Frequently Asked Questions

Packages? C’mon, I get overwhelmed ordering a sandwich at a deli shop because of all the choices.  Let’s keep this much more simple — and affordable — for the both of us.

Here’s the dealio (as of 11/13/2010):

• Up to 2 hour photo session at a location you choose
• Complete gallery set of high resolution processed images delivered on a CD
• Complete gallery set of digitally optimized (for web & email) branded images delivered on a CD
• Unlimited printing of any and all images on your CD (printing release included for your printing service)
• I’m fine with location changes (advance notice and planning)
• I encourage wardrobe changes and props.
• Weddings start @ $2500: Contact me for a complete quote
• Individual subjects (person or pet): $225
• Groups: 2-4 subjects $275; $25.00 per additional portrait subject (person or pet).
• $100 booking deposit due at session consultation.
• Balance of payment due at beginning of session.
• Delivery within 2-weeks
• No session fees
• No location fees

No, I don’t use a studio (anymore).  I enjoy taking photos of people “on-location” in the surroundings they feel most comfortable in.

Unlike certain “studios,” you will feel like you are my only client. I book a limited number of sessions per week so I can give you personal attention from start to finish. There is no stuffy studio with a waiting room full of restless children and stressed-out parents. You and the ones accompanying you are able to relax and have fun in a location of your choice while we capture a variety of great photos.

Your session location will be somewhere comfortable at a favorite place you like to be, either outdoors or indoors, where the setting personifies or embellishes your unique character and style.  The end result: A pleasant experience, personal attention, and beautiful portraits that you will treasure for years to come.

I typically shoot at a rate of 80-100 photos per hour.  Some photographers shoot way more than that, but then again I don’t take digital film for granted and I only carefully shoot what I want to take a picture of. Sometimes that might require me to shoot several frames to adjust for exposure, focus, composition, etc. During the post-process, I first edit down the images to only the usable ones, e.g., I get rid of the obvious test shots, the accidental shots of my foot or the sky,  and the shots that are simply a matter of bad timing, like blinking eyes, awkward expressions, etc.). Then I proceed through another hard edit to further narrow down the best of the shots that are very similar, then one more final hard edit to bubble up only the best of the best of the best.  The resulting gallery set may be a select 5% of all of the pictures that I take.

As an artist, I wish to have complete control over the final look of my clients’ images.  I spend time editing your pictures to bring out the best in each one.  The selected images are personally processed by me — not a third-party clearing house — where I first make basic color adjustments.  Then, I process each image in a variety of ways to develop a unique visual aspect for each image, including tonal or saturation adjustments, B&W conversions, or other fine art enhancements.  The resulting gallery will include a combination of the basic color corrected images and artistic variations of the same images. A complete gallery set will include at least 5 processed styles (basic color corrected set, two artistic color processed sets, two B&W processed sets.  

It takes up to two weeks for me to process the photos you’ll receive.  While I’m a purist and do as much work in the camera before I press the shutter button, such as composition and exposure, picture perfect is what happens after the shot. Nearly every photographer enhances the photos they capture (surprise, surprise?). Likewise, I do all of the work myself; your photos are never sent to a service for processing. My artistic style is the Metarazzi signature and the reason I carefully take the time to produce quality photos for you.

Pricing. It’s one of those things that I (sometimes) struggle with as an artist.  As the price of dSLR technology declines, more consumer and prosumer cameras have become mainstream.  Even Nikon ran an ad about how an entire town of people could individually wield the power of a dSLR… and magically transform themselves into “photographers.”  Nowadays some of my clients are used to taking a lot of photos themselves and the perceived value of digital photography can be seen as low.  More years of experience doesn’t necessarily make one more valuable, let alone better. And just as I couldn’t possibly become a lawyer or a carpenter or a truck driver over night I want to assure you that my photography and graphics skills are seemingly natural only because of diligent study and hard work and an adept understanding of how to use the tools of my trade.

People sometimes cringe inside (I can tell) when they learn how much I charge for a session and gallery CD and have even asked, “you charge that much to snap some photos and burn ‘em to a CD?” Without going into a thorough breakdown of what it takes to produce beautiful photographic works, just realize that photographers whom do not value themselves are likely to attract clients that also do not value the photographer. Those photographers will get treated as such by those clients.  I am not likely the photographer they are looking for, as I do value myself, my time, and my skills that I employ to produce beautiful photos and hope only to attract clients that appreciate the same.

It’s my privilege to be your photographer.

The photos you desire should convey your special personality, such as playful, casual, spiffy, flirtatious, or perhaps your session will be about a theme, such as a season or event. Simply dress for your occasion and in your own style.  Oh, and dress for the weather, too .

I have many ideas to share with you regarding wardrobe options, use of props (e.g., apparel accessories, musical instruments, sports equipment, furniture, toys, etc), and locations.  It is fun to incorporate these extra things to make your photos even more unique.  I encourage that we talk in person before your scheduled session so I can get to know you in order to help make the right kinds of creative suggestions that represent you and to talk about how the session will flow so we are all better prepared.

Weather conditions in one part of our valley might be different in another, and often that is the case. Sometimes a little variety in the weather will create interesting elements for your session environment and we can work with or around certain weather conditions.  But, yeah, sometimes the weather will just not cooperate.  I keep a close eye on the precipitation radars and will contact you at least one hour before your session time to let you know if we need to resort to “Plan B.”

What is “Plan B?”  The contigency is either to reschedule your session for the next available time convenient to both of our schedules, or we might have previously discussed or will make an on-the-spot decision to shoot your session an alternate indoor location at your scheduled session time.

I schedule the availability of my time for the convenience of my clients.  Other clients would like to have your session time, but I reserved my time just for you.  The booking deposit mutually guarantees both you and I a service and a client respectively.  If a session must be cancelled for any reason, we will make every effort to schedule a new time for your session. (Also, refer to the previous question.)

Yes and yes.

All images are copyrighted by photographer, Jeff Carter (that’s me ).  While it is illegal and unlawful and punishable by law to scan, copy, or reproduce someone else’s work in any manner or medium without consent, I provide expressed written permission with your image CD for you to make unlimited prints.  Also, photos that I have published on the Internet may be republished as-is by you on the Internet, but please leave the branding and please give credit back to the photographer.  Where possible, I would be further grateful if you included a link back to my website.  Images that do not have my branding, like the ones on your CD, may not be published to the Internet without my prior consent.  As an artist, I wish to have complete control over the final look of my clients’ images and altering or misuse of my work damages my reputation as a photographer.

All images are the property of Metarazzi Photo&Graphics by Jeff Carter and may be used on my website, blog, or other means of advertising.

Contact me by any means (one way is to click here) and we’ll set up an appointment in person, on the phone, or even through email to discuss the kind of a session you would like to do (family, senior, theme, etc.), particulars (props, number of people, etc.), and of course schedule your session time and location.  Your session is not reserved until  – and I will do my best to hold your reservation before — I receive your booking deposit.

We’ll meet for the session, I’ll collect the balance of your session payment (if not already fully paid in advance), and we’ll spend up to 2 hours taking lots of pictures.  I’m fine with clothing changes, location changes, props, etc.

Within 2-weeks after the session I will drop a CD in the mail to you, or we can pre-arrange another delivery option.

PRINT SERVICE REVIEWS

Whether you upload your images to an online printing service or take your CD to a local printer, check the comparisons and ratings of many popular services to help you make a good consumer decision.  Here’s a couple of reviews:

• TopTenREVIEWS: Digital Photo Printing Review
• LifeHacker: Five Best Photo Printing Sites

In my personal experience, I have used Costco (uploaded, picked up locally same or next day) and I have used Shutterfly.com and Winkflash.com, which has prodiced very good prints for me.  I have seen prints of photos that clients had processed at Walgreens and am completely unimpressed due to a noticeable yellow cast (discoloring) over the prints.

PRINTING TIPS

Also, keep in mind that the corrections and enhancements I have made to your images and saved in the sRGB color space will not be reproduced correctly if you allow your printing service to make automatic adjustments to your images before printing.  Ensure you do not allow your printing service to make automatic adjustments to your images before printing.

Prints look best when produced with a lustre (or semi-gloss) finish.  This gives your photos a non-glaring, beautiful, professional looking sheen and resists finger prints.

CROPPING

Popular printing sizes are not proportional.  You will notice cropping will occur when your image is scaled to different sizes, such as 16×20, 8×10, 5×7, etc.  The initial dimensions of your images will ensure the primary focal points of your photos are not cut out or excessively cut-off no matter what size print size you decide to have produced.

Canvas prints will also make your portraits stand out beautifully.  Remember that 1″ to 2″ of the image will be wrapped all the way around, so choose an image that will work well and look appropriately composed in the main area when wrapped.

Only one.  And, it’s on the photographer.  Puh-leeeeeze don’t be this client.  Enjoy!  :-)