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Q. WHAT MAKES A VAN VALKENBURG BEACH PORTRAIT SO DIFFERENT?
A. Frank and Carol Van Valkenburg’s specialty is portraits of children and families. With 30 plus years of experience this husband and wife team has set the standard for the industry. They do more than just record images. They create distinctive, one-of-a-kind pieces of fine art. Your family will change and your children will grow, but your unique portraits will be a proud part of your family’s history for generations to come.
Q. HOW LONG WILL THE PROTRAIT SITTING LAST?
A. Beach sessions are limited to one family an evening. The entire evening is yours and the Van Valkenburgs will continue to photograph as long as there is light. Armed with the world famous Hasselblad medium format camera, an array of lenses, and unlimited amounts of film, Frank and Carol believe that each sitting deserves complete coverage.
Q. HOW DO THEY CAPTURE A SENSE OF MOVEMENT AND NATURAL EXPRESSIONS?
A. The couple, working as a team, tries to provide an environment where children are unaware that they are being photographed. The photo shoot becomes playtime, where in a gently controlled environment, children are allowed to be themselves. They do not ask those whom they photograph to pose. They feel that posing tends to produce stiff self-conscious subjects. Instead they rely on the camera to capture a revealing spontaneous expression or gesture. Each session is an adventure and everybody enjoys themselves, even "Dad".
Q. WHAT TYPE OF CLOTHING SHOULD WE WEAR?
A. Clothes should be coordinated for color, tone, and style. Solid color clothes, in cool or neutral shades are best. Busy fabrics and designs can detract from the face. The type of portrait you want will determine the type of clothing you should wear. Clothing can range from, dresses for girls, classic pants/shorts for older boys, a Jon-Jon or button-on for younger boys, traditional white clothing for Beach and Garden Portraits or dark velvets for Studio portraits. In the case of Beach or Garden Portraits for girls, plan to have barrettes or ribbons to be used in case the day is windy. Keep this small so they won't detract from the face.
A wonderful source for children's clothing can be found at www.strasburgchildren.com
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Danville, Virginia 24541