I get a lot of questions from Clients and from other Photographers so I thought it would be a great idea to address some of the here.
What exactly is Custom Portraiture?
Custom Portraiture is more than your usual shopping centre photography experience, it is the investment in individually created fine art created by a visual artist. This type of Portrait Photography is individually tailored to each client, from the location chosen, to the selection of clothing and the intensive handcrafting of digital images into fine art that you will be proud to hang on your walls for generations to come. The Custom Portraiture Photographer spends a lot of time on each and every client unlike your shopping centre photographer and gives the client an experience to treasure.
Why are Custom Portraiture Prints more expensive?
The process that each inage goes through before being printed can thake hours, and is very skilled work, so we charge accordingly for this service. This is why there is such a big price difference between taking a digital negative to your local neighborhood photo lab and a professional lab. The professional lab that our studio uses has processing that is carefully matched to our workflow. You are paying for whatever time it takes us to carefully tweak and retouch the image so that it is a piece of art that you will be proud to display in your home. This requires expensive computer software and hardware, as well as time (roughly 15-30 minutes per image). For large prints we also have a special process that allows us to enlarge the image to any size without loss of quality. This is something that you just can’t get at you local photo lab.
How much will our portraits cost?
That totally depends upon what products you would like for your home. As a guide most of my clients spend between $800 – $2500 for their portraits. Print prices start at $45 for a 5×7 and our collections begin at $1100 and include and album and prints. As each session results in many days worth of work in the way of handcrafting images into art there is a minimum investment of $500. If you are only after one or two prints I am not the style of photographer that you are looking for.
Can we choose a location outside of Sydney?
Yes you can. I am happy to travel to new locations that will suit the mood that you are after from your session. There is an additional $50 travel fee for outside of Sydney Metropolitan areas.
How soon should I get my Newborn photographed?
This is one of the best questions for people interested in having the Newborn Baby photographed. I suggest that parents book in before their baby is 10 days old. I know that the first few weeks of parenthood can be stressful and a bit of a blur, but honestly this is the best time to get your baby photographed. Babies are at their sleepiest in the first 10 days, this makes it easy to move them and mould them to get those adorable sleepy photos. Babies loose the sleepy state quite quickly and start to become quite restless after that. Honestly, I don’t care if your house is a mess and you haven’t showered for a week, I have 3 children of my own so I know what it’s like. I just want to get the best possible photos for you so if you can do it at this time you won’t regret it later!
Do you bring your own props to Newborn Sessions?
Absolutely! I have a lot of props that I have collected especially for Newborn Sessions. My Cocoons are a great back up for those babies who don’t like being naked as they keep them nice and snug so I always bring a selection of those. I never know what a shoot will entail until I have arrived at your home as I do like to use the items that you have already in your house. This makes the session special to you and gives your photos a unique look. But don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of props, I will still bring some of mine.
How long does a Session last?
Portrait Sessions last up to 2 hours, during this time I will get a number of different looks for your portraits by finding different settings within your chosen location. Newborn Sessions can last a bit longer as Babies need to be fed and burped at least once during the Session. Allow for up to 3 hours for this type of Session.
When do we get to see our photos?
I will start editing your photos on the same day I take your portraits, firstly I will blog your photos within the first few days. I will then start the intensive editing of about 30 images. I will make arrangements to see you and your family about 2 weeks after your Session.
We have chosen our photos, when can we expect to receive our prints?
I ask that you expect to wait around 2 weeks for delivery of your images once ordered. I understand that clients are very keen to get their images, but it is important not to rush this process. I inspect every single image to make sure everything is perfect. If it isn’t, I will have it re-printed before you even see the print. You want the prints that grave your walls to be amazing. Rushing prints is simply not the way to accomplish this. If a rush order is required for an urgent reason please inform me at the time of your viewing.
Can we buy the digital files?
I run a a high end, custom, boutique studio, and as such I am eager to provide my clients with only the very best finished product. I understand that I could easily shoot a session for my clients and sell them a CD of the images, leaving the rest of the work up to them, but as an artist, I simply couldn’t do so in good conscience.
I am invested in providing for my clients fine artwork, not simply digital files which are mere representations of what the final image could become if handled with professional imaging know-how and care. As an artist, I earn my living by providing for my clients the very best, and only I can place a value on what I think my artwork is worth. I could easily put all of my images on disk and sell them at a low cost, but what would I be saying about the degree to which I believe my art has value? Knowing what goes into making an image a stellar piece of art, I feel my prices are a true reflection of the value of the finished product, and I will not allow anything to leave my studio bearing my name if it doesn’t reflect my personal standards for quality and craftsmanship.
***To see the difference between a Digital File and a Fine Art Image look at the “Before & After” section of the Information Menu.
What is your cancelation policy?
Payment for Sessions will be due within 48 hours of your booking, this ensures that your date will be held exclusively for you and we don’t have to talk money on the day of the session.
Due to my hectic schedule cancelations must be made via a phone call so that I can confirm the cancelation and reschedule your appointment. Text message and email cancellations may mean that you will not be rescheduled. 5 days notice of a cancellation must be given so I can re-arrange my schedule. Only one cancellation per client will be accepted.
If a cancellation is due to wet weather I will reschedule your appointment at a mutually convenient time as quickly as possible.
***Please note that cancellations for weekend sessions may result in a wait of up to 6 weeks for the next available session, so only cancel if it is absolutely unavoidable.
We have a gift certificate, how long do we have to use it?
Your gift certificate is valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. The date that the certificate expires is clearly written on the back. I strongly suggest that you contact me within the first 6 months of receiving your certificate so we can book a date for you, if you leave it for 10 or 11 months before contacting me I can not guarantee that I will have room in my calendar and you may miss out on your session. 12 months is more than enough time to schedule your session therefore Gift Certificates will not be extended for any reason.
Gift certificates are not redeemable for cash.
What camera to you use?
I only use professional camera equipment for Professional Photographers from Canon. My camera is a Canon 1DS MKII. I use Canon L Series lenses because I believe they give the best results. I am always updating my Kit to the latest technology so I can take the best possible photos for my clients.
How long have you been interested in Photography?
I first became passionate about Photography when I was in Year 10 at High School at the age of 15. My very first camera was a Pentax K1000 which was a fully manual camera, this was the best grounding as it forced me to learn about ISO, aperture and Shutter Speed at a very young age. Ever since this time I have seen great photo opportunities in my everyday life.
Do you teach people how to take photos like you?
This is a question that I have been getting a lot of lately but to be honest I’m not sure that I’m ready to teach others. I am a self taught photographer and have developed my own style over the years, something I suggest strongly you should do. It’s one think to like someone else’s style, it’s another to develop your very own!
Are you on any Forums or Sites?
Yes you can see me on Kiss the Bride Wedding Directory
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Wedding Directory Sydney , Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide & Hobart, Australia. iWeddings.
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