Pricing

Why a portrait in the mobile age?

These days, everyone has a mobile phone. In fact, we’re going to tell you a secret too. We often use it to take photos, especially at events and to illustrate blogs (because the quality is more than good enough for that purpose). We also sometimes use our smartphone to take professional photos (in RAW format). 

So there’s no question here of saying anything bad about it. Studio portraiture is much more demanding: it requires a studio, a professional camera, a computer (because we photograph in connected mode) and one (or more) studio flashes. Of course, it’s not the equipment that counts – it’s the result. And with professional photography, you enter another dimension. The quality of the grain, the balance of colours, the mastery of sharpness, the quality of the poses… it’s all this that guarantees the quality of the result. Of course, you can take photos with smartphones, just as you can cycle around town with a Vélib, but not for off-road trekking.

Points to watch for in professional portraits

You need to take great care with your professional portraits. So make sure you come with clean, pressed clothes. If necessary, have your hair done before the session. If you would like a portrait with several outfits, remember to take a suitcase with enough clothes to change into. We will allow you to change in a private area out of sight. Avoid striped or checked shirts. 

If you’re wearing a white shirt, make sure you wear it with a dark jacket. And vice versa. If you’re wearing make-up, avoid heavy make-up that tends to make the skin shiny and that can’t be corrected or retouched digitally (or else with collateral damage). We have powder and mattifying sheets that will help improve your appearance at the time of the shoot, but you can of course bring your own make-up materials. But be sure to avoid reflective ointments. They will create an area of light on your face that is unattractive and difficult to make up for.

Is a professional portrait expensive?

Our prices start from €70 (excl. VAT) and are degressive according to quantity, which is very affordable. These sliding scale prices mean you can have several portraits to use for different purposes (social media, website, photographs for the press, personal use, etc.).

I look terrible in photos, what can I do?

We often get people in our studio who don’t like photography. It’s almost always a perception that has nothing to do with reality. Our role is to help you gain confidence and forget about the lens. And to make you stand out as much as possible. We’re used to accompanying clients through this process, and everything goes very smoothly in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. 

You choose your photo, but we’ll also give you our advice on how to avoid certain shots in favour of others that are more advantageous for you. In all cases, you’ll be the one who chooses your photo, and you’ll be able to choose from a number of shots to select the one you like best. Avoid being too critical of yourself, and ask someone close to you for their opinion (many of our customers send their photo with their smartphone to ask someone close to them for their opinion, which is a good idea). We are often more critical of ourselves than the people around us.

Is retouching important? What do you think?

In general, to achieve a good result, you need good lighting, to prepare the person to be photographed, to choose a good pose and to go through a process that will enable us to select the best photo or photos together. If the work is well done, retouching will be minimal. In case you’ve shaved in the morning for the men, or you’ve got an unsightly pimple that’s interfered with a photo shoot, don’t worry. 

We can remove it. But we don’t recommend excessive retouching that ends up making the photo look artificial, such as smoothing out the skin or blurring the photo to avoid wrinkles. There’s nothing worse than someone who doesn’t accept their age and tries to pretend they’re someone else. The impact of this kind of photo is generally the opposite of what is intended. For minor touch-ups (correcting pimples, whitening teeth a little…), it’s perfectly possible and very quick. 

Can I take a portrait with my smartphone?

All camera formats, even lomos and other pinhole cameras, are interesting. But just as you wouldn’t do the Tour de France with a tricycle, we don’t advise you to take a professional photo with a smartphone. That’s not to say anything bad about smartphones, which we use under the right conditions and in the right situations, as mentioned above.

Why can a poor-quality portrait do you harm?

A poor-quality portrait gives a bad image of you. It doesn’t present you as a credible professional. It makes you look amateurish and uninviting. Some of the most common mistakes in amateur photos are untidy backgrounds, with people walking behind, images taken at a wedding with party paraphernalia in the background or haphazard cropping. 

Or backgrounds that aren’t blurred enough and distract attention, such as wallpaper. It’s best to avoid all this, which is why a studio photo session is particularly suitable for professional use.

I often give interviews, so what do I need?

Photos for the press and for blogs generally require portrait photos in landscape mode. Even though the term ‘portrait’ is more often used, and abused, for a professional photo, landscape mode is ultimately the most suitable portrait format for the press and online media. 

Having run media websites for 30 years, we can assure you that receiving a photo framed in portrait format to put in a newspaper or article is a headache, because it forces you to systematically rework the photo and tinker with generative artificial intelligence. We therefore advise you, if possible, to opt for a combination of portrait and landscape photos, which will allow you to choose the right format for the right medium, depending on the circumstances.

I had photos taken of myself 10 years ago, is that enough?

Of course, anything’s possible, even digitising your 2005 graduation photos! But it will be less credible for a professional. Many professionals tend to lie about their age and pretend they’re still 20 when they’re actually 40. But this is a very bad idea. It’s better to assume your age and take an attractive photo that reflects who you are, and to change it often enough to avoid any surprise effect between the moment people see your photo and the moment they actually see it. 

At Visionary Marketing (Antimuseum is our brand name for photography), we believe in authenticity, which is why we recommend that you have your photos retaken from time to time.

I looked better in photos when I was 25, can you make me look younger?

As we said earlier, it is possible to manipulate digital photo editing tools, but we advise against it, even if technically it is possible. It’s best to avoid looking like anyone other than yourself. Anyone who has recently seen a photo of Catherine Deneuve and her in real life is bound to have had a shock. We don’t see why you should be any different.

I cut myself shaving this morning or I’ve got a pimple… what can I do?

It’s not a problem, it’s a small touch-up that can be done quickly and completely transparently. So you can come along anyway, and the photo will look just fine.

Can I put a coloured background behind my LinkedIn photo?

We offer natural coloured backgrounds in light or dark grey, white and black by default. But it’s perfectly possible to do a clipping to insert an artificial coloured background behind your social media photo. In fact, we do this from time to time to attract attention (even if the black background is much prettier). We can also do this work for you, so you don’t have to worry about clipping if you don’t have the right tools or training.

I’d like to crop the photo, but I’m not a professional. What can I do? 

We’ll guide you through the process and provide you with a personal secure space on Flickr so you can download all the formats at the click of a mouse. And presto! No need to learn Photoshop, it’s automatic and the quality is maximum, with minimal photo weight. 

I’m a musician and I’d like that to be visible on my photo. How do I go about it?

If that’s the case, bring your music equipment! We’ve already taken this type of photo for clients. What’s more, it’s a good idea to bring an accessory that represents your profession – it’s more meaningful and more fun.

Does a photo shoot take an awfully long time?

Not at all, a photo session takes an average of 20 to 30 minutes. For some people, it goes even faster. Don’t worry, we’re used to accompanying customers through this process, it’s very relaxed and fun, often punctuated with humour, it’s a good time to spend together, everything’s going to be fine.

In the age of social media, is a photo important?

We’ve been social media professionals for over 20 years and we can tell you that photos matter more than ever. Especially with LinkedIn or Instagram and Pinterest. Did you know, for example, that 90% of the working population in France is present on LinkedIn? It’s the biggest CV database in the world. You can’t afford to put a photo there that gives a bad impression of you. A professional photo will show you at your best.