Our address: Kholodilniy per. 3/1/3

Metro st. Tulskaya, exit N 2.

Outside metro go straight in the direction from the shopping center "Yerevan" so that the "Tulsky" shopping center is on your left. On first cross turn right, cross the road and turn left - you will see barrier. Go through the barrier and move straight until you see big number 6 on corner of a building. On the left side will be the studio entrance.

If you ask google or yandex maps for "Aleksandr Balakin portrait studio", app will sow you exact entrance.

Most of us get pictures taken in professional studios quite seldom. But it’s not hard at all and I explain everything in detail and show how to turn shoulders, tilt the head, and even how to look confident in the pictures.

I hear this question very often. As a rule people look bad on the camera until they meet a good photographer. My job is to find the best angle for you and make you look awesome in the photo.

And you have nothing to worry about. I will show you how to pose, and together we will create beautiful images. There will be no other people at the session so no one will look at you. If you glance thru my portfolio you will see only ordinary people, not professional models. I make people photogenic whether they want it or not ☺

Classical commercial headshots presuppose a certain type of photos with a uniform backdrop and special professional lighting. If you are looking for another type of photoshoot you can write to me, and we will organize a session according to your needs.

The main feature of making headshots is a special way of lighting which is impossible if you make a full body portrait. Taking into consideration the fact that today most of the activities including using the Internet are done through mobile devices it is crucial to understand how the person looks, to see his face. And I make headshots at the highest level!

Yes, I retouch the pictures and get rid of some defects of the skin like black circles under eyes and some other imperfections. I retouch scars and similar peculiarities only if you ask for it because sometimes if you get rid of such peculiarities a person can become unrecognizable. That’s why I try to be very careful with retouching because it must be YOU in the picture.  

The reason why I do this is called effective picture size. When you ask to leave the top of the head in the picture the percentage of the effective picture size used for your face (the most important thing; the real reason why we make this photo) falls down incredibly.  Nowadays a lot of activities are done through smartphones with relatively small screens. And what we get is a tiny face and a lot of free space around it. That’s why I’m sure that your face is much more important than the top of your head, so in part of the images (not all of them!) I make closer shots cutting a top of the head.   

It depends on the chosen package and you can check this information in the “Prices” section on this website. And I want to pay your attention to the fact that during the session we review the images and improve the process.

The final choice of the pictures to be retouched is up to me but it is always based on our mutual decision made during the session.

You also can buy additional retouching if needed (1000RUB per picture). 

Our turnaround time depends on the chosen package and varies from several hours to several days. But if you have a specific deadline just tell me in advance.

For package “CV” and “Optimal” our turnaround time is 1 day, for “Premium” – retouching may take up to 5 days.

We'll send you a link to download all the digital files from a file sharing service.

One of the conditions of my work is that I don’t provide with the original files. During the session we always review the photos on the screen of the laptop and make an initial selection of the pictures. The final choice of the pictures is up to me. So you get the best images retouched and optimized for the usage. The rest of the images are just working material. If you will need more pictures than included in your package, you can order additional retouching for 1000RUB per image.

I’m not in the studio every day so the date and time of the session must be discussed beforehand.

Sessions are possible from 9 am to 10 pm. If necessary other time options can be discussed.

In order to book a session for a convenient date you can either apply through the website or reach out to me in any possible way described in “Contacts”.

From time to time there are special offers and you can book a session for a nice price. The information about such offers you can find only in social media – Facebook and Instagram. Follow me on one of these media and you will know everything about the offers.

My recommendations for the session:

• make sure your hair is clean and neat
• take care of your beard/mustache/whiskers/ eyebrows beforehand (not just before the session to avoid irritation of the skin)
• it’s a shame when the picture is spoilt by the wrinkles on the clothes so it’s  better to choose your outfit beforehand and have time to iron clothes properly
• get enough sleep

Recommendations:

Avoid bright colors, prints, parti-colored clothes (they distract attention from your face)

Solid-colored clothes of natural colors (white, grey, black, blue, beige, brown, olive, etc.) look the best.

Pay attention that only upper part of your outfit will be in the photo (shoulders and a bit lower).

Choice of the outfit depends on where the photos will be used: if it’s a CV for leading position the suit is preferable, if it’s a picture for social media you’ll need something more casual.

I don’t recommend using very prominent accessories which also distract attention from your face. You can wear small simple accessories, small earrings. 

Choose clothes that fit you and make you look nice. 

Yes, we can provide full makeup/hair services for the session. 

The price of the service is 5000 RUB. You can be sure that focus on your eyes is made professionally, skin texture is even, and hair looks nice. You can use the services of your own make-up artist or prepare for the shoot yourself. But the photos we make are usually used for several years and it would be great if everything is made at the highest level. Besides during the session you will feel more confident which will have a positive impact on the result of the whole process! 

Of course! And if you’re a corporate client you get different prices. The session can be organized either in the studio or in your office (all equipment is portable, so the quality will not suffer). The prices depend on several factors like location, number of people, the duration of the session. I have experience working with big companies (sessions for up to 400 people), and in contract work. For big groups make-up/hair services are also available (prices depend on the amount of the work). If you want to learn the details apply for the package “Corporate” and I will reach out to you to discuss the project. It’s time to make photos of your team catching!