Useful Information

Our Pre-Meeting

Anna will arrange a time when she can visit or get together with you before your actual portrait session. The pre-meeting is the ideal opportunity for you and your photographer to get to know each other and to discuss in more detail the sort of photographs you would like, the session itself, what to wear, and how you plan to display your prints.

Scheduling Your Session

For family portrait sessions, about 9.00 am is the ideal time to start. It's also very important that you and your children should have had something to eat, and be well-rested before we start.

Baby portrait sessions can be scheduled to fit around feed and nap times.

Urban Sessions may be scheduled at different times of the day, depending on where they are held.

Your Portrait Session - What to Expect

Please take some time to read through the information below, as this will help you to get the most out of your portrait session.

The emphasis during all sessions, whether for babies, families, younger children or teenagers, is on enjoyment. If you have booked a family portrait session, you and your children will not be expected to adopt rigid, formal poses or “smile for the camera” which will only result in a contrived and artificial look.

It is therefore very important that throughout the session children aren’t made to feel that they have to do things to please the photographer or their parents; telling them to smile or look at the camera will result in an unnatural expression or a reluctance to take part.

Anna's approach is to make the session as much fun as possible. A little bribery in the form of chocolate or other treats can also work wonders if given at the right moment!

Babies can, of course, be photographed when they are asleep as well as awake.

If you are a teenager, you will probably feel more comfortable being photographed without your parents around!

Depending on the layout of your house and garden, Anna will take a mixture of shots in different areas, perhaps making use of suitable props, if she feels they will contribute to the look of the portraits.

To guard against anyone getting overtired or hungry, which will immediately show in the photographs, it is essential to take regular breaks for rest and refreshment; that way, the session won't end up being a rushed affair. Typically, you should allow at least 2 - 4 hours for your photo shoot, so that we can occasionally take time out from the actual photography to rest and recharge.

Urban Sessions and those combining home and location shots may take longer. If we are out on location, please remember to bring some food and drink along with you, and warm clothes if necessary.

Anna does not take a set number of photographs during each session, but will aim to capture a series of different looks in a variety of settings. The images are then edited and turned into a slide show which you, friends and relatives will be able to view online.

Illness

It is inevitable that children will have their “off days”. If your child has had a bad night or is feeling unwell, please let Anna know as soon as you can. It is far better to reschedule in such instances, since the photographs will reveal exactly how your child is feeling.

Bad Weather

Bright sunshine is not necessary for a successful portrait session; in fact, a slightly cloudy day is often ideal. Should the weather be very bad, however, with heavy rain or strong winds, then it will be best for us to reschedule the shoot, and Anna will contact you as soon as possible if this is necessary. It's therefore a good idea to have a couple of dates in mind when booking your portrait session.