Faces, Places and Things, LLC was formed as a company when my return to photography migrated from a hobby into something more. It first became clear that I needed to be more formal and create the business when friends and business acquaintances’ started to both inquire about images and purchase them. This along with my first gallery hanging in downtown necessitated the creation of the company. At its very essence, FPT is a hobby for me. It’s a release and a journey back to my creative side. It affords me the means of artistic expression in a medium I have known for years and enjoyed thoroughly.

My approach to the company is unusual in the fact that this is not my full time job. Regardless of the financial gains and the formality of the business, I still look at this as a hobby and something I do because I love doing it. Not as a means to an end. This approach allows me to be fresh, expressive and experiment with both fine art and model or portrait work. This approach allows me to avoid marketing, and the hustle and bustle associated with trying to build a client base. I work on referrals and the reputation of my work alone.

In a session with me, my customers will never get a sales pitch. We brainstorm, we discuss ideas and try and come up with images that will be unique and new, something different. For customers that seek fine art images, my only discussion is around presentation and the concept behind the images creation. On occasion I will offer input on presentation or color for matt board and framing but the size of the image or quantity is left to my customer.

I have been asked, “If you don’t talk business then how do you make money?” The answer is really quite simple. I am going to take pictures regardless of the money because I enjoy it. If I can sell some images or book some model or portrait sessions along the way then that’s great. Either way, my goal is to have fun. When it comes to the images, sizes and packages and my rates for a session are set. I don’t haggle or negotiate. Since most of my work is in the fine art side of Photography, I generally don’t have to deal with packages or rates. But when models or customers want me to do work for them I have a series of rates for the services I offer. All my customers have to do is purchase what they want from the online store. No haggling, no pressure. I focus on keeping it simple and enjoying the process of creating the image. That’s my approach.

Specific to models, I do accept Time For Print (TFP/CD) work if I have a personal project that requires a model. Generally I initiate those discussions. However, if you have a great idea or a concept that’s new and creative, send me a note and let’s discuss it. I am always open to hearing ideas for new shots.