Mobile Portrait Studio: Portrait Session Process

01: The Consultation

Your photoshoot starts with a conversation—phone, or in-person. We'll cover:

• Your reasons for your portraits, your motivations, your desired results
• Create the shot-list
• Location and logistics
• Number of final images
• Any special needs, pets, props, etc.
• The Creative Fee

I cover the Consultation in detail. 

Availability and Scheduling

My availability is limited to 2-3 sessions per week. However, I’m available on the weekends! I’m also available on most holidays, especially government holidays on Mondays when everything is closed. Make the most of your free Monday!

My time is very flexible right now. Unless we decide natural light is the style we want, I use studio lighting. Artificial lighting means that the time of day doesn’t matter to when our session is. We’re not stuck with early mornings or dinner time to get the right shot. You get a lot of options for ideal scheduling.

02: The Portrait Session

The big day! I arrive early to set up for our photoshoot.

Sessions are intentional but not rigid. We work from the shot-list we created, allowing room for spontaneity. The atmosphere is controlled and quiet, whether in your home, office, or another chosen location.

If you feel awkward at first, that’s normal. Portrait sessions do not have hard time limits so you have time to relax. 

Water or other drinks are always fine as long as the container is spill-proof.

Your pets are welcome to join you!

Makeover/Transformations/Glamour

I don’t have a MUAH (makeup and hair) artist right now. I’m looking forward to introductions, and you’re welcome to make recommendations. Looking your best always makes you feel more confident.

You are enough as you are. I don't see my job as "improving" you but making obvious what's already there, and making you look good.

While a professional MUAH can boost your confidence, it's not a requirement to look good to the camera. 

My beliefs around appearance have a lot more to do with your expression than your eyelashes. Even if you recoil in horror at the idea of appearing bare-faced in front of the camera, I promise you don’t look bad, you’ve just suffered bad lighting.

Posing

If you can take direction, then you don’t have to worry about posing. I can pose you with precise detail, or give general prompts. It depends on your preferences.

If you have wardrobe questions, please ask at the Consultation. You won’t go wrong with clean, ironed clothing that fits you well in solid colors. I’ll have a last-minute lint roller with me.

I consider that anything you share during a session stays there. Being vulnerable and personal is key to emotionally-intimate photos, and I won’t violate that. 

This should be a creative and expressive moment for both of us, not anxious torture!

03: The Proofing Session

Proofing is how you choose the final images included in my Creative Fee, any images you want to buy, and giving me any specific retouching requests for the final images. Proofing is when we create your print order, if you want anything printed.

Proofing sessions are $0. The differences are: time; and whether you end up with a collection of small prints or not.

Digital Proofing

If you choose to proof immediately after the session, I’ll lightly process the photos in a few minutes and we’ll proof the photos together. 

If we can’t proof immediately after the session, you’ll be able to proof via a private online gallery within a week of the session (”mistake” images or duplicate images are not included in the gallery). You’ll be able to choose your final images, purchase additional images, and make retouching requests.

If you want prints, we should have a phone call while you view your gallery so I can prepare the print order.

You’ll receive your final digital files 2-3 weeks after the proofing session, along with a print release. You’ll download all your images from another online gallery.

Have fun posting all your great new images online!

Printed Proofing

This is the most-fun option, but requires extra time. You get a full set of lightly-retouched 5x7 prints from the photoshoot 2-3 weeks after it’s done. 

"Full set" = all photos that are not repeats/duplicates or mistakes. Objectively bad photos are not proofed. There’s no point in printing a photo where you’re sneezing, it’s nothing you’ll want to keep as a memory. 

If two shots are very similar, I’ll choose the better one. Noticeable changes in expression or pose count as unique.

I shoot conservatively because the idea is to get the right shot, not simply fill my memory card. Don’t expect hundreds or thousands of images to sift through. (True for digital proofing, as well.) Ideally, we set a date for the proofing session during the consult, but if you need to leave it open-ended, I’ll contact you when I’ve received your prints.

You keep all of your proof prints.

You select the final images, I make any retouching notes. During the proofing session we create the print order (with rough estimate).

Expect to receive the digital half of your order 2-3 weeks post-proofing session, and another 2-4 weeks to for your printed order, which I’ll deliver to you.

Enjoy your new art!

04: What You Get

High-level professional portrait retouching on all final images, no filters or AI-retouching.

Just you, at your best.

Any final image (included or purchased) comes with two digital files: one sized for printing and one for online sharing. You’ll get a print release so you can print the images later at your leisure. 

If you want all your web-ready files sized for a specific social media platform, let me know during the consult.

You download the digital files from a private online gallery. Printed items are delivered to me first so I can check the order, then I hand-deliver to you.

I've pre-selected reputable labs that print museum-quality, archival photos and artwork. We review their offerings during the Consultation or Proofing sessions.