F.A.Q.

Shoot Scheduling, Planning & Post Production Info

It depends! Here are some thoughts:

Shooting apparel on models can be A LOT FASTER than dressing and styling a mannequin or styling items to look good laying flat or folded. You might be able to get more shot in less time. Shooting on models can be more descriptive of your product as well. The only downside to shooting on models is Sometimes the model you used is no longer available and, if you decide to shoot with props or sets you may get an inconsistent look. This may only be an issue if you are adding to an existing online catalog and you want to keep a consistent look. If you're a manufacturer and you shoot your new line every season this probably doesn't matter.
Shooting on a plain white background may sound boring but it allows your customer to focus clearly on the items you want to sell and it allows you to add or make changes to your catalog with easy visual consistency. We DO suggest that you consider other photographs which you can use as page or category dividers for your presentation. We call these added, more lifestyle or mood shots "Image Photos" and they can be a real compliment to your seasonal catalog shots.

If we shoot on models we will shoot up to 10-20 poses per garment including front, back & detail. Some clients want to shoot more quickly and ask us to shoot one to three shots per garment. If we're shooting accessories or other products, we generally provide you with one shot at the best angle if we're shooting per piece. If you're booking by time we'll shoot as many as you like
If you have 40+ items to shoot all in the same way (against white on model or mannequin) and your product is organized steamed and ready, you might be abe to save $ by scheduling a Half Day Shoot. We can shoot A LOT of stuff in 4 hours if orgnized and with people on your staff modeling and or helping.

Some of our clients use their own fit models. If you need help finding print models, Hair & make-up people or other stylists, we're happy to make recommendations. Feel free to ask.
Agency models are generally $150/hr + 20% agency fee and a 2hr minimum. Agency models take care of themselves, their body tone, their hair, their skin & will generally have good posing and expression making your shoot look more professional and go much faster. Some models can do their own hair & make-up. There are other resources for independent models which will be cheaper & sometimes this is a great solution for your budget. We always suggest you do a casting and fitting when hiring models you have not worked with before. We don't suggest hiring your daughter or neighbor but we'll help you as best we can if you do!
Stylists: Hair & make-up or grooming and other styling pro's pricing ranges from $100-$300 for 1/2 day & on up depending on experience. Please ask us for our resource list if you need help finding talent. If you are a model or stylist and would like to be included in our resource list, please inquire.

We strive to accomodate everyone! The earlier you can schedule the better. A 50% deposit will hold your date. We take paypal or checks. Please email or call - 213-624-1600
Short notice? No problem! We'll do everything we can to help.
Cancellation? Along with possible studio rental costs, assistant, models and hair & make-up time and fees we and our crew have set our time aside for your shoot. We also may have scheduled others around you so we incur costs with any cancellation. We hope you understand that we will ask you to share in those costs. 50% within 48hrs and 100% if within 24hrs.

To get the most out of your time all garments should be clean, pressed and ready to photograph. We have a steamer available for touch ups at the shoot. Most imperfections can be "cleaned up" in post production for an additional fee.
Being organized is very helpful. Have a shot list (line sheet?) you can use to keep track of what needs to be photographed and that you can use to "check things off" as they are shot. If you are working with more than one model, keep the items each will wear separate etc.

We have 20+ years of experience shooting apparel, accessories, beauty, fashion & other product in studio & on location. We always suggest that you be present or that you send a representative from your company to oversee the process. If you can't have someone there we have the experience to handle most anything from styling to art directing. In the event that no company representative is at the shoot, you agree that we will style and make decisions according to our eye and our experience which may or may not be exactly what you would do or be exactly to your esthetic.
If you want to hire art direction or graphic design or web design separate from what we can provide for your shoot, please inquire.

All images direct from camera will generally require some post production. Some clients take our images directly from the camera and do this post work themselves or through the services of their graphics or web department. Post producton image manipulation and prepress services are available through us.
For basic drop-outs, simple retouching and color/contrast adjustments we charge $10 each selected image. Re-sizing to your spec. is $2/per image. Bring a portable USB hard drive or thumb drive for quick data transfer to your computer (faster than us burning a CD or DVD).
Color swatch shots are $5 additional each. Save this fee by scheduling our services by time!
When figuring out your approximate shoot cost in cases where your location can not be used - please include studio rental and possible photo assistant costs in your calculations. For more help please inquire.

You can use the resulting images from any of our shoots within your company for any purpose and for as long as you wish. Your company is granted the rights to use the imagery from your shoot for any purpose and in perpetuity however, you may not sell the images to another company or person. Dual Graphics retains the right to use any resulting imagery in their own promotional materials.
If you are hiring agency models the agency may have usage restrictions. Please inquire when you hire your models.

Cameras - We shoot high resolution images using Canon Cameras. We can capture RAW TIFF images. From web store thumbnails on up to 2-page magazine ads trade show posters & billboards, the resulting images are large enough for anything you will ever need.
Computers - We use Mac computers but the image files are completely compatible with Windows PC too.
Lighting - We use several brands of lighting equipment but mostly Speedotron strobes. We love shooting in natural light too!