How can I get a pageant photo

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GO PROFESSIONAL
These are a list of pageant photographers ranging greatly in price and quality. Most of these photographers have their own retouching service. If you plan on saving money by using your own retoucher make sure you inquire about that to the photographer before hand to make sure its ok with them. While some will allow it some will not so be aware of this before you get started.
PRICES AS OF JAN 24th 2004
Billy the kid - Do Not trust him "RIP OFF ARTIST" Read about him here
Kapture Kashey Pageant photography - 2 looks for $300
Jennifer Peninger - 2 Looks/2 rolls - In Studio $350 Additional looks - B&W or Color $ 150
Jim Bentley Photography - $250 for two rolls two looks, $300 for 3 rolls 3 looks
Troy and Michel -
Toni Overby - $310 for 2 Color Looks or $285 for 2 B&W Looks
John Bonfanti - $360 for 2 looks with H/M, $200 for 2 Looks if you provide your own H/M person
Royal Images by Glenda - 2 Looks for $300!!
Dona Major - In Studio - $200.00 2 looks, Additional Looks - $75.00
Donna Mallard Photography - 2 looks still only $295
Todd Glover -
JTB Photography - 2 looks for $400
LPJ photography - In Studio Price Only 1 Roll $150.00 - Includes Proofsheet
Dazzling Dolls -
Shining Stars Photography - $300 FOR 2 LOOKS COVERS PROOFS & H/M & 1 RETOUCHED PRINT
David Parker Photography -
AL-BJ IMAGES -
Catherine Fiehn Photography -
Furlows Photography - 3-Looks $275 Hair & Make-up Included
At the Peak Photography - In-home studio sitting fee: $50 includes 2 looks (2 changes of clothing)
A & C Digital Dolls -
Photo's By Ginger - 4 Looks, H&M by Miss Alisha 1 retouched & 1 natural print included $400.00
HOLLYWOOD FACES Photography - $100 for 3 looks Local $25 each additional look
Clasic Images Photography -
Paper Dolls Photography- 2 looks $250
KELLEY'S PHOTOGRAPHY - $300 for 3 looks
Beyond Photography- Studio Prices $250.00 per 2 looks $75 each add. look
Abbey of London -
Rhonda Akram Photography -
Scott Prince - 2 look's including hair & make-up: ONLY $250.00 STUDIO ONLY
Howard Robinson-
Olivia Paige Photography - 2 Looks for $550, This includes Hair and Make-Up
Clayton's Cuties - $300 for 2 looks
K and K Photography - 3 looks only $295
Photos by Becky & Daphne -
Khristy Kitts Photography - $350.00 for 3 looks
Stepping Stones-
Bud Moffet Photography -
Portfolio Palace by Dondra - $50.00 roll color or B&W 15.00 extra roll call for appointment 770-646-5344
Bonnie Rebholz Photography -
Sandy Lents Photography -
Ginger Snaps Photography -
LaBelle Fille -
Simon Photography - $200 for 2 hours unlimited looks or $50 per look
Royalty Treasures - $100 per look in studio with hair and makeup
Karen Sonnier Photography -(337) 332-8569
HG Photography - $25 per look and $25 for retouching. You recieve all rights to your photos

THE CHEAP WAY OUT
You can always look and ask around to find an amateur photographer with a professional camera who is willing to do some test shots. It's cheep or even sometimes free for you and good practice for them. They may need more shots to fill their portfolio.

One good place to look for an amateur photographer is at a college that teaches photography. If you don't want to ask the teacher or the students you can post a message offering yourself as a test model. Just make sure you tell them during the shoot what your looking to achieve. Maybe even print off some ideas so he can get a look at the angle, pose or technique you want.

Shop around to find the perfect combination of outfits and accessories. Don't spare expense here, its important. Look at what's winning out there, especially in your child's age group, to get an idea of what works and what doesn't'. See what shot angles work best and what hair styles are popular as well as age appropriateness. Pic colors that work best for your child's skin tones and hair color. The fabric shop is a great place to find things to use. You want to buy at least 1.5 yards each of fabric pieces to use as a backgrounds. Make sure the backgrounds will complement but won't overpower the subject.

Do her hair and makeup. If you don't know how, go to a beauty salon and have it done. You can always get a free makeup application from Belks with appointment. Make sure no roots are showing. and DON'T overdo makeup. Makeup can be digitally added to perfection but its easier to add than remove.

Take lots of pictures so you can have lots to choose from. Your local super walmart will put large files on cd for you in 1hr, then you can email them to a retoucher. BUT don't forget to let the photographer know you'll be having them retouched and get his/her permission before you even start.

DO IT YOURSELF
1st, be aware, You need a professional camera and use good film. No amount of retouching is going to make a Polaroid look like a professional pageant shot. That's going to cost you at least $300 and if you get a good zoom lens add another $200 at the very least. The following example will allow you to get a closer look at the quality different types of cameras will produce. With a digital camera you really don't want to go any lower than 4 megapixels.

One other way you can reduce film grain with a film based camera is to buy better film. 100 ISO will give you the least amount of noise where as 3200 ISO will give you the most.

For more information on cameras or to buy a camera and or attachments go here RITZ CAMERA. If you find the camera you want but don't like the price go to Price Scan to find the cheapest price out there.

2nd, buy some lighting. You need at least 3. One for each side and on for background lighting. If you don't have the money to spend on professional lighting go to walmart and buy drop lighting. They look like this: Silver bowls with lightbulbs in the middle, a clamp on the bottom with a drop cord running out. They cost about $5 each and work great for lighting although they throw off allot of heat so the subject may get cranky if sitting for a long time. GE soft white bulbs are good to use and cut down on the yellow cast. You can face them directly at the subject but it doesn't give you great results. If you use them with umbrellas make sure you remove the bowls so as not to create a shadow.

3rd, Buy two small cheap black umbrellas and spray paint the insides of them silver. White umbrellas work great if you can find some. Clamp the lights onto the handles of the umbrellas and face lights toward the silver inside so that the light bounces off the umbrella and hits the subject. Set the umbrellas on stands to the forward right and left of the subject. Drape material against the wall to your liking "pushpins work great if you don't mind scaring your wall". Place third light in front of the material facing up at it so that the light is hitting the background in the center at an upward angle. Place subject in front of the lighted background. Look through camera so that subject is in center. Adjust camera angle and lighting as needed. If you see any shadow being cast adjust lights until they are gone. Take a few test shots with a doll so that you can make sure your getting the look you want before putting your child in. They don't like to sit in front of a camera too long.

4th, Take lots of shots in lots of angles with lots of expressions. Your bound to get at least one good one out of the bunch. Take your film to super walmart. They can put your high res pictures on a cd for $5 in about an hour. I say super walmart because some don't give you high res on disk and they're the only ones I'm sure do. Don't just get them developed and scan them in. If you have the store scan them from the negatives to put on disk you end up with a better quality image than if you scan in a photograph.

5th, Don't get discouraged and if your really serious. Go take a class especially in lighting. If you don't get it right the 1st time try try again. GOOD LUCK!