Crystal Image Photography is WeddingWire Rated 2012

 WeddingWire is excited to announce that Crystal Image Photography is WeddingWire Rated for 2012 for Wedding Photography. WeddingWire Rated is the annual ratings program that recognizes wedding professionals across the country for their commitment to service and is the most recognized and trusted brand among engaged couples, as they start their search for local wedding businesses. The ratings program is based on hundreds of thousands of recent newlywed reviews of over 200,000 wedding professionals in the US and Canada, across 20 different service categories.

"We are very pleased to announce WeddingWire Rated 2012, recognizing Crystal Image Photography for their commitment to exemplary service in wedding photography said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire, Inc. “They have shown dedication to their craft and service, helping engaged couples understand what to expect from their business through reviews on the nation’s leading wedding review site.”

The read some of the reviews about Crystal Image Photography please visit   Reviews on Weddingwire

Wedding Photography Prices Guide: How to Set Your Photography Budget

 How much does professional photography cost for your wedding? Well, not $300 as one bride told me she thought it would cost!

 Learn how to set a realistic photography budget with this guide to wedding photography prices and rates.

The Going Rate for Professional Photography

When determining your wedding photography budget, keep in mind that you get what you pay for.(read my other post on Why Choose A Pro) You should expect to spend at least $1000 on having a professional wedding photographer document your wedding (not including the actual prints and other extras). Rates, of course, will vary depending on skill level, experience and geographic region (metro areas are usually considerably higher). The size of your wedding can also affect the photography cost, as additional people may increase the amount of time that the photographer must spend at your event.

Comparing Photographer Rates

Most wedding photographers will give general pricing information over the phone or on their websites, so you can use an initial online search or phone call as your first step towards finding a photographer that suits your budget. In comparing photography costs, remember that different photographers offer different packages - so initial rates can be misleading. Some rates only include the photographer's time, while prints and albums are extra. Other photography packages may include proofs, a set number of prints and an album. Determine what services and options you want first, then compare photographers' rates for providing those specific options to determine which professional works within your wedding photography budget.

Once You Have Chosen a Photographer:  Photography Contract Points

When reviewing your contract with a potential photographer, make sure that it is specifically clear in what it covers. Consider these questions:

•             Do you need to make a deposit?

•             What is the cancellation policy? Will you get anything back?

•             Is any travel time considered an extra or included in the bill?

•             Are you entitled to final prints only, or can you obtain all of the proofs?

•            Do you have all the printing rights to print any photos you get on CD/DVD?

Kids With Type 1 Diabetes: I'm Giving Portrait Sessions Away!

Class of 2013 Senior Portrait Giveaway

As many of you know my 13 year old daughter Casey was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes just 3 years ago.

Today, she is doing good and is acting just like any other teenage girl (Lord Help Me) :) But, each day she and her family are reminded that she has an illness that will never go away.

That illness, lead me to start Project CIP. A way to give parents portraits of their children that they may never get the chance to have due to having to pay for medical expenses.

Trust me, we are very thankful for medical insurance but, there is still a monthly expense that goes along with this and any other life long illness.

Though Project CIP is always open to any child with a life long illness this special portrait session is for ANY class of 2013 high school senior with Type 1 diabetes.

A senior year in high school comes with lots of expenses for any parent but a parent with a child with Type 1 and the medical expense that comes with it makes it even tougher!

From now until October 30, 2012 I will be giving any class of 2013 high school senior a totally free portrait session with all the images on CD ready for them to make any and as many prints needed. 

If you, or someone you know has a high school senior who could benefit from this let them know!

Contact me at 434-610-8917 or 434-392-3550 or via email at cv@crystalimagephoto.com

Connect and contact via facebook too: www.facebook.com/cip4you

The question that opened my photography studio

 What would you do if you knew that you could not fail? Someone asked me this once and I thought that it was a completely bogus question. If you knew you could not fail, you would do whatever it is that you wanted to do. I think the more appropriate question is, what would you do if you were never afraid to fail? The answer is just as simple as from the other question, but it is much more realistic. The answer to this question is, you would take a chance even if you would fail more times than you would succeed.

This is the question that drove me to opening my photography studio in Downtown Farmville. All I heard for months prior to opening was, it is to dangerous to start a business these days. The economy is bad. No one has money to spend. The risk outweighs the reward. Don't do it!!! But what would I do if I was never afraid? That is the only question I could think about. So I took that chance, left a full time job of 17 years and now I get to live my dream of taking professional photographs every day. Wedding photos, Senior Portraits, Families, babies, and I am shooting it, and I could not be happier.

Crystal Image Photography started off very small but has grown over the years. From photographing weddings right down the street to across the country.  

Granted it is not easy to start up a photography studio, much less any other type of small business. Hours and hours of hard work are put into making a dream a reality. No shortcuts, no early days! In order to succeed in this market, you have to go further then anyone else is willing to go. Photography is my dream; it is what this company is based on. That, and sharing the talent God blessed me with. Going after what other people would not because they are too afraid to try.

Don’t be afraid to try whatever it is you dream of. You never know just how far you can go until you TRY!

See how our photography has changed and developed over the past few years.

www.crystalimagephoto.comwww.crystalimagephoto.com