I am so excited that you have chosen me to be your photographer. I look forward to capturing your beautiful memories.
This guide is to help you understand what to expect at your session, how to prepare everyone involved, what to wear and what to bring. It is important to remember that sometimes sessions may not go as planned, but this is ok, it doesn’t have to. I am here to guide you through your session and show you that those little unplanned mishaps often make the most treasured memories.
What to Wear
Clothing
When planning your outfits its important to remember to coordinate colours rather than dressing to “matchy matchy”. Avoid patterns where possible and opt for pieces with solid colours. A good way to do this is to choose a colour palette that best compliments everyone involved and remember to wear pieces that express who you are.
Footwear
It is important to wear appropriate footwear to your sessions to avoid any injuries or discomfort. If your session is on the beach then bare foot is a perfect choice. If your session is in the bush then it is more appropriate to wear shoes that are more suited to slightly uneven ground or for walking short distances while still complimenting your outfits. A good option is to wear thongs or joggers till we arrive at the location and then change into nicer shoes for the session.
Add Layers for Movement
Light layers, a jacket, dress or a skirt are lovely options for creating movement in your photos which can add another element to your session. Complimenting jewellery is also encouraged to add an extra touch to an outfit.
Hair and Makeup
I encourage clients to dress in a way that expresses their personality, I say the same for make up. There is no need to get your hair and makeup professionally done for your session, you can have it as natural as you like or as dramatic as you like. The important thing is that you feel comfortable for your session.
How to prepare your children
Before the Session
Sleep and food are important for happy kids. If possible, make sure your kids are able to rest or nap before your session. In addition to this, it is recommended to give your children a meal or a snack before the session to make sure they are not running on empty tummies. Newborns are the same, if possible, try to feed them before the session so they won’t be hungry during the shoot. If you would like to feed during the session, this is fine also. Please let me know so that we can factor this into the session.
During the Session
All that’s left to do is relax and enjoy your session.
Give yourself plenty of time to prepare and be sure to arrive 5-10 minutes early so that you don’t feel rushed or stressed during the session. Don’t worry if your children are acting nervous or a little wild, that is absolutely fine. I aim to take a lot of natural looking photos so you don’t always have to be looking at the camera, focus on loving each other and lots of cuddles. When is comes to getting natural smiles, think of things that your children find funny to get them to giggle or laugh. This will help them to be naturally happy and comfortable allowing me to capture their beautiful smiles, individual personalities and the love that is shared between you all.
FAQ
What happens if we are late to our session?
I understand that unexpected things can happen causing you to be late, please let me know as soon as possible. Generally we will have enough time to get plenty of shots however sometimes it may mean that when have less time for your session.
Do you retouch or change our appearances?
No, I like to keep your images as natural looking as possible. I will remove temporary things like bruises, blemishes, cuts and scrapes. I will not manipulate your appearance to change the way you look e.g. make you look skinnier. However, if there is something you would like me to edit please ask during our session.
What happens if we are sick?
Please let me know if you are unwell and cannot attend your session as soon as possible . We may be able to reschedule your session for another time.
What is the best time for our session?
Ideally, I like to shoot my sessions during golden hour. This is the hour after sunrise and before sunset. during this time of the day you will have that beautiful golden light to give your images that dreamy look to them.
What happens after our session?
Choosing photos
Seeing your photos for the first time is exciting and I know it can be difficult to wait. Within 3-5 days of your session your images will become available to you for preview via my online gallery. From here you will be able to select your favourites that I will then edit fully before delivering the final product.
Upgrading
After our session is complete and you have seen your images, you may like to purchase additional images that were not included in your chosen package. It is perfectly fine for you to upgrade your package or purchase individual images. Just let me know.
Receiving photos
The wait is over! Your gallery is ready and will be delivered via my online gallery. You will be emailed a link with a password to view your images. From here you can download your images with the click of a button.
Thank you for taking the time to read this preparation guide. I hope it has been helpful. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.