Adults — How can we look our best?
- Choose classic styles! 5 years from now you don't want your photograph to look dated.
Choose clothes that fit your body shape. (not baggy) and that look good seated. Decide formal
(suits and dresses) or casual (shirts and jeans or slacks).
- Choose solid colors or subtle prints! Busy patterns and big stripes draw attention to your
body instead of your gorgeous face. They also make you look 5 pounds heavier.
- Wear 3/4 to long sleeves (again we want to show off your face). Sleeveless arms photograph
very heavy looking.
- Shall I choose light or dark colors? If you are thin, pastels are fine but stay away from
bright white. If you want to look thinner, wear medium to dark colors. Soft knits or sweaters
show less wrinkles than cotton shirts. Softly draping fabrics are best.
- Wear open collars! Turtlenecks are only flattering for people with long necks or if you
are of grandparent age and you want to hide lines.
- Should I wear my glasses? If you wear glasses there are several alternatives. 1-Take out
the lenses and wear your empty frames so you look like yourself, 2-Borrow an empty pair of
frames from your eye doctor, 3-Have the anti reflection put on your glasses.
- Bring accessories that have meaning to you. Heirloom jewelry, scarves, belts, hats, watches
and special rings personalize your portrait. Make sure your hands and nails look great.
- Don't get a sun tan the day before. It is impossible to retouch burned noses and tone down
red faces.
- Relax about your complexion! Any blemishes can be toned down with a touch up stick. But no
sweat, the finished prints will be retouched and you will look great.
- What should I do about makeup? All makeup should be in a matte finish. Stick to natural
(browns and grays) tones for the eyes. No sparkles, glitter or gloss. Thick mascara is great.
Choose a natural lip color that will enhance the shape of your lips. Men with heavy beards
should shave right before their session.
- You've got to have a great hair day! For men, haircuts the day before are out, Give it at
least a week to grow. Bangs shadowing the eyes are also out. For women, fuller hairstyles are
best for the sunlit outdoors.
- For groups, everyone needs to stand out equally in the photograph. We recommend everyone
dressing in medium to dark tones, head to toe. If you are wearing pastel tops, we recommend
khaki or light bottoms. For medium to dark tops wear dark bottoms. Different textures in the
tops look best.
- Greens and blues
- Burgundy, grey, black, brown
- Light blue, white and khaki (If you're on the thin side.)
- What colors are best for our group? Clients usually choose clothing colors, keeping in mind
the room that they want to hang their portrait. Choose clothing colors that will blend with (not
clash) with colors in your home. Some popular color combinations in-groups are:
- Greens and blues
- Burgundy, grey, black, brown
- Light blue, white and khaki (If you're on the thin side.)
- Will my shoes show? Yes, no white shoelaces, white socks, or white shoes. Flat-soled shoes
are best for comfort and walking around the ranch. Loafers, topsiders, flats, or boots work well
with dark socks.
- Can we bring our family pet? Horses can be trailered to our ranch. Dogs should come with
brown or black leash, plus treats and cats in their carriers.
- How can I frame my portrait? Terry, the framing expert, would be happy to recommend
appropriate framing for your wall décor. Our framing is done on the premises at prices 1/3
less than custom framers. Please let us know if your wall space requires a horizontal
(landscape) or vertical size.
- A note about groups: Occasionally family members want to bring their cameras or
video to the photography session. Your portraits can be ruined by the distraction and
interruption of our creativity, flow and rapport with your family. Please tell them to leave
their cameras at home. Let us do our job of creating a relaxing and fun photography experience
for everyone.
- Go through your closets now to see what clothes will work. Lay the outfits together,
to see if they blend.
- Shop for what you will need.
- The day before your session make sure all the outfits are clean and ironed.
- What if I need to change my clothes? We have a changing room at the studio with air
conditioning, mirrors, closet, bathroom and plugs for curling irons.
- When will I see the images? In two weeks, your slide show presentation will be ready. We
don't make paper proofs. Instead, you see your gorgeous images enlarged on the wall. Before you
leave the photography session, we will schedule your next appointment for the slide show. You
will also get a detailed price sheet so you can think about gifts for relatives and wall décor
for your home and office.
- Who should come to the slide show? All the adults (especially those who are paying for the
portraits). Children are not recommended as the show takes about an hour or more. A 50% deposit
is required with your order. Finished prints are normally ready in 6-8 weeks.
- What if I need to reschedule or cancel? Do to our advance bookings, with a 14–day
notice or more your session fee is 100% refunded. 5–9 days notice, session fee is
50% refunded. 4 days or less, the session fee is non-refundable.
- Last minute checklist for in the car
- Map
- Additional clothing changes if desired and accessories (clean and ironed)
- Props
- makeup, curling iron and brush
- Day timer schedules for two weeks ahead to book the slide show presentation
Beach — How can we look our best at the beach?
- Choose classic styles! 5 years from now you don't want your photograph
to look dated. Choose clothes that fit your body shape (not baggy) and
that look good when seated. Decide formal (sundresses or long skirts)
or casual (shirts and cotton slacks)
- Choose solid colors or subtle prints! Busy patterns and big stripes
draw attention to your body instead of your gorgeous face. They also
make you look 5 pounds heavier.
- Wear 3/4 to long sleeves and long pants (again we want to show off
your face). Sleeveless arms photograph very heavy looking and compete
with the face. Long pants are also best.
- Choose light colors? If you are thin, pastels and white are fine.
If you want to look thinner, wear medium colors.
- Wear open collars! Turtlenecks are only flattering for people with
long necks.
- Should I wear my glasses? If you wear glasses there are several alternatives:
- Take out the lenses and wear your empty frames so you look like
yourself
- Borrow an empty pair of frames from your eye doctor
- Have the anti reflection put on your glasses
- Bring accessories that have meaning to you. Heirloom jewelry, scarves,
belts, hats, watches and special rings personalize your portrait. Make
sure your hands and nails look great. Some families bring picnic baskets,
flowers, shovels and pails and special blankets.
- Don't get a sun tan the day before. It is impossible to retouch burned
noses and tone down red faces.
- Relax about your complexion! Any blemishes can be toned down with
a touch up stick. But no sweat, the finished prints will be retouched
and you will look great.
- You've got to have a great hair day! Haircuts the day before are out
(give it at least a week to grow out). Bangs shadowing the eyes are
also out. For women, fuller hairstyles are best for the sunlit outdoors.
The beach can sometimes be windy. Be prepared for your hair to blow.
It's a “natural” look at the beach. Bring along some hairspray,
but if you are fussy about your hair, we recommend our Ranch location
as an alternative outdoor site since we cannot guarantee weather conditions.
There is a $75 re-scheduling fee if the wind is too strong for you.
- For groups, everyone needs to stand out equally in the photograph.
We recommend everyone dressing in medium to light tones, head to toe.
With pastel tops, we recommend khaki or light bottoms. Different textures
in the tops look best. We like bare feet at the beach.
- What colors are best for our group? Clients usually choose clothing
colors, keeping in mind the room that they want to hang their portrait.
Choose clothing colors that will blend with (not clash) with colors
in your home. Some popular color combinations in-groups are:
- Light green and light blue tops and white bottoms
- Light blue tops with khaki bottoms
- White and beige tops with light jeans
- Any pastel tops with white, khaki or light jean bottoms
- Can we bring our family pet? Dogs should come with brown or black
leash, plus treats.
- How can I frame my portrait? Alison, our design consultant, will be
happy to recommend appropriate framing for your wall décor. Our
framing is done on the premises at prices 1/3 less than custom framers.
Please let us know if your wall space requires a horizontal (landscape)
or vertical size.
- What color will the ocean be? The weather conditions at your photography
session will determine your unique background tones. The water hues
are usually gray to gray green to gray blue, but very rarely blue.
- Can I bring my own camera or video camera to the photography session?
No, please leave them at home. Your photographs can be ruined by others
interrupting our flow, creativity and rapport with your family. Let
us do our job of creating a relaxed, fun experience for you. You'll
love the results.
- When will I see the images? In two weeks, your slide show presentation
will be ready. We don't make paper proofs. Instead, you see your gorgeous
images enlarged on the wall. Before you leave the photography session,
we will schedule your next appointment for the slide show. You will
also get a detailed price sheet so you can think about gifts for relatives
and wall décor for your home and office.
- Who should come to the slide show? All the adults (especially those
who are paying for the portraits). Children are not recommended as the
show takes about an hour or more. A 50% deposit is required with your
order. Finished prints are normally ready in 6-8 weeks.
- What if I need to reschedule or cancel? Do to our advance bookings,
with a 14–day notice or more your session fee is 100% refunded.
Nine to five days notice, session fee is 50% refunded. Four days or
less, the session fee is non-refundable.
- Last minute checklist for in the car:
- Directions
- Props to personalize your portrait
- makeup, brush, hairspray
- If it's a clear day (blue water, harsh light on the faces) we may
need to wait for 15 minutes before we can start photographing. If
it is overcast (golden tone, soft light on the faces) we can start
right away. We will photograph until the sun sets. If you need to
reach us at the last minute in our car, please call the studio for
our mobile number.
Children — How can my child look his or her best?
Please resist the urge to tell your child to smile or be on his best behavior. Simply tell them
"we are having our portrait taken and it will be fun. You only need to follow Alison's
directions."
- Choose classic styles! 5 years from now you don't want your photograph
to look dated. Choose clothes that look timeless.
- Choose solid colors or subtle prints! Busy patterns and big stripes
draw attention to their body instead of their beautiful face.
- Shall I choose light or dark colors? What if I have 2 or more being
photographed? If your child is thin, pastels and white is fine. If you
want them to look thinner, darker colors are best. For groups, you want
everyone to stand out equally in the portrait, so we recommend everyone
wear medium to dark tones or everyone wear pastels. Different textures
in the tops look best. If you have pastel tops, wear khaki or light
bottoms. For medium to dark tops, wear dark bottoms. Clients usually
choose clothing colors that go in the room where their portrait will
hang. Choose colors that blend (not clash) with colors in your home.
Some popular color combinations are:
- Greens and blues
- Greens, blues and burgundy
- Light blue, pink, white and khaki
- All white
- For black and white sessions medium to dark solid colors are best
- Wear open collars and long sleeves! Seeing the neck helps bring attention
up to the face and long sleeves are best unless your children are very
young.
- Should they wear their glasses? If they wear glasses, there are several
alternatives:
- Take out the lenses and wear just the empty frames so they look
like themselves
- Borrow an empty pair of frames from your eye doctor
- Have the anti–reflection put on their glasses
- Bring accessories that have meaning to you. Many people like to personalize
their photographs. You can create a story telling theme about your children.
You can bring items from home that reflect your family history, hobbies
or professions. See the following list:
- Antique toys, stuffed animals, books, blankets, dolls, tea cups,
jewelry box, toy box, sports equipment, wagons, bikes, rocking chair,
family scrap book, stools, special keepsakes or collectibles
- Fresh flowers
- Accessories: hats, jacket, briefcase, gloves, pen, jewelry
- Family pets
- For newborns: bassinets, blankets, quilts, comforters, pillows,
cloth diaper to catch drools
- Doctor's appointments should have been at least 2 weeks ago. Young
children sometimes associate the studio with doctor's offices and shots.
Give your child 2 weeks to forget the doctor experience and recover
from the shots. Also, make sure they are well fed or bring snacks
and refrain from feeding your child sugar on your appointment day.
- The hair has to look great! Make sure the length is good. Avoid long
bangs that shade the eyes. Use hair spray or gel to keep it in place.
- Would you like to tell a story? (Bath time, bedtime, beach theme, sports
theme, fishing theme. Professions: train engineer, musician, sailor, western,
pirate, pilot, biker, gardener, hiker, fireman, police, construction worker,
chef, doctor, business man, military)
- Shoes for young children? We often sit little ones down on the floor or ground.
The bottoms of the shoes are then prominent. We suggest bare feet if we are
photographing outdoors, bring flip flops so they can walk on the pathways without
hurting their feet. Older children should wear shoes indoor or outdoors in a
brown or dark tone.
- 3 months-1 1/2 year olds. One-piece outfits are the best, there is less fussing
with the clothes and we can concentrate on the smiles.
- How long will the photography session take?
- One Child 15-30 minutes
- Two Children 30-40 minutes
- Three Children 40-60 minutes
- Where do I change my child? We have a changing room at the studio with air conditioning,
mirrors, closet and bathroom. If your children are young, change them here at the studio.
- How do I find Wild Rock Canyon Ranch? We will forward you a link to our secret map.
- How long is the drive to Wild Rock Canyon Ranch? From PQ 30 minutes. From RB 20 minutes.
From Poway 15 minutes. From Ramona 15 minutes. From Scripps 30 minutes (probably 20 on the
Scripps Poway Parkway). Plan to arrive at least 5 minutes before your session time.
- When will I see the images? In two weeks, your slide show presentation will be ready.
We don't make paper proofs. Instead, you see your gorgeous images enlarged on the wall.
Before you leave the photography session, we will schedule your next appointment for the
slide show. You will also get a detailed price sheet so you can think about how many
wallets and gifts for relatives you will want.
- Who should come to the slide show? You of course, mom, dad or both. Normal time is
an hour to go through the choosing process. Young children will be bored. We require a
50% deposit.
- What if I need to cancel or reschedule? Due to our advance bookings, with a 14–day
notice or more your session fee is 100% refunded. Nine to five days notice, session fee is 50%
refunded. Four days or less, the session fee is non-refundable. There are always exceptions for
illness.
- Last minute checklist for in the car:
- Map
- All clothes and accessories (clean and ironed); Props
- Snacks and drinks
- Your schedule for two weeks ahead to plan the slide show presentation.
Seniors — How Can I look my best?
- Classic Styles! 5 years from now you don't want your photograph to look dated. Choose
clothes that look timeless and look good in a sitting position.
- Choose solid colors or subtle prints! Busy patterns and big stripes draw attention to your
body instead of your beautiful face.
- Shall I choose light or dark colors? If you want to look thinner, wear medium to dark colors.
Light colors will add 5 to 10 pounds to your look.
- Wear 3/4 to long sleeve tops and open collars. Sleeveless is only good if you are very thin.
Turtlenecks are only flattering to people with long necks.
- Should I wear my glasses? If you wear glasses there are several alternatives:
- Take out the lenses and wear your empty frames so you look like yourself
- Borrow an empty pair of frames from your eye doctor
- Have the anti reflection put on your glasses
- Bring accessories that have meaning to you. Heirloom jewelry, scarves, belts, hats, watches
and special rings personalize your portrait. Make sure your hands and nails look great.
- Don't get a sun tan the day before. It is impossible to retouch burned noses and tone down
red faces.
- Relax about your complexion! Any blemishes can be toned down with a touch up stick. But
no sweat, the finished prints will be retouched and you will look great.
- You've got to have a great hair day! For men, haircuts the day before are out. Give it at
least a week to grow . Bangs shadowing the eyes are also out. For women, fuller hairstyles are
best for the sunlit outdoors and glamour.
- What should I do about makeup? All makeup should be in a matte finish. Stick to
natural (browns and grays) tones for the eyes. No sparkles, glitter or gloss. Thick mascara is
great. Choose a natural lip color that will enhance the shape of your lips. Men with heavy
beards should shave right before their session.
- How many outfits should I bring? Always bring at least 2-3 extra tops or outfits so we can
help you choose the best look for your portraits. Or, you can go by these guidelines depending
on the session you choose:
- Mini Session — 2 outfits
- Standard Session — 3 outfits
- Deluxe Session — 6 outfits
- Indoor or Outdoor Sessions — Women
- 3-4 long sleeve blouses, sweaters or jackets, solid colors (no white)
- Long pants (darker color), dark socks and shoes or sandals
- Long dress or skirt, solid or subtle patterns, bare feet or sandals. (NO SHORT SKIRTS)
- Props: letter jacket, sports equipment, hats, car, art, instruments, family pet, 3 or 4 stems
of your favorite flowers
- Indoor or Outdoor Sessions — Men
- 3-4 long sleeve tops, solid colors or subtle prints
- Jeans or docker type pants and belt
- Dark socks and shoes
- Formal look: a suit, long sleeve shirt and tie or jacket with dress shirt
- Props: letter jacket, sports equipment, hats, car, art, instrument, family pet
- Sessions with Buddies, Brothers and Sisters
- Solid color or subtle printed tops that blend together.
- Long pants or jeans (or long dresses for the women)
- Flat shoes, dark socks
- Black and White Sessions — Women
- Evening make up (heavier on your eyes and lips)
- Choose formal or casual clothes-long sleeves, dark or light tones
- Black and White Sessions — Men
- Long sleeve shirt, long pants, dark or light tops
- Suit for formal
- Dark shoes and socks
- How can I prepare for my portrait?
- Go through your closet now to see what will work
- Shop for what you will need
- The day before your session make sure all the outfits are clean and ironed
- How long will the photography session take?
- Mini session — 30 minutes
- Standard session — 1 hour
- Deluxe session — 1–1/2 hours
- Where do I change? We have a changing room at the studio with air conditioning, mirrors,
closet, bathroom and plugs for curling irons.
- When will I see the images? In two weeks, your slide show presentation will be ready.
We don't make paper proofs. Instead, you see your gorgeous images enlarged on the wall. Before you
leave the photography session, we will schedule your next appointment for the slide show. We'll also
give you a price list to take home.
- Who should come to the slide show? You, of course, mom or dad or both. It takes about an hour
to go through the selecting process. The 50% deposit on your order will be due at this time.
- What if I need to cancel or reschedule? Due to our advance bookings, with a 14–day notice
or more, your session fee is 100% refunded. 5–9 days notice, session fee is 50% refunded. 4
days or less, the session fee is non-refundable.
- Last minute checklist for in the car
- Map
- All clothes and accessories (clean and ironed)
- Props
- Makeup, curling iron and brush
- Parents' schedules for two weeks ahead to plan the slide show presentation
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