FAQS
What time of day/year do you shoot family sessions?
Studio sessions can be any time, and location sessions outdoors are best shot an hour before sunset or early in the morning for softer light. I don’t shoot family sessions over summer due to wedding photography commitments, and recommend autumn for the most settled weather, pretty light and landscape colours.
Can I have my session on the weekend?
Because I spend so many weekends away from my own young family during wedding season, I really value my weekends off when I have them, and so only shoot family sessions Monday-Friday.
Where do you shoot location sessions?
I’ll talk to you about places that hold special significance for your family or you can trust my recommendation (which is based on time of day / time of year for your session). Extended family sessions often work well if you’re staying at one of Hawke’s Bay’s beautiful accommodation options as these are typically rural and scenic. Locations further than 50km away from Napier have the standard IRD mileage fee of $0.83/km after the first 50km. All newborn sessions are shot in your home in order to candidly story of this time in your life.
What should I wear and do I need professional hair/makeup?
Keep clothing simple and natural. For location sessions, colours that are found in the landscape work best (soft browns/mustards, muted blues etc). Consider keeping your colour palate limited to one or two complimentary colours or have a key colour that links you all (eg grey, soft blue tones etc). Natural fabrics (cottons/linens) work well. Please avoid busy patterns, logos and bright primary colours.
While professional hair and makeup is optional, if you are not confident doing this yourself, it is worth considering (particularly for a studio session) as it can improve your confidence on the day and the quality of the final result. If you’d like a recommendation please ask.
How long does a session take?
I’m guided by you and your family but typically I spend around an hour with families on location (1.5hrs with extended families), two hours with newborns at home, and around 45mins with families in the studio.
Do you retouch images?
All images receive light, natural retouching. It’s important your skin doesn’t look filtered. Great use of light and composition also help make you look your best and I’ll talk to you on the day if there are any features (or wrinkles!) you’d like to receive particular attention in post-production.
What happens if the weather isn’t great for our location session or someone is unwell?
I’ll be in touch on the day if I don’t feel the weather is suitable for our session. Forecasts can be unreliable so it’s best to wait till as late as possible to make a call on this. If we need to reschedule, even at short notice, there is no charge. The studio is always available as a back-up when sessions can’t be rescheduled. I’m very happy to reschedule if anyone is unwell in order to get the best result from our session.
Can I see a full gallery to get an idea of what to expect?
You sure can. Once I have a feel for the type of session you’re after and possible locations, I can share a previous gallery with you so you know exactly what to expect back from your session.
When will I get the images and how long will I get to view them?
You’ll be emailed an invitation to view a private image gallery within one to three weeks of the shoot date (depending on the season). This remains online for one month from the delivery date.
Do you have payment plans?
The sitting fee is payable in full on the day of the shoot and Afterpay is available for all collection purchases. If you would like a longer payment option, this can be arranged directly with me.
Can I share my photos on social media?
Yes of course! Your digital images will be provided in two formats; print-ready (high resolution) and web-size (featuring a small logo). Only the image with logo can be shared to social media.
Can I buy single digital files?
If you buy a print, the matching web-size (low resolution) digital file will accompany the print, but if you wish to buy high resolution files you can only do this as a full set ($950) or you can buy the full set of web-size files ($550). The web files are too small to print but display well on any screen.
How long will the online gallery be available to view?
Two months. After this time it is permanently deleted and images are not archived. Afterpay is available.
Where do I print good quality images from the digital files that come with my collection?
You can print wherever you like but I recommend printing through my online store as you’ll be getting the best quality fine art printing available in NZ.
My kids hate having their photo taken and never co-operate. How do you deal with this?
Seriously, my kids are exactly the same when I wave my phone camera in their direction. Children interact totally differently with a professional photographer (well this one, at least!) and my style is to encourage loads of play time and shoot fast and candidly so often young kids aren’t that aware I’m even shooting them. With teenagers, expect some kick-back when you suggest the idea of a family shoot, but a surprisingly good attitude when working with me, and a massive confidence boost when they see the final result. Some parents offer an incentive like an ice cream or a trip to McDonald’s for a 10/10 performance - you know your own kids best!
