What actually happens during a studio portrait session? Clients who are a little nervous about the experience often ask me that very question. They usually add, in their own words, that they “hate how they look in photos.” My whole job is to put clients at ease, and my goal by the end of the session is for everyone who has come through the studio to feel genuinely comfortable with their own image.
A Photo Studio Visit in Comic-Strip Form
A professional portrait does require a little advance preparation, none too complicated, though. Even so, many people turn up to a session with no real idea of what to expect. Will they be asked to pose stiffly? Will the photographer be rushed, or make them feel under pressure (I hear that one a lot)? How quickly will the photos arrive?
To answer those questions, I created this comic strip, made with artificial intelligence. Across ten panels, and with no attempt at background accuracy, it follows the typical journey of a client from the moment she realises her profile picture belongs to a previous era to the moment her colleagues start commenting on her new look.
Every step is real: online booking on antimuseum, choosing a date online, picking an outfit, arriving at the studio at 59 rue Desnouettes in the 15th, a coffee to settle the nerves, and above all that pivotal moment when you finally see yourself in the viewfinder and think “I came out really well in those shots!”
A Photo Studio Visit in Comic-Strip Form
This comic strip was made with ChatGPT, working from a detailed script I wrote panel by panel. The settings do not always match the studio as it actually looks, but that was never the point. What matters is the human dynamic of the session, not a faithful reproduction of the décor.
My aim with Studio Desnouettes is to work with professionals who need an image that genuinely reflects who they are and matches the credibility they have built. Directors, communications managers, consultants, executives in career transition: everyone deserves a portrait that tells a story, not a high-resolution passport photo. The comic strip also illustrates a point I make in my article on the 8 critical factors of a successful professional portrait: confidence builds gradually during a session. It cannot be switched on.
The Comic Strip
Panel 1 — The Wake-Up Call
Beatrice stares at her screen. Her LinkedIn photo is several years old, the lighting is poor, the expression frozen, the image blurry. Her career has moved on considerably, but her profile picture has not budged. That day, she decides enough is enough. She needs a new portrait, and soon.
Panel 2 — The Booking
No point putting it off. A few clicks on vismktg.info/photo and Beatrice has found the studio, looked through the packages and booked her session for the following week. Straightforward, quick, no phone call required. She closes her laptop with the satisfying feeling of having taken the first step.
Panel 3 — The Preparation
The session is coming up. Beatrice rereads the advice sent after booking: avoid checks and stripes, go for plain colours, think about accessories that reflect your work. She takes out her well-pressed blue blouse. Nothing complicated, but these small details make all the difference in a photograph.
Panel 4 — Arrival
59 rue Desnouettes, Paris 15th, a short walk from Porte de Versailles station. Beatrice finds the address without any trouble. The neighbourhood is quiet, the building unassuming. She rings the intercom, the door opens. She steps inside, her professional prop in hand (a tablet, in this case).
Panel 5 — Building Trust
Coffee or tea? The photographer welcomes Beatrice without making a dash for the camera. They chat for a few minutes. She admits to being a little nervous, “which is silly.” Not at all, he says, it is perfectly normal. In a few minutes, he promises, she will feel completely at ease. This smalltalk period is not time wasted; it is part of the session. It is also a chance to talk about what we each do, and to understand exactly what the photo will be used for.
Panel 6 — Discovering the Studio
Beatrice had been expecting a tripod in a cupboard. What she finds is a properly equipped space, with backdrops, lighting and professional studio flash. The photographer gives her a quick rundown of how the session will go, where to stand, how to breathe. Things start moving gently. The nerves drop a notch.
Panel 7 — The Moment
It is often a split second. A spontaneous smile, a natural posture, a look that says something. The photographer catches it at precisely the right moment. Beatrice does not realise it at the time, but that shot will be the one. The one that really looks like her, the one she will feel comfortable putting in front of the world.
Panel 8 — The Reveal
A few minutes later, the photos scroll across the screen. Beatrice leans towards the monitor and, to her surprise: “Oh… that really is me, isn’t it!” Her, in the best possible sense. Almost every client goes through that moment of recognition. It is what makes this work worthwhile. Retouching happens during the session, but first and foremost, the shot itself needs to be good. You cannot retouch a bad photo into a good one.
Panels 9 & 10 — The Impact and Word of Mouth
Back at the office, Beatrice uploads her new photo. Within a week, 47 people have viewed her LinkedIn profile. She has not changed a single thing. A good photo does not replace substance, but it opens doors that the old one had quietly been keeping shut. A colleague stops her: “Saw your new LinkedIn photo, you look incredibly professional. Where was it shot?” Beatrice hands over the studio card. Visionary Photo Studio, 59 rue Desnouettes, Paris 15th. vismktg.info/photo. The best marketing there is will always be a happy client telling someone else.
A Few Final Thoughts on the Studio Portrait Session
What this comic strip does not show is everything that happens behind the scenes: image processing, selection, and the light retouching that brings out the best in the real person without transforming them beyond recognition. But it does convey what matters: a session at Studio Desnouettes is roughly an hour, a relaxed atmosphere, a genuine conversation, and real, tangible results.
Beatrice, the character in this story, is fictional. But the situations are drawn from real sessions. The initial nerves. The surprise in front of the screen. The 47 profile views the following week.
If you recognise yourself in the early panels, that is probably a sign it is time to do something about it. Booking takes two minutes at vismktg.info/photo. We take care of the rest together.
Visionary Photo Studio – 59 rue Desnouettes, 75015 Paris Metro line 12 – Porte de Versailles
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