Beach Portraiture Frequently Asked Questions |
| Q. |
What clothing should we wear to the beach? |
| A. |
That depends on your lifestyle and how you
want the portrait to look. Some client's want a causal fun look with
shorts and bright shirts, some want a dressy look in chairs or on
a blanket and others the dressy casual look of light jeans and shirts.
I prefer and recommend the use of solids and pastel colors. Since
your eye is controlled by contrast solids and pastels focus the attention
on your faces. |
| Q. |
What beaches do you use for your portraits? |
| A. |
The most asked for location is Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz. It has the large rock in the background. Because of the shape of the coast this beach offers the best light to fill your faces with rich warm light. I also work up the coast towards Davenport, Cowell Beach by the wharf, Seascape and Seacliff in Aptos and at Sunset Beach below Watsonville. |
| Q. |
How long will the portrait time last? |
| A. |
The time varies according to the size of the group and
the time of the year. I set aside 40 minutes to an hour for being
on the beach. |
| Q. |
Why are the portrait times so late in the day? |
| A. |
The best portrait light is the late evening light. Using
the beach as a location during the day can make it hard for people
to keep their eyes open and shadows and highlights on faces are pretty
strong. So evening or light overcast provides the best light. |
| Q. |
Can we include our dog in the picture? |
| A |
Yes we often do families with their dog or dogs on the beach. I recommend that a friend be included to assist with the dog and that some of the portrait be made with out the dog. |
| Q. |
What time of year is the best to have a beach portrait? |
| A. |
We find the weather, temperature and light the best
between April and the end of October. Please remember Santa Cruz has
a lot of fog and sometimes we may have to reschedule a time to a better
day. |
| Q. |
What other things would you suggest? |
| A. |
We encourage everyone to dress warmly, bring towels
for wipe the sand off your feet and bring coffee or hot chocolate
for when you're done. |
Family Portraits Frequently Asked Questions |
| Q. |
Where do you recommend that we have our family portrait
taken? |
| A. |
We suggest many local locations for out door portraits. The favorite place seems to be Natural Bridges State Beach. It is important that the location reflect your family's lifestyle and interests. We live in a wonderful place of natural beauty here in Santa Cruz. I work in the redwoods, meadows, homes, beaches, and at the studio and in it's garden. According to your lifestyle, tastes and home decor, we will suggest places for you to consider. |
| Q. |
What is the best time of day for a beach portrait? |
| A. |
The light is best around sunset for during that time
there is a window of sweet, warm flattering light. This light is what
gives my portraits the warmth and beauty you admire. |
| Q. |
How many people can be included in a portrait? |
| A. |
Most extended families include 12 to 20 persons. I have
done groups of 30 to 35. You may need a larger size photograph to
enjoy the larger groups. |
| Q. |
Can I have separate pictures taken of my children
during our family session? |
| A. |
You certainly can. A variety of different groupings can be made during the session time. Grandparents with the grandchildren are a favorite combination. There is a small additional charge of $25 to photograph each additional grouping. |
| Q. |
When will I see the images from the session? |
| A |
Usually your images are ready in a couple of days. We load your images to a protected secure website or have you back for a showing on my laptop computer. |
| Q. |
How many photographs will be taken during the session? |
| A. |
That depends on the portrait session size selected and how well the session goes. I work to present you a variety of excellent choices. Usually on a 50-pose session I will take around 100 photographs so I can show you 50 images to select from. |
| Q. |
What colors are the best to wear? |
| A. |
The colors selected for the portrait is a personal matter. The clothing should reflect your style, be appropriate for the location and be in keeping with the over all look of the portrait. |
| Q. |
How long does it take before we have our finished
portraits? |
| A. |
Usually we tell our clients that production takes two weeks. |
| Q. |
Do you offer Christmas cards from our session? |
| A. |
Yes we do. Besides the traditional slim line style cards, we are a representative for Stylart. They offer photographs on various cardstock and lithography printed card. |
| Q. |
Do you offer gift certificates for portraits? |
| A. |
Yes we have gift certificates for a specific service or an amount. Portraits make a great gift that only you can give. |
| Q. |
We are traveling to the Santa Cruz area for a family
vacation. Do you photograph people from out of the area? |
| A. |
I have had the privilege of photographing people from all over the United States. With Santa Cruz being a vacation destination, I help people from the east coast, Midwest and northwest. We will place the images on a secure web site for your viewing and you can order directly from the web. |
| Q. |
Will you travel to other areas for a family portrait? |
| A. |
Yes I am available to travel to your location to create your family, business and corporate, or church portraits. No place is too far for an assignment.
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