YOU NEED GREAT PHOTOS.

You've come to the right place.

I get it. Your phone probably takes decent photos, so why hire a pro? Quite simply, amateur photographers produce amateur-quality photos. Your website, album cover, and promotional photos deserve better than amateur and better than average. They deserve the same level of artistry and skills that you put into your music!

It’s important to choose a professional you trust to capture your live show or promo photos with the style, vision, and services that fit your needs. I have photographed musicians since 2011 - ranging from KC local bands to touring bands such as Switchfoot, Young the Giant, X Ambassadors, Jimmy Eat World, Gary Clark Jr., and Vance Joy, as well as festivals like Boulevardia, Middle of the Map Fest, and Winterjam - and continue to push myself creatively in order to capture the unique concepts and styles that each client needs.

The Process

Booking Your Session
To officially book your day and time with Anthem Photography, a $50.00 retainer and a signed contract are required. Once your contract is in, we will work together to plan the details of your session, such as locations and concepts.

Your Session
For promotional photos, I work primarily with off-camera lighting equipment (flashes, softboxes, etc.) so I can control the entire look of the scene in the image. Lighting is crucial for the mood and style of the image, so I consult with musicians ahead of time to understand the concept and look that is preferred. We can shoot at my studio in downtown Blue Springs, but I also work on-location, and outdoors.

For live show photos, I do not use flash. I recommend communicating with the venue prior to the day of the show to determine the best approach for lighting during your set, or for smaller venues, bringing your own lighting if you have it - the more light, and the more control we have over it, the better the photos will be.

The remainder of your session balance (see below) is due at the start of your session.

Post Processing (Editing)
I color-correct your images, crop, check for highlights and shadows, and do a bit of minor retouching if necessary to get the best final results in each of your photos. My style focuses on natural colors (no filters or presets), and stunning black and whites.

Viewing Session or Online Gallery
Within a few business days, I will finish editing the images from your session. You may choose to meet me at my studio for an in-person viewing and ordering session, or you may opt to receive an online gallery (available for 30 days) to view and order your images.

General Guidelines

Any outdoor portion of your session should be scheduled to end right around dusk for the best natural light. I prefer to shoot in the shade to keep you in soft, won’t-make-you-squint-and-glare kind of light. We can even shoot at night for a unique look as well!
If any member of the band normally wear glasses, consider wearing contacts with the frames and having an optician remove the lenses from the glasses for the session to avoid reflections from flashes. Please avoid Transitions lenses for outdoor photos.
As a band, consider how clothing styles, colors, and patterns may look next to one another.
Empty pockets of keys, phones, etc. and remove gum before we begin the session. Remove any distracting items (hair ties, watches, clear braces or retainers) as well.
Apply makeup as you normally would (and bring it with you during the session if you may need to reapply). Just don’t go overboard! You may also consider hiring a makeup artist (I have several I can recommend) for your session.
If you tend to have oily skin, oil-absorbing wipes or powder is recommended.
Shave or trim facial hair. A fresh haircut is great as well.
Your hands and fingernails will appear in the photos! Trim and polish nails as necessary.
A parent/guardian is required to accompany subjects under 18 years of age.

Facial Touchups

Let’s face it (pun most certainly intended), annoying little blemishes can pop up at the most inconvenient times. If this happens before your session, don’t stress! My standard edits include light skin softening if necessary, and additional enhancement services such as blemish removal, under-eye lightening, fly-away hair removal, etc. are options that you may choose after your session. Your edits will be completely natural - I won’t make your skin look like plastic or like an airbrush monster attacked you; I’ll simply remove those little spots while making sure your skin looks natural and clear.

Session and Basic Product Pricing

The Session

Your session fee covers the time that we shoot, and basic editing of the images. Travel fees may apply for sessions taking place outside the Kansas City area.

90 minutes $150
Two to four hours $275
Four to six hours $400

Digital Images (up to 8x12 print size)

Individual image             $45
10 images $250
20 images                $400
Full gallery               $700

Full-resolution image
(print size 24x36) $150

Traditional Prints, Canvas Prints, and Custom-Printed Items Available

Your Images

Most musicians opt for digital images with their session. My standard digital images include the rights to print the image up to 8x12 inches (higher resolution images may be purchased if needed) and include a printing release form to verify printing rights. Images and the corresponding printing and online publication rights are granted to the photographed subject/named client only and may not be transferred or sold. You may post your images online or use on social media with the proper linked photo credit to Anthem Photography. Please do not edit the images in any way other than cropping.

All image edits include color/exposure balancing, minor spot removal, and complimentary skin retouching, if necessary. Any client-requested editing needs beyond the standard edits (such as background removal or change, composite image creation, color changes, etc.) are invoiced at $50.00 per hour of editing. An estimate for editing time will be provided to the client for approval prior to completing the edits.

I also offer additional services such as detailed/intricate edits, website design, and flyer/album/logo design to ensure your band's unique style is communicated in a visually pleasing, consistent manner. Call or email me for more information.

Printed images are protected under US copyright laws and may not be scanned or duplicated in any manner.

Cash, check, and major credit cards accepted. Sales taxes and shipping fees are added to applicable purchases.