Answers to Commonly Asked Questions

What does the creation fee cover?

Your creation (sitting) fee covers all of your family's different groupings, such as your full family, the children's individual portraits, all the siblings together and spouses together. If you would like any other groupings (e.g., mother/son, father/daughter or including your family pet) please notify us so that we can have the appropriate photo supplies available for your sitting.

Where is the portrait session held?

Portrait sessions can be held anywhere you want them to be. Some location ideas are Waveny Park, Mead Park, an old barn, a nearby beach, or your very own home.

What kind of input about the session should I give?

As an artist Christine appreciates any input you may have concerning your sitting. If you have envisioned a certain look, please don't hesitate to consult with us about your ideas. If you have a picture or other kinds of examples, Christine would love to review them with you. This helps us be aware of the end result you have in mind.

How long does the session last?

A session for a family of 3-5 people lasts approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. If your family is larger than this or you have small children it may be agreed upon to have two shorter portrait sessions so that the children don't feel overwhelmed or restless. Your photo session may last longer than previous experiences you may have had. Please realize that as a photographic artist, it takes time for Christine to capture your family in a relaxed, loving, and intimate way.

Should I bring anything to the portrait session?

Bring your personal selection of props (if desired) and extra clothes. Please remember to bring insect repellent so everyone can feel comfortable, if your portrait session is outdoors. Also bring a comb, brush, clips for long hair, and some hair spray for emergencies.

What if I have small children?

In the summer, many of the photo sessions are in the late afternoon or early evening. Please make sure your children are fed and well rested before the photo session. This allows for the session to be fun and fresh, and also gives Christine additional time to work with your child. Christine has a treasure chest full of prizes for small children that can be used as incentive, as well as, reward for a job well done. Keeping children comfortable and happy is important. In cooler weather, please bring extra clothing to keep kids warm during their sibling's time in front of the camera. Water, juice boxes, and some small snacks are great to have on hand for any down time. However, if you do bring food, please remember to bring wipes for clean up.

What should we wear?

Clothing plays a very important role in the finshed look of your family portraits. All clothes should be pressed. Keep the following in mind when selecting clothes for your session:

Choose colors wisely. Select two to three theme colors (possibly four for large families) for your family to wear. The simplicity of a few colors helps separate family from the scenery and creates some uniformity. Soft pastels, denim, khaki, black, white, and ivory are all excellent choices for outdoor backgrounds. Choose colors that look good on your family members.

Think in terms of color contrast/texture contrast. Providing some contrast is very important when placing people next to each other. Always use texture when you can. Using a variety of clothing materials such as corduroy, velvets, flannel, silk, wool, knits, denim, soft, and smooth really adds to the image with wonderful textures that are balanced throughout the image.

Avoid distracting clothing choices. Avoid wearing bright colors and/or busy patterns. Patterns eventually date the portrait and will distract from the subjects. Please take time to select and wear black or brown shoes. DON'T wear white tennis/running shoes or white socks with slacks or jeans. These selections become an instant distraction to the beauty of your portrait. Women should avoid sleeveless outfits -- 3/4 or long sleeves are preferred. The preferred shirt for men is button-down.

Select clothing appropriate to the location. For example, if you wanted to wear suits and dresses then a stately mansion or home would be an excellent background for your formal attire. On the other hand, the beach is great for jeans, khakis and bare feet--a look conveying the casualness of the beach. Please keep in mind that Christine is available for clothing consultations and happy to help with any clothing concerns you may have.

Are there any special grooming tips?

Christine encourages you to take the time to have everyone's hair be to your satisfaction. Please have your children's hair cut and styled the way YOU like it. Please don't forget to clip and clean children's nails, and remove old nail polish, and remove any temporary tattoos.

Make-up for women should be light, comfortable and easy. Please remove dark nail polishes such as blue, black and brown for this can really make a portrait look bad, especially when hands are used a lot in portraiture. Please avoid dark lip liners or dark lipstick; in black & white photos these colors come out looking almost black. For studio lighting women should wear foundation, mascara, blush, and lipstick. Please make sure that men (young men also) are clean shaven and women (young women also) have manicured eyebrows.

How long will it take for my portrait order to be completed?

From start to finish, it will take about an 8-12 week processing period before your portraits are finally completed. Approximately 10 days after your portrait session you will be invited to return to the studio to view your images; you will then be able to view the very best portraits from your session in enlarged wall portrait sizes. At that appointment you should come prepared to make your portrait selections. Once you've placed your order, it will take approximately 4-6 weeks before the portraits are available for pick-up. We recommend that you keep this time frame in mind when scheduling your creation session. We want to ensure that your order is done precisely and to your complete satisfaction--and this takes time. Please note that all portraits are signed on the front of each image by Christine Simmons.