YOU’VE GOT QUESTIONS – I’VE GOT A FAQ
From the initial inquiry to the day of the shoot, I receive a number of very good questions about the services I offer. To save your time and mine, I’ve placed the answers to some of the more common questions here. If after reading this material you still have questions, please feel free to drop me a line via my contact page here.
BOOKING
How do I book my session?
Navigate to my booking page to view my calendar. Simply select the date you wish, and book the photoshoot via the form. Remember to book the Makeup Artistry & Hair Styling services separately on the same date/time as your photoshoot if you would like these services offered to you before the session. For booking one of my travel dates, click here.
What is the policy regarding deposits?
Deposits are non-refundable.
Session dates can be modified to a date within 365 days of the original session date, so long as a minimum of 30 days written notice (email) is given, except in the case of a travel date (when I am working outside the Toronto, Ontario area), with which there can be no changes, and thus, no refunds.
Why are deposits non-refundable?
When you book your session with me, you are ultimately purchasing time.
When you book me on a Tuesday afternoon between 12pm and 4pm, I’m not able to earn income from other sources during that time, because I’ve committed to be at the studio/gym/park (wherever we agreed upon) ready to work for you. If you’ve booked Makeup Artistry & Hair Styling services, those individuals are also on set and ready to work with you during the time you’ve purchased.
If you should fail to show up for your session, or arrive late, my team and I are still entitled to fair compensation for the time we’ve spent preparing, and the time we’ve set aside for you, for which we are unable to earn income from other sources, because we’ve honoured our commitment to you through the time you booked.
The deposit(s) which you pay in order to book your session, serve as payment for my team and I to “show up” and be ready to work with you, regardless of whether you are there or not.
If you wish to move the date of your session to another in the future, I require a minimum of 30 days notice. This, again, has to do with my ability to earn income during the time which I’ve set aside for your session.
Consider this: If you email me a few days to a week before your session, asking me to move your session a month or more into the future, it is highly unlikely that I will be able to book another client into the time you had initially requested. Why? Well, like you, people plan their sessions well ahead of time, due to the preparation needed (physique, booking time off work, tanning, etc). It is extremely unlikely someone would inquire with me about a session between the time you requested your cancellation, and the actual session time.
Because of this, I would be sitting idle during the time you initially booked me for, and when I am idle, I am not earning. It is for this reason that I require a minimum of 30 days notice for a change in session date.
With respect to my travel dates (outside of the Toronto, Ontario area), I cannot guarantee the ability to modify session date/time. When I book a trip, the collective deposits are utilized to pay for expenses such as flights, accommodations, etc. If you request our session be moved to a date in the future (when I am again visiting the area which we were originally to work together), I will once again have expenses which need to be paid for, and as-such, an additional deposit will be required.
Photography
What is included in the standard package?
My services are offered a-la-carte. So, you would first book your session, which is the essential photography. If you’d like professional Makeup Artistry and Hair Styling, you’d then book those services separately. Finally, if you were interested in retouching services (beyond the basic service), you’d select and purchase that service. So, you tailor the package you’d like, based in services you require.
How long are the sessions?
I generally offer 2hr and 4hr sessions, and with those, I rarely watch the clock. For me, it’s best to get the shot, rather than simply shoot to fill time. Thus, sessions may run long or we might end early. Above all else, I ensure my client feels that we’ve captured the images we wanted to.
What should I bring to the session?
If you have them, bring along hair extensions (see the faq items under Makeup Artistry & Hair Styling).
Regarding wardrobe, what you bring is dependent upon the session type you’re booking. For fitness looks, it’s best to bring along bra tops, tank tops, shorts and tights/leggings in the following colours (white, black, red, green, turquoise, blue, pink, purple, etc). Solid colours are best, but if you have items with prints or patterns, bring them along.
Shoes are also fairly important and whenever possible, bring as many colours (see above) as you can. Comfortable heels are a must for cover-style shots, as they position your legs nicely.
Bring more than you think you’ll need – it’s not uncommon for clients to show up with 1-2 suitcases packed full of options. You never know what we might wish to use.
What location options are offered?
I have access to countless locations for shooting. These include (but are not limited to:
- Studio (Fitness & Fit-Glam looks)
- Gym (Fitness & Fit-Glam looks)
- City / Urban (Fitness & Fit-Glam looks)
- Park / Green space (Fitness looks)
- Pool / Estate (Fit-Glam looks)
- Hotel (Fit-Glam looks)
- Beach / Shoreline (Fit-Glam looks)
Who owns copyright on the images?
Canadian photographers are, by default, the first owners of the copyright of the images they produce. This applies to both photographs commissioned and paid by a client, and to photographs taken for non-commercial purposes.
Therefore, photographers no longer have to sign an agreement with their client stating that they are the first owner of the copyright; the Canadian Copyright Act now guarantees ownership by default.
I offer two different pricing models with respect to my photography, and the differences between these two models have to do with copyright.
The main difference is that the commercial use license allows a client to use the images to make money from the image, while the personal license does not. To keep the costs low on personal use imagery (where the client is looking for a keepsake or an image to display on a website or social media space in a non-commercial way, I apply my branding/logo to each image. This built-in marketing saves me in the long run on promotional costs, and I pass these savings on to the client by way of a lower fee for my work. These logos must be preserved and unaltered in order for the personal license pricing to remain in effect.
There are many questions usually involved with copyright and usage and I’m always happy to discuss your specific needs.
I've completed my session. How can I view my proofs online?
Simply open your web browser and enter the following URL: http://www.markbradfield.com/proofs
You must then add to this URL, your name (first initial and last name) as well as your session date (yyyymmdd). These are separated by a forward slash /. Finally, index.html is the name of the webpage which displays your images.
The full URL would be something like this example: http://markbradfield.com/proofs/tjones/20150329/index.html
I've received my proofs - can I post them online?
No. Proofs are not the product you’ve paid me for, and should not be considered your property.
They are low-res, unedited images which are provided to you by me for a limited time, to assist in the identification and selection of the images you’d like retouched. They are not a representation of the product I sell, and are thus not images which I like to see online.
It’s far better to post fantastic images of you than ones which still require some work, right?
Makeup Artistry & Hair Styling
How long does Makeup & Hair take?
Because each client is individual, no two people will require the same amount of time. Generally, 90 minutes is estimated for beautification. Because the session time you’re paying for includes both beautification and shoot time, it’s recommended that you arrive prepared as per the recommendations listed below.
How should I prepare for the session?
Brows
Please have your brows shaped (either waxed, tweezed, threaded etc). Brows shape the face and give your makeup that finished look we are wanting to achieve. Keep in mind any sort of waxing should be done a week beforehand. If it’s done too close to the session, makeup will not apply properly.
Face
Please make sure to exfoliate your face. Ensure that you have no lotions or makeup on your face when you arrive to the session.
Hair
Hair should be clean and blow dried. Please do not apply any heat or straight irons to hair prior to your appointment or your hair may not curl/respond as well.
Extensions
The same applies (do not apply heat or styling tools to the hair extensions). Wash as normal, brush and lay flat on towel to air-dry overnight. Bring your clip-in extensions with you, and we will put in and style.
Should I tan for the session?
It’s always nice to sport a healthy glow in your photos, and I do recommend including a tan in your preparation. In terms of overall look, a natural tan (by way of the sun or a tanning bed) usually looks best, but if you have an aversion to this, I completely understand.
If you opt for a spray tan, I recommend either a single coat on the date of the session, or if you’re getting two coats (or are sporting a stage / competition tan), that you wash off the top coat (leaving a nice even base).
Retouching
What is retouching?
Retouching is the alteration of artwork, to introduce or enhance desired features and reduce or remove undesired ones.
Is photo retouching available?
As part of my standard offering (with any package), I will automatically adjust and correct elements such as exposure, colour temperature, colour saturation and crop.
I offer an additional image retouching service which is designed to further enhance an image by reducing or removing blemishes and deep wrinkles while enhancing features such as eyes and skin tone. It is offered in single, 3-image and 10-image packages.
For those who wish a publication-quality retouching service, I offer a beauty retouch – like you’d see on a magazine cover. This service is offered at an hourly rate, is quoted individually based on each specific image. To receive a quote, email me.
How long does retouching take?
Generally, I can retouch an image inside a 3 hour window. However, I am working on images from a number of clients at any given time, so providing a concrete timeframe is difficult. That said, I guarantee a turnaround time of 14 days from time of selection. So, you’ll have your retouched images back within 2 weeks of the date you provide me your selections, or in the case of purchasing images above and beyond what’s included in the standard package, 2 weeks from the time payment is processed.
If I’m even 1 minute late in delivery, I’ll pay YOU what I normally charge for retouched images. $50 for a single image, $100 for 3 and $300 for 10. You’ll receive this in cash, along with your images when they’re ready.
The 14-day guarantee applies to my standard personal packages. Commercial and custom packages may differ.
If you require your images returned quickly, I offer a rapid retouching service which reduces the turnaround time to 2 business days.
How soon do I need to provide my selections?
Take your time. I’m in no hurry – they’re your photos. Some clients have their selections to me the day after shooting, and others wait a few months. It’s really up to you.
How do I make my selections for retouching?
While viewing the proofs page(s), you’ll notice each image is represented in a thumbnail. These thumbnails are numbered and this is done for you, so that you can easily refer to each image when comparing.
I will need the actual image number for each of your selections. This number is not the thumbnail number, but is actually the file name itself. When you click a thumbnail to see the large version of the image, the image number (or file name) will be shown in the URL.
Example: http://www.markbradfield.com/proofs/ppond/20151104/content/_D8X8919_large.html
In the above example, the image number which I am looking for is: D8X8919.
There's a logo on my picture - can I remove it?
My rates aren’t the lowest around, but they’re not as high as they could be either. One method I utilize to keep costs down, is to build some marketing into each image.
When a client posts an image online (website, social media space, etc), my logo accompanies the image and thus, potential clients are able to easily view my work, and I can keep my own advertising costs down. I pass those savings onto you, the client.
Additionally, an image without a logo seems to have no owner, and there are some who will “borrow” images they find online and use them for their own (sometimes commercial) use. It’s difficult and expensive (legally) to enforce copyright and have those images removed.
If you remove my logos from the images you receive from me, or allow other websites to crop the logos out, you effectively purchase a commercial license for each instance and are thus subject to the commercial rate for each image. This can be thousands of dollars, so it’s best to leave the logos, or inquire with me first so we can start a dialogue and I can determine your needs.
Travel
I want a really great location to shoot at - do you travel?
I’m always travelling (on average, 1 trip per month) and have two types of sessions I offer:
- Sessions where I’m already scheduled to be at (Columbus for the Arnold, Vegas for the Olympia, etc) where my expenses are built into my fees and I work with many clients over the course of a few days to a week.
- Sessions where I’m hired to accompany an exclusive client to a destination for truly unique images. My expenses to travel would be covered in addition to my regular fees.
I love travelling and am easily persuaded to work with you in the most captivating locations available. Keep an eye on my travel schedule, or if you’d like me to accompany you on an upcoming trip of your own, drop me a line!
Publication Submissions
How do I submit photos to magazines?
All publications are different, and as such, have different ways in which they accept photos for publication consideration. Because of this, I am unable to offer specific advice on submitting to all of them.
I do have relationships with the most prominent publications in the fitness industry and am able to submit photos on your behalf.
It should be noted that images submitted, should not be used until after it has been determined that the publication(s) who were sent the photos, have either published them, or chosen not to. As a rule, publications are only ever interested in fresh, never-before-seen images. If you were to post an image online which you previously submitted to a publication, you would very likely lose the chance to have that image published.
How long until I see my image(s) published?
First off, no submissions are guaranteed. When you submit, you’re simply giving your images to a publication for consideration. Just because you ask someone to dance, doesn’t mean they’ll say yes, right?
Second, the publications run their own schedules. Some operate a month or two into the future while others operate 6 to 8 months ahead. This means that right now, they might be styling and working on an issue which is 6 months down the road, and if they pick up an image or two of yours, those might be inserted into that issue.