I moved from being a photographer who gives my clients discs with the option to print them at their leisure or through me, to being a full-service photographer.  This has prompted some questions from both past clients and prospective clients, so I've decided to blog about this transition and why it is the best thing for both my business AND my clients. 

1) What is a full-service photographer?

A full-service photographer has a multi-step process with their clients. For Fluttering Shutter Photography, that means that clients will speak with me before the session to get acquainted with my business and what they should expect. After the session, I will meet with them again to show them their portraits and allow them time to order a collection of heirloom-quality products. 

2) What about digitals? Why don't you give out a CD with images?

I do still provide digital versions of the portraits, but I don't think that that is what my clients really want, so it's not something that I encourage my clients to purchase without prints of those images. Why do I do this? Because I've been a client myself. This is an embarrassing truth, since I am now a photographer, but I share it because it is what happens to many photography clients. I had these amazingly gorgeous portraits by Emily Law at Flom Designs & Photography of my wedding seven years ago. What did I do with these digital copies? I printed a few 4x6's and a couple of 5x7' and then left them on the CD's, where they still sit gathering dust. As of now, I STILL haven't made a beautiful wedding album, or had gorgeous canvases made because it's just not the top thing to do on my daily list of chores while running a business and staying at home and raising my children.

SO, I don't push my clients into buying digitals alone. I encourage my clients to purchase from my collections or from my a la carte menu because their portraits deserve to be seen. CD's are slowly going the way of the floppy disc, so they are no longer a part of what I offer to my clients. Instead, I offer beautiful customized USB's. Digital versions of your images should be backups of beautiful prints.

3) What is a reveal session?

A reveal session is when a client is able to see all of their gorgeous images and place their order. I will meet my clients in their homes or at a designated location and share their images with them. They are able to review each individual image and choose which products they would like to have in their homes.

4) What happens after the reveal session?

After the reveal session, I begin the design process for albums and products. I make sure that my clients approve of the design and then I order the album. It takes a few weeks to get all of the products in for me to do my own quality control. Once I have made sure that your products are beautiful and perfect, I will schedule a time to hand deliver all of my clients products to them.

5) Why should I choose you to be my photographer?

Obviously, I am biased answering this question, but here is why I am a great choice for being your photographer: My goal is to help you have gorgeous images that capture moments of your family. I want you to have portraits on your walls and in albums that you will treasure and pass down for generations to come. Being a full-service photographer is about helping you to create art for your home from beginning to end, and this is what I do at Fluttering Shutter Photography. I would love to talk with you more about what we can create for you!