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Colorado Photography Musing

Yesterday, I was doing my yearly scoping out of competition - a dreaded event.  I feel like I am spying or invading their space!  I really just want to know where I stand against competition so I don't stagnate or charge too much or too little.  Anyway, one photographer had on her About Me page that she was the only photographer that was qualified to do your pictures.  Even against those other professional photographers that knew what they were doing, she was still better and nobody else should be trusted.  I don't want to be combative or defensive, I would just like to say what my personal view on that subject is - no one photographer can do everyone's pictures.  There are so many variables - personality, ability, style, passion, how they present the images, how they "see", what ages they click with, patience with people, imagination, growth, posing techniques and so many more.  But I cannot be everything to everyone and by doing so, I wouldn't be me. 

When I photograph, I bring me to the table too.  I bring my experience, my education, my imagination and sense of wonder, my appreciation of light, my sense of when brides or kiddos are getting stressed and my need to fix that stress.  I don't like too fashion-y images.  I don't like putting kids, teens or young adults in "sexy" poses.  I don't think it's cute, appropriate or socially responsible.  Some photographers do and they can do it with taste.  And that's ok, for them.  Sometimes I bring treats for the little ones.  I am not perfect for everyone.  My Aunt once asked me to do a Traditional Portrait of her.  I know what a Traditional Portrait is and I kind of find them boring and blah.  I did it and surprise, she didn't like it.  I love my Aunt, but I just didn't have my heart in creating that for her.  If I did, I would have paid more attention to how I positioned her, where her hands were, how her head was tilted.  But I just didn't "see" those things until after.  The one picture that I took that I loved, she hated.  It is simply a difference of preference.

I really caution people to think about what kind of photographer you want.  Your portraits or wedding pictures are not just about the images, but the experience you had with the photographer and creating them.  If you hire a photographer that is not patient with children and speaks harshly or curtly to them, it will show in your images.  If they are goofy with them, that will show too.  If your wedding photographer was in a hurry to get done with the formals and onto something else or just wanted to do formals and not any candids, is that really what you want?  You wouldn't go to the grocery store and always buy the cheapest bread or the most colorful packaged bread just because, you would buy upon your families preference toward taste or health.  When selecting a photographer you need to be even more discerning than selecting bread.  I get so many inquiries that turn me down the minute they hear the price.  They don't wait to hear how much packages are.  When I was doing my research yesterday, I was less expensive or the same than many when I factored in packages and sitting fees.  Many photographers didn't charge a sitting fee, but they charged a minimum product fee.  Even with that, I was less or about the same.  So doing your homework of the entire cost is a really good thing.  And then think about style, did you like the photographer?  Did they have professional equipment?  Did they have a portfolio that had more than one family or one wedding?  Did you like their images?  Did you like them??? These are all good things to think about.  If you felt like they were more in it for the money and less about the love of photography, maybe they are not the best photographer for you.  And maybe they are.  It all about preferences.



For more information about Natalie Beck Photography, call Natalie at 720.837.5378.  Or check out our website at www.nataliebeckphotography.com.

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