How We Work for Family Portraits On Location

Working with Craig McNeil to create your family portrait involves a step-by-step process that’s proven to produce the best possible results.

The process involved in creating a premium quality, “best of the best” family portrait involves the following steps:

Step 1: Make a commission payment.

Clients in Metro Denver make a $1,000 commission payment. Within 90 miles of Denver, the commissioning is $1,250. Within 200 miles of Denver, the commissioning is $1,500. 50% of commissioning is applied to the purchase of a canvas wall portrait.

Step 2: Participate in a one-hour initial design consultation.

If you’re in Metro Denver, the studio comes to you and the consultation will take place in the comfort and convenience of your own home. If you live out of state or outside of the Denver Metro area an online consultation will be arranged.

The design consultation is a chance for us to meet face to face or over the phone to accomplish several key goals.

The consultation involves:

A. Communication. This is the opportunity for clients to express likes, dislikes, concerns and preferences. You’ll also answer questions I may have that can clarify your expectations and help us develop your portrait design.

The Coleman Family in Cherry Hills

B. A slide show presenting examples of my work. The portraits I create must be seen to be appreciated! Viewing finished portraits can also spark creative ideas you may have for your own personalized portrait.

C. An educational PowerPoint presentation that serves as an educational tool. This is designed to help determine what will be best for clients in terms of location, clothing, and style and type of portrait. The presentation also addresses the importance of where in the home the portrait will be displayed, the colors it should involve, and the time of year when photography should be scheduled to maximize seasonal affects. Clients will be asked to consider what’s important to them and what they want their family portrait to say.

D. A thorough review of the planning guide previously sent out that explains how I work and what sets me apart from other photographers. I’ll also answer any questions and elaborate on details of the planning guide as needed.

Step 3: Schedule a time and date to go on location.

The Collins Family at The Columbine Country Club

The location where photographs are taken depends on the client. Clients choose a location that’s good for them, and together we’ll choose a date to go on location that’s workable.

Your location may be a place where you hike, play, picnic or walk. It will be a location that has some special significance for your family, a place that’s near and dear.

When we go out on location, there is no limit to our time or the amount of photographs I take to collect the best possible images for your portrait.

The best time to do photographs outdoors is at sunset when the light begins to soften or in the early morning if you have young children. I usually book an hour and half to two hour session, but we’ll take as long as we need. My time is yours exclusively when we’re on location.

Going out on location is a fun time for everyone in the family. I’m a people person, and one of the greatest joys I have is making people laugh and smile.

If you have little ones under the age of 10, I have the Magic Toy Bag, I have bubbles, I sing and dance and I do character voices. I entertain kids so they have a reason to smile while they’re being photographed. Having fun is the best way to bring out the personalities of children.

The Cowley Family at Chautauqua Park in Boulder

I’m delighted to work with dogs, horses or any other pets that are part of the family. I’ve photographed a family that brought an entire barnyard out on location – chickens, pigs, goats and horses! It was a joy to work with all of them, and working with your pets will be a treat for me, as well.

While we’re on location, I’m the director who does whatever it takes to capture terrific images. Your family can sit back, relax and have fun!

Your family portrait is all about you, so I’m open to anything creative your family might like to try.

If an idea strikes you while we’re on location, we’ll try it. Staying open to suggestions is a way to ensure we don’t miss a thing in your family’s images.

Although the emphasis is on capturing images of the whole family, I include what I call break down images at no additional cost. We’ll do the whole family - Mom and Dad together, the kids together, Dad with the kids, Mom with the kids, and so on. We’ll capture images of every conceivable combination of family members.

If your family includes little kids, I’ll bring along a second photographer to work behind the scenes to capture their images in black and white. Some of the cutest and most precious children’s’ images are captured when I’m photographing Mom and Dad and the kids are playing with bubbles or toys, relaxed and having fun.

I usually schedule to go on location 2 to 3 weeks following initial consultations. If you’re interested in a seasonal portrait, I may ask that we schedule your initial consultation 2 to 3 weeks prior to your “peak” season of choice.

If additional expenses will be incurred to cover my travel to distant locations, clients will be informed of costs accordingly.

Step 4: The Projection Session: Image and viewing selection.

A day or two after going on location, I’ll call to book a time for us to get together and review your images. I’ll come to your home and bring the studio to you so the projection session is as convenient as possible. I suggest clients plan on a 2-hour session so they’re relaxed and at ease during the selection process. If you live outside the Denver Metro area or out of state an Online Viewing of your images can be arranged.

I’ll take lots and lots of images on location, then edit them ruthlessly to select the very “best of the best” for your review. You’ll view your family’s images on a state of the art big screen with a digital slide show set to music.

If you’ve worked with a photographer in the past and had a hard time finding even one good image, you’re in for a wonderful surprise! We’re going to have a happy problem at the projection session. There are going to be so many wonderful images to choose from, you’re going to want them all!

The Burns Family in Westminster

We’ll go through a review process designed to make deciding on your images a pleasure:

• First, you’ll view my edited selection of your family’s best images during a 4 to 5 minute slide show on an 80-inch screen.

• Next, we’ll review 4 images at a time, using magnification to look at all of the expressions on your family’s faces in detail.

• You’ll make your selection of the best images and place your order.

Once you’ve chosen the images you want to use and placed your order, I ask for payment in full. If a payment plan needs to be arranged, I’m happy to work with you.

Your payment will be recorded, you’ll receive a copy of the receipt, and you’ll then receive an invoice in the mail outlining the details of your order. The invoice includes a dedicated due date when you can expect your completed portrait to be done.

Depending on the size, style and finish, it may take 12 to 16 weeks for your portrait to be completed.

Step 5: Frame Selection.

When your portrait is completed, it will be unframed. I invite you to work with an excellent wholesale framer I work with, or you can choose to have your portrait framed yourself. You can meet with me at the framer’s to do a frame selection, or I’ll deliver your portrait to your home if you’re arranging framing yourself.

Step 6: Hanging your portrait.

Once your portrait is framed, I’ll call to arrange a time when I can deliver and hang your finished framed portrait for you in your home.

Imagine having your family portrait done on the beach in Hawaii, at a castle in Scotland, in a green field of Ireland or anywhere else in the world. There’s no limit to where your family can be photographed with a truly flexible photographer!

Craig McNeil is “The Rocky Mountain Portrait Artist,” as he’s willing to travel to any location in Colorado or anyplace else.

The Koenigsberg Family in Greenwood Village

Craig McNeil’s Portrait Safaris present an exciting opportunity for your family portrait to be photographed anywhere in the world. Portrait Safaris involve slight modifications to the 6 step-by-step process.

Destination Portraits at the location of your choosing outside the state of Colorado can be arranged by request of the client and requires a $1,500 commission payment.  Clients also cover my travel expenses including airfare, accommodations and transportation costs to get me to and from their destination location.

Utilizing a special online design consultation, we can arrange the details of your portrait design prior to travel. We’ll complete your portrait session on location, and the next day you’ll view a slide show of your images and make your selection in a travel-friendly version of the projection session.

The Davisson Family in The Highlands

Portrait Safaris involve a $1,500 commission payment. Clients also cover my travel expenses including airfare, accommodations and transportation costs to get me to their choice of locations.

Ready to get started?

Then call Craig McNeil today at 720-981-9705 for more information.

“From the day you walked in our home, we’ve been so impressed!”

When we met you at the MS Fundraiser, we had no idea the treasure we had happened upon. From the day you walked in our home, we’ve been so impressed! The location you helped us select is meaningful to our entire family, the colors blended beautifully, and you took such great care in getting everything just perfect. We appreciate and value what you have created for us and will treasure our beautiful portraits for a lifetime!

Thank you!

The Myers
David, Theresa, Sarah, DJ and Keli