Can Church Directories be creative?

We've been given the chance to do the photography and produce the new photo directory for our church, St. Juliana's in Fullerton. I'm so excited to take on this job! Every time I've gone through the experience of being photographed for our past church directories it was an excruciating process. I spent a lot of time shopping for the clothes, getting the girls' hair done, getting everyone there on time, only to be kept waiting with restless children and a restless husband. And then we had to go through a high pressure sales presentation with the restless girls and restless husband. The process was impersonal, rushed, with boring backgrounds & stiff posing. As a photographer specializing in families, I could understand how difficult the process would be for any photographer to try to photograph 500 families in 2 weeks. But there had to be a better way.

This time around, we bid on the job with the idea in mind that as a local photographer we can take the time to create beautiful family portraits by spreading out the photo sessions over a period of months, not weeks. A traveling photographer can't do that. Their schedule only allows for so many days for any given group. We're offering 4 different sessions to choose from, so that the directory will be visually interesting. We'll still offer the free session at the church, with a studio style backdrop, on assigned days with appointment sign ups at church. But we're also offering 3 upgrades for those who want a more personal experience for a family portrait.

A custom studio session will allow a calmer, more personal session in our Anaheim studio. A variety of backgrounds are available, the better to complement your clothing choice. A longer session without a line of people waiting and watching is a definite advantage.

A Park session is always a popular choice for families who like a more natural, less formal look for their portrait. We'll schedule certain days when we'll be at Acacia Park across from church.

A Home session is the ultimate custom portrait. We'll consult with you on the best location, time of day for best lighting, what to wear, and other details in planning your portrait. This is a favorite for families looking for a display portrait to hang in their home.

For information on prices for the upgrade sessions and portrait packages, call or email the studio. Whether you go with the basic or a custom session, you'll have a Reinbold Gallery portrait at church directory savings.