THANK YOU
I would like to personally thank you for choosing J.Michael Imagey. We have been shooting for a couple of years now and we are forever grateful when clients decide that they want to work with us to create some amazing images. With so many great photographers I am truly honored you have chosen to work with J.Michael Imagery! I promise to do my very best to make sure this is a decision you will not regret!
ABOUT
Who am I really? I am a Bahamian-based photographer with a keen interest in creating impactful and meaningful images for my clients. My style is more candid and authentic with a hint of editorial flare. I love to get my clients in comfortable poses and then interact with them to draw out natural expressions. My philosophy is that for images to be meaningful they must convey authentic expressions. My job therefore is to prompt you to draw out these expressions.
I have been shooting portraits for over 5 years now. I love working with my clients from start to finish. This means I am here whenever they need me. Not sure what wardrobe to wear or what venue to shoot at? I am more than happy to assist. The overall goal is to create an experience where clients’ needs are catered to to ensure their vision for the photo session is brought to life!
So when it comes to preparing for your photo session, I don’t want you to fret too much. With proper planning everything can be done and ensure an enjoyable experience. I have compiled the following tips to help you prepare for the session:
Women
– Pick out your wardrobe a few days before the session and lay everything out you will need (including shoes and accessories) the night before.
– If applicable, schedule your hair and makeup with ample time. I suggest your makeup appointment be set 3 hours in advance of your portrait session and your hair set two hours in advance of your makeup session.
– Buffer time is always better than being late If possible, ensure a backup plan for hair and makeup is in place.
– Make sure to get a good night’s sleep before your session.
– Make sure to have a meal before your session.
– Ensure transportation is organized the day before your session.
Men
– Pick out your wardrobe a few days before the session and lay everything out you will need (including shoes and accessories) the night before.
– Schedule any haircuts the day before your session or at least 5 hours before your portrait session.
– If possible, ensure a backup plan for hair A fresh shave 3-5 hours before your session is recommended if applicable.
– Make sure to get a good night’s sleep before your session.
– Make sure to have a meal before your session.
– Ensure transportation is organized the day before your session.
WHAT TO WEAR
What to wear can be a tricky question. Wardrobe is such an important part of the process which sometimes goes unnoticed. Similar to a play or movie, wardrobe plays a critical role in conveying the overall vision or message of the photography session.
Here are my top tips when selecting wardrobe for your session:
1. Keep it simple – well fitting comfortable clothing is always preferred and will ensure you look your best.
2. Resist the urge to match completely – complementary colors are normally more visually interesting.
3. Avoid busy patterns and logos – these tend to date images and normally wont age as well.
4. Less is often better – you are beautiful the way you are! Opt for more subtle makeup and hairstyles that accentuate your best features.
5. Leave trends behind – trends are nice but they don’t suit everyone. Opt for styling and clothing which you are comfortable with and work with your current body composition.
Now that we have covered the basics here are some examples based on the mood and feel of the session. I have found over time that most portrait sessions tend to fall into these categories:
1. Classic Heirloom – Men should opt for a classic dark suit with a tie (necktie or bow tie is fine) with a neutral color shirt and dark shoes. Women should opt for more formal cocktail style dresses which fit the body well. Sleeves are optional but often times can provide a more flattering body silhouette. Ball Gowns are also great for these types of images as well.
2. Modern Chic – Men can opt for some neutral or earthtone chinos with a long sleeve sweater or turtleneck and dark shoes. For women a less formal cocktail style dress can work in this scenario. Bodycon, midi, sheath, slip dresses work very well here.
3. Casual Chic – Men can opt for some neutral or earthtone chinos with a long sleeve henley or short sleeve shirt.Women may opt for casual dress types (shirt dresses, shift dresses, sundresses, maxi etc.). If dresses aren’t your thing, casual pants or denim with a nice top also works very well in this scenario.
(Limit: stick with a maximum OF 1-2 outfits) You might find some inspiration here: http://www.pinterest.com
WHERE TO HAVE YOUR SESSION
Often you either have a good idea where you want your images taken or you don’t. I don’t want you to worry too much. Leading up to the shoot we will collaborate on a mood board. This not only helps us define styling,posing and fee for the session but also the location and time.
If I notice our mood board has a lot of outdoor photos near a beach and sunset, then we will pick a similar location for the session. If your mood board has more studio settings then we will shoot in my home studio!
Overall, the location will be an extension of your vision for the session and I am here to help you put the pieces together. Any location fees will be your responsibility. I will often give options where I can for both paid and free locations so that you can decide which works best for you.
AFTER THE SESSION
Your session will typically take between 45 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on concept and other factors. Once the session is done, your photos will be uploaded and backed up in our system. We will then go through them and set up an online proofing gallery of 35 images for you to choose from.
These will be the best images from the session. These images will have color edits completed but no detail work done. This proofing gallery is normally done within 2 business days from the date of the session. Here clients will log into the album and select the images they would like to purchase.
Once the selection is completed, an invoice is issued. Upon receipt of payment for the invoice the detail retouching process is started.
INVESTMENT
You would of received our pricing guide prior to the payment of your session fee. This is an important document and I would advise keeping this for reference. When it comes to pricing I try to keep it simple while allowing clients the flexibility to only purchase the images they love.
The billing has two components:
1. Session Fee
This is the fee associated with all the costs related to the actual shoot. This includes costs for consultation times, meetings, set design, equipment wear and tear, image editing, assistant fees (if required) and the photographers time and creativity. There are no images included with the session fee. It is non-refundable and required to secure your session. Currently, the Session Fee is $175 without makeup or $250.00 with makeup.
2. Digital Images
Each digital image is sold separately.For quick reference as outlined in the pricing guide: – Each retouched digital image is sold at $25.00 per image.
– The Essential Package (15 images) is sold at $525.00 (inclusive of the session fee)
– The Standard Package (30) is sold at $800.00 (inclusive of the session fee)
– The Premium Package (entire gallery) is sold at $1,175.00 and includes a leather album. (inclusive of the session fee)
The total cost is therefore calculated as the sum of the session fee and the images selected by the client. (i.e. if a client wanted 10 images with no makeup, the total cost would be $425 calculated as $175 (session fee) + $250 (image package selected)).
Custom billing is also done for clients who may want more than a specific number not outlined above. Each image will be billed at the per image price.
IMAGE DELIVERY
Detail retouching includes skin retouching, clothing retouching, background cleanup, body shaping, background extensions, distracting element removal, etc. This process takes up to 10 business days to complete.
Once these images are retouched, a new digital album is created with your final retouched images for download. In the instances, where clients want prints, the digital gallery is linked to our printing house vendor. You may click the shop option in the toolbar to access all our print products. Here you can complete orders for any print products you would like and have them shipped directly to you!
If you currently reside outside the US you may need to have a freight forwarding services to allow timely receipt of your products as the print vendor is based on the US. Some popular freight forwarding services in the Bahamas include BluePostal, Just Ship It, GoPostal, Jetlocker, etc.
FAQ
Do you provide RAW or unedited images?
Under no circumstances do I provide unedited or RAW images to clients. Images are edited and retouched consistent with my style and brand identity. Only images which have been edited this way will be delivered.
Can I purchase additional images at another time?
Sure! I will keep a high resolution copy of your proof images. Once you let me know, I can set up a new proofing album at a later date for you to purchase additional images.
Do you provide full resolution digital images?
All images delivered will be in high resolution and web resolution variants. The high resolution variant is ideal for photo printing while the web resolution variant is best for online posting.
What payment methods do you accept?
Currently we are cashless and accept payment via bank transfer or debit/credit card.
Do you offer payment plans?
Sure! If you require a payment plan I will custom develop one for you. We will edit your images and keep them until the final payment is made. Once the final payment is received we will deliver your images.
Can you take care of our product/print orders?
Sure! If you don’t want to use the included shop module in your gallery, I can definitely order prints for you. This will incur a service charge of $50 in addition to product costs and shipping costs.
How long will galleries stay open?
Galleries will be available on line for 3 months. I advise clients to download their products to multiple locations (hard drive and cloud storage (i.e. Onedrive. Dropbox, Googlephotos, etc.). There is an archival search fee of $100.00 for retrieval of images for clients after the three month period has ended.
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