The Price of a Party

Nothing in recent memory has compelled me to revisit my blog more than my recent search for a photographer for my daughter’s 1st birthday celebration.

Our family of 3 is … dare I say chill? Our attempts to squeeze 35 people in a 1,400-sq foot home are indicative of our belief that renting a venue for a child’s birthday party is a whole vibe. And not ours. (But if it’s yours, please hire me!)

In looking for someone laid-back and friendly who would pop in for an hour for a couple quick portraits and photos of the cake smash, there was no shortage of options here in Austin. They ranged from the budget-photography platforms (whose SEO is already so inflated they will remain nameless here) to the high-end options that topped out at a whopping $750 an hour before paying for digital files or prints.

But the majority of my finds ranged from $350-$400 an hour, most with a 2-hour minimum, which left me scratching my head. Have I lost my mind with my own price range of $150-$200 an hour for events, or has the rest of the world?

It’s worth mentionoing that portraiture, for which extensive retouching and editing is the norm, as well as for wedding photography where stakes - and stress levels - are high for photographers, an hourly rate of roughly $400 is and should be standard. But what distinguishes a high-pressure quincenara from a party where the guest of honor is likely to be covered in three layers of dirt, snot, and frosting surely should be reflected in the price.

The end result? As someone who has lost many a gig to someone’s “cousin with a great camera,” I am, suprisingly, resigned to shooting this party myself. As a new mom who has precious few candid moments with her daughter caught on camera, I’m annoyed.

The other end result? Despite a sweltering summer where business has been on the slow end of normal, I’m freezing my rates. Call it a balm on the blistering heat. Or call it what it is: A belief that the parents out there wiping that dirt, snot, and frosting deserve birthday party photography that costs less than the cake (see future ranting blog post on cake prices).

All Y’alls,
Mindi

Lens Flare, Don't Care

Confession time: As a former photojournalist for a newspaper back when you could still get ink on your fingers, I was taught to avoid lens flare at all cost.

For those unfamiliar, lens flare, as I learned it, can range from small, almost imperceptible white imperfections cast by a low sun (the acne of golden hour, if you will) to an almost frame-filling filter of orange that is, admittedly, very pretty.

It turns out that the fun of lens flare is the space in between those two extremes. After three years in Austin, a lot of that time spent learning from other photographers who weren’t splitting their education between apertures and AP Style, I’ve finally come around to taking some chances with lighting.

Not every photo is a win. But at least every photo is different.

Playing Dress-Up

When my sister and I were young, our dress-up box (who are these kids who have trunks?) was something to be envied. Thanks to a grandmother who bought any and everything she found on sale, whether bedazzled, feathered, or gilded, and a mother with enviable style for a woman on a budget, we had our pick of the beautiful and the bizarre.

Playing dress-up the way we did as kids - wearing clothes that transform us into a person from another country, universe, or time - is a pastime that rarely makes it to adulthood, even if the pull to become someone else is still there.

Luckily for ME, I have clients who have kept a firm grasp on the kids they used to be, marrying them with the women they have become, to make for some quality dress-up shoots. Sprinkle in some moody lighting and set the whole play date in a beautifully appointed living room, and playtime begins.

The Family You Choose

After almost 15 years, the categories of photography in which I've earned experience points are almost too many to list. 

Hey, let's try, though: Wedding, concert, event, sports, newborn, maternity, family, engagements, proposals, product, lifestyle, landscape, pets, corporate head shots, food, senior portraits, and real estate. 

Then of course there's the newer categories like dating profile portraits and social media brand photography. But one of my favorites that I rarely get the chance to shoot is the elusive "best friend shoot."

The first time the idea was posed to me, I asked for clarification. I met Laura and her best friend at the National Zoo in DC, followed them around for an hour and documented what they did, with a few posed shots sprinkled in.

Fast-forward a few years to my time in Austin, and the friends shoots have kept coming, but this time set against the backdrop of Ladybird Johnson Lake, South Congress, and the East 6th Street Murals.

12 Days of Christmas Cards

This holiday season was a huge one in Austin! Despite the cloudy, rainy days that characterized most of our November and December, you all came out in full force - some repeat clients, and some new families looking to get holiday photos.

We shot at the Texas Capitol, Mueller Lake Park, Mt. Bonnell, the Austin Boardwalk, church, and of course, your beautiful homes. Families of all sizes, from 2 to 20, were represented, and the pups got their 15 minutes of fame as well. All in the name of that perfect holiday card.

Happy 2019, Austin! We nailed it.

I Make This Look Good

As is painfully obvious from my site, I shoot on location. I don't shoot on location because I hate studios, or because I love trying to replicate perfect lighting in imperfect spaces. I do it because I learned photography through the lens (sorry) of journalism - where every moment is documented without interference or alteration. 

Well. I still touch up your blemishes, and I've been known to edit entire children out of the background of photos. But I still prefer the candid, in-the-moment shots that come from letting clients just do their own thing. 

Buuuut, sometimes "on location" means you have to shoot a dozen of Austin's most talented and beautiful dancers in one of its least flattering, most unromantic of locations: Town Lake YMCA. 

As a fellow dancer with these women, I love Town Lake YMCA with all my heart. But weight benches and finger paintings on the walls don't scream "sass," which is what dance troupe Sass N Strut absolutely does. So in honor of the great battle against fluorescent lighting, here are some of my favorites from the past three series.

Cue shameless plug: If you'd like to dance in the next series, beginning Sept. 24, registration is open! Sign up here or check out Sass N Strut on Facebook and Instagram @sassnstrut

Above the Boardwalk

Almost two years ago, I visited Austin, Texas, for the first time. And one of the first things I did was check out the Boardwalk along Ladybird Lake/Town Lake /the Colorado River. (We really need to make up our minds.) 

Today marks exactly one year that I've been living in Austin, and what better way to commemorate it than with a maternity shoot on that same Boardwalk. We got started a little late for this sunset shoot, but Emily glowed nonetheless. 

Oh, The Places You'll Go

On Sunday, I had the opportunity to spend the afternoon with four people that the world needs more of. Lisa, Bob, Anna, and Allyson of College Matchpoint are college and education consultants, and they help high school students in Austin, Texas. 

As College Matchpoint revamps their new website, we had some fun with an on-location session around the office. With gorgeous natural light and pops of color, I'm in love with the results from our photo shoot. Enjoy!

Put Some Sass In It

Every once in a while, the personal and professional collide. This week, I had a camera in hand and dancing shoes on my feet while shooting head shots for local dance group Sass N Strut, which I'm so lucky to be a part of! 

This season's performance, set to none other than Queen Bey's "Work It Out," included some strong and beautiful women decked out in gold, gold, and more than gold. Shot on-location in the dance studio ahead of our July performance, the photos from this session turned out fantastic! 
 

Move Aside, Bud

Moving to Austin from Washington, DC, this photographer was used to annual excitement surrounding one flower, and one flower only: cherry blossoms. Tourists flock every April and May to view the gorgeous, pink flowers, and I shot more than a few engagement sessions there. 

Last weekend, I got a taste of a new flower fever, and one that starts earlier in the year: bluebonnets! Ava, who chose her own blue and purple outfit to match the violet flowers native to Texas, had a great time getting her portrait taken at Brushy Creek Lake Park in North Austin (technically Round Rock, but who's counting?) And I had a great time getting to know this gorgeous, delicate flower - which Ava didn't REALLY pick, officer.