Goofing off in photoshop - what do you think?

Anyone who challenges the validity of that statement just need visit ebay..

And that is what is hard to price.

When I first saw that b/w pic of Mo i thought.. wow.. that is good.
Nicely done.
It wasnt until I started thinking about how I would feel if I paid for it, that I got all excited.
I imagined Beans face there and all of a sudden it became a work of art!
I would have framed that in gold.

With that kind of work, I truly think you should shoot a bit higher then 'target' prices. If the vast majority of freelance photographers are charging 175. Go 200. Attract that attention and with what you produce,you will earn the title and rep you deserve.
If I would have paid 200 for a session, and a black and white of Bean in a hat with that smile on her face was the result.. i woul'da kissed ya.

Because many people think the fake plastic backgrounds like the ones you get at Sears, and Walmart , are next to the only options they have aside thier own 35 mm disposable.. Seeing your work and your results will get them excited.
In your portfolio.. have you included other kids? Do you think that would be a good selling point? Showing your possible customer that not only can you capture the best of your OWN child, but you can do the same thing with other children as well?

I've got more than Mo in my portfolio. That's what I'm working on now -- getting more kids in, trading prints for letting me include it in my portfolio.

I have family that lives in <your city> shewolf. Maybe next time I'm there I can photograph Bean!

you are SO welcome to ! any time!
she is almost too easy.
She moves slow and thinks alot.
her face is very expressive..

That would be fun!

Oh -- that last photo I posted, the kid in the hat -- that wasn't Mo.

really?

Nah. I guess they do look a bit alike. That's one of the neighborhood kids that we see around. I've yakked with his mom a few times so she knew I wasn't some lunatic. I had my camera with me so I took some photos.

the only picture I have seen of Mo was the one where he had the marker line down his chin.
From the side, he sort of resembles the child in the hat.

What did his parents think of the picture?
Did they like the black and white or the color?

Most of the photos on this thread are of Mo. The ones that aren't obviously aren't.

His mom says she really likes the photos. I didn't give her choices on layout or style or anything. (That's the nice thing about not charging any money!) I chose the photos and laid them out the way I wanted, uploaded them to my photo lab, and sent her a link so that she could order if she wanted.

I thought it was Mo too. Those are great pictures boomerang. I woundn't mind having a series like that myself.

I think people are so used to the typical baby/toddler/kids
pictures they can get at Sears or what not, they don't
know how beautiful their children can look, if captured with
a professional eye.

boomerang, do you have a website with all your work?
If not, you really should.....

Here is little Jane with new retainers

http://www.borge.diesal.de/braces.jpg

Little Jane is just so pretty.

When eBeth started talking about prices I recalled a conversation I'd overheard just a couple of weeks ago between two mothers discussing the "best orthodontist". That conversation gave me a whole lot more information than they realized and I've been viewing pricing through that lens.

We're still working on a web site for the studio that has examples of our work (right now it just has basic info) and I suppose I'll eventually have one for this kind of stuff.

To me, a photograph is such an intimate thing that the web really doesn't "feel" right. The best selling tool is a print that someone sees and another person say "I had it done at XYZ". I'd really rather rely on a nice portfolio than the web but I'm a little old fashioned that way.

I finally (it's been like 2 months) took in the two languishing rolls of film for processing, went ahead and got the CD option as my scanner is just so depressing, they'll be ready in a couple of hours, I'm excited! We'll see. Love the idea of having web-ready images (IF they are -- I tried this once before with Walgreen's and the CD images sucked, but I've been pretty happy with this place so far.)

Jane, your daughter has the most beautiful skin... (and good job of capturing its beauty in your pic.)

She does have beautiful skin, and hair, and eyes. She's a very beautiful girl.

Does your orthodontist do before and after photos, CJane? I have several dentist accounts at the studio. They send clients in after braces or cosmetic dentistry. You get a free photo to thank you for all the money you've spent and the dentist gets a nice shot for their portfolio. Cool for you, for me and cool for the dentist too!

Soz, do you specify "high resolution CDs"? My lab has two different resolutions - they typically make a low-res CD unless you specify. Plus, they do a picture preview thing where they scan all your negatives to their site and you chose and pay for only the ones you want printed. I can pick frames from several rolls of film and have them all burned to one CD -- that saves a lot of money.

I use a mom and pop shop three blocks from my house. I use their pro lab for my studio stuff but I don't think there is that big a difference between their consumer v. pro lab (except the pro lab is further away).

Shop around. You could be paying too much for less quality at the big chains.

I'll do that. First time trying the CD option at this one. LOVE the picking frames and having them burned to CD idea. I'll see if these guys have that option.

Will also ask about the high resolution option when I pick things up. I assume high res costs more?

They're a semi-big chain -- don't think I remember seeing them 'til I came to Ohio, Cord Camera.

How would you suggest I look for a good place? Just "photo labs Columbus" in Google, and check out their websites?

For that matter I should check out the Cord website and see what they offer there...

Oh, thank you boomer!!

I signed up for a photo album, free, and they can upload the whole roll to it!!

SO cool!

I had no idea that was an option.

Yeah!

There is no reason to pay for the photos you don't want! Sometimes I like only a frame or two off a roll and I want to bring it home and photoshop it before having prints made. I can't stand having to pay for tons of things I don't want to get the things I do want.

OK, you've just unleashed a whole new era in picture-taking for me. Only pay for the ones I want!! What a concept! And high-quality enlargements, and everything! Goodie goodie goodie...

Yes, little Jane has great skin, I hope she'll keep it that way.

No boomerang, the orthodontist hasn't made pictures yet -
we're still in the early stages, and lil'Jane still has most
of her baby teeth. Her jaw bone is too small for all the
theeth to come in, so she's had already an upper palette
for a year, and now has retainers that get changed every
month. Later on she'll get more permanent braces and
I think they'll take pictures by then.

Luckily we went to the dentist early enough to detect
all the problems.

Boy, little Jane is lucky. I have a small jaw too and when my wisdom teeth came in during my 20s I was more miserable than I've ever been in my life. Early intervention is essential if one hopes to not spend years chewing up Vanquish.

(Do they still make that?)

Yeah soz! Breaking people of the ink-jet print is my life's goal!

<runs in, plants a smooch on boomer's forehead, runs out>

<LOVING the online thing!!!>