Preparing For Your
Design
Consultation
The design consultation is essential and required! This is your time to explore possibilities, ask questions and make plans. You will have the opportunity to view works created by the artist, Sterling Cecil Hoffman, becoming better acquainted with his styles of portraiture and the many options available to you. Sterling will personally guide you through the decision-making process. You should allow two hours for this appointment.
Some of the topics you will discuss and make decisions on are:
- Who will be photographed? The children together? Individually? The family? Parents together? Grandparents? All of these?
- What style of portrait? Interactive/Storytelling? Traditional (looking at the camera)? Love Me Tender? Closeups? Full lengths? Scenic?
- What feeling do you want your portrait to convey? Black & White or color?
- Behind-the-Scenes portraits?
- Where and when will the portraits be created?
- Can your home can be used as the portrait location?
- What do we do in case of poor weather if an outdoor portrait is being planned?
- When Sterling preview your home?
- What style and coloring of clothing will you need to prepare or purchase?
- Would you like to purchase additional sessions so that portraits can be created of more than one combination of family members?
- What portraits you will purchase at the consultation to take advantage of the 20% advance purchase discount?
- When will you and your spouse return to the gallery to view and select your images?
What to bring to the consultation...
- You Planning Guide notebook. We strongly recommend that you read it thoroughly. It will answer many question and keep the appointment to two hours.
- The completed Portrait Idea List.
- Your appointment book so that you can schedule the remaining appointments.
- Any snapshots you have of the place where you would like us to take the portraits.
- Snapshots of your children, family, spouse, pets-whoever will be in the portrait.
- Snapshots of the walls where you will be displaying the portraits. Include a yardstick in the photographs if possible.
- If you have specific clothing you really want in the portrait, bring it along. Sterling will help you to decide if it is a good choice or not.
- A means of payment - personal check or credit card.
- (If you have a certificate for services, please bring this as well.)
Who should come to the consultation?
Bring the people whose opinions and input you want. Since you will be making your final decisions at the consultation, if your spouse is interested in the portraits and you want his or her input, then they should come. It is ok if your spouse does not want to come, as long as they are prepared to go along with all the decisions you make.
It is not advisable to bring children of any age to the design consultation. Unfortunately, the time need for the consultation and the physical layout of the gallery are not well adapted to children. While we look forward to the opportunity to meet your children, the consultation is not a good time for this.