Stephanie Snyder Photography Blog » Pricing

Offering Holiday Ornaments!!!

Stephanie — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 18:30:56 +0000

That’s right! Stephanie Snyder Photography is offering these amazing, awesome porcelain ornaments for your Christmas tree featuring your AWESOME photos from Stephanie Snyder Photography!

Take a look at some product images kindly provided by the lab that I work with that provides these awesome ornaments! They are made from porcelain, and are heat-sealed to ensure that the photo is bold and clear, and to make sure that they last a long time! What an amazing heirloom to pass along for generations! You could get one every year and build your “family” tree! Pun intended. I’ve already ordered some from our wedding, and of course we need ornaments for Dexter and Sunnie, too!

Ornaments are 29.99 each, or 2 for $50! Order by November 30th in order to have them by Christmas day! That’s less than 3 weeks! Yikes! Email me at Stephanie@stephaniesnyderphotography.com to order and let me know which photos and shapes you would like to order!

If you like this article, I encourage you to share it via Twitter or Facebook! As always, I would love to hear your thoughts through your comments below.
South Carolina Wedding Photographer, Portrait Photographer and Boudoir Photographer
For more creative and interesting photography, please visit http://www.stephaniesnyderphotography.com!

SC Certified Professional Photographer

Stephanie — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 20:34:21 +0000

I am always a girl on a mission. The mission often varies, depending on the day, season, focus, weather, etc, but I always have a mission and goal for some part of my life. Many times, I have multiple missions going on at one time.

My newest goal is to gain the nationally-recognized title of Certified Professional Photographer. This certification is judged by masters of photography who have been practicing it their entire lives, and is provided by the Photographer’s Association of America (PPA). There are thousands of photographers out there, and it seems that many people think that just by picking up a camera and pressing a button, they’re a professional photographer.

The digital era has made it much easier for inexperienced part-time and fly-by-night photographers to throw their hat into the ring, undercutting professionals with rock bottom prices. Certification is an easy way to help consumers understand and appreciate your level of experience and talent.

I spend hours every day researching photography – technical aspects, techniques, artistic styles, marketing, products, gear, etc. I know by looking at my photography over the years, that I have grown and continue to grow as a photographer because of my passion and dedication to the art. I have loved photography my entire life – this isn’t a hobby I picked up and realized I enjoyed. But how do my potential clients know this at a glance?

By becoming certified as a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP), I am showing my potential clients that I have met high standards and can provide quality work, both artistically and technically. This is SO important!

As the leading certifying agency for imaging professionals, the Professional Photographic Certification program is recognized throughout the industry.Those who have earned the Professional Photographic Certification have passed a comprehensive written exam measuring their technical expertise, and have successfully submitted their work to a panel of judges for review and approval.

To quote directly from their website, “ Certification is granted by the Professional Photographic Certification Commission, an objective third party who validates your expertise, and that speaks volumes to potential clients about your skill. When potential clients become aware that Certified Photographers must re-certify every five years, they understand that education, training, and the latest industry techniques and skills are important to you – and your images.”

As of today, there are only 18 Certified Professional Photographers in South Carolina! Amazing! If you do a Google Search, or worse, a Facebook search, you will find hundreds, probably even thousands, of “professional” photographers throughout the state of South Carolina, but none of them have gone through the trials, judging, tests, and certification process to receive the credentials to become a Certified Professional Photographer.

I plan to be number 19! I am always committed to providing the highest level of quality in all forms to my clients, and I feel this is a natural part of the process. I want my clients to feel confident and proud that they have hired me as their photographer. Not only will they get gorgeous images to share with their family forever, but they also will have someone dedicated to both artistic and technical excellence in all of their images!

Wish me luck!

What about you? Would you feel more comfortable if your photographer for your special event and lifetime of memories were certified, or are you fine with the latest Facebook find? Comment below! (and I can’t give you guys a blog posting without an image, so here’s a picture I love from one of my trips to downtown Charleston… random but pretty.)

SC Wedding Photographer Referral Program

Stephanie — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 19:56:07 +0000

As all of my regular clients already know, I try really hard to take care of all of my clients who refer other clients to me. What I have come to realize, however, after many inquiries, is that I have no official referral program to go by. You guys are so valuable to me, and it’s the greatest compliment in the world when you like your photographs enough to recommend me to your friends and family. I realize you are trusting me to take care of them, because it’s your word on the line, too, so I am working on developing a referral program geared toward both repeat business from my current clients and to spread my name to your friends and family.

I want to develop this referral program with your needs in mind, so please leave me any and all feedback by leaving a comment on this post below and tell me what you would like out of your photography referral!

The first offer I am officially making as an element to the Stephanie Snyder Photography Referral Program is for weddings. I would like to offer a free, full signature session to anyone (not just current clients) who refers a client to me that books a wedding package. What do you think about that? I think it’s pretty awesome, and I know it’s going to be tons of fun!!!!

I want to develop a few more aspects to this program as well. Tell me what you think, what you’d like, etc. And it doesn’t just have to be regarding the referral program, either – This is my passion, and I want to hear from you! What do you like? What would you love to see? I’d love to hear about your likes, dislikes, interests, etc.

I can’t wait to hear from you!

-Stephanie

And because every blog posting deserves a picture, here’s one of the pictures my father took at my wedding! I love it! Thanks to my awesome bridesmaids for arranging my dress perfectly! Love you!

Info Sheets

Stephanie — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:13:29 +0000

I got my info sheets printed up today! It took FOREVER to design, but they are finally done and I’m so proud of them! I think they turned out really well.

It's ART!

Stephanie — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:56:48 +0000

This article says it all, pretty much. I’m including it in my marketing materials that I provide to my clients.

10 Reasons Professional Photographers Charge What They Do

By Lori Osterberg

10. Professional photographers are in business, and as a business, need to make a profit. Because they make their career, they dedicate themselves to becoming the best they can be, and share that knowledge with their clientele.

9. Professional photographers have to buy professional equipment. Nope, they don’t just pick up a point-andshoot from Wal-Mart and declare themselves a professional. They spend thousands upon thousands of dollars getting multiple camera bodies, the finest lenses, flash equipment for every situation, tripods, light stands, backdrops, props, carrying and storage cases. And then when you think you have it all – you need to get backups for everything to make sure you never miss an image.

8. Professional photographers continue their education, and learn as much as they can about the business. They join groups like Professional Photographers of America or the National Press Photographers Association. They attend seminars and training by some of the best names in the business. They concentrate on becoming the best they can be.

7. Professional photographers don’t just snap a picture, they create a photograph. They understand positioning. They understand lighting. They understand placement. You’re not just paying for the ability to place a finger on the trigger and snap a picture. You’re paying for the years of experience it took to create the perfect image.

6. Professional photographers can spend hours producing one professional photograph. Time can include:

creating the marketing

answering emails and phone calls

meeting with the client to talk about the event

setting up for the event

drive time to and from the event

time for the actual photographing

running to and from the lab

meeting with the client for previews and decisions

processing the image

retouching the image

mounting the image

framing the image

packaging the image

dropping off final images

production work

follow up work

Add it all up, and you can see why one portrait session may include hours worth of work. It’s impossible to stay business if you only make a few pennies per client.

5. Professional photographers have to be more than photographers. They have to be CEOs and marketers, and bankers, and salespeople, and production workers, and janitors, and buyers, and negotiators, and networkers, and drivers, and organizers. And photographers. That’s a lot of skills for one person to master.

4. Professional photographers will do it all. Want to get married at the top of a 14,000 foot high mountain, where the only way up is a 30 minute ski-lift ride? A professional photographer will be there. Want a portrait running through the waves on a Southern California beach? A professional photographer will be there.

3. Professional photographers aren’t just order takers, they provide total customer service. Professionals photograph dozens or even hundreds of clients a year. They understand what looks good, how to put together albums, and how to group multiple photographs together. Their goal is to provide you with what you need and what’s best for you – not just have you sign on the dotted line.

2. Professional photographers watch for the newest, most innovative, creative products available. They stay up to date on industry news, and find things that perfectly match their clients taste. They don’t try and fit you into something you don’t like – they find out what you want and search the world over for the perfect things. They are the professional.

1. Professional photographers have the knowledge and the skill to make you look the best you can be. I can buy a hammer for a few dollars at the hardware store. Yet I spent hundreds of dollars for a handyman to repair my deck. I can buy a needle and thread for a few dollars at the fabric store. Yet I spent over $100 on alterations at local tailor. It’s not about the tools; it’s about the outcome.

Sure, anyone can buy a camera and take a picture. You can head down to your local discount store, wait several hours and have a minimum wage clerk place you on an X and snap a few pictures. But they can’t get what a professional can get. They won’t concentrate on expressions. They won’t advise you on outfits and locations.

They won’t provide 110 percent customer service. You won’t get a professional portrait.

Isn’t it time to see a professional?