BLACK AND WHITE PERSONALITY PORTRAITS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS
Modern black and white studio portraits of children and families, photographed against a clean high key backdrop where nothing competes with your child's expression.
These are not the studio portraits you remember from the 1980s. No fake ferns, no laser backgrounds, no forced smiles. Just your kid being your kid, in the kind of portrait you'll still love in twenty years.
I'm Noëlle Westcott, a portrait photographer based in Austin, Texas. I run Black and White Personality Portrait events a few times a year in Austin, with occasional private pop-up events in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio.
UPCOMING SESSIONS
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UPCOMING SESSIONS ⋆
WEREN’T ABLE TO SNAG A SPOT THIS SEASON?
Sessions sell out quickly. If you can't find a spot, add yourself to my waitlist.
There's no obligation to book, and every season a few people move from the waitlist onto my calendar.
TWO KINDS OF SESSIONS
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Kids Personality Portraits
$299 + tax
10 minutes
One child per bookingEach child gets their own session, their own portraits, and their own gallery. That means real time to let their personality come through instead of rushing between siblings.
Booking two children back to back? I'll photograph them together as well, and one sibling portrait is included free in each child's gallery.
Have three or more children? A Family Personality Portrait is usually the better fit. It gives you a longer session, room for everyone, and it costs less than booking three individual slots.
Your session includes 5 high-resolution digital images.
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Family Personality Portraits
$499 + tax
20 minutes
Up to 5 family membersI photograph everyone together, individual portraits of each family member, siblings together, each child with each parent, and parents together.
Well behaved pets are welcome for a $25 add-on fee per pet, disclosed at booking.
Your session includes 10 high-resolution digital images.
PHOTO COLLECTIONS
After your session you'll choose a collection. Collection fees are separate from and in addition to your session fee.
KIDS SESSIONS
COLLECTION I
$0
5 high-res digital images
No print credit
COLLECTION II
$200
15 high-res digital images
$25 print credit
COLLECTION III
$300
All high-res digital images
$35 print credit
FAMILY SESSIONS
COLLECTION I
$0
10 high-res digital images
No print credit
COLLECTION II
$200
20 high-res digital images
$25 print credit
COLLECTION III
$300
All high-res digital images
$35 print credit
I don't sell digital images individually. Upgrading to Collection II or III is the only way to receive more files than your session includes.
Color Add-On for Kids Sessions - $75
These portraits are made in black and white. If you'd like color as well, you can add it for $75 at the time of booking, and every image you select then arrives in both versions.
This has to be decided in advance. I use two different backdrops depending on whether a session includes color, so the format is set before your child steps in front of the camera. I'm not able to add it afterward.
The $75 is an editing fee, not an image upgrade. Your collection and image count stay the same. Color takes considerably longer to edit, since skin tones need far more care in color than they do in black and white.
What Happens After Your Session…
About two weeks after your session, you'll receive an email with a private online gallery containing a slideshow of your fully edited, watermarked images.
Take your time with them, then choose the collection that fits you best. Once you've chosen, you'll have two weeks to select your specific digital images and any print items.
Your prints come from my trusted professional lab and arrive ready to frame.
Why Print Credit Is Built In
Too many beautiful family photos never make it off a hard drive.
I believe an investment in portraits should end up as something you can see every day and hand down, not a folder you forget the password to. That's why my upgraded collections include print credit good toward any size paper print, shipped to whatever address you choose, from a professional lab.
FAQs
How much do black and white portraits cost in Austin?
Kids sessions are $299 plus tax and include 5 high-resolution digital images. Family sessions are $499 plus tax and include 10. Optional collection upgrades are $200 or $300 and are separate from the session fee.
How long is a session?
Kids sessions are 10 minutes. Family sessions are 20 minutes. Sessions run back to back throughout the event day, so arriving a few minutes early matters.
How many children can be photographed in one session?
One child per Kids Personality Portrait booking. Families with two children book two consecutive sessions, and I photograph the siblings together as well. Families with three or more children are usually better served by a Family Personality Portrait.
How many people fit in a family session?
Up to 5, which is the capacity of my backdrop. Larger families should book two sessions back to back.
Are these sessions in color or black and white?
Black and white is the heart of this style. Kids sessions can add color for $100, selected at booking, and those images are delivered in both versions. Color cannot be added after the session.
Where are the sessions held?
I'm based in Austin, Texas and host Personality Portrait events in Austin a few times a year, with occasional private pop-up events in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio.
What should we wear?
Simple is best. Solid colors photograph beautifully. Avoid logos, characters, busy patterns, and heavy jewelry. Lighter skin tones tend to look best in darker clothing and darker skin tones in lighter clothing. If you go dark, check for lint and stray hairs, which show clearly in high contrast black and white.
Do you retouch skin, scratches, or bug bites?
Not by default. These portraits are meant to be honest and a little imperfect, so full skin retouching isn't included. If there's something specific you'd like cleaned up, retouching is $15 per image.
How long until I receive my photos?
About two weeks. You'll get a private online gallery by email, then two weeks to make your selections.
Can I print the images myself?
Yes. Your files print beautifully up to 20x30. Use the original files you downloaded to your computer rather than screenshots or copies, and don't print from your phone, which compresses files. I'd recommend a professional lab over the one hour counters at Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, or Costco. Ask and I'll send you a few labs I trust.
Is the session fee refundable?
No. Payment reserves your date and time, and I turn away other clients to hold it. In the case of illness or a family emergency, your session can be rescheduled to a future Personality Portrait event with at least 48 hours notice, subject to availability.
What if you can't photograph my session?
If I'm unable to perform due to illness, fire, act of God, act of terrorism, or another cause beyond my control, and I can't provide a substitute photographer you're comfortable with, all fees paid are returned in full.
PORTRAIT PARTY
PORTRAIT PARTY
HOST A PRIVATE PORTRAIT PARTY!
Invite your people over and I'll bring the studio to you.
Everyone feeds off each other's energy, the kids relax faster than they ever do in a studio, and you knock out holiday photos while catching up with friends. I need a minimum of 8 separate bookings to run a private party, so I'd aim to line up 10 or so in case of last minute cancellations.
Each booking runs 10 to 20 minutes depending on the session type.
Best Part: The host's session fee is comped!
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