Sanders Fine Portraits — Local services in Highland Park

I am here to give my full, honest review of Sanders Fine Portraits. I first want to make it known that I entered an Instagram contest that said they were "looking for 10 special dogs to join them in their studio for a special project." Under that, it stated that those selected would receive a portrait session and artwork. When I got the call that I had "won this special studio session," I had to put down a $200 deposit right then and there on the phone. If I didn’t put down a deposit at that moment, I would lose this opportunity. We put down the deposit but were assured we would be refunded after the photo session.

Now, here is where they really try to hype things up but are also very misleading. I was told over the phone and by email that "we would receive a two-hour private studio session followed by the viewing and selection of your proofs." Nowhere did they state we would not receive any of the other photos. We were only allowed to pick one photo out of the 20+ that they showed us. The photographer took at least 50+ photos, but they showed us only the "best ones."

With this Instagram contest, I was offered a small free portrait that they made it sound like would be framed, but I later found out from other reviews that this wasn’t true. I also want to add that the lady tried to upsell the heck out of us. It went from receiving a free one to being offered to pay $3,000 for the same photo, but in a different size. It was insane! After trying to upsell us for 20+ minutes, we finally agreed to paying what was originally our deposit towards a very small, unframed photo of just our dog.

At this point, I was still thinking we were going to get the remaining photos they showed us that featured our dog, who, let me add, had cancer and was in his final days. We were trying so hard to capture a few photos to have as keepsake memories. The lady said no, we didn’t get those photos. I asked if we could just have them for personal memories, even if we could just snap a photo of them on our phone. We were told no.

This is also the same lady who started crying when we told her our dog was dying of cancer and then proceeded to show us on her phone many photos of her dog and her that she had taken in the studio. So obviously, she had all the digital copies of her dog’s photos. I even emailed them the next day, asking again if there was any way to get a few of the photos of our dog, but I never heard back.

The whole experience was misleading, and many key points were left out. I would have much rather spent the $200 I had to pay to get a single printed photo of my dog toward getting many photos of him. Our sweet boy passed away just three days later. It’s sad that this company cares more about upselling and getting as many people in the door as possible, rather than doing those simple small things that wouldn’t cost them anything but would have helped a grieving family’s process a...

I am absolutely blown away at the experience my family and I had at Sanders Fine Portraits studio. The staff is impeccable and the facility is beyond stunning! We experienced such wonder walking through the doors to the gallery/lobby being met with the beautiful portraits that we were soon to enjoy as well. I have two young children and my husband and I were extremely pleased with how accommodating the staff was for us and them, especially with it being so early in the morning. The photographer Dimitri did an AMAZING job keeping the flow of photo taking calm all while also moving quickly for the sake of our children and their short attention span. He had captured so many wonderful photos that I wish I could have purchased them ALL! Once we were done taking photos and were able to change into our street clothes my boys were able to be kept busy and entertained in the adorable little playroom with a lovely “nanny” attendant. Amy I believe her name was, was so kind and gentle and did a beautiful job with my 3 year old and 18 month old. And finally Bob, the art director, he finished off our day as a jaw dropping guide into the world of artistry behind Sanders Fine Portraits. He continued the keep it fun and light when going through all of the logistics. I cried when I saw our montage of beautiful pictures. They were absolutely breathtaking and my husband and I are beaming with pride at how well our kiddos did. Again I wish we could have the means to get every single photo, but I am extremely satisfied and overjoyed with this experience. So much love and magic go into these lovely pieces and it is shows so brightly through the dedicated and qualified staff here! This was originally meant to be a bridal experience but due to Covid many things were put on hold from its complications. But to have this opportunity now and to share it with my husband and our children was absolutely life changing. THANK YOU SANDERS FINE PORTRAITS AND A BIG, BIG, BIIIIG THANK YOU TO DIMITRI, AMY AND THE WONDERFUL BOB!!! Can’t wait for our two pieces of art and...

Walking into Sanders Fine Portraits’ studio felt like stepping into an art gallery and a comfortable home at the same time. The atmosphere is elegantly designed- beautiful decor, soft lighting, and fine artwork on the walls – yet it’s also incredibly welcoming. I was greeted with a warm smile, and escorted to my personal suite to get settled and dressed. Despite the high-end feel of the space, there was nothing stuffy about it. Instead, the studio’s ambiance put me at ease from the moment I arrived, making me feel both pampered and right at home. This elegant yet cozy setting truly set the tone for the rest of the session, allowing me to fully enjoy the experience. Our dogs felt comfortable and loved throughout the shoot. The team’s attentiveness shone through in how they treated my pets like true family members. I brought my two dogs along for the portrait session, and I was amazed at how caring and patient everyone was with them. The photographer and staff took the time to let my pups acclimate to the studio, kneeling down to greet them and even offering gentle pats and a few treats to win them over. Not once did I feel like my dogs were a “bother” or just props for a photo – on the contrary, the staff genuinely enjoyed having them there. They worked around my pets’ comfort level and taking breaks when the dogs needed a moment. Their attentive and compassionate approach made the session stress-free for both the animals and me. As a pet owner, seeing my dogs so at ease and loved during the shoot meant the...