FAQ

I’ve never experienced custom photography before; what are your sessions like?
Fun, relaxing, and memorable!  Your session will vary a bit depending on the type of session you have booked and the feel and style that you want to achieve in your photos, but every session starts out with a little bit of time for you to relax in front of the camera.  Sessions involving kids end up being more like a special play date with me chasing them around while we play pretend.  Senior sessions and soul mate sessions involve a little bit more direction and posing but are still quite candid.  There is a lot of chatting, laughing, and, in the case of lovers, lots of kissing and cuddling as well.

What about props?
I love props as long as they aren’t cheesy and overdone and as long as they flow well together. But, this falls into the category of things that I will cover with you in your official pre-session consult where you get to enjoy a glass of wine or a cup of coffee on me.

Are pets welcome?
Most definitely!  Let me know when booking your session if your furry, feathered, or scaled friend will be joining us so I can plan accordingly.

What if I don’t live in Seattle?
Anything within a 15 mile radius of Seattle is covered in the session fee.  Farther than that and I do have to charge a travel fee to cover my costs.  BUT I only charge you what it costs me in time and travel.  And, there is more good news.  Ask me how to get those travel fees waived.

How would you describe your style?
I specialize in candid images with natural lighting.  My photos are light filled, soft, and romantic with a touch of dreamy whimsy.  My aim is to capture is innocence of childhood that we all have in us – that sparkle in our eyes that never quite leaves.  With my camera, I will document your relationships, your memories, your emotions, and you, just as you are, and turn it into art.

What in the heck do I wear?!
Again, this is something we will cover in our consult, but I will briefly touch on it here: rich deep hues are best.  Think jewel tones and earth tones.  Textured items are also wonderful (lace, ruffles, knitted items, corduroy, and anything else with detail).  You can find some great What To Wear guides here!

Can you recommend somewhere for me to shop?
Absolutely!  I am happy to recommend places for you to shop; outfit planning and wardrobe consulting is a complimentary service that I offer to all of my clients.

Well can you just shop for me then?
As a matter of fact, yes!  For an additional fee, I am happy to work with you to choose a style for your family’s clothing and then I will take care of all the shopping for you while you sit back and drink a glass of wine or lemonade or eat an ice cream cone.  Or something.  For more on this, check out the sessions page or email me!

Should my family match?
Instead of matching outfits, it is best to just wear what everyone is most comfortable in and stick to colors in the same family and not mix light and dark.  The easiest thing to do is plan one person’s outfit and build the rest of the outfits based on that so that everyone can have their own style.  Basically, your family is one big outfit; every piece doesn’t have to have the same color but it all should coordinate.

What if it isn’t sunny on the day of my session?
Unless it is raining or some other extenuating circumstance we can easily carry on with the shoot.  Usually it is best to photograph people when they are not in full sun anyway (although, as with everything else, there are always exceptions).

I’m really self-conscious about <insert body part here>.  Can you make me look thinner/younger/prettier/etc?
You know, we’d all like to lose 5 or 10 (or, in my case, about 40) more pounds before stepping in front of a camera.  We’re all more critical of ourselves than we need to be, but rest assured that I will use the best angles to capture your most flattering appearance and then when I am editing and processing I will tweak things here and there to make things look better.  I might add highlights to your hair or I might erase a slight bulge here or tuck in a bra strap, smooth out some undereye circles, whisk away a zit.  You get the idea.  I’ll make you look amazing but I won’t overdo it.

Why is custom photography so much pricier than the chain portrait studios?
Even the chain portrait studios are deceptively priced.  They have loss leaders to get you in the door.  As small businesses, custom photographers have to account for all their costs.  I am priced to be able to give each client my undivided attention, which is why I take on a limited number of sessions each month.  For a detailed explanation, I suggest reading this article as it explains it perfectly!