family portrait Services
Our Style
At PhotoGraphics we take a very informal and personal approach to family photography. Our goal is to make the photographic experience as painless as possible, while at the same time, ensuring that you receive a variety of poses and backgrounds. Our approach is not like most other photo studios!
Using our experience as a guide, our goal is to remain flexible and provide you complete control of your family photographs.
Our Product
Joe Landsverk PhotoGraphics provides photographic services. Our product is the images (not the physical photographs) that are created during your portrait sitting, and that is the approach we take toward providing your family portraits.
Your Sitting
The first part of the process is getting your portrait taken. This is called a portrait sitting.
STUDIO sittings are done at my home/studio 3 miles south of Laurel, Montana. Many families like to take both a formal and informal portrait, so feel free to bring a couple of clothing changes for all members of your family. Try to co-ordinate the clothing color schemes and avoid sharp contrasts in clothing styles or colors. Generally earth tones, pastels or denim looks are the easiest to work with. If you have personal items, such as pets, plants, cars, awards, backgrounds, etc you'd like to include in your portrait, feel free to bring them along and I'll do my best to make them a meaningful part of your family portrait. Your sitting may include portraits taken outdoors. Our landscaping includes pine, cottonwood, and gingko trees, a sumac forest, a water scene (in season) and variety of lawn environments.
ON-LOCATION sittings may be anywhere... your home, the rims, your favorite stream, campsite or mountain scene... your choice.
I usually take at 2-3 shots of each pose depending on the size of your family. This results in 10-15 pre-vues for you to choose from. Additional poses are available if you need more.
Your Pre-Vues
Pre-vues are regular photographs used to select your best expression and pose. They are not as critically color balanced as your final portraits and have not been retouched to remove blemishes, stray hairs, shadows, etc. You will receive your portrait previews in about two weeks. You may purchase all of your proofs, or just a few, the choice is yours.
Your Portrait
Family portraits are often an important part of your home decor, and in some cases your family portrait may be the focal point of the room. In this case, it is common for your portrait to be as large as 30"x40". Other sizes available are 24"x30", 20"x24", 16"x20", 11"x14" and 8"x10".
8"x10" and smaller portraits are purchased in units. Portrait units are the most affordable method of ordering quality finished photographs and insure the most consistent cropping, color and density reproduction in varying print sizes. Standard unit sizes include 8" x 10", 5"x7", 4"x5", 2½"x3½".
An 8"x10" unit consists of any ONE of the following:
A variety of mounting options are available for decor size photos. Folders are included for 8"x10" and smaller portraits.
You are not required to purchase a minimum package and most services, including retouching, artwork and digital enhancement are pay-as-you go.
Other portrait option available are: black & white photos, Color Highlights, Jean Scenes, Trading Cards, Special F/X, Splashes, MonoChromes, Magazine Covers, Locker Posters, Hot Tones, Portrait Calendars, Playing Cards, Christmas Ornaments, Photo Memo Pads, Mugs, Plates and Photo Greeting Cards. Please ask for details and pricing.
A note about Retouching
Retouching may be an important part of your finished portrait. Retouching, artwork and digital imagery is available at an additional charge for two reasons. First, I don't feel you should be charged for something you don't think is required and may not want to pay for. Some people like their portraits to be completely natural, others don't feel retouching is necessary at all... so you get to make the choice! The second reason is that since retouching is billed separately, you can order from as many pre-vues as you like, without extra charges.
Basic retouching covers blemishes, soften bags under eyes and can remove scars, moles and soften lines and wrinkles as requested.
Extensive retouching can be used to remove extremely dark or heavy shadows under eyes, severe acne, remove heavy lines, wrinkles or scaring and can blend red or blotchy skin areas.
Above and beyond retouching, art work or digital enhancement may warranted. Art work and digital enhancement makes it possible to replace missing teeth, remove eye glass glare, stray hair and even braces! People can even be added to or removed from photos! Additionally, many special effects such as custom graphics, composites, different backgrounds, cut and pastes can be accomplished.
Please ask about the possibilities that these services can provide!