Boutique Studio VS Chain Studio

So, why would would a person want to pay more to have their photos taken by an indivudally owned small boutique style photography studio instead of going to a chain studio like Olan Mills or Portrait Innovations? Here's a little info to help you determine which option is best to meet your needs:


Cost

Chain Studio: Generally sittings are free or very low cost. Most people spend between $50 and $300 after they've purchased their packages and/or disc.
Private Studio: Sitting fee is generally higher and can cost anywhere from $50-$150 for the sitting. Our average total cost spent ranges from $150-$350, but some private studios go up as high as $800 for their averages.



Wait Time:

Chain Studio Depending on the time of the day you arrive you may not have a wait at all or you may end up waiting for over an hour.
Private Studio: Little or no waiting. The photographer is ready to work with you when you arrived at your scheduled time.


Image Style:

Chain Studio: Although chain studios are working at improving, most chain studios have mainly traditional (and often tacky) props and very simple backgrounds. Their goal is to get you in and out as fast as possible, and capture good smiles of your child at whatever stage they're currently in.
Private Studio: If you're looking for funky, fun, and modern props, interesting settings, and unique images, then a boutique studio is where you need to go. The photographer is interested in helping you create timeless works of art, not just documenting time.


Photographer:

Chain Studio: Depending on who's shift it is, your photographer may vary. Some days you may get an inexperienced college student, others a talented aspring artist. You may get lucky and find a good photographer working at one of these studios, but the good ones usually move on after a few years.
Private Studio: It's not just a photographer, it's YOUR photographer. That same person will be there from maternity, to newborn, to their first birthday. You never have to worry about who might be on staff because you'll always get your photographer.


Outdoors:

Chain Studio: Most chain studios are limited to indoor photography only with limited backgrounds.
Private Studio: Privately owned studios frequently have outdoor as an option. If they're in a retail location, they can meet you at your home or a park to get outdoor images. Our studio, for example, has a 2.5 acre yard on site for fantastic outdoor images.


Artistic Effects:

Chain Studio: Limited artistic effects are available and generally cost extra.
Private Studio: Most private photographers take their work seriously and want each and every image to be a work of art so you'll fnd that a good portion of your images will have artistic effects and retouching added for you. Plus, you can usually request additional effects with very few limitations on what can be done.


Ordering:

Chain Studio: Chain studios generally want you to place your order immediately after your session...you know...when your child is getting fussy and you're exausted and ready to go home. They are likely to push you to buy more than you want and sometimes even print some photos to show you so you'll feel bad if you don't buy them.
Private Studio: Our studio offers online ordering so you can place your order at your own convenience (without anyone breathing down your neck). No pressure to buy. And you can do it whne your children are in bed. Other boutique studios may offer ordering appointments set for a week or two after your sitting. You can plan a time when you can leave with kids with a sitter and the extra help and guidance from the photographer is generally focused on helping you make decisions rather than pushing you to buy things you don't want.

Collage for Colleen

Another baby body parts collage. The best age to do this sort of collage is between 3 and 5 months. The reaosn we do them at this age is because as a newborn most babies have bellybuttons that are still healing and they sometimes have blemishes and "fur" that needs to clear up. By 3 months most of these imperfections are gone and their skin is baby smooth. After 5 months, it's still possible, but babies get wiggly and it's harder. So 3-5 months is the recommended age. If you want one of these of your baby, be sure to mention it during your session so we can be sure to get all the needed shots.

Collage for Brigit

As you already know, we do custom collages. This is an example of our "silly faces" collage. These are great for toddlers and young children. It's a fun way to see all their different personalities in one print. This one is little Olivia. Simply Adorable! I had a super hard time picking out which silly faces to use on the collage. Fun stuff.

Collages of this size (10x20) are usually $60 framed and ready to hang. If you've already got a frame (perhaps one that you keep and just switch the photo inside out), then it's only $40 for the collage print alone. Ask for details if you're interested.