TIME 
I, Lisa Garner, Photographer and Owner of Lisa's Portraits, take time to plan your portrait session with you, so you get exactly what you are looking for.
I take the time to get acquainted with whoever will be in the portrait before the session and find out what makes him or her happy.
I spend the time with you, before and during your session, that is necessary to obtain natural expressions and natural positions for all of your photographic needs.
You don’t have to wait in line. You always have an appointment so you can be individually helped. This eliminates frustration and doesn’t waste your time.
With young children, your portrait session can be scheduled for a time when they are their happiest.
GUARANTEE
All the planning that goes into your portrait session virtually assures you will be thrilled with your portraits.
I even GUARANTEE that if before the day of your portrait session you have a Planning Session with us, your portraits will meet or exceed your expectations. If, for any reason you are unhappy with your original images, just tell us when we are projecting your images for you (before you place your order.) Lots of times there are things we can retouch, crop, or do in printing that will make the portraits EXACTLY what you want. If not, we will schedule a time to take additional portraits to your liking at no extra cost to you, or refund your entire Session Fee, or Minimum Purchase, or Footsteps Fee, PLUS FIVE DOLLARS! Plus, if your finished portraits don't turn out exactly as you thought they would, let us know and we will make them over to your liking, or your money will be refunded, PLUS FIVE DOLLARS! And, our photographs are also covered by the Kodak Promise of Excellence Guarantee which in part states: If at any time during your lifetime you are unhappy with your portraits due to Kodak's product performance, new prints will be made at Kodak's expense. AND, if you have us frame your portrait(s) before you take them home, we Unconditionally Guarantee both the photograph(s) and the frame(s) for Life!
There are many things we can do to make your portraits exactly what you want, without you having
to retake the portraits. We can print your finished portraits darker or lighter. The finished portraits can be printed less red, or blue, or green, etc. so they will have the correct colors. We can crop portraits, which takes some of the background out to make the portrait closer or eliminates something distracting. Sometimes a little bit of some thing is cut off in the image we show you that is actually on the original image and it can be included in the finished portraits. There is no cost to you for any of these. If you request it, for no charge, we will use computer retouching to remove blemishes, wrinkles, bags or circles under the eyes, bruises, scratches, rashes, double chins and glasses glare. We can whiten teeth or eyes, tuck tummies, and trim thighs. We can even move someone from one image to another to have the perfect portrait. None of this retouching costs extra. In addition, for a fee my lab can trim arms and remove braces.
If nothing we can do will make the portrait be what you want, we will do additional images to your liking at no extra cost to you.
If you usually DON'T LIKE YOUR PORTRAITS, be sure to let me know what you don't like BEFORE the portrait session. There are countless techniques and special methods which I can use to minimize many problems. This will save you the time and aggravation of having to have retakes or portraits you don't really like. The secret here to success is communication. I want to help you, and my objective is to create an outstanding portrait, which you will treasure forever!
LOCATION
I will create your portraits somewhere special to you, so that the setting will be some place that expresses your uniqueness: your home, yard, favorite fishing hole, favorite park, etc., somewhere you feel comfortable, not stiff and out-of-place. You won’t have the same background as everyone else, instead your background will show YOUR personality.
I can come to you, if you are within 15 miles of my studio in The Woodlands, TX, for no additional charge.
Studio portraits are also available, if you desire, for soft, emotional portraits and for traditional portraits. The studio is especially good for portraits in all white or pastel colors of very young babies or with a warm brown background that is especially good with dark clothing or lots of baby skin.
PROPS
I encourage you to have things in your portraits that portray
your personality, so they show who you are, not just what you
look like. If it is something that will tell a story about your
life, it should be considered and probably used for your portrait. Having YOUR props in your portraits will help your portraits
show your personality or heritage, keep them from looking like
everyone else's, and give them emotional impact.
PETS
Pets make wonderful additions to portraits. If they are part
of your family, you may want to consider them for at least some
of your portraits.
When pets are included, I suggest taking the photographs in a location that they are familiar with so they will be relaxed.
I also photograph pets without people.
YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER
There is only one "Lisa." I am the only photographer,
so you will always know who actually will be creating your portraits.
I took all of the portraits (except this one of me) that are shown on my web site, on my brochures, and in my displays, so your portraits will be of the same quality as the samples you
see.
I love what I do, and I have a desire to create something original, that will be very special to you, so you get better photographs that have more sparkle and show more of your personality and life. I love people of all ages. I am a warm fuzzy; which helps you feel comfortable and relaxed, so you will look happy a
nd natural in your portraits.
I am very patient. If your child runs away from the family grouping, or your baby falls asleep when you want a bright-eyed portrait, or your dog lays upside down when you tell him to sit; I have the patience to wait until your child comes back to see you, your baby wakes up, or your dog gets the hang of what you want. You can just relax and enjoy the time you have with your children and pets, and I will make sure you get portraits that show how much you love them. My desire is to make you look terrific!
FREE NO-OBLIGATION, PLANNING & PRICING CONSULTATION
I like to always have a Planning Consultation with you before I begin any photographic work. I like to discuss what will make your portraits have emotional impact for you.
It is also good for me to know exactly what you want for your portraits, even if you didn’t know to begin with. At a FREE, No-Obligation Planning Consultation I will ask you questions that will help you tell me what you are looking for and what you like. Going over everything before your session not only helps me find out what you want, but it also GUARANTEES you will get everything exactly like you want it.
I will give you tips on what clothing will make you look 10 pounds lighter versus 10 pounds heavier; hair & make-up; the best time to create your portrait; how to prepare your baby, how to prepare children and pets for the session; how to look tanner; and many other things.
During the Planning Session I will explain, in detail, your choices for individual sessions or programs that allow you to take portraits repeatedly over time. I will weigh your options so you can decide what is best for you. I will cover the costs of EVERYTHING.
I always like my clients to be completely informed before I begin any photographic work. It is good for you to know all your options and all of my prices. At the planning consultation I will go over all the information you need to make an educated decision on whether I am the right photographer for you and for you to be completely ready to take portraits. Planning your portraits with you will GUARANTEE you get exactly what you want.
BRING YOUR CHILDREN TO THE PLANNING SESSION
That is a good time for me to meet your children, especially shy ones. I like to meet and play with younger children, which will help them feel familiar with me during your session. So, instead of having cheesy smiles or being scared, they can relax and have fun during the session. That way they will smile naturally without being told to smile, and their true personalities will show.
If you are worried about having your baby or children along while we are answering your questions,
don’t be. I love babies and children, and in the studio I have toys they can play with.
YOU DECIDE HOW MANY & WHICH PORTRAITS YOU BUY
You get to see your portraits BEFORE the finished prints are made. That way you get to choose the ones YOU like.
You may invest in your portraits individually or in packages, even packages with multiple images. You may invest in as many or as few portraits as you want. You never have to order extra portraits or images you don’t want.
OUTSTANDING OPTIONS
Included in all portrait finishes at Lisa's Portraits are the important things that might not even be available at other studios: mounting of the portraits to artboard, foam core, masonite, or canvas for increased durability. The application of a tough acrylic finish protects against fingerprints, moisture and Ultra Violet light which causes fading. These portraits look better and last longer than ordinary portraits.
You may have your portraits made in a flat finish, or mounted on canvas to give them texture, or created in my Old Master’s portrait finish to look like an oil painting. A very popular finish is where the portrait is turned into a pastel piece of art. We also offer black and white portraits, sepia tone (brown & cream) portraits, and black and white or sepia tone portraits that are spot-colored. We have a finish that is on Metallic paper which gives added depth, giving it a holographic 3-D look. Our newest finish is a Gallery Wrap Canvas where the image is not only applied to canvas, the image wraps around the sides of the stretcher frame, alleviating the need for a frame.
FLEXIBILITY
I accept Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Cash, Checks, and Personalized Lay Away.
We have two Very Flexible Programs for taking Portraits Repeatedly over time. Check out "Programs" on the side tab.
If you want unique, personalized portraits, I want to help you get them.
COMPARING PRICES
It's not what you PAY for your portraits that matters; It's what you GET for what you pay THAT is value.
No doubt you have seen advertising from other studios and department-store photographers advertising "low prices." Photographs are often advertised on price alone, because prices are easy to compare. What isn't as easy to compare is what you get for your money. When you shop for your favorite brand of toothpaste or detergent you always go for the lowest price because you know that those products are the same wherever you get them. But portraits are not at all the same between any two studios. It's like comparing the price of a luxury car at one dealership to a economy car at another dealership. The "quality" in a portrait is determined by many factors: your expression and how your personality is portrayed. How special the location is. How suitable the clothing is. How natural the body language is. How the finish on the portrait increases it's durability and enhances it's beauty. And how completely the portraits are guaranteed. Even the little things determine the "quality" of a portrait, like: how you were treated by the staff. Was it fun? Did your session start on time? And, was everything delivered as promised? Because you commit to hiring a studio before you see the results of your portraits (you can't "test-drive" your portraits like you can a car), your decision of where to go is even more important. So it's easy to see how you could actually end up paying too much for a "cheap" portrait, especially if you don't like it. Don't fall into that trap. Choose the photographer where you get to plan what you want in your portraits. One whose work you admire, who will give you a full guarantee in writing. Choose the best make your appointment with Lisa's Portraits today!