Frequently Asked Questions
Quality Questions:
Q: Why don’t you take several photos?
A: Sometimes we do in an effort to capture a great smile. However we can usually only process one per child per our contract with the school. Keeping and tracking multiple photos per child would exponentially increase the time it takes on photo day.
Q: Why didn’t you see my child’s smile wasn’t genuine?
A: It’s a fine line…sometimes an awkward smile is just what they do when asked to smile in front of a camera. We have to be careful saying it isn’t real. Our staff is trained in creating smiles and we try VERY hard to bring the best out in your child.
Q: Why is my child’s skin shiny?
A: Oils in our skin reflect light. This is more evident in darker skin tones. We reduce shine in all our images for free before we produce them for you, but additional shine reduction may be necessary and is available at an extra charge through our retouching services.
Q: Why is there glass glare?
A: Our staff is trained in techniques to reduce or eliminate glass glare. Due to different materials and glasses designs, it is not always possible to completely eliminate the glare. Our retouching service does provide an option to fix this issue for a small fee.
Q: Why did you let my child wear their…..hat, hoodie, glasses, cat ears…….?
A: We always ask the child if they would like to remove any item we feel would not compliment the photo. We cannot force them to comply.
Q: Why was my child’s hair placed……in front, in back, half on one side and half on the other, etc?
A: We always ask a child how they would like their hair. If they ask us to fix it we will almost always take place their hair behind the left shoulder and pull hair onto the right shoulder. This is usually the most complimentary look with our lighting setup.
Q: Why did my child have to face a certain way?
A: Yearbooks require a uniform look and we setup our lighting to be consistent per their standards. Trust us, we would much rather be creative, but the nature of this type of photography means we have to create the same look for each student. Spring photos do allow us to be more creative with some posing and lighting.
Makeup & Retakes:
Q: What is the difference between a re-take day and a make-up day?
A: A make-up day is for students who missed the original day. A re-take day is a day for students who want another opportunity to redo their portrait. In an effort to support the educational process, we encourage our schools to only offer makeup days.
Q: Is there a re-take day.
A: Re-take days are scheduled at the request of each school. If your child participates in a re-take day, the original photo will be removed immediately and the new one will replace it. Retakes must be pre-registered, and a fee may apply. Please check with your school for details.
Q: Can I register my child for a retake?
A: Yes, if your school has scheduled a date. Please ask your school for additional information.
Misc Questions:
Q: My child’s name is misspelled, what do I do?
A: We receive all our data directly from the school. Please let the school know they have it misspelled in their system so it is permanently fixed. Corrections made in our system will not affect your schools records.
Q: My spouse gets the images sent to their address, how can I get photos?
A: Please contact your school to get your code for online ordering or reach out to us via email. Due to privacy issues, we cannot issue codes over the phone.
SENIOR QUESTIONS
Q: How are senior photos done with Icon?
A: We schedule a date with each school and have seniors register online. With multiple image packages, we take several images and seniors are able to select 4 of their favorites. Parent's and family are encourage to attend to assist in the selection process. Because we provide an extensive up front service with seniors, there is a fee to retake senior images.
Q: Can my senior retake their drape or tux photo?
A: Yes, retakes are only done at our studio in Norfolk. There is a $49 retake fee for seniors.
Q: Does Icon provide senior casuals?
A: Icon will provide senior casual opportunities for students in our schools. Our sister company, Elite Photography, provides separate custom senior options.
Q: Can I come to the Icon Studio to get a senior tux, drape or cap & gown even if Icon isn’t my school photography company?
A: We provide senior images through our sister company, Elite Photography, for schools all over VA & NC. Please check with your school first to be sure they accept outside images.