What is custom photography?  There is a vast difference between boutique/custom photographers and pretty much any photography studio set up in a mall or strip center.  The difference in experience and quality is great.  Now that I, as a mom, know the difference, I look back on past photos taken of my family at these types of places and regret that I did not seek out something different, something better, something much prettier. 

To quote the author of the above site (with permission):

“What custom photography ultimately is all about is choice and experience (as in THE experience). Custom photography is about finding someone who will photograph your family, give you devoted 1:1 attention without worry of the next ‘in line’ or the feeling of a crowded portrait studio. A custom photographer will typically show you a fairly extensive gallery culled to only show the good images that meet the photographers’ creative sensibilities. Often the images are fully edited images-color corrected with blemishes and undereye circles removed. Custom photographers are also known as boutique studios, offering a range of products and unparalleled service. Think Lexus vs. Hyundai, think Nordstrom vs. WalMart.”