"We do not
take pictures with our cameras, but with our hearts and minds."
-Arnold Newman
-Arnold Newman
I am interested in photographing people in all the different parts of their lives: babies, children, and adults, working, playing, and raising families. With your help, I will create unique and personal portraits of you and your family.
Portrait Sessions
Portraits are created at your home or the location of your choice (I have ideas if you don't). You keep the high resolution image files of the finished portraits, and can make as many reprints and enlargements as you want at the lab of your choice, or use one of the labs I recommend. The photographs can be color and/or black and white. Sepia tone, color tones, partial coloring, digital illustration, "hand" coloring, and other creative services are available, often for no extra charge, although there may be a charge for large or complex editing jobs.
My typical 1.5 to 2
hour portrait session for individuals, couples, and families costs $350.
Portrait
sessions include a set of
finished 4"x6" prints, and a disc with the fully edited, ready to
print, high resolution image
files. Payment is
due at the time of the portrait
session; see Matt
Needham's Portrait
Session contract
here. If
you need more time, need a price quote, or have other ideas and
questions please contact me.
Portrait Photography FAQ
Please email or phone if you have any questions.
How many photographs does Matt take and
deliver?Please email or phone if you have any questions.
It depends on what we are doing. I work in both traditional posed portrait and more candid, documentary portrait styles. My goal for a typical portrait session is to create a selection of at least 12 portraits, but I usually deliver 20+ finished portraits, and occasionally even deliver 40+ photographs from a single portrait session.
Formal posing and complex lighting takes more time to set-up, and result in fewer finished portraits. When shooting available light or on-camera flash, photojournalism style portraits it's easier to move around to different locations, and I'll usually take a lot more photos. My portrait sessions can be mainly one or the other, but often involve a mix of both styles. I want to hear your ideas, and what you need from your portrait session.
Where are we going to shoot?
I do my portrait photography "on location" rather than in a studio setting. One of my favorite types of portrait is the environmental portrait: a portrait that shows the living or working environment of the subject, and tells the viewer something about them.
There are many beautiful locations around the Lawrence area, or I can come to your home. For locations outside of Douglas County there may be a travel charge. For the more adventurous I know of many dramatic locations beyond Lawrence.
Think about having your portrait taken at your favorite locations or places that are important to you and your family. Planning your family portrait session as part of an activity, such as going to the zoo, beach, the big game, or whatever you like to do can add a theme and spontaneity that will help make some very special photographs.
For example: If I were working with a family or couple who liked to visit the Farmers' Market on Saturday mornings, we might start out with posed portraits in a downtown Lawrence park, and then switch to a faster, on-the-move style, capturing both portraits and candids during a walk through downtown and the Farmers' Market.
What should you wear?
Wear comfortable, weather appropriate clothing and shoes. Traditional advice is to wear medium toned or darker solids. Simple, plain clothing helps create a photograph that emphasizes the subjects' faces, and won't go out of style.
Avoid busy patterns, logos, and writing; they compete with the subject's face for the viewers' attention. We can get portraits with logo clothing (school, sports, etc...) if you want, but bring something else to wear also.
Avoid white clothing (including things like socks or anything that will show in the photos) unless everyone in the photographs will also be wearing white. Anything white in the portrait will attract attention. I want that to be your teeth and eyes rather than socks or t-shirt collar.
In portraits of more than one person everyone should be dressed in matching tones. Tone is the degree of lightness and darkness of the color; think of clothing tones as black, dark gray, medium gray, light gray, and white. Everyone in the portrait should be wearing similar tone clothing: white and light gray, light gray and medium gray, medium gray and dark gray, dark gray and black. I'm not saying you can't wear colors, just that dark green and dark blue may actually match better than very light blue and very dark blue. Matching or complimentary outfits, styles, and colors create a sense of togetherness in portraits with more than one person.
On the other hand, rules are meant to be broken, and I'm not going to tell you what you
have to wear. Clothing choice is a reflection of personality, and that's what portraits are all about. I would love to photograph you in your most outlandish, fashion-rule-breaking outfits.
If you are planning on putting your portrait on the web avoid small, tight, high contrast stripes or patterns. These can create a moire effect when displayed as low resolution images on a computer monitor.
If you still can't figure out what to wear consider who the portrait viewers will be, and put on what you would wear if they were coming over for dinner. Feel free to call or email and ask my advice; I'd be glad to help with clothing selections. If the portrait session is in a location that permits you to
change clothing feel free to bring additional outfits.
How long does a portrait session last?
Up to 2 hours; usually around 1.5 hours. I know I have to be quick with young children, before their patience runs out. With older subjects I'll take more time. If you need a portrait session with more time just contact me with the details, and I can quote you a price.
How long before the photographs are ready?
My portrait session contract says they will be ready within 20 business days (4 weeks, not including holidays), but I know you are excited to see them so I try to have them ready sooner than that. I work on portrait sessions and weddings in the order they were photographed so it just depends on how busy I am. For instance October is very popular for weddings and portraits. At that time of the year I tend to be extremely busy, and it will probably take me the full four weeks to get to and finish the photographs. On the other hand, if your portrait session is in April you may have them sooner.
What should you bring?
Bring additional outfits, combs, hairbrushes, and make up if you wear it. A wash cloth or wet-naps and maybe something to drink or snack on can come in handy with children. Favorite personal items such as musical instruments, family heirlooms, sports equipment, toys, even vehicles and pets can add interest to your portrait.
Can you bring pets?
It's okay with me, as long as it's appropriate for the location. Bring pet supplies such as leashes, water bowl, treats, etc...
What is the plan in case of bad weather?
You never know here in Kansas… In the event of bad weather I would be glad to continue the shoot by moving indoors if a suitable location is available, or the portrait session can be rescheduled.
What happens if you (or your child) are ill, or have some other emergency?
As much advance notice as possible would be greatly appreciated if you need to cancel a scheduled portrait session, but I have two kids of my own, and understand that things come up. I'd be happy to reschedule for a more convenient time.
There's a lot more information
about my photography on my Wedding FAQ page.
