Archive for the ‘maternity photography’ Category

Columbia SC’s Modern Lifestyle Portrait Artist|The Value of Portrait Photography-Part2

July 5, 2011

Before I pick up with the Value of Photography from last week, I want to remind my readers of the promotion on newborn photography sessions and 6 month old photography sessions that will be ending on Friday. The $100 savings on session fees and the complimentary 8×10 mounted print is good for any newborn and 6 month session during 2011 if the booking is made by this Friday. And since I reward my frequent clients with their third session in the same year with no session fee, it means you can book a full newborn lifestyle session, a weekday 6 month session, and a weekday 1 year session with Ashley Ward Photography for $375! And thank you to those who have already taken advantage of my lowest ever session fees! The calendar for the rest of the year is filling and I am so excited to be working with beautiful new and growing families!!

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I also want to thank all who commented or liked or linked to my last Value of Portrait Photography blog post! It was so awesome to see that kind of support for truly valuing portraits – both professional and snapshots. I am thrilled that others found it informative or helpful:)

So, while last week I wrote about why portrait photography is so valuable, today I want to focus on how to take care of those priceless memories. Let’s address your digital photos first. How many copies of your digital images do you have and on what type of media are your images stored? And where are your copies stored? I love external hard drives. I have quite a few. I have also had 2 of them fail……completely dead with no warning. It is a good idea to have AT LEAST two copies of your valuable files. But what if there is some kind of disaster like a fire? My question that started this whole topic was what would you grab from your house if there was a fire and you knew all your loved ones and pets had made it to safety. But what if you aren’t at home when the fire breaks out? I know there are many people who like to keep their valuables locked in a fire-proof safe. It seems like a good idea. But did you know that many fire-proof boxes are not water-proof? If you have a fire-proof safe, I urge you to check and be sure it is also water-proof. So, what if it is a tornado or hurricane? Your best defense in this situation is to have a copy of these files kept off-site. You can achieve this in a few different ways. You can make discs and keep them at a relative’s home. Or keep duplicate hard drives in a safety deposit box at your bank. Of even better, look into storing a backup on your files with an online backup service. If there is a fire, flood, tornado, hurricane……not to worry. Your image files can be downloaded on your new computer (hopefully paid for by your insurance company). Think how much peace you will have knowing you don’t have to mourn for the loss of those priceless portraits, that they are safely stored until you are ready to download them again!

There are many companies that offer remote data storage and I won’t be recommending a particular one. Be sure you investigate the company and their policies well. Be sure you understand what happens if you accidentally delete a file. Will it also be deleted from the online server when the backup runs? That is an important question to ask as we have all accidentally deleted a file at one time or another. Here are a few companies that offer this service:


Carbonite
Mozy
iDrive
SOS online backup

When you purchase your digital files from a photographer, be sure to immediately download your images to make multiple copies. I usually tell to my clients to make a copy on disc to keep in the home, keep a copy on their hard drive if they like, and put the original disc in their safety deposit box at the bank. Multiple copies in multiple locations increases the safety of your files long term.

Now, what about all those old snapshots and photographs you have printed but do not have in digital format? This is a little harder to handle. First, let’s address your old professional portraiture and how to keep those items safe. If you aren’t at home and a fire breaks out, you are likely to lose the print in the flames. If you are serious about ensuring the safety of these images, I would recommend contacting the photographers who took these portraits and asking them if they keep the negatives on file and what disaster plans they have in place. If they do not have the negatives or any disaster plans, my suggestion is to ask for permission to scan the images for backup purposes. You must ask the photographer’s permission because they are the artist who always retains the copyright of the image unless you have a contract with their signature saying they are releasing their right to the copyright. It is against federal law to copy, scan, print, etc. any work by a photographer without their consent. So be sure you are getting consent before scanning the work of any artist.

Your own work can be scanned and stored as an image file which you can treat as your other digital files in the manner we discussed above. This is really the only SURE way to protect your printed snapshots that currently have no digital file. If you hire someone to do this for you, be sure they specialize in photography and understand what the criteria are for scanning an image so that the file can be used later to make a quality print. If you do this yourself, I recommend scanning color photos at 300 dpi. However, you can find much information online regarding scanning photographs and I would suggest you arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible before you begin.

I know this is a lot of information and some very technical issues to consider. But this is a post about the security of your portrait photography and how to protect your images against all kinds of disaster. They are priceless and your most valuable possessions. Take some time to ensure you, your family, and generations to come can always enjoy them!

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Brandi-lee: I'm so thankful to you for reminding me to do this. It's just not worth loosing all those priceless moments, especially when it's so simple to prevent. Those shots you posted are so precious too!

amy lenhart: so true and so important!!

Laura: What a lot of great info and also very important reminders. Again Ashley, very well written. Thanks so much!

Azure: Great information!

Clarice: Such great information!

Julie Wagoner: Such valuable information in this post! Thank you, Ashley, for the wonderful reminder.

Anelle: Very true and a great reminder! Thank you!

Tania: Ashley, these are so beautiful, what a great room too!!! That doggie is just relaxing- not camera shy eh! Love it!

Tania: And thanks for the timely information, extremely helpful and so well expressed!

Kel Ward: Awesome post! You are a truly talented photographer and artist. I think you're worth every penny and more!

Whitley Pollet: What a great post full of valuable information!! Thanks Ashley! And I love that first picture so so much!

Jackie Jean: oh goodness, these are cute!

Natalia Fingleton: Wow that was infrequent. I a minute ago wrote an extremely prolonged comment nevertheless behind I clicked suggest my observe didn't illustrate positive. Grrrr... well I'm not prose all that above over. Anyhow, just sought after to say superb blog!

Growwellington.Co.nz: Nice weblog here! Additionally your web site loads up fast! What web host are youu using? Can I get your associate link in your host? I wantt my site loaded uup as quickly as yours lol

Nannie: obviously like your website but you have to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling issues and I find it very troublesome to tell the truth on the other hand I'll definitely come again again.

Columbia SC Photographer | The Value of Portrait Photography – Part 1

June 27, 2011

I have had this topic in mind to blog about for months. A lot of months. It’s been playing in the back of my mind and occasionally I was serious enough to bring up my editor and try to start writing about this. Each time I have backed out and moved on to other things. It’s a big topic and I didn’t know how to approach it without getting too personal or without risking looking like someone who is too self-important. Even now I am struggling with this intro, but I really want to put this out there for people to consider. So I have decided that I can’t separate how personal this is for me and I can’t take my own feelings and drama out of it……it’s who I am……and what is important to me. I have also decided to break this up into more than one blog entry.

Earlier this month, the home of country music star Trace Adkins’ home caught fire. Thankfully, all the family at home escaped but the house was a total loss. This is a quote from a CNN article regarding Trace’s wife Rhonda’s one regret: With her daughters, their nanny and the family dog safe, Adkins said it was easy for her to be calm and thankful despite the loss of her home. She did have one regret, though.
“I have not backed up all my photographs, and I’m just sitting here sick because those are the things that matter the most,” she said. “It’s your memories, our wedding pictures, I don’t have, because the negatives are in the house.
“Please, everybody, practice fire safety, and back up all your pictures,” she said.

In 2007, director Francis Ford Copolla was the victim of a computer and external hard drive theft in Buenos Aires. According to the BBC, he pleaded through a local reporter for the return of the hard drive. “If I could get the backup back, it would save me years [of] all the photographs of my family, all my writing.”

Some time ago, I asked this question on my personal facebook page: Quick! Your house is on fire! All your loved ones and your pets have made it to safety and you have 30 seconds to grab what is most important to you and save it from the flames and/or water. What’s it gonna be?

I asked this question to stress the value of portrait photography. I suspected that most people would give the same answer as me when confronted with this scenario. And I was right. Of the people that responded to this question, the majority agreed that their photographs were absolutely the most important item in their home. Some said they had an emergency plan already in place and all their photos and baby books were in one location and that everyone was aware it was the important things to grab if there was time. Some talked about grabbing their external hard drives or laptops that housed their images. I even had a client say the images I took of their child as a newborn is what they would grab. I wasn’t expecting an answer so specific but I admit that knowing how important those photos are to that mommy, that they are the one “thing” from her home she would want to save from the flames, as their professional photographer that felt pretty amazing.

This week I want to share my views on the value of portrait photography and next week we will cover data backups and storage. So, why do so many people agree about the importance of their photographs? Why would so many reach out to save them in the event of a disaster? By asking that question on my facebook page, I wanted to confirm my suspicions that many people agree that the “things” that fill your home are all replaceable…..all but your photos. Your photos are the physical form of your memories. When you look back on your photos, for a split second it takes you back in time and renews the memory. One of my favorite quotes on photography was made by Aaron Siskand and says “Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.” Our history is in our photographs…..what we want to remember about our lives and what we want others to know about us after we are gone. They are irreplaceable because you cannot go back in time and record that moment again. Once taken, that moment is gone forever. And as all parents know all too well, time is fleeting and children grow up so quickly.

Hopefully there are two kinds of photographs that make up your photographic history……..your professional portraits and your snapshots. Both are important to the makeup of your portrait library. Even as a professional photographer, believe me, I have plenty of snapshots of my everyday life too and I treasure each and every one of them. Some may disagree with my views on choosing a professional photographer and how often you should have professional photos made, but this is my blog, so I am sharing my views here. I believe that because your photographs are so important, you should save for your professional portraits and make it a worthwhile investment. Hire a professional photographer as often as you are financially comfortable doing so, but do not base your choice on price alone. Research professional photographers well and check out their portfolio and/or blog well, looking for a consistency to their images and a style that speaks to you in a way that you can see your family’s story being told. It’s a good idea to check for testimonials or to talk to your friends about experiences they have had with photographers. If the photographer that you really love is more expensive than you are comfortable visiting every year, then choose to have your portraits taken every other year. And then please don’t forget to fill in the time between your professional sessions with plenty of snapshot documentation of your family’s life. Those images taken using your camera and your eye, of your family’s everyday life, will be more and more precious as the years go by, much as your professional portraits.

I have to say I have never regretted a single dime I have paid for my professional portraits. Or more precisely, I have always felt my family’s professional portraits were a worthwhile investment. When my daughter was younger and I was not as informed about photography, I chose a couple of my photographers based on how cheaply I could get my images and that was a mistake. I do wish I had spent more time seeking out a better photographer and spent a little more money in the process. I am not saying that you have to go into debt to have good professional photographs. I am saying I have spent a lot more and accumulated some debt in the past for things that are nowhere near as dear to me as my professional photographs. If my family and I had to start all over today and could only take one thing from our life today, there would be no question about what that would be.

So, hopefully by asking my initial question and sharing this information with you, I have you thinking about how important your photographic history is and how you want to invest in it. Of course, once you have spent this time and money and energy creating these wonderful living memories, you need to protect them from all forms of natural and technological disasters. Next week I’ll pick back up on this topic and talk about how to ensure your photo memories are safe in case of a disaster. I will be sharing with you my experiences as a former desktop computer/network technician, hard drive failures and malware, and how to protect yourself. If your photos are as important to you as mine are to me, and you want more information on how to protect them, be sure to visit me next week:)

That was a lot of reading and it doesn’t feel right not to post an image. So, here is one of my lovely daughter (who is growing up way to fast!) with her papa on Father’s Day this year.
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Tori Piercy: OMGosh, so so true! About a year and a half ago our RV caught on fire sitting right beside our house at 2 am. First thing I grab were the kids. The second thing? My hardrive. Absolutely priceless! Great post Ashley!

Nicole Z: Great read Ashley. Thanks for posting it! I couldn't agree with you more! Mind if I link this on my FB page??

Dee: Well put, Ashley, so very well put. I really enjoyed reading this post and it also serves as my latest reminder to go back up my images from this month!

Laura: Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a great article that is so very true. I love the quote by Siskand. So many details that we want to remember and in the moment we truly believe we will never forget them but, alas, as time goes on unfortunately we do forget. How important it is to have beautiful images made of your family. They are a treasure for sure.

Cherise: Ashley, the best blog entry I've read in a LONG time. Good food for thought!

Ashley: Thank you so much, ladies. I really hope people find it helpful and a good reminder about taking care of the really precious "things". Can't wait to share more next week now:) Cherise, thank you!

Brandi-lee: well said Ashley and so very very true!!! Those precious photos arent just inmportant for this generation, but every generation to come. I always consider myself blessed to be able to see my Mother and even my Grandmother as a little girl in photos!

sharon: Great read Ashley! Our photos are so important because you can never get the moment back again. Thanks for taking the time to write it :)

aseel: Well put, Ashley! And soooo true.

Kelly Mack: Your an inspiration Ashley!

Justyna: First off, what a beautiful young woman! Gorgeous hair. Second, this topic is so important and I'm so glad you brought it up. Sadly, no one realizes the importance of this until it's too late. You are doing a great service to everyone reading!

Liz: Great post Ashley! I needed this reminder! Oh, and I love the image of your daughter and her papa! Lovely!

Sylvia Borgo: Insightful information and very well-written. This is a fantastic article!

Cari Berry: Really great points! I know that there is no possession I treasure more than my photographs, and I also know that there is no investment more lasting or important that professional portraits - not the flat screen, the iphone, even the car. Thanks for bringing the reality of that home for everyone who reads your blog!!

Heather: Ashley - FANTASTIC post! I linked it on my website about choosing a professional photographer - http://www.takeoffyourmommygoggles.com/2011/06/30/the-value-of-portrait-photography/. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this so eloquently :). Your work is beautiful and you obviously have the dedication and *caring* for your clients that I associate with the best photographers :). Sincerely, Heather :)

Whitley Pollet: What a great post that everyone needs to read!! I'll be sharing this one. :)

amy: This is just a perfect post. great article.

natalie: what a great post!!!! thank you!

Rafael: This is so true, Ashley. Lovely post. I was looking for something good and valuable to read about portrait photography, and I found it. Thanks for the shared thoughts (even though I'm reading it a bit too late! hehe) Rafael

Lanie Hollibaugh: I like this blog its a master serenity ! Cheerful I bare this by google. "Irrationally held truths may live additional hurtful than reasoned errors." by Thomas Huxley.

Columbia SC ‘s Maternity / Newborn Photographer | Puppy Love!

December 24, 2010

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Happy Holidays everyone! I just had to get one more session on the blog before Santa’s big night! And the post has kind of a funny name for a maternity photography session…..but I think you will understand as you look at the images:)

This great-looking couple had me into their home to photograph and capture their pregnancy, and soon I’ll be returning to capture their baby too! They already have one baby in the house. And what a ham!!!! Would you just look at those amazing eyes?! I couldn’t believe how camera-ready this precious pooch was. That’s my kind of dog!

And just look at how mom-to-be is beaming! I wish I could say I looked this amazing during my pregnancy. I loved how she trusted in my ideas and allowed me to play just a bit with some fun angles too:) And dad-to-be was a wonderful sport and very attentive.

Mom and Dad, tell your friends and family members to check out the images and leave a little love on your blog post. If you get 35 comments from unique visitors (with their email address), you can choose your favorite image for a 5×7 print on me! If you get 50 comments, it’s an 8×10!! Enjoy:)

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Deirdre Dunham: These are fab, Ash! I know for sure that I never looked that awesome while pregnant. Great session!

Kara Layfield: These are amazing!! Momma looks GREAT and is all belly! I wish I looked that good when I was pregnant. I love your take on maternity!

Anya: OH-MY-GORGEOUSNESS. Mom to be and Dad to be (oh and puppy too). WOW. Ashley. You are an AHHHMAAAAZING photographer.

Amy: These are absolutely gorgeous!!! Bri, you look AMAZING! And Justin, the proud dad-to-be! I CANNOT wait to meet my first nephew!

Mel: Bri...you look so beautiful! I can't wait to meet the little one...Justin you look so fabulous too :) Great pics!

Abby: You could be the model for the following catalogs: Maternity Yoga, Maternity Jcrew, Pottery barn kids, Pea in the Pod, and then my personal fav, At home with Justin and Bri! Miss you. Awesome shots

mary: bri--you're beautiful. wow. although it looks like baby is as big as you are :-) i'm so happy for both of you. my favorite pic is the final one. we know dev is going to run the show anyhow, right?

risa king: Amy shared these with us and they are beyond precious! Hope puppy knows there's some new competition to come! Beautiful...and Bri you look wonderful!!!

Mom and Dad: Bri and Justin we see nothing but joy and beauty in these photos. Our grandson is beaming in front of the camera already. The young lady who took these did a fantastic job.

karen: Omg!!!!! Great pics!!!! Miss you and love you!!! Merry Christmas!!

Kelly: Bri and Justin, these are gorgeous photos..I can't wait to meet the luckiest little boy to have you two as parents. Congrats! xoxoxo

bob + mary ann: Great photos! Wish u were here in person! Can't wait to meet baby maybe! Happy holidays! Love Bob and mare

Rebecca: What amazing pictures. Bri and Justin you guys look so happy and are beautiful. You are both going to be amazing parents. We can't wait to meet our nephew!

Julie: Devon looks so cute here! Great pics! You look amazing!!

Kristy Haise: Beautiful mama-to-be!! Enjoy these last few weeks...we can't wait to meet that precious baby boy. We love you...Kristy, Brian & Sydney

Christine: The pictures came out beautiful! Can't wait for the next series with Baby Hoover!!!

Rowena: Beautiful photos!! What a gorgeous belly too! :)

monica: Bri, You look amazing!! These are beautiful pictures. I think you have a beautiful family and the new addition will be lucky to have such wonderful parents.

Carrie: I wish I looked that gorgeous while pregnant too!! These images are just beautiful and I can't wait to see photos of their bub soon!

Kelly: Bri, these are BEAUTIFUL photos!!! Love them all and can not wait to see your bundle of joy!!!

Jen: All of the pics looks so great! Looks like you had a fun session! Can't wait for Baby Boy's arrival!

beverly: what a beautiful mama! and what a lovely job you did with the lighting Ash.

kacey: What a beautiful family! The countdown is on!

Jamie: Bri - love the pictures! you guys look amazing!

Ellen: These are beautiful Bri! What a wonderful way to remember this incredibly exciting time!

Darci: What a great looking family! Bri-you have looked amazing throughout your entire pregnancy! Can't wait to meet the lil guy!

Amy S.: Gorgeous photos. What more can I say?

Meagan: I love maternity pics. You look great, Bri!!!

Jordan: Bri- you look ridiculously amazing- that first picture up top should be in a magazine. Yall are such a beautiful family- can't wait to see the new edition!!

Stephanie: Bri, you are gorgeous and I love how you are just beaming! :-)

Lisa E: I wish I looked and and felt as good as you look being pregnant. I,m So jealous!! HA HA, Heck I dont look that good now and I'm 3 years post pregnant!! Cant wait to meet the little guy! miss you guys and hope to see you soon!

christie volpatti: These are great, Bri! I have never seen photos like this. How awesome! Matt and I can't wait to meet Baby Maybe.

Marie: Gorgeous! I can't wait to meet the newest member of your family. All the best!

Bri and Justin: Ashley, thank you so much...we absolutely love these pictures and will treasure having them forever. You are truly talented. Can't wait for pics of the baby!

Tara: Love these pictures! They are wonderful! Can't wait to see the newborn session!!! Congrats you guys!

Mom: Amazing pictures!You are still as beautiful as the day you were born and now you and Justin have created a new beautiful being. What a miracle

karen hamrick: Bri...I love the pictures! You look beautiful.

Maryann: What beautiful pictures!! What wonderful memories you will have. Looking forward to the baby pictures. The first picture should be on the cover of a magazine, wow!

Alicia: These are absolutely wonderful pictures! And I am in awe that you can sit Indian style! I am so excited for you & Justin!

Mary Ann Stinelli: Bri, Justin, Baby For Sure Beautiful

Abbey: Great pictures! Bri, you look fabulous:)

Anelle: WOW! These are absolutely fabulous! I love the variety, the posing, how relaxed they are! Actually I love everything about these!

Liz: What a beautiful maternity session! Lord that mommy is gorgeous! Great session as usual Ashley!

amy: great job on these really gorgeous work!!!

Cynelle Murray: Bri and Justin you guys look awesome, you are honestly the hottest pregnant chick ever... can't wait for the little guy.

Deena and G'pa: What beautiful pictures! What a beautiful family!! Can't wait to meet our new buddy and find out his name!!! Couldn't ask for a better photographer. Love you all.

Beth: Beautiful photos! Y'all have quite the amazing journey ahead. Can't wait to see the baby photos!

Josie: Love the beautiful pictures! You will treasure these pics forever!!

Leila Getto: WOW, these pics are amazing! Bri, you could be a model! Your house is beautiful too! Can't wait to meet the little guy!

Charlie Mather: Awesome Pictures you guys! I can't wait to meet your little man! I hope we can hangout soon! God Bless! Charlie Mather

Becca Wersland: oh my gosh-she just has the perfect belly and is so beautiful! love all of these, ash!

Sylvia Borgo: What a beautiful mommy-to-be!

natalie lawson: now that is one beautiful mama! her newborn is going to be one handsome dude! love the ones near the Christmas tree!

Dezarae: Wow I love these! So simple, but soo beautiful! You got some great variety, too.

Connie: Bri and Justin you will treasure these pictures for a lifetime. They truly represent this most magical time in your life and the beginning life of your little one.

Laura Morita-Yeun: cheezmo. She is gorgeous and so is dad. That belly is PERFECT.

Aunt Carolyn: Wow...what a beautiful family. Great pics...great belly! Can't wait to meet the baby maybe!

Lina: Love the last shot, the doggy is waiting for a baby too :) Adorable. Beautiful work as usually, Ashley. You rock!

Bertha Drake: The photos were breath taking, bring new life, seeing baby and parents for their first photo shoot.

Abe: Amazing blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog shine. Please let me know where you got your design. Thanks a lot

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Columbia SC ‘s Modern Lifestyle Photographer | WLTX Appearance

December 22, 2010

Just a very quick post this evening to let you know I will be appearing on WLTX channel 19′s Friends at 5 tomorrow (Wednesday, December 22 5:00pmEST). I will be a participant in their 12 days of Christmas promotion….so if you are a fan, you might want to follow along for an opportunity to win a little something:) Have a computer close by to participate! I’ll also be showing some of my images and sharing a few photography tips.

I am so excited to have been asked to contribute to the promotion! I believe you can visit www.wltx.com and click on the “Friends @ Five watch and chat box” at the top left of the screen. This box will appear just prior to the show airing at 5pmEST. If you want to actually enter the contest, you must sign up on the website in advance and use the chat feature during the show. Good luck!!

And just because no post feels adequate without images, here are just a few from a session I will be blogging soon!

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desi: wOw ashley! wow wow wow! how flipping exciting! you've arrived girl. ♥

Shelby: This is so exciting Ashley! Happy Squeeeeeeealssss for you!

Liat Biderovsky: WOW! How freaking amazing is that!!! You're gonna be so awesome. And also, this session is just beautiful!

Claire: I am so excited for you. Good luck tomorrow. I am going to try and watch online and these images are gorgeous as usual.

Audrey: Congrats Ashley, that's awesome!!

Liz: How exciting!!!!! I'm so happy for you! Love your work!

Anna: so, so, so excited for you Ashley!!! I think you totally and utterly deserve this!!

Lina: That is so awesome, Ashley, congratulations!

Kara Layfield: Congrats - well deserved!! I can't wait to see more from this session!! I love your style!

Rowena: Beautiful! Love the clarity in these! and what a beautiful girl and mommy!

Kel Ward: These are fabulous!! Is that their house? It's gorgeous!!

Anelle: How exciting!!! These photos are awesome!

Sylvia Borgo: Congrats, Ashley!! And gorgeous images - two incredibly beautiful girls!

Laura Morita-Yeun: seriously, scrolling through your blog is all sorts of awesome.