Welcome to Aqiyl Photography, where we aim to provide you with the best services and photos. With our talented team of photographers, we are pleased to serve you and capture precious moments through our images. We thank you for considering us to be apart of your experience and strive to ensure that you have a memorable and enjoyable time.
Our studio is located at the heart of the Fashion District of Downtown LA, Loft207. Please feel free to visit our photography and studio websites: www.aqiyl.com and www.loft207studios.com. With our vision for edgy looks and artful sophistication, we like to make sure that our clients get the most out of their photography sessions. We also want to capture your personality and emotions through our images, which is something you will see in a various array of photos within our photo galleries. We look forward to seeing you and are very excited to working with you. At the end of the day, we love to share our art with clients so that they love their images and enjoy a pleasant encounter with the camera.

How to Prepare for your Photo Shoot

Concept

• You are free to come up with your own concept for your shoot.
• Consultations are available if you’d like to schedule for one to discuss your concept. See Terms for prices.

Creative Director

• If you’d like to bring your own creative director, please feel free to do so. They are in charge of giving you direction on how to pose, what you should do with facial expressions, the concept of your shoot, backgrounds, props etc…
• Please note that these responsibilities are reliant upon the creative director, not the photographer.
• However, we can provide you with a creative director or photography consultation if desired. Please see our Terms for pricing.

Our Portfolio

• As you browse through our portfolio, you will notice different types of artful and aesthetic images that were taken by models after thorough preparation. These photos are usually taken in half day to full day shoots. These photo shoots can take up to 5 people to assist. This includes a hair stylist, make-up artist, wardrobe stylist, and two lighting assistants. Please note that quality takes time, and at the end of the day, our highest priority is to produce art for our clients.

Arrival Time

• We recommend that you arrive 5 minutes before your scheduled time to avoid being late.  However, your photoshoot will start at the time that you were scheduled.  So, you may want to either wait in your car (morning shoots and on location shoots), the downstairs lobby area of our studio (next to security), or get coffee at a nearby cafe if you are early.  Give us a 30-45 minute grace period to start your shoot, as there are slight cases where we’ve schedule a shoot prior to yours that may go over in time.  So, prepare to be at the shoot location or studio at least 2 hours.  Hopefully, everyone will be on time and you will be finished in one hour.

Cancellations:
You may cancel within 48hrs to avoid additional charges.  We may reschedule your shoot by notifying you within 48hrs for any unforeseen reason.  Therefore, your shoot date isn’t guaranteed until within 48hrs of your shoot.  So, please email us at least two days before your shoot to confirm.  If for any reason, you do not hear back from us via email, please assume that your scheduled date and time have been confirmed (please see FAQ below for more information).

Retouches

• You are responsible to come to your shoot fully prepared. This can range from ironing your shirt to applying makeup to areas that are needed.
• Basic retouches include: lighting, color correction, cropping, shadows, tints, highlights, black and whites, minor blemishes, etc. It does not include major acne, air brushing, body alterations, background changes, etc.
• For advanced retouches, see Terms for pricing.

Wardrobe

What to wear is heavily dependent on the concept of your shoot. The colors and patterns you choose are representative of the style you’re trying to achieve in your images. But most importantly, we want you to wear a smile.

Please see examples below:

Head Shots

• Typically done against a black, gray, or white background. Jewel tones usually produce very nice outcomes with head shots. White, black, light blue, pink, green, and lavender are great color choices as well to match against our studio backgrounds.
• If desired, we can leave the studio and choose nearby outdoor locations for more variety in backgrounds.

Pregnancy Shots

• Expecting mothers are most often jovial and excited for the arrival of their child.
• Wear happy colors because we like to convey that joy in our images.
• From our experience with pregnancy shots, a lot of mothers like to show off the belly more by wearing tight-fitted blouses.

Family Shots

• Some examples include families that choose one color or similar styles in choice of clothing to match, and the outcome is the portrayal of one unit, one family, which is very nice.
• Other families like to get creative so they come in the studio with costumes on. Ex. pajamas, lab coats (families w/ scientists, doctors), superhero costumes etc…
• You are free to be as creative, artistic, and dramatic as you’d like in your family shoots. The concept is in your hands.

Glamour/ Creative Shots

• Come to the studio with the style that most represents you. For instance, chic, bohemian, sophisticated, classic, urban… etc.
• You may bring ideas and images from other shots you’ve seen for the look you’re trying to achieve & we’ll do our best to achieve that look

Boudoir Shots

• Wear what brings out the emotions and expressions you most like to show in your images
• If you’d like the pin-up, retro, vintage look, I recommend wearing costumes/ outfits associated with that period of time.
• You may even bring your own props- umbrellas, cane, handkerchief… etc.

Hair & Makeup

• We have hair and makeup stations in our studio. We provide add ons for hair & makeup if desired. See Terms for prices and be sure to schedule for those additions along with your shoot and allot for added time.
• How you’d like to wear your hair is up to you, a lot of women like hair swept back to show off more facial features in head shots and professional shots.
• Remember that hair and makeup can help enhance the concept of your shoot.

Props

• Please feel free to bring props especially if you’re looking for creative and funky shots.
• We like to make sure that we capture the picture you have in mind and props can only enhance that.

Energy

• We recommend that you bring lots of energy and smiles to your photos.
• Your energy can affect your photo shoot. Give good energy, and we will return good energy in your photos. Photos are art, and your energy counts.

Beauty

• Are you beautiful? Yes you are! Please proclaim that when you meet the camera.

Time Sensitive Shoots

• There are many instances when scheduling the time that you want is of high importance. Please note that we do our best to schedule you amidst the volume of clients that we have. Remember that you have up to one year to redeem your voucher. We understand that certain moments can only be captured at a given time, but we ask for your patience and understanding in the scheduling process.

Location & Parking

• Please come prepared for parking fees, there are parking lots right across the street from the studio.
• Our studio location allows for different types of backgrounds not limited to inside the studio. Therefore, if desired, we can leave the studio and walk outside to see nearby locations for creative backgrounds.
• Additionally, we have up to 3 locations for your shoot. LOFT207 (ideal for head shots), Studio B (upstairs- perfect for fashion/glamour & family shoots), and the penthouse (note that additional charges apply for this).

Most Frequently Asked questions:

1. Is there a landmark around the area?

We are in between Broadway and Spring Street. We are across the street from Carl’s Jr. If you see Big Lots, you are approaching the studio.

2. Do you live in your studio?

No, we do not live here. We are sorry that we’re addressing this question. But we get this quite often, and we’d like to make it clear that we only work in our studio.

3. I lost my photos and I need you to send them to me again?

No problem.  We can email them to you for free in medium resolution.  There is a $20 fee for preparing and shipping an additional CD to you.  If it has been over three months since our last communication, we reserve the rights to completely remove all of your files from our hard drives.  So, please back up the files that we have given you.

4.  I’ve scheduled major plans around this photoshoot and I’ve received a call saying that my shoot needs to be rescheduled two days before the shoot.  I’m loosing my mind now.  What should I do?

Please keep in mind that the deal that you purchased from us expires 1 year after your purchase date.  If we reschedule, we will extend that time 6 additional months.  For on-location deals (please see terms and conditions) we have recently set a limitation for weddings and special events.  For major events please contact us for pricing, as we will also hire backup photographers in the event that we need to reschedule.  If you wish to use this deal for any highly important date, we suggest that you have us book a backup photographer for you as well (please see add ons in terms and conditions and initial form).

5. I didn’t get the shots that I expected to get from this shoot.  I needed something special for my profession.  The World is coming to an end.  Oh, what do I do now?

We totally find it necessary to reiterate this here in the FAQs.  If you are serious about your photoshoot, especially for professional purposes, you should consider using your deal as a credit toward a full day or half day shoot.  Just think about how quick one hour is.   Moving props around, adjusting lighting, talking about poses, fixing hair and makeup, etc… can all take time away.  So, if you  are expecting a major production we sincerely ask that you give us the time to give you something major.  And remember, hair, makeup, art direction, wardrobe, and assistants are all very important in major productions for photoshoots.  Each can be considered its own department separate from the photographer all working together to create something super fantastic for you.  Even when the photographer is acting as all of these departments, it takes time away from the actual shoot. For instance, “Click Click… excuse me, let me fix your hair…. Click Click… excuse me, let me adjust your shirt… Click Click… excuse me, can I get you some water…. Click Click… excuse me… let’s add a prop to your background…”  I hope you understand.  We have people who can assist in all of these departments.  If any of them are not included in your deal, please ask about add ons.  And if you want the photographer to do it all, please consider more than one hour…. Of course, if this isn’t that professionally serious for you, we will also make something really cool for you within your hour  So, let’s just make the best of it and see what we can get.