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Frequently Asked Questions
Q- Where should we be photographed?
A- What kind of look do you want in your portraits?
Review the website portrait pages for ideas. Our studio can be
formal or casual; outdoors can be dressy (i.e. slacks and sweaters)
or casual (jeans). We usually don't recommend the "coat
and tie" look for outdoor portraits.
Q- Can we be photographed at our home outdoors?
A- Yes. We look for full shade most of the
time. Keep this in mind if you have a favorite spot at home and
watch if a morning or late afternoon session would be better
for shade. It is important that the background also be in shade.
There shouldn't be any speckled sunlight filtering through trees,
unevenly lighting the faces from camera position. Speckled sun
falling on backs is OK.
Q- How about inside our home?
A- Indoor portraits at home are almost always
made in your living room and include your natural home environment.
If you have a plain background in mind, please arrange for a
portrait at our studio. Choose an indoor home portrait because
you love your living room, not for "convenience".
Q- Can we be photographed at our vacation
home?
A- Sure we travel! If you have a special place
in mind, let's talk about it. What better way to remember that
special summer by the lake than with a family portrait?
Q- Do you do senior portraits?
A- Yes. Students should be photographed the
summer before their senior year. We offer a variety of poses
either in the studio or in a natural outdoor environment. Your
yearbook photograph is e-mailed to your school.
Q- What should we wear?
A- Solid colors are best; avoid bold patterns,
T-shirts, tight short skirts and sleeveless. Clothing should
not compete with faces when viewing your portraits. See the website
portrait pages for the style of portrait you like best and for
additional clothing suggestions.
Q- How long will my portrait session last?
A- Most sessions last about 45 to 60 minutes.
If we are photographing your entire family, we will probably
also do portraits of your children as a group, children individually
and parents as a couple. Grandparents are encourage to attend
too. If you have time constraints, please let us know as soon
as possible.
Q- Can we include our pet?
A- Your dog is welcome at the park or at our
studio. Solid black dogs show up best against lighter clothing,
and you might want to add a bandana for color. Your cat can be
photographed at your home or our studio.
Q- What if it rains?
A- A heavy steady rain will obviously cancel
an outdoor session. If it has been showering on and off we usually
don't reschedule because it usually stops raining in a few minutes
and the portraits turn out well. Overcast skies produce a soft
light that is very flattering most of the time. Jim brings a
waterproof blanket so you'll stay dry if seated.
Q- How far ahead can we schedule our portrait
session?
A- No more than 5 weeks ahead. Please know
everyone's schedule (i.e. soccer games, after school activities,
etc.) so you can commit to your portrait session appointment.
A special occasion portrait session (such as a family reunion,
50th anniversary, 80th birthday) where extended family members
are totally committed to a specific date can be scheduled farther
out than 5 weeks.
Q- How much notice do you need for us to reschedule
our portrait session or sales appointment?
A- It is usually difficult for other families
to fill in photography appointments that become available with
just a few days notice. We realize people do get sick (please
reschedule if someone has the flu!) and parents sometime get
called out of town for work commitments. If you must reschedule,
we appreciate as much notice as possible so your time
slot can be filled in and not wasted. Even if our schedule is
heavily booked several weeks out, you can sometimes be photographed
immediately if you are flexible enough to take a last minute
cancellation. The "jeans and solid tops" clothing scheme
is simple to coordinate.
Q- What are your hours?
A- Appointments can be scheduled Tuesday -
Saturday. We are closed Sundays and Mondays. Since we work on
location much of the time and our studio is closed while we're
gone, all client meetings are by appointment only.
Q- How soon can I see the proofs?
A- Digital images can be ordered immediately
if we've scheduled extra time for you. With small children though,
it's best to come back without them when you make your selections.
Q- How do we select our portraits?
A- Come into our studio to see all the possibilities
such as various sizes, collages, finishes, retouching options,
holiday cards, custom framing and albums. We have a large, high-resolution
monitor where you can see all the subtle details of expression
changes between similar images. This is especially appreciated
when viewing a family group. The average appointment takes about
90 minutes. Since we don't have facilities for young children
during your proof viewing, please make arrangements for child
care.
Q- Can we see our images online?
A- Yes, you can see your images online. We
ask that you prepay our "package 10" (5 assorted 8x10s
from any number of poses) for $250. This amount will be applied
to your order. We realize it may be more convenient to see them
at home but there is much we can offer and show you at our office
including digital retouching services, "head swaps",
holiday cards and custom Larson-Juhl frames.
Q- Do you sell your digital files?
A- Yes, with a minimum $500 print order, digital
files are $150 each. Keep in mind though, the final print quality
can vary tremendously depending on where it is made. Our lab
does a great job with our client prints.
Q- Should the wall portraits be covered with
glass?
A- All our photo collages and wall portraits
11x14 through 30x40 are protected by several coats of lacquer
and do not need glass. They can be dusted with a lamb's wool
duster.
Q- Do you offer holiday cards?
A- We offer several styles of cards... the
Trimline cards with a holiday logo and personalized name imprint,
traditional cards that have a photograph attached to them and
also cards where the photo is printed on the paper with printer's
ink. Another option is to purchase quantity photographs and enclose
them with your own cards.
Q- Do you do black & white portraits?
A- Yes, and there's no extra charge to make
images B&W.
Q- How long before the finished portraits
are ready?
A- Finished portraits usually are ready 3
to 4 weeks after you place your order. We can ship smaller unframed
portraits via UPS for $8.00. Since we are often out of the office
doing on-location portraits, and we wouldn't want you to find
our door locked, orders should be picked up with a scheduled
time.
Q- Do you accept credit cards?
A- Yes, Visa and Mastercard.
Q- Will my portraits fade over time?
A- The stability of dyes used in portraits
has been improved tremendously over the years, but fading can
still be caused by strong light over extended periods time. We
recommend that portraits be displayed away from areas which receive
direct sun or strong indirect natural light from large or nearby
windows or skylights.
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