FAQs

If you’re anything like me, you have a million questions and hypotheticals about your session and photos. Hopefully you can find some answers here! If I don’t cover it here, I’d be more than happy to address it with you, just shoot me an email!

Practical Questions

Advice Questions

Where do you typically work?

I live in St. Louis, Missouri, and I prefer to work within this area. However, I also have family in Ohio and Michigan, and I love photographing when I visit! I recently moved to the area from out-of-state, so if you have a fun shoot location idea, I’m always open to suggestions!

What is your travel policy?

I would LOVE to travel either for your event or session! Travel details and associated costs are calculated by the individual event and scenario. There’s no cookie-cutter way to travel, so I handle travel situations on a case-by-case basis, and if you’re interested, I am happy to discuss specifics with you. Generally, you can expect my normal session prices with the costs of travel added on, either by mileage or by flight cost, though some sessions may be heavily discounted. (This is why it’s case-by-case!)

What is your rescheduling policy?

If Mother Nature forces a reshoot (hurricanes, monsoons, tornadoes, etc.) or I am incapacitated for some reason (hospitalization, illness, personal emergency, etc.), I am happy to reschedule a date that works for us both! If you choose to reschedule, try to do so as far in advance as possible! If someone’s not feeling well the night before and you’re not sure, a heads-up that a cancellation is possible would be really appreciated. Any fees will be discussed in your contract, so please check there for details.

When will I receive my images?

For most sessions, I will do my best to send you a link to download your images within three weeks. During busy times, it may take a bit longer, but you’ll hear from me letting you know that that’s the case. Some sessions take longer to edit than others (either due to the nature of editing or the volume of photos), and I’ll let you know as I’m working through post-processing if I think it’ll be longer than two weeks.

Can I just have the unedited photos?

Short answer: no. Delivering unedited photos is like giving someone cake batter that’s mostly mixed but is still missing the eggs and hasn’t been baked yet. I pride myself on delivering consistent, beautiful images, and some of that is done through processing your photos in Lightroom and Photoshop. Additionally, I shoot in a file format called “RAW”, which means that until the photos are processed in a capable editing program, your computer likely can’t even read them. For these reasons, I will not deliver unedited or raw photos, only finished products to my clients.

Are there more pictures you aren’t showing us?

Short answer: no. I firmly believe that there is no reason to withhold high-quality photos from a client for the purpose of maintaining a quota or avoiding overdelivery. If your session promised 20 photos and I got 35 great photos, you will see 35 great photos.

Can you make me skinny/curvy/smoother/etc?

I do minor retouching (zits, small scars, blinking, etc.) as much as I can if you request it, but I firmly believe that photos should represent the most beautiful view of the actual you. I strive to pose clients in a way that will be flattering to their body types, and I’ll help flatten out clothing wrinkles when I can. I won’t use extensive retouching to make you look fundamentally different than you do in real life, because (a) I don’t think it’s necessary or honest, and (b) I’m just not that good at the intricacies of Photoshop. But mostly (a).

If you have a “problem area” or a particular concern, please let me know when we start the shoot so I can be aware of it and help pose and photograph you in the best possible way and in a way which makes you comfortable! I would SO MUCH rather you tell me you’re a little self-conscious about your weight or your ankles or that you have a “good side” than not know, so we can work together to make you look your absolute best!

What should I/we wear?

Aim for coordinating, not matching. This means YES to picking a “color palette” and not so much to white t-shirts and jeans. Pinterest is a great place to find outfit suggestions for photo shoots. Marnie Densmore did a wonderful job of planning her family’s outfits around the dress she wanted her daughter to wear! Picking one key outfit or accessory and building your wardrobe around it isn’t a bad idea at all, and can end up with a very cohesive photo session.

Layers are your friend! Dress comfortably and for the weather if you can–you probably won’t be happy if you’re out in the snow in that super cute sundress you bought in July, and you’ll LOOK cold in the photos. Feel free to bring those killer heels, but maybe also a pair of flats that matches in case we’re getting a little adventurous.

Stay away from small, tight patterns (like thin stripes or small checkers), because those don’t photograph well. Solid colors are great and draw attention to the subject wearing them!

What should I bring?

Feel free to bring just yourselves and a good attitude! If you have small children, I strongly recommend snacks that they like (bribery goes a LONG way with kids) and toys that could be used either to draw attention in a certain direction or as a bargaining chip. If there are any particular props you’d like included, absolutely bring those! I’d love to incorporate personal notes to your photos, and instruments, favorite toys, or certain accessories are a great way to add a unique flair to a shoot.

If there are specific shots you want (clinking champagne glasses or with a basketball), bring those things if you can. If you don’t have them, check with me–I might, and then you don’t have to buy extras in advance!

If you would like your pet(s) included in your shoot, you need to let me know in advance. I’m happy to try to incorporate animals as much as they’ll let me, but I need to know before we arrive so I can plan poses and settings appropriately.

How should I prepare myself or my family for the session?

Your photo session is going to be fun! That means fun for the parents, fun for the photographer (me!), and fun for the kids. I would love if everyone showed up excited and happy and ready to have a good time! I know that kids especially can be unpredictable, and we’ll work around that as best we can. Keep in mind that kids often feed off their parents’ emotions, so if both parents are excited and enthusiastic about the day, it’s most likely that the kids will be, too! Sometimes one significant other is more excited than the other, and that’s okay–just know that I promise to make this as painless as I can, and you’ll probably end up enjoying it more than you thought you would. (I hope!)

Who should come to the shoot?

Only the people for whom the shoot is scheduled. If you schedule a family session for parents + three kids, and you show up with parents + three kids + two dogs + grandparents, that makes my job very complicated very quickly. I do a lot of individual preparation personalized to each shoot before I arrive on site, and if I don’t know someone is coming, I can’t plan to include them. If you’d like to add more people to your shoot after booking (even just one or two!), please contact me and we can plan accordingly. For certain additions, especially once more than six total people are involved, additional fees may apply. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to include Grandma and Grandpa, I just want to know if I should plan poses and setups to include them!

If it’s a senior shoot, a parent is welcome to tag along, but I might ask you to sit in the car for a little bit so the senior doesn’t feel “watched”. It’s not personal! It can just be uncomfortable for some when they feel like they’re “performing” for a nonparticipant, and I want everyone to feel good about their photos and session!

Can I bring my Pinterest ideas?

Pinterest is an incredible resource, and I use it constantly, both for work and for personal enjoyment. I would love to see your ideas for poses, themes, or certain angles or styles for your shoot! Do keep in mind that I won’t be able to perfectly replicate anything, because every shoot is different and every photographer has a different style, but I’m happy to give it a shot!

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