Where I Take Your Photograph

I can come to your home, or you can come to mine. We can also meet at a local park, botanical garden, or other location of your choice.

Formal Studio Portraits Or Natural Light

I love natural light, and one of my favorite ways to do portraits is in a local park or your own backyard.

I also have studio lights that I can set up in my home. I use three Alien Bee flashes and softboxes, and have various colored backdrops and props.  This setup works for children and small groups. This kind of setup is perfect for young kids, or if you prefer a professional backdrop look to the photo.

I also travel to your home or to a location of your choice, like a local park. I am familiar with some wonderful shooting locations around the Phoenix area and would be happy to suggest different locations for your family.

Some of my favorite shooting spots are:

• Phoenix Japanese Friendship Garden
• Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden
• Freestone Park
• Downtown Chandler Area
• Gilbert Riparian Preserve
• Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (outdoor courtyard & park area)
• Train Park

Shooting Time

I will spend up to two hours with your group, taking pictures in various areas and poses. During this time you may opt to change outfits and add props.

What You Receive

I deliver my photos to you digitally on a disc in high-resolution format, along with printing rights and a photo release form so you can have them printed anywhere.  For a standard shoot, there will be at least 50 pictures on the disc.  I will convert the pictures to black/white at no extra charge, and will do minor blemish removal (if you request this) for no extra charge. You will get the disc within 1-2 weeks after the shoot is completed.

Getting Prints Made

I will suggest my favorite places to get prints made. By printing them yourself, you will save money. However, if you don’t have the time or interest in printing  them yourself, I will gladly  make prints for you using some of my favorite on-line printing services.  Prices will vary depending on print size and quality.

Some of my favorite places to get prints made are Smugmug, Persnickety Prints (for large 12×12 sized pages), Adorama. In town, Costco does a reasonable job as long as you turn off their automatic color correction.

Clothing Suggestions

Some people love to take portraits with matching outfits: everyone in white shirts and blue jeans, for example, or everyone wearing white and red. Other families dress in something  flattering, even if the color don’t match.  Either way can deliver wonderful pictures, so choose clothes in which you feel comfortable.

I typically recommend staying away from really “loud” prints and cartoon-character shirts, because sometimes that detracts from the faces. However, if that’s all your child wants to wear, then maybe it’s the perfect choice. Some of my favorite photos of my daughter were taken in her “Go Diego Go” phase, when she would wear only one piece of clothing — a boy’s Diego themed PJ top.

I believe that a happy and smiling family takes the best pictures, regardless of what they are wearing.

Don’t be afraid to wear white or black – I can handle extreme colors without issues. And Diego shirts? No problem!

Prices

My price starts at $150 per shoot for a group of 4 or less. Please email me to find out the price for your group.