It’s Your Dream Year
Seniors 2024
What’s YOUR story?
It all begins with YOU!
You’ve work really hard for this moment. The long days at practice, the long nights studying, the classes, the books, the exams, and now it’s all paid off!! Congratulations, you are graduating!! So let’s step back and do something just for you and show off all that you have accomplished, all that you are passionate about, all that you love to do… let’s show off YOU!
You are the only you on the planet. There is no one else like you, so why should your senior portraits look like someone else’s or worse, not reflect the true you?
I am passionate about bring out the very person who you are in portraits, I love to learn who you are, what makes you tick, what gets you excited and what is the central part of your life. Maybe you are into a sport, or playing music, or reading… whatever it is, let’s design up your session to show it all off. Let’s get together and talk about your clothing, what photographs best, what colors are best, and when is the best time to photograph based on the location you want to be photographed in!
Let’s set up a consultation and design up the perfect senior portrait session exclusively for YOU!
What is your DREAM?
Creating the right session takes planning and learning about you. Anyone can take a picture of you, but not everyone can tell your story. To tell your story we need to be in the right environment, with the perfect outfit and the lighting dead on.
You deserve more than just a snapshot, or picture, you deserve images that you will be thrilled with and can’t wait to share with your friends on IG, Tweeter or snapchat. You want to have all of your friends be crazy jealous of your portraits and tell you how amazing you look and how much they LOVE your portraits. And you know what… you deserve it! So, let’s do it!
Close your eyes… well… maybe after you read this, lol, and dream! Dream big. What do you see you are doing? Are you riding your horse? Playing guitar in front of a packed hall, are you standing at home plate staring down the pitcher knowing you’re gonna smack that ball over the fence? Maybe you’re sitting on the hood of your car in your favorite outfit with the sunset in the background and you look like you should be on the cover of a magazine. What is your dream? What do you see? Ready to make that dream a reality. We can do that!
From Lora Nolen, College Station, TX
We are just blown away!
From Somer Smith, Montgomery, TX
YOU ARE TRULY A PHENOMENAL ARTIST! I’m crying! My daughter’s portraits are phenomenal!
Where to Start
1. PERSONAL CONSULTATION
“Where do we start?” We get asked that question a lot. And we tell all of our clients, “right here with us!”. We will guide you along this journey and assist you every step of the way and it all starts with a personal consultation.
Mark loves to get to know his seniors! You are unique - special! You have a special style, you love certain artists and their music. You love to dress a certain way and know exactly how you love your hair. You have a unique way about yourself… look around your room… who does it say you are? Mark wants to take all of this information and bring it together to create your portraits because there is nothing more thrilling than looking at a portrait of yourself and SEE the true you!
2. DESIGNING YOUR SESSION
It’s all about…. what? Maybe it’s all about the clothing, or your car, or your sport. Whatever it is, we want to design your session around it. That’s why Mark offers in home consultations to visit your home and take a look at all of your clothing you love, what props you will want to bring and even take a look around your home because photographing at your home makes for some truly creative images…including your room.
Mark will help you pick out the best clothing for your session, because not all clothing photographs well. Some clothing can look great on you, but when viewed in a photograph, can add a size or two. It’s an unfortunate optical illusion, but Mark knows which ones to stay away from.
3. SCHEDULE YOUR SESSION
During the consultation we will help you narrow down to the best locations, time of day and which session is perfect for you! You may want to be photographed at your school’s campus - not a problem. Maybe you have a favorite location at your home you want to be photographed at - great! Or maybe you want to take advantage of our exclusive outdoor portrait park located on the banks of Nantucket Lake - that’s great! Or maybe you want all three… let’s do it! The sky is the limit! You can find a session that can meet your every desire or budget.
Now that we know where, when and how you want to be photographed, Mark will assist you in finding the perfect date to get your session on the calendar.
What’s Next?
STEP BY STEP GUIDES
Now that your session is scheduled and planned out, what’s next? Check your email for your session reminder, it includes helpful tips on how to prepare for your session, selecting the clothes that will photograph best, guide you when to get your hair cut, how to do your makeup, and more.
What if it rains? We keep a close eye on the weather on the days leading up to your session. If it looks like we might get rained out, we will contact you to discuss your options. Most of the time, Mark recommends holding off on making a decision to reschedule until a few hours before your session, if possible. So many times it’s been predicted to rain only to not receive a drop. If you have to a make a decision a day or two prior to your session, we will be happy to reschedule your appointment for our next availability. There’s never a charge to reschedule your session due to weather.
If anything does come up, just give us a call and we will assist you anyway we can!
Retouching Included
It’s happened to all of us. We have a big day coming up, maybe it’s a wedding, a dissertation, or graduation and a day before the big even we wake up with a third eye ball glaring off our chin. Been there!
Not to worry! Retouching is INCLUDED!! Mark takes the time to personally retouch every images that he sells. From smoothing the complexion, to caring for the dark areas under the eyes from late nights of partying (I mean, studying), to major stray hairs, and of course those dreadful facial blemishes. It’s ALL going to be taken care of!
Additional Artwork
Want more? Not a problem. Thanks to COVID, some of us have added on a few pounds… consider them GONE! Mark can also provide additional artwork to slim arms, legs, waist, or your backside. Want your hair fixed? Maybe you want fuller, or to fill a gap, or maybe even a different color, we can do that! Ask for details and pricing.
Swaps! So picture this (pun intended) you and your family look great, but there’s that one family member who wasn’t smiling or looking at the camera. No Problem! Mark can assist you to find another image where that person looks great, take them from that image, and place them into the image you like; creating your perfect portrait! Ask for details and pricing.
Distractions, distractions! Sometimes the perfect shot can be ruined by something in the background. A car, a trash can, a light pole, people, or maybe it was a hazy day. With Mark’s exceptional editing skills, your images will keep the focus on you, and only you. You should be the center of attention in your portrait, and not have it ruined with distractions. Mark will retouch and edit your portraits for the very best look possible, and often at no additional charge.
Want a new background? Mark can do that!! Would you have liked to have been photographed in the mountains of Colorado, or maybe on the beach in Florida. Mark can take you there digitally by creating the portrait of your dreams.
If you can dream it, chances are Mark can create it!
Mark does a phenomenal job of connecting with his clients and bringing out their interests and personalities. His senior portraits of my daughter were more than we could have ever imagined.
-Kim Fox - Bryan, TX
The Big Reveal
When do I get to see my images?
When you schedule your session, we will also schedule a time for you and your family to come back to the studio to see your portraits. It’s important that you bring anyone who will be assisting you with your purchase at that time.
When you arrive, you will be offered drinks and snacks, and yes, we have popcorn, because you gonna sit back and see your portraits in an amazing video slideshow! We’ll turn out the lights, crank up the sound and you’ll see yourself in 4K on an 80” screen! And yes, Mom, we have tissues ready for those happy tears.
After the slideshow, Mark will go back through the images by comparing similar poses for you and your family to select your favs. It’s not usual for our clients to favorite most, if not all of their images! If you need help, Mark will be happy to tell you which images he thinks are best. Mark can zoom in on your images, show them to you in color, black and white, or even sepia. With an image of your wall at your house, he can show you what your wall portrait will look like in just about any size so you know exactly how it will look in your home before you order it. There’s no having to guess what will be the right size, Mark has that covered.
I WANT ALL OF MY IMAGES
We hear this a lot and we have the perfect products for you!
What separates Mark from a “shooter” is that he doesn’t take a 100s of pics, copies the unedited images onto a thumb drive that you’ll have to go through, hoping to find 2 or 3 that you like. Mark does create a lot of images, but then takes the time to cull through them, and edits the best of the best for you. The last thing Mark wants you to feel is overwhelmed by having to look through a ton of images. Depending on the session you choose, you may have 30, 40, 50 or more images in your reveal. So many times we hear clients having a hard time to narrow down the images. Not a problem! The best way to get all of the images you want is with one of our custom designed Coffee Table Books, Albums or Digital Collections. All three include retouching, app for your mobile device and social media digital copies to share on your IG, Facebook, Snapchat or Tweeter page. You can even email them to grandma!
Why Professional Photographers Use Flash
…even on bright sunny days
It’s all in the eyes! Shadows in the wrong the places can kill a portrait. Shadows in the right places, create a 3D look on a 2D surface. Without shadows and highlights, our faces would appear flat and featureless. A portrait that has been lit perfectly, causes beautiful highlights and shadows to reveal the wonderful curvature of a person’s face and adds a touch of light to produce that wonderful sparkle in one’s eyes.
By using flash, especially on bright sunny days, professional photographers can open up the dark areas under the chin, nose and in the eye sockets; preventing raccoon eyes. Have you ever seen a picture of someone that was taken on a bright sunny day, how part of their face is in full sun, over exposing their details while the opposite side of their face is in deep shadow? Not real attractive is it? By using flash, we can decrease that heavy contrast by adding light to the shadow side of the face, and causing a much more pleasing portrait.
What about the sky? Ever seen a picture where the sky is bight white or a light grey? That’s because the amount of light on the subject is far less than the amount of light in the sky. By using flash, professional photographers can balance the amount light on the subject with the amount of light in the sky, causing the sky to look more blue.
The thing to remember is this, a camera can only average the amount of light between a subject and the surroundings, it can’t balance the light, to do that, only a flash, or other lighting equipment can do that, and only a professional photographer knows how to do it perfectly.
Session Fees
Standard Session
Our Most Popular Package
Two Locations - Your home is best to start for uniquely personal portraits or your school campus, or other locations around town or for ease, our Exclusive Portrait Park is available.
3.5 Hour Evening Session... for the best light and temperatures.
Unlimited Outfits
In-Person Consultation - we’ll meet at your home or at our studio to discuss your session, assist in selecting the best outfits and go over all of our product options and pricing details.
You'll have plenty of variety for most requested Albums or Coffee Table Books. Digitals and Print products sold separately.
$175
Basic Session
90 Minute Evening Session for the best light and temperatures.
In-studio and/or our exclusive outdoor Portrait Park featuring a tree swing, antique gas station, ‘59 pickup, rustic barn, gazebo, lake and tons of natural settings!
Three Outfits
Consultation - we’ll meet online or in-studio to discuss your session, assist in selecting the best outfits and go over all of our product options and pricing details.
Best choice for Folio or small Album... choose outfits that will be versatile for a variety of poses and themes. Digitals and Print products sold separately. Available weekdays only.
$125
$95 Credit toward purchases.
In-Studio 30 minute session
One Outfit
View and place your order immediately following the session. Digitals and Print products sold separately.
Available weekdays between 11 am to 2 pm only.
$125
In-Studio Session
Portrait Park 45 minute Morning Session. The morning sun isn't suitable for scenic images, so we do mostly close-ups.
Two Outfits... We recommend one for something nice for your home as wall decor, and the other one for fun! Digitals and Print products sold separately.
Available weekdays only.
$95
Morning Session
All Inclusive Session
Be Pampered!
On-location Session anywhere within a 200 mile radius of BCS! Choose from the beach, the hill country, east Texas, Dallas, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, or any 3 locations in the BCS area! Up to 5 hours of photography time.
Consultation - we’ll meet you at your home, online or in-studio to discuss your session, assist you in selecting the best outfits and show you all of our product options and pricing details.
Unlimited Outfits.
The most variety for all your looks and interests, best for a Montage, Album or Coffee Table Book. Includes 8x8 or 8x10 Coffee Table Book with 30 images, retouching, editing, high-resolution digital files for printing, social media-sized digital copies, phone app to share your images with friends and family and on social media, and music slideshow of all purchased images.
Limited Weekends Available
(available at the time of booking only)
$2200 (over $800 savings)
Investment
What’s this going to cost me?
The session fee includes a personal design consultation with Mark to plan out the ultimate photography experience. Also included is his time to masterfully create your portraits, cull, edit and create a proofing gallery. All products, prints and digitals are sold separately and includes full retouching to enhance your beautiful appearance to reveal your best hair and makeup day! All digital purchases include a professionally printed 5x7 portrait on beautiful linen professional photographic paper by the top professional lab in the country. We provide this print to our clients to use as a guide when printing their images because, sadly, not all consumer labs care about proper exposure or color. Most of our clients will spend between $850 or more for their Professional Portraits. All of our Printed Portraits include a 20-year guarantee, should anything happen to the print, we will replace it. We also provide peace of mind by archiving your finished portraits for years to come. If your hard drive crashes and you loose your images, not to worry, we’ve got you covered. Just email us and we will send you a link to redownload your files. We also have covered should you loose your prints or albums due to a natural disaster. When hurricane Ike blew through Houston, we were able to replace wall portraits and albums for our clients as far back as 2006.
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