Frequently Asked Questions About Our Houston Portrait Experience
For more than 30 years, Michael and Lisa Carr have helped Houston families and professionals create portraits and artwork designed to celebrate relationships, milestones, and accomplishments.
Below you’ll find answers to the Houston professional photography questions we hear most often about family portraits, executive portraits, senior portraits, personal branding sessions, artwork, and the portrait process. If you don’t see your question here, we’re always happy to help. For more than 30 years, Michael and Lisa Carr have helped Houston families and professionals create portraits and artwork designed to celebrate relationships, milestones, and accomplishments.
Michael Carr Photography
5701 Woodway Dr.
Ste 108
Houston, TX 77057
Family Portrait Questions
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We always recommend having a clothing consultation before your scheduled portrait session. We can discuss suggested attire for your session over the phone, or you may schedule an in person appointment. We want to make sure there is harmony in your overall portrait with regards to the location, background as well as clothing. Here are a few general guidelines for clothing:
‣ Wear clothes that are comfortable, that make you feel confident and look your best.
‣ Make sure your clothing fits you well. Try your clothing on weeks before your session! Clothing that is too big or too tight will be obvious in the photos.
‣ Simple and classic clothing styles are recommended.
‣ Clothes should be clean, neatly pressed and should look new or like new.
‣ Solid colors always work well. Avoid busy patterns (stripes, plaids, and floral patterns).‣ Do not try a new hairstyle before your session. You may want to let it grow-in a bit or get used to styling a new cut first.
‣ Do not try/use any new product on your hair, face or body the day before or a few days before your shoot, just in case you have a bad reaction to the product.
‣ Tans and sunburns will show in photographs. If you are planning to be outdoors before your session, keep this in mind when initially scheduling your session. Removing or blending sunburn marks is considered advanced retouching, and can be costly.For ladies:
‣ Sleeveless blouses or tops by themselves are not recommended.
‣ Makeup- wear a little darker than you normally would. Avoid shimmers or products with lots of sparkle or shine.
‣ A fresh mani and pedi is recommended 1 day prior to your session. Select polish that is light in color tones (for manis).
‣ Hair highlights, color and or cuts should be done two weeks before your session.Add Image
Children don’t have to sit perfectly still or smile on command to create beautiful portraits. Michael has photographed children and families for decades and knows how to work at their pace. We keep sessions relaxed, use gentle direction, and allow time for breaks when needed. Often, the most meaningful portraits come from genuine interactions rather than perfectly posed moments.
We also recommend scheduling your session when your children are well-rested and have had a snack beforehand. Bringing a favorite small toy or comfort item can also help younger children feel more at ease.
Our goal is to create a stress-free experience so your family can simply enjoy being together while we capture authentic expressions and lasting memories.
Absolutely. Many Houston families choose to include grandparents and multiple generations to create meaningful portraits that preserve family connection and legacy. Call us at 713.461.2862 and let’s discuss this during your consultation.
Yes. Every session includes guided posing and direction designed to help families feel comfortable while creating portraits that feel natural, connected, and timeless.
Let us help you create portraits that will last a lifetime. Call (713) 461-2862.
The best family photographer is one whose style, experience, and approach align with your family’s vision. When choosing a photographer, look for someone with a consistent portfolio, years of experience, excellent client reviews, and the ability to create a relaxed, enjoyable experience for both children and adults.
At Michael Carr Photography, we’ve spent decades creating timeless family portraits for Houston families. From your initial consultation through the design of your finished artwork, our focus is on providing a personalized experience and creating portraits that become treasured family heirlooms.
Absolutely. We believe your portraits deserve to be enjoyed every day, not left on a hard drive. Michael Carr Photography offers professionally crafted wall art, including framed portraits, gallery collections, canvas, metal, and acrylic displays designed to complement your home.
During your ordering appointment, we’ll help you choose the best images and recommend sizes and layouts that fit your space and style. Whether you’re looking for a single statement piece or a custom gallery wall, we’ll guide you through the process from selection to finished artwork.
The best location depends on the style of portrait you envision. Michael Carr Photography offers sessions in our Houston studio, at outdoor locations, in your home, at your vacation home, or at destinations that are meaningful to your family.
A studio session provides timeless, classic portraits with complete control over lighting and comfort. Outdoor sessions showcase natural scenery and beautiful light, while sessions at your home or vacation home create a more personal and relaxed experience in a place filled with memories. We also travel for destination family portraits, allowing us to capture your family in locations that are especially meaningful.
If you’re not sure which setting is the best fit, we’ll discuss your vision, how you plan to display your portraits, and the overall look you’re hoping to achieve. Together, we’ll choose the location that best tells your family’s story and creates artwork you’ll treasure for years to come. Call (713) 461-2862.
Most families update their professional portraits every one to three years, depending on how quickly their children are growing and how many milestones they’d like to preserve. Young children can change dramatically in just a year, while older children and teens often benefit from updated portraits every couple of years.
Many of our clients also schedule sessions to celebrate important moments, such as welcoming a new baby, birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, or extended family gatherings.
Rather than waiting for the “perfect” time, we encourage families to document each chapter as it happens. These portraits become a visual history of your family and create meaningful artwork that can be enjoyed and passed down for generations. Call (713) 461-2862.
That’s more common than you might think. Many families have at least one person who isn’t excited about having their portrait taken, and that’s perfectly okay.
Michael has years of experience working with people of all ages and personalities. Rather than forcing stiff poses or unnatural smiles, he creates a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere and provides gentle guidance throughout the session. Even those who are initially hesitant often find the experience much more enjoyable than they expected.
Our goal is to make the session feel easy and enjoyable, resulting in natural expressions and authentic family portraits that everyone will be proud to display in their home. Call (713) 461-2862.
Executive Portrait Questions
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Yes. Michael Carr Photography specializes in professional headshots and business portraits for individuals, executive teams, and organizations of all sizes.
We photograph executives, attorneys, physicians, real estate professionals, entrepreneurs, and corporate staff either in our Houston studio or at your office. For larger teams, we can bring our portable studio to your location, creating a consistent look across every employee’s headshot while minimizing disruption to your workday.
Whether you need a few executive portraits or hundreds of employee headshots, we’ll guide you through the process and deliver polished, professional images that strengthen your company’s brand across your website, marketing materials, and LinkedIn profiles.
Yes. Michael Carr Photography regularly provides on-location headshot sessions at offices throughout Houston and the surrounding areas.
We bring a complete portable studio, including professional lighting and backgrounds, allowing us to create the same polished, consistent look you would expect in our studio. Photographing your team at your office is convenient, minimizes downtime, and makes it easy to update headshots for executives, employees, and new hires.
If you prefer a more environmental look, we can also incorporate your office’s architecture, meeting spaces, or work environment to create authentic business portraits that reflect your company’s brand and culture.
We generally recommend updating your executive portrait every two to three years, or sooner if your appearance, role, or personal brand has changed.
It’s also a good idea to schedule a new portrait after a promotion, career change, company rebrand, or significant change in hairstyle, glasses, or appearance.
Absolutely. One of the biggest concerns people have before a portrait session is not knowing how to pose—and that’s exactly what we’re here for.
Michael Carr provides clear, natural direction throughout your session, helping you with posture, body positioning, facial expression, and hand placement to create portraits that look relaxed and authentic. You’ll never be expected to know what to do on your own.
Yes. The number of outfit options depends on the type of session you’ve booked.
For Personal Branding Sessions, we encourage bringing several outfits to create a variety of looks for your website, social media, marketing materials, and other professional needs.
For Classic Executive Headshots and Modern Casual Headshots, you’re welcome to bring one or two outfit options. Michael is happy to help you select the look that photographs best, and you may use our private dressing area if you’d like to change before your session.
If you’re unsure what to wear, we’ll provide wardrobe recommendations before your appointment so you arrive feeling confident and prepared. Call (713) 461-2862.
Yes. Rush delivery is available for many of our portrait services.
Rush delivery fees vary depending on how quickly you need your images, and we’ll provide the available options and pricing before your session. Whenever possible, we’ll do our best to accommodate your deadline. Call (713) 461-2862.
Senior Portrait Questions
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We recommend scheduling senior portraits during the summer before senior year or early in the fall. This allows plenty of time for yearbook deadlines, graduation announcements, invitations, and custom artwork.
Many seniors choose to schedule their portraits several months before school deadlines so there’s time to enjoy the full experience without feeling rushed. If you’re planning multiple looks or want to photograph during a particular season, booking early also provides the best selection of dates.
If you’re unsure when to schedule your session, we’ll help you choose a timeframe that works with your school’s deadlines and your personal preferences.
Yes! We encourage seniors to bring multiple outfits so their portraits reflect their personality, interests, and style.
Many seniors choose a combination of casual, dressy, and school-related outfits, such as a letterman jacket, sports uniform, dance attire, musical instrument, or college apparel. Multiple looks create a more varied portrait collection and allow us to capture different sides of your senior year.
If you’re not sure what to bring, we’ll provide wardrobe recommendations before your session. Michael is also happy to help you narrow down your outfit choices so you can feel confident and look your best in every portrait.
Absolutely! We encourage seniors to bring items that reflect their interests, accomplishments, and personality.
Whether it’s a football, basketball, violin, guitar, dance shoes, cheer uniform, letter jacket, art supplies, or another meaningful prop, these personal touches help tell your story and make your senior portraits uniquely yours.
If you have a special item you’d like to include, let us know before your session. We’ll help incorporate it naturally into your portraits while keeping the focus on you.
Absolutely. One of the biggest concerns people have before a portrait session is not knowing how to pose—and that’s exactly what we’re here for.
Michael Carr provides clear, natural direction throughout your session, helping you with posture, body positioning, facial expression, and hand placement to create portraits that look relaxed and authentic. You’ll never be expected to know what to do on your own.
Artwork Questions
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Yes. We offer a beautiful selection of professionally crafted framed wall portraits designed to showcase your images as timeless artwork for your home or office.
Choose from a variety of frame styles, finishes, and sizes to complement your décor. Whether you’re looking for a single statement piece or a custom gallery wall, we’ll help you select the perfect images and design a display that fits your space.
Yes. We specialize in designing custom gallery walls that beautifully showcase your portraits and complement your home or office.
During your ordering appointment, we’ll help you select your favorite images and recommend the ideal sizes, layouts, and framing options for your space. Whether you’re creating a family gallery, a collection of children’s portraits, or a series of professional images for your office, we’ll design a display that feels cohesive and timeless.
Our goal is to make the process simple and enjoyable, resulting in artwork that’s thoughtfully designed, professionally crafted, and ready to be enjoyed for years to come.
Yes. We offer handcrafted, heirloom-quality portrait albums that beautifully preserve your favorite images in a timeless keepsake.
Each album is custom designed using the portraits you select and is professionally crafted with premium materials. Albums are a wonderful way to tell the story of your session and become treasured family heirlooms that can be enjoyed for generations.
Yes. We can coordinate professional installation for your finished artwork, allowing you to enjoy your portraits without the hassle of measuring, hanging, or arranging them yourself.
Whether you’ve selected a single statement piece or a custom gallery wall, we’ll help ensure your artwork is displayed securely and beautifully.
You don’t have to figure it out on your own—we’re here to help.
During your ordering appointment, we’ll guide you through selecting the right artwork for your home or office based on your available wall space, décor, and how you plan to enjoy your portraits. We’ll recommend sizes, framing options, and display arrangements that create the greatest visual impact while complementing your space.
Our goal is to help you choose artwork you’ll love seeing every day, whether it’s a single framed portrait, a gallery wall, or a custom album. Call (713) 461-2862.
Studio Questions
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Our studio is conveniently located in Houston’s Tanglewood area, just minutes from the Galleria, Memorial City, and major highways, making it easily accessible from throughout the Houston area.
We’ll provide detailed directions and arrival information before your appointment to ensure your visit is as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Yes. Complimentary visitor parking is available for all clients visiting our studio.
Visitor parking is located on the second floor of the parking garage. From there, enter through the covered awning entrance and take the elevator down to the first floor, where our studio is located.
We proudly serve clients throughout Houston and the surrounding communities, including Memorial, River Oaks, West University, Bellaire, The Heights, Tanglewood, Memorial Villages, Katy, Sugar Land, Cypress, The Woodlands, Pearland, Friendswood, and beyond.
In addition to studio sessions, we also photograph on location throughout the Greater Houston area and are available for destination portrait sessions and corporate assignments.
CPP is an abbreviation for Certified Professional Photographer. CPP certification is only offered through the Professional Photographers of America (PPA). CPP’s must pass a written exam as well as submit a photographic portfolio to a panel of photographic judges, demonstrating their technical knowledge of photography and the use of lighting techniques.
There’s no greater proof than when the letters “CPP” follow a photographer’s name. They designate a Certified Professional Photographer, someone who is putting in the extra work to stay above the rest. It assures you of this photographer’s professional knowledge and experience, while also declaring that photographer as one who has achieved and maintains a higher standard”.
Houston professional photography Sessions are scheduled Tuesdays-Fridays. Sessions may be scheduled between 9:30am-4:30pm, and are by appointment only. We do offer portrait sessions on Saturdays, and some evening time slots. Please ask for details.
We do require a retainer equal to the session fee in order to reserve your specific date/time for your session. Payment is due in full at the time services are rendered unless agreed to in writing prior to the session. In addition to cash, we accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.
We also offer payment plans on orders, no interest. Please ask for details.
You will have the ability to view some of your Houston professional photography session images actually in the camera room. The camera is tethered to a monitor thus allowing clients real time previewing of images. This is beneficial so you can check hair, makeup and clothing during the session and make adjustments if needed.
For on location sessions we do connect our camera to an Ipad or computer so you can view a collection of images during your Houston professional photography session.
At the conclusion of your Houston professional photography session, we will schedule a time for your private in studio Viewing and Ordering Appointment. This appointment is typically scheduled within 5-7 days after your Houston professional photography session. All ordered portraits will include a studio signature, ensuring your images carry the Michael Carr Photography mark of quality and artistry.
Yes. Every portrait experience begins with a conversation about your goals and how you’d like to use or display your portraits.
Whether you’re planning a family portrait, executive headshot, personal branding session, senior portraits, or custom wall art, we’ll answer your questions, discuss wardrobe and location options, and help you choose the session that’s the best fit for your needs.
Yes. Professional hair and makeup services are available for many of our portrait sessions and are highly recommended if you’d like an extra level of polish and confidence in front of the camera.
Our professional artists create a natural, camera-ready look that enhances your features while still looking like you. If you’re interested, just let us know when booking your session, and we’ll discuss the available options and pricing. Call (713) 461-2862.
We recommend scheduling your portrait session as early as possible, especially if you’re hoping for a specific date or season.
Many clients book several weeks or even a few months in advance for family portraits, senior sessions, and personal branding photography. During our busiest times of the year, particularly the fall and the holiday season appointments tend to fill quickly.
If you have a deadline for yearbooks, business materials, holiday gifts, or a special event, let us know when you contact us. We’ll do our best to accommodate your schedule whenever possible. Call (713) 461-2862.
Our session fee varies depending on your needs. On a discovery call, we can understand which session type is the best fit for you. Our clients invest anywhere between $1500 to $10,000 and more, depending on taste and budget. A luxury investment demands a luxury experience, and with Michael Carr Photography, that’s exactly what you get.
Call (713) 461-2862.
Please call us at 713-461-2862 so we can help you. If you are running late for your studio session, we will try and work you in as best as possible. However, if you will be more than 15 minutes late we cannot guarantee we can work you in and adjust our other sessions that are scheduled after you. So please be on time for your session to avoid any late fees and cutting your session time short.
Call (713) 461-2862.
Since we always review images with the client/subject as part of the session we do not have a return or exchange policy. We work with the subject to ensure that she/he is satisfied with the image selected prior to leaving the studio. There are no refunds for session fees or for Portrait orders. All ordered portraits will have a studio signature.
Michael and Lisa Carr are full time Houston professional photography portrait artist specializing in creative and timeless family portraits both in black and white and color mediums. We offer environmental family portraits, at home portrait sessions in the Houston area, as well as in studio portraits. Michael Carr Photography is a full service professional photography portrait studio.
What this means to you is that we complete your portrait from the beginning to the finished phases: conception, capture and full artist embellishments to your final wall portraits. To learn more about our studio and our Houston professional portrait photography for your individual portraits and family portraits, visit www.michaelcarrphotography.com.
Call (713) 461-2862.
During your in Houston professional photography studio viewing and ordering appointment, we will help you decide as to which images you would like to order, as well as where they will be in your home. We have software that we can actually show your walls, with your Portraits shown on them, in the correct size. No guessing on a size, and hoping it will look ok on your wall.
We also offer custom framing for your Portrait and have frame samples here for you to view and pre-order. In the end, this will save you a huge amount of time. This is why we offer Houston professional photography.
What Makes Michael Carr Photography Different?
Michael Carr Photography provides a personalized, full service portrait experience designed to make the process enjoyable and stress free from beginning to end.
Clients choose our Houston professional photography studio for:
✓ Personalized planning consultations
✓ Wardrobe guidance
✓ Professional hair and makeup options
✓ Expert posing and expression coaching
✓ Professional retouching
✓ Museum quality wall art and albums
✓ Delivery and installation services
✓ A husband and wife team focused on exceptional service
We would love to connect with you. Call us for a no obligation portrait consultation at 713-461-2862.
Looking for Additional Photography Services?
For maternity portraits, newborn photography, and baby’s first year sessions, visit our sister studio:
Belly to Baby Studios
For expanded business headshots, corporate teams, and professional branding services, visit:
MichaelCarr.Photography
For wedding day coverage and engagement sessions, visit:
Carr Weddings
