For my business I see two parts:  style and substance.  Style is about my general approach for working with my clients.  I am sensitive, romantic and encouraging to my clients to be spontaneous and to be themselves.  I believe that beauty can be discovered in almost any situation.   As one of my clients wrote me:

“As a new mom I had never had professional pictures taken of my son.  Low and behold the day we decide to shoot he is the crankiest he’s ever been so you do whatever you can do to make them happy- which in my son’s case is playing in the water.  I never thought in a million years Alice would capture the essence of my relationship with my son in my bathroom at the sink!  When I looked at the final product, tears came to my eyes.  Not only did I see in the photo the expression and personality I see every day in Sebastian, but also became overwhelmed with the experience that was created in each moment. Alice captured not just a picture of mother and son but a story of a mother and son.”

Substance, the second part of my work is the process of achieving what I give my clients.  My work involves lots of love and care.  This is from the first meeting where I seek to learn what’s needed, what’s desired, and what can be imagined.  I look for the dream that needs to be brought to life in my photographs.  From this knowledge I plan the session or event with my clients.  I hope that the resulting photographs will have this feeling of life.

A recent bride wrote me “Thank you for being an integral part of our wedding and helping us archive our memories of the very special day.  I hope it wasn’t too stressful, I know I felt stressed when I was getting ready and there were so many people around, but you always stayed calm and collected and I really appreciate this!!!”  At a wedding I photograph to illuminate the happenings during the day.  Underneath the stress is the excitement and anticipation.  This is what I look for.

The whole process of the printing and albums is artistic, traditional and yet modern.  Most of my work is done by hand.  The black & white prints can be silver gelatin or palladium.  I work with an exceptional bookbinder to produce unique albums for each client.  Color prints can also be custom printed by hand.

I seek a level of refinement in my work.  I desire, like Alexander McQueen stated that “Every piece is unique and has emotional content.  I want to create pieces that can be handed down, like an heirloom.”

-Alice Garik
Alice Garik Photography
@alicegarik

 
***This was Best Business Tip #90.  Read the other 99 Best Business Tips.***