There are a lot of photographers on the market today. Here are some things to consider when you're trying to decide who to hire:

1. The Cost. Everyone is trying to save money these days but there's an old saying, "You get what you pay for," and that is especially true when hiring a photographer. Photographers who shoot great work consistently, pay to advertise, use the best equipment, have long established relationships with their vendors, and pay many studio expenses. They are the Rembrandts and the Michelangelos of today and their art is worth its price. These Photographers dedicate their lives to creating beautiful art have stood the test of time and stand behind their work.

2. Experience. Anyone can take pictures for a couple of years and look good by posting their best work on their website or by spending hours manipulating the images to make them look "edgy", but the real question is, is the photographer consistent? Don’t be afraid to test potential photographers–ask to see all the results from a recent session, or ask for referrals. This way you can see if the quality of their work last weekend matches up with what they advertise. Just as a means of comparison, Dennis at Studio 101 West has been shooting for over 20 years and is still here to tell you about it.

3. Specialty. Do you want a full-time pro or someone who likes taking pictures as a side job? Dennis is an artist, formally trained, but also a life long student in the study of light, color and gesture. Trained at Brooks Photographic Institute as a commercial photographer, then studied for a year in LA under several prominent commercial photographers and then a year at a busy wedding and portrait studio. That was over 20 years ago, so his breath of training and experience transcends what most any other full time pro photographer can claim.

4. Check the Portfolio. The bottom line is Dennis is an artist, who loves photography, and that is his specialty. If your still not sure please look through our galleries and judge for yourself. When you do, keep in-mind that all the images on our web site were created by Dennis in the last couple of years and they are ALL a result of paying jobs, not models that we hired, or personal projects he did just to build a portfolio.

5. Get an prints that will last. This is an area where choosing a friend or relative may be a regret you re-live every time you look at your portraits. And even if your friend does get great photos, do they know to make a wonderfull wall portrati or killer album that will last the rest of your life? We guarantee all our products to last a life time not to fade or fall apart and we've been doing it for 20 years.