Night Flight PizzaNight Flight Pizza Omaha

So much of what we look at online are pictures. The pictures that stand out in the endless scroll are bright, clean, and clear. These are done typically with more than just a cell phone. Many times there are additional lights that are used to get those images just right. When you're in a restaurant are your photos of the food clear and bright? Or are they dark and blurry?

Buffalo Wings & RingsBuffalo Wings & Rings I wasn't someone who felt the need to photograph my food to share with people online. Going into restaurants the first few times I was a bit nervous since I had very little food photography experience. Luckily I was able to get some well composed shots and was able to continue getting work. Since then I have grown to love doing food photography. I'm not a food stylist, so the chefs help me out with plating things so they look nice. 

Taj Indian & Chinese CuisineTaj Indian & Chinese Cuisine It's always fun to meet new people and spend some time seeing just how much work goes into getting a plate of food out to you. It's also fun to photograph the cooks at work, chopping, stirring, tossing. When I am in the restaurant they are open for business, this means I am working fast to capture food sometimes as it goes out the door. This type of photography is a challenge that I am happy to take on.

I hope you enjoy seeing what local restaurants are cooking up and check them out sometime!

Are you ready to level up your restaurant with a your own photographer? Email hello@t2sphotography.com  or call 402-557-8600 to schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if a professional photographer is right for your business!
 

As a photographer it's fairly easy to find a photo to use with my social media posts and on my website. Although they aren't completely unique to my business, as the photos are also being used by the businesses featured in them, they have been customized. They were taken inside local businesses. Real places you can go to get coffee, food, art, car maintenance, and more. You might be familiar with some of the businesses and their owners, or some may be new that you haven't checked out yet. 

These business owners have taken a great step forward to getting customized images for their marketing needs. This includes their websites, social media, and print ads. These photos aren't taken on a cell phone where the quality and light can be less than stellar. They hired a professional photographer. 

I know that the word "authentic" can be over used, however when it comes to marketing your business, being authentic is important. Be proud of what you offer and show your customers exactly what to expect when they come to your store. A professional photo shoot can also give you multiple photos to choose from when posting online or updating your website.

How often should I get professional photos?

This all depends on your business. Some businesses may only need photos taken once a year to update their staff photos and show their space. Other businesses could need photos as often as once a month!

Retail stores with ever changing inventory are a great example of monthly session needs. Having a photographer you pay monthly to come in to your store, photograph the new inventory and have those images to you within 48 hours to start posting is a great asset! It saves you the time of trying to get just the right shot of the new pieces.

Imagine having a photographer who knows you, your store, and your inventory. You could be at market selecting new items while the photographer comes in, photographs what's new this month, and sends you a gallery (in an app for super easy access), all while you are away working to keep inventory fresh. You can then not only share with your followers what's new in the store, you can also preview the finds from market they will see in store soon. Now that's efficient marketing!

Even if you don't need monthly sessions, you may still want fresh professional photos to use throughout the year and having a photographer that knows your business will help save you time during photo sessions no matter how often they occur.

Want to hear the podcast featuring T2S about capturing authentic photos for your business? Check it out here!

Are you ready to level up your business with a your own photographer? Email hello@t2sphotography.com  or call 402-557-8600 to schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if a personal professional photographer is right for your business!  

I remember my senior photo session from over a decade ago. I had many interests at the time, which meant lots of props and options. I may not have been in sports, but I played music, loved reading and had way too many stuffed animals (yes they made it into my photos).

T2S photography

Senior pictures are one of the last individual photo session that happen in life. Many times they are the last professional photos until a wedding. My goal with senior pictures is to capture personality. Who are you right now? What do you want to show about yourself to the world? These are the things I want to freeze in time. Create long lasting memories of this great time in life. T2S photography To get started with a senior session I have a quick questionnaire. This is an introduction for me to have a better idea of the stories we will tell through images. After the questionnaire I will be in touch with you via phone or email to plan the session. A deposit will be needed to reserve your session date.

seniors For any senior session you do I always suggest bringing a few outfit options. They may not all be used, but it’s never a bad thing to have those options. Extra things like hats, scarves, and jackets are great for any gender. Typically for females various jewelry like necklaces, bracelets and earrings are ways to change a look. It all comes down to personality, express yourself through senior pictures!

I also offer senior mini sessions if you don't need many photos, but would like a few to print and give to family and friends.

Excited to schedule your session or have some questions? Please feel free to send an email, call 402-557-8600, or fill out the questionnaire.

I didn't major in photography in college, most people who are photographers didn't. I went to school for graphic design and advertising. I found that I enjoy photography much more than designing things and made the switch a few years back. More photos, less design work.

I started looking into joining professional associations to rub elbows with other photographers who strive to earn their living from creating images. I had heard about PPA and since it was time to look for new business insurance I joined their ranks (and got myself business insurance too!)

After setting a goal in 2018 to work towards my certification I finally declared candidacy in October. Studying for the test was quite eye-opening, learning the technical aspects of photography is interesting and comes with a whole new vocabulary. 

I earned my CPP designation in March 2019 after completing an intensive program that measured my artistic and technical competence. Professional Photographers of America currently recognizes fewer than 2,500 CPPs. As of the end of 2018 there were only 13 CPPs in all of Nebraska! 

It's great to have this completed to show my commitment to providing the highest standard of quality for my clients. I look forward to continuing to learn and grow in photography and would love for you to join me in this journey! 

The next time you need photos ask if your photographer is Certified! 

If your business has photo needs email me at hello@t2sphotography.com  or call 402-557-8600 if you have any questions or are ready to book a session for your business!  

Professional Photographers of America (PPA.com/CPP) is the leading body for certifying imaging professionals. CPPs must complete a written examination, finish an image evaluation and adhere to a strict code of conduct. Certification must be renewed on a periodic basis, ensuring continued confidence in the professionalism of Certified Professional Photographers.

 

The digital negative of a photo is quite similar to a film negative. You may have heard of "RAW" images, this is the digital equivalent to the roll of film you used to pull out of a camera. It needs to be developed. A true RAW image is dull and slightly unfocused. If a photographer shows you the back of their camera that is actually a JPEG preview of what the camera determines the final image should look like. This may not be anything close to what the photographer will actually create for the final image. 

When you tell a photographer you just want a single picture and they don't have to edit it. You are asking for one frame from a roll of film. What will you do with that? Do you have the equipment to "develop" this digital version of that film? The answer is...probably not.   

There is plenty of confusion within the industry itself about what "rights" are to digital files. Some new and even some experienced photographers will tell you they are giving you "Copyright" to the photos they took of your family. While that would be a crazy amazing deal, it's probably not the true intention.

 I want to share the terms you will see on the T2S website and what they mean. 

Personal Use License

This is going to be the most common type of digital image "release" or "license". Personal use is something T2S provides for beYOUtiful and Senior sessions. The photos from these sessions are not intended to be used for commercial purposes (i.e. advertising, marketing, publication, etc.). The exception is one of the senior photos taken will be published in a yearbook, which is allowed. If you write a book about your senior year and publish it, using any of the photos from a Senior session would be considered commercial use and not included with the Personal Use License, more on that in a bit.

Most family photographers are providing you a personal use license to use their photos. When you see you have "all rights" or "printing rights", the typical assumption is that you will use these image for your own personal use. Maybe print a few to hang on your walls or send some to family with your holiday card. Most photographers providing "all rights" are not intending for the photos to be used in advertising a business or selling them to a stock site. 

Personal use also comes with some extra requests from the photographer. Something like asking to be tagged or given credit on social media when posting the photos is very common under this type of license. Be sure to read your contract with the photographer carefully as you may be limited to where the images may be published and what you can do with those images. In the T2S contract we ask that you don't edit the images you are provided, this includes no Instagram filters or cropping. 

Commercial Use License

This is a much less common "release" or "license" seen from a family photographer, however pretty much standard with a commercial photographer. Commercial Use Licenses are provided for all other T2S session types: headshots, personal brand, and retail marketing. 

Commercial use licenses give you much more freedom with the developed digital images from your photographer. Images with commercial use license from T2S include great benefits like editing: need to crop the photo, go for it; have a specific Insta filter you use, have at it; want to draw a mustache on your face; sure I guess; adding text to the image, yup that's just fine; tagging on every post, nope not necessary.

Many commercial licenses have what I'll call a time or impressions limit. This means after a certain pre-determined amount of time (say 1 year) or specific number of views (say 10,000), you owe the photographer money to renew the license to continue using their image (yup the photographer still owns it). Curious about the standard prices for the industry? Check out the Getty rights-managed calculator. This is very common practice and very impractical for T2S to manage. For this reason things are a little different at T2S. Commercial use licenses through T2S are in perpetuity. This means in 1 year I won't come calling to renew the rights to the image, you can keep using it wherever you have been for as long as you want. While you may think the upfront cost of hiring T2S is a bit steep, you won't be paying for these images again (unless you want a copyright transfer). It's a worthwhile investment.

Copyright Release

Here we go, the big one. The thing I am asked about most. Also probably the most misused word in the industry. 

The copyright of an image belongs to the person who pushed the shutter. Ever hear of the monkey who took a selfie? Believe it or not, a copyright transfer actually involves paperwork. Very specific descriptions of the photos, filenames, sometimes even a notarized signature on the contract where a photographer is transferring their rights to an image(s) they took to the business or individual purchasing it. Copyright transfers may not even involve completed images, you may receive the true digital negative or RAW image to edit and store on your own servers. At T2S this also means there will not be a backup of those images on our servers. They become your responsibility. 

This is the most expensive thing you can buy from a photographer as it is worth the most to their business and livelihood. When you do a copyright transfer or release the photographer now has to ask you if they can post or publish the images, and you can say NO! This means if they took a stellar image for you and you now own that image through a copyright transfer, they can't use it in their portfolio to show others what they can do without getting written permission from you, the copyright holder. 

While it's best practice even after transferring copyright to not claim you took the images, you also don't have to give credit or tell people who the photographer is, this is all laid out in the copyright transfer. Without being able to show examples of client work or the guarantee of a referral from the new owner, a photographer could potentially lose thousands of dollars in revenue. This is why purchasing a copyright release is usually based per image and is quite expensive. 

Letting your photographer know your needs

Make sure your expectations of how you want to use the images taken by your photographer are clear. While T2S has set up most session types to fall under the Commercial Use License category, this may not be the case for other photo studios. 

Having a conversation in advance will help you get the results you want. Knowing the end use is also helpful for shooting your images correctly. If you need every image to work as a Facebook cover image, how the photos are set up will be different to make sure there is space for cropping versus needing square images for Instagram. 

It takes a little more time and effort, but it's worth getting what you need from your session and photographer the first time. Being disappointed because of miscommunication is never a good way to start out what could be a great business and personal relationship with your professional photographer. 

Want to talk about your next session or have questions? Send a message or call 402-557-8600.

The first thing I try to do before booking any session is to have a conversation. On the phone. Yup, you read that right. I want to actually speak to people! I know it’s a little strange in today’s society, but I feel that it’s the fastest way to answer questions and even set up the session. 

Having your photo taken is a personal thing. Getting to know a subject is always important. Maybe you’ve had a bad previous experience and don’t like your current photo. Maybe you have even had a photo taken of yourself, paid for it, and you never even used it. If this sounds familiar at all, or even other situations similar this is why I want to talk to you first. It’s not a long conversation, just enough to find out what you would like, what went wrong last time, and how can we work together to make it better this time.

You came to this post for the 5 tips so without further ado here they are:

1. Drink lots of water. This actually helps to lighten dark circles, start a few days before your session for best results.
2. Get some sleep! Again helping with the dark circles and also will help you feel better overall. 
3. Keep it simple. This goes for everything from what clothes and accessories you are wearing to makeup. Less is more when it comes to photos. The purpose of a headshot is to focus on you.
4. Location. To capture the energy of who you are and how you want to present yourself to the world where your photo is taken matters. If you are a personal trainer a headshot taken on location in a gym is more fitting than something in studio. Where a studio is more appropriate if you are in finance or a realtor. And an outdoor shoot would be fitting for a landscaper. 
5. Inspiration. Have you seen some headshots of others that you love? Send them in advance or bring copies to your session so I can get a better idea of what you want to accomplish with your new headshots.

Want more information about headshot sessions you can head over to the Professional Headshots page.

You can also get the FREE guide with these tips and more about a headshot session at T2S photography. Just click Free Guide button below. 

Excited to schedule your session or have some questions? Please feel free to send an email or call 402-557-8600.

In 2018 I decided to stop trying to do a little of everything and focus on the types of photography I enjoy. I also decided as part of being more serious to join what is called the Professional Photographers of America or PPA for short. They have an annual conference in January held in a different city each year. A perk for your first year as a PPA member you can attend for free! Knowing this I made sure to sign up after ImagingUSA 2018 was over so I would have a full year to prepare to attend my first conference.

I have never had to travel alone before so this trip was very nerve wracking. Going to a different city to one of the largest photo conferences in the country and taking the CPP exam. I am happy to report that everything went well. The best advise I have is to go in with no expectations. This helped me so much. I also didn't know anyone going in and came out with a few new friends.

The first day I found out there was a free book by this guy Phil M Jones, so I picked that up. Then I ended up with a second book during another class by Jeffrey Shaw. I felt so cool "meeting" these speakers. Even though I didn't actually meet them I was able to be in the same room they were speaking in. The information I was able to get about running a better business is invaluable. 

Books Exactly What to Say by Phil M Jones and Lingo by Jeffrey Shaw Since this was my first experience at a conference I had no idea that I would not only get a reusable bag to hold any goodies I acquired I would also receive a notebook for taking notes during classes. I had a notebook all packed, turns out it wasn't needed. Isn't that so cool! I have many pages left and was even able to give a page away to someone who needed it.

Again, first time conference goer here. Is it normal to have these little ribbons to give more information about you?? I started to see them around and went on a hunt to find where they were coming from. Eventually I found this little booth where you could pick up ribbons for Print., PPA member, First timer, among others. There were some vendors at the expo giving away their own ribbons and I was able to get the CPS member one. Joining Canon Professional Services (CPS) was something else I did last year to take my business more seriously. 

I must say that attending Imaging was a great idea. Bonus things that I never expected were seeing Peter Hurley and Lindsey Adler live. I have seen them in videos online and never imagined being able to see them in person.

Whatever industry you are in, join the professional organization for it. It opens up a whole new view on your industry. It was amazing to meet people who take photography seriously and not just a hobby. I can't wait to continue learning, growing, and improving. 

Want to chat? Email me at hello@t2sphotography.com  or call 402-557-8600

For T2S this year has been the best yet. I have not had so many freelance jobs in my 10 years of being a photographer. It was so much fun! Don’t you love those days when you can truly say, “I love my job”? All entrepreneurs should be able to say that at least once a day. That’s why we get into business for ourselves isn’t it? To love what we do every day.

One of the more notable jobs I had this year was taking photos for an auto shop that specializes in transmissions. I learned that not all liquids in your car are black/brown. Transmission fluid is red and should not be brown/black. It looked very creepy laying on the table, felt like something out of Halloween haunted house. It’s experiences like that which make me say “I love my job”! 

I love meeting people who are passionate about what they do. These entrepreneurs are always excited to teach me about their process. They also are great to photograph in action doing what they do best. Seeing people proud of their work and being able to freeze that moment in an image makes me smile just as much as them.

What do you do that makes you smile? Even if it’s a hobby, keep doing it. Let someone in and capture those moments with you. If you think I’m the right photographer to help you freeze those moments and show what makes your business unique let me know. I would be happy to chat on the phone or meet up somewhere to learn more about what you are passionate about.

Have a great rest of 2018 and can’t wait to capture your moments in 2019!  

Ready to get started? Email me at hello@t2sphotography.com  or call 402-557-8600 if you have any questions or are ready to book a session for your business!

collage from 2018 photo shootsSome of 2018's photo shoots

You may not need to have a photographer on staff which is perfectly ok. There are many photography companies including T2S that offer sessions that occur monthly, quarterly, or even annually to capture customized images ready for you to use when needed. These sessions are designed to give you photos that you can use for your social media, web, and even print needs.

I am very excited to offer sessions for small businesses who want their own set of customized “stock” images to use when needed. If you have changing inventory one session a month might be just what you need. Maybe things don’t change as much and quarterly or annual sessions work better. 

One of the great services from T2S is our online galleries. You can access your images from anywhere, there’s even an app! These images don’t go away, you will have a custom link to access them and they can even be password protected if you want added security. 

If you feel that you are spending too much time trying to take the perfect picture to post for the day, having images ready to go could be just the thing you need. With the free app available your photos will be ready to download or share right away 24/7 with no need to find a good location, get the angle right, and spend your valuable time trying to capture that perfect shot. 

One of my side projects is cross stitching. I used the beginning of new project to show taking photos of the project with my cell phone and with my (what I call normal) camera. As you'll notice the photos from my cell phone have the dreaded shadow from the phone and very inconsistent coloring and lighting in general. I took the photos with my camera and a speedlight and was able to get consistent light, color, and no crazy shadows over the project.

This is just a little example of how hiring a pro for some of your photo needs could help you up-level your business.

cell vs dslr

Would you like to know more? Email me at hello@t2sphotography.com  or call 402-557-8600 if you have any questions or are ready to book a session for your business! 

To find out what rights and restrictions you have as to the usage of images from a professional photographer you will want to read your contract. I know it’s not the most fun thing to do, but if you want to argue about watermarks and tagging later, they will point you back to their contract where all of that information is laid out.

A couple of questions before postingDid you check the contract with your photographer? Can you use the photos for your business?

Tagging your photographer isn’t the only thing you may need to worry about. Most traditional photographers do not allow commercial use of their images. This is usually not an issue for your wedding, newborn, and family photos. Sometimes it can be though if you want to use those photos to grow your brand and audience. This is when you may want to start thinking about a commercial or personal brand photographer.

There are so many talented photographers out there to choose from and each one runs their business a little differently. I want to make sure you understand a little about commercial photography before you pick a photographer for your business.

Traditional commercial photography can be complicated. Pricing structures are typically calculated per photo based on distribution numbers, where and how the photos are used and how long you plan to use the photo. Sometimes that’s hard to determine up front. Another drawback is when you want to use the photo in a medium not outlined in your contract or agreement, you will need to pay the photographer for additional licenses for the new usages. Copyright is a serious thing. 

Commercial PhotographyMore flexibility for business Use the photos for all your business needs

At T2S photography I approach commercial licensing in a way I hope you will find to be easier and refreshing. Every Personal Brand and Commercial photo session includes full commercial use licenses on the photos you select. That’s right! The commercial use license through T2S includes use of your images whenever, wherever, and however you need to use them. 

This makes things so much easier for both of us! You don’t have to track how many views your posts get. I won’t come after you in a year for more money to keep the image up on your social media and website. You won’t need to contact me if you need to print one of the images on a new brochure. The scenarios can go on and on. What I’m trying to say is, this is easier. One price includes the session, images, commercial use licensing on those images, basic color correction, and easy access online gallery to download your images whenever you need them. 

Are you ready to get started? Email me at hello@t2sphotography.com or call 402-557-8600 if you have any questions or are ready to book a session for your business!   

Lets Get Started

I’ll be honest, sessions have been slow this year. Even so, I decided to renew my contract at the studio and added some additional spaces to use with that. Although I haven’t officially been using the space for booked sessions I wanted to try one of them out. 

I asked one of my cousins in Omaha if she was still up for a “shoot in a fancy dress” like we had talked about last summer. She said yes! She did her own hair and makeup and brought along two of her formal dresses to wear for the session. We started with my favorite with the green pleated bottom and ended with her favorite with an open back and black lace. 

Even after moving around the space and a wardrobe change I had a good variety of images in just under an hour. The session was a success!

After sending her gallery she asked if it was ok to call this session type beYOUtiful. I said sure and have been running with the name ever since.

The next part of this story has to do with Facebook. Their new trend of asking people to pick a charity to raise money for in honor of their birthday. While it was about a week after I decided to do my idea I was promptly asked by Facebook to pick a charity to raise money for in September. So this is my way of doing just that.

For the month of September 10% of the beYOUtiful session fee will go to Choose Courage Foundation. Whatever the total raised by September 30th is I will personally match that total to send to Choose Courage.

Full disclosure, Choose Courage was founded by another cousin of mine. I worked with her a few years back for the Emerge Omaha photo shoot and what she does is absolutely amazing and I would love your help to support her and her mission!

Senior pictures are one of the last individual photo session that happen in life. Many times they are the last professional photos until a wedding. My goal with senior pictures is to capture personality. Who are you right now? What do you want to show about yourself to the world? These are the things I want to freeze in time. Create long lasting memories of this great time in life. T2S photography For any seniors interested in having photos taken by T2S I ask for a brief survey to be filled out first. This helps me get a better idea of who the senior is and how we can best work together to get the photos they (and their parents) want and include any props to help tell their story. You can find the survey by clicking here.

For any senior session you do I always suggest bringing a few outfit options. They may not all be used, but it’s never a bad thing to have those options. Extra things like hats, scarves, and jackets are great any gender. Typically for females various jewelry like necklaces, bracelets and earrings are ways to change a look. It all comes down to personality, express yourself through senior pictures!

Excited to schedule your session or have some questions? Please feel free to send an email or call 402-557-8600.

In case you don’t know the difference between matte and glossy paper, matte paper doesn’t show fingerprints, whereas glossy does. You also lose more details when printing on glossy, whereas details are sharper with matte paper, without much of the glare that comes with a glossy print. These are the main reasons I suggest matte paper for my clients' prints.

blog: loose prints

Loose prints come in a variety of sizes, from wallet to 24x36 inches. Since these prints aren’t mounted they can be displayed in albums or framed. You could also let them lay around loose and flip through them from time to time.

When I work on your images, I have my monitor calibrated to my favorite professional print labs to ensure the colors on my screen match as closely as possible to the colors on your prints.

With no additional mounting or framing, loose prints are the most cost-effective print you can invest in. At the same time, they’re versatile and easy to handle. You can’t go wrong with loose prints.

Contact T2S photography to set up your session and add a few loose prints to your order!

blog: loose prints

Hey there! Welcome to the T2S photography blog. This post is about choosing a photographer who’s right for you. I’m glad you made it to my website; this means there was something on here, even if it’s just this post, that caught your attention. So let’s begin finding out if T2S or another photography studio is right for you.

The first thing I always ask someone who wants to book is this: “What style of photos are you looking for?” Let me explain a little. When I ask this, what I really want to know is: Are you looking for a rigidly posed photo in a studio with everyone wearing matching shirts? Or are you looking for a more candid “in the moment” photo where everyone is coordinated, and they all seem to be having fun? If you answered “yes” to the first question, I’m not going to be the right photographer for you. On the other hand, I love it when a potential client answers “Yes!” to the second question. T2S strives to be a more fun and candid photo studio. Capturing moments with your family so you can all remember how things are right now, how everyone interacts together--this is what I want you to have captured forever.

After we’ve established my style is a good fit, I ask, “What expectations do you have for your session with me?” For example, are you excited to see what products I have to offer for your new images to be printed on? Do you want to build your own collection of customized products to hang on your walls or share with family? Or do you just want another disc/USB to throw into a drawer and forget about for 6 months? If you are screaming, "YES! That last one! I love just sitting on images for months!" ... well, T2S probably won’t be the photography studio for you. I really love helping you get tangible products from your session, but if that’s not your thing, that’s ok, there are many other photography studios who will better suit your needs.

Hopefully you found this somewhat helpful in your quest for a photographer. The short version: If you want a fun, relaxed, authentic session showing you and your family, T2S photography might be the right place for you!

Excited to schedule your session or have some questions? Please feel free to send an email or call 402-557-8600.

Referrals are a great asset for any small business. With the support of customers small businesses are able to flourish and grow.

I hope that you enjoyed your experience for your senior or headshot session so you feel confident referring T2S to your friends and family. If your referral books a session with T2S, you get $50 off your next session or order! Refer 4 people and that’s $200 off! 

For some session types this could mean your entire session is covered! It's great to be rewarded for sharing with others. You can also join the T2S mailing list for updates on what's happening. Usually no more than one email a month or less, so don't worry your inbox won't be cluttered. Click here to subscribe.

Would you like to schedule your session or have some questions? Please feel free to send an email or call 402-557-8600.

When you start the process of looking for what to wear, start with the hardest person to dress. I don’t want you having to scramble the day or two before our session trying to find an outfit for your hardest to dress.

Don’t forget to dress comfortably! This means you (and especially your kids) should be able to move. Being stiff and uncomfortable in an outfit will show through in your photos. If you or your kids aren’t comfortable in “fancy dress up clothes,” don’t force it; let everyone show who they are right now. After all, I want your session to run smoothly and ensure there's fun for everyone.

Not that this style is inherently bad, but avoiding solid white or solid black shirts is a place to start when searching for clothes. Don’t be afraid of some color! A good way to do this is to show your personality through your clothes. Don’t be afraid to dress as a slightly more polished version of your everyday self.

Let your kids have a say in what they wear for their shoot. If you want, let them pick an outfit with you and you choose something as well. Really let them be a part of the session right from the beginning.

And finally, accessorize! Bring jackets, scarves, hats, sunglasses, big necklaces, and bracelets. Have fun with it!

A couple last tips on what to bring with you to a photo session: Everyone that needs to be in the photos (seriously, this is important). Any additional props you would like included in the images. This also includes your accessories and maybe even a blanket. (If you bring your kids’ favorite very worn blanket or stuffed toy, be prepared for it to be in the photos. If it doesn’t come with you, it doesn’t have to be taken away and less tears are shed.)

Are you ready to schedule your session or have some questions? Please feel free to send an email or call 402-557-8600

It’s time to start valuing the services that a photographer can provide to you. You might start seeing the term “full-service” being applied to the photography industry. This simply means the photo studio you are looking at provides not just the service of taking photos, but the additional services of helping you pick out products to best fit your needs, ordering them for you, and checking over each piece before delivering everything to you.

At T2S, I love providing these extra services for you. It is important that you receive tangible products for your money, not just files that may sit for months before you have time to order them. I also provide this service to ensure color quality of all images.  

Because I care about providing all these services to you with as little hassle as possible, I like to have a conversation by phone before you book a session. I want to make sure you as the client are prepared for the extras that come with your session.

Once you decide to book a session, I will send a contract to you outlining the details of your session, how much money is owed and when, along with some other legal details. This is nothing to be scared of! It’s part of running a legal business (lots of paperwork on my end!).

Before your session I will send you information on what to wear and bring to your session. Making this a smooth process is one of my goals. When the day of your session arrives, you’ll have all the outfits picked out, and I’ll have my batteries charged and ready to go!

Within 4 weeks of your session your Printed Proof Collection will be back from the printer, and we will have a date already on the calendar for me to visit with your proofs and product samples. This is a fun time, with a little reminiscing of the fun we had during the session. When you book a full session, you will already have  spending money for your Ordering Session. This way we can start right in building your Custom Collection.

You can read more about Ordering Sessions and why T2S offers products here.

If you have any questions, or are interested in scheduling a session, please feel free to send an email or call 402-557-8600

With a mini session, we explore a small area and capture as many images as possible in a short amount of time. This mini took a little bit of coaxing to warm Bridget up to the camera, but once her mom started playing her favorite game of hanging upside down, we were on a roll. It was hard to avoid all the critters of this small forest, but we still explored and had a great time.

Fall is fast approaching, and beautiful autumn colors will be showing. This year, T2S will be offering holiday mini sessions that include 25 cards that have been custom designed by Katie. Don’t miss out on getting your one of a kind cards and updated family photo this year. Call us today to schedule your session!

Mommy & Me

Today you have many options for who will capture your high school senior’s portrait, the choices can be overwhelming!

You may notice that most photographers offer only digital files delivered to you via download, disc, or USB. While this works well for some photographers, I prefer to provide you with tangible products.

I have a serious passion for print mediums, so much so that it’s what I focused on in college. Instead of spending time learning web design, I delved into print media and photography. Because of this, T2S offers a variety of print products for your photos to shine.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard about digital photos just sitting on drives or discs for months or even years. Technology changes so quickly, some of the storage mediums become outdated rapidly. Getting photos on a disc may seem great, but the average laptop doesn’t have a drive to read them anymore. Files and computers can get corrupted fairly easily, and unfortunately, this means your photo memories, too. The goal at T2S is to get those memorable photos printed and into your hands and onto your walls with products that will last well past the life of your computer.

At T2S, we want you to have products that fit best with your decor. This is ART. These are also beautiful keepsakes for generations to come. The paper prints are guaranteed for at least 100 years if treated properly (for instance, displaying an image in your front window because you love it that much will also cause it to degrade and it won’t hold up nearly as long; that’s why we discourage that sort of use of our products.)

I want you to be proud of your purchase. Having new art on the wall to spruce up your home is always exciting. Your brand new memento can also serve as a main subject of conversation with friends and family when they are over to your home. I can also help you find some smaller products that fit well at your desk, or even a mini album to have with you wherever you go. Check out the Customized Art page to see what products I currently offer.

And rest assured, I bring a sample of each product type I sell to your Ordering Session so you can see them in person.

If you have any questions, or are interested in scheduling a session, please feel free to send an email or call 402-557-8600

I look forward to working with you!

For 2017, I wanted to do something a little different to amp up my photography, and so I joined a year-long photography challenge for the first time.

I chose the Dogwood 52 Week Photography Challenge because I liked the emphasis it placed on artistic exploration. It’s been fun to shake up my artistic vision in new ways. Some weeks, it is certainly a struggle to summon enough inspiration to complete the challenge … not to mention wrangling all kinds of logistical demands just to get it all done in time.

In early May, the challenge was to shoot a portrait that depicted a messy subject.

Presented with this messy challenge, I thought about how kids are really best at being messy. The clock was ticking. I called up a friend with young energetic children. Would she mind if I stopped by to photograph her kids being… well, kids? “Sure! They love to make mud pies. You think that would work?” Of course it would!

One warm summer evening, I headed over to their home in Northwest Omaha. The older sister (a seven year-old mud connoisseur) dragged out the hose and sprayed down a large pile of dirt beside the house, where they are putting in a pond. Then these two giddy little sisters started slinging mud. The water kept on flowing, and a little bit of mud turned into full-on immersion. The girls filled pots with dirt and water, and the mud pie extravaganza began. The younger sister (the muddiest three year-old I’ve ever met) embraced the mess and had the time of her life! Even my camera had some mud splatter to clean up later.

Dogwood Messy Portrait Challenge

As you browse around the T2S site, you may run across some terms that are either specific to this company or to the photography industry as a whole. Below are some of the common terms you will find on this site and what they mean.

Custom Collection: This is a combination of any products T2S photography offers for sale. You create a Custom Collection during your ordering session. By purchasing more than one item, I am able to offer you a discount on your Custom Collection. Savings are up to 40% off a la carte prices!

A La Carte: Like items on a restaurant menu, this is a popular little French expression that means "to order things individually." Prices for products ordered on my website are a la carte only. During your Ordering Session, when you put together your Custom Collection, I use a fancy Excel sheet to calculate discounted prices when you order more than one item. After that time, I only offer purchases through my website, which means buying each product at the set price with no additional savings.

Ordering Session: When you book your family or senior photos with T2S, you also book a time within a few weeks for your ordering session. This is when I bring product samples and your printed proofs to your home. Each session comes with credit towards a Custom Collection. You can start looking through the different products and figure out what sizes and textures will best fit your home. This is also a great time to select gifts for family.

Printed Proof Collection: I want you to have something to hold and display right away, which is why I include one 4x6 print of each image from your session. This also makes it easy to arrange images for custom products and keep your favorites on top while you are selecting which photos you'd like to print as enlargements. 

Online Gallery: After your ordering session, I will send you a link to your online gallery. This gallery will have all the images from your Printed Proof Collection. The online gallery is where you can download all of your images with your personal print release. 

Personal Print Release: Digital images with a print release are images you have the ability to print anywhere an unlimited amount of times. T2S photography is not responsible for any quality issues, storage, file corruption or any other problem or loss that may occur from digital files provided by T2S photography.

I pride myself on using the best labs that offer high quality, durable products that will withstand the test of time and offer the best value for the quality. Currently I order products from 5 different labs, depending on what they do best. I can rely on them to turn around products quickly so you can have your final order in 2-3 weeks.