“It’s not every day you go for a portrait… so make it count. Going to the cinema, out for a meal… even going on holiday… once they’re done… they’re done. Your portrait will give you something that will last for many years”
Thank you for choosing GWS to take your portraits. We know you will have an amazing time at the studio and you’ll love what we do for you.
Everyone always has lots of questions about their photo shoot, so we’ve gathered together all the common queries and put them all together here for you. Please take a few minutes to go over everything here, as it will help you get the most from your portrait session.
First of all, should you have any queries at anytime, call Allison on 07930 166715 and she’ll help you out straight away.
Where is the studio, and where do we park ?
The studio is at Wheatrig Business Hub, between Haddington and Longniddry. The postcode is EH32 0PL – ** CLICK HERE for Google Maps Co-ordinates, which might just stop at the botom of the farm track. Look out for the big “Wheatrig” sign and that’s us at the top of the hill.
Drive up and park right at our door beside the bike racks.
FAQ’s
How long is the photo shoot?
Our average session lasts 60-90 minutes. We never rush you and like to chat over a coffee while everyone gets used to our studio.
Try to arrive 10 minutes early so we can settle you in comfortably. There may be clients in straight after you, so we don’t want your shoot being cut short if you run late.
What should we wear when we arrive ? How many outfits should we bring ?
To save time – most clients come more or less ready to have photos taken. A nice casual outfit to start with. Bring one or two outfit changes if you like, we may not use them all, but it’s nice to have options.
Make sure no-one is wearing their tightest, shortest or revealing outfits – as there will be sitting, standing and various angle shots taken.
Younger females (12-20) can be used to wearing crop tops etc, but these don’t suit most portrait styles. Loose comfortable clothing is always best, with natural, mutes tones.
For the men, no shorts. Shorts are ok (ish) for kids but not adults.
Is there any outfit options we should avoid ?
Avoid loud patterns and logos. Bold stripes, logos etc can be very distracting.
Families should all wear a similar colour – you don’t want one person in yellow , while everyone else is in grey kind of situation !
Other things to check…
Make sure any kids attending have been washed up properly – and don’t have things like temporary tattoos and the likes, and they’ve not just came from the park, covered in mud.
Those things do actually happen 🙂
Can we bring our dog ?
Yes – so long as they are house trained and well behaved. We are a very dog (and cat) friendly studio – in fact have won many awards for our pet photography, but as part of a family shoot, the pets have to be able to sit out the way and behaved for around 75% of the time
** What happens after the shoot – When do we see & choose our portraits ?
You’ll be invited back to our amazing studio around 7-10 days after the shoot and have a big screen slideshow and design consultation. We only do the big screen appointments on Fridays and Saturdays – usually from 10am to 7pm. They take on average 45 minutes and you’ll get looked after again with teas and coffees.
That’s when you choose the photos you love and want to have, we have LOTS of samples on display, frames, prints, digital options and our beautiful books that give you something to have and hold and give to the kids in years to come for them to show THEIR kids.
We don’t keep any non purchased photos beyond this appointment, but we’ll give you lots of information after the shoot about product options & prices. None of that matters until you see your photos and also the range of ways you can choose to have your photos at home.
For this reason, make sure any descision makers in the family can attend – and feel free to bring any family members too. It really is quite a beautiful way to see your finished photos for the first time.
You will love this as much as the shoot !
What about packages and product options ?
At GWS we do all the same options every other studio offers – but we also have made a great name by offering the best home display options in the country. Our studio rooms are full of sample products for you to see and plan to have on display at home. These amazing photos shouldn’t just live on your phone but at home to brighten up your lives.
Even our digital product is the best in the country, and just wait until you see the wooden Treasure Box, our frame options and our amazing “Wall Wow – metal photo panels”.
But you don’t need to worry about any of that just now – we’ll explain all that as you go on this journey with us.
We don’t have a “price list” as the number of product and package options is immense with everything being customizable. After your shoot we will show you some of the most popular options our clients choose.
Our average client spends £395 to £2000 – and it’s our job during this appointment to work with you to make sure you do take home the perfect choice for you.
What do you need to tell us ?
It’s quite important we know in advance everyone’s age, name and relationship to each other.
Whether it’s a big family shoot, or just the dog in for a portrait – the more we know in advance the better as we can plan the layouts, lighting and inside/outside locations to suit.
Tell us of any health issues or concerns, any allergies etc so we can make sure you all feel as safe and comfortable as possible.
We will send a Portrait Info form before you are due to come in for you to tell us all this information, so when this pops in your email, please fill it in and email back as soon as you can.
And please feel free to pop by anytime to have a pre-shoot visit/chat. So long as we’re in and not in mid-shoot we’ll be very welcoming to you. If you think you might do this – just text us on 07930 166715 and we’ll tell you what time we’ll next be free at. This pre-shoot meet up can be great at allowing younger children to get used to what the studio looks like – so we actively encourage a look-in if you can.
Choose your outfits well 🙂
What’s the most popular packages & products ?
We have a massive collection of goodies in the studio to show you.
No matter what voucher or package you have booked in on… or what promotion… we’ll give you the same product info as everyone else so you can see exactly what we have to offer.
Some of our sets and packs come with digital files too. Our 3 most popular packages come with a mixture of prints, digitals and a phone App that you can share with all the family.
Imagine having your family or kids or even dog, in an amazing frame – hanging on your wall for years to come. Something that makes you smile every single day.
What if I need to reschedule or cancel ?
It happens, things change, cars and washing machines break down, or someone trips and gets a black eye…. if you need to reschedule for any reason, just get in touch with Allison asap on 07930 166715 and we will do our best to accommodate you. But please bear in mind, our diary is usually full 1-3 weeks ahead, with weekends filling up sometimes 2-3 months ahead !
If you need to cancel all together, we will need 14 days notice or you may loose any deposit paid.
Your Perfect Family Photo.
What would it be ? Can you imagine how you think your perfect family picture would look ?
Try to do that and explain it to us when we meet. You should let us try to recreate for you what you see as the perfect family photo.
Is it colour or black and white ?
Is the dog with you, is gran with you ?
We’ll ask you some questions when you arrive and we’re making you a coffee to see if we can help create that perfect memory for you.