FAQ - What do you think

[Colin Southern]

I've also been busy putting together this FAQ to give prospective clients some idea as to what to expect with regards to their shoot - would be interested to hear everyones comments!

What facilities do you have available?

For studio shoots, we have available pretty much everything you can think of, from hair straighteners - hair curlers - hair driers - hair clips - hair spray - steam iron - clothes steamer - brushes - combs - lint removers - wet-wipes etc, and a (limited) range of makeup & jewellery.

We have air conditioned private changing & makeup facilities, and public toilets are not far away if required.

For location shoots, we can bring anything that might be required, but obviously makeup & changing facilities need to be considered in advance.

Can I bring a friend?

Please do! (bring several if you wish) - they're great for helping with clothing & makeup, and generally just adding to the fun of the shoot.

Do I need to do any preparation for the shoot, or bring anything with me?

Not a lot, but a few things will definitely help. We want you to be comfortable, so feel free to bring along a selection of your favourite music (iPod / MP3 Player / CD). Keep in mind that the camera captures "what's there" - so at a minimum, be sure to wash your face with soap and water to remove any loose skin flakes, and groom fingernails etc.

Makeup for photography is different from general day-to-day makeup (especially where eye-liner is concerned), so best to keep any makeup "light and fresh" to start with, but bring additional makeup items with you, so we can add to it if necessary.

With regards to clothing, it's best that we discuss this before the shoot, but in general terms, be sure to bring a selection of clothes that you feel you look good in, and feel comfortable in.

Should I be nervous?

No need to be, but nearly everybody is to start with! (for their first shoot anyway). But don't worry - we promise to take good care of you, and everyone ends up having a good time (we've even had several who have enjoyed it so much that they've asked if they could come and live here!).

Everything we do, we do for you - so if any aspect of a shoot makes you feel uncomfortable in any way, just say the word and we'll move on to something else.

When will I get to see my images?

Usually a few days after the shoot. A typical shoot usually involves around 300 to 600 (or more) frames (unadjusted photos) -- and understandably, these can take a few days to sort through whilst making basic adjustments. When they're ready, we'll upload these to an iPad which you're welcome to keep for a few days whilst you sort through the images and identify the "keepers".

We also like to put a few of the best images on our website to give you and others an idea of how the finished images might look -- please let us know in advance if you don't want us to do that.

Do you "Photoshop" images?

Yes. Cameras work in a different way to human eyes, and at a minimum, a small number of adjustments are always needed to get an image looking as it should.
Any retouching beyond that is pretty much "by mutual agreement" - we're happy to do as little or as much as you'd like

[wilgk]

Excellent idea!
I have a group of kids for a pre Deb Ball (formal/prom equivalent) shoot on Saturday, and I would love to have given them a few pointers first like this.
The main 1 being things like for group shots we will have you close to each other as cameras hate gaps... just little things like that, could be added to an info list like you are putting together.

[Colin Southern]

Excellent idea!
I have a group of kids for a pre Deb Ball (formal/prom equivalent) shoot on Saturday, and I would love to have given them a few pointers first like this.
The main 1 being things like for group shots we will have you close to each other as cameras hate gaps... just little things like that, could be added to an info list like you are putting together.

Thanks Kay

[Dave Humphries]

To a UK reader, the half sentence about public toilets being nearby seems rather odd;

We have air conditioned private changing & makeup facilities, and public toilets are not far away if required.

am I missing Kiwi humour or something cultural in the use of language?

[Shadowman]

Looks good, like a precursor to a contract.

[Colin Southern]

To a UK reader, the half sentence about public toilets being nearby seems rather odd;



am I missing Kiwi humour or something cultural in the use of language?

Hi Dave,

No - I'm trying to fill in as many "blanks" for the customer as I can - air conditioned & private changing area says that (a) it's going to be private (important), and (b) it's going to be comfortable; so in other words they won't have to try and get changed in a corner of the studio with other people being able to see. The location doesn't have a toilet, so just letting them know that there is one, but it's a public one, which in these parts often means "it does the job, but often not the greatest of conditions". Really just another polite way of saying "if you don't like public toilets then make sure you "go" before you leave home".

[Colin Southern]

Looks good, like a precursor to a contract.

Thanks John,

I'm really just trying to give them the information they need to be informed of what the experience is like -- make it more relaxed for them, and save me time having to go over it personally.