We’re all about collaboration and communication. Allison has a background that includes production, acting and directing. She applies the principles learned in school, classes and on set to every session which helps clients of all kinds immediately feel more comfortable in front of the camera. She will not let you wonder what you should do – she will guide you and direct you. But there will also be room for you to explore your own ideas and play. 

We’re not at all anti-photoshop, but for the finished product, we do our best to deliver beautiful images to you from the jump. We give you access to your high res unretouched images via your online gallery, so if you prefer to skip the final pop and polish, that’s alright with us.

We take headshots and portraits (editorial/pr) for actors, musicians, comedians, clowns, you name it. We also take corporate headshots and branding shots for other kinds of professionals. We also offer in-studio family sessions and product photography. 

Sub FAQ: What’s the difference between these things?

Acting headshots are for actors looking to get auditions and representation.

Editorial/PR shots are more personality driven shots that tell a story about the subject and may be used for promotional purposes or publications (with permission). These tend to be more experimental and less adherent to any particular industry rules. They’re for all kinds of people, but we put them with performers because we’ve got to categorize somehow.

Corporate headshots are for business professionals like CEOs, entrepreneurs, corporate consultants, real estate agents, doctors, lawyers etc.

Branding shots are for non-corporate professionals like therapists, teachers, authors, chefs, coaches, etc.

Product shots are for ecommerce shops, brick and mortar shops, food service – anything that involves a thing. 

Family sessions are family portraits. You get it.  

For organization purposes, we prefer to book via email. Scroll down to the contact form at the bottom of this page to give us all the info we need to get you on the books.

Please visit the corresponding category for the session you want to book (performer headshots/portraits, corporate/branding, products, families) to find rates or click on rates under the category in our main menu.

There is a $75 non-refundable deposit required to hold your appointment. That amount goes toward your session provided you keep your appointment as planned, or reschedule within our grace period (more details on that next).

Every session is a little different, but generally speaking, you will arrive a few minutes before your start time, shoot us a text, and we’ll guide you back to the studio. Then we’ll go over your plan and quickly make final adjustments or selections. You’ll do last looks (or hop in the makeup chair for prep). We’ll dive in as soon as you’re first-look-ready. When you’re doing your own Hair and Makeup, you’ll want to arrive as close to camera-ready as you possibly can. This is especially true for the Power Hour and Short Sesh. 

We work quickly on our end and the biggest time factors to consider are h/mu and facial hair changes, as well as whether or not you want to incorporate extensive Branding/PR shots (more on that next).

Yes. Just communicate your goals when you book so we can be sure to leave room for this style of explorative shooting. We’re not fans of upselling and we always try to work with whatever budget is presented, but we will let you know if we don’t think it’s possible to meet your goals in the time you’ve booked.

Yes. This is a great way to save a little money and still get the looks you need. The additional person fee is $125 for shared headshot sessions. 

When you book a shared session, we have both you and your shooting partner arrive at the same time and switch back and forth so that one of you shoots while the other preps for the next look. This works best when you’re doing your own hair and makeup and/or you don’t need to make major adjustments between looks.

Hiring a professional HMUA makes a shared session a little more complicated, but is doable. We highly recommend booking the Standard or Works sessions if both parties want to use pro HMUA services. We’ll be happy to get into the weeds with you on the logistics of this if you let us know your specific needs when you reach out.

For corporate team pricing or ongoing photography services send us an email.

For a friends headshot or a family headshot, where we are not also getting individual headshots for each person, there is no extra person fee and we recommend booking the Short Sesh.

We can provide the very basics for people that don’t have any experience applying makeup and/or don’t own their own makeup. If you want to hire someone for full hair and makeup/grooming services, you are welcome to do so. We do not make these arrangements for you, but we have a list of excellent options on our HMUA info page. 

Please read our HMUA info page if you’re considering hiring a pro. You do NOT need to hire someone from our list, but be sure your HMUA knows what they’re doing when it comes to headshot makeup. 

Wardrobe is super important for headshots and should not be left to the last minute. Formulating a plan before the session helps everything go smoothly and gives you all the confidence going into your session. If you’re repped, check with your agents and/or managers as they may have very specific requests. Allison is also more than happy to consult on your wardrobe before your session or on the day. Here are a couple of options for help on this:

If you want to get input from us, we offer a few options. First, the freebies: you can send along your list of looks/types and wardrobe options via google drive or dropbox (not text, please)  and Allison will get back to you with feedback. You just need to send this email at least 5 days before your session. A 20-minute zoom consultation is also possible but based on availability. 

For our full consultation option, head to the next question.

In addition to the freebies described above, Allison offers a Full Virtual Consultation ($150) where she recommends types to aim for, specific wardrobe suggestions, accessorizing tips, hair and makeup / grooming suggestions, shopping links to suggested pieces whenever possible, and presented in the order we recommend shooting. It starts with a request for materials so she can review your goals and current look. She’ll then create a document with the plan laid out and offer a follow up via zoom to go over everything. 

Yes. If you need matching slates for some or all of your headshot looks, we can tape these for you during the session. It does take a few minutes before or after each look, so it’s best to plan for fewer looks or book more time if this is something you need. The fee for this service is $15 per slate and includes editing. The files will be uploaded and sent separately from your gallery.

Please be sure to let us know if you need this prior to your appointment so we can have the equipment set up and ready to tape.

If you’ve already shot with us and you want to come back in to match your slates to your shots, send us an email.

Yes. On location pricing is based on several factors. Please reach out via the form below to tell us more about what you’re looking for and we will get back to you with a quote.

We are located in the industrial area of Atwater Village, near Golden Road Brewery. 

Yes. Our large multi-purpose creative space has plenty of room for you to spread out. There’s a bathroom, makeup area, and private changing space. We have a small kitchenette with water, microwave, and fridge. The studio also has an HVAC system that keeps us from completely melting away during those east side summers and freezing during the winter (jk).

Yes, but do so with caution. Irritated skin doesn’t look great on camera, so if your skin is sensitive, we don’t recommend it and we don’t take responsibility for shots that are problematic due to skin reactions to shaving. We recommend an electric razor always, but you know your skin best. Definitely keep in mind that shaving should not be rushed, so please book enough time to make this change.

Yes. Feel free to bring a playlist for your session. We will hook up your phone to our sound system. We also have Spotify so you can listen to pretty much whatever you want while we work.

We send images to you via an online gallery platform. You can share, create a favorites list, and download images (or the gallery as a whole). For headshots, portraits, corporate and branding sessions, we get this link out to you within one week of your shoot.

Every session comes with at least one retouched image. The breakdown for each session above lists the amount of retouches that are included. Additional retouching for Tandem clients is $20 per image.

For more information visit the retouching page.

Yes, we will send you or your recipient a digital gift card that they can use to book an appointment. Just let us know who you’re buying for and how much you want to spend.

Don’t worry, we’ll send you a comprehensive document when you book that will have even more information and tons of tips for prepping for the shoot. If anything isn’t answered in there, you are welcome to ask.