A Premiere Photography Studio for Arizona

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Thunder Mountain Imagery, LLC is the premiere digital imaging services company for Cochise County and Arizona. As the Owner and Chief Creative Officer, I provide digital photography and video services ranging from portraiture, events, engagements, parties, products, architecture, and special (freelance) assignments. Check out the galleries on my web site at www.tmimagery.com to see samples of my work.

I am also an experienced Photoshop specialist and am available for photograph enhancements and cleanup. I can help you restore your old images to like new status, even if they are badly scratched, torn, faded, or even missing pieces. I can also help you combine elements of one image into another to create composite images that look realistic. Need a relative added to a family photo? I can help. Need a relative removed? I can do that, too. Need to place yourself into a scene from your favorite movie, come and see me. While I can't do everything in Photoshop, I can do a lot. Give me a call to discuss your project and receive a price quote.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. One of the goals that I have for my work is to produce something that is unique. My intent is to produce work that doesn't look like everything else. I want to produce something that has a different perspective, and won't look like your average every day portrait. That's why I don't always just stay at eye level when shooting a portrait. I might end up laying down on the ground to get the shot, or climb in a tree, or even walk out into the middle of a stream. I'm willing to take a risk if it means giving a unique look to your portraits.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. Probably the most frequently asked question that I have to answer is "My neighbor down the street has a camera and takes pictures. Why should I hire you to do what he will do for free?" The answer is basically what is it that the client is wanting out of her photo session? What level of quality is she looking for? If she is looking for portrait studio quality from her neighbor, what are the chances that she will actually get that? One needs to take into account the level of experience the photographer has. How much time he has spent honing his or her craft? Does the neighbor down the street doing photography as a hobby, or do they spend every day, from morning until night, working their their skills and pushing themselves beyond what they already have accomplished? Hobbyists can be very good, but professionals take their craft to the extreme because they MUST continue to improve or get left behind by their competition.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. One of the biggest obstacles that photographers face when working with clients is the stigma that all we do is take pictures. The truth of the matter is that professional photographers work very hard for their craft and only about 12.2% of our time is spent actually taking photos. The rest of the time is used on editing photos, bookkeeping tasks, taxes, banking, meeting with clients, photo album design and production, building our businesses through social media and blogging, networking, camera and computer upkeep, advertising and marketing, and print & lab work. Not to mention furthering our skills and experience through educational workshops and classes. We spend a lot of time honing our skills so that we can provide the best possible experiences to our customers.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. Photography is one of those fields where you learn specifics of the craft and then constantly practice what you have learned to improve your skills. That being said, there is ALWAYS something new to learn in this field. New techniques, new technologies, new methodologies. So there is always a need to continue to learn and grow. I am constantly taking workshops offered by seasoned professional photographers throughout the world so that I may increase my own skills. I am a regular attendee of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals renowned annual conference called Photoshop World, and I participate in local and national workshops as often as I can. The day I say I have learned everything there is to learn about photography and video production is the day I need to be put 6-feet into the ground.

Q. What are you currently working on improving?

A. My latest goals and paths for improving my own skills include learning how to make the best use of light in my photographs. One of the best pieces of advice that I took away from my last Photoshop World conference attendance (in September of 2011) was to "become a study of light". I am working to learn as much as I can about how I can utilize both natural and artificial light sources to create the best possible photographs I can.