Don't Let a Friend Shoot Your Wedding

Your wedding budget is starting to get a little high and you need to cut a few corners to save some cash and so you ask your buddy to get behind the camera. Wrong move. Never let your friend, be it your best friend or even a close family member, run the camera at your wedding. There are a few reasons for this.

First off, there is so much more involved in capturing a wedding on video than your friend will think about. Sound, lighting, positioning, framing, storyline, style, each of these broad categories has numerous tiny little elements where if one is off the whole thing doesn't look or sound right. Normally a friend will wait until the last minute to get equipment and then not know what they need usually showing up with a less than quality camcorder and only a built in microphone. Batteries, tapes, they don't think about these things. The less they know, the less they will show up with.

Secondly, holding a camcorder and capturing a wedding and reception isn't like being there enjoying the moment, It's work and you need to concentrate on what your doing such as how the shot looks, sounds, where you need to be next, iris, focus, and a bunch of other little nuances. That lends very little time to enjoy the wedding and the people involved which is what you want your family and friends to do while they are there.

Lastly, if something should go wrong it could possibly ruin a friendship. It's happened many times before and will happen again, a friend wants to be involved with the wedding and only shoots a little bit of footage and not good video because he wants to get that part over with. Or, he forgets the sound, or he forgets to hit record, or he's out of focus or he just doesn't know where to be and when, all in all the video recorded isn't good and most of your wedding is unusable. This will definitely put a strain on any friendship because a wedding video is very important, avoid this potential hazardous situation and hire someone, outsource the videographer, it's your best bet.

www.crystalimagephoto.com

 

www.facebook.com/cip4you

It's your turn! ~ Ask Me Any Photography Questions You Have

On any given week I am asked questions about photography. Rather related to general photography "How To" questions or questions on how to start or run a successful photography studio or about Project CIP (something very special to me)

Here is your chance to ask me any photography related question you may have.

For the next week, until July 19th I will take and answer your questions.

All questions and answers will be posted here on the blog for others to read and learn from (no names will be used) so, don't be shy! Ask away!

The one who submits the best question will receive a gift certificate towards a portrait session with Crystal Image Photography and I personally will spend an hour with them showing them just what it is I do and answering any other questions.

So, if you're an inspiring photographer or a newbie here is your chance!

Send your questions to:  cv@crystalimagephoto.com

Photographers Be Nice.....To Each Other!

Photographers Let's be nice to each other~

Just a few weeks ago I saw a post from a young photographer just learning her way around a camera and how a professional photographer had basically put her down and criticized her. 

Now, this young photographer fired back! Stating how she was not a pro...just a beginner and didnt need a pro telling her she was not good....it was her customers who she looked to for approval.

I commented on her post, giving her encouragement, agreeing with her.

As I drove home that afternoon I began to think more about it.

All professional photographers had to start somewhere! Did we not? We all started out as beginners. I'm sure we all as beginners had other professionals looking at our work and judging it. Shoot, even pros judge other pros and put each other down! Why?

My thoughts on that - other photographers do not pay my bills or your bills nor do they define us. We each have our own style and way of doing things.

It is our customers that we should seek approval and satisfaction from. They are the ones who spend their hard earned money on our photography.....Why? Because THEY like what it is we do!

Becoming a better photographer requires times, practice and learning new things.....The things your customers  want....the type of photography they want and will buy. Not what another photographers say is right or wrong.

This is exactly why I do not belong to  professional photography groups, clubs, or otherwise. Oh, I have in the past. But each time, I find the same thing....a room full of arrogant photographers (now there is always a few who are not) seeking to come across as they are more skilled than the next.

No matter what it is we do or the type of job or service one preforms there is always room for improvement, so help one another and stop putting each other down because you may not like their style of photography.

Life's about helping one another! Pass it on! And, remember we all started out as beginners!

www.crystalimagephoto.com

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

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

Rock The Prom Dress Session!

Rock The Prom Dress Session!

When the prom is over don’t just toss that dress in the back of the closet. It’s time to do a Rock the Prom Dress Session!

It’s also a great way to get another chance to wear your prom dress that you spent so much time and money on!

 You’ll rock that prom dress all over! From urban to country sittings we’ll show you and your dress off in a fun and unique way.

Alley ways, streets, parks, riverfronts, to wide open fields to choices are endless!

No need to have any make up or hair styles. This is all about you and a nontraditional way of showing off your prom dress!

Your session includes:

1 hour photo session

2 to 3 locations

Online gallery

All images on CD with printing rights

1-8x10 print

$185.00

Rock the prom dress session will be held the Month of May Only!

Call or email today to get on our schedule to Rock YOUR Prom Dress!

Contact us

Rave Review of The Quarter! ~ Send Us Your Reviews & Get a Portrait Session!

Rave Review of The Quarter!

It’s wonderful and means so much to receive thank you notes from our customers. Below is my favorite one I that I received over the past few months.

"Crystal, as it's coming up on mine & Chris' 3rd wedding anniversary on the 17th and since then learning more about what you do .. I have to say thank you a thousand times, if not more, for putting SO much time into everything you do. I hope whoever reads this truely understands that wedding photography takes SO much time and you get what you pay for. I would spend the money again to have what all we have. Actually .. I'd pay more. Going back and looking at our wedding photos makes me feel great and I can remember everything because of two amazing photographers that captured each detail and didn't miss a thing from our day."

Beth Anne Jackson - Keysville

Send us a testimonal about your expericane with CIP and if we use it in our newsletter or blog you get a FREE PORTRAIT SESSION as our Thanks! 




Email your review to cv@crystalimagephoto.com

Go Get The CIP Phone App! ~ We're Now on the Android Market!

In keeping with technology and social media, earlier this year we developed and launched an app for android devices. 

Now you can download the app and keep up to date with all of our Blog, Twitter and YouTube 

post all in one place!

We are currently working on getting our Facebook Feeds posted to the app as well. In the near future we hope to start featuring some of our favorite weddings each week. 

You can download the CIP App right from your phone, tablet or other device using the Android market. Just search Crystal Image Photography on the market, download it and you're all set!

So, what are you waiting for? GO GET IT! :) 

Mother's Day Portrait Special (and Father's Day too!)

Mother's Day is just around the corner and Father's Day won't be far behind. What parent wouldn't want a beautiful, framed portrait? We're offering a special that includes the portrait session time, all the images burned to a CD, and the copyright release so you can print your images yourself, all for just $180. And that includes both in studio OR on location! Have your portraits taken in our professional studio, located in convenient downtown Farmville, or our photographers will come to you for a unique on location session. It's all included in one price. And for those who prefer one stop shopping, we have wonderful portrait packages that include albums, framed portraits and more for an additional price.

So make your appointment today. Mother's Day isn't far away, and Father's Day is coming up soon! Schedule your "Mom and Me" or "Dad and Me'" portraits today!



Call 434-392-3550

Visit our website and complete the interest form.

Photography for a Cause: Great Images of Special Kids

Jenifer and I both love our kids to death, like any moms. I revealed in my last blog post how the two of us have both struggled with our children's illnesses. My daughter Casey has Juvenile or Type I Diabetes; Jenifer's son Tony has epilepsy.

Many people assume that because there's medicine to treat these diseases that it cures them. That's not so. These are disease for which there's no cure. There's hope, but no cure.


We love our kids and want to support parents who also have children with special needs. That's why I'm offering a free portrait session for any families with special needs kids. Whether your child has a chronic illness or another serious medical condition, as parents of children with similar problems, we want to help.

Please call the studio for your free portrait session appointment. Call 434-392-3550.

Limited Time On Location Newborn Portrait Special

Expecting a baby? Schedule your portrait session now!

We know how busy new moms and dads are, so we're introducing a brand NEW portrait special - On Location Newborn Portraits. Our last sessions offering this service were such a hit that we've decided to offer this Limited Time Special to ALL of our customers!



Now for a Limited Time Only, you can schedule on location newborn sessions for just $160.00. The photographers come to you at your home or another location. This price also includes all the images, ready to print, on a CD with the copyright release. You can print as many images as you like from the CD or if you prefer one stop shopping, we can provide you with professional quality images with a complete portrait package including professional prints, albums and framed portraits for an additional fee.

So make your appointment today. Call us now even if you're expecting in a few weeks or a month or two - don't delay. Take advantage of our special offer today!

Call us at 434-392-3550 or visit Crystal Image Photography's website and complete the contact/interest form online.

Tuesday Tips: Memorable Images of Children

Puppy Days in the Park is coming up fast! If you haven't signed up yet for your child's spring portrait, now's the time to contact us for an appointment.

Before taking your child in for his or her portrait, keep a few tips in mind for great images of children. These tips will help make Puppy Days in the Park fun for you and your child! They're also good tips to keep in mind for any portrait session of your child.

• Show up for your appointment a little early so you don't feel rushed. Leave plenty of time to travel to the appointment.
  

• Try a "dress rehearsal" with a new outfit so your little one gets used to new clothes. Better still, dress your child in a nice outfit that feels comfortable so he or she can play and act naturally in front of the camera.

• Puppy Days in the Park naturally engages children. After all, what could be more fun than playing with puppies? If your child frets or complains about going to get his picture taken, emphasize the fun. Think about a little reward after the session, too.

Remember, for the low fee of $85 you get a disk with all the images on it from your sessions to print as many photos as you like. That's a wonderful value for professional images.

To make your appointment, call us at 434-392-3550. This special portrait event only occurs on two days, March 20 and 21, so make your appointment now.