The Q&A on AI
"WHO do you photograph?"
I have experience and ability with a wide range of subjects -- from regular folk to
professional models, from infants to wise elders. However since my availability is limited
I am specializing in the sorts of work clients have told me I do best. Additionally, as I
evolve artistically I am often looking for models or clients willing to help me experiment
with new creative ideas; in such cases I usually reduce or waive session fees. My strongest
specialties:
Fantasy: turning any age subject into whimsical characters of imagination (my Mythography Creations line)
Children: custom, expressive portraits for little or big kids (individual, siblings, parent/child)
Dancers: portraits, performances, dance art, portfolio/audition images
Nudes: tasteful, classically-influenced art nude and intimate portraiture (not typical 'boudoir')
Horses: equine portraiture (featuring horses and/or their riders)
"WHERE do you operate?"
Mainly in the Anne Arundel County / Annapolis area of Maryland but can sometimes travel beyond
that region. Options for photo shoot locations include:
Your Home: you may be surprised what's possible in the privacy and convenience of your home or yard
Studio: a mobile studio setting, safe and private, can be established by arrangement
Nature: a forest, beach, or other natural environment can well worth the extra logistics
Location: an old schoolhouse, an historic theatre, a horse farm or other locations can often be arranged
"WHEN are you available / what are your hours?"
By private appointment only (sorry, no drop-ins). My schedule is rather odd since I do
shiftwork in another job, but I will try hard to find a time that is convenient for you --
and that may even be late at night or a weekend in some cases. Nearly all my work is custom,
and please realize that for effective results we typically need to communicate or meet about four times:
Inquiry/discussion (with no obligation) about your ideas, and initial planning
Detailed pre-session planning, in-person meeting(s) (your home or other location) and/or email, phone
Photo session: time of day important for natural light; some locations need to be reserved in advance
Previewing consultation/selection - often done in-person, sometimes via the web and/or phone
Please see "availability" page for more contact and availability info.
Also see this document for more information on the process of creating
a portrait or other image.
"In WHAT artistic STYLES to you specialize?"
I am open-minded and like creative challenges, so please do not hesitate to inquire about just
about any idea even if it seems nutty. However, I sometimes restrict new assignments to styles at
which I am best and/or which I want to further develop. For more descriptions and examples of
these please see my portfolio section.
"WHAT PRINTING, DIGITAL, and OTHER SERVICES do you offer?"
My traditional 'top products' are portrait, fantasy, or figurative images suitable for wall art.
This can include beautiful special treatments such as printing on canvas, watercolor paper, or metallic
paper as well as mounting and framing. I also offer digital versions of your images, custom framing,
and can assist with special projects such as books or albums. Please keep in mind that the rights to
professionally-created images automatically belong to the photographer; images may not be duplicated
without permission. However it is often possible to buy the rights to your images in addition to or
instead of having me make prints, or in some cases (e.g. model TFCD) we may agree to provide them.
"HOW MUCH will it cost?"
To keep things fair and flexible, I don't try to box you into big packages that include things
you don't need or want. Prices are separated into three groups:
IMAGE CREATION: includes the planning, photo shoot, and previewing consultation
(click here for portrait prices);
FINISHING: options for things like individual prints, mounting, and packages;
PRESENTATION: options for final touches like high quality framing, books/albums, digital services, etc
"WHY should I work with you instead of someone else?"
"ARE YOU just some GWAC (guy with a camera) or are you a professional?"
Out of necessity my photography is a part-time venture. As you probably know there are many 'hacks'
in the business--folks who claim to be photographers because they have a nice camera and figured out
how to push the button. Some even manage to take some decent shots, but many have no clue how to
deliver a quality finished product nor how to treat people. I strive to be different. I've worked as
an "above board" professional for over 10 years, and Ardent Images LLC is a legit tax-paying partnership.
I hold a registered trademark for work under the Mythography Creations name. As for formal training,
I completed the New York Institute of Photography program and over the years have attended dozens of
professional training programs and seminars.
I cannot please everyone's tastes, but I work hard to be honest about what to expect and to
produce high quality results. Beyond that, subjects often tell me they enjoyed the experience
of planning and creating the images collaboratively, and found it relaxing and expressive.
I hope you will find the same!
"Do you GUARANTEE your work?"
Certainly. First, if for any reason the images created during a session are sub-par we offer
a free re-shoot. Second, I almost never have returns or problems with physical products like
prints but when there are I 'make it right'. Some of my products such as framed wall art are
even warrantied from print or frame defects for life.
"Do you respect clients' and models' PRIVACY?"
I consider this very important, especially in this age of identity theft and other concerns.
I never sell or offer personally-identifying client information to third parties without permission.
For clients or sessions involving nudity or other sensitivity concerns, additional privacy and
confidentiality is available. We actually have three privacy levels; for details please see
our Privacy Policy.
"Do you offer FREE or TFP/TFCD sessions?"
Sometimes, yes. If you are an aspiring model or an established one looking to expand your portfolio,
or just a creative soul interested in trying something expressive,
we may be able to work something out. Because of limited time I cannot offer "general" portrait
or model work for free or in-kind exchange. However, take a look at my portfolio area and see
if any of my specialties there interest you. You may see notes about areas for which I need
models to experiment with a new idea, and/or to sample work I can display in my portfolio.
Contact me if you would like to discuss possibilities.
"Do you offer ONLINE PREVIEWING?"
Yes, and when appropriate this can be password-protected for your privacy. In most cases it is
also possible to annotate specific images to discuss with me, or to order prints directly from
your preview gallery.
"Do you have COSTUMES? A COSTUME-MAKER?"
I do have quite a few costumes, draping/wrapping materials, and accessories for children and
adults -- especially for some of my specialty styles. If I don't have something appropriate for the
image we're creating, I can usually design one with you. I also have an affiliation with a very
talented seamstress/costume designer if something more specific or elaborate is needed.
"Do you have a MAKEUP ARTIST?"
I am not licensed to apply makeup and do not have a 'regular' makeup artist. However, I can
usually provide guidance for you to apply it yourself, or in more elaborate cases can work with
you to identify a makeup artist to assist us.
"Do you offer FACE or BODY PAINTING?"
Yes, though not the typical 'birthday party' sorts of designs. I have done some rather successful
abstract and creature type designs, so you are encouraged to ask about any ideas you have or see
if I can come up with something for you. This is a capability area I would also like to expand, so
if you are interested in being a test subject please contact me to discuss ideas. For some types
of complex or specific designs, I have met a couple excellent face/bodypaint artists I can invite to
collaborate with us.
"Do you do NUDES, SEMI-NUDES?"
Yes, if the goal is something artistic and/or expressive and if we agree to appropriate discretion
to protect both our reputations. Every body can be the subject of artistic expression, and we
can confidentially discuss any ideas you may have. However I do not do conventional "glamour" or "boudoir"
nudes; my approach is typically more classical, elegant, and/or specialized to a particular goal.
All of my stylistic specialties for portraits and art (identified in the
portfolio area) lend themselves to interpretations involving artistic nudity.
A photo session can include varying degrees of modesty and/or anonymity so you will have a
range of images. We may recommend ideas, but we do not push subjects beyond their comfort level during
the shoot. I strive to assure every subject feels safe and secure about the process, and to make the
overall experience positive for their self-esteem and sense of creativity. To that end, extra care
is given to assure the session and images are planned in a manner appropriate for the subjects' age,
sensibilities, and comfort level as well as to work out the artistic goals. We will discuss
things like protecting privacy and security of the photo session and resulting images.
Please see this document about
Sensitive Content and Nudity for more guidelines and details, or contact me with any questions.
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