Child Portrait Session Details
Hello! and Welcome!
I want to thank you for considering me for capturing the childhood memories of your kiddos! Before our session, please fill out the questionnaire at the bottom of this page so I can better gauge your expectations, ideas, and goals for child’s session. Preparation and communication are the keys to a successful photoshoot, so make sure to share all your ideas and concerns with me on your questionnaire! As we prepare for your session, here is some information about what to expect:
Location and Timing
Child photoshoots can be done indoors or at my home studio, or outdoors. Indoor session can be done at anytime during the day as we will be using studio lighting.
For outdoor session, I have a few favorite places in the Saratoga/Glens Falls region I can recommend depending on the theme of the shoot you’d like, but I always welcome your location ideas. I love to shoot when the sun is working to my advantage. Lighting is ideal for outdoor shoots during the Golden Hour, or the hour before the sun sets or just comes up. So typically summer evenings or early mornings work best, but in the spring and fall, both early mornings and evenings may be possible! If you choose to have an outdoor session mid-day, then we will typically strive for a location that has some shady areas. If you are brave enough to bear the cold, you can always book an outdoor sessions in the winter (with snow!!).
Click the button below for a map of various locations suggestions!
Clothing
You may (or they may!) already have a set outfit that fits the session theme, but if you don’t, I have a few things to for you to consider when selecting outfits for the littler ones:
Dress your kiddo(s) in clothing that they will be comfortable to move around in.
Have a shirt/pant or two you can’t decide on? Bring a few options with you! It’s always good to have a few choices and extra clothing on hand, especially with the non-potty trained kiddos, you never know when poop will happen!
To keep the look timeless, try to avoid trendy clothing with words or logos.
Dress appropriate for the outdoor weather…otherwise we may hear “It’s toooo cooooold” all session!
Always feel free to text or email me your clothing options laid out before our session!
Session Tips
Get your kids excited for the session and let them know how much fun it will be, but no need to over prepare them or add too much pressure.
During the session, just sit back and relax! It's often a natural instinct to want to coerce your child into smiling by asking him/her to "say cheese" or by doing something silly. I will engage with your kids in a way that elicits a natural and emotive response. Sometimes it tends to work best if parents stay back (so long as you & your child are comfortable) to allow me to work one-on-one with the subject.
If your young child becomes restless at any point during the session please know that it's not uncommon for me to set down my camera and play with your child for a few minutes. This gives your child a break and helps them trust that I have their best interest in mind. For the older kids, if they need a break or a few mins to adjust their hair/outfit or just need a little break from the camera (it can get intimidating at times), please don’t hesitate to take a step back for a few moments to adjust and/or breathe!
Our best behaved kids are usually those that are well fed before our session. Feel free to bring treats to reward good behavior at the end of our session for the littles! Make sure the older kiddos are well hydrated (especially if we are outdoors in the summer) and have a little something to eat before the shoot.
Themes, Props and In Studio Equipment
If you have a theme for the session that you have in mind and you’d like to incorporate some props in, I’m all for it! However, for themed sessions, I do not typically provide detailed props and background items. For indoor sessions in my home studio, I can do a simple studio set-up with a select few solid color backdrops I have and can even provide basic props such as balloons or streamers as needed. If you’d like a specific colored backdrop that I do not have on hand, I am able to order various color paper backdrop prior to the session at an additional cost. Color backdrop orders are required to be selected at least 3 weeks prior to the shoot so that we give enough time for delivery and setup. Feel free to ask me about the color options and I can provide that info to you!
Additional Children/Friends
Want to bring in a sibling, or perhaps you’d love a photoshoot with cousins or friends? Feel free to bring them! If you’d like a shoot with siblings, there is no extra charge; however, there is a fee of $25 for each additional (non-sibling) child you would like involved in the session.
After the Session
Once your session is over you'll receive your digital proof gallery within the week for you to select your favorite images for me to do full edits on. If you’d like to purchase additional images beyond the set amount of your package, each additional image is $15. In 2-3 weeks, I will provide you with a final gallery with all your selected fully edited images. You'll be able to download them and also be able to share with family and friends easily. You can also purchase prints/canvases with my selected professional laboratory through your gallery as well!
If you’d like me to post a few sneak peeks on Facebook, I can do that for you. If you’d rather wait to get all the images and post the photos on your own social media first, I will totally respect that.
Questionnaire
Please take a few minutes to fill out the questionnaire below so that I can better gauge the feel for you session and photos. Questions with an * are required, while others you can choose to fill out if applicable. Once your answers are submitted, I’ll be sending you a contract and model release (via e-mail) for your review and signature prior to your session. Contract must but signed and submitted prior to the date of your session. I look forward to working with you and your kiddo(s)!