The Face Behind the Lens: Behind the Scenes
Photography is my craft, it’s my art, my livelihood, and my passion. I put 100% of my effort into each and every photo that passes through my hands from the touch of the camera to the final print. Even though it may not seem like much from the outside, the time and effort required to create the perfect photo are substantial in the final product.
Here is the inside scoop of the not-so-glamorous part of the photoshoot process we often overlook.
The Process
Following our photoshoot together, I save and backup all the photos into my computer to make sure none of the raw data gets lost. I take my time choosing the best photos, combing through the hundreds of bloopers, closed eyes, blurry movements, and awkward poses. When the best raw photos are filtered through, I present them to you to make the final decisions for which ones you want to be edited, printed, and framed up in your home.
The touch-ups are simple but time consuming. Smoothing out small imperfections of the skin, whitening teeth and the whites of your eyes, combing away stray hairs, and clearing up the background for passersby and unwanted objects.
This isn’t anyone’s favourite part of photography because it focuses on the flaws of an image. I like to minimize the changes I make to capture the true essence of the subject of each photo.
If you choose to do the in-home-presentation, I will be able to guide you through the process of choosing the best photos and printing options for your family. Otherwise, your photos will be uploaded to a virtual gallery for you to explore at your leisure.
The True Cost of Production
Contrary to what people usually think, photography is more than just pointing and shooting a camera.
Photography is a service which means in this industry, the main resource we expend is our time. Unless we offer prints, the majority of our job is to create beautiful images for people who don’t have the time to make them on their own. Because, just like when painting a portrait, given enough time anyone can produce a masterpiece. Time is, however, arguably the most valuable currency.
How we choose to spend our time each day defines how we live our lives as a whole. This is why I do my best to be present in every moment, capturing parts of “today” and bringing them into ‘tomorrow’.
Beyond Time, there is also the cost of photography equipment. The average cost of a Digital single-lens reflex camera or DSLR camera is between 2000 and 3000 dollars. There are other costs of course as well: renting the studio space, buying props, and other photography equipment like gimbals, lights, and softboxes.
Of course, these costs will only grow as the industry changes, but these expenses are an investment into my dream career and I’m proud of that.
And even though I’m a professional, I still take the time to educate myself, practice, and even enroll in photography courses to improve my skills because I know that there is always room for improvement.
Now, it’s true you could always take a photo on your phone (sometimes I do this too!), but why would you want to when you could have the personal touch of a professional photographer? It’s more expensive but I consider it an investment, an investment in your memories and is a reminder to be present in each moment.
Conclusion
So there you have it, the not-so-glamorous but super important part of the photography process. It’s hard work worth doing and any photographer you meet will tell you the same thing.
We are artists and the photo is our digital canvas.
What goes on behind the scenes, the editing, colour-correcting, and the printing, is more than just a hobby, it’s my passion.
The work I do behind the lens is more than just pointing and shooting a camera, it’s a reflection of all the practice I’ve put in to perfect each and every moment.
And even though it may not seem like much from the outside, taking photos is a big part of my life and I’m proud of that.