photography tips Archives

Apr

The Best Photography Client

Everyone loves a good working relationship, right? And you… you want to have a great photography experience? These ten foolproof tips will ensure you are the best photography client possible. You’re photographer will LOVE YOU if you follow these ten tips!

Here are ten simple tips to be the best photography client EVER. These tips can apply to any type of photographer or any type of session and are guaranteed to make your photographer love working with you. When your photographer loves to work with you, everyone wins.

10 Tips to be the Best Photography Client

Hire them early. Always hire your photographer as early as you can. This means you need to hire them at least a year in advance of your wedding, and at least 30 days before you want to take your portrait session. This gives your photographer plenty of time to get to know you and your personality and plan for your special event. There may be special permits to apply for/purchase, timelines to create, clothing outfits to review, other vendors to plan with, and locations to scout. Making sure your photographer has adequate time to prepare for your shoot means you will have a better experience AND better images.
Read everything they give you; follow their advice. If your photographer offers any advice in the way of oral instruction, written material, or videos to help you prepare for your session, take a few minutes to listen and/or go over the material to be the best photography client. They are trying to help you prepare for your session. Again, this will help you to have a positive experience and create beautiful imagery.
Show up on time. Make every effort to be on time. Pretend you are a trainee and it’s your first day of boot camp in the Marine Corps. In fact, show up a few minutes early. Time is precious for a photographer, especially if they are shooting outdoors and using natural lighting—even if they are adding artificial lighting.
Don’t pretend you think you’re ugly or fat. When the photographer shows you the back of the camera or your final images, don’t complain that you’re fat or ugly. We know that IF you REALLY thought you were fat or ugly, we wouldn’t be taking your photos. We will compliment you and generously pet your ego, but don’t go fishing for compliments or pretend to have low self-esteem. It’s not flattering. And, this is also a lot like telling the head chef that their filet mignon sucks.
No screenshots/no downloads. Taking screenshots or downloading images and reposting/printing them is a crime—even if you paid for a session, or bought a physical print—unless the photographer has granted you a limited copyright license to “take screenshots and repost/print them.” If you want to post low-resolution digital images from your wedding or session, then purchase them or make sure you have a limited copyright (permission) to do this. Not only is this theft, screenshooting an image badly degrades it and makes it look really crummy. In turn, it makes the photographer look like they do really crummy work. Also, stealing images from the internet (or anywhere else for that matter), is the same as bootlegging music. Again, it is a crime and it is punishable by law.
No filters. Assuming you do have permission to post the images on social media or print them, DO NOT EDIT THEM. Your photographer created the image… the ART, with a certain vision in mind. When you change that vision without their permission, you violate your copyright agreement with the photographer. More often than not, you also make the photographer look like an inexperienced amateur by slapping a really ugly filter on it and messing up skin tones and proper white balancing.
Always give them photo credit. When you do have permission to post your images online, always give your photographer a photo credit. It’s so disheartening to see you have 1,347 likes from your family and friends and no mention of the photographer who took the image.
Refer them. If you had a pleasant experience and liked the photographer’s work, refer them any chance you get. Nothing makes me happier than to have a potential client tell me that a past client referred them my way.
If you appreciate their work, stay loyal. If you enjoyed the experience you had with the photographer, use them when you can (and refer them, #8 above). Nothing gets our goat more than to see you bounce around from photographer to photographer like a cheating partner.
If you’re unsure, ask. If you’re ever unsure about what you can and can’t do, or what is expected of you as a client, just ask. I’m sure your photographer will be more than happy to explain it to you rather than discover you’ve done something to make them look silly online in front of thousands of people.

There you have it. Ten tips to maintain a pristine relationship with your photographer!!

Let’s “hangout!” I wanna hear about your love story!

Schedule a virtual or in-person discovery meetup!
For more options, visit my “Let’s Connect” page.

About Ata-Girl

I am a San Antonio-based wedding photographer and I cater to outdoor-loving couples who prefer to have all the realness captured on their wedding days. I am the wedding photographer for the outdoor adventurers, the romantics, the laid back, the snugglers, and those who wish to capture all their realness.

I am absolutely in love with capturing the kinds of weddings where there are more hugs than handshakes, the dance floor rumbles all night long, and chairs are pretty much rendered useless after dinner. Whiskey bottles are passed around, most of the wedding party has been best-best friends since kindergarten, Grams is likely to lose her shoes and your partner is much more emotional than you are. These kinds of weddings are my jam!

You can always call or text, but if you really want to get to know me, schedule a meetup!

I started Ata-Girl Photography Co., LLC in 2010. I firmly believe that the unique set of circumstances I have faced in life has prepared me to take a personal and genuine interest in my photography clients. I enjoy documenting the important milestones and captivating moments in people’s lives. I love being a part of people’s journeys and consider myself privileged to document their legacies.

If you enjoyed this blog post and would like to get your hands on 20 FREE interactive wedding planning tools that every couple needs, please take a moment to access them here.

I am a published author (purchase my book here), a podcast host (listen here) (watch here) and a WPPI-C certified professional, full-time wedding photographer. I specialize in a 10-day image delivery, same-day prints, same-day slideshows, Italian handcrafted wedding albums and I have a mobile meeting space.

When I’m not behind my camera, you can find me hiking, cycling, backpacking, camping, enjoying water sports, listening to music (Elvis and Prince), hunting for arrowheads, reading audiobooks, occasionally eating a few glazed donuts (my only weakness to sweets) and then re-starting my keto diet about every 10 days. The most important things in life are for me to see my two daughters happy and to create a family history my grandparents and grandson would be proud of.

Jul

What Does Quality Cost?

Over the years, I have encountered people who have expressed their dissatisfaction after having bad photography experiences. I have been asked to re-shoot certain weddings images when the images they received were not what they expected. I have been hired to re-shoot portraits sessions when clients were not happy with their experience. I have had more than a few people confess that they let price rather than skill, expertise, and vision determine who they would hire to capture an important event in their lives.

What other facet of life do you only use price to determine which product/service you will buy? Medical services? Cosmetic/beauty services? Housing? Child care? Why would you let price be the determining factor for who will document such an important piece of your family’s legacy? Clients must make sure that a photographer will meet their expectations before the investment has been made. There are certain milestones in life that can’t be redone.

If you think hiring a professional photographer is expensive, wait until you hire an amateur.
Unknown

Benefits

Below are some excerpts of questions and answers to some of the conversations I’ve had over the years:

After working with two separate photographers prior to your wedding, explain why you didn’t use either to shoot your wedding day? One said she would edit several things out of the photos that she took and when I finally received the photos through email those items weren’t edited out. One of the photos was supposed to reflect me through the mirror but instead it reflected other people that were in the room. She said she had taken 200 photos and only sent me 25 photos and half of them were the exact same pictures just in a different filter. There were even photos with my eyes completely closed I didn’t get to take half the pictures that she said that we could do. Then when I called her to ask if she sent the correct photos she became very angry calling me names and said she had never even wanted to be my photographer.

What was the most unprofessional thing you experienced in working with each of the photographers you worked with? The first photographer arrived late and said she was going to have to leave early because she had to pick her daughter up from school. She also picked the hottest part of the day to do the photos which were taken outside. She also kept telling me that she could edit every single photo to blur objects or take things out. Before she decided that she couldn’t do my photos for the wedding day at all she told me that she would not do the wedding rehearsal after all because her daughter had a softball game that Friday and Saturday. And she was going to make at least one of the games and it would be the Friday game. Also, the first photographer was going to bring a lady to help take pictures on my wedding day who didn’t have any experience with photography.
The second photographer also mentioned that she didn’t know how long she would be able to stay at the wedding because she would probably be tired. She also would get very aggravated when we had to wait for somebody that was supposed to be in a certain photo. For example we couldn’t find my parents for a family photo because they were dealing with issues with the wedding and she kept complaining and would say we could just take the photos later. She knew the pictures were going to be dark when evening time came around but instead of asking if there was an overhead light that she could turn on she just took the pictures in the dark. Also, on some of the pictures that she gave me some of the faces were twisted and distorted. I also didn’t get to take any of the photos that I had planned to take.

Why did you choose the photographer you did? I didn’t budget properly for good photography. I didn’t know any better. And, the truth is, I just couldn’t afford you—and now, I can see your prices are in line with other photographers of the same skill. I had to choose what I could afford at the time and I’m not happy about what I had to pick. The photographer I chose was more along the lines of an amateur and that was reflected in all of our images. They were not posed well, they were not lit well, and they were not edited well. We were not even offered any product… just handed over a disk and there they still sit… a year later. They say hindsight is 20/20 and I won’t be making that mistake again. We will be better prepared for college graduation, I can promise you that.

What did you like about your photography experience? Uhm. Nothing. I thought my senior pictures would turn out great. Someone offered to do my portraits who shoots a lot of great sports photos. I thought they must be a great all-around photographer. When we arrived for the session everything was just awkward. No instruction was given for clothing or jewelry. I had to pose myself. I had to suggest the different places to shoot. When I got my disk of images, there were ugly shadows on my face. My poses were weird. I wasn’t happy with the results but it was too late to book anyone else. What I had pictured in my head and the pictures I actually had in my hand were two completely different birds. Just because someone is good at one type of photography, doesn’t mean they’re good at another.

What Sets Professionals Apart

Professionals will often have an official business entity (Corp., Inc., LLC, etc.)
Professionals will carry insurance, pay sales tax and self-employment taxes
Professionals will invest in their education to better their skill
Professionals will have backup equipment and will also utilize second shooters and assistants
Professionals will have a community of colleagues to network with and belong to professional organizations
Professionals will offer to show you entire body of works rather than just portfolios
Professionals will offer advice when they see flaws/possible improvements in your plan (timeline, wardrobe, location, etc.)
Professionals will ask for a retainer and ask you to sign a written agreement
Professionals will often reinvest in their business
Professionals will work with pro-level labs and vendors not available to regular consumers
Professionals will have samples of their products and urge you to print your images for preservation
Professionals will respond to your communications in a timely manner (even while on vacation)
Professionals will often specialize in certain genres of photography

There is no price point, gear list, or hours of operation that is going to categorically set a hobbyist apart from an amateur apart from a professional. Each businessperson arrives at their prices based on their own unique bottom line. The centerpiece in choosing a photographer is to always make sure you like someone’s work more than you like their price. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment. Don’t lose a piece of your family’s legacy because you value something else more than you value photography.

Let’s “hangout!” I wanna hear about your love story!

Schedule a virtual or in-person discovery meetup!
For more options, visit my “Let’s Connect” page.

About Ata-Girl

You can always call or text, but if you really want to get to know me, schedule a meetup!

If you enjoyed this blog post and would like to get your hands on 20 FREE interactive wedding planning tools that every couple needs, please take a moment to access them here.

Jul

How The Gym Can Improve Photography Skills

After years of exercising by myself, I was finally convinced to try The Gym (Thanks, Julie!). I had been road cycling for a few years… mostly alone. The thought of being in a room without windows, without a fresh breeze of air, without scents of wild flowers or scenic views seemed confining to me. Loud music with deafening bass was not appealing! I was wrong. For a while, I tried to maintain a dual relationship with The Gym and my road bike. But The Gym slowly tightened its grip on me, and now receives more attention. It’s to the point that my beloved bike has become nothing more than a dust collector. However, I have to admit that it has been a pleasure to sweat, cuss, condition, pray and reflect on things in The Gym. I joke that The Gym is where/how I maintain my mental health. I never gave consideration to how the gym can improve photography skills… until now.

This has opened up an opportunity for me to shoot for fun and for me to improve photography skills. For a few years now, in addition to being a patron, I’ve been covering the Les Mills programs launched at The Gym. Lanessa, The Gym’s super fantastic owner, and all the equally amazing instructors launch the new programs a few times a year and basically throw a party. There’s prizes, drinks, dancing and sometimes margaritas. Some of the classes are so popular, they even require an RSVP to attend. I join in all the fun by capturing images of the launch parties. Shooting in this environment challenges me to improve photography skills by:

thinking outside the box
being quick on my feet (and with my controls)
shooting in VERY low light situations
looking for and capturing the defining moments
utilizing compositional layering and applying other rules of photography
searching for repeating patterns in unobvious places
capturing flattering images in not-so-flattering circumstances
comforting people (subjects) with my presence; getting them to relax

Here are a few of my favorite images from the last launch. If you’re a member of The Gym and would like to see all the images, please contact me.

I not only get to witness people being healthy and having a good time, it gives me a chance to give something back to my community. I share all the images with The Gym and all its patrons at no charge. With this, I encourage you to get out and shoot things that are not in your usual genre. Grow your photography skill and knowledge. Find challenging ways to practice with different subjects and in different environments to improve photography skill. Find unique ways to give back to your community. (SECRET REVEALED: It’s rewarding!!) Until next time, be positive, be happy, be healthy, and don’t forget to be photographed.

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I am a San Antonio-based wedding and senior photographer who started Ata-Girl Photography Co., LLC in 2010. As one of the up-and-coming San Antonio wedding photographers, I am also available to shoot in Austin, Houston and Dallas and the surrounding areas. I am also available for destination weddings worldwide. Ata-Girl Photography Co. offers an amazing wedding photography service that you won’t soon forget. As professional photographer, my sole purpose is to provide you the absolute best photography experience.

I am a professional photographer who enjoys documenting the important milestones and captivating moments in people’s lives. I firmly believe that the unique set of circumstances I have faced in life has prepared me to take a personal and genuine interest in my photography clients. When I’m not photographing a wedding, family or high school senior, I enjoy watching my daughter play softball, hiking, cycling, reading, and listening to Elvis!

The post, How The Gym Can Improve Photography Skills, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.

Hi, I’m Tammy.
I'm a San Antonio-based wedding photographer for outdoor-loving couples who value real moments.

I am a San Antonio-based wedding photographer and I am absolutely in love with capturing the kinds of weddings where there are more hugs than handshakes, the dance floor rumbles all night long, and chairs are pretty much rendered useless after dinner. Whiskey bottles are passed around, most of the wedding party has been best-best friends since kindergarten, Grams is likely to lose her shoes and your partner is much more emotional than you are. These kinds of weddings are my jam!

Since 2010, I have excelled in helping each of my couples plan for one of the very best days of their lives! I’d love to share my very personalized wedding experience, my super-human organizational abilities, and my U. S. Army combat skills (when needed) with you too.

I want your wedding day to be as perfect as you do! I am all in with my whole heart!