3601 S. Congress Ave Bldg. A Suite 100 · Austin, TX 78704 · (512) 474-8484 · (512) 416-8483 fax
dneuse@davidneuse.com
3601 S. Congress Ave Bldg. A Suite 100 · Austin, TX 78704
· (512) 474-8484 · (512) 416-8483 fax
dneuse@davidneuse.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Deposits/Cancellations
We strive to provide our clients with the best possible products and services at affordable prices. An essential part of this is our policy on non-refundable deposits. The number of sessions we shoot each week increased substantially after we implemented our deposit policy. Our percentage of rescheduled appointments dropped significantly. As a result our overhead per customer has dropped as well, and given us the ability to offer lower prices for our clients.
Having said that, our cancellation/rescheduling policy is as follows:
· 10 day notice receives full refund
· 48 hours to 10 days cancellation notice receives half refund
· Less than 48 hours notice receives no refund
We will work with you as best we can on this one, but it is impossible to predict Texas weather, so it is no guarantee the weather will be better on any given day. Not to mention, because our schedule books up so far in advance, it might be awhile before we can get you in again.
Remember in Texas the number of days that are too windy, too hot, too cold, too humid, etc. far outweigh the number the days when it is calm and comfortable. Also dark days – even with light rainfall – are usually better than bright sunny days (lighting, eye-sensitivity, and other factors. Some clients can’t do outside shots on sunny days without squinting badly, even in the shade).
So, we have a few options:
i. Do the shoot entirely in the studio. We have several creative things we can do in a number of set areas. If you want, we can drop your session down to a shorter time (subsequently lowering the cost for you) to compensate for not going outside.
ii. Put down another deposit and reschedule. We do not recommend this, because again, there is no way to predict when a better time will be.
iii. Do two shorter sessions (example, two 30-minute sessions rather than an hour session). This also can be problematic because the weather may be worse the next time and we’re back in the same position. If you do choose this option, remember separate deposits are required for each session.
iv. Do a studio session on the day originally scheduled and do a short second session on a day not normally reserved for shoots. We can sometimes add a short session on Monday and Tuesday afternoons (normally reserved for administrative functions), but be advised no make-up artist will be available. We are however willing to do this when we have the time available on our schedule.
Emergencies do occasionally come up, and we are always very sorry when they do. If we could depend on people to always tell the truth we could probably calculate a small but appropriate price increase to account for emergency rescheduling.
However, we know that prior to implementing our deposit policy, our rescheduling rate was several times higher than now, and almost every client desiring to cancel or reschedule claimed it was due to an emergency.
Fortunately, after implementing our policy most of these emergencies ceased to happen. So, we have the same policy as many businesses (hotels, airlines, some doctor’s offices, etc.)
Related to this, remember most of our clients ask us to schedule a make-up artist for their session. These stylists also have cancellation policies because they turn down other work (just as we do) when you schedule them. Therefore we are obligated to pay them when we book them. If our clients cancel or reschedule, regardless of reason, we still have to pay the stylist.
Wardrobe/Make-Up
Because makeup for photography is different than everyday makeup, most of our clients request that we schedule a professional make-up artist prior to their session. Cameras are unable to reflect all of the subtleties our eyes see and therefore, some makeup modifications are necessary. This is especially important if any of the session is to be shot in black-and-white because many colors turn the same shade of gray, reducing contrast and definition.
However, it is optional and many of our clients opt to do their own make-up or go get their make-up done elsewhere. If you choose to do so, for best results, use a makeup artist that is familiar with black and white photography. We will be more than happy to recommend a makeup artist if you choose not to have us schedule one for you.
If you are having us schedule a professional make-up artist for you, please arrive for your session wearing no makeup or allow time to remove it upon arrival (10 minutes earlier). Come with your hair as close to how you want it during your session. If you want a style that requires rollers, it is best to arrive in rollers or arrive early enough that you can roll your hair before your makeup session.
Many of our clients wish to do two hairstyles during their session (wavy, curly, straight, etc.) If you wish to do so, you have two options. First, you can schedule two separate sessions, one for each hairstyle. Your other option is to do a longer session, and spend some of the time switching hairstyles in between. If you choose to do the latter, remember to come prepared with any accessories necessary and be aware that the time spent fixing your hair will be part of your session time.
Please make sure you can move, tilt, and turn freely without your hair falling over one or both eyes. Asymmetric haircuts with side bangs may limit you to very rigid (sometimes unnatural) poses or may require heavy hairspray which many clients feel make their hair look too stiff. Dramatic side bangs can also make it difficult to do outside shots if there is even a mild breeze.
Also, if you have a hairstyle that is parted on one side make sure you take into account the fact that most people’s face are not symmetrical and have one side they feel is prettier, brighter, more positive, etc., than the other. (Most people have one side of their face where the eyes are bigger and the smile is longer). You usually want to turn your brighter side facing the camera so we can feature it. Take a quick look in your mirror and study your face to make sure your part is on your “good side” or that you can turn your preferred side to the camera without your hair blocking your face.
If your bangs are meant to cover your forehead, please make sure they do not drop to the level of your eyelashes. You want to have definition between where the bangs end and the eyelashes begin.
While you may be tempted to tan before your session, don’t! The darker your skin tone, the more difficult it is to make natural looking monochromes (black and white, sepia, etc.) If you are worried about looking pale in your pictures, we can darken your skin tone on the computer easier than trying to lighten up skin that is too tan. Also, self tanning and mystic tanning can look more orange in pictures than in person, so try not to use either prior to your session.
We have yet to have any of our clients say their skin looks “dry” or “ashy” in their pictures, so please do NOT apply any shiny, oily moisturizer to your arms or legs. This makes skin look oily and it also makes skin more difficult to retouch. Also, stay away from shiny lip gloss, as it reflects the lights and produces bright white spots in the images.
There are no absolutes when selecting a wardrobe for portraits. Feel free to bring anything you feel looks good on you, as well as anything you feel displays your personality well. We do have a few recommendations:
i. Basic colors are most flattering in studio portraiture—black, white and primary colors (reds, yellows, blues, etc.). Softer colors (pastel blues, light greens and tans) work well for outdoor color portraits.
ii. Generally, solids are preferred over patterns. Sometimes a bold pattern can add to the overall statement made in a photo but they can also be very distracting.
iii. Shoes are a tough one – sometimes the shoes aren’t necessary or even noticeable in the picture while sometimes the shoes are very noticeable. If you have a pair of heels bring them just in case. Feel free to bring as many different changes of shoes as you like.
A few of the most versatile items to consider bringing include: black cocktail dresses; jeans; solid blouses and shirts; pearls, diamonds or rhinestone studs; sweaters; anything black.
If you feel you’ll look short, use shorter dresses, high heels and boots to make legs look longer.
When planning your wardrobe for your session, be sure to think about what undergarments you will wear with what outfits. While it is easy to forget or not notice that a bra strap is showing, it is extremely difficult to retouch out of a picture. Also, try to be mindful of the color and style of bra you choose to wear. Dark colors and extremely light colors (like white) often show through material and become obvious. Neutral shades of tan work best with almost all tops.
It all depends on your personal style. If you wear a lot of accessories bring them in with you! Some of the most common are: hats (great for variety); jewelry (bracelets, necklaces, rings, etc.); sunglasses; favorite items that can be used as props; lingerie (since we do not stock these items); long dresses for formal or dramatic looks.
If you feel photographs tend to make you look too heavy or too thin, do not select short dresses, spaghetti straps, or strapless dresses.
One of the most common complaints from our 40 and older clientele is they don’t like the way their neck looks in photos. Scarves and shirts with collars are helpful in this situation. Do not, however, wear a turtle neck to try and hide a double chin. We can work with double chins through posing, lighting and retouching.
Despite being worn a lot, starched shirts (especially in light colors) often look wrinkled in photographs and are extremely difficult to retouch. Please try to avoid them if possible. Also keep in mind complicated shirts, heavy dresses, or outfits with a lot of buttons can take awhile to change in and out of. Try to be aware of the time it takes to change, as it can take up a good portion of your session time.
Preparing for Session/Session Procedures
It doesn’t hurt to look at previous photos of yourself and evaluate what you like and don’t like about the photo. How do you like your smile? Is there one side of your face you favor? Many of our clients separate their teeth slightly when smiling, and their tongue sticks out between the gap. Most of the time, they don’t even notice that they’re doing it. It may not look unusual in person but it stands out in photographs and most people are unhappy with the way it looks. This is usually prevented if you practice in front of a mirror before the shoot. Consider practicing a few expressions to increase your comfort the day of the shoot.
Yes, you are welcome to bring a family member or friend to the session. We will likely involve them in pre-session activities such as observing makeup preparation, going over the selected poses, and making wardrobe decisions. We may involve them from time to time assisting with reflectors, grains, and fans as well as other activities.
We usually do not recommend having someone observe the actual shooting. Obviously the client can make the decision on this, but 20 years of experience have shown that the quantity and quality of images produced are likely to be lower when other people are present during the actual session. Though there are several reasons for this here are a few considerations:
1. The photographer and client have a harder time concentrating with other people in the room so expressions may be less genuine and the session might be less satisfying for you.
2. Wardrobe and set changes usually go faster without others helping and this results in more looks (sessions are limited by time) and more poses to choose from.
3. Being photogenic is mostly mental. If you are distracted, it will affect your photos. Any comments about how the person is doing can produce negative results.
Please remember you are likely here because you liked what you have seen of our work, and that work was not conducted under these conditions. Great portraits are not produced by cameras, lenses, lights, or makeup. They are produced by the interaction between the subject and photographer, and the system used by the photographer.
That’s fine! Please arrange for them to go over ahead of time recommended dos and don’ts for how to best interact with the photographer and subject. Also, you might want to consider having a friend present rather than a family member, as the dynamics are often better.
One other option is to consider having us leave the door to the studio open during the session. Some clients may still feel watched and be less relaxed but each client will have to make their own decision about what works best for them. We want our clients to be comfortable and enjoy their session.