Why we shoot in a studio, not at golden hour
There's a version of portrait photography that happens in a park at 6:40pm, where everyone is squinting into the last of the sun, the light is gone in eleven minutes, and a stranger walks through the back of every third frame. It works for some people. It isn't what we do.
Look Gross is a studio-first portrait photographer in the Long Beach area, and the whole session is built around that. Indoors, the light does exactly what we tell it to. The background is a decision instead of an accident. Nobody is watching you. You can sit down, change clothes, drink water, abandon a look that isn't working, and take the entire thing at the pace you actually need.
It also means your session doesn't get rained out, wind-blown, or rushed because the sun is leaving. We don't shoot weddings and we don't shoot standard on-location portrait sessions — that's deliberate. The controlled room is the product.
Inside the studio in Signal Hill
Our private studio is in Signal Hill, right in the middle of the Long Beach area, with easy access from LA and Orange County. It's a working room, not a showroom. Four things in it will matter to you:
- The shooting area. Professional lighting, real backdrops, and enough floor for full-length frames. A typical session moves through up to three looks across two backdrops.
- Tethered monitoring. Every frame lands on a large screen a few feet away, seconds after we shoot it. This is the single biggest comfort unlock in the room — you stop wondering how it's going and start making decisions about it.
- The dressing room and vanity. A lit mirror, space to change, and somewhere to put your stuff. You're welcome to bring your own makeup artist; just tell us in advance so the room is ready.
- The lounge. Somewhere to sit between looks that isn't a folding chair in the corner. Sessions go better when there's a break in them.
The exact address goes out once your booking is confirmed. It's a private studio, and we'd like to keep it that way for the people shooting in it.
Your session, start to finish
Before the day
- You send an inquiry through the booking page. We reply within 48 hours.
- We talk through what you're after — references, looks, and what the photos are actually for. A press shot and a birthday portrait are not the same assignment.
- A 50% deposit holds your date. We recommend booking two weeks to a month out; sessions fill.
The day itself
- We're set up before you arrive. Lights, backdrops, tether — all of it is done 30 minutes ahead so your hour is your hour.
- You get the dressing room to change, touch up, and land in the space for a minute.
- Misty starts coaching from the first frame. She directs every pose and every look. You are never left standing there guessing what to do with your hands.
- Nani shoots and keeps the light moving with you — up to three looks across two backdrops, depending on session length and how the day is flowing.
- Music runs the whole time. Bring a playlist if that's what puts you in the right headspace. Bring a friend if that helps too.
Afterward
- About a week to your proof gallery — every frame we shot, delivered with our full styled edit: color grading, exposure, contrast, backdrop cleanup, and the cinematic look we're known for.
- One to two more weeks if you add retouching on your favorites.
- On a deadline? Say so when you book and we'll work around it.
Presence, not performance.
That's the whole approach, and it's why the sessions run long on conversation. The frame we're usually after isn't the one where you're posing hardest — it's the one two seconds after, when you've stopped bracing.
What to wear and what to bring
Short version: bring more than you think you need, and bring the thing you actually feel good in.
- Two or three outfits minimum. Looks that seemed great on the hanger sometimes die on camera, and the reverse happens just as often.
- Texture over tiny patterns. Knits, leather, denim, velvet and sequins all photograph beautifully. Very fine repeating patterns can fight the sensor.
- One outfit you feel powerful in, one you feel comfortable in. They're rarely the same piece, and we usually end up using both.
- Shoes. They show up in every full-length frame and people forget them constantly.
- A robe or something easy for between looks.
- Accessories, props, instruments, your dog. If it's part of how you see yourself, bring it. We don't stock props, but we're glad to build around yours.
What you get, and what it costs
| Package | Time | What's included | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Session | 1 hour | Full styled and edited gallery | $400 |
| The Full Treatment | 2 hours | Full styled and edited gallery, more looks, more room to experiment | $650 |
Both include Nani behind the lens, Misty directing posing and coaching, and use of the dressing room before the shoot. Add-ons are optional and priced separately:
- Retouching — $15 per photo, chosen after you see your gallery
- Polaroid pack — $50. Instant film shot on set; physical prints you walk out with
- Medium format film — $50 per roll. 10–12 frames, real grain, scans delivered digitally
- BTS reel — $100. Raw footage plus a cut 30-second reel for Instagram or TikTok
A 50% deposit holds your date and the balance is due the day of the shoot. Deposits are non-refundable, you get one free reschedule, and payment plans are available on premium packages — just ask. The full breakdown lives on the FAQ page.
Who books portraits with us
- Musicians and bands who need press shots and EPK photos that don't look like a phone snap in a parking lot. That's a whole category for us — see the artist work.
- Dancers and performers. Our largest group, honestly. Here's how we shoot dancers →
- Creatives, founders and freelancers who need a professional photo that isn't corporate-headshot beige.
- People marking something — a birthday, a transition, a divorce, a year that deserved documenting, a haircut worth the money.
- People who hate photos of themselves. Genuinely some of our favorite clients. The coaching exists for exactly this.
If you want something bolder or more cinematic, that's the boudoir and editorial side of the studio — same room, same coaching, different energy. And if you're nervous about the whole thing, read how we handle comfort and posing; every word of it applies to portraits too.
Portrait photography FAQ
Our two packages are The Session at $400 for one hour, and The Full Treatment at $650 for two hours. Both include a full styled and edited gallery, Nani shooting, Misty directing posing, and use of the dressing room. Retouching is an optional add-on at $15 per photo. A 50% deposit holds your date.
No, and most of our clients don't. Misty directs every pose and coaches every look from the first frame — you're never left standing there guessing what to do with your hands. First-timers are some of our favorite clients.
Roughly one week for your proof gallery, which includes every frame we shot with our full styled edit. If you add retouching, allow one to two additional weeks. If you have a hard deadline, tell us when you book.
Absolutely. If having someone in the room makes you more comfortable, bring them — just let us know in advance so the space is ready.
No. We shoot out of our private studio in Signal Hill, Long Beach, and we don't shoot weddings or standard on-location portrait sessions. The controlled lighting and backdrops are what make a Look Gross photo look like a Look Gross photo. If you need something outside the studio, reach out and we'll talk it through.
We're in Signal Hill, California — inside the Long Beach area, with easy access from Los Angeles and Orange County. The exact address is sent once your booking is confirmed.
