Portrait photography - Q&A's

These are some of the most commonly asked questions I’m asked. If there’s anything I haven’t answered that you’d like to know, feel free to give me a call on 01823 461892 or 0787 9675545.

Where will our portrait take place?
I'm worried how long my little boy can sit still for!! How long will the portrait take?
My little girl is quite shy and takes a little while to 'come round'. I really don't want to rush the session.
Can you photograph us all as a family or is it just babies and children?
How many photographs will you take?
What happens after the portrait sitting?
Do we have to buy anything?!
When do we get to see our photographs?
My baby is only a week old, I would love to have him photographed but leaving the house is a struggle right now!
I'm pregnant and would love some photographs of my bump.....do you do that?
Where is your portrait studio in Somerset?
How much do you charge?
Why do you charge a sitting fee?
My question isn’t here!

 

 

Where will our portrait take place?
Wherever you'd like and feel that you and your children will feel most comfortable.  It might be at home, which can be easier for newborn babies, or at one of your favourite places, such as a park, beach or in the woods. If you’ve got somewhere in mind, feel free to suggest it. Alternatively, if you'd prefer your portrait can take place at my newly refurbished portrait studio just outside of Taunton where I can offer a warm welcome and a cup of tea and a home-made biscuit!

Take a look around the gallery to get an idea of locations

I'm worried how long my little boy can sit still for!! How long will the portrait take?
Well....firstly, your little boy won't have to sit still at all. I have a really relaxed approach to portraits of children and it's not about formal poses and siting still for hours on end. Designed to capture real personalities and those cheeky little grins......fun, playing, laughing and moving around are all part of the shoot. The portrait itself is usually about an hour long, it all happens at your childs own pace and when they are fed up we take a break.

My little girl is quite shy and take a long time to 'come round'. I really don't want to rush the session.
That's good because neither do I! I want to get the best pictures from every baby and child that I photograph and that means making them feel comfortable and happy. I book at least 3 hours out of my diary for every portrait sitting and one of the great benefits of having a home based portrait studio is that I can make it as relaxed as possible and take my time. When you first arrive we don't go into the studio we sit in the house, have a cup of tea (and a home-made biscuit...did I mention them!) and I slowly introduce myself to your baby or child until we feel they are ready to go into the studio. Once in the studio, we have a look round play with the lights etc and work up to taking the first shot.

Can you photograph us all as a family or is it just babies and children?
Yes, of course....you can have whoever you like in the photographs....even your family pet! Some parents just want gorgeous pictures of their baby or child and others want to be in the photographs. If you want to, I encourage people to have some done as a whole family, some done of the children individually and some of the children together....that way you get the maximum value from the portrait. .

How many photographs will you take?
That completely depends on a number of factors such as the different combinations of people, how you and your baby / child is feeling and how they react to the camera. From an average portrait sitting you will usually have between 20 and 40 to choose from.

What happens after the portrait sitting?
Well hopefully you go home happy and excited and feeling like you've had a really fun afternoon! No, seriously....I will edit all the images from your portrait shoot and then invite you back to view them on the 'big screen'. That way you have time to relax and view them all properly, have a glass of wine or orange juice for those drivers (oh....and possibly another home-made biscuit!) and touch and feel all the products. And if you really can't make it back to the studio, I can put the photographs online in a password protected gallery for you to view in the comfort of your own home.

Do we have to buy anything?!
Absolutely not. And I promise no high pressure sales techniques. My reputation is built on recommendation and word of mouth and that would be ruined if I tried to push clients into buying. I am open and honest about all my prices and if you walk away without buying anything that is fine.....although unheard of I have to say!!

When do we get to see our photographs?
Everyone is always really excited to see their photographs so I try to edit them and have them ready within 2 weeks.

My baby is only a week old, I would love to have him photographed but leaving the house is a struggle right now!!
That's exactly why I prefer to do newborn portraits in the comfort of your own home. That way, you not only do you NOT have to pack everything up but you feel more at ease and have everything you need to have. We can take things at yours and your babies pace, taking a break if they need feeding, changing and capturing some gorgeous images even while they are sleeping. I come in very useful for answering the door and making cups of tea as I've found over the years!!

I'm pregnant and would love some picture of my bump.....do you do this?
Absolutely. I love pregnancy photogaphy, documenting those important, life-changing stages in your life and how you do it is up to you. You can either come to studio or I can come to you, you can just have it of you and your bump or have the whole family involved....whatever you'd like. Why not invest in one of our 'Bump to One' packages and document not only your blooming body but your baby right through from newborn to a year old?

Where is your portrait studio in Somerset?
10 mintues from the centre of Taunton, Somerset and just off of Junction 26 of the M5. And the best bit.....we are really easy to find too!

How much do you charge?
Prices vary depending on your requirements. Take a look at the prices page.

Why do you charge a sitting fee?
To cover my time on the day, my photographic expertise, the time taken to edit and enhance your photographs to get them looking perfect and the time to present your photographs. Other studios choose not to charge a sitting fee but their photographs are much more expensive as a result. I prefer to charge for my time which enables me to keep the cost of my products as low as possible.

My question isn’t here!
If there is anything I haven’t mentioned that you’d like to know, just get in touch.