Family Portrait FAQs - Dallas-Fort Worth Family Photographer

I serve the greater Dallas - Fort Worth Metroplex and into north Texas with family and children's portrait sessions. 

A typical family portrait session lasts about one hour. However, the exact length of the session will depend on the number of people in your family and the types of photos that you want to take.

We'll cover all this in your pre-session consultation to ensure that we're capturing all the images you want and then I create a plan to run the session efficiently. I recognize the fact that we may be working with members of your family that have shorter attention spans like toddlers, dogs and husbands 🙂.

I've written a detailed post about this very topic, check it out here. 

You get to decide and we'll talk this through in your pre-session consultation; options include your home, a local park or other interesting outdoor location (I’ve got a long list of location ideas to review with you). Of course my historic old town Carrollton studio is always an option and works no matter the time of day or weather!  

Early morning and early evening provide the best light for outdoor photography, but if the day is overcast, or the location is well shaded, then any time of the day will do.

In the Texas summer, my favorite time of day is early morning to beat the heat. In the cooler months, late afternoon is a great alternative. Photographs taken mid-day, without shade on bright, sunny days will not return good results. Indoor studio photo shoots are fine any time of the day or evening.

You can relax, we’ll just reschedule your session! I leave openings in my calendar to accommodate rain days, so we'll get you rebooked as soon as possible. 

There is never an extra charge to include your pets in your family portrait session. Dogs are always welcome and often relax everyone. I've had a couple of families bring their cat. If you own horses, we can hold the session at your home or stable to ensure they make it into the photo as well. 

Absolutely! I always capture both to ensure there's something for everyone. Grandmas like to see everyone's smiling faces, but you may prefer your family engaged with one another and laughing. 

I suggest deciding on what everyone's going to wear well in advance of your session date. Inspect all clothing for tears and stains. Drop off anything for dry cleaning at least two weeks in advance of your appointment date.

You may want to bring along some of your child's favorites toys, games, balls, kites, bubbles – anything that you enjoy doing together as a family.

Get a good night's sleep the night before and avoid alcohol and salty foods to avoid water retention and looking puffy. Make sure everyone is fed before the session to avoid the "hangries". Bring water and snacks are also a good idea if you need boost your child's energy level or to soothe. 

If you have an infant that may spit up, or a toddler that's prone to spilling or getting dirty, I recommend you bring back up clothing for them. 

The internet is a great place to find ideas and inspiration and we work together and riff off that seed, but every day brings different light, weather, attitudes, etc. so I suggest we go with the flow of your family and make your own unique moments.

Yes! With the exception of very few cameras, the vast majority of them capture in color and the black and white conversion happens in post processing. That being said, if you know in advance that you want all black and white images, I will give you specific instructions on what colors to wear.

If you may want a few images converted to black and white, that's ok. Most images can handle the conversion well and I hand edit, controlling each color channel separately, so can adjust anything that jumps out or just doesn't look right.  

About a week or so after the session, you'll come to the studio in old town Carrollton for your viewing and ordering appointment. I'll show you the best of the best of all the images we captured, with one or two fully retouched so you can see what your finished portraits will look like when all the pixie dust has been added. 

I'll take you through a process to winnow down to your absolute favorites and then you'll decide how you'd like to enjoy them in your home. I have samples of all the products available to you and this is when you'll place your print order so please make sure that all decision makers are present at this exciting appointment. 

Once that's done, I start the retouching and will order your prints, wall art and albums, delivering them to your home four to five weeks later. 

I offer a wide variety of print products so you're sure to find something to suit your tastes. Many family portrait clients order an album to hold all the favorite images from their session along with something for the wall like a Story Print (with multiple images from their session), or a single image printed on canvas, metal or acrylic. Family pictures make the perfect, personalized gift; small tabletop keepsakes are available for gifting or to enjoy on your desk at work, bedside table or bookshelf, or you can print yourself with the purchase of a Digital Negative package. 

Yes! Whether you purchased a 5x7 print, a 36" wall canvas or a Digital Negative package, every image that leaves the studio is fully retouched. I like to call it my "pixie dust" because enhancements are sprinkled around the image to make them sing. 

Standard retouching includes open / closed eyes, eyeglass glare removal, stray hair removal, blemish removal, skin smoothing, teeth whitening, distraction / small object removal from background and overall enhancements. 

Not a problem; your satisfaction is guaranteed. I strive to provide a 5-star experience from start to finish so you can invest your time and money with confidence. 

A professionally created raw image is just the start of my service. Each image that is delivered is examined and retouched by hand to make a good image great. As a matter of policy, I only provide the very best images to my clients and therefore do not release unretouched images. 

Yes, I have both liability and indemnification insurance and can provide a certificate upon request. 

In accordance with state and local laws, 8.25% sales tax will be calculated on the total amount due for your session fee and print product purchases.

You can get detailed information, including pricing and next steps to schedule your session by visiting the Contact Me page of the website.