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Last evening we took a drive to Rockliffe to meet with this nice couple to create a romantic late evening portrait. Personally I love shooting portraits with props such as this awesome ’55 Chevy. It ads so much to a photo and it also makes it very personal for the couple. We didn’t have much time for the photo-shoot. We managed to take enough shots before the thunderstorm came.
This week alone we’ve booked three weddings for the 2011 season. Although it’s always nice to book a wedding but this isn’t the reason for this post. The reason for this post are the comments we’ve heard from those couples who came to our studio to inquire about our services. I’ll begin with the couple that first came here 2 weeks ago. This couple had a list of 7 photographers they wanted to see. They came back yesterday afternoon to book my services. When asked why they chose my services, here’s what they had to say: “Your work appealed to us the most.” You’re the friendliest and most easy going and you never pressured us into a sale. We’ve seen a couple photographers where we felt their success was getting to their heads; one in particular was very arrogant. They had nice work but we didn’t want a photographer with an attitude. Photography is very important to us, we want it to be a good experience.”
The second couple we booked was last evening. They chose our services for the following reason: “Awesome work competitive prices and the fact you’re fluent in both English and French. We have family coming from all over Ontario and Quebec.”
The third wonderful couple who first came here Tuesday evening, sent me an email this morning. Here’s what they had to say: “Hey there guys. Congratulations!! You made the biggest impression out of any one we have met with. Your attention to detail surpasses anything we have seen. The clarity of your photos and colours is phenomenal. We would love for you to take our wedding photos.” This couple also visited 4 photographers if I recall correctly. One comment they made when they were here on Tuesday was regarding an appointment they weren’t impressed with because the photographer made his presentation at a Tim Horton’s!
Suggesting to potential clients to meet at a noisy coffee shop to present a portfolio and packages is not what I would call professional to say the least. However, being arrogant and arguing with potential clients is beyond comprehension. No matter how good, talented, experienced or successful a photographer might be, the bride and groom are “the” stars and should be treated as such. The photo-shoots should be a fun experience and having good chemistry with the photographer to begin with is a must! The couple should feel like they’re on cloud nine on the day of their wedding and the photographer plays a major role in assuring they feel good in front of his /her lens. Arrogance has no business in this profession; we’re in the business of making people feel good and feeling beautiful.
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I have often mentioned the importance of a business portrait for professionals when marketing their services. What I have yet to mention in any of my blog’s posts is how we can transfuse success in your business portrait.
How we can dictate the very first impression of the viewer and what message you want to project with your portrait. These are things that are discussed in length during the consultation prior to your business portrait photo-shoot. I encourage you to get in touch with me to discuss the different business portfolio options I have to offer. You can reach me at 613 866-7548. You can also view samples of our work at www.ottawaportrait.com/business.html To reach me by email: info@ottawaportrait.com
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I often hear from people who come to my studio that they’re not photogenic and that I have my work cut out for myself! Fact is, nowadays, people are exposed to fast-food photography, friends, families taking that snap shot with a little aim-and-shoot digital camera and even a cell phone — a perfect recipe for a mug shot! As a result many people conclude they’re not camera friendly and grow to hate being photographed. Some people do look good even with the cell phone camera. These are probably the types who even look good coming out of bed at 4:45 in the morning after being awakened by an over optimistic bird because the sun is on the horizon! But if you’re like me, you probably want to take that cell phone that snapped a pic of you and drop it in the blender. Yes, being a photographer doesn’t mean I look good on pics snapped with a aim-&-shoot camera — (Doesn’t mean I look good period!)
I’d like to say I am in the business of making people look great! I am a people’s photographer and I try my very best to capture the best in people. Modern technology also allows us skilled photographers to tweak a photo to make certain little flaws that bother us disappear or tone it down. When we browse through a magazine, we’re always amazed how great certain actors / actresses look despite their age. It’s obvious they weren’t photographed by their best friend’s cell phone camera. A skilled professional photographer will get the best out of people with great studio lighting techniques and sophisticated editing softwares.
Next time you see an actress who looks so amazingly good, consider an imaging professional is the author of that beauty! I strongly believe there’s beauty in everyone; beauty is in us all, it’s a matter of leaving it in the capable hands of a professional in order to record it.
More and more business people in Ottawa trust my studio for creating their business portrait for a simple reason – word of mouth! My clientele are very satisfied with the results and in most cases are complimented for their new business portrait by co-workers, peers and family. I get numerous positive feedback every week from clients and this I am very proud of. The word of mouth referrals are proof that my business portraits work!
If you’re an entrepreneur and the classic business portrait in a suit & tie (or the fancy dress for the ladies) is not something that appeals to you, you’re probably right! I recommend you get in touch with me to discuss the type of business portrait that would best work for you and for your type of business. Shooting your business portrait in your work environment or shooting B&W in the studio in a casual attire may be more suitable for you. A consultation is free of charge and it will help you a great deal. A professional business portrait is a must in any marketing campaign and it instills self confidence. It should reflect who you are and what you do. That ability to connect the “real you” with how the world perceives you is magic.
A client of mine recently wrote a very interesting article in this regard. You can read Marion Finkelstein’s article and see her business portraits by clicking here.
