Frequently asked questions

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I specialize in portrait and branding photography, focusing on capturing high school seniors, teens, families, kids' milestone portraits, friendly dogs, puppies (to help them find forever homes faster), and horses. 

My branding photography extends to business headshots and any imagery small business owners need for online promotion, including websites, social media, and publications. 

To ensure I don't miss your inquiry, kindly use the contact form on my website—it helps keep everything organized. Once received, I'll send over my availability, a questionnaire, package options, and our photography agreement through a convenient booking link. Additionally, I'll provide helpful 'what to wear' suggestions and assist in planning your session! As I have a limited number of sessions available each year, especially on weekends, reaching out in advance is greatly appreciated to kickstart the planning process.

To secure your spot in my calendar, I require a paid retainer and signed photography agreement. Reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis. For mini-sessions, the retainer is 100%, while for portraits and branding, it's 50% of your package. 

I always have a photography agreement in writing, so we are both on the same page. Setting expectations in advance is a must!

 A retainer is a non-refundable and non-transferable deposit that secures your spot in my schedule. When you book a portrait session or branding project, this commitment reserves my time exclusively for you. This helps ensure I have enough business to support my family for the week, allowing me to dedicate the necessary time and attention to your project. 

It's beautiful here in Colorado! Some locations may require permits for paid photography sessions, typically around $50, which is your responsibility and added to the session fee. 

Additionally, special edits like head/eye swaps or removing objects may incur an extra fee. Rest assured, I'll always provide estimates upfront. 

Please note, my hourly rate for extra editing is $125/hour as outlined in my contract. 

Yes! I'm happy to help! I have collected gobs of clothing ideas on Pinterest and will send coordinated outfit ideas to you when you book. 

 Your retainer secures your spot, with the balance for your package due by the day of your session. Additional image fees (like overtime) are settled before editing and delivery. Feel free to upgrade your package after viewing your gallery—I'm flexible and want you to be happy with your choices! 

I accept cash, Zelle & credit cards.  (Cash is king & Zelle is my bookkeeper's favorite, but I accept credit cards, too.)

 Yes, I'm open to trade or barter if our services align and benefit each other. We'll ensure clarity and mutual agreement in writing to ensure a smooth and satisfactory exchange. 

Portraits: Colorado has fantastic weather most of the time! Overcast and clouds are actually great for pictures! But when weather is lousy, there's not much we can do. The weather changes quickly, so if it does start to rain, we will wait 20-30 minutes and see if it stops. If it's possible to continue your outdoor session, then we will. Wind is another factor that is bad for portraits. With portraits, we are usually not under such scheduling constraints and it is possible to reschedule, which I'm happy to do.  Sometimes it is entirely too cold for anyone to look happy for outdoor portraits.  In that case, you may choose to reschedule or discuss in-home lifestyle portrait options with me. There's also an option to reschedule for an in-studio natural light portrait session, which is subject to their availability (it's not my studio). 

Branding: most branding photography is done indoors, so weather is rarely an issue. But if all or some of your branding is done outdoors, same weather policies apply as portraits. 

 If either of us falls ill, we'll postpone your session until both parties are symptom-free for at least 48 hours. Symptoms include fever (without meds), coughing, sneezing, vomiting, chills, and body aches. While rescheduling may be disappointing, it ensures everyone looks and feels their best for the session. It also prevents the spread of germs and maintains the integrity of future appointments for my other clients. Your understanding and cooperation are greatly appreciated.

For ideal lighting, I schedule most sessions about 60-90 minutes before sunset.  

Longer sessions start 2-3 hours before sunset but require open-shade from buildings or trees to have workable lighting.  

During the summer months, I have more openings (some Monday - Saturday evenings), but in general I only offer morning sessions on Saturdays. I keep Sunday afternoons/evenings for family time or emergency make-up sessions. 

 While I don't delivery the entire gallery as basic proofs, you can select specific images as "keepers" for hand-editing. Each chosen image (aka "keeper) undergoes meticulous editing, including color adjustment, skin refinement, and minor touch-ups, ensuring they're print-ready and perfect for sharing. 

Upon purchase, you'll receive a Print Release for personal use or a Business Use license for branding clients. My goal is to deliver quality over quantity, ensuring each image meets the highest standards. 

I shoot with Canon gear in "camera RAW" - this means I have to tell the image how to look in my editing software and allows more artistic flexibility when curating images. 

Here's my process! After shooting in RAW, I download these "out of camera" RAW files, then I sort through them, picking out  the best options for your gallery presentation. On the images I present to you, I do a basic edit.  The basic edits in your proofs gallery gives you an idea of the direction I want to go with the final images, but are not finished yet! 

Hand-edited means I open up each image you want to keep in my editing software and individually hand-correct flyaway hairs, temporary blemishes, lighten up dark circles under eyes, tidy up tiny flecks of lint on clothing, and make your "keepers" ready for print! This is a time-consuming process but everyone appreciates looking their best in the final product. My goal is to present images that look natural and not overly processed. Some clients request "no airbrushed skin" while others request "to look 10 years younger." Either way, I do not deliver "basic proofs" or "RAW images."  I deliver high-resolution digital JPG files of the images you purchase to keep. 

A Print Release or Personal Use License is permission from me (I hold the copyright, since I took the photos) to use them for personal reasons. This includes: small prints, large prints, Christmas cards, social media, custom coffee mugs, etc. 

A Business Use License gives you permission to use the images for to promote your business for monetary gain. A Business Use License costs more and is based on the scope of your project and use of images. 

Yes! You may post the images you purchase online. Please tag @HeatherLillyPhoto both on Instagram and Facebook. This really helps my business grow! 

I am now offering high-quality prints through a professional lab, but realize you may just want to print your own small prints. 

In that case, I recommend MPix.com or Costco print without color correction. I always recommend doing a test print to make sure the colors are spot-on before a big project like wall art or Christmas Cards. 

I get my prints from a lab designated for professional photographers. They have amazing customer service and offer the best quality I can find.  Some of these options are: C-Type Photographic Prints, Giclée Fine Art Prints, Acrylic Prints, & Bamboo Blocks.

 Your support means the world to me, and referrals are the heartbeat of my business! When you refer a friend who books a session, you'll receive bonus images for your next session. The number of bonus images varies based on the package your friend books—mini-session: 1 extra, Signature Session: 2 extra, Premium session: 3 extra. Feel free to ask about my current referral system, as it may evolve over time. Thank you for helping my business thrive! 

After your portrait session, it will take 5-10 business days for me to edit and post your proofs in a private online gallery. It takes longer when it's busy season. 

It greatly depends on the length of your session and the goals we set beforehand. Some people just want a few posed shots of certain poses and we aim for that. Others want posed and candid images, which yields more photos to choose from. I aim for 60+ images to present on average. Some sessions have over 100 images to choose from. 

Portrait sessions have 30 days to select images from their online gallery.  

When you purchase digital files from me, they will be delivered via digital download. Once you download them, please back them up!