Excuses are convenient, and it’s pretty easy to make them. But when it comes to making excuses about taking time for ourselves, it’s a lot harder to come up with good ones. That’s why we’re writing this post: to remind you that no matter what reason you have for why you can’t invest some time for yourself, there’s a better one for why you can. (And should!)

1. “I don’t feel good enough about the way I look right now” / “But I need to lose 10 pounds first!”

We all have moments in our lives when we feel insecure -I do, too!- and I get that you want to feel your best before you go into your portrait shoot. 

But we’re also going to offer a quick reality check: If you don’t invest in making yourself feel beautiful, you won’t have the confidence to believe you are.

When you think about it, putting off your portrait shoot because you’re waiting to feel more confident doesn’t make much sense. That’s what our contemporary portrait experience is all about: making you look and feel your best. And while we’re all for personal health goals, we also believe that you shouldn’t have to wait for a milestone or a number on the scale to feel confident in your own skin! Part of why we love portrait photography is because it gives us an opportunity to help you recognize your own beauty, as you are—and to have the confidence to believe in it.

2. “I’m just not photogenic”

We hear this all of the time. We have over a dozen years of experience to myth-bust this one. The truth is that everybody is photogenic with the right photographer! We take into account dozens of factors, from weather to your personality and expectations, in order to produce the best possible results. We’ll also prep you during your pre-shoot consultation so you’ll know exactly what to expect, and we’ll coach you throughout the shoot to make you look your best.

3. “I just don’t have enough time for myself”

We get that life is busy, but most of us know from experience that spending all your energy on work or worrying about others is a surefire way to burn yourself out. A portrait experience is a great way to invest some time in yourself, revitalize your self-image, and take a moment to yourself to breathe!

We’re also happy to accommodate your schedule, and the booking process can be entirely flexible around your timing. We offer appointments as early as 9:30am and as late as 8:30pm. We also do our best to make appointments as convenient as possible, including weekend appointments and at-home consultations.

4. “I don’t know what to wear”

We got you! All of our portrait packages come with a pre-shoot consultation, and our contemporary portrait shoots include a 1-hour style&design consult. We’ll gladly go over styles and outfit choices with you over the phone or in person! We also offer a handy online style assistant where you can enter info for each participant, choose colors and the style you’re going for, and it will show you suggestions that work well together.  And, even better, we have a studio wardrobe of gorgeous dresses and outfits for all sizes.

5. “I never know what to do with my photos”

We’re happy to help with that too! At your post-shoot reveal, we’ll help you plan how to best display your images, and we’ll also help you design your own custom portrait layout that’s personalized for your home. We even offer professional installation to make sure your portraits aren’t sitting in a dusty closet waiting to get to the top of the never ending todo list.

6. “I don’t like my [insert body part here]”

Maybe there’s a part of yourself you’re still learning to love. We totally get it! Our goal is to bring out your confidence and make you feel beautiful, so if you have a specific concern, just let us know ahead of time. We’ll emphasize the things you love and minimize the things you don’t with posing and lighting in order to capture you at your absolute best.

7. “My fake smile looks awful”

Good thing you won’t be using it! Just take a look at our portfolio. Ensuring that you’re comfortable and confident during your shoot is one of our highest priorities. It’s about making you look and feel amazing, and that includes making the photo shoot experience an enjoyable one. We’re experts at helping you relax to produce beautiful, natural portraits. (And genuine smiles.)

8. “I just don’t have the money to invest on portraiture right now”

Portrait art is an investment. But unlike that mani/pedi or that a flat screen TV, the confidence you gain from a portrait experience won’t disappear after a week, and your portrait art won’t wind up in a landfill a few years from now. All of our print products are heirloom-quality and can be passed down from generation to generation. A portrait experience a long-term investment in your self-image, your memories and your experiences, yourself and your family.