Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a portrait session cost?

Session Fee + Base Collection. All sessions are priced with the session fee and a base collection bundled into one price. This means you get your session (the time in front of the camera) and a collection of 5 digital files for mini sessions and 10 digital files for full sessions. Pricing starts are $400 and clients typically spend around $600 for mini session products and $800 for full session products.

After your session, you'll receive a link to view the preview slideshow of your final gallery as well as your gallery wall and personal gallery store. In the store, you'll find a variety of beautiful and timeless products along with options for upgrading your collections. Collection upgrades also include a store credit.

For specific session pricing check out the session pages or visit my pricing page.

Can you upgrade a collection?

Yes! Definitely! If you find there are still images that you HAVE to have, you'll find the option to upgrade in your gallery store.

What is a store credit?

A print (or product) credit is like a gift card or coupon code that you can use to purchase products in your personal gallery store. The only limit is the amount of the credit. It can be used to purchase prints, canvases, books, or even additional digital files. One of my goals as a photographer is to encourage my clients to print their images and not to keep them trapped on the screen.

What amount of retouching can I expect?

This is a big question. Clients can expect a gallery of fully retouched final images. I do not share unedited images (to me, that's the equivalent of a pencil sketch rather than a painted portrait). Retouching means that I smooth skin and remove blemishes (trying to respect freckles and moles). For families, I also swap heads if needed.

I tend to have a light hand with retouching because it's important to me that my clients look like themselves. Colors will be more realistic (sometimes a little brighter and possibly cooler). Skin will have texture. Gray hairs and some stray hairs will still be there.

Additional editing is always an option. For many, it's a quick adjustment and no extra charge. For extensive retouching, headswapping, and removing braces, there will be a fee for every additional hour of work (typically most edits can be completed in one hour).

P R I C I N G

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ATTENTION:

past clients

"Jodi is the best! She was able to capture both of my girls' personalities in photos that I will forever treasure.

She is patient, very sweet, and took into consideration what I wanted, and delivered!"

~ Lea

Where should we have our portraits taken?

Pittsburgh is full of great portrait locations! There are gorgeous parks in the city and all over the suburbs. Downtown has a beautiful river walk that lets the city be your backdrop. There are also many cool urban spots that are great for family sessions as well as senior portraits. And if you’re up for traveling, the shore of Lake Erie can provide a beach backdrop without the 8-hour drive to the east coast. When you book your session with me, we’ll start discussing location right away and I’m happy to share suggestions.

Studio sessions are available upon request.

You can check out some of my favorite locations in the posts below!

Western PA locations

Senior portrait locations

Pittsburgh locations

Do you have a special or unusual location that you would love to try? Let's chat!! I love the opportunity to be creative not only with images but also locations. And I always encourage my clients to pick locations that they're connected to.

Kids & Families, Seniors, & Creative Portraits

Whether it's celebrating a major milestone or an everyday moment,

let's start planning your next portrait session together!

book now

What should we wear for our portraits?

Family sessions typically plan for one look but often there is time for a second set of outfits. Let me know and we can create a session plan that will allow time for an outfit change. For Seniors and Headshots, I recommend at least two outfits. For any sessions with clothing changes, I'm happy to provide a changing tent for use during your session so there is no need to change in your car.

When it comes to choosing outfits, comfort is key, especially for kids. I also recommend that you choose outfits that reflect your personality. You know what you like and I know what looks good on camera. Together, we can create images you'll love.

What do we do if it rains?

Rain is part of life in Pittsburgh and as a photographer who primarily shoots outside, I’ve gotten very good at interpreting Pittsburgh’s changing weather forecasts. First off, it doesn’t have to be sunny for great portraits. It’s actually better to have a cloudy day (so Pittsburgh’s overcast days make it great for portraits). It just needs to not be raining during the 40-90 minutes of your portrait session. If rain is possible, I will contact you the day before your session to discuss alternatives- adjusting the time or date or location. Trust me, we will have a plan.

Can we include our pets?

Yes! Definitely! Pets are part of the family and I’m happy to include them in your session! If you're hoping to have your pet as part of your session, just let me know and we can incorporate them into your session plan.

"Jodi has been taking pictures of our family for about 9 years now. She always does a fantastic job and is so patient with our 4 crazy kids!"

~ Amy

When should we book our portrait session?

Family sessions, including newborn, first birthday, and child sessions, are typically scheduled for weekends and are scheduled first-come, first-served. Be aware that fall weekend dates (October through the first weekend of November) fill up very quickly. If you are hoping for fall portraits, please contact me in August if possible.

Senior sessions are typically scheduled on weekends during the summer between junior and senior year and the fall of senior year if you need to meet yearbook deadlines. Ultimately, senior portraits are flexible. Whatever your timeframe, if you need to document this milestone, contact me and we'll take care of it.

Headshots - headshot sessions are typically scheduled during the week all year long. Weekends can be available depending on my current calendar.

Dreamer sessions & mini-sessions - dreamer sessions are available to schedule on weekends, similar to family sessions. Mini-sessions are limited to their advertised dates.

For all scheduling, sessions are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Dates are not considered booked until the contract is signed and the session fee is paid.

Do you offer mini sessions?

Yes! Throughout the year, I offer a variety of themed mini sessions for kids, seniors, and families. Visit my mini session page to get all the details.

Also, did you know that past clients can schedule a custom mini session? This means you can schedule your mini session for any available date and location.

click here for Mini Session INFO

Do you photograph weddings?

Unfortunately, no, I do not photograph weddings or other large events at this time. However, I'm happy to recommend some very talented photographers who do, if you like.

Have you ever wanted to try out modeling? Not just getting your photo taken but learning how to take direction and create specific looks and expressions for the camera?
Have you ever wanted to learn more about photography? Help direct light, look for details, and direct a subject to get the right expression and pose.

If you've thought of these things, then my Model, rep, and assistant program is for you!

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