MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR
PORTRAIT EXPERIENCE

Since you do not commission a fine portrait very often, we cannot expect you to know all of the elements that affect its creation.  The following guidelines will help you to make important decisions about your portrait.

Clothing Selection – The objective of any fine portrait is to direct the viewer’s attention to the face.  Everything else in the portrait -- clothing, hair, background, and props -- should be secondary to the face.  When the face dominates a portrait, you will never tire of it as time goes by.  Improperly selected clothing can overpower the face and ruin an otherwise excellent portrait.  While it is the job of Stuart Hasson Studios to choose the proper portrait lighting and posing for you, we must rely on your help in selecting clothing that will create the visual effect you wish to achieve.

Clothing Color – Garments in medium to dark tones of brown, rust, burgundy, green, or blue always photograph well.  Light colored clothing, however, calls attention to itself and away from the face.  Avoid light colors that approximate flesh tones such as beige, tan, peach, pink, white, and yellow.  These colors not only dominate a portrait and overpower the face, they also visually drain color from the face and make the wearer appear unusually pale.  Light colors also tend to add bulk to subjects wearing them.  Dark colors are more flattering and slimming to the wearer.  Especially bright colors, such as red and orange, will ruin a portrait; and bold stripes, plaids, checks, and busy prints do not photograph well.  Pastel colors are appropriate against a white or pastel background and sometimes work well with a dark background when an interpretive “pictorial: study is planned.

Clothing Style – Very simple garments always photograph best.  Turtle necks or V-necks are flattering, provided that neither is exaggerated in style.  Avoid very wide or particularly deep V-neck garments as well as bulky cowl neck sweaters that completely hide the neck.  Long sleeves are essential since, in a portrait, bare arms will overpower the face.  Women being photographed in full length should wear long skirts, pants, or dark stockings in order to keep the eye from being directed toward the legs and away from the face.

Glasses – Eyeglasses are a part on an individuals' personality and the appearance of the eye is different when seen through lenses.  You do not need to remove your lens when you are photographed, unless they are especially thick that the eye is obscured.  Lenses should be removed if your glasses are so dark that the eyes are hidden.  Retouching and artwork cannot remove this dark color.

Hair & Make-up – Men should have their hair cut about one week before the photographic session.  Women should be photographed whenever they are happy with the style and length of their hair.  Neither men nor women should change their hair style radically before the portrait session.  Women should apply normal makeup for the portrait session, and men who experience problems with “Five O’clock shadow” should shave before the portrait is made.  

Physical Concerns – If you or any member of your family is concerned about special physical needs that might show in the portrait, please feel free to discuss it prior to your portrait session.  There are many photographic and correction techniques that can minimize or eliminate physical obstacles.  We will put your mind at ease by discussing them.

Appointment Time – Please be ready 15 minutes before your appointment to allow time to make final clothing and hair adjustments.  An early preparation gives you a chance to catch your breath and relax.

Children – We want your child to enjoy the portrait session.  If you see that you are running late for your appointment, don’t transfer your anxiety to your child.  We would prefer you to be a little late, rather than on time with both you and your child upset.  It is not necessary to tell your child to behave and smile for the photographer.  Such instructions usually make the portrait session difficult.  Just tell your child that he or she is allowed to play, and let us take care of the rest. 

Viewing your Originals

As soon as your portraits are ready we will contact you by phone or by mail (unless your portrait is to be a surprise).  When you hear from us you can make an appointment to view your originals at 2719 Macby Ave. , Marietta .

We will project your portrait originals onto a large screen so you that can see even the smallest detail of each image.  We will help you make your selection and will explain how we complete the finished image with retouching, art work, and lacquer glazing.  We will show you exactly how the various portrait sizes look alike and explain the differences

If you plan to have someone help you make the decision about your portrait frame, we encourage you to invite them to come along when you view your originals.

ABOUT OUR PORTRAITURE

With help of our subjects, we can create images that succeed in portraying character, creating mood, or expressing relationships.  That is why we involve you in all aspects of planning your portrait – from determining your portrait needs and artistic desires, through the selection and completion of the final work.  It is this patient and careful planning that helps to make our portraits so pleasing to our clients and so satisfying for us personally. 

The photographic image is only the raw material that we use to create your finished portraits.  The printed image is fully retouched, enhanced, and corrected with sensitively applied hand art work using dyes, oils, pastels, and pencils.  Finally, the finished portrait is sealed in a lacquer glaze for permanence and protection.  If you choose, the finished image can be embedded in artists’ canvas to add additional depth and texture. 

Your portrait, then, is truly an art work of a very personal nature.  As a decorative focal point of your home or office, it is a subtle reflection of your good taste and appreciation of fine workmanship, as well as a most appropriate expression of your personal style.

ABOUT OUR POLICIES

Before we accept any assignment, we meet with our clients at our free, no obligation Initial Consultation. These meetings are usually scheduled in the evening, Tuesday thru Thursday. If you have special circumstances, we will try to accommodate your request.

If you believe that we can help fulfill your portrait needs, we decide on a date and time that works for you and us. A Prepaid Portrait Creation Fee is required to reserve the portrait session date.

The resulting images from your portrait session will be viewed in the studio, where they can be projected in the various sizes.  At this time, we will help you determine which portrait sizes and finishes will be suit your needs.

Because portraits are a custom product, the amount of the order is required when the order is placed.

Portraits used as office wall decor are fully tax deductible.  We will be happy to bill them to your company, should you indicate so.

Should you have any questions about our policies, or if we can be of any further help in planning your portrait, please call during regular office hours: Mon. – Fri. 9am – 5pm

SPECIAL OCCASIONS AND INCENTIVES

Stuart Hasson Studios considers our portraits to be a wonderful way to capture the special occasions in your life.  We realize that you will be letting us into a part of your lives by allowing us to create portraits with you, and it is with great respect and enthusiasm that we accept the opportunity.

Special Occasions are exciting times for us to create your unique portraits.

We offer exclusive pricing for these events in hopes that you will invite us to your celebration so that we can help save the memories for a lifetime.

"BEAUTIFUL BELLY" MATERNITY PORTRAITS

The experience of pregnancy is a miracle. Impact Image has designed our “Beautiful Belly” Maternity Portrait specials in order to help capture and preserve your memories of this time.

Program #1: We get together for a comfortable one hour session in your 8th/9th month for portraits of you in a couple of outfits, with your husband, and with another child if you would like. The 2nd one hour session is planned within two weeks after your baby's birth.

We combine images from both sessions, selecting one 8x10 and two 5x7's for a wonderful composition that tells a beautiful story of your baby's arrival. We will deliver a beautifully framed 3 picture montage of portraits that you select.

Program #2: Before you begin to show, we schedule 5 separate sessions, usually about 15 - 20 minutes each, at your home. The final session will include your baby just after birth. You select one outfit to wear. That outfit will be worn for each of the sessions. We will combine the best image from each of the sessions into one composite photograph, beautifully framed, showing your development and your baby's growth during this time.

"LITTLE WONDERS" BABY PORTRAITS

Having a baby is an occasion like no other. Impact Image would like to help you celebrate your new-born by offering our “Little Wonders” Baby Portrait specials. These programs encourage you to begin creating the portraits with your baby that will last a lifetime. Sessions are scheduled during your baby’s first year: The first session is scheduled just after birth, then at increments that you decide upon throughout the year. The most common grouping of sessions are 9, 6 , and 4 sessions. After the sessions are complete, you choose a portrait from each session to be framed together to make a Portrait Motif compilation that shows your baby's development during the entire year. There's no better way to remember this time and it will give your child an added sense of confidence.

GOLDEN YEARS CELEBRATION

We love birthdays.  If you are celebrating a birthday of 50 years or more, or if you are planning a surprise party for someone turning 50 or older, we would love to be a part of the festivities.  Impact Image will offer a COMPLIMENTARY FRAMING FOR A 16 x 20 sized Wall PORTRAIT” in honor of the occasion.

MULTI-GENERATIONAL GATHERINGS

Too often we hear of family gatherings when folks come from all over the country, or even the world for a special occasion, yet don’t bother to preserve the occasion with a family portrait.  This is such a lost opportunity.  Please consider when planning your next family gathering to schedule a professional photographer to come save the memories for you.  At Impact Image, we offer incentives with our “Multi-Generational Gathering Program” Special.  If you are planning a family gathering, reunion, or a party that includes at least three generations in the same family, we offer a 25% discount on any of our “Wall Sized Portraits”.

7 STAGES OF CHILDREN'S PORTRAITS CLUB

When you join our “7 Stages of Children’s Portraits Club”, you don’t pay a dime.  This program insures that you will be reminded at the most memorable times in your child’s growing up.  We’ll send you reminders in the mail, by phone or by e-mail to help you remember.

All club members receive special discounts and gifts for their portraits.

FOR OUR "FRIENDS WITH PHYSICAL CHALLENGES"

Stuart Hasson Studios reduces the portrait investment 35% for all of our custom portraits and framing.  We love to create beautiful portraits of beautiful people and our friends with physical challenges are no exception.  It is our honor and privilege to offer this incentive for your portrait experience.

IMPACT INCENTIVES

After your session....  After you’ve received your portraits and hung them beautifully on the wall, you’re going to want to tell your friends and neighbors about your wonderful experience with Impact Image.  We’d like to help you with that.  So…

When you refer a friend to Impact Image and they schedule a session with us, we will reward you with a $75 credit toward your next portrait session.  Also, to help encourage your friends to make a booking with us, Impact Image will give them $50 to apply to any program offer.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!…

If you refer two friends to Impact Image, and they schedule a session with us, we’ll give them both the $50, and your next session creation fee will be waived (weekends included).  We’ll even throw in a complimentary hand colored black & white 8 x 10 portrait just to show how much we appreciate your confidence in us.

It’s that easy.  Nothing to keep track of.  We will let you know with a “Thank You” card.  Just be sure to ask your friends to tell us that you sent them.