Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom line, it all comes down to one thing. How do you want your photos to turn out. If your chosen photo taker ends up with a green tint covering all of the photos, do they know how to fix that? Is the best shot of the group out of focus? I hope not, because you can’t fix that.

Professional photographers are professionally trained…by teachers….in schools.  Sometimes they earn degrees. Sometimes not. I was fortunate and earned two. It takes years of study and practice, followed by years of work to become good. We study faces, bone structure, highlights, shadows, light skin, dark skin, color theory, composition,  lighting, and a host of other skills. Look at any magazine or commercial. What makes those photos or video clips so amazing? They were taken by a professional.  It doesn’t matter if Aunt Suzie has a good camera and a good eye, her photos just won’t have the same quality. If they do – hire her, and pay her.

Why A session fee?

Session fees cover photographer’s time, preparation, editing, shipping and other expenses. This fee also reserves your date and time so that Tom can devote that time specifically to your session.  When you think of “Goods and Services”, this would be the service part.

 Locations within 40 miles of our studios in Saint Anthony, Minnesota are included in the session fee. Travel charges of $.75 per mile will apply for additional mileage.

 Outdoor sessions may need to be rescheduled due to inclement weather. We will do our best to provide as much advance notice as possible. We advise our  clients to also keep up with the forcast so that we can  all be better prepared for possible outcomes.

 Session fee must be paid in full in order to reserve the session date. If payment is not received by session date, Archibald Studios reserves the right to cancel the session.

Sessions may be rescheduled by working with Tom to find a new workable date and time. There is no fee for rescheduling if done 48 hours prior to the originally scheduled session date.

Session fees are for photographer’s time and expenses only and do not include digitals, prints or products.  Online Digital proofs are included within the session fee.

What are the session fees?

• Individual session:  $175 (60 – 90 minutes)
• Individual Plus (Multiple locations): $225 (1 – 2 hours)
• Individual Branding session: $225 (1 – 2 hours)
• Actor / Corporate Individual Headshot: $ 175 (30 – 60  minutes)
• Family Portrait session: $225 (60 – 90 minutes)
• Large groups: $175 (30 – 60 minutes)

Session fees are for photographer’s time and expenses only. Prints, digital files, and other products are charged separately.

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How long will the session take?

Our photo sessions typically last about 60-90 minutes depending on clothing changes or multiple locations. A Branding photo session lasts 90 minutes to 2 hours.  A headshot session takes 30-60 minutes. Commercial photography is charged by the day (or half-day) with rates starting at $500 for a half day.

Are session fees refundable?

Archibald Studios reserves the right to cancel the session. If for some reason Archibald Studios cancels the session, a full refund will be given. Rescheduling the session is recommended. We would only cancel due to an emergency.

If client cancels the session, a full  refund will be given if cancellation occurs up to 48 hours prior to booked session. If cancellation is received with less than 48 hours notice, 50% of  session fee will be refunded. No-shows will forfeit entire session fee. Sessions can be re-scheduled at no charge.

Do I get to see proofs?

 All proofs are provided for your review in an online gallery approximately one week after your session. You’ll be given a password to enter your customized area on our website. Printed proofs are available upon request for an additional charge.

 Proofs are unedited and do not include  retouching. Selected prints are retouched for removal of blemishes, skin softening, stray hair, etc.) If additonal retouching or editing is requested after final delivery, a charge of $75 per hour may be charged.

Can I get the digital files?

All images are the property of Archibald Studios and cannot be copied without written permission.  Archibald Studios firmly believes that printed photos should be strongly considered for several reasons.  

• Prints will always be here.
• Prints last a lifetime, usually longer.
• Prints can be enjoyed by all at their leasure, not in a rushed “slide show” on a screen. They can be framed and displayed to be enjoyed by guests. Framed prints can be used to decorate any home, office, or business by adding your own touch of personality and selecting your own frame.
• Prints won’t get lost on an outdated laptop, desktop, phone, or tablet. What if your hard drive goes bad? Trust me it happens. I once paid $1500 to get photos of my daughter retrieved from a hard drive that had crashed.  Data recovery is expensive and sometimes not even an option.  Do you back up  your pictures?

Yes, we LOVE our prints. But there is a place for digital files too. We offer edited digital files of any session at $1500  for all session photos.  For actors or business people getting headshots for use on social media the charge is $75 per digital file. In case you’re wondering, a typical photo session yields about 30 to 40 images.

Do you back up your data and images?

Backing up our files is a crucial step in keeping your images safe and secure. It starts within the camera where I shoot directly onto two individual memory cards. If there is wifi I will also connect to my server which captured the images as I shoot them. Once I get back to the studio, all images are then copied to both internal and external sources. On top of that, I keep your images forever should you ever need them again.

Do I get copyright/ownership of my photos?

Archibald Studios Media retains copyright ownership of all images. All rights reserved 2022© – Raw, unedited and edited. Any reproduction or re-editing without written permission is prohibitied. Please contact Archibald Studios Media for commercial or personal usage rights.