How Long has Alisa Murray been a professional portrait artist?
The studio was established in 1998.
Do you offer a DVD?
Yes, our studio was one of the first in our area to offer a way to enjoy our work in this medium. We find that many clients utilize the slideshow format of a DVD to showcase a first year of life during family gatherings and in particular during the child's first birthday party.
What is included in the sitting fee?
The sitting fee covers a two part process. Firstly the time in the studio, access to all of our props and sets, creative time with the artist and secondly, a full presentation with a consultation from an art consultant and assistance selecting all images to be displayed in your home.
Do you offer digital files or negatives?
We work with a professional digital camera, making the switch in 2002 when it became obvious that pro digital images could be created in a high enough resolution to be comparable to film. Additionally, Alisa loves to shoot until she gets the shot and making several hundred images digitally from a specific time in a baby or child's life is affordable, easy to preview quickly and made the most sense to her studio concept. The benefits of time are also so important in that each client previews and selects their images for that session on the same day as the sitting has taken place.
Do you offer on location?
Under normal circumstances Alisa shoots in the Houston studio exclusively. There are clients across the US that fly her to both coasts to shoot and in those occasions Alisa has established a "home" studio. The reasons for this are varied but are primarily based on lighting and prop transport. Alisa's studio is specifically designed for babies and children with temperature control and lighting that can only be established consistently having derived from the same place, session after session. Time is also a factor as Alisa is in demand six days a week and booked well in advance. To set up travel times and be out of the studio effectively cuts a day work with three clients down to just one. For special circumstances such as a Galveston shoot, alisa is booked on location for the specific purpose of getting that particular environment as a background. In addition, Alisa offers a Labor and Delivery package that takes place in hospital on scheduled inductions and a fee of being "on call" applies.
What are your packages?
We have found that if you make a portrait package it is never exactly what each client needs. We offer Add on Gift Packs that allow you to get multiples of an already retouched image at a discounted price. We also offer sitting packages and special offers for different times of a clients life. The First Year of Life, preferred family plan and off to college collections are great examples of such services.
How long does it take to get my portraits?
A typical return time for a session is anywhere from 2-5 weeks. Portraits that are canvas, metallic, gallery, and or also framed tend to take a little longer.
How long do you keep my files?
Up until 2008 Alisa has kept everything. Effective January 2008 the studio will hold for 90 days all files from that session. After this time period, Alisa will choose her favorites and send them along with all the images selected by the client for archival preservation. Anything that is not selected either by the client or by the artist will no longer be kept.
Our clients build archives for several reasons. One is we plan early in the portrait legacy process to make coffee table books of years worth of images that have not been made into prints for display on our clients walls. Secondly, we want to make sure that we can reprint anything our clients might need due to unforeseen events such as divorce, fire, flood and hurricanes. Archiving images takes up a tremendous amount of space and the studio has decided that he images saved should be those the client has chosen, as well as any images the artist just loves for future purposes.
Do you do hair and make-up?
We do not offer these services because we want you to look like you in your portraits. Often when you have a different person handle make up application the results, although many times beautiful, are not the typical look that you have . The same reasons are applicable with regards to hair. It is best for you to apply make-up and hair as you would normally and the portraits will then reflect who you are and what you look like. In addition, Alisa does not recommend that you have your hair colored, cut or permed the week of your scheduled session. Hair will look as if it has just been processed and will look more natural and best if at least a week has passed before your sitting.
Do you photograph pets?
Yes. We love animals and understand that a family's pet is an additional member of the family. The studio welcomes pets at any time, however each year the children know there are special pet days during times when school is out and the weather is perfect for them to take additional portraits with their furry friends! When scheduling a session that we know will include a family pet we always strive to prepare for the extra excitement that a pet will feel traveling and being placed into a new environment. Extra time must be allowed for each pet to acclimate so that the portraits reflect the relationship of the pet with other family members and the pet is not too distracted.
Do I need to bring my own clothes?
Yes, and no. Alisa has collected many different sizes and styles of clothing that offer up lovely portraits options for all ages of children.
However, she recommends that you bring several choices as well of clothes that are special and or have great potential for matching the color schemes of your home. Each session requires specific props that ensure the very best portrait options for that particular age. Once you are booked a complete list of necessary items will be included in your Client Care pack that explains what is important to bring based on the age and session type planned.
How young do people bring their newborns in for their first session?
Clients through the years have brought babies into the studio as early as straight from the hospital and it is recommended as soon as the umbilical cord drops at the very latest. Newborns change so quickly and they start looking like babies within weeks of birth that to capture the true "newborn" look as soon as possible is the rule of thumb.
Are your portraits archival quality?
Yes. All Alisa Murray portraits are printed at a traditional lab, on the highest quality papers available in the photographic industry. Depending on the specific types of portraits created the types of papers are discussed and selected. We offer museum quality, black and white fiber, traditional archival and canvas gallery wraps. There is nothing less that the most highest quality offered to our clientele by the way of papers for our heirloom portraits.
What if the baby is fussy?
Alisa is very aware of the importance of creating only the very best in her work. The dynamics of each shoot is critical to the success of it and Alisa has been known to stop a shoot if the timing is not "in tune with" the babies. Great care is taken to schedule when we know is best for each individual and rescheduling , especially with babies and children, is part of the ebb and flow of the daily session schedules. Because we do set sessions in advance for every client, unforeseen things do happen, such as rashes and colds and just plain bad days! When these events do happen, each client is rescheduled to the next available session at no additional charge.
What does a Wall Portrait studio mean?
Alisa Murray is an artist and the studio has maintained that while we do offer smaller prints the obvious reason to choose Alisa is to have the finished portrait on the wall. This being said, our clients understand that every session will create a beautiful portrait to be enjoyed on their walls. We require that a minimum of an 11x14 finished print be selected from every session. We have found through years of servicing our clients that often an 11x14 is too small! In addition, because of the way Alisa shoots with anywhere from 100-400 images from every session that selecting how many to hang is more of the decision. We offer prints as small as a tiny charm and as large a 30x40, so selecting is very much an individual preference. Because all Alisa portraits are retouched it is imperative that to fully enjoy the artistry an 11x14 is selected.
How many people can be included in a session?
Our clientele is welcome and encouraged to bring any and all family members to their sessions. As a general rule, taking along a black shirt for anyone desiring to perhaps participate is a good idea. Grandparents, step children and siblings are always welcome and many a wonderful art piece has been created through years of capturing the various relationships within the client family.
Do you offer online ordering?
No. After many years of working with our clientele this process of selection has proved to be very frustrating and difficult both for the studio and our client. We offer a white glove service and to dump un-retouched prints for our clients to have to sift through is not becoming of what we do and the services we offer. Distinctively differing from other studios we offer on the clients session day a full presentation, a consult with an art consultant and a full meeting to select the very best options for creating the lasting portraits that we have come to be known for in our industry. Our clients enjoy the experience of Alisa's work both in their studio session as well as the personal touch of having her guide them in selecting the very best for their investment. What's more each client sees and is able to communicate all specifics related to the final image. Every image that carries the Alisa signature goes through a 4-stage check in house and is retouched completely before being sent to a traditional lab. Special effects and other post production finishes are discussed at the post-shoot presentation and are critical in client and artist satisfaction.
An overview of what our clients enjoy in their post-session presentation is :
Opportunity to visit with Alisa and go over her artistic vision and the potential of what each particular image can offer to them artistically for their home
Full range of papers, finishes and special post production effects
Projection of each image on an 80 inch screen
Comparison of images side by side
Cropping options, desaturation options ( B/W and Sepia)
Selection of retouching from minor to full service at no additional charge*
A full service and efficient session that ensure optimum client satisfaction
Finished heirloom portraits complete within 2-5 weeks from session date
How do you accept payment for the sittings and portraiture?
The sitting schedule is set for each client and booked for the year at the initial portrait session. The First Year of Life is a package of five sittings and is offered at an exclusive rate of $150 per session. This is the most economical and although many of our clients are no longer in their First Year, is still a favorite amongst our clients. The sittings are scheduled at the most convent times for our clientele and for those that opt for this service they understand how difficult it is to get into the schedule especially on a Saturday in the morning! Alisa is usually booked solidly each week and has appointments scheduled into the following calendar year. The securing of the best times for each client is a top priority once the decision is made to make Alisa their family's portrait artist. The second level of sitting sessions are booked at the time of the initial appointment and are based on a two per year schedule. These sessions are $200 each. We find that clients that have older children, being in the teen years or away at school, this option works well for them. Session fees are not-refundable. The special rates we offer our clients preschedule Alisa's time and talent for months in advance. Often we turn away potential new clients because there are no available appointments, the ability to offer sitting schedules and charge special prices is a courtesy to our loyal clients and we will be glad to reschedule any scheduled sitting for a more convenient time. We accept American Express, Discover, Master-card, Visa, cash and personal checks. In order to receive the special rates for the sessions all clients must prebook and prepay for them at their initial session.
At every session, after the post-session presentation and each image has been discussed and selected payment is due. The minimum of an 11x14 is required and the opportunity to add on smaller prints of the same image at an exclusive rate applies. We offer exclusively retouched prints. We mount our 11x14 and larger prints to acid free archival matt board and 8x10 and smaller are offered as gifting prints unmounted. Occasionally there are specials and gifts with purchase that are applicable. For our clients who take advantage of our referral program, Signature A Club or hold gift certificates other offers may also apply. After all sessions we accept payment via American Express, Discover, Master-card, Visa cash and personal checks. Payment is due in full and because our work is all custom and designed exclusively for each client there are no refunds. We guarantee client satisfaction and if a selected portrait is not the most beautiful investment we will happily reselect with you another image, continue to work on the selected image, or credit your portrait account for use at your next scheduled sitting.
When should I schedule?
Once you decide to commission Alisa to be your family's portrait artist, the timing of schedules are based on your individual needs. For all new prenatal clientele, we recommend you schedule your first session between 28 and 34 weeks. The studio maintains a busy schedule weekly and Alisa is in high demand, bookings are preset and some months are booked almost entirely at any given time. It is important for prenatal clients to secure a time as soon as possible and we recommend on the earlier side of an upcoming delivery, in particular if the client has had any problems during pregnancy and if there is a greater risk of early delivery or bed resting required.
Newborns are either preset at the prenatal session, or booked in advance of the delivery with a time gauge of 14 days past the delivery date of the mother to be. Newborns whom have already arrived are scheduled immediately, especially if the cord has dropped. Our First Year of Life clientele are scheduled at intervals of 3-months, 6-months,9-months, and one year or set at options that best meet each clients needs and interests. Children who are one year or older are scheduled based on their napping schedules, schools schedules and during months of special holidays and beautiful weather set well into the calendar year. We find a Spring and a Fall/holiday are often what our clients schedule between the ages of 2 through 5. Once the teeth drop and the changes associated with the early years subside, our clients schedule annually, enjoying a exclusive rate for loyalty to Alisa through the babyhood and toddler years. It is our goal to offer our clients the best times possible to capture the essence of every child. Because Alisa is only one artist, and there are only so many sessions available each year we recommend scheduling as soon as possible.