Creatives need to chase perfection, every single time.

I recently heard a quote from Christopher Nolan, the director of movies like The Dark Knight, Oppenheimer, and Inception. A producer asked him how he approaches projects and was stunned by Nolan’s response:

“Every film I do, I have to believe that I’m making the best film that’s ever been made. Even if it’s not going to be the best film that’s ever been made, you have to believe that it could be.”

The artist is in their work as much as the subject is.

This perspective is essential for creative projects and arguably towards most things we do. Every time a photographer picks up their camera…we are making a statement. Sitting at Harborview Market yesterday, I heard this quote from Oscar Wilde:

“Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter. The sitter is merely the accident, the occasion. It is not he who is revealed by the painter; it is rather the painter who, on the coloured canvas, reveals himself.”

I’ve known this to be true subconsciously. Behind every image I take is insight to myself, my vision, the level of effort I put into my work…even my whole identity as a human being. Whether it’s on a shoot where I am being paid the big bucks or a donated shoot that costs me time and money, the product will never change.

All this, of course, needs to be balanced by the needs of the client, the time constraints, and other variables. I am dedicated to helping my clients vision come to life, which dozens of reviews from past clients would affirm.

There is just the unavoidable fact that the artist is present in the image as much as the subject. And that is good news for clients and artists alike.

We are each pursuing beauty to the best of our ability in the images we make. This is true regardless of the biggest constraint of all: money.

Artists cannot discount their effort.

This all bring us an important conversation about pricing. Art is expensive to produce. Being able to do anything creative at a high level comes from years of experience, countless hours chasing ever fleeting perfection.

For photographers, it also comes with a tremendous cost in equipment, often using tens of thousands of dollars in gear on any given shoot. Money is tight, I know. Often I am working with businesses with specific marketing budgets, unexpected expenses, etc. This goes both ways though and most artists I know aren’t living lavishly.

My own pricing comes from a careful consideration of my materials, my time, the value I provide, and the need to provide for my family. Headshot sessions may only last 45 minutes, but more often than not, I am spending anywhere between 3 and 5 hours editing that session to provide you with results which I can stand behind.

This doesn’t mean I am not flexible, but do understand that any artist worth their salt will not discount their effort, even if they discount the price of their work. If I’m being honest, I really don’t like talking money with my clients. I wish I could do this only to chase shared beauty.

Yet, when your art is also your livelihood, it cannot be avoided!

With all that said…here is your chance to hire me at a discount!

I really want my work to be accessible to a wide audience. All my adult life I have desired to be a part of my community and serve it. When I was a teacher, this was easy peasy. Now as a photographer, it can be harder.

That is why I came up with this 5 minute photo project, previously called Headshot Happy Hour. I put together a mobile studio set up that allows me to produce images in a fraction of the time I usually take in the studio.

A good photo of you can mean the difference between getting hired for bigger jobs, grabbing someone’s attention on Linkedin, or getting that date on the apps! Headshot sessions in my studio can be pretty pricey, but now for the cost of a new pair of jeans, you can receive 5 diverse images that will last years.

Visit the link here to book your spot.