You might find the answer you need in the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS… or fill out the form below with your information request.
PHOTOSHOOT QUESTIONS:
How do I book a shoot? All of the information regarding pricing and details can be found on this site, but if you have any questions before booking, email me at renee@reneebowen.com or call 800-957-1684 & I’ll send you all the necessary information regarding sessions. Once you decide, I’ll email you a booking proposal and contract to sign digitally (Seniors, your parents need to sign). The deposit is also taken care of online via google checkout! {checks can be mailed if preferred, just ask} Final payment is due by the day of the shoot.
What happens if it rains? Don’t you shoot only on location with natural light? Yep! Sometimes, even in California, it rains, and even I cannot control the weather…. yet. (especially in January – March)…..when this happens, we will re-schedule your session for another day/time. If you’re booking in the summer months, this is not as much of a concern; however, if you are booking a BEACH session, keep in mind that it is usually always windy at the beach, and can sometimes be cloudy there as well.
Why do you shoot on location and not in a studio? Mostly because I feel stifled in a studio. I also don’t like my sessions to all look exactly the same – and it keeps me on my toes creatively. I adore natural light and the way color/texture can completely transform an ordinary image into something amazing. Being out on location also gives us a chance to “drop in” to the moment…..being at the whim of our surroundings.
Where will we shoot? That depends….. on the type of session you book, as well as where YOU want to shoot! If you’ve seen anything on my site that you like, please let me know. I want this to be all about YOU. I want you to feel happy and comfortable in the photos….. we can shoot just about anywhere (sometimes there’s permits involved; sometimes not). If you don’t have any ideas, don’t worry – I’ll come up
with something awesome. 
*Please add the travel fee for any shoot outside of the SCV. Keep in mind that wherever we are shooting, it’s outdoors – which leads me to my next FAQ:
What should I bring with me? Wherever we are (from out in the Santa Clarita wilderness to the Malibu beaches to Downtown LA) – you’re going to need water and a couple of snacks Plan on packing a bag for your wardrobe changes and shoes, as well as smaller bags for jewelry.
WHO can I bring with me? Anyone you like for moral support and general silliness – bring your Mom, your BFF….the more the merrier. 
If you would like to shoot with someone, I do have a Senior Portrait session designed for two or more.
Can I bring my own camera or can someone I bring with me bring their camera to take photos while we are shooting? No, I don’t allow any other cameras (other than phones) on shoots.
Where will I change? Well…. most likely in your car or my van. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure nobody can see in there…. shooting on location is not for the faint of heart
PAYMENT QUESTIONS:
What type of payment do you accept? How much is deposit and when is final payment due? Cash, checks written to ICD Entertainment (the name of my corporation) or credit cards via google checkout – or I can swipe one in person. Deposits for Senior packages are $150 to reserve the date; remainder due on the day of the shoot. For Family and Headshot sessions, 50% of session fee is due to reserve; remainder due on day of shoot. For events, 20% of due at time of booking to reserve; remainder due one week prior to event. If mailing a check, it can be sent to: 26893 Bouquet Canyon Road, Suite C Box 145, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.
Do you accept payment plans? I will always work with a client. I want you to get prints of your photos! I want you to own these memories! Typically, when a print order is made, 50% is due at time of order; remainder is due when prints arrive; however, I can break these up into easier payments if necessary. Just ask
SENIOR PORTRAIT QUESTIONS:
Do you shoot cap/gown and drape/tux Senior Portraits for yearbooks? No, you will still need to get these shots done with your school’s contracted photographer if that is what is needed for your yearbook. My Senior Portraits are contemporary and modern shots that are designed to show off your personality; all packages do include one complimentary yearbook shot if your school allows “non traditional” shots! If you aren’t sure what is needed, you can forward me the school’s email or information and I’m happy to help you decipher it!
All your Senior Portrait sessions include makeup. Is this mandatory and where does that happen?… and Why?
Yes, all sessions include the amazing professional techniques of my makeup artist, Jami Cox.
- She’s a professional and because we work together so often, she knows the way I shoot…..she knows how I use natural light & understands how to apply makeup accordingly.
- She’s so good at her job, I can spend less time hand editing your skin
- Everyone loves her! Even the boys – allow yourself to be pampered for the day!
Your Senior Portrait sessions include “wardrobe styling”. How does this work? What should I wear?!! Each of my sessions allows for a certain number of wardrobe changes; the reason for this is that it allows me to structure the session based on what you’ve chosen to wear. We always start out somewhat natural and move into more funky/colorful clothing – because your makeup will change as your wardrobe does! My makeup artist stays throughout the entire session and makes sure that you’re not “shiny” and also perfectly put together for each outfit change. I always suggest that you choose at least 2 MORE options than what your session calls for so I can help you narrow it down. Some things photograph better than others…. as a rule, I recommend to stay away from too much white, especially on top, as well as black. Tops that are very loose fitting also don’t photograph as well, and too may opposing prints/patterns can get distracting. Why not check out my PINTEREST board “What to Wear” - I’ve curated so many cute outfits on there, you’re bound to get some great ideas! If you’d like, I can create a board just for your session and we can collaborate on it; both adding things so we can both see it! Also, remember to make sure your nails look nice – they’ll show up in the photos…. and bring a pair of “walking around” shoes – if you’re planning on wearing heels for the shots, you’ll need some comfy shoes to get to and from locations in!
You design custom graduation announcements and holiday cards. How does this process work? How many photos can I include on my cards? There is no limit to how many photos from your session you’d like to include. If you’re interested in these, we will discuss the design and your options during your ordering session; the order for them is placed at the same time as your print order. (I’ll bring samples with me and we discuss your options then).
Is there a minimum portrait order? I recently updated my pricing for 2012-2013 and did include minimum orders on every package; however, I do offer a la carte pricing in addition to the minimum requirements for print collections. Details on these can be found on the pricing pages.
ORDER QUESTIONS:
How soon will I get my order? Prints come in within a few days; canvases in about 2-3 weeks; albums 2-4 weeks, and announcements within a week.
What happens after the shoot? How will I see my photos and order? Once we shoot, and depending on how busy I am at that time of year, your photos will be ready to view within 1-4 weeks. During the editing process, I may choose to sneak a few on facebook for you; but this also depends on how busy I am at the time.
- PROOFING & ORDERING is done in person only. (with the exception of my out of town clients) I come to the comfort of your own home, with my iPad, and we either look through them on your TV or on my iPad. All ordering is done at this time. As a courtesy, I release an online gallery for you to share with out of town family – once your order is placed. Anyone can then order from this gallery, which is online for 2 weeks only. • For out of town clients, your images will be placed online for 2 weeks and we will then place your order via phone or skype.
- SOCIAL MEDIA (facebook) IMAGES will be posted after your order is placed; I post these on my photography page and tag you; you’re then free to use on fb as your profile pic, etc… but my logo cannot be cropped out. All images posted on fb are web sized (they will not be high enough quality to print).
IMAGES QUESTIONS:
Do you edit your images yourself? What about retouching? Yes, I edit all my own images and do not send them out to anyone. Many photographers send their images out for color correcting and then retouch a few; I do all my own work, from start to finish. Retouching is done by me as well – each of my sessions includes a set number of final images to choose from; these are final, ready to print images. All of these photos you see as “proofs” are chosen by me; edited to perfection & ready to order. (This means your skin will be flawless, color will be perfected, all artistic nuances will be applied before you see any of them.)
I know you take way more than the “final” images I see for my event/portrait session. Can I see ALL the images you take?
In short, no. I do not, under any circumstance, release un-edited raw images to clients. Ever. I know, I know… that sounds crazy/extreme/rude. Here’s the reason: yes, I shoot a lot of photos…if I showed you all 900 photos from your portrait shoot, you’d be completely overwhelmed and wouldn’t even know where to start. Also, a lot of them are similar images; my camera shoots 7 frames per second…. I take a lot of “in between” moment shots. It’s my job, and part of my artistic process, to know which images are the best…. trust me
The one exception to this is for Head Shots – I will release a partially edited gallery for you to look through of approximately 50 images and forward to your agents so that you can narrow it down to the number of shots included in your package. (varies) Once you decide, then final images will then be completely edited and delivered to you in digital form.
How long do you keep the images? Can I order a couple now and then place a bigger order next year? Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that I’ll still have the images. Hard drives fail, and although I back up my images on two different locations, I can never know for sure if your images will be around when you want them. I also do not have an unending supply of storage, especially with the size of the files. For these reasons, I require that all ordering be done at your in person viewing session. After that, pricing increases by 20%. I purge all my discs within 6 months of a shoot.
Do you include any digital images? The only Senior Portrait package that includes any digital images is the “Total”package, which includes 5. I don’t include digital images in any of my family sessions (with the exception of the Holiday Mini sessions – or any event packages. I do offer a digital image for every print that is purchased (8×10 or larger – the digital image is sized according to the size print you buy. For example, if you purchase a 16×20, you will receive a 16×20 sized digital file.) A limited copyright release for personal printing only is included with each file, but strictly prohibits altering the image in any way. Digital files from events and any session are available for purchase; please inquire regarding pricing. They are delivered on flash drive. *Please note that I can only guarantee the quality of the prints when I am controlling the process.
see me in action!
< BACK TO TOP >
< BACK TO TOP >
What People Are Saying…