FAQs

by | Oct 19, 2011

1. How do I find a photographer?
  • Word of mouth are referrals are a great way to find a photographer. Ask  friends with a similar style to yours for referrals – people who were thrilled with their photos will  enthusiastically recommend their photographer.  But remember that photography, especially custom photography, is a very personal choice. To make sure that the photographer’s style matches yours, visit that photographer’s website or blog.

Of all the things you buy this year, your family photos are one of the few things that will last the longest and give you and others (grandparents, your children, etc.) the most joy.

2. How would you describe your style?
Looking at an artist’s website gallery is the best way to ascertain their style. But if I had to put it into words:
  • I like photography and art that is fun and vibrant, offbeat and expressive, natural and free-flowing.
  • My portrait style is “expressive lifestyle” and I use natural light and usually outdoor settings.
  • My post-processing (what we do with the image after we take it) uses a light touch. I prefer real skin tones. Along those same lines, I think that photos should feature people and their personality, not overwhelming props or stiff, formal posing.
  • I also prefer natural expressions; I’ll take a loving glance or an inquisitive gaze over a fake smile any day. Many of my photos capture the interaction between family members, as opposed to everyone looking at the camera with identical smiles.
  • The minimum is $995, but clients generally  invest between $1,500 and $4,500 to get the prints, products and/or digital negatives they want.
  • More details on pricing can be found here.
4. What does the session fee cover?
  • The session fee covers my time and talent during the session, preparation for your session including pre-session consultations, editing of your images (30-40 final images), and your ordering session.
5. How often should I get family photos taken?
  • It depends on the age of your children. I suggest every 3-4 months of their first year, then yearly after that.  Some families do photos every fall, and use those images for both their holiday card and for grandparent gifts.

Family Photos are among the most precious things you can do for your family and for yourself.   Capture these fleeting memories to keep forever and to share with your children and future generations, so they have a chance to share in the magic.

6. What about prints, digital negatives, and products?
  • Prints and products are not included in the session fee. They are ordered separately, after your session and once your gallery is ready.
7. What exactly are “digital negatives”?
  • Digital negatives are high resolution jpeg files with reproduction (not ownership) rights.
8. What do I do to prepare for a session?
  • It’s important to invest in capturing these once-in-a lifetime memories. The time you invest in preparation will make the difference between pretty photos you love and AMAZING photos you love to the moon….and back.
  • I provide detailed instructions to clients once we schedule a session, but here are a few  tips:
  • The first thing people ask about is clothes – my biggest advice is wear something flattering that is clean and stylish. Don’t worry about matching each other in terms of color or style. Most important is that you feel good and that your personality shows through. For kids, I love bright colors. For babies, soft, form fitted clothes. You can also check out some of my favorite clothing brands under the “Links” section of this website.
  • My next piece of advice is “clean, clean, clean” – clean hair, face, nails, feet, etc.
  • Bring props and changes of clothes, ideally in a wagon, rolling suitcase, or a laundry basket that will be easy to move. The props and change of clothes will increase the variety of final images and you can incorporate cherished items into your images.
  • You’ll receive detailed preparation instructions as part of my client pre-consultation. Again, please do invest  the time in reading those instructions and preparing the best you can. You truly will be so happy you did since your preparation work will help elevate your images from lovely to stunning!
9. Why is there such a wide range of prices in photography?
  • Isn’t it wonderful that if you want to buy a shirt, you can spend $2.00 for something at Walmart all the way up to $500+ at Nordstroms? It’s the same with photography – a wide range of photography services to meet a wide range of interests. But please remember, as your Mamma always said, “You get what you pay for.”
  • To decide if custom photography is the right choice for you, click here to read an independent article that talks about when custom photography may be the best solution for you, and click here to read about what goes into a custom photography session. (Hint: It’s over 12-20 hours of work per client, plus equipment, training, etc.)  Click here to read an independent article that may help you understand what happens behind the scenes.
10. Ok,  I want really unique, beautiful, art-worthy images of my family that capture our personalities and that we will cherish for our lifetimes. So, I’m sold on custom photography. Is it expensive?
  • I’m going to simplify things by assuming you fall into one of three categories. Whichever category you are in, I’m not going to try to change your mind. My only advice is “Make sure you have family photos taken *somehow*…you will never regret capturing these fleeting moments in your life.!”
  • Category One: Price-Driven: Regardless of your financial options, regardless of the quality of the photos, you would never spend more than a few hundred dollars on your family photos and you don’t care much about the artistic integrity or the uniqueness of your portraits. Your focus is more on the functional aspect. In the world of clothes, this could be compared to Old Navy.  If you are in this category, I’m not the photographer for you BUT there are plenty of options for you, from friends with nice cameras, to new photographers trying to break into the business, to the large chain portrait studios.
  • Category Two: Quality-Driven. The second category is the folks who want AMAZING, artistic photos that really capture their family’s personality; They want photos that will be pieces of art they can put on their wall and pass on to their children.  These folks might not go for a five-star experience in everything they do, but for their family photos they want the best. In the world of clothes, this could be compared to Lululemon, or Nordstrom’s.  If that’s you, and if you like my photographic style, I would LOVE to photograph your family. Click here to send me a message and I’ll get back to you right away.
  • Category Three: Value-Driven.  Let’s be honest, this is where most of us fall for most of the financial decisions we make. You may (like me) buy yoga pants at Lululemon, but your jeans are from Lucky Brand, and your summer T-Shirts come from Old Navy and for special occasions you go all out on a special cocktail dress from a local boutique. So you splurge on the important stuff with recognized quality, and you may save on some less-important purchases. If this describes you, you’ll have to ask yourself if family photography falls into the “important stuff” category.  If you decide you would like artistic, custom family images, please contact me. I would love to take your family photos. This is so important, it is worth repeating:

Of all the things you invest your time and money in this year,

family photos are one of the few things that will last the longest and

give you and others (grandparents, your children, your grandchildren, etc.) the most joy.

  • One last thing, regardless of which category you fall in:   I’ve never heard someone say, “I wish we had not had photos taken.” I have, however, heard people say, “ I hesitated to invest time and money for beautiful family photos.  Then I spent that same money and time over the next few months on meaningless purchases, manicures, meals, and toys that were forgotten within a few months. I wish I had instead chosen family photos.”

Unlike random purchases that bring fleeting happiness, family photos truly provide a lifetime of joy.

11. Where is our session held?

  • Many wonderful options! For children and family sessions, we will meet at a beautiful outdoor location. For newborn sessions, we will do them in the comfort of your home.
12. I just want photos of the kids, none of me, is that OK?
  • I get this often. It’s common for MOST of the images to be just the kids, but please consider being in at least a few of the shots. Photos of just your children will be cherished by you for your lifetime. Photos that include you will ALSO be cherished by your kids for their lifetimes.

Which of your childhood photos do you most cherish?

The ones of just you, or the ones that also include your parents?

  • I can work with you to make sure you are included in the photos in ways that express your inner as well as outer beauty.
13. What kind of products do you offer?
  • I offer a range of the highest, archival-quality products, including prints, wall canvases, albums and digital files.
14. Do you use flash?
  • I shoot usually shoot outside, and use natural light the vast majority of the time. It can take some resourcefulness, as the light is always changing, but the results are beautiful and natural-looking, and allow me to have fun using the light in creative ways. I do use flash when necessary, but that is not the norm.
15. What areas do you cover?
16. Do you offer gift certificates?

Yes, I offer lovely gift certificates which are professionally printed and wrapped with lovely ribbons, ready for presenting. These make wonderful Mother or Father’s Day gifts, and they are especially popular for baby showers.

16. Anything not covered here? Ready to book your custom photography session?

Contact Me! or call me at (303) 525-8687

  1. I have been an artist/photographer for over 20 years….over 30 years if fingerpainting counts!
  2. I live halfway between Boulder and Denver, with my wonderful husband and amazing, spirited son who brings me more joy than I ever thought possible.
  3. I love soccer, yoga, dance, travel, and the ocean. My husband insists that “electronic gadgets” should be included in that list.
  4. English is not my first language. I am fluent in my third and fourth languages, mediocre in my second language and have completely forgotten my first. (My father was an inventor and we lived all over the world through much of my childhood.)
  5. As an artist/photographer, I adore that moment when people see a piece of art that they connect with, or photos of their family that they just love.
]]>