FAQ

GENERAL QUESTIONS:

How did you get started?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a love and passion for photography. As a young child I enjoyed looking at old family photos over and over again. As I got older I started carrying a small digital camera with me everywhere. Then in high school I joined my schools television production program and my passion grew to include video/film. By my senior year, I became president of the program and graduated with a vocational certification in television production. In college I studied multimedia: film/video and did freelance modeling and acting. Being a model gave me an opportunity to meet and work with many talented local photographers. I love being in front and behind the camera. I believe my experience on both side of the camera has helped strengthen my skills. After college I worked for a short time as a graphic designer and found myself unhappy at my job. I realized I needed to be doing something with my life that I am passionate about. After taking some photos of a friend for her fashion blog, I realized that starting a photography business was the perfect fit for me!

What is your style?

Fine Art Photojournalism. Candid photos are my favorite. I strive to capture genuine emotions and moments with a creative, artistic flair. During portrait shoots, I will do only minimal directing and posing, as to give my clients a mixture of traditional portraits, candids & artistic shots. I also love to play with the sun and capture sun flares at sunset. With a bachelor degree in film, I am trained to get a variety of shots, angles and perspectives. I mimic how I would shoot a film with my photography.

Do you have any formal training?

I am vocationally certified in television production and have a bachelors degree in Multimedia Studies: Film/Video. I have taken a photography class taught by a world renown celebrity photographer and have over 10 years experience behind and in front of the camera. I am also a PPA (Professional Photographers of America) Member.

BOOKING QUESTIONS:

What is your booking policy?

Portrait creation fee and signed contract is due at time of booking to secure your session date. This fee is non-refundable.

What happens if you are sick or injured and cannot shoot?

I would do everything in my power to avoid this situation, but in case of a real emergency, portrait shoots will be rescheduled.

What payment methods do you accept?

I accept cash, check or credit card payments. Credit card payments are paid through Paypal’s web site over a secure connection. You do NOT need to sign up for a Paypal account in order to pay with your credit card.  If you are paying by check, we will not begin processing your order until AFTER we receive your check in the mail.  The address for mailing your check will be emailed to you along with your order details.

What is your cancellation policy?

Creation fees retainers are non-refundable, but if cancellation is necessary, we can reschedule for another day. I ask if possible for at least 48 hour notice of cancellation.

What happens if inclement weather occurs?

Depending on how bad the weather is we could always still shoot in the rain with clear umbrellas or choose an indoor location. Otherwise, we will reschedule the shoot.

What type of insurance do you have?

I have equipment and general liability insurance.

Why do you ask me to sign a model release?

I ask for my clients to sign a model release to allows me to post the images on my website/blog and social media pages. I ONLY use the images for my portfolio and self promotion.

PRINTS/DIGITAL FILE QUESTIONS:

How long does it take to receive our photos?

Portraits sessions will take between 2-4 weeks depending on the season. I will work hard to try and get them to you as soon as possible.

How do I get my images?

Images from portraits sessions are purchased a la carte during your ordering session. Once all images are edited and retouched, we will schedule an ordering session for you to purchase your images.

We offer a collection of the finest quality products in the industry. Between our luxury albums, museum canvases, acrylics, metals, fine art prints, and hand crafted frames, we can design you the perfect custom wall galleries and ensure your art displays complement your home decor!

How long do I have to order prints?

All orders must be placed during you ordering session. Please make sure that all decision makers are present. An additional ordering session can be arranged for a session fee of $125.

Do I have to pay sales tax on session fee and prints?

My session fee does not require sales tax, but all prints, digital files and products require a 7% sales tax.

Do you provide the master printable digital files?

To ensure our clients get the highest quality of portraiture, we keep the master printable files at our studio. It is our job to make sure you get the absolute best artwork possible, which can only come from us. Please keep in mind that Stacey Elaine Photography retains the copyrights and does not provide a print release.

What is your philosophy on editing images? 

My goal in editing is to make minor edits and retouching to enhance the over all image. I edit all my images for color correction, image clarity, contrast, white balance, and blemish correction. I only do very light natural skin smoothing when needed. I also will only do minor photo manipulations by request and for an additional editing fee.

Can I post my media sized digital files on Facebook or other social media sites?

YES! I encourage my clients to share their images with family and friends! Social media is my main marketing arena, so I only ask that you give me credit for my work. If posting a purchased digital file that does not have my watermark on it, I ask you to credit me by include something similar to “Photography by: Stacey Elaine Photography” or “Image by: Stacey Elaine Photography” in the description section. I also encourage my clients to share my blog post and any images upload to my business Facebook page!

Please keep in mind that Stacey Elaine Photography retains the copyrights, Any alterations or editing to images is in violation of Stacey Elaine Photography’s copyright. (This includes cropping, filters, or your own retouching etc.)

EQUIPMENT QUESTIONS:

What kind of equipment/software do you use?

Camera Body: Canon 5D Mark iii & Canon 5D Mark iv

Lens: Canon 80mm f/1.4L IS, Canon 50mm f/1.2 L, Canon 24-105mm f/4 L, Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L & Canon 100mm f/2.8 L Macro

Computer: Mac

Software: Adobe Lightroom & Adobe Photoshop

Do you shoot digital or film?

I shoot only digital photography. But my editing style is film emulation. Film is timeless and beautifully subtle. It takes a trained eye, a restrained hand and a lot of effort to achieve the same effect in digital. I’ve spent years honing this skill to get the film look just right with digital photography.

LOCATION & TRAVEL QUESTIONS:

Where are you located?

I am located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Do you travel? What are your travel fees?

I work the surrounding areas; Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Coconut Creek, Deerfield Beach, Coral Springs, Parkland, West Palm Beach etc. for no additional fee. I am available for travel outside of those cities for an additional travel fee. My travel fee is calculated based on the equation below:

Mileage to drive / miles per gallon that my car gets = Gallons of gas used.

Gallons of Gas * Current gas price (I round up, because prices fluctuate) = TOTAL COST FOR GAS

Hours driving * my hourly rate = TOTAL COST OF TIME

TOTAL COST OF TIME + TOTAL COST FOR GAS = Custom travel fee.

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