FAQ

Here are some questions that we hear all the time:

Why do I need to prepay my session? Prepaid session fees are standard at most photography studios.  Our studio runs on appointments, and if we book a slot in our schedule for a client, that slot is no longer available to another client, so each appointment made is a commitment: you are committing to our service, and we are committing our time to you.  Our clients expect us to commit to them in advance; we ask the same of them.

Well, we were thinking about getting professional portraits, but my sister/friend/aunt/neighbor/etc. has a really nice camera and likes to take pictures… We get it.  The economy is tight right now, someone you know takes decent —even great— pictures.  But there are professional photographers for a reason.  Does your friend know exactly what needs to be done in any set, with any background, to give you exactly the look you wanted?  Is your friend good at retouching?  Is your neighbor just bringing the images to a supermarket to have them printed?  Will your aunt save and archive your images, guaranteeing their availability for at least three years?  Can your sister get you high-quality frames, albums, folios and wallets?  You wouldn’t hire your plumber to do your taxes; you wouldn’t hire your mailman to fix your faucet.  Portraits are precious.  Leave it to the pros.

Does my prepaid session fee get applied toward my order? Typically the session fee and your order are separate.  Sessions are paid because there is a tremendous amount of time and work that goes into them and the images produced.  HOWEVER, we frequently have specials offering to apply your session fee toward your order, so always make sure to check up on what specials are currently being advertised.

I like the studio, but I want something different.  Can I do my pictures at my house/the park/Rose Gardens/downtown/etc.? Absolutely!  We have a lot to work with at our studio, both indoors and outdoors, but doing an on-location session can really bring your portraits up to the next level, and give you beautiful and unique scenery and lighting.

Can I have some pictures taken outdoors?  Does it cost extra? You can, and no, it doesn’t.  When you book a studio session, that session includes both indoor and outdoor pictures.  We have a creek with wooden steps leading down to it; some great trees and foliage; several outdoor sets and backgrounds.

When is the best time of year/day to have my outdoor portraits taken? For season, you should think about what sort of backgrounds you’ll have.  The most popular seasons are spring, summer, and autumn, due to the beautiful foliage and colors.  But some kids get outdoor pictures in the winter, and those can look wonderful, especially if there’s a good amount of snow on the ground.  For spring and autumn pictures, if you’re aiming for the first bloom or the when the leaves change, pay attention to weather predictions, because there is often a small window for those things.  Additionally, make sure to consider the climate when you’re making outfit decisions.  Basically, if it’s February, make sure that you don’t only bring T-shirts, shorts, and sandals.

Because of the way the sunlight changes throughout the day, we recommend around 10 AM for morning portraits, and 2-5 PM for afternoon portraits (don’t go too late in the winter when it gets dark earlier).  Basically, we try to avoid the harsh midday sun, as it’s less flattering and can create blown-out images and unwanted shadows.  Contrary to what a lot of people think, overcast and partly cloudy days are desirable for portraits: the light is softly diffused and much more flattering for your beautiful face!

We’re interested in family portraits.  Does it cost extra to do some shots of just me and my spouse or just the kids? Nope.  Not at all.  We can do as many combinations as you want.

How many outfits can I bring in for my senior pictures? Generally our offers include sessions with up to 6 outfits, but if you are interested in doing more than 6 outfits you may call the studio to inquire.  We do not consider letter jackets separate outfits, rather an accessory or prop.

Can I bring in my own props/pet/sibling for my senior pictures?  How much does it cost? You are welcome to bring in a pet and/or any props you want, and at no extra charge.  If you plan on bringing in a pet, just make sure to let us know ahead of time!  We can also take some shots of you with your sibling, parent, or friend – call the studio to inquire.

Can we get pictures in black and white? Yes.  And if you have a certain outfit or look or background that you want in black and white, let us know and we can do it.  Michael takes every shot in color, which means we can make any image black and white.  (It doesn’t work the other way around!)  Additionally, when you come into the sales/consultation office to look at your images on our display program, we can show you what any image will look like in black and white, or in sepia.

What should I wear for family pictures? The key is coordination.  You don’t have to all wear the same thing —although some families do that and it can look great— but you don’t want to look like a motley group of people who just happened to be near one another when someone took a photo.  Coordination should include things like:

• style (Dad, don’t come in a tux if everyone else is wearing jeans!)
• color scheme (Some popular schemes include denim and black; denim and white; khaki and white; blue tones; earth tones.)
• immediate versus extended family (Sometimes for larger family portraits, each immediate family does a different scheme, but you should still make sure that they look okay together for the big group shot.)
• SHOES! (Lots of families come in and they haven’t thought about their shoes: Don’t forget about them!  Sometimes they are in the frame, and you want to make sure that your feet don’t look totally out of place.)

What should I wear for my senior pictures? We could write volumes on this.  For both boys and girls, classic cuts and looks are the most flattering and produce the most timeless portraits.  Solid colors flatter more than patterns, and darker colors flatter more than lighter ones.  Most seniors who bring in multiple outfits do usually end up bringing in a (or many) trendy outfits, which can be fun, but our general advice is to avoid very trendy clothing: you want to be able to look back at your portraits thirty years from now and not be too embarrassed!  Other than those general tips, here’s some specific advice for boys, then girls:

BOYS

• If you’re bringing in 3-6 outfits, try to plan actual, whole outfits; don’t just bring in one pair of jeans and 5 different t-shirts.  (Okay, you can do that if you want, but you’ll have a better variety of looks and images to choose from if you bring a more diverse selection of outfits.)
• Don’t forget about your shoes, especially if you’re planning on using athletic shoes for some of your outfits.  Nothing ruins an otherwise good outfit like cruddy, dirty gym shoes.

GIRLS

• I’m going to repeat the thing about ultra-trendy outfits.  Aside from the fact that the hottest fads are often unflattering, you should bring outfits that you’ll still like looking at in twenty years.  If you have trendy outfits you’d like to bring in, we recommend leaving one or two outfits to be more classic.
• THIS is a big one: Please be realistic about your body and about how you feel about your body.  Michael can work wonders with the camera, but you have control over how you look.  If you are self-conscious about your legs, don’t come to the studio with a teeny mini-skirt.  If you feel like your arms are too big, don’t plan an outfit with just a strappy top.

How does proofing work for family/child portraits? You have a couple options.  Some families choose to stay after the session and wait 10 to 15 minutes while we upload your images to our display program.  Once they’re all up, you can order right then and there.  Other families, especially those with small children who may be tired or cranky after the photoshoot, opt to schedule a time to come back and order.  Those who wish to order prints as proofs may contact the studio with pricing questions.

How do proofs work for senior portraits? For our seniors, we put together a bound proof book with all of your images, complete with image numbers for reference.  Then, in addition to the book, your proofs will be put on our website for private, password-protected viewing.  When you come in to pick up your proof book, you will receive your password.  This is a priceless feature for seniors with family and friends that aren’t able to view the proof book.  As you go through your proofs, you’ll notice that some are retouched and some are not.  We do not typically retouch all proofs, but be assured that any pose you order will go through a basic retouching process.

Why do I have to put down a proof deposit? Time, work, and materials all go into your proof book.  Additionally, in your proof book you have samples of every one of your images.  Because we give you your proofs to take home, when you walk out our door you walk out with all of your images.  When you order, if you decide to keep the book, it’s paid for.  If we never hear from you again, then you’ve paid for what we’ve given you.  Your proof deposit, regardless of whether or not you keep it, is applied, in full, toward your order.

What is the Quick Order Price? The Quick Order Price is an extra discount we offer on Senior Collection packages for placing your order within two weeks of receiving your proofs.  We usually offer other perks with the QOP, too, like getting your name on your wallets for only $1 per pose.  But don’t be too put out if you aren’t able to get the Quick Order Price; you still get a great discount for purchasing a Senior Collection package.

How many wallets should I get for my senior pictures? We offer wallet sets from 8 to over 200, and I can tell you that the average wallet order is 96.  Beyond that, you should think about what you need to get out of your wallets.  For example, wallets are very popular at some high schools, and not very popular at others.  Seniors with large families tend to get more, as do people who plan on handing out lots of wallets to friends and acquaintances.  You should also consider how many poses you’re ordering; if you order 96 wallets of several poses, they are likely to go faster than if you’d gotten just one pose, as many people will take one of each.