Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
01
When should you book a newborn session?
I recommend that you schedule your newborn session PRIOR to your baby’s birth to ensure a spot. If you can contact me during your second trimester so I can pencil you in as a temp booking date. Then once bubs arrives please send an email or a text on 0430 777 228 to arrange a time for the session. Newborn sessions MUST be scheduled within the first 14 days of life. However, the BEST time is between 3-7 days after their arrival.
02
Why so soon?
I like to make sure they’re sleepy enough to handle them and from experience babies just tend to do a lot better with the session within their first 7 days. After day 14, it’s much harder to get baby into that deep sleep that came so easily in their first few days. Also keep in mind that newborn acne (and sometimes colic) is likely to flare up after day 14. I can easily edit problem areas but I prefer to do as little retouching as possible to baby’s skin.
03
Where do I do photoshoots?
I specialise in natural lighting and shoot in the outdoors at a local park with an exception to newborn photos.
The majority of my newborn sessions take place in your home. If the weather is warm enough and you’re comfortable with the idea, we can take the session outdoors but generally they are in your comfy home. Don’t worry about a messy house –You just had a baby so please don’t stress! I really don’t need much space, just enough room for a bean bag and to move around it. Some natural light is best also so a room with light is good.
04
Do I bring props?
I have a collection of bowls, baskets, blankets, knit hats and headbands that I will be bringing to your session, depending on what I am photographing. You are also, of course, welcome to use any of your own props such as a blanket grandma knitted or dad’s footy jersey. If you have any family heirlooms, toys, hats, props, etc that you would like me to use in your session, please gather them before I arrive. I may not get the chance to use ALL of the items, but will see what I can do. If you have certain colours in mind eg. You want to have canvas wall art made afterwards and want it to match your colour scheme I can make sure I have something to suit. Just discuss before hand for planning.
05
What do I suggest you wear?
Keep it simple. Throw in a little colour if you’d like, but skip the busy patterns. There’s no need for everyone to have the same matching colour. You want to complement each other’ s outfits by choosing colours that work well together. I find that if everyone is wearing the same clothing, people will all tend to blend in together and there won’ t be too much pop and life to the images. I often post clothing ideas on my facebook page album 'what to wear'.
If time allows it, bring another set of outfits. Again, you will get a lot more variety in your shots so why not capitalize on the opportunity and get the most bang for your buck!
06
What happens after we schedule our session?
Once you have confirmed you would like a photo session and we both agree on a date, I will send you an email/facebook message with all your details of booking plus deposit details. The deposit is to secure your booking and is non-refundable. I will send in my message further details about what to expect, what you will get, the process etc.
07
Do I do sessions with large families/groups?
Yes, of course and it makes a great gift for a grandparent or parent who are hard to buy for!
08
What is a mini session and when do they happen?
I have had people confused as to what/when mini sessions are. So here is some info I hope clarifies better...
A mini session with me is 20-30 minutes. It’s just your family or children only and my camera, generally a styled area if it's themed. The idea is for me to capture a great family photo and a photo of your child/children individually and together.
They are planned on a set day and time and ONLY those days - there are many families on the one day hence the price reduction. I only run mini sessions 4-5 times a year usually so if it's of interest it's a good idea to click on 'get notifications' on my page so you don't miss out. I have families that come to them every year for their updated family photo so they often book up quickly.
My full family sessions are detailed on my website and are basically a dedicated time with you and family and with more images on CD for you.
09
Is there any way I can get a big discount?
There sure is! I can do protrait parties, similar to the above mini sessions accept you organise your group of friends of family or even a parents group etc.It's pretty simple... We meet at a Canberra park (I will organize this with you) and will allocate a timeslot of ½ hour to each family (up to 4). I bring an array of props, blankets, headbands, hats etc in different colour schemes and setup different photo stations. I take a variety of photos in this ½ hour session. There are various poses, arrangements to get a variety of mixed images for you to be able to make a great wall art collection. *This requires a min of 4 families to book.
10
I'd love to have maternity photos. Is there a good time to shoot them?
Maternity sessions are best done between 32-37 weeks.