HOW DO I BOOK A PHOTO SESSION? WHEN WILL MY SESSION BE SCHEDULED? 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. Studio sessions are scheduled on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays anytime from 9:30am to 3pm.WHAT IF IT RAINS THE DAY OF MY BEACH PORTRAIT SESSION? 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. Sometimes I will ask to move your session to earlier in the day when it is overcast so that we have enough natural light. 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 rain or excessive wind, 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. IT"S CLOUDY AND I WAS REALLY HOPING FOR A SUNNY DAY OR MY BEACH PORTRAIT. CAN I RESCHEDULE? WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR? Families: The basic rule for dress for a group 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. Typically for large groups it's easiest to go with white on top and khaki or denim on bottom as you don't have to worry about clashing and it's something almost all of us already have in our closets. If you plan on purchasing a wall portrait, you may also want to consider your decor when selecting your outfits. Will your outfits clash with the room you will be placing the portrait in?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. HS Seniors: High school seniors should also stick to the rules above. It's best to wear a solid color, dress so that you are comfortable and your clothes reflect who you are. Stay away from shirts or sweatshirts with a large logo which will be distracting in the photograph. Bring a few different outfits to change into (not your whole wardrobe!). Your full body may show in a few of the photographs, so please coordinate both the top and bottom. Infants: Infants are typically photographed without clothing or in just a diaper. However, please feel free to bring a special outfit, a white long-sleeved onesie, a special blanket, cute hat, or prop you would like them photographed with. Moms and Dad's who desire photographs with their baby should bring a black long-sleeved shirt and extra clothing in case you get peed on. And please give yourself a manicure as your hands will be photographed with the baby. Babies: Babies 6 months and older can usually tolerate only one change of clothing. Feel free to bring a few clothing changes with you and I will help you determine which ones will look best. At this age, I still tend to like it when little or no clothing is used. Hats, scarves, jewelry and props are great at this age too! Kids: I love lots of color, patterns and textures, layering clothing, hats, and scarves for kids. Dress your child in clothes that reflect his/her personality. Do stay away from busy patterns if your child with be photographed with a sibling. Too much pattern can be distracting and take away from the portrait. 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 in my studio. At your personalized purchase session you will view your images either projected on a wall or on my big screen 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 a $250 print deposit, 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!” Instead of telling your kids to look at the camera and say "cheese", 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! WHAT IS THE BEST AGE TO PHOTOGRAPH MY BABY? ARE THE DIGITAL FILES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE? |