Photographer in west Asheville area needed? (Waynesville: wedding, high school, living)

[mooney101]

I'm a professional photographer in Ohio (been in the business for 10 years managing a studio) and I'm planning on moving to Waynesville area ( I love the area and people there) this fall and will be starting a portrait photography business. I specialize in high school senior portraits and modeling portfolios (fashion type photography) but will also do some odds and ends photography on the side. I've looked at some of the portrait photographers in the area (this doesn’t include wedding photographs there are some great ones out of Ashville) and I’m not impressed at all, in fact, I'm not even sure how some of them are even in business. Most looked like they were shot with someone that has NO experience at all or from someone with a very old fashion style. Is there a need for some real High quality Professional photographers who are very easy going and fun to work with in the western Asheville and Waynesville area? Also if I am mistaken and you know of any PROFESSIONAL Portrait photographers in the area could you point me to their web site?

Thanks so much,
Mooney101

[fastfilm]

I have much the same question for our esteemed local experts but am going to ask it tad differently.

I'm a professional photographer with over four decades experience in photojournalism and studio portraiture, all the while dealing with fussy celebrities here in Los Angeles. Even in my photojournalistic work I've specialized in flattering the subject as well as getting the most dynamic shot. (City-data.com rules preclude my advertising my website, but I'd be happy to send it along privately.) Yes, I'm digital, despite my online name.

My work is more similar to what one would view in top media, rather than chains of tiny studios. Would the greater Asheville area be likely to warm to my work, or is the regional preference for vaguely assembly-line standards? (My prices are always reasonable, and sliding scale to economic realities of clients.)

I appreciate any response. Thanks!

[Asheville Native]

Asheville draws a lot of people in the creative disciplines, and as such there seems to be an over abundance of them. The term "starving artist" is a reality in Asheville

[mooney101]

Originally Posted by fastfilm

I have much the same question for our esteemed local experts but am going to ask it tad differently.

I'm a professional photographer with over four decades experience in photojournalism and studio portraiture, all the while dealing with fussy celebrities here in Los Angeles. Even in my photojournalistic work I've specialized in flattering the subject as well as getting the most dynamic shot. (City-data.com rules preclude my advertising my website, but I'd be happy to send it along privately.) Yes, I'm digital, despite my online name.

My work is more similar to what one would view in top media, rather than chains of tiny studios. Would the greater Asheville area be likely to warm to my work, or is the regional preference for vaguely assembly-line standards? (My prices are always reasonable, and sliding scale to economic realities of clients.)

I appreciate any response. Thanks!

OK somehow that sounded so much better than mine. If you can deal with those celebrities then you can handle anything I imagine.
I do know that no matter were you go there is always that moto photo kind of person who wants cheap photography. Most people don't realize that those people in those kinds of places usually have NO idea what they are doing when it comes to the photography part but are usually just good at making kids smile. They are extremely under paid and are always pushed for time. I honestly feel sorry for them. ( I worked at moto photo for about 6 months in high school I know those kind of places all too well.) I wish I could say the golden rule of thumb is you get what you pay for in photography but that can't be true because there are so many “want to be photographers” out there who have no idea what they are doing charging out rages prices to people who don't know any better.

[anifani821]

Special event and wedding photography would go over well, as long as you are able to tap into a clientele w/ the $$$ to pay for it. That is the problem. People will doubtless appreciate your photography!!! But so often, the prices are what dictate who is selected to do the wedding and special events shots.

And - as Asheville Native said - there are definitely talented folks in the A'ville area - just not always a public w/ the $$$ to help keep them afloat.

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

Originally Posted by mooney101

I'm a professional photographer in Ohio (been in the business for 10 years managing a studio) and I'm planning on moving to Waynesville area ( I love the area and people there) this fall and will be starting a portrait photography business. I specialize in high school senior portraits and modeling portfolios (fashion type photography) but will also do some odds and ends photography on the side. I've looked at some of the portrait photographers in the area (this doesn’t include wedding photographs there are some great ones out of Ashville) and I’m not impressed at all, in fact, I'm not even sure how some of them are even in business. Most looked like they were shot with someone that has NO experience at all or from someone with a very old fashion style. Is there a need for some real High quality Professional photographers who are very easy going and fun to work with in the western Asheville and Waynesville area? Also if I am mistaken and you know of any PROFESSIONAL Portrait photographers in the area could you point me to their web site?

Thanks so much,
Mooney101

Have you thought about landscape photography? There is so MUCH beauty in that area!

[mooney101]

Originally Posted by I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA

Have you thought about landscape photography? There is so MUCH beauty in that area!

Actually i love nature photography but its very hard to make living doing just that but I do hope to have a book one day down the road of my work beacuse that is one of the things I love about the area.

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

Originally Posted by mooney101

Actually i love nature photography but its very hard to make living doing just that but I do hope to have a book one day down the road of my work beacuse that is one of the things I love about the area.

Me too!! I live in Houston, but go to Western NC as often as I can. I have sold a lot of my pictures from there, I even won a photo contest here on City Data with one. How do you go about getting your pictures published in a book?

[mooney101]

Originally Posted by I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA

Me too!! I live in Houston, but go to Western NC as often as I can. I have sold a lot of my pictures from there, I even won a photo contest here on City Data with one. How do you go about getting your pictures published in a book?

LOL well you first have to have enough great images then you have to convince someone to publish it unless you have the money to do it yourself.

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

Originally Posted by mooney101

LOL well you first have to have enough great images then you have to convince someone to publish it unless you have the money to do it yourself.

Oh I definitely have enough great pictures, but who would I contact about publishing them?