FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

I see references to PhotoReflect.  What is PhotoReflect?
PhotoReflect is our internet hosting partner and e-Commerce site.  When you order photos from our website, you are paying PhotoReflect, who in turn pays us after we ship your photos.  The people at PhotoReflect are experts in internet hosting for professional photographers.  Their e-Commerce expertise insures a SAFE and SECURE buying experience for all our clients.

When will I be able to view the shots you took at our Event?
It depends somewhat on the nature of the Event being photographed, but in general photos should be posted within 5-10 days.  For Action photography, our goal is to have your photos available for viewing within five business days of your Event, although sometimes it takes a little longer.  Please keep in mind that we may shoot in excess of 1,000 photographs in a full day of action photography.  Unlike many photographers, we don’t come back to the office and start blasting hundreds of photos up to our website.  To us, nothing is more boring than trudging through page after page of unimaginative, similar looking photos where everyone is so far away that you can hardly tell the two teams apart!  We start by eliminating any photo that doesn’t meet our standards.  This could include soft focus (yes, we still have those occasionally) or improper exposure.  We also eliminate photos that are repetitive or photos where the players are not easily identifiable.  We then review each photo and crop in close to highlight the individual players.  We will sometimes cut those original photos down by 50% or more before we finally begin to post them to our internet site. 

For Business, Commercial and School Events there are sometimes screening and release procedures which must be adhered to.  In these instances your company or school will notify you when the photos of a specific Event are posted on our site.  Occasionally a password will be required to gain access to your photos, which is provided by your administration.

The process for Team and Individual (posed) photos is quite different from Event Photos.    For starters, we begin by selecting the best pose of each player from the several poses we take on photo day.  Then we crop, color correct and enhance that image as necessary to create the photo package that each client has ordered ahead of time (eg: adding personalized information to magazine covers and trading cards, team names to posters and DigiMates, etc.).  We then gather all the images of players from a particular team into a single order to make certain the corresponding coach gets the correct package of all their team photos.  Finally, we transmit the entire team order to one of our photo labs before beginning the process again for the next player/team. 

This entire process of customizing and manipulating templates is very exacting and time-consuming for even the most experienced professional and is normally performed off-line.  For the best prices and ability to assure correct personalized information on your photos, we recommend ordering Team and Individual photos on Photo Day.  Additional handling, shipping, and processing fees would apply for T&I photos posted on the PhotoReflect website.  Consequently, as a general practice, we do not post League Team and Individual League Photos on our PhotoReflect website. 

How do I view/select the photos I like?
It is really pretty easy. Click on the “PhotoReflect” link and you will be taken to our PhotoReflect e-Commerce website.  Look for your Event (they’re normally listed by date) and click on it.  Simple as that!  If you do not see your Event listed on the first page, just click the “more…” link at the bottom of the Event list.  You can see a larger version of any image by just clicking on it.  If you would like to order that photo, just add it to your shopping cart and continue to browse the photos. At any point you may add or remove photos from the shopping cart.

OK, I have picked the photos I want to order…what’s next?
When you are finished adding photos to your shopping cart, proceed through the Check Out screens.  Our e-Commerce site accepts all major credit cards and is safe, secure, and fully encrypted to protect your personal data.  You may also pay by check, but this will delay your order until the check clears.

While browsing the photos on PhotoReflect, I saw a reference to 'My Album.'  What is 'My Album?'
If you see a photo (or photos) you would like to share with someone, you can create an album.  That album can be E-mailed or shared with anyone.  Think of your album as your own personal photo “shoe box.”  The album has another very useful function.  If you are browsing a large Event, just stash away the shots you like in your album.  Then when deciding what to purchase, you can just go back to your album without having to go back through all the photos for the entire Event.

I saw some of those great Custom Sports Posters you created for some of the players at one of the games and want one for my player. How do I order one of those?
It is pretty easy.  First you need to contact us regarding your specific sports poster category - that is to say will it be a photoshoot of your player only, or perhaps that of your entire team.  One of our professional photographers will contact you and arrange to attend one of your games to take a large number and wide variety of “action photos.” 

The cost for this service is $60/hr with a two hour minimum.  These images will then be posted on our PhotoReflect website for your viewing.  Select your favorite action images using one of the methods below and send them to us.  Select as many images as you wish, but we typically prefer about 5 or 6 to work with (the more the better).

Selection Method 1.) - Send us PHOTO ID numbers.  Browse through the thumbnails of the online event.  When you see a thumbnail of interest, click it to see a larger photo.  At the bottom of the screen you will see a PHOTO ID number.  It will usually be in a format similar to IMGP2634.  Write down the PHOTO ID numbers and E-mail them to us.

Selection Method 2.) - Create an online photo album and E-mail the album to us.  Browse through the thumbnails of the online event.  When you see a thumbnail of interest, click it to see a larger photo.  At the bottom of the screen, you will see a link to “Add to album.”  Add the images to the album and E-mail the album to us.  This is the preferred method.

Each poster has 4 or 5 action shots, as well as 1 or more cut-outs that are layered on top of the poster.  In the E-mail, give us your player’s name (or nickname if desired), jersey number, team name, and tournament or league name as well as your phone number.  We will try to honor any special requests, but we will decide on the ultimate design of the poster and the photos that are used to construct it.  We will call you to finalize the details for your poster and arrange for payment.  If all of this just sounds too complicated, call us when you can sit down in front of your computer, and we will work through the process with you.

What if I want to order something special that isn’t shown, like an acrylic cutout or a bag tag with my player’s photo on it?
Give us a call or send us an E-mail.  We work with several specialty labs to provide prints and posters in sizes up to 24 x 36.  We also have dozens of other print sizes as well as numerous specialty items such as bag tags, magnets, 'Wall Hogs,' locker posters, etc.

Are these real photos are do you print them on an inkjet printer?
No, these are not inkjet prints.  Our prints are made on Kodak or Fuji Professional Photo Papers via state of the art digital photo printers.  They are then processed in conventional photo chemistry.  They are real photographs in every sense of the word and should last 50 to 100 years with normal care.

What if I don’t like my photos?
All of our photos carry a “money back” guarantee.  If you are unhappy with your photos for any reason, we will reprint them for free, or you may return all of them to us for a full refund.

What's to keep me from just 'right-clicking' on a photo and downloading it right to my computer?
First, you should be aware that all of our photos are protected by US Copyright laws.  In support of that copyright protection, right clicking has been disabled in our storefront.

Secondly, the images you see in our storefront have been “watermarked” with a “Proof” designation.  The “Proof” watermark only applies to the images you see on your computer.  Your printed photos will not have the “Proof” watermark.

Thirdly, the image that you see on your screen is a very low resolution “thumbnail.”  It is adequate for viewing on your computer, but if printed would appear very “blocky” and pixilated.

Once I place my order, how long before I get my photos?
Usually 7-10 days. They are shipped from the professional photo lab directly to the address you indicate when checking out.

I do not want to or simply will not use my credit card online.  Can I call you with my order?
Absolutely!  The easiest way is to send us images that you have placed in your Album via E-mail (see above).  We can then go in and quickly fulfill your order and take your credit card information over the phone.  

THANKS for doing business with PhotoShoots-Etc!  Please contact us if you have any questions or comments about our service.

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