SENIOR PORTRAITS
I want every senior to have an experience that reflects who they are and how they feel. Sure, fields of daisies are beautiful. But so is a portrait that reflects a lifetime of training in the pool for the 100m backstroke, or lying in a bed with Beats on listening to Lana Del Rey, or getting ready to embark on an acting career that will someday lead to The Oscars. This generation of seniors are more mature and sophisticated than ever, and their portraits should be too.
All senior portrait experiences have three steps: the shoot, the selecting of images at our Old Town studio, and the purchasing of various products we offer. Let's start at the beginning:
THE SHOOT
The creative fee (also known as a "shoot fee" or "session fee") is for my time on the day of the shoot. It is the engine that creates the photographs you will choose from. Because some seniors want a relatively quick session that yields one or two looks, and others want a much longer, multi-outfit day, we have three tiers of creative fees. Keep in mind that in the past, the creative fee was just that. But in an age of social media, we understand that seniors and parents want to have some files to share. So all our tiers include a small number of digital files. Additional files can be purchased a la cart later, or you can purchase the entire digital collection.
But too much attention on "how many files do we get?" obscures the true goal of our work here. We've been making gorgeous museum prints on archival papers for a decade now and they are something you need to come to the studio to behold. Signed and dated by Matt, these are the thing that will be handed from one generation to another. In a digital, iPhone world a signed fine art print is the ultimate antidote.
Here are the creative fee tiers:
Option A: Similar in style to our "Not Forgotten" portraits that are seen around the country during the height of the pandemic, this shoot lasts up to an hour. The senior can choose any props or clothing they feel best represents their style. This shoot includes two retouched high resolution digital files. The studio portrait is offered at $600. Additional files can be purchased for $75 per image. The digital package can be purchased separately after the shoot for $1395.
Option B: Location shoot, up to two hours. A popular shoot, it includes up to two hours of shooting and costs for local, DMV travel. Locations and clothing changes are determined during a pre-shoot consultation over the phone. This shoot is offered at $850 and includes four retouched high resolution digital files. Additional files can be purchased for $75 per image. The digital package can be purchased separately after the shoot for $1395.
Option C: This is the main event and perfect for those who are looking to purchase all the digital files. Two to three hours, and multiple locations, multiple outfit changes. It's the ideal shoot for a senior that wants a bit more variety. We generally hop in the car and wander, looking for great spots for ideal images. I don't limit the locations or number of clothing changes. This is a fun, freewheeling shoot and seniors get a chance to relax and reveal their true personality. This shoot is offered at $1595 and includes a considerable savings over the price of purchasing all the digital images after the shoot.
We do not offer online galleries. We ask that you come to our studio to see your images presented on a large screen where we can discuss the photographs and help you choose your favorites. We believe first impressions matter and we don't want you limited by the size of your iPhone display. And so we kindly ask you to make the trip to our Old Town studio, just beyond National Airport, where we can look and laugh and find our favorite images together. Are we trying to be difficult? No. We know it's easier to throw up a digital proof gallery, but that's just not our style. My entire lifetime in photography has been rooted in portraiture. In people. And so we like to make this a human experience, where we can guide you to the right image, the right crop, the right purchase.
THE PRODUCT
All digital files beyond those included are $75. Every purchased file comes with a standard amount of retouching, if any is needed.
More often than not, clients want to be able to purchase the entire digital collection (around 150 images). That's priced at $1,395. Each image in the digital collection is offered at high resolution for printing and lower resolution for social media.
Files are one thing but it's our Mprints that people crave. The "MJM" scribble at the bottom right (my middle name is "Jaeger," my mother's maiden name) and the date on the left. Prints are reprinted on museum fiber papers and are meant to be custom framed. We can assist you with framing options or you can bring them to your own framer. Prints sizes begin at 13"x19" and go up from there. We also offer albums and other products which we would be happy to show you when you view your portrait images at our studio.
Matt travels frequently for portrait shoots and can give you a custom quote for travel. Fees depend on distance from the DC metro area.