FAQ’s
What time of day should I book my outdoor/beach portrait session?
If you are planning an outdoor or on-location shoot, and especially at the beach, the best time of day is the 1-2 hours before sunset. The specific time for this varies depending on the time of year and due to daylight savings time. Also, if planning a beach shoot, check the tide reports, as some beaches are almost completely inaccessible for pictures during high tides.
What should I wear?
You will look your best in clothes that you feel good in. This comes across in your pictures! Gather and try on your planned outfits (including shoes!) days before your shoot to avoid disappointment and last minute panic on the day of your session.
Bring your clothes pressed and on hangers! You'd be shocked how many times people have shown up with clothes stuffed into a duffle bags. We can fix a multitude of things in post processing (like a razor nick or blemish that pops up the morning of a session), but messy, wrinkled clothes are not something we can correct!
For ladies, make sure you have a bra that works with your outfit. Don't forget to accessorize! Something as simple as coordinating earrings or a bracelet can do wonders to "complete" your look. Place your jewelry in a plastic bag and pin it to your hanger so that it is ready with the outfit when your wardrobe change comes.
Why do I need to pay a deposit at the time of booking?
Portrait sessions are by appointment only. We offer our time for shoots on a first come, first served basis. When we put you on our calendar, we are unable to accept other clients for that time slot. Therefore, session time is not held until the deposit is received.
When is the best time to schedule a newborn portrait session?
Please call before your baby is due so we can put you on our calendar. Then, once baby is born, you'll want to let us know and schedule your session for a day within the first two weeks of baby's birth (5-10 days of age is best). This is the time when babies sleep a lot and are very flexible. This makes them easy to work with. After this period, babies will be more alert and harder to photograph.
How long will my session take?
Please set aside approximately 3 hours for your shoot. We will not necessarily be shooting the entire time, but a good length of time is necessary to ensure that we get a good variety of shots, and that there will be a period of time that your baby is in a decently deep sleep so that we can get the best sleeping newborn shots.
What should my baby wear for his/her portrait?
Most newborn portraits are done with the baby wearing a diaper or nothing at all. We use a heater to keep the work area warm so that your little one will not get cold.
About a half hour before your shoot, plan to loosen your baby's diaper and feed them. This will ensure that your baby is happy (and probably sleepy) and there are no marks from the diaper on your baby's skin.
What should I wear?
Black long-sleeved shirts are perfect for pictures of the parents with baby. It draws all the attention to the skin that is showing, which means baby and the faces and hands of the parents become the primary focus. Jeans are great for guys, as shirtless daddy pictures are some of the sweetest we've ever seen.
What else should I bring along to the shoot?
Anything you like! Knitted hats are popular. Cloth diapers are pure and simple. If you have a special baby blanket or family heirloom you want in the photos, bring it along. Bring your wedding rings (his and hers) even if they don't fit. Don't forget the diaper bag along with your regular "outing with baby" supplies.
How do I prepare my child for the shoot?
Simple, you don’t! We don’t tell kids "smile" or "say cheese" because the result is simply a fake smile with a bunch of teeth. Instead, we do silly things to make them smile and laugh, or break out the bubbles for them to chase. The pictures you will treasure are the ones that are a reflection of who your child is and we want to see their personality shine.
Of course, well-rested, recently-fed kids are going to be happiest and some basic grooming is a good idea. Bathe them, brush teeth, comb hair, but other than that, just bring them ready to have fun!
What should my kids wear?
Something cute! Girls look darling in sweet dresses and pettiskirts and boutique clothes are all the rage right now. Boys look great in polos or sweaters, but can pull off the casual look easily too.
Make sure clothes are clean, pressed and placed on hangers, then change them into their clothes at the photo location. Otherwise, you are guaranteed they’ll get dirty or wrinkled before their shoot. Make sure they have clean shoes too! Bring more than one outfit, if possible. This allows us to capture pictures of your child with multiple looks and also gives you a back-up plan if the first outfit somehow gets soiled.
Should my children wear matching outfits?
Only if you want them to. Some parents opt for matching clothing while others go for outfits that coordinate well with each other, either in same colors or the same style, but in different colors. Your children will be taking photos with their siblings and by themselves, so if you choose to do matching outfits, please consider bringing a separate change of clothes for individual portraits.
Preparing for your shoot
You will look your best in clothes that you feel good in. This comes across in your pictures! Gather and try on your planned outfits (including shoes!) days before your shoot to avoid disappointment and last minute panic on the day of your session.
Bring your clothes pressed and on hangers! You'd be shocked how many times people have shown up with clothes stuffed into a duffle bags. We can fix a multitude of things in post processing (like a razor nick or blemish that pops up the morning of a session), but messy, wrinkled clothes are not something we can correct!
For ladies, make sure you have a bra that works with your outfit. Don't forget to accessorize! Something as simple as coordinating earrings or a bracelet can do wonders to "complete" your look. Place your jewelry in a plastic bag and pin it to your hanger so that it is ready with the outfit when your wardrobe change comes.
Tips for Girls
- Overall makeup - Start with lighter color and apply more throughout your shoot. You wouldn't want fancy, smoky dramatic evening type make-up when you're taking pictures in casual clothing. Nor do you want to be wearing a fancy prom dress with almost no color on your face.
Lips - Gloss, Shine and COLOR! Reds, berries and browns are best, no frosty pink or peach. Bring color with you to refresh your lips throughout the shoot.
- Face - Use both moisturizer and foundation to prevent reflection and to enhance your skin's natural glow. Use a translucent powder to set.
- Eyes - Well groomed eyebrows are a must. Enhance eyelashes with a BLACK waterproof mascara. Dark brown eyeliner is an alternative to a heavy black eyeliner and compliments shimmery eyeshadow nicely.
- Cheeks - Don't be afraid to have a little color on the apples of the cheekbones. It will really brighten up the appearance of the face.
Clothing - If in doubt, bring it along and we'll help you decide...bring variety! Something conservative, fun things, bright things, crazy thing, fancy things... let's have some fun!
- Accessories - Don't forget the earrings, shoes, hair accessories, hats, handbags, whatever you need to "complete" your look. If you are wearing a sweet sundress and all you have for shoe choices are sneakers or stilettos, it's just not going to come together like you had hoped.
- Props - Bring things that show who you are! Are you an avid tennis player? Do your friends call you the texting queen? Is your iPod a permanent fixture? Bring items that reflect YOU so we can capture the uniqueness of who you are.
Tips for Guys
- Bring a dress shirt or dark sweater, some schools want you to wear a tie, so better bring one of those too.
- Once that is out of the way, change into fun and cool stuff... like t-shirts, distressed jeans. Maybe a hoodie or jacket.
- Bring your car, guitar, instrument, sports gear, whatever you want to.
- Don't cut your hair the day before your shoot. A week or two ahead of time is best.
- Then bring any ideas you have, and if you have none, we have a ton... so don't stress!
How do I prepare for my shoot?
Don't wear clothing that goes across the belly for about 1 hour before your shoot. This may leave marks on your belly, which will show up in close-up shots. A loose-fitting dress is a good choice for wearing before your shoot.
Moisturize your skin! Your beautiful belly will look best if you have used a good moisturizer applied before and during your shoot. Don't forget to moisturize the skin on your arms and legs too.
When is the best time to schedule my shoot?
After 32 weeks, you'll have a nicely round belly. Some women prefer to do the shoot at this time before they are uncomfortably pregnant. You may do it later, however, we recommend that this shoot take place before 36 weeks, since babies sometimes like to come early and anything after 37 weeks is considered full-term!
Can others be in my portraits?
Of course! These are YOUR pictures, celebrating your pregnancy. Bring the baby's daddy along if he's willing (or bribe him if he's not). If the baby has an older sibling, bring them along too. Please be sure to have a helper/babysitter for your other children during your shoot though, as we cannot be responsible for them while we are doing the portion of your shoot that does not include them.
What should I wear for my portraits?
Bring a variety of clothes. As always, make sure they are pressed and on hangers. If you are too tired, send them to the cleaners the week before and let someone else do the washing and ironing!
Jeans are always popular. Under-belly style jeans or pre-pregnancy jeans work great, since you won't be zipping/buttoning them anyway. A black or white tank, or bandeau-style top/bra looks great with jeans. A regular, non-maternity button down top always looks great with jeans too, but be sure to try it on for size ahead of time, as you'll want to be able to button it around your breasts.
Skirts with halter or bikini tops are fun. Yoga pants and gauchos are another popular choice. If you have a maternity bikini you love, bring it along! Boyshorts-style panties and a matching bra are gorgeous for the more daring mama-to-be.
Don't forget to do your make-up. Consider getting a manicure, since your hands may be in many of the pictures. This is one of the most feminine, beautiful times of your life, so you deserve a little pre-session pampering!
Why do I need engagement photos?
There are a number of reasons to get engagement portraits taken. Many couples have never had professional pictures done together. Some brides choose to send them along with their "save the date" cards. Others mail them out in their wedding invitations. It is not unusual to have a large framed photo of the couple on display at the wedding and/or reception. Recently, some couples have opted to have an engagement book printed to use in place of the traditional guest book, allowing their family and friends to sign and write well-wishes inside on their wedding day.
But there is one very important, yet often overlooked, reason that couples should get engagement photos done. You want your photographer to get to know you before the big day! This allows us to find out who you are, and see how you interact with your spouse-to-be, so that on your special day we can anticipate and capture the little moments that you will treasure for years to come.
What should I wear for my engagement portrait session?
Bring 3-4 outfits. Do your best to coordinate your outfits with each other. You want to communicate that the two of you are two pieces of a pair, so you need to communicate that by looking like you go together. It's hard to go wrong with black and white. Jeans with similar color shirts are always a winner. If she wears a solid color dress. he'll coordinate nicely if his shirt has some stripes of the same color. Take a look through our engagement photos for some ideas and feel free to let us know if you need wardrobe assistance.
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