We've heard it all! The more questions the better.

Do you have a studio?

Yes, we have a studio for headshots. It is centrally located at Suite 208, 2705 Centre St. NW, in Calgary.

Can you come to our office?

Yes, while headshots at our studio are more affordable for a small number of people, it could make sense to bring our gear and our crew to you.

Should my headshots be on a simple backdrop or in a more life-like environment?

Whether on a plain backdrop or using the environment as a backdrop (aka, in-situ), depends on a number of factors, such as:

• What is your brand and what style/mood/sentiment are you trying to portray?
• Does it have to match with a number of other people’s headshots?
• How will the image be used, and what looks best in those applications?
• What are you most comfortable with?

We can do headshot in-sity, or bring our simple backgrounds on site. We work best when we’ve envisioned the shoot with you, so we can use the lighting and background that truly reflect what you’re trying to convey, as comfortably as possible.  If you have a spot in mind where you know you’ll feel comfortable and look amazing, let us know and we’ll pack up our equipment and come to you.

What should I do with my hands?

We will work with you to figure out some hand postures that feel comfortable enough and look good on camera.  We’ve written an entire blog post about this, which you can check out on our blog.

How should I prepare my hair and makeup?

If you are doing any hair and makeup, we recommend that you stick to what you are comfortable with. While a bit more than usual doesn’t hurt, we still want you to feel like yourself, otherwise you may be uncomfortable with your images – and no-one needs to be even more self-conscious during a photoshoot than they already are!

What should I wear?

It is most important that you wear something that you are used to and are comfortable with, but that also reflects how you want to be represented on your website or wherever your images will be used. We discourage people from purchasing brand new outfits for a shoot, unless they are very comfortable in a similar kind of dress. Please stay away from strong, bold, patterns – for example a tight plaid is fine, but large florals are not. Your lovely faces should be the centre of attention for a professional headshot.

People are sometimes self-conscious about their outfit once they have their photo done. We recommend that you try on your outfit ahead of time, and maybe take a picture of yourself, to see if it is making you look the way you’d like – to try and avoid a situation where all the photos are great but you wish you’d had a different shirt! Some things to watch out for are shirts and jackets that are a shape you don’t like in photos, or fabrics that are not to your liking. For example, very wrinkly bunchy shirts. Garments naturally have folds and waves, and that is ok, but people’s preferences can vary on how much and how it looks.

One last thing on outifts, our headshots are typically from the hands up, so while shoes don’t matter, having a pair of pants, a skirt, or a dress that look suitable is helpful.

How long does a headshot take?

People will often wonder, how long does a headshot take? Very often, not long enough! When photo sessions are done really fast (5-10m), it can be a situation where the photographer gives people a few poses to choose from, snaps a few shots, and you’re done. That may result in images people aren’t super happy with, and don’t represent them well on whatever site or document they’re intended for.

Our standard headshots typically take between 20 and 30 minutes.  This gives us the time to:

• Adjust the lighting for your particular face shape
• A bit more time to get comfortable with each other so we can have more natural expressions and poses
• Time to review shots in the middle to find what’s working and what’s not, and go back on set to fine-tune.

Sometimes and in some scenarios, we can shoot tighter and exclude the hands. This can save us 5m or so per person.

What’s the turnaround time to get my headshots after the shoot?

Our standard turnaround, once we receive your final selections, is 5-7 business days. A rush option may be available, which is 2-3 business days after we receive your final selections.  If we don’t receive your selections within a week, we will choose for you, and the same turnaround times will apply.

What does it come with?

Our standard headshot sessions include:

• Your 20-30m headshot session
• A proofing gallery online, sent to you the same day, to select you favourite images with whoever you find most helpful (or is your target audience)
• Two fully retouched (2) images, at web resolution (1800 px on the long edge), in 3 different crops (in total, 6 different files)

Other arrangements for number and resolution of the images can be discussed on booking.

How do I know I will look good?

There are a few ways we try to ensure you look as good as possible.

1. Lighting: our signature lighting is designed to look great on as many different kinds of people as possible, with only minor adjustments. We adjust whatever lighting we are using to make sure that it looks good on you.
2. Time and expression: we take the time to help you feel comfortable and to find the right pose, angle, lighting, and a variety of expressions that are going to be most flattering and usable too.
3. Instant feedback: While we shoot we send the images straight to a computer. We try some poses, and then we have a look together to see what we’re liking or not, and go back on set to work on it some more if needed.
4. Retouching: our ‘Not-so-basic Basic Retouching’ comes standard, see below.

What retouching is included?

• Skin tone correction;
• Blemish removal;
• Teeth whitening;
• Eye whitening;
• Basic garment smoothing;
• Minor shape adjustments; and
• Ensuring it is on a uniform background.

Other particular requests may be accommodated and included within reason.

What equipment do you use?

We only use professional grade lighting and camera gear, as well as colour-calibrated monitors for our post-production.

Why do I need a headshot?

Our clients goals with their headshots are often building trust with their target audience, and helping generate more leads and sales.  How often have you been to a company’s website and found no pictures, terribly done, or very out-of-date pictures? It doesn’t inspire much confidence, and may make people think you are hiding something.

Our goal is always that people be happy with their shots before they leave the room, and that our shots are natural, flattering and professional.

Can you provide hair and makeup?

Yes, if you would like us to bring in a hair and makeup artist, we can arrange that for an additional fee.  For 1 or 2 people, it would be the full makeup treatment with hair touchups, and for more than that, just makeup touchups are possible.

I hate having my photo taken.  How can you help me?

• Our approachable and very humanizing shooting style, developed over 14 years of photographing people
• No-one is comfortable in ‘stock’ poses, or looks best at the first angle we choose, so we take the time to understand and see what looks best for each individual
• Empathizing with the discomfort of having your photo taken
• Our failsafe studio lighting setup, which is elaborate, but ensures that everyone can look good
• To ensure that you are happy with the shots, we tether the camera to our computer for live review, and we bring you back to the monitor for feedback. We keep shooting until you are happy.
• The final selection is left for a later date, so that you aren’t put on the spot by choosing right away, via an online proofing gallery sent to you within days.

We know generic poses do not work for unique individuals, so we take up to 20 minutes per person to find them. To ensure we get it right for each of our clients, we shoot directly to a computer for instant feedback from you, and go back on set to make any adjustments if needed.  We pre-select favourites as we go so that on your own time, away from the cameras and lights, you can choose your final images from our proofing gallery online.

Our aim is to deliver the best, most authentic, and on-brand headshot someone has ever had, because it is good for business.  Read on below to learn more about our services, pricing, and process.

How many hours are included in your packages?

We always customize our services to exactly what our clients need, so we don’t have any set packages.  Having said that, life moment sessions range from 30m for a quick in-studio family portrait to upwards of 2h for a newborn session.

Is there a second shooter included? If not, how much for a second shooter?

Our maternity, newborn, and family sessions typically include a single lead photographer, sometimes with an assistant.  You may choose to add a 2^nd shooter, or a videographer, if you’d like to capture something a little different.

Who is the second shooter and how long have you worked together?

We have a roster of second photographers that we can select from.  In most cases, we have worked with these photographers for over 2 years, and they have been photographers for far more than that.

How many photos can we plan to receive from our session?

We deliver between 150 and 200 images per photographer PER HOUR.  With two shooters it would be double that.  We know this is more than average! But we want you to have all the possible options so that you are in control of the images that end up on your walls.

How long after our shoot can we expect to receive the imagery?

The images are ready typically between 4-6 weeks following your shoot. It is 6-8 weeks if it is a video. The turnaround time will be guaranteed in your contract.

How will we receive the photos?

On a USB key for shoots over 2h, and via our download server for smaller events.  We also provide them on a gallery online, and will teach you how to use it to make the most of your many images.

Is an album/prints included? If not, what are your options?

An album or prints are not included – because people don’t always want them, or they prefer to do them themselves. Where we can’t compete on price if you do it yourself, we can compete on quality, retouching, speed, and taking the job over for you so it actually gets done!

Are all images fully retouched/edited, colour adjusted etc?

The images we take are first sorted to remove repetitive or undesirable shots.  Then the remaining images are adjusted so that the overall colour tone, brightness, and contrast look great, and we apply a ‘Studio Lumen’ look to them all, so that they can be used online.  We want you to be able to choose your absolute favourite images to display in prints or in albums.  So we leave the detailed retouching for those shots that you truly love and that will been seen daily forever. We want to avoid doing work on images you aren’t in love with, and it is hard for us to know which those are!

What happens if you are ill or there is an emergency and you cannot do the shoot? Backup plan?

For these kinds of shoots we always think ahead to a ‘backup date’ if for some reason the original date doesn’t work.  We have the flexibility with these to pick the best day!

What is the deposit and payment schedule for your services?

At the time of signing a retaining deposit of 50% is due, and the remaining 50% is due when the post-production work is complete, the galleries go online, and the images are ready.  After payment you receive the USB or download link, with all the high res files, un-watermarked.

Are black & white images included?

When shooting digital black and white is always an option.  If/when we are creating prints for you, or you are creating an album, we are happy to convert them to black and white when it makes sense.  Some images just work better in B&W!

Within the service hours, can we have unlimited shooting locations?

Yes of course!  Although keep in mind, the more we are driving, the less time you will have for photos.

How long have you been in the business?

We have been in this business since 2006.

How would you describe your photography style?

Timeless, natural, authentic.  We try to keep everything easy and fun so you can be yourselves.  We do not use any lens effects beyond those that have been used since the dawn of photography, and we work very hard on capturing you with very natural looking light.  We want you to look back at your photos 20 years from now, and feel like you were you on your wedding day.

Can we give you a list of specific shots we would like?

Of course you can – to a point. If the shots are ‘stage-able’ we can make them happen.

Do you have backup equipment in case of an emergency?

We always bring backup gear – lenses, flashes, and cameras.

Do you have liability insurance?

Yes we do.

Do you have a studio?

Yes, we have a studio for creative studio portraits. It is centrally located at Suite 208, 2705 Centre St. NW, in Calgary.  This is great to use for simple backdrops, where we’re being more creative with posture, lighting, and expression, rather than the environment.

Can you go to a different location?

Yes, while portraits at our studio can be more affordable for a small number of people, it often makes sense to take our setup to you for a brand/lifestyle shoot.

What is brand/lifestyle photography or videography?

We will have an entire blog post about this, but basically brand imagery helps your target market imagine your brand in their life.  It answers the question ‘how does this brand/product/service help me in my life?’, or ‘How does this cool thing fit in my life?’  It is not directly about the brand.  It is about the buyer and how their life could be with your brand in it.  This goes for photography as well as video stories.

Brand/lifestyle work could also answer the question: “who are the people behind the brand, and why should I trust them?”

Why do I need brand/lifestyle imagery?

It’s been said somewhere that it takes upwards of 13 times being exposed to a brand for someone to remember it and think about it as something that they need/want. So people need to be reminded of your existence time after time until they remember you.

Brand story content could be considered to:

1. Help your customers relate to the people behind the brand, and know like and trust those people
2. Help your customers imagine the service or product that you provide in their lives.

The first builds trust, and the 2^nd builds desire.  Both are helpful to have people buy, especially if you can remind them of this time after time.

That’s one of the reasons we deliver a LOT of images for use online.  The more times you remind your target market how you fit into their lives and how like you they are, the more likely they are to remember you when they need your product or service – or you may even create that need.

Should my shoot be on a simple backdrop or in a more life-like environment?

Most brand lifestyle shoots are on-location, because of the answer to the question above.  Very few people live on a seamless white backdrop! Having said that, as part of a branding photography effort, portraits of some of the key people in your business on a simple backdrop may make sense.

Some questions you could ask yourself are:

• What is your brand and what style/mood/sentiment are you trying to portray?
• What is the lifestyle of your target market? In what context would your product/service be used?
• What location are you most comfortable with?

We work best when we’ve envisioned the shoot with you, so we can use the lighting and background that truly reflect what you’re trying to convey, as comfortably as possible.  If you have a spot in mind where you know you’ll feel comfortable and look amazing, let us know and we’ll pack up our equipment and come to you.

What should I do with my hands?

We will work with you or your model to figure out some hand postures that feel comfortable enough and look good on camera.  We’ve written an entire blog post about this, which you can check out on our blog.

How should I prepare my hair and makeup?

If you are doing any hair and makeup, we recommend that you stick to what you are comfortable with. While a bit more than usual doesn’t hurt, we still want you to feel like yourself, otherwise you may be uncomfortable with your images – and no-one needs to be even more self-conscious during a photoshoot than they already are!

What should I wear?

It is most important that you wear something that you are used to and are comfortable with, but that also reflects how you want to be represented on your website or wherever your images will be used. We discourage people from purchasing brand new outfits for a shoot, unless they are very comfortable in a similar kind of dress. Please stay away from strong, bold, patterns – for example a tight plaid is fine, but large florals are not. Your lovely faces should be the centre of attention for a professional headshot.

For your brand consistency, it makes sense if possible to wear outfits that match your brand’s colour guidelines.

People are sometimes self-conscious about their outfit once they have their photo done. We recommend that you try on your outfit ahead of time, and maybe take a picture of yourself, to see if it is making you look the way you’d like – to try and avoid a situation where all the photos are great but you wish you’d had a different shirt! Some things to watch out for are shirts and jackets that are a shape you don’t like in photos, or fabrics that are not to your liking. For example, very wrinkly bunchy shirts. Garments naturally have folds and waves, and that is ok, but people’s preferences can vary on how much and how it looks.

One last thing on outifts, our headshots are typically from the hands up, so while shoes don’t matter, having a pair of pants, a skirt, or a dress that look suitable is helpful.

How long does a brand/lifestyle shoot take?

Our starting point for a brand lifestyle shoot is 1h, however it all depends on what the goals and objectives for the shoot are, and the location we are in.  It isn’t uncommon to shoot for 3 to 4 hours or more.

What’s the turnaround time to get my images after the shoot?

The standard turnaround for photos is 18-21 business days.  The standard turnaround for videos is 18-21 business days for the rough cut – that is, before revisions, colour grading, and sound correction.

What does it come with?

Our brand/lifestyle shoots include:

• Your shoot day and all the pre-production involved to make it happen
• Bulk delivery of culled and colour-corrected photographs, at web resolution (1800 px on the long edge).
• Whatever video edit(s) has been discussed and decided upon
• If selected, bulk delivery of video clips

Other arrangements for resolution and additional retouching of photographs, as well as other video edits, can be discussed on booking.

How do I know I will look good?

There are a few ways we try to ensure you or your model look as good as possible.

1. Lighting: our signature lighting is designed to look great on as many different kinds of people as possible, with only minor adjustments. We adjust whatever lighting we are using to make sure that it looks good on you.
2. Time and expression: we take the time to help you feel comfortable and to find the right pose, angle, lighting, and a variety of expressions that are going to be most flattering and usable too.
3. Instant feedback: While we shoot we send the images straight to a computer. We try some poses, and then we have a look together to see what we’re liking or not, and go back on set to work on it some more if needed.
4. Retouching: our ‘Not-so-basic Basic Retouching’ comes standard, see below.

What retouching is included?

The photos or bulk videos (if required) are first sorted to remove repetitive or undesirable shots.  Then the remaining images are adjusted so that the overall colour tone, brightness, and contrast look great, and we apply a ‘Studio Lumen’ look to them all, so that they can be used online or to send thank you cards.  We want you to be able to choose your absolute favourite images to use more prominently.  We want to avoid doing work on images you aren’t in love with, and it is hard for us to know which those are, so we leave the detailed retouching for those shots that you truly love and that will see a lot more use.

What equipment do you use?

We only use professional grade lighting and camera gear, as well as colour-calibrated monitors for our post-production.

Can you provide hair and makeup?

Yes, if you would like us to bring in a hair and makeup artist, we can arrange that for an additional fee.  For 1 or 2 people, it would be the full makeup treatment with hair touchups, and for more than that, just makeup touchups are possible.

I hate having my photo taken.  How can you help me?

• We work on the project with you, so that it captures what’s in your vision and in line with your brand.
• Our approachable and very humanizing shooting style, developed over 14 years of photographing people
• No-one is comfortable in ‘stock’ poses, or looks best at the first angle we choose, so we take the time to understand and see what looks best for each individual
• We empathize with the discomfort of having your photo taken! And we do everything we can to make it enjoyable.

Do you have a studio?

Yes, we have a studio for creative studio portraits. It is centrally located at Suite 208, 2705 Centre St. NW, in Calgary.  In the context of commercial or non-commercial documentary work, it can be useful for certain aspects where a controlled environtment is needed for certain interviews or audio recordings.

Can you go to a different location?

Yes, we go on location all the time for documentary work.

How do I know the final story will match my vision?

We love telling other people’s stories, and we use a very collaborative approach. We know that you are the expert in your story, and it is only by listening to it and understanding it that we can apply the right tools, technique, and artistry, to help it get told as well as possible.  In the process, we work with you to make sure that we truly are going in the right direction. Family, Maternity & Newborn

How long does a documentary take to shoot?

There is no single answer to this question.  Short commercial brand story documentaries could be shot in 3 or 4 hours, while a 45 to 60 minute movie could be days and days of shooting.

What’s the turnaround time to get my story after the shoot?

Again, no single answer. For a short brand story doc the standard turnaround is 18-21 business days for the first rough cut – that is, before revisions, colour grading, and sound correction. For a longer one it could be several months.

What does a documentary shoot come with?

Our documentary shoots include:

• Your shoot day and all the pre-production involved to make it happen
• All the editing needed to deliever whatever video edit(s) has been discussed and decided upon

Look for our Brand Story process guides to learn more about the whole process.

What equipment do you use?

We only use professional grade lighting and camera gear, as well as colour-calibrated monitors for our post-production.

Can you provide hair and makeup?

Yes, if you would like us to bring in a hair and makeup artist, we can arrange that for an additional fee.

I hate having my photo or video taken.  How can you help me?

• We work on the project with you, so that it captures what’s in your vision and in line with your brand.
• Our approachable and very humanizing shooting style, developed over 14 years of photographing people
• No-one is comfortable in ‘stock’ poses, or looks best at the first angle we choose, so we take the time to understand and see what looks best for each individual
• We empathize with the discomfort of being on camera! So we do everything we can to make it enjoyable.