FAQ
Main questions

For in studio sessions we have a private changing area. On location be prepared to turn your car into a dressing room! That’s what a lot of the Seniors do. However, we also bring along an adorable pop up changing room. When you’re on the Beach you definitely don’t want to walk back to the car. You can also feel free to bring a towel or blanket to cover up with between changes. There may be some walking so bring a pair of flip-flops for in-between scene changes.

About 3 weeks following your session we will schedule your premier viewing and ordering session where we will present all of your proofs to you, and walk you through all of the collections and a la carte options to find out what best suits your needs. There will also be samples of the beautiful heirloom products that are available for you so you can pick out what you love!

Absolutely! In fact, that’s what I’m known for! I will give you tons of ideas and directions throughout your session to help you feel at ease. I find the best photos to be the candid photos because that is when you are at your most relaxed state. I will coach you along and make you feel like the beauty queen you are, but don’t be surprised if I ask you to walk towards us like you are on a catwalk or give me your ‘smize’ aka – a smile with your eyes! (I warned you!;))

Don’t worry, I always leave 2 days open during the week for reschedules. I will notify you asap if I do have to reschedule, however I usually only reschedule if there is either a 50% or higher chance of rain. If it’s overcast don’t worry your pictures will still look amazing! Our worst fear on the beach is high winds so if we have to reschedule it’s worth it to get the best shots possible or consider the studio for a back up plan.

You can absolutely do this but we offer those services right here at the studio. We use only professionals (lots of local talent) who know how to apply techniques for the camera. You will need to bring your own lip color or gloss to have on hand to refresh as the lipstick fades.

At least 2-3 outfits. One should be dressy, One casual an any outfit that displays your personality. You can bring accessories and jewelry. We love hats!! If you love flowers be sure to bring a bouquet of your favorites. I will be sure to incorporate them into your session. Bring any hats (I mentioned that already) , scarves and shoes to coordinate with your outfits. And you may bring a parent or a friend to help and bring you comfort. We also send out a very informative brochure that will help you understand the timeline of your session and there is a bunch of style pointers included as well. Once you book your session and leave your deposit I send along a style guide to give you pointers on what to wear and how to prepare for your portrait session.

Yes, you can have both.We can do both on the same day when you choose that package. If the sessions need to be photographed on separate days there will be and additional $150 session fee for hair and make up.

I know we live in a digital era and we want you to share your beautiful pictures online as much you do! YES, I will provide you with web-ready digital copies of any print or product that you purchase. These images have been fully retouched (blemish removal, skin smoothing, color enhanced etc.) and ready for the world to see. I only release fully edited images. Not only to protect my brand, but to also ensure you are receiving a fully-finished portrait. After all that is what brought you to us in the first place. We have digital only packages but I make my print/digital packages so amazing for you to have both.

Yes you can.This is YOUR session so it really is all about YOU. That being said, your family is welcome to hop in a picture at the end. If you want to do a bestie session with a friend there is an additional fee and you will both be photographed throughout the session and at times together.

YES YES YES! We love getting creative and bringing your vision to life. You just have to let us know and we will take it from there! When you fill out the questionnaire it helps us to figure out the best ways to showcase you based on what you are drawn too and we have LOTs of ideas. We are sure to come with something that works for you!

In a perfect scenario – YES! But in reality – NO! Modeling agencies tend to encourage new models to work with multiple photographers to build their portfolios so that the book contains a variety of looks and also so that the model gains the experience of working with different photographers’ personalities and working styles.

Of course this can become extremely expensive for someone who is just starting out. As long as you choose a photographer that understands the need for variety and different looks, you can build a very effective portfolio working with just one person. The benefit of working with just one person, if they are talented enough, they will get to know you, your styles and your capabilities and make an effort to keep your book fresh.

Start your search at Google and look for “commercial advertising photographers” in your area or the closest major city. These are the photographers who shoot pictures for advertisements -the same advertisements that you want to be in. They understand how to create photos of you that look like they should be in ads.

NEVER! If a modeling agency is asking you to shoot your portfolio with their photographer, they are probably just interested in your money. If you do some research, you will probably find out that their “photographer” is not a full-time professional and is probably being paid an hourly fee to take your photos. In other words, the pictures suck and the modeling agency will make a ton of money from your photo shoot. This is a very legal, but morally inappropriate modeling scam that some agencies take part in.

The only time you should consider an agency’s photographer is if you have asked the modeling agency for recommendations and they give you the names and contact information of a few good photographers in your area. As long as they have not told you to use a specific one and they are not asking you to pay them to set up the photo shoot, it is probably an honest list of recommended photographers.

Do NOT contact a modeling agency before you have your portfolio, otherwise you simply risk making a bad first impression and showing yourself as a potential sucker to the agencies that are willing to take advantage of you.

This is a bad idea on so many levels. That friend who is good with a camera is not a professional, so why would you risk your career to someone who really doesn’t know what they are doing? A great portfolio is not just about good quality photographs, it is about the right photographs that show the right things to market you.

Another reason this is a bad idea is that someone who knows you on a personal level or even intimate level will just add to your nerves and make it more difficult for you to perform in front of the camera.

If you are reading this and thinking that it would be easier for you if you could shoot with a friend because you would feel more comfortable… that means you may not be a great candidate to model professionally. When you get hired for a job, you don’t get to take your own photographer with you. You are going to have to work with many different personalities and now is a good time to get started.

ABSOLUTELY! Shooting without a makeup artist, when you are taking the most important photos of your career is simply called career suicide!

Hopefully you have decided to work with an amazing photographer to shoot your portfolio, so it is equally as important to work with an amazing makeup artist if you want to look your best. At our studio we have top of the line professionals that will start with a basic look and build it up throughout the session.

Understand that you can’t do your own makeup as well and with as much range as a makeup artist can do. You should also understand that makeup for the camera is much different than the makeup you wear everyday. Plus, when you are at your photo shoot, you should be concentrating on the modeling – not the makeup and hair.

Simple and basic. The photographs are trying to sell your ability to model – NOT the clothing you are wearing. The clothing is a costume that helps to make the various characters convincing.

You should stick with classic solid colors. Prints, patterns, and florals are a horrible idea as they will take attention away from you and can get dated real fast. Make sure the clothing fits properly and is flattering to your body.

Don’t take my word for this – pay attention to what you see models wearing in advertisements. The majority of the clothing is solid colors.

Even if you are tall enough to be a fashion model, when you do your fashion shots – keep it simple, remember that the shots are selling you and your ability, not the designer clothing.

Your portfolio needs a variety of shots, including headshots and full length photos, as well as three quarter length and full length images. You should have a good balance of shots done in the studio as well as shots done on location in natural lighting. The images you choose to put in your portfolio need to show a range of facial expressions and emotions. This is where it is important to know your market and what your target client audience is. If you’re in a commercial area, you want to make sure you have many different photos showing your smile and an all-around happy vibe, not all serious and moody images. You also want to have a variety of different settings- some images done in studio and some out on different locations.

Remember to include shots that show you are the characters that you will be hired to model as. (business, athletic, medical, college, beauty, fashion, etc.). Don’t forget different expressions in every photo and LOTS of variations with your hair.

Yes. Before the invention of digital cameras, we used Polaroids. You should have a digital Polaroid of your face and also a full length body shot.

Photographing a bare face does mean it should be a bad portrait! We make sure the lighting is soft and flattering. At our studio we use natural daylight and know how to shape and mold strobes to bring out your features and hide the flaws. We do not retouch these photos. We make sure the backgrounds are simple and not distracting.

Between 6 to 20 photos is appropriate for a modeling portfolio. NEVER more than 20.

If you are a brand new model just starting out, I would encourage you to work with somewhere between 6 to 10 photographs. Less is better – regardless of the amount of experience you have.

If you have modeled before and you have tear sheets, only include them in your book if they make you look amazing. Don’t include them just to brag about work you have done. That’s what a resume is for.

Modeling portfolios range between 8×10, 8.5×11, 9×12 and 11×14 inches depending on the market where you intend to work. In markets like New York and Los Angeles, the 9×12 and 11×14 inch books are most popular. In most other markets like Philadelphia, Boston, Dallas and Chicago, 8.5” x 11” books are the most common. Larger photos are not more impressive and won’t get you more work. Larger photos just make your flaws bigger. You do not want to stand out for the size of your book. You want to stand out for what is in the book.

You can purchase a Scuba book on Amazon. We offer that as part of some of our all inclusive packages. This style is better for swapping pictures. We also offer a beautiful 11×14 lay flat photo book that is a beautiful keepsake and more like a time capsule. Some clients get both.

No. It is okay if all of your shots are in color. There is no rule here. It is okay if you have one or two black and white photos in your portfolio to help add an additional dimension to your book.

Don’t get carried away because you think black and white images look cool, and don’t use lots of them because they tend to hide skin flaws. The overwhelming majority of advertising is in color, so your portfolio should be as well.

Between 6 to 20 photos is appropriate for a modeling portfolio. NEVER more than 20.

If you are a brand new model just starting out, I would encourage you to work with somewhere between 6 to 10 photographs. Less is better – regardless of the amount of experience you have.

If you have modeled before and you have tear sheets, only include them in your book if they make you look amazing. Don’t include them just to brag about work you have done. That’s what a resume is for.

No, No and NO! There is no type of modeling that you HAVE to do to be a model. You are not required to model anything that is in conflict with your cultural or religious beliefs. It is not like the reality TV shows where they make all the models get naked. It is simply a matter of the more things that you are comfortable doing, the more opportunities that you may have. No legitimate modeling agency will ever demand that you work in these categories.

That being said, if you are avoiding these categories because you don’t think you are in the best of shape. . . you are just kidding yourself. All the clothing in the world won’t change your measurements and the reality that you need to get in shape. Models are healthy, attractive people who take care of their bodies and look their best at all times.