Attire
Comfortable. Classic. You.
With proper clothing, your face commands attention and clothing itself becomes secondary. Wearing the wrong clothing takes attention away from where you want it — on you and on your face. Wear something that is classic, comfortable and ultimately your style - represents who you are and shows off your personality. Let us help you choose your look, examples ranging from business formal to casual shown below.
When considering clothing options, texture can be terrific. Avoid baggy clothes. Avoid bright patterns. Your clothes should fit well so you don't appear boxy. Dark colors (deep red, blue, green and black) usually work the best, but sometimes bright colors can be amazing. Choose colors that bring out your eyes (if you have lite eyes, look for nice grey/blue shirts as well as pure blue). Generally, keep the shirts darker than your skin tone (though white and cream tones, especially for women, can be gorgeous). Bring eight to ten tops, though we won't use that many. Also, bring a variety of necklines.
For men, layering is wonderful- a blazer and collar shirt, for example, or a t-shirt and light fall jacket. Also, thermals, crew necks and v-necks are fantastic! For women, layering can work as well, but it's usually a good idea to keep it simple. Sheer material is very nice, and spaghetti strap tank tops, scoop necks and v-necks are wonderful. Make sure to keep your neckline open. By the way, any of these rules can be broken to great effect. Bring whatever makes you feel attractive, even if it is contradicting everything I just wrote.
COSTUME DONT'S
- Avoid wearing bold stripes, plaids, checks, dots, and prints, they are confusing and do not photograph well—patterns are fine, as long as they’re not too distracting.
- Avoid light colors that approximate flesh tones such as beige, tan, peach, pink, white, and yellow.
- Avoid solid black which will photograph flat, and lack detail and dimension.
- Avoid wearing a light-gray suit.
- Avoid turtlenecksYou might consider avoiding red. Do not wear short sleeves for a head-and-shoulders portrait.
Glasses
If you wear glasses most of the time, I recommend wearing them for your portrait.Because of reflections, please be prepared to take out the lenses or to bring an extra frame without lenses.
How far do you travel?
Nationwide. I am freelancing for various international magazines, hence I travel all over for editorials. Just give me a call and I can discuss the specifics.
What other types of photography services are provided?
Corporate portrait, Executive Headshot, Editorial and Cover Page Photoshoot and Candid Lifestyle Portrait for Corporate. In one word, I am specialised various portraits and headshot for business and media portfolio needs.
Where is the photo studio located?
Photography studio is conveniently located in Bangalore, India. For the full address and a map check out our contact page.
Can you come to our office for shoots?
We can bring our studio to you. Our travel kit includes all lighting, background and computer equipment so we can provide the same studio experience at your location.
Is retouching available?
Retouching is included in the executive portrait package and is always available. I subtly enhance an image into the most flattering, natural presentation possible.
Skin Care
Digital photography is a sharp medium, so skin care is especially important. However, be gentle! Remember, your face is sensitive!
Everyone (even men) should have a skin care routine. But, if you don’t currently have one, please begin at least a week before your appointment.
The following steps are simple, and will take only a couple of minutes to do:
Wash your face in the morning and before you go to bed with a gentle cream cleanser. If you have very oily skin, you can use a foaming cleanser, becuase foaming agents help to dry out your skin. (Please note that having an oily t-zone is considered normal skin, not oily).
Get rid of the extra impurities left behind that the cleanser cannot get by using a gentle toner (meaning, if it stings, it's too harsh!) Toners also add nutrients to the skin, and help its overall health and appearance.
Moisturize! If you have oily skin, use an oil control moisturizer. (Yes, even you have to moisturize!) Moisture is important for so many reasons. It prevents premature aging, fine lines and wrinkles, promotes healthy cell rejuvination, fills in your pours instead of dirt, grime and/or makeup, as well as keeping your skin properly hydrated, which all skin types need. The more you do this, the less you'll have to worry about exfoliating...
LIPS: Therapy; basic lip balm (great value!)
FYI: On the day of the shoot, if you wake up with puffiness under the eyes, put any kind of cold compress on them. The cold will help the swelling go down. A second option is to refrigerate boiled green tea bags. The cool will de-puff, while the antioxidants in the tea will help with any discoloration (dark circles). But in all honesty... don't stress!
Can you add custom color backgrounds to the photos in Photoshop?
Yes. We have found that a lot of businesses want the option of a certain color other than white as their backdrop. This is a service we offer and it is part of the complementary re-touching (one per photo), so there is not an extra fee. If this is something you desire, let’s talk about this PRIOR to the shoot.
What will I receive after the shoot and how soon?
when you contact us initially, please tell us the approximate number of people you’ll need shot, the date/s, the location, and what you’re using the photos for (website, print material, etc.) That’s all we’ll need, and we’ll be able to get you a quote, After the photo shoot is over, you’ll receive all the proof size photos uploaded to an online drive before retouching begins, usually same day. We will make this a smooth as possible for you. You’ll select your choices for retouch, and we’ll set turnaround time expectations before the photo shoot so we’re all on the same page. Just give me a call and I can discuss specifics.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept Bank Transfers, Online payments, Cash. We can email you an invoice prior to the shoot and we require payment or a deposit to be made in full before delivering the final high resolution images.
What is your re-scheduling and cancellation policy?
Crazy things happen all the time. I strongly recommend you make sure your schedule is clear before booking, but if something does come up, you can let me know up to 48 hours ahead of time and we’ll find a new time for you.
OthersIf you're working with an agent, manager, publicist or casting director, please discuss specifics with them before the shoot. Make sure you know what they need from the session. Have them be as specific as possible.
Bring a comfortable pair of shoes for walking. Women, if you like the way you feel in heels, have a pair handy. If it's cold, bring a warm jacket and gloves. Also, I have an IPOD Dock Station, so bring your IPOD along if you have one and you can listen to your own music while we're in my studio.
If you need a haircut, I highly recommend to give yourself a week or so to get comfortable with your haircut before we shoot. Anyway, I will help you with grooming and maintenance of your hair.
Make sure to get some rest the night before. Just be moderately rested and in a good mood, and I'll take care of everything else.
Finally, make sure to arrive on time. The time allotted begins when the session is scheduled to start. Since I'm pretty far uptown, allow for extra travel time. Keep your schedule flexible for our shoot.
We will also help you stylize your looks, accessories, hand hold you through out the process and send you a detailed guideline document as part of our on boarding process.
Are you able to work with a photo checklist we provide?
I strongly encourage photo shot lists. I find it particularly helpful during the formal portraits. It’s my job to help you create the memories you will treasure for a lifetime. It’s a great thing to think through these kind of details in advance, as on your portrait shoot day, you don’t want to think about anything!
Do I own the photos?
Absolutely. You paid for them. Many photographers won’t release hi resolution photos from your session without additional payment. They say it’s for “quality control,” but really they just want to make backend money by charging you extra fees. It’s like double dipping, and you should be very wary of anyone who won’t give you the photos you’ve hired them to take.
Some Key reason for choosing Arindom Chowdhury Photography :
- I have highly developed people skills; know how to put subjects at ease, how to suggest different poses, angles and expressions and how to provide other key direction for optimal images.
- I use sophisticated, high-quality medium format camera and high definition lens, which is used by extreme high end fashion and magazine shoot, that’s more likely to produce high-quality photos.
- I can easily provide different photo sizes depending on how images will be used. Thanks to heavy medium format camera and high definition lenses.
- I use continuing education to stay apprised of new industry information and techniques.
- I know how to make the corrections that can improve photo quality in both the studio and the lab.
- I am accustomed to deadlines, contracts and having to stay on task to preserve my business reputation.
- I love what I do and consider myself an artist; as such, I tend to take pride in my work and to remain as vested in the process as my customers. I have 100% success in customer satisfaction and portfolio will scream and tell you the same story.
- My training and experience prepared me to handle the technical, logistical and interpersonal challenges that can pop up during photo sessions. Because they're used to unexpected issues, they tend to come prepared with extra equipment, extra materials and a "plan B" for contingencies.
... and Finally
Smile from within!
Have fun with it! Remember you’re having a photo session, not a board meeting.
So , show people who you are!!