All You Need To KnowFamily Lifestyle Sessions
Step 1Schedule your Session
Session dates are first come, first served. I book sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.
To reserve a date, you must sign an agreement and pay a session fee of $350*.
*For sessions outside of West County (Sebastopol, Guerneville, Occidental, Graton, or Forestville) I charge a minimum travel fee of $50.
As you pull out your calendar, here are a few things to consider:
Please review my body of work…while my photography style isn’t pure documentary, it’s pretty darn close. I don’t do a lot of posing—I mainly help guide you to the best light and encourage you to connect with one another and keep us moving. If you are looking for posed photographs, I am probably not the right photographer for you, which is totally ok.
Babies and young children are almost universally at their very best first thing in the morning, which just happens to also be a great time of day for beautiful light. If you have children under five years old, I encourage you to consider a session as early in the day as your family can swing.
If you have older children or have one of those rare babies that don't do mornings, the other time of day that gives us great light is late afternoon/early evening... usually around 1.5 hours before sunset.
A note on outdoor sessions: beautiful photographs can be made in any kind of weather, but I understand that there are some risks to booking an outdoor session. I reschedule for rain, but I do not reschedule for cold weather or fog (fog is beautiful). If weather is a ocncern its probably safest to stock with your home if sticking to the schedule is a priority.
Step 2Your Session!
Once we've decided on a time and date and officially put your session on the books, I'll send you a getting ready guide that will walk you through everything from choosing outfits to strategies for getting kids to cooperate. That guide has been created and refined over years of experience, so it typically answers 90% of the questions that come up, but I'm always happy to set up a time to chat if you want additional help.
A few days before our session is scheduled, I'll reach out to confirm our time and location...at that point, if the forecast is questionable or someone seems to be coming down anything suspect, we can talk about our rescheduling options.
Otherwise, that's the perfect time to ask any last-minute questions or let me know if you've come up with a fun idea we haven't discussed.
The session itself will run 1.5-2hrs. Over the years, I have found that running sessions for this length gives us time to chat and get to know each other a little bit, which results in more relaxed and natural images.
Step 3Select Your Collection
2 weeks after your session, you'll receive an email from me letting you know that a slideshow of images from your session is ready. You can anticipate seeing about 40+ images from our time together.
You’ll select a 24hr window during which you will view your slideshow as many times as you want so that you can make an informed choice about which collection you’d like to purchase.
After that, you'll have a full month to select the specific digital files and print items you want to use to fill that collection with no pressure. If requested, I’m happy to help assist with this part of the selection process.
The Collections
Collection A
$750
Choice of 10 high-resolution digital files with print release.
$50 print credit good toward your choice of anything in the gallery store: prints, frames, albums, digital files, etc.
Collection B
$975
Choice of 20 high-resolution digital files with print release.
$150 print credit good toward your choice of anything in the gallery store: prints, frames, albums, digital files, etc.
Collection C
$1250
The complete set of 40+ high-resolution digital files with print release.
Ability to download the slideshow that accompanies your gallery.
$300 print credit good toward your choice of anything in the gallery store: prints, frames, albums, digital files, etc.
The ShopGetting Your Images Off the Screen and Into Your Hands
What you're going to do with your images is perhaps the most important aspect to consider when you're planning for a photo session, but it's all too often the aspect that's overlooked...all that time and money invested deserve a better return than photos gathering dust on a hard drive somewhere.
You'll never get the same feeling looking at your photos on a screen as you will seeing them on your wall or flipping through the pages of an album, so I include a substantial print credit with every collection.
Here are a few samples of some of the items you can choose from in my shop:
PROFESSIONAL LAB PRINTS
Your favorite images are professionally printed on archival quality photo paper for prints that can be handed down for generations. Printed on your choice of a semi-gloss or deep matte finish. These full bleed prints are available in a variety of sizes, and are perfect for framing and hanging on the wall or giving as a special gift.
5x7 / $15
8x10 / $30
11x14 / $45
FINE ART PRINTS
These true giclee prints turn images into heirlooms by meeting gallery and museum standards for longevity & archival performance. Hahnemühle Photo Rag paper (308gsm) features a soft pulpy texture and matte finish with stunning pictorial depth, and includes a protective spray coating that protects prints from scratches and UV damage.
5x7 / $30
8x10 / $60
11x14 / $100
FRAMED PRINTS
These beautiful hardwood frames will protect your prints from damage and help them look their very best in a spot for everyone to enjoy. Printed on matte photographic paper, mounted with a thick 8 ply mat board and protected by a front acrylic, your photos arrive ready to be displayed.
5x7” (external measurement) / $130
8x10” (external measurement) / $160
11x14" (external measurement) / $220
20x24" (external measurement) / $300
LAY-FLAT ALBUMS
Beautifully printed on Fuji Deep Matte paper, these albums are carefully constructed by a team of skilled artisans to create a tremendous visual impact with rich colors and pure whites. Comes in a variety of linen covers, with gentle blind debossing, and packaged in a luxurious linen presentation box.
8x8" / $450
10x10" / $600
12x12” / $750