What’s my photo shoot going to be like? Do I need to prepare to be photographed? What happens first? What happens next, and what happens after that? I’m nervous — does everyone get nervous? How do I get past it? Can you guarantee I’ll relax? How long will the session run? When do I get my images?
These are questions that actors who book sessions with me tend to have in their heads but often don’t ask. I thought it might be useful to address them (and others) by describing the stages of your session, in sequence…
Before the session
The first step is a phone conversation, which allows me to get to know you a bit, learn what you’d like to have come out of your session, and fill you in on the broad strokes of the stages listed below.
During the session
First off: I guarantee you’ll relax. If you’re experiencing apprehension, it’ll be gone soon after we get started.
- On the day of your shoot you’ll find a space to park at the Brewery Arts Complex (parking is free) and call us. One of the team will come out to help you bring in your wardrobe, which we’ll hang up on clothes racks in the makeup room. (We have a steamer.)
- After a quick tour of the studio – which will already be lit — you’ll get made up. Typically this takes 30 minutes. (Your makeup artist will be on set for the duration of the shoot, keeping an eye on you as we shoot – an invaluable function.)
- The session begins, generally, with a basic headshot setup.
- A change of wardrobe, and perhaps changes to the lighting, and more headshots.
- Another wardrobe change and a change in approach: a new setup and new lighting to capture mid-length shots and other views.
- We’ll also do some improvising at this point, if you’re so inclined. I’ll suggest emotions and states of mind for you to express. This is play time, which can yield great images.
- Another wardrobe change and new staging, as we make use of the some of the actual studio environment, adding variety to the shoot.
- Throughout your session, we’ll pause to upload images to the studio computer and briefly review them so you can see in real time what’s being captured
- There’s no predetermined time limit to the session. The end always arrives organically. We’ll both know when we’ve gotten what we need.
Post-Production (Editing the shoot)
- Your session is uploaded to Adobe Lightroom on my office computer.
- All images are reviewed; the rejects – there are always rejects — are marked and discarded. (A “reject” is not necessarily a failed image but likely is not a “select”.)
- All remaining images are “developed” — adjusted for exposure, color balance and presence.
- A second review is made to identify and eliminate other rejects.
- A second round of adjustments is applied to the remaining set of images.
- The select set is renamed (numbered and personalized with your name) and sent to you for review.
- After you’ve looked at everything, we’ll have a phone conversation to identify the “hero” images – the best of the best.
- Additional refinements are made to the hero set, which is sent to you.
The whole process – the shoot, pre-production and final delivery of images – usually takes 4-5 days, as my schedule allows.
Retouching
Typically a professional retoucher’s services aren’t needed; I’ll have been able to make cosmetic adjustments to your select set, and will add more, probably, to the hero set.
If advanced work is needed (on one or more images) the images will go to my retoucher, whose current rate is $60 an hour. I’ll pay his fee directly, and you’ll reimburse me for that amount.
After the fact
You’ll be able to talk to me anytime you like.
