Guide to Your Personalised Portrait Consultation
Are you ready to begin a portrait experience that goes far beyond a conventional photoshoot? At Salvatore Di Martino Portraits, every session starts with a personalised consultation — a genuine conversation designed to ensure that everything that follows reflects you, your story, and the images you actually want to take home.
What the Consultation Is (and Isn’t)
The consultation is not a sales call. It’s not a form to fill in or a checklist to get through. It’s the beginning of a collaborative process — a space where you can tell us what you’re hoping for, ask everything you’re curious about, and leave feeling genuinely prepared and genuinely excited.
Most people arrive at a consultation with a mix of enthusiasm and uncertainty. They know they want portraits they’ll love, but they’re less sure what that looks like in practice. The consultation is where that uncertainty gets replaced by clarity. By the time it ends, you’ll know exactly what to expect, what to bring, and how to prepare.
Understanding Your Vision
The first and most important part of the consultation is simply listening. What brings you here? Is it a milestone — a birthday, a life transition, a personal achievement? Is it a professional need — updated headshots, personal branding imagery, a LinkedIn profile that finally reflects who you are? Or is it something quieter — a desire to see yourself differently, to have something beautiful that’s just for you?
There’s no wrong answer. Every motivation is valid, and every motivation shapes the session differently. A woman coming to celebrate her 50th birthday wants something different from a professional coming for corporate headshots in Dublin. Understanding the “why” behind the session is essential to getting the “what” right.
Discussing Style, Mood, and Wardrobe
Once we understand what you’re hoping to achieve, we get into the practical details — starting with style. What mood do you want your portraits to carry? Timeless elegance? Contemporary confidence? Soft and feminine? Bold and editorial? These conversations help define the lighting approach, the posing direction, and the overall aesthetic of your session.
Wardrobe is a significant part of this discussion. We’ll talk through what to bring, what tends to photograph well, and what to avoid. Most clients are encouraged to bring four or five outfit options — a mix of styles and tones — so that we have flexibility on the day. The consultation is also where we discuss colours that work with your skin tone, fabrics that look beautiful under studio lighting, and how accessories can complement rather than distract.
What to Expect on the Day
One of the most valuable things the consultation does is remove the unknown from the session day. Nervousness in front of a camera is almost always linked to uncertainty — not knowing what will happen, how you’ll be directed, whether you’ll look stiff or self-conscious. When you know exactly what to expect, that uncertainty dissolves.
We walk through the full session structure: how professional makeup works and what it involves, how the photoshoot itself is directed (always clearly, always collaboratively), and how the image reveal works at the end. Clients who come to their signature portrait experience prepared feel the difference immediately — they’re relaxed from the moment they walk through the door.
Questions We Love to Answer
No question is too small or too obvious. Some of the most common ones we hear: What if I’m terrible at being photographed? (You won’t be — that’s what direction is for.) Do I need to lose weight / fix my skin / sort out my hair first? (No. Come as you are.) How long does the session take? Can I bring someone with me? What happens if I don’t like any of the images?
These are the questions people often don’t ask because they feel embarrassed. Ask them. The consultation exists precisely so that nothing is left unasked.
Begin Your Portrait Journey
The consultation is the first step of an experience designed from beginning to end around you. It sets the tone for everything that follows and ensures that your session produces images that feel genuinely like you — not a polished stranger, but yourself, at your best.
Explore our luxury portrait experience to learn more about everything that’s included, or get in touch to book your consultation and begin.
How Long Does the Consultation Take?
The consultation typically runs between 30 and 45 minutes — long enough to cover everything thoroughly, short enough not to feel overwhelming. It can be conducted in person, by phone, or via video call, depending on what’s most convenient for you. The important thing is not the format but the outcome: that you leave it feeling genuinely informed, genuinely prepared, and genuinely excited about what’s coming.
Ready to begin? Get in touch to book your consultation and take the first step toward portraits that are genuinely, beautifully yours. Explore our signature portrait experience or our full range of luxury portrait sessions to learn more.