Pennsylvania Wedding & Portrait Photographer - Joe Maher's Blog

A virus in our business

For the record I love when new people come into the business of portrait and wedding photography.  I think it opens new doors and new relationships.  I never look at someone as the "enemy" in the business.  We all have different styles and looks to our work.  Some I love, some I find boring. But my work does not relate to everyone either so I am in the mix as well. 

I say this because of a blog post I read a few days ago. The post , And you call yourself a professional, was written by one of the many blogs I read from time to time. (I am a secret blog stalker) Everything Scott mentions is right on the mark.  His post has nothing to do with some shooters being afraid of competition, but rather major undercutting and what that does to the industry and what "photography" is worth.

Now back to stalking......

And the winner is...

Nancy Krinks from the Linesville area. She (and her family) were nominated by June Dunn of Grove City.  It was a very well written, thoughtful email and it touched the very reason why I wanted to be a part of this great giveaway! The other emails I received were also very thoughtful and this was a very difficult decision.  There was also a nomination from a person that wanted to donate their possible winning gift to another family.  Talk about giving!

All in all it was a great first effort on all the people that participated.  I hope to have more entries next year and I look forward to posting a few images when we get the chance to take the portraits!  Keep looking!

Also, June Dunn is also a winner for more than one reason.  Not only did she care enough to nominate someone for this giveaway, but she is also the winner of a $350.00 print credit that belongs to her!

Again, thanks to everyone that made this a great great Christmas!

Nominations

Just a quick update on the nominations for the free photo session/package being given away this New Years!  The nominations are rolling in and it is great to see so many people taking advantage and sending in requests/stories of people they know who are deserving. It is also making it difficult to choose the family most deserving. 

Again, please email your nomination to info@wjmaher.com

Merry Christmas to you and may you have love and peace in your hearts and homes!

Warmly,

Joe Maher

Passing along the love and continuing the movement

(This information was borrowed from www.givingisawesome.com and I am continuing the movement here in the Grove City area.

The words were written just right so I have used them, with permission, with a few tweaks here and there.)

You know someone, someone who has experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who can't afford custom photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family's spirit, love, and beauty.

You (we) all know someone…

I am asking you to tell me who they are and I want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography -- $750 worth, to be exact. Albums, wall portraits, portraits for the Grandparents or a slide show to view time and time again. It's in your power to give them the artwork they deserve this giving season.

AND, the second best reason to do this? The person who nominates the winner receives a $375 print credit. What better reason to show some love could there possibly be?  Sooooo, how about it?  Let’s show a little love!

The rules:

* You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services. (Being unable to make mortgage payments for a third home along the beach does not qualify as sincere financial need.)

* The nominee must reside within a 75 mile radius of Grove City, PA. Tell me who you know, what they're experiencing, and why they deserve my artwork. Please include a way to contact both your nominee and yourself as well.

* You must e-mail me (JM Images) the full story : info@wjmaher.com

The winner will be announced on New Year’s Eve on my photography blog.  (http://joemaher.typepad.com/my_weblog/ ) SO -- get nominating! I can't wait to read all of your entries!

Open your heart to someone this holiday season -- and thanks for giving me the opportunity to open mine.

Warmly,

Joe

©= www.givingisawesome.com

Loni and Ryan

Really really cool couple here.  This is actually the first part of their E-session.  The second part of the session is going to take place inside and in front of The Guthrie Theatre.  It is a perfectly cool movie theatre in town.  It has the look and feel of an older theater because it is an older, nostalgic movie theatre.  The family has done a great job of updating the building with out taking away from the feel of your hometown movie theatre.  I cannot wait for part two next week!  But, part one was great!

A Wrap

Not really a wrap.  Just a few shots of the last seniors of the season.  A GREAT season at that!  Here are a few shots.

This senior told me she thinks she looks 14.  I think she looks fantastic and I think she looks the age of a High School senior. Just LOVE these shots!

Here are a few of Rachel.

A little edgy, but I love it!

Maria happens to work at a great Italian place in town.  If you are ever in the area call me and I will recommend the Spinach Shells or their Stromboli!

 

Friends and Weddings

I was reading another blog not long ago and I came across a very insightful page when it comes to wedding photography.  ( I will link it at the end of my post) I bring this up because I received an email today from a couple I had spoken to late last week and they had decided to have a friend shoot their wedding as a wedding gift.  I have no problems with a friend shooting any wedding for the bride and groom as it can be very thoughtful and a great gift to the bride and groom.  (That is also how many of us get our foot in the door) Sometimes the photographer is a wedding photographer and the gift turns out beautiful.  But many many times these gifts turn out to be a very sad situation as the photographer is not a wedding photographer, but possibly serious amateur. (Amateur in the basic sense means "for the love of" which is why we do what we do) 

The intent is there, the love is there, but the inexperience of a non wedding photographer harms the art and the beauty of the day.  Stress, unpredictable situations, and other obstacles can easily get in the way and cause a beautiful day go South.  Many times I have been asked to re-shoot bridal shots because their friend did not capture the day as they had hoped.  It makes for a very uncomfortable situation between the bride/groom and the friend.

Again, I am in no way against amateurs making their mark and working on their craft.  In fact I LOVE it!  I love talking to other photographers about weddings and how they did this shot and that shot.  I enjoy helping newbies get their foot in the door in the wedding photography business as it helps everyone involved stay connected and stay true. I love sending a couple to a few friends of mine when I am booked for a date. That is how the business works.  The topic is about couples going into a their wedding day uninformed about what a wedding photographer has to offer over their friend who will shoot for free. I have shot weddings for friends and it is very much a stress fest, even for someone that has shot many a wedding.  It is just a risky business. 

Once again I do not want to sound like I am annoyed or hurt by anyone that does not choose my services for their wedding day. Couples that choose to meet with me have seen my work and have been referred to me by past clients and because they were referred I want them to be in the best hands possible.  I truly care for the people that walk through my door and that is why when I hear, "a friend has offered to take our wedding pictures", it worries me.  All I can do is hope that the friend is a wedding photographer and does an outstanding job!  And if they do an outstanding job I hope to meet them and add them to my network of photographers I can refer couples that I cannot photograph due to me being booked.

As I stated in the first paragraph, there is a website/blog I read from time to time, her name is Elizabeth Etienne and she is the Joyce Tenneson of wedding photography and she has a GREAT page that discusses this topic in much more detail.  Here is the link.

Fun fun fun

This shoot was a long time coming! 

I had first talked/thought about doing a "Trash The Dress" (TTD) session last year in 2008.  Most of the time the sessions are done with brides a year or so after the wedding and after they have time to realize that the dress is just going to be stowed away until, well, whenever. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to do a TTD session with Stacey back in April. She loved it! I loved it and had received nothing but great feedback from the session. Again I say... it is all about the fun!

(I digress) Back to the prom dress TTD. 

I had wanted to do this shoot for months and months with Alexa.  With her busy busy schedule and mine it never seemed to work out.  Luckily, time had passed and I had a little more time to plan the session. In doing so I figured that it woud be a whole lot more interesting if Alexa had a few of her good friends join in the event!  So, she got two outgoing pals and the planets aligned and we went out this past Friday and did the shoot!  Not only did we get the shoot in, it came out exactly how I had imagined it.  

I wanted the printed advertising look.  I wanted shots that jumped off the page.  I wanted to get away from normal color and contrast that is done in most of the images you see.  (Even my own!)

 

 

I also wanted some bold black and white images. I could not have asked for a better group of girls than I had Friday.  Anything I asked they did. 

And I mean anything I asked.....

 

 

This was not a typical shoot in your typical setting with a typical outcome.  I wanted to push the images a bit.  I was allowed to do that becasue these girls wanted to have fun and because of the fun they will forever have images that reflect the day.  This was not just an hour in the day, this was an event!

The biggest issue is the remark, "that will ruin the dress!"  First off, how many prom dressed are worn after the date?  Secondly, they can get laundered if you feel the need.  Lastly, really now.  How can you pass up a session like this with great friends!

The finished product is not just a 5x7 or an 8x20 print. It is so much more than that.  It is the experience of the shoot and the FUN that they had while doing the shoot.  THAT is what the TTD sessions are all about and that is what I am all about.  I am about the experience and how that experience is played out.  Great images while having the time of your life doing it!

That beig said...

Becasue this went over so well with the girls and their families and friends and other family members (you get the point) I will be offering this TTD session as a promotion this year and for years to come.

Gotta love being a fun junkie!

Tonia and Scott

What a great day!  Beautiful day, two great families and a wonderful couple! I put together a quick video of the day.  It is a little fast so don't blink!

Thanks for a wonderful day Tonia and Scott! 

Also a shout out to Jerry Sowden.  A great great photographer who helped me out with this wedding. 

Original file vs. my TLC file for an album

I photographed a great wedding on the 4th of July!  (Thank you Tonia and Scott for a great day!)

As I post a few teasers I got to thinking about a conversation I had with a bride-to-be's mother a few weeks back.  Her question was, "If I can get an 8x10 print from the local Sam's Club for $4.00 why should I pay you an a la carte price of $39 for the same 8x10?"  Good and fair question! In a nutshell you are paying for my TLC I give each finished image file and for my artistic perception on how the image ought to look.  For each wedding I hand over the the un-retouched original high resolution images when I deliver the wedding album.  IF you choose to order other prints that is great!  When you do that you receive the image I had in my head at the time I took the shot. 

The mother of the bride-to-be was very happy with my answer and totally understood the difference between "Sam's" 8x10 vs. my 8x10.  I am blogging this because sometimes the two images are never seen side-by-side.  I have blogged two images. (four total images) The first image is the SOOC (straight out of the camera) shot.  The second shot is my mental impression of the image as I took the shot. It is the TLC I add to each finished image in the album and final print(s) ordered through me.  Enjoy!

SOOC of Tonia.

A little retouch and a tiny bit of TLC

SOOC of Tonia and Scott

Now my interpretation of the shot

As I am finishing up this post I think it is funny!  I was just in a chat room with a few photographers and this is exactly the topic in the room!  Gotta love the tools of the internet!

Enjoy!