What to Expect
Lots of people ask me what to expect during their photo session and so I've complied this little Q&A which hopefully covers all of the basics. If you would like to know anything else though, please do drop me a line.
Where do your sessions take place?
All of my sessions take place in your home or on location. This could be a local park or woodland, or even in an alleyway next to your house. If you have a favourite location, let me know and we'll go there. I love exploring new places and by doing this we will get a great set of shots.
Will my house be big enough?
Yes! I get this question a lot. The photo above was taken in a tiny one bed flat in central London. The lovely blurry background was their kitchenette and behind me was a window. As longs there's sufficient natural light then I'm good to go. Out of interest, this photo was taken with the dad crouching behind the chair and holding on to the other side of his daughter.
Do I need to tidy up?
Absolutely not. If you look at my gallery pages, you'll see lots of close up photographs of kids with lovely blurry backgrounds. This backgrounds are quite often what my client's might consider clutter or mess. To me, clutter can make for a gorgeous and interesting background. If I need to clear a space I'll do it as we go along.
What should we wear?
I think the best bit of advice is to be yourselves and be comfortable. If you take a look at my gallery pages you'll see that my photos tend to be quite relaxed and informal, and as such most of my clients tend to dress this way. Steer clear of big logos or character tops as these can be distracting and really date a photo.
Colour wise, co-ordination is the key but that does NOT mean matching. Just make sure that you all complement each other, and that you're dressed in the same style (either all casual or all smart for example). Accessories look amazing so if you've got a favourite scarf or a funky piece of jewellery then don't be afraid to wear it. I especially love accessories on kids too, so headscarves, bangles, hats etc, they all look fab!
Get a couple of outfit changes ready so we can get some variety in the images.
You're photographing my newborn, what do I need to know?
If I'm photographing your new baby then I always ask that you keep to hand any nice baby blankets, hats and special toys that we may be able to use in the photos.
If they have any outfits that you love then get those out too, but to be honest, I tend to photograph newborns with very little on. Usually a cute little vest so that we can see those teeny tiny arms and legs.
If you have any white bedding then pop that on your bed, as it really helps to bounce the light around the room and can also be a great setting for some family photos.
Newborn sessions can take a long time, often around 4 hours, so please make sure that you clear your diary that day. This is because there is a lot of stopping and starting due to feeds, nappy changes and generally settling them down.
I have a selection of little hand knitted hats that I will bring with me, but I always try to use items that are personal to the client in the first instance. It's very important that the property is nice and warm so that your little one doesn't get cold. As I said, I will be photographing them with very little on so we need to make sure they stay nice and cosy.
What happens when you arrive?
If we're shooting at your house then the first thing I'll do when I arrive is have a good look around the whole property. Upstairs, downstairs, bathrooms, outside, the lot. I'm looking for the best rooms for the light.
I don't use studio lighting so I depend on the natural light on the day. It might be that I decide to set up in a room that you least expect, but if the light is good in there then we'll get some lovely images. I may also need to move the odd bit of furniture around.
How long will a session take?
Usually around one or two hours for a standard family photo shoot, but newborns take much longer. If you have booked a newborn session please block out at least 4 hours as we will have to stop and start a lot due to feeds, nappy changes and settling them down.
What if my child is poorly?
If you or your child/children are poorly then I urge you to postpone the session. All I ask is that you give me as much notice as you possibly can. If, however, you wake up on the morning of the shoot with sick kids then please please call me and we will rearrange the session. There's nothing worse than working with poorly children, it will be awful for them and you will end up with a disappointing set of images.
We want happy smiley people!
What if it's bad weather?
As I'm a natural light photographer, my sessions are very much dependent on the weather. I may well need to postpone a shoot if the light isn't good enough. Sometimes I will have to rearrange on the day itself, sometimes if we're having a run of bad weather then I'll be able to give more notice. Again, this is to ensure that you get the best possible photographs.
If I'm photographing your newborn baby, this will be done inside the home and so it's very rare that I'd need to change the date. However, poor lighting conditions may mean we have to set up very close to a window to maximise the light. The above photo was taken on a very dark and foggy day! We simply set up a little working space as close to the window as possible and ended up with some gorges shots.
What happens after my session?
I will go away and edit the best photos from the day. This usually takes around 2 weeks. I will then send you a password protected link which will allow you to choose what prints and products you would like to order. Most of my clients opt for a digital file package or album.
I always show your photos in both colour and black and white. Your link will remain live for 10 days to enable you to make your choices.
