What makes a great photo?

You! I'm serious. I personally think that studio photographs can feel a bit stilted. They tend to show the exterior of the subject (hair, makeup, Sunday best outfit), but not necessarily the personality in the interior. As a photographer I strive to capture who a person is in a moment of time. In addition to technical aspects such as composition and lighting, I value spontaneity, serendipity and emotional connection. I'm happy to work with you to bring out a particular mood or aspect of your personality.

What services do you offer?

I offer fun, relaxed, digital photo sessions in natural light. A session lasts from 1 to 2 hours. You will get approximately 250 high resolution shots, of which about 20 will be stellar. I'll suggest my faves, but I leave it up to you to pick the ones you think are best. You will receive your images on CD or DVD, and/or a private online album.

From there you can use the digital images however you like, in your model book, on your myspace page, on the family Christmas card, whatever. I retain to right to use the photos I take for my personal portfolio, but you have the right to unlimited reproduction, modification, and distribution.

Included in the session is image post production. Want something cropped, adjusted, retouched, or manipulated? Let me know. I can usually have the changes back to you in 24 hours.

How much does it cost?

Oh, the inevitable money question. A normal session costs $100, and you can pay by check, money order, or paypal (I prefer paypal). That includes the CD or DVD, online uploading, and post production. If a session lasts longer than 2 hours, involves a lot of travel, requires me to risk my beloved camera in inclement weather or environments, or has any other weird variables, it will cost more. If you think this will be the case, contact me, and we can negotiate what is reasonable.

I'm a starving artist. Can you give me a discount?

Oh totally! I support the arts community. If you are an up-and-coming artist or performer, and the photo session is intended for self promotional images, I offer a significant discount. Ask me about it. So that I don't end up giving the discount to everybody, you may have to offer some proof that you are actually a starving artist. Don't worry though, I have a pretty broad definition of what constitutes art :-)

How do I set up a session?

The best way to set up a session is by email. My email address is hawaiikaos@gmail.com. Put "Photo session requested" in the subject line, and let me know when you want to set up the session. Once we get a date and time nailed down, and choose a location, I'll give you information on how to prepare for the shoot. This is all much easier to do through email rather than playing phone tag.