Studio or Location Photoshoots? Which is better?

You are planning to have some professional portraits taken. These may be for acting/business headshots, a family photo, an engagement or graduation portrait. You know you want portraits. Now, you need to set out what kind of portraits. Knowing this in advance will make your conversations with prospective Glendale photographers a lot more fruitful. The more you can tell them about what you are looking for, the more accurate their estimate will be.

GLENDALE STUDIO PORTRAITS

Studio portraits offer some advantages. Let’s list some:

• Total world domination in terms of lighting

  Lighting is the name of the game in photography. It is what can make you look younger, older, thinner, heavier, more serious and more approachable. It creates a candid or dramatic mood. While light can be modified on location, it is not as controllable as in the studio. If lighting is the most critical thing for you to get a theatrical or artistic look, then studio may be where you want to start.

• Can take place day or night, rain or shine

  Here in southern california, we don’t have to worry about the weather too much. But if you need an acting headshot, or modeling digitals ASAP and it happens to be pouring outside, the photo studio is your best buddy for sure. Also, time of day does not matter. So if you don’t get off work untill 8 pm, you could have a session at 10 pm no problem. Of course, you can be outside for night photography too. That is always an option.

• Usually allows you to see images as they are taken

  In studio, most photographers shoot what we call “tethered” in the industry. This means you can see the image just taken at full size and with proper color 2 or 3 seconds after the shot. This allows clients to look and see exactly how they are doing and to make adjustments; a change in expression, fix a tie etc. This way, there is no surprise at the end of the session. “OMG my hair was like that the WHOLE time?” What looks fine to your photographer, may not be OK with you. Tethering solves that problem.

  Of course, on location, clients can look at the back of the camera’s LCD display after a shot. But you cannot see all of the images in an array, or in a way that is easy to compare quickly. Some photographers DO have a way to tether on location, so you should definitely ask that during your discovery call.

• Easier wardrobe changes

  You may not believe this, but some locations out there do NOT allow wardrobe changes. This is probably so that photographers get in and out quickly without a lot of to-do or getting in the way of the general public. It can be hard to enforce though, so even if “technically” there are no wardrobe changes, it may be possible to sneak one in, especially if you are OK quickly changing while another person holds up a towel. You can invest in a portable changing tent, but they are cumbersome, conspicuous and not that easy to drag around in certain private locations.

  Studio sessions, however, are a breeze for private wardrobe changes that are not rushed.

• No permit fees

  Here in Los Angeles and Glendale, there are not too many options for large gorgeous open spaces for portraits that are free. As in real estate, they key to location photography is, wait for it….Location Location Location. Los Angeles beaches do NOT require a permit, but such photo sessions may not be the look you want, and for many people, it is at least an hour away with traffic to get there. Then, once settled, you have a brief 30 minutes or so to get that lovely sunset. That may be worth it to you. And if it is, tell your photographer right away.

  If you are looking for greenery and flowers as your location, you will most likely have to pay anywhere from $100 to $1100 for a 2 hour photography permit. Probably the most popular such location is the LA Arboretum

There are many things to consider when planning your egagement, family or graduation photos. To start planning your session, contact me, Katie Katsenis, certified portrait photographer. Let’s talk and see if I am a good fit for your project.

3 Ways to Build Your Career From Home

Working from home no longer involves selling products door to door. Years ago, if you were to mention that you wanted to boost your career and possibly be able to work remotely, most people probably looked at you in utter disbelief. However, thanks to digital technology and the ongoing need for remote options, it's now possible to work from home and also build your career along the way. Here are some options that can help you explore the potential of online side hustles or full-time work.

Try Online Tutoring

If you love helping people learn, you should look into becoming an online tutor. Many online tutoring positions allow you to work from the comfort of your home. The hours are flexible enough that you can get your kids off to school and take care of daily tasks before or after work. Since most online tutoring companies teach adults and children in China, the hours are usually very early morning or late evening. You can also look for specialized options that allow you to use your personal skills in math, sciences, software development, or English writing.

Go Back to School

Online education can help you, whether you're looking to change careers or re-enter the workforce. Experts agree that independent study and group study are both equally viable options. You're able to study on your schedule, which works out well when you're raising a family. In addition, many online study programs also offer financial aid or payment plans for just about every budget. Online education can be an exceptional option for people who want to keep their jobs or raise their kids and go to school at the same time.

Open an Online Business

E-commerce has changed the way we do business. While Amazon still reigns supreme, a lot of people who were tired of the daily grind have opened successful e-commerce stores, taking advantage of the customer-attracting benefits that come with online shopping. While there is a wealth of information available online, you still need to do your research and decide what type of online business is best for you. Some people choose to create things and sell on Etsy while others get involved with dropshipping and import their goods from overseas. You can also look into print on demand, where you make art that can then be printed on t-shirts, mugs, and other items. They also take care of the shipping, which lightens your workload.

There's never been a better time to build your career, especially while at home. From free online courses to more advanced paid versions, you can easily boost your business IQ or even open a business on your terms. Take the time to develop your goals, create a strategy, and get ready for success.

Here’s another article you might like: What to Expect When You Work and Are Expecting: Understanding Your Rights

Earn Cash and Perks With Our Ambassador Program

What is a Brand Ambassador?

Have you ever thought about being a brand ambassador? A brand ambassador is someone who is paid to represent a business or company and to promote their services or products. The tasks can be simple to very complex depending on the size of the company. This can mean going to exhibitions, trade shows, concerts or other large events. Or it can mean promoting them on social media or passing out flyers. Or it can be a combination of these kinds of things. These days, there are many full time highly paid positions for “brand ambassadors”, but to land these permanent jobs usually requires a college education and some experience. But there are other kinds of brand ambassadors; ones that do not require a formal education or experience. In exchange for your work promoting a business, you may get perks, like free products or services. And some businesses actually pay a cash bonus for paid referrals. To see some examples of brand ambassador programs you can look at My Street Team and Jobble .

What is the Panos Productions Photography Brand?

Panos Productions Photography is a family owned small business in Los Angeles. We specialize in fine art studio portraits with a boutique, highly customized experience. We offer 4 main services: maternity portrait photography, baby portrait photography, child portrait photography, and mother and child portrait photography. We also offer commissioned, original art pieces.

Our portrait sessions are what are called “boutique-style”, or highly customized and personalized experiences. Clients who are photographed at Panos Productions Photography come because they want the experience of being styled, posed and photographed just as much as they want showpiece images. All clients receive a consultation with the photographer who will be photographing them. Clients receive guidance each step of the way throughout the portrait making process. At no time, are clients left wondering what to do or what happens next.

The studio owns a substantial wardrobe for maternity, baby and Mother/Child clients. Clients get a styling and fitting session before their portraits begin. Further, the studio owns dozens of props that can be used to create vintage, rustic, classic and even modern looks.

Our one line elevator pitch is: “We create showpiece images for modern moms who want to remember everything they love about their kids, forever”.

What is the Panos Productions Photography Brand Ambassador Program?

Our brand ambassador program is a cash payout and perk based program. Ambassadors get paid cash for referrals that meet certain requirements and they also get perks, such as complimentary portrait services, being featured on our blog and more. A few times per year, we accept a select few ambassadors to promote our services to the local communities in and around Los Angeles. Most brand ambassadors continue for about 3 to 6 months. The average ambassador can take home between $100 and $140 per month. Motivated ambassadors can take home as much as $250 or more. This is good money. If you were to get paid minimum wage ($11 per hour in Los Angeles), it would take you just under 2 hours to earn $20. With this program, you can get a client to buy a maternity portrait package, for example and earn $20 in just a few minutes.

Probably the easiest money to earn is from our commissioned painting services. Everyone has a favorite photo. And almost everyone would love to have a personal artist turn it into a family heirloom to hang on their wall. You could earn a lot of extra cash per week just by getting people to look at their favorite images on their phone and deciding to make it a showpiece art display for their home.

If you are someone who knows people who have kids or are expecting moms, or if you know young people who need personal branding photos, there is potential to put some nice cash in your pocket with our Ambassador Program. Why work several hours for what you can make in just a few minutes? The experience of being a brand ambassador will translate to many other jobs such as customer service, sales, marketing, content writing, and more. Having been a successful brand ambassador looks impressive on any resume.