Covid-19 Update
I am very pleased to announce that Studio KampOC will be opening back up for in-person business beginning on June 8, 2020. We will be taking measures to adhere to protocols and guidelines set in place by the State of Idaho through the final two opening stages (which can be found here). What this means for our clients is:
- Due to the nature of portrait sessions, it is unreasonable to ask a client to wear protective gear when participating in a photo shoot. However, the photographer will wear a fresh sanitized face covering (mask), offer and use hand sanitizer and maintain a social distance of at least 6 feet away from clients at all times, for the protection of clients and themselves. All equipment and props will be cleaned properly prior to each session.
- Until it is safe to do so, we will NOT be offering studio or indoor sessions. All sessions will be on-location in an outdoor setting.
- We are limiting the number of session attendees to THREE persons of the same household and the photographer, only.
- We ask that individuals who are sick or showing symptoms reschedule their session for a later date. We will also ask you questions about symptoms and travel prior to your session. We still ask that proper notice is given for rescheduled/cancelled sessions, however, we understand that it may not be reasonable to do so in some situations and we will not be withholding deposits due to sickness for rescheduled appointments made less than 48 hours in advance (some restrictions MAY apply).
- All contracts, model releases, appointments and payments can be completed online. We offer in-person credit card/cash payments for balances owed, but encourage clients to make online payments and complete all paperwork online, if possible.
- Photo/merchandise pickups will still be offered, or can be shipped to the client for an additional fee.
Moving Forward
During the lock-down, I thought long and hard about my business goals and the direction I would like to take moving forward. While all pandemic measures are good practice post-pandemic, one thing stood out among the others in my post-pandemic goals...family photography. As the years have passed and my skills have improved, so has my passion for particular genres of photography and art. I find myself less interested in doing some things and more interested in doing others. I feel like my need to create and tell stories, far surpasses my interest in general or family photography. And, this isn't a dig on the craft. It takes a lot of skill and patience to do it. And, I've loved the experiences I've had and people I've met doing it. However, there are a lot of photographers to choose from in the area, at various price-points, that focus on general and family photography (with more being added to the list on a regular basis). Between that realization and my desire to produce impactful work that brings me the most joy, I have decided to focus my attention on the Fine Art and Surreal genres of photography and digital art. I will no longer be offering sessions that are not artistic in nature and feature more than three people. That means, I will no longer offer sessions for weddings, events, large families or groups, advertising, etc. Individual, couple, family/groups of three, engagement and elopement Fine Art sessions will all be the same price, and I will offer three packages to choose from. Additions and extras will still be offered a la carte.
My vision is about storytelling, unique experiences, "creating" vs. "capturing," artistic expression and producing visually inspiring artwork for my clients to display on their walls. And, yes, it does cost more to produce and won't be an everyday experience. However, I'm most passionate about it and believe there is a market for it, both online and locally.
As I move forward with offering sessions for Fine Art and Surreal portraits, I will still be offering my rural landscape photos for sale online. I have no plans to stop producing those types of images, as I truly love doing it. I have made a new booking page with new pricing that will be going up shortly. There is a discount ad that I offered to the graduating class of Caribou County that doesn't expire until November. For them, I will leave a link to the old booking page and will honor sessions they choose from there. I will also be in need of a few models for the better part of June. If you are interested in modeling, you can fill out a form here. All other services (including web development/design and photo retouching/digital editing) will continue, as usual.
I appreciate the overwhelming community support for small businesses. Ours is a community like no other, with everyone coming together and lending strength when times get tough. It really makes me proud to live and own a business here. And, I look forward to all that inspires and makes us grow as we continue on, even stronger than before. - Rhonda Ravenkamp
