Things to Know

My goal is to capture the real "you" and in so doing, draw out an authentic expression that appears genuine to the viewer. I will provide direction on body posture and help you go from "camera shy" to "camera confident" so your personality shines through.

I shoot loose with room for creative cropping, but I'm a huge fan of tightly cropped photos because they draw the viewer into a predetermined "personal space". The viewer will feel they know you much better than they actually do. 

Read "Camera Shy? Learn to Love the Camera" and "Why do some portraits feel more friendly than others?"

Solid white, gray or black backdrops are most commonly used. The colors are neutral, timeless and compliment any website or design. However, if you have something else in mind, let's talk... There are plenty of alternatives that can be procured for a small additional fee. And yes, we can bring the backdrop to your location.

Whether your company is a hip internet startup or a national conglomerate or traditional oil & gas, the following guidelines apply:

1. If necessary, get a haircut the week before (and don’t forget to touch-up color). This applies to both men and women. But if you usually hate your hair when it’s first cut, then we’d advise doing it a month ahead.
2. Don’t have a facial within 48 hours of a shoot… Your skin will be too red, and facials, more often than not, result in breakouts.
3. Wear clothes you’re comfortable in but that fit well and aren’t old and worn. Make sure said clothes are appropriate for the “look” and “feel” your company (or brand) wants to convey.
4. Don’t wear super-bright colors or bold, fussy patterns.
5. Wear colors that are mid to dark tones and don’t wear white shirts unless they are under a suit. Color matters. You want your face to be the thing that stands out… not your neon-green polka-dot shirt or your bright-white oxford.
6. Ladies: Don’t wear short-sleeved or no-sleeves... or strapless tops. They make for awkward cropping. And fussy or plunging necklines are distracting. Keep jewelry to a minimum by wearing smaller earrings and a simple necklace.
7. Gentlemen: If you’re pulling a tie from your closet, choose sky-blues, chartreuse, pink, lilac… not olive green, navy blue and power red. More modern colors mean progressive… keeping up with your industry landscape.
8. If we're doing three-quarter length photos, please don't turn up in a great shirt.. and shorts for casual day.
9. If you wear glasses, they have to be clean and smudge free. Non-reflective glasses are far and away the best choice. Please do not wear blue light blocking glasses as they change the color of your skin around the eyes. And photochromic/light adaptive glasses are problematic under bright flash equipment.

The biggest issue with skin, both male and female, is shine under lighting. We take care of it with oil-absorbing paper. You might ask why not just use a little powder but there's a problem with that approach:

1. Photographers are not makeup artists.
2. Photographers aren’t licensed as makeup artists because they’re not makeup artists.
3. Photographers cannot secure insurance as makeup artists because… see #2.

With that knowledge in mind, we have worked with all kinds of makeup artists including ones who apply basic powder, clip nostril and ear hair, and smooth hairstyles... and all that in 5 minutes before a team member sets foot in front of the camera. Whether you are an individual or a corporate entity, we're happy to talk about the possibilities.

Read more at "Should you hire a makeup artist for your portrait shoot?"

Don't get a haircut a few days before a photoshoot. If you don't like it, you'll never be happy with the photo. We want you to look relaxed and natural... As you would on a "great hair day".

And gentlemen, getting a haircut too close to the shoot date may result in weird tan lines so let's just say no.

For individuals, during the session, we will review images and edit them down to the best shots, making sure we have what you need before you leave. Then we can arrange either an online gallery for you to review and make final choices, or send you a pdf if you'd prefer.

For team location shoots, we have about 15 minutes to shoot, edit and move on to the next person, but if time allows, you can view them before you go back to work. Reviews and choices will be made via online gallery or pdf.

When final choices are made, image processing and retouching process will begin.

My philosophy on retouching is to clean up skin, brighten eyes and teeth, and contour the face where needed as well as removing stray hairs... that generally results in the subject looking 5 to 10 years fresher, not necessarily younger. But isn't that what we want most of the time? "You" still need to look like "you" and the lines of experience should be softened, not erased.

Each additional photo you choose is $50. All rates include one retouched image per person.

After retouching is complete, we'll send you a link to download your retouched images.

You'll receive two file sizes for each retouched photo in both b/w and color:

Small - Optimized for use online with social media and similar websites.

Large - Full resolution perfect for printed materials. You can also downsize this image for use in just about any media.

I am happy to accommodate specific photo requirements. Just provide the pixel dimensions needed, and it will be included with your final delivery.

Shooting on location, adds time for packing gear, traveling to the location and setting up the mobile studio. As a result, we typically only offer location sessions for groups of three or more (check out individual session costs to see if you'd prefer to come to us)... and we always bring an assistant to make sure things run smoothly and efficiently. We really don't need to invade your space for longer than is absolutely necessary.

We are fully insured and can provide a Certificate of Insurance for your building manager when needed.