Studio streamlines process to be picture perfect

Portrait Factory provides one-stop shopping

Portraits usually capture moments in an individual's or a family's life. But studios of the past would have the subjects come in, spend more than an hour posing, and come back several days or sometimes weeks later to decide which photos to enlarge. Sometimes, the photos, which don't come cheap, didn't turn out the way people envisioned.

Those days are over. Portrait Factory, 1860 Western Ave., offers families one-stop shopping for all of their photo needs. From pet photos to playful shots with fun backgrounds to professional business head shots, the new 6,500 square foot studio created by Opulence, a commercial photography company, has it all.

Kristie Barcelon's was one of the first families to take advantage of the studio's conveniences, which include several private dressing rooms complete with supplies for touch-ups before photos are taken.

"When we came in, it was pouring that morning," Barcelon said. "We were all worried about our hair because we took a lot of time at home to get ready. When we came in, our photographer said don't worry about it because we could have our own dressing room that came with hair spray and sewing kits. You keep your key so you can store your personal stuff in there."

After putting finishing touches on hair and makeup in a dressing room, Barcelon's family went into the photo studio, where a professional photographer took digital photos of them in front of several backgrounds. Barcelon said she let the photographer choose which one was most appropriate. A screen attached to the computer that hosts the digital images shows the customer the background they like best.

The photographer super-imposes one of the hundreds of realistic looking backgrounds in a matter of seconds. Barcelon said one of the best aspects of sitting for a portrait at Portrait Factory is the element of choice.

"You get to choose everything," she said. "Other studios you get charged for every little detail, like different portrait backgrounds. It's also good because you're able to see everything before it's printed."

Jennifer Lewis, Portrait Factory's general manager, said the idea behind the studio was to make it as comfortable and easy an experience as possible. She offers customers free beverages and has a playroom for kids to use while parents are selecting photos. But before they are able to be seen in viewing rooms, which host custom frames if a person is so inclined, the photos pass through the able hands of Brock Gallagher, who applies Adobe Photoshop touch-ups to any facial imperfections, as well as shine factor, a much less expensive alternative to pre-photo plastic surgery or botox.

"We try to make people look the best they possibly can," said Lewis. "We can brighten teeth, make lines and wrinkles disappear. People can look years younger in a matter of seconds."

Barcelon said after her experience at Portrait Factory, she'll continue to come back for other types of photos with her husband, Romeo, and children Kaetia, 13, Kristopher, 11, and Dominic, 10.

"When we had photo sessions before, we had to come in all dressed up," she said. "There you can come in in casual clothes. The kids really enjoyed their beverages. I have actually recommended it to other people because you get your money's worth."

Lewis said that even though the studio recently opened, their appointment books are filling up quickly. She hopes with the technology used and the time saved, people such as one mother who had her child's graduation photos taken after graduation, will be the future of portrait studios.

"We can do everything, and people love it," Lewis said. "We've got a new concept that doesn't exist anywhere else here. People are able to see get exactly what they want. We even deliver for free for those who spend $250 or more. For larger families, we have a private Web site where people can see their photos from home, and family members can select which ones they want. Someone's grandma who doesn't live here can access the site and pick photos from home. That allows us to reach all groups of people."

Portrait Factory is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.


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