Frequently Asked Questions

    ...and a few not-so-frequently asked ones.

Why don't you have different rates for seniors portraits, bridals, & engagements?

I try to keep my fee schedules as uncomplicated as possible.  Every type of photography session is different, just as every client is different, but I suspect that you don't want to deal with cryptic fee tables any more than I do.

Why should I pay you to make prints when I can have them done at the drugstore?

A large part of what you're buying is the technical knowledge required to produce large, frame-worthy enlargements with exceptional clarity and tonal balance.  This expertise goes far beyond proficiency with a camera. In our digital age, photographers must have a working knowledge of digital color management and color calibration tools in order to produce prints with properly balanced color and contrast. Even black and white images require a calibration of contrast profiles across different platforms. Image color management is a heinously complex topic that that I won't attempt to cover in detail, but if you want to learn more there are some good articles here and here.

Bottom line: The prints that you receive from me will not be confused with prints from the corner drugstore. The labs that I partner with deal almost exclusively with pro photographers, and offer a selection of print papers and art production technologies far beyond what consumer retail labs can offer. Additionally, my software and monitors are calibrated specifically to match the standards of the equipment used at my print partners. This calibration is critical because any mismatch between the photographer's photo editing equipment and the printer's color calibration will result in color shifts, blown-out highlights, sunken shadows, and worse.  The tonal balance of prints from a consumer-grade print shop can fluctuate noticeably from shift to shift. High-end print shops, however, maintain a crew of technical professionals with more training and experience that what retail outlets can afford. They also have much more stringent quality control procedures.

None of these issues may be especially relevant to those vacation photos stacked in the bottom drawer.  But if you want brilliant framed enlargements that can be the centerpiece of a room, cutting corners can have a serious impact how much you enjoy the end product.

Do you have your own photography studio?

I have one level of my West Seattle home dedicated to photography, complete with backdrops, lighting, props, makeup table, and its own separate entrance.

Do you do location shoots?

Yes. Although there are many advantages to working in the studio (such as more control over lighting and keeping everyone out of the rain) I love the rich variety of scenery found around the Seattle area.

Do you have a referral program?

Yes. If you send a new customer my way, you receive a $30 print credit.