Photography studio has new home in Wittenberg

WITTENBERG — In four short years, photographer Patience Szutkowski has grown her business, Premier Portraits By Patience, from a part-time setup in the corner of her living room to a thriving full-time occupation.

She recently moved her photography studio into the lower level of the Long Chiropractic Center at 500 W. College Ave. in Wittenberg.

Specializing in photos of newborns through 1-year-olds, Szutkowski says she is known for her style which includes bold uses of color and texture.

Newborn sessions are scheduled within 14 days of birth, and she has a wide variety of hand-knitted outfits designed specifically to fit her tiny subjects. She noted that many of the newborn outfits purchased are just too big; providing the outfits for newborns gives her more control over the look of the final product.

“My stepmom is my source for all the knitted outfits, and I once had her create one for a 4-pound newborn,” said Szutkowski.

Self-taught, she took a photography class in high school and learned the building blocks of Photoshop. She identifies herself as a visual learner and has perfected her craft through trial and error. She also acknowledges that the internet is a wealth of information.

Szutkowski, who competed in pageants and modeled, said she originally thought she would do that kind of photography. After her sons were born, she discovered that she really loved baby pictures and changed her focus.

Her business has grown through word of mouth, and she admits Facebook has been a huge help. When clients post the pictures she’s taken, it can expose her work to hundreds of potential new clients. Most of her clients are from central Wisconsin, and some of her clients drive two hours to come for the photo sessions, she said.

The newborn shots are the most popular shots, according to Szutkowski, who also offers packages including photos at the different milestone markers.

“At three months, they’re starting to make eye contact. At six months, most can sit up, and at nine months they’re starting to crawl,” said Szutkowski.

At the one-year mark, she offers a fun smash-the-birthday-cake session as an option. She orders the cakes with any special theme requests from Hanke’s Sentry Foods.

With more than 100 backdrops to choose from, she generally gets a feeling from the clients as to which ones might be appealing. She shoots one neutral setting and then a bolder one.

“My style is a lot of color pattern and texture,” said Szutkowski. “I can see the end result in my head, and it generally surprises the customers when I come up with a look they would have never imagined.”

A session fee, between $150 and $300, is all inclusive and includes the digital images. For milestone pictures, she provides about 20 pictures in three different outfits. She also sells the images on a variety of products, including canvases, brag books, loose prints and hardcover books. She notes that the sets of three identical mini books which have magnets on the ends and fold out accordion style are extremely popular because each set of grandparents can have a copy.

Szutkowski will also take photos of the birth process. For $750, she will be on call at 38 weeks with her phone charged and her gas tank full. She arrives when they are ready to deliver, stays about two hours after the birth to get pictures of the family, weight and details. She stays at the head of the bed and said the photos are intimate but discreet.

Photo sessions are by appointment only, and Szutkowski can be reached through her website, www.premierportraitsbypatience.com or through her Facebook page.