Q & A
1. What is a lifestyle session?
A lifestyle session can be a family, maternity, newborn, or birthday session. It can be taken in location or at your own home. It is an opportunity to capture your family's unique personality and story. During the 40-60 minute session, I will gently guide you through various prompts and interactions to capture natural moments and interactions between family members. While we may take a few traditional poses, the focus is on capturing real and candid moments between you and your loved ones.
With over 100 photos delivered in an online gallery, you'll have plenty of options to choose from. Whether you opt for your 25 favorite photos or the entire gallery, you can be sure that the memories captured will be treasured for years to come.
2. What is a mini session?
Our mini sessions offer a quick and convenient way to update your family's photo album. With sessions lasting only 15-20 minutes, they're the perfect solution for busy families who want high-quality photos without a long time commitment.
Throughout the year, we offer seasonal mini sessions, such as Spring or Fall, as well as special occasion mini sessions, such as Christmas or Mother’s Day. These themed mini sessions come complete with beautifully styled props and sets to create truly unique and memorable photos.
Please note that mini sessions are often scheduled back-to-back with other families. Arriving on time is essential, as we cannot extend the session past the allotted time.
4. Is a retainer payable upon booking? Can I cancel or reschedule my session?
Yes, a non-refundable retainer fee of $50 is required to secure your session booking. This fee is applied towards your session fee, with the balance due on or before the day of your session. If for any reason you need to cancel or reschedule, kindly provide at least 2 days' notice. The retainer fee can then be applied towards a future session within the next four months. It's important to note that only one cancellation or reschedule will be allowed.
3. How can I book a session?
To book a session, simply visit the Book Online page and click the "Book Now" button. Alternatively, you can reach out to me through the Contact page by leaving your information and I'll respond to you as soon as possible.
5. Before the session, how should we prepare?
I will send you a client’s guide before the session covering everything needed to make it a success.
6. How will you guide us during the session?
During a lifestyle session, I will provide gentle guidance and prompts for you and your family to interact with each other. While I will take a few traditional photos, my main goal is to capture the natural and unposed moments of your family being together. These heartfelt and emotional moments are what I aim to deliver to you in an online gallery with over 100 photos per session.
7. How will we receive our photos after the session?
Within 3 weeks (or sometimes sooner, depending on the season), you will receive a link to an online gallery containing all of your high-resolution photos. You will be able to easily download and share your photos, select your favorites, and even order prints directly from the gallery through a linked store and third-party labs.
9. Where will the session take place?
Mini sessions will be held at pre-determined locations. For other lifestyle sessions, you can choose the location that holds special meaning to your family or let me suggest some of my favorite spots.
In-studio sessions will be conducted at our studio located in Waxhaw, NC.
8. What if my children don’t cooperate? How can I make the session go smoothly?
Don't worry if your children become a little unruly or naughty during the session, that often leads to genuine smiles and real moments. The goal of our session is to capture the real, natural expressions and interactions of you and your family. Allowing your children to be themselves, rather than trying to force them to behave in a certain way, will result in a more authentic and memorable experience. So, just relax, have fun and let them be in charge during the session.
10. Where is your studio located and do you offer location services?
Our studio is located in Waxhaw, NC, just 40 minutes from Charlotte. We offer both in-studio and on-location services, depending on your preference. If you desire an on-location shoot, there may be travel fees applied if the location is over 20 miles from our studio.
11. Can you explain the difference between edited and retouched photos?
When we talk about edited photos, it means that your images have undergone a process of color grading, adjusting the contrast and brightness levels to ensure the best visual quality. However, skin retouching and body reshaping are not included in this process.
On the other hand, retouched photos are those that have undergone a more extensive post-production process. In addition to color grading, contrast and brightness adjustments, retouched photos also receive skin retouching, background correction, and hair and makeup correction for a more polished and professional final result.