What is Custom Photography?

April 30, 2010

What is Custom Photography?

I am a professional child and family custom photographer.

If you are raising your eyebrows, or hear the word “huh?” bouncing around in your mind you are not alone.

Even if you are a custom photographer yourself, I challenge you to define Custom Photography so that any English speaking individual can understand it.

I laughed to myself when someone challenged me to do just that. Sure I can define what I do. (Self-assured giggle.) But when I defined it, my words were a whole sack of fancy terms that meant nothing to someone that has never come in contact with Custom Portraiture. My smile froze on my face.

So what IS Custom Photography?

Custom Photography is about a luxurious and fun experience that culminates with you getting artistic images that captured your children and family’s unique relationships, personalities, and moments.

It is all about the experience. From start to finish; it is all customized for you.

It is about creating something wonderful together with a professional that you will be able to display in your home and will have the ability to make you happy over and over again.

(See the process. section of the info tab on my site here to read a bit about how the experience goes.)

Um. I am still not sure I know what that means. (blush.)

Let me explain.

When I tell people what I do, I am often asked- “Oh, so you do professional pictures like JcPenny?”

No.

Custom Photography is very different than having your pictures taken at JcPenny.

How so?

Let’s compare it to eating out in a pizza shop vs. a high end Italian restaurant. (Yeah, I love Italian food. :o p)

When you go to a local pizza shop you get just that; pizza. Or whatever else you fancy.
You wait on line, make your order, pay the cashier, and sit down to eat. Done.

When you go to a high end restaurant it is much more than that.

It is an experience.

It is all about the ambiance, the tone and mood the decor sets. It is about feeling pampered and served, and it is about the tantalizing meal delivered to perfection.

So what does pizza have to do with photography?

JcPenny and other such photography businesses are about the pictures. You have a couple of minutes to set up your kids or family, hope the person behind the camera will be patient enough to wait until you get some smiles , you get to order your photo sheets and it is over. It is a simple process, like eating in a pizza shop.

Custom Photography is like the restaurant; it is about the whole experience. It is a luxurious experience that is enjoyable throughout the process.

Only with the restaurant you go out with a happy heart and a full belly, having immensely enjoyed the experience. But then it is over, and all you have is the memory to hold on to, and maybe a pound or two.
With Custom Photography you come out of the experience not only full and happy; but with priceless images of your family to hold on to forever.

Wow! It does sound like Custom Photography is a wonderful thing, but I can’t afford luxuries.

I understand.

Often we have only certain things that we will spend on.

For some it is vacations, for some it is cars, for some it is clothes, and for some it is our homes. For each of us it may be something else.

All wonderful things. Most of them fleeting.

Custom Photography results in artistic and timeless images that have the ability to make us happy again and again. Images that professionally capture way more than what your’ loved ones look like, but capture what they are like. Every time I look at Custom images created of my family my heart smiles. I never get tired of it. And neither will you.

It is also about capturing your family and loved ones as they are now. Now never comes back. What you have captured lasts forever.

Ok, I am convinced. I am just curious, are all Custom Photographers the same?

Are all restaurants the same?

Not at all.

There are all different kinds of food genres to satisfy all different kinds of tastes. There are so many Master Custom Photographers out there all with their own unique flavor.

Some are masters at creating the right experience; some are masters at creating the final product. Some are both. (wink,wink)

I venture to say some are not masters at all. (running to hide now.)

Finding a Custom Photographer that will give you the high quality experience and images you deserve can be hard. Tips and ways to go about it is for a whole other discussion.

For now, contact me if you want to start your Custom Photography experience with me today.
845.425.0125
contact@zberkovicphotography.com

I look forward to our time together.

Zoe

Photographers, feel free to use this on your blogs, just as long as you credit me back with a link. :)

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    Liz wrote: Great post, Zoe!! (04/30/10, 6:45 pm)

    Deirdre Dunham wrote: I love what you shared here, Zoe. (04/30/10, 6:52 pm)

    Melissa wrote: I love the restaurant comparison! That is a great way to help people understand the difference between departments store studios and Custom Photography. I am not Burger King! LoL! (04/30/10, 6:59 pm)

    Lina wrote: I just read the whole thing with my mouth opened. It was very interesting. You are an awesome awesome writer! (04/30/10, 7:09 pm)

    Gail wrote: I love this explaination - so helpful to truly understand the custom photography experience! (04/30/10, 7:48 pm)

    Wende Trew wrote: I could not have said it better myself. (04/30/10, 7:51 pm)

    Krissy Allori wrote: So well put, Zoe! I can understand anything that relates to food! (04/30/10, 9:04 pm)

    kellie wrote: You really did a wonderful job with your explanation Zoe. Well done!! (04/30/10, 9:30 pm)

    Tori Piercy wrote: Awesome post Zoe!!! (04/30/10, 10:24 pm)

    Michelle Kane wrote: Smiling Wide, Zoe. Love this truth. (04/30/10, 11:09 pm)

    Jessica wrote: TRUTH. Thank you for sharing, I definitely appreciate it! (04/30/10, 11:25 pm)

    Jill wrote: Beautifully written, Zoe! (04/30/10, 11:35 pm)

    Kelly Mack wrote: Great post Zoe! (05/01/10, 12:17 am)

    Amy wrote: I couldn't have said it better.. Total TRUTH too.. (05/01/10, 12:36 am)

    Christy wrote: LOVE this! (05/01/10, 1:11 am)

    Laura Morita-Yeun wrote: Not only was this wonderfully written, and oh-so-true, it also makes me want some pizza. :P (05/01/10, 2:37 am)

    SharonJ wrote: Awesome words Zoe! Great analogy/explanation of Custom photography (05/01/10, 10:32 am)

    Tiffany Bender wrote: Well said Zoe! (05/01/10, 11:02 am)

    Liat Biderovsky wrote: I love the way you write and explain things Zoe. You are a true master and teacher! xoxoxo (05/01/10, 11:38 am)

    Claire Hunter | NJ Photographer wrote: Very well said Girl!!! (05/01/10, 4:54 pm)

    Holly wrote: You explained it all so well. Beautifully written. (05/01/10, 4:56 pm)

    Rachel wrote: Well put! (05/01/10, 5:02 pm)

    Lamar wrote: That was a wonderful explanation. Thank you. (05/01/10, 6:48 pm)

    Audrey wrote: I LOVE how you wrote this....been thinking about writing something about custom photography as well but couldn't have worded it so wonderfully!! (05/02/10, 8:47 pm)

    Kimmy wrote: Perfect!! (05/02/10, 10:13 pm)

    Secret Admirer wrote: Whoa, you're in the wrong line Zoe! What a written masterpiece! You have such a way with words, you should be an author! (05/03/10, 2:56 am)

    Mary Phillips wrote: Love this! I will absolutely be sharing with a link back! thanks! (05/20/10, 7:27 pm)

    dawn wrote: Great post, Zoe! (06/08/10, 2:32 pm)

    Jennifer Sparaco wrote: I'm SOOOO glad you posted that little tidbit at the end!! I was going to ask...well really I was going to beg!! *wink* (11/01/10, 11:39 pm)

    Kelly Vasami Photography wrote: Zoe, this is such a well-written and cohesive way to sum up what it is that we custom portrait photographers do. Some people just blink when I try to explain that I am a lifestyle portrait photographer. Now I will have to print this out and read it verbatim! ;) Bravo! I kid, but I think I will have to quote you on this and share it on my blog - of course with a link! :) (02/10/11, 10:06 pm)

    Christophe Mortier wrote: Nice post and I like your Custom Photography définition (03/30/11, 1:14 pm)