Why Me?

Tough Decisions...

Hello!! Choosing a photographer can be tough. I mean, it's easy to see their body of work, the fabulous photos, scenery, and poses, but it's hard to tell from a website what you are getting when you hire a photographer. What is their personality? Can they draw out the best in my child or family? Are they laid back and relaxed? It can be especially tough if you have someone in your family that is not fond of taking photos. You know the kind, grumbles the whole time, doesn't want to be there, doesn't want to be in front of the camera, and certainly doesn't want to give up a real smile.

So, to help you decide why you should choose me, I'm going to walk you through one of my sessions. Specifically the session of the photo shown. We shall call him Mr. S. This Senior was referred to me via another photographer. I can remember in our very first phone conversation, his mom was telling me that she wanted a few photos of him to commemorate graduation, however, he would not smile for her so she was hoping she could accomplish that goal by going through a professional photographer. We set up the date/time for me to meet with Mr. S for his session and the day before, he texted me letting me know his vision for the session. He had been accepted into College and he would be studying to become a lawyer. He wanted to dress up and utilize a briefcase, along with his cap and gown. Of course, that was absolutely no problem and we were set to meet in downtown Ashville, Ohio. I feel the need to say that while I am the photographer, I want my clients to be themselves. It is extremely important to me that their personality and uniqueness shine through in their photos so I encourage them to share their vision(s) with me so I can make sure that happens.

The afternoon of his session was a sunshiny, yet windy day. When I first met up with Mr. S, I could tell he was not looking forward to the session and I called him out on it yet at the same time telling him we were both there now, so we might as well make the most of it. He immediately smiled. As we were walking to our first location in Ashville, I chatted him up about graduation, who he was, and his big plans for the future; slowly drawing him out of his shell and getting him more comfortable with me. The first few shots were a little stiff, but he very quickly loosened up. Within mere minutes, I had Mr. S laughing and giggling right along with me to the point that I didn't even have to tell him to smile when it was time to click the shutter. I had only planned a thirtyish minute session for him but by the time we were done, about an hour had gone by and numerous photos had been taken. He was a natural at taking direction and didn't hesitate to go with my crazy ideas for locations and posing.

Fast forward to later in the day, I reached out to his mom so I could discuss the session with her and be able to send her a sneak peek of the photos. She said Mr. S was excited afterwards, had fun during the session, and texted her right away to tell her about it, which made her look forward to seeing the photos even more. I sent her two photos for a glimpse into what she could expect and she said she was a mess and I had captured her son perfectly.

When I sent her the link to the completed gallery the next day, she messaged me saying she should have waited until after work to look at them because they were "FABULOUS" and she was a mess, again. Mr. S and I had one more session and after it was over, she said he had fun again and returned home happy with how it went. Later that afternoon, I sent her the additional photos and she messaged me stating she was once again a mess, she loved the photos so much and I had a gift. That I had successfully got her grumpy, shy senior out of his shell and smiling. Not his favorite thing to do, but he liked my style, and my personality. I am not a fan of making others cry, but I have to say, that is the best compliment a client can give me. I have to admit, being able to bring out their emotions through photos hits me right in the feels.

She later left me a review, stating: "Angie is a professional and talented local photographer who works with you to create cherished memories, making them all the more special. She captured his personality in every photo she took! What a talent!! You're wonderful Angie! Thank you for working with us!"

Best of all, is this little snippet from Mr. S, himself. "I'm a socially awkward person when I first meet someone, but I almost immediately got comfortable within the first 5 minutes of our sessions. Angie has a great personality, and an eye for all of the best angles and aesthetic locations. We found some great spots around our local Ashville area and the pictures she takes reflects how much she cares about the person she is shooting."

And that right there my friends, that is why I do what I do and why I hope you will choose me to be your photographer.

💜Angie💜