I just read an article by Keith Cooper which raises some interesting information for all of the hobby photographers out there who are thinking of going pro. The article is titled "Photography...I can do that."
In this article Keith makes very general observations about professional photographers and their businesses which he has noticed makes many would-be's squirm or run.
I would say his article could be even more realistic in giving just a few numbers as well. For example:
*The average start up cost (assuming the would be pro already has a pro-level camera) for a photography business is $10,000. This can be a little less for wedding photographers and a whole lot more for portrait photographers. If you need to buy a pro level camera add $3-4,000 to that.
*As soon as you are ready to become a business, be ready to fork over $200 or more to the state in which you are basing your business, and another $100 to $150 in each state you plan to do business.
*Depending on what type of business you want to become, be ready to pay estimated taxes within your first 3 months of business. Most people don't think about it, but the government sure will!
Keith Cooper has many great articles on his blog for those thinking about taking their photography to the Professional level. I highly recommend reading them, and if you don't faint, choke, or run away screaming, you are probably ready to take the next step.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
How much does a photographer get paid?
I know that prices are a huge deal right now because the economy is hurting everyone. This is especially true for artists like photographers, musicians, designers, and many others. Our art is beautiful and has many purposes, but it ultimately not a necessity to every day living. With so many high quality digital cameras out there, more and more people are choosing to not visit a professional for their photographic needs. This is especially true for weddings.
So with a decline in the number of clients wanting professional portrait/photography services and a decline in both what clients are willing and able to pay for photography, photographers have had to raise prices over the years. But what does it really take to run a photography studio, and at an average of $2000 for a 5 hour wedding here in Salem, what does a photographer really make an hour?
For starters, it isn't $400 per hour! So lets start with overhead. For those who have no business background, overhead means all of the things like utilities, insurance, business licences and registration, studio rent, and anything else that must be done just to be in business before a sale is ever made. Photos By Orion is a bit unusual in that we have a few less overhead costs because we work from a home studio, but in general our costs are the same as any other studio who does portraits and/or wedding photography. I hope this look into a photography business will help not only our potential clients see the value in what they receive, but also those who wish to enter the photography industry to see it really isn't as simple or cheap as they think it is to make money as a photographer.
*WARNING: I am being completely honest and open with these numbers. These are not generalizations of a number of studios or estimations. These are my ACTUAL numbers from last year (2010).*
Overhead:
Business Registration and Licencing: $150 per year
Business Minimum taxes for the State: $150 per year
unlike federal, the state does not allow the same deductions and requires that all businesses pay this minimum tax no matter what revenue they made during the year, even if that revenue is $0.
Studio rental space: $0 per month
we have a studio building on our personal property. For most studios who rent space, the rental is anywhere from $1,100 to $5,000 PER MONTH for the space alone, not including the initial investment in equipment like backdrops and lighting to actually use the space as a studio.
Utilities: $200 per month
again, here we are less than normal because we have a home studio. Besides a phone, we are able to turn off all electricity, heat, cooling, etc. when the studio is not in use. This makes our utilities much less than the average studio which would be closer to $1,500 per month in utilities.
Insurance (both equipment and liability): $1000 per year
Insurance is a must have for anyone in photography. Not only are wedding photographers often required to have a $1,000,000 (yes million) policy to protect any venue we photograph at, but we also must cover our equipment which is very expensive (into the $10,000s) and cover liability in case someone hurts themselves on our equipment or decides to sue us, as has happens ever more frequently in the last 5 years. We do not have a huge policy as far as insurance goes, but we do not have the smallest policy either.
Computer and website expense: $150 per month
This covers the creation and maintainence of our website (which I do personally and do not take a salary for), hosting of our website, expansion every couple of months of storage space for photos taken. If I did not do so much myself this cost would skyrocket. A new web designer and developer would charge well over $500 per month for what I do and a seasoned developer/designer would charge over $1200 per month. Webhosting can be anywhere from the $150 per year we pay to well over $1000 per month depending on who you choose.
Employees: $0
I have only myself and the two other owners who work in our business. I easily have a need for 3 employees, but I can't afford to pay them. None of us take a salary for the 50+ hour weeks we put in.
Advertising: $6000-$?? for the year
Our advertising was over $6000 last year, second only to equipment purchases for us. This included one wedding show in January and one in October ($950 each for a 10x10 booth) with a few props to make the booth look more exciting ($500 per show just to try and attract you!), advertising on ONE wedding website Onewed.com at $200 for the year, and running 2 google ad campaigns for 3 weeks each which made up the rest of the $6000. For a photographer, especially a wedding photographer, these are very conservative numbers. Wedding website are rediculously expensive, especially when they charge you just to be ON the site like The Knot or Bravo.com. Just to give you an idea of how expensive some of these "free" wedding websites are for photographers, here are the numbers I was given when I inquired last year:
The Knot: $500 per month to be listed - no guarenteed placement
Bravo: $1500 for the year to be listed and included in their magazine (base option)
WeddingWire: $360 per month for 2nd page placement, $1300 PER MONTH for first page placement.
MyPortlandWedding.com: $900 for the year to be listed
Perfect Wedding Guide, Wedding Manor, Wedding Bee, wedding solutions, wedding service companies, and a a bunch of other little sites: anywhere from $10 - $300 per month to be listed
I could go on, but I think you get the picture of just how expensive advertising can be, and this was only Wedding websites. There are also a large assortment of portrait photographer websites I would add as well. We photographers feel like everyone is trying to take our money just like our clients do. I personally field several calls per week from companies trying to get me to advertise with them. If I wasn't saying no my prices could be well into the $10,000s per wedding and $3000 per portrait session just to break even!
Ok, so you get the picture of Overhead. I am sure I am forgetting some things like buying new equipment and the like, but I am currently waiting on all equipment purchases until next year at the earliest. So lets add these together and see what it costs to be in business before any money is made.
Total overhead cost for the year 2010: $11,500 (average studio $30,000)
Now we get into what it costs to do a photo session or wedding.
1 hour photo session (our price $150)
30 minute consult
30 minute prep for lighting, background changes, driving to site if on location
1 hour session
30 minute deprep to break down studio set-up or drive back to studio
20 minutes to load photos from camera to computer
2 hours to cull (take out the bad pictures) and adjust photos
15 minutes to create online photo gallery for viewing
30 minute consult for client to view photos and make choices
1.5 hours to digitally master photos
10 to prep CD/DVDs
45 min to 1 hour to export photos and put them on the CD/DVDs
Total time needed to do a 1 hour photo session: 8 hours!
Pay per hour: $150/8 hrs = $18.75 per hour not including overhead and costs
Pay per hour with costs:
$150 - $20 gas = $130 - $100 overhead assigned per session = $30/8 hrs = $3.75 per hour that the photographer makes.
5 hour wedding (our price: $1500)
1 hour consultation prior to signing
30 minutes to sign contract
1 hour for phone consultations and questions between signing and site visit
1 hour site visit 2 weeks prior to wedding to scout the area
30 minutes drive time to site the day of the wedding
30 minutes of set-up and prep prior to the beginning of wedding day time
5 hours of wedding photography
30 minutes breakdown after the wedding
30 minutes drive back to studio
1 hour to load photos from camera to computer
3 hours to cull (take out the bad pictures) and adjust photos
30 minutes to create online photo gallery for viewing
1 hour consult for client to view photos and make choices
3 hours to digitally master photos
30 to prep CD/DVDs
1.5 hours to export photos and put them on the CD/DVDs
*note this is with no album creation or prints, only the HRCD*
Total time needed to do a 5 hour wedding: 21 hours!
Pay per hour: $1500/21 hrs = $71.43 per hour not including overhead and costs
Pay per hour with costs:
$1500 - $50 gas = $1450 - $900 overhead assigned per session = $550 - $10x8 assistant cost = $470/21 hrs = $22.38 per hour that the photographer makes.
Take these two per hour times together and multiply it by the number of weddings and portrait sessions we do per year and our photographers makes a grand total of $5,000 per year each ($15,000 total).
Compare that with a minimum wage job which makes $22,500 per year and we do not make much at all. Would You work for less than minimum wage?
So why do we do it? Why to professional photographers like me and my partners work so hard for so little? We LOVE photography and helping people make beautiful memories. It is as simple as that.
Now that you know what we make doing what we love, please don't gasp and drop the phone (which a client did to me last week when she called for a wedding quote) when we quote $1500 for a 5 hour wedding. Remember, it isn't really 5 hours, it is 21 hours of our time and talent.Also, the next time someone says they are a "professional photographer" and offers to do a portrait session for $30 or a wedding for $300 (I have seen both of these prices in the last week), ask yourself where are they cutting costs so much that they can afford to have their prices so low, or are they giving away their talent? If they are giving away their talent, why? Is it really talent if you don't want to charge for it?
I hope you have found this quick glimpse at a photography studio informative and helpful. I welcome any comments (and let the critisizm by my peers and those who don't believe me roll in because I know it is coming for being so honest). The truth is we are all hurting right now. Noone is getting rich off of weddings or photography in general, and costs are only going to go up as the economy continues to struggle.
So with a decline in the number of clients wanting professional portrait/photography services and a decline in both what clients are willing and able to pay for photography, photographers have had to raise prices over the years. But what does it really take to run a photography studio, and at an average of $2000 for a 5 hour wedding here in Salem, what does a photographer really make an hour?
For starters, it isn't $400 per hour! So lets start with overhead. For those who have no business background, overhead means all of the things like utilities, insurance, business licences and registration, studio rent, and anything else that must be done just to be in business before a sale is ever made. Photos By Orion is a bit unusual in that we have a few less overhead costs because we work from a home studio, but in general our costs are the same as any other studio who does portraits and/or wedding photography. I hope this look into a photography business will help not only our potential clients see the value in what they receive, but also those who wish to enter the photography industry to see it really isn't as simple or cheap as they think it is to make money as a photographer.
*WARNING: I am being completely honest and open with these numbers. These are not generalizations of a number of studios or estimations. These are my ACTUAL numbers from last year (2010).*
Overhead:
Business Registration and Licencing: $150 per year
Business Minimum taxes for the State: $150 per year
unlike federal, the state does not allow the same deductions and requires that all businesses pay this minimum tax no matter what revenue they made during the year, even if that revenue is $0.
Studio rental space: $0 per month
we have a studio building on our personal property. For most studios who rent space, the rental is anywhere from $1,100 to $5,000 PER MONTH for the space alone, not including the initial investment in equipment like backdrops and lighting to actually use the space as a studio.
Utilities: $200 per month
again, here we are less than normal because we have a home studio. Besides a phone, we are able to turn off all electricity, heat, cooling, etc. when the studio is not in use. This makes our utilities much less than the average studio which would be closer to $1,500 per month in utilities.
Insurance (both equipment and liability): $1000 per year
Insurance is a must have for anyone in photography. Not only are wedding photographers often required to have a $1,000,000 (yes million) policy to protect any venue we photograph at, but we also must cover our equipment which is very expensive (into the $10,000s) and cover liability in case someone hurts themselves on our equipment or decides to sue us, as has happens ever more frequently in the last 5 years. We do not have a huge policy as far as insurance goes, but we do not have the smallest policy either.
Computer and website expense: $150 per month
This covers the creation and maintainence of our website (which I do personally and do not take a salary for), hosting of our website, expansion every couple of months of storage space for photos taken. If I did not do so much myself this cost would skyrocket. A new web designer and developer would charge well over $500 per month for what I do and a seasoned developer/designer would charge over $1200 per month. Webhosting can be anywhere from the $150 per year we pay to well over $1000 per month depending on who you choose.
Employees: $0
I have only myself and the two other owners who work in our business. I easily have a need for 3 employees, but I can't afford to pay them. None of us take a salary for the 50+ hour weeks we put in.
Advertising: $6000-$?? for the year
Our advertising was over $6000 last year, second only to equipment purchases for us. This included one wedding show in January and one in October ($950 each for a 10x10 booth) with a few props to make the booth look more exciting ($500 per show just to try and attract you!), advertising on ONE wedding website Onewed.com at $200 for the year, and running 2 google ad campaigns for 3 weeks each which made up the rest of the $6000. For a photographer, especially a wedding photographer, these are very conservative numbers. Wedding website are rediculously expensive, especially when they charge you just to be ON the site like The Knot or Bravo.com. Just to give you an idea of how expensive some of these "free" wedding websites are for photographers, here are the numbers I was given when I inquired last year:
The Knot: $500 per month to be listed - no guarenteed placement
Bravo: $1500 for the year to be listed and included in their magazine (base option)
WeddingWire: $360 per month for 2nd page placement, $1300 PER MONTH for first page placement.
MyPortlandWedding.com: $900 for the year to be listed
Perfect Wedding Guide, Wedding Manor, Wedding Bee, wedding solutions, wedding service companies, and a a bunch of other little sites: anywhere from $10 - $300 per month to be listed
I could go on, but I think you get the picture of just how expensive advertising can be, and this was only Wedding websites. There are also a large assortment of portrait photographer websites I would add as well. We photographers feel like everyone is trying to take our money just like our clients do. I personally field several calls per week from companies trying to get me to advertise with them. If I wasn't saying no my prices could be well into the $10,000s per wedding and $3000 per portrait session just to break even!
Ok, so you get the picture of Overhead. I am sure I am forgetting some things like buying new equipment and the like, but I am currently waiting on all equipment purchases until next year at the earliest. So lets add these together and see what it costs to be in business before any money is made.
Total overhead cost for the year 2010: $11,500 (average studio $30,000)
Now we get into what it costs to do a photo session or wedding.
1 hour photo session (our price $150)
30 minute consult
30 minute prep for lighting, background changes, driving to site if on location
1 hour session
30 minute deprep to break down studio set-up or drive back to studio
20 minutes to load photos from camera to computer
2 hours to cull (take out the bad pictures) and adjust photos
15 minutes to create online photo gallery for viewing
30 minute consult for client to view photos and make choices
1.5 hours to digitally master photos
10 to prep CD/DVDs
45 min to 1 hour to export photos and put them on the CD/DVDs
Total time needed to do a 1 hour photo session: 8 hours!
Pay per hour: $150/8 hrs = $18.75 per hour not including overhead and costs
Pay per hour with costs:
$150 - $20 gas = $130 - $100 overhead assigned per session = $30/8 hrs = $3.75 per hour that the photographer makes.
5 hour wedding (our price: $1500)
1 hour consultation prior to signing
30 minutes to sign contract
1 hour for phone consultations and questions between signing and site visit
1 hour site visit 2 weeks prior to wedding to scout the area
30 minutes drive time to site the day of the wedding
30 minutes of set-up and prep prior to the beginning of wedding day time
5 hours of wedding photography
30 minutes breakdown after the wedding
30 minutes drive back to studio
1 hour to load photos from camera to computer
3 hours to cull (take out the bad pictures) and adjust photos
30 minutes to create online photo gallery for viewing
1 hour consult for client to view photos and make choices
3 hours to digitally master photos
30 to prep CD/DVDs
1.5 hours to export photos and put them on the CD/DVDs
*note this is with no album creation or prints, only the HRCD*
Total time needed to do a 5 hour wedding: 21 hours!
Pay per hour: $1500/21 hrs = $71.43 per hour not including overhead and costs
Pay per hour with costs:
$1500 - $50 gas = $1450 - $900 overhead assigned per session = $550 - $10x8 assistant cost = $470/21 hrs = $22.38 per hour that the photographer makes.
Take these two per hour times together and multiply it by the number of weddings and portrait sessions we do per year and our photographers makes a grand total of $5,000 per year each ($15,000 total).
Compare that with a minimum wage job which makes $22,500 per year and we do not make much at all. Would You work for less than minimum wage?
So why do we do it? Why to professional photographers like me and my partners work so hard for so little? We LOVE photography and helping people make beautiful memories. It is as simple as that.
Now that you know what we make doing what we love, please don't gasp and drop the phone (which a client did to me last week when she called for a wedding quote) when we quote $1500 for a 5 hour wedding. Remember, it isn't really 5 hours, it is 21 hours of our time and talent.Also, the next time someone says they are a "professional photographer" and offers to do a portrait session for $30 or a wedding for $300 (I have seen both of these prices in the last week), ask yourself where are they cutting costs so much that they can afford to have their prices so low, or are they giving away their talent? If they are giving away their talent, why? Is it really talent if you don't want to charge for it?
I hope you have found this quick glimpse at a photography studio informative and helpful. I welcome any comments (and let the critisizm by my peers and those who don't believe me roll in because I know it is coming for being so honest). The truth is we are all hurting right now. Noone is getting rich off of weddings or photography in general, and costs are only going to go up as the economy continues to struggle.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
What are you missing if you don't have an engagment session?
With so many couples on a tight budget for their weddings, many are questioning the benefit of an engagement session. There are some real benefits to having an engagement session, but they are not right for everyone. Is an engagement session right for you? Find out the real benefits and see if an engagement session is something you should skip.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Finding your perfect photographer
New educational blog post is available on our onsite blog. Feel free to check it out and comment on what makes your perfect photographer!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Fun Family Portraits
It has taken awhile, but here are some new pictures from a family portrait session we did just recently.
We had a wonderful time with this large family and there were a lot of laughs!
These kinds of photo shoots are why we love taking pictures. Even though there was some nervousness at the beginning, everyone was willing to try and it ended up a great day for all of us.
For more, visit our facebook page!
We had a wonderful time with this large family and there were a lot of laughs!
These kinds of photo shoots are why we love taking pictures. Even though there was some nervousness at the beginning, everyone was willing to try and it ended up a great day for all of us.
For more, visit our facebook page!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Don't just take family vacation photos, BE the family vacation photos
Everyone takes photos while they are on vacation. They are the best way to capture all the wonderful memories you make. But did you ever look back at your pictures and notice that all your vacation photos are missing one key element: YOU?
This picture probably looks familiar to you. You may even have one from your last vacation. It is beautiful, and if it ever makes it out of your computer it would look great on the wall, but it isn't really capturing you haveing a great time on vacation.
Vacations are supposed to be relaxing, fun, and a great way to recharge. If you are constantly stuck behind a camera that can be hard to do. Ok, so I know you are expecting a pitch right now on how you should hire us to take your vacation pictures (which is a service we offer), but really there is more to it. Don't miss out on your vacation because you are too busy documenting your vacation!
My father-in-law is notorious for this, and it is very easy to see when you look back at vacations my husband took as a child with his family. There are plenty of him, his brother, and his mother in various formations and places, but almost no pictures of his father. The question then becomes, was he even there? Don't be like him!! Enjoy the vacation and spending time with your family because it will make you a happier person.
OK, so now you are probably thinking "but if I don't take the pictures then how will we remember later?" and that is a great question. There are a few options, all of which are fairly simple and some of which won't cost you anything.
1. Ask Someone to take a picture for you - I am not talking about handing your camera over to a stranger and having them click the picture. While this can work and you are welcome to try it, it can also backfire with fingers in the way, heads cut off, or worse, a stolen camera. I am actually talking about when you go with more than just your family. Ask one of your party to take pictures. This also works well with #2.
2. Share Pictures with your group - Most of the family vacations I take are not just me, my husband, and our kids. Frequently we have a set of grandparents or friends that we are traveling with. These situations are a great opportunity to share in picture taking responsibilities. Make a deal with whomever you are traveling with to trade off days. You take the pictures one day and they take pictures the next. Then trade pictures at the end. You can get a great variety of pictures and be included in more of the activities. If you are traveling just with your family, this works also to trade with your spouse or child (if they are older), or it may help you make some new friends on your trip.
3. Use local photo opportunities - This is easier to do if where you are going is a touristy place. They will frequently have places to stop and have your picture taken. The downside to this is that you usually have to purchase the pictures and they are not cheap.
4. Hire someone to take pictures for you - Yes, there are some photographers who offer this service. It is a photojournalistic approach and is a great way to be involved in everything on your vacation. I highly recommend a local photographer (you don't want to spend the money to bring someone with you). You would get lots of great pictures and not miss out on anything, but this will be an expensive option so I would call ahead of time and get pricing from a couple places. This really works best if you know you are going to be going somewhere like an aquarium, zoo, or playing on the beach for a length of time or having a big adventure like riding ziplines in Mexico and really don't want to miss out on the fun.
All of these suggestions can be used together to help get you out from behind the camera and into the action and fun of your vacation! Happy People take better pictures!
Vacations are supposed to be relaxing, fun, and a great way to recharge. If you are constantly stuck behind a camera that can be hard to do. Ok, so I know you are expecting a pitch right now on how you should hire us to take your vacation pictures (which is a service we offer), but really there is more to it. Don't miss out on your vacation because you are too busy documenting your vacation!
My father-in-law is notorious for this, and it is very easy to see when you look back at vacations my husband took as a child with his family. There are plenty of him, his brother, and his mother in various formations and places, but almost no pictures of his father. The question then becomes, was he even there? Don't be like him!! Enjoy the vacation and spending time with your family because it will make you a happier person.
OK, so now you are probably thinking "but if I don't take the pictures then how will we remember later?" and that is a great question. There are a few options, all of which are fairly simple and some of which won't cost you anything.
1. Ask Someone to take a picture for you - I am not talking about handing your camera over to a stranger and having them click the picture. While this can work and you are welcome to try it, it can also backfire with fingers in the way, heads cut off, or worse, a stolen camera. I am actually talking about when you go with more than just your family. Ask one of your party to take pictures. This also works well with #2.
2. Share Pictures with your group - Most of the family vacations I take are not just me, my husband, and our kids. Frequently we have a set of grandparents or friends that we are traveling with. These situations are a great opportunity to share in picture taking responsibilities. Make a deal with whomever you are traveling with to trade off days. You take the pictures one day and they take pictures the next. Then trade pictures at the end. You can get a great variety of pictures and be included in more of the activities. If you are traveling just with your family, this works also to trade with your spouse or child (if they are older), or it may help you make some new friends on your trip.
3. Use local photo opportunities - This is easier to do if where you are going is a touristy place. They will frequently have places to stop and have your picture taken. The downside to this is that you usually have to purchase the pictures and they are not cheap.
4. Hire someone to take pictures for you - Yes, there are some photographers who offer this service. It is a photojournalistic approach and is a great way to be involved in everything on your vacation. I highly recommend a local photographer (you don't want to spend the money to bring someone with you). You would get lots of great pictures and not miss out on anything, but this will be an expensive option so I would call ahead of time and get pricing from a couple places. This really works best if you know you are going to be going somewhere like an aquarium, zoo, or playing on the beach for a length of time or having a big adventure like riding ziplines in Mexico and really don't want to miss out on the fun.
All of these suggestions can be used together to help get you out from behind the camera and into the action and fun of your vacation! Happy People take better pictures!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Lyssabeth's Wedding Officiants: Acknowledge the things you DON'T care about
Lyssabeth's always has some wonderful wedding advice, and their newest post doesn't dissapoint! Check it out here
Lyssabeth's Wedding Officiants: Acknowledge the things you DON'T care about
I know not everyone thinks that wedding photos are a necessity, and even more don't put them into the "important" category. If you fall into one of these categories, it is important to acknowledge that at the beginning so you can consider lower cost or alternatives to a photographer. We have a base package of $650 just for this reason!
Lyssabeth's Wedding Officiants: Acknowledge the things you DON'T care about
I know not everyone thinks that wedding photos are a necessity, and even more don't put them into the "important" category. If you fall into one of these categories, it is important to acknowledge that at the beginning so you can consider lower cost or alternatives to a photographer. We have a base package of $650 just for this reason!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Valentines Day!
Valentines day is a wonderful time to stop and say I love you to all those special people in your life. Please take the time today to say those three special words to your loved ones. You really can't hear it enough.
To all of our clients and fans, WE LOVE YOU GUYS YOU ARE THE BEST!
And just in case you are still looking for a gift, you can always give the gift of memories. Check out our website today for our Valentines Day special, valid only till Friday!
To all of our clients and fans, WE LOVE YOU GUYS YOU ARE THE BEST!
And just in case you are still looking for a gift, you can always give the gift of memories. Check out our website today for our Valentines Day special, valid only till Friday!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Using the information you get at a bridal or wedding show to choose vendors
Most engaged couples will visit at least one bridal or wedding show while they are engaged and almost all of those will choose at least one of their vendors from those they met at the show. This is an article I wrote recently to give to those couples we met at the Oregon Wedding Showcase in January. The article is meant to help couples get organized and use all of the information they gain when going to a bridal show or wedding show to help choose their vendor(s).
So you just got back from a bridal or wedding show. You have tons of materials from all sorts of vendors and you are on wedding overload! You are probably asking now what do I do?!? If you read our previous article Bridal Shows: 5 tips for couples then you are prepared for this moment and I recommend you skip to step 3 and take a week or two off! If you haven’t read that article that is ok, there are a couple steps to do right away before you take your time off...Read More
So you just got back from a bridal or wedding show. You have tons of materials from all sorts of vendors and you are on wedding overload! You are probably asking now what do I do?!? If you read our previous article Bridal Shows: 5 tips for couples then you are prepared for this moment and I recommend you skip to step 3 and take a week or two off! If you haven’t read that article that is ok, there are a couple steps to do right away before you take your time off...Read More
Friday, January 28, 2011
Three Oregon Coastal Bridges
Black and White views of three well know bridges along the Oregon coast.
These images were taken on two short photo safaris. The Astoria-Megler Bridge was photographed on Christmas weekend December 26th, 2010. The other was a day trip on January 19th, 2011.
The Astoria-Megler Bridge is 4 miles long and spans the mouth of the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington on the extreme northern Oregon coast.
These next two bridges are found on the central Oregon coast.
These images were taken on two short photo safaris. The Astoria-Megler Bridge was photographed on Christmas weekend December 26th, 2010. The other was a day trip on January 19th, 2011.
The Astoria-Megler Bridge is 4 miles long and spans the mouth of the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington on the extreme northern Oregon coast.
These next two bridges are found on the central Oregon coast.
The Alsea Bay Bridge is located in Waldport, Oregon.
The Yaquina Bay Bridge is in Newport, Oregon.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Heceta Head Lighthouse
Heceta Head Lighthouse is located on the Oregon Coast 13 miles (21 km) north of Florence, Oregon and 13 miles (21 km) south of Yachats, Oregon, USA.
Built in 1894, the 56-foot (17 m) tall lighthouse shines a beam visible for 21 miles (34 km), making it the strongest light on the Oregon Coast.
Built in 1894, the 56-foot (17 m) tall lighthouse shines a beam visible for 21 miles (34 km), making it the strongest light on the Oregon Coast.
The lighthouse is an operating navigation beam which still has its original 1st order Fresnel lens. Its oil burning wick has been replaced with two incandescent bulbs. The Fresnel lens rotates on gears to direct a rotating beam of light out to sea.
Heceta Head is named after the Spanish explorer Bruno de Heceta, who explored the Pacific Northwest during the late 18th century.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Why family portraits are important
This is a link to our educational blog on why family portraits are important to do. It is a short but very personal look at why they are important to me and encourages all readers to get portraits done. This is NOT a sales pitch for readers to purchase more pictures from me (though I welcome the business) because, for the reasons written in the post, family portraits are much more important than one little photography business. Please read it and consider how often you get family portraits done. I hope it will help save some families the heartbreak my family recently went through.
To get to the post, click the title of this post or go to:
http://photosbyorion.com/www.photosbyorion.com/blog/2010/03/family-portraits-why-are-they-important/
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