Pick clothing that is comfortable and makes you feel confident. Feeling good means looking good! Bright white tops or ones with words, logos, or cartoon characters should be avoided. Solids create a look that is less likely to date and textures tend to add a little something extra. When pocking colours, think about where your session will take place. If you’ll be outdoors, pick earthy tones like cream, brown, or green. Hats, scarves and other accessories add personality to any session!

How can I best prepare my small children for the session?

Children are usually on their best behavior when they are well rested and freshly fed. It’s usually best to schedule the session with this in mind. Reassure him/her ahead of time that today will be lots of fun, and that you will be with them the hole time. We usually get started with a little playtime to warm everyone up, so having favorite toys on hand is a great idea.

How can I get my home ready?

The best thing you can do is de-clutter! You don’t have to empty your rooms, but tidy floors and surfaces are ideal. We often photograph from a high angle down onto the floor, or blur the background for a nice effect. We will also bring along lots of fabric when photographing infants. If you’re interested in semi or nude baby photos, it ‘s a good idea to turn up the heat to make your baby more comfortable and happy!

What is a senior portrait consultation meeting?

This is a great way to brainstorm ideas for your session and for me to learn a little bit more about you and your interests. The get together can happen at a local coffee shop and usually takes about 30 minutes. A parent/guardian must come along if you are under 18. The purpose of the meeting is to talk about locations and ideas that incorporate your personality into the photo session. You’re welcome to bring images that you like from magazines or the Internet for discussion at the meeting.

When should newborn and mommy tummy sessions be scheduled?

Ideally newborns should be photographed between one to two weeks after birth. It’s a good idea to keep us informed as you get closer to your due date and contact us as soon as you can after your baby is born to schedule your session. Mommy tummies are at their best in the last trimester of pregnancy, but should be early enough that you will still be comfortable being photographed for an hour or two.

Can more than one child be included in a portrait session?

There is sometimes time at the end of a session for other children or family to jump in for a few photos. A single 1.5 hour session can be split between two children, but the number of images for each will also be split. For multiple sessions, please contact us about special incentives.

Should I bring a parent/guardian on a senior portrait session?

Yes! If you are under 18, you must bring a parent to the session. They must also provide transportation to and from the photography locations if you do not have your own. Parents are welcome to sit on a bench with a book or get involved with the session (helping to straiten hair or clothing). That is totally up to you and them!

How many clothing changes and locations should we plan for?

It’s a good idea to plan your outfits ahead of time because changing does take away from photography time. Some public locations do not have convenient places to change, so you may have to use your car. For seniors we often encourage a “mother pleasing” and a “just for me” look. Travel to multiple locations will also use valuable photography time. Generally we will choose one location with a lot of variety in backgrounds, or two locations that are close to each other.

What happens after the session?

Usually about a week after, we’ll post our favorite one or two images from your session on our blog as a little sneak peek for you. Then about one to two or threeweeks later, the rest of your images will be ready for private screening and ordering session. Some popular coptions are canvas prints, digital image files, or dvd slideshows.

Do you do retouching or enhancements to the images?

All images in your final collection have had blemishes, bruises or scratches removed and are adjusted for colour, exposure, contrast, etc. We will also select some images for black and white and one or two may receive the “artist’s touch”. This is use of creative techniques to enhance the image. Some examples are changing the colours of backgrounds to match your eyes, applying sepia tone, or blending textures with your photo.

How many photos will be included from a typical portrait session?

The final collection usually includes 20 to 30 images, but it certainly not limited to that. There will be more images from longer sessions and when children are involved it depends on how long they remain happy and interested.

What if it rains on my session day?

If it’s warm enough (and if you’re up for it), we can put on rubber boots and splash in the puddles! If it’s really cold or windy we can reschedule for another day, or switch to photographing at your home. There is no additional cost for re-scheduling a session.