Simpson Studios is a privately-owned photography business in Ankeny, Iowa, specializing in weddings and environmental/ outdoor-themed senior portraits.
Schedule your appointment before July 1st and receive a FREE 8x10 portrait with your order!
Bring a friend to any portrait session and receive two 5x7 prints of you and your friend FREE!
Since you’re primarily outdoor-focused, do you close in the winter?
No. Some of our favorite portraits have been taken during the winter. Having snowy fields and bare tree branches as a backdrop takes the attention off of the surroundings and puts the attention back to where it should be in a portrait. On you.
What happens if it rains during my session?
If the weather isn’t cooperating for your portrait, you have two options.
One, we move somewhere else. When a session is booked we make sure to get a list of places where you would like your portraits taken, we then scout out the areas with our eyes open for locations that would provide some cover. Large trees, overhangs, awnings, we can even take pictures in large culverts and under bridges.
Two, can take them anyway. Very few people take poor portraits while standing in the rain. Some seniors who want the “rain-drenched” look have even tried to schedule a session when they think the weather will provide rain!
If you think the weather is just too bad, however, we can always reschedule (note: we never penalize you for rescheduling because of the weather. If we have to cancel your session twice in a row, we'll wave your sitting fee).
I want my portraits shot at night. Can you do that?
Yes, but with conditions.
In low lighting situations, we have to modify the settings on our equipment to record light at a faster speed. This enables us to shoot in low-light settings. It also creates lower image quality, however, and makes it very difficult to produce large prints.
If you can pick a location with a good amount of outdoor lighting (streetlamps etc) it makes it easier to produce large-sized prints of good quality. The photograph below was shot in such a situation.