FAQS:

How long should I expect my session to be?

That depends on the type of sitting.

If a sitting for a small baby takes more than 1/2 hour the baby is too tired and stressed by the whole process to consider it successful.

A sitting for the immediate family should probably not take more than 30 to 45 minutes. These sitting are usually accomplished on 1 or 2 backgrounds and no one has to change clothes.

A sitting for the entire extended family will take longer just because there are more people involved and more groupings to consider. It varies greatly by how many people are involved and how much you want to try to accomplish with this type of sitting but count on at least an hour in the studio.

A business session which includes only head shots will probably take no more than 15 minutes.

A senior session can vary greatly depending on the props you bring and the number of changes of clothing you have but you should allow at least an hour and a 1/2. You can gauge it from there depending on your specifics.

Animals are a lot like small children and have very short attention spans so it's best to keep their sessions under a 1/2 hour.

What kind of clothes should I wear?

General guidelines would say to wear plain colors or small prints. Wearing shirts with messages printed on them is generally not the best idea.

If you are trying to coordinate clothing for a group try to keep it to 2 - 3 colors and keep the number of people wearing print to a minimum. You can also use a theme such as one color pants or skirts and multiple color shirts by family. Another nice theme is to limit things to denim and one color such a white. Khaki is a nice substitute for denim and tends to look a bit dressier.

In general sleeves that cover the elbows are more attractive on adults.

Jewelry is great, just avoid large pieces that will glare and detract from your face.

Will my glasses affect my sitting?

It is easier to avoid glare in the glasses for a person who is farsighted than nearsighted. One sure way to avoid glasses glare is to have the lens removed from your glasses before coming for your sitting. This way your posing and lighting options are not limited.

Glasses that auto tint in the sunlight will also darken with the studio flashes after just a couple of shots.

Removing glasses glare digitally is possible but not in all instances and you would bear the cost to have this done. If the glare is into the actual eye it becomes very difficult to remove and requires quite a bit of time to accomplish.

Should I cancel my sitting if I have a breakout or my child falls and has a bruise or cut?

You should always try to look your best for your sitting but understanding life happens, you would have to weigh the options of rescheduling your appointment, trying to use makeup to cover up the offense or letting the studio use digital imaging to correct the problem. Always call and seek advise before simply canceling.

Don't rely on digital imaging to correct looking over tired, sunburned or to remove 5:00 shadow, instead get good rest before your sitting avoid overexposure to the sun prior to your sitting and have a close shave when coming for your sitting.

Is retouching done automatically when it's needed?

Digital imaging is never automatic. As there is a cost incurred by the client, it is a service that is offered but must be initiated by the customer. The most commonly requested items are glasses glare removal, general facial touch-up for acne or scars and teeth whitening.

It is best to ask when placing your order how much it would cost to have items that interest you done. Small facial touch-up is generally accomplished quite quickly and doesn't usually cost very much and once the work is done to the file all prints from that imaged are touched-up.

What kinds of props enhance the portrait?

Generally the more people you have in the portrait the less amount of props you want to use. Props can distract from the subject of the photo which should be you.

That said, the use of props in a portrait can create a story or let the world know who you are. things to remember when using props: you don't want to get lost in the scene you're creating so make sure your props coordinate or have a theme. You may want to wear clothing of a contrasting color so you stand out. Perhaps you would want to think about not having these types of busy portraits entirely in color. The use of black and white or sepia or spot color can really enhance this type of portrait.

If you want to bring it and include it in your portrait bring it. Just have some of the portraits done without them too so you have choices. Don't fall into the trap of wanting so many "things" in your portraits that there are no poses of "you."

How long will I have to wait to see my portraits?

Proof images or proof books will usually be ready about 1 week after you sitting. Your final portraits take about the same amount of time to be completed from the time of your order with deposit.

Shouls I apply my make-up in a special way?

Make-up should be applied normally. This is not like stage make-up for a play. Although the flashes can appear bright it's not like stage lighting. Just keep it fresh and natural.

You will want to avoid eye shadow or body spray with glitter. Glitter is meant to attract light and the flashes may catch it and show a light flare.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

General Information