Look out Victoria's Secret!

Tampa is lucky to have a very talented photography community. So I always feel honored when a new client chooses to come to me. I feel especially honored when that new client is another photographer! Mrs. H. is a very well known wedding photographer in Tampa Bay- and her work is quite impressive! She wanted to do a boudoir session as a surprise birthday gift to her hubby (great gift, huh??!!!). Well, I am confident he will be surprised- and that he will just love how beautiful his wife looks! I have had quite a few women (from their 20ies to their 40ies) booking boudoir sessions recently, and I say- Go For It Ladies! The female figure is so beautiful and definately needs to be celebrated as a piece of art! (and no- you do not have to be a size 0...just comfortable in your own skin. Trust me, I photograph all shapes and sizes.) Wish I could share more of Mrs. H...but some things are not for the eyes of the general public.....ha!

The Funky Urban Session....

With my son and new camera in tow, I headed to Ybor today to play. It's good to have a subject whenever I need him, but I must say that photographing your own child is HARD! Here are a few of the captures. I cannot believe my little man will be 2 next month!

Mother's Day Contest!

Here it is! My first ever Mother's Day contest! So for all you blog stalkers out there, get your creative juices flowing. This is what I am looking for!
Send me an essay (no, we are not back in high school! ha!) on what being a mother means to you. It can be silly, sappy, mushy, gushy- as long as it comes from you. E-mail your essay by Mother's Day with a picture of you and your kiddos (with your permission to post it on my blog), and the winner will get $150 in print credit to use at her next session!! OK ladies, the game is on!
:) Andi

So Why Hire a Custom Portrait Photographer?

"Isn't it all the same?", says Suzy Q. client. And I say with a resounding (yet kind), NO, NO, NO.....and NO- it is not. For those of you who are already either a client of mine or a client of another custom portrait photographer...first of all THANK YOU (though my thank you would be even bigger if you were a client of mine...ha!)! And second, CONGRATULATIONS! You are taking the first step in creating family heirlooms that you will forever treasure. I will be the first to say that I understand how people feel when the say, "How can you charge X or Y? I have a digital camera and I think I can do that.... right?" And I will be the first to try to educate others on the beauty of custom portrait photography and the value of the experience that you will get with Andi Diamond Photography. So, here is the first tid bit in my lesson that I will be sharing:

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. For instance let’s say your family is extremely outdoorsy and loves playing on the beach. You start determining what style you like, browse through photography website portfolios and determine if any of the styles exhibited there would be a good fit with your life and family style. You have already determined that you should probably seek out a beach type photographer (that is if you live near a beach) and then begin narrowing the field down a bit.
Finally after a bit of internet research, you have narrowed it down to two photographers who do what seems like solid work, the sort of outdoor beach look you desire. It is now time to ask yourself: Do you like photographer A’s style over photographer B’s style? Is it because the people in the images of A’s style are having a great time and it seems very caught up in the moment vs. B photographer more posed, looking in the camera images? If this is a case, you probably like LIFESTYLE photography or perhaps even take it a step further and define your desired style as a PHOTOJOURNALISTIC photography style. The photographer you probably should choose is photographer A because their style is very similar to the style you desire.
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.

Lots more to come.....check back soon!

Why Photographs are so Important....

I recently got an e-mail from a client after having her family session. She needed to reschedule our ordering session because her dad ended up in the hospital. Fortunately he is home now, and recovering well. But her e-mail said something that really made me think. She wrote,

"My Dad is out of he hospital now. The docs told him he dodged a bullet. For a day or so, I was beginning to think your photographs were going to be our last ones. He managed to even scare himself".

First of all, I am so glad her dad is home and well! But my reason for sharing this is to hopefully help people to see the true value of custom portraits. Our minds will always be our most powerful source of imagery, with photography coming a close second (and if your memory is as poor as mine, photography comes in first!) Photography captures moments in time that you will never get back. Photographs of loved ones are what we cherish long after they are gone. Photographs are what people wish they had more of after their children have grown. Photographs are what people want to save after natural disasters, fires, etc. Photographs remind us of feelings, emotions, and can transport us back in time. They are invaluable...Just a little something I wanted to share....