Professional vs. Amatuers

Okay....
I really hate to get on my soap box, but I feel the need to express this.

The thing I keep hearing over and over from my clients is that they first had gone to another studio and was not satisfied.
It makes me sad to hear these stories. I always ask to see the photos if they have any to see what it is that they didnt like.
Time and time again when I see these images it is so obvious. TERRIBLE LIGHTING and POSING! (and wrong lens choice)

I really am not trying to sound negative here. Its just that I learned these things in college.

That is why I went to school, to learn lighting. PHOTOGRAPHY actually means "To PAINT WITH LIGHT" Photo means "Light" and "Graphy" is to" Paint or Draw".
But so many of these pop-up studios have NO TRAINING in PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY. They simply had children and had fun taking their own kids portraits and so they Became Photographers! WoW!

I like to put bandaids on my sons knees but this doesnt make me a DOCTOR.

Now some people do have a natural affinity to see light and this is good. They are ahead of the game. But some others do not, and unfortunately it shows in their work.
Please please please, when you are looking to hire a photographer, find out thier credentials. Look at their work. Look at the lighting and posing. Its obvious who knows what they are doing and who does not.
I hold 5 degrees in Professional Photography, which means that Ive been trained extensively in lighting and posing and all the aspects of professional photography.
If you want photos that look like snap-shots then save your money and just have a friend take the photos.
Currently our studio only makes recomendations for Joe Rogers Photography (he has an excellent command of lighting) Torin Halsey (hes got a formal education and knows what he is doing too.) and Something New by DeEdra. She can see light as well, and has a relaxed yet good posing style.

Unfortunately those are the only ones AT THIS TIME, that I can recommend and feel good about it.
Below is an example of very bad posing and bad lens choice and then an example of much better. At least the lighting is DECENT in the bad example, (except for the distracting background.)
Okay.... Im off my soapbox.
I guess its in my blood, I was a photography teacher before, I cant help but WANT to teach. I hope this has been helpful.