Note: To clear up possible confusion, I always print from and store the highest quality files, the digital copy resolution only effects what you will receive and make prints from yourself.
The Digital Copies are all the shots from your photo session or wedding that you see in your online gallery. The images will have been color corrected and look very nice but the only images that will receive specially requested Photoshop touchups (for example removing someone from the background) in their digital copy will be ones you've chosen also as prints or album selections.
How do you deliver the files to a client?
In most cases I use a service you may already be familiar with called Dropbox. Dropbox
gives me many advantages in delivering your images to you quickly and easily online
without having to wait for a disc in the mail. You can even share the link I send
you with other family so they can download them as well. After ordering you will
receive instructions explaining the simple process in more detail.
Please note depending on your browser you might not see a difference in the images until you click on them. Your cursor should turn into a magnifying glass so you can zoom in. These will open in a new browser tab.
Standard Digital Copies
At least 800x600 resolution suitable for small prints, maximum of 4x6 depending
on printing service, pc and small digital photo frame viewing and e-mail.
High Resolution Digital Copies
At least 1600x1200 resolution suitable for up to 8x10 prints as well as high resolution
large photo frames.
Full Resolution Digital Copies
Original full resolution files suitable for enlargement printing and any other use
desired.
You are allowed to print as many images from the digital files as you like, there is no copyright protection or watermarks. I will provide a copyright release form on request, normally this is not required for printing except at Wal-Mart. Please see this page on Smugmug.com for very good information on required resolution for a desired print size.
I now ask for you to pay for your setting fee when scheduling the appointment. You can pay this by credit card using Paypal or by sending a check. If weather or other conditions keep us from being able to keep the appointment we can do our best to reschedule. If we are not able to reschedule you will receive a full refund.
Photo packages or prints can be purchased any time you desire. I want you to be able to look at your proofs on this website from the comfort of your home. Pick what images you want printed as part of your package, and any additional images you would like to purchase. I will e-mail you an invoice for the total, after payment your images will be printed and mailed to you within just a few days.
Sometimes Photoshop is thought of as something magic, that anything can be changed in a picture. Some of the tools in the latest Photoshop CS5 are pretty magical, but there are some limitations. All the images you will get have been adjusted in software called Lightroom, this allows me to adjust color and exposure and get the image looking really nice. That is all a lot of pictures need before printing. If they do need specific editing such as removing people from the background, then I have to go into Photoshop.
The important thing to keep in mind, when something is removed from an image, there is nothing behind it. For example if your hair is removed from in front of your eye, if I just remove the hair it's like taking scissors and cutting something out of picture, there is just a hole left. Anything that is under an area removed has to be recreated. What I have to do in Photoshop is clone, or copy one part of an image to another to recreate the missing area. If the hair is going across your forehead that is pretty easy, I just copy from right next to the hair and cover it up. If a small bit of hair is even going across an eye, I can carefully clone from other parts of the eye and cover it up. However, keeping this in mind, if a large section of the face is covered by hair it may be impossible to recreate what is underneath in a realistic way. The same is true for anything you want moved or removed from an image, anything under that spot has to be recreated so I have to have a similar spot to clone from. Please keep in mind the difficulty in doing this when making requests.
Also, I can take two images and combine them by taking heads from one and moving into another. Please realize though this can only be done if the poses are almost the same. I normally take 3 or 4 shots of each pose, so faces in two of these can be combined so you can't even tell, but not if the poses change significantly and people move too much.
Editing an image in Photoshop takes a lot of work, that is why I only do it after a client has picked out their images and paid for a package, if there is something you're not sure if I can do just let me know before ordering. Typically the client will let me know what touchups they want and if I can't do a request in a way that will look professional and realistic I will let them know before printing so they can pick something different.
To sum this up . . .
My policy has changed on archived photos. I now store beach session for a minimum of 1 year, if you wish to have copies of images after that I highly recommend purchasing a Photo CD and you can have your images indefinitely. I've recently changed my policy slightly. Because of having a few clients that take unreasonable amounts of time to order a package, I now ask that you pick a package and order prints within 90 days of your gallery going online. If you do not order a package in this time your gallery will be removed and there is a $25 fee to reinstate the gallery. Once you order at least one package of prints your gallery can remain up as long as you desire for no charge for other orders.
Please note for a wedding because your package is prepaid, you can take as long as desired picking out your album prints.
The printing service I use has a fast turn around time, I've never had it take more than a week for a client to receive an order after I send it for printing. I can't guarantee a time but usually about 2 weeks, during my really busy times of the year when I have many orders it can take longer. Of course wedding albums will take longer to be completed. My printing service usually prepares and ships an album in about 4 weeks. If you add to that the time it takes for me to prepare the images for the album, 8 weeks at the most under normal circumstances, but it could be longer during really busy times.
Typically it takes less than a week to process the images from your session and post them online, however there may be times it takes longer when I'm very busy or for a wedding or a large event.
A family group needs to look unified for a good group portrait. The style and color of clothing really needs to coordinate. In fact some photographers view clothing harmony as the primary element in a fine family portrait. Clothes should be coordinated for color, tone, and style. For example, it's good for everyone to wear similar length sleeves, similar color shirts and pants, similar color shoes (or no shoes at the beach), and have a similar pattern if any on the clothing. A favorite look at the beach is a white or black T-Shirt and Khaki Pants or Blue Jeans. The color and texture of your clothes can be whatever you like, but try to make them match using the above suggestions if at all possible.
Unlike in a studio, in nature you have to use whatever light you can find.
The best place for an outdoor family portrait is in the shade, away from direct
sunlight. However, on the beach, shade is something that is very hard to find.
In direct overhead sunlight, shadows on the face can be very harsh, for example
there will be shadows under your eyes and nose. If you have ever seen
a typical beach snapshot, you will see faces that look unattractive and eyes that
are closed or squinting. This is why it's really best to avoid the times
of the day when the sun is overhead.
Later in the day, around 3 hours or so before sunset, the light becomes much softer
and easier to deal with. I have a large disk that diffuses the light, when
the sun is lower in the sky I can use this disc to shade the faces of a small group.
I also have a light reflector that I can use to fill in shadowed areas of a face,
for example if you want a portrait with the setting sun behind you. For larger
family groups, the light becomes even more difficult to manage. That is why
for a large group of 6 or more I highly recommend photography no more than 1:30
before sunset for beautiful images.
The state park is a beautiful area with a lot of photography options. There are nice dunes, a pier, as well as areas with large oak trees. I now have 2 extra state park passes. If you prefer to meet me outside of the park and get the passes you are welcome too. I normally meet at the Wallerbears surf shop parking area just south of the park on business 17 if you need the passes.
You can put the following address in your GPS or use the map below for directions.
Myrtle Beach State Park
4401 South Kings HWY
Myrtle Beach, SC 29575
Map Instructions: To get directions from your
location to the State Park, Click on the Push Pin with your mouse, then click "Get
Directions: To Here" and enter your location or the name of
your hotel. The blue area is the actual beach photography spot.
Atalaya Castle is in the Huntington Beach State Park. There are a number of pictures on this site from that location. Click the blue marker for directions.