Why film?
I spent a few years trying to shoot digital. I really did. I mean, it's easier, you can instantly see what you've taken, you can take as many shots as your memory card will hold and you can upload them instantly onto your computer.
That said, you simply cannot beat the color and feel of a photo done in film. I shoot film because I always get the shot I want. I spend less time post processing. I don't get 47 shots of the same thing, I get the one shot I was going for. So it's actually better bang for your buck since you're not paying for me to go through 1200 photos to find 50 that work.
If you're interested in film, visit http://filmisnotdead.blogspot.com/.
What do you mean you don't post process?
By "post processing" I mean that I will do one of three things; I will crop a photo, I will adjust the color balance and I will remove zits etc. That's it. I won't make you skinner, I won't replace your teeth, I won't switch your spouse with someone more attractive.
I shoot the way I see it. Yes, I help you pose and that sort of thing, but ten years from now, you'll be able to look back at your pictures and say "Dang, I looked AWESOME" instead of knowing I photoshopped the heck out of your photo to the point where everything is unrecognizable.
Why don't you post prices?
Simple. I want to talk to you, find out what it is you're looking for and work with you from there. There's a very simple rule with photographers; you get what you pay for. Yes, you can hire someone who will promise you 12 different poses for the low low price of $24.99, but what you're getting is a product worth $2 a photo. I keep my prices reasonable, especially for adopting families, because I know you don't want to break the bank for a decent picture. That and I'm doing this because I love it.
For your price, please keep in mind that the overhead working with film is higher than someone shooting digital. Film and processing costs money. I need to be able to pay for that. You wouldn't want to be another roll of film hanging out in a fridge would you? I thought not.
Where are you located?
I am outside of Chicago, but I am willing to travel to you.
Why do you offer a discount to adoptive couples?
I'm an adoptive mom. A large portion of my friends are adoptive parents. I know how stressful it is to get your profile together, especially finding good photos of you as a couple or family. I also know those moments where I wish I'd had pictures. Adoption is such an amazing thing and it deserves to be documented as much as a biological pregnancy would be. The last thing that I want is for you to worry about getting good photos from your finalization, baptism, sealing or dedication. I want you to trust me and know that I know you as a couple and that your pictures will be something you treasure along with your memories of that hard earned day.
What's with the name?
I speak with a stutter, especially when I'm caught off-guard. So trying to constantly answer the phone with "Ashley Rittman Photography" is a little bit of a mouth full and I'd stumble on it a lot. My mom always called me "The square peg in the round hole" or the one who "marches to the beat of a different drummer" so I figured naming my business something along those lines made sense. Especially since people think film is a dying format.
