John Lacy Photography

In the old days (I'm in my early 50's) it was enough to learn the basics in school, perhaps mentor under an expert for a while and then practice your craft doing new work, and I did that, but... Today it's all changed. The pace of technological change requires not only frequent updates to both camera and computer equipment but it also requires ongoing training and staying in touch with our changing culture. To do this I am always upgrading to the newest versions of the software I use. I build on my experience using the previous versions but also utilize online training and make time to experiment and practice using the new and improved tools. Likewise I am in touch with the culture on a technical level as well as staying up to date on what is important to people. I also tend to be an early adopter of many of these trends so I can better understand them and how they may or may not become part of the "big picture". Embracing change makes you better adapted to respond to change. There's no hiding from it so why not participate in it fully?

We don't have preset "packages" at set prices. All of our work is completely custom. The customer drives the process by describing their goals, their ideas, their experience and their preferences and taste. Once I fully understand the objective I can use my experience and creativity to offer a range of solutions. These solutions may be scaled by cost. The buyer should always make a business model for an expense to be sure it is profitable, either in the short term or in the long for that business. I offer my clients a complete written "hard" quote before beginning any project. The quote includes all work, fees, expenses, rights and any additional options. If some elements are to be determined later (additional retouching, prints or display murals, DVDs or other media) those expenses and options are always discussed at the beginning of the project. My goal is to deliver a top shelf product and in doing so present the customer with a clearly superior value.

I started shooting with serious intent while in grade school and was already published in college text books by the time I graduated from high school.

I studied Photography and Graphic Design at the School of Art at the University of Michigan. After leaving school I worked as a freelance assistant for over 100 photographers. Some of these photographers I worked for when they came to town to do a shoot for Sports Illustrated or work for Paul McCartney, others I worked for on and off for several years as they had local projects shooting for ad agencies and business owners. I worked in-house at Ford Motor Co. for 7 years ('87-'94) as both an assistant and later as a photographer working with subjects including industrial, corporate, exectutive portrature, automotive, architecture and even food photography. I currently have between 15,000 and 18,000 hours of Photoshop experience.

My clients range from businesses of all sizes to designers and ad agencies. I've worked for many publishers of books, magazine and websites. To name a few: Xerox, Ford Motor Co. Volvo, Y&R, Walbridge Aldinger, Village Press, Thrivent Habitat for Humanity, Syntel, Stay Bridge Suites, Smith Barney, Merrill Lynch, General Motors, Soaring Eagle Casinos, MGM Grand, Pulte Homes, PowderCote II, Quiznos, Kirco, Jones Lang LaSalle, John Mansville, Infor, Guardian Glass, GKN, Ernst Young, Alps Automotive, Budco, Barton Mallow, Atlas Copco. These business range from Construction to manufacturing. From Services and hospitality to publishing and marketing. I've personally worked with many top executives of Fortune 500 companies and met a few celebrities along the way including Paul McCartney, Michael Andretti (race driver) and Chauncey Billsups (basketball). The vast majority of my customers are small business owners or art directors trying to build something to manifest their vision. I am honored to be a part of that process whenever possible.

Don't settle for the lowest cost provider because to offer a low end price means they lack both the equipment and the experience to deliver true value. While you may not want or be able to afford the most expensive you'll generally find closer, competitive pricing at the higher end than the lower end of the range. Review a wide body of their work including examples from recent, actual jobs as many providers will only show you the very best of their work which may not represent a typical experience. It can be difficult to judge a professional by the equipment they use, but you can ask them to give you an outline of the process they will employ. If they are hesitant to do this then they may not have a process. You may also ask them for details of their liability insurance as only real pros carry full insurance (in excess of $1M) and this is a quick way to filter out the wanna-bees and the financially distressed (your photos disappear when they go out of business).

Professional Photography is completely unregulated. Standards are established only by each photographer. Affiliations & awards mean little to nothing in this business. You need to learn as much as possible before trusting that someone who represents themselves as a professional truly is. It's absolutely acceptable to ask for a few referrals. Ask for contact info for a few recent customers and ask them about working with the photographer, how they found them and if their expectations were met (or exceeded)? See my feedbacks here on my profile for examples. Before talking with photographers you should have an idea of why you need photos and what the objectives of those photos are. Do they need to be of the highest quality because they will prominently feature your products and services? Develop a shot list so the photographer can estimate the time required to setup and shoot everything you need as well as prepare the files for your use. Don't assume how long a shoot may take - many times a client will think "this will only take an hour" which may be true, but also may not account for prep and setup of both the photographer's equipment, but also the subjects, any issues or delays that may arise in process (you don't want to start making compromises because of an unforeseen delay), time to review the results while changes can still be made (decision makers should make themselves available as needed), etc. Once the project is fully described ask the photographer "how long do you think that should take" and that can open a discussion as to what you can do to best prepare for the shoot and possibly reduce that time for greater efficiency and better results. Questions you should ask during an initial interview of a photographer include: How long you've been in business as a full time photographer? Do you have liability insurance? How would you approach my project - to open a discussion on your expectations and specific needs. How will my files be delivered? What are my rights as far as using the photos, any restrictions or additional costs? Can I get different types of files for different applications (website, print ads, etc.)? Can I get high quality displays/murals as well as affordable smaller prints? Do you do retouching, is that extra? Can I retouch these photos myself? What if I need copies of these photos or additional retouching down the road? Can I get a written quote in advance. What if some of my details/needs change? What if I'm not happy with the photos? These are all valid questions you should ask. With answers to those questions you should have a pretty good idea who will fit your project best.