When you choose to work with Tracy, you’re not just getting a photographer; you’re getting over two decades of expertise dedicated to showcasing the best version of you. Tracy’s commitment is to deliver not just exceptional photographs but an experience that leaves you feeling empowered and excited about your brand. Get ready to love every image and enjoy a seamless, professional photography experience.
What to expect when working with Tracy
Tailored Experience
Your journey starts with us meticulously planning a session that aligns perfectly with your brand’s vision. We ensure every detail is covered, from selecting the ideal setting to coordinating with professional stylists.
Comfort and Confidence
Tracy’s studio is designed to be a welcoming space where you can relax and feel at ease. We understand the importance of feeling confident in front of the camera, and Tracy is there to guide you every step of the way.
Expert Guidance
Throughout your session, Tracy provides expert coaching on poses and expressions. This guidance is key to capturing your personality and the essence of your brand.
Live Feedback
Unique to Tracy’s approach is the use of tethered shooting to a large monitor. This setup allows you to view your portraits and headshots in real time. It’s a game-changer, offering immediate feedback and ensuring every shot counts.
Post-Production Excellence
After the shoot, Tracy’s work continues with professional retouching and digital file preparation. This post-production process is crucial in enhancing your photos while maintaining natural and authentic results.
Satisfaction Guaranteed
With Tracy, there’s no guesswork. You’ll see and approve your images before leaving the studio, ensuring 100% satisfaction with the final product.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Click the Category Tabs Below to See Popular Q’s and their A’s
Q: How do I book a Session?
Most sessions can be booked instantly right here on the website. You can pay a 50% deposit or the full session amount and customize your session to best fit your photography needs. If you require a custom package, then there will be a form to fill out, and Tracy will reach out personally with a customized quote and help you book your session.
Q: What if I love more photos? Can I add to my package?
Of course. While you select a specific number of photos upfront when you book your session, so that we know how much time to book for your session, but you may always purchase additional retouched images.
Q: Where is your studio located?
Tracy’s studio is located at 4016 Black Point Road, Honolulu, HI 96816 Diamond Head/Kahala neighborhood. Free parking on the street or in the driveway.
Q: How do I pay for my session?
Your initial down payment (50%) booking fee can be made right here, online, through our website. You’ll pay the remainder of your fees to Tracy on the day of your session. Or, you may pay in full right away if you choose to do so. Tracy accepts all major Credit Cards or cash paid in person.
Q: Do you have group rates or larger companies or office teams?
Yes! We have a totally portable system for shooting headshots on site. Please contact us with the details of what you need or take a look at our Power Team Headshots.
Q: Do I need professional hair and makeup?
Usually YES! We highly recommend investing in professional hair and makeup services if you want the best results, as shown here on the website. Makeup and hair for photography are different than your average everyday look, and a professional can help you look (and feel) your absolute best before stepping in front of the camera, resulting in the most professional and polished final images.
For men, there is the option of adding a grooming service.
HMUA service for females generally takes 1 to 1.5 hours. Grooming is about 30 – 45 minutes. We have informational PDFs with information about how best to prep your hair and skin before your appointment.
For branding sessions and creative headshot sessions, styling is a must, and all styling fees are included in the session fee.
Q: What is your cancellation policy?
Cancellations require 7 days prior to booking date for a full refund of your deposit. Cancellation requests less than 7 days prior to scheduled booking will forfeit their deposit. We must have this policy as our studio holds your date and time just for you. And if you have booked one of our stylists for hair and makeup, it is a loss of business for the stylist as well. We do understand hat emergencies do happen so please text, call or email as soon as possible if you need to reschedule.
Q: I never know what to wear. Can you help me?
Of course. The stylist can do a video chat with you to help you plan and coordinate your wardrobe options for your photo session. ALL branding and creative sessions include styling consultation.
Q: What happens during my session?
Tracy photographs all her sessions tethered to a large monitor, or LCD screen, allowing you to view your headshots and portraits in live time as they are being taken. She collaborates with you every step of the way from posing, expressions and helps you achieve the best looks to guarantee your satisfaction. You will know what you are getting before you leave the studio, and you will love it.
Q: What do you mean when you say, “Location”?
We have a number of different options of where to hold your session. “In-studio” means in our studio. “Outdoors” means just outside our studio area. “Location” signifies a separate place such as a business location, park, beach, home, office, city block, landmark where you would like to be photographed at. Depending on your specific package and shoot, we might be shooting you in one or even many locations with in one session.
Q: What do you mean when you say, “Look”?
A complete visual transformation. An outfit and change in wardrobe and styling. For example, for a business headshot session you might wear formal business attire for one look and a less formal shirt for a more relaxed casual look.
For an actor session, you might want to change your clothing and your hairstyle to achieve a variety of bookable looks. Often times a male will do a scruffy look, followed by a clean shaven look to demonstrate character flexibility, while a woman with longer hair will often do a look with their hair down and then their hair up to show their physical versatility.
Q: What happens after my session?
Tracy and her team will process and retouch your final selected headshots and send them to you via a download link. If you have opted to receive a proofing gallery, Tracy will send you an email with a link to your online gallery. Once you have selected your headshots, the files will be retouched and your final headshots will be sent to you in a downloadable link.
Q: What about RETOUCHING?
All digital images need some degree of processing. And all headshots and portraits need to be retouched.Why? It is the nature of digital imagery. The human brain does not see images the same way as our digital devices. Digital images are also mercilessly sharp and even small flaws are viewable. In this digital photography age, taking the photos is only half of the process; the second half of the process is post-production where we as photographers create the final signature look of the images that we deliver to our clients.
All the photos that you select that are included in your package or custom session are professionally retouched. If after viewing your photos you want additional retouching, there may be an additional fee depending on the complexity of the requests. ( i.e major alternations beyond normal retouch, detailed cosmetic alterations, object removals, compositing etc.)
Q: Am I allowed to make my own prints?
Yes, included in your final headshot or portrait download file will be a letter of permission from Tracy so that you may make your own prints at a vendor of your choice.
Q: Do I get all the photos from my session?
No. You only get the finalized retouched images that are included in your package. If your package includes two retouched digital files then you will be getting only those two images along with various crops of those images. You’ll receive both high and low resolution versions of your final retouched digital files for both web and print use, but you will not get to keep all the other un-selected images from your shoot. You may purchase additional images for an additional price per digital retouched file. Why? As a professional photographer I never give clients all the RAW shots from a session. The final look of the images is a huge part of my brand. By releasing raw files there is always the chance that they will get posted as is, or edited in a manner that I would not. That kind of inconsistency can be damaging to my brand and can cost me future business. Only the retouched photos that you select are delivered to you in high-resolution for printing etc. Also, my clients pay me to cull down to the very best of the shots from the session. You really only need the BEST shots. And you need them to look their best for sure!
Q: Do you have a satisfaction policy?
Yes! All headshot work is satisfaction guaranteed. Because all clients see their headshots before leaving the studio, it is rare that a client is unhappy with their headshots. So NO refunds are made for in-studio headshot sessions, unless Tracy deems this to be the best solution. But if you are unhappy with your headshots in any way, please talk to Tracy within 48 hours of file delivery about a possible reworking of the retouched file(s). Often things can be tweaked and issues solved. If you do not like your photos because you do not like your hair, makeup, or clothing, that is not the photographer’s fault, but please do still talk to Tracy so a resolution can be determined.
