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portraits
"If my house was burning down, the pictures you've taken would be the first material possession I'd grab. They preserve the memories of what I cherish most...my kids."
-Shelly A.
"Seriously....YOU ROCK!! Oh my word. Kyle really, these brought tears to my eyes. You have captured Reese's stages to a tee. The head tilt smile is definitely the in thing now...if you didn't notice. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
P.S. - LOVE that you got a great on in the vest :)
-Ashley M.
In many ways, my love for portraiture is just now beginning. Part of it I'm sure is the result of having kids of my own. I look back at pictures of Trager just a few years ago and realize these images, moments, and memories are some of my most treasured possessions. But aside from the treasure of relationships, there's also the deep love for photography. I've studied light a great deal in the past months and love the opportunity that a Senior shoot or commercial shoot gives to create a portrait that you might not ever think of creating during a wedding day. I mean, logistically speaking, there's no way to spend 1 hour setting up a 5 light shot during the wedding day. But setting up 5 lights in a gymnasium to get a 5 minute shoot of a drenched-in-sweat HS athlete that looks like it belongs in a Nike advertisement...that sounds really fun.
Whatever the case may be, a baby, a family, a HS senior, an executive head shot, etc... my goal isn't just to create lovely portraits, but to create images that have Soul and Story. I want to create images that document who you are and speak bits and pieces of your story.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Where do your sessions take place?
We have a brand new studio in the heart of Springfield's west side. We know that sometimes a studio is necessary, and we have a full service studio to meet almost any need. This includes both and inside studio as well as over an acre of beautiful outdoor space that definitely takes the place of a park, yet also offers so much more in terms of random vintage scenes.
While we have an incredible studio, I also believe that children are often more comfortable in environments that are familiar to them - their home, a familiar park, somewhere they can be themselves. Not to mention I'd rather not do the same things over and over. Location work always offers fresh opportunity and new light. Bottom line, I LOVE location photography.
What's more, I can bring state of the art studio lighting anywhere. No electricity required.
What does the portrait session fee include?
The session fee covers around 45 minutes of photography (give or take) and a password-protected image gallery for easy viewing and reordering of prints.
What if we don't live in Springfield?
If we'll be in your area already for a wedding or simply everyday travels there is no additional fee for the "travel". if you'd like Kyle to travel specifically for your portrait session contact the studio and detail your needs; we'll custom-quote your session.
How soon after the session do we get to see the images?
The online gallery will be ready for your viewing within two weeks of the session date.
What kind of products do you offer?
We offer everything from loose prints to framing, gallery wrapped canvases to albums. Contact the studio for additional information and we will provide you with a full menu of items.
What should we wear? What should my child wear?
We actually recommend that you don't match. :) While we know that jeans and white shirts are common, we'd just much rather see you wearing outfits that reflect who YOU are. Avoid loud patterns and clashing colors; take a look in the mirror and make sure that your clothes aren't upstaging you! Complimentary color palettes are more refreshing than everyone wearing matching attire and please bear in mind your child's comfort before selecting an outfit. For a small child or baby a simple light onesie is preferable. For a headshot please remember that your eyes are the most important part of the photograph and try to avoid shirts that will draw the attention away from your face.
What if we have a question that is not answered here?
Contact us! We have a full portrait menu available for download or mailing and we'd be more than thrilled to discuss any specific needs or questions that you may have.
