Welcome
Here are all the details you need to know for your upcoming session!
Your session is booked and soon I will be able to create a collection of images that speak about who you and your family are!
In this guide, I’ve broken the process down into a few simple steps. This helps prepare for your session and answer most of those underlying questions!
So that our time together is spent on the precious things, have a full read through my guide and make yourself feel calm and relaxed leading up until the day. By all means feel free to email me with any questions you may have zoeranephotography@gmail.com. I have a FAQ’s page here if you would like to check these out too!
Zoe xx
Here are the steps & below we dive into each of them!
Step 1 - Book your session
Book in your session date, Accept your quote, pay your deposit to secure your date. Fill out your questionnaire & sign your contract.
Step 2 - Prepare
The fun part, we decide on a location and you arrange your outfits for your session. Have a read through my client guide and get a feel for what’s to come.
Step 3 - Your session day!
I’ll send you a message just before your session to confirm the weather is working with us and the location is good to go. Any remaining invoice balance is due the week prior to your session.
Step 4 - Gallery Delivery
The best part, the gallery delivery day. The full gallery will be delivered via a link to your online gallery. Here you can choose your top 30 images, or if you’ve selected the full gallery they will ready to download instantly!
Step 5 - Print those babies!
Let’s print those babies out and make them tangible. Choose your size & type of print, choose whether you’d like it framed & then your order will be delivered to you. It’s a simple as that!
Thanks for booking - now what?
Firstly, check the first email I sent you with your quote and questionnaire.
Accept the quote by following the link to your online portal. This can be accessed anytime to see the quote and when paid, your invoice will be saved here, as well as a copy sent to your email.
Secondly, the questionnaire is a great place to tell me all about you and your family. This helps me tailor the session to you so we are both on the same page.
Lastly, please sign the contract agreement. This ensures me you have read it and are happy with the terms of the session. This mostly covers copyrights and a model release, that you are happy for me to share your images online. By all means, if you are not comfortable with this please let me know prior to the session and your images will remain private.
Choosing your location.
Beach | Cliff | Meadow | Mountain View | Creek | Air B’N’B | Hotel | Home
These are just some of the amazing locations you can choose from for your session. I always suggest choosing somewhere that is home to you. Do you love sand between your toes and the wind flowing through your hair? Or are you rather the type to freely walk a bush track, following a gravel path and see the sun set over a field or meadow. I’m always location scouting and love trying new places, but if you’d rather leave it up to me that’s totally fine!
I’m a huge fan of the glowy sunset sky and the soft tones that match my editing style. So, if you’ve ever seen that ethereal glow in the air before sundown, you’ll know what I mean!
Choosing your outfit.
For both indoor and outdoor sessions these are my recommendations.
Think earthy, neutral tones and coordinate not matchy match!
Keep the clothing casual, neutral tones, think beige, cream, tans, soft pastels and coordinate with some depth, tan, olive, maroons. Please avoid logo or branded clothing as this will date. Our sessions are relaxed and comfortable, so make sure you feel comfortable with what clothing you bring. We have plenty of time to change if you choose too. As for shoes, bring with you but by all means these are not necessary for every shoot. Please avoid thongs, casual shoes are best. Try to stick to all wearing shoes or all barefoot.
My advice. Mum, pick your outfit first, then choose your family outfits around your outfit. This ensures you have something you love and feel good on the day. It really plays an integral part of the session.
Think flowy and something ideally with length, if this is your style. By all means a pair of denim jeans and a loose shirt makes for some amazing images as well. Outfits that compliment your body shape always makes for beautiful imagery. It’s all about coordinating tones.
For the mama’s, I have a client wardrobe you’re welcome to borrow for your session here. Alternatively, here are a few recommended dress hire links if you wish to have something special hired for your session. Catering for maternity and non-bump with a wide range of sizes and styles.
https://www.instagram.com/IvyRoseMaternity/
See outfits worn by previous clients or check out my social pages for the latest seasonal sessions.
On the day of the session.
If we haven’t already emailed/spoken in the week leading up until your session, I’ll send you a message to confirm the weather is working with us and the location is good to go.
Outdoor locations are forever changing, so I do my very best to work with nature and the weather! Although we all love some sunshine, remember that stormy skies make for some incredible shots, so if you’re keen to brave light rain lets roll with it!
Please note: Any remaining invoice balance is due in the week leading up to your session day.
For outdoor sessions please keep the littlies awake on the way to the session. I find the kids that have a nap in the car as less likely to feel comfortable meeting me with my camera around. As our sessions are at sunset, the time will vary depending on the season. This may fall over dinner time for some families. Please ensure your little ones have a nice full belly before the session, a full child is generally a happy one! A few parents find an ice cream on the way home a great little incentive!
If the weather has turned to rain, I will be in contact with your to arrange another suitable session day. If it’s just a slight drizzle on the horizon, we will most likely go ahead. Some of my favourite sessions have been on overcast days where the sun peaks here and there!
I’ll give you direction about where to go and what to do, however I capture all those moments in between the bigger moments. Please do not worry about your kids, I’m a mum and I understand that everyone has different personalities. All I ask is that you let me do my thing, and I’ll work around you, capturing everything that embodies who you are!
Please leave valuable in a safe place, prams in the car. Bring along a small bag for water, spare clothing for warmth & snacks if need be.
For any toddler/young child. I love to capture kids playing in the air via a rocket ship throw. Please ensure nappies are covered with a bloomer or shorts to prevent any nappy hanging out in the photo.
For indoor newborn sessions if you have a particular outfit that coordinates with the family, have bubs dressed in that upon my arrival. I have a small array of bloomers and muslin wraps/blankets I bring along to dress your baby if you choose. I love to capture your baby dressed in their handpicked outfits and personal wraps. It makes the session special to you.
I do not specialise in detail baby wrapping or technical baby posing. My posing is natural and I take a more hands off approach to photography where possible. I do not supply props other than a baby basket.
My favourite babywear are knits & soft textures, they just ooze snuggly vibes. Ideally 2 outfits will be used in your session, this could included baby wearing an outfit for family photo and then dressed down to a bloomer for solo pictures (as above).
My sessions typically begin with a family photo, then sibling photos then lead into parents & baby, and finish up on baby solo portraits. Know that Bubs will lead the session and I will follow que with feeds, nappy changes and settling in your arms.
Your home is a huge part of your session. When a newborn is brought home there is generally a lot of baby items around. Take a breath, I won’t photograph anything super distracting. I’ve been there! I mainly position your on your main bedroom beside window, family couch near window & a blank wall with a window adjacent to the wall. We don’t need many more areas unless you’re happy for me to photograph around and get creative.
Please have your main bed in a simple, ideally light or neutral coloured bedspread. I love to capture family photos snuggling on the bed.
As a natural light photographer, I’ll get you to open up blinds and curtains and turn off any bright lights if needed. Please let me know if your home is particularly brighter in the morning or afternoon as I would prefer to come in the brighter hours. Most of the time this is mid morning, however the winter sun can change this!
On arrival
Please keep bubs fully fed leading up to my arrival, you will most likely have to top up during the session. A great time for some precious feeding moments. Most babies will have flaky skin, so please try and moisturise baby’s skin (face particularly) the day before and morning of the session.
On the day of the session, I would love a walk through your home to see the best spots for us to photograph.
I’ll give you plenty of direction about what to do and where to go in the house. All newborn sessions will last for around 1.5- 2hrs, give or take a bit of time depending on bubs and how everything is going. I want these sessions to reflect you as a family and what you love to do together!
Sibling photos
Depending on the age of the siblings, we will being these photos straight after the family photo to keep them engaged. If they are old enough to hold your new baby we will prop them using available pillows/cushions on your bed or a nice chair to hold bubs or lay down for some sweet photos. I’ll ask lots of questions to encourage cuddling, a couple of forehead kisses and counting of toes!
I’m here to capture all those fleeting moments and the little details you almost forgot you created.
Gallery Delivery.
The best part, the gallery delivery day. Your gallery will be delivered via a link to your online gallery within 3 weeks from your session day.
Here you will be sent your 30 images, or if you’ve selected the full gallery they will ready to download instantly!
Follow the steps for a virtual tour on how to view your album, choose your favourites and download your images.
Please ensure you save your gallery to 2 devices for safe keeping. I recommend cloud storage and well as an external hard drive.
Don’t forget to make those memories tangible, see below for printing options!
Printing.
All of my printing is done through a Gold Coast professional print lab that has over 17 years experience! If you choose to print your images yourself, by all means go for it - but please remember to choose a reputable place to print. If you go through places such as Kmart, the images will most likely not print true to colour and fade. For recommendations please enquire!
Fine Art Prints.
My favourite print type, the fine art prints. The colours really pop on this paper and are so true. I highly recommend choosing fine art prints for anything A3 size or greater, for that show stopper hang on the wall pic!
Kodak Gloss & Lustre.
These are great for smaller sized printing. You can choose between gloss (watch those fingerprints!) or lustre (matt like).
Photo Books.
I am almost ready to launch photo books, stay tuned!