Matt Beard Photography Inc.
About
I'm a professional freelance photographer/director based in Los Angeles.
I have over 25 years of experience in photography and retouching, as well as video production.
My extensive experience in commercial photography includes family and individual portraits, corporate headshots, product, food & beverage, fashion (on and off-figure), beauty (on model and still-life, lifestyle branding, e-commerce, industrial, pharmaceutical, documentary, interior & exterior, weddings & bridal, and more.
I'm very familiar with working both in studio and on location, and I'm comfortable using all types of lighting (strobe, continuous, and available/natural light).
My work and clients can be seen on my websites at www.mattbeard.com and www.blkXsgr.com
I am available for travel as well.
:-)
Matt
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
The typical process for working with new clients is easy.
A client will usually contact myself or my agent with the type of project they want to do, and (sometimes) with a budget that they need to work within.
We will set up a zoom meeting or phone call with the key people involved in the decision making process (i.e. Art Producers, Art Directors, Creative Directors, Photo Shoot Producers or the Clients themselves), and we will go over the project in more detail, to get a better idea of the scope of the project.
Sometimes it's as easy as shooting a simple event or portraits...and sometimes it's a much more complex advertising campaign with many moving parts, and dozens of people involved in the process.
Once we have a better idea of the project, we either put together a "Treatment" to present to the client for approval, or we go straight into creating an estimate or bid based on the information we have available.
As soon as the project budget is approved, we go into production and shooting.
When the project is finally wrapped, we provide the client with the selected images in the cleint's requested form of media (i.e. Hard Drive transfer, Prints, Web Gallery, online, FTP Uploads, etc...)
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have over 20 years of experience specializing in freelance photography and retouching, as well as video production.
I work with a variety of different still and video camera systems; specializing in studio and location shoots, as well as live-action and documentary photography.
I have extensive experience in commercial photography including celebrity, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, e-commerce, industrial, pharmaceutical, documentary, interior & exterior, portraiture, bridal, live-action, product, and food & beverage photography.
I'm very familiar with working both in studio and on location, and I am comfortable using all types of lighting (studio strobe & continuous source), professional camera equipment, and digital capture setups.
I've photographed, filmed, retouched and edited campaigns for many major corporate brands and independent clients over the years.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your services? If so, please share the details here.
My photography labor and creative fee rates begin at $2,500 per day, based on a 10 hour day.
Usage fees (depending on the project), as well as any extras (equipment, crew, flights, travel expenses, meals, retouching, etc...) are all extra expenses, and will be estimated accordingly before any work begins.
How did you get started in this business?
It's a long story and I'd be happy to tell you in person when we connect.
What types of customers have you worked with?
I've worked with an incredibly wde variety of clients and subjects over the years.
I mostly specialize in commercial photography including celebrity, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, e-commerce, industrial, pharmaceutical, documentary, interior & exterior, portraiture, bridal, live-action, product, and food & beverage photography.
I was one of the photographers at Kobe Bryant's wedding, and I've also traveled into the arctic circle for shoots. Every shoot brings a new adventure.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I recently volunteered (a week before the shutdowns) to photograph my son's robotics team competition, as they were competing for the LA regional championships, and then on to the world championships in Houston, TX.
I ended up volunteering for the entire FRC Event (First Robotics Competition) and photographed all 3 days of events.
It was amazing to see the cooperation of the all the kids (and adults), and the true spirit of healthy and fun competition.
I was aslo able to photograph the real BB8 driod (which was even more amazing in real life), as the event was sponsored heavily by Disney and Star Wars.
What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a pro in your area of expertise?
Don't be afraid to reach out and contact me. I am happy to talk with you, and I will do my best to help you figure out how to get the most for your budget.
What questions should customers think through before talking to pros about their needs?
1. What is the project goal, how will the images finally be used and delivered to you?
2. Are you planning to license the image rights (standard), or own the image rights (work for hire / buyout)...and are you prepared for the sticker-shock involved with a buyout?
3. Aside from the photographer, do you have enough budget for all of the possible things involved in the shoot? (i.e. models, studio rental, equipment rental, assistants, lighting, digital techs, usage fees, retouching, meals, travel, insurance, weather delays, etc...)
4. Is there a timeline or deadline for the shoot to happen?
5. Will the shoot be done in a Covid-Safe manner?
6. Do you have samples of work, ideas or layouts you can share with the photographer to give them an idea of the project?