Happy New Year! I rang in 2013 with a sinus infection and medication that left me high. Probably even a fever too but I didn’t break out the thermometer to take my temp. I guessed it by the smell of my own BO since I crashed out early. Thank goodness my hubs woke me up 10 til 12 so I could be half out of it for the pre-taped ball dropping on TV. Good times in the Bacher house. Then when it was time for everyone to get in bed, the neighbor kids decided to let off fireworks and firecrackers which woke Dean who was in a pleasant slumber. And then he ate. And ate. And ate…
I had aspirations to finish up my new rates for 2013 last night and ready to launch this am but whatever that ingredient is in the non-drowsy medicine I took last night was, it sure had the opposite effect. I was out cold by 8pm. And snoring too I’m sure. I even had a Walking Dead dream and Ellerbe from the Baltimore Ravens was in my dream. So I spent all day today still in pain from this sinus mess and fever on and off all day. One minute I’m cold and the next I am burning up. But it’s complete. And I am happy with it. I know I will chase a ton of people away who think they are paying twice. But really you aren’t. If you still think you are, think about it..you purchase a session with me or a CD from 2012’s rates and then you are taking that CD somewhere to purchase prints. Now the questions is, where are you purchasing your prints from? Me or someone else? See! You are not paying twice.
I want to offer wall art, not so much digital art anymore. I want to offer pieces that will hang on your walls for many years to come, not images that will sit on a CD in a drawer or a CD that you will eventually lose. And if you have a hard drive crash on your computer, they are gone. I know. I learned the hard way.
My new pricing structure is going to turn a lot of people away. And I know that. I am ready for that. I’m sad about it because I genuinely like every single person I photograph. I like meeting you and hearing your stories. For those that are repeat I like to see what you look like a few months later or how much your little one has grown. But alas, I am prepared to going back to only photographing my children if it is in the cards for me but hey, I love photography. I didn’t start it as a quick way to make money. What I don’t love is when someone purchases a CD from me and then tells me their prints that they printed at a drugstore do not look good. Your drugstore lab has NOTHING on my lab. har har…
I know that when you are having prints done you aren’t looking at the quality but at that $.15 for a 4×6 through Target photo lab or $1.99 5×7 through Walgreens. It’s OK, you can admit it. LOL I am guilty of doing this too sometimes. But I then think why would I spend this good money and have amazing prints to turn around and print them at some “lab” where the people probably don’t know a thing about photography? Quick labs such as Wal-Mart, CVS, Wal-greens, shutterfly, etc… will not be calibrated to that of my monitor. My monitor is calibrated to the lab that I use. When you don’t print through me but through quick labs you may end up getting red overtone pictures, people who look like the color of pumpkins, green looking people from outer-space (or they look like they are), and colors that are bland and dull. In fact calibration with these labs varies from store to store even though they are the same company. In addition to that, you may find heads that have been cropped off, arms that are cut off (hey you didn’t really want that arm right), and only half of your child in the picture. Why? Because those labs will not properly crop the picture for the size you want. I, on the other hand, will spend the time to do it.
I’m not selling you a piece of paper. I am selling you a piece of art. Your art of your family or your baby or your child’s first birthday! When I was a child we didn’t have computers. When I want to look at photographs of myself as a baby or to see if my daughter looks anything like me as a child I just pull out the trusty shoebox or album full of prints. There’s no rummaging through the desk looking for a CD or a thumb drive. It takes me 5 seconds to get them and then I have hours of laughing and tears of joy remembering all of those memories from when I was a child.
What about that nice area above your fireplace? Can you put a digital image there? Or your hallway? Imagine several different images there leading you down the hallway.
I know we live in the digital age. I know you want to show off your photos to everyone on Facebook or in emails. I get that. I still offer digital images and the CD of images. I even offer digital images that start at $50.
For those that are still with me, I appreciate it. For those of you that are new, WELCOME and for those of you that are taking your business elsewhere I am sad to see you go. I will miss you and I wish you greatness for the rest of your life.
So here’s to 2013, whatever it may be!