FAQs
TABLE OF CONTENT
Click on a section below to jump straight to answers.
Getting Started
📍 What areas do you serve?
💰 How much do your sessions cost?
📅 How do I book a session?
💳 When is the session fee due?
What I Photograph
💼 Do you do business headshots?
📸 Do you photograph weddings or engagements?
👶 Do you photograph newborns?
🎉 Do you photograph events?
💼 Do you offer personal branding photography?
Session Preparation
👕 What should we wear?
🐾 Can we bring pets?
🌦 What if it rains?
How I Work
⭐ What makes Nina Merklina Photography different?
📷 How long have you been a photographer?
🎨 What's your photography style?
Session Details
📦 What's included in the session fee?
⏳ When will we get our photos?
After the Session
🖼 Can I order prints through you?
🛠 Do you retouch the photos?
Common Concerns
📸 What if I don't photograph well?
💻 Can you Photoshop me to look thinner, more toned, younger, etc.?
🎭 Do you do styled or themed shoots with wardrobe provided?
💄 Do you offer hair and makeup?
Getting Started
Basic information you may need first
The easiest way to get on my calendar.
Payment timing and details
What areas do you serve?
I'm based in Chapel Hill and work throughout the Triangle: Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham, Raleigh, Pittsboro, and Hillsborough.
How much do your sessions cost?
I use flat pricing for all locations, but Chapel Hill sessions get a $100 local discount as a perk for neighbors. No travel fees, just a hometown advantage if you're local.
I believe in transparent pricing: no hidden fees, no "schedule a call to find out".
Base session fees:
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Family sessions: Starting at $495
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Senior portraits: $295 (Express) or $495 (Full Session)
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Business headshots: Starting at $350 (individual), $295/person (teams of 3+)
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Corporate/team photography: Custom pricing based on headcount and scope
These are starting points. Once we talk about what you need - location preferences, session length, number of people, any special requests - I'll give you an exact quote. No surprises.
What's included: All sessions include every good image from the shoot as high-resolution digital files with full personal use rights. I don't charge per image or nickel-and-dime you for extras. You get the full gallery. That's the deal.
How do I book a session?
Reach out through the contact form, use the "book online" form, send me an email, or flag me down at Weaver Street Market. Phones always work, too, and texting is often the fastest. Once we pick a session type and time, I'll send you a booking link.
I typically take a non-refundable retainer (AKA booking fee, starting at $50) to secure your spot.
When is the session fee due?
To book a session, you will pay the booking fee first, upon booking, which goes towards the total cost. It secures the date and time of the session and is not refundable in case you decide to cancel or no-show. Once we complete the session and I secure the images (transfer to hard drives and archives), you will receive an invoice for the remainder of the fee. This typically happens the day after the session.
What I Photograph
Do you do business headshots?
Yes. Business headshots are a core service. I work with individual professionals and corporate teams throughout Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham, and Raleigh.
Who I photograph:
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Attorneys, actors, physicians, real estate agents, financial advisors, enterpreneurs (individual professional headshots)
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Corporate teams and company staff (consistent headshot sets for websites, marketing, directories)
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LinkedIn profile updates and personal branding (entrepreneurs, consultants, executives)
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Board members, C-suite executives, and leadership teams
Session options:
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Studio headshots
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Outdoor/natural light headshots
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On-location at your Chapel Hill, Durham, or Raleigh office (convenient for team shoots)
Pricing: Individual headshots start at $350. Team headshots start at $295/person (minimum 3 people). Volume pricing available for larger groups of 50+.
Background: I spent 15+ years in executive recruiting placing professionals at Fortune 500 companies. I know what makes an effective professional headshot across different industries, from conservative corporate environments to creative fields.
Even for professional headshots, my goal is the same: you'll leave feeling good about yourself and confident about how you're represented.
Do you photograph weddings or engagements?
No, I focus exclusively on portrait work: families, seniors, and business headshots. If you're looking for a wedding photographer in the Chapel Hill area, I'm happy to recommend colleagues who specialize in that.
Do you photograph newborns?
I don't do posed newborn sessions (the wrapped/styled studio shoots with props). But once babies hit around 3 months and start smiling? Absolutely. That's when they get chunky, the baby acne clears up, and their personalities start showing. Those are the moments I love capturing, usually as part of family sessions.
Do you photograph events?
Yes. I regularly photograph corporate retreats, conferences, team gatherings, and family milestone celebrations. I approach events documentary-style - capturing genuine moments as they happen rather than staging group shots all day. If you need a mix of candid coverage and formal portraits (like headshots during a conference), I can do both.
Do you offer personal branding photography?
Yes. Personal branding sessions are for entrepreneurs, consultants, speakers, coaches, authors - anyone who needs a library of professional images for their website, social media, marketing materials, and LinkedIn.
We'll create a variety of shots: headshots, environmental portraits, lifestyle images, behind-the-scenes moments - whatever tells your story and supports your brand.
LinkedIn optimization included: I spent 15 years in executive recruiting reviewing thousands of profiles. I know what works for LinkedIn - from photo composition to how different industries respond to different styles. I'll help you choose the right image and can advise on optimizing your profile presentation.
Sessions typically run 1-2 hours and include multiple locations/outfit changes if needed.
Session Preparation
I made a booking. Now what? Tips for looking great without stressing yourself or your closet
What should we wear?
Stick to solid colors when in doubt. They photograph cleanly and keep the focus on you.
Avoid tiny patterns like thin stripes or tight plaid. These can create a visual glitch called moiré (think: camera-induced wardrobe shimmer in unexpected colors).
Coordinated? Yes. Matching? No. You can pull off matching outfits if there are two of you. More than that: say a family of five all in white, and you'll start giving cult vibes. Matching white shirts and jeans on a group of seven? Hard pass. Everyone blends into each other.
Instead, choose a color family: jewel tones, soft pastels, neutrals, or earth tones, and let each person pick a shade that flatters them. Moms, this will make your life easier.
If your kids refuse to wear what you want? Let them show up in their pajamas and sweats. That's them right now, and ten years from now, you'll be glad you captured it exactly as it was. I dive a little deeper into that beautiful chaos in this blog post.
Makeup tip: Skip shimmer, glitter, and dewy highlighters. They look great in person but wreak havoc under flash, resulting in hotspots, loss of detail, ghost zones. Matte finishes photograph best.
Accessories? Please. Photos love drama. Funky glasses, bold earrings, flower crowns, hats, guitars, team scarves and whatever makes it yours.
Can we bring pets?
Yes, yes and yes! Please! Bring your furry chaos along.
Bring all the paws.
Dogs, cats, ferrets and lizards. They're part of the family. Just bring treats, a leash, a little patience, and maybe a lint roller.
Moreover, those chaotic moments make the greatest candids! Just give me heads up.
What if it rains?
When the sky messes with our plans.
We'll keep an eye on the forecast together. If the skies turn on us, we'll reschedule. I build rain backup options into my calendar during peak seasons. Your booking deposit secures the session, and we'll make it happen when the conditions are right.
How I Work
What makes Nina Merklina Photography different?
What makes Nina Merklina Photography different?
My sessions are celebrations, not obligations. Whether it's a family portrait, senior shoot, or even a business headshot - you'll leave feeling good about yourself.
Most people hate being photographed. It makes them feel vulnerable, exposed, self-conscious. I get it. I have a big nose and I hate my nose. But no one's ever turned me down because of it. That's the point: it's not about perfect features. It's about mood, impression, feeling.
We talk through your concerns before the session. I work with your insecurities, not around them. I let kids test-shoot with my camera (while quietly praying). I make faces. I move constantly: lying on the ground, climbing things, whatever it takes. Sessions feel like hanging out, not like performing.
I came to photography from 15 years in executive recruiting. I've reviewed thousands of headshots and interviewed hundreds of professionals. I know what makes people uncomfortable, and I know how to create space for them to relax. You won't feel like a mannequin. You'll feel like yourself.
How long have you been a photographer?
I've been working professionally with clients for 15+ years, but I've been photographing for most of my life. I got my first camera at 15 and grew up in a family of photographers - my grandfather and father were traveling scientists who documented the world through their lenses. I spent hours in our makeshift darkroom (our only bathroom, red light and all) watching images come to life.
I went full-time in 2019 after years of running a photography business alongside my recruiting career.
What's your photography style?
don't sell a "look." I'm not the bright-and-airy photographer or the dark-and-moody photographer. I adapt to what fits you.
Want light and airy? Done. Drama and contrast? I'm there. Great Gatsby chic? Let's do it. Corporate clean? Natural outdoor warmth? Editorial edge? I can shoot it all.
My style is matching the vibe to the person, the purpose, and the moment. You're not getting a one-size-fits-all Instagram aesthetic. You're getting images that feel like they belong to you.
Session Details
What you’re getting for your investment
What's included in the session fee?
The session itself, including the prep session (in person, or over the phone or video conference).
After the session, you'll receive a lightly edited online gallery with high-resolution digital files and full personal use rights. Full sessions include unlimited downloads, no watermarks, and no upsells just to access the images you see. Mini sessions have limited downloads, depending on the package.
Prints are not included, but you can order them directly from your gallery.
Need help choosing what to print? I'm happy to weigh in.
When will we get our photos? How long it takes to receive your gallery?
Most galleries are ready within 2 to 3 weeks. If you're working with a deadline (holiday cards, announcements, gifts), just let me know. I can usually make it work with a bit of notice.
Need photos urgently? I can make it work too.
The fastest turnaround is 24 hours, subject to an extra fee, which we discuss upon booking or during the session.
After the Session
Professional print options and how it works
What gets polished and what stays natural
Can I order prints through you?
Yes. You can order professional-quality prints directly from your gallery. If you want framed art or canvases, I'll help you choose the right size and finish for your space.
The lab I use produces heirloom-quality prints with archival durability (think 50 to 100 years).
You can also design custom cards for various occasions straight from the gallery. If you need help with the design, I can guide you through the process, or create a fully custom design (subject to additional fees).
Do you retouch the photos?
Yes, every image is edited for tone, color, and overall polish.
Surprise pimple? Never happened. Some light skin softening? Sure, if it fits the image.
What I don't do is heavy reshaping. I won't make you look like someone else, but I will make sure the photo reflects how great you looked that day. I can also style the images to the mood and vision that speaks to you. Light and airy? Dark and moody? Those details we usually cover in our prep session, but we can always reshape things post shoot.
I do take extra time to polish the images you choose to print: stray hair, outfit imperfections, etc.
Common Concerns
Real talk: you look better than you think
Creative concepts and what's available
What's included, and what's up to you
What if I don't photograph well?
You're not alone. Most people say this, and it's almost never true. You don't need to know how to pose or smile. Just show up and let me handle the rest.
Bad photos come from bad light or forced energy, not bad faces. Once you relax and stop worrying about the camera, good things happen. Still skeptical? I explain more about it here.
TL;DR There is no such thing as "not photogenic" people. There is bad light, bad angles, and bad edits. We can discuss what typically makes you dislike your images in advance, and we will work together to nail the best angles and light.
Can you Photoshop me to look thinner, more toned, younger, etc.?
Let's talk about realistic edits and thoughtful enhancements
I certainly can, but I rarely need to. Posing, lighting, and angles do most of the work. Then I edit with a light hand: cleaning up flyaways, under-eye shadows, blemishes, and anything else that showed up uninvited that day.
If something specific is bothering you, please let me know. If you're feeling tired or self-conscious, I can consider that while editing.
My preference is not about turning you into a different person. My goal is to show you in the best possible way. I may see you differently from how you see yourself, but we can discuss this in advance and align our perspectives.
Just know, your freckles are delightful, and we'll think together before removing them. If there's anything you feel needs to be reshaped, I'll do it thoughtfully and with your input.
Do you do styled or themed shoots with wardrobe provided?
Not at the moment, but I'd love to. When I find the right local designer to collaborate with, I'll start offering styled sessions. They're rare birds around here.
In the meantime, I'll help you plan your outfit and vibe so the shoot feels cohesive, even if you pulled it straight from your closet.
Do you offer hair and makeup?
Not officially. I don't have an in-house artist (searching for one), but I work with an exceptional local hair stylist I trust completely. She books out three months in advance and works at a premium level. Great choice if you're going for 100% confidence. I'm happy to connect you.
If you're doing your own makeup, I'll guide you toward camera-friendly choices: matte over shimmer, skip glitter, bring powder. I've got your back if you want feedback before your session.