So why is it important to hire a professional photographer? I mean camera advancement in cell phones means our phones take some pretty amazing pictures, right? Right! I completely agree with that.... the end!

KIDDDDING! But I really do think that cell phone and kit DSLR cameras have a place in the realm of capturing memories. I would argue that it is better to have images on your own camera or phone than no images of your families or moments at all, HOWEVER, even the advancement in technology and easy access to DSLR cameras at a very reasonable price does not negate what a professional photographer brings to the table.

The years of experience that a professional has is invaluable. Our ability to read the light and set the stage... pose for drama and compose the art, are things that most of us have spent years mastering. This is where my passion for the craft, or speaking up for the craft, kicks into high gear!

My title is photographer, but I am an artist. My canvas is blank when we meet, but once we capture our moments together, I return to my studio and that is where the magic begins. All these years later and I still get excited when I load up the raw images to my computer and see the magic we have created together. I still bounce up and down every time I see a shot where the lighting, composition, posing and theatre all merge together into one spectacular moment of photographic perfection! When I shoot, I know the feel I want for the session, but the true artistry kicks in when I begin to edit. I get a feel for each image individually and each one is given a remarkable amount of care and attention, as though that specific image was the only one I was going to showcase... in which case, it had BETTER be good. My name depends on it.

I speak passionately for my craft because I feel its value has diminished over the years and that saddens me. There are a lot of photographers out there, all at different places in their photographic career. Some are masters, some are hobbyists. I am glad to see that so many people are picking up cameras these days, but when choosing a professional, I ask you to please consider a few things.

• QUALITY VS QUANTITY- I will be honest here, nothing, and I mean NOTHING drives me more insane than when I hear people say more is better. It simply isn't. 300 pictures with a basic edit run over them vs 10-20 images, each one a separate piece of art. It takes me at least 15 minutes to craft each image (and if it is fine art or fairytale, this time greatly increase) If I take 300 images during your session, I guarantee you that a huge amount of them are going to be duplicates. Why pay for those? If you have a session and receive 10 DIFFERENT images you will have 10 DIFFERENT pieces of art to print and share. If I simply hand over the files you will likely never print them all. You can shoot the the day to day moments with your phones or cameras and have many of the same, but let's be honest, you aren't hiring a professional to do what you can do yourself... right?
• IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE- Gone are the days (in most cases) where you order prints and the cost of those "one time" images are hundreds of dollars. If you want Grandma Ruth to see them in Nova Scotia, you would either have to spend the extra and order her a copy of the images or (and I shudder to even type this) scan a copy over to her. If you could see my face right now it is like someone just dragged their nails down a chalkboard...ugh! Let's be honest, the world is changing and there are a lot of places we HAVE to spend our money, so WANTS are certainly far down the list of places that you will allow your hard earned dollar to be shared. Now let's just say you have saved and want to have a once in a lifetime of even an annual session, most photographers have different packages with various price points to match all budgetary requirements and needs. Please remember, cheaper isn't always better, nor is expensive the best. Which brings me to my next point...
• FIND AN ARTIST THAT SPEAKS TO YOU- If I like Monet and feel his work profoundly speaks to me, I am not going to hang a Picasso on the wall just because he is cheaper (I apologize for this reference to those who aren't art lovers, but it seemed the best way to illustrate my point) If you follow an artist and can't wait to see their work pop up on their social media sites, then save for THAT artist. Monet and Picasso are different artists with different styles, techniques and processes. Both are remarkable in their own right, but beware any artist who says, "oh that style is easy! I can totally duplicate it at half the price!"... IMPOSSIBLE!!! My heart and soul, as with any other artist, is poured into each piece and the essence of who we are transfers into it. That my friends cannot be duplicated... sorry :( 
• LEAVE YOUR MARK- Time waits for no one. With life moving faster each year; each decade, we are grown with families of our own in a blink of an eye. I have a few precious photos of my grandparents and one of my great grand parents that I cherish, but not many more. Photography was not as easy back then. Imagine a world 80 years from now. Photography is easy and we do a great job at selfies. We load our phones with thousands of images, but how many do we print? What heirloom piece or pictures are you going to leave for future generations to enjoy? Don't leave them in your phone. They will be lost. Technology changes. Those of you who grew up at the dawn of computers know that anything you might have stored on the gold old floppy disc is now a goner :( Have that one piece created that celebrates who you are today. You will never be as young as you are in this moment, regardless of your age. Create a piece that your great grandchildren can keep on display to proudly speak of their heritage. You don't need 300 images... you need just ONE!
• DON'T WAIT- You don't need a special occasion to consider photography. Do it on a Tuesday afternoon just because. Waiting until weddings, births, graduations or reunions means you are part of a collection of people in the middle of chaos. It is about you... today!

So there you have it. I have plead my case for my craft. Professional photography may or may not be something you want or need, but should that change, or if it is, please consider the key points I have listed above.

Thank you for taking the time to read my looooong blog today. I hope some of the items I have covered in here help you in making your decision about "to hire or not to hire, that is the question..." ok, so on that Shakespearian note, I bid you farewell.

Much Light and Love

Claire