Yelp - Ethical or Extortion?

Yelp boasts of being the premiere website portal where the general public can voice their views on just about any business and service. Up until the arrival of such sites, the airing of one's perspective was consider an opinion. Today, however, such judgments are elevated in status and are regarded as reviews.

A quick visit to Yelp will quickly reveal a "Search for" feature where you can effortless begin to search out any business in the country. With a couple quick clicks you're up and running, reading the wall-to-wall reviews.

Seems like a great idea, right?

For the thousands of businesses who are in good standing with Yelp, I'd have to say it's highly beneficial, but for the thousands of businesses who Yelp deems unworthy, the consequences are anything but favorable.

yelp [yelp] verb - to utter a sharp or high-pitched cry or bark, often indicating pain (esp of a dog)

Take me for instance. A quick search for Orange County Photographer,  Mark Jordan Photography shows positive reviews from every site that posts them. Google Reviews posts 31 of them, all 5 Star. CitySearch has 18 reviews - all 5 Star. MerchantCircle with 14 reviews, again all 5 Star. The list goes on and on.

So how about Yelp? I have 85 reviews so far - also all 5 Star. Yet anyone visiting my site would never know. Why? All but a handful have been removed, or what Yelp euphemistically refers to as "filtered." Why? If I knew the answer to this, there would be no need for my post.

Before I continue, a short look back in the very recent past is in order.

About a year ago I received a call from a Yelp salesman, Brandon. He highlighted my many, 5 Star reviews while delivering a persuasive pitch about how advertising with Yelp would dramatically increase my business. We shared several phone conversations, and though I was impressed, in the end Yelp's fees were more than I wanted to pay. Were I a restaurant owner or contractor, I'd have signed-up for sure. Being a portrait photographer, however, I wasn't confident the cost was worth the risk or that Yelp could perform as promised.

Brandon and I parted ways and thought nothing of it - that is until the following week when I noticed all my reviews had mysteriously disappeared. I called Brandon to ask him what happened, whereupon he assured me that declining Yelp's offer to advertise had nothing to do with my reviews vanishing: "Even though the reviews had been posted for quite some time, it was just a matter of coincidence that your reviews were filtered subsequent to declining Yelp's offer to advertise."

When I inquired as to how my reviews were filtered, Brandon explained that "Jeremy" (Yelp's CEO) installed a special program which determines which reviews are trustworthy and relevant, and which are not. It seemed that Yelp simply decided that the reviews that were once evaluated as worthy, having met all their guidelines, suddenly no longer were.

Okay, seems fair enough. Nothing furtive here. One day my reviews are relevant, for a protracted period, and then right after declining to partner with Yelp, they're removed.

Are you buying this?

No Yelp for you!
Makes a grown man want to, well, yelp! 

In the interest of time, suffice it to say, this same scenario has been repeated on the reviews written about my photography studio ever since. Every single one of my reviews are now filtered. I don't know about you, but from my perspective, something doesn't seem quite right here.

If you're wondering about an "appeal" process, none exists. Yelp's decision is final. No Yelp for you!

Does it hurt? Sure it does. Not only are the visitors to my
business told that my portrait studio does not merit a review, the clients who have invested their time are being silenced from sharing their positive experiences. It's enough to make a grown man yelp!

Just so you understand that nothing is peculiar about the reviews written about my studio, here's an example of a typical one:

"Mark did an exceptional job on my corporate head shots. He has a true talent for bringing out the best in his subjects. My photos were professional AND captured my personality. I highly recommend him." 

The client who posted the review above included her name (Janet B) and even the headshot I created. You can see for yourself (along with the many filtered reviews that have yet to be deleted).

A quick review of Yelp's guidelines will show that my client's assessment fulfills their protocol to the tee. In fact, this review, along with all the reviews written about Mark Jordan Photography, could not better define what Yelp is looking for in a trustworthy, relevant review. And yet her voice is "filtered," along with thousands upon thousand of voices like her - all who simply desire to share their experiences.

---------------------------

So then, is Yelp ethical or is it extortion?

To be frank, I do truly do not know - I can only share my experience.

However, I am convinced if Yelp does not either develop a more transparent method of filtering its reviews and answering questions to customers like me, it won't be too long before Dictionary.com will not only define Yelp as a high-pitched cry of pain, but added to the definition of unscrupulous:

Un·scru·pu·lous [uhn-skroo-pyuh-luhs] adjective not scrupulous; unrestrained by scruples;
conscienceless; unprincipled - YELP!

Mark

©Googtoon - Life • Popular Culture • Politics • Entertainment • Public Figures

Mark Jordan Photography

Orange County Family Portraits

Orange County Headshots

------------------------------------------------

ADDENDUM: 7-24-12
One review was restored and is now posted, the one review that was not filtered is now filtered, and four other 5 star reviews were removed altogether - Yelp representative stated that they were "possible conflicts of interest."

ADDENDUM: 10-10-12
One review remains (an active Yelper), eleven now filtered, with four removed altogether.

ADDENDUM: 02-02-15
Eight reviews remain (all actives Yelpers, which it appears to be the key to having a review stick), sixteen now actively filtered, with an undetermined number of reviews removed altogether.

ADDENDUM: 01-29-17
I've been very fortunate to have 59 grateful clients express their appreciation with 5 Star since my last post. Unfortunately, only 35 remain unfiltered. The count was 43 a few months back when I carelessly answered the phone from a Yelp ad salesman. After declining and kindly expressing to the man my concerns, the very next day, all but 27 were filtering. Since then I am careful to never pickup the phone when I see the area code of 415.

ADDENDUM: 11-29-18
My clients have posted 124 5 Star Reviews – yet only 42 are unfiltered. Just last week a total of 75 reviews were showing. So, what happened? I inadvertently answered the phone to a Yelp salesperson. After taking with her and sharing my concerns, she persisted that I needed to advertise. When I gently declined, the VERY next morning, 15 reviews were erased. Since then 1-2 reviews disappear each day. The rate it is going, I will have maybe a handful left by the end of the year. The Billion Dollar Bully is in full extortion mode.

10 Tips to the Headshot Quote

Recently, I was asked by a young headshot photographer how I go about offering a quote for my services for a commercial portrait session (usually headshots). As a leading portrait photographer in Orange County, my headshot division, Orange County Headshots, has been creating headshots for business and the arts throughout Southern California and the much of the nation since 1981. Consequently, we receive such inquires on a regular basis and from just about every corner of the world (at least where they speak English).

My response to this particular photographer was that providing a headshot quote depends on what the potential client needs. Whether they are in business or the arts, the best possible way to provide a quote is to first discover precisely what they are looking for. No duh...right? Regardless of how obvious, I have to say it. You'd be surprised at how many times this advice alone is a bolt of lightening.

Orange County Headshots Website Banner - Potential Clients Introduction to Mark Jordan Photography

What many photographers are surprised to learn, however, is that much of the time the inquiring client does not know precisely what they need. This is good thing. Why? Think Golden Opportunity! It's your time to shine and demonstrate why you are the right portrait studio. 

It is at this juncture in your conversation you can seize the old adage, "People don't care what you know until they know how much you care," and put it in full throttle. It's also one of those rare moments where you can accomplish the former (they'll care what you know) while stressing the latter (showing you care). 

By asking a series of professionally prepared questions, you'll not only clearly demonstrate a genuine concern for the client's project, but in the process you'll reveal to them the width and breadth of your services and your supreme competency to satisfy their need. 

They care what you know as you make evident your interest in being an integral agent in their success.

Ultimately, this means the right questions must be asked. Thus, the questions you offer must be prepared and detailed. 

The next step, and all depending on the situation, is to either forward the questionnaire to the client (for them to answer and return, which I would try to avoid) or conduct the interview over the phone. By all means, do your best to conduct the interview by phone.

Most likely the client will also prefer the phone interview approach. If you receive an email inquiry, reply promptly and inquire as to a good time for you to connect by phone to discuss the myriad details. 

To date, I've not had a single email inquiry decline a phone conversation to acquire the vital details.  

The phone call interview, whether via their call or your's,  will also help in developing a mutually beneficial relationship and expedites the process. The questions you ask will quickly show that you mean business and respect their time, as well as your own.

Once the interview has been completed, I'll ALWAYS ask that if it is acceptable to the them that I take the time to review and absorb all the information they've given me, and that I'll email them a "Quotation Of Photography Services" by day's end. This technique serves four purposes:

1. Demonstrates you genuinely care and want to get it right.
2. Gives you time to think and consider every contingency, which equates to an accurate, effectual quote.
3. Having a written quote not only holds you to your word, but establishes a document of understanding should questions arise later. 
4. Odds are most photographers are not offering a written quote. You'll stand out from the crowd.

To date, I've not had a single client decline allowing me to forward them a written email quote. Just ensure the quote your promise is thorough and arrives on time.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

At the risk of sounding redundant, I feel a need to stress the importance of my approach once again. What may not be obvious are the intangibles. Namely, your extensive inquiry to their specific needs communicates to your client that you truly have their best interests in mind, and are thus, the consummate professional.

In today's highly competitive marketplace it's not enough to merely answer inquiries regarding cost, like everyone else. You're going to be the studio that goes beyond the call and walks the extra mile. Instead of simply citing prices, you're the studio that demonstrates in a clear and unambiguous way that you are listening intently and that you are ready to serve them to the best of your ability.

This sort of attention to detail not only ensures your quote will be accurate, but that your client will get everything they had hoped for and reflects your commitment to excellence. It will also establish you as the headshot expert in your field, and in ways no self-promotional piece could offer. 

The following questions are by no means exhaustive, but only ones that have worked for me in my portrait studio here in Rancho Santa Margarita. You may brainstorm other pertinent questions that might better reflect your style and expertise. I trust that you will. As always, should you have any questions, no concern is too small.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1. CONFIGURATIONS or GROUPINGS

Will the session be of a group, individuals, and/or combinations?

• Individuals headshot sessions only?
• Or add Groupings of staff/team members.
• Images of offices, lobby, warehouse, walls, etc.
• Product images?

2. PEOPLE

Information about the people you will be photographing?

• Obtain the number of people will you be photographing.
• Names of everyone in sessions.
• You many also want to ask about their position with the company.
• If someone's name makes gender ambiguous, ask!

3. DATES and TIMING

Is there a specific date and time required for the actual session?

• Any Specific Session DATE (most likely they will).
• Any Specific Session TIMELINE (most likely they will).

4. LOCATION

Has a specific location been established for the session?

• Obtain Site Location Name/Business and Address
• Telephone Numbers, office and cell.
• Special instructions, security, gate, parking, entrance

5. PRODUCT

What is the end product you have in mind? Please be specific.

• Will you be needing Photographs?
• Sizes? Quantities? Qualities (if applicable)?
• Will you be needing Digital Files?
• Resolution: web-75, medium-150, high-300?
• Quantities needed of each?
• Any Digital Specs to a adhere to?

6. RETOUCHING
Will you be requiring our studio to perform digital retouching?

• Discuss the differing degrees of retouching application (where applicable).
• If an 'in-house' graphic designer will be employed, inquire tactfully as to their familiarity and skill with the idiosyncrasies of the human face? That is, are they portrait savvy, or primarily design design  focused?
• b. Are there any special alterations, blemishes/facial features, and/or design concerns we need to be made aware of?
• If so, please tell us.

7. DEADLINE

Will the finished product be required by any specific due date?

• Date FINISHED images are needed by?
• Determine delivery preferred (email, dropbox, disc, etc.)

8. DISTRIBUTION

For what purpose are these images needed?

• To what extent will they be utilized?
• This may also be a good to review your distribution policies regarding differing fees.
• Frequently, use/distribution will also dictate the resolution quality required.

9. CONCERNS

Are there any circumstances or concerns you have or might foresee that could pose a challenge on the day of your session?

• This might present itself in the form of location issues, time of day, personality differences, timeline, etc.
• Any special concerns (weight, glasses, physical limitations, etc.)

10. CONTACT 

Please email us complete contact information, including address, emails, phone...

• Obtain Office phone number, AND Cell. 
• Also offer your contact information. Don't ASS U ME anything.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Too much detail for you? I know, it might seem so. However, in my three plus decades of creating headshots for business and the arts, I have found that not only will ascertaining detailed information better insure that you'll amply meet the needs of your clients, but will also elevate your stature in the hearts and minds of those businesses and artists who employ your headshot services. 

You may want to check out my four Part series on the 4 Key Factors of Headshot Photography. 

All the best,

Mark

©Googtoon - Life • Popular Culture • Politics • Entertainment • Public Figures

Mark Jordan Photography

Orange County Family Portrait

Orange County Headshots

Senior Portrait Session Gone Awry?

Why We Don't Turn Our Back On the Ocean... Regardless of What Your High School Senior Portrait Photographer Asks of You!

Sometimes the simple lessons of life are learned the hard way. How often have you heard the warning that you should never turn your back on the ocean? Evidently not often enough for this midwest high school senior. Then again, why should she? The last time I checked, there weren’t that many oceans in Minnesota…CLICK FOR FULL BLOG POST

High School Senior Coming Up For Air

Mark

©Googtoon - Life • Popular Culture • Politics • Entertainment • Public Figures

Mark Jordan Photography

Orange County Family Portrait

Orange County Headshots

Heart - Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin - Kennedy Center Honors

Led Zeppelin, from left, keyboardist/bassist John Paul Jones, singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page,
stand as the Star Spangled Banner is played during the Kennedy Center Honors Gala at the Kennedy
Center in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)

Before I was "Mark Jordan Photography," I was in many a rock band. Any rock band at the time was not worth its salt if its repertoire did not include Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. Our's certainly did, along with a few other Zeppelin hits. Thus is why, after seeing them being honored at the Kennedy Center, I had to post Heart's version of the rock classic.

After decades of horrendous renditions of Stairway to Heaven, finally one that is worthy of Zeppelin's venerated vintage tune. To be candid, I had grown so tired of Stairway I thought my days of ever volitionally playing, let alone bystander listening, were over for all eternity. However, when Nancy and Ann Wilson of Heart step out onto the stage in front the Kennedy audience and the honorees, Led Zeppelin, I had a sense that something extraordinary was about to happen.

If you have yet to take a listen, you're in for something very special. As much as I did not want to cry, I could not help myself. For me, it was that powerful. I'm sure in the mix was a bit nostalgia for my youth at play as well. Regardless, sit back and enjoy Stairway to Heaven as you've not heard it played before.



Oh, on a side note, following is what one commenter, Tim Gerwing or Vancouver, British Columbia, wrote in regards to how singers best express song vocally. I thought you'd find interesting:

"Singers take note: *this* is how you serve a song. Unlike so many modern singers, she doesn't demand that we see how emotional she is. She does not make the song the vehicle for her self-aggrandizement, but does exactly the opposite. Why do the tears flow? Because The Song is The Gift, and she is, in this moment, The Giver, not a taker. Bravo (more: 7/40 Emoting in music)

Amen brother.

Mark

©Googtoon - Life • Popular Culture • Politics • Entertainment • Public Figures

Mark Jordan Photography

Orange County Family Portrait

Orange County Headshots

How To Create Secure Passwords You'll Never Forget

Password Security is easier than you think.

If you're new to my blog, you may not know that besides creating Secure Passwords You'll Never Forget, family portraits and headshots for Orange County executives and artists, I also help business owners with their marketing. I write/edit copy, design websites, logos and corporate identity, as well consult in launching the initial stages of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Yes, I'm a busy man.

Somewhere along the way of helping my clients with their marketing and internet presence, I invariably receive emails that express frustration with their inability to recall passwords to the sites we need to access.

If you are unfamiliar with the procedure for retrieving a forgotten password, it's uneventful, taking all of maybe five minutes. However, it does take time, and over the months and years, it adds up - and up!

Regardless of how effortless it is to reclaim one's forgotten password, with the majority of my clients consistently misplacing them, and the time expended in either waiting for them to restore/create new ones, or helping them through the process, I've come to develop a surefire way to create secure passwords you'll never forget.

You're far from alone if you're registered with a slew of social websites such as LinkedIn, Pinterest, Plaxo, StumbleUpon, Yelp, Flickr, Delicious, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Then there are consumer sites like NetFlix and Amazon, not to mention YouTube, and financial sites like PayPal, and brokerage firms. Let's face it, we're neck deep in password retention.

With so many websites we're subscribed to, each requiring a login, it's no wonder our minds are awash in a morass of fuzzy hieroglyphics. We're either constantly resorting to the password retrieval option or our passwords are so weak they're on their last ticking moments of life support. If not, you're a rare one indeed.

Regardless, I've got good news: creating secure passwords you'll never forget is easier than you may have thought. All it requires is a pattern - a pattern that you design, which makes it easy to recall. The pattern you create must contain FOUR (4) key components. Here they are in no particular order of importance:

1. website initials
2. phrase/title/verse initials
3. non-alphanumeric characters
4. numbers or date

1. SITE INITIALS

Whatever the site you're accessing, you'll need to include the initials of the site in your password. Since many sites require at least a capital letter, you might choose to make these your capitals of choice.

EXAMPLE

Facebook = FB

PayPay = PP

LinkedIn = LI

Golfmax = GM

NetFlix = NF

2. PHRASE

Think of a phrase or any short collection of words that have relevance to you. It could be a title to a song, book, movie or a line from a favorite poem or Bible verse. It does not matter what it is or where it comes from, just as long as it is meaningful to you, which makes it memorable. You could also opt to make these your capital letters instead of Site Initials.

EXAMPLE

Book

The Time Traveler's Wife = tttw

Movie

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows = hpatdh 
Poem
Shall I compare thee to a summers day = SICTTASD

Song

Back In the Fast Lane = bitfl

Verse

In the beginning was the word = ITBWTW (any guesses of what "fgsltw" translates?)

3. NON-ALPHANUMERIC 

The non-alphanumeric characters are ones such as [, }, /, &, \, |, >, #, etc. Any will do. 

I suggest selecting one or two Non-Alphanumeric characters and then using them at least twice. Some people opt to begin or end their password with Non-Alphanumeric characters, while others prefer to intersperse them. Whatever works best for you is best. 

4. NUMBERS or DATE

When selecting numbers, I suggest picking digits that are in some way relevant to you. While some people simply choose their favorite number, repeating it two or three times, others opt for an important date in their life. Since birthdays are easily discoverable, however, I suggest refraining from including your birth date. An anniversary works well, as does a significant historical date, or even a favorite year. The numbers you select simply need to be something readily remembered.

Putting It All Together

Let's say you have an account with PayPal. To create your password, you might begin by first selecting the initials for the site: PP

Next, you could type the initials for a phrase. Let's choose All Quiet on the Western Front: aqotwf

Our third step may be to select numbers. For our example let's choose a year: 1492

Lastly, we need our non-alphanumeric characters. Let's pick two dashes: - -

Now, let's put it together. Here's how your password for PayPal might look:
PPaqotwf1492--

It could also be pp-AQOTWF-1492, or any sequence of the four components you desire. Whatever the sequence you decide, it's imperative that you use it consistently for ALL your passwords.

Were you to choose a component sequence of
• PHRASE
• NON-ALPHANUMERIC
• SITE
• NUMBER,
following are examples of what your passwords might look like:

NetFlix:
aqotwf--NF1492 

LinkedIn:
aqotwf--LI1492 

FaceBook:
aqotwf--FB1492

I think you get the idea. Every element of your passwords will be identical except the initials of the website you're entering.

--------------------------------


ADDENDUM - February 2017
Changing Password Yearly or Multiple Times 
I just received a question regarding how to manage passwords that are required to change yearly. I've got an easy fix, and one that I use routinely.

All you need to do is add the year. You can add the entire year (i.e. 2017) just a portion of it (17). This allows you to keep every element of your password sequence/pattern intact, with the only change being the addition of the year.    

As to where in your sequence pattern you decided to insert the year is entirely up to you. You can add it up front, in the middle or at the end – simply choose whatever works best for your system.

You might even choose to add the year to the number that already exists within your password. Let's say the number you've selected in your password is 007. Adding the year to your number might change it to 00717. You might also add a hyphen to make to 007-17, or 007-2017.

And for those websites that require you to update your password multiple times, all that is need to is add a letter, beginning with "a." For example, 007-2017a. Should you need to change your password again with the year, your next password would included 007-2017b, and so on.

Following are a few examples of what completed passwords might look like:

Yelp:
##YP1964-17fftmc or  ##yelp1964FFTMC17 

Pinterest:
1943++catbttPT17  or  PT1943catbtt2017 

Google:
17=fwhbtitftGOOG=1126 or goog=2017=fwhbtitft

Password change within the year? 

1. goog=2017a=fwhbtitft  2. goog=2017b=fwhbtitft  3. goog=2017c=fwhbtitft 

--------------------------------

Lastly, I also advise keeping a log of your Passwords and storing them in a safe but easily accessible place. This will serve you well in the unlikely event you forget your password sequence (or any element of it). It'll also come in handy when it comes time for you to change your passwords, which you will want to do from time to time, providing you with a record of previous passwords and their sequential patterns.

As always, should you have any questions or need help in creating secure passwords you'll never forget, no concern is too small.

Mark

©Googtoon - Life • Popular Culture • Politics • Entertainment • Public Figures

Mark Jordan Photography

Orange County Family Portraits

Orange County Headshots

"Do You Sell Pictures on a CD?"

Pitchers on a CD ready for Printing at your local Costco...

Over the past half dozen years I cannot count the number of times I've received phone calls and emails from potential clients asking about family portraits only to conclude their inquiry with the ubiquitous comment that they only need "pictures on a CD." You know the drill...

My question to you is, "How do you respond?" Are you one of the minons who've given in to the ignorant masses or have you remained firm, educating the public why you're a family photographer? Obviously, I would not be writing were I not a photographer dedicated to the latter option.

To that end, I am posting my two letter response, which is directed at those who cite their desire to purchase digital files on a CD. Why two parts? The first letter is to establish intent, while the second is to educate.

The first email has two goals. Besides establishing/confirming their request, the other, less conspicuous reason, is to cause them to consider and share what they are really asking. I'm not a fan of assumption. Asking them to articulate the reason they wish to own my digital files (i.e. put it in writing) places the proverbial cards on the table, making it clear their exact intentions; that being, they want to print their own. Most likely at their local Costco.

The purpose of the second letter is to gently and accurately expresse the reality of why family portrait photographers exist. It's perfectly fine that you not be in sync with every aspect of my rationale, as I don't contend it's either cutting edge, comprehensive or the definitive word. It's merel my point of view. Please feel free to extract whatever is relevant and disregard what is not.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPLY ONE

Dear _________,

Thank you for writing and inquiring about our family portraits. 

It is our understanding that you wish to purchase a "CD" of the digital files we create but do not wish to have us print any portraits.

Since it is not to have printed photographs from the exposures we create, for what purpose, might we inquire, do you intend with the digital files?

Should you have any questions, no concern is too small. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you, 

Mark Jordan

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now then, considering that for as long as I have been forwarding REPLY ONE and have have yet to receive a single reply that did not express something to the effect that the inquiring client intended to create they're own prints (even though their first reason is typically for some form of electronic display), REPLY TWO is my customary response.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPLY TWO

Dear _________,

Thank you for again for writing and informing us of your intention for the purchase of "CD" of our digital files from a family portrait you're considering us to create.

Were it within our business model and artistic pursuit to meet your exclusive needs of purchasing a "CD" of our work, we would do so. However, as a portrait studio, and more in particular, a professional photographer, we design and create portraits, of which printing the finished image is one of the most essential and gratifying components. 

Were your need of owning our digital files restricted to non-printing (i.e. personal projection), we do offer finished digital images, which are perfected in every way, except with a lower resolution and the strict limitation that they cannot be printed.

Understandably, our dedication to the art of portraiture precludes the sale of our most precious resource, our digital files, for the purpose of do-it-yourself printing. I am sorry we are unable to serve you in this capacity.

Should you like to discover more of our heart and rationale, I kindly invite you to read on. If not, thank you again for your inquiry.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just as an architect and homeowner depend on an expert contractor to complete the painstaking efforts of their blueprints, so does the photographer and family rely on a talented print-master to fulfill their vision captured by mind and camera. What begins as vague impression to record a special moment in time, the photographer creates a photographic representation (a.k.a. "print") to treasure for a lifetime - and beyond.

Everyone knows that the professional photographer makes it possible to revisit the past. However, what is little understood is that the more refined the image (i.e. brilliant, rich color, print dimensionality and contrast, et al), the greater enjoyment and sense of being there. At its essence then, the art of portraiture is found in the extraordinary ability to bring memories to life - technically and emotionally. None of which is possible for the camera buff who sells CDs, shortchanging the process, rather than creating striking portraits.

Please understand, lest you think us persnickety, families hire us for our knowledge and our vision; not theirs. Though it is true that an economical print at Costco might satisfy the novice's eye, ask any Master Photographer and they'll readily disclose a catalogue of finish deficiencies. Whether the failings are inherent in color, contrast, density, subtle retouching, judicious cropping, or any number of essential design principles, any one of them would have been summarily avoided and masterfully effectuated by a bonafide, professional photographer.

The preceding morsel of guidance has proven to be especially relevant for younger families. As they grow so do their aesthetic awareness and acuity. As their appreciation for beauty, line and harmony blossom, what seemed like a great bargain in their early years comes back as a painful reminder of their naiveté and insensitivities. Over the past 32 years I've listened patiently to hundreds of moms and dads tell their stories of regret. The most common phrase we hear is, "What on earth were we thinking?"

As to your immediate need…be comforted in knowing there are a plethora of semiprofessionals throughout Orange County who own a camera and a website who will be elated to help you. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of such folk. If your desire is truly a CD of digital files, you will have no problem whatsoever locating dozens to oblige.

We would forward you photographer recommendations, but we are unaware of a competent photographer, let alone an outstanding one, who sell their "pictures on a CD." Though we are not familiar with the rationale for every photographer who peddles their most precious resource, those who do are primarily focused on the proverbial quick-buck rather than the elevation of the Art of Family Portraiture and their client's best interests. Subsequently, we cannot in good conscience endorse those who sell CDs.

Here at Mark Jordan Photography, we are passionate about our art and masters of our craft. There is no greater reward for the us than watching the ebullient faces our families when they first see their beautiful portraits. If not for this joy, what other possible reason would we toil so arduously, dedicating ourselves to such an emotional demanding and academic intensive enterprise, were it not to see our initial strokes (i.e. digital files) come to life in the lives of the families we photograph? It is for this very reason the family portrait photographer exists.

Should your portrait needs change in the future, and you become interested in having us create a lovely family portrait that you will cherish for a lifetime, we would wholeheartedly welcome the opportunity.

All the best to you and your family,

Mark

©Googtoon - Life • Popular Culture • Politics • Entertainment • Public Figures

Mark Jordan Photography

Orange County Family Portraits

Orange County Headshots

Posting Portrait Price Lists Online - PART 4 of 4

Continued from Part 3...

 It's not as black and white as I would like.

Nonetheless, if the budding Rice Krispers's vision of being a "photographer" is an emulation of Pennys/Sears, who I am to pop their bubble or question their paradigm?

This might be true were their feelings not so terribly hurt and hopes dashed when they score a 67 on their comp print, all the while posting a website price for an 8x10 under $50. It's even more distressing that they believe they've made a profit at such naive pricing, or that they're contributing to the advancement of their profession.

The issue, as I see it, is not that the online price-posters/Rice Krisper's don't care. For they too are merely a product of our culture - a culture that wants it now, and where price is valued, while value is neglected.

However, though I would hope that every soul who charges a fee for creating photographic images would be profoundly considerate of the impact their business practices are having on the industry I love, the truth of the matter is, it's not as black and white as I would like. I have to remind myself, these folk too are looking for creative expression and are in many ways, like us all, just groping the dark, looking for meaning and significance. For so many, photography is that "answer" they've been searching for.

As much as I carry on about the Krispers, and how much it might comfort me to garnish them with a Whiplash handlebar as the symbol of villainy and the prime perpetrators responsible for devaluing the art of fine portraiture, I have to pause and equally consider that, for so darn many, it's simply a matter of putting food on the table. Whether this excuses/explains their peculiar contribution, or is an indictment against them, is a question that might be prove worthy of an illuminating debate. But for me, I'll leave it to those who are a whole lot smarter than me. Nonetheless, it is a sobering thought.

With this in mind, it seems to me that the redress is not one of ridicule or finger pointing, nor is the question one of sincerity or of intention. The way I see it, the best and only way through our dilemma is none other than good ole' education. And the only way the remedy is going to see the light of day is for those of us who are enlightened to show the way for those who are not (i.e. one reason for posting my thoughts). This is going to require patience, compassion and imagination. Above all, it's going to demand perseverance.

Spreading the word not only means reaching out to the Krispers, but encompasses professional organizations, labs, and the ancillary businesses they rely on. This could involve putting pressure on such behemoths as PPA, as well as local affiliates, which, from my perspective, seem to have acquiesced rather than upheld standards of excellence. Instead of lowering the bar in pursuit of short-term profits, it needs to be raised to new heights, energized by a clear vision of what it could be. Albeit with the understanding and confidence that we are all in it for the duration.

When we stand together, we can endure the most turbulent of wakes, no matter how much our collective boats have been rocked. I'm willing. How about you?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Part 1
Part 2

Mark

©Googtoon - Life • Popular Culture • Politics • Entertainment • Public Figures

Mark Jordan Photography

Orange County Family Portraits

Orange County Headshots.