Sprouts Baby Plan - First Year Guide by Sprouts Photography

FIRST YEAR GUIDE First Year Guide

How To Avoid The Worst Mistakes 9 Out Of 10 Moms Make With Baby Portraits! Read What The Chain Stores Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Be Bothered Telling You!

Read This-It’s Very Important I always respect the value of your time...please respect mine. We have RESERVED for you and your baby up to an hour of my time. PLEASE - if you are not going to keep your reservation and you do not call us to tell us you are not coming, it creates a problem for us. Remember your reservation is ONLY FOR YOU. We always have more people that want me photograph their babies - than available appointments. You are one of only “9 new moms” that we accepted at this time and we look forward to making you “thrilled” with what we create here. All I ask is the courtesy of a phone call if you are not coming.

Our No Nonsense “Double Better-Than-Money-Back” Guarantee “You must be absolutely “thrilled” (not just satisfied ) when you “view” your portraits for the very first time. Love them (even cry tears of joy) or you’ll get charged a penny...no questions asked and no hard feelings either! We Even Do Better Than That... We will ALWAYS replace (at no cost to you whatsoever) any of the priceless photographs we have created for you if your portraits have been damaged at your home...“regardless of fault” for up to 6 months after the date of your photography session.” At Sprouts Photography...you never have to worry about any of the problems associated with other studios in the Orange County Area. We may be a small operation but we sure do our best to make sure you are “thrilled” with our service and products.

NO WAITING - NO LONG LINES - NO STRESS - NO PRESSURE TO BUY. NO IMPATIENT PHOTOGRAPHERS - NO STALE BACKGROUDS

Directions To Our Studio We are located at 424 W. Commonwealth Ave. Fullerton, CA 92832. From South County (Interstate 5) Head North on interstate 5. Take the 57 North to the 91 West. Take the Harbor exit and turn RIGHT. Proceed NORTH to Commonwealth Ave and turn LEFT. Pass Highland, we are on the LEFT side in the FRENCH VILLAGE, 424 W. Commonwealth Ave. (If you hit Richmond, you’ve passed us!) From Los Angeles County Head South on interstate 5. Exit Harbor Blvd and go LEFT. Proceed NORTH to Commonwealth Ave and turn LEFT. Pass Highland, we are on the LEFT side in the FRENCH VILLAGE, 424 W. Commonwealth Ave. (If you hit Richmond, you’ve passed us!) The studio phone number is 714-449-1987

Allow yourself enough travel time: We don’t want you to be rushed. Give yourself 10-15 minutes prior to your reserved appointment time to get your child, outfits, etc unloaded from your car. We have the utmost respect for your time and do everything possible to start and stop on time. We allow an hour per baby. Being 15 minutes late for your session will require you to reschedule your appointment. We are not set up like a “chain” studio and we cannot rush your baby’s portraits.

We Know You Have Questions. These Are The Ones We Get Asked All The Time. Q: What exactly is the “Plan” I am on - and is there a sitting fee? A: We do a series of 3 photographs for you. We take them at certain developmental stages. Usually at 3 mos, 7 mos and 12 mos. You pick your favorite photograph from each session. At the end of your baby’s year...you are presented with the 3 photographs you picked. There is never a sitting fee as it’s all inclusive. Q: Does the “Plan” go past my baby’s birthdate A: We cannot extend this plan past your baby’s first birth date. All photographs we take must be taken before your baby’s birthdate (preemies are the only exception). We cannot compensate you in any way if (for any reason on your part) that does not occur. We have to be fair to everyone. This policy is strictly enforced. Q: I can skip a stage if I want to....right? A: Should you decide to skip any of the sessions - your “plan” will be discontinued. We have clients wanting to do all 3 sessions with us and that’s the way the “plan” is designed. Q: Do I have to come to the session or can I send my sister or someone instead of me? A: Due to liability issues, at least one parent must be here (99.9% of the time it’s mom) but you can bring others to help you though. Q: Do I have to confirm my appointment with you? I’ve heard you have a waiting list. A: Yes it’s true. We do. You must confirm any appointments we make for you. We have a “round the clock” message system at 714-449-1987 for confirming all appointments. If you need to re-schedule for any reason, please let us know. We’ll do our best to reschedule another time for you. Open time slots are not always guaranteed at the time you call - hence our ongoing waiting list. We may even be sold out. This is due in part to a big problem in this area. You may not be aware of the numerous studios that have gone out of business here. The reasons for this dramatic decline in studios are many. We remain strong because we never take on more babies than we can handle. Pride in workmanship is what matters to us and not just a quick buck. We feel your child is certainly worth our full undivided attention. If we do not hear from you by 7 am on the morning of your appointment, your appointment time may be filled without prior notice. We call clients on our waiting list to fill in all available time slots. Parents are solely responsible for keeping all their appointments. We have reserved your time exclusively for you, so confirming is a courtesy to us and the other moms who are anxious to have us photograph their babies. We reserve the right to remove anyone who abuses this policy. Q: What happens if I am not happy with you - for any reason? I am very skeptical. A: We are extremely proud of our 99.3% client satisfaction rating. However we certainly understand we can’t please everyone. If you are not happy with our photography, our policies, our pricing, our studio facilities, our staff, my “freckles” whatever...it’s no problem. We will work hard to make you happy - but if we can’t - you are removed from our schedule and mailing list forever. I know we are not for everyone...but we sure try hard to please you.

Q: Are you open on Saturday or Sunday? A: Sorry... no. Our clients are glad we are not. You see - I cannot be creative working over 100 hours per week. Our clients love our work because it doesn’t look “stale” or “boring.” They always tell me “it looks different...natural...clean...I can’t describe it but I love it!” One of the reasons for that is I am not “burnt out” by photographing 100 babies a week. That’s what other studios do. We only photograph from 9 am - 1 pm, Tuesday - Friday. I need time on the weekends to recharge my batteries in order to produce the finest work we are capable of producing so your portraits can proudly grace the interior of your home. The sacrifice you will make for these portraits will be well worth the investment of your time - I promise you that. Trust me...I won’t let you down. Q: What do you do if my baby gets fussy? A: Leave the worrying to us. In my experience there are only 6 reasons why a baby cries. Hunger, dirty diaper, gas, tired, sick or sensing mom’s nervousness. We can handle 5 out of 6 of these. The one we have no control over is sickness. We will reschedule if your baby is sick. We do understand what babies go through and your concern is our concern. Q: Do You Run Your Studio Like Other “Chain Store” Studios? I had a bad experience. A: Our clients are always telling us how the photography session is so “painless” when comparing us to chain studios. May I be completely honest? If I had a dollar for every client who calls me and tells me of the “horrible” experience they had elsewhere...well...there would be no reason to give this information to you. However, because of my love for children (their safety and happiness) and my love of photography (to capture not just what they “look like” but what they “are like”), you will find the “total” experience here an absolute pleasure. Q: What happens if I can’t show up for an appointment? A: We certainly understand things happen. If you confirmed your appointment with us and something comes up and you need to change it...we understand. Where the problem lies is if you don’t confirm your appointment and don’t show up, my time has been lost. Should this happen, we will do our best to reschedule you as soon as possible IF we have any openings. We always try to give you a courtesy call the morning “before” the day of your scheduled appointment but you are always responsible for keeping your appointments. Remember you never have to wait here for your appointment. Your appointment is reserved ONLY for you and your baby. All we ask is a simple courtesy call to let us know if you are coming or not. Q: When do I make my selections for the poses I want? A: After your session we set up an appointment for you to come back and view your photographs at a Presentation appointment. We will give you more information about this incredible experience when you come for your first session. Q: What can I expect at the session? A: Expect Fast Paced Fun! As parents, we know that children have a very low tolerance for doing any one thing for too long a time. I ask you to trust me in my approach to creating the portraits you will have for a lifetime. Not all babies smile on command and we sadly can never guarantee a smile. Each baby is different. Some of my finest images I’ve ever created had a “sweet” expression with no smile. Sometimes a full smile can make a baby squint so the beauty of the eyes is not seen. I try to get all expressions. It would be helpful to schedule your appointment around the baby’s best time of day for a successful session.

Q: Can I bring help with me? A: Of course you can.....in fact we welcome it. It makes you feel better to have help. Q: How many poses do you take? A: Ok.....repeat after me....“my child will control the session”.....c’mon say it! I am kidding... but it’s true. Your child will control the session and that’s what separates us from a high volume chain studio. “Chain” store photographers bring their children to me (how funny is that huh?) We take as many as needed to fulfill the baby panel requirement. Additional poses will be taken solely at my discretion. The amount of images I create will always depend on the type of session being done or arrangement made with a client. You will always have enough to complete the baby panel. Q: What Do I Need To Bring With Me? A: Well—don’t forget the baby! Seriously, let’s take a moment to go over each of the different sessions we do in our studio for babies. I will go into some details in a minute of what to bring with you and what to look for as “growth” stages and the best time to photograph a baby. Try to keep clothing simple and not too loose. Otherwise the material bunches up and you won’t be happy with the photo. Important: Solid colors always look better. Always avoid patterns or stripes if possible. These will take away from the focus of your baby. Denim and pastels work well. Do not use red or yellow colored clothing as this effects the skin color in the photographs. You never want the clothing to take away from the beauty of your baby. You may want to bring a silver rattle (3 mo), silver cup (6 mo), teething ring (6 mo), personalized blanket (6 mo) hats, headbands for girls or any other items you may want to use. Due to the fact that the baby “plan” we do is a promotional offer, I always reserve the right to limit the amount of changes of clothing per session. Q: What if I have to feed my baby? I am a nursing mom. A: For your comfort we have a kids/mommy area in the studio that includes a tv and toys for siblings, a rocking chair for nursing moms and a changing table with all the amenities at your disposal. AND... we have kids ourselves! Should your baby get hungry, we just stop the session and you can feed your baby in peace. You and your baby can listen to soft lullaby music. This is the secret to our success. A happy baby! When your baby is full, we continue the session. Simple right? Should you have any questions (we don’t care how dumb you think it may be) please call 714-449-1987 we will be happy to answer your questions.

The Different Types Of Photography We Do What I want to focus on here in these pages are the stages from pregnancy, newborn, 3 months, 7 months and 12 months of age. We also do family portraits and older children but for now we will just focus on those stated. More examples of all my work can be found on our website at www.SproutsPhotography.com So...let’s begin.

Maternity Portraits All life begins - with you. Nothing gives me the greatest joy than capturing your “glow” that only happens during this special time. I know what you are thinking...and stop it. You are beautiful. Don’t miss this special time as a woman. I like to photograph in the 7th month of pregnancy but I have done it later than that. I do have my reasons on why I like the 7th month. It is always the best time to photograph a pregnancy. Here are some examples. You may even know someone who badly wants to do this. Pass my name along so they do not miss out. Send them to my website at www. SproutsPhotography.com.com to see more of my pregnancy portraits. Clients who do this “scream from the rooftops” about how happy they are that they did it! We even include a “no charge” private consultation before any photography is even discussed.

“Mommy & Me” Portraits If you are fortunate enough to contact me when your baby is in the early stages, this session is a “word of mouth” special that we do. It’s a beautiful portrait of Mother with Child. The session fee is $60. If you have seen any of our exhibits or visited our website, you may have seen a sample of this priceless image. Due to the overwhelming demand for our style of photography, this session is always subject to availability with my schedule. If you did not have a chance to take advantage of this session, pass the word on to a friend who is having a baby. She will thank you for the rest of your life! These are tender little moments that can never be repeated. Take advantage of this if you can! You have me for one hour without charge for my time! Do this. You won’t ever regret it! Give us a call and I can explain the details.

Newborn Portraits This is probably my favorite session that we offer. To me there is nothing better than working with a brand new baby. This session must take place within the first 10 days of life. Due to the nature of this session, it can take anywhere from 60 minutes all the way up to 3 hours! The baby dictates the flow of the session. These also are usually more artistic and include 2-3 different looks. Due to the time and effort that this session takes, it is one of our more expensive sessions. The fee for a Newborn session is $150. We also offer custom designed birth announcements.

3 to 4 Month - Stage (The “Plan” Begins Here) This is the first “stage” that begins the year long “plan” for your baby. This stage is when your baby is laying on their tummy and holds their head up nice and strong. Please do not underestimate what I am about to tell you here. Please “practice” with your baby before coming in for your scheduled appointment. Lay your baby on a blanket on the floor (not a bed or chair) and bring both hands in front of your baby’s chest. Place your hand “on top” of your baby’s hands and the head should “pop up” as shown above. If this is not happening as shown, call me at 714-449-1987 and I can advise you. We don’t want to cause any stress to your baby so trust me on this one. Some babies will do this at 3 1/2 months and some later. Each baby is different. I will help you...don’t worry. I know what you are going to say...”Renée my baby doesn’t like to be on his/her stomach.” I understand your concern. Please do what I ask and practice - trust me. Ask any of my other moms about this little tip - it works! Please dress your baby in something that can be easily removed because we start the session “bare chested”. There is a good reason for this so please “bare” with me. Actually there is a reason for everything I do. Keep reading. A 3 month old in most cases has a very low tolerance level. I always give a worse case scenario for you and anything else is a piece of cake. I want to get the bare chested images done first—in case the baby gets fussy. We will then put your baby in an outfit. Please...one outfit is enough, however, bring more than one outfit so I can advise you on what photographs the best. Solid colors always look better than patterns or stripes...hats, headbands are fine. Avoid bright red and bright yellow clothing. Shoes and socks are not needed as they do not show—a barefoot baby is a happy baby.

NOT READY SITTING

6-7 Month Stage (Sitting up as shown) This is a wonderful session! Your baby must be “sitting up” without assistance. Again, practicing at home a couple of weeks before your session makes a big difference! What I am looking for is for your baby not to be wobbling at all. I need your baby sitting up strong, with their back straight, without toppling over as shown in the sample above. Don’t be fooled by what I call a “tripod” or “balancing” position. Your baby will be sitting but leaning forward or balancing with their hands in the air. That is not sitting up. That is “trying” to sit up. This stage occurs at different times for different babies. Do not get worried as this stage can occur as late as 7.5 to 8 months of age. Don’t worry....we will capture the stage at the proper time. If you don’t follow my instructions here, you would be trying to “catch” your baby from falling over during the session. This stage must be as captured as shown for the safety of your child. If you are not sure if your baby is sitting properly...call me first before your appointment day so you don’t waste your time. I would rather you call me and reschedule your appointment if your baby is not sitting strong. Why? Because if you come here and your baby is not sitting up as I have asked, I will have to send you home. Do not be mad at me if you can’t get back in for a 2nd appointment. I may not have one. At least I warned you ahead of time. We will be doing our famous “bare” shots at this time. You can also bring a clothing selection. We also suggest a special blanket and again a silver rattle or cup. Please let me know if you have brought these things with you. Remember to keep your clothing selection SIMPLE! Denim and pastels work best, as we want your baby, not the clothes, to stand out in the portrait. This is the best time to consider having a family portrait, mommy & me, or a formal Christening Portrait done. When we reserve your time for the 6-month session, just let us know how we can serve you for your future needs.

tterns a p h t i gw Clothin voided a e b d shoul to stay t s e b r Do you rs but o l o c d i l with so red and avoid lothing c w o l l ye

12 Months (Maybe Standing? - First Steps?) This is the time for a one year formal portrait. We really encourage bringing both a formal and casual clothing change at this session. Your baby “might” be standing on their own. If you choose to put shoes on your baby, be sure that they are cleaned and polished. (Always check the bottoms of the shoes!) We do not recommend shoes (my personal preference) as I like to always see the baby’s feet. Your baby may feel strange if they are not used to wearing shoes. Speaking of this...if you expect your baby to be walking by the 12 month session date you may want to bring your baby in sooner. They will walk away once they know they can. If you see your baby taking first steps....call me right away to get on the schedule! If you want to—bring 5 pink or blue helium balloons. (We have a realistic birthday cake and hat). IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the special offer for our year long “plan” we cannot extend this plan past your baby’s 1st birth date. All photographs for the “plan” must be taken by that time. We do not compensate you in any way if (for any reason) that does not occur. We can not be responsible if you forget to schedule your last session until after your baby’s birthday. We have to be fair to everyone here and we treat everyone with the same respect. Sorry but there are no exceptions - see frequently asked questions. If you have not done your family portrait by now...don’t put it off. Do it now! It’s hardest to photograph a baby after this time. I can tell you stories of times when clients have put this off...only to be too late. We had a baby pass away just shortly after their first family portrait. Things happen in life that we can never predict. We had it done. I beg you, give it some serious thought. I am sure by now I have gained your trust so...trust me with this one. Remember -- “A photograph is a captured memory you once had - that can never be repeated or remembered.”

A Word About Add On Sessions “Renée, can I add other siblings or family members at the time of my baby’s session? Of course you can! This is a great way to document your family’s history for generations to come. Please understand that your child’s “plan” is a “single subject in a photograph” promotion. However...we certainly understand you may wish to add other siblings (especially twins, triplets etc) and other members (Mom and Dad) in the photo with your baby at any of the sessions we will do throughout the year. These add on sessions are no problem at all. However due to the incredible demand for our services these “add on” sessions must be reserved in advance. We cannot do these on the spot for a “quick picture.” We have no such thing as a quick picture at our studio. There is a $40 session fee (no matter how many subjects up to a total of 5 people) for “add on” sessions and it must be paid in advance to reserve your extra time. When more than one subject is in the photo, our regular packages or a la carte pricing applies to only those photographs with more than one subject. Thank you so much and please visit us at www.SproutsPhotography.com so you can follow any special announcements (on our blog) throughout the year. Welcome to our studio family! Warmly,

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