SESSION GUIDE

I am so very thankful you have chosen me to document this wonderful time in your lives. I hope what I share helps guide you in the lead up to your session - a lot of love goes into making it the most wonderful experience and an honest reflection of who you are. I know first hand how vulnerable it feels to be in front of a camera and how important reassurance and preparation is in easing any nerves. I have curated some of my beloved tips and tricks,

along with some frequent q+a's for you. So grab a cuppa and enjoy!

your QUESTIONNAIRE

Let me get to know you! I love a collaborative approach to session planning and feel

it is the most wonderful way of creating a session that reflects you and your family

best. Through the questionnaire I will get to know you and every unique family

member, learning how I can best support you on the day. What makes your littles

laugh? What do they enjoy? Anything special you want me to capture - the tiny

hands, breastfeeding, your kids silly faces? I will also gather ideas of locations that

are dear to you and activities your family loves to do and we can connect over ideas

and create magic together - encapsulating your family in an authentic way. The activities can be as simple as an adventure through a chosen location or a morning at home - it doesn't have to be extravagant - it just has to be you.

My biggest and loveliest piece of advice going into a session is to let go of all control. Surrender wholeheartedly to the flow of your session, even when it feels chaotic or

there are inevitable meltdowns. Enter this special time with zero expectations and allow it to unfold organically. Take the session as an opportunity to immerse yourself in play

alongside your children and be wholly present with that beautiful family of yours. I simply ask you as the parents to interact and dote on your children, your only responsibility

being that of aiding them in having a good time - the joy will naturally fall on your faces when you witness and interact with your little loves. If your children are having a difficult

time I try my absolute best to shoulder that so as to relieve any pressure you may feel. It is incredibly vulnerable to be photographed let alone parent while being witnessed

by another so allow me to come alongside you and assist you in having the most wonderful time. I love to be led by your family with plenty of prompts and poses, we will make magic no matter how our time together unfolds

WHAT TO EXPECT?

Family sessions will go for roughly 1 hour depending on which package you've chosen and will ideally take place an hour before sunset. I do this as the lighting is often more ideal at this time of day and is largely what is showcased throughout my work. Indoor or in home sessions offer greater flexibility given the space is largely shaded.

I have a number of favourite locations I utilise regularly for sessions but am always delighted at the chance to photograph somewhere new - especially if that space means something to you. I allocate a great deal of additional time for newborn sessions (up to 2hrs) to allow time for additional feeds and settling. Those early days are so beautiful but can understandably feel messy and disorderly at the best of times. I cannot express more the importance of not rushing this time and allowing your baby the time for a full feed and for you to relax.

Tips for photoshoot prep

In terms of photoshoot preparation there is very little you need to do or bring.

A few things I would suggest that can be beneficial are:

- back up clothing incase of messes.

- towels (if exploring the beach)

- snacks / water - extra bottles

- extra nappies / wipes

Most of the preparation is mental - shedding those expectations and

getting yourself into the right headspace.

In home sessions are often avoided as people don't feel their home is nice enough

to host the session. I want to reassure you that magic can be made absolutely

anywhere. There is no pressure whatsoever to have your space perfectly clean, tidy

and styled to perfection. If you have toys and dishes scattered throughout - please

do not stress. know what it is like. Honest documentary family sessions thrive off

a lived in space, one lined with experiences and memories that only deepen the

meaning behind an image.

When emotion and connection are the focus, the rest will fade in to the

background. I also like to believe I have an eye for surrounds and choosing spaces

that photograph beautifully and compliment your family well. So leave it to me and

I promise the result will be utterly beautiful. In regards to newborn sessions I recommend getting your little one in their photoshoot outfit and then timing a feed for just before the session so that hopefully we get a nice sleepy newborn baby for all those sweet settled photos.

Having them in their outfit before the feed will give us the greatest chance at a

smooth session, as we won't have to disrupt the baby to get them ready once they

are settled. If the session is taking place in your home it helps to have the space

nice and warm for them - this will help settle them and allow for them to

comfortably do any skin to skin photos without discomfort. These are useful tips

but in no way does this ensure a smooth session, every baby and session is so

unique so if we need to pause for feeds and settling or baby doesn't want to sleep

a wink - that is absolutely okay. We will work with them and take our time to ensure

we capture all those fleeting and precious details.

Photo delivery + edits

Sneak peeks within 7 days after session via email or online | Gallery delivery within 4-6 weeks ready for selections

I use the above as a generous guide but more often than not will supply the images well and truly before this time.

How many images you receive is dependant on the package you have chosen and whether or not you would like to purchase additional images or upgrade to the entire gallery. All successful images from our session are edited and uploaded to an online gallery for both packages where you will either receive it in it's entirety or be able

to select your chosen images - with the option to upgrade.

I do not provide you with the RAW files. I believe editing is an important part of the process and the magic - without it they are simply unfinished images. Raw files are unedited and therefore are not an accurate representation of my art.

Given I describe my work to be an honest reflection of a family I don't do a great deal of touch ups, If your child fell and got a big bruise the day before the session I will be sure to remove that from the images but my aim is to capture you as you are so I don't

offer extensive retouching services. Top of my list of priorities, is how an image translates emotionally - how it feels. I’m less concerned with blurs and smears, I love additional textures and movement.

WHAT TO WEAR?

Complement and co-ordinate but don't get too matchy matchy.

Find a colour palette that you love and choose outfits that compliment you and your family. We want each family member to look unique and portray their own individual style. Opt for neutral earthy tones and you can't go wrong. Stay away from all in blue jeans with matching white tees that don't allow for each personality to shine through. Please check out my instagram if you need any inspiration.

We are creating memories of you and your family. I want you to choose clothing that reflects who you are as a person and makes you feel beautiful and confident. The following are my personal recommendations and I am happy to help you select the best clothing for your family session if you need any help or advice. 

Mamas. Long, flowy dresses. They help create a feeling of movement and emotion in your images. Choose solid colours plain or with texture, or timeless prints that compliment your skin tone. 

Dads. 

Neutral coloured plain shirt with some fitted shorts or pants. (Dads have it pretty easy I know) please avoid any shirts with the logo on the front this can be super distracting and take away from the main focus, your family. 

These are by no means rules, and if you have more electric tastes and love lots of colour, I encourage you to put as much as your personality into clothing as you wish. This is just a guide on what I find photographs the best with my work. 

CLIENT CLOSET

Over the years I've purchased a whole bunch of beautiful dresses for my mamas to have access to during our sessions. Please contact me for more information