madoc’s photography: The Story of a Lifetime

I began taking photos seriously as part of a photography merit badge with the Boy Scouts of America; I was ten years old. Those first pics were the beginning of photography as a teacher of perception. Over the next seventy years I increasingly sought to see and photograph the wonder, the beauty, and the poignance of our lives and world. I’m thankful that the tools and techniques have improved considerably, but above all I am grateful for God’s using photography to help me grow toward a blessed perception of our lives. If you would like to consider my photographing you, your loved ones, or your event, please look over scheduling and pricing below, check out my Cloudspot Gallery, and get in touch through my contact page.

NOTE: I will meet you free of charge for an hour or so to discuss my approach to photography, take a few test pictures, and answer any questions.

PLEASE CHECK OUT MY PHOTOBLOG, A Sacred Photography, on the photoblog page below.

Scheduling and Pricing

Your life is a beautiful gift and you deserve beautiful photography. It is the goal of madoc’s photography to help create wonderful memories of your life, event, relationships, or whatever your photo needs might be. The following price schedule is shaped around that goal and can be adapted to your resources and needs. There are boundaries to my pricing but print, album, and digital discounts are available to people in the helping professions (such as nurses, ministers, teachers, first responders, etc.) and others as needed. My scheduling is flexible, so call or email and let’s meet and visit! I will give you a free hour, a few test photos, and an opportunity to answer any questions you may have. (Please leave a message if you call; I probably won’t answer until your number is in my contacts.)

Base Rates represent hourly photographic service and include basic selection and editing. The pricing of madoc’s photography is a bit less than the average “by the job” rates but gives you the opportunity to restrict or extend our time according to your needs.

There is a non-refundable deposit of $100 due at contract signing (included in your base rate and can apply to a rescheduled session with at least 24 hours’ notice.)

Initial 2 hours: $300

Subsequent hours: $100/hour

FAQs:

How many pictures will I get and how much will they cost? I will generally provide 15-20 digital photographs for each hour of our session. Digital downloads, free of watermarks, are priced at 20% of your total base rate. Print, digital, and album costs vary widely depending on sizing, album covers, and discounts. You can order as many copies of each photo as you want and I will estimate your price based on printing costs, shipping, and base rate for photography. Those estimates will be included in your contract.

How long are your sessions? You decide how long our sessions will be. Typically portrait sessions (families, couples, seniors, etc.) would take from 1-3 hours. Weddings could take a few hours to several hours over a few days (engagement, rehearsal, wedding, reception.)

Where do you take these photographs? You choose location but I may suggest a venue such as your living room, yard, church, or a picturesque outdoor setting.

What experience and credentials do you have? I have been taking photography seriously for 70 years. But my life experience and ministry have taught me to look for, see, and photograph the wonder and quality of human life as a realm of God’s presence and beauty. That life experience and ministry have included over 100 weddings, over 100 funerals, teaching over 200 university students, counseling over 3000 clients and church people, and photographing, non professionally, numerous events from Easter Egg hunts to birthdays.

Why would I be glad I chose madoc’s photography? You need to be seen, known, and appreciated before you are photographed. Your portrait, event, relationship, or family is not just a smiley face seen with good technique. You are and deserve to be photographed as a human being with a life. I try to record a picture of the beauty, strength, depth, and personality of your life, not just nice lighting and good composition. You can see the result of that approach to photography in the gallery below, which spans the last 40 years of my photographic work. You can also read a brief statement of my approach to and understanding of good photography in my photoblog, A Sacred Photography.

Testimonials

Madoc’s vision allows him to capture his photographic subjects in the best possible light. In addition, his kind and patient demeanor combined with his quest for excellence makes for a wonderful experience and a superior result.

Jeannie Barrick

J. Lovett Barrick Photography

When you are being photographed at an important event or to capture a moment in your life, you want someone that not just knows photography, but knows people. You want someone that can capture joy when it erupts or passion when it arises. Madoc has a life-time of experience in understanding people, which is the greatest asset to great photography.

Ryan Robertson

Associate Community Minister, Open Door Ministries

I served on the planning committee for my 50th Monterey high school reunion in June 2023. We hired Madoc Thomas to photograph the Saturday night event at Lubbock Country Club. Madoc was a delightful addition to our festivities. He took hundreds of photos both with his camera and with individual's phones. He also took our class photo, which was like hearding cats. The photos turned out great and Madoc was a joy to work with.

Kathryn Quilliam

Monterey '73

In Conclusion

You and our community have supported me and my family throughout the 35 years since we moved here. I will express my gratitude by donating 10% of the profits of madoc’s photography to the religious group or charity of your choice. I would love for you to contact me to discuss your photography needs!