Looking for Arizona desert photographer

December 7, 2005 8:41 PM

Looking for a photographer specializing in desert photos in Arizona.

My company is looking for a photographer, ideally in Arizona, who specializes in desert photography. We are running a high level corporate event for a Fortune 500 company and would like to hire a photographer to attend the event and display 14-15 framed, signed photos. At the end of the evening, each couple will select a photo which will be given to them as a gift by the host.

We are looking for photos in the $150-200 range. I've already contacted one well-known photographer in Arizona, who would charge $500-600 per framed photo. I suppose I need someone less accomplished. Any suggestions - either specific photographers, or places to look?

posted by kdern to media & arts (9 comments total)

Flickr might be a place to start.
posted by slimslowslider at 11:45 PM on December 7, 2005

Some of the photographers with galleries at this site might be worth looking into.
posted by normy at 3:04 AM on December 8, 2005

When do you want them? How big? Any specific areas of Arizona? Any themes? Rockscapes? Saguaro? Landscapes? Mountains? Canyons?

I'm in Phoenix, AZ, I have a very nice Nikon FE2 and a tripod, I've done a lot of desert photography, still life, macro, and landscape. I love the desert, and can speak about it eloquently at length.

I might be able to hook you up with very good quality contract/custom work for about that price or a little less. Much less if you buy the prints and frames yourself.

Here's a photo sampler I've put together to show my composition and style as well as focus, light, color, exposure, depth of field, and focus control.

However, please keep in mind that this is just what I have handy - I don't know where my film sourced Photo CDs are at the moment. There's only a couple of desert shots in that sampler, and they're totally not even close to my best work. Also, the majority of the shots in that sampler are taken with outdated digital cameras.

Yeah, a bunch of those are outdated and low res, but they're seriously pushing the envelope of digital cameras from that era. (Think 1 megapixel or less, slow shutter times, wonky focus controls, etc.)

There are a couple of film shots in there as well, namely the overcast beach scene and the daisies.

If you don't like what you see in the sampler, no sweat - no offense taken.

If you like what you see, what we could do is you could put up a down payment for gas and some good film. I'll ask my GF if she wants to take a weekend road trip or three - depending on when you want them - and we could tool around and grab a bunch of shots to choose from.

Flagstaff, Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon are a bit out of our weekend range, but Sedona, Red Rocks, Verde Valley, Apache Junction, Apache Lake, and most of the Sonora and Southern Arizona hills and canyons North of Phoenix are well within range. My GF knows Arizona really well as she grew up here.

We can talk terms. As I'm pretty much broke all the time, the terms I would like to set are simply as follows:

The gas, film and developing costs are non-refundable. You would get medium to high res JPG proofs from Photo CD to choose from at this initial investment. If you don't like what we end up producing, there's no further commitment. You'd be out of the deal at about the price of a print or two.

If you do like what we shoot, I'll give you all the negatives we shot - as well as all reproduction rights for them - at 50%-75% of your quoted project price range - but unframed and unprinted.

If you want me to handle the production prints and framing, we'll do it at 100% of your quoted project price range, and you also get the negatives and rights as outlined above.

You or your company could use the shots however either of you saw fit, and you'd own the imagery outright.

Feel free to email for further info.

Apologies for the blatant self-promotion. This is too good of a synergistic creative opportunity to pass up. MeFi really does need a craigslist-style "gigs" section, as this wouldn't be the first freelance gig I've landed through MeFi.
posted by loquacious at 3:27 AM on December 8, 2005

The best photographer of the desert southwest that I know of is Jack Dykinga.
posted by driveler at 6:33 AM on December 8, 2005

Here are some more excellent photographers that have done work in Arizona.
posted by driveler at 6:35 AM on December 8, 2005

You could try contacting the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. They work with photographers that do this sort of work a lot.
posted by MsMolly at 8:30 AM on December 8, 2005

I know Jason Byers personally and he does beautiful work. He is in No. Carolina now, but was living and photographing in Arizona for years.
posted by Biblio at 8:53 AM on December 8, 2005

Arizona Highways Magazine is famous for its (highly saturated) color photos. Their web site is at http://www.arizonahighways.com/

There's also a Friends of Arizona Highways website that has training programs, galleries, and, undoubtedly, access to many of the contributors of the magazine. http://www.friendsofazhighways.com/
posted by KRS at 10:15 AM on December 8, 2005

Posted this on a photography site I frequent and one of the members wanted me to pass along his info. Says he could swing down and shoot what you need for very close to your price.

Brent Ward
brent at brentwardphoto dot com
posted by undertone at 10:49 PM on December 8, 2005