PROFESSIONAL NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY
WHY KRISTY LEE PHOTOGRAPHY?
PROFESSIONAL FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY
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Mini Sessions Versus Full Sessions, What is best for your Family?
I am often asked lots of questions in relation to my sessions and the difference between the mini and full sessions. I decided to write a short blog to cover some of the most commonly asked questions. A mini sessions versus full sessions rundown.
MINI Sessions
I hold mini sessions a few times throughout the year for a few different reasons. Sometimes it is to celebrate special times like Christmas (which are themed). Other times to celebrate Mother’s Day which are always the perfect gift for Mum’s and Grandmothers. And sometimes I will have them as a little special throughout the year.
Mini sessions generally will have a 10-30 minute time frame. In a 30 minute mini session I aim to capture a minimum of 10 images for the client (5 for a 15 minute session). However this can be higher if the session goes smoothly. Location is always selected by me depending on the time of year. And sessions are usually back to back so we have to run on time.
They are priced between $75 and $150 for the sitting which usually includes a print and or a few digitals.
Who are Mini sittings best suited to?
- They usually work well for families with toddlers with short attention spans however if your child is on the shy side. Or If they need extra attention for some reason such as a disability etc, I recommend a full session over a mini giving more time for your child to feel comfortable.
- Families who just want a few updated images.
- Those families with older children who can follow instructions easily, and aren’t shy or individual children.
- Families who are on a tight budget but are happy with just a few quality images for their wall.
Who are they NOT suitable for?
- Newborn under the age of 3 months due to time restrictions. I have offered this for newborns in the past but found they are too unpredictable to get good images for the parents.
- Families who would like a large combination of different images ie, siblings, family, Mum and kids etc as we generally don’t have the time.
- Those who would like to select their location and have more input on their session and have in mind exactly what they’d like from a session.
With my mini sessions, you are given the chance to purchase more images whether that be prints or digitals, however this is not a must. Everyone’s needs are different and some decide to purchase all of their gallery images where others are happy to select their prints and or digitals that are included in the mini session fee. Outdoor sessions and upgrades are a little more expensive than studio sessions due to the limited times I can shoot these and the extra editing involved in the galleries however they are always the first to sell out.
The session fee is paid before your session but additions can be purchased after viewings.
Full Sessions
Full sessions are perfect for families who haven’t had family photos for a while, those who have extra shy children or children with disabilities and or need extra attention. I don’t have a time frame on these sessions meaning we can take our time and make you and your children comfortable. On average they generally run for 45-60 minutes. I also never book in another session straight after a full session. This allows the flexibility and time freedom to get to know your children to get the best photos possible for you.
You also get creative input into the session and the freedom to create your ‘ideal’ portrait for your family. Whether your family is into the beach, studio or have another location in mind. I work with you to select a location that will suit your vision. We can even look at getting a stylist involved if you really want to go all out and get that extra special session. Attention to detail with clothing etc can make a huge difference in the final product. In a full family session I aim to get a minimum of 25 images for selection. However it’s not uncommon to get a lot more which usually includes combinations of family, Mum with kids, Dad with kids, individual children etc
SO I hope this short blog has helped clarify what my mini sessions are and whether they would be suited to your situation or not. It is important that you choose the session type that is best suited to your needs. I am always happy to discuss with you if you are unsure at all on what session type will best be suited to you and your family. Every family is different after all. I’m looking forward to releasing my Mothers Day Mini Sessions. They will be held over the first week of the April School Holidays and Dates will be announced soon. Further dates may be announced depending on when my booked newborns arrive.
Remember these mini sessions are extremely popular and sell out fast so booking as soon as they are released is a must. Release will be done first in my VIP group on Facebook (be sure to add yourself if you wish to get first look at booking dates and times) and then later on my facebook page.
VIP Group access – https://business.facebook.com/groups/1913144805367841/?ref=pages_profile_groups_tab&source_id=110887982385034
For full information on my standard Family sessions head over to my website https://www.kristyleephotography.com.au where you can find full package information and pricing.
Kristy xx
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This week it was a real pleasure to have my nephew bring along his beautiful girlfriend Amy for a maternity session to celebrate her stunning tiny bump. Meaning of course I have another GREAT nephew on the way! Something I have struggled to come to terms with even though my eldest great nephew must be 3 by now! Great Aunt makes me feel super old! BUT it’s not all about me 😉
I have met the beautiful Amy a few times over the years and she is always super quiet (in saying that we have a really loud family so she probably finds it quite overwhelming) but even so I could tell she had a very gentle nature which I am sure will be an amazing quality when becoming a Mum for the first time in a matter of weeks! It is hard to believe she was 36 weeks here. I was worried this shyness would make my job that little bit harder however I was pleasantly surprised with how both Amy and Brent were together. I must say they may be young but they make the cutest couple and you can really see how much they love each other. Becoming a young Mum myself and meeting my now husband at just 15, I am excited to see them create a future together with their little family.
So now it’s time check out Amy’s maternity session sneak peek!
For more information on my maternity sessions or to see more examples of my maternity session images please visit https://kristyleephotography.com.au/maternity-photography/
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After an awesome break away with my own little family in Bali and surrounding islands (I think that deserves a blog post of it’s own!), I am back and have so many exciting things happening this month at Kristy Lee Photography. I thought a post with the updates was a great idea considering there is a lot happening 🙂
Contests – I am about to hit 4000 likes on my Facebook page so I have a little contest happening where the winner will receive a free session of their choice (maternity, newborn or family). See my page for full details on how to enter and Look for the image below.
You can find my facebook page here -https://www.facebook.com/rockinghamphotography/
Monthly Special – my monthly special this month is for Newborn bookings. It’s so common for people to book their sessions in last minute BUT I love it when people are organized so to encourage early bookings, newborn sessions booked before the end of Feb receive a free maternity sitting. As always this is subject to availability and it is selling fast in fact I am currently booking my first clients for babies due in October!
I am also in the search for a set of twins or even triplets for a session for March. This will be a free session and the parents will receive 5 high resolution images for their time. I rarely do model calls however as I have a few ideas In mind for a multiple shoot with none booked in for the coming month I would love to find someone to help with this. If you know anyone who is due to have multiples this coming month or they have just had them please pass on my details.
So as you can see, lots happening at the moment for me and my clients both present and future. To keep up to date with all the latest please follow my facebook and or Instagram page and I also have a VIP group which is the first to get releases of mini sessions and some exclusive specials. (link below)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1913144805367841/?source_id=110887982385034
Kristy xx
Read MoreEarly December I had the pleasure of photographing my second Great nephew, Jax! YES I know, I’m way too young to be a Great Aunt! 😉 Anyhow, I thought I would share some of the maternity and newborn photos from the sessions both maternity and newborn for Mr Jax and of course his gorgeous little family including my nephew, his stunning girlfriend and adorable little daughter (also now a big sister!).
They did pretty well considering Dad Kayden kept insisting that he wasn’t the romantic cuddly type!
His big sister Charlee is such a little character and made me giggle throughout both sessions (and like she does every time I see her). She has a huge personality and for an 18 month old did amazingly well during the newborn session for Jax. It was apparent immediately that she was going to be an amazing big sister. She loved the kisses, loved the cuddles and I think it was the longest I’ve seen her sit ever she is typically just like any 18 month old, doesn’t like to sit still for too long.
For full information on how to book your very own maternity and or newborn session just like Jax’s contact me using the tab below.
Kristy xx
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It’s quite common to feel overwhelmed about booking a maternity and newborn session. As a mother myself I know there is so much to think of and sometimes although we want the photos to look back on as our family grows, sometimes the thought and what if’s can be so overwhelming we just don’t do it. This post I hope to put your minds at ease. I will explain the process of both my maternity and newborn sessions and how you can make it an enjoyable, even relaxing, fun experience. Of course everything is a guideline and what I have found works after years of experience but obviously we cater to the individual circumstances.
Maternity sessions are done generally between 33-36 weeks. This is usually a good time of the pregnancy before Mum starts to feel really uncomfortable but has a beautiful bump to show off. Twins of course we generally shoot earlier but each Mum is a little different so we work with her and how she is feeling. You have the option of either studio or outdoor locations and this is all up to the individual and what you are wanting from your session. Each has a very different look, and also some Mum’s aren’t comfortable with the idea outdoors so this is another deciding factor which I can guide you with.
The session usually includes Mum (of course), her partner and any other children and generally takes between 40-60 minutes. I guide Mum on how to pose to get the flattering angles that really enhance the bump. I also love natural interaction shots so I always encourage that throughout the session because I feel these are those special moments that we will always want to remember. Some Mum’s have a good idea and like to give me ideas on what they would really like and others like more guidance from me and I love it either way.
Newborn sessions are done within the first 2 weeks of birth so obviously the more organised with this you are the better BUT in saying that, being organised only means being booked in and sending me a text when bub arrives. That’s it. I reply with the next dates I have available for newborns and we book a day in. You will receive a little information pack to look over which covers everything from what to wear to ideas on a routine for the morning of the shoot to hopefully make your day smooth.
The day of your session. Literally you turn up at your session time, sit back and relax!
Some parents may worry about having a stranger handle their baby which of course is completely understandable. But as a Mum of 4 myself, I have had a lot of experience both as a Mother and as a newborn photographer so always know that your babies safety is always my number one priority so it never takes long for parents to relax. If this is an issue for you I am also available for meet and greets before your session to put your mind at ease.
I have a television with Netflix if needed, tea and coffee making facilities at hand and most importantly a comfy lounge for parents to sit back and relax on. I’m unable to tell you the amount of parents I have had fall asleep at a session which I encourage! Knowing what it’s like to have a newborn and sleepless nights and want to see you relaxed because your baby picks up on your energy. Happy relaxed parents generally means happy relaxed bub so the more relaxed you are the better.
If you are thinking of booking a newborn session I recommend you read my previous post on preparing for your newborn session. It covers some more things to think about when you are booking your photographer. https://kristyleephotography.com.au/recent-posts/planning-your-newborn-session/
For the rest of this month (Feb 2018) I am offering free maternity sittings with newborn bookings made but it is filling up fast with limited spaces left. But if you are thinking about having a maternity and newborn session then this is the perfect time to go ahead and book in.
Kristy xx
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Planning your newborn session. A common thing I am asked about often and that is newborn sessions and in particular planning your newborn session. I have been photographing newborns for coming up 6 years now and have learnt a LOT along the way. So I thought a short blog post to give a few tips on what to keep in mind when choosing your newborn photographer and planning your newborn session. Whether you are local to me or live on the other side of the world, I can guarantee these simple things are a great guideline to go by.
So let’s get started –
STYLE –
- Photography is an art meaning that every photographer will have their own style. Yes you will find some similar styles out there but as a whole each photographer will have their own unique, individual style. You should check out their website, see their portfolio, and social media to make sure that you are in love their images and can see those hanging on YOUR wall. My style. Personally with my newborns, I like to combine both lifestyle type shots and posed, curled squishy baby shots so my sessions can be catered toward one over the other or most of my sessions have a combination of each. I love natural organic tones but also love to play with splashes of usually pastel colours that you will see in some of my images.
SAFETY –
- The safety of a newborn should be paramount to any parent and photographer. In fact I could easily do a full blog post on this alone. As a parent myself I know I wanted to be 100% comfortable with the person handling my brand new bundle at such a young age (remembering newborns are usually photographed within the first 14 days of life). Knowing that they have done some training and continue to practise newborn safety would be of great importance to me as a Mother/Parent. This is not only handling your baby but also making sure your photographer is fully immunised against things such a whooping cough which can be deadly to a newborn. I recommend checking recommendations and reviews to see what others are saying about how the photographer handled their baby, did they feel at ease? And Images like below take a lot of skill, both posing and editing and practise and are called composite images. This is when two images are taken and then combined during post production to create the final product and they shouldn’t be attempted by anyone without proper training and education. I do take requests for these poses however I will never promise anything to parents because each baby is so different and sometimes some babies just will not be cooperative enough to do them and safety will always come first.
- Straight of the camera
- The final Product
- The final product of a potato sack pose another composite image
BOOK EARLY –
- When planning your newborn session remember you are purchasing something you will treasure forever, a keepsake to be passed on through generations. Coming from a Mum of 4 who doesn’t have these images with her own children, let me say this – You will never get this time back, they grow up way too fast and soon those times when they were BRAND new, when their hands were all wrinkly and hair whispery will just become a faded memory. I would do anything to go back in time to get these images of my own babies and through multiple conversations over the years I am not the only one. So please try to be organised and book in whilst you are still pregnant because most newborn photographers will limit their bookings each month and once your baby is here the time will fly and the last thing on your mind will be trying to find a photographer.
PRICING –
4. When planning your newborn session, be sure to ask to see the full pricing guide. You want to have a good idea on how much you are looking at to get your prints and or digitals along with the session fee. Try to appreciate the amount of work, the training not to mention the other parts of running a business that you don’t see, all of those things that go into creating these images for you, art that you to keep forever. Things like insurances, marketing costs, editing time, the things you don’t see to make a business run smoothly and legally. If a business is really cheap maybe it’s just the quality difference or maybe some of the important things above aren’t being covered. Some businesses like myself will have a few different payment options and offer interest free payment plans too so be sure to ask about those.
Thank you for reading my first new blog post! I hope I have given you a few ideas on things to think about when you are planning your newborn session.
I appreciate any feedback you have and I look forward to seeing you and or your baby in front of my camera soon!
Kristy xx
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