Frequently Asked Questions:

What should we wear?

Wardrobe is extremely important and should be well thought out. There are things that the camera loves, and then there are things that will not photograph so well. Wardrobe with texture and movement will always be beautiful on camera. Try to avoid plain shirts or pair a plain shirt with a textured sweater or jacket, flowing pants or skirt or add bold accessories. Flowing dresses or button up dress shirts for guys always look nice. If you’re with a group of people it’s best to avoid all matching outfits, such as all white tee shirts and jeans. It’s okay to to have contrasting colors in your session, and will add more of a dynamic look to your images versus a flat look. Speaking of color, last but not least… what ever you do, avoid bright colors. They will not photograph well and will reflect onto your skin. Nix the neon, hot pink, coral, lime, turquoise or anything similar. Instead, opt for rich jewel tones, pastels or neutrals. Colors that photograph well are mustard, burgundy, browns, tan, grey, navy, khaki, dark green, plum, dark orange, blue, light blue, etc.. With a group? You can mix and match a color scheme with neutrals to create a lot of interest in your photographs.

What are good locations?

It depends on the type of session and the time of year, but generally I do have some key factors that I use to determine good scenery. I like to shoot in wide open spaces with good lighting and the ability to move around, bonus points if there’s several areas of interest in one location. My favorite locations for families are often fields or one of the many Great Lake shores with a lot of sand, seagrass, driftwood and other interesting elements that can add to your images. As beautiful as our smaller inland lakes are to the eye, it can be quite a challenge to get good images there. I also like to avoid a ton of green, such as green grass with a green forest, as they can leave an unflattering green color cast on skin. Poorly lit areas such as in the woods are also a no go for me, because being a natural light photographer the quality will be compromised. I also like to avoid areas and spaces that are very limited space and variety. Different types of fields, open spaces, public places, public parks and neutral spaces such as rocky areas or even “urban” scenery all look great every single time! If you want to get creative, ideas can vary from season to season, but we can do everything from Mackinac Island to the fair to a pumpkin patch and more!

Will I receive digital images to download?

Yes, every session fee is all inclusive. That means that at minimum, you will receive the set amount of images that are listed with the session of your choice (sometimes, I throw in extras)! The final edited images will be sent to you in an online gallery, from which you can download the high resolution images and print and use as desired.

Can I get my raw (unedited) images?

No, I never give RAW files to my Clients. I would never give out an unfinished product. If you want to book with me, make sure you view my portfolio and make sure my style suits you your needs!

What will we do if the weather doesn’t cooperate?

As much as the U.P. weather changes, we will push it to a couple hours prior to the scheduled session. If we have to reschedule, I will be in contact with you and we can pick another date that will work for you.

What will warrant a refund of the retainer fee and/or full refund?

I have a non-refundable retainer fee put in place to reserve my Clients time and date. This also ensures that even if they choose not to show up, I will be compensated for the time I lost out on. This has also been very effective in making sure I get Clients that are serious. If something happens (such as illness or emergency, on my part or the Clients) we will reschedule one time. The deposit is forfeited after that one time unless the weather is bad, then we will reschedule again. The only circumstances that will warrant a refund of the retainer fee are if I cannot fulfill the session on my end or reschedule (such as physical injury or death). After a Clients session is paid for I will only give a full refund if something happens on my end (such as a technical malfunction that makes me unable to deliver images, like a damaged SD card or computer issue). After a session is delivered, my Clients are able to download images immediately. I will not issue any refund for any reason after this point. Make sure you view my portfolio, website and Facebook page thoroughly to make sure my work is right for you!