What if it rains?
A few sprinkles or “blessings” as we call them in Hawaii won’t hurt, if there is a major winter storm we will do our best to reschedule. We do not reschedule for wind or clouds, which are a part of almost every session (note: be prepared for wind!) You can view more on the topic here.
What if my eyes are very sensitive to light?
If you or anyone in your group is highly sensitive to bright sunshine then please choose your start time wisely. The 9am Mini Session is very convenient, but it can be very bright on the beach on a sunny day. I will always work with you to minimize squinting and for most people simply facing away from the sun will do the trick. But if you are someone who has trouble when not wearing sunglasses on the beach then you should consider booking a Standard Portrait Session and scheduling an early morning or sunset shoot when the light is not quite so bright.
What should we wear?
Read my article on what to wear for your Hawaii photo session and take a look at my What to Wear Pinterest board for ideas.
Can we wear more then one outfit?
For a mini session we only have time for one outfit. If you would like to wear multiple outfits then you will want to book a standard session. I recommend sticking to 2 outfits for families and couples and no more then 3 for maternity and senior portraits. I highly recommend a backup photo outfit for toddlers.
What is included in the portrait package?
All portrait sessions include approximately 1 hour of photography, an online viewing gallery and 10 DIGITAL photos (15 for Sweet Ohana sessions), available via download. For more details or a wedding price list please head to my contact page to send me an inquiry.
When should I book my session?
I recommend booking 1-2 months in advance, around 3 months ahead if your schedule is not flexible. I generally do not take bookings that are more then 6 months out.
What is required to book a photo session?
Once we settle on a date, time and location I will send you my online booking form. Fill that out and submit along with a non-refundable payment ($100 for portraits, up to 50% for weddings). You will receive a booking confirmation.
How many photos will I get?
Portrait packages (and wedding minis) include 10 digital photos, delivered via download. Your gallery will contain 50+ individual photos. Images are edited at the photographers discretion and raw photos will not be released. You may purchase more photos individually ($25 per digital file, print prices vary) or buy the complete digital collection ($200).
Are the photos retouched?
All photos are retouched for color and sharpness. Some distracting elements in the foreground or background may be removed as needed. Minor skin retouching and other minor corrections are at the photographers discretion. I do not currently offer extensive retouching.
Can you make me look skinny?
Reducing body size in Photoshop falls into the category of extensive retouching and is not currently a service that I offer. I prefer to shoot carefully, keeping angles and light in mind while showing the beauty of my subjects as they are. I also ask that my clients choose their clothing carefully for the most flattering silhouettes. I may do a little bit of minor trimming at my discretion and I am open to hearing any concerns my clients have.
Can I make my own prints of the photos? Can I make large prints/canvases/etc?
You may print any digital photos that you download (the included digital photos, or any more that you purchase). The digital downloads are compressed high resolution jpegs available and may be printed to any size that you like. I recommend ordering directly from your online gallery or going through a quality professional printer. A cheap printer, or printing from your own home printer is going to produce inferior results.
Will the photos I download be watermarked?
No, your gallery is watermarked to protect the photos from copyright infringement. All files that you download or have made into prints will be watermark free.
Can I post the photos on social media?
Please do! The photos that are included in your package plus any that you purchase are yours to display as you like. I would LOVE it if you tagged @michellescottiphoto and linked back to my website, Instagram or Facebook page! Any photos in your gallery that you do not purchase are not yours to display. It would be unethical and would be considered copyright infringement to copy paste them without written permission.
Session Fee Refund Policy:
Wedding Packages – A deposit of $500 is due upon booking a wedding package. Cancellation or rescheduling of a wedding package will result in the forfeit of your $500 deposit. If your wedding services are rescheduled due to a change in the wedding date, we will attempt to accommodate the change, provided that the new date and time do not conflict with our schedule. If we are unable to provide coverage at the new date and time, the refund policy stated above will apply. In the event we agree to a rescheduled wedding date for the services, the prices listed above may be modified by Michelle Scotti Photography to our then-current market rate and/or Michelle Scotti reserves the right to recoup any fees already paid for rescheduled services. With the purchase of a wedding package, you will receive the best images that your Michelle Scotti selects from your wedding. These images will be delivered to you online and be available for download via high resolution digital download.
Portrait Sessions – A deposit of $100 is due upon booking a portrait session. Cancellation or rescheduling of a portrait session will result in the forfeit of your $100 deposit. In the case of poor weather Michelle will be in close contact about the status of your photo session in the 24 hours leading up to it. In the event that weather interferes we will work to reschedule. If it is not possible to reschedule then the deposit will be returned in full. Cloudy or windy weather does not constitute a valid reason for cancellation or reschedule of portrait session. Late arrival to your portrait session will reduce the total time for the session, with no reduction in the session fee.
Return Policy: Our goal at Michelle Scotti Photography is your complete satisfaction with your purchase. Due to the nature of digital photography and the fact that photographs, once sent, cannot be returned; Michelle Scotti Photography has a strict NO REFUNDS POLICY. Once a transaction is complete (i.e., the buyer selected and downloaded the photo(s) from the Shootproof gallery) Refunds will not be given due to “not liking a photo”. Furthermore, downloading of 1 or more digital photos (included in the package purchased) is considered confirmation that the work is satisfactory and all of Michelle Scotti Photography’s responsibilities regarding this work have been dutifully fulfilled.
Completion Schedule: Image Processing and image file delivery take approximately 2-4 weeks. Completion time increases during the busy times around school holidays. In the event of a delay you will be notified via email.
Rush Schedule: If you choose the rush option then photos will be delivered within 7 days of rush fee payment.
How long will my gallery be available online?
Your photos are guaranteed to be in your online gallery for 3 months after you have been notified. Once the gallery has been archived there is a $50 fee to reinstate it. Please back up files safely.
