FAQ

It depends. For commercial portraits, I will very happily accommodate any licensing terms you require, subject to negotiation. For most family and personal portraits, the answer is no; but this deserves some explanation.

I do offer digital images that are suitable for sharing online. These images are sized, sharpened, and color-managed specifically so that they will look great when viewed on computers, tablets, and phones. These are not high resolution images and they are not suitable for printing, but they are what most people really want when they request digital copies.

Occasionally people have a genuine need for one or more high resolution copies of their personal or family portraits. Maybe they need them for a special project or for a product that they need to get from a third party because I don’t offer it myself. If this is why you are asking, let me know! I’m positive we can reach an agreement. Not only that, but you can draw on my expertise in image processing and be absolutely sure that the digital files you receive will be exactly what you need for your purpose.

Finally, sometimes people just want high res copies because they figure they’ll save some money by printing them themselves, either on their own printer or through a commercial service. I’m sorry, but I do not provide high resolution images for this purpose, nor do I permit such in my licensing. Let me tell you why. There are a few reasons.

First and truly foremost is that the images I make are my creative work. I pride myself on producing a high quality final product and I feel that the images I produce for you are a representation of who I am and what I do. My reputation is built on them. Additionally, high quality digital imaging requires significant technical expertise. I prepare my images specifically for the printing processes used by the professional labs I work with. For these reasons, I’m simply not willing to give up quality control.

Second, but also important, is the fact that this is a business. Many portrait photographers might be reluctant to talk about these details with you, but the fact is that our livelihood is built on print sales. I don’t think that should be a secret. When all is said and done, creative or session fees don’t cover but only serve to offset prep and travel time; the shoot itself; the time put into selecting, editing and preparing images for print; and the cost of insuring and maintaining expensive tools of the trade.

So, if you want more prints but your budget doesn’t allow for it, please talk to me. Know that, firstly, I’m flattered you like the images I create, and secondly, I will work with you! I can offer quantity discounts, payment arrangements, and other creative solutions. I even offer sliding scale pricing for families experiencing hardship. because I’ve been there. And also because I believe that every family should have the opportunity to document their history with beautiful photos.

Yes! I honor custom retouching requests as part of my premium retouching option. I do ask that you make your requests prior to your shoot if at all possible as it will enable me to make posing and lighting choices that will result in a better final image for you.