Welcome Packet
Elizabeth Buck Owner, Little Steps Photography 1575 Main St. South Windsor, CT 06074 831-233-1434 LittleStepsPhotography@hotmail.com LittleStepsPhotography.com
Thank you so much for choosing Little Steps Photography! I look forward to working with you and your family! Below are the answers to a few of the most commonly asked questions about how our session and viewing session will go. Please take a moment to read through this information sheet and if you find that you still have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask! I can be reached at 831-233-1434 or littlestepsphotography@hotmail.com Feel free to call, text or email me any time!
Locations Sessions are held at a location of your choice. Some locations that I recommend are: Northwest Park in Windsor Bushnell Park in Hartford Nevers Park in South Windsor Elizabeth Park in West Hartford/Hartford Rural/ farm setting South Windsor Valley Falls Park in Vernon Christmas tree farm/ apple orchard (seasonal) I am always looking for new locations to shoot, so if you have an idea of a location of your own, please let me know!
Lighting I shoot using natural light so our session will take place only during times of the best natural light, which is one to two hours before sunset. There are certain locations that lend themselves to sessions that occur at another time
of day, so if the evening doesn’t work for you we will simply use one of those! If it is raining or the day is too dark or gloomy for natural light photography, I will call you that morning to reschedule.
Session Details Your photo session with me will last approximately one to two hours. This allows plenty of time for those unique life moments to unfold organically, and to allow us to have fun too! There’s even the luxury of taking an occasional break for snacks, outfit changes, or just a little rest from the camera. It’s all in the name of a happy photo session where everyone can relax and enjoy being themselves. You won’t find me giving directions or posing you or your children much during our session. My style is such that I capture you and your family as they are and not as they are told to be. Some times I will even ask parents to take a step back during a session or take a child away from the group. This often helps a child to relax a bit and also helps them to connect with not only me, but my camera as well. If mom or dad is off to my right or standing above me trying to get the child’s (or children’s) attention, this will result in a lot of pictures where the child is looking off to the right or above the camera. •
Preparing for Your Session Make sure that everyone gets a good night’s sleep for the few days leading up to the session, (moms included!) It is also important that everyone arrives to the session with a full belly. There will be time to take a break mid session for some snacks, but make sure you bring snacks that don’t make a too much of a mess. Don’t worry if a few crumbs get spilled though, I always come prepared with wipes! While I do provide some props for sessions, it can be a good idea to bring along something meaningful to either your family or your children. It is often comforting to a child to their favorite stuffed animal or toy with them, and a
lot of times this favorite item makes a more meaningful picture!
What to wear First and foremost, you should choose clothing that you and your family members are comfortable in. For family sessions, I suggest that family members wear coordinating outfits with colors that compliment each other rather than have everyone dressed in matching outfits. I would also suggest staying away from too many prints. When you are choosing your outfits, make sure to think about your personal style, if you love to wear bright colors then go with that, but if you are a person that sticks to grays and blacks, that is fine too! I’ll also happily discuss outfits with you, so don’t be afraid to ask! I have even have had clients text me pictures of outfits they are trying to decide on. Or better yet, if you want to bring a few choices, I can help you pull together that perfect ensemble when I arrive at our session. Below are a few ideas to get you inspired.
After your Session Once our photo session has ended, I will go through all of the images I have captured and hand edit them. I provide much care and attention to every single image, making each portrait a piece of art to be treasured. Your portraits will be available for viewing approximately two weeks after our session.
Viewing session As soon as your portraits are ready for viewing, I will contact you to set up a viewing session. During the viewing session, I will come to your home and help answer any questions you may have about your session, products and ordering.
Pricing Little Steps Photography’s session fees begin at $150. This session fee is due at the time of booking and includes a $50 print credit, the time and talent of the photographer, at least 20 hand edited images and unlimited client consultations. Little Steps Photography’s a la carte pricing begins at $15 and collection pricing begins at $299.
Ordering During your viewing session, you will be able to choose among professional prints, canvases, albums, and many other custom pieces. Prints and digital files take approximately two weeks whereas custom items like albums, cards, and canvases take up to four weeks. Like you, I get excited to see all the ordered artwork printed and ready to be placed in a family’s home!
Creative Assistance From our photo session to ordering your artwork, I am here every step of the way! I am here to help bring your vision for your session to life, to help make print selections, and to create custom pieces for you to treasure for your lifetime. I am always happy to answer any questions you may have or listen to any ideas or suggestions! I welcome and encourage you to contact me whenever you like, even if it’s just to say hello. I am always a phone call, text, or email away! Thank you again so much for choosing Little Steps Photography. I am so looking forward to working with you and your family!
~Elizabeth Buck Little Steps Photography http://littlestepsphotography.com http://www.facebook.com/littlestepsphotography
Studio Policies (aka the Not so Fun Stuff) Before the Session You will be sent a link to fill out an inquiry form and to agree to the Studio Policies, please fill these out and return them at least 5 days prior to your session. Session fees are due in full at the time of booking in order to reserve your special date and time. Your session is not considered booked until this fee is paid. All sessions include: Up to a 2 hour photography session (4 for newborns) The photographer’s time and talent during the session as well as in post production and during the ordering viewing and process. Unlimited client consultations If an illness, weather, or other unforseeable situation prevents a session from taking place, clients may reschedule the session to a mutually aggreed upon date. 48 hours notice is required to reschedule a session. Session fee will be held and applied to the rescheduled session. If there is not at least a 48 hour notice to the photographer, the session fee will be forefitted. The photographer maintains the right to reschedule a session in the event of an emergency or illness or if the optimum conditions that are required for the session are not present.
During Your Session Attendance at your session is limited to those being photographed and their parents or guardians. Having additional people present at the session can be distracting to both the photographer and those being photographed. No cameras, including cell phone cameras, are allowed at the session. Please arrive at your session promptly and ready to begin. Late arrivals or additional time for preparation will reduce the amound of time we can spend in session and may limit the amount of images we can capture. The client grants Little Steps Photography and all photographers associated with Little Steps Photography, the irrevocable and unrestricted right to use and publish photographs from the session for any lawful purpose, including but not limited to such purposes of marketing, illustration, and web content. Little Steps Photography retains full compyright owbership of any photograph captured. Clients may not scan, reporduce, modifiy or print images unless given written permission by Little Steps Photography. Clients are more than welcome to and are encouraged to post and share images from our session online, but please do not crop, alter, or remove the photographer’s watermark in any way.
After the Session Images will be ready for viewing within two weeks of your session at which point you will be contacted to set up your viewing session. Viewing sessions are conducted in person only, either in the clients home or at a mutually agreed upon place. Orders and payments are expected and required at the conculsion of this session unless a payment plan is arranged. All sales are final. If you would like additional family members or friends to view your gallery who are unable to attend the viewing session, galleries will be made available online to accomdate this. However, orders and payments are due within seven days of your gallery being posted. All sessions have a minimum $200 print and/or product purchase. Digital
files may be purchased after a $100 print or product purchase is made. Payments are accepted via Cash, Personal Check, Cashier’s check or Credit Card. Checks may be made out to: Little Steps Photography and hand delivered or mailed to the studio at 1575 Main St. South Windsor, CT 06074. All products are subject to a 6.35% CT sales tax. All credit cards are charged a service charge. Orders will not be processed until full payment is recieved. Little Steps Photography does offer payment plans on a case by case basis. If you are interested in arranging a payment plan, please contact Elizabeth to arrange it. If you do arrange a payment plan, products will be delivered after the final payment has been receieved.
Little Steps Photography Referral Program Referrals are the biggest compliments! I love when you are so happy with me and my work that you want to tell all your friends, so I figured I would find a way to spread the joy. For every friend you refer to me that books a session, you will earn a $50 print credit to use towards your next sesssion! Just make sure they tell me your name when they book. It’s that easy!
Thank you again for choosing Little Steps Photography. I am so looking forward to our session!! ~Elizabeth Buck 831-233-1434 LittleStepsPhotography@hotmail.com
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