Frequently asked questions, and good things to know

For Silver sessions, we can text or do a quick phone call to plan your shoot. The most important thing is for you to decide where you would like to be photographed. Silver session options include: Shawnee Mission Park, Lake Olathe, Olathe Prairie Center, and the West Bottoms. If you have a place you would like to suggest, you can do that, too.

Wear what you love, and what makes you feel beautiful or handsome! 

Do you! Wear what you want and have fun with it. Just make sure your clothing fits well, is generally free from wrinkles, and your undergarments do not show or show through. Please don't wear something that requires you to say the phrase, "Oh, Lori can just Photoshop that." 

Guys

• Make sure shoes are clean and socks match. Also please check out your nose hair and get it under control (I know this is weird but you will thank me later!)

• Sometimes senior guys want to wear something super casual so he "looks like himself." That is totally fine with me, as long parents are also ok with it.

• Try on any pants you plan to wear to make sure they are long enough. Guys today often do not wear pants or jeans often so they pull out a pair that's been in their drawer for two years, and realize - too late - that they are 2 inches too short.

Girls

Most girls want to wear two nice, pretty outfits. Some will do a casual outfit and one that's nicer. Whatever you would like is good! Just make sure your underwear does not show through, and that undergarments aren't making bumps and lines that are visible through clothing. 

Once in a while a girl will apply filters to the senior portraits she shares. Please do not do that. Since I am the permanent copyright holder of the images, clients are not allowed to edit them, which includes applying filters. 

If you just can't narrow your outfits down to four, you can add one for $250. With the extra outfit comes an additional 15 minutes and 15 images. Let me know prior to your photoshoot so we can adjust the starting time.

Yes! Especially in the city, for safety reasons. When the senior and I are both focused on photography, we cannot be very aware of our surroundings. An adult is required at any photoshoot in the city; and highly preferred in any park, too.

There's technically two types of things I do to the images from our photoshoot: retouching and editing.

Retouching is done to the person: removing acne, skin shine, redness, some flyaways, minimizing lint or wrinkles on clothing, whitening teeth, etc. Most of this will already be done to your proofs when you see them in the online gallery where you will choose your final images.

Editing is the application of the special recipe that makes my portraits mine. Adjustments in contrast, color, brightness, and highlights and shadow, are a few things that I edit. It's what makes Center Stage Senior portraits so pretty!

In addition to all of that, I also remove some distractions from the image. I sometimes get rid of people or cars. I have been known to remove electrical poles, street signs ... and always trash! Logos get removed, bra straps go - even some leaves and pebbles are not safe - if it catches my eye in a bad way, it's gone!

Because staying consistent is important to a photographer's brand, I don't change my editing style for seniors, even if they ask nicely. That would be like going to Garozzo's and asking them to make you enchiladas!

Also, if you are thinking of asking, "Do you have to edit? I like the proofs!" please don't. Unedited proofs are not a finished product, and I do not give them to clients. Now, no one has ever asked me this before, but I figure it will happen sooner or later. Trust me and remember why you chose me to begin with.

Your Silver shoot is between 30-45 minutes, depending on how much walking there is, or if we need to get in the car to move to different spots (like we do at Shawnee Mission Park). Halfway through, you will change your outfit.

It depends on many factors. If we are still a couple of months away from your photoshoot, do not worry! Contact me and we will find you a new date without any problem.

If we are within a month or less of your photoshoot, you can ask to reschedule, but it may be a month or so before we can get your shoot accomplished.

Kansas will be Kansas. We can't of course control the weather, we can just work with it. There may be times when the weather forces us to at least talk about rescheduling, such as 35 mph wind gusts, temperatures over 95 or under 45, and more. But generally, we go ahead and shoot if the weather is in line with the season, or if the longterm forecast tells us it will be that way for a while.