WHERE IS THE STUDIO LOCATED?
The studio is located on 10 beautiful acres in Chanhassen, Minnesota on Lake Susan. We are blessed to have access to the entire property for amazing outdoor shots whether you're interested in a lakeside photo, sitting on a swing, laying on the grass, or the railing at the house. There are unlimited options. The studio on the property has a cabin like feel with wood floors, knotty pine cabinets and stone fireplace surrounded with windows overlooking the lake and the wooded part of the lot. We have many different back drops and props that we can utilize throughout the portrait session.
We are also available for on-location sessions if you have a location that you'd love to get a picture at. Session fees are on our price sheet which can be emailed to you by contacting Angela (please see the contact page to call her or email a request).
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME OF DAY FOR PICTURES?
For outdoor photography early morning and late afternoon is the preferred time for pictures. One hour prior to sunset is considered the golden hour. While the middle of the day can work, keep in mind that it can limit your opportunities as the sun is directly overhead and makes lighting a photo properly a greater challenge.. We can work around any time of day if the afternoon doesn't work for you. Obviously, indoors any time is the best time.
HOW DO I MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?
The quickest way to make an appointment is to contact Angela Bartos by email at angela@photosforever-mn.com or by cell phone at 612-327-7720. We'll compare John's availability to your calendar and find a time that works best for everyone. Once a day and time are decided upon, you'll receive a confirmation email with directions to the studio.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT THE DAY OF THE PHOTO SESSION?
Please try to arrive five to ten minutes early for your portrait session so that we have time to get settled, talk about what you're looking for in your photos and decide where we'll start the session. Remember that the session fee and portrait print deposit is due at the time of your portrait session; please refer to the pricing section for details. We accept cash, check and credit card via Paypal.
More than anything we strive to be relaxed and have fun. Our goal is to work with you to deliver a professional collection of artistic portraits that reveal your personality. We want you to be who you are so the images capture your true personality. The best pictures are the ones that are the most natural. If you have a fun idea for a picture, let us know, we'd be happy to try it. Some instances require posing but if you're comfortable in your surroundings and with the photographer, the outcome will be natural and amazing!
Be real, express yourself, and be adventurous!
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?
The style of the picture is a personal preference so if you like the dress pants with a polo or sweater look, thats great. If you like jeans and t-shirts, thats fine too. We recommend that everyone in your party stay in the same tone, not necessarily the same color. Solids are better than busy patterns as they are distracting to the eye and can take away from the subjects face. Neutral colors are best but if you have a favorite color you want to wear, by all means do so. If you're interested in Black on Black (BOB) or White on White (WOW) photography, be sure to bring black or dark clothing for the BOB and white or light clothing for the WOW photographs.
For high school seniors, we believe that you should have your senior photos the way you want them. So for you, we allow unlimited outfit changes. We don't limit the changes or the props. This is your time and we want you to enjoy it.
For small children, we recommend limiting outfit changes to two or three. Small children, particularly infants tend to be distracted easily and have a harder time refocusing on being natural for the camera. Please feel free to bring a favorite hat or item such as a blanket for them to be photographed with.
Full body shots will be taken so be sure to pay attention to your shoes. Barefoot photos are always welcome as well so be sure that even the toes and nails are clean!
WHAT ABOUT MAKEUP?
We have the same recommendations as professional modeling studios; keep makeup to a minimum. Matte makeup photographs the best. Every photo goes through extensive retouching to make your skin look beautiful. Teeth are whitened and any dark areas under the eyes are retouched.
HOW LONG WILL A PHOTO SESSION LAST?
A typical portrait session will be anywhere from one to two hours. It depends on what you're looking for, how many people are in your group, the age of the children and whether or not they've decided to cooperate on that day. Newborns generally take a little longer to allow for fussiness, diaper changes and feedings so don't worry if it's taking longer than you expected, it's normal.
We're willing and enjoy taking the time to get the best pictures of you and your family that we can. So if we take longer than two hours, that's okay. We want you to walk away from your photo session with a smile, feeling special.
HOW DO I VIEW MY IMAGES AND HOW DO I PLACE AN ORDER?
You can expect your images to be available for viewing within one to two weeks after your portrait session. We will call you after your photo session to schedule the viewing appointment. The viewing appointment should be made within one to three weeks of your photo session. At this appointment, you'll view your images on a large projection screen. You will be placing your order at this appointment so make sure that everyone involved in the decision making process is available to be there. If not everyone can make it, call us and we can reschedule.
DO YOU OFFER FRAMING?
Yes, we do. We have a room complete with samples of frames from an economical style and price point to the more extravagant both in style and price. We have many different matte choices to choose from if you're interested in that look. We also have the ability to create digital matting. If you're looking for a montage collection of images in one frame, we can create it as one picture with the digital matte as well. We recommend talking with us directly with your specific needs and ideas.
WHAT TYPE OF INVESTMENT DO MOST FAMILIES MAKE?
Every family's needs and resources are different but on average you can plan to spend a minimum of $200 including the sitting fee for children and families and a minimum of $500 for high school seniors. We strive to work with our customers, within your budget, and within your needs. If you're looking for memory books, we have them available. If you're looking for a customized montage with multiple images and custom framed, we can do that too. Just keep us informed of your needs and let us know what you're looking for. Chances are we can provide it to you within your budget needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs