HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR UPCOMING SESSION
THANK YOU FOR BOOKING YOUR PORTRAITS WITH ONE FOR THE WALL PHOTOGRAPHY! LOCATION Once your date and time are booked we will discuss the location and look of your photo session. If you have a special location in mind please let me know. Perhaps a favourite walking trail or park? If you would like to choose your location I will need to know prior to your session to ensure proper lighting. If you don’t have a particular location in mind please let me know what type of look you are interested in for the background of your photos. Nature, urban, country...even your own home. First and foremost, I am all about the light, so I will want to go where the light is best. It is importanmt for the location to feel and look like what you and your family are all about. Newborn sessions can take place in your home, outside (depending on weather) or in my studio.
CLOTHING WHAT TO WEAR? This is the first question people, ask so believe me you are not alone! The most important thing is that you are comfortable and that you look and feel yourselves. Try not to be too “matchy”. We are striving for you to compliment one another and to best refelect who you are as a person and as a family. Please avoid wearing “too much” white, black or hot pink (magenta). If you like those colours I would suggest considering grey, cream or red. You may want to pack an extra outfit in case someone gets dirty or perspires easily. If you need further direction I encourage you to send me a photo of your choices and I would be happy to give you feedback. I love pattern but try to limit to one or two people in the group. I love style and texture too so don’t be afraid to jazz things up with accessories; scarves, boots, hats. I discourage collars on babies and young children. Make sure you pay attention to details – Hair and make-up, and your nails (fingers and toes!) It is very important that you are pleased with your hair and make-up. It can be costly and sometimes challenging to fix these things in photoshop if they are too heavy or too stylized. Also, please be aware of your clothing choice. Be happy with the way you feel in them and the way they fit your body. Bra straps are also time consuming and costly to remove in the editing stage. Above all else the most important thing is YOU and your connection to your family and the camera. I encourage only one outfit for family sessions and two to three outfits for headshot, couples and children’s sessions.
ILLNESS OR INJURY If one of you is ill prior to our session I would prefer to move the date until everyone is feeling 100%. Children that are not feeling well do not act like themselves – even with over the counter medicines. I am very flexible and understanding that people get sick. I want to have the best session possible for you and your family. Being well-rested, well-fed and healthy is important for our time together. Giving me as much notice as possible is appreciated. If you have been injured prior to our session and the injury is visible I will ask you to contact me. We can assess the injury i.e. black eye or scrape on the face or chapped lips to see how much post processing would be needed to remove the mark or if we need to reschedule altogether.
WEATHER
(IF YOUR SESSION IS BOOKED FOR OUTDOORS)
By now you know how much I love my light! Therefore, weather is an important factor for our session. If it is overcast we can still go ahead. The session would be rescheduled due to rain, heavy grey cloud, extreme heat or if you had your heart set on a session with backlighting from the sun. I try to make the call with weather as close to the session time as I can if we aren’t sure which way the weather is going to go. If we are certain it is raining, far too hot etc...then we will reschedule to the next possible date.
CANCELLED OR POSTPONED SESSIONS If you need to cancel or postpone your session, I would appreciate as much notice as possible as many times I have a wait list for openings. Your session retainer fee is non-refundable but can be used towards the next date we book. If you re-book outside of three months from your original date any pricing changes will apply.
WHEN TO EXPECT YOUR DIGITAL FILES Within approximately 5 days, you will be sent a link via email to our online proofing gallery, ShootProof. There you will be able to view your un-retouched proofs, which you can choose by marking favourites in the gallery. These will then be sent to my retoucher for basic colour enhancement and skin touch-ups. There are extra fees for more intricate Photoshop work (body shaping, teeth whitening) please see information package for pricing on extra services. Your images will be returned to you within approximately 7 days after you have made your selections. Images from our session come fully re-touched in COLOUR and BLACK & WHITE for you to keep, print and share as you wish (within the contract guidelines). You will also receive these files in web versions so that you may show them off on your favourite social media sites. Be sure to use only the web versions online. If you would like a rush on your images a $50 fee applies for anything less than 48 hours. Once your final images are ready you will be sent a link for downloads.
FILE STORAGE + PRINTING Once you have your digital files it is important that you back them up! If you choose to put your files on any social media you must use the “WEB” files. DO NOT print the “WEB” files – they will not print well. The colour and black and white “PRINT” folders are full resolution files. These are the files you will use for printing purposes. When printing at any self serve or online printing labs be sure you DO NOT click on auto correct. It is very important to be sure the check is off. If auto correct remains on the printer then corrects to their specifications which will impact the final printed product. Your images are professionally retouched on a calibrated monitor by a trained Photoshop/Lightroom specialist.
NEWBORN SESSION PREPARATION It is very important to follow these steps in preparation for your newborn session. Once your new baby has arrived please contact me within the first few days. It is best to photograph newborns in the first 6-10 days when they are still very sleepy and new! Newborn sessions can still happen after this time, however, babies don’t sleep as much and they often develop baby acne around 4 weeks. My newborn sessions take place either in your home or at my studio. If it is later spring, summer or fall we can often be outside for some photos as well. Once your session is booked we can discuss the ideal location for you and your family. It is important for me to try to take photos of newborns while they are awake as well so don’t fret if they are awake for some of the session. However, it is easiest for them to be sleeping for the most part. This is achieved by keeping the baby up as much as possible prior to our session. Just before my arrival (or your arrival if at the studio) give your little one a big feed to help get them to sleep. Homes are to be kept warmer than usual – this helps to keep the baby asleep and less restless during our session. This is especially helpful for photos of their little lips and toes. It also helps if we are photographing your baby with siblings. I love to incorporate blankets that have significance to you. Please bring receiving blankets or knits for swaddling. I keep props to a minimum (if any). My style is more relaxed and less posed. My focus is on your connection with your new baby. Expect to feed the baby more than usual. Newborn sessions require patience so settle in and we will enjoy a few hours together!
CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 4 It is important to understand that photographing two or more children under the age of 4 together in the same frame can be challenging. I will do my absolute best to make the photo happen for you but it cannot be guaranteed.
EXTENDED FAMILY SESSIONS Extended family sessions are great fun but take a little extra preparation. Please refer to the clothing section to help you put outfits together for your group. These sessions can take up to two hours so please bring the appropriate drinks, snacks and most importantly patience. Please note that these sessions are not full sessions for each individual family but are designed to get the whole group and as many different combinations as we can in the time permitted.
A FEW OTHER THINGS TO BRING Feel free to bring along a favourite toy or item that your child loves. Children often want a photo with their favoutite “thing’. ..a truck, doll, book or even a musical instrument. This can also help shy children feel more secure if they have something familiar with them. If it is spring, summer or fall please bring bug spray. It never hurts to bring kleenex or a wash cloth/wet wipes.
SNACKS You are encouraged to bring non-stain snacks and drinks to our session. Please avoid bringing chocolate or crackers. Marshmellows are a great “treat” that are not messy, don’t get stuck in the teeth and don’t discolur lips and tongues.
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STUDIO DIRECTIONS You can find my studio in the Old Boehmer Box Factory which is located on Breithaupt St. In Kitchener. (between Waterloo St. and Duke St. West) There is no street address for my side of the building. Please use 68 Breithaupt St., Kitchener – which is a business called the Rim Doctor for your GPS. Look across the street to the large yellow and brown factory building and enter through the brown steel door which is beside the loading docks farthest door on the right. The parking lot is under construction so this is a temporary entrance. There are two free parking lots and parking along the street. (Watch signs closely on the street or you will be ticketed.) When you enter the building turn left and follow the hall and take your first left. The studio is the second door on your left. Please call or text when you arrive so I can meet you. 519.404.2672
RECOMMENDED PRINTING LABS + VENDOR PRODUCTS PHOTO PRINTS
PHOTOBOOKS / PHOTO CARDS
Directly through OFTW Contact Christa at oneforthewall@rogers.com for pricing and details on placing orders!
Tiny Prints: www.tinyprints.com Custom Design - Christa Cherrey 226.972.3298 christacherrey@hotmail.com
Photo Media Decor 2057 Victoroa Street North, Breslau ON 519.648-2234 www.photomediadecor.com
CANVAS www.thegicleefactory.com
www.mpix.com Costco (be sure to click OFF auto correct)
YOU CAN ALWAYS REACH ME 519.404.2672 oneforthewall@rogers.com If you have any further questions please ask! My team is here to help prepare you for your session. I look forward to working with you!
Hilary