Name: Lauren Clark

Studio: Lauren Clark Photography

How long have you been a photographer?
5 years

Camera that you use:
Canon 5Ds

Your favorite photography website:
http://www.wrecklessphotography.com/

What advice would you give to the first time buyers of Forbeyon albums?
Buy a big one!! My favorite is the 14x11 album.

How would you describe the product you received from Forbeyon?
Perfect.

How do Forbeyon albums compare to others you've seen or used?
Much, much better! The leather quality is better, the different options with cameos are better and their print to bind is just as it looks on your screen!

What inspired you to use Forbeyon?
Kelly Moore's sample album at Love Affair Workshop.

How did you learn about Forbeyon?
Doug Box's mini seminar in Lubbock a few years ago

What do you do during the wedding downtime'?
Drink water and eat a granola bar!

What is your most embarrassing wedding moment?
When a DJ, who we had worked with once before out of town, announced us during the reception and said: “Give it up for Lauren Clark Photography, she's always sitting down!” I could have died!

Forbeyon is cool because:
When I first heard about Forbeyon, I thought it was such a great idea for you to send them your pictures and they would just put everything together for you. Since I first heard about them 3 years ago I've followed their ads and browsed their website. It wasn't until we were all showing our products and albums at the Love Affair Workshop that I saw Kelly Moore's sample albums that Forbeyon had made for her. They were gorgeous, and she just raved and raved about them. When I got home, one of the first things I did was put together an engagement book and had them print it. I was in LOVE! I will definitely be recommending them to all of the photographers who ask!

Check Out the style we love at Forbeyon! Which one is Erik Clausen from Poser

photo courtesy my lovely wife Destiny :)

1. How would you define your photography style?
I’m not sure. I’m not even sure what all of the "styles" mean to be honest with you. Photojournalist, traditional, fashion, etc. In all honesty, I just find what I think looks good, or wait for the right moment and take a picture. I don’t know what you call it :). I like to think that my style is always evolving.

2. How did you find your photography style?

By being me. The more comfortable in WHO I am, the more vulnerable I can be in front of couples, thus welcoming them to do the same. And if the clients are vulnerable, then I can capture what is uniquely them.

3. What gives you the strength and drive when business is running slow?
GOD. tomorrow isn’t promised to any one of us. All I have is the present moment. Yesterday is gone, so I give it to Him. Tomorrow is not here yet and there’s no guarantee I’ll be there, so He can have that. All I can do is be the best me I can be for right now because it’s all I’ve got. Whether business is slow, or busy, today is the greatest day I have and the only chance to make a difference.

4. What advice will you give to someone who has just started their photography business and it seems that it’s not going well as plan?
See the answer to question two. Be yourself. Don’t shoot what you think the client wants to see. Shoot what turns you on (I don’t mean that literally, unless you are doing boudoir ;)). Show images on your site that YOU love. Only show what you want to shoot. You will attract the kind of clients that want the same thing. Bottom line is this, "don’t ask the world what it needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive, because what the world needs is more people who have come alive." - John Elbridge. If you do what you love, you will be successful and happy. You might even make a few dollars at the same time :)

Here below you will see Poser's style with Forbeyon Design Services. For more information on Design Service please contact your Forbeyon representative. 

Name:  Rego

Studio:  Visual Arts

How did you get to your current place in photography:

I got my first camera when I was 5 years old. A Russian Plastic camera (Diana or so). At 9 I used to print my black and whites at home and by 13 I upgraded to color. Between 1979 and 1998, I worked and studied in many countries, mainly in Germany , but also in Russia and Italy. In the ‘80s, I started shooting for local magazines and advertising agencies to pay for college. After graduation in 1989 I started my own business and opened my 1st studio. Later on I moved to Paris and worked there for 5 years before I moved to US in ‘98. Currently aside from local weddings, commercial and portrait jobs, I freelance for some international image agencies including Getty and Wireimage and some magazines like World Tribune, etc.

Camera that you use:

I use a variety of cameras for different jobs. They range from Minox to 4x5 and anything in between. (Yes, I shoot film too). I also rent HD videos and digital backs for commercial work and my artistic projects. My standard camera is, however, a Canon EOS 1D-Mark II.

Your favorite lens:

It changes as fast as Texas weather. Canon 70-200/f2.8 I.S. is the one I use for almost any commercial or portrait assignment.

Your advice to photographers:

Capture the image right first time in the camera. Life is too valuable and too short to be spend behind the computer to fix the images.

Your favorite photography website:

There are many excellent photographers out there whose work I admire. In my (subjective) opinion the proper lighting is the most important factor of creating a good image. Lighting should elevate the composition to the next level. I love Scott Rea’s underwater photography for his very timeless, unique and complex approach. His underwater photographs are stunning. As if they were from another galaxy. http://www.scottrhea.com/ . I also love Troy Plota for his very dynamic compositions and for his über-fantastic lighting. http://troyplota.com/

What advice would you give to the first time buyers of Forbeyon albums?

“Give up the control”. As long as you have properly exposed images and a clear idea of what you want, the rest is easy. Just leave it up to Forbeyon designers. They will design your album for you and you can save a lot of time, money and heartache. I believe the photographer’s goal should be working behind the camera and not behind the computer.

How would you describe the product you receive from Forbeyon?

It exceeds my expectations every time and I get a lot of compliments from my customers. These albums promote me over time and in effect expend my client base. What I highly appreciate is their level of flexibility and readiness for adapting to new ideas. On top of that they are very fast and their customer service is the best I have ever experienced.

How do Forbeyon albums compare to others you've seen or used?

The quality and design of the albums are as good as or even better than many album companies I have had used in the past. What distinguishes Forbeyon from the rest is their excellent customer service and creative design.

How did you learn about Forbeyon?

I believe it was through word of mouth. I learned about Forbeyon through a good photographer friend of mine.

If you could create your ultimate album, what would it look like?

It would be a combination of brushed canvas on some pages and textured metallic paper on some other depending on the image.

As a photographer, what is your most important objective when shooting?

To exceed my client’s expectation.

How do you prepare for your wedding events?

Check my gear several times. Meditate, and visualize the ceremony and reception from beginning to end.

What is your most embarrassing wedding moment?

I mixed up the groom with the father of bride.

Name: Stacy Reeves

Studio: Stacy Reeves Photography Photography (www.stacyreeves.com)

How long have you been a photographer: shooting for 5 years, full-time for 2 years

Camera that you use: Canon 5D - you would have to pry mine from my cold dead hands to get it from me!

Your favorite lens: That's like asking a mother who her favorite child is! I love the Canon 100mm 2.8 USM Macro for details, the 85mm 1.2L for portraits, and the 16-35mm 2.8L for all-around usage.

Your favorite photography website: www.flickr.com - There is so much undiscovered talent on there, and I love the ability to "Favorite" a photo so I can go back and be reinspired again and again.

My approach to photography: I truly feel that everyone deserves to feel like a model at some point in their life. My business is as much about the process of taking photos as it is about the photos themselves. When they look back at their photos, I don't want them to think, "Man that pose was so uncomfortable and awkward," I want them to think, "Wow we had so much fun that day!" I have had clients come back to do two, three, even four couples sessions with me in the span of a year - not because they needed any more photos, just because they realize that they actually enjoy having their photo taken. I love knowing that I can make someone feel that good about themselves!

What advice would you give to the first time buyers of Forbeyon albums?

I know that a lot of photographers, especially new ones, tend to get small sample books at first because they just want to "test the waters." However, you will sell what you show, so if you present your clients with huge, luxurious albums with all the upgrades, then that is what your clients will want to buy. Virtually all of our sample books have the nicest leathers, custom metal cameos, text embossing, and 50-60 pages of images. It really impresses our clients, and it creates a super high standard of excellence that they then compare to other photographers they meet with.

How would you describe the product you receive from Forbeyon?

Expensive-looking. We charge around $2,500 for a basic book and more than $4,500 for a fully-upgraded book, so to justify that cost, we have to offer an album line that is not only high-quality, but extremely luxurious and impressive to hold. If our clients are going to pay us that much, we have to provide them with a book that is amazing in every way. The weight of the books, the smoothness of the leather, the thickness of the pages, the quality of the printing... All of these things create a product we are really confident in.

How do Forbeyon albums compare to others you've seen or used?

What inspired you to use Forbeyon?

For awhile, we offered several different album lines and gave our clients the choice of which book they preferred. We began to notice that the clients were choosing the Forbeyon books over and over again. That, coupled with the amazing service we received from the Forbeyon staff and the convenience of having the Forbeyon offices right down the road, made it a no-brainer. Now we use Forbeyon exclusively for our wedding albums.

How did you learn about Forbeyon?

I began using Forbeyon after a colleague suggested them to me, as well as their presence at the Dallas Professional Photographers of America meetings. Now I tell everyone I know about them!!

If you could create your ultimate album, what would it look like?

I am nuts for the Pearl leather cover with the silver metallic leather stripe. I am a hopeless romantic, and for me, it is just the epitome of wedding elegance. The brides love it! Even though we only currently offer square albums, I love the new 20x8 album option.. I think that is really going to stand out to our clients! As for the content.. Well.. I think a vacation on the Italian coast would make a great album ;)

As a photographer, what is your most important objective when shooting?

Creating art. Any Uncle Bob with a camera can stand at eye level and take a basic auto-exposure flash photo. The reason my clients pick me is because I can create something that they don't normally see with other photographers. In the span of a two-minute First Dance, I can create 15+ photos that all have vastly different angles, lighting, background, exposures, expressions, and composition, all of which are wedding-album-worthy. I work really hard to create something unique, dramatic, and romantic that that couple will be proud to hang on their wall.

How do prepare for your wedding events?

I really love to look through couture fashion and bridal magazines and tear out poses that inspire me. I have a huge journal with magazine tearsheets and stick figure poses, and before each wedding I go through and pick out 3-4 poses that work well with that wedding's particulars (time of day, location, size of wedding party, shape of wedding gown, etc.) and I commit them to memory so I can use them later that day. Sometimes I will show the bride a pose I want her to emulate, and she will say, "There is no way I can pull that off!" but once she sees the finished photo, she is amazed at how glamorous and beautiful she looks. I think every female deserves to feel like a supermodel at least once in her life!

What do you do during the "wedding downtime"? What downtime? You guys get downtime?!? ;)

On the rare occasion that I can't think of a single thing to photograph, I try to blend in with the wedding guests and do what they are doing. Sometimes I will help a bridesmaid with her shoes, or play with the flowergirl, or go out and dance like a wild woman on the dance floor (especially when the DJ plays "Living On a Prayer"). My hope is that by acting like just another guest, that's how they will see me, so they will feel more comfortable around me when I am taking their photo. I find that I do much better work when I can have fun and be myself with the person I am photographing. If I know that I will have a lot of downtime during the reception (such as a seated dinner or a four-hour block of dancing time), I will put together a Same Day slideshow of some of the images I took earlier that day and play it on a screen near the dance floor. That gets everyone talking about me all night long!

I spent a lot of time comparing album companies when I started my business, especially in terms of cost and profit potential. Honestly, it wasn't even a contest.. Forbeyon won on virtually every factor I could think up. Their books look the nicest, their customer service is unbelievably great, their turnaround time is pretty tough to beat for the quality, and the cost to me - especially for sample books - is less than what I would pay elsewhere for a book that isn't nearly as nice. I love that because not only does it keep more of my profit in my pockets, but it also means I can buy a lot more sample books for coordinators and venues, which means more business for me. Coordinators flip out when I bring them a big, beautiful Forbeyon album of their work - that is far more profitable to us than any magazine ad or bridal show!