What camera gear do you use for your work?
I am a Canon shooter!  I shoot with a Canon 7D, and mainly use prime lenses when shooting. I shoot with professional-grade Canon lenses. My lenses include 24mm f/1.4L, 50mm f/1.4, 100mm f/2.8L and 70-200mm f/2.8L. I also have a Canon Speedlight 580 EXII external flash. I carry back-ups on me at all times for both my wedding and portrait work, including backup batteries, cards, and camera bodies.

What comes with a portrait session?
Portrait sessions, which include family and engagement sessions, come with approximately an hour to an hour and a half of shooting time and a disc of 35 retouched high-resolution images.

The disc comes with a personal print release so you can print away to your hearts’ content! I suggest getting your photos printed with a professional lab such as Mpix. Most retailers, drugstores, etc., do not regularly calibrate their printers, and you can end up with color casts on your photos. As I have already color-corrected all of your photos, be sure to de-select any auto color-correction option when printing.

How do I pay for my session?
Session fees are due at the time of the session, along with your signed agreement.  I accept cash and check.

When will I see my photos?
Images are blogged approximately a week after the shoot, and the disc will be mailed to you within three weeks of your session.

What should we wear for our session?
See my handy What to Wear guide! It looks best when you look coordinated, not matching. Here are some additional samples:

Tameka + Keely: bright colors, but not overly matching

Liz, Bill, Delilah + Jackson: variations of orange and blue. When in doubt, add colors in patterns, like light stripes and checks.

Ivy, Dennis, Ethan & Noah: lots of all-American colors: reds, blues, and khakis! Layering is great – I love Ivy’s jacket and Ethan’s long-sleeved shirt under his polo.

Where do you take pictures? Can you help us with a location?
I loooooove shooting sessions outdoors, mainly because I love the look of natural light! I also shoot a fair number of family sessions indoors with the family. That usually works out great because the kids are comfortable in their own environment, and sometimes it takes a little work to get them warmed up to the camera!

I can definitely help you find a location! I can often be found randomly driving around on weekends, looking for cool buildings and pretty fields :)  OC Parks is a great source for finding locations. I also love suggestions! Some of my favorite shoots are at locations my clients recommended.

I  prefer to shoot about an hour and a half before sunset. This sunset calculator can let you know what time of day that is if you are thinking about a particular date. I shoot all my sessions on the weekends.

If you’re adventurous and/or a morning person, I’m also open to morning shoots! I prefer to shoot right around sunrise.

Can we bring props?
So long as they represent you, definitely bring props! Erin + Patrick brought lots of goodies for their shoot. I particularly loved the fact that they brought album covers because they both love music.

What about pets?
Sure! My suggestion for pets is to bring them in at the very beginning or end of the shoot, if desired. You should also bring someone to take care of your pet if the session is on-location, as all photos taken will not have your pet in them. And, um, it’s hard to focus AND hold a dog’s leash! I’ve tried…and failed!

Some general family session tips:

• If your child is young but mobile, it can take some time to get them in the mood of having their photos taken. If they can understand their photo is being taken, try to talk to them about it in advance just to get them used to the idea. If not, I spend plenty of sessions either chasing kids, or sitting in the background trying to capture natural interaction. Either way, don’t be stressed if they’re not ready to go at first! I take my time with family sessions, and if we need to break for a snack, then we will!
• Make sure your kids have had a nap and are well-fed! This makes a huge difference for their mood.
• Bring grandma! Or someone else your kids know. Here’s a trade secret: most of my smiley photos are taken with someone jumping around behind me in the background trying to get the kid to smile.
• Have fun! A lot of my favorite photos show natural interaction between the family. I try to keep posed formal photos to a minimum, or at least capture them quickly, since little ones do not have much patience!

Engagement session tips:

• My biggest tip is to come relaxed and ready to have fun! My couple sessions are very high energy and I get the best photos when you’re able to interact naturally.
• Ladies – get your hair and makeup done! Now all my ladies are GORGEOUS, so it’s not so much a beauty thing as it is for confidence. I know it’s intimidating to have a camera in your face, and knowing you look amazing does wonders for helping you feel good! If you’re not getting your makeup done, make sure you add a little extra to your normal makeup. I can take away blemishes, but I can’t add mascara, blush or eyeliner! :) I can highly recommend a few makeup artists, such as Rachael of Charmed Beauty, who will make you look AMAZING!
• If you are wearing heels, make sure to bring a comfortable pair of flats to walk in. I’m notorious for saying, “Let’s walk down that ditch, I see a really cool shot there.” I wish I was kidding!
• Bring a few different outfits! Please see my What to Wear guide for some help. And remember to coordinate your outfits with your surroundings – you can dress up a bit more in a city setting, but I typically suggest a more casual dressy look (like a ruffled cotton dress) for park settings.

You can always contact me if you have additional questions!