FAQ

FAQ |  the session

1. Where will we have our session? That depends largely on your preferences. In the Portrait Agreement, you stated whether you lean towards more “urban”, “country” “traditional”, etc.  Based on your preference, we will choose a location. We have several places we shoot, all creating a different look and feel to the images, however, we feel location is secondary to “light”. If we have beautiful light, everything else kind of falls away.  You are also free to choose your own location, just keep in mind “soft light” is mandatory. While found in early morning, late afternoon, early evening, it is often found in the shade of an oak tree or tall building.  We almost never shoot in the harsh light found in the middle of the yard at full noon sunshine, aka “hard light”.
2. Will we shoot at more than one location? No. We will choose one location and spend all of our time working in that location.
3. Will we be allowed to change clothes? Clothing changes are allowed but discouraged in certain sessions. If the end goal is a wall gallery, where several images are displayed together, changing clothes often changes the color pattern. This limits the gallery to being displayed in only black and white so as to not have conflicting colors, light, etc. on the wall. Clothes changes can also double the time of the session. We approach your session with several goals- for example, we always shoot the family as a unit. We break off and shoot the family in separate units such as siblings, individual children and lastly, mom and dad. When we stop in the middle to change clothes, it often requires us to re-do entire shoot to have all the variety in both outfits. Having said all that, we love for you to bring secondary outfits for sibling sessions and individual sessions. For family sessions, we also do not mind secondary outfits for the children if you have another goal for using the images.
4. How should we dress? There are no hard and fast rules for this. Many traditional photographers say “white and khakis” (don’t you dare!) and many super modern photographers encourage tutus and rain boots. We feel there has be a happy medium so the images do not look extremely dated in a few years and most importantly, can be incorporated into your home’s existing décor. Having said that, we love tutus and rain boots and we also love Strasburg’s little girl dresses. Both styles of dress have a purpose and it depends largely on your end goal for the images.  We will discuss this in the consultation more thoroughly. For groups, the best rule of thumb is to blend, not be “matchy matchy”. Meaning, don’t all wear black shirts and jeans. Throw some color to spice it up a little but be sure to choose colors and patterns that work well together. Browse through the galleries to see examples of families that pulled this off nicely. Another very important thing to consider that is often overlooked is to consider your space for displaying. If magenta is going to clash with the deep reds in your family room and cause you to rule out the space for displaying, don’t wear magenta.  And most importantly, dress how you want to remember yourselves. Just be you. Like YOU on a Friday night, but color coordinated with your family.
5. What if it rains? If it rains we will reschedule for the earliest time available.  However, clouds are fabulous. Overcast skies are the Creator’s natural soft box, providing perfect lighting for portraits. Don’t let a few clouds scare you. If the forecast predicts higher than a 50% chance of rain we’ll evaluate and determine to call the shoot as late as two hours before
6. What if my child misbehaves or will not cooperate? Every child is different. Many children need their mother close by to avoid separation anxiety. Others behave best with an adult they aren’t acquainted with. I have worked with every type of child under the sun. Even if you think your child is not cooperating, often times it’s just a matter of having faith. The most uncooperative children generally do the best when the mother is out of earshot, so don’t be surprised if I take his or her hand and go for a stroll with your child. I am always ready to shift gears, take a break, have a snack, whatever it takes to keep the child feeling safe.  Some behavior precautions to take before arriving to your session include being sure your child is fed and well rested. Children tend to misbehave the most when they are tired and hungry. Be sure to avoid placing a lot of pressure on your child to “perform, smile for the camera, sit still”.  If he or she feels too much pressure it may be cause for a revolt. Having said all of that, I have yet to meet my match and I doubt your child will be the exception.
7. Do you travel? Is there a travel fee? We are a family run business and prefer to stay local for portrait shoots. Meaning, within the north metro Atlanta area. There will be a travel fee applied for locations beyond 20 miles of zip code 30115, increasing the further you get from the zip code. If three or more families in extended areas commission us, we will waive the travel fees up to 50 miles.

FAQ | after session

1. When will we get to see our images?! We will schedule your ordering session to take place approximately 2 weeks following your session. The ordering session is optional but extremely helpful when considering where to display wall portraits. Our technology enables us to show you how certain images will appear when displayed in your home. You are also able to see and feel all the options for custom framing, albums, and other custom products.
2. What can we expect for the ordering session? We present your images to you via slideshow. We take a look at all of our products, from wall portraits, storyboards, albums, etc.  and try to narrow down your favorite options. We often give you an opportunity to narrow down the selections to your favorites, then we use your favorites to populate the products you have expressed interest in.
3. Who needs to attend the ordering session? The decision making parties need to be present. If you are a wife who will need your husband’s approval before making decisions, you will both need to be present for the ordering session.
4. Can we bring family members to our ordering session? Sure! Bring as many people as you like, just let us know so we can prepare. (our meeting room gets cramped!) But also keep in mind you will have an online gallery for seven (7) days following your ordering session.
5. How long does the ordering session last? Ordering sessions last approximately 1.5 hours.
6. Do we pay at the ordering session? 50% of your total is due at the ordering session. The remaining balance will be due at the time of pick up.
7. Do you take payments? The session fee is due up front in full. We do take payments on the product purchases. We will spread your balance over four monthly payments interest free. 25% is due at the ordering session, the balance will be due in 4 monthly payments. All we need is a credit card. The transactions will debit monthly on the date you designate is best for you.
8. Do I get my products before the balance is paid? If you choose the payment option you will receive your products when they come in. We will continue the payments automatically until the balance is paid.
9. How much is this going to cost me?Most of our clients plan to invest between $800-1500, however everyone has different needs. Many spend more, some spend less.
10. Can children attend the ordering session? It is easier if small children are not present due to the length of time involved and the compact dimensions of our meeting space. It is also easier to make decisions when you are not distracted.
11. Will I be able to see my images online? Yes! After your ordering session we will post your proof images in an online gallery for  seven (7) days. You will be able to order all of our products and prints a la carte through our online shopping cart.
12. What happens if I need more time for my online gallery, will you extend the deadline? If you need more time to order, we will extend the gallery for $25 per day.  You will need to provide a credit card number to extend the gallery.
13. How long before I receive my purchases? Our turnaround times vary. Gift prints, slideshows, session dvds can take 2 to 4 weeks for delivery. Custom products such as fine art canvases, albums and keepsake boxes may take 8-12 weeks. Turnaround times also vary with season and you can expect the delivery to take longer in our busier seasons such as early spring and the holidays.
14. If I purchase the Session DVD can I print my own prints? Purchasing a session DVD is the only time permission is given to reproduce the images in any form. You will be given a limited copyright release that enables you to print at your lab of choice up to the determined size of your session DVD. Please Note: It is ILLEGAL to copy, scan or reproduce the images in any form without the written consent of Brandelyn Lee Photography. Violators of this Federal Law will be subject to it’s civil and criminal penalties.
15. Can I scan the images to share on Facebook, MySpace or personal blogs? Many of our sessions are featured here on our studio blog (www.brandelynlee.com/theblog). We do permit you to link the images from our blog to use in your personal pages on these networking sites. We only require you to give us a photo credit and link back to our website (www.brandelynlee.com). Please note: we do provide web quality session dvd’s complimentary with minimum product purchases.