There is a new portrait studio in town and it’s all digital.
The new digital portrait studio is located at Alexandria’s MotoPhoto on King Street. The owner, Conrad “Woody” Wood, explained the process, saying “It’s just like going to any portrait studio except that the process is digital and a customer can come in for the sitting and leave with a finished package in an hour,” he said. “Also, it costs less than most standard portrait packages cost.”
Wood has a studio in the back of the MotoPhoto where there are lights, backdrops and other props to enhance any portrait.
“We can take portraits of people standing, sitting or lying on the floor on cushions,” Wood said. “We have a variety of backdrops and work with customers on choosing those as well as choosing appropriate clothing for group portraits and individual portraits.”
The process was designed and tested by MotoPhoto, nationally, and the company provides training to employees who take the pictures. “We all receive training so that we can do the best job possible for our customers,” Wood said.
Once the pictures are taken, a chip is removed from the camera and the photographs are downloaded onto a computer. Customers review those pictures and select the pictures that they wish to have printed.
“We can even do touch-ups,” Wood said. “For example, if you don’t want to have wrinkles around your eyes, we can eliminate them. There is no extra cost for these minor adjustments.”
ONCE THE CUSTOMER has selected the pictures to be printed, they are sent to another processing computer. “They are put through the regular chemical process and printed onto photographic paper,” Wood said.
He even has a variety of paper. One bride wanted her picture on canvas. “We did that and it now looks like a water color on canvas,” Wood said.
Wood suggests calling ahead, but there is usually no waiting time. “It just depends on how busy we are,” he said. “But we can normally accommodate customers the same day that they call.”
For further information about the new digital portrait studio or to make an appointment, call MotoPhoto at 703-548-1145.