2015 | Client Guide by Lea Hartman

2015 | CLIENT GUIDE YOUR CUSTOM PHOTOGRAPHY

EXPERIENCE Everything you need to know about your session.

Welcome! So, you’re interested in booking a session with Lea Hartman Photography! I’m sure you have questions and I’ll happily answer all of them. I know, I know…you’re dying to know what my favorite ice cream is, but I thought we’d start oﬀ with what you can expect from your custom photography experience. So, read, learn, ask questions. I can’t wait to meet you!

Lea

Meet Me I’m a proud army wife, mother of three, coffee addict, middle child, solo movie goer, flip-flop aficionado, Jane Austen lover, dessert connoisseur, left-brained creative and wannabe Broadway singer! Jeans and a messy top bun are my go-to style and if I’m feeling spunky, I may throw a cute scarf in the mix. Some call it boring, but I call it comfortable. Comfort and I are good friends.

Discover My Style I typically photograph my clients in the comfort of their own home and neighborhood. Familiar environments help everyone to relax, allowing me to focus on documenting your genuine interactions. Although most of my clients opt for in-home sessions, I know they aren’t for everyone. A great alternative to in-home sessions would be having me photograph you and your loved one(s) engaging in a fun activity together. Relaxing at the park, getting ice cream, roller skating, strawberry picking, and miniature golf are just a few ideas. “Playing” together will allow me to capture real, authentic moments. While I do steer clear of static posing, I oﬀer general direction and guidance so you can be sure you’ll look your best. Your images will be a fun and honest expression of your life. This is not everyone-look-at-the-camera-and-smile photography. Traditional portraits can be beautiful but I am especially captivated by the beauty in the insigniﬁcant moments that are often overlooked.When I look at my own life, it is always these unrehearsed moments that speak the loudest to me.

What You Can Expect This is so much more than a standard portrait session it’s an experience. One not dictated by my schedule or your allotted time, but rather, by the comfort level of your family. While shooting usually takes about an hour, there is no time limit. We’ll stroll through your neighborhood, have tickle ﬁghts in the backyard, cuddle up in Mom & Dad’s bed for story time or all of the above. I’ll stop shooting when I’m sure we have what we need. Afterward, your images will be expertly processed, presenting your family in the best possible light. You’ll receive 25 high resolution, print-released digital images via digital download within one week of your session. Your included print package order will be processed after the expiration of your online gallery.

What to Wear Here a few practical things you can do to ensure you look your best! Avoid wearing solid black or other dark colors. These shades may be slimming in real life, but they do not photograph well. Layering is a good option because it will not only add dimension to your final images but we can strip away a layer or two and give the appearance of a new outfit without actually having to change clothes. In addition to those helpful tips, you’ll also want to take your home decor into consideration when selecting your clothing. It’s likely that you will be displaying some of your favorite images in your home and the last thing you want is to realize that the shirt you chose clashes horribly with the color of your walls. It’s a good idea for little girls to wear shorts if they opt for a dress. We wouldn't want to ruin the perfect shot because of exposed panties. Remember that we’re trying to document you as you really are. Your clothing should reflect your personalities. Football jerseys, princess dresses and superhero capes are all acceptable options.

Shooting Your Session It can be daunting (especially for children) to have me show up with a camera and start following you around. I always take a few minutes, camera aside, to meet everyone individually and give kiddos a chance to warm up to me. If you’re comfortable leaving your children alone with me, I like to photograph kiddos on their own, away from the watchful eye of Mom & Dad. For some reason, having parents there turns pretty much every kid into a giant ham! If they’re old enough, I’ll ask them about their interests and hobbies and have them show me their room. Ten years from now you’ll be able to ﬂip through these images and remember your kiddo’s favorite things at that age. Getting families to interact with each other in a real, organic way can sometimes require being foolish. The most important thing is for everyone to stay relaxed. I may ask you to do silly things like jumping jacks or yell as loud as you can to help everyone loosen up. If your session is kid free, I may just call out wildly inappropriate things to break the ice - consider yourself warned!

Image Processing & Ordering After your session is over, I will personally retouch each of your ďŹ nal images for color correctness and contrast. In keeping with my specialty of photographing your life authentically, I steer clear of extensive editing. I only remove those things which are not a normal part of you such as small blemishes, scrapes and bruises. Your images will then be loaded to a private online ordering gallery where you can download your high resolution images as well as make additional purchases, if desired. If you decide to order additional products, my lab times can vary but usually take 2-3 weeks to process. Albums require more skill and craftsmanship so you can expect them to take up to 6 weeks. Your products will then be delivered straight to your door!

Giving Back Jesus has given me life and blessed it more abundantly than I ever imagined. I am greatly humbled by His love and with your help, I get to share it with others in a real, tangible way. In 2015, a portion of all sales will go to help Agape Pregnancy Support Services here in Fayetteville, NC. Here are just a few things they oďŹ&#x20AC;er to our community: free pregnancy tests birthing classes postpartum care abortion counseling

prenatal care maternity clothes support groups food pantry

You can learn more about this non proďŹ t organization by visiting http://agapepregnancysupport.com. I am also a participating photographer for The Gold Hope Project which matches photographers with families who are battling childhood cancer.

Investment Sessions are $399 and include roughly 1-2 hours of shooting on location as well as 25 print-released digital images and your choice of the following print packages: One (25) unmounted 4x6 proof prints Two (5) unmounted 5x7s and (1) mounted 8x10 Three (1) mounted 11x14 deep matte ďŹ ne art wall print If you would like to ensure the best possible quality for your artwork, I highly suggest that you print through me directly. All of my products are professionally crafted and meant to withstand the test of time. While additional purchases are not required, most clients invest $600-$900 with me.

Studio Policies A signed contract and $150 retainer is required to secure your booking. It is necessary for me to turn away other work to reserve your date so this fee is nonrefundable. You are, however, free to pay the entire fee up front if that is more convenient for you. Any remaining balance is due a minimum of 5 business days prior to your session date. Unpaid sessions will be cancelled and monies forfeited. If something comes up and you need to reschedule, all monies paid will be applied to your new session date. I allow one instance of rescheduling per client within 60 days of your original session date. All prices are subject to change at any time and do not include North Carolinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 7% sales tax. This will be added to all sessions and product orders. For detailed explanations, please refer to my portrait contract.

Whew! Information overload! Still got questions? Shoot me an email and I’ll usually get back to you within a few hours. (Unless I’m sleeping of course…) Looking for some creative ways to display your session images in your home? Check out my display inspiration board on Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/ leahartman) for some of my favorite ideas. If you’d like to “meet me” prior to your session, let me know and I’d be happy to schedule a Skype or FaceTime call with you at no additional charge so we can chat. Oh, and my favorite kind of ice cream is actually gelato and it’s by Talenti. Yum!

Lea

Thank you. I look forward to working with you.