FAQ – Boardrow Photography, LLC

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

General

How would you describe your photographic style?
Every photographer has their own preferred style, and no matter what you want there will be some willing and able to provide it. We tend to prefer sticking with a more natural style that will be close to what your eye sees as much as possible. This means being in focus as much as possible and keeping focus and lighting as precise as possible.

Having said that we are always willing to branch out and accommodate other styles to include in your package. You will find we like to be fun and add a few silly shots in your collection, too.
Are you available for specific projects and/or locations?
<family/senior>
We always enjoy road trips, but your session is about you and what you want. Your photos should convey your personality, whether it be at a family farm, or a local park, at the side of a lake or river, and most anything else that may suit your fancy. Locations you like bring out your personality, making your photos extra special, something you will be proud to show for the rest of your life.

<corporate>
Have you finished a project you would like to highlight for promotion or marketing purposes? We are fully qualified to provide photos for finished buildings, road projects, and so on. Photos for wall decorations, brochures, websites, whatever you need.

Not only that, we can also make YOU look good. What we mean by that is individual head shots, groups shots, whatever you want. We can bring our set up and take photos of everyone in your office, if you’d like.
Are your photos watermarked?
No, the final product is not watermarked. You are paying for a quality product. Watermarks do not fit this criteria. Neither fine art photos nor portraits are watermarked or defaced with any kind of logo. (Initial proofs will be watermarked, which will be removed prior to final delivery.)
What equipment do you use?
Ken is a geek, and Ken knows there are other geeks in the world who just may find the equipment used interesting, so this is more of a special interest question and a side light. Something different, if you will.

We use Canon full-frame camera bodies, and mostly quality Canon lenses. For portraits our set-up would be primarily 1) Canon 24-105mm f4L IS, 2) Canon 50mm f1.4, 3) Canon 100mm f2.8L IS Macro, or Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II. For landscape photos we would use those, and others in my collection such as a) Canon 17-40mm f4L, b) Tamron 180mm f3.5 Di, and c) Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS.

Like any photographer there’s always a wish list, too.

Portraits

What types of portrait photography do you do?
Seniors, Families, Babies, Pets (Dogs and/or cats), Individuals, “Save the Date”, Engagement, Holiday (includes photos for greeting cards), Head Shots, Passport.
Do you do weddings?
No.
How do you schedule outdoor locations?
Because we do not shoot weddings or other events (i.e.: baby/bridal showers, gender reveal parties, etc.) that are normally scheduled for weekends we are free to schedule on weekends to fit around your work schedule. We can also schedule on weekdays during longer days in the middle of the year.
How important is time of day for outdoor shoots?
Three-ish hours after sunrise and three-ish hours before sunset will provide the most flattering natural light. The middle of the day tends to have the harshest light, and produces unpleasant results, so we do not shoot in the middle of the day.
Do you have a studio?
We have access to a shared studio which can be reserved. Because we share the studio we may have to work around timing. It is our goal to eventually have a studio of our own.
Can others take photos while you are taking photos?
We welcome accompanying people to take photos. We only ask they not get in the way of our photos and they not try to dictate instructions over us.
What do you do in case of bad weather, fussy babies, uncooperative pets, illness, etc.?
Bad weather: As much as we wish we could control the weather, we cannot. In case of bad weather we would have to reschedule. If bad weather is forecast we would try to contact you as early as possible so hopefully no one travels unnecessarily. If we end up canceling because rescheduling is not possible, we would refund your initial 50% deposit.Fussy babies, uncooperative pets, etc.: We would have the option of canceling or rescheduling. If we are forced to cancel you would forfeit your initial 50% deposit, but you would not have to pay the final 50%. If we reschedule you would only have to pay the final 50% upon completion.
Illness: Every effort will be made to reschedule, regardless who is ill. If rescheduling is not possible…
Your illness: If you notify us the day before, or sooner, your initial 50% deposit will be refunded. If you cancel the day of the shoot your initial 50% deposit will not be refunded.
Our illness: We will make great strides to make any shoot, short a grave and seriousness illness. If we have to cancel due to our illness, your initial 50% deposit will always be refunded.
Can I copy a pose I see on Pinterest or elsewhere?
We can try, within reason. A better strategy would be to use other people’s shots as inspiration and starting points for your own ideas.
How far will you travel?
Our standard working area is a 60 mile radius from Marion, Iowa. We are willing to travel further for an extra negotiated fee.
What format(s) are the final photos delivered?
Final finished photos will be delivered in the following formats for each photo…
…Hi-resolution *.jpg for quality printing.
…Low-resolution for social media, email, and website use.
…Black & white version can be provided on request….We do not provide original RAW files, *.tiff files, *.psd files, *.png files, *.gif files, etc.
Do you sell or provide printed albums?
We do not.
Will I get ALL the photos?
No. Not all photos come out good. Someone’s eyes may be closed, they may have a funny facial expression, it may be a bit blurry, and so on. We just pretend those never happened.Plus, we often take bursts of shots as a kind of insurance against things like mentioned above to help insure we still get something good. This often results in multiples of virtually identical shots. There’s no point in processing the same thing multiple times.
So, how many photos will I get?
We’re not going to blow smoke up your nose and promise dozens of photos from an hour session when we know there will be multiple duplicates. Photo packages start at 2 or 3 (head shots, etc.), and go up from there (see pricing on KnM Portraits page). While we promise a minimum we will always provide more if appropriate.
What happens if I lose my images?
We archive all delivered images for two (2) years, and they can be replaced free of charge upon request.
What about outside printing and copyright/ownership of photos?
We provide what is known as a “copyright printing release”, which will give you legal permission to print all photos provided anywhere you want. This print release will never expire. We can provide recommendations of reputable printers, if you desire. The release will also cover web use for your business.As creators of the images, under copyright law, we retain ownership/copyright of the images.
Do I need to sign a waiver to allow photos to be used for promotional and marketing purposes?
It will be part of our original contract, yes. This allows us to grow our business through marketing and by example.
Do you provide video services?
Not at this time, though we hope to do so in the future.
How far in advance should I schedule a session?
Now! OK, as soon as you can. Once people get the idea in their minds for milestone photos opening fill up quick.

Fine Art / Landscape

Do you do mounting and/or framing?
We will do whatever you want, a bare photo, a mounted photo, a mounted & matted photo, or a framed photos. (Sizes 24”x36” or larger must be bare photo only.)
Larger sizes and specialty items (canvas wraps, etc.) will be outsourced.
Is shipping available?
Yes, at an extra charge which will depend on method of shipping and cost. We try to keep our shipping charge as close to the actual cost of shipping and shipping materials as possible.
Do you have other fine art landscape products other than photos?
Yes, we have bookmarks, calendars, puzzles (two sizes), and greeting cards (blank inside), which can be found on our Products Page.

Business

How is payment handled?
Portraits: There will be a non-refundable 50% initial fee at the signing of the contract, exceptions noted above. This initial 50% covers our services and expenses and reserves your spot. The final 50% for the finished product will be due prior to the session.

Fine Art / Landscape: Full payment is due at time of purchase.

We take cash (only in-person), check (must clear), major credit cards (through PayPal), and PayPal.
Do you have a money back satisfaction guarantee?
Portraits: If you are unsatisfied we will provide a refund up to the proof stage. Once the final finished and processed images have been delivered, since there is no way to “return” a digital image we cannot provide a refund.

Fine Art / Landscape: If you are not satisfied with your photo please let me know and we will arrange a refund. More information can be found on our … Refund will be issued upon receipt of the item in good condition.
Do you provide discounts and/or donations to non-profits?
Yes, on a case-by-case basis. Please contact: <email address>

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

General

Portraits

Fine Art / Landscape

Business

Portraits

Landscape Photos

Products

Misc