio space to work in, with plenty of lights, props and backdrops to do what’s really in my head”?  Well, we’re going to help you with that… AND offer to train you to use it.

Here’s the link to check out what we’ve put together for you (there are more pictures to come): TLC Photography’s Studio Rental Page.

Print

You can rent for as little as two hours, or for entire days at a time.  Small projects to large, we can accommodate you.  And here’s the best part: while the studio introduction is free of charge, Tony is also available for one-on-one mentoring for a smaller additional charge than his usual rate when you are also renting the studio.

Go take a look at the link.  All the information, including the equipment data, rental rates, and a gallery of pictures is right there.  We’re preparing an introductory video as well, which will come soon.  Questions?  Ask!

304-263-3100 or tony@tlcphotography.com.

 

Most Beautiful Baby Contest Results!

First things first… we are proud to hold this contest each year.  It’s our pleasure to serve a good cause (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital), and enjoy meeting new faces and seeing a few old ones.  Thanks to each and every one of you who entered.

As you know, there can only be one top prize winner.  And, like just about everyone else, his mother described him as the winner.  She was right.

This is our first place winner…

Baby portraits in martinsburg

Our second place winner…

childrens portraits in martinsburg

And our third place winner…

kids pictures

Finally, two honorable mentions…

family pictures in inwood

newborn portraits

 

We want to express again how grateful we are to be a part of this wonderful community, and want to remind you of our upcoming promotions, including the Easter Pictures with a live bunny on March 24.  Call for details, 304-263-3100.

Nightly Missive: Mentor Much?

I am going to once again attempt to do some kind of daily (or nearly that) contribution to my blog experience.

A mentor of mine from years ago told me that being a photographer is a lot like being a doctor; both must constantly keep up with the latest information. I have lived by those words well into my adult life and career.

There are a lot of new folks coming into photography for one reason or another. When I see someone new, I like to watch their progress. As they continue to grow and innovate, I feel more and more like the industry just got a boost. And likewise when I see someone who has been at it for a couple of years, and who really has not grown past snapshots and a few fancy Photoshop gadgets, it’s much harder to take them seriously.

For that reason, I have created new photo classes that not only cater to amateurs, but also to those who know a little, but want to learn more. They are all available at the link below, and there are more on the way.

Tell your photographer friends about this… they will get a lot out of it, and you’ll get better pictures!

TLC’s Seminars & Photo Workshops

My birthday, YOU get presents

Candles spell out the traditional English birt...

I’m not getting older… I decided to refuse aging long ago.  At least in my mind… my body has accepted aging quite readily.

That aside, I have decided this year that I will be giving you a present for my birthday.

Here’s the deal:

  • I’m giving you a $100 credit toward your session fee and order.  Yes, there are some caveats.
  • First, you have to hold your sitting this Saturday, June 19.  Why then?  Because the day is open and available.
  • Second, it can’t be a senior portrait.  Senior sessions are handled completely different than families, babies and the like.
  • Third, you have to reserve your spot with a $50 order deposit (it will be applied toward your order, along with the balance of your Birthday Present credit).  And you have to call or email to get the deal!

That’s it.  Sessions can take place in our studio or in our portrait park… we’ll be happy to accommodate any size family or any number of children (with an appropriate number of parental wranglers, of course).

Call or email now… you won’t regret it.  Seriously. 🙂

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