From the moment you book a session with me I am here to help you. Whether that be selecting a location or finding the perfect time that works well with your schedule. When it comes to picking a location, if you have a specific place that is special to you, let me know, I want your photos to be unique to you. My goal for sessions is for them to be fun and comfortable.
I believe that making memories is important so be prepared for playing as a family or getting cozy with your significant other for couples portraits. I enjoy capturing candid images that help tell your story, in order to do that, getting you to interact and have fun is essential to insuring that the images you get from your session are authentically you.
During your session:
Please ensure to arrive on time or a few minutes early to your session, This allows us to get started right away and being late will cut into the time we have to shoot, which leads to less photos in your final gallery.
The first 15 minutes of your session will be me getting you comfortable in front of my camera. For couples this may mean dancing with each other, touching noses/forheads or kissing. If you are a family, be prepared for silly faces and kids getting to run or play out some of the silly energy. I want your children to feel comfortable with me and I find playing in front of the camera helps accomplish that.
In the first half of your session I will be working to get candid images that help create a lasting memory of the day and one you will have lasting images from. For the second half of your session, we can get any posed photos you may want as they take a little more time to set up. This is a great time to to recreate any images on your pinterest board, or images that have importance to you. We can take a short break for outfit changes or to head to a second location if your session allows for that.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What should I/We wear?
For families: Pick items that coordinate well together, they don't have to be matching outfits. An easy way to do this is to pick 2-4 colors (some bright colors, and some neutral) and then see what each person already has in their closets. Make sure everyone is comfortable in their clothing, if they aren't, it can and does show in the final images. If you have questions or are unsure about your selections, feel free to send me a picture and I can help.
For couples/engagements: Pick 2-3 outfits, at least one casual and a couple dressy. Pick clothing that you already have or are sure to be comfortable in and that you love. If you love what you are wearing you will be more relaxed for your session, which allows for better final images. You want to coordinate with your significant other but also want both of your personalities shine through.
What should we bring?
Bring a change of clothes just in case, water for each person and snacks. Sometimes moving around can work up an appetite so having a snack can help get you through until the session is finished (this is especially important for young kids and women who are pregnant/nursing). If you are planning on going into the water you may want to bring a towel as well. I do like to plan the water shots for the end of a session so you won't be soaking wet and uncomfortable throughout the entire time.
Will our clothes get dirty or wet?
The short answer is, Possibly. The long answer is, I won't make you do anything you or your family isn't comfortable with. My goal is for everyone to have fun. So, if you want to play in the dirt or get images in the water nearby we can make that happen. If you are more reserved we can find a location with more places to sit or lay a cloth on the ground under you. The choice is ultimately up to you and your vision for your images, I am just here to help capture them.
After your session:
After the session has ended I head home and immediately upload the images to my computer and backup drives. I will usually take this time to start going through the images and selecting the ones that are must haves.
A couple of days after the session I will put a sneak peak of the session onto my social media. I then continue to edit and set up your online gallery. Turnaround on images is two weeks. There are some things I won't do in my editing, which are heavy photoshopping of bodies to make a person look thinner or younger, we want your photos to reflect who you are. I also won't add sepia tones, heavy saturation or vignetting.
When I am done editing and setting up your online gallery I will send you a link and password to your email and phone so you can access it and view your images. From your gallery, you can download your images and even order high quality prints and wall art. Be sure to like your favorite images in your gallery so I know which ones you love.
After you have looked through your gallery and marked your favorites, as long as you have signed the model release, I will make a post on social media and post a blog about your session and your story, which I will also send a link to once it is done.
I hope this post was able to answer any questions you may have. If you have anymore questions please feel free to contact me so I can answer them.
I cannot wait to take your photos!
-Elizabeth