How We Work

Whether it's a portrait of one, of many, or an event, we put a lot of thought into our work. For us, a shoot is a four stage process: Research, Prep, Shoot, and Post-Production.

Studio

Research

All research begins with getting to know people. We’ll schedule some informal intereviews to discover your what you’re trying to capture about the people or events you want us to photograph. Then, we’ll prepare a work order that details time and materials, props (if needed), printing and digital output.

Prep

We’ll schedule the studio time, or – for an in-home or outdoor shoot – scout the location. This gives us the opportunity to understand the lighting and setting dynamics of the venue. We try to solve problems before the shoot, not after.

We’ll be ready for what you want to wear, or if you need changes of clothes or costume. We may plan half the event to be a formal sitting, and the second half a creative "see what happens when" shoot. We don’t depend on elaborate backdrops, preferring real settings or props that you find meaningful.

The Day of Your Shoot

We apply a variety of post-processing techniques to optimize color for print or the web, remove distracting objects, or add special effects to the shot. Outdoors, we rely on natural light as much as possible for a natural look, using flash only to fill-in unwanted shadows.

Events

At events like weddings, we do more than the usual formal portraits of the bridal party. We cover the event by blending in with the crowd to capture your guests and the their interactions.

After the Shoot

Three days after the shoot, you’ll be able to see the first set of proofs on our web site. Final retouching or color corrections are posted within the week. You select the images you want to print, and the paper you want them printed on. In 1-2 weeks, you will receive your prints and the complete set of images in digital format. We can also produce a DVD video or slideshow of stills.

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We make prints from wallet size up to 16x32 on our own Epson professional large format printer using Ultrachrome K3 inks and Hahnemuhle papers.