Q & A
Q: Why choose custom photography?
A: Marianne Drenthe of Marmalade Photography create the website, “Personal Child Photographer — A Consumer Guide for Custom Photography”. I highly encourage anyone who is looking to hire me or any other professional photographer. It contains extremely insightful articles about choosing a photographer, what the experience is all about and why custom photography costs more.
Here is an excerpt from her website:
“The photographic art you choose to place on your wall is ultimately the result of the vision of the photographer. This vision, coupled with what you wear to your session, the environment, the lighting, even the mood the subjects are in at the time of photographing creates the work that you will want to proudly display on your walls forevermore… What custom photography ultimately is all about is choice and experience. Custom photography is about finding someone who will photograph your family, give you devoted 1:1 attention without worry of who is next ‘in line’ or the feeling of a crowded portrait studio… A custom photography experience should have you, the client and your experience in mind.” Copyright ©2010 Marianne Drenthe, printed with permission.
Q: How much are your session rates?
A: Please refer to our Investment page for information on our prices and packages.
Q: Are digital files included?
A: Digital files are not included in the session fee but are now available for purchase. You have the choice of purchasing one digital file or multiple files. Each image file that is purchased will be fully retouched. Both high and low resolutions will be included on the DVD, along with a print release. Images may be printed freely, but may NOT be sold or used for commercial purposes without the written consent of the photographer.
Q: What age do you recommend for newborn sessions?
A: My recommendation is between 5 to 10 days of age. Why so young? In the early days, newborns are incredibly sleepy and easier to “mold” into curled up positions like they were in the womb. As a parent myelf, I know that this may seem like a daunting task for new parents but the results will be totally worth it! Newborns change so fast and the “curled up” stage, like they were in the womb, is gone before you know it! When they approach 2 weeks of age, they become more alert, a bit fussy and want to stretch those limbs out! Baby acne can also develop around this time as well and can last several weeks.
Q: During the first year of age, which milestones do you recommend photographing ?
A: There are 3 major milestones during a baby’s first year of life that I highly recommend doing a photo session.
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Newborn — between 5 to 10 days of age (see more info on newborn sessions above);
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6 to 9 months — when the baby can sit on their own (without help or support) and maybe even crawl;
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1 year old (the perfect excuse to do a “smash the cake” session) — when your child will be standing and maybe even taking some steps.
You could also choose to photograph your baby at 3 to 4 months of age when they can fully support their head upright, but there is less variety in terms of posing possibilities at this age, especially if they do not like to lie on their bellies.
Q: When do you recommend doing maternity portraits?
A: We recommend doing maternity portraits at 32-34 weeks. That’s when your belly will be nice & round but you still have a wee bit of energy left in you! Trust me (I’ve been there!), the longer you leave it, the harder and more tiring it will be.
Q: How do I prepare for my maternity session?
A: I will send you a list of tips and suggestions for your session, but the main things are: eat a good meal beforehand (to give you lots of energy), don’t wear anything too tight before coming to your session (ie. loosen bra straps, wear loose underwear & socks to prevent lines) and keep off your feet beforehand to lessen any swelling in your legs/feet. Wear clothing that is hugs your figure and shows off your belly! I recommend jeans, white/black tank tops or camisoles, colourful top or dress.
Q: How do I prepare for my family session?
A: The main thing to remember is that when it comes to wardrobe, you want the family, as a whole, to blend together nicely. You want to have unity and coordination of your colour ensemble. I usually recommend the casual look, jeans and a similar (SOLID) colour/tone on top (whether it be white, black or a colour). No socks/shoes needed for the casual look. If you want a more formal look, then by all means, dress to the nines & yeah, better bring those shoes! The key is to avoid patterns, graphics, loud/neon colours or anything that will distract the eye away from the faces in the portrait.
