policies Q&A
HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD I BOOK MY SESSION AND ARE THERE RESERVATION FEES?
You should book your session no less than 2 weeks in advance. That is the recommended amount of time needed to properly prepare for your session. To reserve an available date, we require HALF of the total session fee (which is non-refundable) on the day you request a specific time slot to be held for you. The rest of your fee is due upon the day of your photoshoot.
HOW LONG WILL MY SESSION LAST?
This will depend on which session time you have booked. we sometimes allow sessions a run a few minutes longer (only if need be) and that may also depend on if we have another session scheduled immediately after. A $15 fee will be added with each additional 15 minutes the session goes over. (15 minutes over = $15, 30 minutes over = $30, etc…)
WHERE WILL IT BE?
We photograph both indoors (studio, on location, etc…) and outdoors in natural light in parks, fields, trails, downtown areas, and other public places. Please make sure to check for photographer fees or permits required for on-location sessions. Photographing outdoors at your home can be another option…
IS THERE A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF PEOPLE I MAY INCLUDE IN THE PHOTOSHOOT?
With family sessions, the maximum we photograph at one time is no more than 5 people. For each additional person, there will be an additional $20 fee per person.
MAY I REQUEST SPECIFIC PHOTOS TO BE TAKEN? (I.E. GRANDCHILDREN, INDIVIDUALS OF EACH CHILD, ETC)
Sure! Just make sure all of this is discussed at least 1 week before our session.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO BRING
If you have children under the age of 5, bring something for them to snack on and something to drink just in case they get a little hungry. For shoots that are in studio, please bring your desired outfit(s), accessories, and shoes. A pair of flip flops or slip-on shoes are recommended for your comfort to wear between studio and bathroom/changing areas. We keep essentials on hand for convenience (nail polish remover, brushes/combs, bobby pins, etc.) as well as a full range of makeup. Makeup services by Ascension Beauty can be booked at the same time as shoot. However, should you arrive for your shoot and need your makeup to be touched up or fixed, we recommend bringing your own products with you. If you do not have makeup with you, there is a $10 fee that will be added. This is to allow for faster editing turnaround times. For shoots that are on location, please be aware if our session is in an area with tall grass, bring some bug spray. It may be a good idea to wear boots if tall grass fields is the choice of location. Remember to also keep the weather in mind and dress accordingly.
I KNOW WHAT KIND OF LOOK I WANT, BUT I’M NOT SURE HOW TO GO ABOUT ACHIEVING IT. CAN YOU HELP ME?
Yes. We have a variety of backdrops and outdoor locations we shoot at around the Huntsville area. We’d be more than happy to make suggestions to better accommodate you and your guests and achieve the look you want. If travel to the location is required, there will be a travel fee. Shooting at a location will usually require allowing for travel and set up time, so please be aware of additional time needed when selecting your shoot day. Choosing a different day of availability is always an option.
HOW SHOULD WE PREPARE FOR OUR SESSION?
Ladies and gents, make sure you have your outfits picked out at least 5 days before the session. No wrinkles. Also make sure you have your shoes and socks chosen as well (Socks and shoes matter, a lot!) Have your hair groomed, nails done or free of chipped polish and makeup done before arriving at the photo location- unless you have decided to book makeup with our makeup artist Ascension Beauty. With little ones, make sure they are well-rested, well-fed, cleaned & fully dressed before leaving for your session. Sometimes children may fall asleep on the ride there, so prepare for a little grumpiness when waking them up. And most importantly, make sure you know ahead of time where the location is. It is very wise to make plans to seek the location before the day of your session, especially if you’re not familiar with the area. You will receive a confirmation email which will include the time and address of your shoot.
IF IT RAINS, IS A STUDIO AN OPTION?
If there is inclement weather, moving the shoot inside to the studio is always an option if the space has not been booked previously. If it starts to rain during our shoot, you do have the option to finish at the studio, however, a travel fee will still apply. Be aware that extra shoot time can be added (for fees listed above) if there is not another client scheduled immediately after your time.
WILL OUR PHOTOS BE UPLOADED ONLINE OR ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA?
All photos taken have the potential of being used on social media based on the platforms posting guidelines. If you do not wish for your photos to be displayed publicly you are able to make that request at the time of the session.
WILL WE HAVE THE OPTION TO USE PROPS?
Yes! Props can add a personal touch to your photos or be the extra something you wanted but didn’t have time to get. We have a Prop Shop that includes a wide variety of props you may rent for your shoot. If you have a specific request for your photos, upon booking we can quote you the price to provide the props (through the Prop Shop or purchase) as a convenience to you. You may also bring props from home to achieve the look you want.
HOW DO WE GO ABOUT SECURING A SESSION?
You can reserve your session with us by contacting us through phone or email to see if the date is available. You are also able to book on Facebook and Instagram and www.designsforlife.co. To book your session, there is a non-refundable fee of fifty percent of the total. If no retainer is paid, the appointment is not held. After you have secured your spot, you will receive an email confirmation.
WHAT TIME IS BEST FOR A PORTRAIT SESSION?
We offer to book Tuesday – Sunday from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE’RE SICK OR UNABLE TO SHOOT THE SESSION?
RESCHEDULES: If you need to reschedule for a different date, we allow one free reschedule for any reason. The second reschedule will incur an additional $25 fee.
CANCELLATIONS: When you schedule most of our packages, you pay a non-refundable deposit to hold your spot. If you elect to cancel your regular shoot with at least 72 hours’ notice, you are eligible for a refund of all money paid excluding any deposit. Note: Mini-shoots and specials are excluded from any refund. For this reason, we highly suggest your reschedule your appointment instead of cancelling .If you need to cancel within 72 hours of your appointment, we may at our discretion allow a refund depending on the circumstance.
HOW WILL WE KNOW HOW TO POSE?
My approach is to capture more “natural/genuine” stills of you. We will give you certain queue words or action words to provoke certain emotions if needed. If you must be positioned in a certain way, we’ll be more than happy to direct you or (as we prefer) to show you how you should be. If we have to come into your personal space to help you or your guests, we will ask your permission first. You should make sure you are relaxed and comfortable (if you aren’t, it will definitely come across in the pictures). Most importantly, have fun!
HOW MANY OUTFIT CHANGES CAN WE HAVE?
This depends on the amount of session time and the location. Outfit changes are an additional $25 fee. No outfit changes are offered for 45 minutes and under. For the 1 hour session, you may change clothes a total of 2 times. For a 1 ½ hour or longer session, you may change 3 times. If there is no place for you to privately change your outfits (i.e. outside of Studio), then change at your own risk. You are allowed to change accessories free of charge. Accessories examples are hats, scarves, jackets, belts, jewelry, ties, hairpieces and shoes.
WHAT IF MY CHILDREN MISBEHAVE ON THE DAY OF THE SESSION AND WE CAN’T GET ANY GOOD PHOTOS?
You are not guaranteed to get any good photos if children are in bad moods. Let me assure you that we do try my best to try to cheer them up, and we encourage parents or any other accompanying guest not to make the child(ren) any more upset than they may already be. Please understand that kids of certain ages may become grumpy during the session, but we prefer to let them calm down on their own time. Taking them aside to figure out what’s wrong may help if done in a calm manner. (If you feel like hope is lost, bribing may work!) If your children remain fussy during the entire session and there are no good photos (especially if they are in the teething stage), we MAY offer another re-shoot.
I REALLY DON’T LIKE “X” ABOUT ME. CAN WE SHOOT AROUND IT?
Let us know before our session date which things you may want me to highlight or avoid photographing. Please be aware that certain things are out of my control (like the weather, darkness/lighting outside, your confidence, your hairstyle/clothing choice, etc…)
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SHOOTING PORTRAIT SESSIONS?
Dave began shooting portraits professionally in the fall of 2015. Before then he worked as a photo retoucher and graphic artist for over 15 years.
CAN THIS SESSION BE DONE AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS?
Multiple locations are only allowed for Seniors, Engagements & Small Weddings at this time.
IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU THINK IS NEEDED FOR THE SESSION?
For everyone over the age of 10, 30 minutes is fine. Once more people are added, that’s more time it will take to get different photos in different positions. For families with small children (or just with children and babies in general) you need at least an hour minimum. For more information, contact me.
I PREFER BLACK AND WHITE IMAGES. WILL YOU EDIT THEM IN COLOR AND BLACK AND WHITE?
Black & White images are an option. You may request an image to be edited in black and white. If you want additional edited images that are not included in the session bundle, there will be an additional fee applied per extra image.
IS THERE AN EXTRA FEE FOR CREATIVE EDITS?
Yes, we offer “extravagant” photo manipulations separate from the session fee (i.e. adding elements in the photo that aren’t originally there, such as adding a boat and an ocean, sparkles, animals, etc…).
HOW MANY PHOTOS DO YOU TYPICALLY TAKE DURING THE SESSION?
It’s a large range of images, but not all of the pictures are guaranteed to be useable. We go through them and choose the usable images from your session and narrow them down for you to choose from.
CAN I HAVE ALL OF THE IMAGES YOU CAPTURED DURING OUR SESSION?
No. We do not deliver unedited or unfinished work. You will be able to select the photos you wish to be edited. For photography work for hire please send an email to booking@designsforlife.co for rates.
HOW MANY PHOTOS WILL I RECEIVE?
The amount of images received is based on what is listed in the details of the session option you choose. If you would like any additional photos that are not included with the session, there is an additional fee per image you choose. After 1 month, all extra images will be deleted from our system.
DO YOU OFFER PROFESSIONAL RETOUCHING (E.G. ZIT REMOVAL)?
If there are minor amounts of blemishes and a few zits, we go ahead and remove them with love and care free of charge. If there is a large amount, we will retouch the images for an additional fee of $10 per image. If you are expecting a body transformation (i.e. slimming figure or slimming other body parts), we will charge accordingly per image.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET THE PHOTOS BACK?
Your images are usually finished and delivered within 2 to 3 weeks (4 weeks if we’re extremely busy) after your session. For events, it may take 3-10 weeks.
WHAT SHOULD I/WE WEAR?
You can wear whatever you would like to achieve the look you want. If you already have something unique in mind, we can discuss it over the phone or through email. If you don’t know what you want to wear at all, you may utilize our styling services. Further details are available upon request.
WHAT PRODUCTS DO YOU OFFER?
Aside from the photo session, we offer prints (luster & matte), extra digital images, gallery wrapped canvases, fine art albums, posters, and personalized gift packaging.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SAMPLES OF YOUR PORTRAIT SESSIONS?
Digital samples of our portrait sessions on the gallery page. Our digital portfolio is also carried with me at all times on my phone.
CAN THE PRODUCTS YOU OFFER BE CUSTOMIZED?
Yes, they can be. If you’re interested in having anything customized (for a gift), we can discuss it.
DO YOU OFFER REFUNDS IF I PUT A DEPOSIT DOWN?
Unfortunately, we do not offer refunds for deposits/retainer fees. We do allow people who have paid a deposit who may need to reschedule in the future to pay the difference of what’s owed of the session within 3 months of the original booking date. Additional rescheduling fees may also be applied.
WHAT ARE YOUR MOST SUCCESSFUL SESSIONS OFFERED?
Our most successful are the 1 hour sessions. Throughout the year, we run specials for specific types of photo sessions.
WHAT DAYS ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO SHOOT PORTRAIT SESSIONS?
A session can be scheduled during the week Tuesday – Friday and weekends. In order to book a session, it’s a first come first served basis, and these spots fill fast!
CAN I ORDER MORE PRINTS/PRODUCTS LATER?
Yes, within 1 month.
WHAT TYPE OF PAYMENTS DO YOU ACCEPT?
We accept credit/debit cards through Square.
DO YOU OFFER REVISIONS IF I DON’T LIKE A PARTICULAR PHOTO?
Yes, we offer 1 free minor revision. Any extensive revision is an additional $25 per image