Pre-Booking Tips
Pre-Booking Tips
Thank you for your interest in booking a session with me! Below I have listed some great tips on helping you choose the session that is best for your needs and some things to consider before booking. After you book, I will also send a prep guide that touches more on some of these issues.
Please let me know if you have any questions about these before you book your session.
In no specific order but just things I think every client or family needs to think about before booking any photographer.
- Does the photographer for your needs or style? Make sure my style is what you are looking for. The way I shoot, the editing style, props and the wardrobe is all a part of my style. Every photographer has their own.
- Does the photographer meet your budget? This is very important as photography can be an investment and quite expensive. Most of my sessions are all-inclusive so the session fee is all that is due, no extra investment after the session. I do offer mini sessions that include X amount of images and then offer an additional purchase option.
- Should I choose a mini or full session? Mini sessions are great for cooperative subjects that can take a little direction in a short period of time. Mini sessions are appealing to most because they are cheaper and offer smaller time frames. That does work will for most. However, longer time may be needed for free spirited kids or kids that are shy. We may only get 15 minutes of cooperation, but it often does not come all at one time and can take us 20 minutes or more to get it. You know your family/kids best. Mini sessions come with about 15 minutes of time, and I do not go over that time. Full sessions offer 30-45 minutes which offers plenty of time to warm up, settle in and take breaks. I try not to put too pressure you on time, but mini's just do not offer that much.
- Sibling shots can often be the hardest to get! they often tend to goof around or get a little rowdy. I cannot guarantee these and it will just depend on cooperation.
- Try not to book your session with wardrobe already picked out. As I have mentioned, every photographer is different in style, editing and so forth. I have a lot of wardrobe do's and don'ts and these are based on color, style, ages etc. This is to get the most out of your session with me. Clients often see a cute outfit and want photos with it. Keep in mind, not everything that looks good in person works in photos. It is best to book your session and be open to my recommendation's.
- My sessions are very interactive. Be ready to move around. Wardrobe also plays a part in to this!
- Take the time of year you would like your photo session to take place, in to consideration. Outdoor spring and summer sessions start later in the evenings, 6pm-730pm and fall sessions start later 3-5pm. Just depending how early in the season you book these. Fall is great but it comes with a lot of issues with time, weather, fall color, sunset times etc. This may mean taking kids out of school, getting off work early or changing nap and meal schedules around to accommodate. This can be tough on some families and that is ok. choose the time of year that works best for you! This can also all change with a weather reschedule or if someone gets sick. These things happen and I am prepared for it!
- Stemming off the last one, try to create a calm environment before your session. That may mean letting them run out some energy a few hours before the session or take nap. This can be tough if you are traveling to me. Rushing around stressing out prior to your session can set us up for failure. Remember, they feed of your energy and so do I! A lot of kids arrive overstimulated or full of energy that needs to be burned off. We need them to be somewhere in between.
- Scheduling sessions around nap and mealtimes is also as important. Hungry and tired kids usually make for uncooperative kids.
- Dress for the weather on the day of your session! Hot or cold kids also make uncooperative kids!
- Embrace a bit of chaos! since my style is not all posed, everyone looking at the camera it is ok to not be perfect! Your family is perfect being them selves, as they are, crazy, chaos and all!
- Make sure you are available. I know things come up and kids get sick, but rescheduling can be difficult with my schedule and yours. I have room to move people around as I expect reschedules will happen. Please remember you are not the only with scheduling conflicts, plans that have been changed or things that come up. there are many clients that run in to these issues all that time. I try my hardest not to reschedule on you unless due to weather. There are fees associated with rescheduling as it has been at all time high the past two years for various reasons. Lots of kids are in sports and that does pose issues when working around those.
- Booking fees are taken to secure your session date and time. Booking fees are non refundable and non transferrable. Booking fee were created to cover the loss to me in the event you cancel or reschedule your session as I may have had to turn clients away or book out further since you secured the date. A $100 fee is required to reschedule a session for any reason including but not limited to sports, illness, scheduling conflicts, schedule changes etc. No fee is required if I reschedule your session for weather or if I am ill.