Professional Photography

Professional Photography: The difference between corporate studios & pro photographers

Working in corporate/ chain studios for 7+ years taught me the basics of photography. Experiencing the drawbacks and limitations during those years left me with the desire to do more. After learning I was expecting my third child, I decided to pursue photography as an individual professional. I dabbled in on-location photography while working in the studios, but now handle on-location exclusively. This endeavor has taught me exactly why professional photographers also known as on-location and individual studio photographers are clearly the better investment.

In the corporate studios, we were made to follow certain poses and not often asked to think outside of the box to try something new which is tough for those parents that like their children's photos taken often. They end up getting the same posing (and backgrounds) over and over. On location, the opportunities are limitless! If we can get to it, we can photograph it!

The corporate studios are mainly sales driven. They do what it takes to get the most money out of you and, I have to admit, the majority of the time you're getting someone who has had very little training and is definitely not worth $250+ for a CD. Part time employees are hired mainly so the one or two full time employees can have a day off. Part time employees are usually in school and using the job as something to make a few bucks until they graduate. Those part timers go through about a week of training and are then on their own. Now, of course, being a manager I would come to their rescue when needed. Being someone who loves photography, it drove me mad to see someone get terrible photos, but during the holidays? Not a chance I could step in! Managers are forced through corporate policy to book appointments every 10 minutes during the busy seasons and those corporations want the more experienced employees to remain out front doing sales and ensuring things run smoothly. So, not only are you ONLY getting 10 minutes in the camera room, but odds are you're getting it with someone not too experienced.

A photographer running their own business is in this because they love what they do. They get overjoyed when they get that “perfect shot”, then run home and immediately show it to friends and family. They are constantly learning. You don't have your lighting and camera settings set for you on your own. You have to learn how to do that and so much more to earn and keep your client's business. We're constantly looking for new ideas for posing, locations, fun props and themes. I've seen photographers that have been doing this on their own for years and still come to fellow photographers for advice, because the world of professional photographers is always changing and growing. A 10 minute session with a professional photographer is unheard of as we are not limited by corporate mandates, but rather inspired by our own desire to meet and exceed our clients and our own expectations. We then spend many hours editing your photographs to make them perfect for you. It takes a lot of heart, time, and patience and we wouldn't have it any other way. As a result, many of us often develop long-standing relationships with clients as we've watched their families grow which only enriches the experience and product of your captured memories.

So, the next time you glance at a professional photographer's prices, remember to keep in mind all you're getting with us and all you're missing in those corporate studios. Not to mention, their prices are rising so quickly they will soon charge more than most of us! I could go on about why individual photographer's are the true professionals, but all you really need to do to see for yourself is compare a friend's photo taken at one of those studios to a photo taken by someone on their own like the amazing Laura Gordon & Rachel Brenke and let the quality speak for itself. This profession is not just a paycheck. This business is our passion and the proof is in the picture.