Frequently Asked Questions

+ How should I prepare for my photo shoot?

DO:

• Drink lots of water.
• Get enough sleep.
• Eat some protein before you arrive for your shoot.
• Get a trim/touch up your roots.

DON'T:

• Crash diet. Please don't do this- you are already good enough as you are. It all comes down to correct posing, and I've got you covered on that one.
• Make any big changes to your appearances (i.e., no fake tan, new hair do or hair colour, and definitely don't try a new hair stylist right before your shoot).

+ How much does a photo shoot cost?

For first time clients, there is a $250 + GST deposit that's required to hold the day and time of your photo shoot (this amount will also be creditd towards the purchase of any photos). What you spend on photos is totally up to you. Individual headshots start at $375 + GST, headshot packages begin at $900 + GST and on average, people spend about $2000 + GST, but there's no minimum spend required.

+ What are your opening hours?

Monday to Saturday, 9am - 5pm.

+ I'm interested in booking a photo shoot but not quite ready to commit. Can I get more information first?

Absolutely! Please feel fere to complete the form on the contact page and you'll receive a welcome guide within 24 hours that provides an overview of the photo shoot experience.

+ Why do all clients receive a complimentary wardrobe styling session before their photo shoot?

The more preparation that goes into your photo shoot beforehand, the more successful it’s going to be. The wardrobe styling session helps ensure that you look fabulous on your big day. And for glamour sessions, in addition to your own outfits, there’s also lots of dresses in the studio wardrobe to choose from too! And don’t forget to bring your favorite accessories to try on as well…

+ How many outfits can I bring to my photo shoot?

As many as you want! There's no limit on the number of outfits you can bring and because there's a policy of one client per day it's not a problem if your shoot runs a little over time. The most important thing is that you get photographed in every outfit you want to get photographed in.

+ Is there visitor parking available?

You betcha! The studio is located in East Vancouver and there's lots of off-street parking available with no time limit. Please note: parking on the street in front of the building is 1 hour max.

+ What genres of photography do you shoot?

Portrait and headshot photography is my jam and I photograph just about any portrait category except for weddings. Women and men alike come in for headshots to update their profile photos for social media and LinkedIn as well as for branding imagery for their businesses. Women also come in for boudoir (including fine art nudes), and glamour photo sessions. I also get the occasional request from a client to do family and maternity portraiture. The most requested portrait genres tend to be glamour/boudoir sessions for women as well as headshots for both women and men (including corporate, actor and personal branding headshots). I also provide portraits for couples, dancers, and seniors graduating from high school (though these categories tend to be less requested than glamour and headshot sessions).

+ Do I have to commit to a specific photography package before my photo shoot?

No way, José! You pick the portraits you love and want to take home with you only after you’ve gotten a chance to see the final edited product at your photo reveal appointment (about 10 days following your photo shoot). You’ll look at about 25-30 edited portraits total from your photo shoot that have been carefully selected and hand edited in-house and then it’s up to you to decide which portraits you want to purchase in a pressure-free environment.

Clients are almost always in a state of SHOCK AND AWE by how many photos they cannot live without from their session. They think they are going to be the one client that just doesn't get good portraits...and they're always happily proved wrong.

Packages are thoughtfully built based on clients' most frequent purchases as well as high demand and limited availability. There is an incredible selection of additional products that you may upgrade to or purchase separately at your photo reveal appointment.

+ Do you shoot erotic photography?

Clients have come in for many boudoir, implied nude, and fine art nude sessions. However, ‘erotic photography’ is not offered. While it’s not uncommon for a client to come in for their first photo shoot for something like headshots, have an awesome experience and want to book another photo shoot that is either a boudoir or fine art nude session, these genres are more about celebrating the beauty, strength, perfections, and imperfections of the human form more than anything else. So while clients are welcome to book a boudoir, implied nude, or fine art nude session, 'erotic' photo shoot sessions are not available.

+ Do you edit the photos before I see them? Can I see all of the photos from my session unedited?

All headshots and portraits are edited in-house before they're revealed to you. Why? Because a portrait is only half finished if it's not professionally edited. Headshots snd portraits produced at Laura Shortt Photography are similar in quality to what you'd see in a fashion magazine and as such it's a policy that only finished, edited photos are shown.