Frequently Asked Questions

What is a session like?

A typical session with Paul Michael Photography will include posed shots as well as candid shots. Our main goal is to create images based on your vision and goals and then to create the classic images and then experiment to see what else we can create! Of course, all of this is done in a relaxed manner and we will do our best to make everyone comfortable and at ease during your session.

Do you offer digital files?

Yes, this is a digital world we live in and we try to make things as simple as possible.

Can I have all of the images you captured at my session?

Unfortunately the answer to that is no. Most of the images captured during your session will not end up in your final gallery due to a lot of the images being test shots to get framing and exposure correct as well as a lot of the images will be unusable due to blinking, movement and other factors. Some images will also be almost duplicates of others as we capture more images than we need to create your gallery. We take great care in choosing only the best images for you!

Do you offer print products?

Yes, we offer all of the standard size prints as well as larger custom sized prints on a variety of mediums, such as canvas, metal and wood. You will receive a release form that allows you to print your images with any vendor of your choosing and this works especially well for “gift prints”. We highly recommend ordering any prints that you will display in your home or would like to enjoy for many years to come through a professional lab. The lab we work with provides high quality, professional prints at reasonable prices. There is typically a very large difference between the product you would receive from a professional lab versus what you would get from an online or local chain store. One of the main differences is the type of paper used as well as color correctness. We use color calibrated camera gear along with calibrated monitors to edit your photos and our professional lab uses high end color calibrated printers to retain that color correctness.

Do you edit all of the photos captured?

No, as mentioned above, a lot of the images captured during your session will be unusable for the reasons listed previously. Therefore, we only edit the best images to provide you with the highest quality possible.

Do I own the copyright to my images?

You will receive a print and posting release form that will give you permission to post your images online and order prints from any vendor of your choosing, however, this does not mean that you own the copyright. As the creator of the images, the copyright will always remain with us. What does this mean for you? It means that you can crop the images to print to a certain size, but you cannot make changes or edit the images in any way. This means no Instagram filters or using image editing apps on your phone, etc. These take away from the images we created for you and can seriously misrepresent our work to other that see it. Please do not do this to the images.

How and when will I receive my images?

We try to complete the editing and finalization of your project for you as soon as possible, but please allow 5-10 business days as certain times of year can be busier than others.

Your final edited images will be uploaded to a secure, password protected online gallery where you will have the ability to order prints and download the high resolution digital files. You will also receive a print release that allows you to print your images with any vendor of your choosing, which works especially well for “gift prints”. We highly recommend ordering any prints that you plan on displaying in your home or plan on enjoying for many years to come through our professional lab, since there is typically a very large difference between the product you would receive from a professional lab versus what you would get from an online or local chain store. One of the main differences is the type of paper used as well as color correctness. The base paper option our lab offers is E-Surface Paper, which provides accurate color, lifelike skin tones, realistic saturation, archival quality and a traditional photo finish. With a Standard Archival Value of 100 years in home display and 200 years in dark storage, your photos are sure to stand the test of time! 

Most standard print sizes will be available for purchase through your online gallery with a choice of archival quality paper, fine art canvas wrap and modern metal, but we also offer larger custom prints on other surfaces with other options. Please contact us if you don’t see a size or option you would like and we can discuss all the printing options available.

What should I wear?

Generally, you should pick outfits and colors that compliment each other, but leave the matching outfits for the department store photographers! Earthy, neutral palettes as well as pastels tend to photograph well, as do deep, rich colors for certain scenes. We generally encourage our clients to avoid bright, bold colors as well as having too many family members in black or white. Also, avoiding prints and patterns, including logos, is a good idea. Small patterns in clothing can cause distortions to appear in the photograph that aren’t originally there. We provide a more details in our session instructions below.

Session Instructions

Every session is unique and we will email you with more detailed information prior to your session, but first and foremost, relax! We will do our best to create a relaxed, comfortable and fun environment for your session.