Frequently Asked Questions, Tips, and Tricks
No Question is Silly… Here are a few tips that I have developed over the years to help you get the best photograph possible and some answers to questions I get all the time. Don’t see yours listed? Send me a message!
What do I wear??
General Rule to follow: Keep it Simple! Solid muted colors are ideal and timeless. See below for additional information.
Infants and Babies:
Infant’s always looks sweetest in their bare skin.
A diaper cover is all that is needed for infants under the age of 2 months. Parents should wear all black or all white to blend in to the background allowing your baby to be the main attraction. See: New Beginnings
Children:
I recommend simple solid clothing. Traditional clothes stand the test of time rather than trendy outfits. Forget shoes and socks and show those cute toes for a more informal look!
If you are interested in a more formal look, it’s best to dress from head to toe. Make sure shoes and tights are in keeping with the visual interest of the portrait.
Any of your own props will personalize your portrait. Some suggestions are Grandma’s locket, daddy’s old teddy bear, a soft blanket, or a family heirloom. I also have an extensive collection of items at my studio to help you create the image you have been dreaming of. See: The 7 Ages of Childhood
Families:
Proper clothing coordination is critical. Choose clothing in the same tonal range so that no single member of the family stands out. See: Creating A Timeless Portrait – This will give you all the info you need about clothing, color, tone and style.
Click on any of the following for more information:
Decorating With Portraiture A guide to enhancing your home and office with photographic portraiture.
Nothing is More Precious than the Story of a Child A guide to planning your child’s portrait history.
Creating A Timeless Portrait A guide to making portraits that touch the heart and decorate the home.
Putting Your Best Face Forward The high school senior’s guide to perfect portraits.
The Romance Of Wedding Photography Allow family, friends and guests to purchase certificates which the bride and groom can use toward their wedding photography.
The 7 Ages of Childhood A guide to preserving your child’s portrait history.
Turn Moments into Memories Capture the memories and the magic of family with the enduring beauty of a portrait.
New Beginnings Creating heart-touching portraits of newborns and their family.
Preserving Your Precious Memories (Restoration) A guide to copy and restoration services.
Look Your Best A guide to making your senior session fun and your senior portraits awesome.
Timeless Expressions of Family Capture and preserve the love, affection and expressions that are uniquely your family.
Every Story Begins With A Promise Capture the beauty, romance, emotion, and joy of your wedding.
How far in advance do I need to call for an appointment? You should book within 2 weeks.
How long does a typical session take? Session are never rushed. With an infants and young children it can take up to 2 hours. Families and HS seniors with older children usually take 1 – 11/2 hours. I will take as man combinations as you desire.
What happens if it rains on the day of my outdoor shoot? We live in New England so this is a common occurrance. Thanks to weather apps we can usually tell if it will be a complete wash out. Rain dates are always available.
What if I need to cancel or reschedule? Do I need to sign a contract? Do you require a deposit? Rescheduling during Sept – Dec my busy months can sometimes be difficult. I do realize with small children life happens. I try to accommodate rescheduling as best as I can. There may be a charge if it happens more than once.
When will my pictures be ready for review? Images are ready for review within 2 weeks. This can be quicker depending on how busy the studio is.
Do you retouch your images? ALL images are enhanced. You should never worry if you have a breakout, rash or scrath from the family cat. Most retouching is includes. More intense retouching may incue a fee, for example multiple head swapping on family portraits, braces, and eye opening.
After I choose the pictures I like best how long does it take to have prints made? All prints are ready for pick up two weeks from final ordering.
Can I purchase “digital negatives”? I first have to say that the ONLY images that will last for many years is a printed image. Hard drives crash floppy discs and DVD have come and gone. Thumb drives and hard drives last aprox 3 years. I include digital images with my events and business portraits. I sell files with a minimum purchase of 600.00 I am happy to share low res social media files on any image purchases. My goal as a professional photographer is to create something that you will enjoy looking at for years ad years.
Here is something to ponder… A young boy finds a round silver disc in his parents dresser… He asks ” what is this mom” Mom answers, ” those are our family portraits.” The boys says ” how do I see them?” Don’t let this happen to you. Portraits belong in an album or in a frame to enjoy for future generations.
How long do you keep my “digital negatives” on file? I back up digital files twice… However, with the digital age I keep as long as the media changes. As I mentioned above. Hard drives do crash.
Do you accept credit cards? YES. I accept Visa and MasterCard.