Common FAQ's for Portrait Sessions
-What should I wear/dress my children in for our portrait session?
I always recommend that clients "dress their best" for portrait sessions. It is very common (and recommended) for clients to bring multiple outfits for one session. I always suggest that one outfit be dressier while one a little more casual. Character tees, graffiti tees, overly busy patterns, etc. are generally NOT the most flattering for professional portraits. If you are having a group session like family portraits, I recommend clothing that coordinates but doesn't necessarily match completely. Solids and coordinating accessories are always pleasant. Check out the following link from famous professional photographer Annie Manning on what to wear:
http://paintthemoon.net/blog/2013/03/wear-clothing-tips-children-family-photo-sessions-paint-moon-photoshop-actions/
-Why do I receive digital files instead of actual prints?
To keep packages budget-friendly, all clients will receive their images via digital download. Your custom-edited images will be uploaded to a digital gallery via pixieset.com. After your digital gallery is created, you will receive an email containing the link to your album as well as your pin code necessary for downloading. From there, you will be able to access, view, and download all of your edited images from our session. You can even share your album on Facebook! (Your friends will be able to view your entire gallery but will only be able to download and print their own images if you share your pin code with them!) This gives you the freedom to have your image files almost instantly and print any size or amount of every single picture that you wish, where you wish. This is a HUGE money-saver for you and saves all of us the headache of dealing with print orders! All clients also receive a copyright printing release.
***NOTE: Client galleries will be visible on pixieset.com for a guaranteed 2 weeks. Galleries are subject to deletion at any time after the 2 week period. Clients are responsible for downloading their gallery as soon as possible and YOU MUST BACK UP YOUR FILES!!!
-Why don't I receive every image taken during my portrait session?
Professional editing to give images that beautiful quality look takes time. Sometimes lots of time! In order to keep packages budget-friendly, give you better pose variety, and to highlight the absolute BEST images from your session, I go through every image and pull out the "cream of the crop," as opposed to charging more to give you dozens of images that look exactly the same. I strive to provide quality images over quantity of images. I want every image from your session to be "wall-hanger" quality, not just snapshots!
-What if I want to purchase extra image files? Can I do that?
Yes! You may always purchase additional image files "a la carte." These files are $7.00 each. Photos chosen by photographer unless viewing appointment is scheduled.
-I would like to view and select my own images after our session. Can I do this?
Yes! You may view and select your images. This requires scheduling a viewing appointment and there is a fee of $25.00 to schedule.
-Does it matter where I print my images? Where should I have my images printed?
YES! It matters a great deal! It is fine to take your images to chain stores like Wal-Mart, Walgreens, or Target but please note that you may notice significant differences in the print quality you receive and what you view on your computer. It is a fact that these labs simply may not have well-trained technicians, equipment that is calibrated incorrectly (VERY important to achieve quality color!), etc. I recommend clients use a web-based company Mpix.com for their final image printing. They are a professional printing lab that anyone can use and they offer a wide range of products & sizes and their prices are competitive to those chain labs. To see samples of why where you print is so important, check out this article compiled by another amazing photographer!
http://www.amandajacksonphoto.com/2014/01/13/pro-prints-vs-drugstore-prints-it-does-matter/
-Are there travel fees for my on-location session?
Locations requiring travel further than 30 minutes from Plano, IL one-way do require an additional $15.00 fee. I.E. If I travel for one hour to your location and another hour home (totaling out to one extra hour of travel round-trip), there will be an additional $30.00 added to your session fee to cover the cost of gas as well as travel time.
***Didn't see the question/answer you were looking for, please do not hesitate to contact me to ask!
I always recommend that clients "dress their best" for portrait sessions. It is very common (and recommended) for clients to bring multiple outfits for one session. I always suggest that one outfit be dressier while one a little more casual. Character tees, graffiti tees, overly busy patterns, etc. are generally NOT the most flattering for professional portraits. If you are having a group session like family portraits, I recommend clothing that coordinates but doesn't necessarily match completely. Solids and coordinating accessories are always pleasant. Check out the following link from famous professional photographer Annie Manning on what to wear:
http://paintthemoon.net/blog/2013/03/wear-clothing-tips-children-family-photo-sessions-paint-moon-photoshop-actions/
-Why do I receive digital files instead of actual prints?
To keep packages budget-friendly, all clients will receive their images via digital download. Your custom-edited images will be uploaded to a digital gallery via pixieset.com. After your digital gallery is created, you will receive an email containing the link to your album as well as your pin code necessary for downloading. From there, you will be able to access, view, and download all of your edited images from our session. You can even share your album on Facebook! (Your friends will be able to view your entire gallery but will only be able to download and print their own images if you share your pin code with them!) This gives you the freedom to have your image files almost instantly and print any size or amount of every single picture that you wish, where you wish. This is a HUGE money-saver for you and saves all of us the headache of dealing with print orders! All clients also receive a copyright printing release.
***NOTE: Client galleries will be visible on pixieset.com for a guaranteed 2 weeks. Galleries are subject to deletion at any time after the 2 week period. Clients are responsible for downloading their gallery as soon as possible and YOU MUST BACK UP YOUR FILES!!!
-Why don't I receive every image taken during my portrait session?
Professional editing to give images that beautiful quality look takes time. Sometimes lots of time! In order to keep packages budget-friendly, give you better pose variety, and to highlight the absolute BEST images from your session, I go through every image and pull out the "cream of the crop," as opposed to charging more to give you dozens of images that look exactly the same. I strive to provide quality images over quantity of images. I want every image from your session to be "wall-hanger" quality, not just snapshots!
-What if I want to purchase extra image files? Can I do that?
Yes! You may always purchase additional image files "a la carte." These files are $7.00 each. Photos chosen by photographer unless viewing appointment is scheduled.
-I would like to view and select my own images after our session. Can I do this?
Yes! You may view and select your images. This requires scheduling a viewing appointment and there is a fee of $25.00 to schedule.
-Does it matter where I print my images? Where should I have my images printed?
YES! It matters a great deal! It is fine to take your images to chain stores like Wal-Mart, Walgreens, or Target but please note that you may notice significant differences in the print quality you receive and what you view on your computer. It is a fact that these labs simply may not have well-trained technicians, equipment that is calibrated incorrectly (VERY important to achieve quality color!), etc. I recommend clients use a web-based company Mpix.com for their final image printing. They are a professional printing lab that anyone can use and they offer a wide range of products & sizes and their prices are competitive to those chain labs. To see samples of why where you print is so important, check out this article compiled by another amazing photographer!
http://www.amandajacksonphoto.com/2014/01/13/pro-prints-vs-drugstore-prints-it-does-matter/
-Are there travel fees for my on-location session?
Locations requiring travel further than 30 minutes from Plano, IL one-way do require an additional $15.00 fee. I.E. If I travel for one hour to your location and another hour home (totaling out to one extra hour of travel round-trip), there will be an additional $30.00 added to your session fee to cover the cost of gas as well as travel time.
***Didn't see the question/answer you were looking for, please do not hesitate to contact me to ask!