Frequently Asked Portrait Photography Questions

Q:  How much does it cost?

A:  Depends on what "it" is.  Call me at 214-546-3794 and we'll talk money and more.

Q: What kind of clothing looks best?

A: I believe that anything in your portrait which distracts the viewers eye from you is bad. I shoot against plain white, black or grey backdrops. Almost any sort of clothing looks good, but stay away from loud checks or plaids. Look at the great photos of Cary Grant. Look how everything in the photo draws you to his face. That's my goal for your portraits.

Q: How much time wil the photography session take?

A: If you want to watch me do the retouching, you probably should book two and a half hours. If you just want to do the shots and let me edit and get the photos to you the next day, you'll be here for about an hour to ninety minutes. I'm not up for wasting your time. Or mine.

Q: Where is your portrait studio?

A: Very close to downtown Dallas, near the Fitzhugh exit off 75/Central Expressway. When we finalize your appointment time, I'll give you directions. It's a little tricky because my studio is not exactly on the street of the address. One of those urban life things. View Area Map

Q: How about outdoor portraits?

A: How about 'em? Sure, we can, but that makes us dependent on the weather, obviously. It's much easier to control light, etc, indoors. But if you need some outdoor shots for, say, a modeling portfolio, no problem, as I have a plentiful supply of outdoors near my studio. Beautiful Turtle Creek, for instance.

Q: How much makeup is enough?

A: Very individual question. Generally speaking, what you wear for everyday will be more than enough. Anything which needs to be highlighted can be helped by the aid of the computer. So, don't overdo. I have an expert makeup artist available for your session, but it obviously adds to the price. Call me... we'll talk!

Q: Do you have a hair/makeup person?

A: Kari is an excellent hair and makeup artist available to work with you for your shoot. Obviously, when you add more people to the mix, the scheduling gets a bit tougher, and the price goes up accordingly.

Q: Who have you learned your photo skills from?

A: Excellent question. My most rewarding, and difficult, study was with Michael Grecco, one of the country's top portrait photographers. Michael, who works out of L.A., specializes in the kind of dramatic lighting techniques I've always admired, and spending time learning at his feet improved my work immensely. I've also put in the requisite time studying Photoshop and retouching techniques, etc.

Q: I'm an actor. Will my headshot get me work?

A: Rarely. A headshot is simply a big business card to use when you go out on a casting call, or to meet an agent or director. Sometimes, they'll call you because you have the right "look," but that also means that if they see your headshot before they see you, you better look like your headshot when you walk in the door. (Although, truth be told, quite a few of my headshot clients get cast not long after using their new headshots!)