Frequently Asked Questions
SESSIONS:
Studio Sessions begin at 10:00 am Monday - Friday and are BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.
* INDOOR STUDIO SESSIONS ARE CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
On-Location Sessions are flexible and may begin very early in the morning.
* Some Sunday Sessions are available at no extra charge (check for availability)
SESSION LOCATIONS:
All Sessions are anywhere within the greater Colorado Springs area (which includes up to Fountain, Calhan, Monument & Manitou). Sessions outside the greater Colorado Springs area are welcome and may incur a Travel Fee (Travel Fees can sometimes be waived with special events, large/multiple groups within the same party and with referrals). All shipping of products are at actual cost and may incur a fee for packaging to prevent damage. Feel free to "Contact" me with any questions.
THE BUSINESS BRIEF: $75.00 This Session is up to 30 minutes and is perfect for a quick Business Session or a Yearbook Image. It includes multiple poses to choose from at one location in the greater Colorado Springs area. This Session includes minor retouching for one person and (1) web resolution digital image. Minor Retouching and artwork is included for all purchased images. There are no clothing changes in this session. Yearbook Images will be delivered to the school abiding by school specifications.
1 Hour Session: $99.00 This session works great for an Individual that would like a more diverse selection of images such as Business Portfolios, High School Seniors, Couples and Engagement Sessions. This Session is also for Families (up to 6 people) that would like a family portrait and individual images of each person. The Session includes minor retouching for each person in the group and web resolution images for Social Media for each purchased image. Please call for Family Reunions and larger groups as the needs may vary.
2-3 HOUR SESSION: $150 This Session works great for Engagement Sessions, High School Seniors, Families (Groups) and individuals that would like a little more time and / or a larger selection of images. This Session offers up to two locations anywhere within the greater Colorado Springs area, multiple clothing changes, minor retouching and artwork for each person on all purchased images. Family Reunions and other large groups are by quotation as the needs may vary.
WHAT IS A SESSION FEE? A Session Fee covers the time that I spend with you to plan, photograph and present your images to you. The Photography Sessions are either In-Studio (refer to "Studio Information"), and/or at your favorite location within the greater Colorado Springs area. Sessions outside the area are welcome and may incur a small Travel Fee. Travel Fees can sometimes be waived with Special Events, some larger/multiple groups from the same party and with booked referrals. Shipping Fees will be applied at actual costs (mailing fees and packaging materials if required) throughout the Session/Ordering period.
PRE-APPOINTMENT CONSULTATION: There are many aspects that go into your photo session which begins with a Pre-Appointment Consultation. This consultation is a wonderful way to get to know each other and your particular needs, style and personality. Consultations can be done In-Studio or in the comfort of your own home, or (for existing customers) using my website as an additional method of working together to decide on what type of Session you require, locations, clothing... Consultations within your own home can be beneficial in deciding the style of your portrait and it can also give you an idea of the size of portrait that will look best in your home. The option of using the telephone and my website for a consultation is for those of you who have worked with me before and for those of you from out of town or have a schedule that is different than mine.
ACCESSING THE "CUSTOMER ORDERS" TAB:
Once your order has been placed, received and paid for you will be able to access the "Customer Orders" tab to download your web resolution images. All Customer Previews are by appointment and can be done in-person at my studio or (the Studio is currently closed for renovation) in the comfort of your own home, or via Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
Enter your email address and the password you selected. If multiple people are viewing the images, each person (family/group) can use their own email address. Use the same password for all users and the website will keep track of these separate emails if people choose "favorite" images or downloads a web image.
Web images will be available for download on all paid orders. An order needs to be paid for and processed prior to downloads being available. If you have any problems downloading them once a payment is processed please feel free to contact me via email or directly at (719) 359-1107.
Viewing devices such as computers, cell phones... do differ in color and brightness. If you have any concerns or questions regarding this please feel free to contact me.
DO YOU GIVE DISCOUNTS? I do give different types of discounts throughout the year, some discounts are listed in the "Information" section of the website. I periodically give discounts on Session Fees and also pass along discounts from the various suppliers that I work with for the Products that I offer. Keep on the look-out for the discounts that might be of interest to you. Again, if you have any questions always feel free to ask.
DO I NEED TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING AT ONCE? I PURCHASED A PACKAGE WITH AN ALBUM, DO I NEED TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING AT THE SAME TIME? No, you don't. The Session Fee is due at the time of the Session. When you purchase a package you can (for example) pay for prints and receive them right away and make payments for the album and/or other Products for up to one year from the Session date to receive the discounted pricing. A 45% Deposit is required to begin manufacture and payment in full is required to receive your products. Prices are firm for a period of one year.
WORDS: When it comes to what time of day that I do Family & Groups, What one should wear... Sometimes I almost hate to put words down because they become so inflexible. What is right for one person/group may not be right for another.
I do not normally do any Sessions during the middle of the day. However, IF it is an agreed upon location I am up for it. During the middle of the day the sun is at it's highest in the sky and is very bright and can create deep shadows on the faces (under the eyes). The best time is either early in the morning or later in the afternoon or early evening. At the same time I can do individuals and often times I love some of the effects that bright sun can have and I usually have different locations that work well mid-day. When it comes to clothing...
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR? What type of person/family/Group are you? Are you looking for a more formal look or something casual? Clothing is a very important part of your Portrait. Clothing is one way to connect each person together in a group shot or a Family Portrait. Some people do like to wear the same or similar colors, but not always. Sometimes it can be difficult to find coordinating colors for a Group Portrait, begin your search early if you are purchasing clothing for your Portrait Session. You don't all necessarily have to wear the same colors, but the colors should connect or compliment and blend harmoniously. Busy patterns often take the focus away from the face. Please if possible avoid strips (busy patterns) and logos that take the focus away from the intended subject (your faces). However, there are times, especially with some people or Business/Character Sessions, the busy clothing is truly a part of what you do or who you are, but usually we want the eyes to look first at your face(s).
Believe it or not jeans are something that simply have not gone out of style and are worn by many (a change of clothing is welcome). Typically, a long sleeve usually does look better than a short sleeve shirt or blouse in a formal portrait. Sometimes a sleeveless dress (without tan lines) can be beautiful, so be very careful about tanning prior to your session. I do understand in the summer most of us end up with tan lines and I will do my best to help out, but some tan lines may require an additional charge to retouch.
ENVIRONMENTAL (OUTDOOR) SESSIONS: I love On-Location/outdoor Portraits! They usually go well, but every once in a while weather does not cooperate, and I am more than happy to reschedule your appointment. At the same time, I photograph individuals both in full sun and very overcast days and have turned out some very beautiful images even in inclement weather. However, we will touch base and make a decision on what is best. I prefer (whenever possible) to schedule Families and Group Sessions in the early morning or later in the afternoon/early evening unless it is an agreed upon location. Over cast days work well (especially for mid-day groups) which I do understand is hard to predict. Overcast days create some very beautiful images as the colors can be deep and even.
Remember the Spring and Fall mornings can be a bit cool for the little ones (sometimes even for the big ones), so remember to take a sweater or light jacket or a blanket for the baby. For those wanting Winter Portraits with snow I will do my best to work with you on these. There also may be some things I can do with a little digital magic.
WHEN IS IT SAFE TO PLAN AN OUTDOOR SESSION? I am often asked "when is the weather safe to schedule an outdoor session? I actually do outdoor Sessions all year long. I have done Sessions out of season and they went well, sometimes the weather didn't cooperate and we still got some beautiful images... However, inclement weather can happen even in the middle of summer. For those of you who are patient, the rewards are great. I truly love outdoor Sessions! I love the beauty of nature and the many images that can be created in the Natural World. There probably will be some great days in May, but lately the weather has been a little different and we have gotten snow storms at the end of May and cold frosts the first of June. With the exception of bulbs and a few spring blooming plants and trees, most things don't really begin to bloom until somewhere in June. During the winter season in Colorado Springs we have plenty of locations architecturally that make for great portraits. We also have plenty of evergreen, great rock formations and I can actually get some great images all winter long outdoors. Fall colors are beautiful, but the season is short so feel free to book your session as early as possible.
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO BOOK A SESSION?: If you are needing a specific date "Contact" me to first see if the date is available. Portrait Session Fees are due either prior to (to hold a date) or at the time of the Session.
DO YOU DO PROOFS?: Yes and No. Images are presented to you using a slideshow and/or individual images on screen. Individuals with approximately 20 images or less are normally available for viewing in around 7 to 10 business days, or by quotation depending on the type and amount of artwork/retouching and the number of images. Proofs are standard when ordering large Wall Portraits and orders with many images. Proofs stay with the Photographer and I use these for the final matching /modifications of the final print. Feel free to "Contact" me with any questions.
FINAL ORDERS: I will notify you when the order is complete as each order may be a bit different depending on the number of images and the artwork and/or retouching involved. We will then schedule a time when we can meet to view the final images and receive your Final Order.
IF YOU PHOTOGRAPH US WILL YOU USE OUR PICTURES ON YOUR WEBSITE?" Not if you don't want me to. It is standard practice for photographers to create some type of portfolio so that people can see examples of their work. Just as you wanted to see images to decide what photographer to go to and what their work looks like, others also want to see examples of the work that I create. I often throw in a freebie if I do something with your images at a later date for the website. I also offer discounts for those that allow me to use your images on my website. I do sincerely appreciate you and/or your family or group and this is my way of saying Thank You!
WHAT TYPE OF PAPER DO YOU PRINT ON? All prints are printed on professional archival photo paper and wall art may vary depending on the product. Images are available in Matte, Glossy or Lustre. However, I use the Lustre paper as a standard as it adds beautiful color and a subtle classy texture to each image. I also use Glossy, Fine Art papers and textures on occasion and will bring it up to you in the right type of Session, or feel free to ask me and I can provide samples. Keeping to one type of paper also eliminates errors when placing orders. If you prefer Matte or Glossy feel free to let me know when placing the order. There are other options that I do use such as Metallic which can add a different and very nice look to images. Metallic works nicely with images that have a lot of color. Feel free to talk to me about what interests you and samples can be provided.