The MG Portrait Process

This outlines the portrait process of how we do things at Monda Goette Photography to ensure our portrait clients enjoy their finished portraits in their home, and help to curate a master plan for future sessions with our studio.

 
Family gallery wall for a home office with a desk and computer
 

Start With the End Goal As The Main Focus

What do you want to do with your portraits? We start with the end goal as the main focus for our family, high school senior, teen and women’s portrait sessions, which means we define a plan for where the photos will hang in your home or how we tell your story in one of our signature albums before the photo session ever takes place.

  • Do you have a mantle or a staircase wall that is bare? Let’s design a portrait series of your family to hang in that space.

  • No available wall space right now? A custom created album preserving your family’s unique story will last for years to come.

  • Do you already have your legacy of an image gallery started on the wall? We can blend existing images with new portraits we are taking to display your family’s story as beautiful decor.

We go over your ideas and address your questions in the design consultation to ensure we reach your end goal.

Do you need business or headshot photos instead? Click here!

 

The Design Consultation

The Design Consultation is where we begin the process with Monda Goette Photography no matter which portrait session you go with. This is where the connection starts as you tell us all about you and your family, how everybody gets along, or your favorite hobbies, so that we can best tell your story in photographs. We also go over the following:

  • Show you where the best places in your home are to hang wall portraits using SendMyRooms (TM) virtual technology.

  • What style of design will work best in your home

  • What types of clothing photograph well and suggestion on what NOT to wear

  • Understanding the pricing and products for purchase

  • What is the timeline for your portraits to be delivered

  • Any other planning aspects of your session

 
Female editing photos on a laptop with a wacom tablet pen.
 
Full guidance with your wardrobe for your photoshoot
 

Clothing Style Guidance

We take the guess work out of “what to wear” by helping you decide what outfit choices will work well based on your end goal so that you are best prepared for a stress-free photo shoot.

We will finalize outfit selections at least one week prior to your photo shoot to allow for any last-minute changes, and ensuring your clothing items are pressed and ready to go for your reserved photo session time.

The Photo Session

It’s your photo day at the studio! Your senior is ready to showcase their last year of high school in photographs. Your confidence is going to soar in your women’s portrait session. Your family is ready in all of their chaos.

No matter what, it will be beautiful because it’s all about you and your family, capturing their unique personalities in portraits. Your little one may be grumpy, or you have a senior who would rather play video games than be at a photo session. Dad’s hesitant…and mom is on the verge of pulling out her hair. We’ve got you! Let us take over driving for the next 60 minutes so that you can enjoy being present in these moments. Let’s call it beautiful chaos!

 
Guiding you through a portrait session is the photographer with her client.
 
Reveal and ordering appointment showing tangible products in photographs
 

Image Reveal & Ordering Appointment

Your Image Reveal & Order Appointment is the dedicated time set aside to finalize your portrait order. All studio sessions will include an immediate image reveal and ordering appointment. Location and special custom sessions may require a separate reveal.

Immediate ordering for studio sessions: All studio sessions in 2024 will include an immediate image reveal and ordering appointment right after your photo session is complete! You will be able to view and select your images and purchase them right away.

Location and special custom sessions: Approximately one week after your custom location photo shoot, you will come back to the studio for your Image Reveal & Order Appointment. This is the dedicated time set aside to finalize your portrait order. We ask that you schedule a time when all decision makers can be there.

Unsure of what size you need for your wall art? Say no more, that is why you hired us as the design expert! We will show your finished portraits scaled with the recommended size appropriate for your available wall spaces. It is all part of how we guide you in every step of the process based on your goals from the consultation to achieve your vision for your portraits.

 

Delivery and Installation Service

Within 4-6 weeks after your order has been placed, your portraits will be delivered. We offer installation assistance if you prefer. This complimentary service is the final step to telling your story full circle so that you can relive these special moments for years to come-whether it’s a coffee table album conversation starter, or a show-stopping piece of wall art displayed on your mantle. We are happy to handle the heavy lifting and hanging.

 
Custom framed wall art for your home decor with Monda Goette Photography in St. Paul MN

Soak It All In and ENJOY

You came, you saw, you hung wall art showcasing your family. You completed this chapter of your story in the custom album that you are proud to have featured on your living room coffee table front and center. The magical chaos and unique story that is YOU is now preserved to perfection on display for all to enjoy. Everybody who visits will absolutely adore your portraits. In our minds, that means “mission accomplished!”

 
Three generations in one portrait framed by designer Monda Goette Photography
 
Opening the pages of a custom photo album at Monda Goette Photography studio
 

Planning For Next Chapters in Your Story

You now have stellar wall art to grace the walls of your home. You can’t stop flipping through your custom designed album to see the quirkiness of your family together in photos, or those special moments of your high school senior. But let’s be honest. There is still plenty of stories to be told with your family. The real question is…how will these photos evolve with your growing family?

That is the best thing about this entire process. The planning doesn’t stop here! Our studio will help you create and maintain a master plan for future photo sessions with us, taking into consideration the growth and upcoming milestones of your family. This is how we gracefully blend today’s portraits with yesterday’s memories for timeless thoughtful design.

You have classic masterpieces of art that unapologetically tell the story of your growing family in photographs. Our wall portraits and albums are designed to synergetically move throughout the walls in your home as we add to your gallery of family portraiture over time.