http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm Matt Nicolosi Photographic Journal en-us http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=439&dallas-newborn-photographer http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=439&dallas-newborn-photographer Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:55:00 GMT a family session with them last October, but since then there has been a +1 addition to the family unit. Little Emily Madison had a few tough weeks to get through after she was born, but she put up a good fight and is now well on her way to being a happy, healthy baby.Mom Cathy and dad Greg came in today to view their images, so I'm stoked to be able to share a few of them on the blog now.

Ornery, right? She works for the camera on her own terms and lets you know when she's ready to try something else.

Dad Greg doesn't stand a chance with those eyes.

While Emily was on break, I spent a little time with big sister Caitlyn and big brother Josh. I photograph a lot of families, and on more than a few occasions the siblings can sometimes, shall we say, barely tolerate each other. Not the case with these two. When Kylie and I got to the house, they were playing together and all smiles. When we left almost 2 hours later, they were playing together and all smiles. So much fun together.

Heads up, ladies... future GQ man in the making.

This last one was my favorite of the session. Little Emily was lettin' out a giant-size yawn and Caitlyn & Josh got a more giant-sizer kick out of it. Fantastical.

This last one was my favorite of the session. Little Emily was lettin' out a giant-size yawn and Caitlyn & Josh got a more giant-sizer kick out of it. Fantastical.

]]> http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=438&dallas-editorial-photographer http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=438&dallas-editorial-photographer Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:59:00 GMT

Finally, some agua from above. The monthly water bill has been begging for a reprieve, and if we don't get a little more rain, I may sneak over to the neighbor's house in teh wee hours of the morning and hook our soaker houses and sprinklers up their outdoor water spickets.

]]> http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=437&dallas-photographer http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=437&dallas-photographer Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:35:00 GMT

I took a picture of some grass in the front yard tonight because, well, looking at this blog for the last couple weeks has been a lot like watching grass grow. Not a lot happening. Each year summer is one of my down times where I don't schedule photography sessions because, let's face it... 103 degrees and smiley, happy clients just don't go together. Or maybe it's that 103 degrees and me don't go together. Either way, I've been enjoying my R&R in the AC... maybe a little too much.

As much as I love being connected with technology - so much so that I'm contemplating whether I have an addiction - the last few weeks have been a little less stressful and I've actually felt refreshed and enjoying the actual face to face time with Kylie and friends. Imagine... spending time with real people. Crazy, I know. And for a few days, I've been reminded what life was like before photography and before I was brain washed into believing that I had to be blogging, facebooking, flickr'ing, RSS'ing, photography foruming, tweeting, or just plain internet'ing every 5 minutes or I'd be missing out on something. And on more than one occasion, I've been tempted to go back to that life. But alas, the fstops have been calling my name, and I'm excited about the upcoming busy fall client season. I've made a few behind-the-scenes changes, though, that will hopefully help me take on more clients but get more of my life back in the normally-crazy next few months leading up to the holidays.

I've got a couple sessions to post after clients come in to view the images first, so in the mean time here's a bit of randomeness from the last couple weeks.

On the automotive front, we finally decided it was time to trade in Sophie, Kylie's 1998 Saturn SC1, for a new set of wheels. Searching for a replacement ride was a bit of an 'adventure' with Kylie and I. She's more into the practical side of cars and as long as it gets her from point A to point B and gets reasonable gas mileage, she's good. Me? If I'm going to be going from point A to point B a lot, I want to enjoy the ride. And while reliability and practicality are also on my list, they're a little further down below the really important things... you know, like the sound of the doors closing, the feel of the turn signal knob, the sound of the horn, the look of the dashboard, etc. And for the love of Pete, the car has to have an arm rest in-between the driver and front passenger seats. Sophie didn't have this, and I can't even count how many times Kylie just rolled her eyes at me every time I completely dramatized the re-enactment of me demonstrating to her how I nearly fell into the passenger seat every time I drove her car because couldn't put my right elbow on an arm rest.

But while I admit I appreciate good design and am willing to pay a little more for it, I'm not willing to go into debt for it. So, we bought another '07 car, this time an Infiniti G35... and I'm loving it. After a LOT of looking around and doing some homework, we traded this...

for this...

Mayb the most amazing part about the whole process is that after we finally bought the G35 on Thursday, I listed Sophie for sale on Craig's List around 11:30am Saturday, and by 3:30pm that same day we had sold the car and had cash in hand. That still blows my mind. 4 hours! Thank you Craig, whoever and wherever you are.

And on other random fronts, I went to the dentist last December and had some medical Flexible Spending Account money l had to use before the end of the year or I lost it. So, I went to my dentist and told her I needed a bite guard because I was concerned about grinding my teeth. Long story short, I called and went in on December 30th and told her I was in a rush to get this before the end of the year, so I paid for it that day but didn't bother going in to pick it up until April of this year. And after using it for about a whole 5 days, Mia got ahold of it and decided to us it as a $400 chew toy. End of bite guard. It wasn't a total loss, though... I still have my wicked cool molds that I can put out as decorations to greet guests with a smile. Although... it looks a little disturbing and kinda like I have 3 week old Fruity Pebble bits stuck in my gums. Zoinks. Oh well, cheeeeeeeeeese!

]]> http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=436&murphy-baby-photographer http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=436&murphy-baby-photographer Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:41:00 GMT

]]> http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=435&dallas-family-photographer http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=435&dallas-family-photographer Sun, 08 Aug 2010 21:49:00 GMT
Really I was just hanging out in the kitchen yesterday makin' myself a smoothie when the perfect trifecta serendipitously melded into a single, glorious object of awesomenicity right in front of my eyes... that's when I knew there was no better time to start this new segment. I mean, c'mon, a 3-for-1 in the first episode? Seriously? It was meant to be.

And so, in this inaugural Things I Think Rock post, I give you Ohio State, smoothies, and Tervis Tumblers. It's a lot to take in, I know. Take a second to wrap your head around those 3 crazy three things. There you go. Are we ready to move on with the rest of this post now? Good.

The first thing on my list today is Ohio State. I won't take much time to cover this because anyone that's been following the blog for very long knows I think Ohio State is the 9th Wonder of the World. There's a lot of worthy competitors battling it out for the 8th spot, so I skipped that one altogether and went for the 9th. Genius, I know... arguably only an OSU alumni would've thought of such a strategy.

Having graduated from Ohio State, some may call me biased. To those people I say get your own Things You Think Rock segment. A Buckeye I will be until my time is up on this earth... no matter how many times we go to the college football national championship game only to get pummeled by [insert any SEC team here]. Some say that's embarassing. I say I'd rather they keep making it to the championship and losing then never making it there at all. Just ask the 1990's Buffalo Bills. Who's with me?

In all seriousness (if I can muster any), being a member of the Buckeye family is a pretty cool gig. It's amazing that I can be literally anywhere in the world (it's happened in China and Europe) and when I say "O-H!" to another stranger wearing Buckeye paraphernalia, if they're true Buckeye alumni or fans, I get an "I-O!" shout out in return. Guess I'm glad I didn't go to Mississippi State or some other univerity with a long name I can only sometimes spell. Can you imagine? "M-I-S-S-I!"... "S-S-I-P-P-I!" Ridiculous.

Next up is the smoothie. There's not a lot of things I'm good at making in the kitchen, but I make a pretty mean smoothie if I do say so myself. And there's nothing better than a sweet, fruity, mostly-good-for-you, semi-frozen smoothie treat on a hot summer day... unless I'm near that snow cone place down the street; that's pretty good, too. I digress, though. What's my recipe, you ask? Here's my favorite concoction:

1 handful frozen strawberries
1 handful frozen raspberry/blackberry/blueberry mixture
1 6oz container of raspberry pomegranate yogurt
1 half of a banana
1 cup (maybe a little more) apple juice.

Pay attention, here's the tricky part. Slap it all together in the blender, crank it on high, and in about 2 minutes you'll have heaven in a cup. You can thank me later.

And finally, the 3rd spot in this segment of Things I Think Rock is occupied by the Tervis Tumbler. The next time someone asks me that pie in the sky question about "If you could have dinner with any one person in the world, dead or alive, who would you choose?", I'm not wasting my answer on the usual supspects like Abe Lincoln, Elvis Presley, Michael Jordan or Fabio. I'm pushing the boundaries and choosing 2 people - Frank Cotter and G Howlett Davis, the 2 guys who invented these molded plastic miracles that keep your cold drinks colder (and no glass sweating!) and your hot drinks hotter. BTW, if you're wondering how they came up with the name "Tervis Tumbler", they combined the last 3 letters of their last names. Now go on out and claim a Trivial Pursuit pie wedge with your new piece of knowledge. Again, you can thank me later.

Kylie and i have recently started running out of room in the cupboard that holds the glasses in the kitchen as we've recently been building quite the collection of "M", "K", Colts and Buckeyes tumblers. If you ever stop by the house, especially if you're bearing gifts, we'll treat you to the Tervis experience.

]]> http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=434&dallas-family-photographer http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=434&dallas-family-photographer Sat, 07 Aug 2010 20:32:00 GMT Infinet Design over a year ago about wanting to combine my blog and my outdated website into a single site to make it easier for people to find everything they needed in one place. And to be honest, I wanted to simplify my own life by having only one sight to maintain because, let's face it, my previous site was basically orphaned for the better part of 18 months.

Fast forward a little over a year, and after all the planning, designing, redesigning (due to me changing my mind), testing and tweaking, this new site has finally been breathed to life just in time for the upcoming fall photography season. It's really gratifying when you see something you've spent so much time on finally take flight, and it's even more gratifying that I don't have to worry about getting this done anymore... or at least for another two years or so.

Many, many thanks go out to Brock and Dave for all their assistance. They took my ideas and made them magically appear on the web in spite of my constant iteration cycles and seemingly endless modifications. They are truly consumate professionals and the epitomy of customer service. They always come in ahead of due dates, and there's never been a case for me where I haven't had my questions answered the same day (or early the next day if I emailed them late at night). As busy as they are, I felt like their only customer, and I couldn't ask for more. Thanks again, gents!

So, take a look around and check out the new digs. The updated branding is more in line with the type of feel I hope reflects the work I create. There's a couple new fun bells and whistles including the image voting which feeds into a "Viewer Favorites" gallery and a dedicated "For Photographers" section I'll add more resources, tips, tutorials, and other photographer goodness to over time. And if you're a future or past client, check out the "Details" section to find answers to questions you may have or to get a better picture (pun only sort of intended) of what you can expect from a custom photography experience with me. As I continue to add information to this section, over time it will become you're one stop shop for almost anything you would want or need to know.

Welcome to the new site. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you visit often for the latest in what's new!

BTW, I know every post is better with a photo, but an image of the new site seemed, well, redundant, since you're already here.



]]> http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=433&photography-editing http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=433&photography-editing Sat, 07 Aug 2010 18:25:00 GMT
Regarding the first question, some photographers feel that clients can't envision what an image could be unless you show it to them fully-edited while others will say that any editing you do to an image before a client sees it is purely speculative and a potential misuse of valuable time if they don't order it. I used to swear by the first school of thought, but earlier this year I found myself buying into the 2nd approach. I see the merits of both postions, though, and ultimately for me the answer lies somewhere closer to the middle. As a result, the process I've adopted that I feel yields the best results is to fully edit/retouch ~10 images before clients come in for their viewing & orderings session, and the rest of the images I show have minimal editing done to them (primarily minor exposure and white balance adjustments and cropping, if needed) to get them to a proof state.. When I show images for the first time at their appointment, I emphasize to my clients that I'm looking for their favorite images based only on expression and composition. I inform and assure them any images they select for a product they purchase will be fully retouched, and I refer to the sample images on the wall in my gallery room as well as the ~10 fully-edited images I've created from their session as examples.

Admittedly this works really well for repeat clients as they are familar with my work and I've already built that level of trust with them, but even most new clients are savvy enough to envision what their final images will look like when they can see a few examples.

About the 2nd question regarding how many images to show, I'll raise my hand and admit that I used to be a card-carrying member "the-more-images-I-show-the-happier-my-clients-will-be" club. On top of that I was fully-retouching every image I showed, so it didn't take long before I was starting to experience burnout. I felt like I had to show a lot of images so that my clients would have a lot of variety to choose from and that more variety = more satisfied clients. In reality, though, more often than not I was finding the more images I showed, the more overwhelming the ordering sessions became because they had too many choices and were afraid of making the wrong ones. With the investment they were making in custom photography, it was easy for them to start worrying that they were going to have buyer's remorse with so many choices. Clients (and I) would get stressed out and mentally fatigued at their ordering session. People like simple, clear choices. This is why nearly every fast-food chain has gone to a simple number-based ordering system... it's uncomplicated with a few options to choose from. Easy.

So, all that to say I typically show approximately 25 images (~10 fully-edited) when clients come in to view their images, and I also present a few recommendations to them based on things we discussed in their pre-session consultation. It's been a win-win situation for everyone involved.

To give a frame of reference of what I'm referring to when I talk about proofs vs. fully-edited images, below are a few examples.

In this first set, the proof image is generally pretty good, but you can see a few blotchy skin areas on little Cassidy that needed to be retouched for the final image. In addition I added a little more contrast, saturation and warmth in the final edit.

In this next example, the couple was slightly underexposed in the proof, and the image in general lacked a little of the warmth and contrast I typically like my images to have. I also felt the composition of the final image was a little stronger when the image was cropped to put their shadow closer to the lower right corner.

Occasionally 2 is better than one. As a photographer, I always want to get everything just right in a single image, but sometimes it just doesn't work out (especially when younger kiddos are involved). In the images below, I loved Hayley's look and her wind-blown hair in the first image, but I liked Juston's expression better in the 2nd image. In this case I was able to swap heads in Photoshop because the images were taken at the same angle and distance and with the same lighting conditions, and I think the final retouched black & white version of the image turned out really well.

In this last eaxample, I wanted the image to have more of a fine art feel to it, but there were a couple things I needed to do first for the final image. I started by editing out the white stripes in the sweater to create a cleaner image with less distraction from the important parts of the image. Secondly, I retouched the skin a bit. To give it a more timeless feel, I converted the image to a black & white, added back some warmth, and then overlayed a couple textures to polish off the image. For this type of finish, I typically fully-edit at least one image like this to help the client see what an image looks like with this treatment since it's a bit more involved than a typical fully-edited image and a little harder to imagine.

]]> http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=432&photography-client-faqs http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=432&photography-client-faqs Sat, 07 Aug 2010 14:51:00 GMT Normal.dotm 0 0 1 67 386 Matt Nicolosi Photographic Art 3 1 474 12.0


Q: Do you offer gift certificates?

A: Absolutely! The gift of photography is one of the best things you could give a friend or loved one. I know I’m a photographer, so you’d expect me to say that, right? In all seriousness, though, what other gifts can you give that will have such a lasting impression and become more valuable over time?

Gift certificates are available in any dollar amount and can be sent in either electronic format or as a traditional card format with packaging.


Q: What’s included in the session fee and when is it due?

A: Your session fee covers your photography session, a pre-session consultation, and image preparation time after your session. This fee is due at the time you book a session, and it guarantees your date and time for your session. Unfortunately I’m not able to hold a date and time without a paid session fee.

Please note that session fees are non-refundable. However, in the event that you need to reschedule your session, they are transferrable to the new date.


Q: What’s a pre-session consultation, and why do I need one?

A: When you book a session, we will schedule a time for you to come in – generally a week or two before your session – to discuss all kinds of details including ideas for locations, clothing, things to bring, timing, the flow of the session, etc.. Most importantly this will be a time for me to get to know more about you, your expectations (if any), and what the most important things are to capture in your images.

In addition, we’ll go over all the products I offer in detail, and you can see, touch and feel all the samples in the gallery room. This is helpful for you because we can discuss ideas for where and how you might want to display the images we’re going to capture, and it’s very helpful for me because it helps me to know what images I need to photograph during your session. Win-Win!

“But what if I don’t live in town?” Not to worry; we can set-up a phone call (or use Skype) or video chat to cover the important details regarding your session. While this is not as ideal as a face-to-face meeting where you can tangibly experience first hand all the products I offer, it’s more than adequate for understanding what to expect at your upcoming session.


Q: How far in advance do I need to call to schedule a session?

A: If you’d like to commission a session, it’s best to call about a month before the time you’d like to have photography done. Spring and Autumn are my busiest times of the year, so you may need to call 2 months in advance during those seasons as they fill up fast. Having said that, I would encourage you to call anytime, even if you’re hoping to schedule a session only a few days out. Occasionally I have clients that need to reschedule, and as a result I sometimes have session times open up last minute.


Q: When do you schedule sessions?

A: For outdoor sessions, I generally like to start photographing a session about an hour before the sun goes down in order to get the best light of the day. For sessions involving younger children, I prefer to start about 90 minutes before sundown so that I have time built in to just hang out and have fun with the kiddos to let them get comfortable with me. This also gives us a little buffer time in case of an unexpected meltdown.

For indoor sessions on location, our start time is largely dependent on the type of environment the session will take place in and the available light we will have to work with.

Whether your session will be indoors or outdoors, we will discuss timing details at your pre-session consultation.


Q: How long will my session last?

A: The short answer is as long as it takes to get the images I think you’ll love. You can generally expect your session to last 60-90 minutes, sometimes a little longer for bridal sessions or sessions involving younger children. Newborn sessions can easily last 2-3 hours depending on the mood of the little one(s).


Q: What if the weather’s bad the day of our session?

A: What? Bad weather in Texas?? If weather does force us to reschedule your session, you will get the next available date/time that works for both of us. I generally keep a couple days free each month to use for just such occasions.


Q: What happens if I need to reschedule?

A: I understand that sometimes life happens, and even the best planning can’t prevent accidents or someone from getting sick. I do ask that if at all possible you provide as much notice as possible if you need to reschedule, ideally 48 hours and at least 24. I realize sometimes this is not possible, but the earlier you can let me know, the more likely I can contact someone who might be on the waiting list to take advantage of the open appointment time.

Similar to situations involving inclement weather, if you need to reschedule, you will get the next available date/time that is available for both of us.

Again, please note that session fees are non-refundable. However, in the event that you need to reschedule your session, they are transferrable to the new date.


Q: Do you travel outside of the Dallas area for sessions?

A: While I’m based in Plano, TX (north Dallas), I love to travel to new places, and I’m available to travel anywhere in the US and abroad for sessions and events. Of course, for any sessions outside the Dallas area, some travel fees apply. Please don’t hesitate to ask about travel fees to your specific location.


Q: How do I commission you for a session?

A: When you’re ready to experience custom photography and commission a session, simply fill out the “new client inquiry” form under the “CONTACT” menu, and I will get in touch with you to go over the details and schedule a date with you. Or you can also call the studio at 214-621-4264 to make an appointment. In addition, at that time we will also schedule an appointment for you to come in for a pre-session consultation before your photography session.

A non-refundable commission fee is due at the time we schedule your session in order to guarantee a date and time for you.


Q: Do you have a studio and/or do studio sessions?

A: I do all of my sessions on-location utilizing natural light in combination with artificial light from flashes and/or strobes when needed. While I’ve done some studio work in the past, more often than not I found the resulting images to be a little stiff and void of the natural expressions and authenticity I see in my clients when they are in a natural, comfortable environment.

There are lots of fantastic and diverse places to use as backdrops in the Dallas metroplex area, so whether you prefer something that’s more urban, grunge, modern, vintage or natural for your session, we can make it happen! Your home can also be a great place to create meaningful images as well, especially if you have little children as they are often most relaxed and “themselves” in a comfortable, known environment.


Q: What about clothing? What should we wear?

A: There are as many different thoughts about choosing the right clothing for your session as there are photographers. This is a stressful thing for a lot of people, but it doesn’t need to be. The good news is we will discuss clothing ideas and options in your pre-session consultation, but here’s a couple guidelines that I feel are important:

– Wear your personality. If you’re laid back and wear jeans and a t-shirt most days and that’s what you’re most comfortable in, dressing up in khakis and a button down shirt might not be the best clothing choice for your session. My goal is to capture images that tell a story of who you are, and clothing is a big part of that. 10 or 20 years from now when you look back on your images, hopefully they remind you of who you were at that time in your life, not somebody you were impersonating.

– Think of each person as a piece of a collective outfit. Try to coordinate each piece (person) so the entire outfit (the whole family, couple or group) goes together. This doesn’t mean that each person has to wear the same color and/or style. In fact, personally I feel images where everyone is wearing the same color and style is a little, well, hokey and dated. My passion is to capture you in an authentic and natural way, and let’s face it, not many families walk around on a typical day – or any day – wearing matching shirts and pants. It’s completely fine for each person to be wearing a different color (or variation of a color), different (subtle) pattern, different style and/or different texture as long as it coordinates with everyone else’s outfit. Again, not to worry, we’ll cover this in your pre-session consultation.

– When in doubt, bring options. If you’re not sure about an outfit or piece of clothing, bring it and a few other options, and we’ll take a few minutes at the beginning of your session to decide what will photograph best. On a related note, I also always encourage clients to bring anything (jerseys, hats, toys, stuffed animals, etc.) that has sentimental value or special meaning… we may or may not use everything, but it’s better to have the options and not need them.


Q: What products do you offer?

A: I am proud to offer a range of fine-crafted, superior quality products to display your images. These include (but are not limited to) wall portraits and desktop portraits in traditional and canvas finishes, wall-print collections, coffee table books, mini-albums, elegant hand-crafted albums, slideshows (DVD, web and mobile device formats), custom storyboards, image box collections, custom holiday & greeting cards/announcements, digital image files, limited custom framing, Facebook/MySpace images, etc. When you commission a session, we will cover all the product offerings in detail at your pre-session consultation.

In addition, if you have something unique in mind, I’m always looking for new ideas and options for displaying images, so don’t hesitate to ask; I’d be happy to put a customized quote together for you!


Q: Do you have a minimum purchase requirement?

A: No, I don’t believe in a minimum purchase requirement. I kind of equate it to a scenario where you’d walk into a restaurant and the host tells you they’d be glad to serve you as long as you first agree to purchase at least $100 in food. While I’m confident you will love your images, I would never expect you to commit to spending a certain dollar amount before having seen them.


Q: How long does it take to see my images after the session?

A: At the end of your photography session, I will schedule a time for you to come in about 2 weeks later for your viewing & ordering session. To help cure (or maybe fuel) your anxiousness and excitement to see your images, I will usually post a couple sneak peek images on the blog a few days before your appointment. The exception, of course, is bridal images unless you’re okay with your husband-to-be seeing you in the dress before your big day.


Q: How/when do I order prints/images?

A: I will schedule a time for you to come in to view and order your images about 2 weeks after your session. I will show you a slideshow of your images (moms – tissues are available [grin]), and I will also present to you – based on ideas we discussed in your pre-session consultation - a few recommendations for products that will show off your images in a stunning display in your home or business. There is certainly no obligation to purchase the recommendation(s), but I find it’s a helpful starting point in the sometimes-overwhelming process of deciding what to do with all your favorite images. We can also work on custom layouts in real time during your appointment.


Q: Do you post an on-line gallery for me to see the images first?

A: I don’t post on-line galleries before you come in simply because I want you to see your images and all the detail on a big screen that’s been professionally color-calibrated to make sure that they look amazing and exactly like what you’ll get in the final prints. Seeing your images for the first time in a small size that’s formatted for the web and on a monitor that may show significant variations in color from what the actual prints will look like is not an experience I want my clients to have. You and I will have invested a significant amount of time, effort and care to make sure your images are the best they can be, and that’s how I want you to see them.

In addition, I think the other benefit in doing in-person viewing & ordering appointments is that we can quickly discuss options, change out images, and refer to real samples in my gallery room to help you in making final decisions on what you’d like to order.

Occasionally I have out-of-town clients that travel to Dallas just for their photography sessions. In those cases where it’s not practical to do in-person viewing & ordering appointments, I will set-up a time to do a phone/Skype/video chat session for you to place your order.


Q: I have family members that live out of town. What if they want to order images?

A: No problem. After you’ve come in for your viewing & ordering appointment, I can create an on-line gallery for extended family & friends that may want to order images. This gallery will remain active for 1 week at which time all additional orders will be due. If all orders are not placed after that week, I can repost the gallery for an additional week at an additional fee of $75.


Q: How long do you keep/store my images?

A: Unfortunately due to the large file sizes associated with digital images today (and they’re continually growing), I'm unable to store all images indefinitely. Any images you order are archived on stored digitally for up to 6 months; those images that are not ordered are discarded after your viewing & ordering appointment. I know, I know... it’s difficult to know they get deleted, but I do offer options to purchase your digital images so that you can have them to keep.


Q: How long does it take to get my order after it’s been placed?

A: This depends on which products you order. Most items can be ready in approximately 2 weeks. Canvas gallery wraps and coffee table books generally take ~4 weeks. Legacy Series prints and custom-designed albums can take up to 6-8 weeks. Some items can be rushed for an additional fee (ask for details).


Q: Can I scan the prints I ordered and use them on my website or send copies to family & friends?

A: According to the US Copyright Act, legally this is strictly prohibited. I understand that people get excited about their images and want to share them with others, and you are more than welcome to either share any watermarked images I post on my website/blog or send a link to the website/blog that directs family & friends to the post with the images you’d like to share. Also, I’m happy to post the images to Facebook and tag them with your name so they’ll show up on your page.

According to the Professional Photographers Association of America of which I am an active member, “The Copyright Act protects photographers by giving the author (creator) of the photograph the exclusive right to copy, edit, and distribute an image by sale or transfer. These exclusive rights make it illegal to copy, scan, edit, or share photographic prints and digital media without the photographer’s permission. Violators of this Federal Law will be subject to its civil and criminal penalties. Be sure to discuss your copyright needs or questions with your photographer; reasonable requests may be accommodated.”


Q: I purchased the digital images. Are there any restrictions with what I can do with them?

A: When you purchase digital image files, you will receive a copy of the limited print reproduction release for personal printing usage. This gives you the right to print the files as often as needed and to use the images however you’d like for personal needs (scrap-booking, personal website(s), gifts for family and friends, etc.). This does not include the right to resell the images in their original or altered state, and it does not cover using the image(s) for commercial use (packaging, brochures, business website(s), advertising pieces, etc.)

As the original creator of the images, legally I will still own the original copyright to your images and – with your permission – retain the right to use the images for marketing and promotional purposes.


Q: What forms of payment do you accept?

A: Visa, Master Card, Paypal, checks and cash. Please note that if paying by check, I will begin all print order(s) after the check clears.


Q: Do you offer payment plans?

A: Yes. I understand that custom photography is an investment, so as an added convenience I am happy to offer customized payment plans that meet your needs. At the time you place your order, I will get a credit card number from you to keep on file in order to bill agreed-upon monthly installments to the card until your order has been paid in full. Once the balance has been paid, your order will be sent to production and ready for you to pick up shortly after that. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions about payment plans.

]]> http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=431&dallas-family-photographer http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=431&dallas-family-photographer Mon, 02 Aug 2010 00:03:00 GMT
Kylie's parents just left today after staying with us for the last four and a half days, and I 'm sad to see them go for a couple reasons: 1) It's just nice to relax and hang out with them because they're good peoples from the mid-West. 2) No more fresh corn on the cob straight from the Indiana stalks. 3) The indulgent snacks (home made ice crean, brownies, homemade strawberry shortcake, Klondikes, homemade cinnamon rolls, buckets of soda, etc.) suddenly become harder to justify eating when all the company leaves. 4) Mia seems a little depressed after being in K-9 heaven with the nearly 24-7 attention and spoiling she got from "Grammy" and "Grandfather Garry". 5) Now that Garry's gone, I'm designated as the resident handyman again, and for those that know me, the term "handyman" and me? Well, we're not exactly friends. In fact, most days we're downright adversaries.

Oddly enough, my dad is quite the Bob Villa as well when it comes to fixing things around the house. Apparently I was absent the day he and I had an appointment scheduled to transfer that father-son knowledge. In general, it just seems like men from my dad's and Kylie's dad's generation know how to fix more stuff. Me? I'm blaming the internet and Microsoft for my home improvement shortcomings - the internet because it's made me lazy and Microsoft, well, because it's been a while since I blamed Microsoft for anything (and it's due).

Anywho, back to Garry (a.k.a. "the FIL")... everytime her parents come down for a visit, Kylie makes a list for her dad of things around the house that need a little help. And typically Garry goes above and beyond in blowing through the list and then some. For me it's great because I pick up all kinds of tips and tricks for fixing things while Garry does the work and I pretty much stand there and say, "Great job, Garry. Lookin' good... You need somethin' to drink? Need me to wipe that sweat off your forehead before it gets in your eyes?" WIll I ever remember said tips and tricks when the time comes and he's not around? Dunno, but I like to think I'm absorbing his skills through osmosis, and they'll magically come back to me next time something comes up and he's not around, and it will be my time to shine. Wishful thining? Prolly.

I was out watering the plants in the front of the house last night - a skill I picked up all on my own, thank you very much - and I noticed the sunset and wanted to grab an image. I decided to snag Garry and rescue him from watching Design Star with the ladies for the moment and do a quick portrait in the middle of the street. It was pretty dark, and all I had was a light meter and a Nikon SB-800 flash, but no light stand to hold it. So I had Garry hold it, laid on my back in the street (as a neighbor and his 3 dogs walked by, of course), and fired a couple images. The one above was my favorite because he kinda looks like Super Garry, which - considering there's not much he can't fix - seemed appropriate.

For you photography geeks out there who might be wondering, I put the flash (with Pocket Wizard transciever attached) in manual mode and set it to 1/128th power and placed the light meter right in front of his face to get a reading. I set me shutter speed to 1/250th of a second which is what my light meter told me to use at ISO 400 with an aperture of f/5.6 at a flash output of 1/128th power. I ended up slowing down the shutter speed to by a stop to 1/125th to burn in a little more of the orange sunset light in the background.

]]> http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=430&dallas-photographer http://www.mattnicolosi.com/blog.cfm?postID=430&dallas-photographer Sat, 31 Jul 2010 13:25:00 GMT

... can be another person's junk for the low, low price of [insert your offer here].

Yesterday Kylie & I and her parents went to First Monday Trade Days in Canton, TX to get a quick fix for any desire we may have had to have a garage sale any time in the next several years. In hindsight, I can't think of a better thing to do than walk around 100+ acres of what I can only describe as the world's biggest garage sale in 100+ temperatures. I mean really, who wouldn't want to walk around for hours with your shirt stuck to your skin and sweat dripping in your eyes while looking at bird houses made of license plates, rusted car parts converted into yard "art", and used spark plugs from 1977? What can I say? We're livin' the dream.

Actually I'm being unfair wih the sarcasm; there's actually a fair amount of some pretty unique new retail items in addition to old treasures to be found at Canton. Unfortunately you won't see hardly any of them on this blog because unbeknownst to me before we arrived, it's actually against the rules to photograph any of the stuff for sale without the owner's consent, and based on all the "absolutely no photoraphing or sketching signs posted in the booths and shops, I'm guessing most weren't in teh consenting mood. I was politey reminded of this by a gentleman who looked like the kind of guy who could smile and make you feel like his best friend while at the same time permanently disabling you with some Jedi mind trick if he so desired.

I did manage to sneak a few images in while in stealth mode, though. Actually, it was more like ignorance mode. All the images posted were taken before I was aware of the strict rules against photography, and even then there were plenty of things to photograph that weren't for sale... I was just too hot to put forth the effort in most cases.

I was really stoked when I stumbled on these old microphones and was all set to buy the one in the front lower left foreground in the image below (with the black slots). As I was reaching for my wallet to pull out the $35 I thought it cost, I walked just a bit further around it and noticed the "2" I couldn't see from the first angle. $235 was a bit lot more than I wanted to pay for a non-working microphone, no matter how cool it looked.

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