Cape Cod Photographer - Kate Murphy Lowenstein Photography
 

Q&A HOW DO I BOOK A PHOTO SESSION?
Please call 508.274.2598 to book your photo shoot. Upon booking a 50% retainer is required. The balance is due the day of the photo shoot. I accept cash, check or credit card.

Beach portrait sessions are scheduled roughly one hour before sunset for the best lighting conditions. Therefore summer beach portraits are typically scheduled between 6-7pm. Occasionally these times do not work for some families. If we need to schedule you earlier in the day, I suggest finding shaded location to avoid harsh shadows and squinting.

WHAT IF IT RAINS THE DAY OF MY PHOTO SHOOT?

As your photo shoot approaches I will keep an eye on the forecast. If the forecast calls for rain or excessive winds, we will come up with a plan B (potential change of location or date) but make every effort to keep our original date and time. Remember the weather forecasters aren’t always right! I won’t cancel the shoot if it is cloudy or looking like rain. In fact, I don’t usually cancel a photo shoot until a few hours in advance as sometimes a rainy day turns into a gorgeous one in the afternoon with an amazing sunset!

In the case of a cancellation due to weather I will make every effort to work with the conditions or reschedule your session. If we are unable to reschedule, there will be a full refund of the retainer.

WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?

If the cancellation is due to weather, I will make every attempt to reschedule the session (see above).

If the cancellation is due to personal reasons, I will give a full refund of the retainer if given at least 7 days notice. If a client cancels their session within 7 days of the session, I will make every effort to reschedule the session. If the session cannot be rescheduled for any reason, the retainer will be forfeited.

WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR?

A basic rule for dress is no patterns. Wear solid colors - white, blues, denim, tan, or pastels are good color choices for beach portraits. Everyone does not have to “match”, but it is a good idea to dress as a group, wear the same color tones, and make sure no one person stands out with a bolder color than the rest.

I suggest that women & girls do not wear sleeveless tops or short skirts. Many poses will be seated and so I recommend wearing shorts, capris or long skirts. I also recommend that women wear nude-colored undergarments as the flash tends to make undergarments glow.

No need to worry about shoes for a beach portrait – bare feet is best!

Overall, please wear something comfortable, as I want you to look and feel relaxed!

PS – Sand fleas and mosquitoes can be brutal in the evening hours! Please wear bug repellent if you think they might be a problem in your area.

CAN I TAKE MY OWN PICTURES DURING THE PHOTO SHOOT?

I ask that you and the people present at the photo shoot do not take pictures during our scheduled time. Another person taking a picture behind me or off to the side can interfere with my work and cause confusion as the subjects don't know who to look at. Please leave your cameras at home or wait until we are finished to take your own shots.

WHEN WILL WE SEE OUR PORTRAITS AND HOW DO WE ORDER THEM?

Upon booking your photo session or on the day of your photo session you will make an appointment with Kate for your personalized purchase session which will take place about a week later either in my studio or in your home. At your personalized purchase session you will view your images either projected on a wall or on my laptop and I will help you make your decisions based on your specific needs. We will discuss details such as color or black and white, retouching options such as head swaps, and digital plastic surgery such as thinning and wrinkle removal, appropriate sizes, framing options, albums, and holiday cards.

All those wishing to purchase portraits and involved in the decision-making process must be at the viewing session.

Internet proofing service is also available (for an additional fee), but does not offer the benefits of a personalized purchasing session with Kate.

I CAN NEVER GET A GOOD PHOTOGRAPH OF MY CHILDREN. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO?

Photographing your own children can be very difficult (believe me I know, I have three of my own). Children often do not want to cooperate when a parent dresses them in clothing they don’t particularly want to wear and yell at them to hug their sibling and smile. It can be equally frustrating for the parent when the children won’t cooperate. Before you know it, everyone is unhappy and the photographs are disastrous and stressful.

I want your family photo session to be fun! Please try to keep it that way for your children. Dress them in comfortable clothing, bring their favorite toy and put a positive spin on the experience. For instance, tell them, “we get to go play on the beach and get your picture taken!”, instead of, “get dressed and you better smile or else you won’t get a treat!” Try to come up with some funny words or good memories that will make your kids smile – and get them involved in the process! It’s easy to get frustrated and threaten your children (ie: “if you don’t smile your not getting an ice cream!”), but please have fun with your children, make faces behind my back, and be silly! This should be fun for the whole family!