Why we LOVE black and white

For nearly three decades, Philip has passionately captured family portraits in the timeless elegance of black and white. Embracing this classic medium, he believes that black and white photography skillfully eliminates the distraction of color, allowing the essence of an image to shine through. According to Philip, a successful photograph demands impeccable structure, impeccable lighting, and an authentic expression, elements that black and white photography enhances by emphasizing form and contrast. Beyond the aesthetic benefits, black and white portraits seamlessly integrate into any decor, providing a versatile and enduring appeal. Unlike their colorful counterparts, black and white images possess a timeless quality, resisting the swift changes of trends and fashions. Philip's commitment to this enduring medium is not just a stylistic choice but a testament to the enduring beauty and universal allure of black and white family portraits.

FAQs

Have a question? These are a collection of the most frequently asked.
Or if you are still in the dark just give us a call or send an email.

How long does the shoot take?

We generally allow an hour to an hour and a half for your shoot, but things change and we are flexible! Often if you have small children, they will let us know when the session is over, and once they decide, there is generally no going back. Other times we can get everything we need in the first 10 minutes.
I generally have a feel for when I have enough to give you a good selection to choose from and to cover what you are trying to achieve - another reason for our pre shoot design appointment.

Can we have the shoot at home?

I love photographing people in their own home, it means that the background to your portraits is also the background to your life, and your images will have many layers of information and meaning to them. We can also shoot at a favourite park or location - sometimes this works best, especially if you want to include pets. Your third option is our studio, either inside for a more formal studio look, or in our outdoor studio amongst our big granite boulders. Wherever we decide, I will be looking for some nice gentle light to make your portraits look amazing.

What do we wear?

Because it is generally in black and white, the actual colours are not as important as the tone (light or dark). What I am trying to achieve is for the clothes to disappear and not become a feature of the images - I prefer your faces, hands and personalities to be the key elements in your portraits. It is also best if one person doesn’t stand out from the group, so avoid having five people in dark and one person in light clothes, as that will draw attention to that person.
You should be comfortable in what you are wearing, and to still look like you and not some 1970’s singing group with matching clothes and hairstyles. I also don’t want you to arrive at the studio having spent the last two hours fighting with a 2 year old because he wants to wear his Thomas the Tank Engine t-shirt - just bring a change of clothes and we will make it his idea that he changes!

How many people can we include?

The more the merrier! We love doing big extended family shoots with grandparents and even great-grandparents, family groups with kids and pets and anything else that is a part of your family.

Can we include our pets in the shoot?

Pets are definitely part of the family and whenever possible we love to include them. For your dog it will become their favourite thing, along with walks and bones and sleeps! For your cat it will be another thing to complain about and will be added to the list of war crimes they are compiling against you. For your rabbit or your snake or your wombat, it will just be another adventure with their favourite humans.

Do we need to bring anything?

We like to encourage people to bring things that are key to their personality. If your 3 year old doesn’t go anywhere without his blankie, bring it! Musical instruments, hobbies or favourite hats, whatever we can use to make the portraits more personal is a good thing. If you are bringing pets, then a handful of treats are a good idea.

Why do we need to come in prior to the shoot?

Before we can book a portrait shoot, we need to have a chat about the various options we offer, what to wear, location, timing and prices. We want you to have all the answers to all the questions before we even book your shoot. It is also important for us to get to know each other a little bit so that on shoot day, we are all working towards the same goals.

What happens if we get sick?

Things happen! - all we need to do is reschedule. We would appreciate as much notice as possible - just give us a call or send us a text and we can reschedule for another time.

Are you open after hours or on weekends?

We do have some evening appointments available, especially as daylight saving cuts in and the days get warmer and longer. We also have appointments available on Saturday however these tend to fill up quickly. Sundays is our family day so we generally don’t work (having said that, we have done big family groups on a Sunday because that was the only day they could get everyone together, so don’t be afraid to ask, we will tell you if it is at all possible.

How much does it cost?

Our photography session fee is $150, prints start at $100 and wall collections start at $695 we will make sure that you have all the prices for the various different options that we offer before you decide to book your photography session.

Can we pay our portraits off?

We have a number of different payment options, and we can tailor something to fit your budget. We won’t try to make you spend more than you are comfortable with, and we really want you to be happy with the whole experience that you have with us.

Do I get digital files?

We will give you screen resolution digital files of all the images that you order via our custom phone app. You will be able to download these images and also share them via social media, email and text. We will show you how this works when you come in for your pre-shoot design appointment.

Do you have a guarantee?

Yes! We offer a 100% money back guarantee, so there is no risk at all that you are not going to be happy with what we do for you. We have been running our studio in Launceston for 30 years and it is very important to us that all our clients go away happy with the experience that they have had with us. Word of mouth advertising is still our most important way of meeting new people so we want all our clients to be totally happy with what we do for them.

Are you qualified and are you insured?

As Tasmania’s only Grand Master of Photography Philip is a Fellow of both the Australian and New Zealand Institutes of Professional Photography and has been named Tasmanian Professional Photographer of the Year on 5 occasions. We carry all the required insurances and permits needed to run a photographic studio in Australia.

Can I buy a gift voucher for a friend?

What a perfect gift to give someone. Something that will bring them joy for many years to come. We can personalise the gift voucher for you, and we can make it to whatever value you like..

Are you Vaccinated?

As of March 2023 the whole team is up to date on our Whooping Cough, MMR, COVID (x4) and have yearly flu shots.We hold “Working with vulnerable people” accreditation.