Dancing Light Photo Studios - Photography by Rebecca Mikami

The Session

Rebecca is committed to providing a relaxed custom photography session and high quality portraits for you and your family.

What happens at the pre-session consultation?

During the pre-session phone consultation Rebecca will talk with you and discuss your goals and how to make the most of your photography session. She will consult with you to determine the kind of photographs you want, the desired photographic style, and the location of the shoot. You will also discuss what to bring to the session, what not to bring, and who will be included in the session. Rebecca will work with you to really make the session about you.

How long is the session?

Sessions range in length depending on the package you chose. A typical session usually last between 1 and 2 hours. The session will take place in a relaxed atmosphere. There will be plenty of time for snacks, breaks and clothing changes. Rebecca will never hurry you along and she will take all the time that is needed to be sure to get a good sampling of portraits.

Where will my session take place?

Sessions may be scheduled at the location of your choice, indoors or outdoors. Studio shoots can take place at Dancing Light Photo Studios in SW Portland. On-location sessions might be your own home, backyard, or a local park. Rebecca will use mainly natural light and supplement with portable studio lights as needed. If scheduling an indoor on-location session, please be sure that you have a room with plenty of natural light available.

What should I wear?

When planning for your session, clothing should be given due consideration. Whether it is simple, traditional, or modern…the choice is yours. It can be used to achieve an artistic vision or express who you are. Please keep in mind that your clothing choices will be a determining factor in the final outcome of your portraits.

For a classic look, clothing should be of neutral colors and have a timeless feel to them. I generally recommend solid colors – avoid patterns, logos, plaids, stripes, or mis-matched colors. Jeans and linen photograph very well because of their texture. Earth tones (including browns, dark greens, grays, black, or burgundy) almost always look great. Of course a bright fun hat or colorful stripes on a child can also be very endearing. I also recommend bringing chapstick so that your lips look moist and healthy!

For young children I recommend layers as much as possible to add texture and depth. Good textural clothing would include chunky sweaters, velvet, ruffles, ribbon, or embroidery. Accessories, such as hats, scarves, leggings, ribbons, and hair accessories can also add interest. I always recommending bringing several outfits for children to add variety to the final images and as alternatives if needed.

If more than one person will be included in the session, clothing tones and styles should match to be sure that attention is not drawn to the clothing instead of the subjects. Newborns and babies photograph best in their own skin. A simple diaper cover or less will usually result in the best portrait of your new baby. Overall, the clothing will affect the timeless quality of the photo and the choice depends on what you are hoping to achieve. I am able to offer advice about clothing during the consultation.

What should I bring to my session?

If there is something that you’d like to include in your portraits, be it a favorite toy, blanket or other prop, please bring it to the session. During your consultation discuss with Rebecca any artistic visions you may have so that you can collaborate together to achieve the desired result.

Please only bring the individuals who are to be included in the photography session. Please do not bring personal assistants, grandmas, friends, or other children. Rebecca would like to focus her attention on the subjects of the session and due to limited space and time, distractions can limit the success of the session. Please honor this policy.

What is included in my package?

What is included in your package depends on which package you purchased. In general all packages are all-inclusive. This means that they include the sitting fee, the photographer’s time and talent both during the shoot and crafting the images in the digital darkroom, professionally edited and retouched images, a customized session, a print release so you may have the images printed, and online gallery for choosing your final images, and a CD or USB of the final images (digital negatives) in high resolution. This means that the package fee may be more of an investment than some other photography studios; however, the overall cost is lower because Rebecca doesn’t charge you for prints (most studios charge per print, typically starting at $20 for a 4x6 to $150 for a 16x20). You will have available to you all the final images from which you may use for personal use, such as to use on your website, use in birth announcements, or make prints for yourself, friends and family. Prints are not included in the package but you will be able to make all the of the prints you want with the digital negatives. Additional images (beyond the amount included in the package) may be available to purchase ata carte.

How do I pay for my session?

When booking your session you will be asked to send a retainer fee ($100) to hold your date. On the day of the session you will be asked to pay the remainder of the session fee. This payment must be made before the session begins. You will also be asked to sign the package contract and a standardized photo release. Please make all checks payable to Rebecca Mikami or Dancing Light Photo Studios.

All session, work and products are custom made and due to this there are no refunds. While Rebecca will make every effort to ensure your complete happiness and satisfaction with your portraits, due to the unique nature of custom portraiture, all sales are final.

When will my pictures be ready?

Your portraits will be ready for viewing in your online gallery within approximately one week and the final images will be ready to be mailed or picked up approximately one to four weeks following your session and submission of your image picks. At that time, Rebecca will set up a time for you to pick up your portrait package or mail it to you. The CD or USB of digital negatives is yours to keep! Rebecca will also provide you with information about how to obtain the best prints and suggestions about where to get prints made so that you can enjoy high quality fine art prints.

What do I do if I am sick?

Please contact Rebecca and let her know immediately if you are not able to come to the session. The studio will attempt to reschedule your session in a timely fashion. We understand that some events are unforeseen and we will do our best to make accommodations. If the session is cancelled the booking fee will be retained by Dancing Light Photo Studios, however this fee can be applied to another session within 3 months. Please do not bring sick children as it will reflect in the photos and will ultimately reduce the quality of the pictures you receive.

Who owns the images?

All images are owned by Rebecca Mikami. You will be given a print release with your images that will allow you to make personal prints. Prints, electronic usage and negatives are to be used only for personal use by the purchaser of the package. Please contact Rebecca for a release to use specific pictures for any other use. All images are protected by US Copyright Laws and as such remain the property of Rebecca Mikami. The studio reserves the right to use negatives and/or reproductions for display, publications, and other purposes.