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Design Consultation? What it is and how to plan.
You will hear different terms that mean the same thing to us: pre-session consultation, design consultation, wardrobe and styling consultation…and so on. This is our first meeting together – held before your actual portrait session. It is basically a planning meeting.
The planning meeting can be held up to three months before your actual session and is scheduled at your convenience. Before your portrait session, I love to get to know you – your personality, your preferences, your story, your journey – I want to connect with who you are and how you’d love to be photographed. Whether it’s a family portrait session, a glamour or personal branding session, creating your portraits is telling a story of who you are and who you want to be – a part of your lifetime legacy. The portrait experience is designed to be custom for you – to capture your spark of beauty – authentically and artistically.
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This is not just another “photo session”, it is THE portrait session – the one that you’ve always dreamed of to perfection for yourself and your family. This is about creating a legacy for you with treasured heirlooms you can enjoy for a lifetime and pass on from one generation to another.
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So what should you expect in this meeting?
1. Chocolates. Yes, it’s my favourite treat to serve at every meeting and session held in the studio.
2. Ideas. From the first contact I made with you, I am already thinking about different ideas that will be perfect for your session. But it’s all ideas until I connect with you and get to know you. I want to make sure my ideas are perfect for what you envision, else they immediately begin to change. So we will talk about everything from location, your favorite activities, your interests, and what the results might look like. I might have a moodboard ready for you – or develop one after this meeting.
3. Wardrobe. It’s not unusual to have boxes of clothes and accessories dragged into the studio for this meeting. Whether you choose to handpick the wardrobe options you think might fit or you simply throw everything into boxes, it’s all fine. Together, we will sort through and find the perfect option for you…or maybe not. Sometimes, we don’t and that means it’s time to shop. How exciting! These portraits are going to be with you for a lifetime and passed on to your generations. You want to be proud of your wardrobe choices in 20…30 years. No matter the session type, we recommend going fancy for, at least, one of your wardrobe choices. So bring on the bling and all the glamour.
For personal branding and business portrait sessions, I encourage you to think about where you want to be in five, ten years and plan your wardrobe accordingly. We want you to make very impactful first impressions and your wardrobe choices play a huge role here.
4. Keepsake Items. Nothing makes an impression quite like printed framed art piece. I want you to enjoy your portraits for a lifetime – together we will be creating art pieces to fit your home and decor and becomes part of your history – so you will feel and touch some of the best heirloom-quality products in the industry. The art pieces are produced with archival materials that give your art a lifespan over many generations. These keepsake items will adorn the spaces in your home, or office and be treasured possessions. Whether you invest $1500 or $15000, there is no minimum investment for your art pieces. They are available a la carte as well as in collections with flexible payment options; so you choose your investment in the images you love based on your style and what fits your personality or interior decor.
5. Session Details. Let’s get our calendars out. At this meeting, we will schedule your session date, location and time. All this depends on what ideas we are executing. Your session could be anything from one hour to 3 hours – it may include professional hair styling and make up artistry, if you have chosen to have us pamper you prior to your session. On-location sessions do require a commitment to a 30-inch wall portrait or its value equivalent in other art pieces of your choice.
6. Commission your art pieces. Most of our clients love the flexibility of payments in investing towards their art pieces at the design consultation. Truth is you are going to love so many portraits that you probably will want them all. So by pre-investing in your portraits, you can plan your investments properly and be a part of our premier portrait club (with all the amazing benefits). We recommend a pre-investment in the smallest collection of your art pieces preference for your portraits.
So how do you get ready for this meeting?
1. Come open. Start thinking about what you want to achieve with this portrait session. Clients often use google or pinterest. Insert keywords about the type of session you’d like. Take screenshots or save links to ideas that pick your interest. However, be open to ideas.
2. Think Big. Sometimes, the best things come to us when we get out of our comfort zone. Think about how you’d like to reminisce on memories from this session, when you’re holding the portraits in some decades. For wardrobe, form fitting and figure hugging clothes work for all body types. Please avoid (excessive) patterns as they can detract from your face. Steer clear of graphics and logos. Lace, embroidery, tulle, velvet, sequins, beads, ruching and ruffles are all great and add nice visual interest. Avoid cap or flutter sleeves. Sleeveless looks great only on toned arms. Bring heels, or fancy shoes if you want them in the your portrait. Epic or glam dresses are great. Something unusual is very welcomed. Accessorize with jewellery.
3. Start looking. Now is the time to start looking at walls and spaces in your home or work spaces so you get ideas of what might fit and accentuate your decor, and where you’d love your portraits to be hanging. Or it might be an album for your coffee table, so you can pick it up and enjoy with your family and friends. You choose your investment in the portraits you love. All keepsake items and are produced with top quality photographic materials to ensure you treasure your portraits for a lifetime, and pass them on from generation to generation.
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Enjoy our flexible payment plans options as well as beautiful bundled savings when you order your art pieces.
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I am very excited about meeting you. All questions are answered during the planning meeting. It is my utmost pleasure to photograph you.