• Daphne’s Hollow is currently a one-man operation, so I will be the only other person in the room. You’re more than welcome to bring another person along for your own comfort.

  • I do all of the editing and handling of the the images myself so that no one else sees them.

    If we do any film photography as a part of the shoot, I also scan the negatives myself, so that photo lab technicians do not need to see the images.

    After the shoot, the images are handed over to you. I do not retain copies of your images without your permission, and nothing will be posted or shared anywhere without your consent.

  • Your comfort always comes first. If something doesn’t feel right, we will stop and rethink the parameters of the shoot, regardless of whatever had been planned. There’s never any pressure for you to do anything that doesn’t feel right.

Comfort, Safety, & Privacy

  • You won’t find the word “boudoir” anywhere on this site outside of this FAQ answer, and that is very intentional. While my photographic style inevitably shares some elements with boudoir photography, I think that there are important differences in my approach.

    Boudoir photography, for example, tends to be done in a studio/bedroom setting, presents the model in lingerie with full hair and makeup, and aims to create a mood that is sexual (if tasteful) in tone. Not every boudoir session is exactly like this, of course, but these are the hallmarks of the genre.

    By contrast, my style incorporates elements of environmental portraiture, natural light, and fine art photography. Our session can be tailored to your preferences, from location to wardrobe to genre, with no preexisting expectations about what we will create together.

  • You do not! I’m happy to work with clients in a wide range of photographic styles, from fully covered to fully uncovered and everything in between. We will discuss all of this well ahead of the shoot and establish clear expectations for wardrobe and photographic style.

  • Of course! I’m happy to help you bring your creative vision to life. If you already have some ideas about what you want, we’ll discuss them in an initial meeting and find the best way to create them together.

  • No prior modeling experience is needed. I can offer all of the necessary guidance to make the shoot successful, even if you’ve never posed for photos before. If you do have prior model experience and want to direct more of the posing yourself, I’m happy to work that way too.

  • We will meet before the shoot to discuss your expectations and boundaries. It’s important for both of us to know what the goal of the shoot is and what limitations we’re working within so that we can have a focused and productive session.

The Creative Process

  • I do not run a traditional physical photography studio in a fixed location with backdrops and props and lighting. Our session can take place wherever is most convenient or desirable for you, whether that’s your home or elsewhere. We can discuss all possibilities and figure out what space would work best.

  • Once we agree to work together, we’ll have an initial meeting to discuss all the relevant particulars about the location and photographic style of your shoot. Ideally this meeting would be in-person in the location where the shoot will take place, so I can get a feel for the lighting and possible working areas.

    A typical shoot is a single 90-minute session, during which time I’ll guide you through everything we planned during the initial meeting. This can include short breaks whenever necessary. I like to keep the mood very light and be flexible to handle whatever curveballs the session may bring.

    After the session, I’ll get to work processing the photographs as soon as possible, so that I can show you the final edits within just a few days.

  • For our initial consultation meeting, there is no penalty for rescheduling more than 24 hours in advance. Same-day rebooking requires a new deposit, and same-day cancellations or no-shows forfeit the entire deposit amount.

    For the shoot, there is no penalty for rescheduling more than 72 hours in advance. Rebooking or cancelling within 72 hours of the shoot could result in additional fees for rescheduling or only partial refunding.

    I try to be understanding and flexible in the case of emergencies. Do your best to let me know ahead of time if there’s a problem, and I’ll try my best to accommodate.

    If I have to cancel or reschedule our consultation or shoot for any reason, there is no penalty to the client for cancelling or rescheduling.

  • If you’re sure you’d like to work together and schedule a shoot, you can begin the process by clicking on the “Bookings & Inquiries” link in the site’s header.

    If you have any questions that aren’t answered here, my contact email is at the bottom of every page.

Booking & Logistics

  • In general, I will try to produce as many high-quality images from our shoot as I can. The minimum number of deliverable images for a typical 90-minute session is 12, but I will provide the client with more if possible.

    Unless we agree otherwise, the final images will include a variety of locations, poses, and processing styles (e.g. black and white and color).

  • I will get to work processing the images from our session as soon as possible and always aim to have something to share with the client within just 2-3 days. If processing time will take longer than that, I’ll let the client know ahead of time.

  • All images will be processed before delivery to improve things like composition, framing, exposure, light, contrast, and color.

    In general, my post-processing style is to use a relatively light touch, not making serious alterations that noticeably change the model’s appearance. I aim to show an authentically beautiful version of the model, not an artificially perfect one.

    If you’d like to have the images processed in a certain style or in a way other than described above, we can discuss this after the shoot.

  • I’m happy to deliver the RAW files of the final selected images at the client’s request. Otherwise, the files will be delivered in high resolution JPEG unless the client specifies another format.

    (RAW files are the original digital images recorded by the camera before any processing. They are only useful if you wish to re-edit the images yourself, or give them to someone else to edit.)

  • After the shoot, I will deliver the final images to you and sign over the rights of the images. This means that you own the exclusive rights to their use - they are now your images, not mine. (If we shot any part of the session on film, I can also give you the negatives or destroy them at your request.)

    I do not retain copies of client shoots or post clients’ images anywhere without permission. If I do post an image from our session with your permission and you later decide that you no longer want that image to be displayed, I will remove it at your request.

  • I have a limited ability to make high quality photo prints myself (up to about A3 size) upon request. If you’re looking for other kinds of prints (gallery wraps, metallic prints, photobooks…) I can help you find a local or online service to do this for you.

After the Shoot

  • A typical session consists of two separate parts: an initial meeting to discuss concepts and expectations and then the actual 90-minute photo session at a later date.

    A deposit of 1,000 HKD is required to schedule the initial meeting. A further payment of 5,990 HKD is required to schedule the 90-minute photography session.

    These payments cover all travel time and work for your session, including all necessary correspondence before and after the shoot and processing work on the final images.

  • The client can choose to have the photo session in an external location, like a local event space or luxury hotel room. In this case the client will need to pay the exact fee to book the venue and will be subject to its cancellation and rescheduling policy. I do not add any additional administrative fees on top of the venue’s actual rates.

    If the client wants part or all of the session shot on 35mm film, there will also be a per-roll charge of 200 HKD to cover the cost of purchasing and developing the film.

  • I am willing to work with clients to distribute smaller payments over a longer timeline if this helps to make our session possible. Let me know in the initial inquiry if you’re interested in an alternative payment plan.

  • Returning clients and referrals are always appreciated. Contact me directly for a discounted offer if you’d like to work together again, or if you’ve successfully referred other clients.

    If you’re a group or organization looking to arrange a special rate or discount for your members, send me a message with the relevant details.

Pricing & Payment

  • One of my favorite literary works is Ovid’s Metamorphoses, an ancient book of poetry that tells the story of the history of the world through the theme of change. One of the more famous stories is about the god Apollo and his love of a nymph named Daphne.

    In the poem, Ovid describes Daphne as beautiful and fiercely independent. Though her father (a river god) strongly wishes her to take a husband and have children, she convinces him to allow her the freedom to reject these things. She’s a modern woman - aware of society’s expectations of her but determined to follow her own path.

    In the story, Apollo (struck by Cupid’s arrow) sees Daphne in a secluded grove and immediately falls in love with her. I like the imagery of the woods as a place of safety, tranquility, and solitude.

    Taken together, the phrase “Daphne’s Hollow” evokes a safe place for a beautiful woman to be herself - exactly the kind of environment I try to foster in my photographic work.

  • Clients need to be at least 20 years old to book a photo session involving any state of undress. (This is a personal professional standard rather than a legal one.)

  • Two subjects at the same time adds complexity to a photographic project, so I consider these kinds of requests on a case-by-case basis. If you’d like to inquire about this kind of session, send me a message using the email address at the bottom of the page.

  • I can photograph a wide range of subjects at a professional level, so feel free to send me a message to inquire about whatever your need is.

    For reference, I keep an updated portfolio of all of my non-portraiture work at my personal website, jamesrodkey.com.

Other General Questions