Q: Who needs an Andrew Collings Portrait?
A: Everyone! My Portrait clients range from actors, musicians and models to executives as well as individuals and families.

Q: Where is your studio?
A: I shoot out of a 2000sf. loft studio in the heart of Wicker Park. The studio is 1/2 block south of North avenue, right next to the Blue Line Damen stop. Here I create an atmosphere that is both relaxed and customized to the task at hand.

Q: How long does a Portrait take?
A: Portraits take anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the needs of the Customer. Executives may need to get in and out quickly. A model needing a variety of outfit changes and lighting/backdrop setups would need more time. Make Up Artists typically need 40 minutes per look, in addition to the shoot time.

Q: What is your shooting style?
A: I shoot quite rapidly. This shooting speed is partly to avoid a "posing straightjacket" feeling but also because I shoot digitally and don't pay for each image I shoot. Each hour of shooting generates at least 100 images. By doing things digitally, you see the images as we shoot them on a large monitor in the shooting area. I always take the time to check with you that everything is going well and that the images are "on target" for the look you're after.

Q: I need a shot for my website. Can you give me a high resolution digital file?
A: Certainly. Quite often my clients only need a digital file and I'm happy to sell them the high resolution adjusted file via email or on a CD.

Q: What is your turnaround time?
A: I post all of the images from the shoot to my website within 2 business days of the shoot. From these files you make your selections for prints/final files, which normally take 14 working days. I also offer an option for a quick, 15-minute shoot and email you your final selected high-resolution image within 24 hours of the shoot time.

Q: Do you offer Make Up Services?
A: I have relationships with Chicago's most talented Make Up and Hair stylists. I can contract their services for you.

Q: Do you offer Retouching?
A: All prints include retouching at no additonal cost. Because the images are digital, virtually any retouching is possible. In general, I feel retouching may be appropriate to remove a temporary blemish or to tone down other concerns. But I don't believe in extensive retouching to the point that the image no longer resembles the person.

Q: Do you recommend Color or Black and White?
A: By shooting digitally you have the best of both worlds. All the images begin as color but I am able to produce extremely high quality black and white files from the same images using sophisticated software and imaging expertise.

Q: What should I wear?
A: You should dress for the people viewing the photograph, within the context of your personal style. A portrait is a picture of how you feel, and you need to feel like yourself. When dressing for a Black and White portrait, wear dark or light tones, rather than grays. Warm colors like yellow and red tend to photograph gray. Cooler colors like green, blue and purple photograph darker in Black and White.