FAQS

What time of day do you shoot family sessions?

Studio and at-home sessions are shot using natural light, which is at its best throughout the middle of the day but not after 3pm during winter hours. Outdoor location sessions are shot in the late afternoon or early evening depending on the time of year, about an hour before sunset.

What days of the week do you shoot family sessions?

Family sessions are available most weekdays. Weekend sessions are only available outside wedding season, which runs from October to April.

Where do you shoot location sessions?

I’ll talk to you about places that hold special significance for your family or you can trust my recommendation (which is based on time of day / time of year for your session). Locations further than 50km away from Napier/Hastings CBD have the standard IRD mileage fee of $0.79/km (first 50km included in session fee).

What should I wear and do I need professional hair/makeup?

Keep clothing simple and natural. For location sessions, colours that are found in the landscape work best (soft browns/mustards, muted blues etc). Consider keeping your colour palate limited to one or two complimentary colours (pale grey+lemon / soft blue+white / Dark+light brown / mustard+grey etc) and team with jeans or something else suitably neutral. Natural fabrics (cottons/linens) are in…loud patterns, logos, prints and worn T-shirts are out.

While professional hair and makeup is optional, if you are not confident doing this yourself, it is worth considering (particularly for a studio session) as it can improve your confidence on the day and the quality of the final result. If you’d like a recommendation please ask.

Do you retouch images?

All images receive light, natural retouching. It’s important your skin doesn’t look filtered. Great use of light and composition also help make you look your best and I’ll talk to you on the day if there are any features (or wrinkles!) you’d like to receive particular attention in post-production.

What happens if the weather isn’t great for our location session?

I’ll be in touch if I don’t feel the weather is suitable for our session. If we need to reschedule, even at short notice, there is no charge. The studio is always available as a back-up when sessions can’t be rescheduled.

When will I get the images and how long will I get to view them?

Your gallery will be ready to view within two weeks of the shoot date, and will remain online for one month from the delivery date, after which time the link will expire. A re-upload fee of $50 applies.

Can other family members order from the gallery?

Yes, anyone you pass the private gallery link onto can order products within the one-month viewing period. A $50 minimum order fee applies.

Do you have payment plans?

Yes, The sitting fee is payable in full on the day of the shoot but print/album orders can be paid off over time, with products delivered on completion of the payment.

If I purchase digital files, can I share them on social media?

Yes of course, although we would appreciate being tagged and credited.

Can I buy single digital files?

Yes, but only web-size files, which are too small to print. If you wish to have high resolution digital files, you need to purchase the full session or get them as part of a collection.