Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Canvas...How beautiful!

I must share one of my recent purchases for examples... a canvas of my little one :) Canvas turns a beautiful photo into something seriously breathtaking, just my opinion :)

CANVAS-COLTYN

Enjoy!!

Monday, January 18, 2010

Today

Today I will be busy officially working on specific overhauling on my blogger sites, but first I will be attempting all new things on a "Tester Blog". It shall prove to be exciting and frustrating all in one, because I am not a huge fan of HTML code, but I do have to like it to avoid paying someone else to do these things for me. I have a few new blogger header's to try out, but first I need to customize and tweak them a bit more.

Last night I ordered some fun things for Valentine's day & hope to have at least one parent take advantage of the great price and fun props I have available for Valentine's Day. I also ordered two new logo's from ONTT Studio's, and will be attempting to patiently wait for their arrival, oooh I am very VERY excited about seeing them, it will be the new face of MIT Photography for this year!

~Megan

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Valentine's Day Special

Hey guys! Valentine's day is coming up quickly, Here's an idea for you...what if you surprised your wife with something incredibly thoughtful and sweet? What if you took your kiddos and had some great pictures taken of them? Three reason's why pictures make great gifts...

1. Your wife will stop bugging you to go have family pictures taken.
2. She will love them!
3. Next year, when you buy her a blender and she gets mad, all you have to say is "Remember those gorgeous pictures of our kids? I did that!"

So, here's how you do it...shoot me a call/email/or a message on Facebook. We can then set up a time you can tell your wife something along the lines of "Honey, you work so hard, why don't I take the kids and give you some quiet time off to yourself." (*Cough*cough* Can you say brownie points??) After the session, you can proof your pictures, and get what you like in prints in time for Valentine's Day. See, voila! Piece of cake!

If you would like to purchase the session for her and give it to her gift certificate style, we can do that too!

Valentine's Day Special

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Starting off January with a kick!

Welcome to the new year my blog readers, I'm excited for all the possibilities that 2010 holds for myself, my family, and most importantly all the changes and new things coming for Moments In Time. I will be going to a very large convention, and I am really hoping to bring back some fabulous new fresh ideas for the new year, as well as being able to kick off some great new idea's I've got for the new year. There will be a lot of fellow photographer's there, and I am really looking forward to the opportunity of attending.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Baby A Session

Enjoy the sneak peak! :) I had so much fun playing with a girly girl today, she's so sweet, and tiny, annnnd adorable to boot! What more could I ask for? :)

A4

A2

A3

A5

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Why does custom photography cost more you ask?

~Keep in mind here, I know I'm priced well below what most custom photographer's are...~




Why Does Custom Photography Cost More?
February 27th, 2008 by admin

The digital revolution has brought amazing flexibility and ability to control various factors during the image taking and making process. Photographers, the hobbyist, the professional, the amateur all benefit from this ability to manipulate pixels. However, with flexibility comes a price. Digital camera equipment is still considerably more expensive when you factor in its’ lifespan, the need for additional resources for processing those images, the time it takes to get a usable image and the effort that goes into creating a work of photographic art.

We all know that you can go to the local Walgreen’s and pay a $1.99 for a print - as a client you may wonder why you may pay upwards of $50, $70, $90 for a custom photography print. Photographers hear this statement every once in awhile:

“How in the world can you charge $60 for an 8×10 if it costs me less than $2 to print at x store?”


The truth of the matter is the answer to this question is multifaceted. Much of the cost of a photographic print produced by a professional photographer has a lot to do with the time, equipment costs, artistic vision and reputation of the photographer not to mention expertise and the usual costs of running a legitimate business.

The cost of TIME

Approaching it from a time standpoint, let’s imagine that you have hired a photographer who has work that you love. This photographer is traveling an hour to your destination to photograph your session. Here is an example of a time break down:

* session prep time (30 mins - 1 hour, includes equipment and back up equipment checks + vehicle checks)
* one hour travel time TO session
* 15-30 minutes prep time at client’s home
* 90 minutes-2 hours with client photographing subject
* one hour travel time FROM session
* 30-45 minutes uploading time from digital cards from camera to computer
* 30-45 minutes time spent backing up the original images
* 2-5 hours editing time to present you with a diverse gallery of edited images
* 1 hour prep time getting ready for ordering
* 2-3 hours time with client for ordering images
* 1 hour sorting through and checking order
* 30 minutes-1 hour prep time for delivery
* 30 minutes-1 hour getting order shipped
* any additional phone time or time needed for add on ordering, shipment issues, quality issues

In this example, the time spent per client can range from just under 13 hours to 19 hours - dependent on the photographer’s level of service. This is time dedicated only to ONE session. When the photographer charges $150-$300 for the photo shoot (aka SESSION FEE) you are not just paying for the two hours of session time, you are paying the photographer for 12-19 hours complete time for your session.The COSTS of Maintaining a Custom Photography Business:

Regarding equipment costs, a good quality professional camera with a selection of good optical quality lenses and digital storage mediums and computer set up can run from $10,000-$30,000 costs dependent on the photographer. Even though you can purchase a really good quality digital SLR for about $2100 there are still other costs related to photography. A good lens for portrait photography can run from $900 to $2500. A dependable computer system with software loaded for business and creative usage can run $2500 to $8000 dependent on the photographer.

Then come lab costs for specialty products. A good photographer knows the lab is integral to their success. Photography labs dedicated to the professional photographer often cost more and offer a range of products that allows the custom photographer to continually offer new, innovative products for you, the discerning client.

Discussion other costs of running a photography business could take awhile so we’ll skip many of the intricate details. There is of course much more: including costs of running the business, taxes, studio rental/mortgage if the photographer has ownership of a dedicated studio, vehicular costs, costs of advertising/marketing, costs of sample pieces that the photographer will likely bring to your session, etc.

APPLES to ORANGES to BANANAS:

Often times clients will mention to their photographer that X studio in the mall/department store only charges $19.99 for an 8×10 “sheet” or they may mention other things related to discount photography chains. The fact is those discount chains make their money on volume, not on customized 1:1 service. In February 2007 leased photography retail space by a rather well known discount department store that started in Arkansas closed down 500 of their portrait studios across the nation? The reason is simple, you cannot make money on 99¢ “professional” prints if you do not sell enough of them. Interestingly enough - those same studios that offer the loss leader packages often charge much much more for their a la carte pricing (as high as $40-50 for an 8×10). The whole reason the big department stores began offering portrait services in the first place was to get you, the savvy consumer, in through their door so that you could spend more money with them in other departments. Your “PORTRAITS” are considered the “loss leader”.

Going to a chain studio, as a consumer, you don’t have the benefit of 1:1 attention for 2 hours at your home where your child is allowed to explore, play and be comfortable in their home environment, nor do you get the experience that many custom photographers are known for or the lovely captures of natural expressions. You simply get a bare bones, “SAY CHEESE” experience. Keep this in mind when selecting a photographer.

REPUTATION/EXPERTISE of the PHOTOGRAPHER:

Being in demand, being well known for quality work, having a good reputation often costs time on the photographer’s part. Their expertise comes at a cost, their time learning their craft and learning the intricacies of lighting and the commitment put forth on their end to create a persona about their business that oozes professionalism. A great number of photographers go a very long time from the time that they purchase their first good camera to making money at the business of photography. Many photographers, when first starting out, rush in thinking that the business will be easily profitable in no time, how expensive could it be to get a camera and use it to create their dream? They often neglect to factor in the cost of business, the cost of equipment, software, back ups, etc..

Being of sound reputation, a better professional photographer knows that they must always reinvest in their business to create the reputation of being top notch. To create good work good equipment, reliable equipment, back up equipment is a necessity. The photographer who desires to be known as better/best/unparalelled reputation-wise knows that the most important thing they can do for their business is reliability and dependability. This is how reputations get built. Good work often is a wonderful side product of building that good reputation.

I hope this (lengthy) article helps shed some light on WHY a custom photographer is a better choice for your family’s memories. The photographs that are produced as a result of the professionalism and dedication that your photographer has will be cherished for a lifetime (or more) and great thought and consideration should be placed into hiring who is right for your family’s most precious investment.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Christmas Card Examples

These are some beautiful templates I have to offer that I can customize with your beautiful family pictures in them at your request.

MB1
These are just a few of the templates I can offer for now, there are many many more! If you aren't sure you see something you like that catches your eye here, allow me the opportunity to show you the rest!

PRICING:

Holiday Package #1: $75
*(1) mini session (30 minutes of custom photos)
*(25) 4x8 slimline greeting cards with envelopes OR
*(20) 5x7 greeting cards with envelopes
*(1) unit of photos

Holiday Package #2: $110
*(1) mini session (30 minutes of custom photos)
*(50) 4x8 slimline greeting cards with envelops
OR
*(40) 5x7 greeting cards with envelopes
*(1) unit of photos

(One unit of photos includes one of the following):
*(1) 8x10
*(2) 5x7
*(4) 4x5
*(8) wallets
*(1) 5x7, (2) 4x5
*(1) 5x7, (4) wallets

**Contact me for further information on individual pricing for greeting cards**

***GREETING CARDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE FOLLOWING SIZES UPON REQUESTS: 4x5, 4x6, 4x7, 4x8, 5x5, 5x6, 5x7, 5x7***