F.A.Q.

What if I have more than six people? Please contact me about booking a regular session.

What happens if I can't make it on the day of my session? Mini-sessions are non-refundable and cannot be cancelled. Please make sure before booking that you are available on the date and time you book! If you absolutely cannot make your session and you cancel with at least 24 hours notice, you may use the deposit towards a regular session if booked within THREE months of the mini session date.

What should we wear? Comfortable clothes - you all don't have to match perfectly. Keep your clothing as timeless as possible - stay away from logo t-shirts and trendy fashion statements. Try to choose colors that blend with each other, and stand out against the foliage. I personally love jewel tones this time of year - magenta, plum, purple, blue, etc. Neutrals, like browns and tans, also look great. Avoid plain white or black. Layers and accessories are always an easy way to change up your look quickly.

What happens if it rains? If it rains or we have bad weather, I will make the call to cancel the mini sessions. We will still have the sessions if it is cold outside, but if it’s terribly windy, rainy, or snowing, I will cancel. I will contact you via the phone number you provide to inform you of the cancellation and do my best to reschedule them. However, due to my limited availability, if we cannot reschedule you will receive a full refund and we will not have a session.

How many photos do I get from my mini session? You will receive FIVE (5) high resolution digital images from your mini session.

Will I get to see all of the photos from my session? Just like all of my sessions, I will choose and edit the best five images from the session. If there happen to be a couple of additional amazing images, I will edit and include those in your gallery, and it will be up to you to choose your favorite FIVE. Of course you will be able to purchase the additional ones. There is no guarantee that there will be more than FIVE images in your gallery. If you would like to have more images to choose from, please contact me about booking a REGULAR session.

How long will it take until I receive my images? I promise your images in 2-3 weeks, and try to get them to you sooner than that.

Will you take individual photographs of my children? Mini sessions are only 15 minutes long. My priority will be to get great FAMILY photos. If you would like individual images of your children, please let me know BEFORE the session. After I get a gorgeous family shot, if there is time, I will take individual photos of each child.

What happens if I arrive late? Because I book fall mini-sessions back-to-back, there is no wiggle room. If you are running late I unfortunately cannot give you extra time during your session since it would push back each session following. Please plan to arrive 5-10 minutes early, that way we can be sure to get all the photos you were hoping for of your beautiful family!

"Serioulsy?, $$$ for a one hour session? That's crazy, a doctor doesn't even get paid that! " "Why would I pay $$$ for a session when my sister who just bought an expensive camera can do it for free?"

These are all valid questions and I want to take the time to explain why professional photographers cost what they do...

Before I dive into this, I want to explain how I define "Professional Photographer".

A professional photographer is someone who has spent years mastering the technical craft, produces consistent quality work, maintains reputable business ethics and practices, and earns a living (or a portion of their income) through an established legal business that holds insurance and pays taxes. A professional photographer IS NOT the lady down the street has a nice DSLR and charges $50 cash to photograph her friends' children.

With that out of the way, let's take a look at why professional photography costs what it does...

Time

Most people don’t realize the amount of time and effort that goes into creating those beautiful images. To give you a good idea, here is a breakdown of a typical portrait session:

30 Minutes: Booking time (contracts, paperwork)
20-30 Minutes: Travel time to and from session
20 Minutes: Prep time and set up for the shoot
1 Hour: Shooting time
1 Hour: Downloading and culling photographs from the shoot
2-5 Hours: Editing (color correction, cropping, re-touching, artistic editing, resizing, preparing for print, etc)
2-3 Hours: Orders (meeting with client, ordering prints, arranging payments, all the accounting that goes along with this)
2-6 Hours: Design time for custom albums, cards, collages, etc.

In this example, the time involved in a one hour session can range from 9-17 hours! That session cost covers a lot more than just that 1 hour spent with the client.

Personalized Service

A professional photographer takes the time to know you, communicates with you and asks questions before the shoot and works with you to achieve your vision. They work with your child to make them feel comfortable and develop a rapport that makes for ease and genuine smiles. Those $19.99 packages that you can get a the chain store photo shop? Well, it's a bit of a different experience.

Talent & Skill

Having the ability to get those beautiful posed and candid images isn’t just about the expensive camera. Professional Photographers spend tons of time learning, researching and training. A professional photographer does NOT put their camera on Auto mode and snap away. They understand how to manipulate the camera settings manually to achieve the look they are going for. Professional photographers also are usually good communicators and have an eye for posing people and getting them to look their best.

Artistry

Professional photographers are artists. Look at several photographers portfolios and you will see several very different looks! Photographers take years to achieve their “style” and once they find it, they perfect it. By hiring a professional, you are guaranteed that your images will reflect the look and feel that you liked in their portfolio images.

Business Expenses

17086619_s

Professional Photographers invest in professional equipment. A professional photographer has cameras (yes, they have more than one because a backup IS necessary) that cost anywhere from $3000-$5000, several lenses upwards of $1000 and lighting equipment. Then add to that the cost of tripods, backdrops, props, memory cards, advertising costs, software, taxes….well, you get the point!

Professional Photographers also invest in computer software to edit photographs, back up images and run their websites. Professional Photographers maintain liability insurance, pay taxes and have marketing expenses.

Still Not Sure?

It may help to think about it this way….most women will spend anywhere from $75-300 every few months to have their hair cut, colored and styled by a professional stylist even though they can do it themselves for significantly less. Why? Because they are paying for the stylist’s expertise, time as well as the experience.

Photography is no different…well, maybe a little…. A beautiful image that captures the essence of your family's personality can have a greater impact and last several lifetimes...that haircut and color, well that only lasts a few weeks.

The bottom line, professional photography is an investment. Whether or not that investment is valuable or not, is completely up to you!

2017 Fall Mini Sessions

F.A.Q.

Understanding The Cost of Professional Photography