I am taking today to explain to you the reasons behind some burning questions I have been given here lately like “Why do you charge so much?”   I’ve given so much thought about how I wanted to present this without coming off as  “BOOK ME BECAUSE I AM WORTH IT!”  Frankly, this isn’t about me.  It’s not about why you should come to me and get pictures taken; heck, for all I know, our styles don’t mesh.  That’s cool with me.  As long as you take the information from this article, and others, as I hope you DO read more on this topic, use it and go find your perfect photographer. 

Firstly, when planning for a wedding, consider what you want for your style.  Secondly, determine your budget needs and find what matches realistically to what you can afford.  Thirdly, determine which vendors are the most important.  For me, it was the venue, and the photographer. 

Photo capture courtesy of Jackie Lamouroux of Focus In Photography.  Many thanks and love Jackie!!! <3

The venue obviously, because the location tied everything I was looking for together.  And, the photographer, because I knew that after my wedding day, I couldn’t get a do over.  It was a one and done type of day and I was not going to spend all the effort to recreate it, and not to mention,  a recreation doesn’t portray the emotions.  So, to get it right on that day, was imperative.

Now, looking at the costs of photographers, you are probably wondering why in the world some photographers are charging you enough to make you want to take a loan out to afford them.  I see it all the time, the Facebook posts about a photographer who doesn’t cost a limb, or makes you want to throw a doozy when presenting pricing sheets for “only” 8 hours of coverage.  So, let me take it from here. 

That $2400, $3500, $6500 minimum price that different photographers are charging are not just magical numbers pulled out the air that sound good to their ears.  Those numbers are calculations based on what they need to make to be able to afford to cover that event.  This is their job and specialty, it’s not a hobby and the amount of work it takes to get it right at the only chance they have is a TON of pressure, along with how hectic, no matter how planned everything is going to be. 

A photographer isn’t just charging you for 4-8 hours of coverage and bringing a camera to your event to simply snap photos is NOT all they do.  That’s literally only about 10%.  What you see them do in public does not account for the costs they are charging.  They are charging you for 4-8 weeks, however long is stated in your contract, to give enough time for them to cull, edit, and retouch your images so they look perfect, and memorable for you to look back on.  Editing and retouching images is an extremely lengthy, and sometimes difficult process.  The amount of work that goes into making your images perfect takes a lot of time, and if that photographer does their job whether it’s full or part time, that has to be compensated for.  It’s not a free service.  Think of it like this — If your job asks you to work, and only offer enough to hire you, but not to compensate for the time to complete the required tasks, you’d probably be a little peeved. This is a perfect example because you have to pay for the time it takes to make your images of your day look as magical as they do.

They are also charging you for the preparation.  Photographers don’t just show up to your wedding and begin.  It’s hours and hours of research, prepping their equipment, renting items that they potentially need to be able to capture your portraits before your wedding day even arrives.  It’s also time that they talk details with you to make everything perfect on a daily basis, because I can assure you, after the conversations are through, the work is not.  It’s developing a plan to nail your requirements.  They are also probably developing a time line consistent with yours so they don’t miss a must-have shot, and that’s not just sitting and jotting random times.  Speaking of must-have shots, google how many different lists there are!  It’s a complete process.  They are also probably gathering a second shooter to help them and working out those details, too- which, is also not a free service.    

I saw recently where a woman didn’t understand why she had to pay for the prints that her photographer would be taking for her.  You are purchasing a finished and perfected product.  You are purchasing the work that artist made to display for you, your spouse, and anyone who comes to visit you enjoy.  You would not ask for a car dealership to just hand you the parts to build your car yourself just to save some money.  They won’t do it – and it’s disrespectful to their trade.  Same concept here – Taking pictures to “local lab” doesn’t give the photographer the credit due for many reasons, which is another blog post to come, but again, the photographer has taken the time to calibrate color processes with the lab they have chosen to work with.  Everything is a detail specific process that takes time and energy to sync and perfect.  Asking a photographer for digital images so you can print them on your own is asking them for thousands of dollars worth of time in finished products to be destroyed by printers that are not designed for professional images -hence, copyright violations, and pixelated, grainy, and too contrasted prints.  Those images are all you will have left once everything is packed up, you’re out of that dress, and all the food is gone.  Do it right, and you will have years and years of printed memories on your walls that don’t fade, warp, or discolor over time. 

As I sit here and write this, I really hope and pray that money is not the driving force behind your decisions on your big day.   Hopefully, you have a photographer in mind that you want to hire because you love their work and you will work well with them, because after the wedding, you will only have images to look back on.  Do you want to sit down and order images you are only “okay” with?   Regret after a wedding day will only hurt you.  Don’t regret choosing a “budget” photographer over one who has years of experience, practice, and know-how on making your day and memories magical.  

Photography can be a hobby, but a wedding photographer is not one of those.  They are so much more than that.  They are a planner, a guide, a support system, a go-to, and an artist all in one person.  That photographer that you think is too expensive, isn’t.  They are not charging you too much.  They are accounting for everything that capturing your wedding professionally entails to make their living wage because this is their job.  My only advice — do not discredit yourself and your photographer by asking for less.  You know how much planning your wedding has taken you, now imagine that photographer doing that many times over.  Find your perfect photographer for all right reasons.  You won’t regret that.

Want to work with me? hello@khalifestylephotography.com

I’ve had a camera in my hands for as long as I can remember, and for just as long, have been irritating friends and family by constantly shooting. And I mean CONSTANTLY. If I don’t have my “big camera” I’m using my cell phone, and if I’ve drained the battery on my cell phone, I bug my husband to let me borrow his.   

I’m used to the teasing from family and friends, knowing that when they see the photos, they’re suddenly quite interested in getting copies for themselves.  

As someone who has never felt “photogenic” I know how hard it can be to get a good shot that you feel comfortable with, and even harder to get one that you can look at and say, YES! I LOVE that one, and feel as though the photographer has captured who you are, and highlighted your best features. 

My philosophy with finally starting my business to make sure that every single one of my clients has that “oh WOW, I LOVE this one” reaction when they see their finished images.  

y officially started my business two years ago, and it has taken me that long to work up the courage to get really going. So here we are. It’s time for me to close my eyes and visit page leap! 

Want to work with me? hello@khalifestylephotography.com

I found this while scrolling through facebook last week, and every word hit home, especially as my family and friends are scattered across the country, and now, the world… (Lacey, we ARE going to come visit you in Australia, I swear) 

There have been many articles posted about the various disorders that are hallmarked by the posting of selfies, which may or may not have some grains of truth in them, for SOME people, in SOME circumstances. For the rest of us, however, I find this blog post to be hugely accurate.  

While the “big moments in life”, weddings, births of our children, graduations, career milestones, anniversaries, birthday’s (especially in our family) are openly celebrated and documented, it’s the daily routine in the lives of my friends and family that I yearn to see, and it’s those moments, the ones that are captured in the quick snap of an iphone, that are much truer reflections of our lives.  

Now don’t get me wrong, I love to get dressed up and go all out with my loved ones, and take the momentous photos, (and let’s face it, that’s what my business is, without those moments I would be out in the cold) but it’s the yoga pants and hoodie while running errands snapshot that shows the more authentic, who we are every day versions of ourselves that I miss. It’s THOSE little moments in our every day’s that I wish I could be a part of with my girlfriends, and my sister-in-laws that distance simply doesn’t allow for.  

So, while I’ve also posted the link, below is the text of the bellejar’s spot on blog post.. 

http://bellejar.ca/2015/05/05/an-open-letter-to-all-my-friends-who-take-selfies/

Dear Friends Who Take Selfies,

I want you to know that I love it when you post pictures of yourself. I know selfies get a lot of bad press, but I think they’re rad. They give me a little window into your life, and you’d be amazed at how much I can get out of one little photo.

I love your pictures because I love seeing what you’re wearing – the outfits you build give me ideas about how to mix it up with my own wardrobe, and seeing website you work your shit gives me courage to try clothing that I otherwise might have thought was too outlandish or revealing.

I love seeing how you do your hair and makeup. You look like a hot babe and I wish you would make YouTube tutorials explaining how you get your eyeliner just so. I want you to post pictures every time you change your hair, because seeing you cycle through all those neon colours gives me great ideas about what to do next with my own hair.

I love when you take selfies in your house. It’s neat to see where you live. When your place is cluttered, it makes me feel better about my own messy apartment. When your house is neat, it encourages me to get my shit together and do the damn dishes already. I like seeing the things you own and the art you put on your walls, because those things tells me so much about who you are and what you care about.

I love when you take selfies while on vacation. I don’t get to travel often, so your pictures allow me to live vicariously through you. The excitement on your face when you take a selfie at the Trevi Fountain or by the Arc de Triomphe is perfect and beautiful. I’ve seen a thousand pictures of the Louvre Pyramid, but the most interesting ones are the ones with you in it. If I wanted to see a picture of the Great Wall of China all on its own, I could just google the damn thing. You’re what makes those pictures special.

Mostly I love your selfies because I love seeing you feel good about yourself. I love how your face glows when you look like a million bucks and you know it. I love when you celebrate yourself. You deserve to be celebrated.

It’s easy for people to roll their eyes at selfies and make jokes about girls who just want attention, but the truth is that for lots of women – especially women of colour, trans women, disabled women and all the other women who see their existences erased in mainstream media – posting pictures of themselves is a way of challenging our culture’s narrow beauty standards.

Selfies are a way of saying, “I love myself, and I will fight anyone who tries to change that fact.”

Selfies are not a question. They’re not asking “Do you think I’m pretty?”

Selfies are a statement: “I am here.”

I see you.

I love you.

You matter.

Your selfies are inspirational. That might sound corny, but it’s true. When I see you love yourself, it helps me love myself. I suspect the same is true for lots of other people who see your pictures.

So please keep taking selfies. Please fill my Facebook and Twitter feeds with your wonderful face. Every picture you post fills me with so much joy. I love seeing you.

Want to work with me? hello@khalifestylephotography.com