Thursday, December 15, 2011

Senior Photos at Target Portrait Studios

For those of you who have never been to a professional photography studio such as Target before, but are planning to have your senior portraits done, I have prepared a list of tips that will help you get the best photos. I’m going to explain you everything about different backgrounds and scenes and help you don’t make the same mistakes that I have seen a lot of other people make when getting their senior portraits created.

So, let’s get started!

The question I hear a lot is: “The very though of being photographed makes me all edgy and nervous; will that show in my photos?” As a matter of fact, nervousness can and probably will show in the photographs. So, relax, think of a funny joke and think whatever makes you happy.

I have heard from friends that the digital cam adds weight and will make you look fat; is that really true? It’s a common misperception that the digital cam is going to add twenty pounds to your photos. Luckily, that is not true! It is actually kind of a combination of having the right clothing on, lighting & posing.  

Can type of clothing I wear during my photo shot make a difference in the way I will look in my portraits? One of the biggest mistakes I see seniors make with their photos is wearing the wrong clothes. You should know that the way clothing looks on a moving person is completely different from the way it looks in a still photo. So, wear clothes that complement your hair, eyes and skin colors, because you want your face to be the center of attention and not some silly logo or pattern. One of the biggest things to avoid is horizontal stripes, because is going to force your eye to go across your clothing and it’s going to appear you even wider than you really are. If you don’t like the way your arms look in the photographs avoid spaghetti straps, tank tops and sleeveless tops. You should stick to three-quarter sleeves or long sleeves.

Can I bring clothes and/or personal items that have a really special meaning to me, and use them in my portraits? A lot of teenagers are into basketball, cars, fashion, dance and all kinds of other cool things. And that is exactly the thing that is going to make your photos unique. For example, you can bring your dance outfit or a smaller piece of your camping gear (just don’t bring the whole tent). That is going to make your photos much more personal.

Another question I hear a lot is: “I have seen many photos where people look ‘fake’ and I’m worried that I won’t look natural in my photos; will you help me look my best?” The truth is that a lot of teenagers have problems with posing. Check out poses from fashion magazines and make sure practice them in front of a mirror until you feel comfortable & relaxed and know how beautiful you really look doing these poses. Also, keep in mind that your photographer will help you too.

Do I have to use the same backgrounds for all of my photos, or do I have choices? Teenagers want a bit of variety in their photographs and that is okay. Target Portrait Studios offer a really wide range of beautiful background options which you can choose from. 

Friday, December 2, 2011

Target Portraits – Best Studio Shots


Need a portrait for someone special, business card or some special purpose? Target has the answer! All Target portrait experts are able to capture the very essence of a person through the digital cam lens.

Want to try some other portrait studio? Finding the best, reasonably priced portrait studio isn’t always a simple task. So, what one has to know?

Usually, what one ends up with is a photo you would rather not see anywhere, least of all on an Internet page or hanging above someone’s mantel. One can think a fancy photographer with a high price tag will bring out the inner starlet in any woman. Unfortunately, that is not true. However, it is true that one can get the best photo without paying out a small fortune.

Simple yet Effective Guidelines to Find the Very Best Portrait Studio for the Money

Prior to making an appointment, one should ask to interview the portrait expert who will be taking the shots. Most importantly, never settle for generic portraits which line the studio walls. Ask for examples of several settings as well as poses. Look for creativity and originality. In case every single man or woman has the very same facial expression, one knows that particular “professional” has no ability what so ever to bring out the person’s individuality. The photographer behind the camera must be passionate as well as pleasant enough in order to bring out the best in anyone.

One has to ensure he or she isn’t charged a sitting fee. This way, in case one isn’t exactly happy with the portraits he or she can leave and will not owe a dime. Do not be afraid to negotiate with the portrait studio! Needless to say, this will not be possible close to Thanksgiving’s Day or Halloween. On the other hand during an off-time of the year, one should at least be able to wrangle a complimentary sitting and perhaps a free 8 by 10 or possibly a package upgrade. In Target Portrait Studios, there is no sitting fee.

Ask some friends who took their photos. In case one notices someone who snapped a nice photo, find out where he or she had it done, and simply go to that place. However, it is important to keep in mind that each expert within a studio is different. Therefore, do not simply ask for anyone who is available at the moment. One has to be able to ask for someone specific.

Choose a studio which employs a makeup expert as well. In case one does not know mascara from an eye shadow, one will need a lot of help in that area. Some studios will have a person who will do the makeup, fix the hair, and perhaps supply an outfit before one steps foot in front of the lens. The prices are usually the same as a standard studio and usually it is possible to find coupons on the Internet.

Last but not least, depending on what occasion one needs the photo for one will be able to find an amateur to snap a photo of you free of charge. Cams are getting better and better each day. However, bear on mind, you always get what you pay for. So, if you want true magic, go to Target Portrait Studios.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Newborn Photo Shoot at Target Portrait Studio


In basically any Target Portrait Studio one of the most common demographics that their photo experts are expected to serve are young mothers and fathers looking to get best photographs of their newborn babies.

Outside of a pro studio, it is also hard to get the level of quality a parent expects when dealing with little rascals. Therefore, several basic tips are in order.

Comfort Level and Disposition of the Newborns

The very first thing to think about before potential booking for newborn babies is the comfort of the little rascal. Moms and dads shall be well advised to make sure that the kid is well fed before the actual session and that they have gone to the restroom and have a diaper change as well. This has to be done as close to the scheduled time of the portrait session in order to make sure that the kid isn’t nervous or distressed.

Posing and Pose Ideas for Newborns

Probably the best poses to think about while taking photos of infants and newborn babies stem from two basic pose catalogues. One is pure classic and focused completely on the baby where the other, much more contemporary solution including moms and dads.

Just for instance, a beautiful classical photo of a newborn is usually obtained by placing the little one on the belly – generally a comfy pose. Best of all, as you already know kids of this age like to ‘push up’ – this will lead to a good exposure with the kid supporting themselves, propped up with their small arms, with a neutral expression. As a lot of young moms and dads look for a smile or even a laughter shot, these are usually quite hard to draw from a newborn and are real diamonds – a fascinated or neutral expression is just as nice, if not even more so in a lot of cases.

A much more contemporary pose can be the kid being supported by the arms of their mom or dad, either cradled in the crook of an arm or lying prone and asleep. In a lot of situations, this particular photo can be taken on a matte black as well as flat background in order to isolate the subjects and enrich the emotion of the whole exposure.

A newborn baby held gently along the length of the parent’s arm, and resting beautifully in the palm and hand is a very artistic pose as well. In case the cropping is done perfectly, this photo can impress for many decades to come.

Props for Shooting Newborns and Infants

As usually inadequate for newborns, toddlers and older infants will benefit from the addition of creative props as well as backgrounds for several interesting exposures during the photo shoot. For an interesting and one of a kind photo, an animal print in conjunction with a similar animal accessory placed near the infant can be used. Colorful flowers, angel wings as well as knitted cocoons are great props for infant portraits as well.

Post Production at Target Portrait Studio

Sophisticated digital photography has progressed a lot in the past decade and so has the post production process on portraits. In Target Portrait Studios the option is now available for moms and dads to bring photos into a stand-in scene, maybe placing the kid's cure face in the center of a magnolia in a stunning garden. Last but not least, as if these options were not enough, Target Portrait Studios offer photos printed onto a wide variety of paraphernalia, ranging from mouse pads to pillows to blankets and refrigerator magnets.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Fun Portrait Session on a Budget at Target Studio


Trust me, I’m talking from my personal experience - portrait photographs do not have to be costly, especially when dealing with a limited budget, in Target Portrait Studio. Photographing everyday kid’s toys is fun both for little ones and moms and dads.

Probably the most enjoyable as well as best aspect of portraits is the satisfaction derived from attaining great photos and shoots from an extremely low home budget. Children toy stores offer a wide selection of toys which are usually quite captivating subjects if framed adequately and cast in the perfect light.

Furthermore, the toy aisle of the dollar store usually offers a lot of interesting subjects and materials for a young mom and dad as well as their kids to enjoy snapping pictures of as well as playing with. G.I. Joe, funny seasonal toys such as Halloween toy, Santas, snowmen, and sleighs. Also, glass marbles, bobsleds for snow, and candy are all great candidates for buy.

Glass marbles are a great pick. When it comes to macro photography of they offer the huge amount of versatility. For those of you who don’t know, macro photography is acutely focused photography (i.e. close-up photography), cropped and tightly zoomed that deal with minute or very small fields of view and objects. Basically, it is photography of subjects that are quite small, however not so small as to require a microscope. Now let us get back to glass marbles. Being ideal spheres they are blessed with stunning and one of a kind coloration across thousands of different styles as well as sizes. Also, they are bestowed with great shape.

G.I. Joe may be used in a playful diorama. It can be used in a more serious or political light if shot correctly with accompany materials such as posters, ashes, flowers, script or some other interesting items. The juxtaposition (for those of you who do not know, the juxtaposition is the arrangement of two opposing characters, ideas or objects in similar narratives or side-by-side for effect) of kid's toys and parent’s concerns may be intriguing aesthetically and philosophically.

Faux flower (or real flowers from a farmer’s market or supermarket) arrangements should definitely be great values, placed in vases and shot on differing backdrops. Usually, faux flowers are not expensive and vividly colored. Once it comes to choosing different pieces this allows parents to get a good deal of leeway. When it comes to taking portraits professional photographers at Target Portrait Studio use exactly the same faux flowers.

Unfortunately, the dollar store is usually a love-it or hate-it affair. On the other hand, it represents an unparalleled opportunity to take fun, inexpensive portraits of children on an extremely tight home budget. Where kids are concerned, the dollar store offers an interesting family undertaking which may get the artistic juices flowing. An initiative derived from choosing and matching backdrops with a wide selection of interesting and engaging objects.

No young mom or dad should be afraid to go a bit overboard. A parent will not end up spending a lot of money at the local dollar store and will usually come up with a good deal of useful materials for other portrait endeavors, particularly with a lot of accessories and backdrops.

What type of theme did you use for the portrait session at Target Studio?

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Family Portraits at Target Photo Studio

Are you getting ready to capture those moments that capture your heart? In other words, are you getting ready for your Target photo shot? Here are some tips I would like to share with you.

First off, where is your art going, i.e. how large of a portrait should I order for my house? Your portraits are pieces of art which should complement your home and style. So, make sure you match colors with how you want the portraits to feel.

If your portrait will hang in a living room over a couch or a fireplace, than you want at least 20x24 (if not larger). You want the portrait to dominate the wall but you still want to have breathing space on all sizes. If your portraits are going to be on your work-table or on your wall unit, in that case a standard 5x7 or 8x10 is great. But please (I’m not kidding) do not hang your 8x10s or smaller on your living or dinning room walls. The most important thing in a portrait is the face. And the face on average 8x10 is actually the size of a round wrist watch. I know exactly what your biggest concern is: “But hey, what if I have a group of 8x10s or 5x7s; can I hang those on the wall?” To be quite honest, I recommend you only do so if your wall is on a stairwell or near door. That way guests are going to be close enough so they can see the tiny little faces when they are going up or down the stairs or through the door.

Do we all have to wear white shirts, i.e. the whole family in the same color? I hear this from time to time from my friends who are worried what are they going to wear for their family portraits at Target. Here’s my answer: “Definitely, but only if you really want to!” The thing is, you want to wear clothes that you feel comfortable in. However, there are some rules. First of all, it’s actually best to wear low key earth tones. This lets your face to be the brightest point in the portrait photograph. You all don’t have to wear the same thing as long as your clothes complement each other. Once more, all earth tones would be great. However I have seen some fabulous portrait with everyone dressed in white or even different color pastel photos too.

Here are some other useful tips:

  • Plain color shirts and tops are the best. Try not to wear shirts with large logos or even patterns if possible.
  • Wear clean shoes. The photographer may take some full length shots and you do not want your dirty shoes to standout.
  • Long sleeves are better than short. Just trust me on this one.
  • Well, that’s about it. Putting a little bit thought to your wardrobe will certainly pay off, but if you ask me the most important thing is to get that family portrait taken at Target Portrait Studio.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Easy Ways to Get Printable Target Portrait Studio Coupon Codes


It’s a really great time to be an online coupon hunter. The Internet is buzzing with various discounts and the biggest coupon websites such as RetailMeNot are really seem to benefit along with their customers.
So, the first way to get printable Target Portrait Studio discounts and special deals is from coupon websites. 

These sites have really taken off and it’s interesting also to take a look at the genesis of all these sites. They started to flourish at the height of our recession, offering cash strap Americans the best way to get almost anything for at least half off. Well since than their profits have sky rocketed. So, it is the newest breed of discount - online coupons on virtually everything from restaurants all the way to theater, even family portrait studios up to 60 percent off! This meteoric rise of this whole new type of shopping isn’t something you see everyday.

As I mentioned, a lot of websites offer daily deals to millions of subscribers. So, are you looking for coupon codes from Target Portrait Studio? RetailMeNot is the largest website to find coupons for Target and almost every other major portrait studio. It’s completely free to use and no signup is required. Best of all, it’s very easy and super fast. On this website Target Portraits page you will find various coupon codes and deals to save money on your online order, many of which you will only find at RetailMeNot. Simply click on the coupon you want and you will be automatically redirected to the Target Portraits website. So, you can start shopping.

Interested in future offers from this portrait studio? Simply enter your e-mail address into the white & blue box. They will notify you when they have the new way to save. Just keep in mind, when you are shopping for anything online your search for savings should start at this website. 

The second way to get specials is from Target Portraits official website. So, step one is to visit their official website at TargetPortraits.com. Step two is to simply print out the coupons. Also, you can sign in for e-mail updates if you want additional opportunities.  Now you might be thinking, “Oh, e-mail updates - what a waste of time!” I promise you, this is quick and easy and it want take you more than 3 minutes and you can get your coupons. Step three is simply to enjoy your rewards. So, off you go, get yours now! Simply visit their official site and get started today.

Monday, September 19, 2011

A Review of the Target Portrait Studio


Target Photo Studio was recommended to me by my best friend who took her daughter here for some Christmas portraits. Not surprisingly, the photos were very beautiful and it seemed to me like they did a truly great job. So, once I told her I needed to take portrait photos for my yearbook, she did not hesitate for a second to bring up Target.

First I did a little research on the net and I found out that Target Portrait Studio is actually a photography company which is part of Lifetouch Portrait Studios. And Lifetouch is the premier provider of highest-quality retail photography services in the USA. All of these facts were encouraging.

I went through online reviews after I had booked a photo shot. To be quite honest, I was a little bit nervous because some of the reviews were not that good. Luckily, that turned out to be untrue.

The truth is that I couldn’t be happier. Okay, it is not like I was expecting to look like Adriana Lima on the cover of GQ or anything like that, they were as good as any professional studio – but without the hefty price tag. Let me just say that I wasn’t expecting anything posh or over-the-edge. I just went in, had my photos done and within half an hour, I was done.

My photographer (unfortunately I don’t remember his name) was so good. He was so polite and he even made me laugh (no, I never took his phone number – silly me). The poses and portraits were pretty much standard yearbook/family photos and they were not anything breathtaking. He tried being creative - which I like.

The one and only complaint I have is that I called in half an hour before my session to tell them I was running late a bit late or I would be (a bit) late and they said that in case I cannot come on time, I would be moved to 4:30 pm instead of my 10:30 am. So, I rushed there to find out there were three other groups in front of me that made me wait another 15 min. I don not see the point of telling me not to be late when they weren’t even running on schedule. Luckily, I had to wait only for a short time and employees were polite.

I spent about $85 in total and it isn’t bad at all when compared to what we had paid for other high-priced portrait photographs which were in exactly the same level as them. I had a forty-percent off coupon code so that came in handy too.

Things to have in mind (after going through different Target Portrait Studio reviews):
  • Before taking any portrait photos, a photographer asks you to choose a background (for example, rainbow sherbet, stained glass and so on) and decide on what kind of themes (e.g. maternity portraits and religious celebrations)
  • Right after taking a good number of photos, you get to pick the ones you like the best. In case you do not like any of them, you do not have to take any. I’m not quite sure, but I think that in this case you only pay the sitting fee, which is around $10.
  • Coupon codes are definitely a great way to save.
Finally, not as bad as some reviewers claim Target Photo Studio is. On the other hand, do not expect to look like Rihanna. But do expect to get beautiful portraits.