Worried about angles? Looking for photos that are on the flattering side? I’m your girl. I used to live in a 336-pound body that made me very self-conscious, and as such I have learned how to use that experience to facilitate my photo sessions so that my clients look at their final photos and love them. Now, we’re our own worst critics; You will see more flaws in photos of yourself than anyone else will see in your photos. BUT, I know what it’s like to look back at photos that someone took of me and wish they’d have held the camera a little higher, or told me to straighten my posture, or stand in a more flattering position. I use that first-hand experience to produce photos that my clients feel confident sharing with friends and family.
Don’t wait until you’ve lost that last ten pounds! Take the plunge and get your photos done now! You’re perfect just as you are!
About
What's a session with Jennifer actually like?
After scheduling a session with me, we’ll work together to determine a location. I use only natural lighting (no flash) and shoot in fully shaded areas, or during the “golden hour” which is one hour before sunset. We meet at the location at the designated time, and we get to work right away. We’ll work through several combinations, depending on the type of session. For example, during a family session we will do shots of everyone together, shots of mom and dad, shots of just the kids, and so on. For blog photography sessions, we’ll typically get several shots in each outfit (or product), so you have some variety to choose from, but depending on your needs our approach might vary. During lifestyle sessions we typically use your couch, bed, or some other designated spot in your home that has plenty of light coming from the windows. Those scheduling newborn lifestyle session typically enjoy using the baby’s nursery, or even just the space that they spend the most time snuggling the baby (such as a favorite rocking chair).
During your session we’ll aim to get good mixture of “posed” and “candid” shots, so make the decision ahead of time to loosen up and just have fun! No need to be nervous. I’ll be giving you direction, and the more you go with the flow, the more you’ll end up loving your photos. I’ll be squishing you all together, as closely as I can, most of the time, so get ready to become great friends with one another! Maybe I’ll make you do something silly, or crazy… just go with it! When you do, we’re more able to capture the real emotion that is so gorgeous in photos.
The allotted time for your session depends on which type of session you choose, but it will usually fly by! So again, just have fun, and let me work my magic.
Q + A
What’s included in photo packages?
During your session you’ll hear me snap the shutter of my camera a LOT of times. After the session I have a culling process where I look at each and every snapshot, and determine if it turned out. Many photos will have caught someone with their eyes closed, or there might be a weird shadow, or poor lighting; those ones don’t make the final cut. On the contrary, lots of photos will be absolutely gorgeous. Those are the ones we love. Once I’ve completed the culling process, I retouch every photo (gently). This means I might brighten photos up a bit, make them more crisp-looking, or take a stop-sign out of the back ground (for example). Once the photos are gently retouched, I upload them to a digital gallery which I then send straight to your email inbox. At this time you can choose your favorites, and download/upload/print the images using whatever source you choose. You have the option to order prints through my site, but you are not required to utilize that option. All of the photos in the digital gallery are yours to keep!
How long will it take to get my gallery?
I typically allot myself 2-3 weeks for photo processing. I’m a mommy before anything else, so I’m busy busy! But generally speaking, I get them back to clients much sooner than that. Don’t worry though! I’ll post a sneak peek to my Facebook photography page within 1-3 days!
Can I use props during my session?
I typically do not allow use of props during my session, only because my style is simple and minimalistic. I like to really focus on the actual people, and try to catch the emotion of the moment. If there’s a prop you really, super, duper want to use, just let me know and we’ll try to work it in.
Can I share the photos on social media?
Absolutely! Any photos I send to you, you’re more than welcome to share. I’ll be sharing images from your session as well!
How can I prepare my toddler or baby?
The biggest advice I can give here is to make sure the little one(s) are well-rested, fed, and have had some free time before the session starts. It might be a good idea to offer a fun treat like ice cream or a trip to the park once the session is over, so that they have something to look forward to. We typically have to follow the lead of the youngest one involved, so we try to keep the little ones happy! When they’re over it, the session is usually over! You can also bring a favorite toy, or some bubbles; something they enjoy. Anything we can do to make it a pleasant experience, is great! And as a side note: don’t stress! I can tell you it’s more stressful for you as the parent, than it is for me as the photographer. Just focus on enjoying your session and everything will be just fine.
What equipment do you use?
I use a Canon Mark iii 5D and a 50mm f1.8 lens. I use exclusively natural lighting (no external flash of any kind), and shoot almost all sessions during the “Golden Hour” (the last hour before sunset).
How is the location chosen?
We work together to determine a location that makes the vision you have for your photos possible. Other than indoor or beach sessions, I do not typically shoot in direct sunlight, so I use fully shaded areas. Then, I make the best possible use of the natural sunlight to produce beautifully crisp, vibrant photos that you can enjoy digitally or in print. If choosing an indoor location, it’s best to choose a location with lots of natural (indirect) sunlight coming from the windows, and neutral colors throughout the room. Great options can be something as simple as your bed (pile the whole family on, and let’s capture those sweet snuggles), a couch, or your favorite coffee shop (during a time when they’re typically not busy)!
How many photos will I get?
This number will vary depending on the type of session you choose (full or mini), the number of people involved, etc. But the short answer is, I offer a lot of sessions from my sessions. Usually it can range anywhere from 50-100 (again, depending on the actual, individual aspects of the respective session). I like to offer a variety so that you have the opportunity to choose your favorites!
Do you offer any special packages for bloggers?
If you are a blogger or social media presence and you need photos that you can store in your photo “bank” to pull from for a while, I can absolutely help you with that. As a blogger myself, I completely understand the need for such photos and how to capture them in a way that will allow you to perfect your color scheme or theme over time. If you’re a blogger, reach out to me with your ideas and needs and we will work together to plan a session in which you can maximize your photo session time so you have tons of photos to pull from for the next several months or even years!
Investment
Because I offer an artistic service in which you are investing your time and money, I want to make sure that you are absolutely thrilled with the final product that you receive. I offer three session types which are described below:
Full $250
- 45-60 minutes
- indoor or outdoor
- ideal for family sessions, blog photography, seniors, lifestyle, or beach sessions
Mini $180
- 20-30 minutes
- outdoor location
- ideal for small families, children’s milestone birthdays, or quick maternity sessions
Headshots $75
- 15 minutes max
- 5-10 headshots
All sessions include individually retouched images in digital form with free printing rights!