Hello, I’m Dirk Dabel, photographer for Lightdances Photography and I’ve spent over 30 years working with people to get great images. Our goal is simple:

MAKE YOU LOOK GREAT IN YOUR PORTRAITS!

We also take pride in our no risk portrait guarantee. You never pay for portraits you are not thrilled with. That’s right,  Lightdances guarantees you will love your portraits. Not just satisfied, If not, we will redo your session at no charge. No questions asked, no hard feelings! We will also replace any product for any reason. I am that confident in what we do, my goal is your complete satisfaction.  We now offer professional hair and make-up services for all of our portrait clients should this be something you desire. Together, we will create beautiful portraits you and your loved ones will treasure for generations. While I do work closely with my associate photographers who assist me as needed 85% of the time I am the photographer who will create your images and I personally see them through retouching and final delivery. My associate photographers are very good at what they do, and have been personally selected for their artistic expertise as well as their incredible people skills.

Why use a professional photography studio? Everyone these days with a camera so it seams is now a photographer right? if someone has business cards and a website doesn’t that mean they are a professional? A good question would be, “Wouldn’t you be more comfortable and have more confidence trusting your photographer with your most important portraits if they have an actual studio. Someone with years of training that has successfully photographed thousands of people.  Someone who has hand written testimonials from people just like you who wanted and got the best images and service possible. God forbid that you have problems with your photographer. Maybe he’ll show back up at Starbucks where you originally met.” We hear it all the time people spending a little or sometimes a lot for portraits that were less than flattering and say they wish they had hired a professional the first time and not wasted all the time and money. When you invest with us you are assured quality, no short cuts, no excuses, we deliver as promised, remember my promise above?

Portrait Planning Session
The first stage of your portrait photography experience at Lightdances Photography begins with a complimentary portrait planning session. This is our opportunity to customize and plan every detail of your photography shoot. We will discuss our different styles of photography and the appropriate clothing for your chosen style. We will plan the best way to decorate your home with personalized portrait wall art. We have different frame-sizes and photography collections which are designed with you and your home in mind. Once you have had your portrait planning session you will be fully prepared for your photography shoot and have an understanding of the investment involved.

Photography Shoot With the planning session now behind you, your photographer will have a full understanding of your goals for your portrait session. With this in mind we will set about capturing portrait images that truly reflect you and your family. We will help you and your children relax in our comfortable, modern photography studio and encourage you to express yourselves. As experienced portrait photographers we have a thorough understanding of how to make you look your best.

Portrait Design Appointment About one to two weeks after your shoot you will return for your design appointment. In the viewing gallery in our studio you will see your ideas from the planning session come alive. We carefully edit and prepare the best images and guide you through the artist suggestions. Here you’ll understand that they are not just images but a piece of art you will hand down to future generations.

Collection of photography Once your order is placed your portraits are enhanced and hand finished in our Boise studio. Fully finished portraits are ready to collect up to two weeks after your design appointment allowing you to share, cherish and display your definitive moments captured by Lightdances Photography for years to come. This final stage completes the portrait cycle at Lightdances Photography.

Our gorgeous new studio is conveniently located at 9543 W. Emerald St. Boise ID. 83704, which allows the convenience of on-site hair stylists, make-up artists, nail techs and everything else necessary to make your session the best it can possibly be. Bring a friend or two and take advantage of our fun girls night out romantic vintage pin-up sessions . 

When you view our gallery wall prints it becomes apparent just how much fine art wall portraiture can enhance any environment.  My passion is to create something artistic, special and give a positive experience for all of those involved. It is so good to hear comments like “you made me look better than I dreamed possible” or “we simply love our family portraits” and “no one has ever taken the time to get a really great portrait for us like you have created” and “our family had such a great time”.  Nothing makes me feel  better than these kind and heartfelt words.

We have captured time for literally hundreds of special family and corporate events from weddings and family reunions as well as documenting pregnancies, babies & kids growing for high school senior pictures.  Commercially, our work has been featured in many local and national publications such as Collectible Automobile, Dolls: The Collector Magazine, Insight Magazine and others. Our VIP event coverage has included major local events such as concerts, ground breaking ceremonies, class reunions, school and preschool photography, and award ceremonies. We have also provided hundreds of images for the real estate industry with subjects ranging from single and multi-family residences to shopping centers and other large commercial  buildings.  We have also provided businesses with product and staff images for advertising and website usage. I have also enjoyed teaching photography classes and workshops since 1990 and seeing the success and brilliant work of my students is one of the great joys of my life. Ask about our photo restoration work where we will repair your precious older damaged portraits and turn them into a beautiful new work of art.

Boise branding portraits are portraits with an objective of selling you to your audience, this session is for business professionals who require the best possible portrait that is retouched to perfection but looks just like you! Our branding headshots are also popular for all media usage including websites and dating sites. This is the definitive headshot session available on location or in our west Boise studio. Planning session also included in pricing. Sessions may offer a same day viewing and ordering option. Call for details.

We provide medical specialty photography such as Whole Body Integumentary photography (mole mapping) for patients with a personal history or Melanoma, familial history of Melanoma , Dysplasic Nevus Syndrome, Dysplastic Nevi. This process allows patients to take a proactive measure to enable their physician to monitor and evaluate more closely changes in mole behaviors. We can provide this either in our studio or on site for dermatologists in the Idaho, Wyoming and Eastern Oregon areas. Call for details.

We urge you to call us for a no obligation chat today at 371-7701.