What is custom photography?
Custom photography is something “special.” It is more of a luxury than your entry level cookie cutter chain experience. Custom photography truly is not for everyone, it requires a level of commitment, investment in time and money, forethought and planning on the part of the subject/client and requires a larger time commitment for the photographer as well. Please read more written by Marianne Drenthe HERE.
What does the creative fee include?
The creative fee includes the time and talent of the photographer and the custom editing of each of your images.
I’m thinking about a session, when should I book?
I recommend contacting me as soon as possible. I only take a limited number of sessions and my calendar fills quickly. Additionally, your pricing gets “locked in” when the creative fee is paid.
When should I schedule my maternity/newborn/baby session?
The beauty of pregnancy, the miracle of a newborn and the milestones of baby’s first year are all cause for celebration and should be documented as part of your family’s history. These moments can be forever cherished with custom photography.
Maternity sessions are scheduled around 32-34 weeks gestation. Pregnancy is a beautiful and glorious time, but when you approach your due date, some people swell and get uncomfortably large. Of course, everyone is different, but I have found the pregnant form to be most flattering around this time.
Newborn sessions are best done within the first 10 days of life, while the baby still holds the newborn “curl” and before newborn acne begins to flare. I usually reserve a date 1 week after your due date so that I can be sure to have an appointment for you, but we can tweak it if baby comes early or late.
The six month session highlights the milestone of sitting and is my personal favorite age to photograph. If baby isn’t sitting right at 6 months, we can hold off a week or two. You will get the most variety of images if we wait until baby can sit on their own.
The 1 year session usually has some standing images, either holding onto something or independently and can be finished off with a cake smash (you provide the cake). Images from any session can be combined in a storyboard which can be printed on a gallery mount or canvas.
Where do the sessions take place?
I offer sessions both in my home studio (near Catonsville, Maryland) as well as the opportunity to shoot on location.
What time of day can our session take place?
Indoor studio sessions can take place any time of day. Outdoor sessions generally take place 1-2 hours before sunset.
What should we wear for our session?
Clothing choices should be thought out ahead of time. Avoid written logos. Sibling’s outfits should color coordinate, but do not need match exactly. Keep in mind that your hands may be photographed, especially in maternity and newborn sessions. Please double check that nails are in order and no chipped polish (especially for little girls). Please feel free to have several outfits available as our session usually allows for a clothing change or two. I prefer to photograph newborns and small babies in their natural state, aka naked.
How long do sessions typically last?
Sessions typically last between 1-3 hours. The time includes snack breaks and outfit changes. Newborn sessions normally last a bit longer.
What happens after our session?
With a signed model release, I will share a sneak peek on the blog within a week of our session. Approximately 2-3 weeks after your session, 20-30 of the best images will be available for viewing in a secure, password protected online gallery which can be shared with family and friends. Professional archival quality prints can be purchased via the shopping cart in the online proof gallery for 1 week following gallery activation.
Why are there only 20 – 30 proofs in our gallery?
Only the very best images from our session will be processed and shared.
Will the images in my gallery be shown in both color and black and white?
Not necessarily. I show a mix of color and black and white images.
Can I scan my images and print them myself?
The images are protected by federal copyright laws and therefore printing, copying, downloading or scanning images without written consent is strictly prohibited.
Do you sell CDs of the images or “digital files”?
I completely understand the desire to have your digital negatives. They serve as a type of photographic insurance. Yes, they are available for purchase.
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