Saturday, March 28, 2009

Sugar and Spice. South Shore Massachusetts Newborn Baby Portrait Photographer. Hingham newborn portraits by RI newborn photographer.



Am I a bad decision maker, or is this baby girl way too cute?!?! Once again, I have a very large preview for you because I am apparently incapable of narrowing things down! I was so excited to meet little A. I had done mom's maternity shoot so I have been counting the days until this baby arrived! This baby girl was loving mommy's tummy so much, she didn't want to come out. She was born at over 9 lbs just a few days before our shoot.

I could have cried holding baby A because she reminded me so much of my daughter as a newborn. She had the sweetest temperament. Even when she was wide awake, she was content just looking around at all the commotion.

I'm really happy with the way these shots came out. I've been waiting to use my brown backdrop with a baby and finally got my chance. A's nursery is turquoise with white and brown accents, so I think the brown shots are going to look STUNNING on those walls. I'll be coming back twice this year for the "Baby's First Year" plan. I can't wait to watch this sweet girl grow up!

Enjoy your preview! (remember you can click each image to see it larger)












Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Oh Baby! Massachusetts and Rhode Island Baby Portrait Photographer



Oh baby! Yesterday was the 6-month old baby portrait session for cutie pie C. Unfortunately, C didn't want anything to do with having his portrait taken! We tried everything in the book... bottle, bath, toys, games, songs, even a nap. After 2 1/2 hours me, mom, and auntie were all exhausted! And still no smiles. I think we managed some cute shots... thanks to those adorable big blue eyes (even if they had some tears in them!). But, I'm hoping to stop in another day to try to get a smile out of this little man. Here's your preview mom. I'll bet he took a nap and then smiled all afternoon right?!?






Sunday, March 22, 2009

Central Massachusetts Senior Portrait Photographer now accepting Senior Portrait Rep Applications

Now accepting Senior Rep Applications!

I am very excited to be launching Heidi Hope: Senior Style for the 2009-2010 school year. My new portfolio of senior portraits is now under development and I can’t wait to show things off. I am currently looking for Heidi Hope Senior Style Reps from high schools in Central Ma. Please email me if you are interested in an application or visit The Heidi Hope Photography Website and fill out the form in the contact section.

Heidi Hope Senior Style Reps are chosen in order to promote Heidi Hope Senior Style and Heidi Hope Photography. Any student within 20 miles of Worcester, Ma that will be a senior during the 2009-2010 school year is qualified to apply. I am looking for seniors with a variety of styles and interests who would love to have some fun in front of the camera! A maximum of 3 Reps from each high school will be accepted.

As a Heidi Hope Senior Style Rep, you will receive a free session in the Summer of 2009. The images from this session are used to create the rep cards that you will pass out in your high school and your proof book that you will show to other classmates, web images to post on social networking sites such as Myspace or Facebook, and as promotional images on the Heidi Hope Senior Style website and blog. After your session, you will also have an online gallery of at least 50 of your images to share with friends and family. This is a great way to have modern, fresh, and fun senior portraits taken for free!

For each student you refer with your provided senior rep cards that books a session with Heidi Hope Senior Style, you will receive a $25 credit toward your print order, along with several other bonus and incentive offers that will be outlined for you after acceptance into this program. Some of these incentives include additional credits toward prints and products, special VIP pricing, cash and other prizes for the student!

If you are accepted as a Heidi Hope Senior Style Rep, you will have the opportunity to review all details in the contract before choosing to accept your place in the program. The contract must be signed by both you and your parent/guardian to allow you to participate.

If you are interested in becoming a Heidi Hope: Senior Style rep, email me before June 31st, 2009 and I will send you an application. Along with your application, please email 2 of your favorite pictures of yourself to: heidi@heidihope.com to complete the application process or become a fan of Heidi Hope Photography on facebook.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

The Sweetest Gift! Massachusetts Newborn Baby Portrait Photographer Heidi Hope Photography



I’m on a newborn roll! This tiny peanut was my latest session. I offered to do a few newborn sessions for the “pampering pals” part of the mother’s playgroup I’m in… instead of the usual banana bread drop off… and this was my first. Little D was my tiniest newborn to date, weighing in at only 6 and change. She is an adorable baby girl, who I thought looked exactly like her mommy. It was a dark cloudy day so the light wasn’t ideal, but I think we managed some pretty cute shots. I have to give all the credit to that adorable face. There must be something about me lately though, the last few newborns have been quite a challenge to get to sleep. Luckily I whipped out the heating pad and remembered my baby whispering techniques (that NEVER worked for Giuliana) and after much effort, baby D was finally putty in my hands. Here are a few of my favorites. Enjoy!







Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Happy St. Patricks Day. Massachusetts baby portrait photographer Heidi Hope Photography

Top of the morning to ya! Yes. I said it. I can’t help myself. I look at these adorable pictures of G and I get giddy inside. She’s rocking a new tutu (I had to buy 3 colors when I saw them in Gymboree). They were a business investment, or so I tell myself. Just thought I would spread some Irish cheer with a few photos from this weekend. This was the first time G had ever felt the grass, and you probably guessed it, she was eating it within minutes! She loves the dogs so much we are almost tempted to get her a puppy. I said ALMOST.





Happy St. Patricks Day. Massachusetts babytrait por photographer

Monday, March 9, 2009

Newborn Portrait Session. Massachusetts Newborn Baby Portrait Photographer

This past Saturday was the newborn session of the adorable little K. We had a bit of a rough start. She was tough to get to sleep... I guess she wanted to stay up for all the action! When she was alert, she really looked right into the lens. After about an hour and a half, she finally drifted off to sleep. Then she was a real dream to work with! She let me pose her to my hearts content. She woke up hungry towards the end. You would never know she is crying in the family shots! Here are a few of my favorites. She is such a sweet girl! Now's the hard part, how will we ever pick which images for the birth announcements??

You can click on each image to see it larger :0)







Sunday, March 8, 2009

Newborn Portrait Session. Massachusetts Newborn Baby Portrait Photographer

I'm obviously obsessed. I got four hours of sleep and have a baby shower to get ready for, yet I couldn't help rushing to my laptop with my morning cup of coffee and pouring over the photos from my newborn session yesterday. I don't have time to edit them until tonight, but I have to at least post this one. Can you stand the hat?!?! Mom, I'm ready for more knits!

The whole preview will be up tomorrow if you check back in.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Why custom portrait photography? Massachusetts and Rhode Island Custom Portrait Photographer Heidi Hope Photography

What Is Custom Photography?

The photographic art you choose to place on your wall is ultimately the result of the vision of the photographer. This vision, coupled with what you wear to your session, the environment, the lighting, even the mood the subjects are in at the time of photographing creates the work that you will want to proudly display on your walls forevermore.

Your first step in the process is more about determining who you are, who your family is and then seeking a photographer that reflects your style.

What custom photography ultimately is all about is choice and experience (as in THE experience). Custom photography is about finding someone who will photograph your family, give you devoted 1:1 attention without worry of the next ‘in line’ or the feeling of a crowded portrait studio. A custom photographer will typically show you a fairly extensive gallery culled to only show the good images that meet the photographers’ creative sensibilities. Often the images are fully edited images-color corrected with blemishes and undereye circles removed. Custom photographers are also known as boutique studios, offering a range of products and unparalleled service. Think Lexus vs. Hyundai, think Nordstrom vs. WalMart.

Custom photography should have you, the client and your experience in mind.

Why Does Custom Photography Cost More?

Digital technology is brilliant. The digital revolution has brought amazing flexibility and amazing amounts of control for the photographer, the hobbyist, the professional, the amateur. With flexibility comes a price though. Camera equipment is still considerably more expensive when you factor in its’ lifespan, the need for additional resources for processing those images, the time it takes to get a usable image and the effort that goes into all of this.

Even though you pay $1.99 for a print at your local drugstore and paying for film is pretty much a thing of the past (although you still pay for memory) you may be wondering why you may pay upwards of $40, 50, 70, 90 for a custom photography print. Some photographers hear this statement every once in awhile:

"How in the world can you charge $60 for an 8×10 if it costs me less than $2 to print at the local drug store?"

The answer is multifaceted and has a lot to do with the time, aforementioned equipment costs, artistic vision and reputation of the photographer, expertise and the usual costs of running a legitimate business.

TIME of the CUSTOM PHOTOGRAPHER:

Approaching it from a time standpoint, for instance let’s imagine if you will that you have hired a photographer who has work that you love and that is travelling an hour to your on location session. TIme break down:

* session prep time (30 mins - 1 hour, includes equipment and back up equipment checks + vehicle checks)
* one hour travel time TO session
* 15-30 minutes prep time at client’s home
* 90 minutes-2 hours with client photographing subject
* one hour travel time FROM session
* 30-45 minutes uploading time from digital cards from camera to computer
* 30-45 minutes time spent backing up the original images
* 2-5 hours editing time to present you with a diverse gallery of edited images
* 1 hour prep time getting ready for ordering
* 1 hour sorting through and checking order
* 30 minutes-1 hour prep time for delivery
* 30 minutes-1 hour getting order shipped
* any additional phone time or time needed for add on ordering, shipment issues, quality issues

As you can see, average client time for a session ranges from just under 13 hours to 19 hours dependent on the photographer’s level of service. This is time dedicated only to your session. When the photographer charges $150-$300 for the photo shoot you are not just paying for the two hours of session time, you are paying the photographer for 12-19 hours complete time for your session.

COSTS of the CUSTOM PHOTOGRAPHER:

Regarding equipment costs, a good quality professional camera with a selection of good optical quality lenses and digital storage mediums and computer set up can run from $10,000-$30,000 costs dependent on the photographer. Even though you can purchase a really good quality digital SLR for about $2100 there are still other costs related to photography. A good lens for portrait photography can run up $900 to $2500. A dependable computer system with software loaded for business and creative usage can run $2500 to $8000 dependent on the photographer.

Then come lab costs for specialty products. A good photographer knows the lab is integral to their success. Photography labs dedicated to the professional photographer often cost more and offer a range of products that allows the custom photographer to continually offer new, innovative products for you, the discerning client.

Discussion other costs of running a photography business could take awhile so we’ll skip the intricate details. There is of course much more: including costs of running the business, taxes, studio rental/mortgage if the photographer has ownership of a dedicated studio, vehicular costs, costs of advertising/marketing, costs of sample pieces that the photographer will likely bring to your session, etc.

APPLES to ORANGES:

Often times clients will mention to their photographer that X studio in the mall/department store only charges $25 for an 8×10 or they may mention other things related to discount photography chains. The fact is those discount chains make their money on volume, not on customized 1:1 service. According to several articles at the time, did you know that in February 2007 a rather well known discount department store that started in Arkansas closed down 500 of their portrait studios across the nation? The reason is simple, you cannot make money on 99¢ "professional" prints if you do not sell enough of them. Interestingly enough - those same studios that offer the loss leader packages often charge much much more for their a la carte pricing (as high as $40-50 for an 8×10). The whole reason the big department stores began offering portrait studios in the first place was to get you, the savvy consumer, in through their door so that you could spend more money with them in other departments. Your "PORTRAITS" are considered the true "loss leader".

Going to a chain studio, as a consumer, you don’t have the benefit of 1:1 attention for 2 hours at your home where your child is allowed to explore, play and be comfortable in their home environment, nor do you get the experience that many custom photographers are known for or the lovely captures of natural expressions. You simply get a bare bones, "SAY CHEESE" experience. Keep this in mind when selecting a photographer.

REPUTATION/EXPERTISE of the PHOTOGRAPHER:

Being in demand, being well known for quality work, having a good reputation often costs time on the photographer’s part. Their expertise comes at a cost, their time learning their craft and learning the intricacies of lighting and the commitment put forth on their end to create a persona about their business that oozes professionalism. A great number of photographers go a very long time from the time that they purchase their first good camera to making money at the business of photography. Many photographers, when first starting out, rush in thinking that the business will be easily profitable in no time, how expensive could it be to get a camera and use it to create their dream? They often neglect to factor in the cost of business, the cost of equipment, software, back ups, etc..

Being of sound reputation, a better professional photographer knows that they must always reinvest in their business to create the reputation of being top notch. To create good work good equipment, reliable equipment, back up equipment is a necessity. The photographer who desires to be known as better/best/unparalelled reputation-wise knows that the most important thing they can do for their business is reliability and dependability. This is how reputations get built. Good work often is a wonderful side product of building that good reputation.

Custom photography is more of a luxury than your entry level cookie cutter chain experience. Custom photography truly is not for everyone, it requires a level of commitment, investment in time and money, forethought and planning on the part of the subject/client and requires a larger time commitment for the photographer as well.

Clients who enjoy taking a more active role in the creation of their families’ memories have the desire to have portrait art that is truly personalized. These more discerning clients have been known to budget and allot time for a custom photography session. Many clients opt for it to be a once a year special experience, some opt to have custom photography sessions done to record their child’s stages in life. Having said this, it is clear that custom photography is not in everyone’s budget, it is something that most families save for to splurge on from time to time to memorialize their children as they really are (not posed and primped in the cookie cutter studio setting).

There is a great deal of time involved in creating high end custom photography sessions for a client. The luxury of great service, better choices and a superb end product. The result of all this are heirloom quality images. The time invested at the session is only a small portion of time involved in this process.

Custom photography has been likened to purchasing a fine vehicle. To get to point B from A let’s face it, even a bus ride would suffice. If you want to luxuriate in a finely appointed vehicle, customizing your own experience by listening to smooth jazz while sitting in a climate controlled setting adjusted purely for your comfort in a body hugging leather interior, perhaps that Lexus you so desire is your cup of tea. Custom photography is much the same cup of tea. It is the Lexus of the photography world. It is where the intangibles make the experience truly wonderful and the images themselves make the investment of money and time truly worthwhile.

Custom photography can be broken down into even more levels. There are on location, studio, mixed studio/on location, specialty location and destination type photographers. The beauty of custom photography is in the choices and in the luxury of thoses options. The customized service level you are sure to experience will be amazing. The knowledge that your final images are the result of someone caring about those moments so much that they take extra time ensuring that the artwork you receive is good enough to stand by with their name on it. That level of quality and commitment is all but lost in the age of "mass produced," "mass marketed," corporate "everyone is a number". Custom photography is based on being unique to you. How great an experience would be, to be able to sit back and allow a photographer to do this highly custom work for images that you will most likely cherish for a lifetime?

Keep in mind more than anything that the Lexus will never appreciate in value the way your portraits will. The portrait art you become invested in from your custom photographer will no doubt increase in value and become more priceless as the years pass.

This article reproduced with permission from http://www.professionalchildphotographer.com/information/

Monday, March 2, 2009

Worcester, Boston, Central Massachusetts Children's Portrait Photographer. Children's Portrait Session




Happy Snowy Monday! Communication via computer really does my sarcasm injustice. Can you believe all this snow? Just when you think you finally have the slightest chance of decreasing your vitamin D deficiency, Mother Nature hits you with a wallop to remind you of your naivety. We’re supposed to get over a foot here in Worcester today. As I am writing this, 7 news is reminding us all that Worcester has received over 5 feet of snow this winter. Like we need a reminder. I guess it’s a good day to blog :0)

Yesterday was the portrait session of the fabulous Miss M. She was a photographer’s dream. I have hundreds of shots to still sift through, but here are a few that I liked right off the bat. It’s funny, I have so many photos of her smiling, but some of my favorite shots are the moody poses you’ll see below. Must be those big brown eyes!

Enjoy the preview… and stay warm!


















 
/* Use this with templates/template-twocol.html */