Questions About Your Portrait Experience
Everything you want to know about the Flint Photography portrait experience. If you do not find your answer here, call us at 281-899-0818.
About the Portrait Experience
The most significant difference is that we handle everything. Most photographers hand you a gallery link after your session and consider the job done. At Flint Photography, we guide you from the first planning conversation through the professional installation of your finished artwork in your home. Every detail is managed including wardrobe planning, session location, portrait display design, and installation. You never have to figure out what to do next. We also use a virtual wall design system that shows you exactly how your finished portrait will look on your specific walls, at different sizes and with different framing options, before you commit to anything. Not a generic room mock-up. Your actual walls.
A portrait session is an appointment with a camera. A portrait experience is something different entirely. At Flint Photography, the session itself is just one step in a four-part process that begins with a thorough planning consultation and ends with your finished artwork professionally installed in your home. The goal is not just great portraits. it is great portraits that feel like they belong, designed for your home and your walls from the very beginning.
Your session fee includes your Portrait Consultation, your portrait session, your View & Order appointment, full retouching and artistic refinement, a $600 artwork credit applied toward your finished portrait artwork, delivery, and professional in-home installation. It also includes Sandy’s Personal Portrait Guarantee on all portrait products. The session fee is collected at booking and secures your date on the calendar. *
Session fees are subject to change without notice.
The Portrait Consultation is where the entire experience is planned. We meet in person – or by phone if necessary – to talk through your family, your session location, wardrobe coordination, and the walls in your home where you are considering displaying your portraits. Sandy will photograph those walls so he can use them later to show you exactly how your finished portrait will look in your specific space. By the end of the consultation, you will have a clear plan, a comprehensive wardrobe guide, and nothing left to figure out on your own.
About a week after your session, you will join Sandy for a private presentation of your finished portraits. He will walk you through your favorites, help you design your portrait display, and show you exactly how each option will look on your walls. You will see your portrait at multiple sizes and with different framing options before making any decisions. Nothing is finalized until you are ready.
We believe portraits belong in your home, not on your phone. Our primary focus is finished wall art, custom albums, and walnut images boxes, but we do offer companion “social media” sized files for your phone and social media accounts for every image you purchase. We will walk through everything at your Portrait Consultation.
From your Portrait Consultation to the installation of your finished artwork, the typical timeline is generally six to eight weeks. We do have special timelines in the fall around the holidays. Your session takes place within a few weeks of your consultation. Your View & Order appointment follows within a week or so of the session. Production and installation complete the process. We will walk you through the full timeline at your consultation so you know exactly what to expect.
Yes. This is one of the things that makes the experience different. The consultation is not a formality. It is where we plan your wardrobe, select your location, and build the vision for your finished portraits. In some instances we may temporarily “reserve” a date for your session, but we do not formally book a session until the consultation. Skipping it would mean arriving at your session without a plan, which is exactly what we are here to prevent.
Sandy Flint is the only photographer at Flint Photography. You will work with Sandy from your first consultation through the installation of your finished artwork. Generally, Sandy handles your entire experience personally. The one exception may be for very large Generational Portrait sessions where an associate photographer may be present to assist – always following Sandy’s lead.
We recommend booking four to six weeks in advance for standard portrait sessions. Generational sessions involving large groups benefit from even more lead time, but we can work with shorter time-lines as well. Many Generational Portrait families begin the process up to 1 year in advance. Keep in mind – Holiday season dates fill quickly, so if you are considering a fall session, reaching out by August is advisable.
About Generational Portrait Sessions
A generational portrait session brings together three or more generations of a family – grandparents, parents, children, and grandchildren – for a single portrait experience. These sessions are designed for large family groups and require a different level of planning, logistics, and experience than a standard family session. Flint Photography has specialized in multi-generational sessions for nearly fifteen years, photographing groups of ten, thirty, fifty people and more.
There is no upper limit. We have photographed family groups of fifty people and beyond. The key is preparation. The larger the group, the more important the planning conversation becomes. We have refined our process over nearly fifteen years of generational sessions and know how to manage the logistics, the energy, and the group dynamics of a large family gathering.
You do not have to coordinate it alone. That is exactly what the Portrait Consultation is for. We will talk through your family’s structure, help you think through location options, advise on wardrobe coordination across multiple family lines, and plan the portrait configurations that will work best for your group. By the time the session arrives, everything is planned. Your job is to enjoy the day.
Large family sessions work best in spaces that can breathe such as a wide front porch, an open pasture, or a live oak grove. If available, we recommend a property that already means something to the family. Many of our clients use their own home or family land. If you do not have a specific location in mind, we have access to beautiful private locations in the Round Top area well suited to large groups. We are also happy to travel to a location that is meaningful to your family.
The session fee for a generational portrait is tailored to the size and complexity of your group. We will discuss the specifics during your initial planning conversation so you have a clear picture before you commit to anything.
This is one of the most common questions we hear. Honestly, the families who are most successful are the ones where one person, usually the “family boss” (often a grandmother or a family matriarch) simply picks the date and tells everyone to be there. A family portrait session is a wonderful reason to gather, and most family members are more willing to show up for it than you might expect.
Many families will also take advantage of the rare opportunity when the entire family is gathered for some other reason – such as a special holiday or milestone anniversary.
About Your Portrait Artwork
A Signature Series Portrait is our most popular wall art product. It is a finished, custom-framed portrait designed specifically for your home. Every Signature Series Portrait is hand-signed by Sandy and available in two finishes: Fine Art Prints and Artisan Canvas.
A Fine Art Print is printed directly to cotton rag paper using the finest pigmented inks available. That print is then matted, and framed with museum-grade non-reflective glass. It is the classic, timeless choice and the most traditional of the two finishes. An Artisan Canvas fuses the photographic print with artisan canvas and is framed without glass or mat. It is a particularly good choice for modern homes with large windows and significant natural light, since there is no glass to create reflections. Both are beautiful. The right choice depends on your home and your personal preference. We will walk through both options together at your Portrait Consultation.
A Brush Oil Portrait is our most extraordinary product. It is mixed-media artwork that combines the expressiveness and realism of fine art photography with the richness of classic oil portraiture. The finished portrait has the detail of a photograph and the presence of a painting. Each Brush Oil Portrait is a one-of-a-kind commissioned work, hand-signed by Sandy, and created for a single family. There is nothing else like it.
We offer Library Bound Albums which are custom-designed, leather-bound collections that tell the full story of your portrait session. We also offer Hand-Crafted Portrait Boxes. These hand crafted walnut boxes contain loose, matted fine art print. This is a tactile collection your family can hold and revisit. Gift Prints and Desktop Portraits (fine art prints 8×10 and smaller) are also available.
The session fee is $790 and includes your Portrait Consultation, portrait session, View & Order appointment, full retouching, a $600 artwork credit, delivery, and professional installation. Most clients invest $2,000 or more in their finished portrait artwork. We will walk through all product options and pricing at your Portrait Consultation before you even book your session, so there are no surprises.
We do offer some flexible payment options. Please contact us to discuss. We are happy to talk through what works for your situation.
Our Fine Art Prints are produced on archival materials rated to last well over one hundred years under normal display conditions. Artisan Canvas and Brush Oil Portraits are similarly built to last. Every product is covered by Sandy’s Personal Portrait Guarantee. While all portrait products are designed to be passed down, the guarantee is Sandy’s personal commitment to the quality and longevity of every portrait he creates: if a product fails, he will replace it.
Practical Questions
Wardrobe is one of the most important elements of a successful portrait, and we take it seriously. Every client receives a comprehensive wardrobe and session preparation guide covering clothing suggestions, color coordination, and styling tips for every season. Sandy will also offer personal guidance at your Portrait Consultation based on your specific family and your session location.
We monitor the weather closely as your session date approaches. If conditions are not suitable for your outdoor session, we will work with you to reschedule at no additional charge. Many of our sessions also take place indoors or on covered porches, which gives us flexibility regardless of the weather.
Absolutely. This is actually our preference. Sessions at your home, your weekend property, or a location that already means something to your family produce the most personal and meaningful portraits. The connection to place shows in every portrait we create there.
Yes. We work throughout the region and often travel out of state for clients. We regularly serve families across Washington, Fayette, Austin, and Colorado Counties. We also serve clients in the Houston area including Katy, Cypress, Tomball, Sugar Land, and The Woodlands. We even travel out of state. Contact us to discuss your location.
You will never have to guess. At your Portrait Consultation, Sandy photographs the walls in your home where you are considering displaying your portraits. At your View & Order appointment, he uses those photos to show you exactly how your finished portrait will look at different sizes and with different framing options, on your actual walls, in your actual home. You will know exactly what you are choosing before you make your fina selections.
Tell them Sandy has heard that before. And that the families who arrive most skeptical are often the ones who have the most fun. The session is relaxed, and designed to feel more like a good afternoon together than a formal sitting. The hard part is getting everyone there. Sandy handles everything after that.
Sandy’s Personal Portrait Guarantee is his personal commitment to the quality and longevity of every portrait he creates. If a portrait product fails, Sandy will replace it. It is not a corporate warranty. It is a personal promise from the person who crafted it.
Schedule a complimentary Portrait Consultation. There is no obligation and no pressure — just a conversation to make sure we are the right fit for each other. You can call us directly at 281-899-0818, Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, or complete the consultation request form on our website and we will be in touch within one business day.
About Light Painting Photography
Light painting is a long-exposure photographic technique where a subject is illuminated by carefully controlled light sources during a multi-hour session, typically at night or in complete darkness. The result is a dramatic, glowing portrait unlike anything produced by conventional photography. At Flint Photography we create light painting commissions for classic cars, aircraft, motorcycles, architectural spaces, and other subjects that deserve an extraordinary treatment. Each commission is a one-of-a-kind piece of art.
To see these extraordinary pieces of art – visit our Light Painting page
Classic and vintage cars are the most common subject, but light painting works beautifully for any subject with interesting lines, texture, and detail. Motorcycles, aircraft, boats, tractors, custom vehicles, architectural spaces, and even horses have all been created as light painting commissions. Subjects must to be completely stationery – therefore, boats or other (even slightly) moving objects are not good light painting subjects. If you have something you love and want to see it portrayed as art, it is worth a conversation.
A typical light painting session takes several hours and is conducted in low light or darkness to achieve the characteristic glow. The session length depends on the subject, the complexity of the lighting design, and the number of configurations being created. We will discuss the specifics during your planning conversation.
Light painting commissions are available as metal prints and fine art prints. These are the two formats that best complement the dramatic, luminous quality of the work. Standard portrait products such as canvas or albums are not offered for light painting commissions.
Light painting commissions are priced by project size and complexity. Contact us to discuss your subject and we will provide a custom quote.
Most light painting sessions take place at the client’s location. If you have a garage, hangar, barn, or outdoor space where your subject lives, that is often the ideal setting. We are also happy to discuss alternative locations depending on the subject and the vision for the commission.
About Photo Restoration
Photo restoration is the process of repairing and restoring damaged, faded, or deteriorating old photographs using digital techniques. At Flint Photography we restore treasured family photographs that have been damaged by age, water, fading, tearing, or other physical damage. The restored image can then be printed as a fine art print for display or preservation.
Most types of physical and age-related damage can be addressed including fading, discoloration, tears, creases, water damage, missing sections, scratches, and staining. Severely damaged photographs may have limitations, but we can assess most damage and give you an honest evaluation of what is possible.
No. We prefer that your original photograph never leaves your possession. We work from a high-resolution scan of the original. We can provide you details of how to scan your photograph and properly upload it to our servers. If you’re in the Round Top area, we can arrange to come to you and scan your photographs for you.
Contact us to discuss your photograph and the damage involved. We offer free estimates and will give you a clear picture of what the restoration can achieve before any work begins.
Turnaround time depends on the complexity of the damage and the level of restoration required. We will give you a timeline estimate along with your free quote.
For most restorations, the reprints of your restored photograph are shipped to you. If you’ are in the Round Top area, we will schedule an appointment to deliver them personally to your door.