Photography & Graphic Design

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

A. Be informative as to what you wish to achieve for a lasting memory. Do you prefer an indoor setting or an outdoor setting? What type of event do you wish to capture? Will there be one subject or multiple subjects? Do you need design work done? These questions answered in advance will help JDI know what equipment is needed to turn your vision into a reality.

If you are a sports team or large group like a martial arts school or organization... Are you looking to have a fundraiser photo event? This will need to be planned prior to the actual photo day.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Lighting! Camera sensors view light differently than the human eye. To get the best image possible it is important to let JDI know if the photos will be taken indoors or outdoors. Indoor photography will require us to bring lighting equipment. Special lighting may also be required if outdoors but under a structure like a Gazebo for instance. We need to know the where in order to create superior portraits for your event. Also, our equipment is extremely expensive. Outdoor events may have to be rescheduled or relocated due to bad weather.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. Always ask to view samples of any photographers work. If they are local to you, request to view their printed portfolio (images can look different on computer screens due to monitor brightness and contrast). Prints show how pictures will actually look from the lab. Every photographer has their own "style" of capturing images. Don't be shy at all to ask for samples of their work and ask how long they have been photographing professionally. Also, ask if they have a degree in their field.
Remember... anyone can push the button and take a picture. A professional photographer will have experience with lighting, angles and they will have professional photography gear (usually very expensive) camera's, lenses and lighting to create outstanding pictures. Quality images come from quality equipment.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Know what you need in a photographer. Read what the photographer specializes in and make sure they can accommodate your specific requirements. If you require something other than what the photographer has specified as their area of expertise... don't be afraid to ask if they photograph other things. Worse case scenario... they might say no but they also might know another photographer to refer to you. In short, simply know what your end goal is and what specific purpose you need the services for. Know your budget and know what type of environment or surroundings the photos will be taken in (i.e.: indoor or outdoor).

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

A. At JDI we have a two step enhancement process for our images. After any photo session, we download the images to our editing system and color correct each image. If desired we then can enhance images to smooth skin, remove braces, remove blemishes or any of a host of retouch services. Clients specify what they desire after viewing proofs online. We retouch only those images that are of interest to the client. Then if desired, we can create our one-of-a-kind composite images.
Once we are finished with the images... we can create templates for trading cards, memory mates, calendars or other branded products if desired. We then upload everything to our purchase site and customers can view the finished images and order prints and/or products. Best of all, our pro lab double checks the images and makes any final color calibrations that may be required (a second correction step to ensure quality prints). The finest quality is our goal. Our pro lab also has the most product selection offered anywhere.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I love being behind the lens. Capturing quality images for clients that will be treasured for years to come. It's creating that special image or composite image that simply makes your jaw drop as you stare in awe. I like seeing a clients smiling face once they see the images and/or graphics that I have created.

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

A. The most common question is: "Are you expensive?"

The answer is: "Not for a professional photographer."

If you go to a professional photo studio and request our services... yes, you will pay more and you will probably get locked into buying some "package deal" that is limited in prints and over priced. They might offer a free something or other but they are really marking up their prices and offering very little in most cases.

What I like to do is offer the client the option to select a package or order individual prints and/or products. A CD can be purchased of the photos taken prior to any major enhancements being done. Enhanced images will be extra as we put a lot of time into each enhanced image. Our package prices are competitive with the market and in a lot of cases are less expensive than other pro studios. However, our quality and time put into each image is superior.

So compared to other professional photographers, we are not the most expensive. We try to include more items in our packages with a good cost savings for our clients.