Hi! I’m Megan Martineau, owner of Honey Bee Photography.  I’ve been photographing families for over 20 years for various studios, and now my own.

My family consists of my husband, Jim, who is the tech guy, Noah, our adolescent son, who is the clown, our dog Luke Skywalker (I didn’t name him), and our two sweet kitties, Monty and Harley.  Monty is a Siamese mix and Harley is a Harlequin Siberian mix.  They are sweet and beautiful and when you come over, they go upstairs.  If they didn’t they’d try and get in the pictures with your family.  They truly love people that much.  And yes, I am surrounded by boys.

We are currently a military family, serving our great country in beautiful Anchorage, AK.  We go to church every week, enjoy our diverse groups of friends here, and strive to keep Noah very busy.  He is involved in Boy Scouts and piano lessons and hopes to pursue the cross country team in middle school.

My husband Jim LOVES to debate politics on Facebook, eat good food (made by yours truly) and play video games.  Recently he became interested in ham radio and got himself a license to operate.  I think it’s a GREAT skill to have.

I enjoy “doing” food storage.  Prompted by our religious leaders to prepare, and also the truck-drivers strike in 2008, I became serious about canning and storing food for the benefit of family, friends and neighbors.  I love making jams and jellies, and this year I’m trying my hand at sugar-free recipes.  Last year, my famous recipe was this luscious Raspberry Sundae Topper that was so good I made 2 extra batches to give away as gifts.  We also can things like whole wheat, oatmeal, sugar and other dry goods.  Having food and water stored is a huge blessing and I’m grateful to have it.

My hobbies include reading, watching TV (Lost!), go walking, and want to learn how to camp and pursue activities pertaining to emergency preparedness.  My luxuries include going to Lady Katherine’s Nails off of Raspberry Road to have my sparkly white tips fixed every 2 weeks.  I love Diamonique earring s and rings from QVC, my beaded bracelets by my friend Steve of Brilliant Baubles, Lands End clothes and shoes, and anything to do with cottage/farmhouse décor.

Someday when we retire, we want to purchase some land and live off the grid.  I am the brownest of brown thumbs, so I need to learn how to cultivate the skill of gardening.  In the meantime, we hope, with our next PCS, to find a home to purchase that will be large enough to house our family AND our studio.

One of my most favorite quotes is “Isn’t it a beautiful day? Isn’t it great to be alive?” It’s one of my favorite affirmations and helps me to see how every day is a blessing and that indeed, glad I am that I live on this earth in these days.

Occasionally, when I get a new prop or I want to try something new, I will advertise for a model.

If it’s for an upcoming Event or a new Limited Edition event, I will call upon some past clients.  If it’s for a new prop, I will generally try to go to a person who’s never used HBP’s services before.

I generally offer casting calls off of Facebook.  Please join my fan page on Facebook for all the latest deals!

Plan to feed your baby just before your session. A well fed baby is a happy, content baby.

Please don’t feel stressed if we need to stop to allow your baby time for a feed, change or just a cuddle from mom or dad. We understand that little ones work on their own schedule, not ours.

Also, please don’t panic if your baby goes to the toilet on our items. This is to be expected.  When we can, we use cut up pieces of puppy pee pads to absorb urine.

We clean all of our items and wash all backgrounds and blankets after each session.

We recommend having a change of clothing available for everyone and plenty of diapers and wipes.

Please have a long sleeve black t shirt on hand for yourself and your spouse. This is an important element needed in the process of capturing many popular poses.

Feel free to have items you would like to incorporate ready to use. Family heirlooms or items special to your baby work well.  We love using handmade blankets and quilts made especially for your baby… please bring those!

Clothing for babies should be kept super simple – less is definitely best. Most of the portraits will be done naked or swaddled.

My house, and especially the camera room will be warmed up for the session, with a space heater, heating pad and a sound machine; the heart beat noise and ocean waves are particularly conducive to helping your baby drowse right through the session.

Please make sure that whatever you dress your baby in for traveling here, that it is very loose so as to make those little texture marks not appear when we do start to strip down your baby.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call or email Megan at 907-753-1050 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Choosing what clothes to wear for your portrait session can be frustrating. We’ve put together some tips below to help you out.

In general it is best to keep things simple but whatever you choose, be true to your own style. We want your portraits to reflect who you really are. Wearing high heels if you’re a cowboy boots kind of person will make you feel uncomfortable and that will reflect in your portraits.

For a classic, timeless look, jeans, plain tees and simple dresses are good choices. Solid colors in subtle tones work well for this style.

For a hip, trendy look choose brighter, bolder colors. Patterns can be fun but often distract from the subject being photographed. We strongly suggest avoiding busy patterns, cartoon characters and logos.  Wearing these types of clothes often clashes in your portraits, making them look like snapshots rather than being the artistic portraiture that you come to Honey Bee Photography for.

We suggest keeping any white you are wearing to a minimum as it reflects light strongly and can leave you looking washed out.

While wearing the latest trend can be fun, keep in mind that it can also date your portraits very easily. This is not necessarily a bad thing, just something to keep in mind.

Accessories can be fun additions to your session. Hats, belts, sunglasses, shades, etc are all great.

Bare feet are fun! If you are wearing shoes, make sure they are in good condition and not dirty or scuffed, and match the outfit you are wearing.  Yes, your shoes/feet will probably show in a few images.

Choosing outfits for a family session can require more planning. Everyone does not have to be dressed identically or even need to wear the same color. Choose colors that complement each other. Keeping within the same ‘family’ of colors will help you. An example of a color family is pastels, bright, cool or warm colors.

However, if you are looking for an image that is pulled together, something to accentuate your family’s closeness, then we recommend wearing black, long-sleeved t-shirts (Lands End is a great place to look for these) and nice jeans, and black casual shoes.  Also, cream colored turtlenecks are good too (light enough to be “white” in black and white portraits, but in color doesn’t wash you out).  If you are looking for a more organic look, choose sweaters that are knitted with bamboo in a medium neutral color, and keep hair loose and natural and makeup to a minimum.

Your hands and feet (with shoes or bare!) will show in some of your portraits.  Please take time to moisturize all body parts that will show, and use lip balm several times a day prior to your session.  Taking the time to get a pedi and mani with natural colors/French nails will make a nice touch.  Another suggestion is to get your wedding rings cleaned if you already feel they need it.  Every time you look at your portraits from Honey Bee, we want you to look at it with pride and love, instead of that nagging sensation that you wish that you’d done these recommendations.

If you are unsure, take another look at our website for ideas or give us a call. We can help you out over the phone as well as suggesting you bring several outfits to your session where we can further assist you.

A Foreword by Megan Martineau

At Honey Bee Photography, we do our best to keep our prices low because we target the US military families, and so we offer custom, boutique photography in studio and outside to create beautiful, treasured portraits that you can’t get anywhere else.  With 15 years of studio experience and 5 years of being open for business, you should expect to pay 3-4 times the amount we offer based on the equipment and studio props.  We do not “shoot and burn” like most photographers in the area, because we want to provide the Best Experience for you.  Please compare imagery with other photographers in the area and we are sure that you will choose HBP for your family’s portraits.

What is Custom Photography? By Marianne Drenthe

The photographic art you choose to place on your wall is ultimately the result of the vision of the photographer. This vision, coupled with what you wear to your session, the environment, the lighting, even the mood the subjects are in at the time of photographing creates the work that you will want to proudly display on your walls forevermore.

Your first step in the process is more about determining who you are, who your family is and then seeking a photographer that reflects your style. For instance let’s say your family is extremely outdoorsy and loves playing on the beach. You start determining what style you like, browse through photography website portfolios and determine if any of the styles exhibited there would be a good fit with your life and family style. You have already determined that you should probably seek out a beach type photographer (that is if you live near a beach) and then begin narrowing the field down a bit.

Finally after a bit of internet research, you have narrowed it down to two photographers who do what seems like solid work, the sort of outdoor beach look you desire.  It is now time to ask yourself: Do you like photographer A’s style over photographer B’s style? Is it because the people in the images of A’s style are having a great time and it seems very caught up in the moment vs. B photographer more posed, looking in the camera images? If this is a case, you probably like LIFESTYLE photography or perhaps even take it a step further and define your desired style as a PHOTOJOURNALISTIC photography style. The photographer you probably should choose is photographer A because their style is very similar to the style you desire.

What custom photography ultimately is all about is choice and experience (as in THE experience). Custom photography is about finding someone who will photograph your family, give you devoted 1:1 attention without worry of the next ‘in line’ or the feeling of a crowded portrait studio. A custom photographer will typically show you a fairly extensive gallery culled to only show the good images that meet the photographers’ creative sensibilities. Often the images are fully edited images-color corrected with blemishes and under eye circles removed. Custom photographers are also known as boutique studios, offering a range of products and unparalleled service. Think Lexus vs. Hyundai, think Nordstrom vs. Wal-Mart.

Custom photography should have you, the client and your experience in mind.

Why Does Custom Photography Cost More? 

Digital technology is brilliant.  The digital revolution has brought amazing flexibility and amazing amounts of control for the photographer, the hobbyist, the professional, the amateur.  With flexibility comes a price though.  Camera equipment is still considerably more expensive when you factor in its’ lifespan, the need for additional resources for processing those images, the time it takes to get a usable image and the effort that goes into all of this.

Even though you pay $1.99 for a print at your local drugstore and paying for film is pretty much a thing of the past (although you still pay for memory) you may be wondering why you may pay upwards of $40, 50, 70, 90 for a custom photography print. Some photographers hear this statement every once in awhile:

"How in the world can you charge $60 for an 8×10 if it costs me less than $2 to print at the local drug store?" 

The answer is multifaceted and has a lot to do with the time, aforementioned equipment costs, artistic vision and reputation of the photographer, expertise and the usual costs of running a legitimate business.

TIME of the CUSTOM PHOTOGRAPHER:

Approaching it from a time standpoint, for instance let’s imagine if you will that you have hired a photographer who has work that you love and that is travelling an hour to your on location session.  Time break down:

• session prep time (30 minutess - 1 hour, includes equipment and back up equipment checks + vehicle checks)
• one hour travel time TO session
• 15-30 minutes prep time at client’s home
• 90 minutes-2 hours with client photographing subject
• one hour travel time FROM session
• 30-45 minutes uploading time from digital cards from camera to computer
• 30-45 minutes time spent backing up the original images
• 2-5 hours editing time to present you with a diverse gallery of edited images
• 1 hour prep time getting ready for ordering
• 2-3 hours time with client for ordering images
• 1 hour sorting through and checking order
• 30 minutes-1 hour prep time for delivery
• 30 minutes-1 hour getting order shipped
• any additional phone time or time needed for add on ordering, shipment issues, quality issues

As you can see, average client time for a session ranges from just under 13 hours to 19 hours dependent on the photographer’s level of service.  This is time dedicated only to your session.  When the photographer charges $150-$300 for the photo shoot you are not just paying for the two hours of session time, you are paying the photographer for 12-19 hours complete time for your session.

COSTS of the CUSTOM PHOTOGRAPHER:

Regarding equipment costs, a good quality professional camera with a selection of good optical quality lenses and digital storage mediums and computer set up can run from $10,000-$30,000 costs dependent on the photographer.  Even though you can purchase a really good quality digital SLR for about $2100 there are still other costs related to photography.  A good lens for portrait photography can run up $900 to $2500.  A dependable computer system with software loaded for business and creative usage can run $2500 to $8000 dependent on the photographer.

Then comes lab costs for specialty products.  A good photographer knows the lab is integral to their success.  Photography labs dedicated to the professional photographer often cost more and offer a range of products that allows the custom photographer to continually offer new, innovative products for you, the discerning client.

Discussion other costs of running a photography business could take awhile so we’ll skip the intricate details.  There is of course much more: including costs of running the business, taxes, studio rental/mortgage if the photographer has ownership of a dedicated studio, vehicular costs, costs of advertising/marketing, costs of sample pieces that the photographer will likely bring to your session, etc.

APPLES to ORANGES:

Often-times clients will mention to their photographer that X studio in the mall/department store only charges $25 for an 8×10 or they may mention other things related to discount photography chains.  The fact is those discount chains make their money on volume, not on customized 1:1 service.  According to several articles at the time, did you know that in February 2007 a rather well known discount department store that started in Arkansas closed down 500 of their portrait studios across the nation?  The reason is simple; you cannot make money on 99¢ "professional" prints if you do not sell enough of them.  Interestingly enough - those same studios that offer the loss leader packages often charge much much more for their a la carte pricing (as high as $40-50 for an 8×10).  The whole reason the big department stores began offering portrait studios in the first place was to get you, the savvy consumer, in through their door so that you could spend more money with them in other departments.  Your "PORTRAITS" are considered the true "loss leader".

Going to a chain studio, as a consumer, you don’t have the benefit of 1:1 attention for 2 hours at your home where your child is allowed to explore, play and be comfortable in their home environment, nor do you get the experience that many custom photographers are known for or the lovely captures of natural expressions.  You simply get a bare-bones, "SAY CHEESE" experience.  Keep this in mind when selecting a photographer.

REPUTATION/EXPERTISE of the PHOTOGRAPHER:

Being in demand, being well known for quality work, having a good reputation often costs time on the photographer’s part.  Their expertise comes at a cost, their time learning their craft and learning the intricacies of lighting and the commitment put forth on their end to create a persona about their business that oozes professionalism.  A great number of photographers go a very long time from the time that they purchase their first good camera to making money at the business of photography.  Many photographers, when first starting out, rush in thinking that the business will be easily profitable in no time, how expensive could it be to get a camera and use it to create their dream?  They often neglect to factor in the cost of business, the cost of equipment, software, backups, etc..

Being of sound reputation, a better professional photographer knows that they must always reinvest in their business to create the reputation of being top notch.  To create good work good equipment, reliable equipment, back up equipment is a necessity.  The photographer who desires to be known as better/best/unparalleled reputation-wise knows that the most important thing they can do for their business is reliability and dependability.  This is how reputations get built.  Good work often is a wonderful side product of building that good reputation.

I hope this (lengthy) article helps shed some light on WHY a custom photographer is a better choice for your family’s memories.  The photographs that are produced as a result of the professionalism and dedication that your photographer has will be cherished for a lifetime (or more) and great thought and consideration should be placed into hiring who is right for your family’s most precious investment.

Why Choose Custom Photography 

Custom Photography as Something "Special"

Custom photography is more of a luxury than your entry level cookie cutter chain experience.  Custom photography truly is not for everyone, it requires a level of commitment, investment in time  and money, forethought and planning on the part of the subject/client and requires a larger time commitment for the photographer as well.

Clients who enjoy taking a more active role in the creation of their families’ memories have the desire to have portrait art that is truly personalized.  These more discerning clients have been known to budget and allot time for a custom photography session.  Many clients opt for it to be a once a year special experience, some opt to have custom photography sessions done to record their child’s stages in life.  Having said this, it is clear that custom photography is not in everyone’s budget,  it is something that most families save for to splurge on from time to time to memorialize their children as they really are  (not posed and primped in the cookie cutter studio setting).

There is a great deal of time involved in creating high end custom photography sessions for a client.  The luxury of great service, better choices and a superb end product.  The result of all this are heirloom quality images.  The time invested at the session is only a small portion of time involved in this process.

Custom photography has been likened to purchasing a fine vehicle.  To get to point B from A let’s face it, even a bus ride would suffice.  If you want to luxuriate in a finely appointed vehicle, customizing your own experience by listening to smooth jazz while sitting in a climate controlled setting adjusted purely for your comfort in a body hugging leather interior, perhaps that Lexus you so desire is your cup of tea.

Custom photography is much the same cup of tea.  It is the Lexus of the photography world.  It is where the intangibles make the experience truly wonderful and the images themselves make the investment of money and time truly worthwhile.

Custom photography can be broken down into even more levels.  There are on location, studio, mixed studio/on location, specialty location and destination type photographers.  The beauty of custom photography is in the choices and in the luxury of those options.  The customized service level you are sure to experience will be amazing.  The knowledge that your final images are the result of someone caring about those moments so much that they take extra time ensuring that the artwork you receive is good enough to stand by with their name on it.  That level of quality and commitment is all but lost in the age of "mass produced," "mass marketed," corporate "everyone is a number".  Custom photography is based on being unique to you.  How great an experience would be, to be able to sit back and allow a photographer to do this highly custom work for images that you will most likely cherish for a lifetime?

Keep in mind more than anything that the Lexus will never appreciate in value the way your portraits will.  The portrait art you become invested in from your custom photographer will no doubt increase in value and become more priceless as the years pass.

Portraits from Honey Bee Photography are more than just a photo, or a documentation of your child growing up; your portraits are art, and ought to be displayed as such.  Below are tips on choosing the best mats and frames for your portraits.

Choosing the Frame

What kind of style is your portrait?  Is it casual, or formal?  Contemporary or classic?

A casual portrait calls out for a great casual, light wood frame.  A formal portrait deserves a more ornate frame, perhaps thick and gold or dark wood.  A contemporary portrait would like great in a modern frame, like a thin black one.  And a classic portrait would impress in a large darker wooden frame.

Next, consider the room you are putting your framed portrait in, especially the wall.  A portrait can be framed 100 different ways and look great, but you do need to consider where it’s going.  After you’ve found the right frame style, focus on finish and proportion.  The frame’s color should complement your portrait and also your wall color.  Getting the right size is where more mistakes are made.  Some folks lose courage and under-frame their beautiful family portrait with a skimpy frame.

Less common, but equally offensive is the frame that is too much for the picture.  To quote Baby Bear, it needs to be “just right”.

Matters of Matting

If your family portrait dictates the frame, then the portrait and frame dictate the mat.  Though most portraits need mats, some may only need a handsome gold or wood frame.  But any portraits that are going under glass will look their absolute best set off with a mat.

Mats give your portraits air and importance:  They put space between the art and glass, which helps preserve your portraits, and they separate your portrait from the frame, so your portrait doesn’t look choked.

When selecting a mat, consider these factors:

Quality:  If your portrait is something you want to preserve, choose matting materials that are archival quality.  These are acid-free/neutral pH.  Cheaper products may have acid in the paper that over time can burn art and ruin the emulsion of your portraits.

Material:  Most mats are made of cotton (also called rag) or linen.  Rag mats go very well with most portraits, but if you are looking for something with a great texture, linen is the way to go.

Color and proportion:  Think of mats as the “stage” on which your portraits are presented.  Depending on your portraits, the stage could be neutral or colorful, large and dramatic, or small and intimate.  Color mats can add zip to your portraits, if it works with the clothing and background, and your frame as well.

If going with color, pull one from your portrait that ties into your room.  But, in general, the neutrals- white, off-white, beige and eggshell- reign.

Again, don’t be timid about size.  The most common mistake folks make is putting too small a mat on portraits.  A couple of inches all around can make a dramatic difference and it doesn’t make that much difference in price.

Experts recommend a wider mat if you have a narrow frame and smaller mat if you have a wide frame.  Never make the mat the same width as the frame.

Layering:  If you’re unsure about color, layering mats offers a chance to show just a sliver of color beneath a neutral top mat.

Glass

All portraits should be covered in glass or acrylic to protect it from bugs and dirt.  All portraits from Honey Bee are sealed with a luster spray, and do fine on their own, but they do look best with glass in front of them.  Portraits that are printed on actual canvas and covered with acrylic should never be covered because they need to breathe.

Frugal Framing Tips

If you choose to take your portrait to a framer, tell him what you would like to spend and ask if that is realistic.  In other words, make cost a part of the dialogue from the beginning.

Ask which frames or moldings the frame store stocks a lot of.  Often if a framer buys bigger quantities of a particular frame, he gets a volume discount that he can sometimes pass on to you.

If you have two or three pictures that need to be framed, do them together and ask for a volume discount.  Using the same frame on several pieces not only saves money, but also can give a look of unity to the art in a particular room.

Keep the mat simple.  Better to skimp on material than size.  A larger rag archival mat usually will cost less than a smaller mat in linen or silk.

Keep your eyes open for great frames at swap meets and thrift stores.  You can throw the art away and reuse the frame and glass, all you’ll need is a new mat.  Make sure it’s the right size and motif.

Opt for regular glass.  Most of the time it’s just fine, and much cheaper.

Places like Joann’s Fabrics and Michael’s have great ready-to-hang frames in their frame department, and most of the time they are on sale, too.  Then you can use those savings to purchase a great mat from the custom framing department, and have the best of both worlds.  Take your portrait with you so that you can pick the best frame and mat to complement your portrait.

Source:  “The Right Frame of Mind” by Marnell Jameson of the LA Times, Sat April 15, 2000

We’re so glad you’ve chosen Honey Bee Photography!  Here are some things that you can expect to happen with your photo session.

1. Please follow the recommendations laid out for you in “Clothing Tips”.  This document was written to help you make the best decisions for how to dress you and your family, and kind of decide what kind of portraiture you want for your wall.
2. I will consult with you on what kind of photo session and what you are looking to put on your walls at your home.  Are you looking for a cohesive wall arrangement?  Are you looking for scrapbooking portraits, or gifts for family?  Do you need greeting cards for the holidays? (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, New Years, Valentine’s Day, Passover, Easter, Fourth of July)  Do you need Thank You cards for a special occasion? (Birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, weddings, graduations)  Talking about these things and other subjects will help me to find out what exactly you are looking for so we can make a session just for you that fits your family’s personality and spirit.
3. We also discuss location.  I have a studio in my home on base, so if you require a base pass, I will meet you at the Boniface gate.  More information about that can be discussed in our conversation.  I can meet you at your favorite place, like a park or the woods near your home or downtown Anchorage.  I can also photograph at your home, with natural light/flash.
4. When we finally get together for your session, you can expect many different poses of your whole family, and then individuals of just the kids, them together, them with mom, and then with dad, and then some with mom and dad.  Some will be traditionally posed, some will be a little more creative, and some will be just of you guys interacting with each other.  Your session will last as long as the time is allotted for per the information on my Session Retainer list.
5. When your session is over I have some paperwork for you to fill out.  Your sneak peek will be available within 3 days of your session and your images within 10 days to 2 weeks, if not sooner.  I edit all images by hand, and things like eyes are enhanced, skin softened where needed and teeth whitened.  If you follow my recommendations then less enhancing will be needed to be done and you will get your images faster.
6. Your images will be up for 30 days in your private gallery.  Within that time period, send the link to all your friends and family, and if they want to order please get that information from them.  The day after your images go online I will call you to set up the appointment to come and view them on my computer in full size and resolution.  Payment is expected at the time of ordering, and I accept cash, checks, MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover.  When you order within 30 days of receiving your image gallery, you can take off 50% (60% for E-5 and below).
7. I try to keep shipping charges to a minimum for my clients.  What this means is that your order may take about 2 weeks to arrive due to getting more orders from other clients.  Most of my orders come in at least 2 boxes, because of ordering products and Wall portraits like 20x24s come in separate boxes.  At $15 per box, you can see it gets really expensive.  If you need your portraits quickly, then you’ll be charged for the full amount of shipping.
8. When your order comes in, I call you and we can meet somewhere, or you can come to pick up the order.

1. The images and finished portraits from your session are protected by Federal copyright laws.  This law states that the creator of a photograph or portrait owns the exclusive right to make and sell copies of that image.  Scanning, copying from the internet, and photocopying are all violations of this law and can be prosecuted at the felony level.  However, you are welcome to right-click on your images that I have photographed of your family that is watermarked.  Turning the image into black and white, etc, or cropping the image to remove the watermark is NOT allowed. This ruins the image and will distort it.  Printing these images is not allowed. If/when you purchase a disk, you do not own the copyright of the images, you only have permission to print up to a particular size.
2. Session retainers are due at the time of scheduling the session.  This confirms your session date and time.  Your choice of date and time will not be confirmed until payment has been made.  You may pay by PayPal (with an invoice sent by me OR just over the phone, your information is safe with me) or mail or drop off a check or cash within 2 days of setting your appointment.  Your session retainer is non-refundable, but may be used towards another session date in case of emergency or illness.  Your session retainer is for the session and your gallery, and the photographer’s time and talent.
3. If you have paid a session retainer but do not show up or call ahead (within reason, 10 minutes beforehand does not count) your retainer is forfeited and you will have to pay a new session retainer.
4. You will have a SneekPeak within 3 business days of your session on my blog.  I will notify you by email or Facebook.
5. Your image proofs will be online to view within 10 days to 2 weeks after your session.  Your gallery will have 20-35 images from a regular session.
6. Your proof images will be online for 30 days.  This mirrors the time of the opportunity to purchase your images at half price (60% off for E-5 and below) within 30 days.  After that, your images will be removed from the gallery.  If you need your images reloaded, there will be a $25 reload fee, payable by card immediately.
7. If you do miss your 30 day window, HBP offers different set packages that are 35% off.  You are welcome to add other sizes of portraits with a discount of 35% off the A La Carte menu.
8. Pricing is locked in from the date your session fee is received until 30 days after your gallery has been loaded.  Any orders placed after that time will be subject to full price, or you may purchase one of the many packages listed.
9. Prices are subject to change without notice.  If you have a session done in May, and wait until September to order, your prices will reflect the prices listed in September.
10. All images are archived for one full year.  Images you have purchased will be archived for 18 months.  After that time, there is no guarantee your images will be available for purchase.
11. Cameras, including cell phone cameras, or video equipment are not allowed during the session in the studio or outside.  As much as we appreciate that you are just “catching a snapshot” it is distracting and will not mirror the quality of the portraits you are paying for.  However, if your child is participating in a Limited Edition session and this includes dress up, as long as you are not in the studio area, you may take a snapshot.
12. All portraits taken by Honey Bee Photography have minor retouching that is included in your portraits.  This includes brightening eyes, whitening teeth, removing blemishes, slight skin softening, etc.    Any major retouching, such as braces removal, glasses glare, etc will require a rate of $25.00 an hour.
13. All Greeting Cards and Portrait Panels include 2 client edits.  This might include switching the images around or using a different font.  Any changes beyond this will incur a $25.00 creative fee per incident.
14. Limited Edition sessions include a special retainer (which includes a complimentary portrait) and set packages for that specific event.  A package must be purchased before a la carte items can be added on.  Pin-Up Photography sessions do NOT include the makeover, but it is understood that the client will be using the Make-Up Artist on hand at the event and pay her separately.
15. Honey Bee Photography accepts cash, checks, and credit cards.  Checks can be made out to Honey Bee Photography.  If a check bounces, HBP reserves the right to charge a $25.00 fee as well as any other fees charged to us by our banks.
16. Payment is due in full at the time your order is placed.  NO orders will be placed with the lab until all funds have been received.
17. Honey Bee Photography uses a professional lab in the Lower 48.  All portraits are sprayed, and enlargements and wall portraits are mounted.  The finish is amazing, and the mounting of larger portraits protects them from creasing and folding.  This is part of HBP’s high standards of portraiture.
18. All portrait orders are typically delivered within 2 weeks of receiving your final payment.  Soft cover and hard cover albums may take up to a month due to the extra design and artwork involved.  When there is an event, such as a Limited Edition session, you will probably receive your portraits within 10 days.  The Holiday Portrait Spectacular which happens in November is a Limited Edition event and falls under the same condition.
19. Honey Bee Photography reserves the right to use all images for display, website and all forms of advertising unless otherwise notified.  Pin-Up photography is the exception on this… only the MOST modest images will be portrayed for advertising.  Your name and personal information is kept private and will not be revealed to anyone.