How do I get started?
- Set up a consultation call or complete the form with your 50% non-refundable retainer fee, if you want to ensure your date is available.
- If you wish captions to personalize your event in the 4×6 prints, finalize your photo layout. See samples below. Otherwise, you can leave it blank.
- Reserve your date with a 50% non-refundable retainer fee, with a signed contract.
- The remaining balance must be paid in full at least one month before the date of event.
- Be sure to include the name and email address of your venue coordinator on the form. We will coordinate with them on a venue walkthrough regarding placement of cameras and other equipment.
Photo layout samples:
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What is the best time to start the session?
For weddings, during cocktail hour is an ideal time for us to begin. We require 2 hours of idle time, about 1.5 hours to setup and 30 minutes for teardown.
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What is your payment structure?
We require a non-refundable 50% deposit to secure your date with the balance due 30 days prior to the event.
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Can you walk me through what my guests will go through?
Step 1: Step Into the Studio
Guests enter our portrait lounge, designed with studio-quality lighting and your choice of black or white backdrop to create a high-end, editorial atmosphere. Unlike a standard photo booth, this experience is fully guided by a professional photographer, ensuring every shot is composed with precision.
Step 2: Guided Photography
Our professional portrait photographer works directly with each guest, offering direction, posing guidance, and adjustments to capture the most flattering and expressive angles. There are no countdowns or rushed moments—just natural, confident posing with expert direction to make each guest look and feel their best.
Step 3: Real-Time Editing & Refinement
Each portrait is instantly processed by our on-site professional editor to ensure:
- flawless skin tones and balanced contrast without looking over-processed
- enhanced lighting and sharp details for a true high-fashion aesthetic
- a timeless black-and-white finish that enhances every expression
The result? A studio-quality image in less than 10 minutes (enough time for your guests to refill their drinks at the bar, and come back to us!), perfected to look effortlessly polished.
Step 4: Instant Printing & Digital Access
Once edited, the portraits are immediately:
- Printed onsite in 4×6 for a tangible keepsake guests can take home.
- Uploaded in real-time to a live online gallery, allowing guests to download and share their portraits instantly.
- Delivered digitally via email, making it easy to post on social media or use as a professional headshot.
How Long Does Each Session Take?
Each guest spends approximately 2-3 minutes in front of the camera, ensuring a smooth and efficient process while still capturing the perfect shot. With our highly optimized workflow, we can accommodate a steady flow of guests without long wait times, making it ideal for large events.
From start to finish, The Editorial Portrait Lounge is a seamless, high-end experience that blends artistry, technology, and luxury.
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Can you print extra copies for me as well?
After the photo is taken, guests will receive a 4×6″ print. Due to time constraints we can only produce one set of prints which are prioritized for your guests during service. The Print Shop (aka digital gallery) will be available for sharing, and guests can order additional prints, larger canvases for their homes and other print products.
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Setup requirements:
For a successful portrait session, we required a clutter-free area (e.g. furniture, plants etc. moved), against a solid wall that is at least 10’x9′ (WxH) with no obstructions above (e.g. chandelier). The photographer will stand 8-9’ away from the setup and we need the surrounding area to the mobile studio to be fairly open and clear to help with traffic/flow and safety. Simplified, we have a 10×10′ footprint with a 10-11′ vertical clearance.
Please ensure that this area has access to a power outlet. Because our set up is sensitive to the elements (rain, wind, sunlight, etc.) we require outdoor set ups to be fully covered and we will consider them on a case-by-case basis. For any particular questions about our set up or your venue, please complete our contact form and a session coordinator will get in touch.
Above is an example of how we could set up the gracefuleye photography mobile portrait station in this particular location. Please note that we can rotate the direction of our set up and/or adjust the placement of the print station to best suit every space, to accommodate the best flow of traffic, as well as to optimize safety.
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After your event …
In the world of endless scrolling and an onslaught of forgettable, disposable content, we believe that the highest honour for your memories is to get them OFF the screen. Our portraits are captured ih high-resolution and intended to be printed.
All your photos will be downloaded to the Print Shop. Guests can download the low-resolution, social-media ready files for free, and purchase high-resolution ones for themselves. They can also order additional items from pre-framed prints, calendars, albums and more. The Print Shop makes it effortless to take your images off the screen and into the homes of your guests.
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What area do you serve?
We predominantly serve the Chicago area and its surrounding NW suburbs. Outside of these areas but within Illinois, a travel fee is incurred. For any out of town inquiries, please get in touch for a custom quote.
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